#actual ghost houston au

[velathetanager]

If Bain is an alien I bet he knows about hous. aaanndd he doesn’t tell anyone haha

He doesn't know Houston is a ghost yet; he doesn't even know what ghosts are. But he knows Houston does weird shit and doesn't see an issue with asking him why he doesn't do more of it on missions. It'd be so helpful-

Wait, why is Houston freaking out? It's okay, no one is gonna care. Some humans are just weird, right? Calm down, Houston-

[goddesspharo]

combining a couple of your recent ask memes! 13 for the music meme as the title for the 🐝 in the fake fic meme.

(also don't mind me accidentally hitting the wrong button and unfollowing/immediately refollowing)

LOL and here I thought the notification was just tumblr losing its mind again.

[ask me about music!] + [prompt me fake fics!]

13. One of your favorite 80s songs

I have so many, but the first one that popped into my head was Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" (coincidentally also my ringtone, but since my phone is always on silent/vibrate, that matters less). It is impossible to be sad when this song comes on, but at the same time if you slowed it down, it would be heartbreaking. I'm think Spotify threw a slowed down cover on my Discover Weekly once that I was unimpressed with but in the right hands, it could be a gut punch because the lyrics are devastating but Whitney Houston infuses it with such wonderful pop goodness that you don't realize it unless you're really listening. (In contemporary times, Carly Rae Jepsen is also very good at this - just compare the demo of "When I Needed You" to the final version.)

🐝 send me a fake fic title, and I’ll make up a summary for it!

I would literally never write this, but why was my first thought werewolves? (It is 100% because of the lyric "when the light falls, the loneliness calls.") But like a werewolf AU of...something in the vein of Toby Barlow's Sharp Teeth but in prose - granted I only vaguely remember it now because it has been years.

But if we're talking a fake fic I'd actually write? Yellowjackets, post-rescue, five times Shauna dances (drunk college party, her wedding, maybe her kid's birthday party, at the club with the dude she murdered oops, the reunion), as a framework for the ghost of Jackie haunting her, consuming her, and in general bringing forth the kind of dynamic that Kate Bush would love to wail about.

[oddsacky]

Ok ok I need to talk about an au

I was thinking of an Undertale x Payday au that I call Underpaid and it's basically like something causes the Payday universe to collide into the Undertale universe. Everything gets messed up and now the Payday characters are in the Undertale universe. (I'm putting the rest of this after the break cuz it's long)

When the player first starts. The characters act like themselves but are like "what the actual fuck is happening where the hell am I what am I wearing?" Throughout the game the characters start to act like the character they are replacing ie. if Dallas were to replace Sans, Dallas would randomly act more like Sans for a bit before getting confused and going back to normal. It's like the game is confused and is trying to correct the new characters so they act like the old ones.

The "backstory" would be basically the same except the cops replace the humans and the Payday gang replaces the monsters. On the surface, the gang thought the government was corrupt and tried to be modern day Robin Hoods while the cops saw them as thieves. They fight and the gang is locked underground without anything. Their weapons and tools are confiscated.

As for who is who, here's what I have so far. I'll edit this post in the future if I make any changes.

Frisk: a basic cop like maybe a security gaurd or one of the blue cops you see on like normal difficulty.

Chara: not sure yet. I played around with the idea of it being the Dentist but that makes no sense at all since he was never close to being a good person ever. Then maybe Bob McKendrick cuz the gang wanted him to become mayor but I don't really know. For now, no one is Chara yet.

Toriel: Right now I like the idea of Chains being Toriel, though I have no clue who would be Asgore if Chains were to be Toriel. I really want Chains to be Toriel tho

Napstablook: I don't really have anyone in mind. Once I thought Hoxton should be Napstablook then I thought Wolf should be Napstablook then I gave them different roles and now I don't know who Blooky should be.

Sans: Dallas because he has a brother. Also he is kinda memed by his fandom.

Papyrus: Houston because he has a brother.

Undyne: Hoxton. He's got that fighting spirit like Undyne. Also it fits with who I replace Alphys with. They gay for each.

Alphys: Wolf. The both make machines and Wolf can be shy and quiet at times.

Mettaton: Sentry turret. The sentry is sentient I make the rules. I know in Undertale it's implied Mettaton is a ghost fused with a robot body but I want it like this.

Asgore: I have no clue who I'd pair with Chains tbh. Maybe Chains's girlfriend from the John Wick trailer but like she only appears for a couple seconds and nothing is really known about her.

Asriel & Flowey: I like the idea of Bain being Asriel but now that I think of it, it doesn't make the most sense (not that this au makes any sense at all) I really want Bain to be Asriel though so he is Asriel. As for Flowey, I can't think of anything that could represent Bain. My friend suggested her "oc" (more like Bain's alter ego or the alien part of him Bain is an alien it is canon please believe me) which I do like the sound of. If I can't think of anything better I might go with him. His name is Beo. I also thought of like a blue flower but Beo is more interesting.

Grillby: Gage. He ends up working at a bar which he isn't too pleased about but makes due cuz he can't really do anything about it.

Mad Dummy: I don't really know maybe someone stuck in a Bulldozer suit. Maybe Rust. He's grumpy and insignificant.

Muffet: Totally Vlad. Was gonna be Gage because he sells stuff but Vlad totally fits Muffet's role. He's crazy and he has a bakery.

Annoying Dog: Seal because my au and I love seals

If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them. This is such an incomplete au and I would love to hear what others think.

Ok like one person is gonna understand this au but I thought I'd put it out there because why not

[the-badger-mole]

Top 10 movies from any genre/decade you can watch and think, "yup that's a Zutara AU right there"

This is...not as easy as I thought. I like movies, but not a lot of the movies I like lend themselves to Zutara AUs, strangely enough. I could go back to Eve's Bayou or The First Wives Club over and over, but you could see how I can't really make an AU out of those, right? Like the best fit for Zutara in that movie would be Brenda and Morty, and I can't do that to either of them. And there is sex in Eve's Bayou, but not romance. Also, most of the viable men to build an AU around end up dead. I like to use tropes and archetypes when I'm making up stories for these two more so than actual movie plots, but let me see what I can come up with.

In no particular order:

1. Brown Sugar (and honestly, it's mostly because I want that restaurant scene as a Maiko break up)

2. My Best Friend's Wedding (I haven't decided yet if Katara is the Kimmy character, and Jin is the Julie, or if Zuko is the Kimmy and Haru is the Julie. Either way, Toph is the George).

3. Pride and Prejudice (this one speaks for itself. And yes, I do mean the Keira Knightly version)

4. The Mummy (damagectrl did an amazing take on this idea in A Drop in the Desert. Mine would be closer to the Brendan Fraser movie, though. )

5. Just Like Heaven (I just think Zuko would be absolutely perfect as a put upon Mark Ruffalo type dealing with a pissed off ghost Katara)

6. Maid in Manhattan (I'm a sucker for a good Cinderella story. Speaking of which...)

7. Brandy and Whitney Houston's Cinderella (the trouble with musicals is that it's difficult to capture the magic of one in writing. Most of the things that I love about this movie I can't put into a fic, bu~ut the character dynamics I can. And I love the idea of Lt. Jee as Lionel.)

8. Father of the Bride (Hakoda would be the Steve Martin character, obvi. Bonus! Kya is alive in this scenario!)

9. Roman Holiday (not really a romance, but it could be with a few tweaks. Also, Katara would be the reporter and Zuko is obviously the prince.)

10. How to Marry a Millionaire (this idea has been floating around my head for a while, and bizarrely, I think it works for Katara and Zuko. Katara would be the Schatze and Zuko would be the Tom.)

Bonus Entry: Anastasia. This is another one where I'm not sure if Zuko or Katara should be in the Anastasia role, and it largely comes down to Iroh. I think Iroh would make an incredible Vlad character, but I could also see him in the dowager empress' role. If Zuko is the Anastasia, there wouldn't really be a Vlad because both Katara and Sokka would have all the sass of Dimitri.

[artcupcakes]

Payday 2 but Hoxton is actually still with the gang and Houston was just a shared realistic figment of everyones imagination

Counter au where he's not shared hallucination but instead just a deadass Ghost, which is the real reason why he can't interact with anything.

But the gang just doesn't want to admit they can see the supernatural/are supernatural.

Also something something, Angst, Dallas needs to properly mourn the death of his brother, Angst, something, something

[noobsomeexagerjunk]

sepelire securi AU things (part 1)

THIS IS JUST IN CASE I DON’T END UP FINISHING MY FANFIC SERIES

jane perkins

Jane is a foil to Emma; she’s a lawful who uses society’s rules and expectations as a key to a happy, fulfilling life. she’s convinced the way works, but somehow isn’t happy. she chalks it up to people not following the system as the reason why the system is struggling to work. (this also adds to people feeling inferior around her; she doesn’t intend this) Emma, by contrast, is inherently rebellious and counter culture. she knows how to live the life she wants, but is very disillusioned with society to get there at a time and manner that she wants. her sister being a “perfect person” adds to that disillusionment

she and Emma are raised in a family of atheists; Jane’s birth year is 1979

she works as an insurer in an auto insurance firm because the officework involved is steady and she’s taught to like that, and ends up liking that. also, irony.

she knows McNamara’s husband through her work as a subordinate to him; she only met John once and that was during his wedding with her boss

her love for tim has led her into doing some of the weirdest things as a parent; it bothers her whenever things just don’t go the way she believes is supposed to

she finds it hard to deal with surprises, particularly because she rarely experiences them. the only ones that really hit her were: a) Emma’s birth, b) falling in love with Tom, c) the car accident that killed her

what attracted her to Tom Houston was his sense of duty via his military service, and just his overall energy of safety

she actually had a hard time trying help Tom from the trauma he endured in his service–she wishes she could’ve done him better

death is the most painful thing that happened to her, making her realize the way she lived could’ve been more fulfilling if someone just convinced her it could be that way

not that she’s ungrateful with what she had when she was alive, but it was very clear to her that she was taught to want the things she had achieved and she hates that she never questioned it

this motivates her to be one of the most powerful phenomena in one of these hatchetfield timelines/this AU: a ghost who knows how to wield that “higher power” that is love and strength of the human heart, albeit in a weaker level given her ghost status

this higher power peaks in human hands, as it requires the human heart specifically

ghosts come in different forms, but can commonly be expelled from a dimension once they’ve cleared up their unfinished business

where ghosts come from is still unknown, but they can exist in a lot of places

PEIP deals with ghosts by trapping them away into their facility; they know how ghosts disappear but have resigned to this given that trying to help a ghost finish their business is a long and difficult task already

Jane’s business is a large, bordering on absurdly abstract one, and she’s gonna be haunting hatchetfield for a long while

john mcnamara

DADT applied to PEIP, which affected John’s experience and his way of leadership

he’s in his forties, raised with a strong Christian background

his experiences in PEIP have negatively affected him and his relationships with loved ones

whoever his husband is, he’s not being very attentive to him and his needs; PEIP is demanding, yes, but he never finds the time

McNamara met his husband during a damage control situation involving peip; said husband is a civilian who actually managed to save John’s life during said damage control situation

very few people in PEIP know they’re married

his strong attachment to secrecy and non-disclosure aren’t just professional, but also personal

his husband is dead (for health reasons) and he does not know it

his aggressive tendencies to fall into a black and white mentality are rooted from his relationship to the act of having to explain and justify himself and his behaviors

as uncomfortable it is for him to bend the rules, a part of him takes joy in it, most especially when it helps people

he’s not used to being corrected, and finds difficulty being the learner

so strongly disensitized to chaos that he finds it difficult to exist in very mundane settings/situations

one of the most neutral goods out there alive

his light readings on love and strength of the human heart aren’t actually sufficient to stop this AU’s big phenomenal threat

actually has a hard time around children and teenagers, despite his kindness to them

loves the duty and good involved when working for PEIP

[dpjustified]

Bingo #4

(disclaimer: fanfic not headcanon)

(#4 Themes: Identity Reveal, Danny Goes to Space, Wes Weston, and Dual Obsession/Space AU mention)

His secret was out to the world alright, he was sure of it. But somehow, when he woke up the next morning, even his parents didn’t remember there was an asteroid in the first place. The only thing different was a mysterious machine in Antarctica had appeared overnight, and there was a strange conspiracy going around about ghosts being aliens.

Either way, after thinking about it, he was much better off without worldwide attention. He was having a hard time living normally with just four people knowing his secret, namely his sister, his best friend and girlfriend, and Valerie.

And after confirming with him, they too were confused that no one seemed to remember.

“I’m telling you guys,” they heard Wes, a kid one grade ahead of them that was on the Casper High Basketball team. “That nerd kid Danny Fenton is actually Danny Phantom.”

“Him? Are you getting high again, Wes. Lay off the munchies.”

“It’s not...” He spotted Danny and rushed over to him. “Hey, kid, tell them the truth!”

“Uh.” Danny didn’t know what to say, but he wondered why this guy remembered when no one else did. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Wes’s friends laughed and went off.

“Just great!” Wes tore off his baseball cap and threw it down. “You made me look like a complete idiot. Why does no one see it?”

“Do you remember the meteorite?” Tucker asked, and Sam leaned in.

“Meteorite? What meteorite.”

“Why do you think he’s Phantom then?” Sam added.

“I’ve seen it...I’ve seen you transform. That day when the ghost came into the gym. I’ve done a lot of research. My friends won’t believe me! You’re an alien, right?”

“Since when are ghosts aliens?” Danny said. He couldn’t believe this guy.

Wes pulled out a book titled “Aliens are Coming: The Conspiracy No One Wants You to Know.”

“It says here that after the world is exposed to ecto-cosmic radiation, it will use the memories from this event to power some kind of device that primes this planet for takeover. You know, that machine in the Arctic?”

“That thing? That was just for making the earth intang- I mean-”

“You see? You know what it’s for! You really are Phantom, aren’t you?”

“Look Wes, can you promise to keep a secret? I can’t exactly protect this town with fans going crazy on me.”

“You...you’re really.”

Danny flashed his eyes green briefly. “Yep, congratulations.”

“I was right? I was right!”

“You’re loud,” Sam said, putting a hand on Wes’ shoulder.

Tucker loomed over him - well, as best as he could since Wes was at least 6 feet tall. “Now that you’re in on it, you have to hang with us now. And any blabbing will get you sent straight to a ghostly prison.”

“G-ghost prison?” Wes said.

Danny was sure they were enjoying intimidating one of the popular kids.

A week later, they had gotten to know Wes a bit more, as well as some of his wild theories on aliens.

“I think they kidnapped Mayor Masters,” Wes said over fries. “Don’t you think so? Why else would he have disappeared. Plus, with that meteorite you guys said everyone forgot about, our memories have probably been absorbed and somehow you guys were protected.”

“Maybe it’s because we sleep with these Fenton Headphones?” Tucker said, showing off the device from his pocket. The three of them made it a habit ever since Ember’s mind control messed with their heads, but slacked off until Nocturne’s takeover.

“...Can I have some? They might prevent the aliens from getting inside my head.”

“Right,” Sam said, rolling her eyes. “I’m sure Danny’s parents would love to make you some for the low price of $39.99, tax not included.”

“Take my money!” Wes took out his wallet.

“Hold up there,” Danny said. “Money can wait. Anyway, I kind of am worried about Vlad. You know, this whole time he was acting kind of...erratic up till the meteorite.”

“He must have been controlled by the aliens to bring down the meteorite!” Wes insisted.

“That idea’s totally not out there,” Tucker said, before taking another bite of his burger.

“He must be in space. Danny, let’s go look for him.”

“...Why?”

“You said you were worried about the old fruit loop,” Sam said, prodding him with an elbow. “Go ahead on a little space trip. I won’t miss you too much. We can talk through the coms anyway.”

Tucker added, “I can update that space ship your dad used last time with a wider space map and get it hooked up to our system. We’ll guide you from down here.”

Danny smiled a bit. He still had his astronaut helmet in his room.

Here we go again, Houston!

On Saturday, Danny and Wes flew up to the rock Vlad was apparently abandoned on. There were signs of a struggle, and a picture of Maddie left behind.

“He was taken after all!” Wes cried from the ship, viewing from the camera attached to Danny’s space helmet. Danny flew out and picked up the picture. Surprisingly this rock was big enough to have a gravitational pull. On the back of the picture there was a hastily scribbled note.

“Daniel, if you’re seeing this...I was wrong. I have a tracker. Please, save me, if you have a heart.” Hidden in the corner of the frame was a memory card.

Always pulling the purse strings. Why do I care about this guy anyway?

It wasn’t just that he pitied him, but he knew that Vlad wasn’t all evil, even though he said he was.

“Rescue mission!” Wes cried out like a mantra.

“Space! Trip!” Tucker cried from over the com.

“As long as you’re back by Monday?” Sam added. “And besides, you can use some blackmail on Vlad, and he’ll owe you big time if you save his butt.”

“Okay fine,” Danny said, flying back to the ship. “We’ve gotta try to get back by Monday. Wes, did I ever tell you how much I like space? Oh, this is gonna be great.”

He was excited already. He couldn’t wait to use the ship’s features to take pictures of the asteroids. But what about the Milky Way? What would he do if he saw a black hole? He wondered if they led to the Ghost Zone or let him time travel.

Tucker poked fun at him over the intercom. “Did you switch to space mode again? Come on, I like Super Danny. Hero Danny. Stop it with the glittery space mode.”

“I don’t sparkle like a vampire when I think about space, I have acne, not freckles, and I don’t have an obsession! Let alone two.” Danny yelled.

“Ow, loud,” said Sam.

Tucker didn’t know when to quit. “Don’t you have three? One being this lovely lady over here.”

“Ghosts have obsessions?” said Wes, interested.

“Not me, at any rate! It’s just a joke Tucker likes to pull on me,” Danny said. “I’m kicking your butt when I get back, Tucker.”

“But I’ve gotten faster at running...” Tucker chided. “Ow!”

“I kicked his butt for you, so get a move on!” Sam said.

“Love you too,“ Danny said, then sat back down in the pilot seat.

Wes pulled out his mp3 player and played “The Final Countdown”.

“Now we’re talkin’!” Danny exclaimed while Wes started jamming out. He inserted the memory card and the system drew up a navigation plan. Apparently it would take them a day to fly to Vlad’s location, wherever he was. And if Wes was right, they might would run into aliens.

Who cares. Space Trip.

They then blasted off to who knows where.

[fosilized-blog]

alt universe uhhh juliabel cordelia/x, hous/ash, george/bunny

au generator / selectively accepting

juli/abel 

office au - a jim/pam scenario but i have only seen two episodes of the office. both of them are “””good”” at their “””jobs”” but they’re better at flirting

 ballet au - abel’s hot and the lead dancer and everyone is into him and juli is talented but this started as a hobby and she doesn’t know how or why she’s made it this far / a no, mom, it’s your dream scenario and the two of them bond about being 1) very attractive 2) somewhat dumb and eventually they bone and fall in love 

role reversal au - Weed King Juli Ball and Big Rascal Abel Moreau

vegas au - abel is a vegas stripper and juli always gives great tips. after awhile she just comes to the club to talk to him and tip him

cordelia/x 

fairytale au - princess/supposed villain …. like she’s not actually the villain but narratively it seems like it and they end up falling in love and running off into the sunset and exposing the Real Evil 

cabaret au - cordelia is the emcee x is the lead showgirl and the club is very popular and powerful and they leave behind a lasting legacy and a romance for the ages

 celebrity au - cordelia is a couple years past an ‘07 britney style breakdown and still rehabbing her public image, x is a starlet going from nobody to oscar nominee (ala jlaw or lucas hedges) their relationship is publicity poison but they don’t care 

 politics au - cordelia is a campaign manager and x is an assistant who quickly rises to a high level within their campaign, due to some solid ideas and right place/right time stuff, eventually becoming cordelia’s right hand man and eventually, her girlfriend

houston/ash 

ghost hunters au - hello????

tattoo parlor au - i don’t know exactly what this means but if it’s them being rowdy and working at a tattoo shop together then like, yeah. houston is an apprentice and ash is well respected and sought after... hous learns under her wing and it’s very chill

ORCHESTRA AU...... THEY PLAY THE SAME INSTRUMENT !!! ASH IS FIRST CHAIR AND HOUS IS SECOND CHAIR . they are lowkey in constant competition but still very good friends. hous gets bumped to understudy at some point and it’s a Nightmare 

reality show au - they hunt ghosts but like. on tv. lot’s of memes made from things they say. weird but loving fanbase. the energy is scooby doo meets blair witch and they go to a lot of conventions together

george/bunny

roller derby au - very much like whip it where bunny is a starter skater on the team and george is their loveable, schlubby coach except they are both nightmares. they secretly bang in the locker room but ‘pretend’ to hate each other on the rink 

amusement park au - george runs the ride right across from bunny’s game stand and they have a strange animosity that none of their coworkers can really pinpoint. this is just adventureland energy but they’re mean to each other and bone

afterlife au - good place au essentially where they’re the ones in michael’s neighborhood. they will torture each other for eternity and Like It

fashion and models au - they’re an annoying instagram model couple that does drugs and goes to award shows they shouldn’t be invited too and everyone comments ‘omg goals’ on their posts when beneath all that they are just. monsters

[sandy-s-d]

New Orleans Places in My Fanfic (and a few extras)

People are always asking me where to go in New Orleans, and while I am not a native, I grew up going there for vacation a lot with my family and did get to live there for a year and a hand full of months before Hurricane Katrina hit. Since then, my husband and I have been back. The first time, he took me all the places I missed, including swinging by my old apartment. Super important for healing purposes, you know? Anyway, I’ve loved incorporating New Orleans places into my fanfics, and when @iamoffyourbird asked for a list of places to go, I decided to create a list I can give my RL friends and add in little notes from the fanfics, too. Putting it here for fun. 

New Orleans Locations (Some in My Fanfic)

Food: Some people say the better beignets are elsewhere, but I love the ones at Cafe du Monde, and you have to go for the location, the history, and the experience. Buffy and Willow have beignets and frozen café au laits here in A Small Boat in the Ocean. Buffy and Spike have beignets and frozen café au laits here in Hello Goodbye and allude to having them here in A Small Boat in the Ocean. Love chicory coffee! http://www.cafedumonde.com

For the gumbo experience, you have to go to the Gumbo Shop (it's different than the other place with the similar name). I’ve gone here since I was a kid. Buffy and Willow talk about going here in a Small Boat in the Ocean. Fresh French bread is perfect for dipping in the gumbo, and they have their own hot sauce which is yummy. I always buy a couple of bottles to take home. http://www.gumboshop.com

For an out of the Quarter treat, Jacques Imo's is a great place to go. You have to get there right when it's open to get a seat, and when I lived in New Orleans, the owner was known to show up wearing his chef’s coat and boxers. The alligator cheesecake is unique and delicious. Buffy and Spike have a date here in A Small Boat on the Ocean. http://jacques-imos.com

Mr. B's Bistro has delicious pecan pie (and other food). Dawn texts Emily’s Watcher to bring food from here before she gets kidnapped by Illyria in a Small Boat on the Ocean. http://www.mrbsbistro.com

Acme Oyster House has delicious oysters! I don’t like raw oysters, but I adore their baked ones with cheese and other spices. SO good! This is one of Dawn’s favorite places in Hello Goodbye. http://www.acmeoyster.com

Other places I love that aren’t mentioned…yet…

Brennans is excellent for brunch. Funny story: during my intern year, a lady whom my brother and I stood next to during Mardi Gras gave us $100 to go have a nice meal in New Orleans. She knew I was a poor intern, and her husband owned shopping malls. He was grateful we’d kept his wife company while he was gambling at the casino and got stuck there because of the parade. We went to Brennans for brunch. The interesting story is that there is a feud between family members and the one in NOLA and the Brennans in Houston are owned by the feuding family members. lol So they're a bit different but both excellent. https://www.brennansneworleans.com

For jazz brunch, I've heard the one at the Court of Two Sisters is fantastic but have never gotten to go: http://www.courtoftwosisters.com

For breakfast or lunch, you have to at least swing by Mother's...a famous little place outside the Quarter and near the casino. Lots of celebs and presidents have gone here. If you're so inclined, get the roast beef with debris. SO yummy. I wanted to include this place in A Small Boat on the Ocean, but I could never get the location to work in the story. https://www.mothersrestaurant.net

For the muffuletta experience, you have to get one at Central Grocery. There's usually a line out the door and when they run out of sandwich stuff for the day, it's done. Plus, if you like olives, you can buy a jar of their muffuletta spread to take home. https://centralgrocery.com

I'm so bummed but my favorite pralines are no longer in the Jackson Brewery like when I was a kid. They are a bit of a drive, but it's totally worth it to check out their new bigger store. These are hands down my favorite pralines in all of the Quarter (I've tried most of them). I really really wanted to include this place in A Small Boat on the Ocean, but the new location made it difficult, so I made the moveable hellmouth at a praline shop that had been destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. https://www.bayoucountry.com

https://neworleansschoolofcooking.com You can take a cooking class here. I've always wanted to! They also have delicious pralines – not as good as Bayou Country and also much smaller.

In a Small Boat on the Ocean, Buffy works at this particular CC’s Coffee. It's actually down the street from that haunted condo that we stayed at. While my husband slept, I snuck over here for a latte one morning. The Quarter off of Bourbon St. is really quiet and pretty to walk around in the morning before people are up and going. (CC's is the local coffee company that has tried for years to keep out Starbucks.) http://www.ccscoffee.com/locations/royal-st/

Bars: The Old Absinthe House https://www.ruebourbon.com/oldabsinthehouse/ They have some sort of egg drink here that my husband really wanted to try. Definitely worth a visit but not necessarily for that drink. Lol

Lafitte's http://www.lafittesblacksmithshop.com/Homepage.html I believe it's one of the oldest bars in New Orleans.

The bar at the Bourbon Orleans has good drinks with fresh ingredients. We got a couple of free drink tickets a piece when we stayed there. I was pregnant and they made me the most delicious fresh juice drink (alcohol free of course).

The other bar that's an absolute must in the Quarter is Pat O'Brien's because duh, you have to get a hurricane! This bar is mentioned in Adventures in Vamp-Sitting because Spike and Clem are standing outside it. http://www.patobriens.com/patobriens/default.asp

Head to Frenchman Street for late night stuffs...it's away from the Bourbon crowd which is a must experience but can get old. Spike works at the Spotted Cat in A Small Boat on the Ocean and Adventures in Vamp-Sitting. Spike and Clem sing a song here in Adventures in Vamp-Sitting. Buffy and Spike go on a date to hear Kermit Ruffins play at the Blue Nile in Hello Goodbye. It’s also mentioned in A Small Boat on the Ocean and Adventures in Vamp-Sitting. Snug Harbor is supposed to be amazing, but I’ve never been. http://frenchmenstreetlive.com http://bluenilelive.com

I highly highly recommend going to see Kermit Ruffins play wherever he's playing. It was on our MUST DO list from my training director when we lived there. He was playing at the Blue Nile for the longest but he seems to be all over the place now. https://www.songkick.com/artists/115899-kermit-ruffins About him: https://www.basinstreetrecords.com/artists/kermit-ruffins/

Places to Stay: 734 B Royal St., New Orleans, LA I’m not sure if this place is still for rent, but my husband and I stayed there in 2013. The ghost tour stopped at the door every evening. It’s supposedly haunted by the Octoroon, a young girl who is supposed to be very friendly. Her cat can be heard on the third floor. This place is the second floor. Buffy stays here in Hello Goodbye, and later Buffy and Spike stay here, too, in the same fic. It’s right next to the blue dog museum and the cathedral, and it’s really magical to wake up to the cathedral bells ringing.

We also stayed at the Bourbon Orleans. It’s supposedly haunted on the uppermost floors, but I was too scared to stay up there. http://www.bourbonorleans.com

Also, if you want to stay where I stayed when I was a kid and want the full people watching Bourbon Street experience, stay here. It used to be a Best Western. https://www.neworleans.com/listing/four-points-by-sheraton-french-quarter/672/

Touristy Things

Steamboat Natchez – this is the steamboat I went on with my family as a kid. It’s nice to take a ride up and down the Mississippi River. https://www.steamboatnatchez.com

The French Market is a really great place for shopping, food, and drinks. Buffy goes here at night when it’s closed in Hello Goodbye. https://www.frenchmarket.org

At St. Louis Cathedral, you can go inside and at night, there are all the fortune tellers and musicians outside. Artists are outside during the day, and there is a lovely garden in front of the cathedral. I attended Mass once here during my internship year. Buffy notices the fortune tellers in Hello Goodbye and actually talks Spike into taking her to see one in A Small Boat on the Ocean. http://www.stlouiscathedral.org

You can also take a tour around the Quarter in a horse and buggy...they're stationed near the cathedral and Café du Monde.

The ghost tours are supposed to be really cool.

And cemetery tours are unique because the graves are all above ground. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 would be a good place to tour, and Buffy goes here looking for an easy slay in A Small Boat on the Ocean. This is where Marie Laveau is buried. http://discoverhistoricamericatours.com/new-orleans/historical-locations/st-louis-cemetery-no-1/

If you want, you can take a streetcar, which is kind of fun. I think we used to ride one to the zoo when I was a kid. https://www.neworleansonline.com/tools/transportation/gettingaround/streetcars.html?

Audubon park is gorgeous for the large oaks and is in that beautiful section with the fancy old houses. You could probably pair this with the Columns hotel or Jacques Imo's or the Audubon zoo, which is a lovely zoo. https://audubonnatureinstitute.org/audubon-park

If you go to the park, check out the Columns hotel for happy hour...this is where Willow and Oz get engaged in A Small Boat on the Ocean. They have a jazz brunch, but I’ve never been. https://thecolumns.com

The WWII museum is supposed to be wonderful. https://www.nationalww2museum.org

Hurricane Katrina exhibition appears in Adventures in Vamp-Sitting. I dragged my poor husband here. https://louisianastatemuseum.org/presbytere/exhibit/living-hurricanes-katrina-beyond

And Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo is a must see shop. I’ve gone there every time I’m in New Orleans and it’s always so interesting to visit. https://voodooneworleans.com/

There are plantation home tours and swamp tours. I’ve always wanted to do a swamp tour!

When Anne Rice lived in New Orleans (not sure if she still does...I know she moved back and forth at one point), she had a Halloween party at her house every year. Now, it sounds like the fans have a vampire ball. http://annerice.com/Lestat-TheVampireBall.html

[velathetanager]

What would the main fours reaction be to Houstons real form?? Also how would it get revealed? (Actual ghost au)

Chains, a psychopomp: *realizes Houston is among the dead and tethered to Dallas to ensure his safety, starts thinking of how to fix that bc that's technically his job*

Wolf, an eldritch abomination: *gets excited at the new form, wants to "play" with Houston more now*

Hoxton, one of the Fair Folk: *a mix of shocked at how much power Hous has, proud because he called something being Wrong™️ with Houston, and interested in what could be done with this*

Dallas: *shaken, takes Houston's head in his hands in horror, hugs back when Houston pulls him into a hug, and quietly asks, through tears, "Little brother... Who did this to you?"*

They probably find out because Houston has to take ghost form to protect Dallas from some enemies that have cornered him/gotten him alone. Probably not cops, maybe hitmen/mercenaries. They're about to smoke Dallas when a roar (as in, aggressive noise that very much is not human anymore) echoes through the surrounding area and a thing Dallas doesn't recognize at first proceeds to grab him and hiss at them, "DON'T YOU FUCKING TOUCH MY BROTHER!"

By the time the Gang gets there, the mercenaries are all dead and Houston is hugging Dallas. That eerie smile never leaves his face, but with how many tears he's shedding it's obvious that he's in pain.

[rinusagitora]

Gems flow in her bloodstream.

Fandom: BLEACH

Characters: Toushirou Hitsugaya, Rangiku Matsumoto, Momo Hinamori, Shuuhei Hisagi

Pairings: HitsuKarin-centric, minor Rannao, minor ShuuHina, platonic HitsuMatsu

Words: 2,000+

Summary: Modern AU, movie star!Karin, trans!Karin. WARNINGS-- depression and horror themes. Gift fic for @gloomyplum for HitsuKarin Secret Santa 2017. Toushirou, famous novelist, is having his latest and most popular horror trilogy adapted into a movie. Unfortunately, the lead lady is hot.

FFN | AO3 | NEXT

His eyes peeled open, jostled from his slumber, to Rangiku as she smoothed her blonde hair. “Nap’s over, Hitsugaya-kun. We just landed.”

“Motherfucker.” He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms. “These flights are gonna be the fucking death of me.”

“That’d be a lame way to kick the bucket. Your novels portray such artistic deaths. Wouldn’t you be embarrassed to die of jet lag?” she teased.

“Hence my complaining.” He popped his neck. “Do you think my sister will forgive me if we detour for some fucking coffee? I may die otherwise.”

“She has a press at home, doesn’t she?”

“She had one of those coffee bars-- two, in fact. Both defective in the space of a year. She just goes to the Starbucks by her place now.”

“Send her a text, then. You have manners.”

“Yes, mom,” he snort as he switched his phone off airplane mode. “It’s a quadruple shot night, though. I’m not looking forward to tomorrow.”

“Maybe for you. I’m going home to my girlfriend and sleeping for the first time ever, so you’re gonna have to catch a cab. As much as I love you, I miss my girl.”

“That’s fine. Tell Ise I say hello and look forward to seeing her once we start filming.”

“Aren’t you sweet? Will do, Hitsugaya-kun. See you in the morning.” Rangiku grabbed his elbow and kissed his cheeks, ever affectionate. He couldn’t help but smile to himself. She had been his publishing agent for so long she was almost his friend. What was once an annoying gesture made him smile even as exhausted and overall standoffish as he was.

“Get some sleep, Matsumoto,” he told her.

He dragged his luggage behind him and hailed a cab from the entrance. It was only four o’clock in Shibuya, but he swore it was four in the morning. His tour in the Americas fucked over his circadian clock. He, ever a creature of habit, took days to adapt to a new routine, even if it was a return to a year’s-old routine.

In the backseat of a cab with his luggage in the seat beside him, he sighed. “The Kamiyo high rise apartments,” he told the driver.

“Fancy,” the driver replied. “Are you from Shibuya?”

“I live here, if that’s what you mean. I moved to be closer to my sister and work. She owns the Hisagi Gothic Art Gallery with her husband.”

“Oh, hey, you wrote that Haruka trilogy, didn’t you? I knew I recognized you. My wife raves about those books. All that gore makes me kinda queasy, though.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, that’s the point. I love writing nasty stuff.”

“She adores the ghost chick too. My wife normally only likes male characters, but she tells me Haruka was captivating. Congratulations on your movie, by the way. I watched Funeral Home and it was fantastic. I’d love to read it if I didn’t work so much. Got a baby on the way, you know.”

His heart slammed like an emergency brake in his chest. “Congratulations,” he said.

“Shit, my wife is gonna dig this when I tell her, though. She loves your books.”

He smiled. Hearing from his fans in an everyday setting was one of his favorite parts of being a writer. He wasn’t so popular he was swarmed when he was just out and about, but he was recognized just around in coffee shops and bookstores. He didn’t mind so long as he wasn’t bugged at the grocer’s or the mall.

With his fare paid, he walked inside and rang his sister’s suite from the ground floor. He was soon welcomed into an elevator and then his sister’s spacious suite.

Momo giggled, her lips pulled into a wide, ruby-colored smile as she jogged over to him barefoot and wrapped him in a hug.

“Welcome,” Momo cooed with a squeeze to his neck. He rubbed his hand over her chiffon top and kissed her cheek like Rangiku kissed him. “It’s good to see you again. I missed you so.”

“Hey,” Shuuhei cheered from their kitchen.

“You’re all looking splendid,” he told them, shoes and bag left in the genkan. “I come with gifts! Do you guys want them now or after we do some catching up?”

“After dinner. I want to hear all about your time in the States.” Momo pulled him onto the couched and curled her dress and her legs under her.

His sister so easily made him smile, however exhausted he may be. “My god, it was eventful,” he told her. “My English is still shit and I hate road trips, but I got to see a couple of art galleries in New York and a gothic-inspired independent fashion show in Los Angeles which was superb. I got to try a lot of good food. There’s nothing more to say other than Kyouraku driving his assistant up a wall.”

“Ugh, you’re so boring.” She reached into her clutch on the table and pulled out a cigarette. “Tell me about the places you ate at.”

He laughed. “Well, it was either diners or Michelin star establishments where I had to wear a fucking suit and tie. I really liked this one diner outside of Orlando, Florida. It was towards the end of the tour and I was fucking beat. Their cheeseburgers and milkshakes were to die for. So juicy, so cheesy. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.”

“And those art galleries?”

“I saw one in Houston, another in Seattle, and the final one in DC. None of them were gothic or otherwise related to horror. My favorite was the abstract gallery in Seattle. The artists featured expertly demonstrated feelings and events through color and shape. There was this installation where there were these glow in the dark strings in this dark hallway. I think it was meant to express the feeling of MDMA at a rave, or something. I loved it.”

Momo cackled. “Oh god. It sounds like you had fun. What was the fashion show like?”

“Fantastic! I sat next to Marilyn Manson. We talked a little before the show began. Apparently, he’s read my novels and had wonderful insights on Bear Claw. My English is shit but he was understanding and promised I was understandable.”

“Marilyn Manson?”

“He’s a popular metal musician in the United States. It’s atmospheric and angry. I adore it. I listened to his newest album while writing the Haruka trilogy.”

Momo hummed. “Well, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”

“Here you guys go.” Shuuhei deposited three plates on the table they surrounded. Steam wafted up to his nose, sausage and potatoes and oregano. He grinned.

“It smells amazing. Thanks Shuuhei.”

His brother-in-law winked with a click of his tongue. “No trouble. It’s great you have you back, Toushirou. It just doesn’t feel right when you’re not in Shibuya.” Shuuhei kissed Momo’s cheek. “How’s that new book going, by the way? I saw an outline pulled up on your laptop the last time we were over.”

He laughed. “Pretty good. I’m finished world-building for now, I’m working on the cast now. More ghosts, more grunge, violence galore.”

“Look at you, corrupting our children with your books.” Shuuhei and he laughed.

“By the way, how’s your book going?” he asked.

“Oh god. I’m either writing at lightning speed or distracted by my wife,” he answered. “I’ve been researching interrogation approaches so that’s a bit of a speed bump. Can’t read and write at the same time, after all. Nonetheless, progress is progress, as Rangiku-san tells me.”

“Don’t you have researchers to help you out with that?”

“Technically. I’ve always preferred doing things myself, however. I was always taught to do as much as I can and then ask for help when there’s nothing more.”

“I suppose you’re right. Progress is progress either way. That’s the most important thing to remember, especially about writing. Research, writing, working with the publishing company, et cetera. Matsumoto tells me that it’s like a circle filling in at stages rather than a linear progression. She’s wise that way.”

“Rangiku-san is wise in many ways,” Momo smiled. “She’s good to us, especially you, ‘Shirou-chan. I hope you treat her well.”

“I try. She likes making her life difficult, I think, since she’s so opposed to actually doing her job.”

Momo and Shuuhei snort in unison. “Yeah,” Momo replied, “that sounds like our Rangiku-san. But you know what I mean.”

“I do,” he smiled.

He sighed, plate finished, and then stood. “Enough chat. I have gifts! Let me fetch my bag.”

Momo’s sigh followed him to the genkan. He hooked his arm through his rolling luggage, not brave enough to risk Momo’s anger for ruining her flooring. Shuuhei had cleared their plates and he set his bag down. Moments later, he presented Momo a velvet box.

“To start off, for my lovely sister.” He opened the box to a jeweled collar, the color of Momo’s eyes, chocolate diamonds draped with milky pearls. “I thought of you the second I saw this.”

Momo’s eyes bugged out of her skull. “Holy shit….” Gingerly, she lifted the collar out of the box. Shuuhei clasped it behind her. “Toushirou, it’s gorgeous. How did you ever get your hands on this?”

“I have an internationally bestselling trilogy and movie deals. I’m loaded,” he answered.

“Shit,” Momo chuckled, “you spoil me and I don’t ever have anything for you.”

He shrugged. “I don’t mind. You’re my sister. You’re the most beloved person in my life since our grandmother’s passing, I don’t mind giving you nice things. Anyways.” He presented Shuuhei a pair of silver guitar-shaped sleeve cuffs. “For you, my friend.”

“These are nice.” Shuuhei pulled his wrist cuffs to his eyes. “Damn, look at the detail. My publishers are gonna dig these. Thanks so much.”

“No problem at all.”

“Now then,” Momo laughed, “I adore these gifts and I’m sure Shuu does too. I want to hear about your movie deals, though.”

“Obviously, the one for my second book is finished-- thank god. I had to fight tooth and nail for the studio to keep the details and plot to the book. I’m not exactly optimistic about my trilogy’s film adaptation, however. The studio still doesn’t seem to trust my judgement despite my prolificness as a writer. I’m grateful to have Kyouraku directing again, since he’s more open to keeping to my story rather than shooting off with his own, but the company is a pain in the ass.”

“I hope they stick to the book. You’re a very talented writer. You know what you’re doing.”

“Alright,” He slid out of his chair and hugged Momo. “I have an early morning tomorrow. Thanks again for the food, it was delicious.”

“Of course. Don’t be a stranger, now.”

“Of course.”

He called another cab outside. It was silent his ride home. Tours always took a lot out of him, but with the excitement of seeing Momo fading, he was beat. He longed for his plush mattress, his satin sheets, the smell of home.

He sighed as he flipped on the light. He dropped his luggage on the couch, he’d take care of it sometime the next day. He undressed and turned on soft violin music and laid beneath his blankets.

His suite was very open. In terms of music, the acoustics were fantastic. He could turn on the speakers in his kitchen and he could hear it in his room. In the enclosure of his room, the very air seemed to reverberate with melody. His heart felt like the strings the bow slid over.

It crushed his chest like stones.

His home was empty like he. He adored Momo, but they only had so much social energy. Dating took effort he didn’t have the time for. He could barely take care of himself, let alone a pet. He was alone. Even with Momo divorced from Sousuke for years and back in his life, even with Rangiku, he was alone. Ever doomed to be stuck with fame and money and the sound of his keyboard and violins, never to be completed by someone wrapped in his arms.

Tears streamed down his cheeks as he stared wide-eyed at his stucco ceiling. The hollowness of himself and his home made him ache.

[velathetanager]

Actual Ghost Houston AU Fun Fact

Houston can't breathe anymore. Kind of impossible when you no longer have a body. But he never forgot how that felt. He tries to breathe sometimes. To try and pull in air he knows he'll never have again. When it gets really bad, he screams. He tries not to do it much anymore, mainly because the first time he ever did it anywhere that wasn't a forest, a graveyard, or somewhere isolated from civilization, he caused a blackout in the entire city.

[velathetanager]

Dark Ghost!Houston Thing

Prison Nightmare must be an experience for Hous. You just know the Necro Cloaker messes with him more than the rest because he knows bro's secret. Imagine winding up in the Necro World with images and whispers of your big brother leaving you because you lied to him. Because you've become a monster. Because it's not safe for him to be around you anymore.

Seeing the fear in Dallas's eyes would destroy Houston every time it happens in the Necro World, and there's that mocking voice speaking only to him, always reminding him that "One day that gaze will be fixed on you."

[velathetanager]

Ghost AU Important Note

It is not safe for anyone for a ghost to go to the place they were buried or the place they were killed except on the date of their death. It usually gives them bad memories and makes it more likely that they'll go Mindless (a term coined by ghostkind to describe when a ghost's negative emotions consume them and they become violent/hostile towards the living as a whole). Houston outright refuses to go on certain heists for this reason; I imagine that if Murkywater finds out, they will start using this against him.

[velathetanager]

Ask me things about Actual Ghost Houston AU

I want to worldbuild some about ghost society and random other things

[velathetanager]

This has absolutely happened in Ghost!Houston AU; Wolf asked the question (no one knew they were talking to Houston).