#i headcanon that post-trespasser the two started hooking up

[wardencallings]

DA OC Question!!

Aside from their love interest, did your Warden/Hawke/Inquisitor have a crush on anyone? What did they admire about that person? Was it a fleeting crush, or something more?

[jangmi-latte]

Hello! May a I order Riddle, Leona, Azul, Kalim and Vil where each one deals with the type of girl that would bring them, how they met her, how they managed to get closer to her and how their relationship began? May it be in a headcannon form? Thank you!

❞ 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐈𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐌𝐞𝐭.. ❝

➻ content: four smoothies! two served for now!

➻ warnings: uwu

➻ comments: i assumed these are like boyfriend headcanons and geeeh leona and vil in one request...and it’s lengthy too... hooking one reference setting again in one of these. wink, it's from one of the masquerade meals i made~

i'll be cutting these into two parts since it's going to be very long. vil and azul will be posted later! i had to remove kalim since tumblr was starting to glitch the longer it got and i didn't want to cut it into more than two parts. sorry kalim!

part two involving vil and azul

Ⅰ.

...♔ I Met You...

➺ we all want to assume that you’re one of riddle’s childhood friends who snuck him out with trey and chenya or you met in night raven college. but no, you met him when you were being scolded by his mother.

➺ yes, you were being scolded by his mother.

➺ it happened one afternoon when you were playing ball with your friends and it flew over to his yard. you, being an oblivious ten-year-old, entered the private property through the fence and was just about to pick up the ball when one of the maids saw you and called after the mrs. rosehearts.

➺ when you were shamefully being scolded by her, riddle was curious about all the yelling going on outside that he took a peak from his study room window and saw you. tears were already dripping from your eyes as you hugged the ball to your chest.

➺ ah, the concern on riddle's face. sure, it isn't a surprise that his mother is being feared and highly respected by other people but you didn't have to experience something as cruel as being yelled at.

➺ he doesn't know the reason why but he surely did think you were stupid enough not to know you're trespassing.

➺ that was the first time he saw you. he never thought he would see you again. however, fate decided to play a little game and decided to make both of you meet again two years later.

➺ by the time he's thirteen and you're twelve, your dog somehow ran into the open gates of his home and started barking in his yard. you remembered the home to be the place of the rosehearts so you were a bit troubled when you couldn't find a way for your dog to come back.

➺ he saw you from the window again, this time he was the one who ran out to the yard, took the dog, and gave it to you saying, "first the ball and then your dog?" he questioned while you furrowed your eyebrows in surprise. was he the son of mrs. rosehearts?

➺ you changed a bit during those two years and riddle must admit, he was intrigued by you. maybe it was because he barely had any friends and he did miss the presence of both chenya and trey. having a girl friend is something he never had and would like to have one.

➺ you introduced each other by the gates. mainly because riddle was taught to be formal and greet first before spiking up a conversation. the dog was back in your arms and you would've lied if you said you didn't notice anything peculiar by the way his head would always look over his shoulder.

➺ it began with a simple, "how do you know i was the one who got yelled at?" "i was by the window. i never knew i would see you again." to "since we're getting to know each other, why don't we play?"

➺ "i can't..."

➺ you would've talked to him more if it wasn't for his mother's loud yells looking for him.

➺ but fate isn't greedy.

...♔ Closer To You...

➺ your concern for riddle eventually led to you going to the gates more often. if not the gates, then waving behind the fence in front of his bedroom window. he couldn't go out of the house so what did you both do? from conversing by the use of paper aeroplanes to using tin can telephones. old school but it's the only way for you to be able to communicate with riddle.

➺ you two eventually started to learn about each other. you knew about his mother, trey and chenya, him being accepted to nrc, and his sweet tooth. you barely played, yes, but that doesn’t change the fact the both of you grew to be the best of friends.

➺ trey and chenya finally got to know you when riddle got the chance to invite you into his house. how? his parents were out, leaving him with the servants and he was able to sneak you in. you video-called with trey and chenya that day and you two got to interact more. you were both fifteen that time – riddle turning sixteen.

➺ until the day came where riddle had to go to nrc. you were happy for him yet sad that you can’t see him for a quite a while. sure, there’s the internet, but the real-life experience is what you’ll miss. 

➺ you met by the gates again where you ran to him and gave him a big hug. riddle was surprised, not really used to such affection while you cried how happy you are for him and made him promise that you two would talk still during his time at school.

...♔ I'm Yours...

➺ you eventually started your classes in a different school. it led to you and riddle not communicating for months. too busy with school and the ultimate pressure of his and your parents has consumed most of your time to talk to each other. let alone get the chance to visit him when he comes home.

➺ the promise was sealed and that was the last time in months where you’ll see him as you watched him enter the mirror. he gave his very first message when he got sorted into heartslabyul.

➺ you were shook when you found out he became dorm leader in just a week of him being there.

➺ when you turned sixteen, riddle is seventeen, that’s when the relationship would start a ride. that one vacation where he came home, riddle was forced to go to some formal event. he didn’t want to be there so he went to the manor’s backyard and saw you.

➺ if you’re expecting as something as sweet as pie, then that isn’t how your and riddle’s relationship began.

➺ it came to the point you nearly forgot about riddle as you wanted to focus on yourself more. same with riddle. he was too preoccupied with school, dorm management, and dealing with his mother to even have the chance to hold his phone.

➺ the two of you being reunited has brought hidden feelings to arise. you both had matured in some way and damn was riddle baffled with the kiss you just gave him in that gazebo.

➺ okay, he matured. not you.

➺ you would think it was going to be awkward after that, but no. after your father found out about riddle, he let the roseheats know about your ever-so-hidden relationship and let the two of you finally interact completely. 

➺ ah, the constant visits both of you would do to each other’s homes. riddle taught you everything he knows. he never brought up the kiss, he was too embarrassed to do so.

➺ until you did it again in the same gazebo when he was tutoring you one afternoon.

➺ “why do you keep on doing that?!” he exclaimed and covered his face. he may be the strict dorm leader in heartslabyul, but please he’s just as stupid as you when it comes to relationships. your gullible self just giggled and straight out confused, “because i love you.”

➺ that’s when riddle realized his feelings for you too. there wasn’t any ‘will you be my girlfriend?’ questions. it was straight-up ‘i love you too’ (with a hushed voice while being the tsundere he is) from him that sealed the next step of your relationship.

➺ you both were each other’s first partner so it was quite awkward and rusty at first. riddle would be shy and yell at you yet you would just giggle and be all affectionate on him.

➺ he eventually got used to it months later into the relationship. he would support you, be more proud of your developments, and maybe be more affectionate (by more maybe just a simple kiss on the hand and cheek here in there). he isn’t big into pda so it was a surprise to adeuce, trey, and cater that riddle has a girlfriend.

➺ how did they found out? you paid him a visit one day at school and hugged him tightly which shook everyone to the core. maybe trey found out sooner than the others but awww...everyone shipped the both of you that riddle may or may not have been more happy let the others know about you.

➺ he just loves you okay?

Ⅱ.

...❦  I Met You...

➺ we’re going to pull a lion king II in this one and say you were chasing a little butterfly and bumped into him one day that made the both of you roll down the hill. 

➺ leona recognized you as the daughter of one of the royal guards, noted by the uniform tattoo that adorned your bicep. the almighty respect he had for you was high, but why are you out here giggling and chasing some insect instead of training?

➺ your oblivious self was still on top of him after rolling from that hill. upon stretching your arms out, hovering over him, that’s when you made out the face of the second prince and immediately scurried away from him while saying uncountable amounts of apologies. 

➺  first meeting? not so really. more like the first time getting in contact with the prince since your parents are quite strict with who you befriend. did they explicitly say who you should and shouldn’t be friends with? no. so here you are embarrassed that you nearly brought the prince into an accident when you should be the one looking after him.

➺ you were young teens, maybe around thirteen to fourteen years old, when that happened. so, yes, leona was already the grumpy man he is. despite that, his skills aren’t as sharp as it is in the present day. when you both stopped rolling, you were whining while he was ‘growling’ at you – it wasn’t really a growl. try saying r through gritted teeth, that was the sound.

�� “who are you?” he asked while fixing himself. stating your name, you bowed and remembered your training. ugh, how you wanted to be swallowed by the ground now.

➺ “i-i apologise, your highness! i’m supposed to be out looking for you rather than being careless–”

➺ “don’t call me your highness and i don’t need to be looked out for,” he grumbled. 

➺ oh, but that’s not your job now is it?

...❦  Closer To You...

➺ since it’s your job to look after leona, it’s pretty much obvious on how you two grew closer. if it wasn’t for your stubborn self ignoring his constant bickers of him being grown enough to not be looked after, you two wouldn’t be as close as when you two would grow up.

➺ “what are you reading, your highness?” “stop disturbing me!”

➺ you are a guard alright, but also his best friend. he wouldn’t admit it out loud but he did enjoy your company rather than being around his brother all the time. he finds your sudden persona change amusing. if you’re casually chatting with him, being all carefree, and one of the guards come in to check on both of you, you would suddenly stand up tall with a fierce expression and respond formally before reverting back to being your y/n self.

➺ he questions if you’re taking your job seriously.

➺ you grew up together side by side. there are ups and downs in your friendship, mainly due to leona’s high pride, but other than that, you became more of a sibling to him rather than his brother did. puberty did the both of you well and you eventually matured to become that motherly friend everyone needed.

➺ when it was time for him to move to school, your motherly side showed up. even though you knew he would be fine – those muscles don’t lie – being his guard AND friend, you made sure there isn’t going to be a problem with his transportation and his dormitory. separating from him means you can’t perform your duty as a guard, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do your duty as a friend either.

➺ with his stay there, you always called him or Ruggie. at least he has someone there that can look after him in your place.

➺ you would occasionally visit there (much to the savanaclaw students’ surprise) and make sure he’s alright. of course, leona would protest here and there saying you’re overreacting and such.

➺ “have you ate?” “time to wake up, stupid sleepyhead.” and all that. you still held that playfulness in you and leona never wanted that to change. if you’re protective to him then he’s protective over you too. you may be a tough and strong woman of the royal household, still, leona would look after you from the corner of his eye and make sure you’re safe despite the intense training you’re going through.

➺ he’s still thankful though.

...❦  I'm Yours...

➺ do you know what made leona love you more than a friend? when your nurturing side showed up. when? the birth of cheka. 

➺ speaking of cheka, when the little cub was born, it was in a lioness’ nature to look after other cubs and that’s what you instinctively did. you’re holding the future of the savannah in your arms and leona couldn’t help it but see you holding HIS child rather than his brother’s. 

➺ when the queen was resting, you would tend to the young child and leona would just stare at you. the older cheka grew, the more leona would fall for you.

➺ first, you didn’t leave him, second, you were there for him, third, you’re a wholeass wife-material. no, leona didn’t just see you as a potential partner, he doesn’t want you to leave his life at all which means you’re someone important to him. friends? nah, you’re going to be leona’s girlfriend.

➺ you grew up to be beautiful too. leona doesn’t really care for looks but seeing you mature so beautifully is a bonus to him. 

➺ you, on the other hand, already had a crush on leona during your adolescent years. until you were sure of your feelings for him, you eventually became more touchy than expected. either intentional or not, leona doesn’t mind.

➺ by touchy, you would hug him more often, hold his hands out of nowhere, play with his tail, etc. did leona mind? maybe in public, yes. if you were alone, however, he would just let you. you both are close after all.

➺ it was reflex, of course, very tough of a guard like you to act. “geez, thanks,” leona groaned. maybe it was kind of disrespectful, but believe it or not, it wasn’t leona’s intention to take advantage of you. he instantly got worried when you didn’t speak and just stayed still under the blanket.

➺ you were taking deep breaths with your cheeks red and all. your tail was uncontrollably flicking too. 

➺ “i saw that! miss y/n is my auntie now!” ah, damn now cheka saw that too. 

➺ it was leona who took the relationship to the next level when you were talking to him about something he can’t quite remember. he was just staring at how your lips moved and suddenly, he just kissed you. did he get a kiss back? no. instead, he had a kick to the stomach that sent him curling up while you buried yourself under the blankets.

➺ leona shooed the little cub away and removed the blankets to see you covering your face. he noticed your tail going whoosh so he gently held it. big mistake. you kicked his leg this time which made him fall on the bed and you sat on his waist and glared down at him.

➺ “remind me next time not to kiss you.” “oh, i will.”

➺ and you made the move this time and kissed him.

➺ now you’re his and his only.

➺ the whole royal household found out about your relationship after cheka started cheering about how he’ll get a little playmate/cousin after he saw you and leona kiss. honey, that’s not how kids are made...

[violetwolfraven]

Willie Headcanons

So I actually came up with this like a month ago and forgot to post it. Anyway enjoy my headcanons about our favorite sk8er boi. Be ready for feels.

Tw: death, car accident mention, emotional manipulation.

...

In my mind, Willie had a good relationship with his parents. They were supportive and everything. They both loved Willie very much.

And Willie has youngest child energy so I’m saying he has a sister who’s 2 years older and a brother who’s 5 years older. Their names are Delilah and Austin.

AND ALL THREE OF THEM ARE ADRENALINE JUNKIES.

Seriously imagine the worst possible combination of head empty only skateboarding and you’ve got Willie, Delilah, and Austin.

Austin started skating when he was 7 and got Delilah hooked on it a year later.

Their parents kinda didn’t like the idea of it but those two had already started teaching Willie basic stuff by the time he was 3.

But... the other two had other interests. Delilah was into art (painting) and Austin played piano (like, really well).

For Willie, skateboarding was his thing. And it always was.

He had fun with it when his big brother would put his hands on his and teach him to play a bit, or his sister would give him some paint and a spare canvas and they’d doodle together, but it wasn’t like skating.

As far as I’ve seen (which admittedly isn’t that far) it’s widely accepted that Willie has ADHD so I’m leaning into that here.

And Willie inherited his brain from his dad, who had a bad experience with meds and so wouldn’t let any of his kids go through it.

So Willie grew up unmedicated but probably better off for the time period. His dad taught him coping mechanisms. Him and Austin. Delilah didn’t inherit it but she was taught to empathize with her brothers and recognize when they needed her help with something.

She’s a badass who can and does beat up anybody who’s mean to her brothers for missing social cues.

But anyway while Austin had piano (and skating as a side thing) Willie got even more hooked on skateboarding than either of his siblings because his brain latched onto it from a young age and couldn’t let go.

We all have our outlets. The chaos in our brains has to go somewhere. For Willie it goes into skating.

When he’s young he and his siblings will skateboard to school and then after school they’ll skate all around Hollywood for hours.

They do their homework in random McDonalds and Denny’s and tbh become local cryptid customers. Like they’re just these 3 super friendly skater siblings who tip really well and visit every fast food place within a 20 mile radius of their house with varying frequency.

They also find e v e r y skatepark, empty pool, and vacant lot in that 20 mile radius that they can possibly find.

Their parents have to bail them out of jail for trespassing and the occasional vandalism every so often.

Sometimes one of them has stuff to do and it’s just two of them out skating but if two of them are busy the other one never goes out alone cause it’s dangerous. We’ll get back to that later.

So anyway when they’re 17, 14, and 12, Delilah comes out as a lesbian.

And the family is supportive of course because they’re a good family.

But her coming out gets Willie thinking. About how some of his friends have crushes on girls but he just... doesn’t see the appeal.

Like he has a couple friends who are girls and they’re great and he likes hanging out with them at recess but he doesn’t get the hype. They’re just more friends. So he doesn’t really see what his big sister is so interested in either.

In my mind Willie actually is from around the same time as the boys (dying in like 1999) so one day while nobody else in their house is home he and Delilah are watching Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and Willie’s again wondering why people think Leia is so hot cause she’s cool and all but Luke is right there and he looks really good and—

Willie: I think I might be gay.

Delilah: Yeah I know.

They talk about it and Willie does decide to tell the rest of the family but he’s a bit wary about anyone else because he saw how some of Delilah’s friends turned on her after she came out. He doesn’t want that to happen to him.

He does end up telling a few of his friends but he doesn’t quite not care what people think of him the way his big sister does.

Austin is the only straight one and he’s like. So awkward about it but in a sweet way.

Austin: So, Britney Spears is hot, right?

Delilah: Stop.

And

Austin: So I saw you hanging around Chris the other day are you two..?

Willie: ...no...???

Austin: Cool, yeah I didn’t think so. Just had to make sure. Not that I’m doubting your ability to get boys but I’d have to shovel talk him if you were.

Willie: If I ever do get a boyfriend, please don’t.

He tries. He’s a himbo if that wasn’t clear. Where did you think Willie learned it?

So anyway fast forward a couple years and they’re 22, 19, and 17. Austin and Delilah are both in college and Willie’s the last one left at home and things between their parents start getting... tense.

Like they don’t fight exactly but they’ve fallen out of love and things are awkward.

Even Austin and Delilah can tell and they’re only home on breaks and some weekends but for Willie it’s right there and he’s watching it happen. He has no option but to see.

They used to have a rule that they don’t go skating alone because it’s dangerous but Willie just can’t make himself stay home so he goes out skateboarding.

At first it’s never too far from home or anywhere where there’s too much traffic but as things get increasingly awkward at home he goes out farther and farther, chasing the adrenaline high he used to get from going anywhere and everywhere every day after school with his siblings.

Then his parents officially tell him they’re getting divorced and

And it’s not like he couldn’t see it coming, but... it still hurts.

And neither of his siblings are coming home any time soon so

So he goes out skating on his own, way too far from home. He keeps going until he doesn’t even know where he is anymore.

He isn’t really paying attention the way he should but that’s not why he runs into trouble.

The driver of that red pickup is drunk and he rounds the corner out of nowhere.

If Delilah or Austin had been there they could have yelled for Willie to jump out of the way, or maybe up on the hood so the impact wouldn’t be as bad, but he’s alone.

So he gets hit, and the car was going fast enough that he’s dead before he even hits the pavement.

After that there’s a lot of confusion but once Willie figures out he’s a ghost... it’s too painful to think about going home, so he just... doesn’t.

He doesn’t want to see his family mourning him, so he just distracts himself, skating everywhere he couldn’t before without getting busted.

Plus some old routes where he used to go with Delilah and Austin, just for something that’s familiar but not too familiar.

He’s on one of those more familiar routes a few weeks after his death when he’s skating down Sunset Boulevard one night, singing along to Toxic by Britney Spears blasting from a nearby club and a man dressed in a purple suit comments on how he’s got a good voice.

Honestly Willie is just so relieved to have someone to talk to that he forgets about stranger danger completely.

Plus he recognizes an Elder Gay in Caleb and assumes he can trust him because the Elder Gays he met at pride that one time he went with Delilah were so nice and understanding of how reassuring it was to see queer people of older generations who got a happy ending.

Caleb barely even has to try. He just lets this 17-year-old obviously-queer ghost rant at him for a few minutes, asks a few questions and finds out that he also can play piano, and convinces him to come to the Hollywood Ghost Club the next night.

From there it’s not like Willie has anyone to save him so of course he has to join the club.

At first he’s completely alone because the other performers scare him almost as much as Caleb does.

Then slowly, he sees how they give him space because they know he’s scared of them. How they turn a blind eye when he leaves the club without permission. How they don’t critique his mistakes with the same sarcasm they show each other.

Willie starts to realize that the other performers are doing their best to look out for him, and he starts being less afraid.

They’re all too concerned with their own survival to really protect him but if they draw some attention to themselves occasionally so Caleb doesn’t notice Willie being slow to pick up some tricky choreography, that’s not too risky.

The others are all like 21 at the youngest and they really don’t appreciate Caleb tricking a literal child into working for him no matter how talented said child is. (Cause Willie is good at singing and piano. It’s just not his passion.)

The twins are 22 but they died in 1925 and before that they were performing to support a younger brother who they never got to say goodbye to so maybe they see Willie as a kind of second chance.

Lyssa (what I decided to name drummer woman because I don’t know her real name if she has one) is 25 and she died in 1984. She had a daughter who’d be about Willie’s age now and... who knows? Maybe they were friends.

Fuego is 24 and from 1951 and he had a childhood best friend who enlisted and died in WWII that he thought he might get to see when he died but that boy moved on and so... well, Willie’s just a little younger than his friend was the last time he saw him.

In short Willie becomes everyone’s baby brother and they do what they can to look out for him even if they’re just as scared of Caleb as he is.

And the better adjusted Willie gets to (after)life at the HGC and the better they get to know him, the guiltier the others start to feel about him being stuck there.

Eventually a combination of guilt and worked-up courage leads Fuego tells him about the whole unfinished business thing, in hopes maybe he can figure his out and get away from Caleb.

It doesn’t take Willie long to think of his family, how hopeless he felt about the divorce, how worried he was it would change everything and then how scared he was to see his family in pain because of his death.

He realizes his unfinished business is probably seeing them. Letting himself say goodbye.

He almost gets away with it.

Caleb catches up and stops him in the driveway of his house and poofs them back to the HGC.

He convinces (gaslights) Willie into believing that saying goodbye was never his unfinished business and even if it was it’s not like it would matter because Caleb wouldn’t let him do it.

The next morning he ships the HGC out to Tokyo. They stay on the move for a long time and when they are in town, Willie is basically locked in his room.

The next time he’s allowed out in Hollywood, his parents don’t live in their old house anymore and he has no way to find them.

As a coping mechanism, he just starts making the best of a bad situation. Becoming better friends with the other ghosts. Helping soften the blow whenever someone new comes along.

None of that means he stops checking the faces of passing skaters or keeping eyes on restaurants his folks used to like, but it does mean he more or less gives up hope.

That’s what he’s doing when he bumps into Alex.

Look, Willie loves his friends at the HGC. He really does. But there’s a big difference between 17 and 20-something. Like the others will drink alcohol some nights and technically Willie was born over 21 years ago but he still feels weird enough about it that he doesn’t drink.

He hasn’t talked to anyone his age in a long time so Alex is a breath of fresh air.

Also he’s like. Really cute. And sweet. And funny. And shit, Willie’s fallen for him before he even has time to think about it.

He keeps thinking about how Alex doesn’t seem like he’d be physically capable of hurting someone on purpose so Austin would approve and every once in a while there’s that sarcasm that pops out which means he’d get along great with Delilah.

In general Alex is the kind of guy he would’ve loved to take home to meet the family. Them not included, he’s kind of... everything Willie’s missed about Hollywood in the form of one person.

Then they hang out more and Alex is still everything he’s missed but he’s also so much more than that and...

It almost feels like a part of Alex is still alive. And for the first time in years, a part of Willie feels alive, too.

They’ve known each other for like a week tops and Willie is already in love.

Not that he’s admitting that to anyone, because he’s learned the hard way that anyone you care about can be used against you.

Still... when Alex asks for help getting revenge on Bobby, he can’t bring himself to say no because he needs to keep Alex in his (after)life and the only way he knows how to do that (or to make people be nice to him in general) is to be as useful as possible.

That turns out to be a big mistake, because Caleb sees right through him in an instant, targets Alex to confirm it, then immediately starts the process to trick the boys into committing to eternity at the HGC.

Willie feels like an idiot for thinking he could actually get away with it. Doing something good for someone he cares about.

He hadn’t thought Caleb would be interested in them because he’d never actually heard them play. The assumption was that he’d make them do some small favor and then let them talk to their bandmate for 5 minutes. A clean deal where they never have to commit to anything. Willie forgot to take magic into account.

He almost manages to convince himself it was all a bad dream, but when he seeks out Alex and his friends to check on them, he can almost feel the jolts himself, and seeing Alexthem in pain feels terrible.

Willie knows that theoretically they could figure out their unfinished business and cross over, but that all depends on finding it and doing it fast enough and if they failed...

People you care about can be used against you. And Willie does not want to be used against Alex again. He doesn’t want to see Alex used against him.

So he keeps his distance, in hopes Caleb will think he lost interest. He’s pretty sure once the boys find out about the stamp they’ll hate him, anyway.

And plus, as he’s been taught by his friends at the HGC, you have to look out for yourself because no one else will do it for you. Maybe you hurt somebody by not standing up for them, but you can apologize later and hope they forgive you. You can’t apologize if you’re gone, and it’s not like it would make a difference anyway because Caleb is too powerful for anyone to beat.

The thought of how spending eternity with Alex might not be so bad even if it has to be at the HGC does come up, but ironically that’s what makes Willie decide to screw his courage to the sticking point and tell them.

Because he has seen what decades at the club has done to his friends.

They’re all great performers, and they perform happiness well even to each other, but Willie knows them enough to know how tired they all are. How they have been doing the same thing over and over again for decades and they are sick of it.

They’re young, talented tragedies lost to drug overdoses, or AIDS, or accidents, or suicide, and they should’ve gotten to rest after everything they went through in their lives. Instead, they got a curse disguised as a blessing. They got to stay on a stage, got to keep performing and soaking up applause, never got to stop.

Willie has been there a shorter time than most of them and he feels it. The exhaustion, because ghosts are supposed to haunt for a few years then figure out their unfinished business and move on. They’re not meant to be trapped for decades, used as party tricks.

A part of Alex still feels alive and being trapped in the Hollywood Ghost Club for years on end would kill that part of him.

Willie can’t let that happen, so as hard as it is...

He tells the boys what’s wrong with them. And by that hurt, betrayed look in Alex’s eyes, he’s honestly expecting him to never forgive him.

But then Alex does. And that almost hurts worse because whether he figures out his unfinished business or not, Willie doubts he’s ever going to see him again.

He honest to God almost cries when Alex hugs him because... shit, he hasn’t gotten a hug since he was breathing.

He goes back to the HGC and tries to go about his day, and keeps replaying how good it felt to have Alex’s arms around him, hoping that memory will get him through the next few decades on his own.

The ghosts at the club do actually gossip a fair amount and by this point all of them know about the 3 dead members of Sunset Curve.

So when Willie admits to Helen (what I’m calling one of the twins) that Alex hugging him was the first time he’d gotten a hug since he died, she hugs him tight for a good 20 seconds, telling him she’s sorry he has to lose him, and if Willie closes his eyes he can almost pretend it’s Delilah.

The next thing he knows, he’s locked in a closet.

Caleb comes to talk to (intimidate) him a few hours later, saying he knows what Willie did.

He’s magically locked in his room alone for a couple weeks after that and it’s essentially psychological torture.

Helen, Anna (what I decided to call the other twin), Dante, Fuego, Lyssa, and everyone else tell him not to test Caleb for the next couple years, but Willie has a heart full of love and a head full of fuck it, so he doesn’t listen.

He gives it exactly one day of being/acting scared and obedient, then goes out without permission again, fully intending to scream in a museum alone to let out all his feelings.

Remember: Willie didn’t see the Orpheum performance. He doesn’t know the boys didn’t cross over but by Caleb’s mood he has a feeling the outcome of that scenario was not in the magician’s favor.

He gets there and it’s literally this comic by the very talented @williessweatycherrysocks

He can’t stay long but he and Alex scream in each other’s faces, talk a bit, maybe sing a duet.

After that, they sneak to see each other when they can but don’t get to see much of each other for months.

It’s hard on both of them but they don’t give up on their relationship.

Through long and complicated events which I will outline later, Willie eventually gets free of the HGC, hugs his friends goodbye already making plans to take down Caleb for good to free them, too, and promptly declines an offer to stay in the Molinas’ garage.

As much as he wants to be close to Alex he’s done being confined to one place.

He still comes and visits like every day tho.

He knows a lot more about ghosting than the other boys do so he and Carlos get along amazingly like:

Carlos: So do you know who Jack the Ripper was?

Willie: No? How old do you think I am?

Carlos: I dunno but I thought it might be Caleb cause that would explain how he never got caught.

Willie, taking notes in his Things To Potentially Use To Take Caleb Down notebook: You’re a tiny genius.

No one was expecting it but everyone is in awe of how well he and Carrie get along. Between the two of them they know so much celebrity gossip. (and it’s definitely a good thing he’s on good terms with her cause she and Alex are close)

On the angsty side, Willie also bonds with Nick over how they both know how it feels to be manipulated and used by Caleb.

Also it takes a long time before he’s able to trust him, but he does get adopted into the Molina clan by Ray.

Ray reminds him a lot of his own dad, once Willie’s able to see that he’s nothing like Caleb.

Ray’s honestly just 100% happy to Dad™️ anyone who needs a dad so it works out great once Julie and the boys figure out how to make Willie visible.

But anyway back to important stuff.

Now that they don’t have to hide for any reason, Willie and Alex can both breathe a little easier. Or... they both feel better. Ghosts don’t really breathe.

Willie can finally let himself get used to feeling alive again.

The whole ghost gang goes (invisibly) to the Los Feliz Homecoming dance and maybe it should make him feel a little on-edge with the kind of club-like environment but...

He’s got Alex there, and they’re dancing to some corny pop love song from the 90s that Flynn probably put on because she knew the ghost boys would be there so how could he feel anything but safe?

For a minute it almost feels like actually being alive and there’s yellow and pink and blue lights coming from everywhere reflecting in Alex’s eyes and Willie is suddenly very aware of the fact that though they’ve been together for a long time now, they haven’t had their first kiss.

Then the Cha Cha Slide starts up and the atmosphere switches and Willie totally forgets about the whole romantic tension thing because it’s the Cha Cha Slide everybody has to dance along.

Dirty Candi performs towards the end of the night and the ghost boys cheer the loudest despite how Julie’s laughing at them. They don’t care that Carrie can’t even hear them, they’re being supportive!!!

Everybody screams even louder when Flynn runs up on stage and kisses Carrie and Willie feels a big burst of affection at how Alex shouts ABOUT TIME!

Then he gives Willie a quick hug and leaves cause he and the rest of Julie and the Phantoms have to go get set up for their performance.

Since Alex was able to flip Carrie’s hair in All Eyes on Me I’m saying that ghosts can touch lifers if they focus and believe it will happen hard enough, so the ghost gang has developed a system for alerting their non-Julie lifer friends to their presence.

So while they’re waiting in the crowd Willie taps Carrie on the shoulder like: • - - one short tap, two long taps, a Morse code ‘W’ and Carrie lets Flynn know that he’s there.

(Nick can see him too but Nick’s off somewhere with his date {one of his lacrosse teammates you know the one})

Anyway so Julie goes out and starts up the song and then the rest of the band poofs in but

Something’s unusual.

Cause it’s not Luke on the lower main vocals.

It’s

Alex

Singing while he plays the drums and fucking killing it.

Willie totally bluescreens for a second but then when he actually focuses on the lyrics...

It’s a new song about beating the odds and being with the person you love in spite of the challenges that come with them.

And yeah there are Julie elements in there, (and she’s definitely making heart eyes at Luke even as he sticks to backup vocals) because of course there are since she has to start the song up, but

But Willie might not have any formal music training, but he was at the HGC long enough to know his stuff about music and recognize different artists’ styles.

And there’s a time signature switch on the bridge that’s a little off from how Luke would write it. There’s a swing to the melody that’s a bit more ‘pop’ than the band’s usual songs. Julie’s harmony doesn’t go as high as it normally would, as if whoever wrote the song didn’t have as high of an upper range to work with as she does.

The song is so unmistakably Alex that no one else could have written it.

Flynn and Carrie are quietly making smug comments on what they bet his face looks like right now but Willie’s not listening to them.

On the last chorus, Alex fucking winks at him right before poofing out.

Willie has whiplash like how did they go from him having to psych Alex up to break into a museum even when there’s zero chance of getting caught to Alex openly flirting with him from the stage?

He poofs backstage right as the boys get back from dropping their instruments back in the Molinas’ garage and he honestly doesn’t know what he even wants to say to convey how amazing that performance was.

Then Alex just smiles at him.

Alex: So I take it you liked the song?

Willie: Can I kiss you right now?

They both kinda freeze after he blurts that out and Reggie goes wow really quietly before he and Luke poof out to give them some privacy and whoops now they’re both flustered but

Alex: Wow, didn’t expect that. That’s... um, wow. But yeah.

They kiss and it’s a total romcom moment.

And the story’s far from over, but to Willie this definitely feels like happily ever after.

[dirk-valentine-lives]

#cluecrewquestionnaire

Questionnaire made by @detectively

rules: copy and paste, answer the questions, tag 10 mutuals to do the same!

1. What is your favorite Nancy Drew game and why?

My all-time fav would probably be Shadow Ranch, it takes place in my home state (so all the inaccuracies are especially hilarious, like everyone having a southern accent and 89 degrees being "hot") My other favorites are FIN, SAW, ASH, and DED.

2. Have you played all 32 games in the series? If not, which ones haven’t you played? If yes, which one did you play first?

Yes! My first one was MHM in 2001, followed immediately by FIN.

3. What is your favorite line from any character in the series?

Either something from Eustacia "You-are-not-dead-yet?" Andropov or Alexei in ASH after you say, "Not all politicians are corrupt," he goes, "Where's your youthful cynicism? Yes, all politicians." Or something like that. :P

Nancy's sass is especially strong in FIN, so those are all contenders as well.

4. If you could change the ending to any game, which one would it be (no spoilers, though)?

Eh, I always thought the ending to DAN was pretty goofy and unrealistic, but I don't necessarily have ideas off the top of my head.

5. Which game is your least favorite, and why?

SCK. Very unappealing locations/aesthetic. Kinda boring characters and plot. Also RAN because the puzzles just. Never. Stopped. Also, going back and forth fetching driftwood for a spoiled bird is not my ideal gameplay. The monkey activities got pretty old too if you're trying to get all the trophies and had to play infinite games until you die. :P

6. Which character is your favorite? Why?

I have a few, but Ryan Kilpatrick from Deadly Device is a big favorite. I can relate to her addiction to gummy candy and I like her cool charts and motorcycle :P Also, maybe Jenna Dublin. Her personality seems really chill. Plus she gives me free souppp.

7. Which character is your least favorite? Why?

Takae and Renate only for the simple fact that conversation takes EIGHT MILLION YEARS to get through because of their monologues. Also Lily because she is so bossy and entitled, she really rubs me the wrong way.

8. How do you feel about the whole Nancy/Ned vs. Nancy/Frank situation? Do you ship her with someone else? Who, and why?

I don't really ship Nancy with anybody. Nancy/Ned is cool, Nancy/Frank is cool too (I can be a sucker for the agony of unrequited love so maybe Nancy/Frank is something I could get into? Why do I like sad things lol)

9. Do you have any fun headcanons about any of the games or characters?

Some from SHA, but I won't share them here because they're going into my fanfiction I'm writing!

10. If you could visit any of the locations of the games, which ones would they be and why?

The Ryokan Hiei, River Heights in ASH (I am always a slut for Nancy's beautiful house), Shadow Ranch (Dry Creek, Cougar Bend, and Cliff dwellings?? Sign me tf up), Thornton Hall, and Blackmoor Manor (that conservatory!!!)

11. Did you read any of the original Nancy Drew books? If yes, do you like them? If no, would you consider reading one?

I haven't! I would like to read some, but I'm not sure where to start, there are so many of them. Would love recommendations.

12. What is one thing any good detective can’t live without?

Either a camera to take pictures when you're snooping/trespassing and can’t take things with you, or a notepad.

13. Which game had the best soundtrack?

Hands down, it's between HAU and SHA. The Irish-themed music in HAU makes me melt, and I love the ethereal guitar pieces in SHA because they're so befitting of the desert.

14. What is one thing you wish HER would’ve included in any of the games (a conversation, interaction, location, feature, etc)?

I haven't thought about it too much, actually.

15. Do you have any ideas for a future game? What is it?

Not really, maybe something with more of a Whodunit aspect like in the older games.

16. How long does it take you to finish a game from start to finish?

It really depends. A few hours, sometimes I'll drag it out for days if I'm trying to savor the gameplay :P

17. Did any of the games scare you? If yes, which ones? If no, why?

SAW was spooky, and so was GTH and CUR. The ghosts and the nightmare sequence definitely added to the feeling.

18. Why did you join the Nancy Drew fandom here on tumblr?

There are so many hilarious jokes and I like seeing all the URLs that are just inside references to the games. ND stuff doesn't fit on my main blog so I decided to make a ND themed blog! I have a lot to say about ND, and sooo many aesthetic post ideas.

19. What is your favorite Nancy Drew joke (from in-game or even floating around the internet)?

I haven't been in the tumblr fandom for too long so I don't have one yet!

20. Who is someone in the clue crew you’ve always wanted to get to know?

Again, I'm too new to the tumblr fandom but I'm looking to make friends :)

21. What are three unpopular opinions you hold about the games?

--I think DDI is a bit overrated. *ducks to avoid flying projectiles* I liked it, but the gloomy seaside aesthetic is so depressing to me. I don't like the ocean, beaches, or perpetually gray skies. Sand? Salt? Cold wind? Boats? Seasickness? No thanks. --The type or amount of puzzles in a game rarely affects my opinion of it (aside from RAN). I usually rate the games by the plot and the atmosphere. --I can’t stand Loulou or Coucou, those birds get insta-muted whenever I play CUR or RAN.

22. Do you have any fun theories about any of the games?

Not off the top of my head! May edit some in later if I think of them.

23. Who was your favorite animal character featured in the games?

Good Ole' Bob from SHA.

24. Do other people in your life know about your love for Nancy Drew?

My husband and two close friends. I usually keep it to myself :P

25. How long have you been playing these games?

Since 2001 when I was a wee child! My friend had MHM and FIN and when he started playing MHM he got so scared that he couldn’t finish it and passed it over to me to try and I was completely hooked.

I don’t have anyone to tag but feel free to fill out!