Okay, my reaction post out of the way, let's get to the topic at hand, shall we?
I think I'll do the same as Mindwipe, and break it into parts. Otherwise (and possibly regardless) this will quickly turn into a behemoth of a post.
LillyTank said:
Does anyone here know someone on this site (IRL or otherwise as long as they come here) that they consider a friend? Would they consider you the same way?
Plenty of people. Mindwipe, Lunakiri, Henry-killenger (Cthulhu), RebKMG (Mugi), Fossilbrand, Stem_Cell, Kinkyloli, etc. I'm sure that most of them would say the same about me, yes.
LillyTank said:
Is it any If it's not much trouble can you say how you two (or more) met and became friends?
Well...
I met Mindwipe on Hypnochan. I was pushing the smudge method to manipping empty eyes like a preacher would preach or a salesman would convince a buyer. It caught his interest, and he basically became my apprentice for a short while, until he got to the point where he was about as good as me. Maybe not as quick, but his eye for detail gives him a killer accuracy for cleanly emptying eyes.
Lunakiri, if I recall, I met on the old booru site. Her art style at the time, while still unrefined, had a charming, unique quality to it, and I saw potential in her work (which she argued wasn't there, that pessimist). Anyway, she was selling super-cheap commissions (still is, as far as I'm aware), and I bought a few from her. We just sort of hit it off after some time.
Henry I met here. I actually saw someone in FFXIV with the same name, and inquired him, here, if he was the one I saw (although I knew the chances were slim). It wasn't, but we ended holding a small conversation. Later on, in Nadia's crazily-large introduction thread (unofficially titled Club Nadia), we ended up chatting more, as a group, and that deepened a sort of comradery we all had.
I'd go on, but the story for the rest of them are largely the same. We met on this or a similar site, ended up just sort of chatting for whatever random reason, and hit it off. I'm a generally good fellow, and I'd like to think I'm friendly with just about everyone I meet, here or otherwise. I have more friendly acquaintances than I can count, too, so my I seem to be on the right track with that.
As for your question about what we have in common? Well, as a whole group, not much. We just get along well.
All it takes is some conversation. If you want to make some pals here, all you have to do is find an excuse to talk and do so. The rest comes naturally.