#but yes spooky month is upon us

[checkeredflagggs]

Unsolved

Pairing: charles leclerc x podcaster!reader

summary: when charles admits to listening to unsolved, Ferrari take it upon themselves to play matchmaker

a/n: Hope everyone has a good 2025!

a/n2: I made up all of these murders and mysteries. My bad if they’re actually real

scuderiaferrari

liked by yourprivate, maxverstappen1, arthur_leclerc, and 3,138,723 others

scuderiaferrari: Carlos and Charles took the stage today to answer fans’ questions!

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user1: god do they look good

↳user2: i knnnnnoooowwwww

↳user1: gnawing at the bars of my enclosure right now ngl

user3: loved the little baking lesson that Carlos had going on there at one point

↳user4: god can we get charles to take notes???

↳arthur_leclerc: it wouldn’t help

↳charles_leclerc: stop lying! I can cook

↳arthur_leclerc: you can’t

↳user4: we saw that pasta video…unless you’ve gotten vastly better no you can’t

user5: my big surprise takeaway was that charles also listens to unsolved? He seems like that would be too scary for him tbh

↳user6: listen that man has been in Ferrari for years now

↳user6: listen to the horrors? No no no. He lives with them. He is them

↳user7: alrighty there Mr. Philosophy. Chill

user8: ok but did you see his blush when they asked why he liked unsolved?

↳user9: YES! I think the mans likes the podcaster, not the podcast!

↳user8: can you blame him? They’re hot af

user10: ok but i feel like this is the start of a meet cute? liked by charles_leclerc, yourprivate

↳user10: did??? Did Charles just like my comment???

↳arthur_leclerc: 😆😆😆😆

unsolved

liked by charles_leclerc, pierregasly, maxverstappen1, and 724,293 others

unsolved: Let’s talk death and disappearances this month — three cases spread across 3 states and 3 decades that have never been solved that starts and ends in Boston! Lisa Miller, …more

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user11: chilling…

user12: ok but why do they match so well…did you just somehow connect these 3 murders?

user13: damn do the fbi need to hire you. liked by the fbi

↳user13: wait what???

maxverstappen1: good stuff 👍🏻

↳user14: what in the earth is this crossover???

↳user15: vroom vroom guys listen to murder mystery podcast??

↳charles_leclerc: NO. NO WE DONT

↳unsolved: shame 😞

↳charles_leclerc: no wait wait wait. I DO! They don’t.

↳pierregasly: 😂😂

↳user16: what in the world…

oscarpiastri: interesting, interesting…

↳charles_leclerc: SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP

↳oscarpiastri: that’s no way to speak to your son…

↳user17: what is going on in the House of Commons???

↳unsolved: that’s what we would like to know as well…

↳charles_leclerc: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IS HAPPENIGN!!

Private Emails

scuderiaferrari

liked by charles_leclerc, carlossainz55, unsolved, and 2,133,464 others

tagged: unsolved

scuderiaferrari: COTA here we come…with a mysterious guest!

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user18: OH MY GOD did they really invite the unsolved podcaster Charles has been not so secretly thirsting over???

↳user19: they did! I bet it’s gonna be a really interesting race…

charles_leclerc: we look forward to seeing you!

↳user20: how long did it take you to type that out and not completely freak??

↳arthur_leclerc: longer than you think possible!

this comment was deleted

↳carlossainz55: his face was redder then our cars

this comment was deleted

↳pierregasly: I was fielding panicked calls all day. You have no idea

this comment was deleted

↳maxverstappen1: I just took his phone and did it for him 😂

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user21: my fingers are crossed. I am sat. Please please please give us a good episode of unsolved with Charles and Carlos. You don’t understand my NEED for this to happen

↳user21: god I’m just imaging something like their prison episode from 2 years ago? Like spooky and creepy to the extreme!

↳user22: sorry but can you explain? I’m new to unsolved and am working backwards!

↳user21: of course! So about 2/2.5 years ago the unsolved crew camped out in a decommissioned prison with a ghost hunter group (I forgot their name sorry!)

↳user21: while the hunters were, you know, searching for ghosts, the unsolved crew were doing an in-depth study on all the creepy and dangerous murders that happened in the prison!

↳user21: it was a really fun crossover episode!

↳user22: oh! That’s so cool! And austion has some pretty haunted places — maybe they’ll do it again here!

unsolved has posted 3 stories

[COTA here I come!] [beautiful!] [The setting for tonight!]

user23 replied I’m so excited!

scuderiaferrari replied glad to see you on the way!

↳unsolved thanks for setting this up!

↳unsolved I’m very excited!

user24 replied oh my god that’s such a pretty photo!

user25 replied go get your man

↳unsolved whaat??

↳user25 oh my god you don’t know??

↳unsolved ???

↳user25 oh this is gonna be funny af

scuderiaferrari replied …you’ll have both our drivers back in one piece right??

↳unsolved of course!

charles_leclerc replied that’s…that’s where we are staying??

↳unsolved yup!

Bluesky

Bluesky

unsolved

liked by charles_leclerc, arthur_leclerc, sebastionvettel, maxverstappen1, and 1,231,122 others

tagged: charles_leclerc, carlossainz55, scuderiaferrar, spiritsleuths

unsolved: only 1 driver was hurt in the making of this video and his name was…Jasper White! Thanks to scuderiaferrari for loaning us their drivers to make this amazing video that took a long look at some of the most haunting deaths in this local Austin landmark! And thanks to the Spirit Sleuths for helping us out last night!

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user26: spooky…

↳user27: it feels unreal that there were so many deaths in one place in such quick succession…

oscarpiastri: glad to see you made it though the night

↳charles_leclerc: of course I did! There was no problems whatsoever

↳unsolved: I’m pretty sure I have a couple of hours of video that show you screaming and clutching at me to prove that wrong…

↳charles_leclerc: you don’t ☺️☺️☺️

↳maxverstappen1: ohhh share?

↳unsolved: that’s no footage I guess

↳pierregasly: shame

↳charles_leclerc: thank you 😊

↳user19: hmmmmm user53??

↳user53: i see it. I see it

arthur_leclerc: ok but how many drivers were screaming???

↳unsolved: all of them!

↳charles_leclerc: no! Just 1 🥹🥹

↳unsolved: sorry just one!

↳carlossainz55: compañero?

↳charles_leclerc: just 1!!!

↳unsolved: sorry 🤗

↳user19: hmmmmm

↳user53: adding it to the folder now

user28: that was such a fun episode!

↳spiritsleuths: just wait for our cut of the night!

↳user28: I’m sitting. I’m sat. I’m ready.

sebastionvettel: never thought I’d see the day after that incident in 2019

↳landonorris: share!

↳oscarpiastri: don’t you mean the inchident

↳maxverstappen1: another inchident??

↳carlossainz55: it was for a love interest

this comment was deleted

↳charles_leclerc: this time it won’t be just an inchident

scuderiaferrari

liked by yourprivate, charles_leclerc, arthur_leclerc, oscarpiastri, and 2,293,124 others

tagged: charles_leclerc

scuderiaferrari: And that’s our COTA winner Charles Leclerc!

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yourprivate: Where's the trophy? He just comes running over to me

↳charles_leclerc: who are we to fight the alchemy?

user29: man he moves fast

↳charles_leclerc: very fast!

↳charles_leclerc: not letting this chance escape me!

↳user29: oh my god im so jealous right now

↳yourprivate: 🤭🤭🤭

carlossainz55: congrats mate!

↳charles_leclerc: you too!

↳charles_leclerc: for both reasons!!

↳carlossainz55: shush!

↳user30: oh??? user19, user53???

↳user19: …I’m on it

↳user53: I’ll start the coffee

↳user31: COFFEE??!?? ARE YOU GUYS TOGETHER???????

↳user53:WHAT NO? AHAT? SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP

↳user19: I DONT KNOW AHAT YOURE TAKKING ABOU AHAHAHA

↳user32: user19 user53 act normal challenge — failed

pierregasly: thank god. Now stop texting me asking how to ask them out

↳charles_leclerc: stop. talking.

↳yourprivate: awww were you nervous?

↳pierregasly: if nervous includes texting me over 200 times in an hour with different pick up lines and selfies asking how his hair and outfit looked?

↳pierregasly: yes

↳charles_leclerc: im going to run you over 😄

↳scuderiaferrari: you can’t actually say that Charles!

↳charles_leclerc: for legal reasons this was (not) a joke

↳charles_leclerc: 😁😁😁

↳pierregasly: …I don’t like that emoji calmar

↳charles_leclerc: 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁

user33: the way he sprinted over to her…

↳user34: I have NEVER been so jealous as I am right now

↳yourprivate: ehehehehehe

↳user34: ok no need to rub it our faces

↳yourprivate: why wouldn’t I?

↳charles_leclerc: 🥰🥰🥰🥰

↳yourprivate: 😘😘😘😘❤️❤️❤️❤️

↳user34: right in front of my salad???

user35: wow that highway is calling my name tonight…

↳user36: sleepover!

[loveandleases]

I just realize I never sent in a spooky ask 🎃 And yes, I'm also making this a bit of a horny thing-

Okay, say MC has been a bit of a scaredy cat with horror movies. Easily jumpscared, squeaking at each creepy creak in the dead of night, jumping like a frightened cat with its back haunched up from a sudden surprise from behind, etc.

And say the ROs have known MC is always like this. So MC is easily scared of horror movies, no big deal........

Then they discover MC's aroused from fear somehow. Like the suspension bridge effect? Maybe it's mingling fear and arousal for MC, just an unexpected response or the fact MC somehow finds the killers hot (Jason Voorhes, Michael Myers, etc).

How would the ROs feel upon discovering this tidbit? (And who would, and could, pull off a killer costume to try and seduce MC into a little roleplay? XD)

HAVE FUN WITH THIS ONE 🤣 (AND TAKE UR TIME WITH IT!)

The smut gods have smiled upon me! Did I miss your birthday yet? I know it's this month! So happy early/belated birthday!!!

It's the perfect time honestly.

❤️Cam - It's like he can finally see the light. He has been gifted something utterly profound. Do you mean to say all the times they've spent in his old room next to one another watching shit…that could have that effect on MC? Oh..this could be dangerous in the wrong hands…and those hands are Cam's.

He'll do a little recon. Which one does MC find the hottest, is it Jason's biceps? The voice of Ghostface, which partly works for them? …How about Pyramid Head? Cam is almost positive he can pull off that outfit. Ya know what doesn't matter. He will try it all in one go.

He's going to use this knowledge on a date night, let MC think they're home alone when he sneaks up behind them, and maybe play a little game of cat and mouse. Just the sight of MC being on edge in more than one way would be enough to have him fold, but he'll make sure MC is satisfied first.

💙 G - They have to sit with it and let the idea digest. Then they would begin making a list because G is just like that. They would write down which killer MC prefers, and determine what characteristics it could be. G would then even go so far as to rank which ones they like.

They would "unwillingly" (very willing don't let them lie) don a costume, they'll attempt it…just this once. It would be awkward because G tries to remain in character, but that gets forgotten about halfway through.

They would understand the idea of finding someone dangerous hot, because when they would argue with MC back in the day…they had the same thought. "MC could kick my ass…hot."

MC should try it out on G, would probably work.

💚 Kara - Thinks it is adorable. Would tease MC about their little crush on the killer, Kara will use this knowledge against MC. Easily.

She'll get consent from MC first and foremost. (Consent is sexy!)

So, the next time MC thinks Kara is going to be her dommy self in the bedroom, they're not wrong. But Kara will kick it up a notch and will spend far too much money on costumes and props.

💛M - Wait...really? You're not yanking my chain or whatever right?

MC: No. I'm serious.

M chews their lip for a solid minute, debating what to say before deciding the best course of action is shoving a pillow in front of their face and telling MC they too think they can be hot.

M would love to roleplay with MC....but M is just a little bit skittish. They love horror but they would get to scared and all that hard work to get them in the mood would be lost in an instant. They would buy the costumes in vain...but maybe next Halloween they can dress up? M will be so sad about not being able to fulfill that fantasy.

💜Isaac - On the one hand, they would think it's hot that MC is turned on by it. It's unexpected, and they like their partner being turned on. Plus, Isaac could really pull the costume off. But they do better say, as an Incubus than as Michael Myers. They wouldn't attempt it, but they would attempt some form of roleplay.

🖤 Ardent - "You're such a little weirdo." He shakes his head, he doesn't understand why he's surprised because you're into him, and he's aware he can be scary. Wait...wait no....is that? Fuck. "Is that why you're into me!?"

MC rolls their eyes, they tell him no...but that slight curl of their lip says otherwise.

He will want to think it doesn't get to him, that the idea of him dressing up as some villain wouldn't do something for you. He's not putting it on because he thinks it will work, he needs a costume for Halloween! He's not walking in the hallway with the lights off sneaking up behind you, he's getting into character! Listen, he's just wearing the costume to break it in. Like new shoes!

"Ohh, why Mr. Villain, is that a weapon in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?" MC quips, wiggling their backside against Ardent.

"That's my phone!"

"Really? Yeah, guess you're right. It does feel bigger."

"You brat! That's my..."

"What? Say it. Come on big bad Ardent. What's that?"

Ardent stomps down the hall toward the bedroom, pulling MC behind him. "Shut up and come on."

[radioactivedotcom]

SpookGames is recruiting!

If you’re an aspiring artist dreaming of making your own character designs for video games, you’ve undoubtedly heard of our company before. We’ve made classics such as Spooktacular Extravaganza and Once Upon a Spook. Who hasn’t spent hours in those games?! This is the opportunity of a lifetime to get your foot in the door of the gaming industry!

To apply, please fill up the form linked above and attach your portfolio.

Now, we don’t want your old and dusty art. No, no, no. Since we’re a game company, we’ve decided to make it a little more fun than that. Each answer you give in the form should be your prompt to create a character! This way, we get to know your personality and your creative talent all in one fell swoop! (And we will not be arbitrarily judging your answers as ways to extrapolate how this would translate in the workplace and throw away your application should we dislike said answers. Though we welcome essay-andying your answers to explain why it should get you the job.)

As you've surely noticed, there are 31 questions to fill out. You do not need to create a character for all of them (but you certainly can if you wish to!). We ask for a minimum of three designs to whichever prompts inspire you most.

Having doubts about applying? There are many advantages to working at SG! Such as:

Meager pay below industry standard; unpaid overtime; no sick leave; no vacation for the first 3 years; a boss who only cares about margin profits; mandatory team-building exercices every weekend; no promotion for the first 20 years; no private life allowed; SG will be your new family so make sure to ditch the old one!

Apply now, what are you waiting for! You have from now until October 31st to send in your application through either using the tag #spookapplication OR tagging us @radioactivedotcom !

Psst, by the way, don’t worry about about doing better than the other applicants. The CEO’s nephew is the one getting the job, he'll get a promotion after three months.

Yes, all this just for a CAS challenge! Listen, I wanted to have fun. You don’t have to roleplay in order to participate, you can just make your cute little simmies and hit post, no pressure whatsoever. But I certainly ain’t stopping you if you did want to roleplay. winkwink.

ALL PROMPTS UNDER THE CUT

 What is the halloween costume you loved wearing the most?

 What is your favorite horror movie?

 In your humble opinion, which is the best magical creature™?

 Choose... Glitter or blood?

 What is the kind of villain you aspire to be?

 Tell us of the best horror character archetype!

 If YOU were a horror character, what archetype would you be?

 Are you... cute spooky or scary spooky?

 The fantasy ennemies-to-lovers you can’t get enough of is...?

The ONLY post-apocalypse setting should be?

What was the monster under your bed?

How would you personify your zodiac sign?

Who are you in an alternate universe?

Who's the stranger you’d flirt with in a fantasy setting?

What is your go-to DnD character?

If you were an alien... what kind would you be?

What is the best year to time-travel? (past or future)

What is a monster you’d adopt in a heartbeat?

Make disney princess you'd have loved as a kid!

Or a disney prince you'd love to hate.

If you were to have a sidekick, who would they be?

Who would you want haunting you?

Choose... Science or magic?

What is your favorite halloween-themed emoji?

Are you more of... An evil witch or a benevolent healer?

What is your go-to song for halloween?

Choose... Earth, wind, fire or water?

Would you more... Growl or Purr?

What's a creature you’d have as your BFF?

What is a futuristic trend you would love?

What is the best candy? Wrong answers land you in jail.

+ dl the .word application form if you'd like!

[quitealotofsodapop]

I'm just imagining DBK holding Bai He up to every person he meets to present his daughter- even if they've already met.

It hits him when he's showing her off to Nezha that he has no idea the date and time of her birth and feels like the worst parent ever. No, it doesn't matter he can rattle off Red Son's birthdate and time, he needs to know both!

"Father. Daddy, please, it's fine. My birthday isn't until summer, you have time. Daddy, blame Uncle Sun, it's not your fault you were under a mountain."

Prev.

In Jttw DBK literally prides himself on remembering the exact time and date of his son's birth - so to miss out on his daughters is like a punch in the gut.

He's nearly crying. How could he have been away for so long!?

PIF is able to provide the date (I feel Bai He is a mid-summer baby), but honestly can't remember the exact time of day since she was in a lot of pain.

Thankfully, Red Son pops in with the same level of enthusiasm as his father;

Red Son: "She was born the Hour of the Tiger! Just as the witching hour came to a close!" PIF, recalling: "Oh yes! It was very early morning! I can't believe I had forgotten. Guanyin even gave us a felt tiger to commemorate the birth." DBK, nuzzling PIF: "It is fine, my love. You were busy with a much more important task." DBK, addresses Red with surprise: "And you made sure to document it?" Red Son, excited: "Yes! You always spoke of my exact time of birth, so I made sure to add time keeping devices to all of the bull clones in the months leading to Bai He's arrival. She was born exactly at 3:58am!" Bai He: "Spooky hour!" Red Son, puts Bai He on his back: "Indeed! I had to yell Stop! at the nearest Bull Clone to freeze it's clock. Then it tried to corral me back to bed!" (*Red runs around in a mock-charge with Bai He on his back, the little girl giggling with joy. Red Son vows never to unable to give his baby sister a piggyback ride.*) DBK & PIF: (*watching their kids with love and pride*) DBK: "He has taken upon many responsibilities in my absence." PIF: "He has." DBK, uncertain: "Do you think... I could ever have such a strong bond with our daughter as he has? Or I with him once more?" PIF: (*flies up to look into DBK's eyes*) PIF: "You are their father. Red Son has built his education and career around you. Bai He has marked the days leading to your release for as long as she could count. They would have not done that if they thought less of you." DBK, leans into PIF's hands: "Thank you, my queen. You always know what to say to quell my worries." PIF, kisses snout: "I am your wife, I know you very well. And as their mother, I know our children very well too. And I know that our children adore their father." (*PIF & DBK melt into each other's gazes. They are about to kiss when a disgusted noise interrupts them*) Bai He, seeing this: "EWW!!" Red Son: "Don't eww them! We should feel so lucky to have parents who love each other so deeply!" PIF, teasing: "I do not believe you had the same sentiments when you were her age, son." Red Son, flustered: "I do not recall." DBK, chuckle: "I do! To quote a fiery scamp; I will never ever ever get married if I have to kiss them!" Red Son, defensive: "I was five! Aversion to public displays of affection is normal for that age!" Bai He: "But gege! You said you'd kiss-" Red Son, quickly covers sister's mouth: "WELL!! Let get back to our plans for world domination, shall we?"

I love writing for this little family. Good Big Brother!Red Son is really cute to write, as is DBK being a dramatic papa.

DBK's reaction to learning that he has a daughter is like that one joke from "How it Should of Ended: Star Wars"

Completely forgets his villainous plans to show off his baby girl.

Nezha sighs with a smile: "Yes I know. I've been babysitting for PIF. Hello baby lotus!" Bai He, waving from DBK's shoulder: "Hi biǎogē!"

[spacedace]

Fuck whatever DC is doing with the al Ghul's characterizations and story lines, I've decided that from now on the al Ghul's are gonna be DC's version of the Addams Family instead.

Now I don't mean just give the various al Ghul's the exact personalities of the various Addams and call it a day. That's boring, that erases all the interesting parts of the al Ghuls, that's just using "find & replace" and not actually adding anything. I mean give them the vibes of the Addams Family.

Keep the al Ghul's as the al Ghul's with all their scheming and machinations and world domination attempts but give them all the unhinged energy, the casually insane view of the world, the deranged levels of love and devotion for family. Make them that group where objectively they are batshit insane but also you cannot argue with the fact that they are indisputably the most stable and functional family in the entire universe.

They're creepy, they're kooky, they're mysterious and spooky. Ra's many opulent homes and impenetrable fortresses are a museum and the al Ghul's really are a screa-um whenever people come to see-um (or when they lay waste upon their enemies in a surprise attack that has been planned for months and is just the first domino in a series that will ultimately lead to achieving a far greater goal).

They all love each other and want each other to be happy, they express this primarily with stabbing and murder attempts (its fine, death is a thing that happens to other people).

And forget the League of Assassins being a cult. Just make the whole vast globe spanning organization a collection of cousins/aunts/uncles/dear old friends ect. No one (not even the al Ghuls, if they cared to keep track of such things) is sure who is actually related to them and who just got absorbed into the ever expanding family tree based on their vibes being right.

(Is Sensei Ra's father you ask? Well he's certainly someone's father - probably.

Anyway have you heard about Cousin Cheshire? Despicable poisoner of a young woman, capable of the most horrific things imaginable - yes she is the sweetest dear. Like I was saying though, she just had a baby!

Everyone in the family is just so excited to throw a baby shower to celebrate! Ubu has really gone all out with the spike traps, he does so love getting to welcome a new addition to the family.

Talia of course has cultivated a brand new strain of the most toxic plants imaginable to make a brand new kind of necrotizing poison. You know, as a nice little romantic gift for Cousin Cheshire and that young man of hers. It really is so important to make sure you take time for you and your partner to go on dates and have a few pitched battles to the death on dark rooftops in the pounding rain when you have children.

Now there is some to-do about it all of course, you know how family get together can be. Everyone is arguing over who should get to give little Lian her first weapon and what it should be. Nyssa is pushing for grenades but Ra's is insisting on a sword - he's traditional like that you know - but Dusan has the vote so far on throwing knives. You know the kind that have the little divots along the edges of the blades them to make it easier to get the poison you dip them in to stick.)

I'm just saying that the al Ghuls should be a delightful cross between the Bond Villains they were originally conceived as and the lovingly unhinged Addams Family. It just feels correct in my heart.

(Again keep the interesting aspects of the characters and the nuances of who each of them are like their drive to save the world through destroying humanity and their strong environmentalist leanings and their constantly playing 5D chess and everything, but like, take away the racism and the cartoonishly evil for no reason bullshit and give them some fun feral energy to go along with it).

[spell-cleaver]

Portrait of an Empire

Hello! October is nearly upon us, which means it's time for the Xtober fun to commence. This year, combining Angstober and Flufftober, I have started writing in non-linear snippets an AU called Portrait of an Empire, of Palpatine pretending to be a grandfather to Imperial Prince Luke and accidentally getting redeemed along the way. Aiming for a balance of angst and fluff, but it's me! It'll be more angst, inevitably.

I'll post in snippets on tumblr at first while I work on it, then at the end of the month I'll compile them all into one fic, edit and rewrite some parts, then publish it as a multichapter fic. This is a new way of drafting a fic for me so I'm excited to experiment with it! Now that it's been posted, here is the link to the AO3 fic.

To read all the original snippets, either search #portrait of an empire on my blog, or see the links below.

Happy reading!

Angstober

Again

Countdown

Self-Destruction

Blood

Do Better

Medication

“You Still Don’t Get It.”

Growing Pains

Promise

Humiliation

Wake Up

Rotten Touch

Shaking

Only Around You

False Hope

No One Else To Turn To

“Shhh…”

Falling Stars

Tear-Stained Cheek

Spare Me

Abandoned

Crocodile Tears

Safe/Unsafe

Dark Sunrise

You’re No Better

Persuasion

Curled Up

Perfect

Get Out

Nothing Else To Tell You

It Ends Here

Flufftober

Lost Pet Meet Cute

“Left. Other left!”

Favorite Scent

Market Day

Acorn, Chestnut, Pine Cone

Mistaken Identity

Hoodie Weather

Chopping & Piling Wood

“Don’t do that!” - “But…”

Bet, Game, Contest

Ingredients & Spells

“This is spooky.” - “Really?”

Attic, Cellar, Hidden Room

Fantasy AU/Mundane AU

“What are you wearing?” - “It’s laundry day!”

Yes, No, Maybe

Only One Bed

Bewitched

Yarn

Paw

Bonfire

Heirloom

Stormy Night

Comfort Food

Haunted House

“I can’t find it.”

Afternoon Stroll

Lucky Charm

Time Capsule

“Forever?”

Make a Wish

[potteresque-ire]

Happy Halloween! 👻 (Happy Birthday, Wei Wuxian!)

For this spooky evening, I'd like to present this spooky song named 《辜》 (Guilt, pronounced gu), one of the theme songs from Season 2 of 天官賜福 TGCF's audio drama. (Lyrics and some thoughts under the cut!)

Below is my attempt to translate the beautifully written (and eerie) lyrics, although I can't say I'm satisfied with my efforts this time. It bears strong roots in the Taoist (religious) tradition, which I'm not part of. The very last paragraph (the one that mentions a pardon) is from a prayer known as 往生咒 (The Rebirth Mantra; Buddhists have their own version), which believers chant to help lost spirits find their way to the next life. Hence, the change in tone. I hope though, that as music is universal, that even with the language barrier this song can successfully spook some of you. Oh, by the way, the vocal in the middle of the song (starting 2:27) is from an opera style known as 華陰老腔 (pronounced Huayin Laoquiang), which has been designated as an Intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, and the performer 張喜民 Zhang Ximin is the heir of the style (kudos to the production team of the audio drama for inviting him!). Even though the origin of the style is far from where I've grown up, the lines from that paragraph: 善有善報，惡有惡報 不是不報，時辰未到 Good is retributed by good. Evil is retributed by evil. It’s not a lack of retribution. It’s the time of retribution has not yet come. is something I can recite, in my own dialect (Cantonese), since I was little. The way this song conveys this well-known message ~ one that I admit I don't / can't always believe in ~ is very powerful to me. It's one of the reasons why I've repeatedly spooked myself with this song this month! (And so, I'm also using this post to send a message to Voldie: yes, I remember what you did 43 years ago on this night. The time of retribution would come for you.) (No, I haven't forgotten my "birth fandom" (Harry Potter), which I do plan to revisit one day. 😊) Anyway, onto the lyrics!

《辜》 (Guilt) [0:14] 幽幽夜沉沉 語悄悄 The night is dark and heavy, its words quiet. 聽 何人行踽踽 登初宵 Listen ~ Who’s walking in solitude, ascending upon this evening? 遊魂野客喧囂 高門重府燭搖 Boisterous are the wandering souls, the unbridled guests. Flickering are the candles in the mansions, the palaces. 問旦福夕禍 世間知多少 Asking about the ever-changing fortunes and calamities, how much and how little this world knows about them.

[0:43] 忽而風起 似誰笑 良辰吉時到 The wind suddenly rises, as if someone laughs. The propitious hour has come. 幾家烹調歡宴 肉骨餵邪妖 不足飽 Some homes have cooked a feast, meat and bones to feed the wicked but can’t satiate. 他神色木然 既悲又喜 耳畔道 Wooden is his expression, both sad and happy, and by each ear, he utters words. 回頭 卻是惡言生寒 入髓竅 But when heads turn, the evil in the words grows into a chill and burrows into the marrow.

[1:34] 迷迷霧漫漫 哭渺渺 The mist dazes and lingers, its tears vague.  提 昏燈過長街 天不曉 Uplift ~ dim lanterns crossing the long streets, the sky that fails to dawn. 花腔滾板未消 惡鬼怨倀又告 Dissipating still are the coloraturas and percussions. Accusing once more are the wicked ghosts, resentful, 問天公愚聵 善惡何以報 Asking the gods, stupid and deaf, the retributions for the good and the evil. 

[2:00] 社鼓陣陣 金鐃厲 良辰吉時到 The temple drums beat. The golden cymbals clang. The propitious hour has come. 造化如命數 歡恨誰藉著 不相饒 Life’s blessings are like the accounts of destiny, transactions of joys and hatred are not forgiven. 他神色木然 似悟非悟 舉斧刀 Wooden is his expression, both knowing and ignorant, and his hatchet rises. 回頭 卻是青衣扶搖 登仙道 But when heads turn, rising is the commoner’s attire, ascending to the enlightened path.

[2:27 Vocal] 休將奸狡昧神祗，禍福如同逐影隨 Don’t use guile to deceive the gods, calamity and fortune follow like shadows. 善有善報，惡有惡報 Good is retributed by good. Evil is retributed by evil. 不是不報，時辰未到 It’s not a lack of retribution. It’s the time of retribution has not yet come.

[2:52 Chant] 斷足折顱 摧魄裂魂 Feet broken, skull snapped, Spirit broken, soul cracked, 手起刀落 血飛肉滾 Hands lifted, knives dropped, Blood spilled, flesh rolled, 剜心剔骨 解我悲忿 Heart hollowed, bones carved All to solve my sorrows and fury. 易除厄罰 難償苦恨 Easy it is to root out adversaries. Hard it is to compensate the bitter loathing. 斷足折顱 摧魄裂魂 Feet broken, skull snapped, Spirit broken, soul cracked, 有命還命 以待三更 A life for a life, to wait for midnight 諸罪來受戮 見鬼神 When crimes come for a slaughter, to greet their demons and gods.

[3:23 From 往生咒 The Rebirth Mantra] 有頭者超，無頭者升 鬼魅一切，四生沾恩 太上敕令，超汝孤魂 脫離苦海，轉世往生 Those who’ve kept their heads, transcend. Those who haven't, rise. All apparitions are marked with the blessings from life, The pardon from The Supreme transcends your wandering souls. To leave this bitter sea, to reincarnate and reborn.

[dialga64bitz]

the stubborn optimist. 👓

Character analysis on Streber!

Introduction/disclaimer

So the new Spooky month short has been graced upon us and with that we got the offical characterization of Streber, despite the short only being about a minute long we can still get an idea of his personality and even his interests.

Now because he has only showed up for this short and for only a very small bit in the actual Spooky Month series some of this may lean more towards headcanon and some assumptions based on how Sr Pelo writes his existing characters, which I hope doesn't bother y'all too much.

Also I tend to be bad at spelling and with grammar so please correct me if I mess up-

Now, let's get started...

Section one: Passions of an artist

What's the first thing we notice about Streber in both his initial appearance and from the short? Well his enthusiasm and the obvious joy he takes in his role as a "real vampire". Streber clearly is having fun in his role, smiling and laughing with his actor friends, playing this character for kids and the immersion was number one on his priority in the short, even in Tender Treats he's seen laughing with Skid and Pump and going all in on the exaggerated movements, he takes joy in his job, even going above and beyond with his work. Even when Ethan jokes that this isn't a big deal Streber immediately retorts, light heartedly obviously, but he still takes this very seriously. Why does he do all this? Well, he's an artist, an innovator, someone who takes that extra step. Streber's talent in inventing and acting is an artist job, acting is an obviously one but inventing from a far doesn't seem like an artist job, due to it difficult and sciencey nature, but the desire to create something is art, and that's what Streber wants to make, the artist will create for the happiness of himself and others.

Him being so smart probably helps his creativity in being an artist, which leads into...

Section 2: Streber and his...Streber-ness

Streber's name means "nerd" in German which was most definitely intentional, Sr Pelo has a pattern of giving characters sorta obvious names in relation to their personalities and or physical trait they have. Now does Streber live up to his name? Oh absolutely, he was the inventor of the green screen mirror as seen in Tender Treats, all created as to keep the children immersed in his "real vampire" persona. On the wall we see ideas and blueprints, along with him having the typical "nerdy" attitude that's elevated by high confidence. Inventing is an obvious interest of his which helps Streber be able to create works to make others and himself happy, while it's a slow process he gets joy from it, he may be neurodivergent? He seems very fixated on his work, which is a good thing but it makes a mixed trait of his show alot...

Section 3: Stubborn as- a vampire?

Stubbornness is a very 50/50 trait to have, it either works in your favor or it doesn't, we cannot with confidence which exact role Streber falls into but I believe it works more in his favor than doesn't mostly due to his positive attitude, but that's just an assumption, what's not an assumption is that yes, Streber is very goal minded and won't stop until it's achieved, considering he spent all day working on his invention and wasn't stopping until done, even when told it wasn't a big deal, he still carried on, passion and stubborn is a powerful combo, which will likely effect how Streber will act after losing an arm, he doesn't seem like he's not going to give up so easily.

Final section: The optimists struggle

Despite his cold demeanor near the end, it's not due to him being genuinely upset, he's just an optimist, having confidence in his abilities and a positive look on the future. He refuses to be let down about his invention, in his mind it's going to work out, and he wasn't wrong, the invention did work. Streber is not brought down by negative emotions, he's stressed but clearly still enthusiastic about his green screen mirror, his stubbornness and optimism are pulling him through and likely this is how he's going to pull himself in most situations, is it reckless? Yes. Absolutely, even if he's not running straight into danger he's still a reckless, which is powered by his optimism and furthered by stubbornness.

Hence why he's the "Stubborn optimist"

Ending notes.

I hope you enjoyed this! Sorry if this was a little bit too headcanon-y or seemed like a stretch but Streber just makes me very happy!

As for Streber's role in the story? He could be a huge help in taking down the cult due to his big brain and the fact that he was effected by them due to Bob.

Also tldr; Streber is an reckless artist fueled by his own optimism and inability to back down.

[sadiecoocoo]

The Shadows are Coming Chp. 3

Summary - Tech learns more about the sickness, Wrecker goes to find his brothers

Word Count - 2226

Read on AO3

Previous Chapter

Notes: Happy spooky everybody!!! here's some eerie zombie stuff for you :) I am still going to be posting once a month, sadly I haven't worked on this fic much since the last chapter... Attack on Titan has me a in a chokehold, but that can be good news if you like aot and want a nice gory fic for it soon >:) also I didn't bother editing this chp... so sorry for any errors lol anyways, hope you enjoy!

Tech motioned for Wrecker to lay Echo out on the medical table. The brute gently placed the ARC down, resting his hand on his shoulder before pulling away to give Tech room to work. The splicer immediately got out a medical scanner and checked Echo’s vitals.

He held back a curse, not wanting to alarm Wrecker more than he already was. His brother was strong, but Tech didn’t want to test his limits. Echo was semi-conscious now, his eyes open and blinking as he tried to regain comprehension. Tech much preferred him being asleep, it might have been slowing the sickness. 

He seemed to be recovering for the moment though, Tech would guess that soon enough he would be coherent again. The virus seemed to attack in waves then, each one leaving the host weaker and weaker until it could fully take hold.

He needed to get a sample. He started searching the med-bay, looking for both supplies and any hidden troopers waiting for an opportunity to attack. Their intelligence was astounding, not at all like the zombies that Wrecker continued to insist they were.

Twice now they had waited until they could catch the Batch off guard before they struck. They used the dark to conceal themselves and fell into almost complete silence, similar to a wild tooka when hunting. They were even capable of speech, meaning they retained some humanity despite their now murderous nature. And the focus on forcing other troopers’ helmets off rather than simply killing them is uncannily intelligent.

All of these things showed that there was still something human in those troopers. Maybe that bit of sentience could be awakened again. There was a real possibility of a cure. He just needed the time to make it.

“Wrecker,” Tech cut in, breaking the somber silence that had fallen upon the two. “Please seal the door.” He asked. Sealing it would buy him more time in case the troopers that had yet to attack decided they didn’t want to wait anymore.

“What about the others?” Wrecker asked frantically. Tech suppressed a flinch. He turned back to his brother, fighting for something to say. He let out a rough sigh.

“I have no doubts that they will be alright, however I think I can manage here without you if it would make you feel better to go help them.” He said placatingly. Wrecker seemed to have perked up at that. Tech watched as the bruiser’s head turned from the door then to Echo, who was now sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

“Are you sure?” He asked softly. Tech knew that no matter where Wrecker went, he would worry. However, he was not worried about himself, and knew their brothers would need help to make it to this med-bay.

“Yes, you would be most useful going to help Hunter and Crosshair.” Tech assured. He turned away towards one of the counters, opening a cabinet above to search for decent enough supplies.

“Stay safe.” Wrecker said quickly, then Tech heard the swooshing of the door being shut. He released another sigh, hoping that his brothers really would be alright. He knew they could all handle themselves, but if they got infected and he didn’t make the cure in time, there was no amount of combat skills to beat that.

Tech turned to look for an IV. He wasn’t sure what Echo would need, but coming from the nosebleed he had been having, a blood transplant would be useful. He grabbed the stand and rolled it over to Echo’s bed, then went back to look for fluids.

In one cabinet, there was an unruly pile of blood bags. He grabbed several, and started a scan to be sure the virus hadn’t breached the seals. He frowned at the results. All had traces of the virus, and all would only serve to make Echo worse.

As he continued to search the medical room for any samples that the medics should have collected (there was no telling how incompetent these regs would be), he tried to talk to Echo. He really didn’t say anything meaningful, just random facts or things he’d noticed about the base. He just needed to keep Echo coherent.

Sometimes the reg would hum in response, others he would agree and mumble something else he had noticed about the troopers. He seemed to be coming down from his moment of confusion, Tech chose to see that as a good thing.

Both of them had noticed the trooper’s intelligence. Both had agreed that their use of speech seemed to be to lure people in a trap, and that they mainly communicated using the animalistic snarling they had heard before.

“I dunno if you saw it, but the trooper I had pinned before had pale eyes,” He paused, mouth open as he fought for the right words, “like they were dead.” Echo finished with a numb and haunted tone. Tech paused, pressing his lips into a thin line. Echo sounded so tired, it had barely been half an hour, how could a virus have taken hold of their reg so quickly.

Tech didn’t answer for several moments, instead focusing on the samples he had finally been able to find. There was a datapad next to the sealed vials, and Tech powered it up to go over the files that the regs had hopefully written down.

He skimmed over the aurebesh text, not too happy with his findings.

[0500, morning cycle] A new virus has been found in the base, orders were given to keep our buckets on and quarantine ourselves unless showing symptoms. The base was sealed to prevent it from infecting wildlife and further spreading.

- Nash

[0745, morning cycle]  Several troopers have been checking into the infirmary, I have my hands full. Half of my medics are sick too, I’ve confined them and any others showing symptoms to bed rest. Current symptoms include: fever, dizziness, nausea, struggle of breath, slowing heartbeat, excessive nosebleed. Some had rashes on their skin, almost as if the cells were dying; the ones experiencing these symptoms seem to be dealing the worst.

Someone tried to escape the base, the captain got pissed and ordered all the ships to be dismantled. It was probably overkill, but this virus could be fatal, we can’t let it spread.

- Nash

[1030, morning cycle] There’s not a free bed in the infirmary, I’ve had to run from here to the barracks several times. There are only a few troopers not infected, thankfully myself included. Flay, Grim, Jax, and Skeet are the only others that I’m aware of.

- Nash

[1200, afternoon cycle] Some seem to be recovering now, many are regaining their strength. Physical symptoms are waning, but the infected are under a lot of mental strain. I suspect some may be hallucinating or having fever dreams often. Many seem much less aware of their surroundings and are acting almost violent. It seems to be a final affect of the disease, the ones that had gotten through it seem to have recovered, though they are tired. I think everyone should recover soon.

- Nash

[1300, afternoon cycle] I was wrong. I was so, so wrong. They’re all dead. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I thought they were getting better I thought I fixed it I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry

- Nash

Tech skipped the rest of the log. It was just those two words repeated over and over again. He moved on to the next.

[1310, afternoon cycle] they got up. They just got up. Oh Force they aren’t the same. There’s something wrong. Those aren’t my brothers.

- Nash

[2300, night cycle] we were able to get a quick transmission out before retreating back here. Grim didn’t make it. There’s only four of us left now. They’re at the door. It won’t hold long. We’re going to try hiding in the vents until help arrives. I’ve left samples of the virus, along with the rest of my notes. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop it. I just hope whoever finds this will have enough time.

- Nash

Tech was unable to continue reading. He felt sick to his stomach. Within hours, they all died, then came back wrong. He turned back towards Echo, then shut his eyes tightly. Now wasn’t the time to worry, he needed to get this cure made.

But if an entire team of troopers couldn’t get it in time, how could he? He was one person, no matter how smart he was. He might have to redo everything that Nash had done and start from scratch.

He worried his lip, breaking the skin. He didn’t have time to panic and doubt his abilities, Echo needed him now. Tech practiced the breathing exercises he had taught Echo so long ago, to help with the times when he was back there. The splicer never thought he’d be needing them himself.

When he thought he was stable enough to do so, he finished searching the cabinet where he found the datapad. As stated in one of Nash’s logs, a plethora of samples were in a neat container. They contained blood samples, air quality samples, and skin tissue samples.

 He could work with this. He could do this. Tech quickly got them set up to several different machinery to test what kills them. He frowned as he thought how long that might take. At least he wouldn’t have to be present for most of it, and Nash’s findings were still there.

“Hey, Tech?” He jumped at Echo’s call. The splicer turned quickly to give the ARC his attention.

“Yes?”

“It’ll be okay.” Tesh wished he hadn’t said that. He wished he could believe that.

The door opened with a hiss.

Wrecker didn’t think he had ever ran as fast as he was now in his entire life. He was filled with more urgency than any other battlefield had given him. His brothers needed him, he needed to hurry.

He still couldn’t hear any blaster fire, and now he couldn’t even see any signs of the zombies. Tech had said something about them being smart, smart like an animal is, and Wrecker knew Tech was almost always right.

He knew the forest got quiet when there was a predator nearby; Echo had done his utmost to teach Wrecker strategy and taught him the basics like this first. The zombies were the predators, so why were they quiet now. He urged himself to think, to not just focus on barreling through the hallways.

Predators got quiet when they hunt, but if they’re in packs they chase their prey down until they got tired and could finish them off. Hunters in packs wouldn’t focus on stealth, like how the Batch usually ran in blasting unless specifically told not to. So who told the zombies to hide?

He turned a corner, tensing in case something would jump from behind. He was met with silence and shadows. Still shadows, like the water of a pond. Right now, nothing but Wrecker disturbed the water.

He slowed, the paranoia and unease getting to him. He couldn’t hear the zombies, and he couldn’t see them, but he knew they were there. He knew they could see him. So why weren’t they attacking? He was alone. He was easy prey if they outnumbered him enough. So why leave him alone?

Unless they wanted him to get to his brothers. Or to lead him away from something. Or towards something.

Wrecker brought his hand up to the side of his helmet, trying to comms for the millionth time. It was met with an irritating static. It wasn’t the kind of static where the comms weren’t working, it was the kind where the person on the other end wasn’t answering. He suppressed the urge to groan in anger. Now was one of those times where he needed to be quiet.

He was once again stumped on what to do. He wanted to find Hunter and Crosshair, to make sure they were okay. He knew deep down they would be, when those two worked together it was like fighting the force of a god, but he couldn’t help but worry.

He also wanted to go back to Tech. He had left his other brothers practically defenseless. Tech would be distracted while working on the cure and Echo… Echo wouldn’t be able to defend himself.

Kark, why was it so difficult to decide on things? Why couldn’t the answer just be handed to him, like they always were for Tech or Hunter, or really any of his brothers? Why did he have to be the one alone?

A sob built in his throat, and he clamped his mouth shut. He would not panic. He’s been alone on mission hundreds of times before, this wasn’t any different. Except in the ways that it was very different. Other than that, it was exactly the same!

He would go find his brothers, just to make sure they were okay. After that, he could bring them all to where Tech and Echo were, then they’d get the cure, and then they’d leave. That was only, like, four things. He could do this. They’d all be okay.

He jumped in place for a moment, hyping himself up to keep running, then he dashed down the dark halls.

The shadows weren’t as still anymore.

End Notes: so... any new theories on who's gonna be a zombie first, if any at all? also sorta sorry for the almost cliffhanger with this one lol, next one will have lots more gore :D

Next Chp.

NPT: @squad-724 @arctrooper69 @weyrwolfen @clownery-and-fuckery @charlieisannoying

@greyangelpain @zilvercrystal @travellingnorthwards @lifblogs @electrikworm

@buniby @thora-sniper @restrospect1003 @dizzy-9906

[elikajinnie]

So....this is gonna be looong (brace yourself 😮‍💨). Hi, this is sum (or dimsum wtv you wanna call me) here! not new to your page but new to your asks yeyy :3

So, I recently joined tumblr, maybe last month ig and I mostly use it for seeing enhypen related stuff (mostly fanfics, yk just to fuel my imagination 🏃🏻‍♀️💨) and I was reading different fics by some authors (one of them deactivated recently, still devastated 😭) when I stumbled upon your works, particularly the fallen angel sunoo fic when it was released and OMG THE WAY I WAS INVESTED??? I'm telling you no other author has described things so vividly that I felt that I was actually experiencing it firsthand 🤭 as a fellow horror enthusiast, I was HOOKED, alright. So, for a while I was just hovering in the shadows and waiting for your new spooky Halloween fics. Finally decided to stop being a vampire & talk to you...lo and behold! (jazz hands 👐🏻👐🏻) I just wanna say, I LOVE what you're doing, please continue spreading the smexy ideas boiling in your brain anddd I would love to be friends (only if you say yes tho) 🥺🙏🏻

(help I've been writing this ask for half an hour, Idk how to use tumblr lmao and it doesn't help that I'm too starstruck rn 😔👐🏻)

Oh my God! Hello dimsum and welcome to tumblr!!!!!

This was a nice way to start my morning ☺️ I have noticed you frequently checking my fics out 😌 And I appreciate it!! Horror is just such a fun genre to write and read! So thanks 🫶

I will continue writing and sharing the ideas ( 〃▽〃)

AND OFC I WOULD LOVE TO BE FRIENDS!! <33333

[trashlama]

Whazzup my fellow heathens! It's finally that time of year again. the spooky season is once again upon us! Soooo you know what that means~

Its time for some Spooky Halloween themed fics!!!! And boy do I have some plots planned for you guys this month.

Tbh it's not a lot buuuuutttt, I couldn't keep my excitement for these ideas to myself. Tbh I'm still working out the kinks with the last idea. So it may stay the same or change by next week.

Otherwise this is what I got planned for this month so far! They're currently listed in the order I plan to post them.

OCTOBER SPOOKY WIP LIST!!!

Yan!Vampire!Donatello x Reader "Contest"

Yan!Leo x Reader "Monster Mash"

Yan!Mikey x Reader "Because it's Witchcraft~"

Zombie Apocalypse!Yan!Raph x Reader "Never gonna give you up"

To be continued...

Also yes I do have LMK tagged in this because, I want to write one for this fandom, I just don't have anything really brainstormed yet. I kinda have an idea of what I want to do. Might be hcs or fic, not sure yet. Though I definitely want to do some spooky writing for this fandom. Just don't know exactly what yet. I'm doing some research.

Anyways—

Sorry for the nonsensical rambling once again and thank you everyone for bearing with me! I suck I know. Also thank you for looking! Here's some scary memes to show my appreciation for your guy's patience with me.

Sorry this is long↓ I don't own these memes. I've never claimed to do so. I just come across them on Pinterest when I'm on break at work and think they're funny so I like to share them. If I mistakenly put one on here that I shouldn't have please let me know! I like to respect people's wishes. And if you could add the creator names too that would be great so the same mistake isn't made twice. Sorry for the inconvenience that my sharing may cause. I hope you have a good day.

[spooky-things-au]

Chapter 4 and I just got to my child! (Skid!) And his asshole of a father... but I've got to my child! :D

(Chapter is undercut)

Spooky Things

Season 1. Beginning

Episode 1. The vanishing of Ross Lynn

Chapter 4. Eleven

The doors to mansion opened, making the chatter inside quiet down as everyone turned to the front door.

"Father." Somebody in crowd said.

A tall black-haired man looked between the hooded people, walking inside the building. He stopped by a man in cloak, who nodded to him.

"What's the damage?" It was the man's only question.

"This way, Father." Cloaked figure replied, showing the man towards the door.

The two started to decent into the basement, the black-haired man taking out the key to open the door.

"The entire east wing of basement will be evacuated within the hour. We've sealed off this area following quarantine agreements."

The man smiled, nodding to the cloaked, before he opened the door, that now had plastic wrap on the other side. The both men stepped through the zipper in middle, seeing the other side.

It was covered in some kind of light cyan mist, the basement looked even darker than usual... as the Father walked inside, placing his hand on the wall, he came across few dark bumps were scattered on them. Upon touching... they felt slightly slimy, similar to skin of amphibian or deep-sea creature.

He frowned once more, walking further through the halls into the basement... until they finally reached a huge room, that was filled with that cyan mist... but here, it seemed to be even more concentrated, making it hard to see too far head of oneself...

And yet, something was still clear.

A huge opening in the wall, glowing that same cyan. The glow just as well seemed to be pulsing... low growling was ringing throughout the room... and more, way bigger bumps were coming out the opening... from some angle, they also looked like tentacles.

"This is where it came from?" Father asked, examining the room.

"Yes."

He stepped closer towards the opening, trying to see what was on the inside... but he was met with same glow, that seemed to linger for what seemed to be... miles on the other side. And... if anyone would ask, he could swear he saw something moving on the other side. After a minute of examining it, Father stood up. He still continued to look at the opening.

Whatever that thing was... it was not continuation of his basement.

"And the boy? Were you able to locate him yet?" He asked, looking at his hand, just now noticing some of same slime as from bumps in corridor.

"We're doing what we can, Father. Give us time." A man spoke behind him.

"He couldn't have gotten too far. I mean... he's only eight."

'You better believe he hasn't gotten away...' Father thought to himself, frowning. 'This is big. And you made it happen...'

A smirk grew on Father's face as he thought of what happened. Or rather... who made it happen.

'Eleven...'

'Run.' It was the only thought running through his brain for what felt like hours. 'Run, run, run!!'

A small figure hid behind the tree, breathing deeply, finally able to watch a break.

A small child, seemed not even to be 10 at the moment, was running for his life in chilly November day in nothing, but what seemed to be a hospital gown.

'Run! They're coming! Bad! Evil!'

But, of course, human body could only take so much running, before it gets tired and runs out of fuel. And it was the same way for the little one. He heard his stomach rumble... he hasn't had anything in his stomach since yesterday.

He grasped onto himself, before looking around... when he smelled something not far away.

He then came to a small building. Way smaller than the house, he ran from... there were few machines next to it (cars, he remembered the names from books)... there must be people inside. Which was a bad sign, he couldn't be seen... not if he wanted to get away from-.

He then heard whistling, as a man came from back door with bag in hand. It gave him idea...

The boy followed on some distance after the man, sneaking inside, carefully watching not to get caught... as he thought, next room had even more people... despite there being food, he couldn't go there.

He walked to another room, this one was way smaller, with many weird things. Some sharp, some not... a lot of silver and weird smells. Nothing back The House ever smelt like this... the boy looked around once more, before his eyes spotted something...

A small bag, seemingly out of paper... and there was something in it... small pieces of yellow something. They smelt... good. His stomach growled once more.

The child cautiously walked over it, looking taking one piece in his hand, bringing it to his nose to get better smell of it... and then took a bite.

His eyes widened lightly. It was... potatoes? It was kind of similar to potatoes, he would eat back at The House... but he never tried them like this. Not mushed or in these small pieces.

He thought he liked it.

Looking around for one last time, the boy leaned over the bag, starting to devour the potato pieces few at a time. He felt bad about it, as he was taught stealing was bad... but he didn't feel like he cared at the moment. He was starving! He hadn't had anything since lunch yesterday! He was running the whole night!

Shoving 'be good' mentality back for a minute, he just carried on with eating, until...

"HEY!"

He was caught...

The day was quiet at Boys n' Grills. That was fortunate, given the owner was away for some "family matter". That left few employees to run the place, but that was enough. Despite it being Monday, the day promised to be slow.

Vivana was was walking between tables, taking and handing orders to people. Yep, it was definitely being a-

Then she turned around to face the window into kitchen to see somebody inside... and it was DEFINITELY not one of her coworkers.

"HEY!" She shouted, before running towards the kitchen.

It made the boy duck, grabbing the bag in his hands, starting to run.

A bit upset the food gathering was so little, but if he didn't want to go back in The House... he needed to get out right now. As small of snack as it was... he just needed something to sustain himself... the bag was small either way. He didn't think anyone would miss it!

Hand grasped into his shoulder, before turning him around to face the person.

"You think you can steal from us, kid!?" Vivana said into the kid's face. "You think you can-?!"

Then she took time to look over the child...

The dirty child. On look, he was only 7 or 8, if even it was that... definitely underweight too. Buzz cut hair, dirty blue hospital gown with little pink flowers... barefoot too... and he was going to run out there in November. Like this. And now, he was looking down, scared and ashamed... it was surprise he didn't cry. Well... correction. He was close to cry, judging by the tears, gathering up in his eyes.

"What the fuck..?"

Robert came out of school, breathing in cold fall air into his lungs. He had no doubt his friends already left. They didn't share many classes together, and even then, they tried to avoid one another. Or, at least, Roy tried to avoid them. Or else it would be too high of possibility of Ivan and Zack telling his mother he was "hanging" with "lowlife" as she liked to call them all.

She didn't like when they talked outside of their weekends at Miss. Lila's place. Robert always wondered, why she even got in contact with Miss. Lila to watch him in first place all those years ago, if she didn't like people, she found lower than herself in status.

Robert then was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of police cars and sirens passing by. Huh... weird. It was quite awhile since this happened in their town. Or, at least, he was witness to it.

Through he payed no mind, walking down the school yard. Kevin long since picked most of kids up, so he would have to go on foot. He didn't mind. Completely other way around, he liked that.

Anything not to see that poor excuse, his brother called hi-

Then, something caught his eye. The bike stop by the front. Ross' bike wasn't there. He then remembered Robin getting a call from Ross' dad this morning... he didn't know, what they were talking about, but something felt unsettling to him.

Then he realized Ross wasn't on the bus either. Nor in class or Mr. Collins' club, they all went to. And his bike wasn't there when they got to school either.

Feeling something in his gut, Robert pulled out his phone, checking out his and Ross' chat.

No... last message there was from Robert himself yesterday, when he replied that he could lend Ross his comic... and even that, Ross didn't see it. Not even leaving him on read.

This was nothing like Ross...

Robert frowned, before going to their group chat. Last message there was from Roy, complaining about their lunch, and Susie laughing at him. And still, Ross hadn't replied in there, even through he LOVED this type of drama.

This seemed to be last straw for Robert, as he started typing

👽 Hey, guys...

👽 Has anyone seen Ross today?

Some part of Robert expected Ross to suddenly pop out of silence, tell them it was a mean prank... but something in his brain said it would be it...

And sure enough, first to reply would be not Ross... but Roy.

💥 What?

👽 Has anyone seen Ross?

Susie's icon then lit up, and she started typing too.

💗 Now that you mention it... I haven't seen him since yesterday

💥 I mean... me neither, but he might just be sick today

Well... it could explain it... also would explain, why Ross' dad would call Robin... but why couldn't they know? Why didn't she tell him? It couldn't be just that, Robert was sure of it.

And while the blonde boy was thinking over the situation, his phone buzzed. And then again... and again. Three new messages. All from Susie and still none from Ross, that would clear up their situation.

💗 I'm just from Miss. Lila, she's not home

💗 I have a feeling something's off

💗 Let's to to Ross' house to ask him

Susie was already waiting them by Ross' house when Robert and Roy arrived. And, easy to guess, Will was with her. Well... it was expected, given she couldn't leave a small child in front yard of Miss. Lila's house or at their own home without supervision.

But what they didn't expect would be a police car, stopped right infront of their house.

"Police? Why?" Roy asked, looking over the car in confusion.

"Maybe it's my uncle?" Robert wondered quietly, walking to the door. "I mean... he is friends with Miss. Jaune and Susie's dad."

"Let's just talk with Ross' parents..." Susie said for all of them, pulling Will from the car.

Robert knocked on the door and they were let inside.

"Miss. Jaune?" Susie called out. "It's us! Susie and Will! And also Robert with Roy."

"Susie?" Jaune's unusually worried voice called out from different room. "In the kitchen, kids, but I'm a bit busy right now!"

"We're not for long, ma'am!" Robert said. "We just came to ask about Ross. He wasn't at school today..."

"He's just sick, right?" Roy joined in. "Tell them they're overreacting!" He then turned towards where their friend's room was. "Ross! Just answer this! You're freaking Susie and Robsrt out!"

But nothing followed. Not even a slightest groan. Instead, it was a worried looking policeman. Robert gasped lightly.

"Officer Jack!" He said, getting a light smile from the man, but then his face turned back to worry again.

"Kids, we're talking about something really serious here, you should head home..." Jack explained, constantly looking around.

"What do you mean?" Susie asked, still trying to find her friend.

"It doesn't involve you." Jack still tried to reason with kids, but then Jaune and John came by too.

"How am I supposed to know every scratch in this house, John!?" Jaune was frowning, worrying obvious in her voice. "You know I'm not the most careful person around and I also live with two guys!"

"Hi, miss Jaune!" Will said as he saw the woman.

"Oh!" She looked down, surprised, before smiling. "Hey, Will..." She then reached down to pet the kid's hair.

"Uncle John!" Robert ran towards his relative, looking at him for any information. "What's going on?"

John looked over at Jack, who looked at him with 'How do I tell them?' expression. Jack pinched his nose breathing out. He then showed him to way to basement, where Connor and Sophie currently were. John was going to take this over.

"Kids..." John looked down at the kids. "You four go home. I hate to be the one to tell it to you, but..." He sighed out. "I'm afraid your friends has gone missing."

Dead silence.

"Oh... you're taking it way better than-"

"WHAT!?"

"Spoke too soon..."

For next minute, there were bunch of questions from kids. "What do you mean 'has gone missing!?", "Where did you look for him yet!?", "You're joking!", "This isn't a funny joke!" and many other.

"One at a time!" The man raised his hands. "You." He showed at Susie.

"How that happened!?" She started. "Our town is so small, he couldn't have gone far! And why would he!? He lives 20 minutes away from Miss. Lila! It-!"

"We're trying to figure out, how that happened..." John said slowly, trying to calm the girl down. "We don't know much yet, but we found his bag, emptied on the side on a road. Our best guess, it could be kidnapping."

"Kidnapping!?" The kids asked again.

"Not final conclusion, but just a guess. He could just be hiding somewhere." John explained. "We're currently gathering a search party to look for him."

"Can we join!?" Susie instantly jumped to him.

"What!?" John's eyes widened.

"Yeah!" Roy joined as well. "We can help look!"

"We know places, Ross likes to visit! He can be there!" Robert added. "Please! Uncle John!"

"No!" John shook his head. "No, children. But this is a case for adults. You should all be heading home right now."

"But-!" Susie tried to interfere, but John cut her off too.

"No buts, young lady." He said sternly. "Last thing, we need right now, is four more missing kids. As soon as this conversation finishes, all four of you are to head home. It means no biking." He looked at Robert. "No investigating." He turned to Roy. "No nonsense." He turned to Susie. "Did I making myself clear?"

Silence.

"Did I make myself... clear?"

"Yes./Absolutely, sir/Crystal clear." Three voices said.

The kids sighed, before Susie looked back for her brother. "Come on, Will..."

And then, the kids left. John sighed out. Jaune was back on the phone, trying to reach her father.

"Finally, somebody..." She breathed out. "Hello? Is Oscar there?"

"No, it's Elizabeth, his girlfriend." A tired and high female voice said on other side. "Who is that?"

"Elizabeth? Elizabeth..." The blonde woman nodded. "I don't think we met, but this is Jaune."

"...Who?" Jaune rolled her eyes. Of course her father hasn't said a thing about her.

"Jaune. I'm Oscar's daughter. Is he there?"

"No. Will let him know, you called..."

"Wait! Don't hang up! I need to speak with him! Can you, at least-!?"

And she hang up.

"Bitch..." Jaune bared her teeth at this, before starting to try get ahold on her father again.

John sighed out, before deciding to check on the rest of the crew in the basement.

"Managed to make the kids leave. Anything here?" John asked Jack, who looked at him and shrugged.

"Connor found a kid sized beanie down here, so we were thinking to bring it up to Jaune. But not much else..." The younger man explained, lifting up a gray beanie in his hand. "How's she?"

"Holding up, but barely..." John sighed out. "It's hard losing a kid and not knowing if they're safe or not."

He then looked over the room, before noticing something.

"Sophie!" He yelled out, as the woman gasped, looking back. "What are you looking at?"

"I..." The woman stuttered, looking between the man and the wall, but couldn't say anything. "Nothing... I guess I just imagined it..."

But I thought I saw something glow...

John sighed out once more.

Upstairs, Jaune was still ranting into the phone, at this point pleading for her father to tell if he knew where her child was... he felt his heart hurt at the sight. Oh, how he could understand her pain so badly...

"Alrighy, guys, let's get out." He said to his coworkers. "And somebody, call Patty to ask about the search party. And tell her to tell them to grab flashlights..."

This was going to be a long night...

@crossover-enthusiast @catsockpuppet @spookuzm @ferfbish @sunny6677 @momentokori @nottapossum @nostalgic-soda

[thisaintascenereviews]

What I’ve Been Listening To During Spooky Season: 2024 Edition

Ah, yes, Halloween season is upon us again. I started a tradition a few years ago where I’d talk about Halloween-themed or Halloween adjacent music, and it was pretty fun! I always love writing these types of pieces, because I try to listen to different stuff with a spooky theme each year, and this year is no different. Each year I’ll try to have a theme, and from looking back to see what theme I had last year, I didn’t even post one last year. I thought I did, but I was going to write about the last couple of albums from Clipping, an experimental rap group fronted by Daveed Diggs. I’ll still talk about those albums at some point, but I really thought I did that.

My first theme was spooky-themed rock and metal bands, Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, and a few other bands, but I don’t want to repeat myself twice. Nonetheless, I wanted to bring this series back this year, especially when this year caught me by surprise. It all started by the first thing I’ll talk about here in a minute, but it made me remember a couple of other things I found last year and never spent that much time with, so I got a bit of an interesting theme with this year. What is that theme, you may be asking? Why, my theme is 1960s surf-rock, bubblegum pop, and novelty albums! The first album I’ll talk about isn’t from the 1960s, but it’s very much inspired by it, which is…

The Boulet Brothers - Halloween House Party EP

If you read the newest piece I wrote with my buddy Jake, where we cut it up about the newest stuff we’ve been enjoying over the last couple months, I talked about the drag competition show Dragula, which is Drag Race for horror fans, basically, that’s in its sixth season currently. It’s a show that’s more so about horror, versus standard drag, so there is a lot of VFX and makeup, as well as performing and acting. The show was created by legendary drag duo, The Boulet Brothers, and aside from Dragula, they also have veered into music. I haven’t liked much they’ve done, but this new Halloween EP they put out is a lot of fun. It’s very short, sweet, and to the point. There’s a 1960s surf-rock and doo-woo feel throughout it, and despite the EP having a similar sound, all the songs are catchy enough, and they manage to make each song interesting enough, considering the ideas they have to work with.

As a side bar, music that is specifically Halloween-themed, versus just being spooky in general, is way more niche than Christmas music. Fun fact: I’ve already got some Christmas music on deck, and I may talk about it in some way this year, although, despite already talking about a Christmas album last year in the vein of Seth MacFarlane and Liz Gillies’ newly released Christmas album, We Wish You The Merriest. Halloween music has its place, but at the same time, there aren’t many things to really talk about that hold up for a whole season. Christmas music, especially the more secular stuff, can be about wintertime, versus Halloween is mainly about monsters, trick or treating, and just being overall spooky and stuff. Music that is Halloween-adjacent holds up because it has more to talk about, versus specifically Halloween-themed music.

The Deadly Ones - It’s Monster Surfing Time

During the early 1960s, surf-rock was all the rage, especially with Dick Dale, Duane Eddy, The Beach Boys, The Trashmen, and many other acts having that sound, so what’s the most logical thing to do? Combine Halloween and surf-rock to make for one of the most niche and interesting albums I’ve heard in a long time. Released in 1964, It’s Monster Surfing Time is the only album from The Deadly Ones, and the kicker is, no one knows who played on this. They seem to be session musicians from their label, Vee-Jay, but that’s it. I couldn’t find much about this album at all, but in a way, the mystery is that much more fun. This is a mainly instrumental album that has surf-rock with some spooky sounds thrown in. It’s fun, despite being relatively generic, as well as niche as all hell, but I’ve been having some fun with it.

Bobby “Boris” Pickett - The Original Monster Mash

If there is one “essential” Halloween song, it has to be “Monster Mash.” While it’s a novelty hit that comes back for a bit each year, Pickett released a whole album in 1962 with a lot of Halloween songs. The album has its name for a funny reason — another artist released a cover version of the “Monster Mash,” and put out a whole record before Pickett could, hence the “original” moniker. I’ve been wanting to really sink my teeth into this album for the last couple of years, and I finally have. It’s been a fun little listen, despite the songs being of the novelty and cheesy variety. Most of these songs are in line with a popular trend of the time, not including the title track, but they take advantage of the popularity of certain things at that time, and it can be either pretty cheesy or pretty fun, depending on who you are. I might add this to my yearly rotation, at least for a bit, anyway.

The Munsters - S/T

The last thing I wanted to talk about is one of the most niche and cash grabby things I’ve ever heard, and it’s The Munsters 1964 self-titled album. This album doesn’t have much information about it, but it’s a surf-rock album that’s touted as being performed by The Munsters, who were in their prime at the time, but it’s really just some session musicians. This record is pretty fun, albeit very gimmicky and silly, because it’s just songs about The Munsters, so if you don’t like The Munsters, I can’t help you. If you do, though, this album should be a lot of fun and get some chuckles out of you. I’ve listened to it a handful of times, but it’s a good little record that admittedly sounds dated and niche. I still enjoy this, though, at least for what it is.

[reds-skull]

BLOOD||HUNGER

[PREV PART] [AO3]

Y'know how I said I'm not gonna post every day... Okay look I'm just enjoying myself and I'm on break so I got time to write. Sue me.

This chapter is called "The Ruin". Enjoy!

Page 5 of the “Blooede Starvatfōre-dēde”, parable 2:

A blind man finds upon his path, a thing of uncertain birth, He whispers words of guilt, gait unsure around the being, A story of war falls from his lips, a tale well known, The beastly soul bows in assent, warmed only by gore, The man asks of the Beast, will you let me pass, The path clears, but a voice requests, Will you, O fallen knight, Will you let a monster trail?

The last time Soap was under a CO, the man spat in his face that he’s never going to amount to anything, not with his “attitude”. The one before it made him clean the latrines for three months, not that he stayed long enough to finish that sentence.

Ghost was… surprisingly different. His orders were clean cut, but Soap found them completely logical. And when he didn’t…

“We can’t go that way, the roundabout is full of equipment. Soldiers are constantly circling it.” Soap muttered next to Ghost. The SAS operator looked back at him. The skull mask adorning his face was cracked from untold battles long past, the sharp edges catching the low neon light from a nearby street sign.

Soap is sure if he saw that jumping at him from the shadows, he would scream like a wee girl. As it stands, the mask only makes him think of shirts edgy teenage boys would find on a sale at TK Maxx.

“How do you know?” the masked man questions.

Soap pulls a small bag from the rucksack he nabbed two days earlier, “managed to swipe some black powder from there when they weren’t lookin’.”

Ghost hums, “know how to use it?”

“Was a demolition expert, before…” Soap trails off, shoving the bag back into the side pocket, “we can go through the southern side, near the church. Think they’ve already combed that area.”

“Copy, lead the way Sergeant.”

Soap takes them through the winding alleys, hearing nothing behind, but knowing Ghost follows. For a man his size, he’s unnervingly dead silent.

“Where was yer exfil point set?” he starts. They would need to double time it, if it was back north…

Ghost is cryptid with his answers, as always, “we’ll have to set a new one.”

Soap frowns. “So our goal is just to put distance between us an’ the hostiles?”

“Affirmative. You got intel on their location?”

They enter an abandoned grocery store (as all stores in this area are), and Soap makes a detour at the cleaning aisle, looking for bleach and other solutions he could use for crafting. “I was ‘ere two days ago, dinnea where they are now…” he grins brightly when he finds a nice big bottle of bleach. With the vinegar he already has, he could create a good amount of chlorine gas. Pour it into a bottle and chuck it at hostiles, and they got a distraction should they need it.

“Stay focused, then.” Ghost murmurs, snapping Soap out of thought. He’s not used to having someone next to him, even before everything went to shit…

The church comes into view when they exit the store. Ghost stops to stare at it, and Soap takes the moment to inspect the Lieutenant further. Black gear over black clothes, no markings of country, unit, even blood type. Soap feels like there’s a lot more about this botched mission that Ghost isn’t telling him.

Not that the spooky bastard tells him much of anything.

“Could use the tower to scope the area. I see a line up there we can zip line down from.” Ghost eventually rumbles. 

“Sounds good, LT.” Soap responds, catching his slip belatedly. Internally, he muses, ‘ye can take the man out of the military…’

Ghost’s head snaps around to glare at him, and Soap can see his mouth open under the balaclava, before he turns around to stomp to the church tower, leaving Soap to jog to catch up.

The church looks ransacked, in a way that makes Soap’s gut churn. He’s not religious, not since he enlisted, but the way the soldiers destroyed everything without disregard…

It’s a view that haunts him throughout the city. How they don’t care that anyone lived here before.

Children laughed, babes were born, old men reminisced over long gone memories, girls played together. People lived and died here, this was their world.

And the Hunter’s soldiers crushed it all under their boot, spat on the graves of their ancestors and severed the ties.

Soap feels the anger building within him once more. His fuel for the firepower he throws at the hostiles. At first, he wanted to know why more than anything. But it doesn’t matter anymore.

Nothing can justify this.

He stares at Ghost’s wide back as they climb up the stairs to the tower, wondering what the operator thinks of all this. If he too feels his heart clench at the thoughts of senseless violence. Or if he doesn’t care, if the mission is the one and only important thing on his mind.

Soap wonders if there’s anything under that mask at all.

He asks himself, if there’s anything left behind his.

They reach the top, the city sprawling beneath them. The little lights blend together, shining between the dark buildings. Would’ve been a nice view.

Would have, if they didn’t spot the trucks rolling to a stop in front of the church.

Ghost and Soap share a brief look, and instantly he moves to climb out of the window to jump to the zip line, only to be stopped by the Brit.

“What are ye waitin’ for?! We need to go!” he almost yells.

Ghost yanks him back in, the sheer power knocking Soap into the wall. Fuckin’ hell, he hits like a beast.

“If we zip line now, they’ll shoot us down. We need to get through the ground floor.” he growls, turning away and starting to run down the stairs. Soap rolls his shoulders and runs after him, muttering a few curses under his breath.

Soap catches up to him, yelling, “there must be a back exit we can use-!”

Ghost stills on one of the last steps, shushing him. They both strain their ears, hearing far-off steps growing closer, and closer, and closer-

Soap shucks his rucksack off, taking out the bleach and vinegar, quickly pouring them into an empty beer bottle, “the fuck are you doing?” Ghost yells above him, crouching to hide behind the banister when the front doors are kicked open.

Soap ignores him, driving a piece of cloth down to stop the gas from leaking, and shoves it into Ghost’s hand as he makes another one, “throw this right before we go, they won’t be able to breathe right for days.”

Soldiers start spreading through the ruined church, Ghost testing the weight in his hand, “on my count.”

Soap nods, finishing up his bottle.

“One, two…”

One of the soldiers spots them, and Soap stops breathing.

“Three!”

They throw the bottles, the liquid within them splashing as they arc across the church. His bottle hits the soldier that saw them square in the face, and he instantly starts coughing and clawing at his eyes.

The gas isn’t visible to the naked eye, but Soap can track its spread by the way all soldiers start coughing. He and Ghost push off to run up the stairs, but as Soap casts a glance back, he sees some of them equipping a gas mask.

Why the fuck were they prepared for chemical weapons in a civilian city?!

“Ghost!” he shouts, slinging his rifle off his shoulder, “they have gas masks!”

He hears the man curse, “keep running!”

Not sooner after, bullets begin to ricochet around the spiral staircase. Soap swings around to shoot a couple of them, and as Ghost does the same, he notices his shots don’t land as they should.

He glances back at the Lieutenant, watching him rub roughly at his left arm. Right… Ghost did say he was broken. Soap didn’t realize how bad it was. 

A few seconds later, he realizes Ghost threw the bottle with his left hand, landing it perfectly between the soldiers.

With no time to maul it over, he pushes onwards.

Ghost is still grasping at his arm when they reach the window, and Soap can’t help but ask, “are ye gonna be able to zip dow-”

Ghost’s tone lowers dangerously, nailing him with a death glare, “I am not weak, Sergeant.”

He’s not sure who’s cornering who here. Ghost takes his eyes off him a second later, tugging on the line before asking, “got anything we can use?”

Soap continues shooting down the enemies pushing up the stairs, “check my pack!”

He feels Ghost rummaging through his rucksack, and it almost distracts him from the hails of bullets around them.

It’s… odd. How he doesn’t even know the man’s face, but he can trust him with his back.

Ghost zips the pack back up. From the corner of his eye, Soap can see two metal clothing hangers he picked up in one of his searches for a thicker jacket. In his other hand is his little project he used most of the black powder on.

He lifts it questioningly, and Soap answers while shooting, “a wee gift I made. It’ll trigger when someone steps on it.”

“How big’s the explosion?”

Soap smirks, “big enough.”

He can almost feel Ghost’s eye roll from his silence, and he would’ve chuckled if soldiers didn’t start coming closer.

“Ye ready to jump?” he yells.

Ghost hands him a hanger, dropping the charges on the last stair step. Soap watched him flex his left arm one last time, before swinging the hanger over the line, and jumping off.

Soap’s heart drops for a moment when the operator sways wildly, part afraid for him, but mostly for himself.

The hostiles at his feet don’t care either way, so Soap braces himself and jumps off as well. The way down is bumpy, rattling, and fuckin’ fast. Soap lets go of the hanger right before the end, rolling off on the rooftop, and stopping.

He hears his “gift” go off, and the sound is so beautifully familiar, it sends a pang of nostalgia through him.

Ghost is already making his way down, seeking to hide between concrete buildings. Soap hastily catches up.

“That was a wild one, wasn’t it, LT?” he says, a little out of breath.

That breath gets completely knocked out of him when Ghost slams him to the nearest wall. His eyes are obscured by shadows, leaving only two black holes when he leans down to growl in his ear.

“Don’t fuckin’ call me that. I am not your LT, not your CO, we are strangers. We get outta here, and you can go back to your civvy little life. Understood?”

Soap breathes out harshly, grinding his teeth. “Like I have a fuckin’ life-”

Ghost pulls back just to slam him harder, “do you fucking understand, Sergeant?”

He stares at the black voids, voice clear and flat, “yes sir.”

The Lieutenant finally pushes off, and Soap lingers for a moment. He wants to be angry, he wants to snarl and bite and talk back, like he used to when his past COs were yelling at him.

But Ghost is right. After this little “adventure”, Soap will have to go back to his life. To an empty apartment, which he has probably already been evicted from. To searching a job, only to find nothing truly worthwhile. To an airsoft field, a fuckin’ mockery of what he lost.

To a monotonous, repetitive, grey cycle, where John loses his mind just a little more every day.

Ghost is just telling him the truth.

Soap trails back behind Ghost, the man not reacting to his presence. He looks so much larger than him like this, blocking what little light is around them, casting a long shadow over Soap. 

He tried not to think of “what could have been” in the past year. But it’s so hard, when it’s literally within reach.

Could he have been like Ghost? This imposing, unrelenting soldier, stronger than anyone he’s ever fought. So powerful, he escaped a whole military worth of hostile soldiers?

There may be nothing behind Ghost’s mask, but there’s someone behind Soap’s. Someone weak, lost, and repulsive.

And Soap isn’t sure what’s worse.

They’ve walked in silence for the last hour or so, Soap lost in the tar pit of his own mind. Some part of him, hysteric and deranged as it is, doesn’t want this to be over. It disgusts him.

Ghost’s arm has been twitching minutely for a few minutes now. It distracted Soap from spiraling for a bit, wondering what exactly is wrong with him. He doesn’t see any rips in the fabric around the area, so it’s not a stab or gunshot wound. He thought about blunt force trauma, but that wouldn’t act up every once in a while like this. An old injury would, but if it’s bad enough Ghost can’t even shoot straight, no one in their right mind would send him on the field.

Soap exhales, his stomach knotting in warning. They didn’t stop moving since they encountered each other, so they didn’t really eat. Which Soap just remembered, and now can’t ignore.

He considers it for a moment before piping up, “ye hungry?”

Ghost pauses in front of him, slowly turning to stare at him. “You got food?”

Soap nods, pulling a few oranges from his bag. He almost hands one to Ghost before remembering his arm, and sets about to peel them both. Ghost watches him silently, as a sweet aroma fills the small back way. 

Soap gives him the first peeled orange, busying himself with the other while Ghost turns around to eat it. When Soap takes the first bite, a sour taste bursts on his palate. Yet as he chews, it turns sweet, and he closes his eyes for a moment, savoring it.

Ghost has turned back to face him when he opens his eyes again, a look Soap can’t place in his eyes. It makes him hurry and gulp down the rest of the fruit, and he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

He starts walking, but this time Ghost walks beside him, his eyes still not straying from Soap.

Ghost’s eyes are a nice, rich brown, he notices for the first time.

[yunosweetheartxoxo]

🩷GREETINGS IN HELL🩷

💕✨💖 Welcome to Seth’s Sweet Sanctuary! 💖

Hello, lovely souls! I'm Seth, your cozy corner of terror and creativity here on Tumblr!

🌌 I’m so thrilled that you’ve stumbled upon my little hell, where we explore the eerie and the extraordinary! As I balance my collage (yes, I’m a busy student 🎓), I strive to make this blog a warm and welcoming space for everyone. Come, let’s dive into the world of chills and thrills together!

💖✨🖤 What I Write:

Creepypasta

Demon Slayer

Slashers

Jujutsu Kaisen (JJK)

Marble Hornets

John Doe

💖 Content Types:

Headcanons: Let’s dream up some interesting backstories!

Scenarios: Imagine the situations our favorite characters could find themselves in!

Answering Questions: 🗣️ Got something on your mind? Just ask!

❌ What I Won’t Write:

Any form of pedophilia, rape, or child abuse: These topics have no place in my sanctuary.

✨ Feel Free to Ask About:

Any questions you have!

💌My original characters (OCs) and their adventures!

Your requests for scenarios or headcanons!

Gore requests, because spooky season is every season in my heart! 🎃💀🌸

About Me:I’ll be 20 in three months! 🎉

I’m nonbinary and use they/them pronouns! 🌈

🍰 Tiramisu Lover Alert! 🍰

The “weird kid” in school? Yep, that's me!

Crafting is my jam! I love making bracelets and expressing my creativity!

Proud Slipknot Fan 🤘

✨I have Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD), so bear with me if I post a lot just to connect! I’m working on self-control, I promise!

💕💖 Let's Connect!Thank you for visiting my blog! I would absolutely love to take your requests, but please be patient with me as I'm juggling school. Your love and support mean the world to me! 💖Feel free to send me a message, and let’s create some delightful (and spooky) content together! Don’t forget to sprinkle some hearts and kindness everywhere you go! 🌟💕Let’s make this blog a sweet sanctuary for all! 💖✨

[timetraveltasting]

HOT DR PEPPER (1968)

It's been a spooky and scary week or so in many ways, and what better way to comfort myself than trying out this Halloween-branded Hot Dr Pepper for my next Tasting History , or rather, Drinking History, concoction. This alcohol-free drink is exactly what it sounds like: Dr Pepper pop warmed up. Dr Pepper, currently the second highest-selling carbonated soft drink in the United States, was created in the 1880s by pharmacist Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas, and first served around 1885. It was first nationally marketed in the United States in 1904, and went on to become a favourite soda with broad and structured marketing campaigns by the 1950s. In the 1960s, the company noticed that Dr Pepper sales dipped in the winter months. So, they launched a marketing campaign, with Dick Clark as the spokesman, to popularize hot Dr Pepper in order to boost winter sales. There were printed ads, there were TV commercials, restaurants began featuring the drink on menus, and you could buy special hot Dr Pepper mugs. However, the drink never quite caught on, and those who drink it today tend to favour it as a way to soothe symptoms of the common cold. I decided to try this recipe because Dr Pepper is one of my favourite pops, and I also like a warm drink in the colder months. See Max’s video on how to make it here or see the ingredients and process at the end of this post, sourced from his website.

My experience making it:

This is most definitely the easiest 'recipe' I have made yet. I just bought one can of Dr Pepper (I got the Halloween-branded can, which has no flavour difference, but a fun design!) and a lemon.

I poured the can into a pot and heated it on the stove on medium heat until it reached 85 degrees Celsius (180 Fahrenheit), using my brand new cooking thermometer. I then poured it into my favourite mug (shaped like a curling stone), sliced the lemon, and added a slice to the mug. It smelled good, and looked kind of like a hot, sweet black tea.

My experience tasting it:

After waiting for it to cool down a little and for the lemon to hopefully impart some of its flavour into the hot Dr Pepper, I took a sip. Shockingly, it tasted of... Dr Pepper! Surprise, surprise. The only differences I could detect were the hot temperature and the flatness. There were simply no bubbles left in this formerly-fizzy drink. My tastebuds kept searching for a hint of lemon, but not much could be found - perhaps it blended too well with the 23 spices Dr Pepper claims to contain. Regardless, I did like the drink, but only because I already like Dr Pepper. I suppose the heat of the drink was comforting, but I would probably prefer to make tea, hot chocolate, or mulled wine if that's the mood I was in. Of course, Max did warn me of all of this - he had a near identical reaction to hot Dr Pepper - but I decided to make it because it is one of my favourite pops, and why not? While I did think it tasted good, it didn't taste good enough for me to make it again. I could imagine, however, that this recipe could be improved upon by adding a fruit juice or two, or a few more spices on top of the 23 apparently already in the Dr Pepper recipe. If you end up making it, if you liked it, or if you changed anything from the original recipe, do let me know!

Hot Dr Pepper original recipe (1968)

Sourced from Dick Clark's instructions in a Dr Pepper commercial (1968).

Just heat Dr Pepper in a saucepan till it steams. Then pour over a thin slice of lemon. That’s a hot idea! Yes, Dr Pepper is delicious cold or hot.

Modern Recipe

Based on Dick Clark's line in a Dr Pepper commercial (1968) and Max Miller’s version in his Tasting History video.

Ingredients:

1 can of Dr Pepper

1 lemon slice

Method:

Pour the Dr Pepper into a saucepan. Set it over medium heat until it reaches 180°F (85°C).

Place a lemon slice in a mug. Pour the hot Dr Pepper over it, then serve it forth.