ghoullest - Tumblr blog

[ghoullest]

the familiar dark.

dialogue prompts from the familiar dark: a novel by amy engel.

you got somewhere else you need to be?

you're like a cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

are there rules in this situation i'm not aware of?

i won't do anything crazy. not today.

i'm staying here again tonight.

i love you, too. always.

the time for being good is over.

leverage is more useful than honesty.

i'd be lying if i said i wasn't nervous.

i wasn't blind. just stupid.

i think you'd hurt your own mother if you stood to gain from doing it.

look me in the eye and swear it.

it's hard to move up in the world when you've never seen it done.

do people actually think being sorry helps?

i promise i'll behave.

i just want ____ to go away.

i needed a day where no one was looking at me waiting for me to crack.

i do not have a chip on my shoulder.

you need to eat. it's important to keep your strength up.

it gets exhausting, acting like things aren't as bad as they are.

i don't know who to talk to or how to act.

i know what you're thinking. i've already thought it myself.

sometimes, lately, it's like i don't even know you.

if you're asking me to forgive, i don't have it in me.

what's done is done. rehashing is a waste of breath.

when something like that happens, it either shapes you or breaks you.

you don't have to slide backward. there's other, better choices.

i'm already at home in the dark.

i'm sick of pretending to be strong.

i think anger might be a relief.

i've been here all this time. all these years.

i'm not going to tell, if that's what you're worried about.

same way i know about everything. i pay attention.

stick together. don't snitch. hit first and hit hard.

a magician never reveals their secrets.

sometimes i'd swear this is all a dream and we're still kids who never got away.

not everything is ugly. not everyone is bad.

you've never been sorry for anything in your entire life.

i don't want to talk. i want to drink.

sometimes the answers are worse than the questions.

i didn't come here for your permission or your blessing.

i won't leave you behind.

i'm capable of anything, i guess, when i'm pushed far enough.

i played nice. it about killed me, though.

sorry. you're stuck with me.

[ghoullest]

write me a starter

[ghoullest]

ruinedheart​:

oh… she’s lost her smile. he’s supposed to be ensuring the people who support him are never without their smiles and here he was, actively taking hers away. riku understood what she meant / knew that it had only been a few years ago when he had stood where she was standing now, begging the fleeting star to remember when it had shone in his own sky. ❛  i know that i have to stay healthy for myself.. i don’t want to keep doing hospital trips. everyone’s always been worried and protective of me.. and i don’t want the people i care about to keep feeling that way.  ❜ it wasn’t so much the idol mentality but simply the wish of a far too often sickly kid, forced to watch others drop their responsibilities to care for him. he’ll never stand on that stage, so long as this sits around his neck like a chain.

❛  i don’t want to hold anyone back, myself included. so, don’t look so sad! i’ll take such good care of myself, you’ll never hear me cough again!  ❜

Cold hands squeeze his, and she laughs quietly at at his promise — it’s a little rueful, a little sad.  She doesn’t regret being a vampire / but she has lost lots and lots of friends over the course of her long long life, and will lose more.  So it’s hard to watch those who have so little time risk it.  But her smile’s back, a half - lie for his sake, but half - true, too.  “Okay.  I trust you.”  And she does.  Though — she doesn’t imagine she’ll never hear him cough ever.

A selfish thought — but she ignores it, she has to.  (  the dead, like her, hardly need to worry at illnesses.  but she would hardly inflict this on others, and besides — she wants to keep riku from knowing what she is, for as long as she can.  )  Her hands reach and take his once more, squeezing gently.  “Mmm — do you wanna do something together?  My singer friend, Catty - chan, she loves going on shopping dates with all of us!”

[ghoullest]

ghoullest​:

“If I weren’t a pacifist I think I would drain Kujo Tenn of all his blood.”

“HMMMMMMMMMM.”

[ghoullest]

“If I weren’t a pacifist I think I would drain Kujo Tenn of all his blood.”

[ghoullest]

@frkyfab : “An expert in romance as well, are you? I didn’t think you were the type.” Deuce's words to Operetta are playful and light. Could be taken for sarcastic especially with the way his eyes and intent are obscured by think sunglasses. But the slight grin to his face is more sincere then not.

“More of an expert than you are, snake boy.”  She’s teasing, though, and it’s obvious; Deuce is a good friend, especially now that Cleo no longer wantes Operette dead in the ground.  Besides, they know he’s not stupid enough to REALLY piss ‘em off.

Her scarred cheek rests in her palm as she gestured for him to sit beside her on the bleachers — when he does, she continues.  “Honestly, I’ve actually not had a lotta luck with romance myself.  My dad’s pretty darn strict about that sorta stuff, and some people get freaked out about my face.”  There’ve been dates who thought they could handle it ‘til it came time to get close enough to kiss.  She gets it from kids; they don’t know any better than to act confused by the scars.  It’s when peers or adults act like she’s frightening that she feels like shrinking — and never does, of course.  (  and they know it’s not personal; more of monsterkind has scars than don’t.  it’s just — hard for people to reconcile how clearly intentional they are.  )  “Not that I ain’t had any would - be - suitors, but nothin’ that’s ever actually come to fruition.”  

Their grin widens, though; there’s no real grief to be found.  Not here, at least.  “Still, romance is just like any other love; what matters most is honesty.  As long as y’ keep that in mind and aren’t too chicken to live it out, then that’s all anybody needs t’ be an expert.”

[ghoullest]

decaysate​:

“    ah    ..    it is,    yeah!    ”    fumi does a little spin for laura,    skirts    &    petticoats swirling with the motion.    her smile is wide,    beaming──    it’s not often she dresses like this,    but the other always makes her feel right at home in the bright colors that get stuffed into the back of her closet.    a hand reaches out to lace with laura’s own,    giddy at the mere thought.    he’s so happy,    happy,    happy!    “    you don’t think it’s too much,    right?    i want to look just right for our date,    after all!    ”

“I don’t think somebody as cute as you can be too much!” the vampire chirps back, reaching out to take Fumi’s much warmer hand in her own.  He’s soooo pretty; way too pretty to every be anything else!  “And besides!  I’m pretty dressed up, too!”  Sweet gothic lolita, thy champion is Draculaura.  She smiles, head tilting nearer, as if to whisper a secret, “Everyone will be jealous about how cute we are together.”

[ghoullest]

I still think its silly everyone jumped to the Coffee Break two pack being a date when its literally just two gays getting coffee..... however,, What if it WAS a date

[ghoullest]

I totally forgot that I had doodled this

[ghoullest]

draculaura doodle 🦇🖤💕

[ghoullest]

@prognostik liked!    /     ilya & draculaura.

Laura is hardly unfamiliar with monster hunters / they’d chased her from more than a single home.  Thus her posture is defensive / half - crouched / claws out and teeth barring in a threat — SHE CAN SENSE THAT THIS ONE IS MORE THAN HUMAN, which is either very good or very bad.  She hisses —

She hisses, and she’s standing over a corpse, and she understands doubting.  But she didn’t kill this person.  NOT THAT THAT HALTS THE GUILT : SHE’S STILL THE REASON HE’S DEAD.

“You’ve no reason to harm me,” she says, voice low.  “I don’t want to hurt you, and I didn’t kill him.  I’m investigating, same as you.”  SHE’S GUESSING.  There’s been a string of killings in this area and obviously not by anything human and — her father wants her back, and doesn’t care how many humans he has to kill to drag home his precious vessel. 

[ghoullest]

starter call!!

[ghoullest]

𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐀 𝐂𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐄'𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒 (a collection of prompts from the TV show “Agatha Christie’s Marple”, feel free to adjust phrasing and gendered terms as necessary)    

“You have ice in your heart.”

“All our dreams… Where did they go?”

“You’re a bit unhinged, aren’t you?”

“Don’t be nosy. It’s private.”

“Don’t be so melodramatic.”

“Hello! You’re awfully pretty!”

“Oh, I detest change!”

“I like your insolence.”

“Don’t push me. We’ll both fall.”

“Strangling is a very quiet death.”

“Some people deserve shooting.”

“Only death solves all problems.”

“Maybe he/she didn’t want to kiss you?”

“Have you ever known me to be wrong?”

“We all get a little ruffled sometimes, don’t we?”

“There’s something about nuns, don’t you think?”

“Such a refreshingly low opinion of human nature!”

“Little lies make me wonder if big ones will follow.”

“I’m just impatient, that’s all. Don’t you ever get impatient?”

“You are capable of murder. I’ve always known that about you.”

“Murder is easy, you see, as long as nobody thinks it is murder.”

“An expert in romance as well, are you? I didn’t think you were the type.”

“Fornication always has consequences, but I don’t think we should jump to any conclusions.”

“Contacting the spirits on a night like tonight would be so exciting, don’t you think?”

“What a beautiful blue! Just like your eyes… If they weren’t brown.”

“This house is bricks and mortar. If there’s evil here, it’s in someone’s heart.”

“When I first saw you it took my breath away, and it hasn’t come back yet.”

“What’s the quote? Nothing is… Nothing is ever… Oh, I was useless at literature.”

“Don’t worry, I used to be a medic. I still remember most of it.”

“You’re having an affair, aren’t you? You’re having an affair!”

“No, I don’t suppose I’d call myself a people person. I’m rather more interested in birds, actually.”

[ghoullest]

“Ooops, sorry!”  Their apology is immediate; not every day your arm falls off and, in its confusion, grabs somebody’s leg!  Frankie tugs it off the other’s ankle, scolding the extremity under their breath, and pops it back onto their wrist like it was nothing.  “I just come apart when I’m surprised, and you really shocked me!”

[ghoullest]

more random dialogue prompts ,

“why do you have that look on your face?”

“finish what you’re doing, we have to talk.”

“what have you done to yourself?”

“did you do something different with your hair?”

“it doesn’t do any good to get worked up.”

“when was the last time we had a real conversation.”

“are you in the witness protection program, or what?”

“there’s something wrong with me.”

“no, i don’t hate you.”

“hey stupid.”

“we’re aren’t them.”

“looks like i’ll live long enough to make you pay.”

“you know you’re wrong.”

“i don’t understand, why are you doing this?”

“now, before i say anything, promise me you’ll stay calm.”

“what makes me so special?”

“you have no idea what i’ve been through.”

“you really don’t have to do that, not for me.”

“did you really think you’d get a second chance?”

"how about we don’t do that.”

“i have a lot going for me, but humility is not one of them.”

“you’re the worst.”

“i don’t need you right now.”

“don’t just stand there, looking at me.”

“i thought you were supposed to call me.”

“take my hand.”

“i need you.”

“you’re allowed to need help sometimes.”

“for someone who doesn’t like to feel things, you sure feel a lot of it out loud.”

“when this is all over, i want it to be you and me.”

“why won’t you tell me what happened?”

“you don’t know what this means to me.

“i know it doesn’t make sense.”

“i’m trying really hard to keep it together.”

“i know you’re new, but we do things a little differently here.”

“your voice is putting me to sleep.”

“did you find what you were looking for?”

"you knew and you didn’t even warn me?”

“well, i guess that’s broken.”

“i thought it was part of the act.”

“you think u don’t know you’re only here because they sent you?”

“you promised to call me if you didn’t know what to wear.”

“you can keep a secret, can’t you?”

“how could you do this to me?”

“put the gun down, dearest. i have news!”

“i know you don’t have any reason to trust me, but you need to know something.”

“if you’re here to tell me what happened last night, someone beat you to it.”

“people think i’m weird.”

“i think i’m losing myself again.”

“you can’t be here.”

“i wish you’d come to the funeral.”

“do you know what today is?”

“so, you broke my favourite mug… and you’re breaking up with me?”

“i need to get out.”

“it’s like i’m cursed or something.”

“you are remarkably well-behaved tonight, what have you been up to?”

“you gonna eat that?”

“sir, the pony rides are for children only.”

“i don’t want you to worry about that anymore.”

“we’ll never make it in time.”

“you’d be late for your own funeral.”

“you should have seen it coming.”

“oh, good, you’re here! hold this.”

“why can’t you just be happy for me?”

“on a scale of one to ten, how do you feel about nachos right now?”

“is this how you flirt with everyone?”

“how much longer till we’re there?”

“what have you done?”

“it’s time for you to repay that debt you owe me.”

“where did you get that? who gave it to you?”

“what kind of mother has thoughts like that?”

“i know I haven’t been what you needed, but i’m here, and i wanna help.”

“i never want to hear you say that again.”

“you’re all i have.”

“i know it’s not perfect, but i did follow the recipe this time.”

“i was doing so well until you showed up.”

“don’t eat that! i made it ‘specially for our guest.”

“it’s not that i don’t like my life, it’s that i don’t have the energy to enjoy it.”

“how can you stand this place?”

“don’t take this the wrong way, but you don’t exactly blend in.”

“you need to stop.”

“i don’t like that look, what happened?”

“is that seriously your password?”

“what’s your problem?”

“you had no right to use it without asking.”

“oh, wow, you weren’t kidding.”

“i couldn’t trust my own parents to protect me.”

“i’m surprised you haven’t been arrested yet. wait, no, i’m not.”

“why do you want to help me?”

“ten bucks for that piece of crap?”

“we have to hurry, they’re coming!”

“hey, look what came in the mail!”

“do you want to get a drink or something?”

“please tell me you didn’t eat that.”

“the worst part is you didn’t even notice.”

“if i wanted help, i would have asked.”

“wanna tell me what’s going on with your grades?”

“you need to leave.”

“talk to me, okay? i need to know what’s going on.”

“i do blame you.”

“sometimes life deals you a bad hand, but you can still play your cards right and win.”

“you’re no longer useful to me.”

“i’m not good with sarcasm: if you don’t like me, just say it.”

[ghoullest]

𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒

“ am i not good enough? ”  

“ you’ve been so quiet. what’s on your mind? ”  

“ why did you help me? ”  

“ who do you fight for? ”  

“ why do you hate me? ”  

“ have you come to laugh at me in my miserable state? ”  

“ you’re not dating anyone, are you? ”  

“ i’ve got your back, okay? ”  

“ where do you think you’re going? ”  

“ how long have i been asleep? ”  

“ are you going to kill me? ”  

“ why can’t i come with you? ”  

“ we all have secrets, don’t we? ”  

“ did you want to be alone? ”  

“ why should i trust you? ”  

“ wait. did you hear that? ”  

“ promise me? ”  

“ why are you talking like we’ll never see each other again? ”  

“ do you remember anything at all? ”  

“ what? no witty remark? nothing clever to say? ”  

“ you wanna know what your problem is? ”  

“ may i have this dance? ”  

“ can i ask… what happened? ”  

“ how many people have you killed? how many? ”  

“ do you ever hear yourself? ”  

“ would you run away with me? ”  

“ could you be happy here with me? ”  

“ you can’t or you won’t? ”  

“ you slept with them, didn’t you? ”  

“ well, how do i look? ”  

“ after all you’ve done how can i possibly trust you? ”  

“ why can’t you let me in? what are you so afraid of? ”  

“ what did they do to you? ”  

“ so why’s it so important anyway? ”  

“ where have you been? ”  

“ why are you looking at me like that? ”  

“ why did you come? ”  

“ what are you doing out here by yourself? ”  

“ is… that my shirt you’re wearing? ”  

“ you… don’t like me very much, do you? ”  

“ why does it always have to be a fight with you? ”

“ why can’t you look me in the eye? ”  

“ can you forgive me? ”  

“ what if i never see you again? ”  

“ you were going to leave without saying goodbye? ”  

“ how about a little midnight snack? ”  

“ are you… smelling me? ”  

“ how did you get this scar? ”  

“ what do you want in exchange for it? ”  

“ what did you want to tell me? ”  

[ghoullest]

elegaia​:

“ a whole curse seems like a lot of work, ” barbara murmurs, “ even just a little one. ” her eyes — obediently closed until now to allow cleo’s feather-light application of the mask — flutter open, and barbara smiles small and light, careful not to displace cleo’s efforts. 

“ but i … appreciate the sentiment. it’s very kind of you. ” that’s the easiest answer, rather than acknowledging her heart clenching over how no one ever saw her but her friends here understand so easily. barbara reaches to squeeze cleo’s hand so she knows the feeling goes both ways, were she a cursing sort of person. “ alright, now it’s your turn, ” she says, allowing a bit of excitement into her tone and gesturing at cleo’s collection of skincare. “ where are we starting today ?? ”

Cleo’s answering smile is haughty but — and this is important — brimming with affection, the ancient almost - undead girl incapable of looking anything but arrogant, but arrogant does not mean without love.  And to think, she lets Barbara touch her without issue; not so long ago, only Deuce and Ghoulia could say that.  Will wonders never cease?  (  they won’t, if the corpse up and walking around — or doing skincare, rather — is any indication.  )

“I’ve already double - cleansed, so now it’s merely a matter of whatever serums you deign to put on me and a sheet mask — not that the specifics matter, of course.”  Barbara is aware of Cleo’s nature; this is, for the ancient ghoul, purely a ritual — though, she perhaps more than anyone knows how important such rituals are.  Cleo winks.  “I leave myself in your capable hands.”