#everyone has their own roles in the group

[maelstrom007]

@ghouljams the worms are worming. . . I was listening to Depeche Mode today and Personal Jesus reminded me of your cult leader Price AU and it just has a death grip in my brain. . . All I could think of the whole song was Price manspreading in a chair with Ghost, Soap, and Gaz posed around him in dramatic backlighting, doing his biding to keep his cult in check.

Price is obviously cult leader, we get it, we know it, he's so charismatic and clever and manipulative and influential we know we know we know.

Thinking of what the other boys roles would be in this whole thing though. . .

Gaz is definitely the person on the outside clocking discontented people and setting in hooks. Absolutely gorgeous man, charismatic as fuck, endearing and non-threatening (at first glance), such blinding loyalty that he is able to see and interact with the outside world and not be tempted to leave. This simultaneously makes him adjusted enough to 'normal' life that he gives off very little red flags when inviting people in. He's also the person who befriends the new follower and makes sure that they're only seeing what they're supposed to, and vetting if they'd be impressionable enough to add to the flock. Testing their resistance to peer pressure, vetting them and making sure they're impressionable enough.

Soap is the listening ear on the inside. His job is to ingratiate himself amongst the followers and report any findings to Price, both good and bad. So not only is he keeping an eye out for disloyalty, plans to leave, discontent, etc. but he's also looking out for personal things like lost personal possessions, low stakes concerns, anything that Price can use to give individuals 'personal' time with him that makes him seem attentive or even slightly omniscient to the more spiritual followers.

Ghost's job is really to be that of a smoke screen. He is very visibly Price's 'right hand man', outwardly intimidating and such a hard ass on rule following that he acts as a force pushing followers to the sphere of Gaz and Soap. Because they couldn't be that close to Price, right? No one but Ghost is. So surely they're safe talking about their doubts and confusion, as long as Ghost is out of earshot. I feel like he also makes Price more valuable by making him more unobtainable. Unless Price comes to you, you need to seek an audience with him through Ghost. And 99% of the time even if you do get to see Price, Ghost will be there. At least that's what people say anyway. Price definitely isn't telling everyone that he's 'made an exception just for them' and that 'this'll be a secret between the two of them'. Definitely not.

I have this notion that it would be one of those self sufficiency communes that has their own internal ecosystem, growing their own food, making their own clothes, etc etc. They would send the well behaved followers to set up a stall at the nearby towns farmers market to keep up appearances and make sure that nobody in the town really bothers them. Who gives a shit what the group of farmers in the middle of nowhere are doing when their produce costs next to nothing and tastes divine? Maybe they should go out there some time and see what it's like. . .maybe learn how to take care of a plant or two of their own? And you've always wanted to learn how to do pottery, the cute guy on the corner says they're hosting a class this weekend. . . . . . . . . .

[valyrfia]

what role different f1 drivers would play on the hit bbc gameshow the traitors

If you haven't had the delight of watching the traitors quick rundown: 20 or so strangers are locked together in a Scottish castle for two weeks and are made to play a massive game of werewolf/mafia with a small minority called Traitors being able to kill one of the majority (known as Faithfuls) per night. The Faithfuls can vote out one person per night at an event known as the round table. They also complete in physical challenges in the Scottish highlands for money. High camp. They make a woman attend her own mock funeral. Iconic lines. Iconic characters. Great show. Go watch it. Without further ado:

Max Verstappen: Faithful but no one really believes it. Correctly guesses the identities of multiple traitors but is voted out in the early game because everyone thinks he's too forthright and is hiding something

Jack Doohan: Faithful but gets murdered on the first night.

Esteban Ocon: Faithful but gets murdered the second night after him and Pierre have a massive argument at the round table.

Pierre Gasly: Traitor. Loses his cool when Esteban accuses him at the round table. Murders Esteban only to get voted out the next night.

Yuki Tsunoda: Faithful and manages to stay in the game until he's accused by Liam at the round table and completely loses his temper. Gets voted out the same night.

Liam Lawson: Faithful and gets voted out the next night after Yuki because he was the one leading the accusations against Yuki.

Franco Colapinto: Traitor. Is really well-liked by everyone which eventually garners suspicion–why is he not getting murdered? Is finally voted out in the midseason in a shock twist when everyone suddenly turns on him at the round table.

Fernando Alonso: Faithful. Ruffles a few feathers but ultimately becomes a fan favourite, is "poisoned" in plain sight by the traitors and attends his own funeral as a reveal to him being murdered. There is widespread uproar at his removal from the game.

Charles Leclerc: Faithful but is always under mild suspicion because Max accused him at the early round tables. Gets voted out because of his "excessive winking" and him being "too perfect".

Carlos Sainz: Traitor. He thinks he can win because he's got Lando who hangs off his every word and always backs him up. Is saved from suspicion from his go-to look being a vacant stare when he's being accused. Is betrayed by Oscar in the finale.

George Russell: Faithful. Asks production whether he can bring powerpoints to the round table and is turned down. Comes up with extremely elaborate theories. They are always wrong. Gets murdered in order to frame Alex.

Alex Albon: Faithful and suspects Carlos after viewing a "poisoning" in plain sight. Is voted out because the traitors manage to sway people to think he was trying to deflect by murdering George.

Lewis Hamilton: Faithful. A cool, calm, and collected voice at the round table. The traitors murder him for having too much influence.

Lando Norris: Faithful. Carlos keeps him alive because he is very happy to be influenced on who to vote for and is decent at the challenges (apart from ones where they have to swim in the lake). He is closest to Carlos but also forms a bond with Oscar. Oscar uses that to his advantage in the final 3 in order to point out to Lando all the ways Carlos has manipulated his vote. Lando votes Carlos very tearfully, and then...

Oscar Piastri: Traitor. Is recruited midseason after Franco is voted out. Plays a quiet game, only planting seeds of doubt with people in one and one conversations versus his other traitor Carlos who is more of a group leader. He betrays Carlos in the finale by managing to sway Lando to his side to vote Carlos out of the final 3. He reveals to Lando that he betrayed him, as he is a traitor, and wins the entire game.

[ropebunnykant]

#i personaly would say that style has the ability to be cruel#not just because he does a lot of stuff that would come accross very differently in a different genre#(as idk how much discussing this would even work. since he's not in a different genre)#but imo because he crosses some lines that are lines even in universe#the grief counselling group being a big one (and he does get punched for it)#style has his own grief and i found the scene funny but there's no arguing he wasn't thoughtless and self-centered#which is not a dig at style. i love him and i think he is ALSO a very kind and caring person#there's several sides to him#but i think ultimately he is incapable of being truly unkind *to the people he loves*#which is what he says to fadel in a way: 'now that i know you i love you'#idk. style a pretty multifaceted character and i think him being a mix of several of the og ones#(petruchio tranio but also katherine. since they all etc)#kinda strengthen that last point#he actually do contains multitudes#love your point about him not being a criminal and tranio being from a different class too#i feel it resonnates very well with your 'they turned the misogyny into assassinphobia'#because our only non-criminal lead is also the one who's the most free of his choices#anyway now i'm thinking about shakespeare's helpers characters and how they range from forces of positive change to truly sinister#style is very much a helper and he lands squarely on the force for a positive change end of the spectrum#in other plays he would have the fool role

tags by @hurlumerlu

i already told you in our dms i would be back to discuss these tags and here i am because i love what you've brought up here! i realized after i posted it the way that it likely sounds like i'm ridding style of his flaws by saying he doesn't have it in him to be cruel, which is not what i initially meant with that statement, so thank you for giving me the chance to kind of clarify, cause i think you brought up some good points!

like you pointed out, style does a number of things that are thoughtless and self-centered, namely the grief counseling thing which i 100% agree comes across as cruel and almost mean spirited. however, i think there is a difference between doing something with the intention of causing harm/doing something while actively being aware you are causing harm and doing something without thinking of the consequences of it. while there's obviously arguments to be made about it, my personal definition of cruel has everything to do with the knowledge and intent behind the act. if someone does something that hurts you but it wasn't their intention to or they didn't realize they were, it still hurts, but the punch doesn't hit quite as hard as if they were doing it purposefully.

and i think with style at least, that's why i say he isn't an inherently cruel character. like you said, he's thoughtless and self-centered, but he doesn't do things with the direct intention of causing harm - at least not in a lasting way. yes, his flirting methods for fadel is to annoy him, so on a certain level he recognizes he's causing fadel harm, but the sort of harm style aims to cause isn't deep wounds, it's paper cuts. yes, he causes more harm than a paper cut by showing up at the grief counseling session and making it about him, but i genuinely don't think style thought through the way that would come across. i think in his head, bison essentially gave him permission to crash the party there by putting it in his little to do list, so he doesn't think much about how it's a fucking insane thing to do. especially because style's definition of insane is very skewed from a normal person's lmao.

i do agree he is very multifaceted though and obviously he is still based on petruchio and therefore does cause harm to fadel to some extent in order to get to him. i do still think inherently, style is kind, though - not just to those he loves, but to everyone. i think he's annoying, obviously, and thoughtless and self-centered like you said. but i also think if he's not dead set on causing problems for someone like he was for fadel, he is kind to others, and i think that's proven when it comes to the people in the market. yes, he's annoying to them too, but there seems to be a fondness there for him as well, at least from the market lady - he is genuinely helping her out by working there! and while it's mostly so he can annoy fadel, i don't think it's necessarily an act, either.

also, love the callbacks to my other metas because yes, i think it ties into those things too. and he is very much a helper character which i adore! i think he also has some elements of a fool even as he is, but he's also a main character so that does negate it a tad skdhsdkf

was gonna say this in the tags of my last taming parallel but i think this actually warrants a post of its own. i think the thing that makes style a lovable character despite being based on such a horrific character is the fact that he’s not solely based on petruchio. he’s also based heavily on tranio, who if you’re unaware, is lucentio’s servant and dear friend. so, while he has the boldness and shamelessness of petruchio, he has tranio’s unwavering loyalty and hopefulness. honestly, i’d argue he’s more based on tranio than he is petruchio, because petruchio at his core is an inherently cruel character, whereas tranio is inherently kind, which fits style far better. i’d even argue that kant parallels petruchio far closer than style (not a dig at kant! its just that kant has the ability to be cruel and calculated when he needs to be because his hand has been forced, whereas style inherently just doesn’t have that in him).

i also think it’s interesting because style stands out from the others in a number of ways, not simply because of his hopefulness but because (to our current knowledge) he’s not a criminal. which is an interesting parallel because lucentio, bianca, and katherine all have a higher status, while tranio is a servant and therefore distinct from them. additionally, tranio’s plot in taming is that he is disguised as lucentio for most of the show, and i think that sort of parallels style needing to become a police informant by association in a way.

[crustyfloor]

For HyunA, forgiving herself isn't something she's accepted yet, even now. The thoughts running through her head as she's constantly haunted by the death of Hyunwoo, and then having to relive that experience again with Jacob, and feeling so burdened by the fact that she couldn't save someone she followed and cared about, but Jacob, the first person to welcome her to the rebellion wholeheartedly, telling her to "forgive yourself" is such a pivotal moment for her character after living with such intense guilt for so long. The storytelling of this comic highlights HyunA's struggles, such as her drinking and her grief, that were intentionally kept obscure before.

It's so important that the one person who believed in her from the start, Jacob, was the one to encourage her to move forward, even when Isaac himself considered her a waste of time at first, but Jacob was keenly aware that there was something about HyunA that makes her unique and truly one of them

Even though HyunA might consider herself a normal member, Jacob found hyuna down a sewer, weak and managing with only one leg, and trying to go back to Anakt Garden because she wanted to go back there and save those kids. Even though she had such a hellish experience in Anakt Garden, she very well could've turned around and gone to find an exit to the freedom she wanted, but she still wanted to go back because that's the kind of person she is. She wants to protect everything she cares about. That commitment to her love for others is what makes her so unique and strong, even when it conflicts with the freedom and autonomy she fights for because she recklessly stands up for what she believes in

That's why she is a worthy recruit and why Jacob takes her in. Because he knows she's resilient and she wants exactly what they want.

Jacob leaving was the start of the development HyunA went through in the rebellion, she probably didn't look as gloomy outwardly as everyone else when Jacob left, but she was affected by his disappearance, even though she wasn't in the best state herself, HyunA prioritized everyone else above all, she knew exactly what she could do to bring up the rebel's spirits, at heart, HyunA is a natural at considering others, and controlling the atmosphere, leading people into the right direction even though the approach was admittedly abrupt and off-putting- it still worked, it still meant so much to them.

There's a reason why this scene is what made Isaac think differently of her she stepped up when even Isaac was at a loss in such a situation. Jacob was their leader and someone the whole rebellion relied on heavily, Jacob's confidence in their plan and their success became a crutch, he was such a prominent role in their group that even Isaac thought that they could do anything with him as their leader, no matter how far-fetched some of Jacob's ideas may have been.

HyunA herself disliked Jacob's "sophistry," and that is made obvious in the way she mocks and taunts everyone. At some point, even she was content with following Jacob without question because she wanted to believe him too, but in his absence, seeing how foolish those dreams really were and without that comfort, the group was visibly losing spirit.

HyunA's arrogant display on stage is not so much because she's so confident herself but because she wants to show the rebellion that they must find courage and resilience within themselves by displaying her talent. She knew that what she needed to do was to show everyone what she believed, that they could take ownership of their own lives and get back up and keep fighting. HyunA utilizes something that was entirely cultivated by their suppressors to make her own song, she owns it because it's hers

The character and love hyuna has is why Jacob leaves her with those final words, they don't make HyunA forget about her past or pain, but something about her changes. It's endlessly fascinating how HyunA naturally loves. She loves humanity, and she loves the people who fought in pursuit of it, so much so that she chose to take on the role of somebody who can continue to carry out that dream instead of sinking deeper into her grief. Because she truly wanted that change. In a way, she makes up for everything by doing this for the family she lost. And doing it so that she can exist for herself. She's still a person of fronts and regrets, but I can see why she saw herself in Mizi, who also understood loss and was brave enough to stand back up on her own two feet again, HyunA heals through that connection with Mizi and Isaac and the rest of the rebellion

[metal-harbor]

What happens when Sonic falls back to Earth? How does everyone react to it? Did Sonic age 10 years or is he now 10 years younger than everyone?

(That would be weird for Tails! Your big brother comes home after 10 years and he's now the younger brother, and a lot shorter lol)

Sonic is 10 years younger than everyone else now! He’s almost a foot shorter than Tails and Cream and is obviously a little out of place. His care free attitude is a welcome change of pace for some and seen as a little ignorant by others.

Reactions were mixed!

Tails was so thrilled to have his brother back but as an adult and the co-leader of the organisation he feels like he doesn’t have enough time to truly let it sink in that he’s back. I think he feels guilty for being a little resentful of Sonic for leaving him alone all those years; he knows he didn’t mean to but still, his actions endangered people whether he meant for them to or not. I think Sonic feels a little uneasy about the fact that Tails is a different person now, his morals and spirit haven’t changed but ten years is a lot of time to miss. He still loves his brother of course but having their dynamic flipped on it’s head is a lot to take in.

Amy doesn’t blame him at all for what happened, she knows he was doing his best to save the world and that he had no way of knowing what would happen. She’s a lot calmer now, she still admires him as a hero but also sort of sees him as a kid? She spends a lot of time getting him to open up about how he’s feeling about the strange new world he finds himself in and is the one that really helps him find his place in the group. She is the other co-leader so he spends a lot of time with her at first getting to know what’s what.

Knuckles won’t even speak to him, he talks about him as if he is a reckless child that endangered them all. He doesn’t care about Sonic’s intentions, only that he lost the chaos emeralds in outer space and has destroyed their way of living. He’s calmed down a lot in the past decade but hearing about Sonic’s return reignited old flames. He spends his time on Angel Island alone, guarding the Master Emerald as it’s the only thing keeping balance.

Shadow resents him and shares a lot of the same sentiments as Knuckles, but keeps them as close to his chest as he’s able to as to not disturb peace in the group. Shadow refrained from attacking him on sight only at Tails’ request. He speaks to him minimally, usually avoiding him by getting on with his jobs and declining his help despite knowing it would make things easier. Ultimately, he resents having to take on Sonic’s role as the protector of a large group of people, he doesn’t want to be the hero in charge of saving the world and is very tired. He also resents Sonic because he watched Tails mourn him and helped him through it.

Rogue keeps her feelings close, she’s glad to have the extra hands around - especially someone that isn’t so drained or nihilistic. She wasn’t close to Sonic before he went missing but was saddened mostly by Tails and Amy’s responses to it. She’s seen the strain that having to do his job has taken on Shadow and is the one that forces Shadow to pass on some of his responsibilities to Sonic. She somewhat selfishly sees Sonic as a means of helping Shadow heal.

Cream is as sweet as ever, a polite young woman who treats him respectfully. Her opinion was definitely influenced by Amy and she’s thankful that he’s home safe. It’s very strange for them that they’re the same age now but they get along well. Spending time with Cream is when Sonic feels things are the most ‘normal’.

Sonic doesn’t really know what to feel, he feels guilty for being the cause of everything but also knows he didn’t have much of a choice. He immediately wants to help but struggles to find a place in the group when it moved on without him. He’s glad they all stayed together but can’t help but feel a little replaced, especially by the fact that Tails and Shadow are so close. Sonic feels a little like he’s intruding, but is trying his hardest to do whatever he can to fix things. Ultimately, he’s just relieved that his friends are alive and safe even if some of them might not be his friends anymore.

[swordmaid]

i am wide awake thinking about that post canon jb au again when I should be sleeping …!!! such is the nature of the jbrainrot…

[flashhwing]

got to dm for a group where not one person had ever played dnd before or even watched a live play and I gotta say. everything people say about dm-ing for newbies being so much fun because of how they have no like expectation of what they're ~supposed~ to do so they'll just do anything? it's so true. that was some of the best dnd I've played

[puppppppppy]

Ouhhhh friendship I love friendship……..

[shortfeather]

And today's "deeply distracting au while i wait for my wrist to calm down from attempting to write for too long" iiiiiiiiiis Subnautica! an inevitability for every fandom i'm in after a certain point tbh i just LOVE Subnautica... would love to actually play it myself one day when i have a better computer

ANYWAYS I'm spicing it up this time by mashing both games together and also really mixing up the hermits.

The premise is that the Hermatrix Convoy (HC), a trio of spaceships that travels together in a group as a defense measure against outside dangers, is on its journey. When they have to reroute to slingshot 4546-B, they don't think it's going to be a problem. Knowing the planet is uninhabited and that no other ships are nearby, they all go for the slingshot at the same time, separated by mere seconds.

The gun, of course, gets them all.

Hermatrix-1 crashes in a shallow part of the flooded surface in the subtropics (the setting of the first game) and completely loses the ship, though a dozen survive. Hermatrix-2 crashes in the arctic (Subnautica: Below Zero); their ship remains habitable for survival, but barely, and eight survive.

Hermatrix-3, the smallest of the convoy, manages to switch to planetside navigation and mitigates the damage from the crash. If they want to get off-planet, they'll need some serious repairs, but in the meantime they can still move through the water like a particularly clumsy and slow submarine. The problem is figuring out where they are besides "deep, deep underwater," and what exactly the giant lifeforms the scanner insists are out there are...

Of course, there's groups within each ship as well. The friend groups of HC's staff and passengers does not necessarily correlate to ship assignment, which only adds to the stress of crashing on a supposedly-safe planet's anti-spacecraft gun.

Hermatrix-1's survivors: BDubs (architect, passenger), Zedaph (theoretical physicist), Pearl (janitor), Beef (psychologist), False (metallurgist, passenger), Etho (navigator), Scar (actor, passenger), Hypno (gov't agent, passenger), Iskall (athlete, passenger), xB (xenohistorian, passenger), Jevin (communicator specialist), Keralis (doctor)

Hermatrix-2's survivors: Ren (captain), Xisuma (cybersec specialist), Gem (ambassador, passenger), Impulse (chemist, passenger), Wels (bodyguard, passenger), Joe (teacher, passenger), Cub (CEO, pasenger), Grian (shipwright)

Hermatrix-3's survivors: Doc (spacecraft engineer), Mumbo (architect, passenger), Stress (pharmacologist), Tango (mechanical engineer, passenger), Cleo (acting captain)

If it doesn't clarify them as a passenger, then they are a member of the ship's crew. Loosely based on s9 roles, if that wasn't clear - though some of these are definitely going to change because I don't know some of these Hermits well enough yet.

[star--anon]

it's because Gally sticks to his gut (and sometimes fear can get you irrational), and Alby is sticks to the rules (and sometimes the rules make you leave a few behind), and Newt sticks to his heart (and sometimes the heart hurts)

because Thomas needs someone who'll stick with him no matter what and Minho needs someone who'll keep moving forward despite it all

[causenessus]

get back has me feeling such a way i always hit the tag limit for it 😭 a few centuries from now when they make a history textbook on tumblr they'll have a chapter dedicated to eggy and use this picture as a primary source picture of the followers of eggy

GET BACK CHAPTER TWO

step two: grovel from afar

masterlist

YOU HAVE ONE NEW MESSAGE

hottwin (14:32:56): what's that one song. that one you played while you were crying over ur ex ninjashoyo (14:34:03): wtf man hottwin (14:24:47): ik ik can u just tell me the song ninjashoyo (14:25:55): high and dry by radiohead hottwin (14:28:35): thanks. im posting it on my instagram story so omi thinks im cool

It takes three attempts for her to get her keys in the door. Her vision is blurred with sleep, and her jaw drops with a yawn as she finally pushes open the door with her hip, and slinks into her apartment, lazily kicking off her shoes. Her evening was spent in the quietest, most selcuded corner of the univeristy library, pouring over different Beowulf translations.

If her roommates are out in the open, lingering in the kitchen or the living room, she doesn't notice. Her mind is a blurred with fantasies of her soft, warm bed and images of the monstrous Grendel, exiled to the swamplands of Denmark.

Her bedroom door is open, and she kicks it shut as she enters, only letting her heavy, book-filled bag drop from her shoulders to the ground before she collapses into her sheets. The muscles in her neck ache so horribly from hunching over to scribble out her annotations that she almost doesn't notice the paper that crinkles under her.

Her face contorts in confusion, and her hand fishes around the sheets until it finds the offending paper. An envelope. She squints, looking at her name, scribbled in large handwriting across the front.

At once, dread tightens around her throat. She knows that handwriting. She knows it like its her own.

Muscles tensed and jaw locked, she throws it off the side of her bed, huffing, trying not to be curious about the contents. She rolls onto her side and squeezes her eyes sight, determined to sleep, to not be bothered, to let it sit, untouched.

She will not entertain Hinata Shoyo.

This resolve lasts for about a minute before she's groaning, hopping off of her bed and reaching down to retrieve the letter off the floor. She rips it open with shaking hands, thinking the whole time that she might throw up or cry.

She unfolds the notebook paper. She chews on the inside of her cheek. She reads.

taglist: @wyrcan @thechaosoflonging @bedeater @deluluforcarlos55 @localgaytrainwreck @cherrypieyourface @eclecticeggknightpsychic @httpakkeiji @does-directions @needtoloveoutloud @causenessus @kawaii-angelanne @thatonecroc @v1oletfury @lonesomedrive @nnnyxie @guitarstringed-scars @ahdbodhr @nbcvs @garfieldissocool @shoyobub @iheartpinky @choerry-picking @mollyrolls @yogurtkags @yuminako @rockleeisbaeeee @michivrse @19calicos @bailey-reeds @staileykout @iluvaquaphor @lllaw @loveelylacey @atsumuenthusiast @alpha-mommy69 @acowboykisser @milesmoralesluvs @3lectraheart @s1ckntwist3d @dailyakira @lvtilzs @miliondollagirl @strxwberri-s @kokoblep

not proofread we die like men

[thunderc1an]

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁..𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Snowclan, a clan in perpetual snow.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁..𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

This is a redraw of a fanclan I made in middleschool, the first redraw of this clan I made was in 2021, I revamped my designs and reworked some concepts slightly.

Snowclan: Nestled in a land of seemingly perpetual snow (a mountain), this clan stands as the sole group in its frigid territory. While there is another clan, Wheatclan, it lies almost a two-day trek away on paw. During the full moon, both clans converge in a single spot, the crumbling twoleg nest. Both clans rest in this middle point before returning to their respective clans. The cats of Snowclan are notably welcoming to newcomers; they recognize the challenges posed by their harsh environment and are eager to offer and receive assistance.

Character pronouns, age + miscellaneous information. 

-Troutstar (??? moons, he/him) A wise old cat that carries a mysterious past; many have forgotten the leader who came before him. He is both caring and patient, and he takes immense pride in his role as the grandfather of Sweetbasil, his greatest treasure.

-Cheesepelt (around 40 moons, he/him). The prophecy cat, a former kittypet who joined the clan recently, was appointed deputy almost immediately, much to the displeasure of the previous deputy. He doesn't have much desire to assume the role of deputy or become the clan's next leader; he's an anxious individual but means well. He is also the father of Sweetbasil's upcoming kits, a closely kept secret.

-Sweetbasil (44 moons, she/her). Medicine cat apprentice. Caring and compassionate, yet occasionally sharp-tongued. Currently expecting. The clan is beginning to notice, but they remain respectful and quiet about it, even if whispers linger in the air.

-Honeydew (81 moons, he/him). Snowclan's medicine cat and the twin brother of Cloudflight. Honeydew is the true father of Rabbitleap. He is a gentle and soft-spoken cat, known for his kindness and love towards everyone around him, though he is not quickly taken advantage of. His heart was captured by a kittypet named Robin. With Cloudflight's support, he brought their daughter, Rabbitkit, into the clan. Cloudflight takes on the role of Rabbitleap's adoptive father.

-Littlebat (125 moons, she/her). The previous deputy who harbors resentment toward an inexperienced individual who took her hard-earned role. She is the mother of Redberry and Ashbreeze and mates with Suntonge. Her parenting style is marked by a tough-love approach. Her family's linage within the clan is older than that of 4 generations of leaders.

-Suntongue (123 moons, he/him). Having a deepely content character. Those of all ages come to him seeking a warm, fatherly embrace. He's a formidable warrior but possesses a forgiving and merciful nature towards his foes. Proud father of Redberry and Ashbreeze. He arrived to the clan as a kit accompanied by kin.

-Bearthroat (around 83 moons, he/they). The biggest cat in the clan, known for their impressive claws. They came to the clan as an outsider during a fierce snowstorm and decided to stay. Though reserved and speak little, they have formed friendships within the clan. They are the biological parent of Applepaw and Pepperpaw.

-Cloudflight (81 moons, he/him). Boisterous and cheerful, this cat has a wonderfully friendly disposition. He shares a deep bond with his brother, and the two are practically inseparable. Naturally, he eagerly stepped into the role of adoptive father when his brother made the request. He treats Rabbitleap as if she were his own child, and treats Wooljump in a smiliar manner. His grandparents were former loners who integrated themselves into Snowclan life.

-Cardinalcall (82 moons, any pronouns). A rather snobbish cat who relishes sharing gossip with others. With a distant attitude, they often come across as self-centered. After having the desire for 'perfect' kits, they approached Bearthroat to ask him to sire her litter. Although they are not mates, it was agreed that Bearthroat would take on a parental role for both Applepaw and Peperpaw. Their family linage within the clan is older than that of Littlebat.

-Redberry (37 moons, they/them). Reserved yet not shy, this cat approaches the world with a healthy dose of skepticism. They enjoy asking questions, even if not all have clear answers. With a sharp intellect, they occasionally overlook their own insights. Their bond with their sister, Ashbreeze, is particularly strong.

-Rabbitleap (20 moons, she/her) (The main character I focus on) Cheerful and genuinely kind-hearted. She suspects that Cloudflight isn't her biological father. Yet, the truth about her origins remained a mystery until she encountered a kittypet named Robin during the early days of her apprenticeship. Robin revealed herself as her mother, and they quickly formed a close bond. However, as Rabbitleap sought out Robin one fateful night, she stumbled upon the clan's medicine cat, Honeydew, with his tail entwined with Robin's. Confusion washed over her, leaving her uncertain about interpreting the scene. For now, she remained silent, simply observing and waiting to see what would unfold.

-Butterflybounce (21 moons, she/her) She possesses a charming and somewhat clumsy personality, and her closest friends are Rabbitleap and Wooljump. With her long legs, she tends to stumble and trip over her own feet. Despite the rare blooming of flowers in Snowclan, she has a deep affection for them. She also has a crush on a beautiful she-cat kittypet named Diamond. She hails from a long lineage of Snowclan warriors, but she is the last member of her family, as her parents died when she was still young.

-Shadowpaw (9 moons, he/him) A reserved but focused individual. Despite the warm welcome he received from Snowclan, he still feels the need to demonstrate his value. He is originally from Wheatclan, yet due to an incident he was brought to Snowclan at the start of his apprenticeship. (Mentor: Bearthroat)

-Pepperpaw (7 moons, she/her). Arrogant and very particular about following rules. She believes she is destined for leadership, influenced by her family's long lineage as Snowclan cats; a trait notable in a clan that openly welcomes loners and kittypets into their ranks. (Mentor: Redberry)

-Applepaw (7 moons, he/him) A lively young cat who believes that everyone and everything is his friend. His relationship with Pepperpaw is somewhat strained, as he never cared for his linage nor perfection. (Official Mentor: Ashbreeze, Step-in Mentor: Rabbitleap)

-Ashbreeze (37 moons, she/her) She lost the use of her vocal cords at a young age but has developed her own unique way of communicating with others. Strong-willed and determined, she is currently expecting. There’s some speculation about the father of her litter being a loner that has been recently seen wondering around the clan territiory.

-Wooljump (20 moons, he/they). A laid-back and easygoing cat. His closest friends are Rabbitleap and Butterflybounce. They aren't particularly fond of the warrior lifestyle and believe that being a permanent queen would suit them better. They found within clan territory as a kit, their origin is not known.

-Graywood (??? moons, she/they) Little is known about Graywood, but one thing is certain: their tales are among the finest. There is a running joke of figuring out whether Graywood is older than Troutstar.

[ambrosiagourmet]

I love Izutsumi. She's got a great design, she's a fun addition to the main party, she adds some new tension, and she's honestly one of the reasons I read dungeon meshi in the first place. I mean, "the most cat to ever girl" is an extremely appealing hook to anyone who loves cats and girls (me, I love cats and girls).

However, while I have always liked Izutsumi, I finished the story kind of feeling like I didn't really get her. I felt like I had a decent grasp on her character an character arc (she's a traumatized teen given space to feel safe and open up, and because of that she realizes that she can't grow without letting go of the coping mechanisms she once needed). But I didn't feel like I really understood her role in the story as a whole.

She follows the group of her own accord, after a coincidental meeting and a misunderstanding of what they can do for her. She's never super invested in saving Falin, at least not compared to the rest of the group. Though they do help her escape Maizuru's shackles, and are clearly good for her in general, she doesn't really have a healing Moment with the group the way that Senshi does with the hippogriff soup.

And yet, she gets an entire chapter, the third-to-last chapter, dedicated to exploring her growth and future. She's the one who frames much of the falling action, who lets us check in with everyone. She's the one who helps talk Laios into accepting his role as king. She may join the story part way through, but she is there for most of it. So Izutsumi! What's your deal!?

Well, I think I've come up with an answer, at least for myself, that I really like. Two of them, even! Though they both really work together to form the overall point - Izutsumi is the character that most helps the story face towards the future. Here's why I think that.

So the first of these "ah-ha" moments was when I realized that Izutsumi really is the best supporting evidence for Laios' point about the good things that wouldn't have happened if Falin hadn't died.

If Falin hadn't been eaten by the dragon, Izutsumi probably would still be a slave. It was because of Shuro and Laios' parties both being in the dungeon to rescue Falin, as well as Marcille's use of ancient magic in the resurrection, that she got the chance to escape. None of that would have been the case if Falin hadn't died. Shuro wouldn't have separated from the group and joined up with his retainers, Marcille wouldn't have revealed her knowledge of ancient magic, and Izutsumi never would have even met any of them. They are only part of her life because of Falin's death.

Though this isn't explicitly pointed out by Laios or Izutsumi in the scene, I do think you can very much feel the presence of it. For one, when Marcille reflects on the journey and how much it made her realize she didn't want to lose everyone, her relationship with Izutsumi is prominent:

It's the main original group at the top and center, but when you read it right to left, it’s Izutsumi and Marcille who might catch your eye first. And it's specifically Marcille and Izutsumi's relationship on display here, not just Izutsumi's presence in the group in general.

Also, after Laios' statement about how none of their adventure would have happened without Falin dying, it is Izutsumi who gets the final word:

Izutsumi is also the one here who is the most forward-facing. Chilchuck is trying to correct Laios, Senshi is focused on the immediate future, and Izutsumi is talking about her new goal.

And I want to talk about that goal in general as well, because it’s also interesting how it comes up. In that moment, everyone is trying to remind Marcille of her less destructive desires - to eat food, to share it with them, and to meet Chilchuck's family. All of which are previously established, existing desires. When prompted by Chilchuck to join in, however, Izutsumi offers something new:

That's interesting, isn't it? It's kind of funny, of course, to see her rambling on about a completely new thing, her own personal motive, in the middle of everyone working together to reach out to Marcille. Izutsumi doesn't even know who Yaad is! But at the same time, it’s kind of meaningful. Amidst the focus on desires that everyone already had, she adds a completely new one to the mix. It’s even the final bridge that lets Laios reach Marcille.

It is, in fact, even an idea that comes back later to help out another lord of the dungeon. The idea of finding new goals and feeling new desires... this is exactly how Kabru reaches out to Mithrun, after the Winged Lion is gone

So yeah, Izutsumi's presence here, both in what she's actively choosing to say as well as what she represents of the consequences of Falin's death, supports the story's ideas of moving forward. Of accepting the past, and finding new reasons to live.

Which is all really good, and that alone works pretty well as an answer to what Izutsumi's role in the story is.

But oh, oh. There's more. Something I realized after having thought of all this, because I still couldn't let go of the feeling that there was still something I was missing.

And as I reviewed the things I loved about Izutsumi - her sometimes unhealthy ways of coping with trauma, her struggles with isolation, her skill with fighting, her selfishness contrasted with the ways she grows to care for and protect the group, her perpetually guarded nature, born from the seeming impossibility of ever fitting in or finding a safe place to just be herself - I realized something.

Izutsumi...

is a foil to Falin.

Where Falin copes with isolation and trauma by being eternally caring and struggling to say no to people, Izutsumi copes by constantly saying no to everything she can. Falin is often considered selfless, but does have selfish desires that she can’t easily express until a moment of crisis. Izutsumi is delightfully selfish, but chooses to stick by her friends when they need her. They are both transformed, against their will, into partly monstrous hybrids, and they both will have to live with that - there is no undoing what has been done to them.

Falin anchors the group in the past. Izutsumi pulls them towards the future. Neither would find freedom without the other - it is Falin's death that leads to Izutsumi joining the party, and likewise, it is Izutsumi who inspires the realization of how they can save Falin.

And Falin is her future, as much as Izutsumi is Falin's. Both learn to be a little more like each other, even though they never meet. Falin gets a little more selfish. Izutsumi gets a little more willing to bend.

In this context, I feel like I have finally started to understand just how important Izutsumi is to the story. She is a proof that they cannot just go back, and she is a clawed, happy-to-scratch-anyone-who-pisses-her-off reminder, at that. In any conversation about what the group wishes would have happened with Falin, she cannot be ignored or brushed aside.

She is a reminder that, even in the midst of a tragedy so big it feels like a shadow you will never escape, you have yet to met all the people you will love. Hell, some of those people might even be catgirls. We should all be so lucky.

[weaselle]

i wanna do a thing where i lay out studies that show things in different primates that show us parts of ourselves as humans. Call it Primates: Through the Looking Glass or The Monkey in the Mirror or something

There are studies and documentaries that show things about Gorillas, Chimpanzees, Bonobos, Baboons, Macaques... that just make sense to me. That if shown right would make sense to a lot of people, i think.

like... they were studying this one group of gorillas --

okay wait. First of all, you know a silverback (the Big Male) of the group is not the leader or in charge or anything, right? He has a role, and it includes a certain amount of control, which i’ll explain briefly, but he’s not, like, in charge.

wait, you know all that Dominance/Alpha theory about wolves is all wrong, right?

wait wait wait, and also that like, the bull or the stag or whatever in a herd is not in charge of anything, right? right?

hold on. the wolves is it’s own post, the herd thing i might get back to, we’re on gorillas, okay. Silverback is basically just the male head of an extended family in which plenty of the leadership is handled by the women of the family.

There are often 2-4 silverbacks, but one, usually the largest, will clearly be senior to the others who are often his sons or brothers. Silverbacks have three main roles

1: defend the group from all physical threats aside from people, these threats are mostly random male gorillas, chimpanzee baby-snatching gangs, and the occasional leopard. Just his alert presence handles most scenarios, and then maybe a few times a year he has to risk his life fulfilling this responsibility. It is this role that provides most of whatever actual power he has over the group, namely this: while he isn’t necessarily the one deciding when and where the group goes on a daily basis, if the most powerful/capable silverback does decide to travel a direction, they pretty much have to go with him, the family isn’t safe without him.

2: make babies. And this is one area where the ladies of the group will sometimes sort of vote with their ovaries, and favor a silverback that isn’t the main one, like “yeah, Frank, you are the biggest, but honestly you’re a dick and we’re going to make sure the next generation of silverbacks isn’t another one of you.” When you see a main large silverback in a group of gorillas, it isn’t, like, his blindly loyal harem, they have to approve of him. Also gorilla females move between groups, and sometimes they take members with them or start new groups and stuff. Anyway i’m getting off track, one of the silverbacks jobs is making babies

3. keep the peace This functions a lot like being in the back seat with your siblings with your parents up front. Basically any disputes within the group have to be handled within a certain parameter of decorum, because if it gets too out of hand HE’s going to come over, and He’ll be upset, which is low-key terrifying because He’s huge, and there’s no telling who He’ll decide is at fault or what he’ll do about it, so letting a situation get out of hand is a losing scenario for everyone involved really. Tho typically he will favor senior females in disputes, in a “don’t you talk that way to your mom” kind of way.

one last thing, silverbacks don’t actually transfer power between silverbacks via battle every time.

Like i was just reading accounts from a multi-generational observational study of some wild gorillas that featured one big silverback just straight up taking over by performing the silverback duties better and becoming preferred by everyone else in the group. There was no fight, it just became, i do the job better, everyone likes me better, kicking my ass can’t change that, and boom, he was the primary silverback. And the other silverback might have been a bit dull, or a bit of a bully, but like us their species’ success is largely dependent on social intelligence; once he saw the writing on the wall, that other, slightly larger sivlerback didn’t even bother trying to change the situation with a physical fight, he understood what had happened.

okay so all that was just to tell you all this story. lol. Here’s what i saw in one documentary:

This very big, getting old silverback, who was hugely popular and successful, with a very large and tightly bonded family group, and a couple of his hulking adult sons backing him up. Everybody in his group seemed to love him a lot, he was particularly calm in that gentle giant sort of way, a safe, emotionally steady presence, happy to help raise his sons and daughters with kindness, and who could become a raging nightmare if pressed by a leopard ... exactly what a band of gorillas wants in a silverback.

But one of his adult sons had plenty of silver on his own back, and was getting itchier and itchier to be main man of the group, and this is where we start our little drama

It seems to be coming to a head, and the observers are nervous about a fight for the position. The silverback and his son are both are huge, probably approaching 400lbs, mostly muscle, with long thick fangs and skulls topped with jaw muscles as big as human biceps to wield those teeth, which nature has given them primarily to fight other gorillas with. 

But then the next day, the old man leads the fam up the mountain.

it’s winter, which is why they have come down the mountain in the first place. But as we discussed, if he goes somewhere, they have to go, so they all follow behind.

up he goes, and then he sits. And waits. It’s cold and there is much less food up here at this time of year. There’s nothing to do but sit hungry in the cold. His size and metabolism makes him the most able to withstand the cold, but even he is pretty uncomfortable. 

And so he sits. And his family, perhaps confused, but loyal, sits around him.

But his son, the other huge silverback, with years of training even as an adult under his wise father, is ready and able to go off on his own. Finally, he stands up, makes clear his intentions to leave this uncomfortable place. A small handful of the other gorillas stand with him -- if he goes down the mountain, then they can safely leave as well. He turns and heads down the mountain. After a moment, a few more gorillas leave the main group to follow. All in all it winds up being nearly half.

The wise older silverback thoughtfully watches his son leave with about half the group. He sits a while longer in the cold, in the company of those most loyal to him, and then takes them along a different path down the mountain

And those two groups still ran into each other sometimes, and were friendly. And sometimes a couple gorillas would change between the two groups. They were still close.

But i just thought that was such an elegant, meaningful way for that gorilla to handle that whole situation. And it makes a completely human sort of sense to me. 

[kaisturni]

cabin fever | m. sturniolo

→ matt x fem!reader

→ plot; things are heating up at the triplet’s cabin in vermont; especially between you and matt. the group of you, him, his brothers, nate and madi spend a needed getaway at the cozy house. unknown to everyone else, confessions, tension, and late nights make it even hotter between you two.

→ includes; smut, unprotected sex, outdoor sex, f!oral receiving (matt the munch AF), mentions of drinking, blood/bleeding (NOT PART OF THE SMUT), light fluff

→ a/n; madi nate nick and chris all have super minor roles and they don’t add to the plot at all btw. this one is HOT. CALOR. CALIENTE. (imo) enjoy!

MINOR PROOFREADING

——————————————————————————

“hey, we’re here,” a voice gently whispers to me, i realize belonging to nick as i slowly come back to consciousness.

the groggily feeling of sleep soon goes away and in its place is excitement; we’re finally at the cabin.

this isn’t my first time vacationing with the triplets; we’ve been going here since we were little. once becoming friends with nate and madi, they soon joined in on our yearly trip to the cabin.

i almost immediately fall stepping out of the car, my brain forgetting that my body was completely stagnant during the 4 hour car ride up here.

i put my hands out and brace for impact; but it never comes. instead a pair of arms swiftly caught me before i had my lunch with the gravel,

“dude, you gotta be more careful,” a voice chuckles from behind my head. it’s matt; i know his voice the best out of all of them.

he helps me stand up right, “whew thanks,” i breathe out with a laugh, he says nothing but delivers a nod in response. i turn on heels to grab my suitcase from the trunk,

“here let me help you, wouldn’t want you to almost fall again,” he offers, i roll my eyes at him as he takes the duffel bag from my arms and slings it over his shoulder, not giving me any time to think of a response.

i know to some that may seem flirtatious, but unfortunately it isn’t. sometimes i can’t help but feel disappointed that there isn’t something more but the guilt of feeling like that towards one of my best friends since childhood is stronger than my urges.

however, i would be a liar if i said i didn’t find him attractive. the tattoos on his body, light stubble he lets grow in sometimes, messy curls, plump lips, his eyes… jaw…

i quickly get the ongoing list of the physically mouth watering things about matt out of my head; feeling almost a guilt that i found him so hot. i shouldn’t think about one of my best friends since childhood this way, so i force myself not to.

forgetting about my previous daydreams, i follow the rest of them into the house, taking in the joy of being at the cabin again.

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the house is big enough to where everyone is lucky to have their own room, and mine sits at the end of a long hallway, just past where chris and nate sleep.

i open the door and smile at the sight that matt has already placed my stuff down on the bed for me.

i internally slap myself, why am i reading into this? he just put my stuff down in my room. nothing else about it.

i take my duffel off the bed and seat it on the floor beside me and replace it with myself on its cushioning. i hear a knock at my door,

“come in!”

thinking i’m going to be met with matt in my doorframe, i look up, and i am only about half right.

“we’re gonna start cooking dinner now since it’s getting pretty late and we’re all starving, wanna help?” chris asks, poking his head between the a small sliver in the door.

i can’t help but giggle at his actions, “yes, i’ll help you, but next time you knock just open the door all the way, don’t be creepy,” i kick my feet up and yank the door open,

“i’m not creepy i’m polite!” he argues, voice fading as he descends to the kitchen,

“never said that!” i joke, my footsteps quickly follow behind him.

i join the rest of my friends in the kitchen, and start slicing vegetables, while chris and madi go on their own dinner tasks.

getting way too caught up in a conversation with nick, my knife skills began to be… less than subpar.

“FUCK!” i yell and instinctively drop the knife, the sound of the blade echoing through the room and blood from a large cut in my hand leaking everywhere on the counter causes all hell to break loose.

“oh my god! do we need to go to the ER?!”

“get a towel, NOW!”

“i’m fine, i’m fine!” i yell, doing my best to stop the panic from everyone else, the pressure from the towel stopping the blood flow for now.

“we need to get that cleaned, the first aid kit is in my room, come on,” matt says, taking my unadulterated hand into his and guiding me upstairs into his bedroom.

“sit,” he points to his bed and i follow his finger and take a seat on the edge of the mattress.

he ruffles through a drawer and pulls out a large first aid kit, since when was it in his room?

“this will sting like a bitch, but it’ll stop it from getting infected,” he says, shaking a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and removing the make shift dressing i have from my hand.

i close my eyes tightly and wince at the contact of it on my skin, biting my lip through the pain.

“it’s almost over, don’t worry. i’m gonna put some ointment on it then a bandage okay?”

his words are soft and comforting, which somehow eases the pain to a lower level than before.

he applies the ointment first, and i sign blissfully at the relief it has on my wound.

“that’s it, you’re doing so well,” he adds casually, wrapping the bandage around my finger.

i can feel my cheeks grow hot at his statement, him not knowing the effect his words of praise had on me.

i internally slap myself again. why do i keep thinking about him like this? jesus christ there’s something wrong with me.

“thank you matt,”

“anytime.”

for a moment, we just stare at each other. the silence is almost suffocating, and for the first time i feel like he wants to say something but doesn’t. i wonder if he thinks the same thing about me today.

i decide to quickly break the silence, “let’s go back down and eat, yeah? i don’t know about you but i’m starving,” i lie, i’m actually not hungry at all. almost cutting my hand off had a way of perfectly curving my appetite, but it’s the only thing i can think to say to rip me out of the chokehold that this silence has on me.

“me too, c’mon” he stands up and reaches out his hand for mine.

i’ve never been more confused in my fucking life. it was one thing to catch me when i fall, bring my suitcase inside, but praise me? hold my hand twice? i don’t know if i’m just delusional or if this is part of some code matt wants me to decipher, either way, i’m at my wits end.

i take his hand to help me up, and he smiles at me and we drop our hands at the same time. i smile back and he turns away to lead us back downstairs, i make sure he’s first so that he doesn’t see my face contort into a look of embarrassment.

definitely way over thinking it.

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after a great dinner and a few drinks all around, everyone says their goodnights and head to their bedrooms.

i do the same, and after a few hours, despite no one else in the house being awake and a couple drinks in me, i am nowhere near the point of falling asleep.

tossing and turning is all i can manage myself to do, sweating i don’t know which; being so hot and bothered by everything matt has done earlier or the vermont heat just personally attacking me and only me tonight.

i peel off the sheets and pillows, and it provides me with some relief for a little, but does nothing to fight my consciousness. with this temperature, maybe i just need a glass of water.

i creep downstairs as quiet as i can to not wake anyone, and i do the same with opening the fridge.

i look through it for a few seconds trying to find a water bottle, when a sudden voice behind me makes me jump,

“couldn’t sleep either?”

it’s matt. what the fuck, i thought he was asleep?

“matt, you scared the shit out of me! i thought you were asleep,”

i put my hand on my chest to cure the spike in heart rate, and turn around changing my focus back to the fridge.

“looking for a water? great minds think alike,” I hear his feet shuffle close behind me, and i feel the immediate spike in heart rate come back again when he moves me over, brushing up against me with a steady grip on my waist.

“right over here,” he says? pulling out two water bottles from the fridge. i feel like i’m going to fucking explode.

“thanks,” i crack open the lid, “so what’s keeping you up this late?” i say as my best attempt at remaining as calm and cool as possible.

“eh, y’know, just thinking about things. what about you?” he asks, and we sip simultaneously.

there’s honestly two answers to this question, I could say the truth or i could just agree.

i decide to go with the significantly less risky answer, but before i can even get the first word out he starts again,

“idea, let’s go in the hot tub,” his smile is so fucking innocent when he says it, it just drives me nuts.

i don’t even bother bringing up how ‘the heat is bothering me’ when he’s standing there, asking—no, not even asking me to go to the hot tub with him; telling me.

“oh yeah i’m down. maybe the heat will help us get sleepy,” i lie through my teeth, but saying it as nonchalantly as possible so he hopefully can’t hear the nervousness in the undertones of my voice.

“perfect, i’ll go change real quick and meet you out there,” he slips away with a light jog and i head his door close before i can even actually process what’s going on.

unfortunately there’s no time to think too deeply about it, and i book it to my room to change.

i have a couple options that i need to decide through quickly, ultimately landing on a dark blue stringed two piece.

i throw on the tshirt i had while sleeping over my bikini and quietly jog to the hot tub, located on the back end of the property, in its own reserved area. matt is already in there waiting for me, arms spread and his eyes lock with mine right when i come outside.

“hey,”

“hi, how’s the tem-“

“are you just going to stand there and talk or are you going to come in?” his words leave me slightly dumbfounded, but i can bounce back from this.

“oh, i’m coming,” i say, beginning to peel off the shirt I have on. i walk to the edge and begin to lower myself in, matt’s eyes locked on my body the whole time.

i pretend not to notice.

“thank you,” i say to him, a confused look popping on his face.

“for what?”

“taking care of me today, you didn’t have to do anything you did at all,” the words somehow just flow out of my mouth without realizing and i watch him as he lets out a light hearted laugh and looks down,

“you already thanked me today before, but no problem, i wanted to,” he replied, turning his gaze to match mine, i swear i feel like his eyes can see into my soul when he looks at me now.

“you did? why?” i ask out of genuine curiosity. it’s not like he would have never done something for me before today, but it was different; it was how he did. whether it has to do with me specifically or not, i really want to know.

“you’re my favorite girl in this world, how could i just not take care of you?” i don’t notice that we’ve slowly been moving towards each other this entire conversation, and now our bodies are just a few inches apart.

“this whole time i was thinking you were just being nice— matt, you don’t know what you do to me,” i confess, my stare going back and forth between both his eyes, aching for any hint at what he could be thinking.

“god, speak for yourself, it’s almost impossible to stop how i feel about you; or hide it” he pushing the hair in front of my face behind my ear and pulls me closer to him by the back of my neck.

the feeling i had when he caught me today, cleaned my hand and praised me, brushed up against me, all comes rushing back to me instantly, blissful in the knowing that it’s justified.

“can i kiss you?”

this man could not get any more perfect.

“mhm,” i give out and nod in affirmation, and immediately feel his lips press against mine.

at first the kiss is slow and deep, his hands not being able to sit still against my skin.

i feel the heat between legs rise, and i shortly become impatient with the painfully slow pace he’s at. as much as i love it, i’m craving more; more of him.

i gently bite and suck on his bottom lip, earning a groan from him, and he instantly gets the message. his kisses become sloppier, less tamed, and they start to work their way down my neck.

i moan in pleasure as he sucks the sweet spot between my neck and my collarbone, holding my back and nipping as he makes his way up to hungrily claim my lips.

“can i take this off?” he waits for my consent, fiddling with the small strings that are holding my bathing suit together.

“do whatever you want to me,” i breathe out, and i mean it.

he pulls me in by my waist and kisses me again, our tongues battling as he unties the strings of my bikini top and removes the fabric between us without breaking a single kiss.

the cold air on my tits compared to the steaming hot tub causes me to gasp, and i pull even closer to matt, pressing my chest against his own.

he moans lightly and moves his mouth from mine, holding me up by the legs around his lips to carry me to the edge of the hot tub.

in no time he claims my nipple, sucking and licking hard on the area, making me grow even wetter by the minute.

“mmh, matt” i moan out, tipping my head back in pleasure.

“feels good, baby?” i nod vigorously, and he descends his kisses down me stopping when he gets in between my legs to my clothed core.

his thumb circles my clit, and i have to bite my lip in order to not scream his name immediately.

“you’re so wet already, i love it. can i taste you baby?” he purrs, knowing exactly what kind of answer he’s getting, well aware of the state he put me in.

“y-yes, god, please do,” i beg him, and he works immediately to untie the strings of my bottoms and let them fall off, exposing myself to him.

the steam from the hot tub does not do me any favors in the burning heat in my core, both from that and the sheer fact i want him to fuck me senseless right now.

“mmm” matt begins,

“i knew your pussy would be pretty, just look at how beautiful you are,” he rubs his fingers between my wet folds and i blush at his words.

“i’m gonna show you how beautiful you are,” he says, right before pushing my legs further apart for him to suck my clit.

i can’t help myself from grabbing a handful of his brown locks and squeezing my legs together against his head, and he groans in response.

his groan sends vibrations further into my pussy, making it even more impossible to suffocate the loud moans escaping from my lips.

he goes to work making out with my core, and each suck, kiss, and moan makes me exponentially closer to exploding all over him.

“m-matt i feel it i’m-“ and he stops, i shoot him a confused look, attempting to get rid of the edge that’s holding me right now.

i rub my own clit, looking him in the eye and watch his breath hitch as i moan at my own self pleasure.

i almost manage to stick two fingers in myself, but before that happens he grabs my wrists, taking the pleasure from me yet again.

“i stopped because i want you to cum on my dick, can you do that for me?” he questions softly, rubbing his clothed erection on my pussy.

the feeling of it makes me buzz, “yes i can matt, fuck me,” i say in a mix of demanding and asking, and he removes himself from his black swim trunks and lets his throbbing dick spring out.

he pumps himself a few times before aligning up with my entrance. matt pushes himself in, lewd noises escaping from both of our mouths and bodies slapping against one another.

“yeah, take that shit baby. you’re doing so well.” he moans into my ear, his repeated statement of praise is music to me.

“you’re so beautiful, how can anyone be so perfect,” he breathes out, hard deep strokes becoming sloppier by the minute.

matt’s words cause me to hit dangerously close to cumming, and without warning i paint white all over his dick; but that doesn’t stop him”

“sorry i d-didn’t say it happened s-so fast,” i apologize as he keeps thrusting into me,

“mm don’t be sorry, you did just what i asked. i’m gonna cum too angel,”

“cum in me, matt”

he wastes no time arguing with me and releases shortly after into me; his and my own liquids leaking down my thigh.

i do my best to catch my breath, and he cups my face and presses a sweet kiss on my nose,

“i made a mess outta, you huh,” he laughs playfully, also trying to regain his own air.

i let out a tired laugh of my own “yeah, i’m gonna have to shower and go to bed; after all that, im surprisingly ready to sleep,” i tease and poke his chest, he drops his jaw pretending to be offended.

“yeah yeah, surprisingly, whatever. can i join you in that shower?” he suggests, handing me a towel before covering himself with one too.

“hm, only if you join me in my bed after,” i smile, wrapping my body in the soft material,

“deal,” he whispers, kissing my head, carrying me all the way to his bathroom, before grabbing my things and putting them on his bed.

except this time, it’s our bed.

[ghostlyferrettarot]

💄🎬Mercury in the Houses🎬💄

❗️All the observations in this post are based on personal experience and research, it's completely fine if it doesn't resonate with everyone❗️

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💄Masterlist💄

✨️Mercury symbolizes a person's intellect, communication, the exchange of ideas, studies, learning✨️

💄In the 1st house: it gives the person a curious, competitive mind, and a mental and intellectual capacity with a superior gift when it comes to expressing oneself both in writing and speaking. This ability will be ideal for working in the academic and scientific world, or somewhere in which their voices can be heard.

💄In the 2nd house: mental and communication abilities will give the person a gift in financial aspects, business. With this intellectual capacity, they will know how to earn a living through their mental effort. They will be able to see where to achieve success and where not. They will be able to work in areas such as journalism, or writing.

💄In the 3rd house: very powerful since it is their own house of Mercury and they can better develop their qualities. In this house everything related to studies, learning, and intellectual faculties will be very good for them; they tend to have multiple interests and careers.

💄In the 4th house: it gives the person an intellectual environment in their family roots. Mercury in this placement favors professions that have to do with the house (architect for example).

💄In the 5th house: it has to do with creativity, here the intellectual part can favor these natives being writers, intellectuals. They will be attracted to reading, writing, everything that has to do with curiosity, with learning. They will have few children and if they have a relationship with them, they will have very good communication.

💄In the 6th house: a very good position for everything related to work, responsibility, involvement. It also has to do with technology, since it requires observation and is ideal for health problems. Predisposition to change jobs and to move around for work issues.

💄In the 7th house: it favors finding a partner who is either younger or with intellectual and/or restless attitudes. It may be that marriage is sometimes more out of interest than love. This position helps you to know how to move in the social area and to know how to emerge victorious in situations.

💄In the 8th house: it is a perfect position for psychologists and occultists. These natives will be attracted by the ancient, the occult, everything that has to do with research. Favorable position for business, finances.

💄In the 9th house: it favors intellectual growth to give a person oriented to be a scientist or a writer of some kind. Numerous trips abroad will surely, although long and short durations. Philology, literature and innate facility in languages ​​will attract you.

💄In the 10th house: it will make the native ideal for professions such as diplomat or politicians, there is an humanitarian nature to them. Everything that has to do with the business world will be attractive to this native. Their sharp mind will make them reap great professional successes. It may sometimes cause instability.

💄In the 11th house: Mercury will provide this native with intelligent and diplomatic friendships that will be related to communication. They know how to inspire loyalty in their friends. They will be in groups where there is an exchange of ideas. Friendships with family members.

💄In the 12th house: Mercury has a difficult role here. Since they will feel like the black sheep among their environment. They will be a person who will be highly evaluated, judged. They are intelligent but will not know how to express themselves well. Traumas in childhood, adolescence.