#i never know what to tag this hhhh

[eyelessfaces]

I'll be the silence ringing through and through and through

santiago garcia x reader

summary: if santi had it his way, he would be back home, with you, his mouth on your neck or something of that kind– it would have been possible, a few months ago. or in some alternate universe where he hadn’t fucked it all up. in short; santi wants you back.

warnings: mentions of a breakup but no reason is mentioned, alcohol consumption

tags: f!reader, exes to lovers, inevitable angst, fluff

word count: 1.7k

masterlist | taglist | ao3

updates blog: @eyelessupdates

happy new year!!!! randomly dropping a santi fic to start it right hhhh

fic title is from the song "heart to heart" by fiddlehead :)

reblogs and feedback are extremely (I cannot stress this enough) appreciated!!

If Santi had it his way, he would be back home, with you, his mouth on your neck or something of that kind–

It would have been possible, a few months ago.

Or in some alternate universe where he hadn’t fucked it all up, and where he would be holding you by the waist and kissing your cheek instead of having to watch you from afar, scrutinizing every littlest movement of yours while he was slumped in Frankie’s couch, like an hermit, feeling helpless, the neck of his beer being the only thing to kiss his lips tonight.

Maybe it was just the alcohol, maybe everything would seem way less dramatic tomorrow, save for the hangover headache – but no, scratch that, he wasn’t even drunk, just barely tipsy, so no, tomorrow won’t be better.

It must be the sight of you laughing at another man’s joke then, probably.

Was he hitting on you? Was he just a friend, like Benny, Will and Frankie were to you? 

He shouldn’t care; that wasn’t his business, that wasn’t his problem. Not anymore. Not that he had been the kind to carefully observe your every movement any time you talked to another man back when you were together. He had never really been of that kind, he trusted you.

Except here, right now, it was his problem. For some reason, it felt like it was, and even more than before, when you were still together.

Because now that you didn’t love him anymore, there was nothing to stop you from doing anything with that man.

Would that man fill the hole Santi had left in your heart? Would he make you happier than Santi ever had? 

Probably. He was probably a good man, would be a good boyfriend, wouldn’t fuck everything up. Would probably even marry you, and he’d be damn right to.

“He’s gay” Will snorts, plopping down next to Santi, giving a small pat to his chest. Santi’s gaze finally departs from you to turn to his right, where his friend has settled next to him.

“Good to know, but I‘m not interested in him,” Santi jokes, looking down at his half full beer. Half empty.

“That, I know.” Will cocks his head to the side, a more serious expression over his face as he brings his beer to his mouth. Santi’s gaze darts back to you and that man talking, a sick feeling filling his stomach as he sees you smile and shake your head frantically just the way you used to when he would come up with a shitty joke. “I’m like, eighty three percent sure she’s still in love with you.” Will speaks again, nudging Santi’s knee with his own.

“Seventeen percent of what?” Santi chuckles, more convinced that the rest of that percentage is the most important part.

“Seventeen percent of, you still fucked up, man.” Will says, patting Santi’s knee before getting up from the couch, already. “I’m not good at math dude, but all I can tell you is, it’s worth trying again!” he declares over the music, pointing at Santi before disappearing through the crowd. 

Easier said than done.

Santi sighs, bites the inside of his cheek as he runs a hand over his few days old stubble. 

He had never had any issue talking to people with ease, but for some reason, the idea of talking to you tonight seemed like the most intimidating thing he ever had to do in his entire life.

But god, did he want to look at you in the eyes again. To have you make that focused frown whenever you were attentively listening to someone. To see the way your lips curled up into a smile when you could pre shot a joke, and the way you still pretended not to know what the punchline was, and still ended up laughing.

Santi smiles to himself, finishes his beer, and when he looks up, you’re not in the crowd anymore. Then Benny joins him when he goes to the kitchen for a refill, and you happen to slip out of his mind for the time being. 

—

The air is crisp, compared to the smothering heat inside. It tickles your cheeks, the tip of your ears, it hits every exposed area of skin, the sweat over it now feeling ice cold.

It’s all you needed and wanted, so you shouldn’t complain.

You walk back and forth along Frankie’s porch, the overwhelming feeling of the slight tipsiness and the fast beating of your heart simmering down, and you lean against the wall, taking a deep breath. 

You turn at the sound of the door opening beside you, the loud, previously muffled sound of the music now clear, ending up face to face with the one person you did your best to not go talk to all night long.

“Shit, sorry. I’ll go” Santi apologizes, still firmly holding the doorknob, starting to go back inside.

“No, no, it’s alright” you say, inviting him to stay with you. “I didn’t privatize the porch” you joke, giving him an awkward smile.

He chuckles as he tentatively steps outside, closing the door behind him, leaning his back against the wall beside you. Neither of you say a single word for a while, then he looks over at you, and you can feel the weight of his gaze on you. “I assumed you wouldn’t wanna see me.” he finally declares, making you scoff and shrug.

“I actually don’t mind,” you say, looking over at him. He’s now looking ahead, a small pinched smile over his lips. He runs his tongue over his bottom lip before looking back at you.

“I feel like an idiot.”

“Fair enough, you are one.” you immediately sigh, looking away. His gaze is too heavy. “I loved you.” the knot inside your throat tightens only after you pronounce the words, thankfully.

He swallows hard, a shiver running down his spine. It’s not the cold air’s doing. He stares deeply at you, watching you doing your best not to look at him.

“I know.” 

The atmosphere hangs heavily as the awkwardness takes over. The silence lingers, punctuated only by the sounds of the night around you. 

He pushes himself away from the wall, taking a step closer and turning to look at you, forcing the both of you to truly establish eye contact for the first time tonight.

"I fucked up, I know," he admits, his voice low and filled with remorse. "But I never meant to hurt you." he shakes his head. “Ever.”

You blink, your gaze tearing from his. "You did anyway," you reply, your tone tinged with a mixture of bitterness and sadness. The memories of the pain he caused are still fresh, wounds not fully healed. 

He runs a hand over his stubble, a nervous habit you remember all too well. "I know I can't change anything that I did, but I want you to know that I'm sorry."

Your eyes meet his own again, searching for sincerity. "It doesn't fix everything," you say, your guard still up. 

He nods understandingly. "I just needed to tell you, and to let you know I haven't stopped thinking about you."

The vulnerability in his gaze begins to chip away at your defenses. Despite the hurt, a part of you softens. "Santi–”

He cuts you off– "I've been thinking, and you know I don’t do it often” he jokes, scoffing. “And I realized how much I lost when I let you go." 

A wave of internal conflict washes over you. Your past relationship is a heavy burden you’re carrying, and you’re not sure you should grant him your forgiveness, yet there's a glimmer of something in his eyes that translates his genuine desire for redemption, and there’s some part of you that craves everything you had with him.

“Please,” he starts, his gaze chasing yours as he softly holds onto your wrist. “Please give me a second chance”

His plea hangs in the air, and you can feel the sincerity in his touch. The warmth of his hand on your wrist is a rough contrast to the chill in the night air. You sigh, and look away, torn between the pain of the past and the possibility of a different future. The silence stretches painfully, and you can hear the faint sounds of the night around you – a distant car passing by, the rustle of leaves in the breeze.

A shiver shakes through you, the brown of his eyes seeming deeper than usual, softer as he silently begs for you to say something.

“Second and last chance” you finally declare, refusing to give up on everything you’ve done to try to get over him, yet indulging in everything you’ve ever wanted since you’ve been apart. 

He nods silently, his hand leaving your wrist to settle at the juncture between your neck and shoulder. “Okay. Alright. I won’t need another one” he promises confidently, the frown over his face eventually softening. You smile as his thumb gently rubs over your now cold skin.

“Alright, but you gotta kiss me for it to take effect” you tease as you break the tense atmosphere, readjusting your position onto your feet and placing your hands at either side of his neck. His skin is warm, and you feel his muscles contract under your hands when he laughs.

“Good thing I’ve been wanting to do it all night long” he smirks before leaning in and pressing his lips against yours, smiling as you sigh into the kiss. This is it; you feel complete again. 

He tastes of booze, and his light stubble slightly stinging when he moves are surprisingly pleasant. Your hand shifts to rest at the back of his neck, feeling his scar here, his own hands pulling you closer at the waist where he squeezes lightly when you run your other hand through his short hair.

You pull away only once it becomes necessary, the lack of oxygen making you all giddy though you’re not sure it’s just it. Santi is still holding you close as he presses his warm lips over your forehead, laughing when a shiver runs through your spine and makes you jolt. 

“Alright” he declares as he strips himself of his jacket, pulling it over your shoulders.

“You already pulled this trick on our first date” you scoff, looking over at him. A sly smirk grows over his face as you adjust the jacket over your shoulders.

“...And it worked, didn’t it?”

—

reblogs and feedback are extremely (I cannot stress this enough) appreciated!!

triple frontier taglist: @my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction @mystinky-butt @anightshift @whatthefishh @alexxavicry @grxywindd @campingwiththecharmings @mintgreen24 @dameronshandholder @spider-starry @jakecockley @cocodiem @spxctorsslxt @luxisluxurious @dowbastan

[lesbianoms]

Hhhh kind of obsessed with business lady preds atm. Like the busy, cold and calculated CEO of a company or the leading lady in a group full of elites; point being, she has power.

Being so successful of course, I’m sure there are a lot of other preds that want to take her out… they manage to sneak past her staff up to the highest floor of her building, and into her office… to which they are promptly never heard from again.

I like to think she’s kind of vain and obsessed with her figure. This could go one of two ways: either she’s annoyed whenever she has to eat someone, grumbling about how it’s gonna take hours to digest them and weeks to work them off…

Or, maybe she proudly flaunts her soft belly full of pred-turned-prey soup, reminding her subordinates of what she could do to them if they fall out of line…

Of course, she’s never actually eat any of her workers. I like to think she has a secret heart of gold and cares a great deal for them. It’s just nice to feel powerful every once in a while.

Another scenario I have in mind is that this new guy comes to work at her company and he’s just a total creep… perving on his female coworkers, being loud and rude most of the time… and then one day he gets an order from the boss lady to “step into her office”

The knowing workers all smirk as they watch him march proudly into those doors, convinced that he’s gonna get promoted. And of course, none of them ever see him again… though, they do hear a particularly loud belch echo throughout the building.

The next day their boss shows up to work, she has a noisy gut and a grouchy expression. Walking up to the secretary, she belches up the creep’s name tag onto the counter and tells them to file it with all the other tags of the problem employees she’s had to “fire…”

[that-foul-legacy-lover]

Wifi my beloved I have another idea 🤲

Bless the anon that said Legacy would collect stones and rocks and sea shells cause i present to you

Jewel maker! S/o

Hhhh it's such a neat concept I brainstormed a little

From the back of Ajax's mind, Legacy has long been familiarised with your jewellery shop. It's small and tucked in a cozy little corner of Liyue. You make everything by hand, spending hours and hours molding wire and metal (??) into pretty shapes. Unfortunately, that leaves you with very little time to go out and find the best materials yourself, something Legacy's instincts say is very important, so you most likely buy the materials you need.

Nuh uh. Not on Legacy's watch.

He goes out and finds the prettiest crystals and gems and what he recognises as the rough materials of what you use to make your jewellery, just to see the way your eyes light up in shock, then delight.

Now I can't help but wonder what jewellery you'd make for him and Ajax. 👀 Like imagine how pretty moth would be with his armor adorned by gold and glittery jewels, as ethereal as dangerous... And childe deciding that, oh, you gifted him something you made with your own hands? Oh he's never taking it off that's for sure.

(Also imagine proposing to Ajax and Legacy instead of the opposite sksksksk)

oooHHHHH this is so!! cute!!!! i'm a lover of unique pretty jewelry so this is right up my alley :D

Legacy also knows how exhausting your work is, spending hours squinting at tiny, shining components to craft the perfect pieces for your customers. on good days, you're merely fatigued- on bad days, your head thuds with pain and your eyes hurt so much that you can barely see. so your Abyssal moth monster sneaks out while you're at work, searching high and low for all that glitters, every type of rock and stone that you can use in your art. he's not alone- Zhongli usually tags along with him, showing Legacy how to identify the highest quality crystal and cor lapis, occasionally even bringing along the mischievous funeral parlor director, who's all the happier to hang around an intimidating-looking Abyss creature. sometimes Legacy feels the presence of an adeptus or two, the amber he finds unusually pure and vibrant, even glimpsing the far-off aura of the Conqueror of Demons, watching him from far away, and Legacy happily ambles back to your shop at the end of the day, arms full of rough gemstones

you blink in surprise when Foul Legacy pushes the door open and deposits the jewels on your workbench, after he's sure you've put all your tools away. he chirps proudly, rolling a chunk towards you to inspect, and after a moment of shock your face splits into a delighted grin, flinging your arms around Legacy as he rumbles joyfully. you're sure to base some of your next collections off of him, incorporating elegant moth-ish patterns with a splash of stars here and there, gold and silver and deep, rich hues. he trills in delight when he sees the bracelets, necklaces, and earrings you've made, watching you design them from over your shoulder, occasionally nudging your cheek to remind you to rest. his claws wrapped around you give you the perfect opportunity to measure them, discern his ring size so you can make measurements for the sketch on the very last page of your notebook, a custom pair of rings etched with stars, one smaller than the other- one for Ajax, and one for Foul Legacy- for when you finally work up the courage to propose

[green-alien-turdz]

This is long as fuck my god sorry in advance,,, also it's 4am and my first language is not English so this my be kinda incomprehensible ,

Sorry I may or may not have stalked this account and filled half the posts I've reblogged w a shit ton of ranting in the tags even more than once IM SORRYYY it's just that you're art makes me feel SO much things bc the way you portray the kids genuinely resonate w me really deeply w the scars and implied things and the fucked up rooms and hhhh I LOVE IT

Also I wanted to say that I can't even explain coherently how seeing you portraying these heavy things as eds and the sh and just all the heavy stuff so casually w also admitting more than once that you base a lot of these headcanons on your own life and struggles make me so happy bc that's always one of the things I've always been ashamed about, like whenever I find comfort in a character I immediately start to hc them w MY heavy stuff and see them that way completely but I'm scared of portraying it through my art bc ppl are always like "why would you want to fuck them up so badly" "why do u have to put your sh n ed stuff and mentally ill shit in these innocent things" and I feel like I need to justify it in other way than "yeah it's just that me getting comfort from them means me seeing myself in them and seeing my flaws in something I love, so naturally I need to put it there for my own comfort" bc it's just too selfish or smth. I know It might sound really really silly and dumb but YOU do it so well and so seemingly unbothered that you just make me want to say FUCK YALL and do It anyway so AGHHHH SORRY FOR THE ABSURDLY LONG RANT ANYWAYS I LOVE YOUR ART SOSOSO MUCH !!!

Bro, for someone whose first language isn't English, you got that shit down, mf your english is impeccable. And I saw the reblogs, I literally don't mind, I'm glad you gained something outta it. Art is literally soul healing, even if it's dumb south park fanart - never be afraid to do what is gonna comfort you. I really hope that things are gettin a lil better in your life, from the rants it sounds pretty rough. I fuckin believe in you, man, n I really wish the best for you. If you ever need someone to talk to, my PM's are open to anyone. Thank you for bein so nice. Please take care of yourself

[lavender-bundle-blithe]

BSD + Pokemon Pt. 2 (Guild + Special Division + Extras)

Yo. I'm back. XD And I have moreeeee as well as some extra folks

Guild

Fitzgerald: Persian (Three words. Rich man vibes. Anyways.)

Louisa: Noctowl (Basic, I know, but it just feels fitting for her. Not to mention, the Pokemon twists its head 180 degrees to increase intellect, similar to Louisa able to use her ability to its fullest as long as she's alone in a private room. That, and owl, and she uses a quill to write. What's more to love? [sidenote, it's actually a pretty big birb, this birb's at least 5". *it's taller than me by an inch or two.*)

Margaret: Altaria (Margaret's ability is basically wind, Altaria might be the closest thing to something related to wind/the sky. And to be honest, I'm kinda proud of this one. I thought Margaret's was gonna be hard, but each time I keep thinking back to flying Pokemon, fluffy cloud birb came to mind and just "done. dusted. stop here, that one.")

Hawthorne: Aegislash (Not my best, once again. Given Hawthorne's ability and his person, I couldn't really find one best suited. Not to mention his ability is quite specific. So I had to go with the fact he could use his ability as bullets and a shield. Offense and defense? Why not change the bullet part to a sword? and boom, Aegislash.)

Twain: Swellow (At first I was gonna go with Talonflame, but then I saw Swellow. And then I keep running into more bird Pokemon. The only reason I stuck with Swellow was because [looks back at bulbapedia] yada yada yada- "It never misses its targets". Compliments his ability well.)

Steinbeck: Arboliva (Terrifying olive tree and the only one I could think of that could fit Steinbeck's ability. Siderant: I ran into these guys when I first played Pokemon Violet, and it was so ANNOYING. I hit it. It hits back. Harder. AND THEN IT SELFHEALS. "But Lavender, you could just run-" It was a trainer battle.)

Lovecraft: Tangrowth (Going with Lovecraft's... [looks at bsdwiki] uh- hm... non-ability, with him able to use his tentacles, Tangrowth does the same with their vines. And similar to the tentacles able to regenerate, Tangrowth losing their arms doesn't trouble them.)

Herman: Wailord (*Gestures at Moby Dick* Need I say more?)

Poe: Corvisquire ([ . . . ] Look it was either going to be a raccoon [Zigzagoon], a cat [none fit the "black cat" aesthetic except maybe Litten], or a bird [Corvisquire or Murkrow]. My guy already has Karl, he could be the Zigzagoon at default, and there are no Pokemon related to books hhhh, so he gets a bird.)

Lucy: Gothorita ([inhalesss] [exhalesss] My first choices was Banette. [looks at Q]. My second choise was Magearna. [looks further down this post]. Then I see Dollive. [Looks at Steinbeck's Arboliva]. Of all that I can manage through skimming serebii's national pokedex, I came across the Gothita line. At first, I felt bad that it was sort of a last ditch plan for Lucy, but looking at the two together, they sort of compliment each other? Maybe? And yes, Gothorita specifically.)

Special Division

Ango: Reuniclus (Just like Mori, I had trouble with this one, but in which aspect. His occupation or his ability. In the end, I grabbed a small aspect of his ability where it does quite the mental strain on him, and this Pokemon line [or rather the second evolution] has that brain aspect. Other than that, though, I have thought of Klefki [for some reason???], Munna/Musharna[what is with these pokemon-?], or just any psychic-type Pokemon.)

Tsujimura: Darkrai (Now I know what you're thinking. "WHY GIVE HER SOMETHING OVERPOWERED?" Well, not only is Tsujimura's ability Yesterday's Shadow Tag something similar when it comes to shadows and Darkrai *is* shadows, but the thought of it comes to the fact that she got her ability through her mother, just like Kyouka with Demon Snow. The idea of someone having such a powerful ability/Pokemon in their hands but is ultimately nerfed due to the fact they're inexperienced, or in Tsujimura's case, unable to control it.)

Taneda: Espeon (Don't know much about the man, but his ability lets him know the nature of another's ability upon its activation. So my guy rolls an active perception check. And of all that I've seen that could "sense intention" were either Raltz/Kirlia, Lucario, and Espeon. And I was tempted in choosing Espeon not by bias, but that they passively have perception check running [odd words there, friend-]. And ye owo)

Extra

Mushitarou: Phantump (Ignoing the Pokemon's pokedex and the implications of a Phantump coming to be, the little guy just keeps reminding me of Mushitarou's little ghost buddies of his Perfect Crime ability. So have the little guy. It he.)

Ayatsuji: Magearna (Yup, pulling these guys up. Again, I don't know much of the other light novels, but I knew enough by the fanwiki. And one thing in particular I noticed besides Ayatsuji being a detective was that he likes ball-jointed dolls. So, Magearna! And to be honest, this Pokemon was what I had in mind to give Lucy but... yeaaaahh that went well-)

Kyogoku: Ghastly (I went all out, 'cos I pulled up articles for this one. Not only is Kyogoku's ability "Possession Drop" said to be of a Yokai Possession, I went to see about Pokemon that are based off on Yokai. And it says here that Ghastly are based off from "Onibi" or just souls that turn into small flames that wander, detached from their bodies. And reading about Kyogoku, it makes sense. Oh, and that generally ghost-type Pokemon are capable in possessing people.)

Next up will likely be DOA and the Hunting Dogs with a few more extras weeeeeeee

[fictionkinfessions]

Anonymous asked: Sorry am I the only one wondering how that transphobic homestuck post made it into the queue or . . . ?

Anonymous asked: sry im on mobile so i dont have the post # but the last bit of that late 413 ask is a little 🤨🤨🤨 transphobic

Anonymous asked: heyyyy mpc idk if you just didn’t pick up on it or what but that 4/13 ask was like. blatantly and pointedly transmisogynistic for no reason. >: /

Full offense but these messages are so useless you may as well have never sent them. Do y'all not realize people aren't in your fandom, or perhaps have never encountered this in joke on their dashboard? Or maybe you should explain what's going on? Because does it look like I make a habit of intentionally posting transmisogyny here? On purpose for funs?

What if you linked the post or mentioned tags so I know which one, out of the 50+ posted daily, you are referring to? What if? Don't let this put you off warning people, but reconsider feeble hand wringing vague posts and, you know, put in a little more effort than 'aah eek a yucky vibe?? maybe? idk d-don't look at me hhhh' type messages.

Connie / mod party cat

[puppy-phum]

get to know me 🌻

got tagged by zey @thasorns a long time ago ♥ thank you and sorry for taking a while! i think now is a good time to do this tho bc am avoiding things haha

-

do you make your bed? - every morning. obsessively. i think i might've forgotten to make it only once or twice in my whole life haha

what's your favourite number? - 3 (tho i don't really have a favourite)

what is your job? - currently studying so no job. was working at a gas station last year part-time and did my internship at the children's literature institution last fall tho

If you could go back to school would you? - really depends tbh. i am still in school, technically, but if i had to go back to primary school – which i consider the most school a school can be – then not really. not even if i miss some of the ppl from there

can you parallel park? - in theory yes. i have a driver's license so i should know how to parallel park lol but if you told me to do it rn? probably no

a job you had that would surprise people? - uuh i've only ever had odd summer jobs but i worked in parks for a couple of summers and then "worked" as the lights technician at a smaller theater a couple of years ago which i considered personally really random

do you think aliens are real? - might as well be

can you drive a manual car? - yeah. in theory. learned to drive manual but i never really got the hang of it...

what's your guilty pleasure? - umm. idk? can't really say.

tattoos? - nope. but would love to get one of those watercolor flowers or something like that

favourite colour? - (pastel) purple and baby blue

favourite type of music? - anything really but i listen to a lot of indie, usually slower songs. melancholic, deep, dark. it's quite a change compared to how i used to listen to a lot of house and dubstep/nightstep at some point :'D

do you like puzzles? - absolutely adore them. i do not know anything better tbh but i rarely have time or space for those bc i now only want to do the big ones

any phobias? - not really but i freak out over centipedes

favourite childhood sport? - basketball. and badminton! tho i still adore that

do you talk to yourself? - quite often yeah. mostly without even noticing and sometimes it feels embarrassing if i realize that someone heard me hhhh

what movie(s) do you adore? - rurouni kenshin, the whole series. the yin-yang master: dream of eternity. the handmaiden. brokeback mountain. dew the movie. fast & furious movies. pirates of the caribbean (og trilogy). am probably forgetting a huge amount but these are the ones i've watched several times

coffee or tea? - tea. i cannot stand coffee

first thing you wanted to be growing up - i think it was either a vet or a police officer

-

tagging: @hils79 @jimmysea @icouldhyperfixatehim @i-got-the-feels @ongsasun @ongsasuns @moonkhao @chinzhilla ♥

[slicedmayonnaise]

Okay, Slice n Dice, I'm gonna rant, enjoy :3 (good luck)

When I first started reading WTE I was in an, "I'm not too big a fan of modern aus" mindset, and decided not to read it when I first saw it (Ford's top ten biggest mistakes).

One day, I was sitting on the floor, my third cup of iced coffee in my hand and Markiplier's rdr2 playthrough on my laptop and I thought to myself, "I wonder what WTEs about.." So I went back to good ol' ao3 and took a deeper look, aka read the first few chapters, oh my god did I regret not reading it sooner. I have a hard time immersing myself in stories because I get distracted so easily, but I was so immersed in the entire thing, that I could finally see in my tiny brain what was happening and it made me love the story even more.

After WTE I read BAE....hhhh I loved BAE....I ACTUALLY CRIED AT POINTS IN THOSE STORIES </3

Anyway, after WTE I didn't stop thinking about it, kinda just stared at my wall for half an hour looking confused, ik I'm going to do that exact thing once Washed Up is done, and I ain't complaining.

It actually took me a bit to read Washed Up too, after WTE I needed a break because I couldn't find any stories that matched how good it was, and for some reason, I didn't look at Washed Up which was literally created by the same person </333333 (I'm a little dumb)

When I'm hyperfixated on smth I get hyperfixated on things in that smth (like Javier) and I got hyperfixated on WTE (but I didn't draw fanart, which disappoints me) so that's another reason I didn't read Washed Up right away, I actually read WTE twice.

So I FINALLY started Washed Up and yeah that was the best thing I've ever done. Actually, this story might be one of the best fics I've ever read, I just absolutely love the slow burn that wasn't too short to be like, "What just happened?" and wasn't too long to make me get bored of the story, but in every chapter, I might've asked, "are they gonna kiss?"...

And the characters, omg, I actually didn't expect Vincente to turn out how he did, I love this version of him. and Eddie.......hhhhhhh Eddie.......I love Eddie...AND FLACO, WHEN I WAS READING THE TAGS I GOT SO SURPRISED THAT BRO WAS IN IT THAT EVERY TIME A NEW CHARACTER WAS INTRODUCED (without knowing their name ofc) I WAS LIKE, "Flaco?"

My reaction to when he showed up was priceless.

Okay, this rant went really off track-

I love how you sort of mixed like rdr canon into the story, but with your own like twist, yk, which is pretty much what the whole story is but you get what I mean (I hope-)

And Javier..oh poor Javier, he really won't like water now, or boats...sigh poor Javier </3

THE GIRLS TOO, I AM SO GLAD THEY WERE SAVED!!!!

Okay, this is getting really long I don't want to overwhelm you.

But just know, I love your story so much, I wish I had given it a chance right away because now it is one of my favorite things ever, and I hope you will write more in the future, speaking of the future I'm so excited for that spinoff with Flaco and Eddie.....so excited...

But thank you, for opening my eyes to a surfing au that I never expected to like so much, it didn't make me want to start surfing but that's okay cause I'm afraid of oceans.

AND I SWEAR I WILL DRAW WASHED UP FANART, I NEED IT IN MY LIFE, I JUST NEED AN IDEA, AND THEN WE'RE LOCKED IN!!!!!!

Okay, this was so long, oopsies-

THANK YOU <33333333

I was literally smiling like an idiot the entire time reading this oh my god. My cheeks hurt from smiling. I may or may not have also cried a little. Thank you thank you so so much oh my god 😭😭😭 <3<3<3<3<3<3 like idek what to say

I'm so so glad you like my fics and the way I write and like just thank you so much for all the feedback like idk what to say just thank you so so much. You have just made my entire year if not my entire life <3<3<3<3<3<3 thank you thank you!!!

[seasidesandstarscapes]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Tagged by @strangethings-everywhere !!! thank you so much friend!!!!

How many works do you have on AO3? 167

What's your total AO3 word count? 414,347

What fandoms do you write for? Currently TBITB (obvs), but I've written for The Witcher, Newsies, Star Wars, and a whole lot of other fandoms shdfjskl

Top five fics by kudos? Lost in the Wild - 754, Running With The Wolves - 668, burning from the inside out - 633, The Ties That Bind Us - 528, Dire Straits (?) - 514 (jeez witcher was a wild time lmaoooo)

Do you respond to comments? I try to!!! but when i switch fandoms i tend to forget about my prev fics ;v;

What is the fic you wrote with the angriest ending? Angriest???? idk i guess.....one of my newsies fics where i left the ending ambiguous lol

What is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? So many of them, I don't like Main Character Death and my ship neeeeds to have their happily ever after

Do you get hate on fics? Not really? I got one that seemed like hate but i think we were just both confused lol

Do you write smut? ye

Craziest crossover? Two Chinese movies that are not at all popular in America. Idk how to even explain it unless you give me a good hour

Have you ever had a fic stolen? I don't think so????

Have you ever had a fic translated? No, but if someone wanted to, i'd be more than fine with it!!!

Have you ever co-written a fic before? Yes!!! some of it will never see the light of day, but it's been fun!!! especially when i forget the premise and my co-writer has to be like "wtf man" lmao

All time favorite ship hhhh i really don't know.....i guess at the end of the day...i'll always come back to baze malbus x chirrut imwe cause they're my space dads

What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? Lol uhhhhhh mainly it's just starting it, which is some kind of mer au for tbitb

What are your writing strengths? ???? idk....Making sure i don't use too many adverbs??? lol

Thoughts on dialogue in another language? I wish I could, that would be so cool ;v;

First fandom you wrote in? probably some kind of youtuber fic idk lol

Favorite fic you've written? hgajfdksl Right now it's been the Bobby/Don Hockey Fic, man that one was a good time

There's no 20th question so i'm gonna make one up: If you were forced to write only one genre for the rest of your life (like James Patterson lol) what would you want it to be?

tagging @seaofolives @kjxlll and @borealopelta !!!

[vwritesaus]

      Grief is a funny thing, and it works in many ways.       For some, it harrows the soul for years and years, and ultimately makes one bitter, like Tatiana Blackthorn. It’s sometimes a dull, pounding ache deep in one’s chest, choking them despite them still breathing. Other times it’s a shroud, a veil, a piece of cloth covering a person like one does a birdcage, shutting the world out in favour of darkness and despair. And sometimes all it does is stay stagnant for a long, long time, growing and growing like a snowball rolling down a hill, until it reaches a tree and smashes into a million pieces.       For Thomas, especially in the past few weeks, grief has been a driving force to keep busy. It’s gnawed at his heart, his soul, but he’s shoved it aside in favour of making himself useful. To do anything, anything, humanly possible to spare anyone else being torn into jagged rags by these sharp shards edged with ice. He’s like his father, in that way. Perhaps he’s unconsciously picked up some habits from him for Gideon, in his worry and grief over his son’s sickly status as a child, never sat still.       And Thomas hadn’t had ample time to grieve for his sister. Barbara’s death came too suddenly, too soon. Belial’s antics to rule their world and Tatiana’s plot of revenge and malice made sure of that, eating into any sliver of a moment where he could’ve sat down and thought about his older sister; where he could have gone to Idris with his family, held his mother’s and Eugenia’s hands, and sat in silence with his father, head on his shoulder and eyes staring out the window at the demon towers of Alicante.       Now, however… now he has all the time in the world to grieve. For Barbara… for Christopher.       And for the first time in his life, Thomas doesn’t know what to do, or what to feel.

remember when i was crying over writing a fic about christopher's death in thomas's pov in hope of finding some closure? this is that fic

it hurts—fuck, it hurts—but it needs doing. thomas & co.'s grief in cot was only touched upon in regards to kit's death (and others'), and i wanna expand on it as much as i can. so heads up, this is gonna be a big puddle of feelings and very thomas-centric, but not just with his own mourning. bc thomas is thomas, he'll always go for healing other people first: alastair, gabrily, anna, sophideon... just to name a few :') this b o y istg

anyway, i mentioned this is a mutlichap, so here's a small preview from chapter 1. i'll mostly likely post the full thing tomorrow, and if not then, the day after - in which case, i'll just post another snippet haha xD i've just got the one scene left to finish hhhh

also this isn't beta-read so excuse any glaring errors/my waffley style prose lol

~

tagging people who might be interested (and those who i know have read cot lol): @drunkonimagination @astriefer @ferrari-go-vroom-vroom @ibrushmyteeth-donttellanyone @claritywithclary let me know if you’d like to be added to or removed from the tag list!!

[devilrose]

6 Questions/ Get to Know You tag

Tagged by @babyblueetbaemonster​ (thank you! and sorry for taking two months to get to this hhhh)

RULES: Answer the questions then tag some folks you want to get to know better/catch up with.

Last song: Denise and I are listening to the Half-Life soundtrack.

Last show / Currently watching: Still rewatching all of the Detective Conan anime... We’re just at the part with Kir and Eisuke. That part is one of our favorites, but damn... what wasted potential...

Currently reading: nothing in particular, besides, all our books have been boxed up in preparation for moving.

Current obsession: I guess I’m on a Sonic the Hedgehog kick. We just beat Team Sonic Racing. I do have plenty of criticisms but overall it is fun. Now we’re playing Adventure, which we’d never played before. It’s a much wilder game than I would have ever expected. I don’t know whether it’s extremely creative or just straight out deranged. Also Big the Cat is so cute :< he deserves better than how the fandom treated him back then.

Tag: @vablatsky @organicgold @altairattorney @farfromdaylight @disjunkt @loires. If you want, no pressure. How are you all doing? :D

[kari69a-deactivated20220420]

tag 9 people you’d like to get to know better

tagged by @mightyoreo ty babygirl <3

1. 3 ships: ever given, me and my gf 😌 (hehe), the ever given

2. first ever ship: julian and lena from the delirium trilogy by lauren oliver... girl i was going thru it

3. last song: laura by charlie parker. currently getting to know charlie parker tunes for my tap class so i can improvise better. gotta say, the man can doot doot

4. last movie: raw (2016). i <3 cannibalism as a trope. the real horror is how you never know your fellow man babey!

5. currently reading: juuust finished rouge by mona awad (if i was loosey goosey about hating red before, i'm solid now). currently chipping away at chromophobia by david batchelor

6. currently watching: doctor who (w christopher eccleston) cuz i had the dvds and no idea what else to put on

7. currently consuming: refrigerated pickles. they fuckin slap. something about ephemerality... girl youre not shelf stable? me too we're a perfect match

8. currently craving: a burrito with purple cabbage and goat cheese from my fave vegetarian mexican restaurant.... hhhh

anyway!! tagging some peeps now:

@femmepathy @spades8th @3000s @gluten-free-pussy @gorencrusher @knee-stockings @killallcops69 @judgejudyofficial @sylladextrous @officialsquaremom @bubsaroni

[dcjokerhs]

8 shows to get to know you

i was tagged by @arrysa-clair so... thank u huney /p ^w^

Katekyo Hitman Reborn: 🎵HELLO MY LUVELY HELLO MY HUNEY, HELLO MY RAGTIME GALLLL!!🎵 This wasn't the first fandom I wrote fanfic for, but I just,,,, YES!! 100%!! YES!! Because this shounen I Binged because of 1 CardFight! Vanguard/KHR crossover and THEN I WAS INVESTED, and now I am The Biggest Simp... It was also the fandom where I had to admit that I'm a filthy filthy multishipper so... OOPS, GUESS I CAN NEVER UNDO THAT!!!

Bagpuss: 🎵Bagpuss, oh Bagpuss, soggy-old-cat puss, wake up and see this thing that I bring, wake up, be bright! Be golden and light! Bagpuss, oh hear what I sing.🎵 THIS SHOW!!! THIS SHOW IS MY LOVE, MY BLOOD, AND NOW ONE OF THE LEAST-KNOWN SHOWS, EVEN THOUGH IT'S BLIMMIN GREAT (apart from one episode that suddenly comes to mind because HHHH IT WAS MADE IN THE SIXTIES AND THE OBJECT WAS A PAIR OF BOWING MEN) But think, like, Toys coming to life to check out this neat little thing their owner's brought, using songs, stories and poems to tell what the thing *really* is, working together to fix or clean the object, then moving it into the window "So anyone who had lost [the object] Would see it, and know it was found" AND THAT ENTIRE SHOW!! I LIVE FOR!!! If I need to sew, or if I'm sick, or even if I just don't want to watch much and snk into a pile of plushies, I can pop this show on, and listen to a soggy old pink and white cat, a raggedy old bookend, a toad with a banjo, a music box of mice and a well-loved doll explain why a small cushion is really the seat of the boney king of nowhere's throne. I Am Soft.

Thunderbirds/Thunderbirds Are Go: THIS SHOW, THIS SHOW I WROTE FANFICTION FOR BEFORE I EVEN KNEW WHAT FANFIC WAS!! I still even have the cute li'l notebook it was written in, now sans cover, IT IS UPSTAIRS IN A BOX AND I WAS SO YOUNG my handwriting was a full 2cm/0.8inch TALL, SO EACH PAGE WAS BASICALLY 5-7 LINES OF WIGGLY TEXT, because of course the paper doesn't have lines, and MY WRITING WAS SO CUTE AND SIMPLISTIC I WANT TO SQUEEZE YOUNGER-ME'S CHEEKS!! And then younger me made it have a crossover with Lazytown, because I was a sucker... AND NOW WE HAVE T.B.A.G, AND CHCGHCG I WAS ECSTATIC, my dad and brother less so, BUT I LOVE IT, and now I am back on my thunderbirds bs. /lol

Tantei Gakuen Q/Detective Class Q: I adore both the anime and the live action for this one. They may have slightly different stories, but they're still both quite powerful, and very fun, but also able to talk about some topics in ways that make me tilt my head a little, like the idea of an area cut off from the outside world, finding peace within the smaller things, or, from the live action, how far one person can go in search of freedom, and how that can then be framed by others during the uncovery of that story. Also! The cases!!! They can seem so complex, yet, then the answer will turn out so simple, and I absolutely adore that! ^w^

Gravity Falls: IDK what it is, but the idea of some kids just having fun, finding something, then having fun solving the issue, or going hrough an experience, and then supporting each other on the other side, getting the support of their chaotic family.... HHHHHHHH /pos. I am Very Soft. Also, fxghxfcghcfgh, Bill and Dipper's Entire Dynamic brings me life. Jesu Maria.... AND THEN I REMEMBER THEY'RE 12!! THEY CAN'T EVEN OWN A BANK ACCOUNT YET, SOMEONE GET THESE KIDS THERAPY OH MY GOODNESS!! bUT!!! SOOS!! YEEEEEE!! idk ok NEXT ONE!

School Babysitters: I may not be able to handle children irl, but the stories between the kids, the way the students handle caring for the kids, THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE CENTRAL DUO!!! HAS MADE ME CRY!! SO MANY TIMES!!! ARARARARARARARARA!!! I LOVE THEM!!! HHHHH!!

SCOOBY DOO! WHERE ARE YOU?/SCOOBY DOO, MYSTERY INCORPERATED!: My first crush was Daphne. I didn't realise it was a crush, I was just like "yeah, the others are pretty cool... But Daphneee..." And Nowadays I go "oh dearheart, Oh Sweetie" BECAUSE, HAHA, SHE IS STILL A FICTIONAL CRUSH, THIS WOMAN IS A COMPETENT QUEEN, tho some shows they make her a little mean, AND THAT'S WHY SB:WAY AND SB:MI ARE MY FAVOURITES, because Daphne is Adorable-- OMG I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT THE baby version of scoobydoo, oh my goodness that was adorable, though THE FACT THEY DECIDED THAT THE YOUNG VERSIONS WERE JUST WHO THE CHARACTERS ARE FROM BIRTH WHEN CGJHCHJCGJCGHJ YOU CAN'T TELL ME VELMA WASN'T THE CHEEKIEST BABY! YUHUXFH\OEW7SZDUFIYFWZPS9OUFZHRXDC8ZOSEYRHFNRICKUJFZBXED!!!!!

And last, but ne'er least: CUTE HIGH EARTH DEFENSE CLUB LOVE/BINAN KOUKOU CHIKYUU BOUEI-BU LOVE! That Show!!!!! THIS SHOW!!!! AAAA!!! Think, like, Genderbent Magigirl anime, but, again, Genderbent, and it's so cute, and funny, and yet it SOMEHOW, SOMEHOW, DESPITE BEING THE LIGHTEST THING SINCE FREE!, I AM a total mess mum plz come and pick me up i will cry from CUTENESS ISTG!!!

Gods, picking out stuff was so hard, but so fun, because I had to say "No" to Dream SMP, I had to turn down shows like the Katrielle Layton Anme because I ONLY GOT TO WATCH THAT ONCE, AND I AM SO SALTY 'CAUSE THAT WAS SO CUTE!! But then, hhhhh!!! /vpos /lovinglyfrustrated. Other shows skipped are Ouran High School Host Club, Free!, How to Keep a Mummy, Merlin, Dr Who, M.I.High, Good Omens (Good God do I love Good Omens), Love Stage!! aaand Marginal Prince.

Anyway!! Tagging!! I have no clue!! UUUUUUUUUHHHHH

@captaindragonsgold @snailraffle @slytherinroyaltyblogs @keep-a-bucket-full-of-stars @silverdrip

^w^ Have Fun! ^w^

[the-bees-patella]

AAAAAA i would like to know about all of these, but i’ll ask…

hhhh how do i choose

ok ok im closing my eyes and pointing—

untitled goose war game

(how do u feel about multiple asks? asking for a friend 👉👈)

(from this WIP post).

I'm sorry this is so horrifically long, but you ended up asking about one of my longest and long-standing projects! And please feel free to send as many asks as you like!

I don't even remember what I saw that reminded me of the concept of a Soulmate Goose (AO3 tag: "Alternate Universe - The Soulmate Goose of Enforcement"), wherein the premise is: one day, you wake up with a goose sitting on you and it leads you in some way or another to your soulmate, shenanigans ensue (it's often paired with the tag "Goose-typical violence"), and then you say oh and kiss and/or complete whatever other romantic rituals the author deems necessary, the goose disappears, and presumably, you continue to kiss and hold hands for eternity or whatever.

At around the same time, a friend informed me that Cody calls Anakin almost exclusively by his first name in the books and comics and the sheer disrespect necessary for that to happen absolutely killed me. I did not and will not be doing a fact-check because I believe we need whatever droplets of joy we can wring from this wretched washcloth of a timeline.

Looking at the dates, I'd just published my first Clone Wars fic and discovered two things in the process: 1) I needed to write more clone relationships immediately; 2) Cody's a right bastard.

Naturally, I decided it would be hilarious for Cody to get his goose and for it to run directly for Rex…only to be intercepted by one Anakin Skywalker. Anakin is, of course, enthralled with the idea of true love and building a home and a sense of belonging.

Cody would rather put own his eyes out with a spork. Hijinks ensue.

I started writing from Cody's perspective and got pretty well into it before I realized that in order for this rom-com scenario to work he'd have to: 1) realize that Rex likes him very much, 2) realize that, he, too likes Rex as a human person. At this point in the story they'd been fucking for months. Cody has been extremely chill and very relaxed about Rex in the CC groupchat. There was a whole thing with a grenade and a compass.

So I had to start over with someone who both had at least 50% of this mission-critical information, or at least the ability to stop playing 5D asshole chess with himself to figure it out, and also didn't make me want to do a little recreational enucleation.

Sorry, Rex.

A couple other fun facts:

The goose is a manifestation of the Living Force and therefore cannot die. Cody discovers this and starts sending GT-0101 on air reconnaissance missions.

The goose will not be paid in kisses or revelations. The goose demands blood. The goose will only accept human sacrifice; that is, total emotional honesty and nothing less.

(Does Cody just end up dying with the goose still next to him? Who can say.)

What this means is that you could fuck in front of the goose all the livelong day and it would remain, with its beady eyes and horrible beak teeth.

Cody is the first clone to get a goose. Make of that what you will.

Snippet:

“All right, General Kenobi?” “What? Oh, yes. If anyone is up to the task of—er—wooing Cody, it’s Anakin, I suppose.” They look over to where Cody and Skywalker are engaged in a ferocious tug-of-war over the goose. Skywalker seems to have clasped Cody’s hands over his death grip on the bird, and Rex can practically smell the yearning as his general makes aggressively optimistic eye contact. Cody doesn’t break his glare because he’s always been braver than Rex. “Skywalker,” he says. “Don’t make me take your other hand.” Rex turns back to General Kenobi. “You want to put credits on that, sir?” “The Force works in mysterious ways,” Kenobi says, much too cheerful, and gives Rex a side hug, something he has never done before in his life. Everyone is being extremely normal about this.

[pumpkinspicedlesbian]

@perenlied tagged me to answer 15 questions and tag 15 people, forgot about it for a while but better late than never!

1) Named after anyone?

Not really, my second name is after a few different family members though

2) Last time you cried?

Before they put me under for surgery bc I was so scared but one of the anesthesiologists was super sweet so that really helped

3) Do you have any kids?

Naur, I have a nephew and niece that I adore though!

4) Do you use sarcasm a lot?

Yeah probably pretty regularly

5) What's the first thing you notice about people?

Hhhh idk probably different for each person? I guess I pay the most attention to style so clothes/hair/makeup/accessories

6) Color of your eyes?

Blue (babadee babadie)

7) Scary movies or happy endings?

Okay I don't really like the way this question is phrased but anyone who knows me knows I love horror so scary babyyy

8) Any special talents?

Uhhh I'm pretty good at accents I think, or tongue twisters

9) Where were you born?

Nearest hospital to my hometown

10) Hobbies?

I tend to switch between creative stuff so I dabble in watercolors and embroidery, I like to draw, I like to read, I like movies a lot and I looooove secondhand shops and volunteer at one. Have also been playing lots of Zelda BOTW during recovery which has been really fun!

11) Any pets?

No :( if my living situation ever allows for it I really want to get a cat

12) What sports do you play/have you played?

Things I did and stopped liking within a month as a child include tennis, gymnastics, jazz ballet, horse riding, softball and things I actually like but never really do are climbing and roller skating

13) How tall are you?

164 cm, if u use different metrics that means I'm taller than you

14) Favorite subject in school?

Music, or English bc I didn't have to do anything

15) Dream job?

Something working with people, maybe kids, something where I can put my ideas into practice and organize projects or activities. Something that does some good in the world and that I take a personal interest in

Tagging time! @xiaoguiwang @teamfreelunch @girlwiththechickentattoo @lowpolycas @m-eowdy @joosthoe @florid-fragments @shysoftgoth @breathtakinglymiraculous @yahababs @martinilesbian @strawberrystorms @spooniepumpkin and I can't for the life of me think of anyone else so if u wanna do this just say I tagged you, it'll be our little secret ;)

[sparatus]

HHHH wip tag game and you know I gotta say Through The Bars bc of course

wip game

yessss YESSSSS

through the bars is the planned sequel to to catch a rabbit, aka kryterius murder mystery. at the end of rabbit, saren and nihlus agree to take a real vacation somewhere nice and warm, and settle on an outing to temperate macedyn so they can go hiking in scenic deciduous forest and enjoy not being surrounded by people. they also invite avitus and macen, just for fun, so they can all have a good time together like friends should.

and then they find a dead human dumped in the woods. a human murder victim on a turian planet obviously has the potential to cause a lot of problems real fucking fast, so goddammit, here they go again.

in keeping with rabbit's title coming from an agatha christie quote, so does bars! from murder on the orient express: "The body – the cage – is everything of the most respectable – but through the bars, the wild animal looks out."

if rabbit is me thumbing my nose at bad and yikes trends in kryterius fic, bars is the same thing for turian fandom as a whole, because without giving too much away it deals a lot with how the human victim was conducting themselves while living on a turian world and how the turians around them responded.

have a snippet, just for fun:

They probably looked quite the sight, Macen assumed, sitting outside the office door like misbehaving schoolkids waiting for their moms. Three Spectres and a Blackwatch officer walk into a police station. Nihlus took up half the bench himself, and had decided he may as well rest his eyes while they waited. Saren hadn't even bothered to put his boots on, just calmly taking swigs of horosk while all the little cuts and scrapes on the pads of his feet left whorls of blue on the floor. Avitus was the only one who looked appropriately antsy, but given the look Chief Barician had given him in particular, he was pretty sure that was more based on some old slight he'd forgotten about until just now. Never a dull moment with this crowd, really.

The door opened with a chime, and the chief stuck his head out. "Primarch Varcius and Councilor Sparatus are on the line," he grunted. "Don't know how it got handed that far up, but they wanna talk to you lot."

The four of them glanced at each other, then Saren clicked his mandibles and pushed himself to his feet. "Legally, you can't breathe on us. That's how."

He slipped under Barician's arm while he sputtered. The rest of them following suit ended it.

Once they'd all shuffled in, Saren was the first to speak. "Ierian, honestly, we had nothing to do with–"

"Can I not have one month of peace?" the councilor's tired sigh interrupted him. There were no visuals, only a voice on a speaker, but the most important drake in xenopolitics was hard to mistake. "Can I not just ship you feral zoäni off to somewhere remote and enjoy my lunch without worrying about what insane discovery you're about to message me about? For one month?" He paused, then amended, "Not you, Captain Barro, you're doing fine."

Macen's mandibles fluttered. "Thank you, sir."

Avitus snorted. "Hey, we've found way worse than a stiff in the woods."

"A human body," a new, feminine voice interrupted. Macedyn's new primarch, Laeana Varcius, was a former lawyer by trade, and you could certainly hear the court in her tone. "In turian woods. Everyone is still on edge after the summit, this is an interspecies incident waiting to happen."

"Unless, of course," Sparatus sighed, "Spectres investigate, because then news doesn't come out until you're done and we can control the narrative."

Saren scoffed and took a drink of horosk. Must have been nice to have that kind of metabolism. "The Spectres don't want to investigate."

"I'm quite literally paying the Spectres' rent, so the Spectres will investigate."