a pentagram of the characters of in catching cinders showing the primary emotional need fulfilled by other members of the polycule. the characters are, in clockwise order starting from the top-left: Tyson the Arcanine, Aideen the Ninetales, Owyn the Arcanine, Calig the Houndoom, Elan the Ninetales.
--
the lines connecting each member of the polycule to each other are color coded. each color represents the primary emotional need met by the other partner if you boiled down the relationship to one word. there are four categories:
--
green = fulfillment: the character's relationships is based on helping each other meet life goals and supporting them in the tasks of day to day life. they could be career or creative goals. they make each other feel accomplished and proud.
--
yellow = energy: the characters can rely on the other to help recharge them when they're feeling drained or demotivated. for these couples, a kiss is a better pick-me-up than a cup of coffee.
--
pink = sexual: these characters fuck good and get along well. it's pretty simple. some might call this the "Glorified FWB category" but good chemistry and a roll in the hay can go a long way.
--
blue = security: these characters lean on each other when they need to let their guard down, explore new things, or need a sense of assurance. being vulnerable is hard and having someone you love and trust to be vulnerable with is important.
this chart explains each character and the colored line that connects them to the other on the pentagram:
~
Tyson: Tyson x Aideen = Fulfillment, Tyson x Owyn = Sex, Tyson x Calig = Sex, Tyson x Elan = Security.
Tyson and Aideen have been a team for over 20 years now. Tyson quit the navy to be a stay at home dad when Aideen got pregnant and learned to love being a parent. Elan and Tyson's bond comes from Elan being the first time Tyson got to explore his long-suppressed bisexuality. he's never gotten to explore his identity before Elan.
~
Aideen: Aideen x Owyn = Sex, Aideen x Calig= Safety, Aideen x Elan = Energy, Aideen x Tyson = Fulfillment. Elan is a big source of motivation for Elan: her parents weren't very good to her so Aideen demands perfection of herself so she doesn't repeat the mistakes of the past. She also adores Cal and want Elan to marry them one day. Cal helps Aideen explore parts of herself that Tyson can't help with, just like Elan does with Tyson.
~
Owyn: Owyn x Calig = Energy, Owyn x Elan = Safety, Owyn x Tyson + Aideen = sex. Owyn and Cal have a bit of a rivalry and it's super motivating for them. Owyn also appreciates Elan because he feels comfortable enough to drop his guard with the fox. His relationship to Aideen and Tyson is less complicated: he fucks good and they like it.
~
Calig: Calig x Elan = Fulfill, Calig x Tyson = Sex, Calig x Aideen = Safety, Calig x Owyn = Energy. Cal was actually out as pansexual before Elan was. Elan really admires their partner's confidence. Also, Cal is very goals-oriented and knows when Elan needs a kick in the pants so he doesn't coast thru life.
Elan: Elan x Tyson = Security, Elan x Aideen = Energy, Elan x Owyn = Security, Elan x Calig = Fulfill.
Despite the fact Elan is so sex-motivated, sex isn't the primary motivation for why he loves the other 4 in the cluster. Perhaps all his lines are ALSO pink, because he fucks good and loves it when his partners fuck good.
some spoilers for Catching Cinders ahead, so be warned:
thought it'd be interesting to visualize how the Faggot Pentagram works. the ALT text in first image breaks down what the four categories mean, the 2nd will explain the contents of the diagram
cw: #Incest #FurryIncest
