#do i make my own existence a bit like being a ghost? yeah. it is partially my fault. but still. idk. its bad

[thecherrygod]

okay i can already tell this assignment is gonna ruin my existence lmao

[ghostsvacuumcleaner]

You came — you called. | Simon "Ghost" Riley x f!reader

credits for the header - ghost's pic by the very talented @ave661 ✦ Word count: 2.2k ✦ Pairing: Simon "Ghost" Riley x f!reader ✦ Summary: After being abused by your current date, in need of comfort, you call your ex-boyfriend and recurring fling, Simon, to talk. ✦ TW and general warnings: SFW, some kisses here and there but no smut, angst, you guys are in a complicated situationship, fluff, sensitive content (domestic violence) ✦ AO3 | Masterlist edit: I wrote a part 2 in case you're interested <3

A/N: I really need to finish my already started requests, really do but inspiration ONLY gets to me when I'm randomly existing and then a random prompt comes in mind and arghhh gotta write 😭 but I promise - if anyone reading this sent me a request, know I've started it already and I WILL finish. also, thinking really a lot about making a part 2 for this piece and making it smutty. pls let me know if anyone's interested! anyways, not proof read, hope y'all enjoy, x

━━━━━━━━━ ⟡ ━━━━━━━━━

It’s the same place as the last time you saw him. Ironic, maybe. You still smoke the same cigarettes he offered to you once in a promise it would help you calm down from your anxiety; it did. It did a little too much. You still wear that same necklace you refused to get rid off even after you dumped him, after you promised you’d never see him again, never talk to him again. God, hope he doesn’t get mad at that.

Truth is you’ve been failing at that for quite some time. You’ve been seeing him way more than it’s necessary, but contrary to how things used to be before, now every moment with him is a single time that ceases to exist once you get home. He texts; you ignore. He doesn’t text anymore till the next time he misses you. You ignore it till the next time you miss him. This time isn’t much different, only you have a bit more of a reason to be here, unsure if he’ll show up, smoking this damned red Marlboro and feeling like shit. Like absolute shit.

You exhale the smoke, your hair tied back in a ponytail through the cap gap. Hiding yourself.

His big broad figure fills the door in, and he comes inside. To your big surprise, he decided lastly to come; Simon looks at you with a bitter look on his face, his dirty blonde hair trimmed, his beard done, wearing one of his thousand black tight t-shirts and a pair of jeans. He looks the same as ever.

“You came.” You say, surprised as he pulls the chair back and takes the seat in front of yours. 

“You called.” He replies simply, his body relaxing spaciously in the chair with his arms crossed over his chest. 

“Yeah, I did.” You let out some more smoke before discarding your cigarette on the ashtray. “But I thought you were still mad at me.” 

He looks at you in silence for a couple seconds, and scoffs.

“And that never stopped you from calling, did it?” He snorts impatiently. “Did something actually happen or are you just lonely and needing someone to help you fall asleep?” You feel derision in his attitude and his voice is dripping with venom and bitterness.

You close your eyes. Can’t blame him, can you? You had your own good reasons to break up with him, although stupidly, without thinking twice - without thinking that you’d end up missing him. Trying to find him in all the wrong places, wrong guys. 

“Well go on, Simon, what else do you still have to tell me?” You mimic him, crossing your arms and your face a little twisted in irritation facing him. “I was single, I still am. I had the right to be with someone else.” 

“I never blamed you for that. I never fucking blamed you.” Simon wipes his mouth with his hand, his ever icy expression breaking into frustration the second you open your mouth again.

“You are blaming me. You-”

“I fucking am not. I’m angry at the poor fucking choice you did. Getting rid of me for that fucker? You’re making a joke out of yourself, even for someone like me that’s fucking downgrading.” He snaps, regretting it the second later and squeezing his eyes for a moment. 

You remain silent. He’s right. He’s absolutely right. 

You stare into the distance of the window by your side, silent - embarrassed, regretful. Your hands together over your lap and your silence put together make him raise his head at you once again, in a sigh.

“I shouldn’t be here. Our conversations won’t ever end in anything good but me taking you to bed, if that’s what you want then I’ll gladly do it without all the trouble.” He states. You tremulously raise your eyebrows and your lips curl in a small hurt smile. 

Ouch.

You know he said it to hurt you. You know he’s angry, he’s hitting all the right buttons to get under your skin, he can’t help it. He can’t help but to be a bastard sometimes, he never learnt different.

Your eye stare down your own hands, you feel your lips tremble and the lump in your throat gets bigger each second. It's hard to hold back the tears, but for your dignity, you try. There's no less brutal way to admit something like that, so you vomit the words all at once.

“He hit me, Simon.”

His eyes open, the pupils slowly dilate like those of a shark that has just tasted blood for the first time.

Simon has blood on his hands. From too many people, more than you could count. And even if that's his job, never in all those hard years with him - you swore - had you ever seen him so pissed off.

The veins in his temples stood out and he swallowed bitterly, his mind empty; If he wasn't an extremely restrained man, then he would have gotten up and taken action right now. A thoughtless attitude that he might later regret - maybe.

“Tell me his address.” He snaps, his blood boiling enough for you to almost feel the heat increasing in his flesh. 

“Simon, no.” You immediately cut him off, shaking your head, almost crying at this point. "That's not what I called you for, I don't want you to hurt anyone. I broke up with him, I don't have anything to do with that son of a bitch anymore, I just-"

He interrupts you with a gesture and claps his hands to his face. He brushes his own skin roughly, as a self-reminder that if he gives in to his own anger, he'll let you down.

When he makes room for his eyes through his hands again and sees your reddened

face, tears streaming down your cheeks - he dies inside. 

He promised he’d always be there for you. He promised he’d never let you down, he’d always protect you, he’d kill for you. He said it plenty of times and you were completely aware that it was true. 

He couldn’t possibly let you down.

“No, please, I can’t- I just can’t when you cry.” He mutters, getting up from his seat and offering his hand. “You come with me. Please?”

━ ⟡ ━

The hot steaming water falls over your head, sweeping your tears as you hug your legs. Simon's fingertips brush calmly your back, he contours the bruises on your lower half like he's grieving. The silence fills in the bathroom if not for the sound of water dripping on your head. He pours some water on your back to soothe your pain - even if you're not feeling any at this point. 

"Why did you not call me before?" He asks, with painful confusion in his raspy voice. His hands are shaking and you know it's pure anger and his own incapability of holding himself back when it comes to feeling anger. You sigh, tired. 

"I don't know. I felt like I'd be unfair to you." You try to explain, your hands caressing your shins while the water runs through your skin. "And because I didn't want to get you in this state." 

His eyes narrow as he stares at you, and you shrug in response. It's clear to him why you don't like to get him stressed - he could never hurt you, but he was a danger to others.

 He waves his hands to shake off the water and stands up, grabbing and opening a clean towel for you.

You stand up, your eyes don't dare leaving his. He silently admires you, although his mind can't think much more than how guilty he feels for letting this happen to you - even though there was nothing he could do about it. You dry your feets on the mat and turn your back so he can wrap you in the towel, and he does so. 

Simon calmly brushes the towel against your shoulders, drying a bit of the water that drips from your whole body and once he’s done wrapping you in the towel, he places his hands on your back and leads you to his room.

His smell is everywhere around and what used to be intoxicating and lustful for you, is now soothing and quiet. You sit on the edge of his bed, silence seeming to be now a whole conversation between the two of you.

Your hand reaches for his and places it on your cheek. You look up at him with kitty eyes, your thumb circles the skin on the back of his hand till it finds the scar you were looking for – one of his oldest ones, according to himself. You close your eyes and snuggle into his hand, giving it a light, calming kiss.

He caresses your cheek and moves your hair from your face.

“I’ll get you some fresh clothes.” He says in a whisper. You nod, and he comes back moments later with a clean shirt of his. You tug it in your neck and quickly put it on letting the fabric run free on your body, loose. 

He starts removing rubbish from his bedside table – an ashtray, an empty can of energy drink, a gun. As you notice he seems to be trying to empty the room for you, you speak out.

"Wait, where are you going?" 

"I'll be in the living room if you need me for anything." He says simply. Before he can leave the room, you stop him by wrapping your hand on his arm. The sudden motion makes him turn around to face you, his dark eyes gazing at yours and seeming already aware of what comes next – a protest. 

"Simon." You use a warning tone, and he closes his eyes. 

"You don't want to have me around now, kitten. I'm far from calm…" He argues, calmly looking down at you now. The proximity burns you, he's too close. 

"I'm not scared." You mewl, your hands on his tough chest, he doesn't move a muscle. Your hands start trailing up to his neck, and you get on your tiptoes to wrap your arms better around him; Simon closes his eyes, drunk by the overwhelming feeling of having you so close to him. He misses you. 

One of his hands holds your wrist before you manage to curl up on his neck, and the other one gently holds on your waist. He bends down enough so he can reach your tiny self. He gives you what you want - his lips slowly catch yours in a slow, calm kiss; the warmth of his lips against yours is medicine to you – soothes all of your pain, eases all of your anxiety. He squeezes on your waist and pulls back once he starts feeling heaty and his breath starts to become uncontrolled, needy. He breaths against your lips, his eyes barely closed and his breath catching on his throat like panting. 

You stare at his lips before going back to his eyes. 

"Stop." He snarls, raising his head a bit, avoiding your face and the closeness you impose on him now. It feels wrong. You need space.

You close your eyes, you understand. It feels wrong. 

After all of this time of failed attempts to let go, to sound nonchalant and be away from each other – after all the fails and the sex, devoid of feeling type of sex, rough, delicious but raw sex, he wants to fuck you straight. He doesn't want to be angry, he wants to take you and make love to you. 

You understand. Feels wrong.

"Will you be fine here? You need to rest and I need to take a walk, clear my head." He mutters, avoiding your eyes for the sake of restraining himself. You nod. 

"I'll be alright. You'll come back, right?" You ask, looking at him - looking for his eyes. He stands back from you and nods. 

"Of course." He assures you, before caressing your hair slowly and giving you a calm kiss on the forehead. "Rest. Do not stay awake waiting for me, hear me?" He snarls, grabbing his keys and a hoodie of his, tucking it in and giving you space. 

You sit in his bed and nods, watching him leave by the room door and close it behind himself. Now alone, you close your eyes exhausted by the lack of sleep you've been having for these past few days; it doesn't take you long to fall asleep, surrounded by comfortable pillows that smell like his perfume – woody and whiskey. 

Walking in the streets, with his hands digging in his hoodie's pocket and tough stomps, Simon's face lit up by the light emanating from the street lamps. His body swings slightly to the weight of his steps, and he breathes heavily. 

After several minutes – more than he probably told you he'd take, he stops in front of a very familiar residence. You should know it wouldn't be any trouble for him to find your abuser's house. 

He took a familiar piece of cloth out of his pocket, it had been time since he last wore it. Now seemed like a good moment. A balaclava, full face mask – handmade, with a skull painted on. Simon hugs you and kisses your scars; Ghost wants revenge. 

[talaok]

Hey, love! How are you? I hope you’re doing great 💕

Can i request a joel x fem!reader?

So, a few days ago I found a strand of white hair on my head and I freaked out cause I’m only twenty and wtf ?? And soo I had this idea of reader, Joel and Ellie being settled in Jackson, reader’s brushing her hair and she sees the white hair and screams and joel and ellie go to her thinking that something bad happened… joel keeps teasing reader about it but eventually comforts her because she’s a little insecure about it? Oh, and maybe age gap?

I also wanted to thank you again for your beautiful stories, they make my day so much better, you have no idea! Sending you a lot of love !!!

❤️‍🩹🫶🏼

Babe why are you always so nice you make me want to cry, also this is literally something I'm so insecure about bc I have a bunch of white hair and I don't get why so thank you for requesting this. 

(HUGE sorry for the wait I just really have to study)

A scream echoed through your house in Jackson, and as time stilled, and both their hearts jump-started, they came running towards your voice.

"What happened?"

Joel's eyes were clouded with fear just as the fingers gripping his gun trembled with worry.

"are you ok?"

Ellie's voice was thin, quiet, nothing you'd ever heard before.

You looked at them, the hairbrush still in your hand, the daunting discovery lingering between your fingers.

"I have a white hair" you spoke, your tone somehow more horrified than both of theirs.

"what?"

"look" you urged, bringing your hair more in the light, your face twisting in an appalled grimace.

"sweetheart..." Joel sighed, shaking his head and putting away his gun "I thought something bad happened" he frowned, a glimpse of a smile ghosting his lips.

"you scared me to death y/n" Ellie protested too now.

"I'm sorry" you murmured, "but something bad did happen!"

They looked at each other, their eyes wide with amusement, and they could not help but burst out laughing.

"why are you laughing? This is not something to laugh about!"

"I'm-I'm sorry it's just..." Ellie spoke between giggles "It's just a white hair y/n, it's nothing"

"Nothing? This is everything! If I get one that means I'll get more"

Again, their laughs bounced across the bathroom tiles.

there you were, despairing for a different colored hair in a world where zombies actually existed.

You shot them a look "I hate you, go away"

"y/n-" Ellie tried

"no, just leave me alone while I try to find a way to hide this"

They glanced at each other, a small - I'll handle this- traveling from Joel to Ellie was all that was needed before the girl went back to her room.

You went to stand up

"careful there, I'm not sure you're in the right shape to stand up on your own at your age" Joel joked.

"That's not funny," you scowled, making Joel finally understand how serious you were about this.

"baby..." he murmured, stepping closer to you "it's not a big deal"

"but it is" you replied, desperate

"no, it's not baby" he continued, wrapping his arms around your back "It's just a white hair." he persisted "You're still the most gorgeous woman on earth"

"that's not the point" You shook your head

"no, then what is it?" he spoke gently, his thumb caressing your side

You hesitated "I-I don't know"

Joel smiled, trying to reassure you "Baby if you think that's bad, look at me" he chuckled "I look like Santa Claus"

"you don't" you bit down a smile "and besides, it's different, you're..."

"you can say it, sweetheart, I'm old"

"you're not old"

"no, then what am I?"

"you're just... older than me"

"That's a nice way of putting it"

You shook your head, smiling as you soaked in the feeling of his embrace.

He felt like a warm blanket after a cold winter day.

He stroked your cheek "C'mon now pretty girl, you're an amazing woman, you're smart, beautiful, funny, kind, good, and beautiful, you don't need to worry about a little white hair"

Your lips turned into that little happy pout Joel adored

"You said beautiful twice"

"Yeah, I know I did" 

You hit his chest playfully, your hand lingering on his body "I hate you"

"why?"

"'cause you always make me feel better, I'd like to be mad or sad for more than two minutes once in a while, y'know?"

"I'm sorry" he smirked, his thumb tracing your jawline "I'll do better next time"

"you better" you joked, making him smile.

"Are you feeling ok now?"

"mh-mh" you gave a shy nod

"you want me to kiss it better?"

"you can't kiss a white hair better"

"now" he said "there's no harm in trying, sweetheart"

[ghostofthemost141]

Custer

Pairing: Ghost x GN! Reader, no use of (Y/N), First POV

Word Count: 908

About: After an accomplished mission, Ghost is intrigued by the music he can hear you blasting in your earbuds.

Themes: None really, just a little drabble of Ghost and reader interacting.

Notes: The song featured in this short is Custer by Slipnot. Highly recommend it if heavy metal is your style! Nickname for this one is Puppy. Enjoy!

Cut cut cut me up and fuck fuck fuck me up

Cut cut cut me up and fuck fuck fuck me up

Cut cut cut me up and fuck fuck fuck me up

Cut cut cut me up and fuck fuck fuck me up

Cut cut cut me up and fuck fuck fuck me up

“Mission well done, everyone.” Price announced, gazing over all of us. 

Irreverence is my disease

It's secondhand, but you know me

The son of a bitch is on his knees

The last man standing gets no pity

We were currently heading back to our base and while everyone else was talking, I was destroying my hearing with my music. Couple of months ago, I joined Task Force 141, sworn in by Captain Price and so far I have enjoyed my stay here. Some missions are hard as fuck, take months and months to accomplish, while some others, like todays, only take a day or two to do and while I do love what I do, I also love being at our base. I keep to myself for the most part, whether I be walking outside or in my bunk reading a book while listening to music. It’s not that the guys don’t like me, I mean hell, they also invite me to play a game of pool or poker with them, most of the time I turn it down because I just want to do my own thing. You can’t really afford to make close friendships or even relationships in this line of work, you never know when something may happen to one of ‘hem. Soap can be an ass sometimes but he is cool and very outgoing. Gaz is the nicest of the lot, but can sometimes be too nice for his own good. Price is the definition of an old grumpy man, and can definitely act like one for sure, but he very much would take a bullet for one of us. Now Ghost, who happens to be sittin’ right next to me in this crowded vehicle, I haven’t figured out yet. He will mumble a hi if I am passing by or make a comment here and there, but he seems to be like me, likes to keep to himself. He is the closest with Soap by far, but even then I don’t really see them hanging around base as much as you think they would since they are close. 

You try so hard to be difficult

You want to win the war?

Know what you're fighting for

Hell yeah, it’s my favorite part. I began bumping my leg to the beat of the music as well as tapping my knee as if I was an old, country man in the West. 

Cut cut cut me up and fuck fuck fuck me up

Cut cut cut me up and fuck fuc-

I swear I felt someone nudge my shoulder, but I didn’t pay any mind to it as I immersed myself into my music. 

-k fuck fuck me up

Cut cut cut me up and fuck fuck fuck me up

Cut cut cut me up and fuck fuck fuck me up

Cut cut cut me up and fuck fu-

Okay someone is definitely tapping me on the shoulder. This better be good. I pulled my earbuds out in a huff. 

“You grumpy, Puppy?” A gravelly voice asked me. 

Ghost. I sneered at him a little bit for the nickname. For some reason, the task force came up with the nickname puppy for me. The reason for it? Well that I will never know they just started calling me that one day, around the time I first started. 

“Nope.”

“Seems like ‘t.” He remarked. 

“What is it to ya?” I asked. 

“You’re gonna damage ‘our hearing listening to that bloody music that damn loud.” He commented, his big blue eyes piercing into mine. 

“Oh so you’re the one that made me put my music away?” 

“Never told you to do that.” 

Dear lord, this man. As attractive he may be, he can be a real ass sometimes. 

“What song was it?” 

Ghost? The most grumpy British man to ever exist asking me about what I was listening to? I might as well be honored. 

“Custer by Slipknot.” I answer. 

“Slipknot? What kind of band is that?” Ghost asked. 

Is this really Ghost or did he bump his head during a mission or somethin’? 

“They are a heavy metal band that started in the mid 90’s. Custer is one of their most popular songs but it is one of my favorites.” I added. 

I could tell Ghost was processing what I said because he nodded his head in response and didn’t say a word back. So it’s up to me aye? 

“What kind of music do you listen to?” I asked him. 

“Hm. Some rock, some alternative, some reggae.” Ghost listed. 

“Reggae? Really?” I questioned, not expecting that answer. 

“Hey, don’t diss Bob Marley till you try ‘im.” Ghost remarked. 

“I’ll give him a try, L.T.” I said, shoving his shoulder with mine. 

I could see he rolled his eyes in response, but in a sarcastic way. 

“And I’ll Slipkno’ a try.” 

“SlipknoT.” 

“Don’t test me puppy.” Ghost growled a little, making me laugh, in which he eventually let out a chuckle. 

Ghost is definitely not as bad as everyone seems like he is, he just needs the right person to break down his walls. 

END

[wolfjackle-creates]

Ghost!Robin Part 10

Here's another WIP Wednesday! Hope you enjoy.

Story Summary: Danny was invited to dinner at Wayne Manor to meet Jazz's boyfriend and his family for the first time. He worked hard to make sure no ghost business would interrupt the evening. But when he arrived, all he could focus on was the ghost of the dead Robin that seemed to haunt Jason. Looks like he was breaking his promise.

First, Previous

Word Count: 1.4k

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Alfred let out a put-upon sigh. “You, and you alone”—he gave a look to everyone at the table—“may ask Mr. Danny a single question. All other questions must wait until Mr. Danny has finished his dessert and informs you he is willing to answer more of them.”

“What the fuck does Jazz mean when she says ‘spoilers’?”

Danny sighed and leaned his chair back as he looked up to the ceiling. “Yeah, okay. That’s fair. You deserve an answer to that, dead boyfriend number two.”

“Stop calling me that!”

“I’m finally not the only dead one in the family. Sorry, but I’m gonna revel in that a bit longer.” Danny grinned at him and set his chair back on the ground. “So, spoilers. Well. My grandpa is kinda the Ghost of Time. Responsible for maintaining the time stream to bring about the future that has the best outcome for the most amount of beings. We met a few years back when he was ordered to kill me but became my mentor instead. Since he’s the ghost of time, he sees all futures and doesn’t really exist in the present. Sometimes he refers to things that haven’t happened yet as if they have or brings up events from centuries or millenia ago as if they happened yesterday. Bit headache inducing if I’m honest, but I’ve gotten used to it. Jazz doesn’t like it when I share details about what Gramps has let slip about her future.”

“No I do not. I’d rather live my life as if I have some degree of free will!”

The silence from the Waynes was only disrupted by the increased typing from Tim and Barbara.

“You know what,” said Jason after a beat, “I don’t even know why I’m surprised. Jazz, your brother’s life is insane and I say that as a zombie from a family of vigilantes.”

Danny shook his head and swallowed a bite of ice cream. “You aren’t a zombie. Zombies don’t retain any memories of their lives and they can’t think. Not sure what you are, to be honest. You’re ghostly in some way as evidenced by Robin and his ability to use and eat ectoplasm. Which you also recognized, if by a different name. Though, I will reiterate, ectoplasm shouldn’t bubble or collect in pits in the living realms.”

Jason stared at him for a moment before stabbing his spoon into his own pie. He muttered something under his breath and projected, restraint, hold it in.

Danny sighed. He really shouldn’t drag this out any longer. His remaining desert was gone in a few bites.

“Fine. I’m done. How do we want to do this?”

Jazz cleared her throat, “If I may, I have a suggestion.”

Bruce nodded and gestured for her to continue.

“Look, if we take the time to answer every single question about the Infinite Realms and ghost culture, history, biology, and psychology, we will be here for years. Now, Danny’s partner Tucker is our tech guy. We can have him send over a document tomorrow with much of the information we think would be necessary for you to have. You can review it on your own time line and verify it with Justice League Dark or whomever. And you can formulate a list of questions you need further clarification on. Sound fair?”

Jazz was the best. Danny sent her a wave of love you, thanks, you’re amazing and she squeezed his knee under the table.

Bruce hummed. “And what do you wish to talk of tonight?”

Jazz leaned back slightly and looked at Danny. “Danny? I think this is all you.”

Danny nodded. To the table he said, “Over half of you are in danger from the Guys in White. I suppose I should start with showing you how.” The ecto-trackers he had pulled out earlier still sat ignored on the table. He grabbed his own version and took a position kneeling between Bruce and Barbara. Tim got up to stand behind him. Everyone else also got to their feet and started moving closer.

Danny clicked his tongue. “The screen is too small for all of you to see. Jason, stay seated over there. It’ll be easier to show what’s going on with you if you and Robin aren’t right next to each other. Damian and Cass, you are the next most affected so come over. Everyone else, I’ll show you the exact same things just after.”

Cass gave him a single nod and slid out of her seat. Damian didn’t say anything, but pushed his chair out and stalked over. He stood as far from Tim as he could while still being able to look over Danny’s head at the small screen. Cass took her place between the two.

Whatever, their family drama was not his problem. He turned on the machine. “So this device tracks ectoplasm. My design is the most sophisticated on Earth. Green is free ectoplasm—ectoplasm that isn’t part of a ghost or sentient being. Purple indicates a liminal human. Blue is an unknown ghost. Red is a known, unfriendly ghost. Yellow is a known, friendly ghost. Orange is a halfa like me. The intensity of the color indicates the strength of the being.”

“What is a liminal human?” asked Bruce. “You’ve mentioned them before.”

“I didn’t go over that?” asked Danny as colored shapes began to appear on the screen. A bright orange blob appeared in the middle, himself. He was surrounded by three purple blobs, Cass and Damian were the brightest, Steph the dimmest at the other end of the table. But what really drew his eye was Robin. He was mostly blue, but a wave of blue-organge-purple connected him to Jason who was mostly purple. Both of their main beings had some of all three colors mixed in. Danny had never seen anything like it.

But he couldn’t focus on the strange display right now. Saving the image, he decided to ask Jason later if he could show Frostbite and Tucker to get their insight. “Liminals are humans who have been exposed to ectoplasm in some way. Either through death or long-term, low-level exposure. Overtime, it makes you death-touched and that changes a person. Everyone is different. Jazz has a degree of super strength, a ghostly obsession, and true empathy. Tucker has some technopathy; Sam a green thumb like you wouldn’t believe.” Though, this was Gotham, home to Poison Ivy. “Or, well, maybe you would, living in Gotham.” Danny pointed to the purple blob that represented Bruce. “This indicates you have quite a high level of liminality. Jazz”—he pointed to where she was, her color clearly brighter than any of the Waynes—“is currently the third most liminal person I know of on Earth.” He then pointed to Stephanie, a much dimmer purple haze. “And Steph is only lightly touched.”

Bruce hummed. “So this Ghost Investigation Ward will use a device like this to track any of us who have any sort of ectoplasm in us.”

“Yeah. Only theirs isn’t nearly as good.” Danny looked to his sister. “Jazz, mind passing the GIW device down?”

“Of course.” The GIW ectoplasmic radiation sensor had their signature sleek, white design. It was passed down the line from Jazz until Bruce was able to hand it to Danny.

“Thanks.” Danny took it and turned it on. “So the GIW design looks good, but can’t differentiate between different types of ectoplasm. As of now, they aren’t even aware of liminals.”

This device, when it turned on, showed a black screen with a white bar that went up and down at a steady pace. A loading bar was visible on the bottom labeled “Scanning.”

“As you can see, theirs takes a lot longer to get readings.” It finished loading. “Here we go.” Danny was a large green shape labeled “Phantom.”

Robin was also a green shape, though he was distorted with a tail leading towards Jason. He had no label. The others, excluding Stephanie who wasn’t displayed at all, showed up as a green haze.

“Thanks to my parents, they have good readings on me which is why my name shows up. They aren’t usually too focused on identifying ghosts, though, which is why Jason-Robin doesn’t have a label. I’m a special case. The rest of you are safe from a distance, but that haze means they’d take you in for questioning at the very least.”

“Hn. What is the range on these devices?” asked Bruce.

Danny shrugged. “My stuff? From anywhere. I track through the Infinite Realms, not by Earth. GIW? Jason-Robin, they’ll be able to detect something from probably ten miles out of city limits, but they’d need to be within half a mile to get an accurate location. The Fentons? Mile or so. They get an exact location or nothing.”

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Next

I don't really think I have much to say about this segment. The info dump has started! Thank you Jazz for keeping people on track. Alfred will help her if he feels people start pushing too much.

Tag List Part 1

@addie-lover-of-stories, @justwannabecat, @gin2212, @amercurio, @regonold, @overtherose, @readerzj, @sjrose1216, @echoednonny, @deeterzz, @blu-lilac, @number-one-jew, @rowanaway-fromthisbs, @vythika96, @tired-yet-awaken, @themirrorghost, @emeraldcorpral, @all-mights-asscheeks, @darkhinauniverse, @blep-23, @phandomhyperfixationblog, @larkcoe1, @thegatorsgoose, @job-ross-the-second, @britcision, @lenacraft, @bubblemixer, @androgynouslordofescapism, @purefrickingspite, @leftmiraclechaos, @lizisipancardo, @starlight-sparks, @miraculousandmore, @gildedphoenix, @sometimesthingsfallapart, @letmesayfuxk, @phoenixcatch7, @skulld3mort-1fan, @abaowo, @dhampir-princess, @idkmrpianoman, @sarina-elais, @ballzfrog-blog, @undead-essence, @spookytragedyshark, @flyingpansaurus, @akintoabitch, @marivictal, @8-29pm, @justreadingthefanfics, @happybear135, @kisatamao, @spoopyspoony, @adorablechaos, @sara0055, @screamingtofillthevoid

[hatt0riart]

I WANTED TO MAKE MORE THAN JUST THIS but it took like. a week to get done and im sick these days

anyways in light of mk1's nonsense i revisited some koncepts i had for a roleswap au. i took hanzo's inspiration from a mix of mkx and mk11 outfits and kuai i kind of just winged it based off my own preferences in past appearances!!

more rambling is under the cut about the actual AU :-]

PLEASE DO NOT REPOST MY ART ON ANY OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA OR CROP THEM FOR ICONS. THANK YOU!

SO I HAVE NOT ACTUALLY DEVELOPED THIS BEYOND SOME OLD SKETCHES I HAD OF KUAI'S DESIGN but i had some general ideas of how this was supposed to work???

the shirai ryu is still alive and well! he's still a family man and very clan oriented. satoshi is still born and grows into his clan's responsibilities, however harumi dies in child birth.

the lin kuei on the other hand is Not Doing Well. they end up getting wiped out during a raid from the shirai ryu and most of kuai's immediate family (whether by choice or blood) ends up going down with them.

prior to this kuai ends up passing after a failed mission to retrieve the map of elements from the shaolin temple in an attempt to prove himself to his clan. (instead of bi-han being the one set on that path, kuai ends up taking the initiative instead WAY before he's ready without anyone's knowledge and ends up dying when met with scorpion.)

most of it is similar how it is in actual canon for how scorpion's story goes. he gets resurrected he pledges loyalty to quan chi in order to get revenge, blah blah blah. mortal kombat happens. the two meet again at some point.

kuai's still on that "you killed my family" juice but its...more so about familial ties (like bi-han and smoke) rather than it being the love(s) of his life (like hanzo's wife and son) , seeing as he died young from his own overzealous nature.

very much has anger issues. he's impatient and has alot shorter of a temper by comparison to scorpion in the original canon. hardly ever humbled until that point lol

hanzo on the other hand is surprisingly more lax. meditates often, drinks alot of tea and while he *IS* stressed he handles it alot better than kuai does. maybe has a problem of ignoring his problems though for the sake of the task at hand.

kuai ends up harassing hanzo alot in this AU even outside of the tournament. he's kind of a bitchy ghost there to remind hanzo of what happened to him and lowkey hanzo guilts over it.

kuai has alot of grim reaper motifs in his design. he carries a scythe made of ice primarily and fights at a more long distance range.

hanzo on the other hand is alot more of an up close brawler. he keeps alot of design traits from mkx with a bit of mk11 sprinkled in for inspiration of his "classic" design.

STILL A PYROMANCER!! i just havent thought out how. he's just regarded with a bit more respect for having those unnatural abilities lol

but yeah this is just me spitballing in bullet points. i'm hoping to make more stuff later that is a bit more...thought out properly but it follows more of like

mk mythologies --> mk9 -> mkx

type of timeline i guess? except hanzo is in bi-han's position and kuai ends up being put in scorpion's. bi-han doesn't really have a place in the AU outside of being a background character and driving motive for kuai's vengeance later on. (though we're not gonna talk about how bi-han's mentality eventually fed into kuai's at a young age and made him come to the conclusions he did before he died.... maybe.)

smoke exists for the sake of painful flashbacks lol

satoshi's also a bg character but he does end up growing up with the shirai ryu and takes on his own share of clan responsibilities. idk whether or not he takes after hanzo's pyromancy or not in this AU but either way he grows up to be a well respected figure in the clan!

alot of stuff outside of this remains the same though, just the lin kuei and shirai ryu's dynamics get swapped.

ANYWAYS YEAH IF YOU READ THRU ALL THIS THANKS FOR READING BYEEEE (i'll be adding to this au more later on when i finish my other sketches lol)

[patcaps]

you can read my other thoughts on the finale here so i’m not gonna just say all the same things again but

the ending was always gonna be divisive with people loving it or hating it, liking it but wishing some things were a bit different. it’s the ending of a beloved show and nobody is ever gonna agree on what the right ending would be. it sucks to have folks outright rejecting it but it also sucks to see people like “you are wrong for having any criticisms whatsoever” like, i’m all for being able to discuss aspects of media and what we liked and didn’t like. it’s not always a bad faith interpretation, or cynicism, or being poor at understanding the writing and intention. and i love meta and analysis that doesn’t completely pick apart something and refuse it any grace or leniency. i think sometimes we’re way too hard on stuff that is ultimately heartfelt and from a place of love and joy, and unraveling them dampens the magic.

anyway. that aside. i love this show so much. there are things i’d have done differently, pacing choices that made it fall flat in places, but it’s not my show and these guys know their characters and love them as much as we do. and the ghosts and mike and alison never stopped being family - which is, ultimately, the biggest thing that matters. not the house, not where they are, but how they’ve helped each other for the better. alison and mike spent their entire lives making sure the ghosts were never forgotten, always went back to catch up. they got to enjoy all the fun and love of visiting family without the stress of living under each other’s feet 24/7 - and relationships with family often improve tenfold with that breathing space.

the show ended where it started with the plans to turn it into a hotel, but this time instead of the ghosts panicking and being like “drive her out, kill her” they loved alison enough to take all of that change on, safe in the knowledge that alison would never ever just abandon them. that’s such a neat way of showing how they’ve all helped each other. like, robin’s seen that house and the houses and land before it change so much but he felt so good about this change, literally said he felt christmassy finally, because they could do this. for her. for their friend, their family member, their alison.

they existed before alison and they’ll exist after her, but in the meantime they get to enjoy being her family and also know they’ve given them a more stable, secure, less stressful living arrangement that works for them all. they aren’t fully dependent on alison anymore and alison was no longer fearful of leaving and losing them because she knew they’d still be her family no matter what. i’ve seen some people interpret this as “they’re saying having a baby meant her found family weren’t important anymore, they have to go be a traditional family alone” and that was my kneejerk response too, but then i sat with it. and actually, alison goes from being a (presumed) orphan with no family besides mike and his side, to having all of that plus the ghosts, people who love her and always welcome her back to visit whenever she wants. how lovely for her to have her very own family she can go and see, who did such a kind thing for her, however bittersweet a decision it was initially.

and yeah, it’s true that the ghosts have less of alison there to take care of things like personalised entertainment, but that’s the whole point of them leaving - alison wasn’t in a position where she could worry about entertaining them all the time whilst also being with her husband and raising a newborn. it wasn’t fair to keep asking her to run around after a houseful of ghosts when looking after yourself and a small child is hard enough. she could have stayed and ended up resenting them, getting frustrated and angry the way they did with mike’s mum, potentially souring that relationship with the ghosts. instead she moved out and gets to go back and see them and love and enjoy them fully without that responsibility 24/7. i’m sure she took them new things, gifts, let them watch tv and read books, i bet they had requests for whenever she visited which she was more than happy to supply. and i bet they always had new anecdotes and things to catch her up on.

the more time i have, the more i warm to it all. it’s easy to say “they should have stayed together at the house” but this show is about being human, about life and death, how existence is both cruel and kind and beautiful and unexpected and it changes you and you change it. they did stay together, just not under the same roof. home is more than just button house, more than just a dream because dreams change as we go, and belonging is about more than just a destination. alison found home and belonging in the ghosts, and they found it in her too. the rest is just bricks and mortar.

[bibibbon]

MHA chapter 414

1)The memory sharing thing. Izuku and shigaraki sharing memories kind of came out of nowhere especially with Izukus memories being shared because last time I checked it was izuku giving his DNA to tomura not both of them recieving eachother DNA. I don't know if it's me but the memory sharing thing just felt like a very cheap way to try and build up the nonexistent dynamic between izuku and shigaraki but it fails horribly.

2) kudo's description of deku. I guess it isn't just that but kudo describing izuku as "someone who doesn't just follow orders" just left a bad taste in my mouth maybe it's because of the whole deku and wooden puppet and izuku continually being stripped off any INTROSPECTION but yeah this just rubbed me the wrong way. Also kudos whole disappearance or second death felt so anti climatic idk what I was expecting but for him to just disappear is disappointing for sure. I would of expected him to do some lasting damage with his vessel or ghost but all he did was basically take himself and quirk out of existence in its own way. Izuku full on becoming a puppet both literally and metaphorically is something that Iam not a huge fan of. I think it's kind of a great idea but the point of MHAs begining was a series of the greatest hero so logically speaking Izuku would continue forward and grow out and show that he isn't the puppet that his tormenter has claimed him to be but he is a person, a hero and a human. Sure the puppet idea could of worked but the way horikoshi tried to cement the idea and present it doesn't work it mainly feels like horikoshi is doing this as a cheap way to justify Izuku's lack of INTROSPECTION and POV.

3) the lack of izuku and shigaraki introspection. This goes for the whole series but I still hate that izuku barely gets to tell his own pov like I swear he was the narrator of the story back in chapter one so why is it that other characters are telling us how izuku should or is feeling when it isn't the narrator himself. Also shigaraki just stating the obvious for his pov just irritated me I guess I wanted and expected more. I expected to understand why shigaraki wants to destroy and why does he view Izuku in said ways I expected answers but we kinda got nothing 😭

4) did horikoshi forget some plot things? I thought that the vestiges could continually read Izuku's thoughts and see his memories so why are they so surprised in him implementing an idea like they haven't seen izuku quickly come up with battle Strategies all the time. To me it feels like the vestiges are acting the way horikoshi wants us to act and the vestiges are just there acting shocked when they figure everything out so we can understand which is all iffy to me. Like why couldn't we get this from Izuku's point of view what was stopping us from getting this from shigarakis point of view what is it that the vestiges are the ones narrating this bit when they should already be semi aware of what going on at the least.

5) WHY IS IT THAY IZUKU HAS TO LOSE ALL HIS QUIRKS? like seriously I feel like izuku should of just stayed quirkless. Why is it that izuku has to go back to square one while all the characters get to live a good life? Why just him? It seems like shigaraki is getting the damages of 2nd quirks but I still don't understand why seconds quirk causes this when in reality it shouldn't and I don't think this will even hurt shigaraki as much like the guy was experimented and tortured to handle this stuff?!?! Was it worth it? Like is it worth it giving shigaraki all these free power ups?

6) what's the point here? Like are they becoming the same person?!?! What do you mean by their memories merging together and becoming one? Why is it happening? This doesn't truly make sense because what is the end result are they gonna be all fine and dandy because they both saw eachothers lives or something? Also this feels like another way to develop a heavily underdeveloped dynamic like shigaraki has stated that he wants destruction so shouldn't he just destroy all the memories because he wants destruction and that's it. What does izuku or shigaraki benefit from this and wouldn't it just leave them with more damage than it should? Also I mentioned this before but how is this happening like I get shigaraki seeing Izuku's memories but why is izuku seeing shigarakis it's not like shigaraki has shared his DNA with Izuku so what's going on. Also the relations with the league is way too underdeveloped when it comes from shigaraki so what's the purpose of this? It feels like I stead of actually giving us more story we are going down in memory lane and horikoshi is just drawing better versions of his old manga panels

With all the criticizing over I must admit that I liked that this chapter had the vestiges especially EN realise how much izuku actually respects them and how smart he is for the way he uses their quirks. I also liked that we at least got some povs from everyone and how this was a very quirk focused chapter but that's about it really.

[captain-mj]

Hey, 🦭 here back from the grave (was just resting after a hellish week of school)

I have been obsessed with Sleep Token especially their song called 'Chokehold' which in think is very eldritch GhostSoap coded, with Ghost being an eldritch god and Soap being his most devoted follower (iykyk)

And Ghost who just adores his follower and can't help but grant Soap's indulgence and desires because of his own selfishness

Could you possibly make a fic like that? Pretty please with a bit of dynamite on top :3

-🦭

(The brainrot is brainrotting /srs)

I love that song so much, I can of course do that!! Also, it's nice to see you again :)

Ghost sat in his temple silently. He observed those who came in and offered things and those with entertaining tales or genuine needs were given what they asked. Most requests though were... petty. Indulgent. A desperate plea for more attention, more money, more pleasure.

Ghost wanted to lash out at them some days. And he did. He'd curse them with impotence, poverty and isolation at the drop of a hat. It had become a known risk to everyone but...

Johnny.

His favorite follower.

He lifted his hand, letting the priest cut his wrist so blood would flow.

Ghost listened intently, letting the other prayers fall away like rushing water.

"Ghost." His name on his tongue was beautiful. "I am here to request something." Normally, Ghost would listen to his request, answer it immediately and let Soap leave. But today, he wanted it to be different.

Gently, not wanting to hurt him or any of his other loving followers, he spoke. "Everyone must leave except the current person praying."

His priests hopped to it, herding everyone out. It left Soap alone in the place of worship.

Soap looked up at the depictions of Ghost. Of dark wide eyes staring into the souls of anyone who came in. Ready to dismiss them or bless them on a whim.

"My God." He moved to kneel, averting his eyes. "I always feel your presence here. I never thought I'd be chosen to hear your voice or hold your attention like this."

"You think you hold all of my attention?" Ghost had created universes. Species. Had senses that would melt Soap's brain to even be explained. But yeah, Soap did in fact have all of his attention. He just shouldn't assume he did.

Or he could. Ghost doubted, even if he disrespected him to his face, he could stay mad for too long.

Soap tensed. "No! Of course not, it's just more attention than I'd ever expect. I'm...."

"Keep your eyes on the ground." Ghost stepped in front of him. Smoke billowed off of him, form fading in and out of existence. "Wouldn't want to drive my favorite follower insane."

Soap's breathing hitched. "Favorite?"

Ghost ignored him. "What is it you want?"

"I..."

"Spit it out."

"Health. For my family."

Ghost hummed. "Granted. What else?"

"What?"

"That's for your family. Would you like anything?"

"I... um..."

"Anything you want."

Soap nodded. "I... I don't know. I don't have anything else I desire."

Ghost hummed. "I see. How sweet." He trailed around him in circles. "Power beyond wildest dreams? Friends and worshippers? Enough money to indulgent in all forms of debauchery?"

"No. I don't find much interest in those."

Ghost nodded. "Well, I want to give you something for yourself. Selfishly of course."

Soap almost looked up before quickly remembering his place. "If you'd so please, my holiness."

My?

My??

Ghost touched him, feeling him shiver and shake, almost doubling over. Soap whimpered, burying his face on to the floor as sensations rushed through him. He ended the contact and watched him sink further.

"You're interesting, Johnny."

Soap took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Your family will be healthy. You have given me enough, today."

"If I found something to wish for, could I come back tomorrow?"

Ghost paused and mulled over it. "Come at night. You could spend it with me." He'd have to be so gentle, but the idea of holding Soap in his hands. "I won't fault you if you don't."

"I will. I'll be here. I promise, I'll..." Ghost grabbed him by the scruff and felt him twist in his hands, overcome with feelings again. Soap grabbed his leg for support and whimpered. It wasn't the most pleasant sensation for most people, but like he predicted, Soap liked it. Maybe it would become an addiction. That way Soap was just addicted to his presence as Ghost was becoming to Soap.

"You will. And I'll grant you all of your desires."

[hellsingmongrel]

So, bit of ramblings on my Post-Trimax Wolfwood headcanons.

Man, one of my favorite tropes in media is a character who's spirit lingers on after they've died, but it's usually something you only see in fanfic, so I cannot get over how FUCKING FERAL I was when I realized that it was legit a thing in Trimax, and that Wolfwood was the one we actually got to see, legitimately talking to the people he'd left behind and confirming that ghosts in the canon weren't just hallucinations or something! Like yeah, we saw Tessla leading the boys to her body, but since her ghost was never mentioned again, it could have easily have been written off as a fluke, right?

NOPE. They are real and they linger after to watch over the people they care about or to send messages to the people who are still alive! And the fact that the character who had just wormed his way into being just as beloved to me as my favorite character (Which NEVER happens, I usually only have enough brain cells for one at a time!) and that we had just had our hearts ripped to shreds watching him die was also the one we got to know had definitely stayed behind to watch over the people he loved just makes me SO HAPPY! I rp that asshole from time to time, and I just love exploring the implications of it!

I play him like he's been there a LONG TIME. When he died, Rem was there, watching over Vash, but when Knives spent the last of his energy, she chose to move on with him, now that she knew Wolfwood would be there to keep watch over Vash, and he took it SERIOUSLY. He's been waiting so long, he's lost his sense of time, he thinks it's only been a couple decades when it's been CENTURIES. And the time has softened his own trauma, he's gone from being surly and angry and defensive to being at peace and finding comfort in the fact that its allowed him to see more of Vash's life than he ever would have been able to live long enough to see when he was alive. And it's given him time to notice just how unwell Vash is, how broken he is, watching over him when he thinks he's alone and lets himself break down.

But it's also made Wolfwood a bit unwell in his own way; as time went on and the people he knew in life began to pass away, too, his interest in paying attention to what the people around them were doing wained, and his dedication to watching over Vash until it was his time to pass on became a strange sort of dependence. He loses his sense of self, in a way, until the most important thing in his existence is being there for Vash, waiting for him, having long-since accepted that when the time comes, it'll be over and he's alright with that.

He's happy, but to the perspective of a living person, it would seem TWISTED in a way. He still thinks he's a damned soul, stealing more time than he's allowed and only damning himself further by doing so, and he just knows that when he gets to walk Vash into whatever comes after for them, they'll be separated again, for the last time, and there won't be any coming back from it that time, because Vash is too good, too kind, too HOLY to ever be damned. But it's fine. Wolfwood knew he was damned long before his death, and time has just given him the chance to make peace with it and simply be happy with the fact that at least he'll be able to be with Vash when he can move on to wherever good people go at the end. And yet when it happens, Vash feels the same way about himself, so certain that he's the one who's damned, and their reunion is wonderful and painful and terrifying for both of them in different ways.

He's even worse with interacting with people, once he's forced to interact with the living. I play Wolfwood in a game where he stumbles into revealing himself after spending centuries never letting himself be seen, and he worries that going "silent" again will upset people. He's spent centuries being a silent shadow, certain that letting Vash know he was there would only cause more suffering for an already unwell mind, so he's forgotten how to interact with tact, blurting out whatever pops into his head because he's only had himself to talk to for all that time. He hurts people without meaning to, begins to suffer from the crisis of worrying that no matter what he does, he's a burden to the people who mourn him, he doesn't belong, his existence is nothing but a constant reminder of what's coming and will only cause the people around him pain. He's both able to be the kind, caring, loving person he might have been if the Eye of Michael had never taken him from the orphanage, and also a HUGE, ANXIOUS WRECK.

And the thing that makes it all worse for him is the fact that when he was dumped into the game I have him in, he was separated from the Vash of his timeline, and now lives in constant fear that he'll never see him again, that he won't be there when he passes on and there won't be anyone to greet him on the other side, alone and never knowing that he was waiting for him. He made a promise to Rem that he'd watch over him for her, that he'd lead him to his final destination where he could be with his family again, and now that he's lost that, what purpose does he have? He's terrified to let go himself, worried he'll pass onto the other side when Vash was right around the corner, but the thought of lingering without finding him again, missing his chance to be there for him when it's his turn, leaves him in an almost constant state of almost-panic.

I also just think it's kind of sweetly poetic, if in the end, he chose to continue the role he'd been forced into; take Vash where he's supposed to be. Only this time, it's his choice, and it won't be to his death. He wants to guide him to where he knows people are waiting for him, where he'll finally be happy and be at peace. He doesn't mind the fact that he's going to Hell, so long as he was able to be the one that leads Vash to the place where he won't have to be in pain ever again.

[soaps-mohawk]

Do you think people naturally have some of the traits that would make them seen as alpha, beta or omega?

Something in their look or personality? Or maybe something else?

(I'm a bit sleepy so I'm sorry if this queston doesn't make a lot of sense.. but it just popped in my head.. so I decided to ask 🫣)

I really love this story! It's getting better, better and BETTER with every chapter ❤️❤️

Thank you anon 💚

Is this asking like how I decide which characters get which statuses??

That's what I'm going with.

It's kind of a mixture of things. Personality, overall vibe, how likely I think they would act like their status if it did exist in canon.

Obviously, those in positions of authority are most likely to be alphas. That being said, betas can hold positions of authority (see Dr. Keller), but it's more likely to be alphas because they're natural leaders. I also take into consideration things like how aggressive they might be (Ghost and Konig), how willing they would be to bend or break rules (*cough chough* Price), how willing they would be to use their natural advantages against others (Graves 👀).

Then it's just the same thing with the traits of betas and omegas. A lot of it is just vibes too. I just kind of look at them and think about their character and it's whatever pops in first. Some of it is my own interpretation, as well as world-building stuff, because honestly you could say every character in the series is an alpha and it would make sense.

So yeah, it's just a mixture of things. I hope this makes sense and what you were asking for 🫣💚

[theneighborhoodwatch]

Found this welcome theory video that i found interesting: https://youtu.be/9Lz6OcILeSc?si=tcPnCX3QC4JmAyC-

Thoughts :3?

(functional link to video)

i tend to avoid youtube coverage of welcome home because i'm petty, but fuck it, it's a new year and i've never actually heard of this youtuber before. i'll give it a shake. liveblog under the cut:

"y'know if it wasn't for the unsettling mysteries, the feeling that somebody is always watching you, and the mold.... i'd wanna live in the neighborhood" that's exactly why the mold and paranoia's so scary babeyyyy

"update number two" Tch.

i'm less inclined to call the writing in this update character development so much as it is just character establishment. especially since before the july 22nd update (bc that's what this video is about) all we knew about the other neighbors was what the WHRP was willing to tell us. i feel like i'm preaching to the choir though.

ok i laughed at the grindset alpha male howdy joke

"now i wanna move onto eddie bc i wanna make a connection between [eddie and howdy]" :D OH DO YOU NOW.

i do love the energy in this video, very infectious. i too have recommended people welcome home solely on the basis that they would have the hots for eddie and y'know what i haven't been wrong yet.

I WAS GONNA SAY SOMETHING ABOUT HOW LIKE. almost all of the characters have that backstory element of having coming from somewhere else before settling down in home, but i see the point about howdy and eddie specifically dealing with stuff that comes from someplace else as like, an actual job. putting a pin in it.

i'm not Sure how i feel about the idea that the world of home/the world in which home exists is Within our world? pretty much from the beginning i assumed it was running on re:creators/deltarune dark world rules (i.e. it is a world that was born from human thought and its existence is dependent on/influenced by our world, but at the end of the day it does exist on like a separate plane of reality) and i still stand by that. barbieland in barbie 2023 is a more apt comparison though.

"possession route" Tch.

ok actually i can't tch at that because i have talked about it in my own posts. TL;DR: i think possession/haunting theory could work but only if it's anything other than actual literal ghosts. as soon as you try to make it FNAF 2 i sleep.

don't have much to say about Real Poppy Lover Hours except emphatic smiling and nodding. although i will say i have seen people use "oh she's more like a mom/aunt/etc.!" as an excuse to sideline her in fanwork bc for some reason some folks think that her having a motherly personality means that she can't be shipped with anyone? even though all of home's residents are adults who aren't even related to each other? that's a gripe for another post, though.

THE CONCEPT OF SALLY BEING AS BIG AS POPPY IS KILLING ME. I PROMISE SHE'S SMALL SHE JUST HAS A BIGASS HEAD. she would want to be big though wouldn't she.

...actually now i want big sally. note to self to draw that later.

i do like the examination of whether or not sally referring to the audience is meant to mean anything. personally i think it's just a bit of wordplay/red herring action but You Never Know!

i misheard "girlboss bossgirl slay" as "girlboss boygirl slay" for like a split second. still fits tbh.

IT'S FUNNY THAT THEY MENTION THINKING THAT THE WHRP IS A SINGLE PERSON bc i do have an ask about that right after this. i'll save my thoughts for that response though.

it's funny that "was the majority of the gang being some form of queer/disabled/nd/etc. planned in-universe" is a question at all bc at the risk of sounding like an asshole it feels so obvious to me that it very much was not. the interview is definitely playing into those themes though.

"them <3" yeah

again. extremely refreshing to see a welcome home video from someone who actually likes welcome home instead of the clicks that covering it will give them.

BARNABY-SANS COMPARISON IS... DISTRESSINGLY APPROPRIATE.

he always knows when to show up, huh.... huh.... i've been trying to break away from being so self-referential ever since welcome home and consequently this blog blew up but. huh...

do i think he's a service dog? i think to answer that question we would first have to answer the question of whether or not he's even a Dog or just Shaped Like A Dog. the laws of his reality say he is a dog, but we can at least guess that even even those can't be trusted. i think it's possible that he may see himself as in service to wally, that he worries about what will happen if he doesn't butt in, but i don't know if this is an objective truth.

"[wally] being so mysterious i don't think is like, him wanting to be mysterious. [...] there just may not be that much about him." and then relating that to how typically protagonists in puppet shows have more subdued personalities than their co-stars so they can be more relatable to the audience. Teehee. (this is positive)

oh there's something kind of poetic about the idea that each bug video ends bc wally's snapped out of his dissociation by one of his friends calling his name when paired with the idea that he's disassociating in part due to his connection with the audience isn't there. being reminded of one's own personhood through your connections with others, and how that has the potential to become more bittersweet the more wally continues to risk it in the process of regaining a sense of purpose as The Audience Surrogate. oogh. that's just me waxing poetic though.

oooh that whole passage about the idea of remembrance and the pursuit of a "correct" story and tying that back into how welcome home in-universe has been almost universally forgotten and the themes of living as a disabled or mentally ill or queer person. beautiful connection.

"hmmm, how much agency do you have in your life actually" AHEHEHE. HEHEHEHE. HEHE.

conclusion: Good Video. thank you for sending it.

[felassan]

Some more snippets of interest and insight from Mark Darrah, from an older Mark Darrah on Games YouTube video where he was livestreaming playing Dragon Age: Origins some months ago -

Chat asked "Have you been asked about The Last Flight and your thoughts on the Griffons?". Mark replied "My thoughts on griffons? I mean, I don't think that we're gonna see griffons as things you can ride. Flying is a gameplay feature that you better be really sure about before you add it into your game. But will we see some griffons? I think probably in some form, I mean the reason to put them in the novel is to reintroduce them to the setting".

Chat discussed titans, lyrium and theories and speculation about them. Mark added "Definitely not gonna comment on any of the titan and lyrium and so on, though, I mean things can and probably will have changed since I left. I don't want to accidentally say something that ends up not being reality". A chat user asked "I thought the franchise had a roadmap or something". Mark explained that there are roadmaps, but those are definitely open for manipulation and adjustment as required by the storytelling of the game, and that this is the main reason for the unreliable narrators. It gives that flexibility as required. "You can't really believe anything any one person says, they all have their own motivations, just because someone says it doesn't make it true".

Chat asked "Are the Devs planning on doing anything more with the Keep?" Mark replied "I don't know what the current plans with the Keep are. The reason the Keep exists in DA:I is to handle the generation switch, so that's still a relevant concern, but it was maintained by a separate group, and I'm not sure that that separate group completely exists anymore. It is not an insignificant amount of work to keep the Keep up to date. I like the idea as it removes the import requirement and so on but it's certainly not free. So maybe?" He also added "What was the change to the user agreement? I know that a whole bunch of stuff from around DA:I-time needed to be updated because of changes in European privacy laws, that's why The Last Court [came to an end]".

Chat asked "Think we will ever get answers on Magic or The Maker?". Mark replied that he thinks we will get some answers on magic, or at least additional context, but on the Maker, "No, I don't think that's ever going to be answered. I think the setting's much better off with the Maker being undefined and potentially existing and potentially not existing."

Chat asked "Will we ever find out wtf lyrium ghost Leliana really is?" and Mark said "On that front, my guess is no".

Chat asked "Are the people that worked on the character and the dialogues are still working at BioWare?" Mark replied "Which character are you asking about? Because the answer's probably yes".

[source]

He also talked more generally about DA:O and the franchise in general. These bits are collected under a cut due to length -

The Orlesian voice actors in DA:O are all French. The devs did talk about the peasants having a Quebecois accent "but decided that maybe that [inaudible]". "I wouldn't say all of their accents are Parisian, they're likely in English just the accent of whatever accent the VA actually had speaking English. Sometimes people from different regions pick up accents when they're learning a different language depending on who/where they learned it from. In DA they try to use accents from actual regions". "So Tali in Mass Effect has an accent which is kind've just the accent the VA did, and the problem is that when you need to replicate that with other people it's basically impossible. So we try to avoid that because as you can imagine, that's a problem." "Yeah, ideally make your accents something that can be replicated not just 'thing voice actor made up'"

Chat said "Tali always sounds Eastern European or Russian to me". Mark replied "It is, it has a lot of Eastern European, I think the VA is actually from Eastern Europe"

"You get people that have moved around a lot, sometimes they end up with really, these weird collections of accents that just sound, you know, vaguely exotic. Which is fine, it's a real thing that happens, but it also means that it can't really be replicated by anybody else"

Chat said "The draenei in Warcraft have a similar situation. No one knows what the hell their accent is supposed to be". Mark replied "I mean if it's consistent, if they've come up with an accent that they've consistently been able to put across to all of their actors then that's great, because it doesn't need to be connected to something in the real world, because it's not in the real world, so I don't necessarily have a problem with them coming up with an accent, as long as they're able to be consistent with it"

One of the accents that he always wanted to find a use for in DA was South African. "We never actually did find out but I really like that accent"

Chat said "I used to be lost in the Deep Roads, everywhere looks the same". Mark replied "Everywhere does look the same. Which is sort've vaguely realistic, but you've gotta be able to navigate"

"Anthem's flight is really cool but ultimately I don't feel like the mission structure ever really fully took into account the fact that people had jetpacks strapped to their butts"

Chat asked if the Deep Roads were inspired by the Mines of Moria. Mark replied, "I mean, maybe, dwarves have had a pretty long established canon and DA:O is definitely trying to present the standard races with their clichés but then sort've putting a twist on them, so dwarves are hyper politicized, the elves are a race that has fallen. So yes, it's hard to imagine that there wasn't Moria inspiration there, if you're gonna have dwarves and elves in a fantasy setting Tolkien is a touchpoint"

Chat discussed dwarves dreaming and not dreaming. Mark commented "I think originally dwarves were not supposed to dream, but I think you are correct, it has been inconsistent"

Leliana is Mike Laidlaw's favorite character. On her return in DA:I if she died in DA:O, Mark commented "That is, there's definitely no question that was a 'Mike wanted Leliana in DA:I, so she survives' [thing]. I mean, the Ashes were right there, so... I guess..."

Chat asked "Have graphics engines advanced to the point in game resolution/graphics could MATCH the CGI "Sacred Ashes" trailer for a DAO Remaster?'' Mark replied "Yeah, you could probably get pretty close to the Sacred Ashes trailer these days if you were willing to spend the time on the assets"

Chat commented that Ruck was suffering and that being infected by the Blight for so long can't be good for your health. Mark commented "One of the few places where we actually paid that off"

Chat asked "I asked on Twitter if you knew why BioWare didn't commit to either an A-RPG or C-RPG design in DAII and DA:I, but then I went on vacation. Did you talk about that in another stream?" Mark replied, "The short answer is the Dragon Age has always had the unfortunate problem of being pushed to broaden its audience all the time, so in DAII-time the word 'RPG' kind've became a dirty word in the industry, so that's why DAII is quite, it's DA:O with the action cranked up to 1000." "Even before Critical Role 'RPG' was starting to pivot back. Basically as every game became an RPG, the word first became almost completely poisonous and then sort've became a fine thing to say. And now that D&D is at the most popular level it's ever been, it definitely made a difference. Skyrim made a difference as well, it was definitely not afraid to say 'RPG' out loud. When GTA and even shooters started saying about putting RPG elements in, that helped too"

Dwarves are interesting "because typically people who play dwarves always play dwarves"

"BioWare would not use any fanfiction, BioWare doesn't read any fanfiction because it's a legal minefield, or at least a lawsuit minefield." "I can tell you that companies like EA are immensely afraid of lawsuits so they do lots of things to avoid that"

Chat said "'​I like the theory out there that originally if you kept the Architect alive he could have fought with you against Cory in DA:I. Was there truth to that?" Mark replied, "I don't know if that was.. it's possible because they're definitely related. It's possible that if you kept him alive there was an intention to do that. It definitely didn't survive contact with shipping the thing." When chat followed up by asking his opinion on the idea, Mark said "I mean I think it makes sense, it would have been an interesting payoff for the character if you did that, but it's a whole extra fight for what would have been a very small minority of players. It would've been a good way to take him off the table". On the small minority of players point, he elaborated "It would be people who played Awakening, which is only 35% of people who played DA:O, and finished Awakening, which would be say half that, and played DAII, so [...]. I think if we had done it it would have been more, an asset in the combat [like Zevran joining for the final battle in DAII] not 'he's gonna take him on by himself'"

"You can see why the Dragon Age team isn't super enthusiastic about Dragon Age being 'random moon in Mass Effect'" [said regarding this fan theory]

During the Broodmother fight, Mark said "this is the thing, is if you do a remaster you probably leave this bit all alone. But if you do a remake you gotta, this [would probably get/need to be] addressed"

[source]

(pls note that in places there is a bit of paraphrasing of the info, the best source is always the primary source with full quotes in their original context)

[specialmoogakii]

Spawning in a british office

"Oh,Stanley. You don't know what you're doing to me... but i feel like you need to know because im going crazy!! I hope you're proud of yourself, Stanley!" Narrator sigh in frustration, the hope of Stanley finally acting right and following his path was almost completely gone.

Especially after he ended up spawing you somehow. No game files or even textures make a reference that you were suppose to exist in this world or planned out.

Stanley had done the impossible and now the Narrator is being dragged into his mess. Is this how stanley used to feel? How do you call it..? Out of control? Yeah. Yeah maybe that the word.

"Now,tell me,Stanley. Why,where and how were you able to get another person here? They aren't even a coworker of yours?! Are you feeling lonely,Stanley? Isn't my voice enough for you?" Stanley just shrug at the narrator's complain and look at you with hope and comfort.

finally there is someone else he could physically see and have a "human-human" contact respect just a voice.

Oh poor you. You don't know where you are. You suddenly found yourself here with a man looking at you and someone's voice going absolutely mad. You were so confused and a little bit intimidated.

Stanley put the command control down and wave at you. He trying to be as nice and welcoming possible without the need to speak. You wave at him back with a awkward smile still not sure if you can trust him.

"..i can't always correct you,stanley! Im not a teacher trying to teach a toddler how to behave!! I swear,im at the absolute mercy of an entire species of imbeciles..."

"Well,if you stop complaining. Maybe you can find this as a opportunity?" You started to talk, getting bored and annoyed by his constant complaining,it has been like this for a few minute.

"OH GOOD HEAVEN! YOU CAN SPEAK!"

"Yeah? I was donated the ability to speak my own mind. Thank you for noticing." You use sarcasm at his sudden exclamation. Looking at stanley for a brief moment and he look shock too. Seriously,what is going on??

You assume they didn't hear another voice that isn't coming from this.. ghost?? Invisible man?? A vending machine even? I mean,it wouldn't be suprising since you're in a office.

"*ahem*. Anyway,how can i see this as a opportunity? You just come in here in a mere second because stanley was messing around with the command console! He ruined my story! Something i have spend months over to make it look perfect!"

"Well,seem like it wasn't perfect enough since i was spawn in here." The narrator gasp dramatically at your accusation while Stanley was touching your arm just to be sure you were real. In fact,you are fortunately!

"How rude! You don't even know what the story is talking about! Stanley!" Stanley look at the attic as a way to make "eye" contant with the narrator.

"Do you think my story isn't perfect enough for you!? Surely,you don't think that,do you?!" Narrator ask Stanley only to receive nothing but a mere sigh from him. Seem like he is getting bored of his storyline.

"Are you..serious,stanley? You're telling me you didn't like it?! Oh,what an insult toward my hard work."

Stanley put his hand on your shoulder and raise his other hand to you. Stanley wanted to take your hand to bring you somewhere but he doesn't want take it without your consent.

You accept his offer and now you two are finally exploring around the office together. The narrator still kept his usual narration with a angry tone,still not over about stanley's opinion.

[howlingdemon13]

Something that I think we don't talk about enough is Beetlejuice and all the cartoonish sound effects that follow him.

This is rambly, but I'm making this surface-level analysis/speculation/headcanon everyone else's problem. >:3c

Ignoring the cartoon (since that's expected in the soundscape of an animated show aimed at younger audiences), Beetlejuice himself is accompanied by over-the-top sound effects in the film and musical that just aren't really present for other characters (at least not in the same way they are for him). While it's obviously to make his scenes funnier, I love the idea of them being an extension of his magic. Either he finds it funny for his actions to be accompanied by goofy sounds and times them himself for comedic effect, or they're a totally subconscious thing/he doesn't even need to think about doing it.

Especially in the context of moviejuice being more malicious than his counterparts, it's an unsettling dichotomy of this centuries-old conartist/manipulator being accompanied by goofy noises. And, if he chooses to actively magic these sounds into exiestence when he's interacting with the people he's tormenting, it implies that he enjoys the victims' suffering and finds it funny enough to go the extra mile to make it humiliating. They do seem to be tied more to when his magic is being used rather than happening in response to what he's physically doing.

I feel like the idea of intentional sound effects is true of musicaljuice, too. Yeah, he's meant to be more sympathetic while still being manipulative and selfish, so I feel like he does it to make himself goofier since he's so painfully lonely and lacks social skills (literally being invisible will do that). It could also be because of some anxiety, but I don't want to project too hard. I'd even go so far as to say that he thinks the sound effects make him less-intimidating.

There's some evidence to suggest that the sound effects are intentionally done since musicaljuice breaks the fourth wall in multiple instances across slight variations of the show (DC, Broadway, tour). Whether it's putting on a show to intentionally mislead the Maitlands/Deetzs (and by extension the audience), or trying to come off as funny in the hopes that it'll make up for his more obvious flaws, it's anyone's guess. Personally, with how desperate he is for friends and for someone to break his curse (we know he's not above manipulating people), I'm more inclined to believe it's a little bit of both.

That said, I also like the idea of them being a result of how Beetlejuice (musicaljuice specifically) interacts with the material world. He's an anomally (half-ghost-half-demon) at best and an abomination at worst. There's a part of me that wonders if the physical world outside of the Netherworld cannot handle his very existence without an assortment of "glitches" happening as a result of his mere presence (like the stretching sound that happens when he phases through walls and tables for example).

And, to really stick to my wishy washy thoughts on the whole thing, the toony sound effects are a bit of both. A reminder that the world of the living can't really handle his existence, but he's embraced it and made it his own. It's now a part of his shtick. It defines him as different, but he owns it and has as much fun with it as he can, or manipulates the ability when he sees fit.

And you know I will be abusing the toony sound effects thing in anything I end up writing.

[mingtinys]

Beautiful

pairing : lee donghyuck x gn!reader

fluff , angst , hurt / comfort

warnings : self-doubt , insecurities regarding looks and image

word count : 1.4k

a/n : trying to describe the position these fuckers were is was the absolute bane of my existence. anyways , im a haechan sympathist until the end .

Free days with you were few and far in between. Almost always fleeting or cut short much too soon by surprise dance practices and pressing interviews. Donghyuck knew this wasn't any fault of his own, his job kept his schedule booked and busy. But he still felt guilty and neglectful as a boyfriend at times.

You always assured him this wasn't the case. Claiming the nightly phone calls and quick coffee dates were more than enough. Still, he missed you.

So when his phone lights up with a cancelation message from his manager, he nearly jumps from his seat at breakfast. Mark reads the text aloud from his phone, ". . . a severe storm is set to roll in within the hour. Road travel has been deemed unsafe, all schedules for the day are postponed."

Donghyuck is smiling and typing away at his phone before Mark can get through the rescheduled dates. Texting you the news and urging you to get over as fast as possible ahead of the storm.

"Haechan, are you listening?"

Everyone must have thought he was even more insane than they already did. Giggling and rejoicing at a disastrous weather event. But deep down they all were, every single one of them needed a day off.

"Yeah yeah, the uh . . . thingy– is rescheduled to Tuesday. I got it." He mumbles, flicking his hand in the air to wave Taeyong off. He doesn't even bother glancing up from his phone, too fixated on your "on my way" message.

"Wednesday."

"That's what I said."

Deciding this wasn't the hill he was willing to die on, Taeyong lets the conversation go with a sigh, dismissing everyone to do their own thing for the day. Donghyuck is the first one up, rushing to wait by the door for you. It's only a ten-minute drive from your apartment to the dorms, but he's still impatient.

You barely make it inside as the first drops of rain begin to pour, and Donghyuck wastes no time in dragging your up to his empty room. Johnny must have gone to play video games with Mark and Jungwoo, leaving the two of you alone.

For hours, the two of you lounge around and just talk, conversing about anything and everything. The storm outside rages on, turning the sky black and the room dim with it. The only light provided is by Johnny's salt lamp on the nightstand. Its pink-orange glow casts a warm aura through the room, naturally calming the atmosphere.

And as the conversation dies down, Donghyuck takes a moment to admire the way the soft light highlights your features. It reflects off the raise of your cheekbones and the peak of your nose. Effectively illuminating your skin and casting shadows across the left side of your face. His gaze travels down to the curve of your jaw and dips of your collarbones that just peek out from the hoodie he let you borrow long ago. Each area is gently carved out and put on display by the soft light.

He suddenly becomes hyperaware of just how close the two of you are. With you sat in between his legs, face to face. Your knees are slightly bent over his thighs and feet planted behind him. Every point at which your skin makes contact with his sends volts of electricity through his nerves that could rival the lightning outside. Each time you lean a bit farther forward, he has to stop himself from lunging for a kiss. Knowing he'll lose all leverage for his own jokes when you inevitably tease him for being too eager and needy.

And when he finally lifts his gaze to your eyes, he finds you staring back. The corner of your lips turned up in a ghosted smile. Somehow your stare feels more intense than his ever could. Like it holds the weight of everything you feel for him. Which it might.

Donghyuck falters slightly. The sudden realization of the lack of effort into his appearance dawns on him. No makeup to make his skin appear clearer for interviews. Void of any tight and restrictive clothing meant to make him look skinnier or more buff on stage. He hadn't even bothered to fix his hair since he woke up. It all feels too … vulnerable. No quips or quick-witted jokes come to mind that can relieve him of the sinking feeling he's experiencing. The insecurities begin to pile and metastasize in the silence, and then–

"You're so beautiful." Your fingers brush against his cheek as you whisper it. The warmth of your palm cupping his jaw spreads to his cheeks faster than wildfire.

You're so beautiful.

Donghyuck has to repeat the phrase in his head before he can fully process it. His breath catches in his throat, and he's positive he looks like an idiot with how he freezes in place.

You're so beautiful.

He can't remember the last time he'd been called such. Or in a way that felt genuine at least. Sure, fans call him beautiful every day. But it was easy for their kind words to be drowned out by those who wished to hurt him by hurling insults. And despite how much he pretends not to care, they do get to him. More than the good does sometimes.

And of course, you always give him a plethora of passing compliments. Yet every time you call him handsome, sexy, or hot there is always a thought that lingers in the back of his mind. "They're just saying that because they're my partner. They have to." But beautiful . . . ? Donghyuck wasn't sure he'd even been associated with a word so delicate and enchanting. Honestly, it was a word he deemed only you to be deserving of. But the way your stare holds his, the genuine curve of your lips, and the love-glazed expression gracing your face makes him think, just maybe, the two of your could share it.

His mind feels as though it's crashing in on itself. A complicated mix of emotions stampeding to the forefront, ranging from doubt to pure bliss. Donghyuck's brain is so jumbled he doesn’t register the single tear trailing down his face until your thumb comes to swipe it away.

"Baby . . . what's wrong?" You ask innocently.

But that's the problem, nothing was wrong. Nothing at all, and yet he can't seem to stop more tears from leaking out. Any words that could possibly articulate the swarm of emotions swirling in his head die out before they can reach his tongue. Instead, something halfway between a gasp and a sob escapes his throat.

Your eyes are swimming with concern, darting back and forth as you analyze his features to try and piece together what went wrong. Except for this time, Donghyuck can't find it in himself to meet your gaze.

He drops his head and stops trying to speak, knowing if he does he'll just start crying. And the last thing he wants to do is cry, even as he can feel the dam breaking he attempts to hold it back. So he just shakes his head, hoping it will communicate what he can’t.

And surprisingly it does.

Because somehow, someway, you get it. You always have.

In lieu of everything, when others would call him stubborn and childish, you don't flinch. You don’t get frustrated or judge his tears, nor do you press for any sort of answer. Instead, you place a hand on the back of his neck and guide him to your chest. Kind and assuring promises spill from your lips as your fingers trail up and down his back.

"Take your time, it's okay." Your other hand finds its resting spot tangled in Donghyuck's hair. The sensation is so delicate, and once again he finds himself forcing down another sob. A deep breath in, a shaky breath out. However, it’s when your chin comes to rest atop his head after pressing a soft kiss to it that he finally feels safe enough to reach his breaking point. His arms wrap tightly around your waist, fisting the hem of your hoodie. Cries fill the empty space of his bedroom, they’re ugly and loud, and Donghyuck wonders if anyone else is close enough to hear them. It would be best if they weren’t.

There's probably snot and tears everywhere from how his nose is pressed up against your collarbone. But you mention nothing of it, allowing him to hide in your embrace for as long as it takes. Minutes, hours, days, and weeks, you promise to hold him for that and more.

Donghyuck tries to remember everything about this exact moment. Because he isn't sure if he'll be able to believe what you told him tomorrow. But he does today. Right now, he is beautiful and loved; puffy eyes, splotchy face, tears, and all. And what can be more beautiful than being viewed as such by the person who loves you most?