#but yeah it's been too long and sometimes it's like what am i even doing that's taking up so much of my time

[oaksgrove]

No Surprises.

pairing: Simon “Ghost” Riley x female!Reader

synopsis: What starts as Simon’s small act of kindness—leaving flowers on an abandoned grave—takes an unexpected turn when he learns the dark truth about the man buried there. A chance meeting at another grave, however, leads to a connection he never saw coming.

warnings: mentions of death, grief, murder (briefly described, not graphic), guilt, emotional vulnerability. Mostly fluff with humor and a touch of angst.

word count: 1367

a/n: Inspired by a hilarious, and slightly dark, Twitter thread that I stumbled across (this one) and written while listening to Radiohead—so, yeah, heavily inspired. This spiraled into something bigger than I planned, but I loved how it turned out!

Simon visits his mom pretty often. At least once a week when he isn’t on deployment.

He would buy her bouquets and her grave was the most well-taken care of all Southern Cemetery, it frequently resembled a solid third place at Chelsea Flower Show.

But the guy next to her didn’t have much luck. His grave was abandoned and never received flowers, the only readable information about the man was his name and that he died on christmas day at age 33.

There was something unsettling about the headstone that Simon couldn’t shake. Maybe it was the way the chiseled name seemed to fade quicker than the others around it, or the date etched so starkly—Christmas Day. It felt like the grave itself bore a story too heavy for time to carry.

Every week, as Simon walked past that abandoned grave, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. Not for the man, but for what the man represented—a life wasted, forgotten, abandoned by time and loved ones. It was as if Simon could almost hear the echoes of the man’s lonely final days, a voice in the silence that reminded him of his own lost moments, his own griefs that had never been healed. He was doing it for both of them, in a way—he was making up for something he couldn’t even name.

No one ever left him flowers and each time he passed the grave, his eyes lingered on the wilted weeds and worn stone, an ache settling in his chest.

The feeling was eating Si alive.

He thought of his mother, resting just a few rows down, her grave adorned with flowers he could no longer place there himself. Maybe, just maybe, this stranger’s memory deserved a similar kindness… when he looked outside the iron gate and saw the pop-up florist and had an idea.

That's how Simon started buying flowers for a deceased man he had never met. And after some time Simon even started adding little touches—fresh soil to the base of the tombstone, cleaning the headstone when the rain left stains, sometimes even rearranging the flowers into a new arrangement.

Simon didn’t know why he cared—it wasn’t like the man would notice. Still, an odd sense of duty settled on him, as though he’d become the custodian of a memory long forsaken.

It was like he was making the world better, one bunch of flowers at a time. He did this for quite some time, but never told it to a soul. He knew it sounded weird, kinda lonely but he came to think about him as a friend. The loneliness of it all gnawed at him. He wondered, was he doing this for the stranger—or for himself, to fill some silent void he couldn’t quite name?

As Simon approached the grave that week, the familiar pang returned, sharper than before. He stood still, the wind teasing the edge of his jacket. The flowers in his hand felt weightier than usual, as though the guilt he carried seeped into their petals.

“What am I doing here?” he whispered, his voice barely audible over the rustling leaves. But no one answered—not the man beneath the stone nor the ghost of his own regrets.

He wondered if there was a hidden connection between them, something that drew Simon to him. Maybe they went to the same school, or maybe both supported Manchester United football club or whatever. So he decided to google his name.

Finger hovering over the enter button, he hesitated. It was silly, he knew, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was about to unearth something better left buried.

When Simon first Googled the man’s name, he found nothing.

But, just like Price says, “Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.”

The days had passed, and curiosity gnawed at him until, one night, he gave in. With a few beers in a pub with the 141 clouding his judgment and hours of searching through online records, he finally found a Newspaper article.

His pulse quickened. When the article loaded, Simon froze. The words blurred together at first, the screen swimming in his vision.

‘Family Tragedy Ends in Suicide on Christmas Day.’

“Murdered her…” he whispered aloud, his mouth going dry.

The words clawed their way up his throat, and the details stood out like jagged shards—murdered his wife and in-laws on a Christmas night. His hands shook as he scrolled, the bedroom suddenly feeling too small. The man he’d been honoring wasn’t a victim but a villain.

His wife didn’t leave him flowers because he murdered her on christmas day. After murdering his wife he also killed her parents and then jumped in front of the only train passing in Piccadilly Train Station that christmas night.

His stomach churned as he read on, his hand trembling against the mouse. By the end, he wasn’t sure if the nausea came from the man’s actions or the realization that Simon had spent years tending to the grave of a killer.

Simon’s heart sank while reading all the news, he felt like a terrible person and felt so sorry for his wife and parents. He felt he needed to do something to soothe the guilty and that's the situation he found himself in, he wouldn’t buy them flowers for almost two years but he was going to apologise.

After searching where they were buried he bought them flowers and drove to the Blackley Cemetery.

The smell of damp earth and fresh-cut flowers hung in the air, mingling with the faint rustle of leaves and the occasional distant crow. It was quiet, reverent, a sanctuary—and yet, under it all, a gnawing sadness.

Standing in front of their graves, Simon’s hands trembled. The flowers he’d brought felt heavy, like a physical manifestation of the guilt he hadn’t even known he was carrying.

What right did he have to apologize for a crime he never committed?

The flowers became more than just a gift; they were a ritual. With every petal he placed, Simon felt as though he were piecing together something broken—not the strangers’ lives, but perhaps his own. And when he laid that last bouquet at the foot of the victims’ graves, it was less an offering and more an apology whispered through the blooms.

Kneeling before the graves, Simon fumbled with the bouquet, his fingers clumsy and unsure. He cleared his throat, but his voice cracked anyway. ‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered, the words escaping like a confession.

The headstones didn’t respond, their silence deafening, but Simon kept going. ‘I didn’t know. I should’ve…’ His words trailed off, swallowed by the damp air, leaving only the faint rustle of trees to answer him and a nudge on his shoulder.

‘Hi,’ she said, her voice calm but mildly woolly. ‘Why are you leaving flowers for my aunt and grandparents?’

Simon was startled. He turned, finding a woman standing a few feet away, arms crossed but her expression more puzzled than angry. His throat tightened. ‘I, uh… it’s complicated,’ he stammered, his face flushing under her steady gaze

Her eyes were full of something he couldn’t place—curiosity, disbelief, maybe even a little amusement. The words he’d rehearsed in his mind felt silly now, but he said them anyway, rambling about flowers and apologies.

Simon shifted, glancing from her face to the graves. “It’s… a long story, one I’m not even sure makes sense.”

She tilted her head, lips quirking into a half-smile. “You know, weird as it is, those are usually the best stories. So, how about you tell me over coffee?” Her face softened, the tension easing as he listens, there was no judgment, only a quiet understanding that unsettled Simon more than anything.

He blinked, surprised. ‘I, uh… yeah. I’d like that.’

As they walked away from the cemetery, the weight in Simon’s chest lightened. Maybe it was the fresh air, or maybe it was the odd sense of peace that seemed to hang between them now. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but something had shifted. The ache in his chest had faded, replaced by a soft, unfamiliar warmth. It was as if, in trying to make the world a little better for a stranger, he’d found a piece of something he’d been missing too.

[orpheusluvr]

No Space (Norton x Female Reader)

NSFW WARNING

AHHHHH I’M SO SORRY FOR NOT POSTING IN ALMOST A MONTH - writer’s block sure is awful, as I currently have 15 unfinished idv fics just sitting there untouched in my drafts and I have no idea if I’ll ever get to continue/finish them and publish them 😔 but luckily I managed to come up with something quick and fresh rn and finish it in one sitting so WOOOOOO

This is hella rushed btw, I just needed to post something ASAP 💔

Anyways this fic is basically you and your other teammates decoding the last cipher but only 3 can decode on this one and Norton basically attempts to decode too (I think you get the idea of what happens next 🙂‍↕️) also it’s summer skin norton btw cuz it’s my fav skin and I love writing about him with it yuhhhh

-

-

Another cipher had been decoded, which meant that there was just one more left. You found a nearby cipher and started decoding on it, while pinging your teammates to let them know your location so that they can come and help you.

The hunter was nowhere to be seen, strangely enough. Perhaps Alva was still chasing Norton, you assumed.

Naib began sprinting in your direction, while Eli also ran beside him. They both began helping you decode.

“Have any of you seen Norton?” You ask.

Naib shook his head.

“Must be busy playing with his magnets.” He scoffed.

“I’ll send Brooke to find him.” Eli said.

Just as he was about to send out his owl to search for Norton, he finally came running from the corner. His blonde hair swayed with his movements, while his open shirt flew behind him.

He stopped as he observed the cipher.

“Hm…no space for me, it seems.” He said.

“Yeah, no shit. Maybe make yourself useful and go to the exit gate while we finish this.” Naib said.

Norton gave a laugh and shook his head. He glanced at you.

“Nah, I’m gonna pass.” He said, walking towards you.

You were too busy decoding to even notice that he was right behind you. That was until you felt him. Your heart stopped for a moment as you felt his skin brush against yours as his arms moved towards the cipher.

Naib coughed.

“What the hell are you doing, Nort?” He said.

You gulped as you felt something poke against you. You knew exactly what it was, but you didn’t dare bring it up.

“I’m being useful.” He gave a crooked grin.

“Dumbass, you’re making Y/N uncomfortable. Just look at her.” Naib said, looking at you.

No, you weren’t feeling uncomfortable. In fact, you were enjoying this sensation. So much that the pool in your panties was enough evidence to back that up.

You always had a thing for Norton. Both of you would sometimes flirt here and there. But you had never imagined being in a situation like this, considering that he never decided to move things further.

Maybe the extremely short skirt you were wearing had awoken something inside him.

“Oh, my bad. Sorry Y/N, am I making you uncomfortable?” Norton whispered in your ear.

You continuously shook your head, your face reddening while struggling to speak.

“See? She’s fine.” Norton looked at Naib, who glared at him.

“Pfft, whatever. The poor girl’s probably too scared to even talk.” Naib said.

Norton moved upwards, and you immediately let out a whimper, covering your mouth in embarrassment. Naib eyed you suspiciously.

“Sorry…I failed a calibration…” you said, quietly.

Was this really happening, you ask? In front of Naib and Eli, too? Why did Norton decide to do something like this, something that you longed for so desperately, during the worst moment?

But what you didn’t know was that Norton loved taking risks.

After the cipher had finally been decoded, you let out a relieving sigh. Naib and Eli began running off to the exit gate, but Norton however had refused to move off from you.

But you were glad. Because now the both of you were finally alone. Unless Alva decided to find you.

“Norton…why are you doing this?” You ask him.

“You just look so tempting, with that skirt and everything.” He said, slowly grinding against you.

You bit your lip as you felt his clothed length graze against your clothed entrance.

“Just…be quick.” You pleaded.

Norton gave a smirk, not saying a word as he slid his hands up your thigh and pulled your panties down, then removed the belt to his shorts and freed his throbbing cock.

You arched your back, giving him easier access to his goal.

“Fuck…I never knew I’d ever be able to see you in this position.” He laughed to himself.

He pushed himself all the way in, his tip kissing your sweet spot in an instant. You threw your head back and let out a loud moan, feeling blissful at this sensation.

“The other 2 must be waiting for us so we gotta…finish…quick…” you panted.

“Don’t worry, I don’t go slow.” Norton whispered in your ear. And he was right. He immediately thrusted at such a quick pace that it was hard to keep up with his movements as your body was violently being rocked back and forth against the cipher machine. He slid a hand up your shirt, caressing one of your breasts and playing with the nipple while his other hand grabbed tightly against the side of your waist.

“Ngh…you feel so good…so damn good…” Norton groaned, feeling satisfied at the way your walls hugged his cock so tightly.

You felt like you were about to reach your climax, when all of a sudden your heartbeat increased. And it wasn’t because of Norton.

“N-Nort…” you whimpered.

“Hm? Gotta cum?” He said, completely unaware of what was going on.

“H-Hunter…nearby…” you managed to say.

Norton then realised that his heart was also beating fast.

“Shit…” he said, slowly pulling out.

You both lowered yourselves, trying your best to hide. Norton protectively held you close, your head resting against his bare chest while your legs quivered, still awaiting your climax which was slowly fading away due to the fear that had taken over your pleasure.

Alva was still nowhere to be seen, and eventually your heartbeats returned to normal.

Norton gently lifted you up in his arms.

“We should continue this at the manor where it’s safer.” He said.

You nodded, but then let out a sigh. You weren’t able to hit your climax, and the feeling was making you uneasy, but at least this time you wouldn’t have any interruptions. Hopefully.

[ghouljams]

Heya Ghoul... I have a question.

How do you tell if you've been like... affected by something? My ex practices Wiccan stuff and she is very obsessive and still texts my old number and like... yeah, I'm worried about her doing something. We were together roughly two years and she's still trying to contact me after a year of no contact and she's saying how like I'm her soulmate and stuff and I'm just... not into her at all anymore. Like she gave me emotional trauma and stuff, almost convinced me to move up to where she is (long distance, manipulative) and I'm not comfortable going out of state right now because that's a huge reset I don't want to do again...

Not to ramble here too much, I'm sorry if it's too weird or something so feel free to ignore this, but I really don't know who to ask in terms of the practice. I'm also not really sure how to bring up the topic of spells or hexes or whatever, I'm not trying to be dismissive in any way but it's like talking about just feels stifling and awkward. We (ex and I) never really talked about her practices and stuff, but sometimes she'd talk about a ritual she did or wanted to do, or spell jars she wanted to make... I never really learned how to talk about it, either, in general so maybe it just feels weird because it's foreign. I don't doubt it exists, but it's not something I understand very well.

I didn't intend to dump this on you but I did so in sorry about that. Thank you for reading, I hope you have a great day.

Hello hello you have come to the right witch.

First of all FUCK WICCA that shit is just magic stollen from other religions and closed practices, plus it was created by some random white dude in like the 80s so it's not even this deeply ancient practice that people think it is.

Anyway Wiccans also have this whole thing about "do no harm" but lemme tell you something, i am not Wiccan and I will do harm. So here's what you're gonna do.

We're going to start with a cleanse. I like doing a Limpia, since that's the most hands on and accessible.

You're gonna get an egg and rub that Thang all over your body. I mean all over, and try to focus on "cleaning" yourself off with it. Be careful not to break it but make sure you rub it over the top of your head, sole of your feet, stomach/heart/hands, you wanna get anything you think feels bad. Then we're gonna crack the egg into a glass of water.

Now you can read the egg and see if she's actually hexed you, but for your purposes it doesn't matter because even if she hasn't we're gonna throw some salt, ceyanne/chili powder/red pepper flakes, and some garlic into that water. Then you're gonna toss the whole thing down the toilet, close the lid and flush it.

Cleanse done.

Next your gonna take a jar or a bag and you're gonna put anything sharp that you have in your house and you're willing to get rid of into it. Nails, thorns, thumb tacks, needles, pins, toss it in there. If you're using a jar add some vinegar, if your using a bag don't. Then we're doing hot stuff again: chili powder, red pepper flakes, anything spicy goes in your ward. Add some salt. Spit in it. Write a warning on a piece of paper "anyone who sends harm my way will get it back 3 fold" and shove it in there. Then bury that thing. Preferably you do this at the edge of your property but if you can't bury anything out it over your door.

Done.

Other witches get real fancy with their wards but I'm lazy and most people don't have a ton of fancy witchcraft stuff, so we work with what we've got.

Otherwise. Idk magic isn't real, the worst she can do is just like keep trying to contact you and being annoying. She'll get bored eventually and move on to tormenting someone else, but if she does send anything your way or you feel like you're not acting like yourself, do a cleanse.

[justasecretflower]

~ Sdv men watching sappy romance movies with you~🪻

Incl- Alex, shane, Harvey, Sam, Sebastian, Elliot, wizard, Gunther, willy.

Alex

The Notebook

He is definitely the type to be like 'I'm not gonna cry I'm a man' and ends up sobbing

he's quietly crying though, looking away and wiping his eyes

At the end he shrugs it off and goes like 'yeah that wasn't even sad..' he says while his voice is still shaky💀

He prefers this over horror movies though, that we'll get into next post...

Shane

Titanic

I believe he wouldn't cry

he wasn't sad or happy he was angry

the whole movie.

I am a firm believer he makes fun of characters in movies from romances to horror.

He's also one of those people that wouldn't shut up about how jack 100% could've also fit on that door.

If he sees you crying, though, he'd chuckle and wipe your tears with his thumb and tell you there's nothing to cry about.

He'd definitely laugh at you secretly, not in a mean way, just teasing.

I think his favorite genre is horror and says all the time how much he hates sappy romances, but since he's got a soft spot for you he'll watch them

Harvey

five feet apart

I think he would enjoy these movies a lot.

he's got an appreciation for all good cinema.

as a doctor he get's a little emotional thinking about his patients ever going through a thing like staying away from the person they love the most, so he does get a little misty.

If you cry, he holds you, and kisses your cheek.

he doesn't believe he's too 'manly' to watch romance, nor does he find it annoying.

I feel like most of your chill dates would revolve around watching a romance movie at home on the couch.

Sam

500 days of summer

he's in and out of this experience so he wouldn't cry

he tries to pay attention for you he really does but sometimes he just finds himself staring at you instead of watching the movie.

he prefers dates where he's actively doing stuff so he can pay attention better, sitting still for a long time is not his forte.

but if you're team Todd, he's team Todd, if you're team summer, he's team summer, you're mad? so is he, you're crying? He is too, and he doesn't even know why.

sebastian

Brokeback mountain

He's kind of just there

I don't think he's super crazy into it and crying, but I also don't think he's distracted 24/7.

he get's a little melancholy, and likes the general feel of the movie.

he likes laying on your lap while you watch the movie, pls play with his hair.

I think he likes it, isn't super into romance, likes sci-fi, horrors, but he appreciates the movie.

Elliot

Romeo and Juliet

he doesn't care if he's soft he's crying at the end and babbling on about the beauty and tragedy of their love story

definitely the type to pause at every scene, translate what they're saying, go in depth about what each thing in the scene symbolizes, ect.

he honestly is a lil annoying to watch a movie with.

if you cry with him he'll hold you and you'll cry together.

90% of you guys watching the movie was him going in depth about what everything meant and everything they said.

rasmodius m wizard

The Phantom of the Opera

he doesn't cry, but he enjoys the art of the story.

it becomes a favorite of his. Saying that, he doesn't watch movies and hasn't ever, really.

he's been busy doing wizard stuff. Whatever that is

he deeply enjoys the tragedy, the heartbreak, the beauty and depth of the story. If anything he'd also enjoy Romeo and Juliet

If you cry, he'll kiss your tears away and run his hands up your arm.

Gunther

The great Gatsby (more of a tragedy...)

He likes to watch historically set movies and documentaries

he's not huge on romance but will watch whatever you watch, just to be close with you.

he has you between his legs with your back on his torso and your head resting in his neck kind of

definitely not his cup of tea but he learns how to semi like it, since it is a great piece of cinema and extremely well written literature.

when he was younger he def was a history and literature kid so he read the book when he was younger.

willy

10 things I hate about you

how did you even convince him to sit down and watch a romance?..

he would hate on romance and how sappy it is

you'd practically have to drag him to the couch.

"Im not the romance type of man darlin"

he would half be watching and half cleaning some of his fishing rods

he is such a Kat stan

don't tell me otherwise

enjoys it but acts like he doesn't

"That was a waste of an hour.."

you will find him watching it later and chuckling.

If u wanna request Sdv use the “🪻” in your request💕

tags

[teaboot]

you're so like. inspiring. or i wish i could be inspired. you reblog that post with the blue critter and you're like "im glad i was born on this planet". how do i manage to get that mindset. how do i manage to not want the pain to stop at any cost and enjoy what's still possible to enjoy

It's my first time here and I'm never coming back

[faaun]

ok let's catch up quickly

[seventh-district]

not even gonna tag this properly bc i don't wanna get Involved but i do have some Thoughts i need to get out into the void so here we go

(aaa quick edit: CW for mention/discussion of Boothill leaks)

[secondpersonpoetry]

you’ve probably already read it before, but the poem Party by Kim Addonizio really got me tonight. first thought was “oh man. yeah” and then my second thought was “how can i make this about my hockey guys somehow………..”anyway! have a good one! 

oh. oh.

​

[ripclaudia]

:)

[angorwhosebabyisthis]

my entries for the zine are finally coalescing into their final structured form and the running theme between all of them so far is just

[nexus-nebulae]

i wonder when the last time was that i went more than 24 hours without taking any form of medication

[whereisthedamndaddymanual]

And there you go. There's a leek is bee's

I love this latent implication that a bee derives a life directing joy from the passive production of honey

[heteromenckenist]

there’s like three things wrong with me tops but the three things actually become ten different things so when i think about it im just like Noo…i can’t come back from this (nothing significant has changed )

[sereniv]

apologies are hard and can be embarassing

but life is too short to let your grandma go to bed sad

[gaysondashanon]

Are we allowed to ask stuff about Kia or the garden? Or maybe her?

i mean nobody said you weren't allowed to ask about them lol, you all just assumed that (for fair reason, honestly, i freaked out last time you did). but i'm going to make it clear now that i don't like talking about the "her" you're on about.

curiosity is a key part of human nature though, so i'm not going to try and stop you from expressing that. i know it's useless of me to try.

oh and if you really want to know more than what i'll share about kia, just go find her. she's a girl who likes to talk about herself.

[homiro]

[First picture ID: A waterboarded screenshot of text that reads, Not to doom post on main but yeah my boyfriend and I bring in approximately two hundred and forty thousand united states dollars, live in an apartment that is extremely reasonably priced, with minimal living expenses, and still have to buy cereal on sale and all my clothes second hand. Things are hard even for the successful (with the word successful between inverted commas) young adults (ellipsis). End ID]

[Second picture ID: A screenshot of a sarcastic post from twenty thirteen made by user @/dril, wint on twitter that reads, in a list, Food is two hundred united states dollars, Data is one hundred and fifty united states dollars, Rent is eight hundred united states dollars, Candles are three thousand and six hundred united states dollars, Utility is one hundred and fifty united states dollars. Someone who is good at the economy please help me budget this. My family is dying. End ID]

observing the responses to serialunaliver's parental income poll and finding that a lot of tumblr users are struggling to reconcile with the fact that they are middle class and above