#there’s so much weird stuff in this house

[cdragons]

You lived on the Cut, but you knew your situation was far better than most of your friends.

While you were by no means a Kook, your family had enough money to be comfortable. Sure, it wasn't a beach mansion with 10 bedrooms, 8 baths, and a decked-out pool - but it was more than enough.

Your parents had full-time jobs that paid the bills, put food on the table, and gave you a roof over your head. Most importantly, they could comfortably afford Costco executive memberships for both.

At first, they were skeptical about paying so much for a membership fee, but when they saw the annual 2% rewards on qualified Costco purchases - they were sold.

The only Costco on the island was in Kitty Hawk, which was about a 15-minute drive without traffic. Because of your parents' schedules, the only times they had time were on the weekends. They always took you with them, of course. Weekends were the best part of the week, not because you got out of school but because you got to go to Costco.

Your parents made it so fun, too! Costco was your own little amusement park - your parents let you ride in the shopping cart as you waved to fellow shoppers, your family tried each and every sample cart dispersed throughout the store, and you got to have a giant slice of pizza and soda from the food court!

Not only that, but the people at the exit would always draw a balloon on the receipt after they checked the cart!

The moment you were able to get your driver's license, you wanted to get a membership, too. You paid for it with the money you saved up from years of babysitting, working at the Kook Country Club, and even helping out with the Wreck.

You loved the store so much. Even when the Pogues would ask you to join them on the weekends, you told them you couldn't go because you had to go shopping with your parents.

Finally, JJ (your amazingly sweet, sexy, funny, wonderful boyfriend who you had a crush on since the sixth grade) wanted to find out what was so dang special about this "eXCluSivE" warehouse store that it meant he had to be kept away from his (out-of-his-league, gorgeous, smart, sunshine smiles) girl (who he's been in love with since the third grade).

Luckily, your dad had a job that was gonna take up the entire weekend. Your mom and you could have gone, but your dad was the heavy lifter of the family - you two needed him for the real heavy stuff.

That's where JJ comes in!

You and JJ were lying on the hammock the afternoon before the trip when you asked him if he could join you and your mom to Costco because they needed help loading stuff into the house afterward.

"It's nothing too crazy, but mom's been getting a lot of night shifts lately, and I don't want her to strain herself more than she already has to. I'll treat you to whatever you want at the food court!" What kind of heartless monster would JJ have to be to refuse? God, he wanted to smush your cheeks between his palms and kiss every part of your face from then till the rapture. Besides, your folks have been so good to him since he was a tot. Which is pretty much exactly what he did. "Don't worry, pretty mama; papa J'll get it done."

...Listen, he still thinks it's weird your parents fork over so much money just to shop at this one store when there's a perfectly good Bobby Heyward on the Cut. Buuuuut, he'll go along with anything you do if it means he gets to see that 1000-megawatt smile you shine his way.

The next day, you and your mom pick JJ from the Chateau, and JJ's never seen you so excited, ever. You're practically hopping like a little bunny, and he would've pulled you onto his lap if your mom wasn't there.

"I can't wait for you to see it! You're going to love it! Everyone's so nice, and the food there is so cheap, you'll never want to leave." JJ couldn't help but affectionately roll his eyes at your excitement. Anyone else, he'd think they'd lost their marbles or hit their joint too much - but for you, it was nothing short of adorable. "Baby," he kissed your cheek. "S'just a store - ain't gonna be Disney."

...He was wrong...he was sooooo wrong. JJ's jaw fucking dropped at the sight of the massive warehouse since your mom pulled into the parking lot, all the way to when they entered the store when she pulled out her card for security to check.

You had to physically shut his mouth out of fear he'd eat a bug.

JJ was starin' at everything like he was at Disney, and he really might as well have been. He begged your mom if it was alright if they could walk in every aisle to see it all. Your mom raised a brow before seeing the absolutely adoring expression you had on your boyfriend.

How could you help yourself? He looked so cute, all excited!

She agreed, and immediately, JJ went to the electronics sections and plopped down at the TV with the biggest screen and the best graphics he'd ever seen. From there, he found the section in the beginning where the coupon and sale items were located and immediately gunned for the discount toothpaste and razors.

"Baby! They give you a pack of 30 here! "...I don't think your peach fuzz counts. And do you even brush your teeth every day?" "Uh, 'scuse me - I will for these prices. And don't think I don't know how many of these bad boys you n' Kie go through each month. Your cooch will never be growing out of its jungle with these bad boys."

The food and household sections are his own damn paradise. He tries every sample and goes back for more, and the workers treat him like he's a freaking golden retriever puppy.

"Babe, babe, babe - this place gives you two loaves for ONE SET! ONE SET! LOOK AT THE CAKES AND MUFFINS! Oh shi- we need to bring Pope. He'll lose his rocks for this."

Sees the prices for the Kirkland products and immediately insists that anything else is "boUgIE."

"5 BUCKS FOR A PACK OF 40?!" "It's 3.99 if you're a member."

Immediately goes and loads two packs into the cart. You warn him not to let Kie know that you and your family voluntarily bought plastic water bottles - he does not care.

"(Y/N), she can crucify me upside down n' shit; we're not missing out on this deal."

He sees the $5 rotisserie chickens and physically stops the cart. You slam into his back and barely have enough time to grab onto his shirt to stop him from getting another cart and filling it up with chickens.

"We don't need so many chickens!" "THINK OF ALL THE STUFF YOU CAN MAKE!" "We'll get one for you for now and come back another time!" "But-" "I'll even let you sit in the cart!"

Finally, you and your mom got everything from the shopping list (along with a few other things upon JJ's request), and you three could finally head out for the checkout.

Just when JJ thought he couldn't love Costco more, he finally saw his heaven...the Costco food court.

$2 slices of pizza...$1.50 for a hot dog, and a free refill soda combo...$3 smoothies...$2 soft serves...$9.95 18-INCH PEPPERONI PIZZAS????

...Fuck the Wreck, this was officially the best restaurant on the whole fucking island.

Your mom gives the green light for you and him to get a table, and JJ practically jumps on the first empty table (there were still grease stains and ketchup spills from the previous seaters) and sets his stuff down. His giant 6' body is leaning over smaller frame as he watches you press the buttons on the order kiosk.

"Two hot dogs...one pepperoni - no, make that two - no, three - fuck it, get the whole pie...holy shit, they got churros?!"

After you pay and grab the receipt, you two wait by the window for your food as JJ is buzzing with the biggest smile you've seen on him since you two got together. A couple of onlookers are staring at the two of you - some with skeptical expressions, others warmly chuckling at his excitement.

When your number is called, the mountain of food you ordered requires only the most delicate and careful balancing acts for you two to get back to the table where your mom was. Thankfully, she cleaned the table and got the napkins before you all sat down. She volunteered to fill the sodas - Coke for you and her, Mountain Dew for JJ.

The noises he makes while eating are borderline pornographic and make everyone around your immediate vicinity uncomfortable. Parents, grandmas, kids, and employees are giving your table the BIGGEST side eyes; meanwhile, you're just eatin' your pizza and sippin' your soda with the straightest poker face. Occasionally, you turn around and stare at your blonde menace with the most lovestruck expression in the history of ever, and you're just so happy to be the one to give him this experience.

While he's on the john, you snuck away and bought the prettiest bouquet you found in your price range. Afterward, you went back to the food court kiosk and sorted a chocolate soft-serve cup just for him! The look of pure, unadulterated adoration on his face when you gave him the bouquet alone made you wanna cry tears of joy, and when you showed him the ice cream cup - he immediately picked you up and spun you in a circle with everyone watching.

Your mom was 100% recording the whole thing and sent it to your dad.

At the exit, you asked if the lady could draw a balloon. She looked over, confused before she saw your golden retriever puppy of a boyfriend and even drew a smiley face on the balloon. It goes without saying JJ keeps the receipt in his wallet.

Literally the happiest person on the Cut, he's skippin' everywhere, all day. Nothing can bring him down, not even the fucking high prices Mike Carerra charges for one fucking drink at the Wreck.

Keeps the receipt so he can brag about how much your family saved to the other Pogues. John B and Pope do not believe him until they scroll through all dozens of pictures in JJ's camera roll of every glorious thing he saw at Costco.

...They beg you to include them next time.

This is for all the JJ girlies who want some fluff! Let me know in the comments what you think, and reblog if you enjoyed reading it and want more!

Tagging: @ethereal-athalia, @dipperscavern, @instructionsnotincluded, @darlingchronicles, @ruerecs, @excbambi , @jjsfavgirl , @bre99 , @redhead1180, @markno

[zombiigrll]

Could you make a fic for Carl where he’s kind of yandere-like? You can get creative with it, but just something creepy like that. It’s okay if not! 💛

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BLOODY VALENTINE. ⋆｡°✩ yandere!carl grimes x reader .ᐟ WORD COUNT .ᐟ ⭑ 1.5K ꩜ .ᐟ WARNINGS ⭑ use of y/n, gore mention, blood, murder, 'yandere-like' carl (i hate using the word yandere but i don't know what else could be used T_T), crying, vomit, takes place in alexandria .ᐟ SUMMARY .ᐟ ⭑ it was pretty obvious you and carl had liked each other for a while. but after you started getting close with ron, carl started to change. ꩜ .ᐟ A/N .ᐟ ⭑ thank you so much for the request anon! i've never really written something like this before so i hope its to your liking <3 also this ofc isn't in character for carl, so i know some of the writing isn't gonna seem like him n stuff :p

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────────────────────────────────── you had known carl since the prison. michonne found you on a run and took you in. and ever since then, you and carl would always hangout together. you were practically inseperable.

...that was until you guys arrived at alexandria and you met a boy named ron.

you and carl met him together when his mother and rick decided it'd be nice if the two of you made friends with people your guys' age. "you guys have video games?!" you immediately took interest to the moving characters on the television in front of ron and the boy named mikey.

"yeah, you want a turn?" ron asked, moving the controller toward you.

"yes, please!" you beamed, reaching to grab the controller from his hand when your finger grazed his, making you flinch a bit in embarrassment. "oh, sorry."

carl instantly noticed this interaction and walked over, ripping the controller out of your hand.

you frowned. "hey-"

"we're leaving." carl looked at you, then back at ron angrily.

"uh, why?" ron raised an eyebrow, squinting at carl.

carl scoffed, throwing the controller back to ron and aggressively grabbing your hand in his, practically dragging you out of the house.

"dude, what the fuck?" you shoved carl away from you once the two of you got outside.

"i don't like him. he's weird." carl blankly said, staring down at you as if your reaction was unnatural.

"he didn't even do anything! all he did was give me a controller, what's so weird about that?"

"he just met you and he's already trying to make moves-"

"no, carl. he wasn't. he was being nice." you rolled your eyes and crossed your arms together. "if anyone is being weird, it's you. what's wrong with you right now?"

carl looks at the ground and laughs before bringing up a hand to the side of your face. "nothing is 'wrong' with me. i'm fine."

"obviously not. you've never acted like this before." you shoved his hand away, shaking your head.

carl looks at you, upset, but at the same time, furious. "whatever." he walks away, shoulder-checking you as he passes.

you look back at him, confused. carl was the sweetest boy you've ever met. he's always been there for you through everything, so what is the matter with him right now?

you brushed the thoughts away and walked back into rons house, trying to clear your mind from whatever the hell is happening with carl right now.

...

the two of you hadn't spoken to each other in a while. you've been spending your time becoming acquainted to the people of alexandria, and he'd been off doing whatever.

you haven't really seen him at all, except for when you'd go home. he'd be on his porch, shaking his leg with his arms crossed. every. single. day.

he was scaring you, and you weren't confident enough to ask him what's wrong. especially not after the way he shut you down last time.

you were sure it was just him going through puberty. you never knew how boys developed, so you assumed all boys acted like how carl was acting. jealous and insecure.

you didn't even like ron, not like that. he was dating enid, and you liked carl, even if he was being weird. you just wanted to make new friends.

but today felt awful. you woke up with a sick, eerie feeling laying in your stomach. something felt wrong, but you didn't know why. you put your clothes and shoes on and stepped outside, and alexandria was silent.

"...hello?" you called out loudly. no answer.

you looked around your surroundings and noticed that some cars were missing, which you assumed was due to rick and a few others going out on a run together.

'maybe ron is here?' you thought as your gaze went towards his house. you started walking closer to the dimly lit building. as you stepped onto the porch, you rung the doorbell twice. "hello? is anyone home?" you asked through the door.

you heard a voice from the other side. "shit." a raspy, distressed voice spoke.

"are you okay?" you knocked on the door loudly as that sound.

silence.

"i'm coming in." you quickly opened the door, a disgusting stench filling your nose. "what the hell..?"

you looked around and the living room and it looked normal for the most part, despite some oddly moved furniture and some glass on the ground. but that smell. it was nauseating.

"who's there?" you asked, looking around at your surroundings as you stepped closer to the hallway, which was also closer to the strong stench. "i know someone's in here, just answer-"

you froze as you looked ahead through the doorframe and into ron's room.

there was blood everywhere. and a figure facing away from you wearing a very familiar sheriffs hat.

"oh, my god." you gagged, covering your mouth with your hand as your eyes widened at the scene.

a clinging sound was heard, a bloody knife falling to the ground. right besides ron and mikeys bodies.

you were about to pass out. you brought up your arm to hold onto the doorframe for support.

"...what did you do?"

the boy didn't respond. instead, he turned to face you. there was blood stained all along his face and body, and his eyes looked dark. he stepped closer to you, which made you step away in fear.

"i'm not going to hurt you." he softly spoke, reaching out a bloody hand in your direction.

your eyebrows furrowed in fear as you looked him straight in the eye. "are you kidding me..?"

carl brought his bloodstained hand up to your cheek, resulting in the fresh blood spreading along your face and a shiver rolling down your spine.

"i love you."

as he spoke, your faces were inches apart, the smell of iron filling up through your nose. your eyes widened further and you shook your head away from his hand. "you.. you killed ron, you killed mikey, and... now you're saying you love me in a room splattered in their blood?" you laughed fearfully.

he stayed silent, taking in your terrified expression.

"you told me you'd always keep me safe. you'd always make sure i would never feel afraid again." you reminded him, stepping further back. "you failed. miserably."

"y/n-"

"don't." you cut him off. your eyes focused back to the bodies, and you fully processed everything. your body jerked up and you threw up right by your feet. "..holy shit."

"i just.." carl shook his head. "i didn't want to lose you. i didn't want you to leave me."

"so you fucking murdered ron and mikey?!" you yelled, wiping your mouth off with your sleeve. "do you hear yourself?"

carl stayed silent, staring down at the ground with clenched fists.

"i liked you, carl. only you." your voice softened as tears began glazing over your eyes. "there wasn't any competition. it was only you."

carl looked over at you, wide eyed and confused, more guilty than before. "..what?"

"you didn't have to.. to kill people to show you love me." you pointed behind him, reminding him of what he did.

he was speechless. guilty as ever. he was shaking frantically. tears flooded his eyes as he brought a hand up to his face, which only resulted in more blood spreading across his already bloodstained face.

you laid your head on the wall, recollecting your self. carl just stood by the doorframe spacing out.

"...what do we do now?" he finally spoke, his voice wobbly and quiet.

"i don't know!" you snapped again, raising your hands over your head. "it's your mess."

"please, y/n." he begged, running a hand through his hair. "what can i do to fix this?"

"i..." you trailed off, staring at the whole scene again. "shit, carl."

you walked into the bathroom at your side and threw a towel and bucket of water out to him. "clean it up." you said before turning around to walk out of the house.

"wait." he called out.

"what?"

"are you going to tell anyone.. what i did?" his voice sounded scary, but terrified.

"not if you don't get caught." you sighed. "forge a note, hide their bodies, whatever. i'm not apart of this anymore."

carl nodded somberly. "i'm sorry."

you left the house.

...

things weren't normal at all after that day. i mean, why would they be? carl hid what happened the best he could, actually taking your advice to forge a note. you kept your word and stayed silent. jessie was a mess after that day, unsure why her boy and his best friend 'left alexandria.'

you didn't know how to feel about carl anymore. he loved you still, as far as you could tell, but you couldn't understand your feelings for him.

you knew you still loved him despite everything. but you felt as if you couldn't forgive him for taking away the first friend your age you'd made, and taking jessies son away from her.

he was basically just some sort of bloody valentine to you.

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[entropicbias]

Do u have any johndave hcs youd care to share? Literally anything that comes to mind (height hcs, habits in their coexistence, what kind of food they usually make/eat/order, general opinions towards each others family... just throwing a few out there to get thoughts flowing). I am v intrigued about ur vision for them, ur domestic sketches feel like they have a lot of thought (or at least general vibes) behind them

when i draw john and dave sometimes, i have this very specific universe they live in planned out in my head. most of this is self projecting with me and my own best friend, but i'd be really happy to share anyways!

these are my headcanons for them physically. i am really not sure what race john should be. i always say he's "mystery asian" but honestly, i dunno. dave, to me, is embarrassingly white.

here are two pinterest boards i just made to try and explain their sense of style and their "vibes". i'm sorry if this is shit. i'm no experienced pinterest board creator. dave's board john's board

and on top of that, here are two playlists that highlight what kind of music i think they'd listen to. dave's playlist john's playlist i think john's taste in music is just stuff he's picked up from other people, and movies. dave actually goes out and finds new music he'd like to listen to. john would be the type of person to have 4 songs in a playlist and hit smart shuffle on them. i think john's favorite food is lasagna/burgers and dave's favorite food is spicy chicken wings. but since dave doesn't know how to cook and john is busy most of the time, they'd order takeout frequently. i think john and dave would both be smokers, one more casually than the other one. here is a minecraft house i built for them: https://youtu.be/bXCzLp-S99Y?si=mebaL3FDafxrPt-I but, i'll talk more about it. i think john and dave would rent an apartment in the city together so john could easily go to uni and dave can grow mold in his room. it'd be a really shitty place, but i think with john's efforts they'd manage to make the place look more homely. dave would mostly stay in his room because he has made it so that he could sustain himself in there for a week without having to come out. john wouldn't be on his case about it though as long as the living room isn't filthy. i think john would be able to tolerate a moderate mess.

i think john would be weirded out by bro strider, but then again i don't think those two would cross paths very often. i think in a world where dirk exists as dave's brother consistently he'd get really annoyed by him. that is why i made those dirk comics. i reckon that dave would like john's dad, but for some reason i always imagined he'd be dead or in a different state when john and dave live together. in terms of what they'd do, i think dave would be a college dropout so he'd probably be working some really peculiar short-term one off jobs. like, gigs and costume mascot work. or he'd be doing some really weird crypto shit on the internet, which he'd think is really funny. like, he'd rake in a handful of money during the nft craze. i imagine john and dave trying to live a little and be teenagers during the time. so they'd show up to or have parties and they'd be getting up to some zany and boisterous teenage behavior. i think john would be studying at university and he'd have a job related to that. i'd bet that dad would help him pay for his expenses too. i think john would study computer science or something kind of nerdy like that. he'd be paying for most of the expenses at home. and he'd probably be doing most of the chores, but he wouldn't mind that much cause dave tries to contribute and he makes good company. john and dave would play video games a lot and go out to eat and see movies and stuff. just kind of really casual things. maybe they'd go out to arcades too. i suggest reading deacon_blue's moveout zine, which i enjoy a lot and has a similar basis. it is one of my favorite things produced out of the fandom regarding the beta kids. romantically, i like to imagine they don't actually get together until like, two years of living together. not much i can say about that but when it happens, it happens late. i can't formulate the words to describe this bit, but i'll end up drawing pictures later on. i hope this was enough, i can't really think of anything else unless i'm prompted with specific questions so if you have any i'd love to keep talking about this weird universe i've built in my head around them.

[ghostchems]

infernal - terzo x f!reader - part five

art by the incredibly talented @piaart!

author’s note: finally have this finished but man is it hard to be satisfied. i keep wanting to work on it and work on it but i also really wanted to get this out! also don't even know if this is good teehee. lots of awkward here. 4.9k words. part one/two/three/four. ao3 linky.

The date is going surprisingly well. You chose an Italian spot (ha!) and have had your fill of lobster ravioli and Cabernet Sauvignon all while you learned more about Dylan since he graduated high school. Went to a state school in the middle of bumblefuck, drank and drank some more, got overly into the college culture (emphasis on cult) and tipped a few cows in his time. It aligns perfectly with the slivers of information Catherine gave you through the years, though he’s mentioned nothing of the steady college girlfriend he supposedly had. Interesting. You laugh at his dumb jokes. You’re smiley. But it does feel like an act that’s partially fueled by alcohol and having someone’s attention on you.

He’s still talking but you’re admiring his small, button nose, how his brunette locks shape his face and his bright smile. You can’t help but think his face is a little too smooth, though. Has this boy been through anything meaningful? Has he suffered at all in his shiny little life? Your mind drifts back to Terzo’s rough hands and how they felt on you earlier that day. He forced you to your knees and it was clear that it wasn’t the first time he’s done so. You can still taste him on your tongue.

“You haven’t told me about your job! Aren’t you like an assistant?” Dylan snaps you out of it and you offer a shy smile.

“Yeah! I had to get out of that call center, man. It was like draining my life force. Not that this isn’t difficult but it’s nice to not be yelled at by some rando on the phone for hours a day.” You toy with your glass of wine.

“So, like what do you assist in? Is it just you?”

Huh. You’ve never really explained exactly what you do to anyone. Not even Catherine or Erica — you only really focused on Him. That won’t go over too well in this situation, will it?

“It’s just me and it’s mainly house maintenance right now. My boss’ place was a disaster when I started.” Perhaps the most watered down description of your job.

“So you’re like… you’ve cleaned it up?” There’s judgment in his voice that’s immediately sobering. He stares at you blankly.

“I guess I meant more like projects. The last big one was fixing up his yard. I had to manage the budget and scheduling of the landscapers and stuff.” Your voice is flat.

“Oh, okay gotcha.” Dylan nods and he is back to smiling. You’re seething on the inside. Was your answer acceptable to him? “What’s your boss like? Is he a guy?”

What the.

“Yeah, he’s a guy. He’s a little weird. Definitely eccentric. I’ve tried not to pry too much into his personal life, you know. Boundaries and all that, but when I first started he had me sort out some of his things and it looked like he used to be the lead singer in a band.” Another oddly phrased question. At least now you’ve been prompted to bring up the man you haven’t been able to stop thinking about.

“Oh, shit! That sounds awesome! What band?”

Oh, do you hesitate. A long silence stretches between you two.

“I’m… I’m not sure I should say. I don’t want to blow up his spot or anything.” You’re sheepish suddenly and Dylan notices.

“Aw, come on. Who am I gonna tell?” A good question. You drum your fingers on the table, thinking about how you’ve never really told anyone who your boss actually is.

“Catherine will tell me if she finds out.” A warning, last one until the big reveal. Dylan nods enthusiastically, some of his hairs falling into his forehead. For a split second you think that maybe if you were younger with much less life experience perhaps he would be perfect for you. But you know too much and you know that he wouldn’t be able to give you what you want. “It was Ghost.”

“Oh.” He makes a face and leans back in his chair.

“Oh? Sorry, is that not impressive enough?”

“No, no. It’s still cool. They’re just… I don’t know.”

Do you continue this conversation? Do you care what he thinks? You don’t…but your curiosity gets the better of you.

“What is it, Dylan? Are they lame? I’ve tried to… you know, not dig too deep into it because I feel like that would affect my professionalism.” That and you didn’t want to completely pry into the man’s life.

“Oh, I get that. Uhhh, I mean they’re not REALLY metal. They say they’re metal but they’re not so it’s just a little weird.” He shrugs and crosses his arms. You knit your brows together because you have absolutely no idea what he’s talking about.

“Right. Okay.”

“Yeah, I mean, they are basically like pop. Not metal, not at all.” He sounds so impassioned and you nod along but it feels inappropriate. Why is he so pressed? It turns you off even more and you do everything in your power to get this date wrapped up. You are done drinking and you’re too full for dessert. Responses shorten and eventually you’re out front on the sidewalk waiting for an Uber. Dylan has insisted on waiting with you and hovers just a bit too closely by your side. He seems a little oblivious to how this date has gone, bless his heart.

“Well, this is me.” Awkward, so awkward. You move to get into the car but Dylan stops you by your arm and leans in for a kiss. It’s truly over before it starts, a quick peck before he pulls away with a smirk. You are dying on the inside.

“We’ll hang out again soon, yeah?”

“Sure. Yes.” You lie and hurry into the Uber, wanting nothing more than this wretched day to finally end.

Terzo blinks awake. The cool air of the night pricks his cheeks. Leaves crunch beneath his soggy socks. He coughs, blood spilling from his mouth and splattering on his thick chest hair. A robe hangs loosely from his shoulders. Terzo’s eyes drift down to his hand to see he’s wearing his black gloves with sharp, golden nails. He squints and there’s something black stuck to one of the points. Gaze drifts to where he is. His driveway. A breeze rolls by that sends shivers down his spine as his eyes focus on your car.

He’s slashed one of your tires.

Terzo cackles wildly upon this realization. This is new even for him and his weird, otherworldly tendencies. Could be straight up mental illness. He takes a few lumbering steps forward before crouching to eye the tire, surveying the damage. Completely shredded with the rim touching the ground. There’s a familiar buzzing in his skull, a buzz that he used to get while performing. How far he had fallen. Still, he’s delighted with himself. A fitting punishment for the way you crushed him earlier. What hubris you had for leaving your car on his property. Rage shoots through him for a quick moment, the thought of you spending the night with your date crossing his mind. Would this boy drop you off in the morning? He could plan for that.

In his fits of unsatisfying sleep, ideas for being cruel sprang to his mind. He’s settled on ignoring you for most of tomorrow, to have you toil away waiting for any kind of attention but to no avail. Terzo would be watching you the whole day, of course, hidden away in dark corners and peering down from atop the grand staircase. He has always been the best at sneaking around undetected out of all of his brothers, having avoided so many moments where his father could have reamed him out due to this expertise. Primo and Secondo weren’t so lucky.

Sharp pang in his chest from thinking about them.

No, no. He must focus on you. He pushes the thoughts back to the void. You’ll be trapped here at the end of your workday because of this, wouldn’t you? That’s when he’ll reveal himself. He’ll torture you. Tease the information of your date out of you.

How well could it have gone when you are so devoted to him?

The house is cold without him, a shiver running down your spine every time you found yourself in a dark corridor. You try to keep your thoughts to a minimum and are somewhat thankful that the contractor was able to come today. He’s a quiet man but seems to enjoy your cheerfulness which breathes life into an otherwise miserable day. Between directions and answering questions, you would wander the first floor and hover by the stairs, listening for any signs of life only to hear silence. The last time you saw him flits through your mind — the pressure of the hand on your neck that forced you to the ground seconds after he angrily spat in your face seconds after he kissed you. What the hell. You should be furious at him for treating you that way, for leaping over the carefully placed boundaries the two of you have been dancing around for weeks.

But instead you sigh dreamily. You burn for him. Cheeks grow hot just from thinking about his rough hands on you. You hope he’s okay. And you’re sure he is, he’s a big boy.

The fact that you’re more worried about his feelings than you are about potentially losing your job over this is not lost on you. You’ve lived in constant fear of getting fired over the smallest mistakes since the start of this job but you are oddly calm about this situation. This feels like a natural progression. There was going to be a time where you had to confront this strange connection and you would rather it happen sooner rather than later with the way things have been going. As painful as it would be (emotionally AND financially) to say goodbye to him maybe it would be best for it be sooner rather than later.

The day goes by at a painfully slow pace with no sign of him. Anxiety builds and builds as you watch your clock tick down on your phone. You’ve taken to painstakingly wiping down every single mirror on the first floor (there is an absurd amount of them) because it takes up time and gives you something to focus one. After a while interacting with the contractor becomes painful for you, too heightened to be able to function in a normal social setting. You send him home early with a smile, being Friday and all, and you continue carrying out your mirror mission. This takes you to around 4:30 at which point you say “fuck it” and decide it’s time for bed! What is the point of even being here anymore when you could be under your comforter with a pint of chocolate chip ice cream as you ponder your existence?

It was an easy decision.

You meander out the front door, making sure not to slam it shut but have it at least be somewhat loud to announce your exit. Yes, you are stooping that low. A quick wave of relief washes over you because you made it. The day is over and while the issue looms you are at least out of his domain. Car keys jingle in your pocket. You make quick work of the walk from the porch to your car until the state of your tire stops you in your tracks.

“Oh my god!” You’re in disbelief. It’s like an animal chewed through the rubber. Your rim is on the ground. Tears start to well up in your eyes. This is it. This is the thing that’s pushed you over the edge today. A frustrated screech bubbles up your chest.

“Come back inside.”

You freeze as soon as you hear his voice. Spinning on heel, you turn to face him. He’s standing with his arms crossed, leaning against a column on the porch. His dress shirt is the darkest black you’ve ever seen, partially unbuttoned to show off thick chest hair and cut slacks show off his strong thighs. Did he get dressed up for you? His paint is crisp and hair is slicked back neatly. Fuck, he looks good*.*

“I can get an Uber?” A question as if you’re asking him permission, taking a few tentative steps towards him.

“Hmmm. No. I’ll call you a driver.” A rough response but you can’t help but feel warmth blossom in the pit of your stomach. “Get back inside.” Terzo growls, his gaze stern and pointed. He leaves you alone in his front yard. You feel silly by how hard your heart hammers in your chest but this is what you’ve been wanting all day. A moment passes by and you work up your courage to go inside and take your punishment. Thoughts of your shredded tire fade.

You walk inside the foyer and follow the sound of clinking glasses, finding him at the bar in the den. Terzo’s gaze falls to you then he directs you to the couch with his eyes. You silently follow the order and sit on one of the couch cushions furthest away from him. There’s a lump in your throat, fidgeting with your hands as you wait for him to join you. Eventually he turns around to face you with two drinks in his hand, one a red martini with a lime green umbrella and the other a pint full of something gross looking - not beer but still brown? His face is blank and you try to match his energy but it’s hard to keep your blush at bay. You reach out to take the martini from him but he pulls it back out of your grasp and instead presses the pint into your hand. The smell fills your nostrils: whiskey. Yuck. He runs a hand through his hair as he takes a seat on the other side of the couch, allowing for plenty of space between you two.

“You’ve called the driver already, right?”

“Yes.” He rolls his eyes but you’re still not sure you believe him.

Terzo’s arm stretches across the back of the couch, gloves just brushing your shoulder. Your grip on your whiskey tightens. This isn’t his usual charming aloofness, there’s something cold and cruel bubbling beneath the surface. Still, you want nothing more than to speak to him, even if he’s obviously pissed at you. He lifts his other hand up to his face, admiring the sharp golden nails adorned to his leather gloves. Eyes slowly drag from them to settle on you, gaze so piercing and yet uninterested in you.

“So, you had him pick you up here, si?”

“Yeah, but—“

“Drink.” He points at your glass and narrows his eyes. Not playing around. You do as he says and take a sip. “Keep drinking.” Lip twitches in a faint show of satisfaction as you bring the glass up back to your lips and take a deep gulp. There’s delight in his eyes and you’re more than happy to play the game just to see more of it. Your eyes twitch and you cough once you set the glass, the whiskey burns your throat.

“It was convenient for him.” Words are rough from the sting of alcohol.

“Ohh, was it now?” Terzo growls and digs his nails into the couch, tearing into the fabric. The sound gives you goosebumps. You open your mouth but he’s too quick. “Finish your drink.” He snaps, daggers for eyes that sends a chill down your spine. You swallow thickly and toy with your glass with the tips of your fingers before bringing it back up to your lips. Head tips back, the room swirls and you swallow down the rest of the liquid.

“Gross. Ugh.” Grimacing as you wipe your mouth with the back of your hand. “It’s less of a drive for him and I’m a pushover, okay?” You sigh, only partially joking. His eyes noticeably soften. You sink deeper into the cushion. “I said yes to this date because it was with my best friend’s older brother who I’ve known forever and I’ve always had a crush on him.” Terzo’s fingers shift from the couch to your shoulder, his nails just short of tearing through your shirt, his anger coming back up to a simmer just below the surface, but you continue on unafraid.

“I had to see what would happen. You have to understand… you build the thing up in your head as something perfect and special but then when you actually actually experience it…” You deflate and you eyes wander away from him, wanting to look anywhere else. “It’s never as good as you imagined it. Plus, he was a garbage kisser.” You immediately regret the words as soon as you say them. They hang heavy in the air and the air catches in your lungs. You feel him shift on the couch but you can’t bring yourself to look until his his hand curls around by back of your neck and forces you to look at him. Eyes sharp like knives.

“You let him kiss you.” A statement, not a question. Terzo makes you watch as he slinks closer to you. There’s like a current coming off of him right now that has you paralyzed even though you so badly want to protest. You whimper, words getting caught in your throat as he reaches for you. He grabs you by your waist with the tips of his claws poking against your skin, that delicious danger teasing you as always. “How did it compare?” Terzo trills, a charming smile with vicious edge. Hoo boy. Blood rushes to your cheeks.

“It didn’t compare at all.” You whisper as you try to sink as far into the couch as possible. Not because you don’t want to be close to him but you’re confused. Everything about this feels like a trap, like one wrong answer could set him alight but you’re not exactly fighting it. Instincts are telling you to run but you stay exactly where you are. Terzo’s hand drift up your sides, suggestively squeezing you in all the right places until he’s holding you by your shoulders. He’s smiling wider than before and there’s glee in his eyes — he’s pleased with you. A torrent of heat shoots through your core. He doesn’t say anything, merely taking in your reactions to his touches. His finger tips glide across your top, nearly clipping right through it until his hands settle around your throat. He squeezes just enough to make you gasp for air, then leans in to you, pressing his forehead against yours. You can feel his hot breath on your lips.

Tease.

“I could hurt you.” Terzo muses against your lips, lashes fluttering and eyes wide. There’s a slight tug at the corner of his mouth. Silence passes comfortably between the both of you as you take in each other’s breaths and warmth.

“I know. I’m… afraid of that. But it’s why I’m here.” You feel drunk, the words just tumbling out of you but you don’t care anymore. He is so close to kissing you that you can nearly taste him but instead he pulls away with a wry smile.

“Your glass is empty.” Terzo snickers and then jumps up in a way that can only be described as cat-like, snatching the glass from your hands. You’re left hot and bothered as he turns his back to you to saunter over to the bar. Alone with your thoughts while you watch him pour you another generous whiskey. Oh no. Oh no. You can still taste it on your tongue and it is not for you. But when he turns around with the warmth and charm you’ve been wanting all doubts are gone. You’re going to be messy tonight and that’s just that. When he turns back to face you he’s at least given you half of what he did the first time, walking slowly over to where you’re sitting on the couch.

He looms over you as your eyes drift up to meet his gaze and he audibly growls. You suck in a sharp breath, your nails digging into the soft flesh of your thighs. Terzo lifts a hand up and brushes his thumb along your jaw before tilting your chin up. He brings the glass to your lips and tips it back. You part your lips, the whiskey burning as it spills down your throat. He continues to pour until you can’t keep up with it and it leaks out of your mouth and down your cheeks. You gasp and he flings the glass down onto the side table as he crushes his mouth against yours, unable to keep away from you any longer.

And you certainly don’t care that he all but purrs into your mouth, soft lips moving against yours. He cups your face with his gloved hands, leather thumbs caressing your cheekbones as he slips onto the couch beside you without breaking the kiss. Fingers curl around his wrist and you press in close to him, losing yourself in how he tastes. His velvety tongue probes your mouth as the kiss grows in intensity. Deep pants try to keep your feet on the ground but you’re off in space, exhaustion and comfort mixing in a way that has you floating. Terzo pulls away from the kiss and you can hardly open your eyes. He gently guides your head to his chest, stroking his fingers through your hair.

“You never called me a driver did you?”

“Oh no. Never considered it.” Terzo squeezes you in his arms.

Oh, he’s so warm. A rumbling groan falls from your lips as his wraps his arms around you, just holding you there. Your limbs relax and you sink deeper into his chest as he starts to rubs up and down your back. In that moment you know you’re a goner. A deep, sleepy sigh falls from your lips and in a matter of minutes you are out cold.

Terzo almost feels guilty for being such an ass. Almost. He feels for you, he can relate to realizing that something isn’t all it was cracked out to be. At least for you it was a childhood crush and not being raised for one person. But still, he was a tad mean wasn’t he? It was necessary and the tension… the tension had been so delicious. Watching you squirm under his intense stare. And you just did what he said, unquestioningly, even when had you drink and drink and drink. Adrenaline is pumping through him and he struggles to contain himself— he must not go any further, despite how tempted he is. He could get away with it. You’re so soft, so pliable and so wanting. Terzo can feel the heat radiating off of you, no doubt from the alcohol and your closeness. He could slip his hand between your thighs and give you exactly what you want.

But it wouldn’t be fair to you. Terzo wants you coherent and focused when he takes you. Plus you’re adorably snuggled against him right now, your soft breaths against his chest. He’s longed for this and you did not disappoint. Wait a minute. Are you sleeping? He is about to fall apart, his arms wrapping so much tighter around you. The urge to keep you safe, to keep you here and never let you leave overcomes him*.* He squeezes your hand that is clutched to his chest and then gingerly picks it up and places it back in your lap.

“Sleepy?”

You lift your heavy head to look at him and good god do you want to be asleep right now. A tender smiles breaks out across his face as he swipes some of your hair from your eyes. A stark contrast from how close he had just been to strangling you.

“Take the guest room tonight, puffetta. I will bring you some clothes.” Terzo pulls himself to his feet. “Meet you up there.” He’s so soft, so different than how torturous he was of you earlier. You’re sure he’s heard what he’s wanted to hear from you but he’s unpredictable. Something you liked about him. There’s an unknown darkness that lies beneath his charm and good looks and it calls out to you. You’ve never felt this way about anyone. How could you ever get away now?

You blink and realize that you’re alone. You’ve been alone. Oh shit. Scrambling off of the couch, you trip over your own feet with the effects of the whiskey hitting you hard.

Ah, the guest room. A cramped space with antique furniture that could use some time and attention. The overall theme of the room is… dust. You’ve brought up having the dresser refinished or even repainted and replacing the peeling wallpaper but it’s low on the list of priorities. You push the door shut and give a soft sigh of relief. Shoes come off. A lamp on the bedside table barely illuminates the room and a folded pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt are waiting for you on the bed. Eyes scan over the remainder of the comforter and pillows, wondering if anyone had ever slept here. You can’t help the feeling that you’re being watched but maybe the fact that you’re about to wear your boss’ clothes isn’t meshing well with the practically decaying room.

“Whatever.” You huff to yourself and undress with the grace of a toddler, kicking your pants off and throwing your removed clothes into a pile on the ground. Sitting down on the bed, you pull up the sweatpants and they are loose as they settle around your waist. The shirt slips over your head and swallows up your upper body. Did he purposely give you his largest clothing to make you feel small? It is so cozy, though. You wrap your arms around your body and flop back onto the bed, sinking into the softness of the blankets. Comfortable heat spreads across your skin from buzz of the alcohol. Limbs go limp and your eyelids grow heavy, a deep sigh falling from your lips. Fading fast.

The piercing ring of the rotary phone cracks through the air and you jolt upright and wide awake. What the? You don’t remember seeing it when you came in and it’s not like it blends in — it’s bright red with intricate black etchings along the base and the handle of the receiver. Not a speck of dust on it. The phone rings again, somehow louder and more harmful to your ears than before. You blink and suddenly you’re standing directly in front of the dresser with one hand curled around the receiver. Heart is pounding in your chest and ears. Something is calling out to you. Answer it. Answer it. Answerit. answeritansweritansweritanswerit.

You pick up the phone to silence. Then chittering. The receiver is hot on your cheek. Something pricks your ear but you can’t pull away. There’s a squelch. A screech. More screaming. It only gets louder and louder, needles in your ears, pain shooting through your brain. You can’t breathe. You twirl the phone cord around your fingers and shuffle your bare feet against the cold floor, the only thing you’re able to get your body to do other than press the phone so hard against your head. The closer you listen to the screams the more familiar they get, growing in intensity, pain and volume. Burning, the receiver is burning now and yet you can’t move, you can’t get any relief. The phone cord is nearly completely tangled around your wrist and you’re sweating, gasping for breath, and crying without even realizing it. The screams finally subside, replaced by a cold, dead silence.

You hang up the phone.

Suddenly, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion washes over you and you collapse onto the bed. The world spins as you sink into the soft mattress, the dial tone still echoing in your ears.

[things-arent-what-they-seem66]

Random stuff from Guardian Angel AU.

Angst bitch.

1: Nasty rumors Susan spread about Adam got to a point that one of his neighbors spitted on his face and called him a man crack whore when she saw him outside and near her kids. She also said she’ll call the police if she saw Adam near her kids again.

That was the final step into making Adam a full hermit.

2: Every parent tells their kid to stay away from “The weird man in 1A”, some even take it to a step further with saying he could hurt them. So, Adam is seen as a creepy criminal among kids. They run away from him if they ever see Adam at the halls.

3: Lucifer isn’t the only person who brought him food in Adam’s life. A nice lady named Rosie used to put food on his doorstep once every month when she noticed he barely got out and how terrible he looked. She worked with children, so she didn’t wanted to be seen with Adam much, but she also began visiting Adam once every six months, they had tea together and Adam felt like he saw a tiny light in his endless darkness.

But this only went on for two years. Rosie died because of a heart attack four years ago. She was the last person who lived in Lucifer’s apartment.

3: Charlie saved Angel and Vaggie. Angel from his addictions and Vaggie from self harm and suicide. I guess it’s in Morningstar’s genes to fall in love with a soul they saved :>

4: Adam played a song for Lucifer when he was still on Earth, which he gladly listened. It was the first time Adam had played his guitar for a long time.

And when Lucifer was forced to leave him, he played, sometimes even sang, the same song almost every night for two years. Because he missed him and it made him think of him.

Lucifer’s heart exploded while he was watching Adam do this from Heaven. He began listening it every night to sleep as well.

—

Hehe

Dude whhhhy 😭

Yeah getting spit in the face is not only fucking gross but an understandable reason for Adam to stay away. He ended up telling Lucifer about it but wouldn't tell him who.

And that would hurt especially with how the situation with his own kids went.

Awwww Rosie and Adam being friends I'm so soft for their friendship. Shame she died. That only served to isolate Adam more. Everyone leaves why bother making friends? No one likes me anyway so that was made easy.

I WAS GOING TO SEND AN ASK ABOUT ADAM WRITING LUCIFER A SONG!!!!

Yeah, the Morningstars definitely have a type as well ;)

Ahhh sweet angst.

What if Lucifer had to look up his onlyfans page? You know, to see what he was working with and how deep Adam is in this world. He sees all the photos and videos. Spoiler he's in deep.

Adam has thousands of subscribers. And hundreds of posts. It's surprising he would do this line of work because of his past. But maybe, it was Velvette who told him "You're gorgeous, why not make a profit off your looks? Here I have a website you can use."

Adam tries it and when he sees how many people want him and shower him in praise and compliment him and tell him how wonderful he is.

Just another addiction on the pile. Only this one makes money and he hates himself afterwards.

Bonus points if someone in the building is subscribed and wanted more face to face time. Even if it doesn't go THAT far they make sexual comments at him any time they see him. (A man most likely)

And that was another thing to keep Adam in his house. The money is great but he hates that it comes from this and it's a never ending cycle.

[midnight-bay-if]

Well it seems now I will have to send a SFW version of the birthday ask on multiple blogs. I'm up for it!

What if instead of the ribbons thing, the MC spends hours preparing good food (assuming they can cook well), selecting the perfect dishware, setting up a romantic atmosphere like candles or whatever, then just waits there for the RO in order to spend a sweet evening with them. And also ready to offer stuff like a massage and what not at the end of it.

Everything for a pleasant, sweet and relaxing time.

Aww, this is nice, haha. They deserve to be pampered.

S: Still gobsmacked, haha. In past relationships, their partner would attempt to coax them away from their work with similarly sweet promises, but none succeeded in diverting their attention. With MC, it's different. So, when they come to such a romantic gesture, S doesn't think twice about their indulgence. "My darling, you've done all this for me?" If you look closely enough, you will notice they've become a bit misty-eyed. "You shouldn't have gone to so much trouble, but I'm grateful you did. Thank you, my love." Once S has done the dishes (something they absolutely won't budge on), expect to end up curled up on the couch together at night's end.

Rain: When Rain walks in and sees the spread laid out on the table, with the candles separating the two places, and the perfect single rose in a vase, their heart skips a beat. They can't believe it. What have they done to deserve it? Suddenly, nothing about them seems adequate, but they have a lifetime to prove otherwise. "This is perfect. You're perfect." The evening may or may not end up in a food fight, though.

Taj: When Taj comes home to find the room lit by candlelight, with you sat at one end of a table, holding a rose in your hand and a smile on your face, they're at a loss. What is this strange feeling in their chest? Also, what's that heavenly smell? Somehow, it smells like home. When you wish them a happy birthday, it all comes together. This is for them. Suddenly, they feel quite awkward. "Are the others gonna be here?" Taj asks, slightly weary.

"No. Do you think I put these candles out for N?"

Taj breaks out into a grin. "You humans are weird, so I wouldn't put it past you."

"Sit your butt down, Taj."

They don't expect to enjoy themselves quite as much as they do.

N: When they set eyes on the display, they're stunned to silence. Well, for a moment anyway. "My dear, what's the occasion? Are you hatching a plan to seduce anyone in particular?"

"It's your birthday," you point out. I wasn't sure how best to celebrate, but I thought we could have a nice meal together, some music, maybe a massage later."

N stares at you with a complicated look in their eye. It doesn't seem real. Why would someone go to so much trouble for someone like them? It takes a moment for their mask of arrogance to reform on their face. "Well, I shouldn't let your efforts go to waste." They sit at the table, gazing across at you with adoration. "A moment just for us, then."

Umbra: When Umbra comes home to find the house lit by candlelight, they think little of it. Then, they see you, sitting at a table, a spread of food already waiting, and a rose in your hand... Well, they know enough about human customs to recognise a romantic gesture. It's almost too much for them. The idea that you could care enough about them to be willing to give such a gift. As there is no greater gift to Umbra than your time.

They're too stunned to speak.

"Happy birthday!" You finally blurt when Umbra is still standing in silence.

At your shout, they shake themselves from their daze. "My birthday? I didn't know--"

"Don't overthink it. Let's just enjoy ourselves."

And you do.

[mylittlepump]

I recently found out they sell stethoscopes in Shein, andddd not gonna lie my mind hasn't stopped thinking about buying a cheap one for a while... Probably they're just the ones used for not so serious situations, or cosplays and kids costumes. I don't think they'd have an extraordinary sound quality but- I just want to feel my heartbeat without weird stuff on my headphones for once, and I've always dreamed about the day when I would finally buy my first stethoscope since I was little.

What's freaking me out is that I live with my parents and I'm not that much at home to get the package directly from the deliverer so they don't know about it... AND THEY JUST DON'T LEAVE THE HOUSE EVER UGGH This scene feels as violent as buying a sex toy and my parents finding out lol, same reaction and same feeling for me.

I'll be gone for uni in September, and then I'll be alone finally in a residence with other students. They won't find out, but it's too loonnngggg. I can't wait that much, help me, I don't know what to do :(

[starsandaces24]

I watched the Doom Patrol Episode

-if I had a nickel for every time Ty Tennant played a twink from something Neil Gaiman worked on, I would have two nickels blah, blah, blah

-It's really weird to see a blond Edwin. Like, white Charles and Crystal is weird too, but blond Edwin seems more odd for some reason. Maybe it's because they look so different from their DBDA counterparts, but Edwin looks somewhat similar except for the hair?

-Alright, is this where some of the non-comic things came from in the DBDA show? David stealing Crystal's memories of her parents (She very much remembers them in the comic because she lives in their house), the Night Nurse and her being Scottish? I feel like even the lining of Charles' coat is a callback because Charles wears a plaid coat under his jacket in the episode.

-Is this the first canon gay Edwin? I saw someone else post that. Also, it's actually in there. Like, there's a whole conversation about how Edwin likes Charles and how it's ok in the modern age, which is pretty cool.

-Edwin is equally bitchy in this, and I love him?

-Apparently in this version, Charles wasn't wearing a shirt in the lake, so I would like to see how that changed the attic scene. While I love that scene and it makes me cry every time, it would have been a little funny to watch Edwin have his second gay awakening.

-Charles is adorable and I love that he decided that he needed to use a baseball bat in America.

-Crystal is also adorable, I love her in this too. She seems a little more like her comics character, I could see her wearing cosplay from her favorite game.

It's on Max (or you can pirate it, whatever), season 3, episode 3. You should probably read the Wikipedia page first to figure out who the characters are. You can also skip a whole bunch because it's emotional stuff about the Doom Patrol Characters, and you either don't want to watch that part or don't want the first two seasons spoiled for you

[mildmayfoxe]

the two genders

[theshadowrealmitself]

I like to think that Vulcans who come to understand that Humans just can’t try to process emotions the same way as them, it’s just healthiest to let it out in harmless ways, decide that venting and stuff should be taken just as seriously as Vulcan’s meditation time, and will encourage the Humans around them to complain about what’s upsetting them

People who are used to aloof Vulcans who avoid Humans at all cost running into one comforting a Human

“-and then they said my cheesecake was subpar, and they didn’t even bring a dish!!!”

“The purpose of this event was that every participant brings a food item of sorts, correct?”

“Yeah!!”

“And they did not follow this rule while insulting dishes that were brought?”

“Mostly just my dish but yeah >:(“

“How illogical”

“That’s what I’m saying!!!”

[icewindandboringhorror]

I thought that these inner sections of a pomelo peel thing kind of looked like flower petals with their coloring, so I left them out to dry for a few days, and then glued some of them together to make little "flowers" to hang in my window.

[brittlebutch]

a lot of people seem to use Entry #61 as 'proof' for the crux of the "Brian didn't care about Tim, he was Taking Advantage of Tim's conditions and Forcing him to work as part of totheark" thing, but honestly when you think about it there's no possible way Brian could have possibly orchestrated that series of events, like you almost have to interpret that as a baffling group of coincidences

[puhpandas]

Halloween Spirit

(1,770 words)

Evan learns that the spirit of Halloween comes with enjoying spending time with people you love during the season, and thats why he'd never felt anything of the sort with Michael and his father. 🍫🎃🕷

"Have you ever been to Spirit Halloween?" Gregory asks him someday when they're hanging out at his house. Evan looks up from one of Gregory's drawings he was coloring in and tilts his head.

"No." Evan replies after a moment. And hes never wanted to, either. Not only would getting there mean either his Father or Michael would have to take him, but he knows Michael gets all of the scary masks he terrifies Evan with there. Plus that there are animatronics with uncanny molds and bloody faces and long fingers and black cloaks that jump out and scream at you.

So hes never really had an urge to go. Hence why he's literally never been.

"Never?!" Gregory exclaims when he learns about it. He jumps up off of his bed, shaking his head. "Evan, going to Spirit Halloween is like... it's like a major life event. Its tradition. You go to Spirit Halloween every year during the season to get pumped for it."

"I've never heard of that." Evan replies. "I've just... never had a reason to go."

He purposefully leaves out all the reasons he never has wanted to go. He doesnt want to be a Debbie Downer.

"Well now you do." Gregory tells him. He grabs the sketchbook out of Evan's hands, setting it on his comforter and then yanking Evan off the bed with suprising strength. "I'm taking you to Spirit Halloween today. No take backs."

Evan yelps, and only narrowly avoids eating carpet. "I never even agreed in the first place." Evan points out. After he doesnt pull away, Gregory let's him go to slide his shoes on. "But... sure. I'll go with you."

"Yes!" Gregory pumps a fist, slipping a navy hoodie on. With a faint smile at Gregory's excitement, Evan stays how he is, already wearing a plenty warm wool sweater. All he has to do is pull his own converse on and they're out the door.

"How have you never been?" Gregory comments when they've set off, following the sidewalk. The trees have long since all turned reds and oranges and yellows, and they flutter in the pleasant breeze the Autumn season is producing. Pumpkins and skeletons and spiderwebs decorate every yard theyve passed, and store windows hold those jelly stick-on's. "Pretty much everyone has."

"Nobody's ever taken me." Evan replies, shrugging. "My family doesnt really decorate. Especially now that its just us."

Before, when his Mom and Elizabeth were still living with them, there would be the occasional decorating. Elizabeth would whine and push for something seasonal to celebrate and his parents would cave and buy some cheap decorations to sling up around the house. But that was years ago, when he was a much younger kid. Now, hes thirteen, and its just him, Michael, and their Father.

Evan dares to think Michael would actually like to have decorations up. It's just that he believes he's 'too cool' for things like that. He's always enjoyed Halloween, if not for access to extra scary masks then to run around town with his friends to spook other innocent children. Plus, the king size candy bars he always brings home have to mean something.

Evan's never really had a reason to like it when every time he'd dress up he'd be made fun of in some sort of way, and then actively targeted as soon as he'd step outside. Plus, everything Michael likes about Halloween, Evan dislikes.

But Evan dares to believe this year will be different. The reason being right next to him.

"God, your family is so boring." Gregory groans. "Nobody even took you like... when you were a kid years ago?"

"Nope."

"Ugh." Gregory makes a face, slinging an arm around Evan's shoulder. "Well thats why you dont like Halloween. Because your family has always sucked too bad to let you enjoy it."

Evan nods sagely, knowing its true. His family always makes Halloween what they do or dont do. And usually, Evan's never cared enough to wish for a better, more seasonal holiday. He's always been too worried about other things to be in any sort of joyful mood.

"Well, dont worry about it right now, alright?" Gregory tells him, shooting him a grin. "This year you'll get to experience real Halloween. We'll get you a costume and take you to see cool stuff, and you'll get to do stuff like carve pumpkins and bake cookies with us."

Evan's eyes widen at the influx of activities. He's only ever done maybe a couple of those throughout his whole life.

He looks at Gregory earnestly, brain already flashing with images of Evan laughing and smiling, flinging cookie batter at Gregory, costume shopping without the lingering paranoia, and digging his hands inside a pumpkins guts.

The promise of having fun with people he actually likes, who like him back is so overwhelming, he almost tears up.

He pushes it down, offering Gregory a wobbly smile. "That... that sounds fun."

"It always is!" Gregory boasts, and Evan is convinced he can see stars in his eyes. "Man, I wish Ness were here. I really want her to meet you. It would be so cool spending Halloween with both of you.

There goes another mention of the infamous older-sister-away-at-college. Evan's heard a few of those, but it's not what he focuses on in that moment.

Something about Gregory putting him on the same level as his biological sibling makes something warm and fluttery bloom in Evan's stomach.

"You'll get to introduce me someday." Is all Evan manages to get out, and he almost backtracks at the implication in his sentence that Gregory will be willing to stick by him that long. But Gregory just smiles, shakes his shoulders a bit, and goes "She'll love you."

Evan hides his smile in the collar of his sweater. If Gregory is so sure, Evan cant wait to meet her, too.

It's not long at all afterwards that they finally make it to the store. Evan thinks it looks very bare bones, compared to how Gregory was describing it, but Gregory just says not to judge a book by its cover.

Gregory was right. The inside is what counts.

Halloween decorations fill very inch, gravestones and spiderwebs and skeletons waiting to greet you. There are tons of different mini-sets around the store with animatronics, and despite how Evan stays as far away from the animatronics as possible, Gregory's excitement over them make him feel better about how creepy they are.

Evan's favorite section though has to be the costume wall.

It's just a shelf full of silly costumes stuffed in bags from floor to ceiling, and it stretches across almost the entire store.

"Ness and I used to spend hours here just making fun of the costumes." Gregory had said after bringing him to it. "Look at the model on this one."

Then he'd pointed at a dumb looking werewolf, and when Evan had burst out laughing, they'd kept going.

The daylight outside slowly fizzles out in the corner of Evan's vision, in the foreground. That gray, cloudy sky that comes with Autumn fading into a dark, deep blue. By the time its their turn to leave, Evan's cheeks hurt from smiling and his throat is dry from how much he had talked and laughed.

Before they go, Gregory insists on buying Evan a Halloween sweater, no matter how much he'd protested. It's another thing he insists is tradition.

When Gregory didnt budge, Evan caved and chose a really soft black one with and orange collar and a Jack-o-lantern in the middle. Gregory had chosen one for himself, then proceeded to get attached to one of the plastic inaccurate skeleton animals and buy it too. They'd named the little dog with bone ears and a bone nose Davey.

Evan never imagined that this is what the spirit of Halloween is like, but he feels it now more than he ever has. It reminds him of those Christmas movies he'd see on TV where the lesson would be that the true meaning of Christmas is spending time with your family.

As sad as it sounds, Evan never understood those. But he thinks he gets it now.

Because the contrast between last year and this year is so stark. It's not the fact that he went to a Halloween store. If he'd gone last year with Michael and his Father, he would have been miserable, because Michael would try to make him be. This year, he had fun looking at silly stuff with Gregory.

Its only now, when Gregory is handing cash over to the employee behind the counter, who'd just bagged their sweaters and Davey, that he realizes just how much Gregory is his best friend.

They only met in July, after all... but even that feels like a lifetime ago, despite how the school days went by so much quicker with a friend, no longer so awful.

Funny how Evan already feels closer with a boy hes known for a few months than he ever has with his brother and father.

"Can I sleep over?" Evan asks when they break through the doors of the store and the cool air of Autumn washes over his face. He breathes in the scent of fallen leaves and actually notices a difference, this time.

He's feeling bold, he realizes. Scenarios of how he could get in trouble for not asking flash in his mind, but he notices he doesnt really care in the moment.

Gregory, like how telepathic he feels sometimes, notices too. He grins, acknowledging the significance, and nods, bringing out his phone. "Let me call my Dad and we'll swing by your house to grab you a bag."

Evan nods, smiling himself. He plays with the plastic of the bag in-between his fingers, peeking at Davey through the gaps.

"When we get home, I'll make some popcorn and hot chocolate, and then you gotta watch this movie with me. I watch it every year for Halloween."

Evan nods repeatedly, smile already growing on his face. After today, hes sure itll be fun.

They sit on the curb, leaves floating through the breeze, and a light sprinkle starts just in time for Freddy to pull into the driveway.

They hop in the car and Evan watches the scenery outside, looking at people decorations and imagining how he'd carve his own pumpkin, or ice his own cookies.

He'd never cared before now. He'd never cared because he'd never been given the chance to. But now he does. And all he's thinking about is how much 'going home' with Gregory feels right.

ao3 link

bonus: this is Davey

[pespillo]

Assigned Star and the Prince meet for the first time at a gathering

Been thinking about how the Trappers been show thru context clues and background details to have built over and ransacked or drawn over Titan structures and how theres details in King´s egg chamber that show the crescent moon and the stars in a completely neutral manner, probably indicating that the original context of the culture has been lost. Speculating that the disc and the whole keeping Collector away from King was not done out of danger but out of a cultural purpose.

[writhe]

just had the most terrifying experience of being followed

[fictionadventurer]

All the tour groups in Springfield should be very proud of me for how well I refrained from sharing all my fascinating Lincoln facts.