#i adore gay detectives

[maalidoesart]

its his world, we’re just living in it

[automatonwithautonomy]

'great. love you too' and 'you're the only person i'd go to hell for' and 'we're best mates' are just really fucking important to me. the romance - it's not that it doesn't matter, but it's not the only thing. it's not the most important thing. they're friends, no matter what.

[edwinisms]

I know how it sounds at first, but I really gotta feel bad for the boys that sacrificed edwin; I mean even the term “sacrificed edwin” paints them in a more sinister light than they really deserve– considering that wasn’t really, actually their intention.

they were bullies, they were homophobic (and/or were self loathing gay boys themselves taking it out on edwin, or were equally likely peer pressured into acting a certain way), they planned something stupid and mean to do to an innocent, anxious boy with the goal of scaring the shit out of him, all because he was effeminate and an easy target. but they didn’t know or expect any of the ritual stuff to be real. they were all laughing and joking during the ritual because it was just that to them– a joke. a cruel joke, but a joke.

teenagers can be mean and stupid and they usually regret it as adults and grow out of it / grow from it. they were stifled the chance to grow out of it, at least while alive. none of those boys deserved to be instakilled and sent to hell; they’re really not that much less deserving than edwin himself. they were all just kids, after all.

[violet-periwinkle]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Promptober day 30: love 💕

[dizzycycl0ne]

i adore the experience of going into dead boy detectives thinking i was going to love charles but being absolutely blindsided by the gay little asshole with the sassy walk and autistic personality

[deconstructthesoup]

One thing I absolutely adore about Dead Boy Detectives is the immaculate costume design. Specifically, how it perfectly encapsulates who the characters are, both as a whole and who they are in the moment.

From the very first scene of the show, we know immediately that Edwin is a bookish, somewhat stuffy guy from the Edwardian era who attended a boarding school, and Charles is a punk from the 1980's who's most likely the wildcard between the two of them, just going off of the way that they're dressed. Both of them have distinct color schemes and different styles, but the general shape of their outfits is actually relatively similar---both of them have collared shirts (Edwin's dress shirt, Charles's polo), something over those shirts (Edwin's vest, Charles's suspenders), a jacket of some kind (Edwin's suit jacket, Charles's flannel thing), a longer overcoat (Edwin's traveling coat, Charles's peacoat), something around the neck (Edwin's bowtie, Charles's necklace), slacks, and nice shoes. They're distinct, yet matching, two clearly defined separate characters yet part of a set.

Edwin's prim, proper, buttoned-up personality lends itself to the way he dresses throughout the season---in the first episode, he only dresses down when he's in the office with Charles, aka his safe place and his safe person, and he doesn't really dress down like that again for a good long while after getting stuck in Port Townsend (though, if my memory serves me correctly, he does take off the suit jacket while watching TV with Niko). But in episode six, he's changed up his usual look for a cozier, casual-looking sweater and a little bit of collarbone, and in episode seven... well, he's in his nightclothes, and he's about as open, raw, and vulnerable as you can get. Edwin's color scheme is also predominately blue, which lines up nicely with his logical and practical, yet deeply sad and closed off personality, and the only time he really wears anything other than his normal blue-and-brown outfit (willingly, that is) is when he's in that green sweater in episode six. And, uh... all I can say is that it's quite telling how blue and green---or, well, teal---are the main colors of the gay/mlm flag.

Charles, by contrast, dresses down a lot, and that makes a lot of sense when you consider the fact that unlike Edwin, he feels comfortable pretty much anywhere. On any given episode, he goes from wearing his peacoat to just wearing his flannel to ditching the flannel to not even wearing the freaking polo---though, again, the latter is something that only happens when he's in the office with Edwin. Safe space, safe person. And, well, plenty of people have analyzed Charles's polo shirt going from red to burgundy to black over the course of the series, and there being a little bit of red under the collar of his coat that's only visible when Edwin fixes it, and then it goes back to burgundy, and then it's red again when Edwin's out of Hell... for good reason! It's color symbolism at its finest! Not to mention, the red and black not only perfectly contrasts Edwin's color scheme, but it also lines up with Charles's personality---he's a rebel, he's hotheaded, he's bold and brash and loud... and yes, he's angry, but he's also so, so loving.

When we first meet Crystal after she loses her memories, her outfit choices feel very deliberate. They're stylish and vaguely trendy, they're arty and a little bit witchy---pretty fitting for a psychic who's also a showbiz kid, even if she doesn't know that last part. But all of her clothes appear thrifted, or at the very least vintage, and the patterns and the general vibe all feel natural and comforting. Her makeup's always fairly simple, her hair's either down or up in a couple of cute space buns... overall, this Crystal looks like the kind of person who'd make you tea when you're in a bad mood, who'll listen when you just need to vent, and who may not always know the right thing to say but will understand what you're going through. But when we see her in the flashbacks, her clothing's flashy and prioritizes high-end trends over comfort, she's either got her hair up or has it straightened, and she not only has dramatic makeup, but acrylics. This is a girl who talks shit about you behind your back, who's bitter and cynical and wants everyone to feel the same way, who makes up for the lack of love and stability in her life via material things. It's also worth noting that Crystal's color scheme has a lot of purple, which is a color that connects to wealth and luxury, but also creativity and magic---which, yeah, fits her two conflicting sides pretty damn well.

You cannot talk about Niko Sasaki without talking about her outfits, and the meaning behind each of them has already been talked about at length. However, one thing that really stands out to me is that the reason they're so iconic isn't just because of the monochrome color schemes, but because they're out there. They're weird, they're eclectic, they're a little mismatched in style sometimes, and they're so unapologetically her. Niko wears heart-shaped sunglasses, unironically. Everything about the way she dresses speaks to how, even though she's a recovering shut-in who initially doesn't want to be perceived, she's still very sure of who she is.

Jenny's design, like Charles and Edwin's, is a design that gives you the key information you need the minute she first appears onscreen. The dark makeup, the silver jewelry, the leather apron, and the hairstyle all point to a person who's tough, doesn't take anyone's shit, and has long since given up on caring what other people think---in other words, she's a badass. But the butterfly tattoo hints at a softer side, a side that we see time and time again throughout the series as she shows that she cares about Crystal and Niko, and even the boys... eventually. Also, Jenny's design is perhaps one of the most clearly queer-coded in the series, to the point where her being a confirmed lesbian is pretty much a no-brainer.

Esther's design oozes camp, from top to bottom. The fluffy coat, the bustier, the boots and the cane and the everything, speak to a woman who's kept with the times and yet has seen it all. There's really not a lot I can fully say about her design, other than what Charles has already said: "She looks like a witch... like, kind of a sexy witch, who smokes a lot." (Or maybe I'm just tired and running out of steam at this point, idk, I love Esther's design and I can't really put it into words.) It's also pretty fitting that her color scheme has a lot of yellow in it---after all, she's always striving for more, so what better color for her than the color of gold?

Everything about the Night Nurse's design speaks to a woman who follows rules and discipline above all else, from the pantsuit to the pinned-up hairstyles to the tie to the heels. She's also the most muted out of the main cast in terms of color, dressing mostly in browns, dull greens, and duller browns---and while I don't have a lot to go into detail about there, I feel like that's kind of a symbol of her narrow-minded and bureaucratic worldview.

And the animal characters... Jesus Christ, I fully forget that they're all being played by human actors. Tragic Mick dresses like a man who's always spent his life by the sea, layered denim and all, and it's never a stretch to see this sad, bushy-bearded, baggy-clothed fisherman and imagine him as a walrus lounging on a beach. Monty, at first glance, seems to only wear black, which would be perfectly fitting for a crow, but when he's in better lighting, you see that he dresses in layers of red and blue, calling to how he envies Charles and Edwin and clearly longs for something more---and this might just be me, but I think that even though his outfits seem fairly normal at first glance, they feel kind of like a costume for Monty more than anything else, like he's trying to emulate a teenager that he's seen on TV more than someone in real life.

The Cat King fits this just as well, with all of his outfits aligning perfectly with whatever his cat form is at the time---when he's a fluffy ginger, it's always sequins and fur coats and clothing pieces that are specifically designed to take up space and call attention, and when he's a black shorthair, it's sleek styles and shiny leather and pieces that are designed to cut an intimidating yet more subtle figure. And while I could go into detail about all of those, what really stands out to me is how clearly queer everything is---more than Jenny's alt lesbian attire, more than Esther's campy coat and corset. From the very first scene he's in, he's wearing a skirt, and it looks natural. Nothing about the way the Cat King presents himself is exaggerated, nothing about the way he dresses is played for laughs---he's flamboyant and feminine and flirty, and he looks so fucking hot while he does it. It's gorgeous.

So... yeah, uh, all the awards for the Dead Boy Detectives costume designers!

[echoofadream]

subby Satoru x gn reader

Contains: jealous!Gojo, dom!gn!reader, semi-public sexual activities, handjob(m! receiving), degradation, brat taming(if you squint)

The way you were talking oh so fondly about your coworker was driving your boyfriend crazy. Was he really just a friend like you always reassured him? Then why almost every time you were going out said friend was accompanying you? And he was attractive too! Well not as attractive as the Gojo Satoru of course, or at least that's what your boyfriend always told himself when he flexed his muscles in the mirror right after you left for the bar with your friends from work.

Today was no different. You went to the bar with your friends except he found that out only when he got home and saw your note on the bed the two of you shared. Outrageous! Why didn't you think of calling him? Did he mean so little to you that you had to let him know through a plain note? He didn't even change into his casual (and unbelievably expensive) clothes and stormed out of the house in his jujutsu sorcerer uniform, making his way to the bar you and your friends always hang out at.

As soon as he got there he started looking for you. Peaking above everyone's head was easy for him and with the help of his skilled eyes he spotted you. You were sitting on the couch in the farthest corner of the room accompanied by two women. Your "friend" was at the bar paying for your guys' drinks. Satoru wasted no time and approached him, resting his elbow on the counter while his other hand gripped the back of the man's chair. The look in his deep blue eyes was anything but friendly.

"Can I help you?" asked the man, the corners of his mouth slightly rising.

Satoru looked him up and down trying to take in his attractive features, to see what was about him you liked this much. He wasn't as tall as Gojo, his hair wasn't nearly as luxurious as your boyfriend's and his eyes were a dull shade of brown. And no taste in fashion, not even a bit!

The man grabbed Satoru's arm (which Gojo allowed since he got intrigued by this sudden movement) and squeezed his bicep.

"Oh my, do you work out?" asked the man, the smirk on his face growing as he kept groping your boyfriend.

"What the hell?!" Satoru yelled and jumped back, instinctively activating his infinity. His eyes widened in shock, a slight shade of pink becoming visible on his pale cheeks.

"Aww! You were so confident a while ago and now you're all flustered? That's adorable"

Gojo remained speechless. He looked at the man, then at you in the corner and noticed you looking at him, smiling alongside your friends. So the guy you were supposedly cheating on him with turned out to be gay and to top it all he flirted with him?? Yeah, his embarrassment could be seen even by a blind man.

He walked away in a hurry and went to the restroom, too ashamed to face you. He knew damn well you were gonna follow him, but at least he wouldn't get scolded in front of everyone this way.

He waited there, leaning against the wall, paying attention to every sound he could hear around him. The door opened and closed, allowing you to step inside the restroom, barely able to contain your laughter.

"What was that for?" you asked your boyfriend. As you were getting closer to him, Satoru turned his head to the side to avoid your gaze.

"You didn't tell me you were going out..." he mumbled.

"Well you should charge your phone more often. I couldn't call you"

Oh, so that's why you left the note on the bed...yeah makes sense. Satoru's cheeks got redder thinking about it.

"Judging by the way you stormed in here and went for my friend I would say you were more jealous I might be cheating on you than concerned for my safety"

He gulped and squeezed his eyes shut trying to push away all the feelings he could detect from your presence. This was funny for you, but for him, who just made a fool out of himself for not trusting you, for letting his mind overthink again, for him it wasn't funny.

You got closer untill you were right in front of him, your hand making its way to his arm and caressing it. The height difference was hilarious, but the strongest still shivered when he felt your touch.

"Why didn't you trust me, Satoru?" you asked him, your voice gentle but still full of authority. He didn't answer, his embarrassment visible.

He lets out the most pornographic whimper when you harshly grab his chin and force him to look at you, his blue eyes meeting your cold ones. Poor boy could've sworn he was about to faint.

"Are you...uhh gonna...punish me?" he asked, his voice a breathless whisper. You don't answer, instead you push him towards the sink counter, pinning him there. Getting closer to his ear you tell him "Keep your hands behind your back". Without any complaining or his usual bratty comments, he obeys.

"Is my slut so insecure in himself he thinks I fall for any guy who looks my way?" you ask him mockingly. Your words go straight to his needy cock, his pants growing tighter around him causing him to slightly rub his legs together.

"See? You made a fool out of yourself tonight and showed all my friends what an insecure boyfriend I have. What do we say?"

"Ngh...we say sorry when ...we do something bad..." he answers.

"At least you remember that. You know I hate when you talk back to me or when you act upon these childish impulses. Do you have no faith in me, Satoru? When I say you're the only one what does it mean?"

He gulps. "It means that I'm...the only one... please-"

"Please what?" you snap at him. A moan escaped his mouth and what seemed like a tremble of his legs was actually...this bitch humping the counter.

You chuckle. "Look at you, Toru! How could I ever want another man when I have the sluttiest most shameless man at my disposal, ready to please me whenever I want?"

"Ahh~ if you're gonna punish me just...ngh do it already! FUCK!" the sound of your hand slapping his clothed ass echoed in the empty restroom.

"You wanna be a brat again?"

"N-no nnn I'll be good...please I'll be good I'm sorry I'm sorr-AHH"

Look at him taking that second slap like a good slut. Such a shame to be the strongest yet allowing this humiliating things to be done to you. Fucking whore enjoys this treatment way too much. After all, don't all his outbursts and moods (including jealousy) are just his way of saying "hey, I'm a slut! Please abuse me!"

He whimpers as you unbuckle his belt revealing the throbbing bulge his soaked boxers were barely containing.

"Look at you, getting turned on by this" you say as you press your hand on his dick, earning a high pitched moan from your boy, followed by his hips thrusting into your hand. You chuckle and slide his boxers off, his red leaking tip making direct contact with the cold counter.

"Ahh~ fuckk" Satoru whined, instinctively pulling away only to be pressed closer to the sink by your body against his back.

"Now, now, be quiet will you? Anyone can come here and see how much of a whore you are" you tell him, your left hand sliding underneath his shirt and grabbing his chest, the other going down and wrapping around his length.

He was as wet as a virgin, making your hand slide up and down his shaft so easily. His whole body shivered with every squeeze of your fingers around his sensitive cock, with every twist of your hand around him.

"Look at you making such a mess baby" you tell him, referring to his precum sticking to the sink counter.

"Mm ngh- ahh~"

You chuckle when you hear his adorable voice. "What's the matter, Toru? It's too much?"

You rub his tip with your thumb, pressing hard on it, tormenting him even further.

"Ahh god ~ ...fuckkk fuckfuckFUCK AHH~~"

Your face got closer to his ear. "Are you close baby?"

He couldn't answer. His thoughts were fuzzy and his eyes were full of tears. Grabbing his chin you forced him to look forward and face the mirror. "Look how pretty you are darling"

"Ngh- plea- ahh~... 'm close.." he whimpered.

"Heh, you're getting this aroused just by looking at your reflection while I touch your cock? I wonder how easily you'll come once we get home and you'll see yourself getting fucked stupid"

That was it. It was enough to push him over the edge and soon you felt your palm getting filled with his warm cum, drops spilling over, some ending on the floor and some on the counter.

Gojo was out of breath, leaning on the counter as he was trying to calm himself down.

"Toru" when you called to him his head turned towards you in no time, his eyes widening as much as possible when he saw you licking your hand clean of his cum.

"Is this why you eat so many sweets? You want your-"

Cutting you off, Satoru pulled you to his chest. He struggled to do the hand sign since his hands were trembling like crazy, but soon enough both of you disappeared from the restroom.

[atitanbitch]

Omg yes I love him 😭❤️❤️

As a massive cat person, I love how the Cat King is literally just the natural result of a cat taking human form. He's fickle. He's finicky. He changes his mind a lot. He's moody. He self sabotages almost immediately by putting the bracelet on Edwin when Edwin is clearly digging him, too. He correctly understands that he's cute and funny and will use it to get his way. He wants to terrorize the bird (Monty the Crow.) He's manipulative. He's dramatic. He has a weird but oddly consistent and charming sense of humor. He's a little problematic but in a fun, chill way. He likes one (1) person and all of the non-Edwins are just weird and unwanted. He hates trees. He's impulsive. I love him for being a cat.

[shipspainfulships]

I can't imagine anyone NOT liking dead boy detectives...

Like what? You have a problem with a slightly autistic Edwardian gay ghost making heart eyes at his best mate, and his best mate being an oblivious bisexual mess? Or do you have a problem with a strong female psychic who had a terrible past or the whimsical fangirl who spreads love everywhere she goes? Or the goth butcher lesbian who is a father figure to them all? Or the very adorable crow that was forced to become a human OR the very sexy simping cat king or the female antagonist who is actually a badass but her revenge plans always fail..

Are you allergic to fun? Pfft

[bugboybuck]

my recs of things for ppl to watch to recover from the 911 suckfest

brilliant minds

yes it's an ongoing show so nothing is guaranteed, but the main character is a gay man played by a gay actor, he has one significant love interest who the story is already progressing with, and it has the fun case-of-the-week procedural style while also having genuine heart and empathy

roswell new mexico

does 911's messy writing, weird pacing and insane soap opera plots appeal to you? but you wanna watch something already complete, where the bi man and his boyfriend are soulmates who get a 100% definitively happy ending? here u go

911 lone star

here's the most obvious one, but if you've held off checking out LS so far, now's the time to go there instead. tarlos are a beautiful relationship who are main to the show, their relationship is prioritised, they're both played by queer actors, and they are gonna end the show as husbands with minimal nasty surprises. it has the usual 911 flavour with a little more diversity.

schitt's creek

a later-in-life coming out storyline between a gay man and a bi/pan man actually being handled well? with heart and an adorable happy ending? revolutionary!

the long call

i doubt many ppl have heard of this one, but it's a UK crime miniseries that i personally rlly enjoyed. the main character is a gay detective in his 30s who is happily married, and he and his slightly older husband are great support systems for each other. if you like the more serious procedural side of 911 you may enjoy this. (it doesn't seem they intend to make more episodes, but if they ever did, it's based on a book series ive read all of so u know the couple will stay together). perfect length to watch in a day or two to cleanse ur palate right now

if anyone has any other recs of shows with mlm couples in their 30s+ with happier endings, please share 🤎

[maalidoesart]

Detective Benoit Blanc and his funky outfits

[decentwritings]

Chapter 2

Summary: You’re unable to grasp the luck you have. You were raised to run from danger, to go the opposite direction of bad influences. So when you somehow find yourself right in the center of it, you discover that running wasn’t exactly what you were taught. It only took GhostFace and a pretty girl to remember that.

previous part <- -> next part

You twist the ring around your finger—a nervous habit you've developed since you got it last month. You were never a jewelry person but this ring means something. You can't find it in yourself to take it off. It seems to happen at random now, not just when you're anxious. The ring itself is light, but it feels heavy with the weight of what it represents.

There's a bulb above you that hasn't stopped flickering since you sat down. A buzzing sound flickers with it, and with each flicker, your patience wears thin. Usually, you can out wait anyone but your lack of sleep makes you easily irritable.

"Okay," Detective Bailey walks into the room, a manila folder in hand. You don't react, your eyes tracking him as he sits across from you, flashing that crooked smile. "Dennis," he says, his voice attempting a warmth that doesn't reach his eyes.

You don't bother correcting him, blinking.

"Just trying to ease the tension," he says, flipping through the file. He pulls out a sheet of paper and raises it to eye level. You can see your name printed neatly at the top corner. "Looks like you're a model citizen."

"Or just really good at not getting caught," you mutter under your breath. His eyebrow arches as he looks at you. You meet his gaze with an innocent expression.

He lets out a quiet huff, shaking his head before continuing. "The only question I have for you is," he pauses, resting the paper on the table as he leans in slightly, "how did they reel you into this?"

You raise your hands in mock disbelief. "Horrible timing," you say, deadpan, before adding with more sarcasm, "Rebellion. My cousin is dating the older one, the small one has adorable eyes, and I'm gay."

Bailey's mouth opens, then closes. He stares at you, clearly taken aback. His lips purse as he tries to process your response, and for a moment, he's at a loss. His mouth moves, but no sound comes out, like a fish gasping for air.

You just smile faintly, enjoying the brief moment where you've knocked him off balance.

Luckily for him, the door behind Bailey swings open. "FBI's here. They're claiming jurisdiction," a voice calls out from the doorway, prompting him to straighten up.

Bailey stands, gathering the files in one swift motion, and gestures for you to follow him. You roll your eyes in irritation, but you get up anyway, trailing behind him. He leads you into what you assume is his workstation, a cluttered space strewn with documents and loose papers. Your curiosity gets the better of you, and as you pass his desk, you glance down at the open files.

Before you can take in much, Bailey's hands slam down onto the top file, the sharp crack of it startling you. "Those are confidential," he says, his tone sharper, angrier than before. There's something in his voice—almost like he's been caught in the middle of something.

People are defensive because they're guilty, you recall from your American Literature class. The thought lingers as you raise your hands, feigning innocence.

Bailey's scowl deepens, and your eyes track his every movement as he approaches a short blonde woman nearby. He doesn't seem pleased by her presence, the irritation still evident in his furrowed brow and tight jaw. The scowl remains even as the woman greets Sam with a warm hug, her cheerfulness standing in stark contrast to his simmering frustration.

You take the opportunity of his distraction to check the first file, at least. You read over the name then see the highlighted address. You aren't sure what this Dr. Christopher Stone has to do with this case, but you aren't able to dig into it much when you hear someone call your name.

You shut the folder quickly, turning to face the voice. Bailey waves you over, and you jog over to join them.

Tara smiles, appearing relieved to see you. You can only offer her a smile back before the short blonde woman introduces herself.

"Special Agent Kirby Reed," she extends her hand towards you.

You take her hand in yours, shaking hers. "Cool. Like the video game character?" you can't help but ask.

Sam sends you a glare, so does her sister.

Kirby chuckles. "Yes. Like the video game character," she smiles, making sure they know she wasn't bothered by your question. She turns to Bailey. "But like I was saying, I'm not looking to get into a jurisdictional pissing contest here, I just want to help. I'll show you mine...et cetera."

You look between the two, and the hesitance from the man makes you question him.

Another cop comes over, handing over some evidence to Bailey. He shares it with Kirby, not that he has a choice. He shows her the file too, discussing where the mask was discovered. The name Charlie Walker and Jill Roberts comes up and three of them appear to know what it means. You and Bailey on the other hand, are a little lost.

"The GhostFace Killers of 2011. Charlie Walker gave me this," Kirby explains and lifts her shirt to show a scar on her stomach. You look but Bailey looks away like she's showing a different part of her body. She lowers her shirt, glancing between you all. "Like I said, I take a special interest. Is this the mask he was wearing when he attacked you?"

Sam and Tara shake their heads while you say, "I don't know."

All eyes fall on you and you lift your hands up, lost once again.

"It looks like every GhostFace mask I've seen at the store," you defend, crossing your arms defensively. You see a clock behind Bailey's head. "And I haven't slept."

Bailey sighs. "Okay, but this actually mean he's leaving them on purpose."

Kirby sends you a sympathetic glance. "Which means whoever's doing this is a student of the killers who came before. Maybe he believes Sam is the latest in a long line?"

"Good luck to both of you, but we're getting out of the city," Sam says, tugging her sister with her as she walks.

You follow close behind, like a lost puppy. You don't plan to leave the city but you don't want to be left alone here.

"Actually, that's not possible," Bailey's words halt Sam's movements. "You're persons of interest in a double homicide, so... you're not allowed to leave town. Sorry."

"Me, too?" you ask, pointing at yourself.

Bailey nods.

"Are you kidding?" Tara scoffs.

Kirby shakes her head. "He's right. But if we work together–"

"I'm not working with anyone," Sam's voice is firm, as well as her glare. "We're going." She tugs Tara along with her.

You come across Danny as you get closer to the exit. He looks relieved to see you, and his girlfriend. But Sam ignores him, like he isn't even there.

Your cousin orders you to follow him, so wordlessly you follow. When you exit, the sun is practically shoving the new day in your face. You shield your eyes, squinting as you navigate the steps. Your lack of sleep is making you cranky and upon exiting, there are reporters who don't help your mood.

Your jaw clenches as you try to find a way to push past them. Its difficult for you and Danny, but you know Sam and Tara have it harder since its them they care more for. You feel Tara cling to you. In support or just to see if you're there, you're not sure. But you offer a squeeze to her hand and lead her and her sister out of the chaos.

There's a pull on your hand and you come to a stop. You're not sure why.

"Gale Weathers, Channel 4! Do you ladies think you're the reason the GhostFace Killer has come to the Big Apple?"

You stand off to the side as Sam steps up to the woman. You raise your brow, feeling the tension but not sure why there is any between Sam and this stranger. Sam stares at Gale, standing there, mic outstretched then swings at her. Gale ducks in time to avoid the punch, making it look easy.

"Nice try, sweetie, but I've done this dance before–"

Your eyes widen and feel Tara release your hand then lunges to sucker punch the woman. You let out a "oooh" along with everyone else watching, unable to control a laugh escaping you.

"Stay away from us," Tara warns, eyes hard.

There are so many questions on the tip of your tongue, but Danny pushes you to move. You laugh but walk away, allowing the sisters to have a conversation with the woman Tara punched.

"That was awesome," you laugh, glancing back at them. "That made my day. I'm gonna go now."

You feel your shirt be pulled on, forcing you to remain in your spot. You groan, glaring at Danny.

Danny shakes his head. "I gotta head to work," he says. "You going to be alright?"

"I'm gotta go to my sister's," you inform Danny, rubbing the sleep from your eyes. "She's on her anniversary vacation, so I have to walk her dogs."

"Mindy wants us all to meet up," Tara chimes in, announcing their return, then shows her sister the message on her phone. "All of us." She looks at you, clearly trying to rally the troops.

Danny pats your arm. "Go with them. I don't want you to be alone," he says, his eyes pleading.

You take a step closer and lower your voice. "I don't wanna," you whisper, shaking your head emphatically. He stares back at you, deadpan. "Don't make me go," you add, your voice a mix of desperation and stubbornness.

"They're going with you," Danny insists, looking at Sam and Tara with a hint of authority. You clench your fists and jaw, shooting him a glare that says you're not at all pleased with this plan.

He pats your shoulder, a small smile on his lips. "Take care. I'll check on your sister's dogs." With that, he walks off, leaving you standing there with the sisters, feeling a bit like a kid being handed off to babysitters.

You can't seem to escape from this circle. When you turn to face the sisters, they only nod then begin to walk away. You follow closely behind, expecting Tara to bring up the conversation they couldn't have a few hours ago. You stay close behind them, but not to close to get involved in the conversation.

"So..." Tara begins, tone returning to that iciness she had before. "Girlfriend? You're seeing cute boy from across the hall?" she begins, crossing her arms defensively.

You can't control the scoff that escapes your lips, hearing them refer your cousin as "cute boy." You purse your lips when they glance back at you, feigning interest in your surroundings.

"Yes," Sam answers her sister, stopping at the end of the street. They wait until it's clear to cross the street before continuing. "Look, I'm sorry, Tara, but I didn't want you to know because I wasn't even sure what it was."

Tara raises a brow, not satisfied with the answer. "Not sure what it was? Sam, he went to look for you, knowing there's a killer out there to get you," you bite your tongue to avoid intervening, to say you were actually the one who saved them both but...

"Tara, it's more complicated than that," Sam shakes her head. "Why are we even talking about this now? There's a killer on the loose and you're worried about my love life?"

Tara rolls her eyes. "Yes because it's not just about that. It's about trust," she says, scoffing at her sister. "I can't be left alone for one night, much less an hour without having you search for me like a dog. And you go on and have a boyfriend and don't bother mentioning even the possibility of something? I'm your sister and you don't trust me."

Sam clenches her jaw, unable to come up with a response.

"I want to know what's going on in your life, not find out through random encounters," Tara says, voice soft now

You can see it in Tara's face, as her expression shifts from annoyance to concern, her icy facade thawing just a bit. It's actually kind of sweet, in a way. You find yourself rooting for their sisterly bond���if only to distract yourself from the fact that you have no idea how to navigate your own emotions right now. Plus, your dad forced you and your siblings to get along so you always root for the sibling bond to grow, not dissipate.

"Okay, okay," Sam concedes, sighing quietly. "You're right. I'll tell you everything when things settle down. But first, can we just focus on surviving the day?"

Tara nods, allowing her sister to pull her in to her side. She relaxes in her sister's embrace, and you smile at the sight.

"Is there a chance we can stop by my dorm?" You speak up, interrupting the sister bond. They glance back at you as they continue to walk. "I need to get out of these clothes. I'm ninety percent sure I stink."

"I can reassure," Tara says, "its one hundred percent."

You frown, shoulders slumping and you hear the sisters giggle. You lift your arm to get a whiff and hate to admit it, but the Carpenter is right. And you groan when your college campus comes to view. You huff, realizing you were meeting Mindy on campus which is just a short distance from your dorm. You plan to sneak off at the earliest convenience.

You take a seat to the redhead's right, trying to maintain a distance, mainly to avoid her smelling your BO.

Mindy begins her rant and, honestly, you zone out, exhausted and drained from the last twelve hours. You know she's discussing the plot of what this killer may be wanting to run but you aren't all that invested on what some fanatics have planned. If someone wants to murder you, plan or not, run, right? If there isn't anything you can do to stop them, you sure as hell can run from them.

"We're in a franchise!" You flinch at the sudden raise of voice. You rub your eyes and shake your head, doing your best to get rid of your drowsiness. "And there are certain rules to a continuing franchise."

"I had a feeling," Sam comments.

"Rule One, everything is bigger than last time. Bigger budget, bigger cast, bigger body count; longer chases, shoot-outs, beheadings–"

"Beheadings?" Chad looks up from his notebook. You tilt your head, suddenly noticing he's the only one taking notes.

Mindy nods, "you gotta top what came before to keep people coming back!" she exclaims like it obvious. "Now, rule two, whatever happened before, expect the opposite. Franchises only survive by subverting expectations; if the killers last time were whiny snowflake film nerds with Letterboxd accounts instead of personalities, you can bet the opposite will be true here."

You glance at the rest of the group, trying to read their expressions. The only one showing any kind of distress is Ethan, and that's practically his natural state. This is Anika's girlfriend and you can't help but wonder how she puts up with this girl's energy everyday.

You feel a headache surfacing.

Rule three is no one is safe, which doesn't ring well for you. You're going to be really pissed if you die before you graduate college. You did not put all your time and effort in the last two years for your life to end without receiving a degree. Plus, the move to New York was in hopes to finish faster. You can't finish if you're dead.

Mindy clasps her hands. "That means it's not just the friend group, any of us could go at any time, especially Sam and Tara."

You looks between the sisters, watching them share a look.

"That's comforting," you mutter, announcing your presence. The looks you receive from everyone but Sam and Tara is all questionable.

"Wait, any of us? Am I in the friend group? Am I one of the targets?" Ethan pulls the attention away from you. "Am I gonna die a virgin?"

"Weird overshare, but that brings us to our current suspects," Mindy looks at the boy who spoke, "Ethan. The shy dorky guy who no one suspects, because he's so shy and dorky."

Ethan looks offended. "Why am I on the list? Because I'm randomly Chad's roommate?"

You shake your head, still in disbelief. That guy's name is Chad. When he first introduced himself to you, you had to make sure you heard him correctly. Anika made you promise not to make fun of him for it. You held back during the meet but when you returned to your dorm, you released all the jokes in your chamber. Anika would never admit it, but she actually laughed.

"Roommate lotteries can be juked, you could have fixed it to get next to us," Mindy shrugs, then turns to look at the redhead sitting beside you. "Quinn. The slutty roommate. A horror movie classic."

Quinn, that's her name, you think.

"'Sex positive,' but thank you!" Quinn smiles.

"And how did you come to live with Sam and Tara?" Mindy questions, eyebrow quirking but doesn't wait for a response. "An ad online? Oh please. Don't talk, you have implicated yourself enough."

Tara shakes her head. "Mindy, it was an anonymous ad online, and you know we vetted her," she defends her roommate, who seems grateful. "Plus, her dad's a cop–"

"Your dad's Detective Bailey?" You lean over to ask her in a whisper. She raises a brow but nods. "I have so many questions–"

"Which makes it more likely she's the killer because having a Cop Dad is a great cover;" Mindy sends Tara an exasperated glare, one the girl frowns at. "Do you not remember how these movies work? And finally, Anika," she moves on.

You look at your roommate and smile at the kiss she blows her girlfriend.

Mindy smiles. "Never trust the love interest." she deadpans. She turns to you and you stare back at her like a lost puppy. "I don't know what category you fall under," she admits.

"How about innocent background actor who can't seem to escape the story no matter what?" You offer but Mindy doesn't seem convinced. "I just wanna go home." you relent.

"I don't buy it," Mindy mutters, squinting her eyes. "What's your major?" she asks, surprising you.

"English," you reply, expecting the snorts of laughter from your fellow students. "I just need a degree, I don't care what kind."

Mindy smiles, like she pieced it together. "I got it," she claps and you shake your head in annoyance. "Its a cover, to get close to us by having Anika invite you to the party last night."

"I forced them to go," Anika speaks up in your defense, sending her a pointed glare. You don't question it and send her a grateful look. "Plus, they have a car and we needed a designated driver," she shrugs.

You remember your car. "Aww, my baby," you say to yourself, though loud enough for them all to hear. "Can I go now? I really don't have anything to do with this. My cousin is dating Sam, that's all the connection there is."

"Your cousin?" Chad asks.

"Danny, cute boy across the hall," you answer and Sam covers her face the moment they all bombard her with questions.

"This is bad, really bad then," Mindy says suddenly, ending the barrel of questions for Sam. They all frown in question. "Another suspect added to the list, how are we suppose to narrow it down?"

"By taking me and Danny out," you say, standing up slowly, afraid of passing out from lack of sleep. "Or maybe just me, because I'm out. This is not my horror movie–I've never even seen a horror movie, so whatever trope that's going on, I'm missing it."

"Oooh, twist!" Mindy shouts and you're beginning to lose your patience. "You've never seen a horror movie, which makes you the perfect candidate for the 'unwitting hero' trope. The one who doesn't even know they're in the game until it's too late. Classic!"

You sigh, unable to control your curiosity. "That can't be a thing," you state at first, but as seconds tick by with silence, it becomes a question. "Right?"

"Oh, it totally is," Mindy counters, eyes wide with excitement. "You're not some side character. You're the wildcard! The one no one sees coming because you're too 'out of it.'" She emphasizes the last part with air quotes, as if she's cracked some secret code.

You rub your temples, feeling a headache coming on. "I'm not a wildcard, I'm just tired. And I need to go check on my car and, you know, live my normal life, away from all this slasher nonsense."

Mindy steps closer to you. "Sorry to break it to you," she pauses to read your name tag, "Dennis, but once you're in, you're in."

Tara stands, stepping forward, tone soft. "Look, I get it. But right now, none of us can just walk away. GhostFace isn't gonna stop because you don't want to be involved."

Sam, remaining in her spot, obviously just as exhausted as you, nods. "They're right. Whoever this is, they've targeted us. All of us." She looks at you pointedly. "I get that you didn't ask for any of this, but neither did we."

You glance between them all, torn between bolting to your car, to your dorm, to your sister's house–anywhere but here or staying, caught in the gravity of their shared fear. It's true—you didn't ask for this, and you definitely don't want to be anyone's secret weapon or wildcard. Let alone be the supposed hero they expect you to be. But the look in Sam's eyes tells you something important: no one's getting out of this alone. And well, Tara's eyes are your weakness so with just one look, she's reeled you in again.

With a heavy sigh, you slump back into your chair. "Fine. I'll stay," you say, getting shout of excitement from Chad. He raises his hand, waiting for a high five. "But just know, if it comes down to it, I'll push any of you in front of GhostFace without hesitation."

You high five Chad's hand and he lowers his hand slowly, unsatisfied with the gesture. He stares at his hand like you assaulted it instead of honored it.

Mindy hums at your comment. "Fair enough," she mutters. "Welcome to the team, hero Dennis!"

You peel the fake name tag off your shirt immediately after.

[homoquartz]

ok i'm overtired so take this post with a grain of salt but the main reason dead boy detectives is so dear to me, besides being very fun and campy and well-done, is that it's so clearly made through a queer lens. it's made with love for queer - specifically gay - aesthetics, people, and stories.

the last time i saw this much care put into queer stories, it was with our flag means death. and i can't even talk!! about that!! because it was dear to me too, there are so many other gay shows that just ring a little bit hollow in comparison (as much as i adore heartstopper, for example, it has its drawbacks too). edit: AND it's a genre show!!

i guess in sum, it's BY and FOR gay people, rather than just ABOUT us. and that's so rare, and so important. so i'm gonna be weird about it.

[edwinspaynes]

I genuinely do not think I have ever seen an 'effeminate' gay male character portrayed as both highly (romantically/sexually) desirable AND as an extremely complex human before Dead Boy Detectives and I love that for the queer community. So much. It's such a win.

Taking this a step further I love that he's the hero of the story and never sidekickified. To the point that he has a straight girl bestie (that he has a really deep, authentic relationship with) without being the 'gay best friend.' Adore this and want more where that trope subversion came from.

[tragedy-machine]

9 REASONS TO LOVE DEAD BOY DETECTIVES

Edwin Payne, need I say more

ok I will say more, he's a gay repressed ghost from the edwardian era who's a logical and stoic character with lots of trauma, who later goes through even more shit and is shown broken and crying?? hello?? not to sound like a psycho, but iykyk, a strong/calm character breaking apart and being vulnerable is PEAK TELEVISION, don't fight me on this

a true and well done portrayal of the found family trope

really dope female characters with amazing fashion! includes: a badass goth lesbian butcher!

your favorite character (Edwin, bcs it will be Edwin, bcs he is everyone's favorite character) has an absolutely adorable friendship with a genuinely GREAT female character where she helps him realize his feelings and even though they're "weirdos" to other people, they understand and support each other unconditionally

Edwin's and Charles's devotion towards each other, the pining, the jealously, their tenderness with each other and the love they share

your favorite character (again, Edwin) is a magnet to all the supernatural gays in a small port town, overall the dude has literally 4 love interests in the show even though he doesn't even TRY, doesn't know how to get bitches, he just does, and I LOVE that for him and hope he continues his streak in s2

and the show is genuinely funny, beautifully-shot and very interesting! it has great pacing and is just really fun, I rewatched it 2 days after I initially finished it and it did not feel boring at all, there's just so much happening in the 8 episodes that they stay entertaining

the premise of the show itself, ghost detectives, supernatural investigations, set in the sandman universe, coproduced by Neil Gaiman, it has the vibe of good omens and maybe a bit of sabrina the teenage witch mixed together, IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE, JUST TRUST ME BRO

[skipppppy]

CARMEN SANDIEGO CHARACTERS + MOVIES

Boo I felt like making headcanons again bc I spend more time wondering what these assholes do in their free time than I do on my job

CARMEN

Didn’t have access to movies growing up so Player, Zack, and Ivy have been catching her up on the most popular ones

HORRIBLE to watch with. Doesn’t really understand “suspension of disbelief” as a concept and will ask stupid questions the whole time. Player almost ended their friendship because she nitpicked Lord of the Rings for being “unrealistic”

Enjoys low stakes 2000s girl chick flicks like mean girls and legally blonde. She has enough stress in her life man she just wants to relax

HATES heist movies because of how innacurate they are. Team Red has taken to watching them JUST to hear her pick them apart

PLAYER

Sci-fi/fantasy junkie. Anything and everything that has aliens/magic and shitty practical effects from the 80’s/90’s he is all over

Has never said a single kind thing about the Star Wars franchise in his life. They are his favourite movies of all time

ADORES Edgar Wright and has slowly been converting Team Red to his movies. Zack loved Baby Driver. Ivy loved Shaun of the Dead. Shadowsan loved Hot Fuzz. He considers Scott Pilgrim the pinnacle of Canadian cinema

Cannot STAND the amount of remakes happening in Hollywood recently

ZACK

Canon enjoyer of blockbuster action movies. Everyone dreads the nights when he gets to choose a film bc his taste is so generic

Does not know what the Snyder cut is. Thank god

His only redeeming quality is a love of early dreamworks. Will not stop quoting Madnagascar

Has seen every Marvel movie and thinks all of them are good. Player has BEGGED him to watch better movies but he won’t. He’s the type to rag on Scorsese for being “boring”

Has seen Kevin Feige’s extended filmography. Does not know who that man is

IVY

Horror fanatic

Banned from choosing movies for film night after convincing them to watch her “favourite lesbian romcom” with her. That lesbian romcom was Saw

Ellen Ripley was not only her personal hero but also her gay awakening. The Xenomorph queen was her second gay awakening

Also loves period dramas. Enjoys the tiddies and knows she would look SO good in those fancy waistcoats the men wear

Watches old slashers with Carmen and laugh whenever someone dies in a stupid way

SHADOWSAN

Faculty considered movies “low brow” entertainment so he hasn’t seen a movie made before the year 2000

Loves a good mob flick. Got into Scorsese specifically because Zack hated him. Goodfellas is his favourite

Everyone assumes he enjoys samurai movies but he actually HATES them. Hideo would ramble about historical inaccuracies the whole way through and he’s still bored just thinking about it

Used to love Yakuza films back in the day but they were soured for him after actually living as one

Loved Knives Out, found Daniel Craig VERY attractive, and has since fallen down the James Bond rabbit hole

CHASE

The most pretentious film hack you’ve ever met in your life. He is taking you to a back alley screening of some arthouse eastern european gay porn on a first date and it will be the most profound thing you’ve ever seen in your life

Detective noir movies and cheesy black and white romances are his favourites. He likes falling asleep to them

He and Player both appreciate animation as a form of cinema, but while Player is referring to like. the Mario movie, Chase is talking about some 3 minute Russian stopmotion surrealist piece from 1951. He attends Annecy every year and has been banned from the Oscars due to threats of violence

He likes Poirot tho. Transmasc king

JULIA

If she has a few hours to herself she’d rather watch a documentary than go to a movie theatre, but she loves historical dramas

Enjoys biopics but thinks it’s stupid to make them for people who are alive

Likes watching movies for the sake of trash talking them, so she is the only person who can tolerate sitting through one with Carmen

LOVES Wes Anderson though. Chase got her into his stuff and the symmetry scratches an itch in her brain. But don’t tell him that

Also enjoys period dramas for the tiddies

CHIEF

Shitty cop movie enjoyer. The kind of person who insists that Die Hard is her favourite christmas movie

LOVES heist movies because of how inaccurate they are. Will mentally nitpick whatever secret service is going after them and be like “ACME wouldn’t do that lol”

She’s semi aware that she’s the antoagonist in Carmen’s own heist narrative so she’s started having fun with it

Closet lover of b-tier comedy movies. Like the ones with Adam Sandler and Kevin Hart on the cover

Does not enjoy watching movies socially. That is quality time for her and her cat. She does not have to shush Commander