#and roach is like 'i hate to break it to you but i don't think sane people see ghosts'

[natelia-aldelliz]

some quick ghost!Roach, don't look at the anatomy too much I'm fighting art block

[kiame-sama]

Drag Me to Hell- (Yandere!Alastor x Chubby!Reader) pt 4

Warnings; Several spoilers for EP 8, violence warning, mention of blood warning, injury, stick with it I promise, kind of cliffhanger, Nifty is a wild little thing,

~~~~~~~~

"Ah, the celebratory night before a courageous last stand. It's been a surprising thrill to witness these wayward souls find connection. Almost makes one sentimental, eh Ladies?"

"I really like them, Alastor. They let me put on roach puppet shows without booing!"

"Ah, an enjoyable collective to be around. I admit, one could get accustomed. What do you think, my precious Doe?"

You stood with Alastor and Nifty, watching the sinners you lived with for months drink and enjoy their evening. Part of you was honestly sad you may not see them ever again after that night. Who knew what heaven had in store for everyone or if anyone would even make it through the onslaught.

"I... hope everyone makes it through this. I don't know how much help I can be to them, but I truly want to help them however I can."

It was then Alastor laughed, almost seeming hysterical in his laughter and that put you on edge. Something about his laugh made you feel like you had said something that set him off and that was a concerning feeling for you.

"My adorably naïve Doe, what in Hell makes you think you're going to be anywhere on that battlefield? No, no. You'll be safe where you belong in your microphone home and far from Heaven's table scraps. Enjoy this night, Dear. This may be the last time you see our wayward pals again."

You were both unsurprised and horrified at Alastor's words. Part of you honestly thought you would be fighting the angels with the others and to hear Alastor so casually state his plans to lock you away upset you. There was no fighting or arguing with Alastor, but you also felt compelled to at least try and convince the cannibal demon to allow you to stand with the souls you befriended.

Before you had the chance to speak, there was a sudden weight added to your head and you saw Nifty putting an oddly woven crown with several dead roaches on Alastor as well.

"I dub thee King and Queen Roach."

"Oh, to understand your twisted little mind."

Both Alastor and Nifty laughed, but you struggled to find the same humor in the moment when the reality of all you could lose loomed over you.

~~~~~~~~

Everything was dark spare for the glowing neon lights outside of the broken radio tower. So vastly different from what it had been seemingly moments before. The arms that wrapped around you and held you snugly only served to ground you from the absolute terror you had been in.

"Please..."

Your voice was a whisper that only seemed to echo among the rubble around you. His arms tightened in response for just a moment, his body tense. The broken microphone you had been contained in was clenched in one of his fists and almost felt cold against your body.

"Quiet, sweet Doe... Do not speak now..."

A part of you was terrified to remind Alastor that your deal had been broken and you didn't need to follow his orders anymore, but an even stronger part of you hesitated to think back on how it all fell apart.

It came from seemingly nowhere. You were safe within the microphone when the blast of heavenly light pierced into you. What neither you nor Alastor realized was that when a deal created item like the microphone breaks, the deal and the soul bound to it break as well. That was really all you remembered before your own mind blocked the rest out to protect you.

You winced at the memory despite your now healed stomach. When you awoke after being swallowed by Alastor's darkness, your body was healed almost completely. The only thing left of the splitting injury was a freshly healed scar around your midsection and an oddly empty feeling within.

Alastor couldn't stop himself from replaying the memory over and over in his mind and he hated what it meant for him and the soul he had found himself so fond of. Mostly he hated how he had reacted to it and the truth he now knew in himself. He couldn't deny now that he needed you and losing you was enough to show him that.

The sound of your choked and gasping cries made agony rip through Alastor's damned and tainted soul far more than he realized it would. Both pieces of the microphone in his hands and your soft body laying beneath Adam's axe as the angel grinned maliciously down at you. Your deal with Alastor to keep you safe and alive had been broken.

"Well, ain't that cute. Looks like I got your little fucking sinner bitch instead of you, she- this is one of heaven's souls. Where the fuck did shit like you get a soul from heaven? Damn it! They'll lose their shit if I kill one of our souls!"

He couldn't deny it, but he would never admit to it. Alastor would never admit to being afraid and desperate to not lose you because his own ego couldn't take it. Though he could no longer delude himself, he could still delude everyone else. Everyone except for you.

"Make another deal with me, my innocent lost Doe of heaven. Keep my eternal secrets for me. Broadcast for me with your pure radio waves and soul. I will keep hell from tainting you, and you keep your heaven touched soul reserved for me. Strengthen my radio station and be my trusted pet once more..."

Alastor hummed against your shoulder in a soft tone, knowing that he needed to get you back on his leash. He wasn't the only one in hell aware of your pure soul anymore. A heaven touched and claimed soul so untainted and pure was a very rare thing. Whatever angelic pride resulted in you being wrongfully cast out allowed Alastor a fantastic trophy of a soul. Despite still being considered the quarry of heaven, you wound up in Hell and you would remain there if he had anything to say about it.

A sinner's soul was one thing. One of heaven's souls was another entirely.

"Refuse... Well, we both know the broadcast can keep your sweet voice and soul protected for another half a decade. At least I don't make you scream for it."

~~~~~~~~

Vox watched the video over and over again of the soft woman Alastor supposedly kept within his microphone. What that stupid first human said peaked his interest in this Hell-bound heavenly soul. If he could get his hands on that soul there were certain to be some grand abilities paired with it, not to mention the value of such a soul in Hell's market.

All Vox had to do was convince Valentino and Velvet to put value in the same soul and it would be akin to a one-way ticket to the strongest overlords Hell has known. Well, that and wresting the pure soul from Alastor's control. It shouldn't be too hard given the fact that their deal was broken, but Alastor was likely to try and make another deal just to keep that sweet soul to himself.

On top of just the heavenly soul, the soul of the little maid Nifty was certainly a hot commodity given just what she did at the end of the extermination battle. With both souls in hand, Vox might not even need the other Vees in time. He could rise above the two Vees he had teamed up with and become more powerful than even Zestial.

No doubt the other Vees won't be too difficult to convince when it comes to the idea of collecting the two high value souls. Once Vox has his hands on those souls and can use them to taunt that old-timey prick, he will finally have everything he wants within his reach.

[ghouljams]

ALSO if roachs womb signature is fae magic,, when he meets up with ghost or the other guys by chance with bookworm (his darling) dO THEY STEAL HIS IDEA??? AND like imagine price somehow hearing this idea and just drifts off into a daydream about his Witch having a *permanent* mark of him, and not even that but its his NAME? duuude hes just gone

*gripping your shoulders and gritting my teeth* do you have any idea how badly I want to give Witch a womb tattoo. Do you have any idea how fucking feral I am for this woman? How feral Price is for her???? GOD

"You're all caged up again," Price tells you looking over the spread you'd laid out this morning. A full tableau of Lenormand, it's a new moon and you'd like to see what coming. You hum, stirring an extra spoon of honey into your ginger tea.

"Correct," you tell him, let him fill in the rest since he's so- You take a breath to steady your thoughts, there's no need to snap over a little concern. "It's that time of the month," you sigh, "don't want anything sniffing me out."

"Blood and magic," Price agrees, "better safe than sorry." He goes back to inspecting your cards. You hardly think he knows what he's looking at, parsing the spiral can make even you a little dizzy.

You assume that's the end of that and go back to your tea. The magical cage you put yourself in makes you a little nauseous the first day, easy enough to remedy. Your lips twitch into a frown as your spell work shifts. The ashen paint and runes moving like snakes against your skin. You don't like that one bit. You turn to look at Price who has his hand raised, his finger stilled in the air at your glaring.

"Don't," you warn him, your skin burning with foreign magic.

"I can help," he promises and you go to stand in front of him. You grip his chin, tip his head back to look at you, his hands grip your hips, thumbs digging into your stomach and rubbing out the ache of cramps.

"I don't need help," you tell him sternly.

"You're all caged up when I can just-" he presses his palm bellow your belly button and your stomach jumps. Heat swims through you, scorches over you really, all your seals forgotten in favor of clutching at Price's shoulders and shuddering. He smooths his hand around to hold your back, tug you close to press his face against you. You can hear the heavy inhale of his breathing, smelling you, smelling whatever he did. "God," he breathes, "you are going to hate this."

"What did you do?" Your suspicion seems to break whatever spell is over him. Price lets you go, leans back and waves a hand.

"Temporary measure, don't worry," that makes you more worried actually, "better than your cage, prettier too."

You don't waste time trying to parse what he means, you go to your bedroom and strip. It's hard to miss. All your previous marks seem to have consolidated themselves over your pelvis. Sigils loop over your womb, spreading up your hips like the limbs of a tree to spell out Price's name. You could kill him. You might kill him. It's weird that your cramps are gone.

You glare at Price's mark. You can feel his magic hugging you, the tendrils of it stroking your muscles. You wonder if he's siphoning off the pain, if he's eating your magic through whatever he's drawn on you. You don't bother getting dressed when you storm out to confront him. Better to do this on unequal footing you think.

[ecstacy-appleofmyeye]

jason grace headcanons<3 (some x reader too)

a/n: my boy needs more love 🥺 also i haven't read all the books (im lazy) so if i miss something important that's why. also, reader is intended as male but i'll use they/them or you/yours pronouns

general hcs;

i don't think he's as macho/buff as some ppl make him out to be.

he is strong, obviously, but im sure as hell that he isn't 80% muscle . he's lean—skinny but muscular—and tall, very tall(193 cm, 6'4''—in canon) with lots of scars all over.

hates going to the doctor and getting stitches.

with all the fights and quests he's been im sure he made lots of visits to the infirmary and hated equally every single one.

he's scared of roaches, especially the ones that can fly (tbh who isnt afraid of them)

hugs ppl when he's excited (i think it's canon too? i may be wrong). he'll have to restrain himself from choking the air out of his friends and you. but he's respectful if someone doesn't like touching.

his glasses break at least once a month. he's not clumsy, but sometimes he forgets and fights with them. usually they just fall amd someone accidentally steps on them.

he loses them a lot too for some reason??? he'll just leave them on his nightstand to sleep and the next morning they're gone. where did they go? who knows

kinda afraid of nyx kids. they don't get along very well but he's trying to be friendly.

isn't afraid to fight someone if they insult his friends.

i saw a hc that roman demigods don't have dyslexia (cuz they use english to read, instead of greek) BUT they have dyscalculia instead 'cause of roman numerals.

and it makes sense. tbh i always thought of jason as more of an english type rather than maths.

neatest handwriting ever.

he has selective mutism. it stems from his anxiety and trauma from when he was under lupa's care—and extreme training. he also has migraines, thanks to lupa—again—and her anxiety-inducing training.

it wasn't uncommon for him to have panic attacks and have trouble talking—like the words couldn't get out of his throat—during his first quests. he was all alone too, so that didn't help at all.

i think reyna would be the first person he consulted for help.

after chb and camp jupiter united he would spend more time with hypnos kids, since their relaxing aura helped ease his mind.

very clingy in his sleep

he and thalia shared a small wolf plushy when they were younger.

whenever she visits camp and he happens to there they usually go to the lake and listen to thalia's music (i hc that music lovers have adapted and started using mp3s to listen to music).

he eats everything. he was a picky eater when he was younger but he grew out of it and eats pretty much anything that isn't molding. if it's not something disgusting (human flesh, scat, these things) then he'll probably eat it.

he's not photogenic at all 😭

dude is literally so handsome but you can't take a good picture of him to save your lives.

he's ticklish on his palms and elbow. aND HIS WRISTS!! someone will try and grab him by the wrist and he'd start giggling.

he Never shouts or yells. for any reason. jason always tries to talk calmly. he doesn't like it when he's being yelled at, and definitely feels bad if he does it to someone.

he doesn't like conflict. some times he'll just agree with anything just so he doesn't start a fight.

he's pretty awkward at the start of your friendships, but when he opens up more he's very talkative.

if you are the type of person that like to share your food, he always eats some of it. he can't say no to food.

he might look like he doesn't gaf about anything but it's just his resting bitch face.

he also doesn't express his emotions a lot but he's trying to get better at that.

romantic hcs;

cuddler!!!! he loves cuddles!!! my boy craves physical intimacy (intimacy in general but anyway)

his favourite position is either him laying on top of you (or the opposite) while you play with his hair.

not that romantic most of the time ex. bringing flowers and chocolates or stargazing/going to a cafe/going out in general for a date. but he can be sappy some times.

i think he'd probably prefer for him and you to sit in a room together and they do something without necessary talking to eachother (literally my idea of fun)

he will make you food tho.

not an amazing cook but he's trying his best <3

also not that big on pda. he'll be cuddly in private but never in public. hand-holding is as far as he'll go.

at first he's insecure because, what if he messed up their relationship? what if he upset his s/o? he needs lots of reassurance.

like. he grew up in a world where everyone expected him to be the perfect leader that saves and helps everyone anytime, doing the oh-so-noble-thing of selflessly sacrificing himself for others. he was forced to grow as jason grace, the son of jupiter but never just jason (there are other posts here that describe what im saying better

ahrm anyway

his perfectionism makes him second guess if he's doing anything wrong, he always tries to be perfect for his partner :(

they need to remind him that he's perfect just the way he is. he doesn't need to change himself for anyone, that they love him for being him <3

his love language is quality time. being a praetor means that he needs to sacrifice his personal and private time for his duties. at first it was alright, but now that he has a partner he values any time he gets to spend away from his job with them.

loves it if his partner's love language is words of affirmation.

im imagining them cuddled in his bed, both ready to fall asleep any second and his partner murmuring how much they love and appreciate him while playing with his hair.

he'll literally melt in their embrace. he needs someone to remind him that his mistakes are human.

jason definitely likes sparring with his s/o. sometimes he likes a more intense spar, other times he likes it so he can spend time with them.

he's so sweet and respectful and nice and understanding if you don't like physical touch.

he was raised by wolves so im 100% sure that he bites (take that however you will).

likes it when before you kiss him, you gently caress with your thumb the scar on his lip, kissing it first and then you kiss his lips.

🦋🦋🦋🦋

the butterflies in his stomach are going around in circles.

your affection in general makes him feel dizzy. like, gods, he loves you so much and you're being so sweet he'll faint.

overall he's an amazing boyfriend <33 he'll always be there for you but you also need to be there for him

[hunterbunter3000]

I think it's also about the way sweetheart touches them. She's gentle with them, which is something rare for absolutely all of them. Sweetheart doesn't assume because they're in the military that they don't need kindness and support and delicate hands. She knows they already think that they don't deserve anything like that so when she sees them wanting it and craving it, she is so willing to give. Her love cup is so full for her team and the people she cares for.

She handles ghost like he's still just Simon Riley, a sad kid deep down. Sweetheart offers up affection that she can just feel is so foreign to him. Yes he can take care of himself but everybody knows it doesn't extend beyond the basics and she takes time to try to heal his aches and pains that he's gotten so used to living with

She's delicate with price, knowing how hard he's worked to keep the team alive and well. How most of the time, he gets no recognition for his efforts. Sure, she teases him and calls him an old man when he complains about his back but in the same breath is offering a massage to get the ever present knot out

She's attentive with soap, hating how he looks like a sad puppy when people try to brush him off as a loud and brash grown up child. She wants him to hold on to that because she knows if it goes away, he'll seem like a shell of himself. She's seen what too long in the field can do to someone like johnny and how it can change them for the worst so she always encourages his jokes and such.

She helps gaz as much as she can. She sees how he pushes himself and how it sometimes ends up in neglect of himself. How many meals has he missed due to trying to just get one more thing done? How many hours of sleep has he skipped to try to figure something out? With a firm hand, she always guides him into taking care of himself and to give himself a much needed break.

IM RAMBLING IM SORRY

AAA NOOO DONT BE SORRY- DONT EVER BE SORRY FOR RAMBLING THIS IS AMAZING 💖✨️✨️💕

(I'm terribly sorry this took so long- BUT GARRICK'S IS PRETTY LONG SO ITS A WIN WIN-)

But holy cow I agree with this so much

Tw: mentions of depression, insecurities, trust issues

I'm really gonna start with Soap because what you said is her biggest fear. She cares deeply for Mactavish and always pays a little bit more attention to him than the others because of that terror.

It would be a nightmare if she didn't see the life in his eyes anymore. Her heart was already broken when her second uncle came back a zombie from being in the army. Didn't talk to anyone, and if he did he would always snap at them. He loved his family still. He really did. But the happiness, and the compassion was gone. He couldn't let go of the guilt, of the regret he had in his choices. He didn't really talk about it, but when he did Sweetheart could see the black tar oozing out of his mouth. All the internal pain and suffering. She doesn't want to see Soap be like that, since their personalities are quite similar. Fun, chipper, determined and kind. She will protect his internal being with everything she has, just like she did with her uncle. So she will always laugh at his jokes and add on to them, making them both double over. She will always stand up for him when someone calls him loud and brash. Telling him it's okay to express yourself how you want to.

If she fails, if she even sees the shine leave his eyes for a second, she knows she failed her uncle again and will never be the same.

--

Now with Ghost-- GOOAAHHHHDDDD he needs all the hugs and cheek kisses he can get (and really just hugs) he doesn't like to be touched unless he knows you knows you (kinda like König and Roach) it took Sweetheart a WHILEE to get close to Ghost. Yes, he did have a small soft spot for her, but he would NOT let her touch him. It took like five months just to let her touch his shoulder. Because of his insane trust issues and paranoia, he didn't let her get close. He couldn't. He couldn't risk getting hurt from Sweetheart. Kind, charming, thoughtful, Sweetheart. Caring, strong, smart, Sweetheart. He craved for her touch so badly that he knew it was what he needed, but he couldn't handle the pain afterward. But there was no pain when she first hugged him when he came out of that explosion alive. There was no pain when she held his hand through his panic attack. There was just warmth. And love. Through every touch she gave him, it spoke of love and care. She gave him time. She gave him so much patience so he could trust her. So he could love her. And he does.

Price-- that man deserves a hundred medals I swear. As you said, he gets no recognition of his effort from anyone, because that's what he's supposed to do. He's supposed to get everyone out alive, he's supposed to succeed everytime. It's just built in the job with that expectation. But Sweetheart knows in order to keep that kind of task going, he needs support. And my god, does she give it to him. Always patting him on the back and saying good job. Checking for any injuries, and if there are, she would fix them. Listening to anything he's talking about and giving her opinions on it. Giving him some tea and something to eat if he's up late. And just giving him any form of affirmation. He deserves it. He deserves all the support, the back rubs, the massages and the teasing, the tea and the naps, all of it. And Price is so grateful for it. If she wasn't there for him, no one would be.

Kyle. Gaz. Garrick. Goodness, that boy has put so many expectations on himself that NO ONE ELSE has put on him. It's weighing him down. Since he's the youngest and has less experience than everyone else, he thinks that he has to catch up to everyone else or be better than them in order for people to see him. See him being one of the members of Task Force 141. The best of the best, right? Like Sweetheart? How she carries herself through chaos, how she handles dire situations, how well she works with others, how physically, mentally, and emotionally strong she is? Can he be skilled like Sweetheart? Calm and collected like Ghost? Well-armed like Soap? He doesn't know. His insecurities are always getting the best of him, making him forget to brush his teeth. Or eat breakfast. Or even get out of bed. Is he even fit to be on this team? Sweetheart knocks on his door. Is he even worthy? She knocks again. He has so much to catch up on. She opens his door. How will he catch up to them? She sighs, walking towards his curled up figure on his bed. He's in their shadow. Maybe he should leave. Sweetheart comes into his view, shocking him. She has a slight concerning face, but more anger than anything. Angry that he hasn't been taking care of himself. Concerned on why he hasn't been taking care of himself. She grabs his hand and brings it to her lips, closing her eyes. His entire body feels warm. Awake. She breathes in and opens her eyes back up. She urges him to get up. Get up and take a shower. His brain says no, but his body is moving subconsciously. She waits outside the Men's Bath Unit until he's done. She waits for him, quite closely, when he's brushing his teeth; Sweetheart tells him not to forget to brush his molars. She waits for him when he dresses himself in clean clothes, still in the same room as him, just turned. She waits for him to finish eating a big breakfast, which he eats fully. All with silence. All with a neutral face. Yet her actions are firm. Caring. Helpful. She sits him down on his now cleaned bed, the help of Sweetheart, and they just... talk. Talk about what's been going on, talk about why he feels this way, and when. It helps. She's giving her opinions on what he can do to be better, but it's up to him to take them. She sighs, eyes studying him. 'I hope I'm not crossing any boundaries with you. But I couldn't sit aside and let you make yourself disappear. Especially when you're valued as a teammate and a friend.' She says. Gaz feels like crying. And he does. He hugs so tightly. Tight enough that she could feel his appreciation through his touch. He's thankful that she saw him. And she continues to see him.

[ivyjupiterwrites]

MDNI - Leash

AFAB! reader x Roach

Roach seeing you talking to someone at a pub, you two are technically friends but sorta have feelings, and the boys go

"Roach is going in--" Soap narrated like they were courtside at a basketball event or a MMA fight. "And boy does he ever look pissed."

"This should be a fight and a half." Price sighed through his nostrils lengthily, there wasn't a time he wasn't pulling that little but out of where he didn't belong it felt like.

"No kiddin'." Gaz, knowing how protective Roach was over you, period, could only nod in agreement.

"Nope." their heads all snapped around from gawking at the two of you, to Ghost, who cooly shook his head. Sipping from his glass, he raised a brow as he found them all their attention was now focused on him. "What?"

"Whaddya mean nope??" was Soap's initial reaction to the lieutenant's nonchalant, coolness in regards to the undoubted fist fight that was about to break out.

Between Roach and the dude, or you and Roach was to be determined.

"You really don't think so?" Gaz wondered with a raised brow, but the more he eyed how unhappy you looked that Roach was approaching, the more doubts he had.

"How the hell can you be so goddamned sure?" Price had his gaze fixated on Ghost more so than what was unfolding before them; there was a glint in normally dull, lifeless eyes. That playful wink that came out to show it's face whenever Simon Riley was up to no good.

"Brave thoughts Lt." Soap weakly smiled to his mate, seeing just how sure of himself he appeared and gave him a punch on the shoulder affectionately.

Roach was now bickering with you, looming over you tremedously and had waved away whoever you were talking to with a whoosh of his large mitt. You looked infuriated, pushing on him, throwing your hands around vehemently and if that didn't do-- your expression certainly suggested you were anything but pleased.

"She's gonna whoop him." looking on through his fingers, Gaz really didn't want to see Roach get himself pummelled by you. Or any teeth flying. He hated that.

"I told him how to deal with someone like her." Ghost assured them with a slight wave of his palm, "Just watch."

Curiously they watched with bated breaths, jolting a little as Roach caught one of your swinging hands. His hand enveloped yours, tugging you closer to him, he glared down at you icily. He had brought you in so close that your bodies were flush against each other, so that he was staring down the bridge of his nose at you.

They couldn't quite make out what he was saying, but he obviously wasn't happy about it. He had lowered himself to your ear, and with each thing that was said, his body lurched to brush up against yours.

It didn't take long, and with much further ado, he had you by the waist, fingers digging into the exposed flesh telling you "we're leaving, now." through gritted teeth.

"Put the puppy on a lead--" Ghost began after a while of sitting in silence, but Soap eyed him quizzically.

"You told him to leash the bitch--didn't you." the Scotsman asked exasperatedly, and Ghost tilted his head away to obscure his contorting features.

"I might have."

_____________________________________________________________

"What should I do?" pretending like he didn't hear him, Ghost proceeded on with cleaning his gun. "Lt?" sighing, he placed his gun on the container before him, turning to Roach he sat there, expectantly.

"Well?"

"Whaddya mean well?"

"What about?" the lieutenant gruffly replied, adjusting his in his seat to better face the sgt.

"What I was just telling you ab-" Ghost shook his head with a shrug, indicating he hadn't gotten a word. "-god fucking dammit c'mon!"

"I was cleanin' my gun." was his simply shrugged reply, a man could get really lost in cleaning his gun. In truth, he didn't want to play Dr Phil or Oprah or shrink, especially over some school yard crush. Why couldn't Johnny be here to answer this nonsense? It was his thing anyhow, Ghost would just eye some girl then darkly walk over with his smouldering aura. He didn't know how to not approach it with his 100%.

"Okay, so, I wanna… 'move things along'," he raised a brow suggestively, "So to speak with __--"

"You wanna fuck'er?" he stated plainly, and Roach nearly astral-ly ascended. Yes, but he didn't have to phrase it like that.

"Well no… I mean yes--that is the eventual plan--but--"

"Lemme rephrase that," Ghost offered casually, flicking a knife out of his pocket to play with while they conversed. "You wanna rail the absolute shit outta'er? Not just a lil one and done."

"Yeah…" not really knowing what else to say to that, he awaited his superiors response eagerly. Of anybody, it was either going to be him or Soap who he figured would have the answers. One of them was a blabbermouth, the other literally didn't want to speak even when he had to.

Great.

He wished Kyle wasn't like him, and that Price wasn't such a Peepaw. 'Perhaps he'd have good tips as an old man?' Roach thought to himself as Ghost was giving him…Debauchery.

"She's an easy one, that one." his superior laughed to himself, smiling wide Roach noticed the mischievous glint to his eye. "--you just gotta leash the bitch."

"That sounds….Misogynistic?" Roach countered cautiously, but was met with the deadpan of Ghosts chocolate hate gaze. There was little room for joking or humour suggested with the dullness of how they regarded him, so tired.

"Sex isn't about feminisms or equality or…. your doodads…" trying very hard not to snicker over the usage of 'doodads', Roach straightened himself up when his CO raised a brow at him. "It's about doing things, that're so god awful, you don't want to even look at the other person after."

"Are you sure?" gradually, the more and more Ghost talked, the more Roach felt like he was in the wrong place, asking very much the wrong person. Maybe he should've asked Laswell? She had a happy wife as far as he knew. Then again, that would be rather uncomfortable. How much more uncomfortable than this particular interaction, Roach wanted to wager perhaps less. "I kinda…still want her to talk to me after…"

"Oh she won't be able to get off your cock." Ghost assured him with the utmost confidence; so much so while just twirling his knife around that Roach was unsure if they were truly discussing sex. "Woman aren't that hard Roach, please'em, feed'em, fuck'em and leav'em somethin to snuggle at night--you'll have'er wrapped around your finger, cock, whatever you want."

"Okay, well that's great and all…" Roach was thankful for said information, but it didn't help him arrive there by any means. "But…like… how do I get there?"

"Ah, yes, right, back to point one," his gloved index doing a loop as to suggest rewinding, Ghost nodded affirmatively, "Put the bitch on a leash." he enunciated ever so carefully, and Roach could've screamed.

"I understand to some extent, like I have the leash right?" gripping thin air with his right, he showed his superior. "And the…Bitch… Ummm how do ya--" with a flick of his other hand, Ghost cut him off.

"Ahhh proposal of the sex huh? Don't know how to do that?"

"No….Not really." he admitted with a bashful shake of his head, Ghost could've figured well enough.

"Ain't no problem." Ghost set down his knife finally to clap him on the shoulder, both seeing and knowing Roach wasn't the most confident or self assured. "You walk up to her, you tell her 'we're leaving, now.' firm-like and grab ahold of her like it means something--that's important, you gotta take the lead, believe in yourself man--then fuck the life outta her." he walked the sgt through set by step, however, he had promptly lost Roach after 'we're leaving now'.

Ordering you around?

Was Ghost insane?

Was he trying to send him to an early grave?

That was the sole outcome Roach was sure was going to happen if he sauntered over to you, snatched any part of your being and bossed you out of an establishment. He had seen your aversion to authority, that you only listened to Price and Ghost, and that was on a good day.

"I just don't think that's gonna--"

"Hey, listen, I get it." Ghost shrugged to the sgt, "She's intimidating, and if you don't wanna sleep with her--"

"No I do!" the enthusiasm was amusing, bringing a smirk to Ghost' cloth covered mouth as Roach lurched in his seat.

"Then do what I say," the lieutenant urged him with not so subtle amusement. "Who knows? Might leave ya surprised."

_____________________________________________________________

Roach, who now was leading you along by the wrist, staring up at him wondrously, was going to have to give his lieutenant….well he felt like a full on kiss on the mouth considering what he had told him to do with you was working like a charm, but he thought that might only leave him long enough to be with you that one time.

He was sure he was going to want more. You just gave him that feeling.

[ourflagmeansgayrights]

ofmd s2e1 rewatch where i pause to jot down my thoughts and other random shit

not quite a reaction post bc i've already watched the whole thing. not quite a liveblog bc it's one post and it's probably gonna take me a full hour to get through a 28 minute episode at the rate of pausing and typing i'll be doing

s2e1, s2e2, s2e3, s2e4, s2e5, s2e6, s2e7, s2e8

anyway, pirate time:

i love how much fun con is having choking on his own blood

dream!stede's extremely teary face right before he takes off running down the beach is doing psychic damage to me

also dream!stede's stupid ridiculous outfit with all the long ribbons and shit...

ed and stede make contact so hard shjfkhsgjkfd the loud OUGH sounds from both of them

also the return of ed's old beard! i didnt expect to see her at all this season, so that was a surprise.

"babe" "love" im tearing out my own hair

stede has yet to learn that ripping ass near your beloved can be a love language

stede is a terrible fucking roommate just deal with wee john's gas in silence like the rest of them. goddamn.

WHO HAS THE OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH TRAMP STAMP. WHO IS THAT.

i like when the background OST is familiar to me lol the little strings when stede starts his letter throwing me back to s1

olu: that–that's the swede the swede: Im the swede roach: he's single ;) me: *pissing my pants with laughter*

also the direct confirmation that the swede literally doesn't have a name. incredible

shjkfhdhfkj the crew encouraging him. stede's "it's okay" and roach "be brave" im CRYINGGGGG

stede doing customer service is something that can be so personal. "reservation?" "eat my fuckin' shit" "right! walk-ins, then" average restaurant experience

the random background guy saying "my favorite hand!" abt getting stabbed in the hand is making me giggle. i love the humor on this show

why does stede have so much shoulder movement going on when he's walking through the bar. whore behavior.

"this is for mom!" sorry but i want to know more abt whatever's going on there

also the purple mohawk. dope.

buttons is so distressed LET HIM RETURN TO THE SEA THESE CONDITIONS ARE INHUMANE

"i know the odds of you finding this are slim but so were the odds of us finding each other in the first place" IM RIPPING OFF MY OWN SKIN

also stede's lil sad hopeful smile after throwing the bottle... i care him

i love how they make this wedding fucking suck so we don't feel too bad abt the whole massacre thing. "the natural condition of humanity is base and vile. it is the obligation of people of standing, such as yourselves, to elevate the common human rabble through the sacred transaction of matrimony" if i was at a wedding and the officiant said that i'd also start killing people probably

yayy murder montage :)

FANG BREAKING THAT GUY'S SPINE OVER HIS KNEE

the whole cake scene is so fucking funny im sorry. i love u jim drawing the line at attacking a shitty wedding. i love u archie who wasn't here for the good old days so you dont really see a problem with how things are. i love u frenchie with ur box in ur brain that u never open again. i love u fang it's gonna get better i swear. i love u frenchie again bc u just took the cake right out of fang's hands while he was fucking sobbing hfjhgkjhdkjkf

I MISS IVAN JUSTICE FOR IVAN. wish they could've said he'd just fucked off somewhere instead of dying but i think that would've raised the question of why hasn't anyone else fucked off since they all seem so miserable

very relieved that stede isn't taking the racist/antisemitic caricature drawings of ed to make like a boyfriend scrapbook like some people were theorizing. would've been overkill if after episode 4 from last season stede still didn't realize that ed hated these sorts of depictions of him.

INTERESTING DETAIL THO the background music in this scene is "a pirate's life" aka the song frenchie sang in the pilot. it's an instrumental version obviously but yeah i recognize that tune

also more cool background ppl with dyed hair man i love this show

zheng yi sao flirting with olu is so good. he deserves it.

how nice of ed to offer his drugs to the crew. sharing is caring.

also it's so funny to me that the thing izzy is tormented by is ed saying "you can't do the job, someone else will" the toe thing's happened three times and apparently that was fine but the thing the show edits together right before izzy breaks down into the most pathetic aheemheem whimpers isn't any of that it's ed threatening to fire him

also they cut ed throwing knives at izzy!! what the hell.

releasing the clip of izzy crying kinda ruined it for me when it came time to watch it in the show bc i watched it several times since it dropped and now seeing it in context i was like "ok i've seen this already fast forward." i mean i didnt fast forward through it but i did kinda zone out bc i've seen this bit already. this post kinda sums up my thoughts on it

"trifling ingrate plan" dshkjfshgdskhfjkhgkjh

"SEMI-CLEAN WATER"

JACKIE CALLING THE SWEDE "BOO CAKES"

"i know that guy we had breakfast together!" "you'll be having a lot of breakfasts-es together" "oh, okay" i fucking love this whole dynamic like i can tell they're writing the swede out of most of the episodes for budget reasons (sorry nat faxon) but by god do they give him such an excellent fucking send-off. can't wait to see him again when he's in his trophy husband number 20 era

roach is upset abt not being able to cook, buttons is tied up so he doesn't go running back to the sea (i assume). stede you are not giving your crew the environment they need to thrive.

olu being an optimist :)

buttons opens his mouth to drink the rain and in the background u can see roach yanking the rope around buttons back fhdjskgfjhgkjfh STEDE YOUR SEA WITCH CANNOT THRIVE IN THESE CONDITIONS

stede tries to make things sound good in his bottle letters to ed but out loud he says his actual insecurities... it's so fucking tasty tho that he thinks ed could be doing better without him and THAT'S why he's been stalling so much. not afraid for his life even a little bit he just assumes he's not wanted. brb i have to cry now

"im sorry if that's a little bit creepy" "you are creepy" in this scene where they're soaked from the rain. ofmd said this prince ricky guys is creepy and wet.

stede's fucking FACE when prince ricky says "you're my hero" his fucking "clearly you dont own an air fryer" face I CANT STAND HIMMMMMM (affectionate)

prince ricky "these rubes" "men of our standing" yeah i cant fucking stand this guy (derogatory) i love how he's barely even in this episode

stede's face when the swede is talking abt how happy he is with jackie... my man believes in love so much im gonna cry

also in what fucking way does the swede owe them a life debt. roach and buttons literally tried to eat him

izzy's "you know me better than anyone knows me and i daresay the same about you" this is literally so false i dont even know where to begin. izzy in e6 being like "if i didnt know any better i'd think maybe ed might possibly maybe be actually enjoying bonnet's company" while ed and stede are giggling and making each other friendship bracelets. this guy doesn't know ed at all.

also i cant get over how izzy wont make eye contact he's like staring blankly into the middle distance delivering these lines so flatly until he goes to say "i have... love for you" and in that moment he looks like he'd rather ed were feeding him more toes.

"im worried about you, we all are" not gonna lie my dude you've had a weird way of showing it thus far. where was all that worry when you told him he was better off dead than wearing a robe and singing songs?? where was that fucking love then?

and NOW izzy wants to talk it through. izzy literally voted to make blackbeard great again and now he wants to give open communication a chance???

lmao there's a limit to how many characters can be in a bulleted list so here's fucking. part two. on the same post:

ed asking everyone if the vibe is poisonous and fang cant stop crying and ed's face is just like "eh good enough" im fdhksgfkjtdkh

anyway ed with a loaded gun under his chin talking to himself is hurting me so fucking much actually. ed my beloved babygirl for whom i would die. this poor traumatized man. yes he is making this workplace toxic as hell but god. GOD. im gonna throw up.

the way ed is so fucking casual about shooting izzy in the leg. just calm and jovial as he promotes frenchie to first mate. stepping over izzy all crumpled on the floor. everything about this is so fucking good. i mean it's horrible for ed and everyone around him but for me watching the show this shit is DELICIOUS. i love when the pirates get violent and unhinged i love when this shit gets fucked up. ed's mental state is so bad right now and it is causing me severe anguish but also it is so tasty. fuck.

anyway frenchie trying to turn down the promotion fhjkghdfjkhf

the cut to the swede performing the husbandly duties is INSANE. COMPLETE TONAL WHIPLASH. I LOVE THIS SHOW.

"fuck those hammies up!" spanish jackie i love you

black pete why are you so fucking loud AND WHY WOULD YOU JIX IT LIKE THAT???

why is prince ricky so small. he's like a full head shorter than stede. also this guy is insufferable i love how stede just fucking abandons him fhjkgdhkdfghkj

"the calf muscle is the most mysterious of alllll the muscles" what the FUCK does that even mean. oh swede i will miss you

NOSE REMOVAL FUCK YES. I LOVE THIS SHOW.

obsessed with the swede playing dumb. the dramatic gasp. "wow, so bad!" fhjsghdkjf

"aint you that soup bitch?" "im the money bitch" i love women.

sfdsjkh spanish jackie being into double-crossing. and slapping the swede's ass on the way out. i love this show

i love how zheng says "this much indigo is worth three times what i paid" while spanish jackie and the husbands are still like, right there. and they just don't hear that bit. incredible.

OUGH the back of jim's weird rope armor looks like a ribcage that's so cool

i love how jim is so fucking bad at telling this story. i love how the monkey's paw comes into it. i love fang asking them to do the voice. i love archie trying to hold back her laughter i love jim and fang giggling together I LOVE THIS SHOW

ed's fucking voice breaking through his whole convo with frenchie. im tearing out my own teeth

HEY DID YOU GUYS KNOW THEY HAVE POST-CREDITS SCENES IN THIS SEASON?????????? WHAT THE HELL

i take back what i said about jim being bad at telling this story their version is so much fucking better. squeaky voice "I pray to you, Dark Lord, to make me real flesh! I want to be real flesh!" IM FUCKING OBSESSED. JIM I WOULD DIE FOR YOU

[thatgoblin]

Just a fun idea I may delve into should the depression and anxiety wane.

Your mom remarried after your dad dies, making you and your twin brother, Alex, move across the world to live with your new step dad and step brother, Johnny. Not only did you move, but so did your step family. It’s an old fixer-upper, and your mom loves it. She's in the real estate business, and it's perfect to keep the whole family busy over summer break and give everyone bonding time.

All you care about is that you moved over 6,000 miles away from everything you knew. Even if Scotland was a place you had always wanted to visit, it's now tainted by you being forced to live with your idiot step brother, who you barely understand.

While Alex is introduced to Johnny's friends, you're left at home because 'boys only'. Sticking to your mom's side, trying to have the least amount of interaction with your step dad, you slowly get used to the place. Sure, there's creaks and groans, but the house is stupid old. Sometimes, you hear people murmuring in a room down the hall when no one else is home, but you're sure it's just a radio your mom left on while painting a room.

Then Alex starts hating his room. It smells horrible, and no matter how much he cleans, it just smells like rotten meat. Johnny and him end up sharing a room to escape the smell, and it works for a while until the smell follows to Johnny's room with twice the intensity.

Your mom refuses to think it's weird and continues on as if nothing is happening, only giving air sprays to fight the stench.

A couple of weeks have gone by before Johnny’s friends visit. They keep to themselves as you work to clean out the attic, your mom giving you the option to use that as your room so Alex can have his own room again. You're almost done moving things when you're being hit with tiny pebbles in the back of the head. Frustrated, you spin to yell at Johnny or Alex or even his friends, but no one is there.

They stay the night, and unbeknownst to anyone, they use an old pendant to ask spirits questions. It was just something spooky to do for fun, but when you get jerked out of bed, someone dragging you by the ankle, your screams wake everyone up.

Of course your mom thinks it was just a bad dream despite your statements of being awake. The boys don't say anything, unusually quiet. From then on, it gets worse and not just for you.

Alex gets hit in the head by a cupboard door slamming shut on its own. Johnny keeps finding roaches in his bed, no matter that he leaves the blankets off or doesn't eat in his room. Your mom and step dad are oblivious, not having experienced anything other than you and your siblings being 'dramatic.' Things keep falling in Alex's first room. There's nothing in there, it's empty, but there's thuds of objects falling. Your books, Alex's game controllers, Johnny’s shoes, etc.

Finally, something happens that your parents can't deny. You're minding your own business when the thumps start again. You're used to it by now and ignore it. All of you do.

But this time it gets louder and louder. Your mom goes to the stairs to yell at Alex and Johnny to knock it off, but everyone is downside the livingroom while you and her were in the kitchen. Staring at one another, the thumps stop at the top of the stairs as the sound of creaking rope as something swings comes from the vaulted ceiling.

Looking up, you fall down as you choke on your own spit as everyone panics.

Looking back down at you is a man who had hung himself, smiling with wide eyes. You know the man as well, making it even more horrific.

It's your deceased father, who had passed from hanging himself almost 3 years ago, 6,000 miles away in a house that had since been destroyed.

[wow-thisismylifeiguess]

thinkin about pacific rim soapghost, but they're not drift partners

Ghost has been in love with and dating Roach since they were teenagers. They join the Jaeger Program together and everything on Roach’s suggestion.

One day, Roach dies. Ghost is distraught. Ruined. But not more than Roach’s drift partner, John MacTavish.

See, Roach and Ghost were never copilots. Going through the program, Roach ended up paired with Soap of all people. And Ghost hated him for it because it was always supposed to be him and Roach. And now that Roach is gone, Ghost has all the more reason to detest Soap’s entire existence. Meanwhile Soap is stuck with his own dilemma.

He's caught between the hell of having felt his drift partner die whilst also struggling to determine if the feelings he has for Ghost are purely his own, or an after effect of drifting with Roach.

Eventually, Soap is paired with Ghost, something neither of them are all that pleased by, but the program basically controls their lives and neither of them have a choice unless that choice is to leave the Jaeger Program all together. It is rough. Their test drift is delayed for months, mostly because Soap makes excuses of not being ready yet, that Roach's death is still too fresh in his head, something that only further irritates Ghost. How dare he? How dare he talk about the love of his life like Roach meant anything to him? Ghost is blinded by his grief, and it finally culminates in a fight the night before their compatibility test.

- - -

"You don't know shit-!"

"I know more than you! I know everything about him, Riley! I was in his fucking head!"

Ghost freezes. His expression is caught between surprise and burning anger, but Soap doesn't give a shit. He's been holding back this entire time, taking the abuse because he *knows* it's different for Ghost. Knows that he lost the love of his life and has no other way to fucking grieve. But he's tired of this shit.

"I know how much he loved you. How much he wanted to spend the rest of his life with you. Fuck, it was so strong. Fucked me up in the head, if I'm being honest. 'Cause I liked you too. Kept my mouth shut about it, even if he knew anyway. It was like a mutually agreed upon decision. I didn't bring up his feelings for me and he didn't bring up my feelings for you. We just ignored it. And then he died in the middle of everything, and the only fucking thing in his head was *you*. You you *you*. Fuck, can't even tell what parts are me and what parts are still him. He haunts me like a fucking *ghost*, and I hate it, but I miss him at the same time so I just fucking cling to any part of him that I can. And the strongest part is his love."

Finally, Ghost breaks his silence. He ignores the part about Roach's feelings for Soap like he never mentioned it at all. "How can you love me when you don't even know anything about me?"

"I do, though. I know that you hate sweets, but you loved kissing Gary and tasting the sugar on his lips. I know you love this program, despite what it's taken from you. You've always struggled to belong, and outside of Gary, piloting feels like your purpose in life. It's why you haven't left, right? I know everything about you that he's ever known."

Soap doesn't sound happy about that. Doesn't sound upset either. Just...resigned. The red finally fades from Ghosts vision, and for the first time, he looks at Soap. Really look at him, and sees just how *broken* he is. Takes a moment for the connection to form in his mind, for him to realize why. Ghost had lost the love of his life, yes. But Soap had been the one to feel it. To be there. It had felt like he was dying too. And here Ghost is, *blaming him*.

"I-"

"It's whatever, Riley. I'm leaving. Don't think I'm cut out for this anymore, it's all just one big fucking headache. I'm tired."

Ghost watches Soap walk away. And he doesn't follow, because what can he even say?

[callsign-bunnie]

Slasher... Haunted House?

Rodolfo hates haunted houses. He's desensitised to them so they don't scare him and he can think of about a million better things to do than to go to a haunted house. However, when Soap uses the money for a movie they were planning to see in order to go to a Haunted House and make his exes jealous... well, he doesn't exactly get the choice.

However, while there he meets a scare actor dressed as one of the slashers from his favorite Slasher film and he decides he doesn't mind so much...

--

Rodolfo hated haunted houses. So he wasn’t quite sure why he was letting Soap, his best friend, drag him to one with him and Gaz. Likely, probably, it had to deal with the fact that he didn’t exactly want to be alone on Halloween. He didn’t have a good reason why, he just… didn’t want to be alone.

Thankfully, Gaz wasn’t the biggest fan of parties, either, though he’d go to them so if Rodolfo found something else to do, generally Gaz would opt out and so Soap was the one going alone or missing the parties. Though, after Soap’s latest break up with his on again off again thing he had with Gaz’s adopted brother and said brother’s boyfriend, Roach and Ghost respectively, he had seemed to be opting out of parties. 

Rodolfo didn’t really understand why, but Soap would just mumble something about “just not wanting to go and why does he have to be questioned about everything” and Rodolfo just didn’t want to end up arguing with him, so he’d just nod and say he understood, even though he really didn’t. Whatever, it was Soap’s business.

Anyway, Rodolfo hated haunted houses for a few reasons. One, the scare actors usually went to his college and he’d seen those guys shit faced drunk and shitting all over themselves and just… it was hard to find any of them that scary after that. Two, he was a fan of horror films and creepy content, in general, so they weren’t scary enough. Which meant he was running through a house with the weirdest fucking themes, chasing Soap and Gaz while they actually got scared.

Rodolfo raised an eyebrow as he finally took stock of what his best friend was wearing, watching Soap straighten a leather jacket around himself. “...Soap.”

“Yes, Rudy?” Soap said, his tone innocent sounding, but Rodolfo caught on, immediately.

Rodolfo knew Ghost currently worked at a scare attraction for the season, but he hadn’t quite thought it might be this one. Surely, Soap would have wanted to pick a different one? But, he watched Soap fluff up the overgrown mohawk he had and spend way too long checking himself out in the mirror, and he knew immediately. “You are not just going to this to make Ghost jealous.”

“You’re right. Because Roach works at one of the counters. I’m making them both jealous.” Soap hummed. 

Gaz snorted, having been sitting on Soap’s bed. “Watch it, Soap.”

“I’m watching it!” Soap grinned, checking his sleeves. “Besides, I doubt either will even notice me, regardless.”

Rodolfo winced, hoping Soap would not start to complain about, at the very least, Roach while Gaz was right there. Gaz and Soap had gotten into a few arguements because Gaz would take Roach’s side when Soap would inevitably break up with the pair, and Soap would get defensive and then Rodolfo was listening to them argue while he debated blowing his brains out to not have to listen to it, anymore. 

Thankfully, however, Soap didn’t say anything else and went to grab his keys before Gaz was perking up, smiling at his phone. “I won’t be coming. I’ll venmo you the money for my ticket.” He was up out of the bed in a flash, and Soap and Rodolfo shared a look. 

Gaz was in a long distance relationship with a guy named Alex and sometimes, he’d randomly come to their town and so Gaz would drop everything to see him. Rodolfo didn’t care, because Gaz got so little time with him, and Soap wasn’t allowed to care because he was similar. So, both waved bye, hardly getting a chance to do anything else as Gaz rushed downstairs. Moving to the window revealed that Alex was indeed down there, leaning against a beat up truck and grinning when Gaz came outside. 

Alex opened the door for Gaz, like a perfect gentleman, and Gaz kissed him before getting in. “They’re cute.” Soap snorted and Rodolfo smiled, a little jealous. He’d love a relationship like Gaz had but… he wasn’t going to put his heart on the line to try to aquire one. 

“Come on.” Soap sighed, shaking his head. 

Rodolfo sighed, grabbing his hoodie and tugging it on. “Please don’t make a scene, Soap… Also, don’t ditch me, either! You’re making them jealous, not having a fucking hookup.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Soap huffed, half glaring at him. “I have self control, you know?”

Rodolfo wasn’t sure he agreed with that, but he didn’t voice that, instead just following Soap outside to Soap’s jeep. “Can we at least get dinner after this?”

“I would never turn that down.” Soap made a face as he got into the car with Rodolfo, chuckling. “I love food.”

“I didn’t think you would, just thought I’d ask.” Rodolfo relaxed, very glad. “You know, there are easier ways to make them jealous.”

“Those ways are boring. Besides, unlike you, I like haunted houses. I like being scared.”

“So do I!” Rodolfo defended, huffing. “I just don’t find them scary. I know they’re just people in masks, and we go to college with half of them. Trust me, I don’t enjoy not being scared at them.”

Soap snorted, softly. “They’re not even meant to be that scary, they’re just meant to be fun. Exhilerating or whatever.”

“I’m sure I’d find them plenty exhilerating if they were actually scary.” Rodolfo mumbled, leaning against the door and looking out the window. Thankfully, Soap didn’t respond, so he fell silent as well and leaned his head against the window before perking up, slightly. “Are we still going to see that movie next week?”

Rodolfo loved the movie series, Slasher Fieldtrip. They were on the twelth film, and yeah it was getting kind of corny, but he liked it for that. The scares were decent and the plot, while convoluted, was fairly interesting. 

Soap winced, hard. “Yeah, about that…”

“Soap.”

“So, I used the money for that to pay for our tickets tonight.” Soap mumbled, parking in the parking lot. “But, I get a bonus at work so I thought maybe we could go to the next showing, instead.”

Rodolfo stared at his friend, having several strings of words run through his head, though none would be kind to him. Instead, he settled on cussing in Spanish and getting out of the car, slamming the door. “Rudy, wait!” Soap called, running around the car. “The showing was sold out, anyway!”

“Why couldn’t you have asked??” Rodolfo rounded on him, crossing his arms. 

“Because you would have said no!”

“Exactly!!” Rodolfo cried. “I was looking forward to that movie! I’ve been wanting to see it all year! God, you’re such an ass!”

“I’m sorry…” Soap pleaded, putting his hands together. “I’m still going to get tickets for two weeks, it’ll just be… two weeks.”

Rodolfo rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry about it… I got some of my grants returned so I have money, finally.” He’d had a job but he’d had to quit for a few reasons and now he was without income. Soap had insisted he didn’t have to find a job so quickly so he could just study for the rest of the semester, but Rodolfo had known better. He should have gotten another job… 

Whatever.

Rodolfo took a deep breath. He’d been supposed to pay back the money for the tickets, anyway, instead he’d just pay for it and Soap could completely cover that night. 

Soap winced. “I’m sorry… I just really wanted to come, tonight, and… and…”

“It’s alright.” Rodolfo sighed and pat his arm. “I’ll just pay for the movie, it’s okay. Come on, we should get in to get our tickets checked.” 

Soap hesitated before nodding a little and Rodolfo went up to the ticket booth. He wasn’t shocked at all to see Roach was there, frowning when Roach’s eyes went wide at seeing them. ‘What are you doing here??’

Soap grinned, leaning against the counter. “I have prepurchased tickets in the system. Johnny Mactavish?”

‘Soap. Go home.’

“Nope. I have tickets.”

Rodolfo blinked a little. Well, the breakup had to be bad, because why else would Roach be insisting Soap go home? “Roach, can we please just have our tickets?”

Roach looked between them, almost looking… nervous. Soap had clearly caught on, because now he frowned, raising an eyebrow. “What’s going on, Roach?” His tone had softened and Rodolfo resisted rolling his eyes, looking away. Soap could pretend to be all vindictive but if Roach even whimpered, Soap would fold.

Rodolfo narrowed his eyes when he saw Roach pick up on it, immediately, stepping forward and sticking his hand out before Roach could take advantage of it. “Stamp. Tickets.”

Roach jumped and then he glared at Rodolfo, which just proved Rodolfo correct. ‘Alright.’ He signed before checking the system and then he stamped both of the back of their hands.

Rodolfo smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Roach.” Then, he took Soap’s arm and dragged him to the entrance to the military themed part of the attraction. Really it was more of a “scare park” as most of it was outside and it was made of thirteen different attractions with thirteen different themes. But, it was still called a haunted house on the website. “You know, you need to get better at not immediately folding.”

“Shut it.” Soap mumbled, avoiding Rodolfo’s eyes. “He looked upset.” They both glanced back and Rodolfo frowned as he saw Roach had left, appearing to be running off behind a wall.

“Mhm.” Rodolfo chuckled, standing in line with him. 

They went through the first few attractions fairly quickly, though Rodolfo kept an eye out for Ghost, having a feeling that if Roach gave Ghost any indication that Soap was in the mood to cave, Ghost may try it and god the whole reason they came was to make them jealous, not for Soap to get back with them, so Rodolfo was going to keep that from happening if it killed him.

Well, maybe not if it killed him.

Thankfully, Rodolfo was fairly certain Ghost worked on the second to last attraction, which was Slasher themed. He apparently dressed up as one of the killers from Slasher Fieldtrip that year, which involved military gear and a white skull mask. 

Rodolfo did notice that Soap was also glancing everywhere, rolling his eyes. “I thought you were making them jealous.” He teased, laughing when Soap blushed dark red. “You’re not very good at it.”

“I can’t exactly make them jealous when I can’t find them, now can I??” Soap huffed, loudly. “You’re an asshole.”

“I’m a correct asshole.” Rodolfo teased, shaking his head. “Regardless, you’re not doing a very good job.” He said, following Soap to the attraction that was just before the Slasher attraction. “I’m guessing you made sure Ghost was working tonight?”

“I triple checked.” Soap nodded a bit. “He’s working and doing his usual bit.”

Rodolfo snorted, softly, and then sighed, following him into the attraction. This one was a bit more houselike, though it was a collapsible house built out of shit plywood and held up by wire framing. Still, he appreciated it.

Though… he remembered there being more scare actors. In fact, there didn’t seem to be any, just the usual animatronics which, he’d admit those got him a little. They freaked him out, he didn’t like them. “Hey, Rudy?” Soap asked, startling Rodolfo as he jumped back from a doll sitting up. “I think we might be alone in here.”

“That’s… weird.” Rodolfo frowned, looking around and realizing that he didn’t really see or hear other customers, either. “That’s really weird.”

Though, he did wonder if it was meant to be a way to make the attraction creepier. Rodolfo would admit… it was working. Already, he felt unnerved by their being alone and he moved closer to Soap, biting the inside of his lip. “I’m sorry for saying they’re not scary.” He mumbled.

Soap snorted. “Lets just try to get out as fast as possible.”

Rodolfo agreed and they both quickly continued through the path in the fake house. Rodolfo was quickly reminded how fucking big the house was, as they had trouble finding their way through without the usual employee guiding him.

“Fuck!” Soap growled, after a bit. “I signed up for a haunted house, not a fucking escape room.”

Rodolfo snorted, irritated as well. “You have your phone, right? We’ll just split up and call each other when one of us finds the door. Just… text me if you find one of your exes, please?”

Soap glared at him and didn’t say anything, just heading off, so Rodolfo took that as an agreement and turned to another direction, starting to look through rooms. Fuck, this place was a maze when you didn’t have a guide… 

He soon came across a kitchen, though it was fairly small. Each room seemed to be exactly the same size, likely meant for ease when taking the house down and putting it together.

Rodolfo looked around, looking for an exit point and relaxing when he saw one to the dining room, where he remembered there usually was a fire exit. He wouldn’t count on that exit, but it would be nice if they couldn’t find anything else. Instead, he just curiously looked around the kitchen, never getting a chance to really look at any part of this specific attraction since he was usually sprinting through with Soap. 

So, he went up to the fake stove, snorting as he saw it was just cardboard. The dials didn’t even appear to be able to turn, which Rodolfo found amusing. He liked it, that most of this seemed to have been crafted.

Footsteps sounded behind him.

He startled, whipping around and half expecting to see Soap, but instead he couldn’t see anyone. “Soap?” He did hear some noise in response but… it sounded like sobs. 

Rodolfo tensed, unsure he wanted to see what the source might be… But, he pushed through it, going to the doorway between the kitchen and the dining room. On the table was a woman, who was screaming through duct tape.

Above her stood a figure, dressed exactly like one of the killers from the Slasher film. “No!” He cried as the figure brought a knife down into her chest, ripping it down her torso and spraying blood everywhere. 

Rodolfo immediately felt nauseous, covering his mouth, and only able to stare in shock as she writhed, screaming in pain, before she slowed until she went limp and the figure was dragging her off the table and out of the room, the eyes behind the mask making eye contact with him the entire time.

Alright… that one got him. 

The figure re-emerged from the other room shortly after, standing in the doorway and staring at Rodolfo. It was… fairly intimidating, Rodolfo would admit, but it didn’t scare him now that he’d caught on. “That’s my favorite movie series.” He said, smiling to show he wasn’t scared.

At first, the figure tilted his head before he was pulling off the mask, revealing a very attractive face underneath. “Really? It’s mine, too.” The man grinned at him and then he came up to stand in front of Rodolfo.

“You’re not very scary.” Rodolfo murmured, though he blushed at the other being this close. 

“No?” The man tilted his head, still grinning. Fake blood was splattered across his face in a way that Rodolfo was embarrassed to admit was very attractive. He would admit to maybe having a thing for hot guys covered in blood and wearing masks. 

Maybe.

Rodolfo shrugged, biting the inside of his lip. “I don’t think so… What’s your name?”

“My real name, I’m guessing?” The other chuckled and Rodolfo rolled his eyes, earning another laugh. “It’s Alejandro. Can I ask yours?”

“My name is Rodolfo.” Rodolfo nodded, smiling up at Alejandro. He really wasn’t that scary, now, it’d more just caught Rodolfo off guard. “Is the black masked one your favorite?”

“Oh, absolutely.” Alejandro nodded, inspecting over the black skull mask. “Which one is yours?”

“That one.” Rodolfo gestured to the mask. “My friend is partial to the white mask, but he has a thing for awkward guys.”

“So… then I’m guessing your type is tall… charismatic…” Alejandro murmured, stepping even closer to Rodolfo. “Confident…”

Rodolfo shivered when Alejandro right in front of him, having to crane his neck a little to look up at him. Not much, not nearly as much as he had to for Ghost, but it was enough to notice. “Maybe…”

“Maybe?” Alejandro chuckled, and the hand holding the knife reached to touch Rodolfo’s chin, tilting Rodolfo’s head back, more.

Rodolfo’s breath hitched at the action and he shivered a little, moving his eyes to Alejandro’s lips. His own parted as he tried to keep his breath even. “You got something wrong…”

“Oh?”

“The black mask uses an axe, not a knife.” Rodolfo moved his eyes back to Alejandro’s, blushing when saw the clear amusement in them. 

Alejandro chuckled, softly. “I didn’t like how any of the fake axes looked.”

Rodolfo decided that was a fair response. “Do you always treat guests like this?”

“Usually they pretend to be a little more scared. Jokingly beg for their lives.” Alejandro shrugged, finally releasing Rodolfo’s face. “But… you don’t seem like the type to beg.”

“I could pretend.” Rodolfo offered, before changing his expression to be a bit more scared. “Please don’t kill me… I don’t want to die…”

Alejandro’s face lit up and he grinned again, stepping forward in a way that forced Rodolfo to have to back up, though Rodolfo didn’t mind and even played into it, letting his breath quicken and pretending to be afraid. “You’re too pretty for me to kill…”

Rodolfo turned dark red from the compliment, gasping as he hit the wall behind him and reaching behind himself to grasp at the doorframe behind him. Well… Alejandro wanted him to pretend, didn’t he? 

So, he moved to the side, attempting to turn and run, though he did not get very far, lifted up by his waist and then carried over to the table where the fake blood was still pooled everywhere. However, Alejandro did lay out something over it before slamming Rodolfo into it. 

The action went straight to Rodolfo’s groin and he gasped, staring up at Alejandro in shock before yanking him down by the collar, kissing him. A pleased sound came from Alejandro before he was shoving his gloved hands up under Rodolfo’s hoodie and shirt and Rodolfo gasped at the sensation on his skin, keening up into him.

Alejandro’s mouth soon moved down to his jaw and neck, biting over it in a rough manner that had Rodolfo moaning and whining, trying to grasp at Alejandro’s clothes to yank him closer. “Eres hermoso… Killing you would be such a waste…”

Rodolfo dug his nails in when Alejandro bit a sensitive part of his neck too hard, arching into him. “Would fucking me be a waste, too?”

“God, what a mouth.” Alejandro laughed, lowly, and pulled away, slightly. “I like it.”

Rodolfo laid back on the table, looking up at Alejandro through his lashes. “Please?”

“How could I say no to that…” Alejandro teased, his eyes raking over Rodolfo’s body before his hands moved down to the waistband of Rodolfo’s jeans. Rodolfo lifted his hips to help Alejandro pull them down and then he moved to wrap his legs around Alejandro’s waist, laughing when he saw Alejandro fish out a little bottle out of his pocket.

Rodolfo shook his head, “I’d tease you for having a clear goal, but hey, I fell for it.”

Alejandro only grinned at him in response before he was coating his fingers and pushing two in, the gloves providing an odd sensation that Rodolfo wasn’t entirely sure he liked or not. Even still, he was distracted by the pain, tensing and digging his nails into his palms. 

“Shh…” Alejandro murmured, leaning down and then his free hand was soothing over Rodolfo’s hair.

The action startled him, especially considering they’d just been pretending Alejandro was going to kill Rodolfo, but he still found himself melting into it and pulling Alejandro closer, kissing over his neck. Alejandro released a breath when he did so, starting to work his fingers in and out. “I’m shocked I could get both in, you’re so tight…”

Rodolfo let out a breathy laugh around the pain, burying his face in Alejandro’s shoulder to try to distract himself. Soon, though, he relaxed and Alejandro was pushing in a third finger, which just restarted the cycle, repeating on the fourth until both were satisfied and then Alejandro was moving away for a moment. 

However, he didn’t take too long to push in and Rodolfo tensed, immediately, as Alejandro was much bigger than he was expecting. “Fuck- Fuck, wait wait, I need a moment…” Rodolfo quickly said, lightly tapping Alejandro’s arms. 

It had very quickly overwhelmed him and he took slow, deep breaths, throwing his arm over his face to block out even the mild light. “Take your time…” Alejandro murmured, leaning down and kissing over Rodolfo’s arm. The action was soft and soothing, and it definitely helped Rodolfo to relax a little.

Finally, once he was relaxed, he nodded to let Alejandro know he could move, blushing when Alejandro moved his arm off his face. Alejandro stroked his fingers down the side of Rodolfo’s face before he was suddenly thrusting fully in, causing Rodolfo to cry out. 

Alejandro did not give Rodolfo a moment to recover, pulling out before thrusting back in and then repeating at a brutal pace that had Rodolfo crying out with every single movement. Pleasure coursed through his body, barely giving him a chance to breathe.

Rodolfo reached up and wrapped his arms around Alejandro’s shoulders, pulling him as close as physically possible and burying his face in his shoulder while he was fucked into. Alejandro groaned into his shoulder before biting harshly into it, the pain elevated by Rodolfo’s hoodie still being there and spreading the pain over a wider area. 

“Fuck…” Rodolfo whimpered, arching into Alejandro at a sharp thrust. “You’re tearing me apart…”

Alejandro growled into him, only fucking him harder at the statement. Something about it was feral, animalistic, and Rodolfo loved it more than he could possibly state, desperately clawing at Alejandro’s back, instead. 

Alejandro’s tongue dragged up and down his neck before occasionally biting him harshly, his hands moving down to drag Rodolfo further down the table so he could thrust in even harder, and Rodolfo felt like he couldn’t breathe, now practically screaming with each thrust. He covered his mouth to muffle himself, not sure he wanted any other potential scare actors to hear, while Alejandro continued to pull him apart, piece by piece.

Soon, too soon, Rodolfo felt his stomach clench and he whimpered, tapping Alejandro’s shoulder. Alejandro barely grunted in response, his hand wrapping around Rodolfo’s cock instead and starting to stroke him in time with his thrusts, which had Rodolfo’s vision whiting out as it pushed him over the edge, forcing him to bite into his own hand to keep from screaming at the top of his lungs.

Barely moments later, Alejandro’s own movements were jerking and stuttering as he cursed and growled, the sensation so fucking hot.

Then, Alejandro collapsed into Rodolfo’s chest, while Rodolfo panted and came down from the high. Fuck… Rodolfo wasn’t sure anything was ever going to top this, which was embarrassing to admit. “You should come back next year.” Alejandro chuckled and Rodolfo laughed, unsure he disagreed. 

But, he didn’t respond, instead wincing as Alejandro pulled out and disposed of a condom in a nearby trashcan. Then, Rodolfo started to drag himself up, blushing when Alejandro helped him to get off the table and politely looked away while Rodolfo fixed his clothing. 

“Do you have a pen?” Rodolfo asked, after Alejandro was rearranged as well.

Alejandro frowned and tilted his head before getting out a sharpie, which Rodolfo gladly accepted before taking Alejandro’s arm, rolling up the sleeve and shivering when he saw tattoos. Fuck, it was a good thing he hadn’t seen those, before… It’d be a lot harder not to break character sooner. Instead, Rodolfo found a clean patch and wrote his phone number down, giving Alejandro a flirty smile. “Call me?”

“Oh, absolutamente, hermoso.” Alejandro grinned at him, pulling his sleeve back down and taking the sharpie. “I’ll bring an axe next time. Really make it real.”

“You better.” Rodolfo teased and then winced, remembering why he’d even been there in the first place. “Can you um… show me how to get out?”

“Of course.” Alejandro offered an arm, which Rodolfo blushed at and accepted. 

“You’re such a gentleman.” Rodolfo teased, smiling at the laugh he earned. “I hope the next killer treats me similar.”

“Not me! You may not come back.” Alejandro laughed and Rodolfo blushed dark. “I’ll have to tell everyone else to back off.”

“Possessive already?” Rodolfo joked, biting the inside of his lip. “I guess I have no choice but to come back.”

“Good.” 

Rodolfo shook his head in amusement, glad when they finally made it to the exit. “Call me.” He reminded and relaxed when Alejandro grinned and nodded, before he finally exited, looking around for Soap and frowning deeply when he saw Soap was sitting on the hood of a cop car, a blanket wrapped around him. Soap was clearly upset, and Rodolfo tilted his head at the sheer number of cops startled him. “Soap!” He called, rushing over. “What happened??”

“Rodolfo! Steaming hell, you’re okay!” Soap quickly jumped off the car. “I managed to find the exit and when I came out, I found all of these cops and… and… I… Someone was killing people… Or someones. Three someones, dressed like the slashers from the film you like. They started to question me because Ghost is one of the actors! I tried to explain he wouldn’t do that but… they can’t find Roach or Ghost, even their bodies… Gaz won’t answer his phone, I thought maybe I could talk to Alex, but… I don’t fucking know and then you hadn’t came out, yet!”

Rodolfo’s blood ran cold. “I… what? What do you mean they’re dressed like those slashers?”

“They apparently dressed up like them and just started to kill people! It’s bad, Rudy, it’s really bad…”

Rodolfo covered his mouth, feeling himself start to shake. “I… I…” Oh god, what?! Surely it had to be a coincidence but… The sight in the dining room.. No, it’d been fake blood, it’d all been fake…

Hadn’t it??

He’d given his phone number to one of them, too…

Oh god, he was going to be sick.

--

Do you want to be added to this taglist? Reply to this post that you wish to be added to the taglist and I will start to tag you in it every time I post it. You can also use this form!

@the-pluto-828 @Humanmilkerr @vergilnelosparda @cathsolos @thegodofsleep @lieutenant-storm @roachboy @toasterduck23 @del79jji @thisisthedarknessofmymind @stardust-medic99 @spacedout-ace @ornitorinco @crazy-phan-girl13 @loartacc @cowboyscruffy @lvndr-swtr @green--beenie @idiot_rxxcoon @pandanini @chaotic-pastel-science-babe @odelia_32 @cods-things @idiotrxccoon

[mothcabinet]

Just found this going though my google drive 😭

Summary:

"A man who knows to pair rabbit with a Beaujolais." The stranger spoke

Ghost instantly tenses up. Acutely aware of the Scot's eyes watching him, studying him even.

"I know I don't seem like the type..."

"No, you do."

And the man smiled at him. It wasn't one of those fake smiles that somehow conveys “If I smile maybe he won’t hurt me.”

It was a real, genuine smile. This total stranger had managed to break down all the walls he desperately put up, with a simple smile. Simon Riley knew that he was absolutely and utterly fucked.

Oh look yet another Soapghost apocalypse fic shocked emoji

(No I didn’t start this in early January when I was also brain rotting on TLOU that’s insanneeeeee)

————————————————————————

September 18th, 2003

“A virus. Researchers are saying it’s due to cordyceps. A fungus that attacks the brain. Makes the victims lose every part of themselves. It’s fucked up man…”

Ghost closes his laptop and rubs his eyes.

He tries not to panic. This will all blow over in a few weeks. Something like that isn’t fucking possible. It’s just the media exaggerating a story from some small town in the Middle East. He’s protected here. The closest town is 80 kilometers. His property is surrounded by an electric fence. Hell, he even set up cameras so he could constantly watch over the place. (Price’s solution to get him to stop calling him every time he swear he saw someone in the woods)

He takes a moment and lets himself breathe. He attempts to do those stupid breathing exercises Roach taught him.

“Everything will be fine.” He decides and doesn’t give it another thought.

November 28th, 2003

[rewrite] Ghost sat in his bunker. The only source of light being the shitty computer monitor in front of him. The scene in front of him is anything but pretty.

Innocent people getting loaded up like pigs to the slaughter.

“Idiots.” He thinks bitterly. He’s not stupid. He knows those people are walking towards their own deaths. Hell, he’s ex-military. He knows how these guys think.

Eliminate the threat before it's even considered one.

It’s the military’s sick way of trying to grasp control. He hates the way he understands. How he knows how much innocent blood is on his hands. It makes him sick of how willing these “people” are to kill children.

He eventually tears his eyes away from the scene in front of him. The feelings of the past rearing its ugly head. Remembering all the things that we’re supposed to be dead along with Simon Riley.

“Christ, I need a drink.”

And with that, he decides to end the day with his only source of warmth, an old bottle of (Kentucky) Bourbon.

(Which was supposed to be opened when Tommy turned 21…but he can’t fathom remembering that right now…)

[mactavishwritings]

Roach headcanons plz!!!

Maybe I'll write for him....

I think he has short brown hair with freckles. He has scars on his face. 6'4" and i think he's athletic, but not as broad as the others

I hc he's mute, so he communicates through sign language. If you don't know sign, he slowly teaches it to you.

a very physical lover. always has his hands on you. He feels anxious most of the time so touch is very grounding for him.

he has nightmares, but is very silent about it. He hates waking you up, so when he does have a nightmare, he will just sit and watch you sleep.

when you two sleep together, he sleeps on his back with one arm wrapped around you. You usually sleep with your head on his chest. he is a super light sleeper

he will hoard things, but not in like a "hoarders" tv show way. More in a 'doesn't like sharing so he just hides things' way. he doesn't mean it and he's slowly breaking out of it.

on his off days, he wears baggy clothes. sweats and big shirts.

is ridiculously good at card games, so good that most times you think he's cheating

he gets your initials tattooed on his hand so when he holds his gun, he sees your name and remembers to be safe. to come home to you.

he can get into high places where he shouldn't be able to fit? like a cat. you'll walk into the common room and he's sitting on the book shelf and you're just like "Roach??"

[yesimwriting]

I support you in the tate interest bc I'm right there with you

Has he done crimes? Ya sure but look at him he's cute!

And I'm intrigued with your modern day fic idea if you wanna share 👀

a/n i love you for indulging me <3

also i will be the first to admit that i don't think i ever fully got what AHS apocolypse did to murder house?? like the time travel and new timeline? ig there's no more murder house??

idk i didn't love it so i'm leaving it out partially out of preference and partially out of being a little confused lol,, and i honestly don't want to get into all of that!!

and there's time in between the end of AHS murder house and AHS apocalypse so you can also imagine this is somewhere in there, where season 1 trauma is less fresh to all the characters but not season 8...if that makes sense??

anyways this made me so excited i decided to use this as my homework study break instead of the fic i was working on earlier

----

"And maggots crawl up their nose and eat their brains."

And just like that, I no longer have the luxury of letting whatever Kayla's into these days be just background noise. "Wait a minute..." She looks up from the large book laying in front of her, raising an eyebrow like she had been talking about something any seven-year-old girl could be into. Like brain eating maggots are no different than Barbies or baby dolls. "Maggots?"

"Mhm," she nods, sitting up a little straighter, "It's in my new book, I checked it out at the library."

Kayla lifts one end, giving me a way to check out the cover. 500 Weird Ways to Go. Ugh. Can't blame her, I blame the person raising her. I look away from the dining room table and glare at my mom who's searching through the boxes that have lived on the kitchen counter since we first walked in about a week ago.

"What?" My mom doesn't even have to look up to sense my disappointment. "It's educational, and you were into some weird stuff, too when you were seven." She pushes aside the box she's looking through in favor of the one next to it. "...Used to tell me how much bacteria a single roach could carry."

I set down my pencil. "Doesn't matter--Kayla's been having nightmares." The trig homework was frustrating before and I can't tell if this is worse. "It's not appropriate." She walks away from the boxes, giving me a chance to see the low cut, silky tank she's wearing. "And neither is that top if that's what you're wearing for the PTA meeting."

"Lighten up, sweetheart." I don't. She sighs, nails tapping against the counter. "Y'know you used to be fun."

"Yeah, well," I stand, picking up my school supplies, awkwardly forcing them all into my arms, "That was before some crazy lady forced me to move halfway across the country to live in some house that we shouldn't even be able to afford."

Her glossy lips fall apart in mock surprise, "I'm not crazy." She shakes her head once, "And I've told you...the financial stuff just worked, okay...so just relax and be a kid for once. Worry about decorating your room, or-or making friends, or throwing a rager and making me hate you."

I am so not in the mood for the you worry too much speech. "Lot of ways for me to make you hate me." Before she can respond, I reach over and steal the mug of coffee she had been drinking from. "Just saying."

I walk out of the kitchen, mug and school supplies all awkwardly balancing in my arms until I'm in what's supposed to be my room.

There's nothing wrong with the space. Actually, in another situation, I'm sure I could have really loved this space. The room has dark blue walls and wood arches that make it feel unique. It also came pre-furnished and everything feels like it fits. But none of it feels mine.

Maybe it's just the lack of unpacking...the boxes of posters and personal items pouring over the dresser and onto the floor...the suit case I'm still living out of. Or maybe the good qualities of the room are the issue. It's put together so perfectly I feel like I'm what's wrong with it. Like I'm intruding--a guest in someone else's room...someone else's house...someone else's life.

Sometimes when I can't sleep I imagine what it might've been. Some nights it even slips into my dreams. The story rarely stays the same...sometimes it's a teenage girl who wanted to be here even less than I do...other times I picture a little kid who grew up here...and sometimes I even think of this as some boy's room that relies on rock music and doesn't get along with his mom.

None of that matters, I guess. It's my room, obviously, and imagining who might have lived here before won't help me with my homework. I squeeze my eyes shut, rubbing my temple before turning my attention back to the real villain. Trigonometry.

I breeze through most of the questions as much as anyone can breeze through trigo until I'm on the last one. I'm stuck. I work on it again and again and it keeps being wrong.

I sigh, grabbing a pillow and using it to muffle my groan of frustration. How many times can I do what I'm supposed to do and still get it wrong? I pick up my eraser, knowing what I should do. I should just start over. Instead of dragging it across the page I throw it across the room.

Instead of smacking into the door and falling to the ground, the door pushes back. I sit up quicker than I thought possible.

"Warm welcome." The sarcasm comes from the stranger lingering way too comfortably in my doorway. His dark eyes scan the room before landing on me. He takes in my appearance openly, which I'm not used to, so I instinctually do the same. He seems like he's average height with blonde hair that's long enough to shag slightly and he's wearing an oversized sweater. "Cool room, by the way."

"Uh..." He's definitely lying, because all I've fully unpacked are a couple of books, a few pictures, my record player, and a single movie poster. "Thanks."

I'm not stupid. I know home intruders can be anyone, even cute boys that look like they're around your age and act casual enough to gaslight you into feeling like you're the weird one for not inviting them in. But if that's the goal, he's really good at it. I feel awkward and like I should be doing something to compensate.

"Sorry about the eraser." The words feel flat, almost shy. "That wasn't--wasn't about you--" Like I wouldn't have been well within my rights to throw something at someone who may or may not be breaking into my house. "That was...trig."

He nods once and I can't tell if it feels indifferent. I'm not sure why it matters. The stranger steps further into my room, his attention briefly focusing on the framed photo of a younger me and one of my best friends from back home. He's closer than a stranger should be now, close enough to lean over and look at my homework, which he does.

"Uh..." I sit up even straighter, a part of me wanting to grab my notebook and shield it even though that's irrational. There isn't anything he can get from it. "Who are you?"

The stranger holds my stare for a beat before answering, "I'm Tate." I nod, even though that does nothing for me. "I live around here."

Okay--that makes a lot of sense. I wouldn't be surprised if my mom ran into him on her way out and waved him down and told him to just let himself in and find her oldest daughter. Maybe this is an ambush attempt at getting me to make friends.

"Oh," I mumble like that explains everything, "Did my mom stop you?" The assumption feels like it could make me seem weird. I don't know why I feel like I'm the one that needs to come off as casual when he's the one that has less of a right to be here. "She invites people in sometimes, especially when she's new to a place." I scratch my knee to have something to physically do. "She never thinks anyone could be a murderer."

Oh my god?! Did I just accuse the only attractive guy I've met here of being a murderer? "Not that I think you're a murderer." I fight the urge to physically cringe. "--I um--I've been doing math for way longer than physically tolerable so my head's kinda mush right now."

"Explains why you divided wrong." Before I can ask what he's talking about, Tate places his finger against the bottom of the page. I look at what he's pointing at, some throwaway basic math...that I messed up. That's why it wasn't working.

"Oh?" I pick up my pencil and cross out my mistake so that I remember where to start over. "You totally saved my life." I rewrite the numbers so that I can actually solve the problem. "I'm Y/n, by the way."

Only halfway done with my math problem, I look up. He didn't ask for my name, which doesn't matter. Maybe he feels less comfortable in a stranger's room than he seems or maybe I've weirded him out and he has no intentions of speaking to me again. Not knowing is making my skin feel like it's crawling. It doesn't make sense for me to care.

I want him to like me. The realization burrows itself deep into my chest. It's an uncomfortable feeling, making it hard to just sit there and stare.

I've never considered myself someone that needs validation from guys, but this doesn't feel quite like that. School hasn't seemed too promising and every day I talk to my friends from home or I see their posts online and realize that they still have everything I did. I'm not mad about it or surprised--the world doesn't and shouldn't stop and start with me--but it hurts to suddenly have no one. And even though I know nothing about him, Tate's the first remotely cool seeming person I've met.

He waits a beat, eyes focused on a point that feels just past my head. I don't know why, but something about the silence feels pivotal. Tate then dips his chin downwards, a nod of acknowledgement. "Cool."

Tate takes a partial step forward, body angling itself towards the nightstand that I've been using for my record player. "This work?"

"Yeah," I turn myself so that I can watch him, "I know everything's online, but I like having physical copies." My nails press into my knee.

Tate reaches forward to mess with the volume dial. "What kind of music do you have?"

"A little of everything," I force my hand to relax, "But most of my vinyls are still being shipped."

His eyes briefly flit in my direction, "Got anything worth listening to?"

"Uh..." Is he implying that he's staying? Do I want him to? I'm lonely and kind of desperate for friends, but I should probably at least try to be a little suspicious. "We can listen to whatever you want on my..." I move a pillow and straighten my comforter in search of my, "Phone."

After a second of searching, I find it under my textbook.

"Anything?"

I unlock my phone, "Yeah, your pick, I owe you for the math thing."

Tate shrugs, "I just wanted to make sure you'd stop at the eraser, y'know, as a friend."

He gestures towards the door in a way that almost feels teasing. I can barely register the fact that he's kind of making fun of me because my mind's stuck on the last word. "We're friends?"

"You wanna be?"

The bluntness of the question surprises me more than it should. He's yet to feel particularly invested in social norms. "...Yeah." I scratch at the back of my wrist awkwardly. "That'd--that'd be cool."

Tate's head turns his head away for a second. He takes a step forward before sitting at the edge of my bed. The proximity nearly makes me jump out of my skin. I redirect my nervous energy into grabbing my homework and moving it to the other side of the bed. "You got any Kurt Cobain on there?"

----

a/n i accidentally developed the background way too much for something idek if i'm going to touch on again but i spent all day doing hw and deserved to give into a harmless impulse

might have to make a part 2/mini series bc what did i do all that for 😭 i lowkey wanted to add violet and reader friendship to add some angst so maybe that? idk

[prinnamon]

@spiderh0rse has been posting some fantastic notes while it makes its way through Freeman's Mind, so i got inspired to do the same for Mind of Ryan today! it's a shorter series, so here's my thoughts on all eight episodes plus extras. was not expecting to sit down and watch it all today but i was overcome by the need to do so. you know how it is.

WIKI

full name: Ryan Harrison Sullivan

date of birth: August 25, 1976

has received HEV training

working in "mechanics & AI development"

EPISODE 1

listening to "Anywhere But Here" from the album The Story Of The Mechanical Man by Behavior at the start of Episode 1, meaning the series must take place after its release in May 2001.

drives to work ("helicopter rides are too expensive," so apparently the employees have to pay out-of-pocket to fly out to the facility)

didn't sleep well the night before. yet another mindverse character who refuses to get good sleep or eat a nice meal

wears his lab coat all the time even outside of work because he thinks it makes him look "cool as fuck" and because it's very comfortable. people think he's weird for this.

he used to live in michigan

one time a raccoon bit into the power lines and this knocked the power out for the entire town he lived in

willing to shrug it off when people start talking like sephiroth in his mentions say concerning shit. very "haha ok whatever you say man"

barney is his roommate. ryan thinks of him as lazy. barney relies on ryan as his alarm but ryan is not above giving the fuck up since barney is a heavy sleeper

excited at the sight of a mechanical keyboard (based)

appreciator of air conditioning. his college (presumably UChicago; see Episode 6.5) had no a/c.

ryan knows barney gets pissed about it when he finds a safety violation like a lack of handrails on a staircase or walkway, but he never reports these violations

just. casually hops over a counter to throw something away in an inaccessible trash can. tells people to get over themselves about it when they react negatively

EPISODE 2

ryan works in sector G as a robotics engineer

wonders if he's "the only young scientist here," so probably either doesn't know Gordon, Felix, Stark, and Ramirez or is only referring to his department

KNOWS COLETTE GREEN. LIKES HER. THINKS SHE'S COOL. (based)

"she is just the right amount of crazy." is a little younger than her

hasn't been late to work often.

could live without his break, but it would suck.

thinks the transit station is "unnecessarily huge"

can get a little mean in a tense situation (calls a guard a "dumbass")

mind goes blank in a crisis ("i just don't even know what to fucking think right now!")

EPISODE 3

his chest hurts when he wakes up. presumably from cpr.

"my brain isn't really registering everything that's happening. i feel like i should be panicking, but i'm not."

hates roaches. does know they're a vital part of the ecosystem and that his hatred is irrational but hates them anyway

"hi, rat."

notices his lab coat is dirty. he's unsure why he's fixated on that when he has bigger problems.

cold and wet and NOT having fun!

illustrated end card shows him holding his flashlight up over his shoulder

EPISODE 4

gets attacked by a headcrab, which presumably gives him the little cut on his right cheek seen in every end card from this episode forward!

uncurious about the aliens. does NOT want to know what they are. just get him outta there

knows everything about the tau cannon. recites facts about it to calm himself down. i think his mental "happy place" is just a rotating 3D model of the tau cannon. which is incredibly real. also he calls it the tau cannon (based)

his plan for today, if he'd actually gotten to work, was to "see if [he] could apply a self-limiter to the alt fire to prevent it from overcharging."

he wishes he was in his lab right now.

his reaction to seeing a dead guard lying next to their equipment is "oh, hey, a bulletproof vest!" and he takes it and puts it on with NO hesitation. he then immediately starts searching the corpse for other useful shit. and this is like. one of the first dead bodies he came across. really just getting right to it. who needs to descend into apathy when you can save time by starting there?

able to recognize that this situation is incredibly fucked-up but not really able to engage with that fact emotionally.

it feels wrong to him to kill the headcrab zombies. he recognizes that they probably used to be his coworkers. after taking out two of them, he resolves not to do it anymore.

EPISODE 5

his black mesa-issued flashlight is a shake-to-charge light.

barnacles are "ceiling tongues."

"man, that thing killed Bob. he was two days from retirement. how could you do that?" i have no idea if he's being serious and he recognized the construction worker who got killed by a barnacle here or if he's making a joke to dispel the horrors—oh. yeah. he flat out says he has no clue who that guy was

his robotics lab is in the biology building! he doesn't understand this, but he also doesn't mind. (Heather's a biologist! maybe he knows her, since they work in close proximity.)

ditches the vest for improved mobility.

chuckles in disbelief after managing an impressive feat of acrobatics

says electrical failures and brief power outages were regular occurrences even before the incident

takes a snickers bar off a dead guard

could go for a pizza right now

can't rule out that the facility's haunted

"what the fuck is that? wait. that reaction is not suitable. allow me to rephrase: AAAAAAAAHHH!" hmm. i see. makes another tally mark on my "Ryan's first instinct in this situation is not to panic, and he only really does so because he thinks it's what a reasonable person would do right now" list

EPISODE 6

lived out of a storage unit for a while when he had no other option. he packed all his stuff in a rented storage unit and hid his bed behind the stacks of boxes. it was always miserably cold in there and he did Not have bedding. being in the drainage canal reminds him of what that was like

acknowledges he may have to fight the headcrab zombies eventually but "just can't stand the idea of beating them to death" because of how violent and brutal it feels

really doesn't wanna leave the guard with the broken leg to die but reluctantly accepts his weapon when he says he's "never gonna make it"

even with a gun, he'd rather run from danger. gotta conserve ammo.

"why is it so difficult to leave the building?!"

impressed that the guy in the control room hacked the announcement system. tried to do so for April Fools last year but failed to bypass the firewall

panics and accidentally kills(?) mister control room by shooting the bullsquid attacking him with a shotgun, sending both the bullsquid and the guy flying out the window. feels really truly quite bad about that.

EPISODE 6.5

ryan went to the university of chicago!

ryan drinks squirt (the grapefruit-flavored soda)

in 1995 he spent $1500 on a giant fucking heavy ass laptop while absolutely not having the money to do so. he regrets nothing. he love computer

EPISODE 7

OH RYAN HAS A CUSTOM 3D MODEL. OKAY. SICK. ANIMATED OPENING.

has a cell phone on him

injured his leg pretty bad when the elevator fell but doesn't seem to have lost consciousness at any point. yeowch!

concerned about how the pain in his ears from firing a gun in a vent is significantly less than the pain earlier from the houndeyes' soundwave. wonders if he's sustained permanent hearing damage.

his tune has changed regarding vents. hated being in the first one he had to crawl into. now they're a nice change of pace, because he at least knows larger enemies can't follow him in and chase him.

barnacles ceiling tongues are now "tongue monsters." he addresses one as Chunky the Tongue Monster.

a little sad/guilty watching as guards fight for their lives and he ascends on an elevator towards the surface. "this whole situation is just so fucked, man. you just kinda have to look after yourself, and if anybody gets hurt or dies, you just have to leave them. damn."

his phone is a Nokia 3300B. it is a thing of beauty.

once he gets high enough to have cell service, he gets a call from Tod Arlen, who's been trying to call him for hours. Ryan says Arlen's "the last person [he] expected a call from."

arlen has already escaped with Kate by this point!

arlen warns ryan that he's heard some black ops chatter and they plan to blow the place up. ryan is silent about this until arlen's like "are you there?" and ryan very calmly/dismissively says "yeah. well don't worry about me, man. im almost at the parking garage so i'll be fine :)"

they make plans to meet at the clayton airport when ryan gets out. (and, over the phone with arlen, ryan does seem pretty confident it's a "when" situation, not an "if.")

ryan seems calm and casual throughout the phone call but lets himself freak out about the gravity of the situation as soon as he hangs up. ("i'm going to fucking die.")

EPISODE 8

the wiki suggests that an eighth episode was in production at one point, but there's no such thing on YouTube unless you count an unlisted video called "Shotgun SFX Test - Mind of Ryan Episode 8"

there's an end card for ep8 showing ryan having survived being shot. i don't believe episode 8 got made. i think the illustration is all there is.

there is a speedpaint of the episode 8 end-card tho!

"STARTING OVER."

"the only way mind of ryan will come back is through the form of a reboot, and i don't know when or if that's going to happen."

[spiderh0rse]

took a short break from Freeman's Mind to go and watch Mind of Ryan, and in short order, Arlen's Mind. Decided to take notes on these too, while I was at it, thanks in large part to @prinnamon having done the same! This is all of my notes on Mind of Ryan, Arlen's will be out in short enough order.

e1

singing :> casually in a public location, so he probably doesn't care if he's heard doing so

his usual parking lot isn't often crowded

sandwich... Steal it, Ryan. You'll need the energy in the coming days.

didn't sleep well. NO ONE in mindverse sleeps well.

his usual lot is usually Empty.

enjoys the idea of pissing people off with his parking location

almost forgot to lock his car

wears his lab coat all the time. He thinks it's cool, it's cozy, I get it.

used to live in Michigan. Power grid for his town tanked by a raccoon once

laughs at someone menaced by his car alarm

unbothered by power issues

likes soda. Or at least isn't unhappy with it

laughs off someone overreacting to a minor inconvenience

shares a living space with Barney. Probably lives on-site, then? Barney's tram in to work goes from the dorms to his station. The car is weird, then, unless theres no tram to Ryan's usual spot.

Barney sleeps heavily or simply was exhausted. I like that this explains his being late, a bit.

opens double doors dramatically

bit of a flat affect. My autism senses are tingling

his college wasn't air conditioned :( Black Mesa is, though!

having his eyes out would Suck

very sarcastic

at least two miles above AnMat, he claims. Very interesting, as you can easily see the sky on your way into AnMat in Half Life. Understandable exaggeration.

unwilling to pay for a helicopter ride out to Black Mesa. The car ride had to be MISERABLE.

Barney likes safety!

Colleague.

laughs nervously when people are annoyed in his general area

clapping and shouting at Barney usually wakes him up

vaults over a desk for the purpose of politely disposing of his trash. unbothered by someone admonishing him. vaults back out

"I'm not in a rush" your Tram is in Eight Minutes

e2

cards... in the dark. silly.

yeah why IS that guard wearing an HEV suit

works in Sector G, as a robotics engineer

missed his train :(

thinks himself to be the youngest scientist in the building. Despite knowing Barney, who considers Gordon a friend. Interesting!

LIKES DR GREEN. MAN WITH GOOD TASTE

will definitely be late. Usually isn't, but worries over what'll be done because he's late.

let the man have his break

thinks some rooms are just needlessly large

doesn't call the VOX the VOX

gets a tad rude when someone asks after something that has just been answered

even while openly panicking, doesn't emote too much vocally

not sure how to act in this situation but does try to get Out of the tram serving as a barrier between him and the bullsquid

snaps at someone shooting at the thing, for whatever reason

e3

just had cpr performed on him. If his chest hurts that's probably because his RIBS are BROKEN. Headache is likely the Head Injury That Knocked Him Out

unconcerned by the blood around him

gman sighting,, LEAVE RYAN ALONE

feels like he Should be panicking but ultimately Isn't.

hates roaches :( respects them but doesn't like them

ignores strange noise. Ryan would survive a horror movie

gman i promise you don't want to hire this guy (lying)

not jazzed at dusty/bloody vent but doesn't complain overmuch about the cleanliness

points out that the vents are cold. Makes sense, he was just out driving not too long ago, perceptually

smoke in the vents! Coughing fit at very little smoke!

seems uncurious about a pistol in the vents, and is pretty cheery about laying hands on it

"yessirre"

"hi rat :)"

focused on his labcoat getting dirty. I can commiserate. That's his favourite bit of clothing if he's always wearing it.

does startle easily, but doesn't linger on awful things

decent ability to climb

jokes about dangerous torrent of water being a waterslide and walks around it with very little hesitation

only sounds mildly stressed when he falls into it

doesn't like freezing water. L

end card!!!! :D original art!!!

e4

Makes an odd analogy about the building being alive

Overall unconcerned about a bunch of mutilated humanoids, other than thinking them unfriendly and to be avoided

Wants some manner of weapon. Gets hit in the face by a headcrab and bemoans the lack further

Continues nervous laughter. Would rather be hallucinating than actually be near a gargantuar.

Considers his "happy place" to be facts about the Tau cannon. Spits those facts out in an effort to ignore all the headcrab zombies

He works on the Tau cannon! Or does so often enough to be able to alter its functionality

Has his own lab? May simply share a lab space with others but consider it his

Ignores horror over a corpse in favour of the bulletproof vest right next to it. Also searches the body for a gun. Pragmatic.

Considers his luck poor

A tad sarcastic when he's able to be

Content to swing a crowbar around like a baseball bat

Emotes the most vocally he has all series when complaining about being in pain

Feels wrong to kill the zombies. Decides he won't.

Jumps a gap, barely clears it, and does that with no hesitation or comment.

Seems to be right handed in the official art. I'd be interested to see if there's a Mindverse character that's left handed.

e5

His flashlight is a shake-to-charge sort

Vocally distressed at seeing a barnacle eat someone

Despite that, jokes about the eaten man's death

His lab is in the biology department, but he remains uninterested in biology

Takes off the vest with no hesitation. Very decisive man.

Continues to laugh when barely avoiding death

Electrical issues are a common occurrence at Black Mesa

Unbothered by taking a Snickers bar off of a dead man

Thinks first of a pizza when hungry

Keeps taking head injuries.

Reconsiders his initial reaction to some Thing, and rephrases by running and yelling.

Has to catch his breath after running from it

e6

Had to live in a storage unit for a while. His his bed behind a stack of boxes. The unit proper was always miserably cold.

Hates the idea of beating the zombies to death, but thinks he could shoot them.

Doesn't want to leave an injured man behind. Accepts the logic presented to him, though.

Continues to avoid killing things when he can avoid doing so

Carries on ignoring any bodies unless he thinks they have something to offer him

Doesn't care overmuch about the aliens.

The alarm that goes off here, and throughout all of Unforseen Consequences, is an alert of structural damage.

Hasn't been running for any of this. He isn't used to physical exertion.

Once tried to hack the announcement system for April Fool's. Failed. Impressed a guard is able to manage it

Takes a shotgun despite weight concerns, on account of it being a shotgun

Has clearance level four

Kills someone on accident. Promptly starts thinking in loops

e6.5

Has two opened cans of Squirt next to his laptop.

Bought a laptop on May 17, 1995, while in college/university.

Has no regrets about buying a laptop worth half his student debt. (Prin adjusted this for inflation and discovered that his laptop is around $3000, nowadays.)

e7

The framing of the opening shot suggests Ryan has been sitting quietly for some time, thinking about having killed someone.

His model is also very nice.

Attempting to rationalize the manslaughter away

He does have his phone on hand.

Injures his leg in an elevator crash

Panics while in a dangerous situation, but calms down pretty much immediately afterwards

Worried he's sustaining hearing damage, but holds priority at not dying

His bones audibly creak when he lands a jump. Complains about it, but doesn't sound like he's in pain

Likes that nothing can follow him into an air vent

Practically flies up the ladder, makes no mention of his leg bothering him on it

Just happy to be alive.

Accepts he has to leave people behind if he wants to survive this, and isn't happy about it

His phone, a Nokia, accepts calls by payment plan.

Todd Arlen has just called him. I've yet to watch Arlen's Mind, so this doesn't mean much to me, yet.

Todd has escaped Black Mesa, and seems surprised that Ryan hasn't. I'd say this suggests Ryan has lost substantial amounts of time to his assorted head injuries.

Silent when he hears he's at risk of being on-site when a nuke is dropped on the facility. Brushes it off when Todd asks after him.

Calls Todd by his last name primarily.

Outraged and afraid about the nuke.

Believes he's going to die.

Overall! the autism headcanons are primed for this guy. i like how much he seems to react to everything happening around him with around the same level of mild nervousness. unfortunately he is running around with broken ribs and later an injured leg that he KEEPS PUTTING WEIGHT ON. shakes him violently. please be careful i understand you have no better options right now but at least brace against a wall

[hunterbunter3000]

Someone asks Sweetheart if there is anyone waiting for her at home, she responds “just my handsome man!”, none knowing she’s referring to her pet who being taken care of by relatives or friends back home.

Many hearts were broken and murder plots were made until she send them a picture of her “handsome man” while on leave 😂

STOP THEY WOULD ALL BE IN TEARS

They hear her say that, their world just s h a t t e r s

Ofc she would have a man waiting for her at home. She's absolutely gorgeous, who wouldn't bag that immediately?

They get so depressed, asking themselves if they still want to go after her still and be homewreckers or just accept the fact that she has a man and be good friends and support her relationship (and torture themselves)

(No shit tho, what if she DID have a boyfriend back at home? And the boyfie knew about her co workers trying to get her and he shows them who she belongs to? And what if the bf was a well known criminal MAYBE???? And they all fight for her in different ways? Sweetheart boyfriend!au? SHOULD I MAKE THAT HAPPEENNNN???? THE ANGST THAT WOULD COME OUT OF THAT WOULD BE PHENOMENAL)

Krueger straight up wants to murder him, but König slapped him silly and said no (Ghost and Roach were about to join, why you do that König?😢)

And then they hear it again when she was taking a break from sparring with her friend-- "I miss my handsome boy... Miss his little kisses so much!"

Are you... fucking serious right now

QUIT RUBBING IT IN PLEASE

They do NOT want to see another man kissing her. I feel like Roach would have the biggest imagination out of all of them and just daydreams constantly, and he can just see a man kissing her neck slowly. Going up to the shell of her ear and going back down to her shoulder, feeling her shivers and goosebumps along the way. My god he hates it.

So many fake laughs and smiles when she mentions h i m (it's a very taboo word around the boys) and oh g o d what would they say to Alejandro and Rudy? They would be devastated completely (ITS A HUGE MESS)

And then Sweetheart had the GALL- THE ABSOLUTE AUDACITY TO SAY "Wanna see a picture of him?"

WHAT

Ghost broke his pen and Price almost swallowed his cigar. Soap put on the bravest face he can muster and said "sUrE!" With his teeth almost breaking. She's glowing as she pulls up pictures on her over decorated phone. "See? Look at him~!"

(Now don't they all feel stupid)

"It's a dog?!" Soap yells out. Sweetheart giggles. "Mhm! My big boy (insert silly dog name here), my handsome man! This was when he caught and maimed the skunk in the backyard. Took two weeks to clean the stink off of him!" She laughs like it's such a good memory, even when the picture shows a huge St. Bernard sitting happily with his tongue out covered in blood (with said Skunk laying on the ground in front of him with no head)

Yk they all felt the tension inside of them go away instantly. "It was a dog... a cute one at that." Alex says as he looks at more pictures of her dog. "Yeah! Uh-- what did yall think I was talking about?" Sweetheart asks. The men look everywhere else but at her. Why are they acting weird? Wait... oh my God.

"Did you think I was talking 'bout a boyfriend?" Sweetheart asks, eyebrow cocked with amusement. Stutters, mumbles and incoherent words play out of them

"What!? Nooooo no no of course not!"

"That's-- that's absolute crazy talk."

"No... Maybe... Ugh, Yes."

"I didn't even- I don't even pay attention to you, like what?"

She just laughs at them, her laughter putting them at ease. Now that THAT is taken care of, they ask her questions about her "handsome man".

"She has a whole folder of him... how cute." König coos, looking at the pictures with Alex. He sees one where it's a selfie; Sweetheart smushed up against her dog with big bright smiles. König and Alex look at each other before sending it to the both of them.

But Ghost still can't shake that feeling...

Does she really have a boyfriend and isn't telling us? (SWEETHEART BOYFRIEND!AU WHO??? WHEN??? WHERE LMAO)