#i mean they're free to but do mind there are kittens around

[bimobuddy]

Cut the Cat-itude

sfw Hazbin TK fic

Lee!Husk, Ler!Alastor

CW: feet, kinda? It's more 'bean' related since they're paws

Summary: Husk is grumpy and doesn't think Alastor's jokes are funny, but the Radio Demon is determined to get a chuckle out of him.

Husk groaned and let his head thump against the bar counter. Alastor must have been in some sort of mood that day, he hadn't stopped telling awful jokes all morning. First most people were laughing with him, then it was just Charlie and Nifty, and now even Charlie was trying to excuse herself because "Oh you know, Hotel Stuff, ahaha.."

Husk looked over at Nifty who was still giggling away at everything the boss said, but then again he didn't know what went on her feral little head. He reached for his drink again only to have it yoinked away by a familiar looking shadow.

"Hey!" He sat up, reaching for it back, but Alastor's shadow just grinned and stretched upward, holding it out of reach. Husk grumbled. He knew this game. "I ain't flyin' for you, give it back." The shadow wiggled it over his head, taunting.

"Alastor, put this damn thing on a leash. Only you would somehow manage to lose control over your own shadow." He muttered the last part.

"Oh Husker, I didn't 'lose control' over him, he's free range." The host grinned, looking at Husk a bit longer than usual. Husk didn't know why he was staring at him until it suddenly clicked and he sighed. "Was that supposed to be another joke? Al, that wasn't even a real joke."

"Oh you're right, that was a total cat-astrophe!" A laugh track played off his cane, followed by Nifty who enjoyed the joke a little too much, "Ahahahahaha! Becahause he's a cahat!" She laughed. Husk folded his ears back and groaned.

"Oh relax, old friend, I'm just kitten around!" He grinned at Husk, who frowned in response. Alastor strutted up to the bar and leaned against it. The Shadow disappeared, taking the bottle with him, only making Husk grumpier.

"Clearly those weren't funny enough for you.. maybe I ought to put my thinking-cat on and come up with some more!" He let out a laugh, followed by the classic laugh track again. "Or maybe you just don't have a sense of humor. I mean just look at darling little Nifty, she's hiss-terical!" Of course this was followed up by Nifty losing her absolute mind.

Husk only sighed and rolled his eyes. "You done yet?"

"Not yet. What's a cat's favorite book? The Great Cats-by! Oh, why did the cats ask for a piano? To make mew-sic, of course!" He laughed and looked back at Husk, who somehow looked even grumpier than he did five minutes ago.

Well this wouldnt do.

"Why don't you cut the cat-itude, dear friend?" He snapped his fingers and two shadowy tentacles rose up from the floor behind Husk. Before he could react, the wrapped around his upper arms, hoisting him up about a foot off the floor, and proceeded to wiggle the tips into his underarms.

Husk had started to kick, biting his lip, cheeks puffed out, as he didn't want to give Alastor the reaction he wanted. The Radio Demon didn't seem to mind though.

"What's a cat's favorite cereal? Mice Crispies!" The tentacles wiggled down his ribcage, starting to get little huffs and muffled noises.

"If cats taught schools, what do you think they'd be called? Purr-fessors!" The tentacles traced and wiggled down his sides, causing him to hold his breath, his face and ears going red from how hard he was fighting back his laughter.

"What do you call a cat that likes to bowl? An alley cat!" Finally the tentacles found their way to his tummy and he couldn't take it anymore. Husk tossed his head back and laughed, reflexively flapping his wings to try an get away, much to the delight of the Shadow, which had been trying to make him fly earlier.

"Ahahahahahaha! Ahahalast- Alastohor!" He tried to growl to cancel out the laughter but it came out as more of a panicked, choked giggle.

"See, I knew you'd come around!" Alastor said cheerfully. "Now, why dont cats shop online? They prefer cat-alogues!" Husk's laughter kicked up a notch when one of the tentacles started to wiggle into his lower belly, where there was a bit more pudge. His tail whipped around trying to smack it away but it was no use.

Husk suddenly made the mistake of trying to kick out at Alastor, across the counter. A third tendril rose up and caught his ankle before he made contact, as Alastor leaned back just a bit. He stepped to the side a little to make eye contact. "Now, Husker, is that any way to thank someone who's only trying to make you smile?" He chuckled.

The third tendril started to wiggle into the heart shaped pad at the bottom of his paw. Husk, a little startled, let out a high pitched, squeaky giggle that did not sound like himself at all.

Even Alastor was caught off guard enough for the tendrils to disappear and let him go, letting him drop with a soft thud. Husk groaned as he hit the floor and panted. "Damn you, Alastor.." He grumbled, sitting up.

"Too late, we're already in Hell!" Alastor laughed. Husk chuckled a little then quickly stopped himself. But of course the radio host heard it. "Oh? Did I finally get a genuine laugh out of you?" He asked, leaning on his can to be eye level with the bartender.

Husk sighed, folding his ears down. "Shut up... I gotta get back to work." He muttered, starting to wipe down the counter.

As Alastor turned to walk away, Husk called out again. "Slapstick Comedy. Just for future reference, so you don't have to tickle me next time, I tend to like Slapstick Comedy."

------

Author Note

Aahhhhh I couldn't figure out how to end this naturally I'm sorrryyyy!!!

Though I do already have another idea for a Lee!Husk fic that I'm gonna start writing immediately after posting this one, so I MIGHT post it tonight, but it might wait until tomorrow, we'll see :)

[madwomansapologist]

doubt comes in | bg3 companions

Meet Kind!Druid!Tav | More Weirdos | AO3

synopsis: You knew exactly what would welcome you back to camp. The alluring smell of Gale's cooking, the awful noises of Lae'zel working on a sword that don't need to be sharpened, Wyll practicing his dance moves. You clearly weren't expecting to see yourself. Or to be forced into fighting the companions you swore to never harm in order to prove Orin was playing with their minds. [3.4K]

warnings: orin being orin. well, you, actually. "prove who's the real you" trope. i mean imagine the level of anxiety that scenario induces because you want me to act like me? kitten, mommy don't fucking know who she is. bg3 level of violence. a lot of blood. body horror should be a tag? tav suffers slashing damage, but orin suffers psychic damage. angst. happy ending. shadowheart x tav x halsin. companions (lae'zel, astarion, gale, wyll, karlach, jaheira, minsc). camp followers (yenna, scratch, grub). background (orin, gortash, mizora, shar, cazador, silvanus).

Reaching Baldur's Gate didn't made life easier, but Gods did it helped. Danger is near, sometimes closer than a kiss, but this city is still your home. They can try, but no one can take that away from any of you.

Mizora can bargain and dissemble, but no lie coming from her burning lips will ever change the fact Wyll would do anything for this city. He had his first kiss in one of those bars. Gortash is a threat, but did he started counting his days? Karlach is coming for him, and he had it coming. She can still remember the vinegar taste on her mouth after her first spree.

Shar had her time to mess with Shadowheart's memories, to turn goodness into fear and desires into guilty. Shadowheart is learning how to swin. Long ago, before Cazador could even think of looking at him, Astarion walked on those streets. Cazador can see him as a walking corpse if he so desire, something that fell into decay, but Astarion is alive and free forever and evermore.

The world is a freaking mess, but so be it. That won't stop you from living. That won't stop any of you.

"Soldier! Over here," Karlach called for you, up on The Blushing Mermaid's balcony. You dodged the drunkards and ran upstairs to their table. They saved a seat for you. They always do. "What took you so long?"

They're always teasing you for being so controlling with their gold. That was an act of survival, to save for what matters, but now that you reached the city... You're still controlling it, Silvanus knows Astarion would waste it all without noticing, but you can allow your party some luxury from time to time.

You put the bags under the table, careful to not let them see what was inside them. "Just lost track of time," you sat between her and Minsc. "Did I miss much?"

You turned around, looking for a waiter, but a glass was dragged from across the table towards you. Halsin, sitting across from you at the round table, had already ordered your favorite drink. He always knows what you want even before you say it.

Your smile was subtle, the glass already rising to hide your mouth. You didn't use words to thank him, but your foot met his under the table. You dragged it along his leg, a hidden affection. A secret between you two.

"Oh, yes, Boo. Minsc agrees, her smile really seens different," Minsc whispered. Boo moved on his shoulder, sniffing around. "What are you hiding, my gentle friend?"

Perfume of night orchids, clothes fit for a vampire or whatever Astarion means by that, a recently released tome of evocation, instruments to improve weapons, a music box for a dancing hero, owlbear cub plush, new whittling knifes, a book about adventures Jaheira wasn't part of but is still somehow the main character, and stone sculpture of a certain miniature giant space hamster. "Nothing," you answered.

Halsin chuckled. "There is nothing you can't do, my heart. Except by lying, I must add."

"I just bought a few presents," it sounded almost defensive. Alright, maybe you really were a bit too controlling of the gold. Just a bit. "I'll give them after dinner."

Karlach chocked on her beer. "Are you feeling well, soldier? Have anyone forced you to waste your precious gold?"

"There is a hero coming through to help you, my friend," Minsc hit the table with closed fists. Your drink almost fell on your lap. "Tell Minsc who forced you and his boot shall find your wrongdoer!"

Karlach and Minsc tried to see what were in the bags during the walk back to camp, and you protected them with your life. They started a game of guessing what you had bought, never realizing you weren't participating on it.

Halsin took the bags from you, and with his free hand caressed yours. He kissed your knuckles, then your forehead. You melted against his touch. "Is it duck related?"

You chuckled, eyes still closed. "Fuck off, Bear."

Finally at camp, Halsin followed you to your tent .You saw when Wyll walking out of his tent, hair dripping wet, and smiled at him. Karlach and Minsc sat by the bonfire, still arguing about the possibility of receiving an ax as a gift.

You told Halsin to close his eyes so you could hide everything. "Alright, done."

You walked towards the bonfire, but Halsin grabbed your hand and pulled you closer. You linked your arms around his neck, ready to stand on tiptoe. "It's on your black chest, isn't it?"

You sighed, walking away from him. He tried to stop you, but you dodged Halsin easily. "Of course not," you lied. And he could tell.

You used a branch to stir the fire. You had the feeling it would be a cold night. Yenna was near it, stroking Grub's fur, and smiled at you. So young, so innocent. So unfair.

Lae'zel and Jaheira carried pans with food to the large table Gale conjured, and nodded on your direction. "Fifteen minutes, cub," said Jaheira. "Weren't you on watch?"

You denied with a movement of your head. Jaheira isn't the one to get confused with watches, neither are you. After all, you both organized all shifts.

"Are you hungry?" You stroke Yenna's hair, ignoring Grub in order to not scare him away. Kneeled in front of her, you threw the branch far away. Scratch ran to catch it. "I have strawberry and hon..."

"What the fuck is that?!"

You turned to Karlach, your sword suddenly so heavy on your side. She looked perfectly fine. Following her gaze, you understood it.

Shadowheart had her spear on hands, back from first watch to supper. And besides her, with a hand on the half-elf's waist, stood you.

One thing you can't deny Orin: that bitch is creative. You admit, it was smart. Half of the party left with you, half stayed at camp. It was only a matter of chosing the right moment to appear, making sure to say only the right words, and everything would work on her favor.

Smart, until she wasn't anymore. Because instead of aiming your companions quietly without raising doubts, you are back now. She is surrounded by the enemy. Cornered by her own actions.

You smiled to Yenna, her scared eyes shone upon you. "I need you to close your eyes. Can you do that for me?" As she put her tiny hands in front of her face, you raised from the floor. The smile was still there. "Orin."

She was behind you, but you knew Karlach made Nyrulna find a way to her hands. He's not on your vision field, but you promise Silvanus you'll kill yourself right then and there if Minsc and Boo aren't ready to fight and die beside you. The golden light on your periphery in theory could be from anything, but you knew it was Halsin waiting for your command to transform and attack.

The things you couldn't see didn't surprised you. Quite the opposite.

Jaheira's eyes shone, and without hesitation she turned into a fire myrmidion. Wyll, before careless, casted an armor on himself. Lae'zel had her sword on her back, but her movements showed she was nothing but ready.

They were looking at you.

As easy as that you understood. You're always thinking on the great scheme of things, careful about every movement and choice so at the end nothing will stop you from defeating the Absolute, but this isn't a game of Go. Orin didn't proposed a bet, one where all moves matter and any choice could change the final outcome. No. This is as simple as tic-tac-toe. The results depends only on doing the right first movement.

Orin isn't surrounded here.

You are.

Shadowheart hesitated, the spear uncomfortable on her hands, her skin paler. She gazed at you, at that thing, and you could almost see the doubt replacing the new found glow in her eyes.

"You finally decided to show up again," Orin said. She could immitate your voice perfectly. Even the words were something that could've been said by you. "Now we don't need to hunt you down."

You kept on staring at Shadowheart, ignoring her stained words. "Lua, you know who I truly am." You drew your sword, the golden glow illuminating your face within the light of the setting sun. "Fight beside me, my love. Like you have always done."

"Don't fall for her theatrics," replied Orin. If you didn't knew better, even you would fall for her tricks. "She is playing with your mind. Trying to control it like many attempt to before. Don't allow it."

In a quick motion, her spear cut through Orin's torso. Orin, you, stumbled back. You stood in front of Shadowheart, protecting her with your body from the changeling's response.

All Orin did was to add pressure to the cut. "Get away from her!" A necrotic energy came from her fingers, the same you are so used to control. You shouldn't have left your shield on your tent. "My love, she'll only hurt you."

Jaheira aimed at you, lava dripping from her transformed hand, but didn't attack because of how close Shadowheart was of you. Karlach got further away, now with a better view of camp. Minsc had his sword in hands, just as Wyll had a cloud of darkness aiming at him. Lae'zel was in front of Orin, eyes filled with determination.

They moved faster than you wanted to. The board getting new possibilities, and you worst problems to deal with. What strategy can overpower hers?

"On sight, soldier," Karlach screamed from distance. You could picture the spear on her hands, ready to be throw right in Orin's eyes. "One word."

"Ckh. Enough," ordered Lae'zel. "Pull yourself together before I pull you apart."

"That changeling is playing tricks with your mind, Lae'zel," said Shadowheart. Light came from her fingers. "Don't let her fool you."

"I know my leader," was her response. "You should know too, cleric."

"Can't any of you see her true goal?" Your voice echoed through the camp. "She isn't just trying to end me. She could've done this before, we all now she had chances. Orin wants you to fight one another, to break our bonds and divide us. Stay still, stay alert, and she won't have a choice but to end her disguise and attack with her own claws. Patience: that's the only thing she does not have."

With the noise, Gale and Astarion came out of the kitchen. "Who is..." Astarion didn't even had time to finish.

"It's me," you yelled. You had even forgot about them. Just more players for a game that should be won alone. "For Silvanus, I even said goodbye to each and every of you befo..."

You swear you saw a smirk on your duel's face. She fooled you too. "You fucking bitch."

You barely had closed your mouth when red strings of energy passed right beside you. Shadowheart's illuminated fingers were surrounded by darkness now. Gale's work, you knew.

"She is right," Lae'zel's words made you breath easier. It was more than just a smart move, it was a great plan, but Orin won't suceed for a very simple reason: her main goal is to hurt, and yours is to prevent it. Lae'zel stepped closer, her longsword in hands and eyes on Orin. "The wizard shouldn't have aimed at the Shadowheart, neither was she supposed to fight."

A sign of trust coming from her of all people could convince them all. Lae'zel cares, deeply, and wouldn't do something without being sure of it. You glared at the others, hoping Lae'zel's words had calmed them down. And it did. Their eyes were softer towards you. But those weren't the eyes you should've been watching closely.

You didn't saw when she moved. Didn't noticed the smell of danger floating on the air so near you. Didn't heard anything that would've warned you to defend yourself.

But you felt as Lae'zel rip your chest apart.

So much blood. You never would've guessed a mortal vessel could carry so much blood. It stained the silver, dripping from the longsword, splashed her face. It ran down your body, penetrated the ground and its roots, fed the plants..

Red. It was all you could see. All you could think about. Your lungs only had space for it. They burned. Your trembling hands moved towards your ripped belly, your insides staining them, and held the sword. It cut your palms.

"Bloodlust won't solve our problems," someone said. You knew that voice. Was it yours? Lae'zel forced the sword down, then pulled it out of you. "The changeling's is all we need to spill."

You were on your knees. Did you fell? Were you kicked? Are you praying? You must be. You probably were. Who do you pray to? Have you ever prayed before?

Kneeled beside you, a woman talked to you. Her mouth moved, a red liquid dripping from her face and hands. Her touch was warm. She felt like home. Shadowheart. Her eyes reflected a golden light, but they dissapeared so quickly.

"Let me go!" She tried to fight Lae'zel's hold, but the warrior was stronger. "She'll die because of you. She'll die and I will never ever forgive you for that, you damned gith!" The screams turned into cries. "She saved me, let me save her!"

"It's me," the doppelgander said. She held Shadowheart by the cheeks, trying to get her to calm down. "Lua, love, it's me. Just me."

"Get out of me," Shadowheart spat on her face. Lae'zel pushed her away, trying to prevent Shadowheart from doing something she would regret. "Why no one here listen to me?!"

"Stop squirming," Lae'zel hissed. "Look into her eyes. Look and tell me you don't see our leader."

Shadowheart eventually stopped fighting, her body exausted from crying. The changeling was in front of her, you were in front of her. She smelled like you. Talked like you. Felt like you.

"Is that really you?"

"Of course it's me," lied Orin. "Please, look into my eyes. We were together all day. You know I haven't left camp. Please, please, trust me."

Spikes grew, surrounding Orin. She hissed, the ivy twining around her legs and tearing the skin open. Halsin were throw to the ground before he could end the healing spell.

"Halsin!" Shadowheart screamed. She almost escaped Lae'zel's hold. "No!"

"She was with us all day, Halsin," Wyll said as he paralised the druid. "We know it's her. Don't fight back."

That didn't stop Karlach from throwing her spear near the Blade's feet. "You fucking idiot!"

Mizora clapped, enjoying the show.

Jaheira burned Mizora before losing her wild shape. She will come back, she always does, but that never stops Jaheira. At least they will have some moments of respect.

She wandered towards Minsc. He kneeled on the floor, and for a moment she feared something happened to him when she wasn't paying attention.

"She told me not open my eyes," cried Yenna. "I can't open they yet. She told me not to."

"Have you ever seen my miniature giant space hamster?" Yenna didn't react to him. "No, Boo, she nee..."

Jaheira kneeled beside him, her hand resting on his shoulder. "You did well, cub," she forced herself to laugh. "You were so brave. Let's get you and your red cat something to eat, alright?"

A dry sound reached their ears, stopping every and each one of them. You fell to the ground, as firm as an empty sack, whimpers leaving your mouth as you slipped into unconsciousness.

No fighting. No yelling. A quiet end. A peaceful one.

So easy.

Astarion grabbed Gale's shoulders, whispering so the others wouldn't notice. "It smells like her," Astarion swallowed hard. "I know it."

"Are you really sure of that?" Gale watched you, saw all your blood spreading through the ground, and looked into his eyes again. "Because if you're not, if your guess is wrong, then it will be our guts on the ground. Do you really trust your nose that much?"

Astarion gave him a smirk, but Gale could see the fear he was trying to hide. "Will you cover me, darling?"

"What's your plan?"

"Please. If you think I have one, then you don't know me at all."

As the spike dissapeared, Orin held Shadowheart's face again. "Think of everything we faced together. The nautiloid, the grove, the shadows. Wasn't I beside you all this time? Have I ever turned my back on you?"

"No." That Shadowheart knew the answer. "Never."

She looked up to the moon, praying for assistance. When her eyes fell down, she saw the body on the floor. And what surrounded it.

Scratch sad down beside you. He nudged your shoulder with his nose, waiting for you to stop with that game. He didn't like it. It wasn't fun like the others. But as he moved your body, she saw something reflecting the sunset. A flask. Concentrating, Shadowheart saw the contour of something. Of Astarion's body.

Gale had blue rays of light coming out of his eyes.

"Exactly, my love," her cheeks were pinched. The long nails digged on them for so long. "I've never turned on you. Not when you tried to kill Lae'zel. Not when you lied to me again and again. Or when you showed us how low you would go for your goddess. Remember the fear on the Nightsong's eyes? Remember how I pretended not to know all you would do to her if I wasn't there? A cleric who doesn't know where to lay her faith, a torturer so easily deceived, a coward unable to make the right decisions. That's why you never turned on me, right? Because I make the decisions you can't. I carry all the guilty for you. Because it's easier when I control everything. Don't you like it? That you don't need to use your brain when I am around? Wouldn't you give your memories to me if I asked? I know you would. I know you will."

Your head fell. The bone cracking, the skin stretching. They could hear as it moved, as it turned into something else. The shoulders falling, elbows breaking in half, the spine bending until it touches the bloody ground. The last snap, deep and long.

And from a thin cloud of dust, Orin appeared.

"Look at it. Crawnling under my fe..."

Nyrulna wasn't near Wyll, deep on the ground, neither did it came back to Karlach's hands. With accurate aim, the trident pierced Orin's ribs. Her blood joined yours, and the pale body fell where yours once lay.

Taking your time, you walked towards her. Stepping on the changeling's stomach, you ripped the trident from her insides. "I will give you a glorious death," you growled. "I'll make Bhaal wish I was his chosen."

You kneeled beside her, pressing the trident against her neck, then lowered your face until her ear. "I'll make him regret ever settling for you," you whispered.

Her eyes shone. "How... you know," she could barely say anything. "My... sib..."

You squeezed her cheeks, shutting her up. Then you caressed it, getting her skin dirty with your blood. "I know shit about you," you replied. "But I can tell you would never be anyone's first choice."

Orin can believe she escaped, if it's that what she desires. That you were too slow to stop her from teleport to wherever she deemed safe. That you were all bark and no bite. The truth is that she was wrong about you from the start.

You like the hunting.

You dropped Nyrulna to the ground, and threw yourself into Shadowheart's arms. “She lies,” you whispered. "She deceives and hurts and maims. Nothing was true. You're nothing that she said."

Quietly, Shadowheart hugged you. She breathed in your scent, felt your touch, heard your voice. You, you, you. She cried against your body. You.

Looking at the rest of your party, you breathed in. "We need a code," you said. "If we ever get into this sort of situation again, we need to say..."

You bite your lips, trying to think of something. Something you wouldn't use in another situation. Something that would be unique, impossible to confuse the meaning.

"Gold," you chose. "Or the rest of us are allowed to go for the kill."

Lae'zel cleared her throat. "Fair enough."

if you enjoyed, please reblog! i promise it makes a difference ♡

BALDUR’S GATE 3 TAGLIST: @citrusbunnies

@ madwomansapologist.tumblr.

[eponymous-rose]

I can't find it now, which probably means it was months and months ago, but someone sent me an ask about considering adopting a cat but, as a dog person, not knowing much about adoption (e.g., whether shelter cats are good for first-time owners) and the day-to-day responsibilities of cat ownership. I can answer for my own experience, although I'm sure I'll be forgetting some important aspects!

Shelter vs Purebred:

I have a little 5-year-old shelter cat, a female domestic shorthair with a tuxedo coat! That's a big difference between cats and dogs - the vast, vast, VAST majority of cats you'll ever encounter are simply categorized as domestic shorthair/medium hair/longhair, with purebred cats being rare enough that they generally are limited to breeders - when I was an adoption counselor at a shelter, I only saw a couple of potentially purebred cats some through, and both were likely mixes. A lot of the time, cats are identified by their coat colors instead (e.g., calico, tabby, orange, tuxedo, colorpoint, dilute, etc.) with much made of the personality traits associated with those coats even though there's tragically no real science to back that up. Some coat colors are much more common with particular sexes of cats - orange cats are about 80/20 male/female, while calicos are >98% female - and that may contribute to some of the kitty stereotypes (e.g., orange cats are typically male, and neutered male cats tend to be quite calm and chill).

I'd heartily recommend shelter cats to anyone, including first-time owners. A lot of purebred cats sadly come with medical conditions (e.g., scottish folds often have significant pain due to connective tissue disorders, manx cats are prone to arthritis and spinal problems, maine coons and sphynx cats have relatively high rates of congenital heart disease, persians are brachycephalic and have breathing issues) or extra-high maintenance care requirements (e.g., sphynx cats must be bathed regularly because the lack of hair means the oils on their skin stick to any and all dirt, maine coons and ragdolls and norwegian forest cats require significant daily grooming to keep their long double coats from matting, brachycephalic cats require extra baths and grooming since they're generally unable to keep their own coats as clean, and breeds like bengals are so immensely high-energy that it's nearly a full-time job keeping up with their needs for enrichment and constant activity).

Shelter cats are almost all domestic shorthair/medium hair/longhair breeds, and tend to have the longest life expectancy of all kitties - although there are no guarantees (I sadly lost a 9-month-old kitten to a congenitally damaged heart) the lifespan numbers quoted lately for indoor-only cats tend to be around 15-25 years. And, of course, most places are overrun with stray cats - adopting from a shelter often comes with a free spay/neuter and vaccines, along with the satisfaction of having rescued a little critter that had a rough start before finding a forever home. You can visit shelters and get to know the kitties there - keep in mind that most cats are dramatically more fearful and shy in cages, and that you can often ask volunteers to point you to their favorites, especially if you're looking for an extra-chill cat as a first-time owner.

Consider adopting an adult cat! Kittens are adorable, but their energy levels are absolutely through the roof... as well as their destructive potential. Picture tiny whirlwinds with knives on their feet, the ability to jump 4-5 feet from a dead stop, zero sense of self-preservation, and the ability to keep sprinting for hours at random times of day and night. If you do get a kitten, consider adopting two - they tend to be less work since they'll keep each other entertained. Adult cats, however, tend to have more chill personalities and are more likely to settle into a routine quickly. My Clara is still pretty high-energy, but at 5 years old she's happy to have a shorter session of zoomies and intense play if it means she can then just curl up on a lap or in the sun to snooze and purr. Senior kitties are also wonderful - often cats don't have a very visible decline and remain relatively high-energy and chipper until very late in life, so it's not unusual that a 13-year-old cat will still act like a kitten and have many good years ahead, just a bit more chill.

Keep in mind that a cat is a long-term commitment. I was 7 years old when my parents brought two kittens home from the shelter - they lived another 18 years, until I was well into grad school.

Common Health Problems:

Cats that were once strays are very prone to two common diseases: FIV and FeLV. FIV (feline immundeficiency virus) essentially is a disorder of the immune system: these cats may be more prone to getting ill and may get more significantly ill when they do get sick. Luckily, FIV is far from a death sentence! These cats can live a normal quantity and quality of life with proactive health monitoring and regular trips to the vet (we're talking every 6 months instead of every year). FIV is contagious to other cats, but generally is only spread via deep bite wounds, so mixing of FIV+ and FIV- cats is possible given that you know that the cats are unlikely to get into a major fracas. FeLV (feline leukemia virus), sadly, has a worse prognosis - there's a lot of variability, but generally the best-case scenario is only a handful of years before the viral load is too high to avoid dangerous symptoms.

Another kitty disease that is sadly common among younger cats in particular is FIP (feline infectious peritonitis), which is a complication from a common kitty coronavirus that can emerge at any time and often manifests in very vague symptoms and is difficult to pin down. Until very, very recently, FIP was essentially considered to be 100% fatal within a couple of months and the recommendation was euthanasia. Now there are medications that can bring that survival rate past 90% - they're in the process of going through FDA approval, although there are groups online dedicated to getting you those medications through less official channels as needed. If anyone's familiar with Drawfee, Jacob and Julia's cat Olive was diagnosed with FIP at around 1 year old and was considered to be terminal - and, thanks to one of those online groups getting them the medication, is currently a happy and healthy 6-year-old kitty.

Nearly all shelter cats I've encountered have some level of URI (upper respiratory infection) - be prepared for a little extra sneezing and potentially having to give eyedrops the first couple weeks after getting home. URIs are SO CONTAGIOUS that it's almost impossible to keep them from spreading in a shelter setting. Also common is ringworm, although most shelters will isolate any contagious kittens and keep the infection localized.

Please spay and neuter your cats! They can have kittens incredibly young and incredibly frequently - unspayed female cats are also prone to certain cancers and unneutered male cats are prone to spraying (urinating on walls and other surfaces). The surgery is incredibly routine for both males and females (Clara had complications, but that just meant she had a few extra days of confinement) and generally the hardest part is keeping them from going after their stitches. Most shelters will provide spay/neuter services for free or on the cheap. They recover quickly and completely.

Cats also do incredibly well in a lot of different situations - deaf or half-deaf cats are quite common (nearly all blue-eyed cats with white coats are deaf) and just need some extra care to ensure they feel safe; the same goes for blind or one-eyed kitties, who can still happily play and navigate a space once they're familiar with it. Routine is key! Three-legged cats do so well that the saying is that cats are all born with a spare leg they don't actually need. If this is a recent condition, or if there are big changes in the cat's life (such as moving to a new home), just make sure to give them some extra time, support, and patience while they adjust. Amputation in cats can be really rough in the first couple of weeks, but soon enough they'll be sprinting around and jumping up on improbably high shelves.

Male cats are more prone than female cats to urinary blockages, which is one reason why I think it's important to actively clean the litter box yourself rather than using a robot. Changes in urinary output/pain while urinating/urinating outside the box can give you hints about a urinary blockage (a medical emergency in cats) or longer-term issues such as kidney disease, which can be managed with medication for quite some time as long as you know they're happening.

Cats are really good at hiding pain/illness, so it's important to be aware of signs of discomfort (sitting hunched with the neck extended can indicate difficulty breathing, whiskers extended stiffly from the face can indicate a grimace of pain, disruptions to routine such as avoiding beloved people or favorite spots, eating/drinking/litter box irregularity) and to ensure that you bring them to the vet on a regular basis to catch the stuff that might not be causing symptoms yet. Clara has a benign heart murmur and a little stiffness in one ventricle that requires her to visit a vet specialist every year or two to get an echocardiogram to check for any progression into heart disease (one in seven cats wind up with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which has a long median survival with presymptomatic treatment) - if those symptoms are ever present, we get her on medication early and it's unlikely to influence her lifespan for quite some time, whereas unmonitored and untreated, the first symptom would likely be sudden death. Knowing about this in advance also means that she has recommendations in her chart if she ever needs anesthesia for a different procedure. Having a regularly updated baseline at the vet means your cat is that much more likely to live a long, happy, healthy life.

The Day-to-Day:

Caring for cats is extremely fun, and the key is routine! Cats LOVE routine and will happily follow you around through your day-to-day. Clara is fed with an auto-feeder, which means she doesn't tend to pester me too much about food (and which means I can monitor how much she's eating and make adjustments as needed). She's prone to stress-induced stomach upset (aren't we all!) so she gets prescription food and some extra wet food with probiotics if I know something stressful is coming up soon. The auto-feeder dispenses food multiple times during the day, so she can't gorge herself and get sick.

For grooming, Clara does a pretty great job on her own, so I just have to brush her occasionally and every few weeks I will trim her claws. Do not declaw a cat! It's an amputation that is illegal in many states/countries and frequently results in chronic pain and behavioral problems such as an aversion to certain textures (a Major Problem if that texture includes litter...). If you can't trim a cat's claws on your own, try doing one or two at a time while they're sleeping - unlike with dogs, the quick is super visible on a cat's claws, so it's tough to mess up too badly. If all else fails, vets will trim claws for you, or can provide you with glue-on covers for the claws. I also brush Clara's teeth - you can get soft little toothbrushes and tasty-to-cats toothpaste, and even just them gnawing on the toothbrush can provide some benefit. Regular vet visits are also important to monitor any tooth decay that may occur. Cats can do well even with no teeth at all (the teeth are generally just for tearing pieces of prey, not chewing), but keeping those teeth healthy while they've got 'em is important, if only to avoid general anesthesia for a cleaning!

Most cats do very well without baths - so far, Clara has only needed a few little spot-cleans after minor accidents. Bathing is extremely stressful for most cats, so if necessary, I'd check out guides online to help reduce the stress levels. Many cats gradually lose the ability to keep themselves clean, so it's worth looking into, but don't expect to have to wash a cat as often as you would a dog by any means. (Unless you have a sphynx cat, of course...)

To help with scratching, provide scratchers for cats and keep them near the things you don't want the cat to scratch, as attractive alternatives (you can entice them with some catnip sprinkled on the scratchers!) - it's important to have both horizontal and vertical scratchers, since they exercise different muscles. Be aware, though, that bringing a cat into the home means that some of your furniture may be at risk. You can absolutely minimize the risk of damage, but I'd say you can almost never get rid of that risk completely.

Play is super important! I play with Clara throughout the day, but I also set aside some time every single evening to run around with her and really get her playing hard for a while (after which I clean her box, replace her water dishes, and go to bed - the importance of routine!). Cats aren't endurance hunters, but they require very little rest between bursts of energy, so hanging around for a bit with a toy even after you think they may be done is super valuable. Keep in mind that cats can get into life-threatening danger if they eat pieces of toys (strings, feathers, etc.) so it can be good to have some safe toys out all the time (e.g., foam balls) while the more dangerous ones (strings, feathers, etc.) are locked away when you're not actively playing.

Daily maintenance is pretty easy. I clean Clara's litter box at least once per day (which just involves scooping the contents into a bag that I then throw into the trash bin outside - less than 2 minutes/day) and do a deeper clean every week or two where I empty out all the litter and quickly scrub the box itself. Cats are lousy at remembering to drink, so I have three water bowls around the house - these get washed and replaced with fresh water every evening. Fountains are great for some cats (Clara had no interest) - some cats are obsessed with running water. Keeping water away from food can also help encourage cats to drink more. Apart from that, it's mostly just refilling the auto-feeder, attempting to tempt her with wet food (she's not a fan), and giving the occasional treat.

She also gets a monthly flea/tick preventative, which is just a couple drops of liquid that I apply at the base of her neck (usually while she's sleeping). She's an indoor-only cat, but bugs get inside and can transmit all sorts of bad stuff. Be warned that you should NEVER use a dog flea preventative on a cat - the dosage can be so high that it can cause a lot of harm. Make sure you have a correct dosage - ask your vet for more info.

And that's about it! In return for that minor maintenance, I get a silly little fluffy friend who follows me around and makes me laugh all day every day. She's gone from a really skittish little scaredy-cat to... well, still a skittish little scaredy-cat around most people, but around me she's affectionate and constantly looking for cuddles.

I hope this is in some way useful! I think a lot of people who don't consider themselves cat people would really enjoy having a cat - and even if you decide it's not for you, I hope you can appreciate and enjoy the other cats in your life!

[eldaryasharbinger]

MCL New Gen Ep. 3 Review

I finally finished the episode! I'll give a more generic opinion about it here and put all the spoilers below the cut!

I think it was really nice, I didn't check how many APs I used but I saw someone else mention that it's around 1200 APs which I think is fair! I was scared about it at first because I'm not sure if I'm the only one who noticed that, ususally, the first episodes are either shorted/cheaper and that new episodes that come out are much more expensive... I hope that won't happen!

The outfits are pretty cute, also I noticed that if you want to, you can unlock the other outfit you missed for 150 hearts! It's just to unlock it in the shop without having to replay the episode, you still have to purchase each piece separately but I think it's alright since the prices are really cheap!!

I don't really know what else to add and still be spoiler free, so now it's time for spoilers! you've been warned!

I'm so so happy with how they get Candy to react everytime... I love that she changes expressions accordingly and it's much more fun!! Also I think I screenshotted(?) almost all of Jason's scenes,, I'm sorry I'm just so down bad I kept giggling everytime he said anything,, I think that's why it took me a while to finish the episode lol...

Petronilla you're so real for that... Me too... (he awakens the goblin inside me...)

Honestly I really think that we should keep this in mind everytime he opens his mouth because it's actually so true... Also how are you so obsessed... Keep it going...

He wants to kiss her so bad I just know it... He's like that one kid that bullies you just because he's into you and doesn't know how to behave

"Little kitten"

...

I'm so done with this guy he's so shameless and I love him for that,,

The illustration is very pretty! He's so handsome why can't he just do a backflip off of Goldreamz's roof (He's so pretty sometimes it p*sses me off lmao)

I think I'll try to edit this one soon too!

I think it's pretty funny that she calls him that, yeah I can see how he's a loser... (I be calling him things just cause he's pretty and annoying I swear)

She's so... I'm so gay leave me alone,,,,,

ALSO ISTG she's going to be the end of me and my wallet, I can't help but always buy both her's and Jason's special scenes (I still haven't understood if you can get the illu's without buying the scenes... help,,) and on top of that of course I'll say that I'm going for Jason's route and then buy Amanda's illus because I can't live without it,, Beemoov let me be poly for once, Petronilla has two hands for a reason!! Either let us (Me and 'Nilla) have the same outfits for both Amanda and Jason so that I won't have to spend 350 extra gems or idk;;-;

The doomed yuri... The forbidden yuri... Petronilla you're so gay... Idk I think I can hear "I wanna be your girlfriend" by girl In red from miles away... We're so over ;A;

If I get the time I think I'll try to edit this one as well!! So so pretty!

I also wanted to mention this... Man he's just like me this guy is autistic as F**K I'm telling y'all... I relate to that so much, especially the fact that he apparently seems to be thinking in percentages as well (By that I mean that at least I tend to make my decisions based on calculations and such... That's why I like to joke about having a computer for brains lol)

Looks like Beemoov's writers did their homework on this guy cause if he's actually autistic-coded I think they did a great job! Autism is a spectrum in the end but I really resonate with how they're potraying it with Thomas! Kudos!

Last but not least... Jason's text after finishing the episode... I'm shipping Jason and Petronilla so hard,,,,,, I love the blue&pink contrast, they were made for each other your honor... If we add Amanda they can be the Bisexual flag together...

[qwerty019283ytrewq]

Red Bull Racing is to blame for this.

✨️Imagine✨️

Yuki wants to have a good weekend. A good weekend for him is a full sleep, delicious food, cute fans and a finish in points. If he can cross paths with Pierre, then even better. But Yuki understands that this weekend will not be good. Why? Because Daniel is quietly humming some song, smiling every 5 seconds and trying to hide his laughter with coughs.

Don't get Yuki wrong. Daniel is a good teammate. They may be good acquaintances, and after all, they are colleagues. But they can't be close friends. Daniel is Yuki's main rival. He's also very energetic. Like a puppy. How to perceive Ricciardo as a rival when he looks at you with his big eyes and hypnotizes you "Laugh, it's a funny joke. Why don't you laugh?" But Daniel's sense of humor is not the same as Yuki's, and Yuki is not Max.

They go to the next content shoot. Shooting with Red Bull Racing again. Yuki thinks that he and Checo might not have come at all.

"I wonder what we're going to shoot today?"

"Ooh, you're definitely going to like this."

"Wait? Do you know?"

"Yes, mate, but I promised not to tell." Daniel smiles slyly.

"Come on..." When Dan smiles like that, it means he's up to something. Yuki remembers Miami 2023.

"Come on. Tell me. Otherwise..."

"What are you going to do to me, oh big and scary Yuki-san?"

"I'm going to tickle you."

Dan smiled tightly. Yuki certainly knows his weaknesses. Dan is his rival, and Yuki should know his weaknesses.

"Okay, but I can only hint. By the end of filming, you'll be very fluffy." Riccardo winked at the Japanese and walked faster.

"What's that supposed to mean?! Glue and feathers? There won't be any glitter, will there?" Yuki hated glitter.

They found a room where they would shoot and waited for the Red Bull Racing drivers. Yuki and Cheko exchanged knowing glances and sighed equally heavily. They haven't started filming yet, but Dan and Max are already having a great time, not caring about everyone.

"Okay guys, come on in."

The four drivers were led into a room with cameras and lighting. There were two beanbags and a box in the middle.

"It looks ominous," commented Checo and laughed nervously. His comment went unanswered.

Lights, camera, motor...

"Hi, I'm Max, and this is Checo."

"And we're Yuki-san..."

"And Honey Daniel..."

Why Max laughed so much from this was not clear to Yuki, but seeing how the cameraman rolled his eyes, the Japanese decided to ignore it. The sooner they take it off, the sooner he and Checo will be free.

"So, today, we have to answer questions. Which is very original *Dan's chuckle*. But we were told that it would not be so easy for us to answer. And why?"

"Open the box, and you will find out."

Daniel seemed to have eaten the Energizer batteries and washed down the Red Bull, Yuki was afraid to touch him (suddenly lightning would strike). Daniel's gaze was directed at Max, although Checo was opening the box. Dan was wiping his palms on his jeans, and his face seemed about to crack with a smile.

"Uh, this...toys?" Checo took out a pink plastic ball with a bell inside.

"Should we say the names of the toys?" asked Yuki because why else would they be there. They're not cats to play with it. Wait...

It turns out that there is a second door in the room, which they did not pay attention to, and this door opened. Cats. Cats or kittens ran into the room. The Dutch immediately shifted his attention to the cats and stopped paying attention to others. Cheko stroked several cats, took a toy, and tried to play with the kittens, Yuki picked one up. This kitten attracted the attention of the Japanese with a black spot on its muzzle and its mouth wide open in a yawn. Yes, Yuki wouldn't mind sleeping right now. Daniel fiddled with a plastic ball with a rattle inside and stared at Max.

"This is certainly the best shooting content," Max said without looking up from the kittens around. "Who came up with this?"

Yuki wanted to put on sunglasses, Dan was glowing so much with pride. A fool in love. Yuki hopes that Daniel will help him remove the wool from his clothes. Or Yuki will just send him a dry cleaning bill.

(X) (x) (X)

[widowbitessting]

what about is Reader has a nightmare? What would the trio! do?

The Coffee Incident

Wanda/Natasha/CarolxReader

Word Count - 1674

You jolt awake, still half asleep as the remnants of the nightmare still play on your mind.

You struggle free from the blankets enclosing you.

It's wrapped too tightly around your legs, feeling more like claustrophobic ropes bound to cut off circulation than a cheap duvet from Target, and you frantically kick yourself free; trembling body toppling out of your single bed.

You’re panting, breathing deep despite your lungs struggling to fill with oxygen.

You find yourself on the precipice of a panic attack and you’re frantic to bring yourself down.

“A dream…” you croak out, “it was just a dream.”

But your brain can’t stop replaying it on a loop in your mind and the panic is quick to consume you.

"MJ." You croak out, forgetting that she's spending the night at Peter's.

Fresh hot tears spill from your eyes and down your cheeks and you frantically grab for your cell through blurred vision.

You need them.

Struggling to open your phone, you lose your temper quicker than normal and end up biting into your palm to stifle a frustrated scream.

You have to put in your passcode, twice to be exact, until you're able to get to your contacts.

Clicking the first name in your recents, you pray that they pick up.

Blood is thundering around your ears as your phone rings.

Legs bouncing anxiously as you rest your forehead down on your knee.

"Please...please...please..."

A sleepy voice picks up.

"...hullo?"

"Nat?"

You can hear shuffling on her side before she replies, sounding more awake than she did when she first picked up the call.

"Y/N? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

You squeeze your eyes shut as more tears trickle down your face, the taste of salt seeping onto your tongue.

"I - I..."

You crumble and let out a sob.

"Y/N, baby, where are you?" Natasha asks.

You can hear another voice in the background, asking Natasha if everything is okay.

"Ho-home."

"Are you hurt, baby girl?" Natasha asks. She says something else but it's aimed at either Carol or Wanda and you miss it.

"No - I, I'm just scared. MJ isn't here. I'm sorry -"

"Don't be sorry, detka. We'll be there as soon as we can okay?"

"You're coming?"

"We all are, baby. Can you stay on the phone for me? I want to make sure you're safe until we're there, okay?"

"I - I'm...please, I didn't mean to disturb you..."

"Kitten, you never disturb us." Carol's voice jolts you a little. "You're our girl; you could never."

"Okay..."

Even though you're still trembling on your cold floor, you can't help but be soothed by them.

By their voices.

It takes them no time at all to reach you.

Letting themselves in by the key you had given them shortly after you had all officially started dating.

It's Wanda who comes through your bedroom door first, donning her slept in pyjamas; closely followed by both Carol and Natasha. Both in similar attires. 

You're on the floor still, duvet in a heap by your feet, phone pressed tightly to your left cheek.

Had you had been in a better headspace, you might have found it funny how you could hear them on the phone as well as see them rushing to your side.

But you can only stare past them, eyes glossy.

Wanda peels your phone from you, speaking to you through cotton filled ears; and it isn't until you're embraced in a warm hug, do you register that they're actually there.

In your room.

At 2am in the morning.

The hug feels amazing and you melt into it, eyes instantly growing heavy as Wanda's fingers twirl the baby hairs at the base of your neck.

While lips meet your cheek, kissing away any residue tears that had dried on your skin.

“Baby girl?” Carol speaks calmly, hand holding your own. “Come back to us.”

But the panic is quick to return and your lungs once again struggle. 

“I - I can’t…” You let out a sob, “I can’t breathe.”

Wanda cups your face, forcing your eyes to look at her. 

You take her in. 

Her green eyes that are looking at you with such a soft expression, you find yourself melting into her gaze.

You can’t help glance at the small freckle on the bridge of her nose.

You love to kiss that one. 

“Focus on me, my love.” She says, bringing you back. “Can you do that for me?”

You can only nod, words dissolving on your tongue. 

“Good girl. Listen closely and breathe for me. Nice and deep, in through your nose.”

You do as you’re told, nostrils sucking up oxygen and whistling as they do.

When you exhale through your lips, it’s shaky and you’re sure your morning breath hits Wanda square in the face. 

Regardless, she’s unfazed by it. 

“Do that again for me and after you’ve exhaled, my love, I want you to try and tell me five things you can see.”

“See?” 

“Yes, darling. Five things.”

“Well…you, Natasha and Carol…” you say. “That’s three.”

“Cheeky girl.” Wanda smiles, “go on. Two more.”

“My laptop…”

“Last one my love.”

“Erm,” You look around your room, seeing every potential thing to use but you can’t take it in. “Um…”

“One thing, baby girl. Anything.”

“My - my lamp.”

“Good job, kitten.” Wanda says. “Can you name me four things you can feel?” 

“Well…you…I can feel you…and my pyjamas.”

“Go on.” Wanda says, “three left.”

“The carpet on my feet…my bed frame on my back and…um…my hair on my shoulders…?”

“You’re doing so well for us, baby girl.” Wanda smiles, “Now, three things you can hear? Use those listening ears I know you have.”

You still feel as if your heart is about to claw out of your ribcage but you do as you’re asked regardless; squeezing your eyes shut as you force yourself to listen around you.

“I’d normally hear MJ’s snoring but she isn’t here so…” 

“That doesn’t count, baby.” Wanda says, “try again.”

“The -” Your voice cracks, “the horns outside.”

“There we go,” Wanda says, hands still holding your firm. “They’re so loud, aren’t they?”

You nod, smiling slightly.

“I can, I - someone is breathing heavily.”

There’s a beat of silence before Carol replies: “…no they’re not.”

Causing Wanda and Natasha to let out a small laugh. 

Your smile grows. 

“What else, love?”

“The dog barking downstairs.”

“You’re doing amazingly, love.” Wanda kisses your head. “Two things you can smell?”

“You’re minty breath…and, I…” You swallow. “My shampoo. It’s strawberry.”

“You’re being so brave, baby girl. So brave. Last one; what thing you can taste?”

“I don’t wanna answer that.”

“Why not?”

“…cos I’ll get into trouble.”

“Just tell us, baby.” Wanda gently pushes. 

“…I can taste my coffee…”

“You’re coffee, huh?” Natasha asks, smiling. “Now when did you have coffee?” 

You shrug, looking down.

“Answer me, kitten.” 

“Before bed I guess…”

“You guess?” 

“...yeah.” 

“Why did you have coffee before bed?” Carol asks.

“...because I really fancied one…and we had coffee in…”

“And you thought that was a good idea?” 

“I didn’t think I was gonna get caught…

You really wished the ground would swallow you whole.

“Okay, so,” Natasha says, “I think you know you’re gonna have a caffeine ban tomorrow regardless, don’t you, sweetheart?”

You sigh and pout, bottom lip springing free.

“Yes.”

“So for now, I think we’ll discuss the coffee incident tomorrow when we’ve all had some more sleep.”

“Yes,”

“Yes what, kitten? Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten who you’re talking to as well.”

“Yes mommy, sorry.”

“Good girl. Now, do you feel grounded enough to try sleeping again?”

You didn't even realise your heart rate had calmed; that you could breathe normally and move your body functionally again. 

“I didn’t…”

“Wanda is very skilled at bringing people down from panic attacks. She’s our super star.”

Wanda smiles brightly and nods in agreement.

“It’s all about distractions and grounding. I knew it would work better with us all here and look, it did. We even caught you out on a lie too.”

“Yippee for me.”

“Now less of that, do you feel okay enough to sleep for us?”

“…I - well yeah but not alone…I don’t wanna sleep alone…”

“We’re not going anywhere, kitten.” Carol says. 

You finally register - and to this day you have no idea how you missed Carol and Natasha putting out blankets and duvets and pillows - the floor littered with cosiness and click on your girlfriends’ plan. 

They never had any intention to leave.

There’s three pillows lined in a row, close to your bed and you can’t help but giggle as the image of you rolling out of bed and landing on them fills your brain.

Carol ushers you into your bed and kisses your forehead before Natasha slips a straw between your lips and tells you to “Drink up, our little coffee drinker.”

You do as you’re told and drink heavily before Natasha tucks you in tight and kisses your forehead too. 

Wanda copies the other two and even sneaks a kiss on your lips.  

“We’ll just be down here if you need us, okay?” She says.

You nod and nestle into your pillow. 

“Now close your eyes and try to get some sleep. Goodnight baby.”

“Night night.”

After five minutes you decide sleep isn’t going to happen. You’re far too lonely and wide awake to sleep. 

Four minutes pass and you decide there’s a big enough space on the floor for you to wedge in between Natasha and Carol. 

Three minutes later and you’re softly saying “excuse me.” with your pillow pressed against your chest. 

Two minutes go by and you’ve settled on the floor, Natasha hugging you tightly to her body while Carol plays with your hair. Eventually, Wanda complains that she’s being left out and the blonde shifts to face her and pulls her into a cuddle. 

One minute later you’re fighting sleep with Natasha's lips pressed to your head. 

Sleep, with sweet dreams, soon follows. 

Bliss. 

[loganelfreeces]

Hi, I’ve been seeing windbreaker stuff on my dash for a bit now. Would you mind telling me about it?

Hello dear Follower and THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO INFO DUMP ABOUT MY NEWEST OBSESSION!

Wind Breaker (Stylised all capitals) is a manga by Satoru Nii, who has written one series before: Danshi Badminton-bu ni Joshi ga Magireteru: Secret Badminton Club, a sports comedy I haven't read so I can't say anything about it. Nii-sensei is a big fan of Tokyo Revengers, a delinquant anime I also haven't watched, but Wind Breaker has been compared to it a bunch because they share a genre.

The manga recently got adapted by studio CloverWorks, who adapted The Promised Neverland, Spy X Family and Black Butler: Public School Arc. The soundtrack was done by one Ryo Takahashi and it is beautiful!

The anime follows the adventures of one Haruka Sakura, who's been bullied in a normal every day Japan his entire life for his completely natural protagonisty looks. As such, he decided the only reasonable response was to become a badass delinquant who don't need no friends to become the King of Furin High School, the country's most famous delinquant high school where fights happen every day and the local area is terrorised all the time.

Except when Sakura arrives, he ends up helping out Tachibana Kotoha when some guys were harassing her and when she thanks him for saving her from these thugs, he does this:

"It's not like I saved you or anything! I just couldn't stand that guy!"

And I have been fucking obsessed with this little Tsundere ever since.

So is everyone else in the town of Makochi, because it turns out that the students of Furin High School have been united under the banner of one Umemiya Hajime.

Umemiya got them all to protect the town from the rival gangs and teams, allowing Makochi to have some peaceful days so every time we see some random extra, they're almost always showering the Furin kids in free food and praise.

And our beloved, adorable Sakura, has almost certainly never been treated with any kindness, so it's beautiful watching how he reacts.

Of course, just because the town is peaceful, doesn't mean there aren't problems. There's no police so, Furin have to protect the town from violent gangs, like:

Shishitoren, the Devotees of Power

KEEL, the bastards who rule with an iron fist of fear

And every random unnamed small gang of mooks who pop up when things get too chill.

Luckily for us, we've got plenty of interesting characters in Bofurin to help Sakura get socialised like the feral kitten that he is and to fight the bad guys!

We've got Nirei Akihiko, the weak but clever guy who knows everything about everyone and has a pretty strong backbone, all things considered. (He is not a new Zenitsu, stop comparing the two)

We've got Suo Hayato, the fan favourite who introduced himself as being "Leonardo Dicpario" and then spent his entire first fight in the anime psycholocally analysing and torturing his opponant.

We've got Sugishita Kyotaro, the silent but zealous Umemiya fanboy who hates Sakura because he still wants to become Top Of The School.

We've got Hiragi Toma, the ever exhausted Dad leader of the Tamon Team and one of Umemiya's 4 Kings, his direct advisors and helpers.

We've got Umemiya Hajime himself, the goofy third year leader of Furin High School who has proclaimed himself everyone's Big Brother and sees everyone in Makochi as part of his family because of his Tragic Backstory.

Plus loads more I do not have the time to get into.

The anime is soooo fun, full of really funny scenes, but also really heart warming ones. It's all about building and being active in your community to make things better for those around you, listening to the people around you to understand them, how to be a good leader and when to stand your ground and when to let others help you.

The manga also has some very strong themes about being yourself around Haruka and an extremely Queer Manga only character who has cameoed in the anime, but hasn't made a proper introduction yet. Tsubakino "Tsubaki-chan" Tasuku.

I won't spoil things too much, but Furin is an All Boy's School and Tsubaki-chan has a very strong personal arc about their clothing choices, hair choices and their feelings for Umemiya. And it's all handled very kindly and sincerely.

Season 2 has been announced for sometime next year while the Manga just hit 150 chapters. I'd highly recommend getting interested, because it very much feels like things are only just getting started for Windbreaker.

Please come be insane about Windbreaker with me.

[laylaackles]

Teachers Pet (Professor Jensen Smut)

Warnings: oral (m), unprotected sex(wrap it up hoes), cheating (I don't condone this) age gap, Professor and student relationship. Feelings of being used. Also Y/n is in college, so she is of age!!

Song is Teacher's Pet by Melanie Martinez Lyrics in **

Please remember this is a work of fan fiction. Meaning it is all fake and I don't support this stuff.

Also I know I said I was done writing, but I was listening to this song and just had to make a fic with it. I think I might post stories every now and then but not consistently.

*Caught the teacher giving his eyes to a student

Thought, "He pretty cute" and she bit her lip back to him

Chewing on her nails and her pens while she's dreaming of him

And he's fucking in sin (you know he is)*

"I need the following students to stay after the bell rings. Y/n, Jace, Sam, Hannah. The rest of you are free to go." Professor Ackles said.

"Damnit. Of course, he needs me to stay." You thought to yourself.

When the bell rang and the rest of the students had cleared out, your teacher called you all up individually. After Hannah left it was your turn.

The two of you were all alone, and the door was closed. The locks were set up to where nobody from the outside could open it. You knew exactly why he wanted you to stay.

*She said, "It's for all the right reasons

Baby, don't care 'bout grades, just call me your lady

If I pass this quiz, will you give me your babies?

Don't call me crazy

You love me, but you won't come save me

You got a wife and kids, you see them daily

Don't know why you even need me*

Mr Ackles is a married man. But things have been rough between him and his wife. When she stopped putting out, he turned to you. The two of you have had a strange connection since you started his class, and the sexual tension was hard to ignore.

When the two of you first started sneaking around you were more than okay with it. He's so hot and he makes you feel so good. He swore he was going to leave his wife. But two months later, they're still married. Now you can't help but feel like you're being used.

Was it stupid to want him so much?

"Yes Mr Ackles?" You said, finally walking up to him.

"Your grades are slipping Y/n. You've been very distracted in class lately. If you don't ge5 them up, I'll have to fail you."

"No, please. What can I do?"

"Well, I think you know one thing you can do."

He pushed his chair away from his desk enough for you to come around and kneel in front of him. You made quick work at removing his belt and pants. The tent in his boxers was quickly forming and you couldn't wait to have his long, hard cock in your mouth.

*Teacher's pet

If I'm so special, why am I secret?

Yeah, why the fuck is that?

Do you regret

The things we shared that I'll never forget?

Well, do you? Tell me that

I know I'm young, but my mind is well beyond my years

I knew this wouldn't last, but fuck you, don't you leave me here

Teacher's pet

If I'm so special, why am I secret?*

You couldn't lie and say you weren't turned on by the way he admired you sitting on your knees in front of him.

The relationship you two have is kind of fucked up, and even through the feelings of being used by him, you still love having his cock in you. He loves it just as much as you do.

He lifted his hips, silently asking you to remove his boxers and take him into your mouth. You hooked your fingers in the waistband and made quick work at pulling them down his sexy bow legs.

You wrapped your hand around the base of his cock and stroked it as you teased his tip with kitten like licks. He was already leaking precum, so you knew you wouldn't be down here long. He won't cum until he's buried deep inside your pussy.

*She's feeling like a spider in a cage

You liar, you were her desire

Now she wants to light you on fire

But fuck it, she'll still give you a call

And a lighter when you wanna get hot

And mess around 'til you get numb*

"Fuck, Y/n I need you baby. Get up here." He said.

You stood up to remove your pants and underwear then positioned yourself so you were straddling his thighs, but before you could sink down onto his length, his hands found your face and pulled you down until your lips met his.

This was different. He'd never ever kissed you before. That was always too intimate for him. Which is kind of funny. You'd think having his cock inside you would be too intimate. But oh well.

His tongue teased your bottom lip, asking for entrance to your mouth. You wondered what it would be like if his tongue was entering your pussy. Maybe one day you'll find out.

*She said "It's for all the right reasons

Baby, don't care 'bout grades, just call me your lady

If I pass this quiz, will you give me your babies?

Don't call me crazy

You love me, but you won't come save me

You got a wife and kids, you see them daily

Don't know why you even need me*

His hands moved down to your hips as his tongue explored your mouth, and you finally sank down onto his cock. Every time his long length fills you, it feels like the first time all over again. He stretches you so well. It's the perfect mix between pain and pleasure.

Fuck, what is this man doing to you? All these emotions and physical feelings are creating so much confusion. Is it love, or is it hate? Why does whatever it is, feel so good? So wrong but good.

His hand came down to toy with your clit as you began riding him. You moved up and down and forward in back, alternating between grinding and bouncing on his cock. Every time you'd come down, his tip would press against your g-spot, and it felt euphoric. Your pussy was made for his cock.

Your walls started to clench around him as you neared your orgasm.

*Teacher's pet

If I'm so special, why am I secret?

Yeah, why the fuck is that?

Do you regret

The things we shared that I'll never forget?

Well, do you? Tell me that

I know I'm young, but my mind is well beyond my years

I knew this wouldn't last, but fuck you, don't you leave me here

Teacher's pet

If I'm so special, why am I secret?*

"Fuck that's right baby. You're mine. Fuck, cum on my cock. Milk me dry." He said.

There it is. Every time he calls you his, the feelings of being used disappear.

"But are you mine?" You couldn't help but ask in your lust clouded haze.

"Yes. Fuck yes Y/n. All yours. Make us cum baby."

Wow.

*Gimme back my money

Didn't learn a damn thing, honey, from you

Except how to lie and cheat while inside the sheets

Stop calling me your bunny

I won't hop and you don't own me

Do you?

I bet you think you do, well, you don't*

You bounced a couple more times until finally the two of you came undone together. You slowed your movements to a stop, then rested your body against his. You could feel the mixture of cum dripping down your thighs as his cock softened inside of you.

*Teacher's pet

If I'm so special, why am I secret? (Why am I? Why am I?)

Yeah, why the fuck is that?

Do you regret

The things we shared that I'll never forget?

Well, do you? Tell me that

I know I'm young, but my mind is well beyond my years

I knew this wouldn't last, but fuck you, don't you leave me here

Teacher's pet

If I'm so special, why am I secret?*

"Y/n." Mr Ackles sighed breathlessly.

"Jensen." You responded.

"My divorce is in the process of being finalized. I'm sorry I kept you waiting for so long."

"It was worth it."

"Now we just need to get you out of my classes. Then we'll be free to be us. Only if it's what you want, though."

"I want you. I want all of you." You said.

"Then all of me you'll get, baby." He said, placing a kiss on your forehead.

"Are you really all mine?" You asked.

"Of course. Why?"

"Well, this thing between us did start while you were married."

"I would never cheat on you, Y/n. I know it was shitty of me to do that to my wife. But things between me and her were different. The reason our divorce is finally being worked on it is because I found out she was sleeping around too. I would've left her way sooner if I knew. We told each other the truth and decided we were ready to separate. She's so happy with her boyfriend. Happier than she ever was with me. And I feel the same way about you that she does about him."

"Jensen I- I think I love you." You said.

Yeah. That felt right.

"I don't think. I know I love you, Y/n."

"This is so wrong." You said laughing.

"The right kind of wrong." He agreed.

LA<3

Hope yall enjoy. I'm feeling a little rusty lol.

Venmo: laylah1307

[saintarmand]

a stray cat from a toy shop

while i'd noted it before, this post by @iwtvfanevents gave me a title for the cat painting in claudia's room: The Kitten's Art Lesson by Henriëtte Ronner-Knip. (if you enjoy being insane like me go read the artist's biography at the link, but keep in mind that just because you CAN draw parallels doesn't mean they were necessarily intentional. but they ARE delightful.)

let's take a look at the kitten's art lesson!

the kittens are studying under the watchful eye of the adult cat, who seems disappointed by the lack of decorum. the kittens are in a playful mood! one of them has torn through a painting. another is clinging to the art board with tooth and nail... just playing or trying to hold on after nearly falling? a couple are in a half closed drawer—almost like they could be trapped inside at any moment. one has actually found a paint brush but doesn't seem to know what to do with it. the teacher is not impressed.

i can't help but note the one staring towards us from the drawer looks awfully familiar:

the art teacher and students aren't the only cats in claudia's room; there's also a cat statuette on the mantle (click to see the closeups in full.)

above the cat painting, there's a blurry painting of what looks like some women sitting, and one of them looks she might have a cat in her lap, though that might be wishful thinking on my part. the bottom of the painting blends in so well with the wallpaper that at first glance i actually thought the painting had been cut into, which sent me on a wild train of thought but yeah that's not actually true lol. but the effect is interesting regardless. the cat on the mantle definitely evokes the idea that it escaped from the painting nearby, and could flee at any moment—and in episode 6, it's no longer on the mantle or anywhere else that i can see.

i wonder if it broke along with so much else in the house at the end of episode 5, or if claudia moved it somewhere. fellow insane people keep an eye out, a kitty's gone loose!

so... why cats?

there aren't many cat references in iwtv compared to other animals, but the ones that are there speak volumes. in episode 3, we see louis bite into a black cat as a substitute for the human blood he craves. later in the evening lestat says he "fears for the feline population of new orleans" (after comparing louis to fish and birds). when louis reaches a breaking point, "rats, cats, dogs, would no longer suffice." so what he really wants or needs is something else?

in the next episode, claudia delivers the punchline:

“I used to [live around here] too. I remember there used to be a toy shop a few doors down by there. They used to keep stray cats in boxes for people to take.”

claudia sees herself as a cat. louis took her in like a stray—a helpless little kitten in need of rescue—and he took her (took for free because no one else wanted her) from a box at a toy shop—a place where you find things to play with.

but cats love to play and they love sleeping in boxes so this is fine actually!

...right?

claudia knows herself much better than anyone else in this show. she is a cat in a kitten's body.

the thing you always have to keep in mind about cats is that they are not docile and subservient by nature. they don't do things because they are told but because they choose to. a cat's fur may be pretty and soft to touch, but don't forget those sharp teeth and claws! it's not that they don't like to be pet at all, you just have to get permission first. and even if you do, they might just change their mind, as is their right.

cats do like good company but they also like their independence. they prefer to come and go as they please; not to be locked up inside, and not to be kept on leashes. they like boxes because they feel safe in there, but they also like to jump out for play time: hunt! catch! kill!

they may be small and cute and soft but they're still predators, and brutal ones. if they don't get to hunt for their food in your care, you better find them another outlet or they'll go for your ankles. they developed that instinct to survive, but hunting also happens to be fun! cats love to play with their food.

if you manage to earn their trust, they'll make for wonderful companions—but do not make the mistake of assuming you can ever own them... or you'll have to sleep with one eye open like they do. they're quick and clever but also patient, and they know how to move without a sound. let them out of your sight for even a second, and you won't know what hit you until it's too late. and they'll relish the kill!

no matter how others may speak of her, claudia is not a lap dog, nor a bird in a feathered nest. lestat is not a beauceron herding sheep, and his last name does not make him a lion. the three of them are not fellow dogs either. from the very beginning, claudia knows she's a cat. and by the end, she realizes what lestat let slip in the pilot: he's just an overgrown fucking rat. and while “a cat and a rat” rhymes, that does not mean they're the same thing.

[takaraphoenix]

On the one hand do I understand latching onto the main character on a show. And I even understand protectiveness over one's favorite character. What I don't understand is the inability to see that not everything is for everyone and with a broad variety of tastes and of other characters available, people may just latch onto someone else.

Especially since main characters are tricky.

Protagonistic main characters always carry this heavy burden of having to be pure of heart and intentions, forgiving and accepting, trying to find the good and right solution. Be good.

In my experience, that's a tightrope to balance.

A character who exclusively stands for everything good and pure and right in the world can easily turn mind-numbingly boring. For various reasons even. Maybe because the audience feels preached to. Maybe because flaws and bad choices give flavor. Maybe because always doing the Good And Right Thing gets too predictable. Maybe because the audience's core-values clash with those of the main character.

Secondary main characters are usually free of these burdens. They get to mess up - sometimes, it is even vital for the story that they mess up specifically so the protagonist has something to fix or gets an opportunity to show their goodness in comparison.

There's edges and roughness and flaw in secondary main characters that too many primary main characters aren't allowed.

Not all! There are plenty titular leads who get to mess up, who get to be mean and rude and make bad choices and be selfish and loud and take up space (looking at you, Buffy Summers, my beloved).

But too many writers are afraid that these "flaws" somehow cut into the goodness and righteousness of their protagonist in some way. When all it really does is show that they're human.

Doesn't mean people can't latch onto the characters who supposedly do everything right, or are overly good, or are shining examples of morality and forgiveness and rainbows and kittens. Heck, sometimes that's even very nice, sometimes I like that too, because it's easy and sometimes, easy is nice. I love Clark Kent, who always holds out his hand to help even those who hurt him and who looks at the world with endless optimism and the fundamental belief that there is good in the people around him (he hopes and forgives because that's his only option because he is too powerful to do anything else, otherwise he'll make himself a god, so he has to believe the good in people will make them make the right choice on their own).

Sometimes, easy is also boring. Sometimes, easy rubs me the wrong way. Sometimes, easy isn't enough.

Because depending on the execution of forgiveness and righteousness and goodness, it makes me bare my teeth and recoil. When it shouldn't be that easy, when it shouldn't be forgiven that easily, when the good and righteous solution isn't satisfying, when the crime deserves a punishment and not a hug and a 'you're part of the team now, bud', when you know that the 'no kill' solution will just inevitably lead to the problem returning and getting worse, when revenge would be so much sweeter than forgiveness.

Because not everything has to be a rainbow colored Saturday morning cartoon with a happy end resolution and I'm not that little girl who wants everyone to always get along anymore.

I'm the vindictive woman who holds grudges and thinks forgiveness shouldn't be handed out like candy on Halloween but should be hard-earned and that redemption and forgiveness don't have to go hand-in-hand, just because they're being redeemed doesn't mean they have to or should be sticking around right here, with the very people they hurt in the past. An eye for an eye is more tantalizing than hugging it out, sometimes.

I like my protagonists flawed. Struggling. Not just struggling with the plot but maybe struggling with themselves, with their own morals, with the decisions they have to make.

If they don't have to fight for it, if it is all handed to them because the writers are too afraid of conflict and don't want to make their protagonist selfish, if they are assigned the high moral compass and the good righteous decisions and if they keep forgiving and giving second chances, even when it's been proven again and again that this route only leads to more problems...

...Well, I'll go ahead and sink my teeth into the broken ones that lash out and want revenge and fuck up along the way and have to fight for what they have, even when it's taken away from them, even when they are forced to lose it or mess up to make the protagonist look better.

[troutfur]

Can I ask how the Mapleshade situation plays out in terms of what happens to everyone involved in the afterlife in your world building

it's a real fun scenario because you can really play around with who gets sent to hell depending on how the society and afterlife views it

I will try my best, but keep in mind all I know about Mapleshade's Vengeance is second-hand because that website article that straight up told kids "not jumping into a swelling river to play lifeguard when you have no training is a hell-worthy offense" killed any desire I ever had to read the book. So if any of y'all have ideas of your own please feel free to pitch in.

ANYWAY!

Keeping with the idea of the DF cats being more embedded into the landscape, I really like the idea of Mapleshade's haunt being the river. I view her as a sort of La Llorona figure, trying to lure kits she mistakes for her own only to drown them in a fit of rage when she finds out they're not hers. I definitely think she'd be seen as the main villain of the tale for all the retaliatory murders and the fact it was her infidelity that started it all.

I think the main religious practice surrounding her would be propitiation of some sort (perhaps offering up kitten milk teeth?), although I can very easily see her being also called up for baneful craft. Bring her up for some good old fashioned retribution on that cheating bastard of a mate you have, that'll teach him! It wouldn't let her ascend, exactly, but it would help her be seen a little more positively and ensure the strength of her curse upon Appledusk's descendants.

Speaking of, while not a straight up vengeful ghost like Mapleshade I also think history will not be kind to Appledusk. It takes two to make forbidden kits, afterall. And even if he rejected them, the consequences of Mapleshade's fury still fell upon RiverClan mostly due to him. ("What do you mean it was our cruelty and xenophobia in turning her away that caused this?! It was clearly an individual issue, and the individual in question is him.")

Frecklewish I think gets a pass in popular memory because she wasn't like out of the norm xenophobic. Cruel to children, sure. But ThunderClan is more than capable of making excuses given the situation. I would think in popular memory that aspect of her would be retconned eventually, even. So over time StarClan!Frecklewish is made a much flatter model auntie type rather than a deeply prejudiced and flawed person.

Who's left? Ravenwing? Meddie pass. Other than that I think that's it for major victims? Generally I would think they get victim passes. A lot of the blame gets pinned on Mapleshade, and secondarily on Appledusk.

[innytoes]

Hello, please do prompt 21 for willex!! So excited!

And also for @legolasghosty who asked for the same with Willex(ie). Because you all love the giant skeleton prompt lol.

You'd think after several months of being crammed into a tour bus during their first tour ever, Alex would have cringed at the idea of pooling their money to buy a house together as a band. But it wasn't like they were making Mansion Money (not yet! the Bobby in his mind shouted), and well, he kind of liked their little house. He liked seeing his friends every day. They each had their own bedroom, they converted the garage into a music studio, and there were enough bathrooms that nobody wanted to murder the others on a regular basis.

The house was in a nice neighbourhood, but nice in the way that people smiled and nodded at each other on the street, not nice as in 'everyone's lawn is immaculate and exactly according to HOA standards'. The house on the corner had an alarming amount of garden gnomes, there was a Little Free Library a few houses down, and apparently people went kind of hard decorating for the holidays.

Reggie had been more than happy to sweet talk the little old lady with the Pomeranian from down the street into giving up her source for decorative gourds. But it wasn't enough, so they decided to plan a trip to the nearest Spirit Halloween.

It wasn't like they planned to come home with a twelve foot skeleton. But it was there, and it was awesome, and when Alex had tried to object, Luke had turned to him with a: "We're the adults now, bro. We get to decide what that means."

And well, how could Alex object to that?

"Okay," he'd agreed. "But only if we can rig it so he's holding a pride flag."

And so, Clyde The Pride Skeleton was erected in their front yard, much to the delight of a lot of their neighbours. It wasn't uncommon for people to stop and take pictures, for little kids to shout HI CLYDE on their way to school, and for the local teens to salute him while biking past. Alex kind of loved it.

So yeah, he wasn't particularly upset to find a stranger in their front yard taking selfies with Clyde. The skeleton was located far enough to the front of their yard and they had enough greenery and porch between him and the house that their privacy wasn't exactly compromised. And well, who wouldn't want a picture with a giant gay skeleton?

The thing that was alarming was how this guy was taking selfies.

Because he was on stilts. Stilts high enough that when Alex looked out of his bedroom window, he was face to face with the beautiful, handsome, insane stranger in the front yard.

"Hi! I love your skeleton!" the guy called, waving as Alex opened up his widow in alarm.

"What the hell are you doing?" he called, a little alarmed. The guy was really, really high up.

"Taking a selfie?" Stilt Guy responded, wiggling his phone a little for emphasis.

"Okay," Alex huffed to himself, because obviously. "Why are you on stilts?"

"Oh!" the guy beamed. "Because else I couldn't get his face and my face in the frame!"

Which made a weird kind of sense but also who had giant stilts just lying around? How far had this guy walked with (on? that was a terrifying thought) giant stilts just to get a selfie with Clyde.

The guy moved around the skeleton, coming up to the window, and while Alex thought he should probably be more concerned, the closer the guy got, the more he realised he was very, very pretty. Besides, if he was a creep, he'd be easy to topple over.

"I'm Willie!" Stilt Guy said.

"Alex," Alex said. "Do you always have giant stilts with you, or did you make a special trip just to meet Clyde?"

"His name is Clyde?" Willie's smile became even wider. "I mean, I had them in my backpack, I just did a shift at the Hollywood Ghost Carnival. They're collapsible. You'd be surprised how handy they can be!"

"Uhuh. I bet you rescue a lot of kittens stuck in trees," Alex said sarcastically, and okay, maybe a little flirtatiously. Listen, it wasn't ever day that a handsome stranger hovered outside your bedroom window wanting to chat.

And so they did. For like half an hour, Alex sitting in the window sill and Willie shuffling around on his stilts. He told the story of Clyde the Pride Skeleton, Willie told him about his job at the Carnival, and they both flirted up a storm.

Alex was just about to offer Willie to come inside (through the window, through the front door, whatever would be easier in the giant stilts), when Reggie came running down the street.

"Guys, do we have a ladder?" he called. "Mr Emerson's cat is stuck in a tree in front of the Molina's house and she sounds so sad, we gotta help her out!"

Willie met his eyes. The mischievous smile was back.

Alex groaned. Okay, so he'd been proven wrong. "Actually I think we got something that will work!" he called down, and when Reggie turned to look, his face lit up.

Maybe afterwards, they could still grab a coffee or something. You know, on the ground like normal people.

[rjschoicesstuff]

For Ripley: 🍷🤡📱🧸🧑‍🍼🐾

Thank uuu!!

🍷- How do they feel about alcohol?

She's gotten drunk once and from that experience learned that she's a giant lightweight and will act like a total fool + get really sick + hangovers suck. But.. she would do it again.. but she set the rule for herself that she needs to be with people that she trusts + can babysit her + she wouldn't mind embarassing herself around.

She also decided to wait til she's 21 for the next time cuz it prompted a whole talk with her mom who was not happy with her lol. I think she's at some point gonna get wasted again during one of her 'fuck im gonna be 19 forever'-breakdowns and be glad that vampires can't die of alchohol poisoning afterwards.

🤡 - What’s something dumb they’re embarrassed about?

Ripley has oc's LMAO but no one can see!!! No one!!!!! NO ONE!!

Except they have already been seen

(It's mostly lesbian werewolves who do streetracing + since becoming a vampire she also has a new werewolf oc who got recently turned and has to come to terms with her new life and the fact that she killed someone during a full moon, shes totally not projecting guys.)

📱 - What social media do they use the most?

Snapchat probably, just sending annoying videos to everyone n stuff

🧸 - Do they have any stuffed animals? If so, are they decorative or do they sleep with them?

She kept her childhood stuffed toys but they're all packed away in boxes, she dislikes having anything on her bed especially. Tho I can see her having 1 or 2 weird dolls for decoration or something.

🧑‍🍼 - How do they feel about kids?

She loves kids, she used to babysit for 2 families for some extra money before she moved, but she'd even have done it for free lol. I think she has rly strong feelings about how kids should be treated (like I mean respecting them, not talking down to them, treating them like actual human beings and individuals etc.) I think kids also just rly like her lol.

She's rly torn up that she's never going to have kids or experience pregnancy and stuff, like she knows that even if she'd stayed human maybe it wouldn't have happened, but now it's just so definitive u know. And it's really bittersweet when any of her human friends have kids because she loves them but she knows shes gonna abruptly have to be out of their lives at some point (with vampires faking their death and all that) and will have to watch them grow up from a distance from there on. I can also see her becoming a teacher or just working with kids in some way in one of her future lives.

🐾 - Do they have any pets?

She has a crusty white dog named Bram Stoker, that she always refers to as her little brother and ppl get confused as hell lmao 😭 (he's the dog in tht pic I put in this post)

And in the future Gabriela is gonna surprise her with a kitten that she names Wolf. I posted abt him here haha

They'll prob have more pets after that bbut those are the ones I know for sure hahah

[galvatronsthighs]

got any headcanons for hobbies the unicronian trio do in their down time?

Hobbies and downtime headcanons! No timeline specified so this is 'generic'.

Galvatron: Can't often settle for one thing, does lots of different stuff, often out of spite. As in if someone tells them they can't do something Galvatron will make it their mission to do it, and it will be their hobby/'thing' for a while. They also love doing things with their hands and making things, this often leads them to be around the Constructicons helping them make things because it keeps 'em occupied, and yeah, Galvs is kinda getting the whole "satisfaction of having built something" deal, but it's not WHY they do it. They also like to cook for a similar reason it keeps their hands busy! Plus lots of fun textures! They tend to leave whatever they've made though because it was mostly just for the sake of doing something, so the lucky 'con who walks in next will find a free treat. Galvatron often seems to cloud watch or star gaze. It's hard to tell if that's what they're actually doing or if they've just zoned out and it's suddenly become a 3-hour zone-out-session. It's not good to leave them like this, the bad thoughts fester easily and they can spiral a bit, so keep an eye on them!

Also some hiking (100% because of that "Hiking for my stupid mental health" video).

Cyclonus: Books! Lots of fascinating information in there! Utter bookworm! Psychology is of interest to him, wonder why... (in reference to that one G1 episode). Also likes working out and training! He's a big jet! Big jet strong! Will bench press you! Just really likes to keep his systems well trained! He's not the most agile or fast jet but he excels in sheer strength and such working out as become a nice relaxing hobby for him! Helps him unwind, alas other Decepticons aren't too impressed to find themselves being picked up like soggy kittens because the SIC is in a mood. He does offer to help teach them, because stronger, trained troops is a good thing, few actually take him up on the 'teaching' offer. Actually cloud/star gazes. Scourge: He's a hunter and tracker, what do you think his hobbies are? He likes animal watching, and many outdoorsy hobbies such as setting up mobile camps and finding safe energon-alternatives. Though the latter seems to be his excuse for why he just... bites stuff. Did find a plant that can be digested by Cybertronians though so, bonus! Also loves to practice his stealth and finding new corridors and places he can hide! He's very good at finding all these nooks and crannies! Others only find out about them because he hides in them and takes a swipe at passers by... Many choose to think he's just being an asshole but he does enjoy finding these pathways. So I suppose that means exploring can be added as a hobby too. Oh to get lost on a new planet and explore all it's secrets! He doesn't even have a goal in mind just to wander and find all the best spots!

Also can't ignore those fabulous nails! He's very conscious of taking care of himself! Can't be a good hunter if you have crap gumming up your systems! A very clean bot!

[warriorplots]

Welcome to Warriorplots!

Hello! I'm the sole owner/admin of this blog. You can call me Mason or Millie, I use she/her pronouns (subject to change)! I read my first warriors book about 9 years old & was completely smitten all the way through elementary school, though I only got as far as the end of OotS & half of the first book of AVoS. That's where I stopped for good unfortunately, so I know virtually nothing about any books after that or any super editions (save for Bluestar's Prophecy, but who doesnt know that one really?). Because of this, and a general dislike for the way the books are written, I like to lean more on things like fan comics & OCS -- that's why I made this blog! I think about these cats quite a lot and so come up with a number of ideas for characters & plots, many more than can fit in my own stories; this is where I'll share them, as well as other folks' submitted ideas!

Posts may be very slow until I can start getting more submissions. Currently I am aiming for a post every other day. Thanks for reading :]

Rules:

1- Submissions containing ableism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, elements of real life racism (canon typical cat racism is generally OK, just dont send in like. cat named Whiteheart hates all specifically black cats because they're obviously evil in their hearts or whatever) or generally any bigotry are not allowed & will not be posted.

2- Nothing NSFW in submissions. Violence and such is alright, but dont get sexual about the feral cats on main.

4- This is not a discourse blog. Do not submit anything intentionally inflammatory or discourse related. Be friends here please.

5- I will tag any triggers I'm asked to (within reason of course). Any discourse around or making fun of any tagged triggers is extremely not allowed. Please keep in mind however, I am only human; If I forget to tag something, please gently remind me. Dont start yelling unless I've repeatedly missed them. In that case get mean.

6- Submissions with things like incest, pedophilia, or large age gaps, intentional or not & romanticised or not, will be deleted. Asks telling me this rule is bad because "free speech" or "fiction doesnt affect reality" or "theyre feral cats it happens all the time" will also be deleted. I will not debate this; this is not a discourse blog, yes, but I have the right to not engage with topics that make me uncomfortable no matter how mad it makes you. Go somewhere else. Thanks.

7- Cringe culture is dead. You are NOT allowed to call anyone's ideas (including your own) cringe/lame/whatever. This blog is for funzies!

8- Crossover ideas are 100% okay, I think they could be great fun. I probably wont post any crossovers with significantly problematic media or any media that makes me personally uncomfortable though.

9- If you believe I have posted anything that breaks any of these rules or is generally shitty, please let me know!

Tagged topics (Open to edits/expansion):

-Death (#tw death /#tw animal death / #tw cat death)

-Kits being harmed (does not include regular sickness, but please let me know if you would like it to) (#tw kit harm / #tw kitten harm) #tw kit death if applicable)

-Animal harm (#tw animal harm + specific tags depending on who exactly is being harmed & how)

-Violence (#tw violence)

-Gore (extreme/detailed descriptions of wounds or gore or very extreme violence) (tw gore)

-SH/suicide (note, extreme or poorly handled descriptions of this will not be posted at all, this is only for posts that mention it casually & without detail) (#tw sh / #tw suicide depending)

[the-cat-at-the-theatre-door]

Hi! I saw your tags (interpretation of the Cat "orgy") and I was wondering if you could elaborate on it? :D That bit confuses me SO much -- IS it a sexual thing? is it just cuddle time? Lmao I know that it's usually described kind of sensually (especially with Plato and Victoria), so in conclusion: ???????

Oh, excellent question, anon. And honestly, this one doesn’t really have a straight answer, I’m afraid. That conclusion of ?????? is pretty spot on.

The *official* title of that section of the ball is called “The White Cat Lift”, because the main area of focus while the rest of the cats pile in is Plato/Admetus/Tumblebrutus/Mistoffelees/Coricopat/Pouncival/Alonzo/etc etc etc lifting Victoria up in the air. It is not officially referred to as anything other than that (The part *just* before when Victoria and her beau of the week approach one another and sniff each other or nuzzle is called “Sensuals”, so it is absolutely “canonically” intended to be read on a more intimate level which is where you get that described sensuality you mentioned). 

Its purpose, unless it is highly sped through, is to give all of the dancers a break and a chance to breathe before launching back into the second half of the Jellicle Ball (when a number is 10 - 15 minutes long and at that level of intensity, you 100% require a break midway of some kind and lying down is better than even just standing still). That’s the long and short technical explanation for it. 

That being said, many people in the fandom (and outside the fandom as well - with a particular boom when the 2019 film came out), have jokingly (or not so jokingly) nicknamed it the “orgy” section of the ball, because it looks a little...well to be blunt, it looks a little bit like an orgy, complete with a pile of writhing bodies, and many performers actively feeling one another up/playing it up as sensual as possible. I would imagine that this sensuality is actively encouraged (and possibly semi-planned in the improve stage of cat school) during rehearsals. So fans (and audiences) took that idea and ran wild with it. 

There have been many a joke of Skimbleshanks being the “orgy supervisor” since he usually acts as the cat that Victoria is laid down upon rather than actively involving himself with the other cats (though he also lifted her during the OLC times and laid her down on his belly *himself* so that’s...something). There have been further jokes of the “WTF” nature of the interesting pairings you would get during this scene (ex. 1998 Film), before the revival kind of “regulated” them, per say. You’ll no doubt run into them (if you haven’t already).

I *believe* that it was Gillian Lynne (though don’t directly quote me - I recall this being said but I can’t quite remember by *who* - it could have also been one of the revival members or another past cast member) that made the implication that Victoria was in heat during this particular section,  (which is supported by the fact that her initial solo before “The Invitation to the Jellicle Ball” is her “discovering herself” - which is Gillian Lynne-ese for self-pleasure and hitting puberty) which explains why some of the cats (or I guess all of them) are more drawn towards her.

Is it a *sexual* thing? Well, I can’t say for certain if that’s the intended implication (but knowing Gillian Lynne it very well could have been). It is, however, an extremely “sensual” thing (as most of the choreo in CATS is), but the level of which that sensuality is taken will greatly vary from production to production. Some productions just stick to partner/group cuddling and touching, while others take steps father (rolling and hovering on top of one another, run hands along bodies, bumping and grinding, handstands, etc). I suppose we need to keep in mind that, because we are dealing with Gillian Lynne choreo, the implication of sensuality and sexuality is always there and she most likely choreographed that section with the encouragement for the performers to keep that in mind, too.

ALL OF THAT BEING SAID HOWEVER - 

I think the reason why I specifically (I can’t speak for anyone else; interpret at will) am somewhat uncomfortable with the implication that this is an orgy (joking about it is a bit different - I don’t really mind the jokes because it is rather *strange*), is that a couple of the characters included in this pile are referred to as “kittens” (especially if they include swings that had John Napier ref. sheets that *literally* said “kitten” on it).

I understand that the age thing can be interpreted different from person to person (and I *also* understand that the actual performers themselves are *usually* of age - though some performers have been 16/17 when they started so...),  but there is no denying that some characters of CATS are described, however briefly, as being part of the “kitten group”. So, keeping this in mind, if we *are* to read this scene as a straight up orgy, then that makes me incredibly uncomfortable, point blank. I really don’t need to elaborate why, I think. 

To me, personally, I prefer to interpret it as the following:

Touch is a big part of this whole musical, so I would assume that touch is also something incredibly valuable to the cats themselves. The concept of touching and being touched essentially connects them as a familial group (That’s why Grizabella was so desperate to be touched again - that would indicate that she’s been reaccepted). They use touch and the concept of scent mingling extensively in their society - to welcome cats, to tell them goodbye, to connect with them, to comfort them, to introduce kittens to their families, etc. It’s a way to bond. 

So in the case of the Jellicle Ball, the couple that takes center stage is what I would kind of deem as the “Belles of the Ball”, aka it’s a bit like an officiation of a mateship - similar to humans getting married (though some pairings in the show are rather...strange to me I won’t lie). When the rest of the cats gather together around them, families and couples and friends, touching and mixing their scents together, it’s their way of wishing the new couple luck in the future. It’s them becoming more familiar of what the “together” is rather than the singular. It’s to remind them of who they are, where they came from, and what they will be. It’s to comfort them if they’re nervous, to assure them that the rest of them are with them, no matter what happens. If previously established couples approach them together, it’s their way of ensuring longevity; perhaps if they come in closer with their own kittens, its a way to wish that they have healthy offspring should they desire it. All in all, it’s a good luck, we’re proud of you, and we’re all here for you cuddle session.  

Sappy, maybe, but I prefer the familial cuddle pile to anything else.