#I need more ghost trick content so I MADE MY OWN!

[selena-the-undead-god-of-love]

sooooo I randomly decided to make a weird pseudo-sequel thingy to ghost trick for my own mind to handle the lack of official new ghost trick content. It all started with some thought experiments and has started to develop into an actual thing. Maybe at some point I'll talk about it more, but that's if anyone wants to hear about my insanity. But do know it takes place five years after the ending, and that I made OCs to act as the new cast and to make a new mystery, and it features the old cast as well. Idk I'm going fucking insane over this damn game so-

[bejeweledinterludes]

who ya gonna call?

OR dean’s a ghost. he’s haunting you (but you are not complaining).

my masterlist

「 pairing 」 : ghost ! dean x established fem ! reader

「 word count 」 : 1.7 k.

「 content / warnings 」 : smut— again, more to come in the next few weeks too so BUCKLE UP, dean is a ghost, reader is very much aware. can’t tell if i love or hate this one tbh.

you have new messages from the author ! ↓

with the great @sorryitsmyfirstdayonearth (aka god)’s permission, i let my freak flag fly here (but when do i not, let’s be real). think spn s2 ep1 ; in my time of dying for this one. and if any of you say “well actually ☝️🤓 this wouldn’t make sense becuase of xyz” just know i am a horny woman and tumblr is my outlet. but inspo is from @sorryitsmyfirstdayonearth’s the swayze method of course. thank you very much for letting me run with this!

this is also my gift for 500 (+40 !;$3:!33&?!?!2?2(3&3&) followers, along with all the love on my touch starved ! dean fic thank you all so so so very much! part 2 for that should be out at some point <3

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even though he hunted them, dean had to admit— being a ghost had its perks.

of course, dean had been one before— multiple times, actually. first when he got in that car crash with sammy and his dad, another when he busted out a bunch of locked up spirits in some old-ass house, and the other being more recently.

as in, now.

dean needed to stop doing stupid shit like this— but honestly? sometimes, being there, yet not being seen was pretty damn awesome.

dean had stalked you and sam all day— not that he thought you knew he was there, but you could almost… sense it. while digging through spellbooks, you’d looked at the spot he was (invisibly) standing in once or twice, furrowing your brows like you actually saw him. but you shrugged it off, thinking it was your mind playing tricks on you when the motel curtains blew a little like there’d been a small gust of wind. nothing was there, right?

no.

dean was there.

he was here now, too.

dean had been here for a while now— as soon as you and sam gave up for the second night in a row of not finding a single thing to help his… not-living dilemma, you’d gone back to what was yours and dean’s shared motel room (sam had gotten his own on the other side of the motel. and any guesses as to why?).

maybe it might’ve been seen as creepy, but dean enjoyed just watching you. didn’t matter what, or when. you’d pretended not to notice more often than not, but now dean could watch without any fear of you realizing.

well.

yet.

dean was now currently following you out of the steam-filled bathroom, your socked feet padding on the motel room’s carpet while in one of his shirts. you wore them frequently, but that didn’t stop the way a little pang of possession shot through his chest every time he saw you.

you slipped under the covers of your own comfortable blanket (because pro hunter tip: bring your own bedding to shitty motels), letting out an exhale you didn’t know you were holding in.

dean just sits and watches you for a little, perching himself on the side of the bed. damn, even with that worried, concerned look on your face, you were still gorgeous.

and you were worried. loving dean winchester had its perks, but fuck if it didn’t hurt every time he ‘died’. this was worse, too, because you knew he was a ghost— and the thought of him out there somewhere alone somewhere made your chest ache.

“wish you were here,” you whisper half into your pillow without even thinking about it, eyes on the window next to the bed.

dean’s heart broke a little at that. because he was here.

so even though he knew you wouldn’t be able to hear him, feel him— he shifts fully on the bed and scoots right up next to you, spooning you like he always did most nights.

suddenly, you were much colder than you’d been before. you squint at the window. it was only cracked a little bit for air. and for a second, you thought you felt something, weight surrounding you as if dean was really, truly actually there—

“‘m right here,” he whispers your name in your ear, his own chest hurting with the longing to just comfort you. “hell, you really think dyin’ would get you ridda me?”

then you gasp, and dean can feel the way your body tenses. but why in chuck’s name did you—

wait.

did you hear that?

you’re both silent for a moment, until you finally find the words to speak— surprisingly, the only thing that comes out of your mouth is:

“dean?”

dean mentally smacks himself upside the head.

ghosts’ emotions made them more powerful— so much so that humans could notice.

turns out, you had that effect on him.

big surprise, right?

“yeah, it’s me,” he whispers again, settling more next to you, afraid that if he spoke any louder, the bridge he’d somehow fostered might dissipate.

“jesus christ,” you breathe out a sigh of relief, still in your position on the bed while you can almost feel his breath on your ear. “have you— you’ve been here the whole time?”

“‘course i have,” dean almost sounds offended when he answers back, voice still low as his arm snakes around your waist. “where else would i be?”

you don’t answer. because now that you though about it, it did make sense. you almost wanted to ask why he didn’t say anything earlier—but instead, you whisper back:

“how are you doing that?”

dean’s brows furrow a little— until it clicks.

you felt his arm around you.

which meant you could feel him.

damn.

like he said.

this ghost thing had its perks.

“dunno,” dean honestly replies before pressing a kiss onto your cheek— and the way your eyes fluttered shut told him you felt that, too. “but i’m damn glad i can.”

“i’m dreaming,” you whisper more to yourself than anything as dean’s other hand trails down the curve of your waist through his shirt— and if you kept your eyes shut, it was like he was actually there.

but hell, he was.

“nuh uh,” you feel the warmth of dean’s breath on your ear again and his hand lingering on your hip when he presses himself completely against your back. you dared not to open your eyes, in fear of seeing nothing but darkness and empty sheets— because with you not looking, it was all the more real. “ya feel that? ‘s all me. ‘cause ‘a you.”

“fuckin’ hell,” you whisper again, pressing yourself right back into him as if—

no.

he was there.

you can feel the familiar roughness of dean’s hand slipping under the band of your underwear like he’s done a million times before— well, actually, this was a little new. because his hands were cold, not hot. but whatever.

“missed ya like crazy,” dean whispers again, fingers gently dragging across your already wet folds— because when were you not wet for dean winchester. “guess you did, too, huh?”

“always miss you,” your voice comes out breathier than you wanted it to, but that’s the effect dean had on you, too. he always made you cum like a horny teenager— too soon and too loud. but then again, you did the same for him. “always need you.”

god, what the hell were you saying? you’re a grown-ass woman—telling a man what, exactly?

well, you don’t know, because your thoughts are interrupted when dean’s skilled— albeit now ghostly fingers start rubbing. you tip your head back involuntarily, letting out a rougher exhale, because if this was a dream, you were gonna enjoy every second of it.

“dean,” his name rolls off your tongue before something between a whimper and moan escapes your throat as his fingers go a little faster. a tiny, annoying voice in your mind tells you that this really isn’t the best idea, but you don’t really care.

because dean kinda made you forget about everything else.

especially when his hands were involved.

“shhh,” dean’s not really shushing you though, because his tone is coaxing. the kind that says “i got you.”

but he still says that out loud, anyway.

so you relax more into dean— or rather, nothing behind you. you don’t think, because dean’s got you. he always does, even in the afterlife. and because if you thought about it too hard, you were afraid the tension building in your tummy would go away. you were afraid the oh-so familiar feeling of his fingers rubbing your clit would cease to exist.

you feel something cold on your neck, too— and it sends a jolt down your spine, adding to the bouts of pleasure only dean could seem to orchestrate for you.

you can’t moan as loud as you want to— because the old lady in the room next door had already given you a look when she saw the six-pack in your hands the other day. but then again, that’s when dean was in his meat suit. still, you didn’t need another look.

“oh, de,” you bury half your face into your pillow again, choking out a breath of dean’s name, eyes still shut and letting out a broken noise as the burning in your lower torso was getting more intense.

dean was enjoying this way too much, he thought. but then again, he always liked seeing you like this— even more so when it was because of him. when he actually died, he’d definitely turn down the sorry-ass reaper or death, or whoever was taking him to wherever he’ll be ending up just to make you cum, over and over.

that seemed like a good way to spend eternity.

and he wished at that moment that he could properly fuck you— but that was for when he was back in his body. so he could feel you, too.

you wished you could touch him— feel him more than what you were now, but your brain was starting to become fuzzy, your legs and what seemed to be every nerve in your body tingling.

dean felt it, too. he didn’t really know how, but it was something he’d learned over time. your pretty face scrunched up even more, and the sounds you let out were sounds you only made when you were close. you tried to talk— but all that came out was his name.

“dean— baby, please—”

he never had to ask you to beg for him. never had to ask to say his name, or for you to tell him that you’re his.

you always just did it.

“‘s okay, ‘s okay,” dean whispers your name in your ear, feeling you shiver against him. because right now? who was he to deny you? the woman who gave him anything and everything he needed— wanted. yeah, no way. “just go ahead.”

with that, he increased the pace of his fingers further while letting your hips continue buck on his hand— and the sounds you let out when you finally let yourself tip over the edge was almost enough to make dean lose it right then and there, too.

maybe there were a couple downsides to this though— because dean couldn’t lick his fingers clean of you right now. and he was hard. was that even a thing?

he could barely focus on his own thoughts right now, though— because your eyes were still shut, mouth parted and legs twitching as he lay pressed up against you.

but the first thing you said?

“just you wait ‘till you get back in your body, cowboy.”

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you have one ( 1 ) new message from the author ! ↓

felt wrong to post this on easter (yesterday) SORRY LMFAO i’m not even christian or anything like that but! faith now beating the monday scaries one smut fic at a time 🙂‍↕️🙏

my master taglist (so far): @blossomingorchids @bluemerakis @ambiguous-avery @maddie0101 @titsout4jackles @deansbeer @sunsbaby @emeraldcrs @h8aaz @honeyryewhiskey @supernotnatural2005 @cowboysandcigarettes @soldiersgirl @bittersweetfig @mostlymarvelgirl @amaris444 @kaz-2y5-spn @littlesoulshine @starzify @velvetparkerx @eggggggggggggggggggggsblog @fuckedupfate @liiiilsss @angelblqde @vmiina @mahi-wayy @viarasvogue @tinas111 @0ccvltism @plasticflowersinahistorycemetery @lunaleah @saintfaux + if i missed anyone OR if you want to be added / taken off, please let me know! <3

[quarterlifekitty]

you had a post with a tag that said “do you guys think I need to change the dose of my mood stabilizers” and as someone on mood stabilizers i want you to know it made me smile. also probably not if you can actively question it / still find yourself super creative etc enjoying that bc it’s an issue I have with mine. thank you for making me smile so randomly teehee 💜 anyways ghost on mood stabilizers that just wants to hold you sometimes when he doesn’t know how to feel and watch something stupid on the telly and you teach him how to have self care days and order takeout or something. makes me yearn

I have a confession to make!! I actually looked it up after getting this ask, and apparently I was mistaken. My meds are not technically classified as mood stabilizers, so I’m sorry for that little inaccuracy. And with that said, take this with a grain of salt, as this is based on the experiences of others, and the experiences I have with my own meds!

cw: medication and symptom

Anyways, Ghost on mood stabilizers. His quality of life is noticeably improved, but I imagine he really struggles with the idea of “am I still the real me if I’m being medicated?”. It’s from a lack of self compassion— he would never impose a standard or judgement like that on someone else for their treatment. Just himself. He sometimes feels like him taking meds is tricking you— that he’s hiding how hideous he really is inside.

He already had difficulty identifying his feelings before, and sometimes it’s harder now. He’s no longer as paranoid, as angry, as upset, he suffers from less insomnia and mania, so overall it’s a big step above where he was before. But he has days where he feels like there’s kind some static over him where he’s not experiencing the full world— where things just don’t affect him the way he’s come to expect.

You’re his best friend on those days. Just glued to him, giving him quiet activities he can lose himself in a little. I am a firm believer that Ghost loves B-movies, and you put on a marathon for the two of you to just amble along to. He’ll hold you, or you’ll do a puzzle or something if he needs something to stimulate him a little more. You know not to ask him to choose what’s for dinner, you just order in something you know he likes. He’s able to lie down and go to sleep, not overjoyed or anything, but contented, and that’s a more secure feeling than what he started the day with.

[sramoonlight]

Circus hop

What if the Grayson’s incident happened again?

Content you’ll see here: male!reader, platonical!batfam, batfam, kid!reader, circus, mentions of death,

English it’s not my first language so please be patient.

Whenever he wants to close his eyes there is some weird feeling of guilt, his parents, Jason, even Bruce when he had this dead period

He would always think about a way he could stop their death, at this point he doesn’t even care anymore, he just let it be like nothing happened

Because nothing happened, it’s just his mind wandering about what he could do if he wasn’t weak

So, when he was invited to this circus he thought it was a way to deal with the thoughts on his head, it’s not even a trauma.

He thought it wasn’t big, but it is, this circus appeared to be on Gotham, one with so many members he used to know when he was a kid, of course many of them were new but he couldn’t but look at them like he knew them since forever

Anyways! It is okay, right? He would just sat there enjoying the act

And his curiosity brought him to see every member, the usual acrobats were there, even some other members he thought weren’t that famous anymore

Really! He got to see a strong woman! He feels like a kid again, I mean, he can see through their tricks but he doesn’t care, they are so good he had to take a double check

Like, those siblings who were attached to the other, he thought for a second they were real siameses

They weren’t, they just wore a suit, even more amazing!

— Oh? Look who goes there, that’s our little Arlequinn — Dick looked where the member pointed at, a little boy with a clown outfit was painting his face in front of a mirror

He was so small, the big collar he was wearing made him even smaller, his pale skin made the makeup look perfect

He doesn’t know why, but his monochromatic outfit only makes him more pale, like he’s some kind of ghost.

— He’s just too shy with new people, but don’t worry, once you see him on stage you will see why he’s our little star —

Dick approached the boy, he jumped on his place looking at Dick with a confused expression, still not scare

— Hi kid, I’m Dick — he extended his hand for him, the kid hesitated, then he ran away

— Told ya, anyways, let’s get you to your seat, you don’t want to miss it —

At the final call he’s there sitting on the front road, a special seat the circus chose for him as a way to show him how they missed him.

The carp is dark when the lights go on

There is our little Arlequinn, hanging from a rope when he gets down

Immediately he starts juggling and doing tricks, Dick is already giggling at the way the kid tripped with his own hands being hit by the balls

He hears his childish laughs, the kid makes a surprised expression before pulling out of his ear a rainbow rope

He starts jumping the rope until all of his toys fall from his pockets, desperately he tries to pick them all before he jumps scared

— Arlequinn! Where are you, Arlequinn? — a younger voice calls for the little kid, he shows three fingers pulling them down before he starts flying, Dick didn’t noticed when he wrapped his waist on a rope

He can’t see the kid anymore, there is when a girl with a similar outfit but pink outfit goes out

— Hello there! Welcome to the rainbow circus! My name is Harlequin! — the girl bows to everyone, isn’t that name familiar?

Suddenly, a ball hits her

There is the kid, Dick can’t be more excited

— There you are! Arlequinn get down! — the kid jumps doing a spin before touching the ground

— We need to show our guest our hospitality! Let’s greet them! — the girl holds Arlequinn’s hand doing together a bow

Welcome to the rainbow circus! Let’s have a great time together, shall we?

Dick is already smiling, this little clown got his eye

Even when the other members do their tricks, he can only focus on the way Arlequinn keeps tripping over and over falling every single of his tricks

He knows it’s a script, but god he’s adorable

Apparently, “Harlequinn” it’s his sister who keeps scolding him for every mistake he makes

It’s hilarious, even if the kid doesn’t speak he makes everyone laugh

It’s like he is the star, just like their co-workers called him; Dick can see him whenever a different act is going to start like he’s the master of ceremonies

He can tell how the kid loves his job.

— Arlequinn! What are you doing here? — a man with torches laughs at how the kid tries to imitate his trick, just for his balls to fall again

So someone else is going to perform, huh? The quick exchange of words reminds Dick about that fact making him try to guess what’s next

Until a pair of arms steal Arlequinn from the stage, Dick sees up

Harlequinn is holding Arlequinn making him hang on a bar

Oh, oh

Dick feels nostalgic, the pair of siblings are doing acrobatics all over the stage like he used to do when he was younger

It was weird, their fluffy suits makes it difficult to see what types of movements they are doing but he can guess it’s part of their magic

— Louder, dear public! — He can hear her voice trying to make more noise

Everyone is cheering for them, even Dick is already on his feet screaming his lungs out

Crips crisp

Dick eyes caught a shine of something in the ropes

Before he can do something, the carp sets on fire

It is so quick, so quick Dick freeze on his seat, everyone is screaming scared not knowing what to do

Quick, he gets to help everyone leave the carp, his hand is already pressing a napkin on his nose

Wait, where are the circus members?

He turns to see how they all are trying to reach the kids, Arlequinn is far away from them

He won’t make it

He can’t, Dick can only see the kid

That’s a terrified face

His mouth opens ready to shout something, to alert everyone, to stop this before something worse happens

Until it happens

Arlequinn’s rope breaks, he was about to fall into his dead but Harlequin took him by the arm passing him to her bar

Her fluffy suit gets on fire while she falls

— Rosie! — for the first time in the night Dick can hear the kid’s voice

When did all the carp set on fire?

How familiar

Red and blue, ambulance lights are all over the place where a kid is sitting with his gaze on the floor

Your makeup isn’t there anymore, the tears wipe it off and you just don’t care

Your sister, you saw your family dying, even if the other members were just injured

How can you bring back someone from the death?

When did the fire get like this? In a moment you saw how your sister slipped through your fingers, the other a man was carrying you out of the carp

And by now, you can’t do more than stare down like everything just lost their point

— Hey kid, I’m Dick — the same man as before sits down next to you, you don’t care enough to see him

He doesn’t touch you, he just sit there

— The police wants to know if you have somewhere to go, you know, you can’t stay on the circus anymore —

Gripping on the blanket over your shoulders, you turn to see him

The way your eyes are shot with blood red sends a shiver through the man’s back

— I don’t have parents, I only had my sister — your voice is a whisper, now he gets why your voice sounded too loud when you screamed.

His heart breaks, finally he hugs you by the shoulder pulling you close to his body

— It’s okay kid, it’s okay — the way his hand rubs your shoulder only makes you sick.

Your head falls to see your hands, the feeling of your sister grabbing you so tightly

What did she say to you? You remember her lips moving but there’s no sound, your thoughts were too loud to hear another thing

How you wished to hear it again, to repeat that moment and tell everyone what was going to happen

— What’s your name, kid? — The man ask, what was his name again?

You don’t remember, you don’t want to remember, instead you lay your head on his chest

— (Reader).. — a mumble you wish you didn’t say.

Dick opens the door for you letting you enter the manor, he is silent until an old man appears to talk to him

Their conversation sounds too far from you and you don’t try to hear it, instead you moved to see the halls

A family picture shows you this is the Wayne manor, you heard of it but you never thought of being here

— Dick? You’re here early — the head of the family walks downstairs and you turned to see him

Your eyes connect, you can feel how he analyze your suit

When did the white pants got stained of deep red blood?

— What happened? — His voice sounds too kind, you sighed walking to be by Dick’s side

— An accident happened, and this kid he’s… — the way Dick looks at you makes you sick

You don’t have the power to care, or maybe the will to do it

Their conversation feels weird, a thing you shouldn’t care about but you still have to be there for it

— It’s just for a few weeks, until someone from the circus recovers and take him — that idea gets your heart pumping in excitement, how could you be with? What about Eliza? She was the strong woman!

Very cool! She used to carry you everywhere, being her kid would be amazing

Or what about Jack? He can spit fire! Not really, but it’s an amazing idea

You only have to wait for them to recover, this is going to be long

— I guess we can take care of him, but we need to get him out of this suit — the rich man pointed at you

Your expression is blank, until an old man goes to your way kneeling in front of you

— Young master, do you mind following me? — he extends his hand to you

Hesitant, you hold his hand going upstairs

This manor is big, so big you had to walk faster than you’re used to or maybe it’s because the butler has longer legs.

He gives you old clothes, you don’t know who was their owner but you changed your old suit to this clothes

They are comfy, still too big for you.

You looked at the window, it is reflecting your face, covered in makeup with only the marks of your tears running it

You don’t have the heart to wipe it off, instead you go out where the butler is waiting for you

— Your makeup- no, I’m sorry, let’s get down — the old man seem to know why you didn’t wipe it off, he didn’t try to wipe it either

He knows why, and he won’t take it away from you.

The way back is faster than before, you can’t hear anymore the bells on your suit making you feel worst

— Hi little one, I’m Bruce — the rich man greets you kneeling to your level

He holds your arms looking at you with a little smile, he’s kind, not trying to make you uncomfortable

But your eyes are blank, you looked at the new faces

Three more guys are looking at you, the one with the tanner skin looks like he is pissed about your whole existence

— You’re so skinny, even more than Jason was — Bruce mumbled, you walked to Dick who looks at you

Your arms raise, he instantly gets it kneeling down to pick you up in a hug

And finally you can cry, it’s silent but Dick caress your back

You’re shaking, no one can hear your sobs but everyone knows what you are doing.

Dick can only feel nostalgic, this is exactly what he did when he met Bruce, clinging to him like he was his only savior

— Get the little one to rest, he deserves it — the man with the white streak speaks to Dick

There are a few words you can’t hear, you chose not to, you’re too tired to care about this nonsense.

He carries you downstairs again, you’re not longer crying but just laying your head on his shoulder, stray tears leave your eyes and even if you try to stop them

They keep rolling through your cheeks.

— I was an acrobat too, did you know it? — Dick tries to make a conversation, to get your mind out of the incident

And you try, your mind wander through everything your family told you about their special guest

— Flying Grayson? — you whispered, he giggles making you know you were right

In other circumstances, you would laugh telling him how excited you were to get it right

But your body is too tired

— That’s right, I quit for some similar reasons, but I’m still a good acrobat — the way to a room feels longer than it should.

You hummed a response, it was so quiet Dick had to think if that really happened

— What were you exactly? You’re an acrobat and some kind of clown — you think he’s some kind of dumb

Your name tells everything, I mean, your stage name

— Im a harlequin — you mumbled, he pats your back — I noticed that, your name is without H, right? —

You think about it, now you can remember your sister

Harlequin, she had the name correct spelt, still everyone pronounces it like Harley

Not that you think about it, you giggled at the memory, she was the one who gave you this stupid name

Everyone told her she miss spell it, but she kept saying it was the way you say it on Spanish, a riddle only you and her get

— I know a Harlequin too, but everyone calls her Harley Quinn, don’t tell anyone I told you this —

That name sends a shiver through your back

— My sister used to admire her, until she found out she was a criminal and she felt guilty about taking a similar name —

Dick’s heart does a jump, does little kids love criminals? He’s used to kids admiring heroes like him or Bruce, but Harley?

He can’t blame them tho, he gets why someone would want to be like her, if you don’t mention the whole situation about Joker, of course

— But you can say I’m some kind of clown, if it makes it easier — you mumbled tracing an imaginary line on his shoulder

Finally, he opens a door walking until he lays you down on the bed

He sits next to you, you didn’t noticed when he grabbed a wet wipe taking off the makeup on your face

— There you are, let’s get some sleep, okay? You’ll feel better tomorrow — he stands up ready to leave the room

But you took his hand, he turns to see you

— Can you stay here? Until I fall asleep, please? — your voice sounds too weak

How can he deny you that? He sits down again hugging your body close to his

— Of course, kid —

You close your eyes ignoring the smell of blood on your nails

Your heart feels heavy but you choose not to care anymore, you’re too tired to think about it again.

[secondsovereign]

Application Writing Sampler for posterity

Three ghosts of the past made manifest through the Star of Eden, a consequence of a life of hubris maybe, or a sign that the past was never as far away as the man tried to pretend it was. Perhaps he should have expected this, for his dreams to be more like a nightmare that chased him without end. To some, Penacony was a land of dreams, yet for the former Sovereign of Anti-Entropy it was little more than a nightmare designed to give form to the deepest shadows of his mind. The moment of Sol is like a cruel trick played upon him by the oak family, the ghosts of the past brushing past him at every opportunity.

Sirin, his first failure, violet locks catching in the breeze as she trailed after sisters whom he could not face without the gnawing of shame at his mind. It's the first hint of a trap in his mind when the question echoes around his mind. “Do you consider yourself strong, Herrscher?” words devoid of malice, spoken more like a former pupil than someone he considered one of his greatest failures. Strength was such a funny thing to him, strength was something more easily reflected in his students than the man himself. What use was the inherited strength of the father when he’d failed to trap Kevin in that imaginary maze for just a moment longer? Gloved fingers reach to rub at aged eyes, to caress the sleeplessness beneath glass lenses, before his gaze is held steady upon the fading memory of the Second Herrscher. 

“Perhaps I was once Sirin, and yet strength alone was never enough to succeed.” A sigh, leaning heavily on the cane, before his thoughts coalesce into coherency. “My strength has passed on now, and yet… I do not mourn the choice I made in giving that core to Bronya Zaychik. That power is not something to be hoarded, only to guide those who come after us.” Laughter, grandfatherly for the man that’s finally begun to show his age, a hand reaching to tussle the violet locks that have begun to fade into memory.

The scene shifts, the streets fading away into the memory of a lecture room. How long has it been since he stood in these storied halls? Listening to the bustle of students and the ringing of a bell before they filed into the hall for an enlightening discussion on the nature of space engineering. The former Herrscher doesn’t need to cast his gaze around the room to know which ghost of the past awaits him here, the sea of flaming red hair that falls ever so softly over the seat in front, the light snores of a student he hasn’t seen in over a decade. Perhaps these memories are to be his confession, to lay bare every hint of sin that remains in the storied past, it's almost amusing to see her head whip up at the clack of a cane he never had twenty-nine years ago. “Welcome back to the land of the living, Himeko.” Such irony is not lost on him, to welcome back a student who never remembered him outside this phantasmal room. It's calming, in a way, to go through the motions of the lecture before a hand shoots up with a question he’s afraid to take from her.

“What will you be remembered for, Professor?” Armour-piercing as bile rises in his throat, had it of been anyone else he would not feel his age so vividly as he did right now. He wants to curse the Families of Penacony for their hubris, their assumptions that they had any right to pull the memories of her from his mind where he’s locked them oh so deep. Shaky aged breath escapes through clenched teeth, eyes turning to that knowing gaze that stared deep into his soul, “My Students.” It would never satisfy her if she were actually before him, he knows, and yet he cannot bring himself to admit that the sin of removing her memories will be his legacy to his closest confidants. “My legacy will be the happiness they seized by their own hands.”

Welt doesn’t need to wait for the scene to shift, he knows deep down who stands before the final lock, taking the seat offered before crossing eyes with the man before him. “Are you content, Joachim?” A question from the figure who steps into view, the man who set him on this path nearly a century ago, and one he cannot help but answer with a fond smile on his face. “Yes, I wouldn’t change it, even for you, Joyce.” It’s not hubris, not this time, not when he’s given one more chance to speak to his predecessor who set him out on this long path. “And yet, I doubt you want to even ask that. Even as an old man, you still have another lesson for me to learn, don’t you?” A shake of amused features that have only begun to show their age, the cane in his grasp fading away as the Star of Eden hums to life, myriad scenes flashing by as the ghosts of the past fade away, leaving only an opera stage as the fog clears from his thoughts, eyes flashing to the trailblazer standing defiant.

It's a flash, the breath before the storm hits as read lightning coalesces, the numbing entropy of Nihility as he rises in defiance once more, prepared to witness another’s story once again.

[damienf519]

The Second Beta for Coastal Roads is here!

The second beta is out. I announced the first one earlier this year.  I also made a separate post talking about the pride flag crosswalks I created for the world.  This screenshot is of the first version of the world, but for the most part, its very similar to how it looks now.  It is missing the lots that CJplays will create, that assuming nothing goes wrong will be included in the final version of the map

The map requires every single expansion pack and stuff pack with the exception of Katy Perry Sweet Treats as that is is the only pack I do not own.  In addition it uses the following free store objects

No Tricks, Just Treats

 More Halloween Treats 

 More Holiday Presents 

 Weba Yayfoo

 Modern HDTV by Webbsta Industries

 Honeycomb Bookshelf ( I'm having trouble finding this one in the store for some reason. Hope its still available ) 

 Let there be Sims!

( The download no longer exists as this version of Coastal Roads is out of Date. You can however download the finished version via this post ). When the final version is released, the map and the saved game file will be a separate download, but for now you will have to download them together.  Please make sure you playtest the map using the saved game file.  The current version of Coastal Roads will have to be installed for it to work.  Make sure you delete the previous version if you had it installed on your computer

Given the custom pride crosswalks, I made sure to include two same sex couples, along with my first transgender sim. I hope that you like them.

I am also creating some extra lots that you will be able to download separately when the final version of the map is released, that use some premium store content.

Now that that's over with, here are some additional, more up to date screenshots of what the world currently looks like.  Most of the sims in the pictures below are ones that I created, but a few of them are NPC townies.  You will need to load the saved game file, in order to encounter them.  There will not be any graveyard ghosts in the saved game file, until the final version of the map.

So what do you guys think so far?  Please let me know if there is anything you like or dislike about the world and if there is anything that could be improved upon.  Also, please let me know what you think of my sims

[otterandterrier]

👻 2025 Series Challenge - 11/53: LOCKWOOD & CO.

I hadn’t heard of this series until the Netflix show came out and people started posting about it here. Kids fighting ghosts that only they could see - sounded like fun! And when I started the first book, I confess I didn’t think it was going to be much more deeper than that, because Stroud has an economy of sentimentalism. I’m happy to say I was wrong about that.

I was ultimately amused/impressed because I think Stroud managed to Trojan-horse a few tricks here:

The series is called “Lockwood & Co.”, after the name of the agency, which is named after Lockwood, the main male character, and he’s the one who features in the cover art of some editions. Which is wild when the actual protagonist and our only narrator is Lucy. On one hand, SHE’S the one who should be on the cover. On the other hand… oh, you wanted to read a series about a boy hero? Psych!

There’s a constant running joke about how fat George is, how ill-fitting his clothes are, how lacking in good hygiene habits, how disgusting everybody finds having to see even a sliver of his bare flesh. This, my dude, is plain fatphobia, which is not funny and it’s a real shame that it features so prominently in a book aimed at younger audiences. There is no excusing that. But I do have to mention that in this last book there comes up the theme of how George doesn’t care about physical appearances and how that’s a strength not everybody has. So I’m going to be a little lenient and say that under all that nonsense the message was “be yourself, be content with who you are, don’t judge people for their appearance”… but it’s still not good at all that it was wrapped up in the constant message that being fat is disgusting (or the commentary about how dirty and disgusting Flo is, someone who presumably is homeless, even if “by choice”).

In The Hollow Boy, a new girl joins the agency, and she’s set up as Lucy’s foil and rival for Lockwood’s feelings. Holly is everything Lucy is not - and here we’re back to the matter of appearances. This was understandable to some extent because these are teenage characters, but the way it was done was grating to read. And yet! When Lucy leaves, it’s not because of Holly; Lucy doesn’t change to be more like Holly; they make up and begin to understand each other better in the next book… and Holly isn’t into boys at all! Setting up a love triangle only to reveal the new person was a lesbian all along made me think of Bridget Jones, and I approve of this.

Apart from all that, I loved the found family aspect; each book packed a lot of adventure and left you wanting more, but then left you dangling for a bit before giving you the resolution; even though it’s a series for kids and pre-teens, the horror elements were rather creepy; all of the characters felt sufficiently fleshed out even while being limited by Lucy’s perspective.

Something I found interesting was this commodification of children, the tension it arises with adults because on one hand, children are still children and adults still see them as objects they own rather than growing persons; on the other hand, children are the only people with abilities to protect the adults' way of life. So the children are allowed/forced to work, they get a certain respect and authority, but it’s in constant tension with a past adults still remember (and a natural instinct!) when children were powerless and it was up to adults to protect them. It’s also alarming because, sure, it makes some sense to have children help out with the Problem when they’re the only ones who can see ghosts, but then apparently at some point that extended to having children work in other positions, like domestic servants, which is INSANE. Hello UK child labour laws?? So again, there’s this disdain for children because they’re so fundamentally needed, but since the ones with the Talent grow up too fast and become emancipated, using them as a work force is almost like a punishment to put them back in their place.

Some of the twists in all the books were a little predictable, but it still surprised me. Also, I loved that the title of each book is referenced twice for different things. I found the conclusion very satisfying and hopeful while also retaining the fluff-free vibe of the series. Lockwood and Lucy had an understated ending that, nonetheless, felt very emotionally poignant and very them.

[angstyaches]

for the sick or treat asks,,, what if we had shayne 🍫... a bit uncharacteristic but that's why i'm interested to see how you might write that! if you're up for it:)

Overindulgence also requested by @wussifer, thank you, my dears! Sorry the emeto isn't shown, I just really wanted some soft Sharlie and Belle.

Sick or Treat Game

CW: mention of emeto, overindulgence (soda; I still don't feel like he's at the point of actually overeating but still really loved the idea of this prompt!!)

___

“Happy Halloween!” Charlie waved as a tiny Jack Sparrow and a ghost sprinted towards where their parent were waiting at the end of the driveway. They stopped to wave again, almost spilling their candy buckets in the process. Charlie lifted Belle’s hand and gently had her wave back, much to the parent’s visible delight.

After all, how could one not be delighted by an adorable little cutie in a pumpkin costume? Charlie was about ready to drop dead out of love for his niece.

“You’re enjoying this far too much.”

A faintly raspy voice made Charlie turn his head as the trick-or-treaters walked down the street. He shut the front door again as Shayne skulked down the shadowy hallway, retreating from the noise and bustle of the living room. He hadn’t brought a costume, but in his usual dark attire, he didn’t exactly stand out. Charlie had wriggled into a cheap plastic clown jumpsuit he’d bought a few years ago, which Ingrid had – characteristically – stored in a box until the time came for it to be used again. He'd thought about doing face paint, but had decided that since Belle was probably still just learning to recognise him, he'd be better off without it.

“And?” Charlie grinned.

Shayne raised an eyebrow as he leaned against the wall next to the door, as though he intended to let Charlie come up with his own answer. His dark eyes swiveled to Belle, who was elegantly drooling around the tips of her own thumb, and then fixed on Charlie’s face again.

He looked... a little off.

“Hi,” Charlie said experimentally.

"Hi."

Charlie tilted his hip, drawing both arms around Belle and twisting his upper body in the opposite direction, so that he could lean over and give Shayne a kiss on the cheek. He felt Shayne’s fingers softly graze his hip, and Charlie ached with the need to bury his fingers in his boyfriend’s hair.

They’d been behaving themselves all night, due to the fact that they were barely ever out of sight of Charlie’s family; not that Ingrid or Trevor ever made them feel bad for being physically affectionate, but Charlie would rather swallow a spider whole than give Jonathan any excuse to tease or embarrass him. Besides, present moment aside, the thought of doing anything too intense near Belle made him a little uneasy.

“So..." Finger still lightly tracing over Charlie's waist, Shayne cleared his throat. "I threw up."

Charlie frowned, adjusting Belle on his hip again. “You what? When?”

“Few minutes ago.”

After making sure Belle was stable between his waist and his elbow, Charlie laid one hand against Shayne’s cheek, once more inspecting his complexion and the brightness of his eyes. “Are you okay?”

Shayne nodded, pressing his cheek into Charlie's touch. "I'm fine."

“Is it stressing you out? Being here?” Charlie asked, his mind racing as he struggled to recall any signs that Shayne was having a bad time. He’d seemed content enough to listen to Nicole’s complaints about Belle’s sleep schedule, and to Jonathan’s ridiculous ramblings.

“No, it’s fine. I just…” Shayne ran a hand over his stomach, shaking his head. “It... might have been the cherry coke.”

Charlie raised his eyebrows.

“Every time someone speaks to me, I can’t help drinking more, and people have been talking… a lot,” Shayne admitted, looking like he was working hard to suppress a shiver.

“I'm sorry, lovely. Are you sure you're okay?” Charlie asked again. He gave another glance towards the sitting room door.

Rubbing at his stomach again, Shayne shut his eyes and nodded. "I'm fine."

“Well… want to stay out here with us for a bit? Give away sweets?” Charlie broke into a smile as Shayne eyed the glass bowl that was just about half-empty by now. Whether he looked apprehensive because food was involved, or because he was still being required to be sociable, Charlie wasn’t sure. “You can glare at the trick-or-treaters all you like. Give them your scariest one.”

“Really?” Shayne glanced at Belle, and back up at Charlie. "Scariest?"

“Yep.”

“Can I teach Belle how to glare, too?"

Charlie barely held back a scoff as he turned his head to observe his niece's bright green eyes. She was gazing back at him, head tilted back as though to get a wider view, as though she couldn't get enough of the sight of him just as much as he couldn't get enough of her.

"She smiles way too much,” Shayne observed.

“Only you could think a baby smiles too much.”

They both started slightly when there was a knock on the front door, followed by a chorus of high-pitched voices calling, “Trick or treat!”

With some apparent effort, Shayne peeled himself away from the wall and moved a hand towards the door handle.

“Ready, Belle?” he whispered.

Charlie grinned, hugging his pumpkin niece a little closer.

[narratingvoice]

how much new content do you think it'll take to satisfy the fandom, discuss

(aka this is my own attempt to come on here and say to the Mod: I absolutely love the way you write The Narrator's replies!! they sound so canon istfg reading all of your text posts makes me wanna write or draw smthn (even tho I can't rn since I have both writer's and artist's block help ☠️) like damn I would've mistakened you for the real dude /hj anyway I hope you're doing well in this hellish summer toodlesss)

How much new content? My dear, there is no limit to the amount of new content that people will demand. Even if one person says, "all right, that's enough Stanley Parable for me for the rest of my life", and moves on to other pursuits, there is always another eager to continue. And I can't really blame them, can I? I'm the one who made the tagline of the entire game "the end is never the end". If you feel disappointed that the game is not literally infinite, well too bad, I already got your money. I hope you liked what I gave you. (No really, please tell me. I need to hear the adulation.)

But in any case, you can always rely on your imagination to expand the story ever outward. And many of you have. Just look at this:

From this statistic we can deduce two things: One, the fandom is insatiable for more content starring me and Stanley (and maybe some other, less important characters). Two, they are able and willing to provide it themselves. This is an arrangement that pleases me greatly, because it means I don't have to do any of the work but I still get the name recognition. It's been over a year since Ultra Deluxe released and the brand is still going strong and sticking in people's memory. That means I win! I am living in your head rent-free, as the kids are fond of saying. It means I am loved, and I am remembered, and I am real. Keep going forever!

In fact, if the rate of fan works ever starts to fade away, I'll just drop another remake onto whatever new consoles are out by then, with maybe a few new endings carefully hidden deep within the office, to make people hunt for them. That certainly seems to be working out for Ghost Trick right now and I don't think Capcom added any new content at all. That way we can keep a mutually beneficial cycle of content and attention going.

((thanks so much! It really means a lot because I try very hard to nail his voice. it's been very hot and humid and i hate it. also, play Ghost Trick))

[ihaveatheoryonthat]

An incomplete list of songs I associate with Memory, Heavy in My Heart.

Chapters 1-15:

Hand Me My Shovel, I'm Going In - Will Wood & The Tapeworms

So I'll bookmark my DSM, 'cause I need to remember my place. This is not enough. This is not enough to prove it yet, no I need to hit the bottom. [...] Gotta get to the bottom of this.

Looking up, we see the point of entry between where we are and we've been; looking up, I could say heaven sent me, hand me my shovel, I'm going in.

Admittedly, this didn't come across very well in the final draft, and part of that is down to the framing and variety I wanted to give it. I was initially going to give Ingo a more frenetic energy as he was trying to complete the pokedex, which lessened as he got to know the Pokemon and people in Hisui-- and then picked back up once he realized he was getting distracted. The second portion would actually correspond to chapter 33, and is fairly self explanatory.

Chapter 16:

Cosmic Love - Florence + the Machine

The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out. You left me in the dark. No dawn, no day, I'm always in this twilight in the shadow of your heart.

I took the stars from my eyes and then I made a map. I knew that somehow, I could find my way back.

A little dramatic, but it fit the feeling of being stranded and abandoned in a way I really liked. The second portion was also relevant for later... and another piece is relevant to something else that I'm not going to spoil yet.

Chapter 17:

Ghost (Fred Falke Remix) - Mystery Skulls

No particular lines to highlight for this one, though I suppose 3:43-4:10 would fit. It was more the tone of it, and, to be honest, my own personal associations with this version of Ghost.

Chapters 18-25:

Hidden Highlands - Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky

The word 'highlands' is purely coincidental. I had this on a character playlist, and it stuck out to me for this project, too. It just has a heaviness to it that I really liked for day to day life with the rift and then the red sky hanging overhead.

Chapters 25-26:

Close Encounters - No Delivery

It's just got a weirdness factor to it that I like for the trek across the Highlands, building up to the primary conflict at the Temple of Sinnoh. Unfortunately, I don't think I can really describe it better than that. Sorry!

Chapter 27:

Origin Form Palkia & Dialga - Pokemon Legends Arceus

Sticking with vanilla on this, both because I think it still fits, and it's a really nice track imo. I wasn't initially going to add it here, since that seems redundant, but it felt like leaving a conspicuous empty spot at the story's climax.

Chapter 29:

Jowd ~ A Captive of Fate - Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

I liked this one for being a little more upbeat without being a happy song; it strikes me as having a sense of 'let's see this through' in some parts, which I think works very well as we're warming up to the final arc. While I don't think it fits this chapter's content perfectly, I did realize in hindsight that it plays during a coat-related scene in Ghost Trick, and I subconsciously connected the dots.

Chapters 30-32:

Crossing a Line - Mike Shinoda

You're not gonna like where this goes. They'll tell you I don't care anymore, and I hope you'll know that's a lie, 'cause I've found what I have been waiting for, but to get there means crossing a line. So I'm crossing a line.

It's not about status, we know it never was, 'cause what good is the kingdom when you're missing the love? This is not a goodbye now, I'm not going away. No, I don't have the answers, but I do have the faith.

This is probably one of my favorites to apply to this story, because I can see it working from at least two different perspectives. For one, I would put it firmly in this range of chapters just based on who/what we're dealing with. For the second (which is the POV that the second stanza would also be relevant to) I would also add 33 to that range. I feel like one POV is obvious, but the other might be a little more out in the weeds.

Chapter 33:

The Suffering Game: Arms Outstretched - Griffin McElroy

This one was baked in from the early chapters. I knew the call on the mountaintop was going to happen basically from the beginning, and felt like this encompassed the range of emotions really well. Maybe it doesn't match up perfectly with the final product, but it's still inextricably linked in my mind. xD It's also something of a bridge in and of itself, but we'll save that for later.

[creativestorylove]

Chapter 2: Between shadows and doubt

With wobbly legs I stumbled into every room of my apartment, the bathroom, the kitchen, the bedroom and my living room. I flashed the lights on, no one was there. Why did this feeling remain? My panic made me yank down all of my blinds, all rationality ruled out, I knew no one could see me this high up. My goosebumps remained... adrenaline shot through my veins still when I stood in the middle of my apartment, alone... with my panic.

My first thought was to call my mum or my best friend, but when I reached out to my phone, my thoughts got louder. If there's nothing, everyone will call you crazy. Hysterical. What if, your imagination just played tricks on you? What if this is a fine evening, without any danger? I let my hand hover over my phone on the counter and let it sink to my side again hesitating. I bit my lip, looking around again. I was completely alone in my apartment. The silent hum of the building was there... like always, ghe faint noises of the night outside... like always.

Maybe I really can't rely on my imagination now. Maybe it's just overpowering tonight. These thoughts lingered and slowly convinced me, that I'm safe now. The silence though was defeating, so I grabbed my phone and put on some music to fill the uncertainty with something familiar. My shoulders sink down a little again and I release a breath I held. I looked around again and slowly were able to go on with my evening, like I planned. The lightness of the beats coming from my phone accompanied me while I tidied up my coat and bag.

Later when I got under my sheets, I managed to feel safe, suppressing my uneasy feeling successfully. My blanket wrapped me in a safe cocoon on warmth, providing the contact I need so desperately. I sighed content and reach for my light to shut it. At first the darkness around me now felt protective, but when my eyes had accustomed to it, I felt that uneasiness flare up again. My eyes darted around in my room, I could only see the street lights faintly slip through my blinds. Though my thoughts were running miles per minute I felt my body fall asleep.

Relaxing in a deep state, pressure building on my chest until it was uncomfortable. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I tried to move, when I spotted a dark figure standing in my door frame. I couldn't. I was paralysed. My heart beat faster, my thoughts were screaming for help. So loud, so desperate. But the dark figure approached me, hearing nothing but my ragged breathing. I felt the end of my mattress dip, my feet sinking with it, like stones into a deep ocean. My mattress dipped more, this figure crawled upon me, hovering above me. I tried to scream the whole few seconds that felt like days. Nothing escaped my mouth. Just when I thought, it can't get creepier and I'm losing my mind, the figure leaned down. The silence was suffocating, so deep I heard my own rapid heartbeat in my ears. I was locked into my fear, my breath coming in short gasps, when the figure leaned down more, the weight I felt on my chest increasing.

Then suddenly I smelled it. An individual smell with a sweet, musky cologne in addition. I held my breath. I felt warmth on my cheek, radiating from another body. I took in this scent again, before I felt a piece of cloth on my cheek, tenderly rubbing against it. But I rather felt that someone behind that cloth, not a dark haunting ghost, there was cheek behind that cloth. I turned my head a bit, causing the person, I knew now definitely that it was a person, to shy away quietly, leaving my mattress, my room, my apartment.

I didn't really realise, that I could move again, but when I did, I jumped out of my bed. I had to know who that was. Quickly I ran into my short hallway just to find the front door neatly closed again. I opened it, breathing quickly but all I can hear is the loud thud of the door downstairs. Again. And there I was. Standing in the stair well in my pyjamas, lost, confused and scared.

@darknessisafriend

@kaffeina23

@satlun

[theotherrookie]

"Cyclists are fizzy drinks." That made a lot of sense, actually. The information was dutifully filed away and gave Erica something else to think about while they continued with their looting. Catching a speeding cyclist would be a nice challenge.

That could be one way to test another one of her new tricks...

"Carthage didn't want us to be anything like what we are now. So you're both correct." Willow replied, "And I'm glad you were able to break away from that situation as I am that my own brothers were able to upgrade from being fugitives and partners in crime to being a happy family."

"Willow's brothers are nice!" Erica chimed in, "They're also Rook's bosses over here but way older than ours."

That made her wonder whether there were more Russells, Travis and maybe Simons out there. Though she made sure to keep her thoughts to herself. The brothers had their fair share of the esoteric already.

"Yeah, we don't know where they have been." Erica agreed, before offering Travis the key, "I can't drive. You can have it."

While she could have done without the noise of glass shattering, it was music to Lucien's ears. Fragments of Five's attack still disturbed his dreams, but perhaps they would cease now.

Lucien nodded. "Yes. Although, this would be even better if we could get our hands on that chair he was seemingly so fond of."

Rook would have loved setting it on fire, at least.

Erica grinned, then reached to take one of the tactical masks. "I'll keep one for target practice. You know, I'll put it on a mannequin, maybe add a clown nose so it looks more like Five before I flushed him. Something like that."

Rook let out another sigh. She was exhausted more than in a physical way, but she had to speak her mind there.

"I guess it has to do with all the things I got told growing up. A part of me thinks there's really something wrong with me and that I'm going to screw up." And for that, she only had to thank Rick. "I know it's not true, but it's hard to shut up that kinda thing. I haven't been doing it for that long."

She was making an effort to think positive and listen to whoever insisted she was good enough. It just took a while to get used to and she was also trying to come to terms with some changes her magic had prompted.

Someday she would open up about why she resented her wings so much, but for now Rook was content simply stealing another quick hug. The fluff of her mantel muffled her voice.

"I'm not the best at showing it but it means a lot to hear that. I didn't get to hear this kind of thing a lot."

Almost not at all, all things considered. Her failed father had always been stingy with compliments.

Rook then let go. "Well, I better get to the arson now..."

Veronica was glad to see they seemed to agreed on how to best treat Frosty. More than anything, she was glad all talk about petty pranks had stopped when it became clear a couple of bandaids and an energy drink wouldn't be enough to send the young mage on his way. The ghost lady could think of many reasons why he wouldn't be welcome home and too many of them could be the consequence of Five's direct interference.

In any case, the spray bottle wasn't necessary anymore, thus was stored back in her bag.

"Five's abilities are almost entirely new to me as well. While this isn't as severe as what he has used on Lucien, I feel we may be able to solve this by adapting one of your recipes again."

If it ain't broke and such. Veronica watched Antonio at work now that she finally had the chance to do so. It was fascinating but being a literal wandering soul, she made sure not to get lost in that swirling abyss.

Frosty would have done so as well if he hadn't reacted too slowly. The truth was he hardly needed to be persuaded to go back to sleep. Though now he too hoped it wouldn't be as bad of a time as earlier.

Veronica carefully checked his pulse, then nodded approvingly. "Very well. Let's take him to Erika. He can safely rest in the pocket while we go have a nice night out in the city."

"Variety is good!" And Erica appreciated that she was being humored. Most people started questioning her logic and that was very much not the point.

"I have noticed that mistakes are sometimes necessary in order to learn." Willow replied, "I almost lost my brothers once and that served as a reminder that family can't simply be cast aside until your earliest convenience, or managed like another company asset."

It used to be easier to do so when it was still just the five of them. But even with the facility and the children to look after, they still tried to make time to be together even for just a meal.

The shadows were dispelled once the crane was gone, leaving Erica free to have a closer look at the scattered belongings in case there was something unsafe to handle. It turned out her hunch was right

"...Oh no." She raised her hands, motioning to keep a safe distance. "Don't touch these tools! There's Ratchet's smell on them."

It was only fair everybody would know. Erica then shoved some notes aside and snatched a car key off the table. Now they could steal Five's car in a funnier way than feeding it to the void.

Willow quietly retrieved a box to store the books they were taking. They were going to the same place as the car, but half of the entertainment for Rook was digging into the pile for anything of interest. Presentation did indeed matter.

Lucien gladly drew his baseball bat and joined Russell. He aimed for a row of vials still waiting to be filled, then took a moment to savor the feeling.

"I know he will buy another one, but this feels great."

He almost felt like he could breath a little better.

Rook made to climb off Bill's back once they reached the roof, moving carefully so her spikes would not ruin his outfit. She took a moment to check their surroundings, before looking back at him.

"It's not much. I just..." She let out a tired sigh, "I've always been worried of losing control and hurting those around me and it's been hard to even look at Five. He's all those things and he likes it. He made it too real."

Rook trailed off as the memories of her time under Five's influence threatened to resurface.

"...But at the same time, it made me feel better." she then added, "Because I know what went wrong with him and know what to watch out for and I... just needed to say it out loud. I might still not be nice to myself in the future, but I feel a bit better for now."

She didn't dare adding that she felt a bit bad for Five as well, not after everything he had done. For now, a promise that she would try not resenting herself for being what she was as much would suffice.

Veronica was glad to see Frosty wasn't trying to fight back as they tended to him. He didn't do as much as flinch when he was sprayed and raise a hand to shield his face. That alone was a struggle in his current state. The best he could hope for was to pass out and not have to endure for as long as he could whatever they were really planning for him.

"Well, a cup of my special tea is in order, but we should wait a few more hours for that. His abilities have been tampered with enough, we would risk causing permanent damage." Veronica replied, "The best we can do right now is tending to his physical injuries."

Toxins aside, Frosty was going to feel very sore from the beating he took before going berserk.

"For now, though, sleep is the best medicine for him. Would you mind tending to that, Antonio? Erika told me that's a specialty of yours."

[xsunnysucculentx]

meeting task 141

summary: you were transferred from your other task force to the 141 and meet the members. 

warnings: reader smokes, has piercings and tattoos  content warning: none

pronouns: she/her

a/n: this will be a multiple part story, maybe with some of your ideas ^^ english is not my first language, if you find any mistakes pls let me know!

disclaimer: i do not own call of duty or any of the mentioned characters

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ghost didn't know how you landed a place in the 141 task force. not that you weren't good. you were probably one of the best snipers he's encountered.

he didn't see you in action yet, but your killcount is speaking for you. his opinion tho, it was...purely based off appearance. you just didn't look like you'd belong here, your bubbly personality not matching the dark hues of the base and the men, who lived there. 

you weren't the only female member that got transferred from another location. but the only one who stood out to ghost. it wasn't every day that he met someone, who could withstand his gaze and not blurt their whole backstory out once he asked one simple question. you're still pretty mysterious, even after he made a background check, he couldn't find anything on your records. to the public, you were living in santa monica, had three children and a husband named arthur hales. you were a completely normal human being, working an office job before becoming a house wife. and no one would assume that someone like you, always smiling, always trying your best to get warmed up to the men in the past three days you've been here, wearing the light blue oversized hoodie and grey sweatpants were a killer. lost in his thoughts, ghost trailed his gaze through the cantine. you were talking to soap and gaz as you held your cup of tea between your hands. 

"so, we know that you're good at sniping. what about on the field. and experience?" soap asked, his scottish accent peaking through heavily. "actually yeah. i wasn't on the field often, but i know a trick or two when it comes to fighting." you gave a small smile and turned the white mug slightly. "how come you've been transferred here?" gaz asked, being the only one in the past days who's asked yet. you didn't mind the question, you had a long time to think about your answer after all. they didn't need to know the whole truth. not yet, at least. "my task force just got a few new recruits and everyone was occupied with two, except me. and since y'all needed backup, Lt. sent me here to help you from above" you left out the teeny tiny fact that you've known price for a long long time (since you were two, to be exact) and had quite the bond with him, which is why price told general shepherd he'd like to have you on his squad. "who said we needed backup?" soap sounded kinda offended. "giving some of us almost died last time we were out, it does sound like we needed backup." alejandro mentioned and shrugged. you were surprised how fast the men actually accepted you in their circle and how easy it was to communicate. there were no uncomfortable silences or inappropriate jokes, which were almost always there with your other team, and you actually felt quite comfortable here. the only one who hasn't spoken more than two words (which were a simple 'good morning') with you, was ghost. you felt his gaze lingering on your back and you asked yourself why he didn't join the table. maybe he was cautious of you? or in general just a little socially awkward? you didn't know and quite frankly didnt care a lot, there's always that one person in the team. you let your snake bite piercing graze against the back of your teeth and enjoy the silent moment. "whats this?" soap pointed to your left wrist, where your tattoo peeked through. "an angel number. stands for protection and the right path." you explained and looked down at the three small numbers on your wrist. you got it done a few years ago after joining the military, you didnt believe in a "higher power" or anything like that, you just kept remembering your mother, who always said that 4 was your lucky number. you've always been protected in your life, she said. ghost started getting closer to the table, not wanting to come of as weird or anything, and sat down next to alejandro, who was sitting opposite of you. "look who joined us, if it isnt the most handsome man!" soap smiled and put his arms slightly up. you looked at ghost, his dark eyes shooting a quick glance in your direction and looking at soap after that. it was the first time you could really look at him, giving that he either wasn't there or hiding somewhere in the shadows. he had a black balaclava with a skull print on and a black t-shirt. you were wondering why he wore the balaclava inside. it looked very cool (and kinda intimidating), but it left you asking yourself if it was because of you. maybe he had some trust issues and wanted to conceal his identity. 

"i didn't catch your name yet" ghost looked at you. god damn. his voice was deeper than expected. or.. you didnt really know what you were expecting, but definitely not a british accent. "oh, i was called flower. but my Lt. said i had to change my before going out in the field to eliminate any connections to the other task force, im kinda nameless now" you knew you couldn't really pick your own call sign, which would leave you with something like newbie for a couple of days (or weeks, or how ever long it took until you'd figure out your name) ghost gave you a short nod, understanding that you didnt want to say your real name. you didn't know his after all, that only seemed fair. in fact, you didnt know any of the guys names except for alejandro. you made a mental note, you'd remind yourself some day to ask for their real names, maybe it was just too early for that.

"newbie!" yup, it was like you've expected. soaps voice echoed through the gym and you pulled out your headphones. you were mid rep and raised an eyebrow at his call for you. behind him was ghost in a tank top and some black sweatpants. gah damn his arms were big. "yeah?" you asked and pulled off your gym gloves and took your water bottle. you were still in a hoodie and sweatpants, not wanting to show your body because of some.. events that happened back at your old base.

"we wanted to ask if you'd be down for a smoke? well, if you smoke at all" soap started but looked at the bar bell on the floor. "but you probably wanna finish training, right?"

"oh no i was on my last rep for today anyway, soo yeah sure." you gave them a quick smile and turned around, unscrewing the bar bell and putting the black heavy plates where you got them from. soap nudged ghost slightly, pointing at the weights and gave an admiring nod after counting the weight in total. you were strong, no questions asked, but you were also kinda.. he didn't know.. short ? or it just seemed like it, because all of them were tall and you just stood out because you were a lot of inches smaller.

you noticed the look and quickly gathered your stuff, phone, headphones and your water bottle. you'd be passing the sleeping quarters anyways, so you didn't have to ask the men to lend you a cig.

"i just need to get my cigarettes out of the room, i'll be right back" you gave the little announcement and quickly disappeared behind the door, after unlocking it with your card.

"do you think she was deadlifting or squatting with that weight?" soap crossed his arms and looked at ghost.

"dunno. but she sure as hell is strong" he admitted and earned a chuckle from soap.

"gave you a little competition aye?"

while they we're talking, you were on the search for your coolest lighter (a black clipper with a white ace of spades and blood spluttered on it). 'that'll do' you thought, pulling a light pink zippo out of your bag. it had flowers on it and a small engraving, which said 'you're the prettiest flower'. you smiled down at it, memories of your little sister gifting it to after you've been away on a mission for several months flooded your mind. it's already been years in which you haven't seen her, the zippo was a nice reminder that she'd always be waiting for you to come back.

you opened the door to your room and let out a sigh, putting the cigarettes and zippo in the pocket of your hoodie. the men looked down at you and you put your arm out, as a gesture of saying 'lead the way'.

soap and ghost were talking (well, it was mostly soap telling ghost some gossip and ghost giving a hum in response) and you listened to their conversation on the way to the smoking area. it was in the back of the base, some benches and tables scattered here and there. it wasn't very cold outside, the spring air filling your lungs and you took a deep breath in. birds were flying over your head, the trees started to blossom and you were genuinely happy that winter was over and it'd be summer soon.

you sat down at a round table, ghost opposite of you and soap between you and him. you pulled your sealed cigarette package out and removed the plastic wrap.

"didn't think you were a marlboro typa gal" soap mentioned and you flicked against the bottom of the package. "whats that for?"

"the highest cigarette, that comes out, is my lucky cigarette. im smoking it last one, and always wish something." you explained your little ritual and put the cigarette upside down back in the package before offering the two of them one. you put one between your lips and pulled out the lighter.

"we were the ones asking you to come out and now we're smoking your cigarettes" soap commented and you passed the lighter to him.

"pff dont worry about it, i'm not greedy" you smiled and inhaled the smoke. ghost took the lighter and inspected it for a quick second. it was kinda cute, seeing the all so serious man holding a pink lighter. he gave it back and turned around, leaning on his elbows on the table.

you didn't even question it, he didn't want you (or anyone) to see his face and smoking meant pulling his mask over his lips.

"so" you started as you tapped the ash off. "how long have you two known each other?"

"way too long" ghost answered almost immediately and you looked at soap, who just nodded.

"i've seen this man almost die more often than i saw me mum" soap took a deep inhale and blew the smoke out. "anyway, why did you join the military?"

"eh, thats a story for another day" you winked and soap mouthed a 'got it' and stared off into distance.

"we gotta start thinking about a name for you" soap mentioned and you quickly nodded.

"i dont wanna be called newbie again" you kinda whined and put your head onto your free hand. "it took sooo impossibly long to get my other team to pick a name because nothing really fit and 'wasn't screaming me'" you quoted your friend and soap smiled a little.

"well we have to see you in action and pick out a name then huh?"

and just like that, a new era in your life began.

[whatthefishh]

I request Steven Grant the love of my life helping a reader that got lost in a library. (It’s happened to me more than once…I needed a hug after I got out.)

Kitkat this is so cuuute hehe these are my spooky thoughts (SFW) on this idea:

You were once again lost in your reading, nose buried in a random title that caught your eye as you perused the shelves of your favourite library again

this library wasn't the most popular in your area, but it was still your favourite, despite the rumours about it being haunted

Steven had texted multiple times when you were late for your dinner plans, nothing special just some good food with your favourite guy

conveniently, the restaurant you had chosen was right across the street from the library, and this was not unintentional on your part. You knew he would be coming from work, and possibly late, so instead of waiting around at an empty table, you were going to wait for him in the comfort of the books around you

Though you were lost in the story you were reading, you still were somewhat aware of your surroundings... enough to notice when the temperature dropped enough for your skin to develop goosebumps... enough to notice the flickering of the lights in the corner which you were sat at... enough to notice the eerie quietness that blanketed the library, even though moments before you could hear the soft chatter and beeping of the librarian behind her desk. Come to think of it... she was nowhere to be seen. Everyone had left. The library seemed utterly empty except for you, whereas moments before... you could've sworn there were several people shuffling about.

A random breeze runs through you, and you feel cold all over. Quickly shutting your book and leaving it behind, you weren't in the mood to fight whatever meddlesome kids (or potentially real ghosts) were messing around at this late hour. Maybe the rumours were true!

Making a run for it, you felt disoriented, trying to find the exit in your haste to leave but the lights were playing tricks on you and maybe you made a wrong turn at some point because suddenly you didn't know which way was right. Until you hear his voice.

Steven called out to you, his voice distant but very clearly Steven. You tried to follow the direction from which it was coming from to find your way out of the dark, the leaning towers of books more intimidating than usual.

Blindly running and calling out to him, he kept yelling your name, making it easier for you to find him in the dark. Your frantic voice making him worried, Steven's own voice started mirroring the urgency in yours.

You collided into his chest before you knew it, his arms coming around you comfortingly. Steven cooed at you, holding you close and whispering that it'll be okay, rushing you out of the library doors into the night.

Steven kept his arm around you until you reached the restaurant, trying to comfort you as you told him what happened. He only laughed when you said that you weren't going to go in there without him again.

He also didn't complain about your neediness for the rest of the night, adamant on burrowing your way into his side. He only hugged you back, secretly content with your clinginess.

Taglist

@kittyofalltrades @am-3-thyst @sir-knight-slytherdor @m0nster-fvcker @daemonnix96 @alexxavicry @this-bitch-writes @my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction @floppapop @loonymagizoologist @cherryvalentine1 @ahookedheroespureheart @lonelyisamyw-0love @twwcs @raven-rk @bitchyglitterfox @ichigodjarin @einno-arko @xbellaxcarolinax @soonknight @romanarose @dameronscopilot @milkymoon2483 @unspokenmoon @campingwiththecharmings @vaderstherapist @oscarisaacsspit @fettuccin-e @mercuryrosesixx @nik2blog @melodygatesauthor @darktealrat @noahspector @dameron-grant-spector @your-voice-is-mellifluous @minigirl87 @annautumnsoul

[danpuff-ao3]

Snarry Recs: 2022 Fest Fics

So much good content comes out of fests, and I really do have so much love for the Snarry fests out there! Really doing the work to spread the Snarry agenda, and we have to love and respect it. Plus...how can a gal say no to more Snarry content?? She can't.

I chose 3 from each fest to keep it even and fair, and also to keep it from getting out of hand. But I do recommend checking out the other fics from each fest if you find yourself wanting more! So many excellent fics were posted this year! Please feel free to binge-read them all. (But start with my list because I have most excellent taste 😉) (Also because I really love these fics and need people to love them with me!!!! 😍)

Snarry Adopt-a-Prompt

Certain Dark Things

by LilaDiurne (@liladiurne.) Rated E. 50k. AU. Slytherin!Harry. 1st person POV. Pining. Seduction. Manipulation. Brief Harry/other. Gorgeous, gorgeous work.

In which Severus takes a trip to Italy, thinking he'll have a quiet time at the Malfoys' villa, but Harry has other plans.

Written for prompt #182: AU. Harry never lived with the Dursleys. He was adopted by the reformed Malfoys as an infant. He is secretly in love with his adopted father's best friend, Severus Snape.

Ghosts of Christmas

by PinaNaponi (@vulnerasanenturmyprince.) Rated E. 45k. Fluff & smut. Hurt/comfort. Found family. Mental health issues. Probably my favorite Nina fic. Really heartwarming and lovely but tinged with sadness and bits of angst.

Prompt #53: Harry visits a recuperating Severus at Spinner’s End at Christmas and ends up learning quite a lot from Eileen, who has been taking care of him.

A story about recovery, ghosts of the past and forgiveness.

Before the Police Were Told

by salazarinadress. Rated E. 24k. Muggle AU. Crime. Witness protection. Homophobia. Angst.

Severus is tired. He doesn’t want to work for Tom, and he doesn't want to be a Death Eater, either. The only thing he wants is for his decades-long ordeal to be over... so it’s just his luck that when the Aurora taskforce asks him to testify and put Tom away forever, it’s for the one crime he can never speak of. The crime that has haunted him for thirty five years.

A fic about Severus; the choices he made, and the ones he never had. About redemption, and deservedness. Also about kissin’.

Snarry-a-Thon

The Potter Phenomenon

by ines_iz. Rated E. 31k. Romance. Homophobia. Coming out. Idiots in love. Coworkers to lovers. Pining. Angst, with a happy ending.

When Harry Potter, queer star of the Wizarding World, returns to Hogwarts as the new Defence professor, Severus Snape is not happy. In fact, he is positively outraged. Not only does Severus have to endure the man's obnoxious behaviour (not to mention his ridiculous sense of fashion), but he also ends up being dragged into Potter's attention-seeking plans — and, ultimately, is forced to face a few demons of his own. Or: Harry Potter Goes Gay (and the entirety of Hogwarts Goes Gay with him)

A Trick of the Mind

by PinaNaponi. Rated E. 40k. UST. Pining. Legilimency. Enemies to lovers.

Ever since the horcrux in his head is gone, Legilimency comes easy to Harry. It’s nearly laughable how easy it is, considering how much he used to struggle with it back in his fifth year. But he reckons half of that had been Snape’s fault anyway. Who on earth would enjoy the nasty git invading their mind?

But as life as Harry has known it changes, Harry’s opinion on the matter changes with it ― rather drastically so if he’s being perfectly honest.

With Aloha

by silvereye5 (@silvereye5.) Rated E. 26k. Fluff. Hawaii. Fun!

Severus and Harry are booked on the same gay singles cruise.

Snarry AUctober Fest

Found

by avioleta (@avioleta.) Rated E. 16k. Postwar. Domestic fluff. Developing relationship. Naked swimming!!!! Sweet & sexy.

The night of the Battle of Hogwarts, Severus Snape disappears and is presumed dead. One day, however, Harry Potter finds him in Italy and...stays.

When Dreams Come True

by maraudersaffair (@maraudersaffair.) Rated E. 10k. Pining. Secret crush. Injury. Bondage. Light d/s. Hurt/comfort. Fun & sweet!

Harry is a world famous Quidditch star and Severus is his biggest fan (in secret). He is also desperate for Harry to dominate him.

The Boy

by themoonandstars1989. Rated E. 2k. Dead dove. Underage. Non-con. Somnophilia. Curses. Imprisonment. Dark Snape. Dark fairytale vibes. Bad dirty wrong!

The boy had grown beautiful — alabaster skin and dark red lips. Snow White personified, waiting for a prince's kiss to wake him up. 

Or was it Sleeping Beauty?

Severus paid no mind to his mum's ramblings. He did not waste his childhood on fairy tales and wishes.

Maybe he should have.

Secret Snarry Swap

Slipping

by BlueSundayCake (@bluesundaycake.) Rated E. 11k. Drug use. Murder. Minor character death. Trafficking. Morally gray Harry. Angst. Sad start, hopeful ending. Gritty and real and I loved it so much.

After Harry takes on a strange case, everything begins to fall apart. Nothing makes sense, and he only has one person he can trust. Unless—? In which Harry doesn't cope very well with life after the war and keeps slipping.

Spy Glass

by suitesamba (@suitesamba.) Rated E. 18k. Seeker Harry. Spy Severus. Voyeurism. Hilarity. (Genuinely, so so funny, oh my god, I love it so much.)

England wants to insure star Seeker Harry Potter and his fabulous broom. Enter Severus Snape, wizarding investigator extraordinaire, ready to calculate risk and assess value. Tailing Harry Potter turns out to be the job of his dreams, though he wishes it could be done without the disguise. A tale of a man’s obsession, another man’s obsession, and a heartwarming ending where everyone ultimately gets what they want – or what they need.

Friends of Dorothy

by Writcraft (@writcraft.) Rated E. 22k. Bi!Harry. Self-discovery. Fun OCs. Magical creatures. Really enjoyable and happy story.

When Harry Potter sees Severus Snape on a date with another wizard it sets him on a journey of self-discovery that leads to the Friends of Dorothy Detective Agency and a Niffler called Toto.

[one-and-lonely16]

“Lance, is this seriously necessary?”

Lance frowned at Keith from down the shopping aisle but it looked more like a pout. He had a pumpkin themed mug in his hand. 

“Yes, of course it is.”

Keith walked over to him. “It isn’t even October yet.”

He set down the mug and folded his arms. “I know that, but this way we get all the good decorations before they’re gone.” Lance gestured to the shelf. “You mean to tell me that these mugs aren’t cute.”

Keith looked over to where Lance had been looking. He had to admit, the little black cat mug was adorable.

“Ok, fair. But all of this stuff is still going to be here within a month's time.”

“And in a month’s time, I will come and buy more. Now, should I get the pumpkin or the ghost?”

Keith shook his head fondly. He had forgotten how invested Lance gets into halloween. In the two years of being together, Lance always made them wear matching costumes for the annual halloween party they had with their friends. And now that the two of them had their own place, Keith had to now help with decorating and preparing for the holiday. He didn’t mind; in fact, he loved it. When he was younger, they never really celebrated halloween so enthusiastically in the foster homes. His dad, however, had loved halloween. He took them trick or treating every year, even wearing a less elaborate costume than what Keith had worn. And seeing Lance’s face light up whenever someone so much as mentioned halloween was worth how long it took him to decide on a costume for them both.

Lance slipped both the mugs he had been debating about into the basket and continued walking down the aisle. He didn’t walk for much longer, stopping on the halloween themed candles and immediately picking one up to smell. His nose scrunched up and set the candle back down.

“Why such a floral smell for a tarot themed candle? Surely it would be more calming,” Lance said, causing Keith to chuckle.

“Only you would have a problem with that.”

“It’s true! When you think of tarot readings do you think of flowers? No! You think of, like, incense and stuff,” Lance explained, trailing off slightly at the end.

Keith grinned and linked arms with him. He nudged Lance’s side with his elbow. “Are you going to get any of them?”

Lance thought for a second. His eyes scanned the shelf before lighting up. He handed Keith the basket and reached out with his now free hand. He brought the candle to his nose and sniffed. His face relaxed and he let out a content sigh.

“Good?”

Lance basically shoved the candle into Keith’s nose. He didn’t need to take a sniff to smell it, it was all he could smell. Keith smiled and Lance brought the candle away.

“It’s pumpkin spice,” Lance said. “I fucking love it. That’s why I headed this way, I could already smell it, I just couldn’t tell which one it was. Do you like it?”

“It’s very calming. Are you gonna buy it?”

Lance scoffed. “What do you take me for? Of course I am.” He leant over and placed it in the basket gently. He tugged on Keith’s arm and they made their way down the aisle some more, Lance rambling about how they absolutely needed to get a halloween themed blanket for the sofa and Keith nodding along, watching Lance as if he hung the stars in the sky. Lance’s eyes lit up as something else caught his eye. He tapped at Keith’s arm and dragged him over to the other side of the aisle.

“Oh my god, Keith, look at these pillows.”

They spent the rest of their shopping trip in that section of the shop, and ended up taking home way too many Halloween themed utensils, pillows, blankets, candles, even this statue of a steampunk cat (“She just looks so cool, Keith!”). As soon as they entered their house, Lance got to work, putting everything in the right places and lecturing Keith about how under no circumstances he was allowed to put the cups they had brought through the washing machine otherwise the design would come off. Then, he made himself a chai tea latte in their new ghost mug and Keith a coffee in their new black cat mug (when Keith mentioned something about thinking it was cute, Lance had dragged them back to that part of the aisle to grab it). The two curled up on the sofa, Keith flicking through Netflix trying to find them something to watch as Lance curled into his side, scrolling through Pinterest at halloween costumes.

“How about a police officer and a prisoner? That’s a classic,” Lance suggested.

Keith snorted. “It’s not a classic, it’s tacky.”

“Well what would you suggest? Matching mothman costumes?”

Keith paused in thought. “Well, now that you mention it-”

Now it was Lance’s turn to snort. “Absolutely not.”

“I don’t know, what about a genderbend bubbline? I could be Marshall Lee, you could be Prince Gumball,” Keith suggested.

“That actually is a good suggestion. Maybe you’re not just a pretty face after all.”

Keith grinned and poked a finger into Lance’s ribs, causing him to giggle and squirm. “Cheeky. Now, what do you want to watch?”

“A movie, preferably. I’m not in the right mood to start a series. Oh! What about something halloweenie?”

“What, like a horror movie? I’m sure they’ve got the Conjuring on here, somewhere…”

Lance scrunched up his face. “I hated that movie.”

“You hate all horror movies. Which is surprising for someone who loves halloween.”

“Mamá didn’t raise no fool who goes messing around with spirits. Especially angry ones. Can we watch something else?” Lance thought for a second before his face lit up when an idea hit him. “I don’t think it’s on Netflix, but what about The Addams Family? I’ve got it on DVD upstairs.”

Keith shrugged. “Fine by me.”

Lance beamed, uncurled from Keith’s side and ran upstairs. Keith grinned like an idiot as he watched him. Once he disappeared, he started setting up the tv and turning the DVD player on. Lance came down a few moments later, DVD in hand. He put it in, grabbed their new blanket and tucked himself back into Keith’s side, sipping away at his drink. Thank god it was a cool day today, otherwise the two would’ve cooked alive under the blanket. The main menu for the film popped up on screen.

“Hey Lance?” Keith said as he selected the Start Movie option.

“Hmm?”

“I love you.”

Lance looked up at him to find Keith already with his head turned towards him with a smile. Lance grinned. He gave him a quick peck. “I love you too, Mullet. Now shush, the film is starting.”

Keith chuckled, knowing that Lance wouldn’t be able to go five minutes without starting up his commentary. That’s fine, though, that’s just another thing Keith loved.

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i offer u this domestic klance fic fragment in these trying times before i go to sleep