🌲🌸☀️ bug eater farm: summertime catch-all ☀️🌸🌲

[bluminescence]

🐛 WHO: Kaspar Blumlund and/or Trahearne + visitors
🐛 WHAT: Summer/Jan. catch-all for the chill bug eater farm
🐛 WHEN: throughout this season
🐛 WHERE: their farm in the forest
🐛 WARNINGS: marked in headers and updated here eventually

[ top levels/details in the comments below ]

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movie night | trahearne, kaspar, m-21, oriphi, syrlya

[pactmarshal]

[ Weeks in the making, it finally happens.

Once the house is fixed up after the hurricane, invitations are sent out and Trahearne runs to the store to grab a bunch of VHSs--narratively, they are of questionable quality. But it's to get this square done. So does it really matter?

Kaspar's delicious worm soup and pancakes are on offer, along with other snacks to last the night. Five movies must be enough, right? It's not like they have to get up early and farm, or anything.

Anyway, first movie is...a feel-good horse girl movie.

Feel free to threadjack etc! ]

[bluminescence]

[ Kaspar is excited for this, in all the little ways he knows how express it without words. Their living room has been cleaned and cozied up with coasters and places set on the coffee table and side tables. A blanket is tossed over the back of the couch, one M-21 may recognize. Kaspar also has tea on offer, from the elephant tea pot itself.

Dressed down for what has been described as something casual, he looks just as naturally comfortable as he usually does in uniform. Tonight, he manages it in a nicely fitted short sleeve shirt and soft gray pants. Most noticeably, for once, he doesn't have his pistol at hand.

Everyone gets a smile from him in greeting, and M-21 gets a warm pat on the back. It is just small enough of a group that he feels at ease, though large enough that he is content to go quiet unless spoken to directly. Offers of tea and soup are largely wordless, but he endeavors to keep cups filled and guests happy.

But by the time he curls up on one end of the couch with his cup, he realizes it might be a tight fit. So, he offers his lap up innocently to whoever is closest with a pat. Though the spot on the ground in front of his legs or beside him, are also hot real estate options. ]

[feralheart]

[ It's a nice, comfortable group of people M-21 likes -- only one of which has seen him hallucinating, which is definitely a plus. He gives Kaspar a little smile in return for that pat on the back. Once a man has spoon fed one worm soup, he has a certain amount of leniency where personal space is concerned.

Not, maybe, sitting in his lap levels of personal space waiver. At least for the practical reason that he isn't much shorter than Kaspar, and then Kaspar would miss out on the exciting horse movie. M-21 plops down next to him instead, looking around to see where everyone else is settling. He can still move to the floor if they're squished... ]

You moved the TV plants for this.

[hearthwarming]

[ Ori, meanwhile, is comfortable with the group as well, all things considered...!

She is also fully ready to sit on the floor when she spots Kaspar offering his lap, which has her. Pausing. He's so bold...! Yet she has to admit, despite being the smallest one here, her horns would likely make for an uncomfortable time for Kaspar.

She waves a hand dismissively in response, but an idea occurs to her then... ]

Heh... Wouldn't it be funny if I turned into a cat or something to sit in your lap?

[ haha jk... unless... ]

[bluminescence]

[ Kaspar doesn't realize how bold of an offer, as someone to the standards of the island for physical affection. Also he lives with Trahearne. But he is unfazed. And then he is too busy visibly relaxing once M-21's remark draws his warm glance and soft smile. He's taken it as a compliment

Ori is not spared his queit warmth either, when his gaze finds her again. Kaspar breathes a laugh at the offer, shifting to grab the blanket for his lap. And M-21's, if he should accept it from him blindly.

Simply, he agrees. With a wide open lap, softened by layers of cloth. ]

... It would.

1/2

[hearthwarming]

[hearthwarming]

[ Well, it's really hard to refuse when that blanket looks so enticing (and so does that quiet warmth)...

She's also honestly forgotten, apart from M-21, who all amongst this group are aware that she has such an ability, but here goes!

With one graceful move, her body shrinks and shifts into that of a cat..... with rabbit ears. She looks a little bit like this, but covered in flowers. She leaps onto Kaspar's lap after that, circling a few times and making biscuits before she lays down there, all curled up. ]

[feralheart]

[ Because M-21 likes Kaspar: the cryptic remark was definitely a compliment. But now he's glancing between the two of them and blinking, undecided on how to take this. This is... just cat things, right? Hm.

Well, it makes plenty of room on the couch for all of them. He resettles himself, leaning just a little against Kaspar's shoulder as he reaches over to try to pet a cat-rabbit ear. They can all be comfy like this. ]

[bluminescence]

[ The transformation is a surprise to Kaspar. A mild one, because he has seen her magic and believed her words. It is just enough for a breath of a laugh that is snuffed out by one palm as he watches her ritual to curl up on his lap. He is delighted, in his own subdued way, with bright eyes and calm demeanor.

He aims one stroke along her back just as M-21 leans into him. But Kaspar easily accepts the warmth of them both, feeling strangely comforted by it. This is a first, having two people he cares for so close. It has him relaxing further against the couch as he shifts one arm to drape over M-21's shoulders and quietly allow him more comfortable access to Ori. M-21's back is fine now, after all. ]

[hearthwarming]

[ Oriphi, in her cat (rabbit?) form settles in cozily and without further issue. She probably won't be able to watch the horse girl movies properly like this, but she can always hop off and sit on the floor as herself later...

For now, she's happy to provide serotonin for Kaspar and M-21. The former's hand cards through fur and flowers alike as his fingers glide along her back, and her ear twitches under M-21's attention.

She might be purring a little, too... Look, don't think about it too much, ]

[feralheart]

[ M-21 blinks once in surprise. But it's not like he hadn't already allowed Kaspar much closer than that when Kas was looking after him during the goddess' little back pain prank. Whatever calculations are working their way through the werewolf brain, M-21 ultimately settles on "smug" and relaxes right where he is, nearly snuggling.

He's got a soft rabbit ear to pet. He's warm and cozy. And he doesn't hate the comfortable feeling of having Kaspar's arm around him. He'll give that some thought later, or likely not at all. ]

Doubt the square still counts if we fall asleep.

[hearthwarming]

[ She's had to eat a lot of interesting things over her time as an adventurer, but still - worm soup is a first!

Regardless of the whatever constellation of seating arrangements they all end up in for the actual movies proper, once the movies start, Ori finds herself absolutely entranced by it all. Yes, even the horse girl movie.

In fact, by the time that first movie has ended, she's a bit teary-eyed. Is this normal!? She cries during sad parts of plays too, so maybe it's like that...!? ]

Oh, I... [ sniff ] That was a moving ending...!

[pactmarshal]

[ It was cheesy, yes. Moving? Not so sure.

The sniff coming from the audience startles Trahearne, and he looks to Ori with wide, curious eyes. ]

Was it?

[ It's a genuine question... He just doesn't see it. ]

[bluminescence]

[ At the opposite end of the couch from Trahearne, probably, Kaspar says nothing. Before either say a word, he can see and hear in dim lighting. He's looked away casually to sip at his cold tea since the film ended. And is now busy blinking away the tears in his watery eyes.

He's never seen anything like that. There's so much he didn't understand and yet, if he looks at Ori he is certain he will cry too. ]

[hearthwarming]

It was!

[ Ori has no problem admitting this. She glances back at Trahearne with tearful eyes, and in the process catches Kaspar looking away. Maybe he didn't like the movie...? ]

The whole time, I couldn't help but think, "If she could only talk to the horse..."

[ These are the things she thinks about... ]

[pactmarshal]

[ CONFUSED STARE... ]

I understand the sentiment, but that seems a bit implausible on several levels.

[ it's just fiction, trahearne, ]

[feralheart]

None of these movies would last more than five minutes if anyone talked to each other. Horses, too.

[ Resident movie expert can't resist contributing his two cents, okay. ]

[pactmarshal]

But then perhaps the central conflict would be a bit more interesting.

[ Looks at Ori. ]

What would a druid movie look like?

[chronosynthesis]

[Syrlya has experience with the VCR by this point, so when everything is setting up he's there troubleshooting and making sure the right buttons are pressed. Once they have the first movie up and running, he squeezes onto the couch next to Trahearne with snacks in his lap.

He's politely quiet during the movies themselves, even though he has dozens of commentary running through his mind. It is a fascinating way to deliver a story--this must be what holodramas are like. In between each movie, he's a little eager to discuss what they just watched.

...

Five movies, as it turns out, is a lot. Syrlya's already waning by movie four, and halfway through it he can't keep his eyes open anymore. As he nods off, his weight sinks sideways towards Trahearne.]

[pactmarshal]

[ Five movies is a lot. And despite Trahearne's fascination with the medium, all of the stories begin to blend together at some point. All these horse girl movies...are so formulaic.

The couch isn't as big as he or Kaspar likes, so at some point he's come to nestle himself into the corner, arm across the couch back to make room for Syrlya beside him.

Which doesn't really help the dozing situation. The sleepiness is a little infectious between the two of them; as Syrlya leans into him, Trahearne's arm slips from the back of the couch and across his shoulders, and his head dips to the side to rest atop Syrlya's.

The movie dialogue is distant in his ear. He's still convinced he's awake. ]

[chronosynthesis]

[The arm is instinctively inviting, and Syrlya tucks against Trahearne's side as he's wrapped in it. The reminder to stay awake grows even more distant, and he finds himself unable to crack his eyes open anymore.]

[hearthwarming]

[ The sound of various leaves rustling is enough to draw Ori's attention away from this incredible horse girl movie, and when she sees Trahearne and Syrlya having dozed off, she can't help but smile warmly. She glances at Kaspar and M-21 to see if they've similarly dozed off, but regardless...

With a quiet little giggle she waves her hand, drawing on her arcane energy to cause flowers to grow around both of their heads. Congratulations on your flower crowns! ]

[pactmarshal]

[ Trahearne, with his cheek against Surprise
Syrlya's head, notices something different about his resting spot. He shifts, burying his face into Syrlya's hair, trying to avoid the tickle on his nose.

Still doesn't prevent him from grunting in confusion (he's still awake, you know). ]

Hm...?

[chronosynthesis]

[Trahearne's stirring jostles Syrlya, which some sleepy corner of his mind doesn't appreciate. So his weight sinks against Trahearne's arm, face burying against his neck in a weary effort to pin him down.]

[hearthwarming]

[ Success! Ori can't help but smile, proud of herself as she watches them only further settled against each other.

Her work here is done. She's going to sneak off, with a roll of 15 in Stealth (which is good, for once), to help clean up around the place as thanks for hosting the movie night. ]