#this is a pattern you'll start to see the more this goes on

[pied-piper-pluto]

"All this digital art stuff, you know, it goes way over my head. But my wife, y'see, she has this cousin Lou. Now Lou's a real smart cookie, knows everything from Blender to Clip Studio, but the one thing they won't touch is AI. Says it wastes a whole lot of electricity for something that only looks good at a glance.

See, a computer, it can't think through things like a human can. You or I, when we look at a drawing of an apple, we can compare it to real apples we've seen. If you show us a drawing of some orange thing with spikes coming out every which way, well, we can tell you that sure doesn't look like an apple.

But a computer? All a computer can do is look at pictures of apples. And if you give that computer enough pictures of apples that are a little bit orange, or a little bit bumpy, well. It might just decide that spiky orange thing is an apple too. It takes a whole lot of pictures of apples to get the computer mostly good at guessing when things are apples or not.

Now, that's bad enough when you just want your computer to tell you what it sees. When you want a computer to make an image, though, that's where Lou says you really run into trouble. You put a piece of paper in front of me, give me a pencil, and tell me to draw an apple, it won't win any awards. But it'll be a new drawing. Nobody's ever drawn that exact same drawing the exact same way before.

But if you take your computer that's gotten pretty good at guessing when things are apples, and you tell it "okay, draw me an apple", it can't make a completely new drawing of an apple. Instead, it'll take the pictures you've given it and mash 'em together. Maybe, at the end, you won't be able to tell which pictures it used, but if you ask it for enough drawings of apples, you'll start seeing patterns...

I'm sorry, I'll get out of your hair. I know you have to get back to your painting.

Just one more thing... how many fingers does that man in the corner have?"

[cocklessboy]

The biggest male privilege I have so far encountered is going to the doctor.

I lived as a woman for 35 years. I have a lifetime of chronic health issues including chronic pain, chronic fatigue, respiratory issues, and neurodivergence (autistic + ADHD). There's so much wrong with my body and brain that I have never dared to make a single list of it to show a doctor because I was so sure I would be sent directly to a psychologist specializing in hypochondria (sorry, "anxiety") without getting a single test done.

And I was right. Anytime I ever tried to bring up even one of my health issues, every doctor's initial reaction was, at best, to look at me with doubt. A raised eyebrow. A seemingly casual, offhand question about whether I'd ever been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Even female doctors!

We're not talking about super rare symptoms here either. Joint pain. Chronic joint pain since I was about 19 years old. Back pain. Trouble breathing. Allergy-like reactions to things that aren't typically allergens. Headaches. Brain fog. Severe insomnia. Sensitivity to cold and heat.

There's a lot more going on than that, but those were the things I thought I might be able to at least get some acknowledgement of. Some tests, at least. But 90% of the time I was told to go home, rest, take a few days off work, take some benzos (which they'd throw at me without hesitation), just chill out a bit, you'll be fine. Anxiety can cause all kinds of odd symptoms.

Anyone female-presenting reading this is surely nodding along. Yup, that's just how doctors are.

Except...

I started transitioning about 2.5 years ago. At this point I have a beard, male pattern baldness, a deep voice, and a flat chest. All of my doctors know that I'm trans because I still haven't managed to get all the paperwork legally changed, but when they look at me, even if they knew me as female at first, they see a man.

I knew men didn't face the same hurdles when it came to health care, but I had no idea it was this different.

The last time I saw my GP (a man, fairly young, 30s or so), I mentioned chronic pain, and he was concerned to see that it wasn't represented in my file. Previous doctors hadn't even bothered to write it down. He pushed his next appointment back to spend nearly an hour with me going through my entire body while I described every type of chronic pain I had, how long I'd had it, what causes I was aware of. He asked me if I had any theories as to why I had so much pain and looked at me with concerned expectation, hoping I might have a starting point for him. He immediately drew up referrals for pain specialists (a profession I didn't even know existed till that moment) and physical therapy. He said depending on how it goes, he may need to help me get on some degree of disability assistance from the government, since I obviously shouldn't be trying to work full-time under these circumstances.

Never a glimmer of doubt in his eye. Never did he so much as mention the word "anxiety".

There's also my psychiatrist. He diagnosed me with ADHD last year (meeting me as a man from the start, though he knew I was trans). He never doubted my symptoms or medical history. He also took my pain and sleep issues seriously from the start and has been trying to help me find medications to help both those things while I go through the long process of seeing other specialists. I've had bad reactions to almost everything I've tried, because that's what always happens. Sometimes it seems like I'm allergic to the whole world.

And then, just a few days ago, the most shocking thing happened. I'd been wondering for a while if I might have a mast cell condition like MCAS, having read a lot of informative posts by @thebibliosphere which sounded a little too relatable. Another friend suggested it might explain some of my problems, so I decided to mention it to the psychiatrist, fully prepared to laugh it off. Yeah, a friend thinks I might have it, I'm not convinced though.

His response? That's an interesting theory. It would be difficult to test for especially in this country, but that's no reason not to try treatments and see if they are helpful. He adjusted his medication recommendations immediately based on this suggestion. He's researching an elimination diet to diagnose my food sensitivities.

I casually mentioned MCAS, something routinely dismissed by doctors with female patients, and he instantly took the possibility seriously.

That's it. I've reached peak male privilege. There is nothing else that could happen that could be more insane than that.

I literally keep having to hold myself back from apologizing or hedging or trying to frame my theories as someone else's idea lest I be dismissed as a hypochondriac. I told the doctor I'd like to make a big list of every health issue I have, diagnosed and undiagnosed, every theory I've been given or come up with myself, and every medication I've tried and my reactions to it - something I've never done because I knew for a fact no doctor would take me seriously if they saw such a list all at once. He said it was a good idea and could be very helpful.

Female-presenting people are of course not going to be surprised by any of this, but in my experience, male-presenting people often are. When you've never had a doctor scoff at you, laugh at you, literally say "I won't consider that possibility until you've been cleared by a psychologist" for the most mundane of health problems, it might be hard to imagine just how demoralizing it is. How scary it becomes going to the doctor. How you can internalize the idea that you're just imagining things, making a big deal out of nothing.

Now that I'm visibly a man, all of my doctors are suddenly very concerned about the fact that I've been simply living like this for nearly four decades with no help. And I know how many women will have to go their whole lives never getting that help simply because of sexism in the medical field.

If you know a doctor, show them this story. Even if they are female. Even if they consider themselves leftists and feminists and allies. Ask them to really, truly, deep down, consider whether they really treat their male and female patients the same. Suggest that the next time they hear a valid complaint from a male patient, imagine they were a woman and consider whether you'd take it seriously. The next time they hear a frivolous-sounding complaint from a female patient, imagine they were a man and consider whether it would sound more credible.

It's hard to unlearn these biases. But it simply has to be done. I've lived both sides of this issue. And every doctor insists they treat their male and female patients the same. But some of the doctors astonished that I didn't get better care in the past are the same doctors who dismissed me before.

I'm glad I'm getting the care I need, even if it is several decades late. And I'm angry that it took so long. And I'm furious that most female-presenting people will never have this chance.

[logaenhowlett]

I hc Logan as being very physically clingy when he's alone with his partner :)) once he passes the threshold of vulnerability there is NO going back he is a cuddlebug

oh, absolutely. i’m going with origins!logan for this one. i just know, somewhere beneath all that adamantium, that man is a fiend for physical affection.

— CLINGY ORIGINS!LOGAN HCs

Personal space becomes more of an unheard phenomenon once Logan gets comfortable.

Of course, it’s not that he’s obsessive to an unhealthy level. No. He just has a barely-filled physical touch meter that goes balls-to-the-walls and suddenly, he's a three hundred pound koala of sorts. Good luck prying him off.

You’d think he got smacked upside the head. Maybe some drunk at the bar he frequents landed a few hits. Maybe his buddies at the lumberyard were droning on and on about how their partners are too affectionate and he got self-conscious.

Is he doing enough? Are you satisfied with him?

This man has spent the better part of two centuries keeping people at a claw's length. And now? The floodgates are open, and Logan's hell-bent on making up for lost time.

He'll find any excuse for contact. It's all very shy at first. When you're walking together, his pinkie will somehow tangle with yours. When you're both heading for the doorway, he'll accidentally bump into you, his hand conveniently grabbing your hip. "Sorry, darlin'... didn't see ya there." (He totally saw you there).

The kitchen becomes his playground. Reaching for the same dish towel, purposely hovering behind you while putting away groceries, helping you stir something on the stove, his chest warm and solid against your back.

You swear he starts purring. Soft, little hums of content as he's nuzzling into your neck. He'll deny, of course.

Logan develops a fascination with your hands. He'll instinctively hold one as you're talking, ghosting random patterns with his thumb. If you pay attention, he's really tracing the words 'I love you' over and over again.

Long before either of you actually say it.

Sometimes, he'll press his lips to your knuckles, before quickly looking away, pretending he didn't just melt his own heart.

Forget about being cold. If the breeze ever dares to catch you off-guard, it's game over. Logan's arms are around you in seconds. You'll be warm, all right, and perhaps slightly suffocated. But mostly warm. Not that you'd ever complain.

He's all cocky and confident until you start reciprocating. You seek his biceps. You lean into him on the couch. You initiate hugs, cuddles—and Logan's personal favourite—sweet, slow kisses.

That's when he's gone. Rendered stupid even. His vocabulary reduces to happy sighs and even happier grumbles.

And the best part? He stops questioning it. He stops wondering if he's doing enough, if you're satisfied. The sneering voices in his head simmer down, ebbing away to the corners of his mind.

All because of you.

One night, well into witching hours, Logan remains half asleep, stroking seemingly nonsensical words on your back as you're tucked beneath his chin. Yet, the shape of the letters become more and more obvious.

My home. My home. My home.

Tender kisses land along his jawline as you whisper. "You're my home too, Logan."

He won't reply. But, the prettiest shade of pink settles across his cheeks, and it stays there forever.

[nyaruelle-designs]

🦄 Mane 6 Redesign! 🦄

Aaaaaa my first redesign post!! I had so much making this and been looking forward to finally share it. (but my hand hurts right now from drawing lolol)

To those new to me: I do this thing where I redesign characters as a challenge (+ have fun being creative with design tweaks (✿◠‿◠)) , I don't dislike any of the OG designs, I just like to give myself something fun to do :'D

Keep reading below for design notes! :D

OK so starting off with species differences:

I make it a point to make each species unique from one another with different tail + ear shape for each kind of pony

in order to explain away how do ponies in this iteration get conveniently matching body markings, I imagine that fillies are born without markings but slowly get them after receiving their cutie mark. the markings slowly leaves changes on the coat/mane as they grow into adulthood :D

also gave all species hoof markings, the shape of the hoof corresponds with the pony's cutie mark

for unicorns– they also have horn markings that correspond with their cutie mark. OH and, horn magic color corresponds with the color of the pony's eyes

for pegasi– the tips of their wings would match with the color of their manes

not mentioned in the images attached but the eye light shape also corresponds with the ponies' cutie mark >_< (fillies just have regular circles until after they get their cutie marks-)

misc feature: ponies may or may not have leg tuffs, like with some ponies you'll see below, some may have fuller leg tuffs that goes all the way around.

Alright now that you know more about the species design notes, I'll get into each ponies' design choices

Pinkie Pie

Starting off with Pinkie, I made her coat fluffy, matching her mane, her mane was shorten a bit and also gave her a white streak in her bangs + added a hair accessory + confetti in her hair from throwing parties (my headcanon is that she doesn't bother to pick them out so she just leaves em there)

she has pebble shaped markings on her face and coat running down her back. In her pink form, those markings are commonly mistaken as large freckles

her desaturated form takes inspo from how she looks as a filly, also her mane shape may or may not have been inspired by the shape of pinata paper strips.

Among all the ponies, Pinkie is also the shortest. I try my best to give each pony a different height, hope that was noticeable haha

Applejack

Next up, Applejack, now for her design (+ most of the mane 6's designs) there isn't too much change. For her, I gave her coat more texture akin to actual patterns from real horses. Similar to pinkie, Applejack's back has pebble-shaped spots (feel free to believe that I intentionally added it there to link AJ + Pinkie as distant relatives haha)

In comparison to pinkie though, I used a lot of sharp lines while drawing AJ, also made her look more muscular / "box" shaped compared to the other ponies. (which fits too as I imagine her farm work made her pretty fit)

As mentioned, AJ's hoof tuffs go all around

Twilight Sparkle

For twilight, I tweaked her colors to be more Purple and included a bit of orange to create a small contrast as I noticed her OG palette was a lot of Purple. (cool colors) + I wanted her palette to resemble more of a twilight color (?)

I also noted that some other people felt that Twilight doesn't match the archetype she was meant to represent so I gave her glasses in an attempt to make her appear more "studious"

Her unicorn form is also shorter compared to her alicorn form. (gave her slightly shorter horn + legs)

Rarity

Okay Rarity's has to be my favourite redesign HAHA. I also have a feeling a lot of you will point out she resembles the last unicorn a lot 🥲 to that, i'm deeply sorryy

Anyway, for Rarity I changed her palette a lot more compared to the others because I wanted her palette to match her name sake 'Rarity', so what better way to set her apart as being a pony with a different mane/tail color!! + heterochromia which means her horn magic is 2 different colors. (that's my headcanon of what might constitute as 'rare' in pony genetics. ALSO off topic but is it just me or has there never been a pony in the show that actually has heterochromia? 🤔 tbh I can't remember)

I also gave her some gem accessories that she wears as a necklace, oh and a matching earring as well

Fluttershy

ah yes, my other favourite design. For Fluttershy, I softened her colors and also added some green

also, among rainbow and twilight, Fluttershy's wings are purposely designed to be fluffier. I imagine as opposed to rainbow who actively trains her wings for athletic flying > sharpens them to become aerodynamic, when fluttershy flies, she takes her time, so they aren't as worn down as RD's.

I imagine Fluttershy uses floral-scented shampoo that she handmakes with flowers from her own garden which attracts the butterflies that rest in her mane

I also purposely designed fluttershy's ears to be down on default, playing into her 'shyness'

Rainbow Dash

last but not least, rainbow underwent a few changes. Firstly you'll notice I shortened her hair + added white streak bangs & side tendrils that cup her face. (now that I'm looking at it, her hair resembles the pony life RD 😭)

Additionally, RD's wings are sharper, more chipped due to active use.

also among the rest of the ponies, Rainbow is also on the shorter side but she's also more lean/fit. I took into consideration her being an athlete (and a flyer at that) would influence her body shape, I feel that in order for her to fly fast, her body shape suited her nicely.

I also gave RD some googles as accessories.

Anyway, congrats on making it to the end! here's a height lineup ref for the mane 6!!

Thanks for reading all my design notes :'D I'll definitely be drawing more. (I definitely wanna draw secondary characters and also the mane 6's families soon)

[globalrebrand]

When you Deny Them Staff Edition: Crowley and Crewel

Warnings: Light not sfw

Crowley

It's inelegant to say the least. Crowley likes his feathers ruffled at least thrice a week during the school year and even more on vacation. He's never had a problem getting you into his bed before. Whether you've been together 10 years or 100 years nothing has stopped this regular pattern of intimacy except for grave emergencies.

There are several key ways you and Crowley like to like to initiate your sessions. Usually a mutual coming together at the end of a long day, or when you walk into his private office in your shared home and he turns around with a wide smile to greet you patting his lap affectionately. A kiss or two quickly ends up with the two of you tangled in each other in the bed, on his office sofa, or even on the desk.

So imagine his surprise when all of the usual warmth and affection he's used to receiving from you becomes only chaste pecks and stoic caresses. He loses it. Breaks down instantly, but he tries to keep a brave front but he can't stomach not having your full affection.

His first impulse is to consult his teaching staff. Trein advises that this is a matter entirely inappropriate to discuss with the school's teachers, but as a veteran of marriage suggests that Crowley try to engage in affection with you where sex isn't the exclusive result. Just some cuddling or snuggling without pressure for more. Trein also advises Crowley to just talk to you about the changes in your intimacy levels but Crowley in all of his infinite wisdom thinks that would come off as a bit desperate. "As if you didn't reek of desperation already, Dire" (Trein's words not mine.)

Crowley sees the sense in that but would prefer faster results so he goes to Crewel who plainly tells him that he dresses like an Edgar Allen Poe inspired 19th century brothel owner and suggests that he dress a bit more modern and less garish. (admittedly this is rich coming from Crewel) This Crowley does try, he walks in one day after work in a beautifully tailored midnight colored suit and like a moth to a flame you come over and press your hands to his chest and lapels, telling him how handsome he looks, but then if you end up liking it too much his feelings are hurt and he reverts back to his old sense of dress. You liked it before! (cockblocks himself)

Vargas tells him that he needs to bulk up. He's too spindly and that you're probably creeped out by his spider like physique. Crowley considers building some muscle, but when Vargas says it will probably take about 3 months to see any meaningful gains Crowley doesn't even let him finish talking before moving on.

Naturally Sam suggests gifts and this really resonates with Crowley, so soon you'll wake up to a cadre of silver and gold glittering gifts on your vanity in the morning and a cheesy grin from your husband encouraging you to try things on. You like the presents well enough but are incredibly offended by the assumption that because of these gifts you should want to immediately jump his bones as repayment. He understands the optics look bad but that's not what he meant!

If none of these questionably implemented strategies work it takes maybe a month of cold interactions and failed seduction attempts before he's coming to you in your shared bed, already sniffling as he tries to get to the bottom of the situation.

"Please tell me what's the matter my love. I know you wouldn't withhold yourself from me for anything less than being in complete and utter despair. As your husband it is my job to shoulder these burdens with you."

Crowley is absolutely shocked when you say nothing is the matter and that you're just not in the mood. Insists you need to get to the doctor, because obviously something is medically wrong even if you feel fine. If you insist you're ok, he starts full on sobbing asks if there's someone else. He promises he'll forgive you just tell him the fucker's name.

The good news is that as long as you're honest and open with him there's really no reason for there to be an extended period of abstinence. Crowley is using all of the creative problem solving skills he doesn't use at his job to solve the problem of why you don't want to rail him anymore.

If you want to try something new, he'll do whatever you ask. If you're tired and stressed he's trying to figure out how to take things off your plate. This silly little birdman will do anything for you. He can't tolerate even 10% less of his normal daily dose of intimacy and affection from you. Now with that understanding out of the way, go to him. He needs you desperately.

"Darling there's no need to let anything come between us. I will always do my best to please you, there is no one for me but you. Now, spread your legs."

Crewel

Indignant, but demure. He's really not used to you saying no to him. Of course he respects your right to say no, to him, but you really seldom do. Crewel honestly doesn't know how to react when he draws his hand up your thigh and you stop him in his tracks and tell him not right now. What do you mean? Are you going somewhere? Doing something? If you're not busy and not sick, what gives? The occasional no is tolerable if a smidgen disappointing, but a habit of rejection however, that won't do at all.

Of course Crewel doesn't externalize those thoughts he just respects your wishes, but he's not exaggerating when he estimates that you both have sex nearly everyday. You both might tell the another not now, but more certainly there will be a later. Normally you and Crewel can't keep your hands off of each other. You both thought it was a honeymoon phase, but its been years at this point and you two just don't...stop... going at it.

Your relationship isn't only physical of course. Crewel loves you body and mind, so he's more than willing to adhere to your boundaries. He promised to love you in sickness and health, through thick and thin.

Early into the change he'll ask you if anything is wrong, and if there's anything he can do to help, make you feel more comfortable or reengage with you physically. If you open up to him and have a discussion about what's bothering you so much that you're withdrawing from him then you two can quickly get to the bottom of things together and resume intimacy with little issue, however, if you wave off his concerns all he'll say is that you're a "stubborn pet," but that he's there for you no matter what.

But he does actively try to seduce you in the mean time, and admittedly he gets really into the task. He's really unused to rejection so the opportunity to prove himself is a welcome challenge, to deliberately attract your gaze and demand your attention kinda turns him on. It's been years since you've played hard to get with him and he's more than up to the task or turning your head. He's too proud to beg so simple seduction is just what it is.

Crewel starts off simple, he walks around the house shirtless, maybe unbuttons the top few buttons of his dress shirts after he's home from school. He'll make sure to wear the clothes and sleepwear you find him the most irresistible in. But then he ups the ante by cooking you meals whenever he gets a chance.

Imagine Crewel in your kitchen, you sitting at the island, both of you splitting a bottle of wine while he works over the stove, his shirt a bit unbuttoned, sleeves rolled up to expose strong forearms and an apron tied at his waist. Then he comes to you cradling spoonful of sumptuous sauce and putting it to your lips asking you to tell him how it tastes. Now I personally would just have to give him head right then and there but if you're still not swayed he has a few more tricks up his sleeves.

(It's important to note while he tries his hand at seduction, Crewel has no expectations. He's just doing his best to make you want him and he's an alchemy expert so he's very good at trusting the process and not rushing results, even if his instincts his brain's internal nonstop directive to jump your bones and make you submit are telling him otherwise.)

Now maybe Crewel perceives that the reason you're not connecting with him physically is because your burdened with either your job or housework. Managing the latter is no problem, either he hires a maid or sets up some magical systems that help to tidy the house. Sure it's tedious but absolutely worth it when you ask him about how everything go so spotless and he tells you that he's handled it. The look of gratitude and awe on your features is so alluring to him. Oh he just wants you so bad! He's impatient to have your again but tries to remember good things come to those who wait.

He finds other activities to fill up your time together, maybe you start going to the gym, or reading together just things to make sure that if you aren't having sex, at least there's other form of connection and intimacy happening. And of course he looks insanely hot in gym clothes, which doesn't fail to make you blush and seeing other people eye him makes you want to stake your claim. And coincidentally, the books Crewel wants to read with you are all vaguely or intensely erotic in nature which has certainly gotten you hot and bothered on occasion.

And you'll honestly be so surprised as his willingness to give you space sexually that it's likely you who comes up to him about the missing intimacy in your relationship.

Honestly your knowledge of his playboy past has you thinking he might have found someone else. You see how often he gets hit on by perfect strangers when you're literally right next to him. It wouldn't be hard in the slightest for him to find someone else to meet his needs. But then you realize that he's hardly away from you, if anything the two of you are continuing to connect with each other.

When you apologize to him about not being more in the mood and not initiating sex he's genuinely taken aback. It hasn't been more than a few weeks. He'll tell you that you have nothing to apologize for, though he appreciates your awareness. He understands that everyday is a bit much but is happy to work with you to find middle ground.

"Oh puppy its my fault for tiring you out. Nearly everyday for years...perhaps we were due for a reset. How about you tell me how you'd like things to go from here on out? Speak now or forever hold your peace pet. You know I'm seldom willing to make changes, but for you and this beautiful body, I do just about anything."

[woso-dreamzzz]

Ma'am: Christmas

Aitana Bonmatí x Royal!Reader

Summary: Christmas in the Ma'am Universe

"Is it worth setting Real Madrid on fire?" You wonder aloud as you lay across three different seats in the friends and family box, throwing a tennis ball up and down thoughtfully.

"I'm afraid that might cause a diplomatic incident, ma'am," Your ever present bodyguard says gruffly," It doesn't belong to you."

You sigh, long and drawn out. "I guess." You think for a moment before sitting up. "Should I buy it? And then set it on fire?"

Your bodyguard, tall and serious and dressed entirely in black and wearing shades you're ninety percent sure means he can't see anything when the sun goes down, doesn't even let his lip twitch. You suppose he's meant to be intimidating with his stocky shoulders and large frame but he's holding your puppy Rufus, fast asleep in his arms, and shivering slightly in the cold air.

"Well?"

He sighs. "Why would you want to do that, ma'am?"

"For a Christmas present. For Aitana. It would make her happy, I think. For Real Madrid not to exist anymore."

"Has Her Royal Highness asked you that?"

"Well...no...but-"

"Then perhaps it's best that you refrain from that, ma'am."

You huff. "I don't think I want you holding the prince anymore."

That manages to get an upwards quirk of the lip from him though as you take poor sleepy Rufus from his arms. "Don't worry, Rufus," You whisper to him as you both watch Aitana walk onto the pitch with the team," We'll find something for your Mami that she'll love for Christmas."

Christmas for you have always involved pomp and ceremony and now that includes Aitana too. The family had their traditions and you were expected to abide by them.

Aitana hadn't really thought about how her life would change by marrying you. A lot of it hadn't. She could stay in Spain and with Barcelona and still play football. She could come home to the apartment you and her lived in with yappy little Rufus where you'll be at the stove, cooking up some monstrosity that she would eventually save you from after showering.

But this was Christmas and you were both expected at the Sandringham Estate to celebrate with the family so it wasn't going to be a quiet, private Christmas spent with just the two of you.

You had your traditions, which is what Aitana assumed this was.

"A present? It's the start of December."

"I can't give my wife a gift?"

No matter how many times you said it, Aitana could never stop the smile appearing on her face at that word.

Wife.

Your wife.

It was the new title that Aitana loved the most.

Because that was what she was.

Your wife.

"I...I haven't gotten you anything extra," She says," Was I meant to?"

You shake your head, pressing a soft, chaste kiss to her lips. "I'm the one that's changing Christmas for you. It's going to be different this year so I'm sorry. It's the least I could do."

"You're so sweet."

You grin. "I was planning on setting Real Madrid on fire but I was persuaded not to."

Aitana laughs, another kiss landing on you.

The gifts pile up after that.

For every day leading up to Christmas. Not one day is missed and you're both there to watch her open it, in front of the Christmas tree and happy little Rufus and his silly little puppy smile.

Jewellery, clothes and more practical things like a new pair of boots because her own were getting worn out or a book series she'd only mentioned wanting once in parting.

The gifts piled up and you didn't even seem to care for anything in return except for maybe a kiss.

"Tell me what we're doing later," Aitana says as you both lay back on the bed in the private jet," What should I expect?"

You'd delayed it as long as possible, letting Aitana have that private holiday season she had wanted. But you couldn't delay it forever so early Christmas Eve, had you both (and Rufus) flying back to England to join your family.

Aitana's fingers trace a pattern over the skin of your arm as you relax back into the pillows.

"Well William likes to play a game of football before dinner," You tell her," I expect you to show him how it's done and win. He's so excited to see your skills up close. But he'll be wearing stupid Aston Villa socks so be sure to tell him he looks stupid."

"So win a football match? I can do that."

"We do presents on Christmas Eve too. And then when all the kids go to bed we have a black tie dinner. I checked with Father though and our son can stay up and come."

Aitana laughs. "You don't have to keep referring to Rufus as our son, you know."

You frown. "Why wouldn't I? He is our son."

She laughs again. "What's next? Christmas Day? What do we do then?"

"Well, we usually go to a Christmas service but you don't have to come if you don't want to. After that, we'll have to go back to Buckingham Palace. That's where Father wants to broadcast his speech from this year."

"And we're coming too?"

You grin at her, biting your lip and leaning close to whisper in her ear. "I'm saving up a present for you. But you can't tell anyone."

"I can keep a secret."

And it's a secret Aitana does keep for the next day.

She does end up on a cold, English football pitch against your eldest brother and she does end up humiliating him much to your delight.

She plays circles around everyone like the professional she is and chooses William wearing the Barcelona kit instead of his favoured Aston Villa one as her forfeit.

Her pile of presents is large and not even all of them are from you but the ones that are, are her favourite.

Your own presents range from things you actual enjoy and want (from people like your father and auntie Anne) to gag gifts like one particular shirt planted with Aitana's face from your brother that you wear proudly before being forced to take it off for dinner.

"See," You whisper to Aitana with a grin," Not all English food is bad."

She looks down at her roast thoughtfully and purses her lips, fighting back a smile.

You poke her cheek. "Is that a grin? Is it? I think it is! I knew I would convince you one day!"

Aitana allows a weak smile on her face. "There's outliers in every cuisine," Is all she offers," I stand by what I said. Spanish food is better."

"Yeah," You laugh," That's why you've been eating all the Yorkshire puddings."

"They're nice! You should make these at home."

You kiss her hand with a wink. "As Her Royal Highness commands."

It's not the first time Aitana's been to Buckingham Palace but there's a different feel to it during the holidays. There's a tree in practically every room and festive lights hung up everywhere they can be fit.

You're giggling as you lead her through the halls, a pretty smile on your red cheeked face. You had a bit of liquid courage earlier in the form of a spiked eggnog that Kate had given to you before you and Aitana set off back to London with your father and his wife.

"Where are we going?" Atiana giggles as well," What is it?"

"Okay," You say, finally skidding to a halt in front of a pair of ornate doors," Close your eyes."

"You can't be serious-"

"Please? It'll ruin the surprise!"

"Fine."

Atiana closes her eyes and allows you to lead her into the room.

"Careful," You warn her," We're going up some steps. And then turn...Yeah, like that...And sit."

"Can I open my eyes now?"

"Just give me a moment."

Something is placed on her head and Aitana gets the feeling that she knows where she is.

"Okay," You say," Open."

You're on your knees in front of her, head pillowed on her thigh as you sit between her legs on the little dais.

"Beautiful," You say.

"You know I'm not meant to be sitting on this," Aitana says though she makes no movement to lift herself off the throne.

"But it suits you."

Aitana hums, lips pressed together thoughtfully as you plant a small kiss on the inside of her thigh. "You spoil me."

"Yes."

She frowns. "You'd do anything I asked."

"Don't say it like it's a bad thing," You say, eyes wide earnestly," It's not a bad thing. I'll do anything for you."

"Even now?"

You nod. "Even now."

Aitana grins at you, some of her own liquid courage swirling around her body as she widens her legs and fists her hand in your hair.

"I think you know where I want you."

[lovemomhatepolice]

lewis hamilton nswf alphabet (part 1) (minors DNI!)

navigation taglist requests

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex) Lewis is incredibly attentive during aftercare, making sure you feel safe and loved. He cuddles you close, whispers soft reassurances, and checks in on how you’re feeling. Whether it’s getting water, wrapping you in a blanket, or running a warm bath, he ensures you’re completely cared for.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s) What he likes most about himself is his arms - covered in tattoos and strong, which can easily lift you up whenever he wants. He also loves it when you often grab him by the arm or hold him somewhere and lead him!

Lewis loves your neck! He adores that he can kiss it and knows your soft spots, where he always knows you'll react more than others. He also loves how intensely your perfume smells on it, which he loves to inhale.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically) He considers it a very intimate part, especially when you do it unprotected. He knows very well how much risk is involved, but with you he is able to overcome it. He loves to fill you with his liquid and watch it merge with yours to form one whole, which in a way is a proof of your love and boundless trust. However, after intercourse, it immediately helps you clean yourself so you don't feel dirty

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs) Lewis has a secret thrill for public teasing—brushing his hand over your thigh at a formal event or whispering something filthy in your ear when no one’s looking. The risk of being caught, combined with the fact that only the two of you know what’s happening, drives him wild. He loves the power of building anticipation, making you wait until you’re alone to finally give in to everything he’s been promising.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?) Lewis is quite an experienced man - he has had many female partners in his life before you, whether romantic or sexual, so he knows exactly what he is doing. He can perfectly caress a woman's body, focusing on certain areas that you immediately drift away from

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying) He loves it when you're on top. That's when he can read every expression on your face and see you dissolve in the delight of orgasm. It also gives him the opportunity to hold you tightly by the hips, moving inside you from below, which intensifies your sensations and gives you a completely different, even closer contact

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.) It depends - most often, however, he tries to throw in a joke, especially he did so at the very beginning, when you started making love with each other. Now it depends, he is not adversarial, he loves to laugh with you, however, he also cares about making it as pleasant as possible for you and it just naturally comes out that he is already less goofy, making it more tender

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.) Lewis doesn't give a damn - he shaves himself when he wants and doesn't pay much attention to it, just as long as it would be hygienic. And towards you? Hmm, he's not the youngest, which is why he gets excited when you have your bottom trimmed in some patterns. Oh gosh, he loves it when you have one stripe there

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect) Lewis is terribly thoughtful. He whispers sweet nothings or full of encouragement to you all the time. He doesn't forget to leave the softer ones - on your cheeks or forehead - in addition to hot and passionate kisses. He also hugs you very often and tries to make you feel one hundred percent comfortable. He is also very fond of silence, which, according to him, gives a great deal to intimacy

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon) Lewis doesn’t do it often, but when he does, it’s usually because he’s missing you. He’s not one to rush through it—he takes his time, letting his imagination run wild with memories of your time together or fantasies about what he wants to do to you. If he’s away from you, he might even text or call, letting you know exactly what he’s thinking about, making it all the more intense. K = Kink (one or more of their kinks) Who would have thought that our seven-time world champion likes to feel the thrill of being covered? As soon as he has the opportunity to do so and you are willing, he very much enjoys making love to you in places where someone can cover you. It's not the greatest advantage for him to do all this - but in the end, he still cares about his privacy and yours. However, being in a public place, such as the beach or the jaccuzi on the roof of your apartment excites him. L = Location (favorite places to do the do) He loves places with a view - such as the balcony or high windows you have in your apartment. He also eats when you're on vacation and have an outdoor shower, oh, then he loves to take you there

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going) He gets very excited when you know what you want yourself. When you whisper to him how you would like him to love you that night, or when you come yourself and even beg him for it. Or vice versa - when you tease him by pretending to be acutely unavailable. One word and he is already yours

A/N: part two will be here soon! (If anyone wants me to tag them - let me know in the comments). WELL - it's the first time when I'm writing for lewis

I encourage you to give requests in the Christmas marathon! click here :) and in my celebration to the first thousand!

please do not copy and translate my works! in case of any issues related to this - I invite you to discuss privately :)

[the-ancient-dragons]

The last Overcomplicated Pantalan tribe; LeafWings!

You know how it goes. I'm just me and Joy and Tui are awesome and amazing.

Details and explanation below.

Otherwise, next week is something new! You'll get to meet one of my fantribes >:)

More overcomplicated dragons.

With the LeafWing, I struggled to decide what approach to take. Should I do something closer to canon or go crazy and do 100% my go-to headcanon?

Because my go-to headcanon is that LeafWings should have four wings. I found it odd that they and SilkWings both come from Pyrrhia, but SilkWings (technically BeetleWings) were the only tribe that evolved four wings? I hesitated to even mention this in my HiveWing post because idk how popular this opinion is, but even the fact that Clearsight's arrival somehow split the BeetheWings into two WILDLY different tribes is astounding, with how long dragons live.

But that's not the point of this post. We're here for LeafWings and buckle up, it's a doozy.

So first of all, the reason I justified a four-winged LeafWing is to help it camouflage as a plant better. I'll eventually provide a sheet of this, but it would have two main defence modes, the first being a single-leaf version where they lie flat on the ground or stand still with their wings drooping, creating the silhouette of a single leaf, or a version where they hang on the end of a branch and hold their wings and tail out.

It isn't just their wings that creates this look. I took the original single sail and split it in two, based on the ribs of a draco lizard, and had them run along the sides of its neck. When spread, they are a part of the single-leaf camouflage and bridge the gap between the head and shoulders. They would also have more similar frills on their front and back legs in case they need to camouflage standing up. They could use this for hunting or hiding...

Continuing with the bug-avian beak mix, I referenced african parrot species and leafcutter ants. The highly altered head is based on horned frogs and leaf geckos, and I obviously based the colouration and patterning on leaf insects (though the lighting kind of hides it on the back of the head, lol). Last but not least, I wanted to preserve and enhance the leaf cell design Joy used for the scattered body scales (at least, I'm 90% sure it's for that purpose, it seems most obvious). So, like any sane human, I found photos of plant cells under microscopes and used the rectangular-ish shapes for the main body scales.

I had so much fun making this series. It seems like a lot of people enjoyed it as much as I did. I learned a lot about external anatomy and mixing different creatures to achieve unified designs.

School is doing its best to murder me (I can't do big pieces) so from now on I'll have to stick to loose sketches I can do in-class or doodle within an hour. But once we learn more about bones and muscles I'll be able to take a crack at analyzing the full bodies of some of the tribes. I'll go in whatever order I see fit.

In the meantime, I've got some Fantribes for you, starting next week! See you then!

[unluckilyimnot]

S/o with (a lot of) tattoos

afab!reader and age-up characters ! I don't see them dating someone their age covered with tattoo lmao

Note: i think like, around 10 here bc I have over 20 tattoos but it's OK if you have a few, it works for everyone <3

m.list | rules

Sakura

He's scared you get dirty look on the street but he's relief when he notices you don't care at all

He finds it really cool but was shy to tell you at first or even ask question

If you got some on the chest/belly he's scared to look at it at first, he doesn't want to look like a pervert

You tell him he is just to mess around with him

He'll love tracing the pattern of your arms, even if his favorite is one on your belly

Doesn't get ask how he pulled you, it just make sense

He's flustered if someone looks at you for too long and starts talking to you bc of it, ‘cause yeah you look good but do they have to get so close?

He likes deep, black ones ! But his favorite is probably a small snoopy or something like that

Suo

Looks at you all the time, he doesn't even listen when you're around

He loves seeing you sleeveless

If you have an acubi/baddie style it's even better bc in summer it shows it all and he's here for that

You call him out from time to time but he always hits you with something like ‘you shouldn't look that good then’

Can't really stand it of someone starts at you though, even if it happens a lot

He gets protective/possessive real quick

It's a nightmare when he comes with you, you don't want to be tattooed by man just in case

You seem out of place with his very demure allure but it does match well in the end

You two stand out enough to balance each other and neither of you seem “bland”

Kiss the one in your chest and hands

If you have any type of flowers, it's his favorite I don't make the rules

Bonus point if there's color (like red one)

Nirei

He has a list in order of what you did when

Also has a top of them all

He doesn't have a preference, he goes with the flow and find you pretty doesn't matter what type of tattoos you have

Love small ones better, around your arms or maybe your back

You look more intimidating than he does now but it's nothing to mention really, he still protects you if needed <3

He talks about you all. the. time, he just thinks you're so cool

He answers for you when you get questions about your tattoos, you have to tell him kindly that you can handle yourself

But sometimes he remembers better than you

Kiryuu

HE LOVES IT

He wants to hear all about it, where did you go, did it hurt, which one was the most painful and why

Ask you to come with him for his first one

You know his top5 by now

He loves to come with you at your appointments

He'd be down for any colored one !! Had blue and pink and yellow he loves it

You're a stylish couple for sure

So he doesn't mind the intrusive stares, he's over it and take it as a compliment

If you have piercing as well, he would marry you

He'd love to see a colored/stylish Korean style on you

He'd looove matching tattoos, he'd think about it for so long

Kaji

Listens to you talking about it, he doesn't have much questions and I don't think he'll want some but he gladly hear about it

He loves the bigger ones, when you mention how many hours you've spent on it he's flabbergasted

You're so tough in his eyes just for that

Loves to touch your new tattoos during the healing time, feeling the pattern is the best sensory stim

He's curious and come with you once, it was the only time, it's too long for him and he doesn't like the sound

He's mad if you don't tell him you'll get a new one before hand and he discovers it at the same time as everyone

Hiragi

Tells you you don't have space anymore, only half joking

He's stressed when you get a new one and is cautious about taking care of it during the healing time as if you don't have 10+ already

He doesn't want to come inside with you, but he takes you there and he's there waiting for you by the end of the appointment

He hates when you touch it while it's healing and REFUSES to touch it even if you insist

But he finds it really cool, he loves your style and the harmony

If you have some on the back, he'll definitely let you know it's his favorite

He knows you can handle yourself, but that doesn't mean he's not stressed about it

Umemiya

He think you're so cool, he might have fall for you because of your style as well

Even if he gets beat up all the time, he think you're courageous for getting tattoos because it seems to hurt a lot

If you're the meaningful tattoos type, he wants to know everything behind it

If it start some deep conversation, he'd be down for it

It's yet another way to know a person he never thought of but he loves it

Trace your tattoos as well, he can still feel the line on your skin with some of them so he tend to focus there

If you come back with a lower back tattoo, don't expect him to get over it

[peekofhistory]

How to Make Guqin

Posting some of the steps to making a Guqin here. These aren't all the steps, but just a few that I've learned since arriving at the workshop :D

The teacher asked me today if I preferred making or playing the Guqin and I must say...playing is a lot less taxing physically xDD Between the carving, shaving, sanding, painting + lacquer allergy risk this entire process is quite demanding on the body. With this job you def don't need a gym membership xD

Carving The Guqin is hollow between the top and bottom board so we need to carve out all the wood in the centre. If you purchase a factory-made Guqin, this would be done mostly by machine and then some details done by hand. Here, it's 90% by hand.

Inside the Guqin When carving out the Guqin, we leave 2 slight bumps at the front and back, called the "Nayin/纳音" (sound absorber). This is so when the sound is vibrating through the centre it has something to bounce off of, otherwise it would sound too hollow.

A factory-made Guqin would leave two rectangular nayin since that's easier for the machine, here we carve it down into a gradual hill (pic 2, 3). Sometimes the Guqin maker can also play around with this to give the instrument a more unique sound, like pics 2 and 3 where my teacher decided to not complete carve the bottom flat and instead in this ripple-like pattern, and also do a U shaped nayin rather than just a little bump.

When putting on the first layer of paint, we also wrap the Guqin in fabric to prevent the wood from cracking in the future.

Guqin paint in a workshop like this is lacquer (生漆 or 大漆), mixed with powder deer antler (鹿角霜). In a factory it would be chemical paint.

Most people experience some form of allergy to lacquer (Google says it's kind of similar to poison ivy allergy), you get rashes and small bumps on your skin all over your body (even if you don't touch the lacquer). My roommates are both having reactions these past few days, so far I've had a mild reaction around my ankles. As I mentioned in a previous post, there's no medication to completely cure or stop the reaction, you just need to "tough it out" until you build an immunity (and even then you'll still have a reaction but just very mild).

Lacquer starts off white or light beige, then oxidizes as soon as it meets oxygen. Within a few hours it becomes pitch black and then slowly dries over a few days (the hotter and damper the weather the faster it dries).

If you get lacquer on anything (including skin) you need some type of oil to remove it. The most effective is kerosene (blue jug). So essentially our work rooms are a big fire hazard with kerosene oil everywhere as we wipe it off our cloths, hands, tables, floor, etc.

Mixing some glue paste for the first layer of paint (this is to help the fabric adhere to the Guqin).

We put one layer of the paint+glue paste on the Guqin, then put the fabric on top, and slather on another layer of the paint+glue paste making sure it's thick enough to hide the fabric pattern.

Then we leave it to dry (pic 3). You can see even as we worked the paint darkened from light beige/brown to a dark, dark brown. By the next day it'll become fully black.

So much work goes into making one of these instruments. So many variables can influence the sound of a Guqin, including size, shape, thickness and density of the wood, type of wood, age of wood, shape and size of the nayin, height of the bridge, type of string, etc. A master Guqin maker needs to take all of these into consideration in order to make one instrument that has a beautiful sound.

To make a full Guqin, we need at least 1.5 years, possibly longer. My arms ache, my legs ache, my back aches, my fingers are sore, my ankles itch (my fellow students said one of their fingers swelled so much their phone screen didn't recognize his touch, and last summer his bumps got infected and they had to take him to the hospital), I've got scrapes and cuts all over my hands, just after 2 weeks of working here xDD

[thirteenheavens]

soft intimacy with dokyeom, please? I LOVE HOW YOU WRITE FOR DK!! you're so talented. sending all my love (⁠*⁠˘⁠︶⁠˘⁠*⁠)⁠.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡

Deep Intimacy|| Lee Dokyeom

Word count: 1k+

Notes: I’m back yall hehe enjoy mlll

You hear the front door open and close, followed by the sound of soft footsteps. Dokyeom walks into the living room, looking exhausted but relieved to be home.

"Hey," he says softly, his eyes lighting up when he sees you curled up on the couch. "I missed you." He drops his bag and joins you, pulling you into his arms and burying his face in your hair. "Long day?" you ask, feeling him relax against you.

"The longest," he sighs, holding you tighter. "But it's better now that I'm with you." He pulls back slightly to look at you, his eyes filled with love and tenderness. "I just want to hold you tonight," he says quietly. "No rushing, no teasing - just us."

His hands move to your hips, pulling you onto his lap as he kisses your forehead. "Let me show you how much I missed you." The dim lighting creates a cozy atmosphere as Dokyeom continues to hold you close, his fingers tracing gentle patterns on your back. "You feel so good in my arms," he murmurs, his lips brushing against your temple.

He starts to undress you slowly, taking his time to savor each moment and make you feel loved. "You're beautiful," he whispers as he removes your shirt, pressing soft kisses along your shoulders. His touch is gentle and unhurried, as if he wants to commit every inch of your body to memory. "I want to make love to you," he says softly, his eyes meeting yours with deep affection. "Just like this."

Dokyeom returns your smile as he continues to undress you, his movements still gentle and careful. "That smile," he says softly. "It's the most beautiful thing in the world to me." Once you're completely naked, he takes a moment to just look at you, his eyes roaming over your body with appreciation. "You're perfect," he breathes, his hands sliding up your sides.

He lifts you slightly to remove his own clothes, revealing his toned body beneath. "Let me show you how much I love you," he whispers, guiding you to lay down on the couch. Dokyeom's lips move slowly along your neck, placing gentle kisses and light bites as he goes. His body hovers over yours, his warmth enveloping you in a comforting embrace.

"You taste so sweet," he murmurs against your skin, his hands roaming over your body with soft touches. "I could spend all night just kissing you like this." His lips find your collarbone, moving lower to your chest as he continues his unhurried exploration of your body. "Every inch of you is perfect," he whispers, his breath hot against your skin.

"Dokyeom," you whisper, your voice filled with love and desire. "You're making me feel so loved." He lifts his head to look at you, his eyes full of warmth and adoration. "That's because you are loved," he replies softly, brushing a strand of hair from your face. "More than you'll ever know." His fingers intertwine with yours as he positions himself between your legs, his body finally pressing against yours. "Are you ready?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes," you breathe, wrapping your legs around his waist and pulling him closer. "I'm ready for you." Dokyeom enters you slowly, his eyes locked on yours as he fills you completely. "You're so warm," he gasps, his hands gripping yours tighter. "And so perfect."

He begins to move with deep, deliberate thrusts, his body moving in perfect sync with yours. "I love you," he whispers against your lips, his words filled with emotion. "I love you so much." Dokyeom moves with a slow, steady rhythm, his body pressed close to yours as he makes love to you. The room is filled with the sounds of soft moans and whispered words of affection.

His lips never leave your skin, trailing kisses along your jawline and neck as he continues his gentle movements. "You feel amazing," he murmurs, his breath hot against your ear. "So perfect for me." His pace gradually increases, but remains gentle and loving, his hips rolling against yours in a way that makes your whole body tingle. "I'm not going to last long," he confesses, his voice strained with pleasure.

You pull Dokyeom into a deep, passionate kiss as he continues to move inside you. His tongue tangles with yours, exploring your mouth as his body tenses with impending release. He breaks the kiss with a gasp, burying his face in your neck as he thrusts one final time. "I'm coming," he whispers, his body trembling against yours as he spills inside you.

The feeling of his warm release triggers your own orgasm, your body shaking with pleasure as you cling to him. "Dokyeom," you moan, your fingers digging into his back. Dokyeom whimpers softly as his body continues to shudder with the aftershocks of his orgasm, his cock pulsing inside you as he fills you with his cum.

"That was..." he pants, struggling to catch his breath. "That was incredible." He holds you tightly, his body still pressed against yours as he comes down from his high. "I love you so much," he whispers again, his voice filled with emotion. "I never want to let you go." Dokyeom stays inside you for a few moments longer, enjoying the feeling of being connected to you in this intimate way. "I can feel my cum leaking out of you," he whispers huskily, his fingers tracing patterns on your skin.

"Let's clean up and get you some water," he says eventually, though he makes no move to pull away just yet. "But first..." He kisses you deeply, his tongue exploring your mouth as if he's trying to memorize the taste of you. "I want to cuddle with you," he murmurs against your lips. "And maybe take a bath together."

"A bath sounds perfect," you reply with a content smile, running your fingers through Dokyeom's messy hair. "And then we can cuddle all night long." He kisses your forehead before finally pulling out of you, then scoops you up in his arms bridal style. "Let's go get you cleaned up, my love," he says, carrying you towards the bathroom.

[artfromsaturn]

Collection of Free Art Tutorials

I don't usually make text post on this blog, but a nice artist I know was asking for tutorials a while back and I forgot to send some to them while in school. So here's a post on it since it's easiest to grab and go this way. :)

This list focuses on the basics. I'm focusing on the foundations of art, so medium is generally irrelevant and you can use physical or digital with these. You'll have to google more specific tutorials on things like character design and such.

One of the biggest pieces of advice I can give to you is strangely, introduce things to yourself one at a time. In art class, we took whole topics week by week. For high school, we did a few exercises then spent a week drawing/painting and doing your piece(s). For basic art 1 & 2 in college, we did 1-2 exercises and then did 1-2 drawings, followed by HW (which we turned in next week) and sketchbook practice (which she'd check at midpoints). For basic art lessons with a tutor, we did practice then our own art. You can see the pattern here - the point is don't be distressed if you don't get everything at once, or the lesson in 2 weeks, or the lesson in 3 years - we practice and do a lot over time, and you'll pick up on things you need to improve naturally and through help with others. Take time to be proud of your art in mini steps too, even if it's not the best! You tried and attempting to climb an obstacle over and over again before finally leapfrogging it is still progress to it.

Overall tutorials:

DrawABox.com is a site that's dedicated to art exercises and practicing when you can. They talk about the basics of art as well as how practice is important. It can get tough at times and it's ok to stop and do a balance of say those practices and doodles if you choose to try and do all of it's stuff - but you don't have to either. It's just a nice basic education done by some art nerds who like going hard.

Ethering Brothers - these guys are famous for their 40billion tutorials. If you need help on a specific idea, search their gallery and you'll likely find something.

Thundercluck's Art Fundamentals - She did a good huge ass tutorials on how things work, and it's the least overwhelming of the 3 I got in this section, so I suggest it as one of the first to look at for digital stuff.

Art Instructions Blog - Another good & simpler website that goes great into fundamentals. They focus more on traditional art but if you're digital, you can replicate most of the techniques - art fundamentals and subjects cover all mediums. Very important

Drawsh - Particularly notes on Construction: construction is the basics of building an illusion of a 3D image on a page. Figuring out how to build shape gives depth to your work, and learning how to see in 3D lets you be able to draw an item then move it around in your head (sometimes, when you're good enough, don't be afraid to pull out a reference or use live subjects). Construction is how to figure out the foundation of your drawing, and good planning = better picture! This link starts at the back, hit newer post to go forward.

There's a lot on anatomy and other nitty gritty details for when you want to practice those as well.

Griz and Norm's Assorted tips - Long time artist talk about various tips and tricks they use in art and how to avoid certain pitfalls. It's eclectic but great to look through.

James Gurney's Blog - He's got a lot of thoughts, a lot of tips, and a lot of adventures he catalogues. It's the least organized out of these but fortunately he has plenty of tags and most post have something neat going on. He's fantastic!🥰

BEFORE ALL OTHER BASICS….

How to Make Your Art Look Nice: Mindset

There's a lot of artist with different perspectives on how to approach art and your mindset while doing it, but the general consensus is that it's a process and sometimes you have to remind yourself to enjoy art!

Line

How to draw straight lines without a ruler. …but for the love of all that's good do NOT feel bad about using one! This talks about how to hold your pencil and how to do some good freehand stuff, some good practice.

5 grips for holding a Pencil for Drawing - This goes for pencil, pen, tablet, etc.. Get comfortable and figure out what's right for you and your pictures. I'd like to note that paintbrush holding will overlap, but some will differ.

A few line drawing exercises that help with line confidence.

Types of line drawings & what they are.

Contour Line & exercises with Mrs. Cook - Contour lines are one of the first art exercises I do in all the drawing classes I've taken. The good news is that they're surprisingly fun & look neat, even the blind contours!

Good deep thoughts on lines and how to use them.

Line Weight Tutorial

Lineart Weight Tips!

How to show variation in your line art: part 1 & part 2.

Some teacher's Drawing 1 & 2 lessons put online.

Light, Shadow, & Value

An introduction to tonal values.

Why values are important. The main reasons are that they give depth to a piece, and values literally shape our world.

Tonal Values: Everything you need to know

How does light work & the basics on Light

Light & Shadow in Art - much more in depth of the above! Highly recommended if you have time to spare.

Understanding grayscale/monochrome art. Great for shading & planning.

A guide to Cross Hatching (and hatching in general) - As a side note, crosshatching is one of the early things taught as it marries Line + Value into a nice neat package and helps add form with just a pen.

Crosshatching for Comics

Learn more about coloring by working in grayscale

How to Make Your Art Look Nice - Contrast!

Using lighting to make your art look nice.

Some light & shadow classifications.

Edges - notes on how they work in shading.

Color

A side note - color theory doesn't differ much, but color MIXING will change between mediums. If you're doing traditional colored pencil, you're overlapping 2 or more pigments on top of each other. If you're doing traditional paint, you're mixing & creating a solution/emulsion (depends on the pigment and binding) of pigments with the particles reflecting light in different ways. In digital, overlapping colors & blending colors depend on how the program you use calculates it if you're not just putting 2 color side by side. This just means you have to adjust your mixing when you switch between them. :)

Slawek Fedorczuk's Light & Color Tips - also shows how to guide through a scene.

The Color Tutorial Part 1 & 2 by Sashas - A personal favorite.

Color Studies 1-6 by Sheri Doty Amazingly nice breakdown on how color works in simple terms.

Sarah Culture's Tips on Color

The value of underpainting

A few notes on reflective light.

Experimental color techniques with Alai Ganuza: first post, second, & third.

Color zones of the face charts

Composition

Good Tips on Composition

Here's an example of how you can search the Etherington Brothers' stuff and get like 10 tutorials and tips on one subject. Composition & Cover Design, Shadow Composition, Two Line Composition - plus more.

How to make your art look nice: Thumbnailing!

And don't be afraid to make silly thumbnails or sketches.

Composition Examples - charts like these are great when you can't think of something yourself. There's no shame in using them.

Flow and Rhythm

Formulas for landscape composition.

Perspective

Perspective Drawing Tutorial by Julie Duell

Linear & Atmospheric Perspective Guide

One Point Perspective City Tut by Swingerzetta

Niso Explains Perspective - these are great for drawing figures in perspective!

Putting characters into scenes and drawing backgrounds

Backgrounds that make your character stand out!

Using background detail to guide the eye.

Odds and Ends

I shit you not, probably 1/3rd of my color, value, & structure knowledge comes from pixel art since I've done so much of it and it is all about challenging yourself to do the most you can with limitations. Check out lospec's tutorial database for fun and see how it compares to art techniques you're doing - even if you never try a medium, it's always interesting to see how it works. :D

How to Make Your Art Look Nice: Reference Images & Style, Pushing Proportions, and developing style.

Foervraengd talks about how he expanded his comfort zone with concept art & landscape drawing.

Luna Art talks about what they're thinking when doing concept art.

Repeating visual motifs in character design looks cool.

Eric's Thoughts on Drawing Backgrounds and Props.

Show vs. Tell: Why Visual is Not Optional in comics.

The Lost Vocabulary of Visual Story Telling Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, & Day 4.

Traditional Animation's 2 Digital Library books, The Know-How of Cartooning by Ken Hultgren & Advanced Animation by Preston Blair are two books from the golden age of animation they have up on their site for free viewing!

Animation resources dot org has a lot of cool stuff. Here's Nat Falk's How to Make Animated Cartoons (part 1). Their pages on Instruction & Theory are a good start.

Books

Good news: the internet archive has a TON of resources. Make sure to check around and toggle filters, it's a bit weird with organization. For example, a book can be under art or drawing - techniques, depending on who catalogues it.

Andrew Loomis is someone artist tend to die-hard reccomend. His work is collected here & here on the internet archive (one is Andrew Loomis, the other is Loomis, Andrew - thanks). I own Figure Drawing for All It's Worth and I recommend checking all of his stuff out, especially if you're having trouble with bodies and hands.

The Animator's Survival Guide by Richard Williams is mandatory in animation classes for good reason - it's fantastic!

Perspective for Comic Book Artist by David Chelsea is great for any type of artist. So is Extreme Perspective & Perspective in Action.

Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics, Reinventing Comics, & Making Comics. The first one is on the internet archive, the second two are likely avaliable at your library or at a bookstore as they're pretty popular.

Speaking of comics, Drawing Comics the Marvel Way has been a favorite of comic artist for years no matter what comic book companies and artist you like, it's a good introduction.

Anything by or endorsed by James Gurney, Color and Light: A Guide for the Realistic Painter is one of my favorites (this is his official page but you can get them elsewhere for cheaper too).

Art resource blogs with good tagging systems: @artist-refs , @help-me-draw , @helpfulharrie , @art-res , @drawingden , & @how-to-art

Lastly, I suggest if you find something you like online for free, SAVE IT! Whether it is through the Wayback Machine, screenshotting a whole webpage, reblogging/retweeting something, or putting it on pinterest, digital media is fickle and tends to go up in smoke when you least expect it. I have a partially organized Pinterest board that helped me find most of the stuff I wanted to keep. Figure out what works for you and save what you can.

[meanbossart]

i just need to take a second to gush about how much i love durge drow and astarion, they feel so fleshed out and perfectly written together in their fucked up wretched ways. They really inspire me to write more for my own tavs, hopefully one day ill be able to say im as happy with my own work as i get when seeing yours. I have to ask though, do you have any tips on drawing head shapes and faces? or maybe about wrinkles? i find i really struggle with that stuff when drawing and i adore how expressive and grungey all your art looks!

First of all thank you so much, I love hearing what people think of the two of them together 😭

Honestly you've hit on something that's quite near and dear to my heart, I love developing and figuring how to draw and stylize different faces to get the most unique, interesting looking results - everything about the details is highly rewarding to me. What does x type of nose look like from this angle? In this style? How can this eyeshape best translate to my art? How different does a face look when its making this expression? What does that MOUTH DO? etc etc.

In fact you kind of inspired me to put a little tutorial/guide together the last hour lmao and what a blessing it is that the two current subjects of this blog serve as great models here, being that their faces are basically polar opposites!

When it comes to heads, you've probably heard it a dozen times before that you want to think of them in terms of geometry and facets; my process to drawing them is pretty conventional so I won't spend too much time on it, but it goes something like this:

Obviously I don't do every single one of these steps most of the time, which is just something that comes from practice/developing muscle memory, but it is helpful to start off this way for two main reasons:

By making these guide lines and splitting a head into pieces like this, you'll have an easier time seeing and understanding it as a multidimensional object, and in turn, facilitate It for you when you venture out into doing wacky angles and lighting.

Making different headshapes starts HERE. notice how Astarion's "face" slate is narrower and longer, how my durge's jaw pieces sit lower on the head, how all of the same pieces came together in the same way but we ended up with one real pointy elf and a real brick of a drow - making characters look different successfully begins very early in the sketching process.

The next thing you want to do branches out into every day life: start noticing yours and other people's facial features. How does an upturned nose look from a high angle? How does the size of someone's cheekbones affect what they look like when they smile? How about when the light hits them a certain way? Does someone's lip shape changes when they pout? When they laugh? How does a person's hairline change the shape of their face? You do NOT need to creepily sketch every stranger you see on the bus, but get into the habit of actually noticing what people look like when you talk to them - when you look at pictures, when you watch movies - make a mental list of interesting ways mouths, noses, and eyes can come together in a variety of different proportions to make completely distinct looking mugs, and how they change depending on how you are looking at them.

Light and shadow play a HUGE role in how faces look, too, basically as crucial as actual bone structure does. As you see up there I tried to rough out how natural, head on, and underhead light would look on these two very different looking guys, and while we can see definite patterns, there are small differences that come to be because of the sizes and shapes of their features.

Here is a very, very basic look at how some of these features come to look the way they do, how they interact with one another, and how they compare between a blocky, rather conventionally "masculine" head and one that's much softer and slimmer.

Note please that it is not one or two characteristics that give a chaarcter their "look"; you can reduce a face to eyes, mouth, and nose through stylization and still have them be recognizable, but if you want to do more than that, you have to consider the whole package! Chin, cheeks, brows, direction of the jaw, slope and size of the forehead, depth of eyes, ridge of the nose, etc - I know this is probably far more than you bargained for, but if you start making note of a FEW of these things now and slowly add on, this will eventually become second nature to you.

Similarly, understanding how these characteristics come together will help you with rendering light and shadow in a realistic way, and predicting what their facial expressions may look like - if no two people are alike, neither are their smiles. :)

Lastly, remember that I'm no expert - I have developed my own methods and semiotics and yours may look slightly (or vastly) different, and that's fine! I hope only that by sharing this it has given you a base to work off of.

Anyways, I HOPE this has been helpful and not just the unsolicited ramblings of a face pervert.

[jewishvitya]

hi riki! this is a bizarre question ngl, but im wondering if you could please tell me about why you are anti-Zionist? Since i have FRESHLY (last month!! Woohoo!!) become bat mitzvah, and I’m not going to beit Sefer every week now, I’m starting to realize that what I was told about Israel and zionism miiiight be innacurate. Please feel free not to, but I would personally feel more comfortable hearing about Antizionism from somebody who is for sure not hiding any antisemitic biases. Thanks and I hope it’s not a bother!

Mazal tov!

I was debating if I should reply to this and how. You're only one year older than my son and I never considered talking about this with a kid other than my own children. But if you're online reading and looking up information about this, I'll just answer the way I would for anyone. Like I said, I don't mind explaining. But I don't have the energy to collect sources for you. I'll do that later if you'd like. For now it'll be a bit of a rant.

Basically, if you ask different people what zionism is, you'll get different answers. Some people say that zionism is just the acknowledgement of our connection to this land. That's not what I'm going against. I'm not denying that this is our ancestral homeland. I've never known a different home, I grew up near Hebron. Our history means everything to me. So maybe you could create some definition of zionism that I wouldn't be against. But then I'll be against the use of the word because in practice, politically, the movement has been colonialist. And that reality is more important to me. So when I say I'm antizionist, I'm not talking about whatever pretty idea someone might have, I'm talking about things that to me are very concrete.

Zionism uses whatever political terminology is useful to it at the time. Currently, it tries to paint itself as a sort of landback movement, placing us as the indigenous population of this land. This is a distraction. If you mean "indigenous" as "this is where we originated" - both us and Palestinians are indigenous, which makes this term pointless to this situation. If you mean "indigenous" as "a local population facing colonization" - they're indigenous and we're the colonizers. That's the more politically useful distinction.

And the thing is, zionists knew they were colonizers. Ben Gurion was welcomed by the local population and expressed hope that they're nomadic and could be persuaded to leave. Ze'ev Jabotinsky argued that no land has been colonized with the consent of its natives, so we should just take what we want like other occupying forces did. They knew what they were doing. At the time, there wasn't the broad political pushback against colonialism that you see today, so they didn't really hide it. They saw themselves as the colonizing force and the Palestinians as the natives and this distinction had them placing themselves above the Palestinians.

When I was in school, I was made to believe that Palestine was never truly a country and the population here was never a cohesive nation. You might see questions like "Who were the Palestinian prime ministers and presidents? What was the Palestinian coin? What Palestinian wars were there before the creation of Israel?"

These questions tell you nothing other than the fact that Palestine has been under foreign occupation for a very long time. They try to lead you to believe that Palestine and the Palestinian identity are fictional constructs designed to deny us our place in this land.

But Palestinians have their own dialect of Arabic. They have their own varieties of Middle Eastern foods. They have their own clothing, their own embroidery patterns, their own dances. They have a very rich culture that wasn't just made up from nothing within the last century. I still have to battle against cognitive dissonance every time I find something of the sort, because Palestinian culture goes against everything I was taught.

The truth is, the British had no right to occupy Palestine, and they had no right to offer it to us. If we pretend there was no population that was wronged when we took Israel, we can be "the good guys" with Palestinians being a sinister plot to ruin us. This turns normal families, normal people, into a conspiracy made to hurt us. We're not fighting a military force - every Palestinian person is a threat to our legitimacy. Israelis don't even really use the term "Palestinians" - they're just Arabs, their individual identity is stripped from them. We pretend that they belong to other countries around us.

Israeli propaganda will tell you that we only ever act in self defense. It's in the name of our military, it's called a defense force. Israel boasts that it has the only ethical military in the world. The only defensive one. But like I said, we define threats very broadly. And we whitewash a lot of history. I was taught in school all our fighting was defensive - and then I spoke to an elderly man and he said "of course we killed whole villages, it was war, that's what you do." Only as an adult I found out about things like the Sabra and Shatila massacre and our involvement in it.

For the existence of Israel as an ethnostate, every Palestinian is a threat. A lot of people are all in favor of Israel, but against the government actions of ethnic cleansing. The truth is, the ethnostate is not sustainable without the ethnic cleansing. You can't accept one and expect it not to lead to the other. An ethnostate is never a justified goal, and that's always been the goal of zionism as a practical movement.

And I know why this exists. We've had two millennia of persecution. Antisemitism is one of the oldest forms of bigotry. And we just experienced an attempt to industrially exterminate us, we lost millions, including from my own family. We want shelter and safety and the ability to defend ourselves. I just can't see that as justification for what we did and continue to do.

You can look up our human rights abuses, but personally, there were moments that hit me. When I saw a whole warehouse of mail intended to reach Gaza, mail that's been kept from them for years, including items like wheelchairs, in such bad conditions that some envelopes got moldy. I still think of the people who spent all that money to get a wheelchair and were prevented mobility because we decided to hold their mail.

I watched the biggest apartment building in Gaza collapse under our bombs and I cried thinking about the people inside, and about the potential survivors and everything they lost.

I watched our people beat up the pallbearers at the funeral of Shireen Abu-Akleh, a Palestinian reporter. They almost dropped the casket from all those beatings. They were no threat. They just carried her. There was no reason to hurt them.

On the news, after Shireen Abu-Akleh died, the description of the Palestinian response to her death was that they're "חוגגים על המוות." The literal translation is that they're celebrating over the death, but that's not what it means. The meaning is that they're exaggerating their pain and their grief. They're acting, pretending, milking the injustice of it for show. And that's a common Israeli narrative, that Palestinians make a big deal out of things and pretend to suffer more just to make us look bad. We've dehumanized them to the point where we don't believe their grief.

And before all of this, growing up, I saw what the "us vs them" mentality caused in children. I grew up in Kiryat Arba and the population there is very strongly zionist. It's a settlement. It's largely Dati Leumi (national religious? I'm not sure how to translate, dati means religious and leumi means national). Over there I saw children as young as six cheerfully talk about joining the military and killing Arabs. I saw a kid throwing chocolate past the electric fence separating us from them, and laughing when a small Palestinian child went looking for that chocolate, calling her a pig. I saw my high school classmates questioning if they should help the family of a six-months-old baby, first demanding to know if the sick infant is Arab.

The Israeli left has a bit of a slogan. הכיבוש משחית. The occupation corrupts. It means that being an oppressive force changes what we are. It ruins us. And I truly believe that. It taints so much about us and our culture, about our compassion and our ability to have solidarity with other humans. Many principles that kept us safe in diaspora are used now to harm gentiles living under our control, and Palestinians suffer most of all.

So these are the reasons I'm antizionist. I hate what we do to Palestinians. I hate what it does to us. And more fundamentally, I'm against colonialism.

[dearly-somber]

The Moon Will Sing | j.jk

-> pairing. wolf shifter!jungkook x human!reader (f)

-> genre. established relationship, marriage (kind of!), fluff, domestic fluff, found family, series finale

-> rating. 13+

-> w/c. 4434

-> warnings. A lil' suggestive near the end but nothing insane!

-> a/n. I can’t believe it’s over 🥹🥹

-> collection. mini-series

-> started. Jun. 4th, 2023 @ 21:36

-> fin. March 14th, 2025 @ ???

-> edited. March 16th, 2025 @ 11:56

-> divider credit. @mmadeinheavenn, @saradika-graphics

You lean against the door frame, a smile on your lips. Jungkook’s still in bed, covers thrown to the side and fast asleep. His face is half-hidden in the crook of his elbow, the small of his back exposed where his shirt’s ridden up during the night. You pad over in sock-clad feet, crawling onto the side of the bed to sit cross-legged next to him as you reach out to run your fingers through his bangs.

Jungkook hums and shuffles forward, wrapping his arms around your leg and maneuvering himself so his face is tucked away against your thigh. You scratch at his scalp for a bit before dragging your palm down flat along his spine, curling your fingers against the small of his back so he shivers. You smile, pushing your hand up his shirt to gently scratch his back. 

The sun is warm against your shoulders and Jungkook is warm against your legs, his eyes firmly shut even though you know he’s awake. "Kook-ah?"

"Mm…"

"We have to get up." 

He groans, turning onto his back so he can pout at you, "I don’ wanna." "You don’t wanna go through with the ceremony?" "And miss our wedding?" Jungkook scoffs. He shakes his head, your endeared giggle making him smile. He pushes himself up and leans forward to peck you on the lips; presses your foreheads together when he pulls away. He smiles against your mouth, "Never."

You smile so wide your cheeks hurt, smack-squeezing Jungkook’s thigh before you push yourself up again, heading to your shared closet at the end of the room. "Hurry up," you say, scrounging around for a pretty set of underwear. "I need you to come get your things so we can get dressed."

Jungkook hums from behind you, sliding his hands around your exposed waist until his palms rest interlocked over your bare stomach. "Picking out something pretty?" 

"Mm," you hum back, holding up a white set with an intricate floral lace pattern around the hips and down the center of the chest. "This one's nice," you muse.

Jungkook agrees with a chaste kiss to the back of your neck, sighing like it’s the worst thing in the world that he has to separate from you. When he does a little ‘turn around’ motion with his fingers, you turn and tug your chosen underwear on with your back to him. He grabs his clothes from the cupboard and shuffles into them.

When he's done, Jungkook kisses the back of your head, his voice fading as he leaves the bedroom. "I’ll see you later."

"Don’t miss me too much," you tease.

"Love you too!" he yells back.

With that marking his exit, you turn back around and grab the pretty white sundress the girls helped you pick out for the ceremony.

"Y/N!" 

Think of the devil.

"Oh my god, look at you!" Rosé squeals, running to your side to grab your arms and look you up and down with a teary-eyed smile. "You look stunning!"

"Thanks," you giggle, a flattered blush painting your cheeks.

"Wait." Lisa groans as she smacks a hand against her head. "I forgot the fucking ring, hold on—"

"What ring?" you ask, frowning at Jisoo.

"You'll—"

"—Aaand, there she goes," Rosé giggles, shaking her head. Lisa barrels out of the room toward the main house further up the hill.

"So forgetful," Jisoo sighs.

"This thing makes you look so dainty," Jennie laughs, grabbing the hem of your dress and raising it to inspect it more seriously. A devilish smirk pulls at her lips. "And matching panties, I see."

"Shut up!" you laugh, punching her arm as you self-consciously pat down the skirt. "Jungkook's already seen it, anyway."

"What?!" Jisoo yells, rushing forward. "Y/N! He's not supposed to see you until the ceremony!"

"He saw the underwear, not the dress."

Lisa smacks her shoulder into the wall as she comes barreling through the doorway, falling into Jisoo's side with a loud groan. "Ow, fuck—"

"You okay?" Jisoo laughs, a concerned lilt to her voice.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine! Might've dislocated my shoulder, but I'm doing great!" Lisa says sarcastically, snickering when Jisoo grabs her around the neck to give her a knuckle-sandwich.

Jennie rolls her eyes. "Drama queen."

"Sh!" Rosie silences the group, looking eagerly at Lisa. "Did you bring the ring?"

"Right!"

You watch them with attentive, curious eyes as Lisa pulls a navy-blue velvet box from her jeans pocket, carefully opening it up and removing a sparkling silver ring…

The design is simple but elegant: intricate vines with small rosebuds twirl up and around a stem to a blooming rose in the center. You pout at the feelings bursting from the center of your chest (a habit the pack likes to say you got from Jungkook), slowly slipping it over the middle finger on your left hand.

"To welcome you into the family," Lisa says with a shy smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Do you like it?" Rosé asks, her hands clasped nervously in front of her.

"You guys," you whine, gathering them up in your arms and trying desperately to fight off the sudden wave of tears threatening to wash down your face. "Thank you."

"Welcome to the family," Jennie mumbles against your shoulder, hand patting the small of your back.

"You can't leave," Jisoo states factually. "Ever. You're stuck with us until the day you die."

Your laugh as you pull away is wet with emotion, wiping under your eyes and holding onto Jennie and Rosé's hands. You share a look with the four beautiful young women who so graciously welcomed you into their lives, into their family, and smile. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Jisoo?"

The five of you turn to the porch winding up the hill to the main house, squinting against the late afternoon sun to try and make out the silhouettes further up the path.

"Eommoni?!"

Jennie and Lisa gasp, darting from the room to meet Jungkook's parents halfway up the path.

You and the other two girls follow, grinning. You haven't seen Jungkook's parents since his surprise-birthday party months ago, so you're delighted to see them again—especially for such a joyous occasion.

"Y/N," Mrs. Jeon sighs, opening her arms wide to give you a strong hug, warmth radiating from her like heat from the sun. "It's been too long," she says woefully.

"It's wonderful seeing you again, Eommoni," you agree, smiling as Jungkook's dad brings you in for a side-hug.

"We couldn't be happier to see you," he says.

You pull away with a bright smile on your face. "Me too."

Eager to give you some alone-time with your fiance's parents, Jisoo and the others start making their way to the main house, leaving you to walk arm-in-arm with Mrs. Jeon, her husband close at her side.

"How are you feeling?" she asks with a knowing smile, her voice reminding you so much of a gossiping schoolgirl that you can't help but laugh.

"Good!" you say. "Nervous, of course, but good. Excited."

"Those are all very good things to be," Jungkook's dad says with a grin, his hand on Mrs. Jeon's waist. "All things me and Mara felt on our special day."

"Oh, hush!" Mrs. Jeon says, gently smacking her husband's arm as a faint blush tints her ears, much like it does her son's when he's embarrassed.

"It's true!" Mr. Jeon laughs, the three of you making your way into the main house through the patio door (that leads down to the single-bedroom river house you and Jungkook had been assigned to for this pack-wide getaway).

"What did you make her, Abeoji?"

Mr. Jeon smirks, nudging his wife in her side. "Show her."

Mrs. Jeon rolls her eyes, raising her shirtsleeve to show off a beautiful golden bracelet. It had a small crescent-moon in the center, which you realized now was the matching half to a bracelet Mr. Jeon wore.

"She made me my own half for our anniversary," Mr. Jeon says with a teasing smile, snickering at something his wife mumbles, too soft for you to hear.

Their love is so pure, you think, so sure of itself; it's no wonder Jungkook loves you like he does.

"Well, then," Mr. Jeon sighs as you stop in the middle of the room. "I should probably find my son. Say hi before your mother whisks him off. I'll see you two soon." He kisses Mrs. Jeon on the cheek and squeezes your shoulder, wandering off.

"Right, then," Mrs. Jeon claps her hands together. "I already set up a nice little area for us in one of the rooms upstairs, close to a window where we can sit in the sun."

The nerves of having to make Jungkook's gift is finally catching up with you. You planned what you wanted to do beforehand, of course, but having to put your thoughts and feelings to paper (with the chance of it turning out shit) is a lot more daunting than you expected.

"You'll be fine, darling." Mrs. Jeon reads your mind, patting the back of your hand. "I'll help you through it, yes?"

You bite your lip and shake out your hands, walking through the door and across the room to stand before an empty canvas.

"Let's do this."

Jungkook has never been more nervous for anything in his life. Well, except maybe for your first time, but that was very different and letting his thoughts wander down that road is probably not a very good idea.

He runs his fingers nervously over the dips and divots in the small wolf trinket he painstakingly whittled for you with your mother's guidance, wondering in the back of his mind if it was too simple for such an important ceremony.

This ceremony was basically the human equivalent of getting married (with a lot of shared traditions, surprisingly enough), and all he had to show for it was a sterling silver bracelet he didn't even make himself with an amateurishly carved wolf trinket attached to the center.

"I can hear you thinking from here," Evelyn startles him from his spiral.

Jungkook laughs nervously as she comes to stand in front of him, smoothing out his shirt and fixing the pearl necklace around his throat. "Sorry, eommoni. I'm just…"

"Nervous?"

Jungkook nods sheepishly.

"Nerves are good. Normal." She takes a seat next to him on the bed. "You're marrying my daughter, after all. I'd hope you were nervous."

Jungkook frowns. "Why?"

"Because that means you're scared. Scared is good! It means you won't fuck it up."

Jungkook snorts.

"I know you're nervous," Evelyn continues more seriously, "but you have nothing to worry about."

He nods quietly, already feeling more at ease. "Do you think she'll like it?" he asks.

"She'll love it."

"Thank you for helping me make it." He leans his head down on your mom's shoulder.

"Of course. Dongin and I are honored to have you as part of the family."

"Jungkook-ah!" Taehyung bellows, barging into the room with Jimin at his side, Yoongi, Hoseok, and Namjoon following soon after.

Jungkook and Evelyn get up from the bed at the same time, Evelyn walking across the room to greet the other pack members. Yoongi punches Jimin in the side to stop his and Tae's goofing off, bowing so low his hair falls over his eyes.

"Ugh, straighten up!" she orders with a shake of her head and a light slap to Yoongi's shoulder.

Hoseok laughs, throwing an arm around Yoongi's shoulders as Jimin and Taehyung walk deeper into the room, cornering Jungkook against the wall for his inevitable teasing. "You know how Yoongi gets, eommoni, he's all about respect—"

Yoongi growls softly, his cheeks tinting pink as your mom laughs and pats his shoulder, bowing her head to Seokjin (who appeared at the top of the stairs at some point during this exchange). "I'll see you boys later. Cut Jungkookie some slack, okay?"

They laugh. "So," Taehyung starts, wiggling his eyebrows at Jungkook. "How we feeling?"

"Good," Jungkook says with a confident nod, smiling. "Really, really good."

"I can't believe you went ahead and got mated before your hyungs," Seokjin sniffles dramatically, shaking his head and hiding his face behind his palm, imitating the mothers he sees on TV.

Jungkook shrugs with a mischievous grin. "Not my fault you guys have no game."

"Yaish, this kid—" Jimin grabs him around his neck and ruffles up his hair, laughing even when Jungkook growls threateningly at him. "Got yourself a mate and suddenly you're better than us," he teases.

"That's not what I said!" Jungkook laughs breathlessly as he finally shoves away, whining when Namjoon makes toward him to fix his hair.

"At least it's Y/N," Yoongi says with a sigh, his eyes betraying his emotion. "That brat was practically made for your dumb ass."

Hoseok laughs, shaking his head as he makes a show of squeezing Jungkook's cheeks. "Don't insult him, hyung, you'll upset the poor baby—"

"Hyung," Jungkook whines.

His brothers only laugh. "You're always gonna be our maknae," Namjoon reminds him, a proud, almost fatherly smile plastered on his face.

"We're real happy for you, Jungkook-ah," Taehyung agrees with one of his signature boxy smiles, patting Jungkook hard on the back.

"Thank—"

The strum of a guitar cuts Jungkook off midway through his thanks, Rosé's voice carrying out across the pit area at the front of the house. He inhales and immediately catches wind of the smoke from the bonfire the girls must've set up in preparation for the ceremony, his pulse spiking at the realization that oh shit, this is actually happening.

He's being mated to the girl of his dreams, with all the most important people in his life present as witnesses: two families becoming one.

Jimin smacks him on the back with an encouraging, teary-eyed smile. "Let's go get your girl."

You can hear the music from down the path, your palms sweaty around Dad's arm.

"You ready, pumpkin?" He taps the hand you have hooked around his elbow.

The nerves of the day are finally catching up to you. "I'm ready," you exhale.

Your dad smiles proudly, and then you're walking up the dirt path, white lilies guiding you to your future.

And the moment you see him, you think the future looks good.

Jungkook, like you, is dressed in all white—a white pearl necklace, white v-neck shirt, white trousers and what look to be white dress shoes. He looks like an angel.

Jungkook watches you with a sparkle in his eyes that makes your tummy clench.

You join him under the arch (decorated with an array of colorful flowers, most of which you can’t identify), looking shyly down at your sandals as he grabs your hands.

"You look beautiful," he whispers, the smile on his face so soft it feels like clouds.

"So do you."

He smiles wider still, brushing his thumb over the back of your hand.

"Today is a very special day for the Bangtan pack, and the Jeon and Lee families alike," Jungkook's dad says with a proud grin, standing side-by-side with his wife and your parents.

There's something about seeing them all next to each other, Jungkook's hands warm around yours, that make this all feel so suddenly real, you have to blink to keep your emotions at bay.

"Y/N," Mrs. Jeon starts off.

"Jungkook-ah always used to say he looked forward to finding his mate." She holds onto Mr. Jeon's hands and continues, "He would brag that he'd be the best mate ever, no matter who they were. And after Jungkook left us to join his friends to form their own pack, we worried he'd made a mistake."

"The city is notoriously absent of shifters," Mrs. Jeon explained, "so we thought that by leaving our small little town in Busan, Jungkook was giving up on finding a mate."

"And then Gukka found you," Mr. Jeon finishes, tears streaking down his face. You laugh tearfully, your heart aching at the sight accompanied by your mom's emotional sniffles.

"He would not stop talking about you!" Mrs. Jeon laughs fondly, shaking her head. "He told us he'd found his mate, that he was sure of it, even though you were human and nothing like he'd imagined you'd be, nothing like we'd imagined for him.

"We couldn't be happier to welcome you into the Jeon family, my dear," she sniffles. "Jungkook knew from the moment he met you, and he couldn't have made a better choice if he tried."

You let go of Jungkook's hands to wrap your arms around the Jeons' shoulders, hiccuping into them. Mr. Jeon rubs a comforting circle against your back as Mrs. Jeon's fingers dig into your shoulders, her tears darkening the white fabric around your shoulders.

Eventually you pull away to stand back at Jungkook's side, resting your head against his shoulder after he briefly scents under your chin.

"Jungkook," your mother begins.

Jungkook straightens his back and squares his shoulders.

"Y/N used to complain."

Everyone bursts out laughing and you look shyly down at your feet, heat blossoming in your cheeks.

"She used to complain a lot," Mom giggles. "'This new boy at school won't leave me alone,' she'd say. 'He follows me around like a lost puppy! I don't understand, what did I do?!'"

"The answer is that she didn't do anything, and though it may have took her much, much longer by shifter standards, she fell for you, and she fell for you hard."

"As a father," Dad says, "it was hard listening, in real time, as complaints about this annoying new boy at my baby's school turned into her talking about how much she liked spending time with him, about how he was now her best friend.

"I knew her feelings for you were blossoming. And it was hard, letting you in," Dad admits, his gentle smile softening the blow. "I felt like things were moving too quickly, so much more quickly than was good, or normal.

"But then Evelyn pointed something out to me, Jungkook."

Dad pauses, reigning himself in before he can continue speaking. "She said, 'Have you not seen the way he looks at her? Have you not noticed the devotion, the love in his eyes?'"

You don't have to be a shifter to hear the hitch in Jungkook's breath.

"That's when I knew," your dad cries, Mom comforting him even though you're sure she can't see through her own tears. "That's when I knew I wanted you as a part of this family, and I'm so happy seeing that dream come to fruition."

Together, your parents walk forward and form a circle around the two of you, locking fingers.

In sync (no doubt from hours of practice), they recite your blessing:

"The pack is life, and the pack is love. Born, bred, or brewed, we bless this union, and welcome you, daughter and son, with open arms."

They wrap around you, tightening the circle and squeezing. You full-body shiver and burst into tears, your arms wrapped around Jungkook's waist and one of your parents' backs, face hidden in your father's shoulder as Jungkook leans against his mother, your mom's hand on the back of his head. Surrounding them, your pack: Namjoon, Jisoo, the boys, the girls—all of them wrapped around you in a protective bubble.

Something within you flips a switch, like a sparkler being lit.

This is so much more than you ever could've asked for. Surrounded by everyone you've ever loved, you've never felt more safe—more happy—in your life.

The ceremony was everything you could've asked for and then some.

The cake was revealed soon after you made your vows: a beautiful three-tiered chocolate extravaganza with grass-green frosting, two little fondue mini-you and Jungkook's sitting together in a field surrounded by Smarties flowers. It was cute and kind of childish, but that's what made you like it even more.

You cut the cake while giggling the entire time, swiping off a piece of icing with your finger to drag it down the side of Jungkook's nose. His wide-eyed shock had made you laugh so hard you hadn't had the time to dodge the massive swab of icing he slathered all across your cheek (which he, to everyone else's dismay, licked off quickly after).

The cake was wonderful, and the rest of the night went so smoothly it felt like something straight out of a fairy tale; your own little and they lived happily ever after.

You and Jungkook smile and wave at the rest of the party as you head back down the hill to your river cabin, calling it early so you can give each other your gifts.

"Meet me in the living room?" you ask him as you stop just inside the entryway, biting nervously on your lips now that you have to actually show him the painting. Everyone knows you aren't a painter—Jungkook's the artist in your relationship, after all. But that was all the more reason for you to try and gift him something you know he'll appreciate and (hopefully) cherish for the rest of your lives.

Jungkook gives a nervous little nod of his head, pulling you back to kiss you and then speed walk to the bedroom to bring his gift to the couch.

"Okay," you say once he's sat down next to you, your knees brought up to your chest and hands clasped together over your shins. "Who's going first?" you ask.

Jungkook smiles in that soft, slightly unsure way that makes your heart leap with fondness as he shakes his head. You smile back and hold his hand, whispering, "Me first?"

"Please," he exhales. "I just—"

"You're fine, love, don't worry about it. Just… stay here and close your eyes."

Jungkook does as told. You squeeze his hand and spring up off the couch, walking around into the small section behind the kitchenette wall where you asked Mrs. Jeon to set the easel after you finished. You take the canvas from the easel and look over it for a second, turning away immediately once you notice all the little mistakes and things you wish you'd had the time to fix.

"Babe?"

"I'm here, just… trying to prepare myself," you laugh, sitting back down next to him with the canvas hidden against your chest.

"For what?" Jungkook frowns, eyes still closed. "I'm going to love whatever it is. You know that, right?"

"Yeah… Yeah, of course I do, I just…"

Jungkook pats around until his hand finds your knee. "Can I open my eyes?"

You take a deep breath and expel it from your lungs, turning the canvas around and watching his face with an intensity that could melt through plastic. "You can open your eyes."

What Jungkook sees is a cute, cartoonish rendition of his wolf curled up against your side; his paws over your bent knees, your arm slung around his back, hand resting on his torso. The slight anatomical inaccuracies of course catch his eyes, but it just makes his heart swell more—this isn't something you're good at, but you did it anyway.

For him.

"I love it," he whispers softly, running his fingers over the dried paint with the gentlest, most love-struck smile you think you've ever seen.

You grin slowly, feeling a tingle of excitement in the tips of your fingers. His reaction was all you'd been hoping for, really. Even with its imperfections, he loves it, just as he loves you.

"I'm really glad," you exhale joyfully, placing a hand over the bridge of his foot, anchoring yourself to him physically.

"Of course I love it," he says, gently removing the canvas from your hands and setting it on the coffee table. Your knees touch as he cups your face and leans in for a slow, love-infused kiss that steals the breath from your lungs. When he leans back, you lean in, a little dazed and smiling like a goof.

His eyes sparkle nervously. "Time for mine?"

"Time for yours," you agree.

Jungkook squeezes the hand you have on his thigh (you really don't remember putting it there), reaching behind him to grab the gift he hid who-knows-where.

"Your mom helped a lot," he admits sheepishly, holding whatever it is in his fist, unwilling to let you see it just yet.

"So did yours," you shrug, your eyes fixed on his closed fist.

He sighs, "I really hope you like it," right as he uncurls his fingers.

You gasp, reaching for the bracelet. You run your thumbs reverently over the smoothed-down wood. "Jungkook…"

"What?" he asks nervously, biting his lips. "Is it okay?"

"It's more than okay!" you burst into tears, throwing your arms around his shoulders and bringing him into your chest. You stare at the trinket over his shoulder, the tears running away from you as all the emotions of the last several hours come crashing down.

"Bunny," he laughs, patting your hair and rubbing your back. "Why are you crying?"

"I just love you so much," you sniffle, "they're happy tears."

Jungkook chuckles against your shoulder, scenting against the side of your neck and under your chin until you've calmed down enough to look at him without sniffling. "Do you want me to put it on for you?"

You nod, handing him the bracelet and holding out your hand. Jungkook smiles as he clips the bracelet around your wrist, thumbing the trinket and looking up at you with watery, emotion-filled eyes.

"I love you," you whisper, leaning forward until you're sitting forehead-to-forehead. "So much."

"Ditto," he teases, nipping at the tip of your nose with a joyful giggle that lights your tummy on fire.

You grab his face and kiss him hard, crawling into his lap with practiced ease. He hums against your lips, his hands settling over your waist as he uncurls his legs to accommodate you better, setting his feet on the floor and leaning back against the couch to meet your hungry kisses with equal fervor.

You kiss the corner of Jungkook's lips, his cheek, the point of his chin until eventually you get to his neck, licking over and then kissing the spot on his neck you've memorized as his scent gland. He folds instantly, groaning and squeezing at you with his head thrown back, thighs flexing underneath you.

"All mine." You kiss his neck, all your love and affection and admiration engraved in the soft touch of your lips to his skin.

Jungkook sighs. "All yours."

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[edensvessel]

Clairsenses — A Theory

So, this post has been in the works for quite a while. I have contemplated making this post vs not making it, but with the amount of times I happen to repeat all this information anytime somebody asks for advice on how to improve their clairsenses, I figured I'd just make a big post for myself and others to refer to when needed. It also serves as a way for me to solidify a theory I've had about clairsenses for quite a while, so there goes two birds.

I want to preface this by saying that I am by no means an expert, and that this is just a theory in the works that makes the most sense for my experiences and what I've seen others experience. This theory makes learning any other clairsense so much easier in so many peoples' experiences (because I have shared it with many people and they have confirmed that it helps), but I am no scientist or expert. While I highly recommend using this theory in your practice to develop your clairsenses, in the event that it does not work for you, that is okay. But like I said, I strongly recommend it.

With that out of the way, let's get started.

First off, what are clairsenses? Clairsenses are, by extension, similar to the 'sixth sense' concept. They are extra senses that correspond with the 5 senses we already have, but they operate on a different 'plane'. Most people use them to reach beyond the veil and into the beyond, whether that be with ghosts, spirits, deities, or anything else. Each clair operates like a radio frequency where you can tune into one or more to receive information.

There are different types of clairsenses, each of them pertaining to the 5 senses that we already have. So there is clairvoyance, pertaining to sight, and clairaudience, pertaining to hearing, and so on.

There are many theories about how clairsenses even work, but for the sake of my theory, we will go with: clairsenses are extra senses that help the individual process energy from a different plane of being through sensory filters.

A common phenomenon in clairsenses is that some people happen to be naturally good at one or more type of clairsense. I will address this later in my theory.

So, by the definition of clairsenses are extra senses that help the individual process energy from a different plane of being through sensory filters, the question that inspired this theory and this post is, how can I develop clairsenses? Everyone has the ability to do so, but just how?

In short, my theory is that clairsentience is the base and foundation of every clairsense, and to learn any clairsense, it's much easier to start by learning and mastering clairsentience.

In accordance with my definition, clairsentience is the clair that allows an individual to be aware of any surrounding energies. You cannot necessarily see, or hear, or taste, or touch, but you know it is there. Clairsentience is often the most common clairsense that many people don't actually know they have.

It all boils down to the fact that if you're able to "feel" the energies, then it's much easier to put them through a sensory filter. That's how it makes every other clair easier to learn. It's a bit of wordplay too—without being sentient, you cannot begin to process any other senses.

But Chrys, how are people born with clairsenses that they are naturally adept at without having clairsentience?

Clairsenses work like translation. I'll use clairaudience as an example here. You tune into the energy, and you begin to notice small fluctuations in the energy that are conveying a message. Upon understanding what that message is, it becomes easier to associate specific words with specific fluctuations. When you sharpen this ability, you can begin discerning a faint voice from it—one that you may not necessarily be physically hearing, but one that accompanies the energy every time it conveys a message to you. Over time, you'll begin to notice how specific energies use specific vocabulary and have their own speech patterns.

This is how I learned clairaudience by using clairsentience as a foundation, and it's how I've taught others to learn clairaudience as well.

When you are naturally born to be good at clairaudience, this entire process comes to you easily. You do not even have to think about translating; it is natural to you. To learn clairsentience for this person would still be like learning how to translate, because they did not even know what they were doing involved translating in the first place.

I'll admit, this part of my theory is definitely still a work in progress, but it makes sense to me in a way that's difficult to put into words, unfortunately.

We can use this theory to learn any clairsense we want, because it all boils down to clairsentience. When you can feel that energy, you can apply it through a sensory filter. Does this mean anyone who learned clairsenses a different way is wrong? Not at all! This is just like... a "hack", if you will. A shortcut.

I hope this helps! Feel free to send me any questions.

Xaire ♡