#but....................four years is long enough. and I wanted a little baby puppet as my icon instead

[lizardthelizard]

hadn’t changed my icon for 4 years so like..... rip august <3

[anninhiliation]

The Encounter

A/N: This is my submission for the iconic @cnc-oh-boi​ ‘s AU contest congratulations on the 500 queen and to many more! Sorry this took so long kdksfhskjfhdsk I also feel like I just wrote an episode of Supernatural jkhjhkjh (Zabdiel would be moose and Richard would be squirrel sdfjjshjkfs if this was a whole  ass Supernatural spinoff) 

Also; if you guys don't follow Riley TF you doing fam?

Masterlist               Spirit World Masterlist 

“Richuki mira aca” I heard a voice shout as the conservatory window creaked open and a pair of footsteps thudded onto the ground knocking a ceramic pot to the ground

“It seems we have visitors” Mr. Roswelled croaked as he balanced with his two hands on the brass of his cane and slowly lowered himself down on his red leather armchair

“It's been a long time since someone stopped by” I joked as I shut my book closed and filed it back in the bookshelf

“I got the bees-knees just checked out the noise and there’s a hoty-toty in here” Miriam gossiped strutting into the Library swaying her hips side to side 

“Is it just one person?” I questioned as we heard the conservatory’s door open and more footsteps enter

“Does that answer your question?” she cocked her eyebrow taking a drag out of her cigarette holder as a familiar sound of a chain dragging itself into the library approached

“M- miss L/N, I- I beg your pardon b- but there’s a mess of boys out exploring and y- you should check the kitchen y- you won’t believe it,” Curtis stuttered as he fidgeted with the chain around his neck

“Curtis its been seventy-one years that I’ve been telling you to call me Y/N” I stated matter of factly “what’s in the kitchen anyways?” I crossed my arms and raised my eyebrows.

“I r- reckon y- you ch- check for y- yourself miss” Curtis responded as he lowered his head eyes fixed on the rusty old metal links

“Will do Curt” I responded as I walked away

Walking down the hall I noticed it was a total of five guys, counting the one in the kitchen. A tall blonde stood in the conservatory admiring the stars. Another one with dark curly hair, a paperboy hat and a complexion that was close to Roberts walked towards the library. 

“My my well isn’t this a sheik” I heard Miriam gawk 

I found two in the parlor looking through the cabinets as Eugene and Eleanor kept an eye on them. 

“Chris mira” one giggled as he found Earls monocle and top hat

“Earls not going to like this” Eugene shook his head as he got up and walked into the music room

I continued to walk and stood in the doorway of the kitchen with pure shock as my jaw dropped. Seventy-one painstaking years of roaming the halls in between the four large walls I never thought I would see what stood before my eyes. It was him, it was the love of my life, Robert. But he was...different. His once short black hair was longer, shaved at the sides and dyed a crimson red. Tattoos covered his body, ears pierced and he had a nose ring. His clothing was all wrong too but this was Robert standing in the kitchen. I could sense that that was Robert’s soul. He opened the cabinets, then fridge like Robert used to do when he would come home from work making me smile at the old memories. 

"Yo that's wack" he muttered to himself as the rotting stench of the fridge pierced his senses 

I admired him until I noticed something in my peripheral vision making my eyes widen. I spotted Sam in the dumbwaiter, watching Robert attentively. After the incident, Earl was rarely spotted but kept Sam close making the young boy his little puppet. I walked past Robert, locking eyes with Sam as fear pulsated through me.

“Wheres Earl?” I hissed at the boy 

“Master doesn’t like me speaking to you guys” Sam stated as his gaze was locked on Robert

“You can’t tell Earl people are in the house. You understand that right?” I questioned

Sam simply nodded his head no as he tried to turn on the dumbwaiter. I grabbed his hand and forcefully pulled him out dragging him back to the library. 

“My my well isn’t this a night of surprises?” Miriam cheered as her eyes glued to the frightened boy “What’s it been? Ten years? No- must be about fifteen? Who knows.”

“It’s Robert he’s back- Earl, he’s going to try to hurt him we have to keep Earl away from him” I stammered to Miriam and Mr. Rosewelled 

“Dear, I’m afraid it’s a little late for that. The brute spotted one of the visitors-” Constance sighed as she entered the room

“I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!” I screamed shoving Sam towards Mr. Roswelled and ran around the mansion looking for Earl.

“Don’t interrupt me, dear!” Constance hissed as she followed me from close behind “it’s not the young man who looks like Robert it’s a different boy.” 

I stopped dead in my tracks and faced Constance “but Robert came in with these people so we have to protect them too”

“Oh my lord” She gasped hovering her palm over her mouth 

“What?” My eyes widened as I shot my head around the hallway 

“You’ve lost your mind. I thought I would be the first to go or Curtis since we are the oldest. But it’s you, all this Robert talk. I've seen both the real Robert and this redhead you call Robert. They both just look a lot alike...Please tell me you know that.” Constance placed her hands on my shoulders as we heard a loud thud and a man scream “Joel” making both our heads shot up the stairs 

“We have to go, Earls going to kill them” I grabbed Constance’s hand and dragged her towards the commotion up the stairs 

In the upstairs hallway, Earl had his hands around a guy’s throat, holding him up against the wall. The boy with the dark curls’ face was turning red, as he struggled to try to fight back the invisible force. His two friends looked like they were in bad shape, probably from Earl as they could only manage to lay on the ground and scream “Joel”. Anger fueled my body, as I appeared in the physical world and screamed on the top of my lungs at Earl. All eyes were on me as Constance looked at me with pure shock and the living souls screamed in terror at me. Earl looked at me filled with wrath and let the boy go vanishing through the wall, as Norma appeared for her residual haunting. 

“You’ve done it now dear” Constance sighed 

“Don’t mind her, she’s been doing the same thing for years now,” I told the three boys as I watched Normal do her routine of sprinting up the stairs holding her long dress high enough to show her ankles with a frightened expression, muttering incoherent words. She tripped halfway down the hall, turning around while still on the ground screaming as she lifted her arm as if she was trying to protect herself. Norma faded into the thin air letting me focus back on the boys

“Ay Dios mio...you're...dead…” The curly boy spoke as he did the sign of the cross

“And you’re in my house” I retorted

“Ay nena you’re not going to possess us...are you?” The skinny boy with long brown hair asked 

“I have a name you know. It's Y/N and no I don’t possess people...but you guys need to get out of here.” I warned as I inspected their injuries

“Yea...about that…” The dark curly-haired boy nervously spoke

“What?” I questioned 

“The windows and doors are locked” The skinny one with long brown hair admitted

“Great Earl’s playing cat and mouse with these poor boys” Constance interrupted as she nervously paced around us

“Well his games over” I declared 

The three boys looked at me as if I had three heads making me realize Constance had still not shown herself in the physical world. 

“Constance, you want to show yourself?” I glared at her

“Fine” she whined as she crossed over to the physical world

“How many of you are there?” The green-eyed boy questioned

“Doesn't matter” Constance snapped “follow me I know a way out”

“Wait we have two other friends downstairs”  The curly-haired one argued

The five of us rushed downstairs as the boys shouted “Richard” and “Zabdiel” finding Zabdiel in the library deep into a book and Richard in the music room playing with the instruments.  

I couldn't help but stare at Richard memorized by how much he acted and looked like Robert. He must have caught me staring because he shot me a look of confusion. 

“You look like someone I used to know” I explained to him as Constance paced around thinking of a way to get everyone out

I grabbed my shriveled up copy of A Streetcar Named Desire and flipped it to the middle where I hid a picture of Robert, Leroy, and I. Grabbing the photograph I showed Richard, pointing at Robert.

“This was Robert...my husband…this was Leroy our- my baby” I smiled remembering the day we took the picture. 

It was the first day of spring, Leroy was just four months at the time and Robert was just promoted in the factory, life was looking up for my family.  Richard stared at the photograph memorized, not even noticing his friend walk up to him. 

“Ay papa mira son iguales" Richard's friend gasped

“I got it!” Constance interrupted making all eyes land on her “just follow me, the walls have ears you know, but terrible eyesight” 

She walked up to the third floor and into what used to be her bedroom. 

“You know this house was built for me” She explained as she opened the doors to the walk-in closet “and when I died in here I couldn't help but take some secrets with me” 

Constance knelt down by a soggy old cardboard box and moved it to the side. She grabbed the corner of the moldy carpet and pulled it across the small room creating a triangle. Grabbing the edge of one of the wooden planks Constance lifted it up exposing a hidden crawl space. 

“It's a tight squeeze but it will get you out” she smiled

“Sure about that?” Echoed through the dark hole 

“Shit” I uttered as I threw the wooden planks back onto the ground “we need another way”

We ran down the hall, only to stop like a deer in the headlights as Sam stood at the edge of the stairs. Unexpectedly, Eugene appeared from across the hall and charged at Sam with full force. Both of them fell down the stairs, as Eugene grabbed Sam refusing to let him go. Eugene’s big build broke the stairs’ railing sending them both to the first floor. We heard Earl yell at Eugene making us run back into Constance’s room.

“Yo we cant leave you with that guy here” Richard argued

“That’s sweet dear, but I've been dealing with him since I was alive. Once the living is off the property I’m sure he will go back into hiding” Constance smiled as she uncovered the crawl space 

“Eleanor dear” Constance called out into the crawl space 

Slowly the little seven-year-old girl popped her head up from the crawl space. Her light blue eyes looked up at Constance as she rested her arms on the wooden floor. 

“Dear do you mind guiding the living safely out? Y/N and I are going to distract Sam and Earl as you guide them out...the closest way out is by the patio.” Constance winked 

Eleanor nodded her head as she moved away, allowing the boys to crawl in. They all looked at each other and backed away making me furrow my eyebrows. 

“What are you doing? Eugene cant distract them forever you know! It’s now or never! Go!” I hissed pushing them closer to the hole.

“Sorry shawty we can’t leave you guys here with that guy,” Richard remarked

Constance rolled her eyebrows, “Li-” she went to respond as Miriam appeared in the physical realm 

“Its always the macho men” Miriam laughed “Use ladies can take care of the big bad man” she purred as she stood in front of Erick lightly trailing her finger around his chest 

“But if you guys are scared I can guide you in the tight little space” Miriam flirted as she blew smoke into Chris 

Joel was the first move past the guys and step close to the crawl space. 

“I’ll get a priest to bless the house tomorrow if you can please bring me his things so we can get those blessed too,” Joel ordered before stepping into the crawl space.

Zabdiel was the next to step in, “I didn’t even want to come here in the first place dios mio” he muttered before disappearing into the darkness.

Erick looked at Chris who looked over at Richard. 

“We should go, como quieres pelear una fantasma?” Chris sighed as he placed his hand on Richard’s shoulder

“We gotta do something man” Richard groaned

“No offense pero nos podemos ir?” Erick asked as he tried to usher both of his friends into the crawl space 

Stomping came up the stairs and down the hall making all three quickly rush into the crawl space with the help of Miriam shoving them in. Earl busted down the closet door right after we fixed the carpet. 

“Where are they?” He fumed 

“Let me show you” Miriam purred as she slowly approached him “I cant take you to them real fast” 

He pulled out an engagement ring and flashed it in front of her. Her head slightly turned back, facing us with distraught. 

“M-my ring...Earl baby you wouldn’t” Miriam fake laughed trying to cover her fear

“Don’t test me or you’ll burn” He growled 

The two walked away, as I looked over to Constance who shared the same expression of worry as me. 

“We have to help her” I distressed as I went to leave the room

Constance grabbed my hand and stopped me. 

“There’s nothing we can do. If she does the right thing, she will accept her fate, if she makes the wrong choice we might have a new group of people with us” Constance acknowledged 

“Cant we distract Earl?” I pleaded 

“Dear, if we upset him further he’s going to send us to the flames” Constance stated matter of factly 

“Constance you’re not helping!” I snapped

“Dear, this is not your problem! Those boys should have known of the dark history of this property...yet they still choose to enter” Constance defended 

Constance was right but I didn’t want to admit, I was furious storming out of the room and acting on impulse. I marched down the stairs and into Earl’s office grabbing an old box of matches and everything flammable into the fireplace. The fire roared heating the room and illuminating the once dark and gloomy office. 

“What are you doing?” Mr. Roswelled questioned as I threw a stack of books into the fire

“Earl needs a taste of his own medicine he needs to burn” I explained as the fire burned through the pages 

“You’re only going to upset him further...his item is kept close to him” Mr. Roswelled spoke as he watched me throw anything I could get my hands on to throw it in

“Well he can ta-” I went to answer as Earl barged into the room with a crying Miriam 

“I’m sorry” she continuously choked out between the tears 

My eyes widened as Earl pulled out my heart-shaped locket and walked towards the fire. 

“You wouldn’t” I argued

“Watch me” He snapped as he held the chain over the hungry flames 

Glass shattered as a rock went through Earl and smashing a lamp. Earl looked up, confused as another rock came flying through the shattered window, taking more glass down. Earl pulled the chain away from the fire as he walked towards the window distracted by the commotion. I took the opportunity to grab my locket and bolt towards the door. I ran out the front door to be met with the same five people who entered. Erick and Chris were both distracted throwing rocks into the only room with light. 

“Richard!” I shouted as Earl trailed close behind me “you guys have to go” 

“But look who came out shawty” Richard shouted back as I heard Earl scream 

His spirit lit up the night sky, as I looked up towards the office window and saw Mr. Roswelled standing near the broken glass watching. 

“You took your item so I took his” He shouted

I looked back at Richard and jumped into his arms. 

“Thank you” I whispered and kissed his cheek 

“Richuki vamos!” Erick shouted as the four others crawled through a hole in the chainlink fence

“No problem shawty” He smiled before turning away and never looking back

[mentalcurls]

6.5 Effettivamente

I’ve been waiting for this clip ever since 3.4 Argentina (which took place a month ago today btw), but in my soul I’ve actually been waiting for this coming out since forever.

my 💔 poor 💔 heart 💔 broke 💔 seeing Martino watch his friends interact from afar

they’re relaxed and comfortable with each other, their relationship is as close as ever while Marti’s relationship with them is in tatters, he barely speaks to Gio and that’s it

this is even worse than the picture Gio posted on IG on Tuesday, when Martino was supposed to go to Elia’s to prep for the exam and didn’t go

my 💔 poor 💔 heart 💔 breaking 💔 again because, despite Giovanni’s reassurances on Monday, Martino doesn’t believe Elia has forgiven him so he chooses to stay away from him... and let’s not forget Elia sits next to Marti during classes

Elia leaves, Martino finally approaches Giovanni, but he looks like he’s going to his death, look at his face, my poor baby

has he ever been bluer?

deep breaths baby, deep breaths

HE DOESN’T SAY ANYTHING? LEAVING THE FIRST MOVE TO GIO (who doesn’t disappoint thank God)? SO HE COULD HYPOTHETICALLY IGNORE HIM?

JEsus, the awkwardness between them kills me

the seconds of silence between the greeting and Marti asking the first question, Martino licking his lips and swallowing like he’s gathering the courage to say something monumental despite it being a silly, innocent question

THE STILTED CONVERSATION oh God why, I’m hurting

“Ma non penso che ti interessi, no?” (But I don’t think you’re interested, right?) is Martino twisting a knife into his own wound because he’s saying: you don’t want to go out with the radio guys, you don’t want to get involved into something I’m doing (and I like, because we’ve seen he’s putting more effort into it with the Virginia Woolf thing on Wednesday - though it might also be something to keep his mind occupied on something that is not his crumbling relationships), you don’t want to spend time with me

I mean, Marti obviously knows, intellectually, that Gio doesn’t want to go to radio things because of Eva and because it’s just not his thing, but deep inside it’s just another refusal, one which Martino preemptively steels himself for

That “se… se ti va puoi… puoi venire da me” (If you’d like you can come to mine) is said in the same tone Martino has when he tells Filippo he’s seeing a boy in 5.5 Pride and when he asks Sana about homosexuality and religion in 4.3 Evoluzione

“Pizza, mortazza e City-Real” ICONIC

Marti asks Gio to hang out with a half smile (!!!) but Gio remains impassible and Martino’s smile falls

when Giovanni asks about their score, it’s as good as a YES FINALLY, it’s the rebuilding of the bridge between them and Martino smiles fully possibly for the first time in weeks because that’s their game, their ritual, their friendship going back to normal

WHEN THEY LEAVE THEY’RE BOTH SMILING AND TEASING EACH OTHER my heart sings with joy

Marti and Gio who are still laughing and making fun of one another while playing FIFA

(FIFA is a big bonding ritual for the boysquad, it’s the way they settle bets, it’s one of the topics they tease each other about, they play tournaments when they don’t know what to do, they keep long term score of who’s best and it’s something they all love, it’s a place of comfort for them)

(FIFA is a football/soccer game, which is imho significant as the setting Marti picks for his coming out, he’s trying to reinforce the idea that he’s still a guy who loves “boy things” like sports and videogames, despite his sexuality - as well as trying to reinforce that he’s still the same guy who played the previous 47+56 games he and Gio kept score of)

(the fact that Gio hesitates before starting to play FIFA again after Martino tells him he likes boys probably ups the level of panic in Marti’s head, because what if he’s gonna be excluded from something as important for their group and as “masculine” as FIFA now??)

(when Gio starts to play again AND ASKS MARTINO ABOUT NICO AT THE SAME TIME it’s such an important thing for Marti because he finds out can have it all)

I would like to thank not only God but also Jesus and LudoBesse for the closeups of Ludovico Tersigni’s face when he smiles 🙏

Their knees touching just gets to me, for no real reason, and I kinda wish we were able to see if they kept touching for the whole time or if Marti retracted after coming out

EFFFFFFettttttivaaamenteeeeee (make it last longer c’mon, Marti, I know you can)

is it me or does Marti look a tad disappointed when Gio asks him if the person he likes is Emma? maybe it’s just nerves

Marti who keeps stealing glances at Giovanni, checking in constantly

Gio senses Martino is uncomfortable, especially after the “ma non l’hai capito?” “no non si capisce un cazzo” (“don’t you know?” “no, I can’t understand you for shit”) exchange, and cracks the Sana joke to make him relax a bit, you can see he’s trying to keep a straight face long enough to speak without giving himself away (he should learn to deliver jokes from Nico, I mean, he kept a straight face for the whole Maddalena and hypertrichosis thing)

“Non *swallows* non è una ragazza” (It’s not *swallows* it’s not a girl) POOR BABY DEER HE CAN’T EVEN SPEAK  his throat must be so dry, he must be trying to keep breathing normally so hard, he’s probably shaking and THEN HE CLENCHES HIS JAW

once again Marti is steeling himself for the worst

and Gio just goes... slack, is the best way I can think to describe it, for a second. I don’t think it’s surprise? At least not for the gay thing, maybe for the fact that Marti actually confirmed it for him. It may also be relief

it’s just a second, then Gio gathers himself and thinks, looks at Marti who can’t meet his eyes

“Sono io?” (mind, non-Italian fans, it’s not a “Is it me?”, it’s more of a “It’s me?”)

I LIVE FOR MARTINO OVERCOMPENSATING WHEN HE DENIES IT to hide the fact that he did, indeed, crush on Gio for a long time 😘

the smiles. their smiles. Marti is slowly relaxing, Gio is finally understanding what’s going on with him and they feel like THEY’RE FINALLY FRIENDS AGAIN✨

Marti thinks it’s over, the three most important things he can see Gio wanting to know about (why’s Martino hurting, that Marti is gay and that he’s not in love with him) are out there and cleared between them now, and Gio smiled! And had nothing bad to say! Except he won’t play. Uh-oh.

HA, Giovanni Garau, patron saint of best friends, does it again! He’s put together all the little pieces, all the scraps of interaction, all the tiny moments when something he couldn’t quite pinpoint happened and BAM! He gets it, he knows.

Martino’s wry smile and nod

Gio mirroring him and nodding as well, halfway between “Okay, I can see it” and “Dude, well done, I’m actually kind of impressed”

and then Gio comes in like a wrecking ball against toxic masculinity and compliments Marti on his choice of man

Marti who acts like he’s never even noticed whether Nico is attractive or not

Marti looks so embarrassed, he should have been blushing (FE_CESARI UR GOOD BUT WHERE ARE MY BLUSHES ARE YOU A REDHEAD OR NOT????)

I wonder how closely Gio is mirroring the comments Martino usually makes when Gio himself tells him he’s attracted to a girl, maybe even when he told him about Eva? He tries his best to be supportive even though he doesn’t really understand, the exact same way Marti has always been supportive of him despite not understanding girls’ appeal

“Che fate, state insieme, uscite, COME STAI?” (What’s happening there, are you togethere, are you dating, how are you?) COME STAI GUYS most supportive best friend ever

“È un po’ strano lui” (He’s kind of weird) is such a weird way to put it? I mean, sure, you could say Nico acted weird, but not for the reasons Martino gives Gio, imo; he’s “weird” for changing schools in his last year, for his granddad’s puppets, for asking Marti to ditch a party he himself had asked him to and for dragging him to an abandoned pool of all places; Marti instead describes his as weird for appearing undecided, for seemingly stringing him along

is that a hint of disgust, almost, I detect in Martino’s voice while he quotes Niccolò’s text? Is he that fed up?

Gio makes a sound at that, that I can’t decide if it’s just an encouragement for Marti to go on, or if it’s an “okay, got it” while he plans Niccolò’s demise for daring to string Martino along

still, Giovanni sides with Martino but doesn’t tell his best friend he’s better off without Nico or make any threats of retribution or promises to fight for Marti’s honour or smth, because he’s a supportive pal who will trashtalk Marti’s s.o. when he acts like a dick but will still support Marti’s feelings for him and believes in Martio’s ability to take care of himself

I have Questions about Luchino’s voice message, specifically: who was this message sent to?

not Gio directly, because Luca asks “Voi c’avete”, second person plural

did he send it to the group with all four guys? but Marti’s phone didn’t ring, so either he’s got the group conversation muted (💔) or Luca sent it somewhere else

is there a group with only Gio, Elia and Luca in it to whom the latter could have sent the voice message? again, my 💔 heart 💔 breaks 💔

anyways, Marti is the best bro because despite not talking to Luca for two weeks he still offers up his notes

Gio taking advantage of Martino leaving without pausing the game to score on him lol

Gio asks Martino what he’s found while Marti is looking at the flipbook thingy... how much do you want to bet that by the time Marti answers nothing with that big smile on his face, Gio has seen the thing, what Marti was doing with it and the way he was smiling and he’s put everything together without Marti saying anything? that’s why he doesn’t press, as much as in recognition of the fact that Marti already opened up to him so much today

I 100% love the way both Marti and Gio start their sentences when they’re saying something important with “Comunque” (Anyways) as if it’s just a continuation from one long conversation between them, or as if they’re just stating for the record something that is obvious

Marti was definitely not expecting at all Gio to actively tell him he’s better than whoever Niccolò’s girlfriend is on principle, which in my experience is a very common best friend thing to say, and that hurts

Gio grabbing Marti by the neck and ruffling his hair is such a friend/brother thing to do, it’s a fond and exasperated thing in the way only siblings’ touches can be, halfway between an attempt to strangle you and a caress

This clip was so beautiful, the friendship between Giovanni and Martino is so beautiful, their ship is so beautiful! I’m so happy and so thankful for LudoBesse 🙏