#actually i think he'd name himself Dust Devil or something

[paper-fowl]

so

yk shadow Pomni right

I drew them in the raceway au

cuz I can

I don't even think shadow Pomni will be a thing in EP 3, after all it was a thumbnail from the trailer.

I still love her though

she will JUMP OUT OF HER KART TO PUNCH SOMEONE

go check out @theamazingdigitalraceway right NYEEOOWWW

[bathsaltsmcgee]

Lore in the Merch

Okay, so as I'm sure everyone has probably already heard, the latest line of merch from Vivziepop just dropped this morning on Shark Robot, and as I was perusing the list, figuring out exactly what it was that I was going to snag for myself, I found something that I thought was just a hair interesting.

Okay, so in the t-shirt line, there are a bunch of glow in the dark tees featuring various hazbin and helluva characters in the style of tarot cards, which were, to be fair, exceptionally neat.

And yes, I've already ordered one.

However, as I was admiring the designs later in the evening to make sure I got the one I wanted, just in case I missed any, I noticed that there were little numbers on each of the designs.

Numbers for tarot cards.

One quick trip to google later, I realized they were all for corresponding tarot cards from the major arcana, which, admittedly, does make a great deal of sense, all things considered.

It would be a little weird if they were supposed to be tarot cards and didn't have the numbers in the design.

That, I will assent.

In any case, I did a little digging and I found that Beelzebub was the sun, Blitz was the moon, Charlie and Vaggie were the strength card, Human Loona was the chariot, and Alastor was the devil.

And while my first response was 'yeah, that tracks', when I started to think about it, to really think about it, I realized that perhaps there was more here than just a funny little reference to a tarot card deck.

For example, Stolas got the star card for his tarot card number, and if one digs into the deeper meaning of what the star represents in the arcana, there are a number of parallels with his story and character that tie in with the star card. Finding new meaning, holding a new sense of self, discovering a new sense of purpose, getting away from your crazy ass ex-wife, just to name a few.

So, it makes sense that he'd get the star card.

Furthermore, Angel Dust got the hanged man card for his number, which also makes sense because, from my understanding, it's all about taking pause to reevaluate your strategy on life and consider whether or not this is the right way to go before taking the next step. 'The thinking that got into this mess won't get you out of it and it's time for a change' sort of card. So, considering his horrible life as a pornstar/ prostitute/ stripper and wanting to get away from it all by making a split second decision and submitting to the Happy Hotel for redemption treatment instead of just continuing on the way he's been would be more than enough to qualify him for the Hanged Man.

So, what does the card for Alastor mean?

Sure, it's easy to write it off with a 'well, he's the Devil of the show' sort of thing, but I suspect it has far more to do with his own way of thinking than it does anything else. I'm not an expert on tarot, but from what I can glean, the devil card has something to do with being trapped or restricted or held back by something that keeps you from being your best self; self-imposed limitations, or a lack of power, or feeling like you're not in control, or there's some external force that making someone feel like they're powerless to affect their situation, so they might as well not even try to change it, which, honestly, doesn't sound like Alastor at all, given what little we know about him thus far.

it sounds like something he might inflict, sure, but not something he'd be going through himself personally.

However, given the nature of the other cards and how those arcanas are linked to the individual character's arcs, logic dictates that the symbolism of the arcana are directly tied to the characters and their struggles.

So, what gives here?

Is Alastor really trapped a prison of his own making?

Does he actually feel powerless about his situation, which is why he outrightly dismissed Charlie's redemption scheme because, in his mind, it's far too late to change and there's no undoing what's been done?

Is that what's really going on here?

Or am I overthinking things again?

Well, either way, they hid lore in the merch.

I just wanted to point that out.

Furthermore, if they actually did foreshadow future character developments within the tarot card shirts for a show that has yet to premiere, I will officially be impressed.

That was clever.

[dragonmuse]

YAY Ivan and Fang! What are their reactions to Lucius dating Izzy and how long does it take Izzy to be willing (and therapized enough) to sort apologize to them? He did it for Eddy, I feel like he'd end up doing it for Ivan and Fang as well.

(you got it!)

It took a few weeks before Fang was thoroughly convinced that Lucius could handle whatever was happening with Izzy. The man seemed none the worse for wear, was if anything beautifully obnoxiously pleased with himself. 

“Do you mind, sweetheart?” Lucius asked, belatedly, nearly a month on. “I didn’t think about that, I’m sorry.” 

“No need,” Fang assured him. They were going through closing rituals, the Swede sweeping behind them as they put up chairs.  “Your choice. Wouldn’t be mine.” 

“Man is a nightmare,” Ivan agreed.  

“Yeah, I can imagine working for him wasn’t fun,” Lucius glanced between them. “I’ll make sure he gives you both a wide berth.” 

That was fine by Fang. It wasn’t that he hated Izzy particularly. The man had been rough, crude and unnecessarily harsh, but no one in their line of work had been particularly cuddly or warm. Certainly Eddy had been just as capable of casual cruelty though she had generally been more fun on the day to day. Easy to hang out with, if not to get to know. Fang had learned more about her in the last few months than all the years working directly under her that was for sure. 

No, Izzy had kept them alive, made sure they all get paid not one dime less than what they were owed, and kept the place ticking over. But he wasn’t going to be your friend while he did it. He didn’t want to know what shows you’d been watching or how your mother was doing. But he wouldn’t use any other name than the one you said you wanted to go by, no matter what he had to print on checks, and he’d gone out drinking with them every weekend, arbitrated inebriated squabbles and usually kept anyone from doing each other permanent harm. 

“He was an asshole,” Ivan summed up when Pete asked him one night. “But he was our asshole.” 

“Yeah,” Fang nodded. “He was an asshole on our side.” 

“So you think he’s...he wouldn’t hurt Lucius?” 

“Don’t think so,” Fang frowned.  “He’d push us around sometimes, but that was just the way we did things. Don’t think he’d try that on a civilian. Never saw him do it anyway. ” 

“Me either,” Ivan agreed. “Might hurt his feelings though.” 

“Can’t do shit about that,” Pete muttered and they nodded along in sympathy. 

It was easy to forget it was happening at all after a few weeks. The bar kept on, Lucius was his usual self, and no one mentioned it. 

Fang was home with a cold the night that Izzy came back to the bar. Ivan had to tell him about it, but the man wasn’t  much of a gossip, so it had to wait an agonizing week before Fang got actual details. 

“Eddy just took him outside,” Frenchie told him. She flicked her brush at him, dusting gold over Fang’s nose. He always liked a little shine and Frenchie liked to anoint him when he stopped by to chat. “The rumor is that his ban’s been lifted.” 

“How solid a rumor?”

“Paper is off the cash register.” 

“Huh.” 

“Right? Is this guy the devil or something? Scarier than Eddy? I don’t get it.” 

“Not scarier,” Fang didn’t even have to think that one through. “Maybe the same amount in different ways.” 

Izzy was fast, but more final. Easy to predict too. Eddy could come at you sideways and you never knew when it would end. 

“Don’t love the sound of that.” 

Fang had no comfort to offer. He wasn’t sure the Revenge folk knew the kind of things he and Ivan had done just as easily as Eddy or Izzy. They seemed to know that they’d worked with Eddy once, but not followed that thought to its natural conclusion. Neither Fang nor Ivan sought to enlighten them on that point.  

It was nice, really. No one was scared of them here except the occasional rough bar patron. They weren’t in a rush to change that. Maybe Izzy wanted that too. Seemed unlikely, but hey, who was Fang to say?

So when Izzy came to the front door on a Friday night a few weeks later, looking ready to run off in the other direction, Fang just took a step back from the door and let him in. They said nothing to each other, strangers in this new strange place. Izzy went straight for the bar, picking the seat that Fang could’ve predicted he would: the barstool in the furthest corner, back to the wall with a few of the room and shadows to hide in. 

Ivan watched him from across the room then caught Fang’s eyes. They spoke into the silence, fingers and eyes and eyebrows. They settled on ‘Fine. Monitor.’  

Izzy sat, Lucius buzzed over to him, fussed a little, gave him a drink that didn’t look like anything Izzy would ever order, then left him there. 

And Izzy just stayed. He talked to no one, but he also bothered no one. He finished his drink. He watched the show. After, Lucius came down and flirted a little with him, brushed a kiss over his lips. Then Izzy stood up and left. 

Fang wasn’t sure if he was more relieved or confused. 

“Guess that’s done,” Ivan shrugged. 

But it wasn’t done. Izzy came back every few weeks. Every time, he just sat down at the bar and had his drink, watched the show then left. It went from being an event that caused ripples of talk and gossip to another quiet regular. There were a few like that, people who came in alone and spoke little.  

It was hard to say when the thaw came. It was probably Pete first, coming down still in makeup to ask Izzy something. Fang caught the moment already in progress, the two of them chatting amiably.  Or maybe it was Eddy herself, grabbing a bottle of water and giving Izzy an acknowledging nod. That turned into a more regular ‘hello, how goes?’ sort of thing, the two of them cautiously talking.

That was weird to see too. Once upon a time, the two of them had been thick as thieves and twice as mean to each other as they were to anyone else. But they both seemed to thrive like that, biting and clawing, teasing too hard, but still making each other laugh sometimes and seemingly reading each other’s minds on occasion. 

This stilted acknowledgement was almost painful to see. A well oiled machine, left to rust on the side of the road, abandoned, rotting and now trying to restart with a wheeze.  But it was running. That was something. 

Then on a very ordinary Friday night, Izzy didn’t leave as the bar closed down. He sat, quiet as anything, so still that Fang almost missed him. He was supposed to make sure everyone left for the night, but the idea of telling Izzy to leave felt insurmountable. They hadn’t exchanged a word in nearly a year now and it seemed bad to break that silence with a request to get the hell out. 

“It’s okay,” Lucius swung through before Fang worked up the nerve. “He wants to talk to you and Ivan, actually.” 

“....why?” he frowned. 

“Because it’s overdue. I’ll take care of the chairs. You want a drink? Think Ivan will?” 

They both got a beer and warily sat at the bar together. A short whispered conversation had produced no idea of what this might be about. They did agree that if he asked them to do anything like work that they would just leave. No need to argue. They could walk away now. 

Izzy turned to face them. He looked just the same and yet entirely different. There was something different about his face these days, some permanent tightness that had unwound. His clothes were all softer looking. He blended in better. Could’ve been anyone in a crowd. 

“You’ve both been....good. About not giving me shit being here.” 

“Why would we?” Fang shrugged. “Free country.” 

“You could’ve,” Izzy looked away. “Would’ve deserved that and more. Was a dick to the both of you.” 

Ivan elbowed Fang a little. Wild disbelief. 

“Uh, yeah. You were. A lot.” 

Izzy nodded. He rubbed his thumb over his fingertips, slow circles. “So. Sorry. For that.” 

Sorry. Could’ve knocked Fang over with a feather. 

“You are?” 

“Yeah, isn’t that fucking hysterical?” Izzy shook his head, not sounding at all amused. “You were good at your jobs. Better than the rest of them. Glad you found somewhere that treats you better.” 

“It does,” Ivan said quietly. 

“The free drinks alone,” Fang said, lifting his beer. “And less near death. Lot less. Been good for the ole body and soul.” 

Izzy nearly smiled at that, “Bit of a motherfucker, isn’t it?” 

It was, actually. Years of living the ‘high life’, thinking that nothing was better than running into danger and coming out richer for it and it turned out that it was far nicer to just stand by a door and gently usher out minors and drunks. It was so much better to go home at the same time every night and not think when you left for work ‘hope I make it home again’. 

“Fucking weird,” Ivan agreed. 

“To fucking weird,” Fang decided, raising his glass. 

Izzy lifted the glass that had the last dregs of some iridescent cocktail. The three of them clanged their glasses together and drank. 

It was still awkward for a while, trying to figure out how to talk to each other, but Fang at least said hello when Izzy came in and Izzy always said it back after that. One night, Izzy asked on his way in, 

“You still collect rocks?” 

“Sometimes.” 

And Izzy pulled out of his pocket a small stone, threaded in silver. 

“Found it on a rooftop. No fucking idea what it was doing there.” He held it out and it took Fang a second to realize he should hold out his hand. Izzy didn’t snap at him for taking the time to figure it out, just dropped the rock in once he did. “Mica, maybe.” 

“Yeah, maybe,” Fang held it up to study. “Thanks.” 

“Whatever,” Izzy shrugged. “Just a rock.” 

Fang held onto it as he watched Izzy take up his usual barstool, leaning in to receive a kiss from Lucius. 

It was not just a rock. Fang added it to the collection when he got home, putting it in a place of pride. 

[easy-revenge]

Does Aki visit Himeno's grave or maybe Himeno's grave isn't there because her body was gone and Aki just visits the cemetery because that's the place where he met Himeno for the first time?

this type of angst has been living in my brain rent free for over a year so it's time to indulge on main.

considering the nature of devil hunting, it's safe to assume that for the sake of the families at least, there's a grave for all the fallen devil hunters.

i doubt that the majority of them make pretty corpses, or are left with much to bury, but i think some type of memorial is put up regardless.

so in my opinion himeno DOES get a grave. her sister and father visit it from time to time. aki does too.

(this ask made me mad that we dont actually get a scene of him doing so in the manga bc it would've been very much in character)

i have this headcanon that the way himeno found out that aki cried for every coworker of theirs that died was bc she ran into him at the cemetery once. he didn't know she was there at first, but she saw him gather the wilted flowers from the graves and replace them with new ones.

i imagine he was very swift and efficient with his motions, like doing chores. he placed each cheap, standard bouquet down one after the other, then stood back up and dusted himself off.

himeno stayed back and watched him do it, expecting him to turn back with that serious, collected expression he'd always keep his face in.

but aki stood there for some time, looking at the graves in front of him, decorated with simple, boring, colorless flowers. as temporary as the lives they were there to honor had been.

when he turned around and saw her, there were tears in his eyes and down his face.

he didn't say anything and didn't move to wipe them off. didn't try to hide from himeno, who felt the inexplicable urge to laugh, even though her chest was tight and uncomfortable.

she didn't go to the cemetery again after that.

aki never stopped going.

i think it takes him some time to finally visit himeno's grave. im pretty sure devil hunters don't get funerals anyway.

maybe it's because the last time he bought flowers for someone he loved was for his family's grave. maybe it's because that same cemetery is where he saw himeno for the first time and he's scared of feeling some type of closure by going back there alone to meet her.

maybe he's not ready to let her go.

after meeting angel, he quits smoking and that's the first time he lets part of her go. deep breaths come easier to him after that.

when he's ready, he buys flowers and takes the familiar route.

her grave already seems worn. there are newer ones around it, more added every day. the flowers in front of her cross aren't wilted yet. maybe one or two days old. her sister must have been in town.

aki feels uneasy. like something is off and out of place. maybe this isn't the clean cut he imagined coming here would give him. closure feels bitter and unsatisfying on his tongue as he sets his flowers down next to the ones already there.

he stares at himeno's name on the stone. it stares back at him, gray and miserable.

he doesn't visit any of the other graves he meant to stop by. all the people he used to drink with that share the same date of death with the person that knew him better than anyone.

being finally unknown feels like a breath of fresh air for aki hayakawa, who makes a point of not knowing himself either. almost feels like freedom.

his steps feel heavy as he leaves, his eyes dry and too big for their sockets. easy revenge, he thinks, isn't enough.

[omegasmileyface]

Of All the People - ch. 1

Chapter 1 of the fanfiction that @attackradish and @ectolemonades and I wrote together for @invisobang! Starring art by the esteemed @toasty-ghosti! Their art for this chapter is also posted on their own blog here!

summary: After a stupid dare puts Dash Baxter in the lab at Fentonworks during the middle of a ghost fight, he finds himself a little more spectral than usual. Apparently Danny Fenton's gone through the same thing (someone has got to call OSHA on these guys eventually), and who could better help Dash than his hero? His lame, stubborn hero?

warnings: nothing for this chapter, but later chapters have existential crises and Spectra.

total words: 12k

chapter words: 2231

AO3 link

next chapter

===

Why did Dash agree to this? Fenton Works was fucking creepy, and wasn’t that the whole point? He'd been dared to break in because “that place is spooky as hell,” and here he was, shocked to find it spooky as hell. He should have known the air in the house would be dark and heavy like the middle of a ghost fight, but silent like the grave. He had half a mind to just turn around and walk right back out that front door��� which, looking from the inside, was armed? —and go home. He didn’t have that option, though, when the point of the dare in the first place was to prove he wasn’t a coward. Earlier he had let out what Kwan called “an absolute Primadonna screech” while the A-listers were attempting to film a found-footage style fake ghost hunt. He was sentenced to a pilgrimage into Fenton Works in the dead of night to steal something cool from the lab. Now, just the entryway was making him wonder if being a coward was such a bad thing.

Since entry, the house had greeted Dash with breathless quiet. He knew there was all that creepy tech shit in the basement, so why wasn’t there any electric humming? It was like the house had noticed him and taken away any sounds he could have used to orient himself. He had to adjust to it, like when the pressure from an altitude change wasn't quite enough to pop your ears.

A sudden shriek broke the silence, and a shadowy figure burst out of a hall closet towards Dash. His legs burst into a sprint before he had time to think, taking him deeper into the suburban labyrinth. He ground to a halt by a hallway (that he could swear wasn’t there before) and ducked into its shadows to catch his breath.

A peek around the corner revealed no monster. Cautiously, he snuck back out for a better look. Maybe he could make a run for the door? He wasn’t going to die just to prove he wasn’t a coward. Let them show the video to the whole school. Hell, throw it up on national news! Anything was better than getting ripped to shreds by whatever that thing was.

Coast looked clear. As he crept back, his ears strained to make out any sounds masked by his footsteps. Slowly but surely, he crossed the Fentons’ living room. The door was just a couple yards away. He could make it. He grit his teeth, ready to outrun the devil itself, and bolted.

Just an arm’s reach away from the door, a claw snapped shut around his ankle and pulled. Dash fell helplessly to the floor.

This was it. His death was at hand. He would die on a stupid dare in a town that took “dead end” to a new level, offed by some entity whose name he didn’t even know.

…Why hadn’t anything happened? The oppressive silence of Fenton Works beat into his temples. The claw around his ankle slowly felt less and less like a vise. Dash turned to face his attacker… a pair of coats and a vacuum cleaner.

God, he felt stupid. The house lost some of its horror when it was so obviously domestic. He got up, dusted himself off, and turned back to the living room with a renewed sense of confidence.

Once he crossed the threshold into the much darker kitchen, the feeling of dread tickled back up his spine. He rested his hands on the table to steady his nerves. It’s just a house, Baxter. Remember what got you spooked last time? …But what if it’s actually something dangerous next time? And I’m not ready for it? He focused on his breathing. Listened for the anxious thump in his chest. After a bit, he regained some calm.

Without warning, he lost his balance. It was like the table had suddenly moved up and pushed his hand. At a glance it seemed a little taller, but it was too dark to see if the legs were still touching the floor, and Dash knew better than to check.

Maybe the kitchen was a bad place to be right now. Kitchens have practically everything dangerous for humans and just about nothing dangerous to ghosts— at least the lab should have something to defend himself with.

Dash wasted no time trying to escape the room. In his sprint, an open cupboard cracked against his forehead. He staggered backward and nearly flipped over an open silverware drawer. He overcorrected, stumbling forward into the stove, limbs sprawling over the cooktop. He froze at a distinctive t-t-t-t next to his ear— the igniting of a gas burner. The burner opposite his face erupted in a flash of blue. Then another a bit closer. Shitshitshit—! As he jumped away, the remaining burners lit all at once like a fireworks show. He bit back a scream (like that did anything for all the noise he’d already made) and sprinted through the kitchen with arms raised for cover. This house was absolutely haunted! Was it built on an old cemetery? Did the Fentons kill off some forgotten child of theirs? Had they finally pushed the spirits past their limit with their meddling in the paranormal?

Exhausted, his nerves shot, Dash pried open the metal door to the lab stairs and descended into the radioactive glow. 

===

Danny hadn't particularly planned on waking up at 2 a.m. because he felt someone break into his house. He especially hadn't planned on that someone being Dash. But an opportunity to torment that pain in the neck with little to no consequence? He couldn't pass that up.

The first few minutes of watching Dash flail around in the dark and attempt to stifle panic over anything and everything were hilarious without any ghostly influence. By the time Dash made it to the kitchen, Danny couldn't resist stepping in. When Dash tripped over the silverware drawer, he’d had to react quickly to hold it and keep it from breaking. The trick with the burners on the stove was quite genius, if he did say so himself. Some ghostly side of Danny was taking a dark pleasure in the way Dash’s fear wafted through his house.

Once he reached the lab, though, Danny had to draw a line. That place was a mess, and even someone wearing protective equipment could be seriously hurt. In fact, depending on how much denial he was indulging in at the moment, he might even say he'd proven the lab lethal.

He only watched Dash rummage around for a moment before regaining visibility on the steps while his back was turned.

"You shouldn't be in the lab unsupervised. You could get hurt down here, y'know."

Dash nearly jumped out of his skin. The ectoplasm sample he was holding fell as he whipped around and threw his hands in the air.

"I'm so sorry I swear–! Oh, Fenton, uh," Dash spluttered, clearly trying to play off his panic. "What are you doing here?" Danny raised his eyebrows at him.

"This is my house, Dash. You were making enough noise to wake the dead," Danny smiled at his own joke.

"Well it's not my fault your family doesn't know how to close cabinets! Hey, shouldn’t you have a gun or something? What if I was an armed robber? What were you going to do, try to fist-fight me? You’d hardly weigh 100 pounds soaking wet!"

"Aw, you care if I can protect myself! How sweet," Danny snarked. "Let's see.” He ticked things off on his fingers as he spoke: “First you break into my house, then you judge my family's kitchen habits, and then you snoop around a lab full of dangerous equipment and manage to break a sample. Which, by the way, you have to help me clean up now."

"Why is it your business what I'm doing?" Dash snapped.

"Once again, this is my house, Dash." Danny sighed. "Whatever, if you help me clean up your mess, I'll give you whatever it is you came here for so you can leave and I can get some sleep."

Dash seemed visibly taken aback by how Danny spoke to him. Danny shrugged it off and went through the motions of cleaning up a spilled sample. Gloves, broom, rag, Fenton Disinfecto spray.

He walked Dash through the process, explaining vaguely how the spray would neutralize any potential ectoradiation in the area of the spill, just in case it was a particularly potent sample. He wasn't sure why he even bothered to explain it, or how he felt about Dash silently following his instructions with a somewhat solemn look on his face. Whatever. He couldn’t sulk his way out of cleaning up the mess he made after breaking into Danny’s house.

Mess cleaned up and cleaning implements properly sanitized, Danny started rummaging through cabinets with more confidence than Dash had.

"So, what were you trying to get? Wrist ray? Fenton Th—" Danny cut himself off with a small gasp at the feeling of cold air sliding up his throat.

"Uh, what was that?" Shit. Danny had hoped he wouldn't notice anything. He coughed, a weak attempt at covering it up.

"I, uh, thought I heard someone upstairs," he said. Dash didn’t get the chance to ask any more questions before there was a burst of green light and Johnny 13 was roaring through the portal.

Oh, just perfect. Danny had held out hope that it would at least be Boxy or some innocent blob, but why would he ever get someone nice at 2 a.m. with his biggest human tormentor in the room? He made eye contact with Johnny, who seemed surprised to be greeted so soon. Danny tried to look scared, or at least shocked, but it was the middle of the night in his own house. Sue him if he wasn’t feeling up to theatrics.

There was something like a ping in the back of his mind, and his attention was drawn to the side, where Dash was backing up away from the portal. He was shaking like a chihuahua, but he kept his movements slow, like Johnny wouldn’t see him if he didn’t move.

Whatever Danny did had to be fast and effective to keep Dash from getting hurt.

Johnny was over his surprise, his green eyes narrowed with determination. This wasn’t the time for an identity reveal, but Danny didn’t have any accessible thermos on him at the moment. Maybe he could find a weapon to force him away? The lab was pretty empty of weapons at the moment, except a Fenton Bazooka lying half-assembled in some work-in-progress “upgrade”. He didn’t trust it. His best bet was the Weapons Vault, 6 or so yards away.

“Hey, Twerp!” Johnny started revving his engine to charge.

Danny tried desperately to communicate don’t you dare act familiar with me or you’ll get a month of Soup Hell after this with a look. He turned to Dash. “Getting weapons. Stay here.”

In his rush, he didn’t wait for Dash’s stunned nod. He bolted for the vault door and hoped he was keeping Johnny’s attention.

===

What the FUCK was going on? First Fenton was acting all weird and nice and bold, and then some vaguely familiar goddamn ghost came out of the vortex, which was apparently some kind of portal just left open, and then Fenton stared the thing down and zoomed off into the front of the room but it wasn’t like he was running it was like he was gearing up, and the ghost wasn’t paying any attention to Dash and how was he supposed to protest? Then as the ghost chased after Fenton, who was off like a wild fucking cat, it started charging some kind of shot in its hand, and Dash had seen attacks like that one too many times watching Phantom fight. He had to cover Fenton’s back somehow, he wasn’t going to be responsible for letting the kid die because of his stupid dare.

His eyes darted around the lab. There had to be weapons around here somewhere, and Fenton was just overlooking them. There! On the workbench. It was big and looked partway disassembled, but it was the green and silver of ghost weaponry and it had an obvious trigger and he had to act fast. He hauled the thing up to his chest, aimed the best he could, and pulled the trigger.

For a second, he thought he succeeded. There was a massive flash of green light and the sound of a small explosion. But then he noticed the shockwave, coming from the gun itself and not its target. And he noticed the pain, blooming out from his chest like he’d broken more ribs than he even had and the broken bones had grabbed up his heart in their claws and eaten it whole. His vision stayed green as he noticed he was falling. And as his head hit the ground, his left leg exploded into pain, taken by the same hungry god that took his heart. He thought he heard a scream through the white noise, and he had no idea if it was his. If his own throat even worked. Then, there was nothing, except the thought that he had predicted his own death a few minutes too early.

[shamelessllamapeanutthing]

My LoveBlossom playlist

(It is angsty as hell, for obvious reasons, focussing more on their relationship as teenagers. Song meanings and POVs elaborated on down under but in case you want the direct Spotify link and don't wanna read through the crap, here you go-

Blame game- mxmtoon

So I actually think this song works very well in both Cherry's and Adam's POVs.

Adam- because let's be real for a second here, he doesn't think what he is doing is in any way wrong or harmful. Adam is a character in need of help, and twisted as his idea of love is of course he'd take Cherry's unwillingness to put up with his abuse as betrayal, and that Cherry doesn't love him etc etc. I do imagine he, himself was pretty heartbroken when his and Cherry's relationship fell through. Here's a quote from the song-

'And I know,

That it's not the first time,

That I've given so much away to be left with,

Someone who just won't stay.'

Cherry- He is very righteously upset about who Adam is becoming and how he treats people. These lyrics from the song come to mind-

'And I heard,

You say your goodbye

But denial is my greatest skill,

Bending the truth to feed wishes of will.'

These differing narratives and blaming the other person on both of their parts, just makes the title hit harder.

Cherry- Lana Del Rey

(and no I didn't add it because it has Cherry's name in it XD)

The intensity of emotion and the darker thrills of being in love that Lana sings about in this song are how I see younger Cherry viewing their relationship in the very beginning.

'A touch

From your real love

Is like heaven taking the place of something evil

And letting it burn off from the rush.'

Dangerous- Big Data ft. Joywave

This song has Adam written all over it. It deals with how intensely he feels emotions and how he thinks his love, despite the inherent dangers that come with him as a person, is worth everything. It also talks about a need to get away and disappear and just- it is Shindo Ainosuke's theme song in my head.

'You understand, I got a plan for us,

I bet you didn't know that I was dangerous,

It must be fate, I found a place for us,

I bet you didn't know someone could love you this much.'

Devil Side- Foxes

Cherry struggles to find and hold on to the Adam he fell in love with.

'I want you

Not for your devil side,

Not for your dangerous mind,

Just for you.

So tell me why,

It's always your devil side

It's always your dangerous mind

And never you.

So who's gonna save you now, who's gonna save you?'

Hurt People- Jack & Jack

A nice pop hit about the cycle of hurt and pain that never truly seems to end. Here are some verses-

'Thought we had a chance, that's true,

But you have weapons,

Didn't know you have weapons.

Now I am insecure and stressed out,

When someone gets close, I shut down.'

...

'Hurt people, hurt people,

Hurt people, so lethal,

'round and 'round we go,

Guess we're used to the pain.'

Icarus- Bastille

I feel like this song works from three different POVs for two different instances.

First, it depicts Adam's descent into insanity. He flew too close to the sun, yes and yet the song goes on to say-

'Icarus is flying too close to the sun,

Icarus' life has only just begun.'

Which I feel is a good parallel for the freedom Adam thinks he has achieved in this spell of hatred and loneliness that he has cast around himself.

Further, the song has another verse-

'You put up your defences when you left,

You left because you're certain,

Of who you want to be.'

Secondly, the song can also be a metaphor for Cherry and Joe's ditch efforts at trying to protect and save Adam, which ultimately result in grievous hurt to Cherry.

'Your hands protect the flames,

From the wild winds around you.'

...

'This is how it feels to take a fall,

Icarus is flying towards an early grave.'

I come with knives- IAMX

ADAM ADAM ADAM ADAM ADAM ADAM

'I never promised you an open heart or charity,

I never wanted to abuse your imagination.

I come with knives, I come with knives,

To love you.'

It's all in vain- Wet

The first time I heard this song it gave me big Cherry vibes, but the more time I spend with it, the more I see Adam in it.

I see an Adam who's losing his faith in his relationship with Cherry because he walked in to that relationship with messed up standards for love, anyways. He doesn't believe Cherry loves him, even though he desperately wants to be loved. He doesn't feel seen or understood, and he knows it's driving their relationship towards its end.

'Tell me baby, tell me slowly,

All the things you couldn't show me,

Tell me one more time before I leave,

Now I see you hardly know me,

Look at you, you look right through me,

Tell me one more time before I go.'

Just give me a reason- P!nk ft. Nate Ruess

Hear this song as a conversation between an Adam who's beginning to lose himself and his love and a Cherry desperately trying to hold on to him and assure him they're all right. Read this verse as bold for Adam and Italics for Cherry. (The song is sung by two people so you'll clearly be able to see the distinction.)

'Oh, tears ducts and rust.'

'I'll fix it for us.'

'We're collecting dust.'

'But our love is enough.'

'You're holding it in.'

'You're pouring a drink.'

'No, nothing is as bad as it seems.'

'We'll come clean.'

Love Runs Out- OneRepublic

Adam giving himself over to the thrill of the kill, so to speak.

'I'll be your light, your match, your burning sun,

I'll be the bright in black, that's making you run,

And I feel alright, yeah I feel alright,

Cause I worked it out, yeah I worked it out,

I'll be doing this, if you have a doubt,

Till the love runs out, till the love runs out.'

Pretty when you cry- Lana Del Rey

Broken-hearted Cherry vibes.

'I'll wait for you babe,

It's all I do, babe,

Don't come through babe,

You never do,

Because I am pretty when I cry.'

Reckless Love- BLEACHERS

Cherry trying to come to terms with how unhealthy and toxic his relationship is, and how he still finds himself unable to distance himself from Adam.

'I could use a bad disguise,

To guard me on the darkest nights,

I keep finding my way to the harshest words,

I got a strange, strange vision of a reckless love.'

Take What You Want- ONE OK ROCK, ft. 5SOS

The aftermath of their dramatic ass breakup. Cherry's POV.

'I don't want anything in our broken home,

Not the memories or the things we own,

Not the picture of us on the wall,

So take what you want.'

...

'Can you hear me?

I am trying to hear you.

Silence strikes like a hurricane.

I am singing for you.

You're screaming at me.

It's hard to see your tears in the pouring rain.'

You Give Love a Bad Name- Bon Jovi

(come on guys this is me there was bound to be at least one classic rock song somewhere in there.)

(also, also, shouldn't this be like our fandom-wide Adam anthem?)

'Shot through the heart, and you're to blame,

Darlin' you give love a bad name.'