#i; caleb nichols

[themacabrebarbie]

@cagedchoices sent "i love you. i don't know why, i just do." (this is also for Maeve)

answered memes !

The words replayed in her head like the dialogue she had memorized time and time again with West World. In a sense, they felt like a script, a reality she couldn't escape no matter how hard she tried. And it wasn't as though she wanted to escape, that was the least of her worries. The part that made her feel sick, in whatever sense she could, was the reality that the world she could give to him was far less than he deserved. All she could give him was herself, not the typical sense in what people were after. There was no life with her, not one that she understood; at one point he'd grow old, and she never would. The possibility of a family was ever so far away from grasp.

"That's quite the decision, isn't it?" Maeve knew better than to compare it to that. Was love, like existence, ever a choice? It made her skin crawl as she nodded, still keeping her distance between him and the words that filled the space between them.

"How do you know?" The question wasn't meant to be rude, but trying to understand. At her core, she knew she loved him as well, or as much as she could as the sentient being that she was. "How do you know you're not... Just enjoying your time here?"

[devilscheck]

@cagedchoices sent ❛ why would anyone have a clown at a birthday party? ❜

REPLYING TO ASKS ! // ALWAYS OPEN

"Because people are sick fucks-" Jennifer let out a laugh as her head dipped back to take the final drink out of the beer bottle between her fingertips. It had been some time since she had actually found someone she enjoyed talking to at the bar. There would be no surprise in the fact most nights were declining drinks or odd requests to take her home. But this, this felt like an actual conversation where she felt perceived and heard.

"It's actually terrifying that any parent thinks a kid wants a clown anywhere near them. I haven't seen a single kid get excited about one in like... My entire life," she mused with her hands before she set her beer bottle down. "And just like that, my tenth birthday was absolutely ruined by my not so good friend, Bobo."

[just-blink]

@cagedchoices LIKED for a ONE-LINER !

"And what makes you think that's a good idea?"

[calebnichols]

“It was interesting because right when we started our interactions in Season 4, [it was clear] there was so much history there, which was so fun to play with. Us, as actors, we really weren’t sure what that history was—we knew it was seven years [since the Season 3 finale], but we weren’t really sure how things ended with her and I. We knew that we were separated, but how did that happen? It was just so, so beautiful to be able to go toe-to-toe with her and slowly reveal what our history actually was. And it’s a pretty intense one."

- Aaron Paul, PasteMagazine [ x ]

[timerevolt]

        If anyone asked Lulu Warren–Nichols if her life was perfect, she’d give a resounding yes. It was an absolute dream with Caleb. She had everything she ever wanted, a family of her own and even a house! How could she be any luckier? It was as if every wish she ever made came true.

       When the children had finally got to sleep – Lulu was still buzzing.  Caleb was such a good father – it made her fall in love with him all over again.  She grabbed two beers from the kitchen before she made her way over to Caleb. Carefully she situated herself into his lap, as she handed him a beer. “I may have gone a little overboard today – like totally bought the twins five costumes each.” But Lulu couldn’t help it – Halloween was her favorite holiday. 

LATE NIGHT STARTER CALL ! | @cagedchoices

[cagedchoices]

I can't make gifs so ur just gonna have to put up with a few phone-quality screencaps and a transcript instead but

FRANKIE: Can we leave the lights on tonight?

CALEB: Why would we do that?

FRANKIE: Bear Bear’s scared. I told him I’d keep watch over him.

CALEB: Well, you know the best way to keep watch at night is to turn the lights down around you and light up–

FRANKIE: Light up the perimeter?

CALEB: That way, no one can see you, but you can see... See everyone. Look, um, Bear Bear doesn’t need to think about this stuff. Okay? Everyone is safe and sound.

(UWADE APPEARS AT THE DOORWAY TO FRANKIE'S ROOM, SMILING AS SHE WATCHES ON.)

FRANKIE: Promise?

CALEB: I promise. Okay, goodnight.

(CLATTERING SOUNDS OUTSIDE. EVERYONE LOOKS TOWARD THE WINDOW BRIEFLY.)

CALEB: Did you hear that?

UWADE: It’s probably nothing.

(CALEB LEAVES THE ROOM.)

FRANKIE: Goodnight, Mom.

UWADE: Come on, let’s get you in bed.

[lackenthusiasm]

NAME ETYMOLOGY

I saw a post once, a while back, that claimed Norm's first name has roots in Christianity and Judaism as a biblical name that means "sincere," but while I tried to research this further, I only found one website that makes this statement and offers no sources to back up its claims. I decided to go do my own research instead. My info comes mainly from behindthename, so may not be 100% accurate but should fall within a reasonable degree of correctness.

The name Norman comes from a Germanic byname meaning "Northman", "Man of the North," and was used in reference to the Scandinavians. The Normans were Vikings who settled on the coast of France in the region that would come to be known as Normandy.

Following the Norman Conquest, in which the Vikings sought to expand their territory, the English began to adopt the term "Norman" into their vernacular in reference to Scandinavian barbarians. However, the term fell out of use by the 14th century with the decline and assimilation of the Scandinavians/Vikings.

The name was revived during the mid-19th century (1850s) by C.M. Yonges, who used it for a character in his novel, The Daisy Chain, and since then other prolific bearers of the name Norman have included the painter Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) and Norman Mailer (1923-2007).

MacLean as a surname has a bit of a rabbit hole attached to it, as it is an Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic surname MacGillEathain or MacGillEain, meaning "son of the servant of Eòin." Eòin is a Gaelic spelling of Iohannes, the Latin form of Greek Ioannes, but let's keep this simple and stick with the fact that all of these are derived from one original Biblical name: John.

John appears in use by both the Old Testament and New Testament and means "Yahweh (God) is gracious." In terms of popularity and use, John was a name more commonly used among Christians in the Byzantine Empire, but following the First Crusade it spread to Western Europe, becoming extremely popular in England as a common male name from the 13th to 20th century. To date, it is still one of the most popular baby names in existence.

As for how the name and surname affect Norm and reflect his characterization in canon, I would think that Hank MacLean being the vault overseer and his children being expected to "perpetuate america" and uphold their father's legacy in the vault draws parallel to Christianity, where there is often pressure from parents who practice religion for their children to function as an extension of oneself rather than allow them to grow and be their own individuals.

I noticed this the most significantly when Norm met Bud/Brain-On-A-Roomba. Bud refers to him only as "Son of Hank" and yes while I know this is likely because Norm didn't throw his name out there when he encountered Bud's brain, I think Bud could've accessed Vault 33 data files if he needed to, and he simply chose not to because the only value Norm has [to Vault-Tec] is due to being one of Hank's offspring.

In a more literal translation, the MacLeans are children of a servant to John, who was chosen or blessed by God in some capacity.

[myplasticadversary]

Getting into Another Kind Of Mind now! Took me a bit to figure out what the acronym stood for when I saw folks posting about it lol

[seasonofscreams]

Until Dawn Fan Cast

Wanted to throw my hat into the ring of fan casting the new Until Dawn movie.

SPOILERS FOR UNTIL DAWN BELOW

(also just assume there might be bl**d & g*re depicted below)

I wouldn't be surprised if Kathryn Newton becomes the new scream queen so it makes sense for her to follow in Hayden Panettiere's steps. She was brilliantly versatile as her two characters in Freaky & has a natural charisma that would be great for Sam whose all-rounder character could fall flat in another actor's hands. Pretty much everyone agrees on Sam being one of the few left alive if not the Final Girl & I think Newton would excel in the role.

Mike is pretty conventional as a Final Guy - objectively attractive, resourceful alongside headstrong with a funny side. Tom Blyth displays these traits himself in his portrayal of the younger Coriolanus Snow in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes as well as a charisma that had many a watcher rooting for him despite portraying one of the most evil characters in The Hunger Games franchise. It would be interesting to see him tackle the complexities of Mike and even more fun to see him engage in the action scenes sure to be in the movie.

I never got into Stranger Things but from the limited amount I've seen Caleb McLaughlin is one of the best actors in the show. Matt is a contradiction to his own trope. He's a jock who is insecure in his relationship with Emily compared to how she feels about her ex, Mike, but also potentially wants to be seen as the hero. There's very much parallels that can be drawn between Lucas and Matt as well as enough differences and it would be really interesting to see how he would tackle the role.

Olivia Rodrigo is most famous for her music but her acting turns (admittedly in Disney & mv's, yes) have always been received pretty well. Emily is a hard character to cast especially when comparing to original actor Nichole Sakura since Emily is smart and resourceful whilst being blunt and - for a lack of a better word - wonderfully bitchy. There's a certain aura within the SNL performance for all-american bitch and music video of bad idea right? that gave me this feeling i can't shake that i want to see Rodrigo as the likely other Final Girl (I hope Emily survives to the end alongside Sam).

When Sweeney (as Cassie) was hiding in the bathroom in Euphoria, many people were desperate to see how she would fare in a traditional horror film - she plays terror great! maybe it's cheating to fancast her as Jess since she's played a promiscuously perceived blonde 'home-coming queen' type before but... if it ain't broke. I can't see a more perfect Jess to be honest.

according to luckyleftie on tiktok, Ashley's original horror trope was that of the stoner, rather than the academic - which clarifies the origins of the anxiety her character exhibits throughout. Personally, I'd love if they explored this in the film more (it's gonna be rated R after all). Sophia Lillis proved herself in the horror genre as Young Beverly in IT (2017) and would be really fun in the inquisitive/conclusion jumping Ashley. (Also I think she does resemble Ashley/Galadriel Stineman but that may just be me).

(Chris is deffo dying when Ashley doesn't let him into the house it's too potentially big of a scene to not do so) Tony Revolori is a funny actor and as self-proclaimed comedian of the group, I'd love to see his interpretation of Chris who pines after Ashley as well as how he could potentially approach the investigative chapter during Josh's 'prank.' Plus I loved him in Scream and wish we'd seen more screen time of him playing in the horror film.

Have you seen Hereditary? Point made.

in all seriousness, Alex Wolff is talented and plays awkward, yet charming alongside disturbed characters amazingly. Josh is quite an awkward guy ('party like p*rnstars' anyone?) and dealing with rapidly declining mental health as well as grief from his sisters' disappearance. Josh is a very complicated character whose actions cannot be justified but mental health cannot be ignored. Wolff could be a fantastic choice - especially if the mental health representation through Josh was updated with more advice and guidance from professionals.

If you made it this far, thank you for reading!! I'd love to hear if you agree (but pls don't be rude about it i put a lot of time into these edits/fancasting choices/individually crediting where i got the photos so if you hate it pls just move on) :)

[angelflms]

Hello, hello, hello everyone! Ty here!

I'm not new to stan/pop culture, but I am new to Tumblr. It was mainly for me to be able to save fics on here but I decided that perhaps I should use it! I have a Wattpad, Instagram, Pinterest and many other accounts out there if you wanna follow (all under either angelflms or angelflms_)!

I'm hoping to find people who are interested in the things I'm interested in! So here are some of the things that intrigue me!

Favorite universes/shows/movies:

Marvel

HSMTMTS

Blue Beetle (2023)

Cobra Kai

Friends

Knives Out (2019)

Singers:

Sabrina Carpenter

Olivia Rodrigo

SZA

Summer Walker

Khalid

Doja Cat

Renee Rapp

Characters:

Monet De Haan

Jaime Reyes (movie rendition)

Zoya Lott

Harley Quinn

Kate Sharma

Anthony Bridgerton

Penelope Featherington

Brunnhilde/Valkyrie

Robby Keene

Miguel Diaz

Tory Nichols

Famous People:

Olivia R.

Sabrina C.

Melissa Barrera

Jenna Ortega

Xolo Mariduena

Caleb McLaughlin

SZA

Sofia Wylie

Savannah Smith

And so much more!

Feel free to DM! I love interacting and talking to people who share the same interests as me! And if you want, totally go check out my other accounts, which are featured in my carrd. I just want this to extend to my series of other places to find me. Safe space all around here! Hope to hear from some of you guys soon!

Love,

Ty

[faustianbroker]

TIMING: Current LOCATION: Harmony Hill, World's End Isle PARTIES: Caleb (@dirtwatchman) & Gabagool (& Levi at the end lol) SUMMARY: Caleb meets Gabagool in a graveyard, and the badalisc has an interesting offer for him. CONTENT WARNINGS: n/a

—

The strangest part of not working for Nichols anymore was the loss of comfort that came from being around them. Caleb had always had a hard time getting close to people, it was something that stemmed from childhood and it was no secret, but the Nichols family had always been that security blanket that made going through life so much easier. It had started with losing Jack and now that he couldn’t really be around Erin or Diane every part of him felt…out of place. He’d been trying to search for a new home, a new place where he could feel safe and understood without feeling like a burden, and he could get that with a few of the friends he still had around town but it was nothing compared to what he’d had before.

New locations weren’t doing it for him but he’d found himself searching them anyway. It was like he was sixteen again, running from what he couldn’t change while delving into the peace of the dead. He was leaning back against one of the larger headstones on Harmony Hill, his eyes closed as the sounds of the night barely reached his ears. The zombie wished he could hear the chirp of the crickets like he could when he was a kid, longed for the days he never thought he’d want to go back to again. 

He was just about to put his headphones in his ears and really go back to the past when he heard the scuffling of little feet coming towards him. Caleb’s eyes snapped open, his body now on alert, knowing what he could encounter. He was not expecting to see the weirdest looking cat thing he had ever encountered scurrying around one of the headstones to his right and he didn’t know whether to be cautious with it or hold out a hand to scratch behind its ears. “Uh...hey buddy. You seem like you’re a long way from home.” As it got closer, he took in the two different colored eyes and the soft gray of its fur, his body still tense. The thing was kind of cute but that didn’t mean it couldn’t be deadly. “If it makes you feel any better, I’m pretty far from home too.”

—

Gabagool was a hunter by nature. A hunter of juicy, juicy gossip. And sometimes, you know, you didn’t find that in highly populated areas! Usually, sure, but the juiciest stuff usually happened when someone was alone, was unaware that they were being watched. So from time to time, the little demon would wander his way through the outskirts of town, snooping around lonely cabins and weaving his way stealthily through more populated areas into the quiet, empty parts of town. Graveyards tended to fit that description, and this one was no exception! Except for the one guy in here, which was definitely suspect. Sure, maybe he was just out here mourning someone, but did they even bury people in this graveyard anymore? The demon didn’t know and didn’t care. All he knew was that there was a potential source of gossip to be investigated, and at the very least, it might do something funny. People tended to do funny things when Gabagool showed up.

It was hanging back for a while, but the man was being boring, so it decided to introduce itself. Trotting up to the man, totally carefree, Gabagool cocked his head as he was spoken to. “I am, actually,” he responded in his best version of a teary, lip-trembling sort of voice (that inexplicably sounded a lot like Billy Crystal). “A long way from home. I’m lost!” He could have gone on and on, quite the yapper, but it was always fun to let the humans react to the fact that he could talk.

—

It shouldn’t have surprised him that this thing could talk. He was used to the unexpected, so much so that the unexpected wasn’t all that unexpected anymore. But for some reason when the thing opened its mouth Caleb was shocked enough that his own fell open. A talking cat thing wasn’t as bad as a literal demon but maybe the fact that it sounded like that one guy from City Slickers didn’t help much. “Uh…right, yea. Of course you can talk, why would that not be a thing right now?” 

He was still staring at the thing, still poised for some sort of attack because that voice did nothing to convince Caleb that the cat was sincere, but he also was ready to help if needed. It was something else instilled in him, that need to please even the smallest of creatures around him. It said something that Caleb wanted the approval of this animal but he wasn’t willing to dive into that yet. “Do you uh…want me to help you get back? Do you know where you live…do you even have an address?” Was it rude to ask a lost…thing if it had an address? The zombie didn’t want to offend it even if he was a little scared the thing was going to take his head off at any second. 

—

Gabagool grinned a wide, cheshire grin, his little tufts of fur that might’ve been ears flattening against his large skull. The creature was 70% mouth, the rest of it consisting mostly of soft fur and flab. Well, and sharp teeth. He was still a carnivore, after all. 

“Oh gosh, mister, would you?” The badalisc hopped on all four paws, moving closer to Caleb and shaking out his fur. “I live on World’s End Isle. I’m sure my master is terribly worried about where I’ve gone, mister. Could you take me there? I don’t like walking on the bridge alone… it’s scary.” He dropped his head low, dramatically throwing himself to the ground right next to Caleb’s legs, rolling onto his back and looking up at the other upside down. “Hey, what are you doing here, anyway? Not a very nice hangout spot. I don’t like graveyards — I didn’t mean to end up in this one.”

—

This thing sounded almost condescending as it spoke, that wide grin not helping one bit. But it was a ridiculous thought, right? It was a cat…thing. Animals weren’t condescending from what he knew of them. Still, animals didn’t talk either and this was proving him wrong. When it flopped on its back and started looking at Caleb while upside down the zombie felt his lips pull up into a smile, all thoughts of its tone disappearing from his mind. They were dumb thoughts anyway. It had to be the voice. “I can help you, yeah. The walk across the bridge can be pretty terrifying in the dark. We don’t want to keep you from your master any longer.” 

He reached over and hesitantly ran a finger under the animal’s chin before getting to his feet. Caleb felt like a giant standing next to it with his chin almost meeting his chest as he looked down. “I’m kind of the opposite. I come to cemeteries to think when I have too much on my mind. They’ve been a source of comfort for me.” How sad was that? Why was he scared that this animal was going to judge him for it? And why was it easier to talk about all of this with a cat? “There’s been a lot going on lately.” 

—

“Oooohhh, a lot going on, huh? I gotcha, I gotcha,” Gabagool sympathized, following Caleb’s lead and rolling back over onto his paws. He gave his whole body a shake to get rid of any stray dirt or leaves, then started to pad along beside the man. “I’m Gabagool, by the way! And I’m a great listener. At least, that’s what papá tells me! Sometimes when he gets home from work and he’s just had the hardest day, he likes to sit with me on the couch and tell me all about it. Says it makes him feel better!” The badalisc bounded in front of Caleb, standing up on his hind legs and stretching the front ones out toward the man as much as he could. 

“Uppies?” he asked with a grin, hopping on the spot to maintain his balance. “Papá also says that my fur is the softest he’s ever felt and that it’s soothing. Plus, you got long legs, I dunno if I can keep up.”

—

Caleb had never had a pet before. When he was younger his foster parents claimed they were too busy taking care of their foster kids to house any pets inside. The mom would try to be nice about it, let the kids believe that it was for the benefit of any animal that might come through their home, but Caleb saw the real truth when he was thirteen. His foster brother, only a year older than him, brought home a cat one day because he’d found it stuck in a drainpipe. Gary, having already started his drinking that day, went ballistic. Turns out, the man really did not like animals. It almost reminded Caleb of how much Gary hated the very children they let into their home. His brother had been able to get the cat out of the house before anything really bad happened but that moment had stuck with all the kids from that point on. No pets allowed. 

When he got older Caleb had never really thought about a companion no matter how lonely he’d gotten over the years. It must have been ingrained in him that pets were a bad thing and then he was killed and became a zombie…which he felt would put any pet at risk if something were to happen to its owner. 

But having this cat stand on its hind legs and reach for him made him want to break down and get his own. Obviously this one kept speaking of an owner so it was off the table but there were shelters around here. He grinned, not even hesitating to pick up the furry thing as it danced in front of him and let it settle comfortably in his arms. “That’s an interesting name. I’ve never heard one like it.” But this animal’s papa was correct, its fur was very soft. Caleb was absentmindedly brushing his fingers through it as he started walking in the direction of World’s End Isle. Maybe the papa was right about spilling his guts to the cat too. He didn’t think about the fact that if this thing could talk to him it could talk to others before he launched into things. When a person sees a cat they don’t automatically think the animal can spread their secrets around. “You ever heard of demons, Gabagool? Those things are very real. And they like to possess people and use them and ruin their lives. I was doing okay, you know? My life wasn’t horrible but then Aesil set out to destroy almost every relationship I had for fun.”

—

Had Gabagool ever heard of demons? It made the badalisc want to laugh, made him want to chuckle and chortle and guffaw right in this silly man’s face, because of course he had! He was one! But all the mirth would have to wait, because Gabagool knew that name. Aesil. They weren’t friends by any stretch of the imagination, and their paths had only crossed one time — this was before Gabagool had decided to align himself with Leviathan. But he knew that name, knew that demon, and had some small inkling of that demon’s purpose. It wouldn’t do, not here. Not now. 

Lying, though, that wouldn’t do, either. Because the truth would come out eventually, and it was better to build that trust now. If this guy was somehow connected to Aesil, who might have had plans that would disrupt the operation here, Leviathan would want to know. Leviathan would want to take care of it, as it always took care of things. That didn’t include killing the man who was now carrying Gabagool home, but it would very likely involve getting some information out of him. Papá liked to do that a little more humanely, these days. It liked to not burn bridges that didn’t need burning. So, the badalisc put looked up at the man with wide, mismatched eyes, conjuring every ounce of pity that he could into those bright orbs. 

“Oh… I’m really sorry to hear that, mister,” he commiserated. “Demons can be… well, like you said. Just the worst. But yes, I know all about them.” There was a pregnant pause, and the creature smiled again, this time without baring his little fangs. His ears perked up, little nub of a tail wagging behind him. “I am one, actually. But not like Aesil. There’s lots of different kinds of demons, did you know? I just talk a lot. That’s my thing.”

—

He almost dropped the cat. Caleb almost launched it in the air as soon as it admitted to being a demon itself almost as if the creature was burning him but he held on, albeit a little tighter than he had before. Of course it was a demon. Of course the only damn thing that he’d felt completely comfortable with in the past couple of months turned out to be the very thing that had almost destroyed him. What was it about these things that attracted them to Caleb? Were they now kindred spirits or something? Now that he’d been taken over by one they all wanted a piece? He needed to know so that he could find a way to get rid of whatever was pulling them his way.

His body had stiffened so much that he felt himself coming to a slow stop in the middle of the street. He did know about different types of demons as he was currently reading up about them as much as possible but he’d never come across one like this in his teachings. Gabagool seemed friendly enough but Aesil had been the same when they wanted something from someone. Right up until they decided they were done with them and got rid of them in some excruciating way.

Caleb couldn’t deny that this was an opportunity though. If the demon in his arms was willing to talk, which apparently it talked a lot, he could possibly get more information about Aesil and demons in general. There was a brief thought of how concerned he should be about himself for the subtle obsession of finding as much information about this stuff as possible that was starting to take over his mind but he brushed it aside. “Do you take over people’s bodies?” Maybe it had taken over the cat’s body? No, this wasn’t a normal cat that didn’t seem right. “How do I know I’m not going to wake up one day to you controlling me while trying to raise a greater demon?”

—

Gabagool felt the man’s grip on him tighten and closed his eyes for a moment, resisting the urge to react by sticking his claws in him. He was freaked out. Of course he was freaked out, apparently he’d been a vessel for a while. People didn’t like being vessels, Gabs could understand that. So he waited patiently for the man to speak, and when he did, the demon let out a little scoff. 

“Me? No, no, of course not! My body is perfect for me, thanks very much, why would I want to crawl into someone else’s? Anyway, even if I did want to, I can’t. I’m not that kind of demon, y’see? I’m a badalisc. I can’t help my nature, mister, but I’m no body snatcher. As for raising greater demons…” Gabagool smiled gleefully at Caleb. “My  greater demon is already raised! It’s walkin’ around town, happy as a clam. Didn’t hardly need anyone’s help to do it, either! It’s the best, honestly. There’s no better greater demon to work with. You’re gonna love ‘em. Y’know, I gotta tell them about this Aesil guy, though. He sounds like a stinker, and we’re not really in the market for competition. But Leviathan can take care of that problem easy peasy! You make friends with it, and it’ll have your back if that clown comes back to town! One greater demon is enough for a place of this size, don’t you think?”

—

He wanted to relax, forced himself to do so by lessening his grip on the animal, but how could Caleb even believe a word this thing was saying? He knew. He knew about the lies that spilled from the mouths of these things because he had been trapped with one for months watching every horrifying scene play out as he screamed for things to stop. Even now his own voice echoed in his mind, pleading for Aesil to end things by either leaving him or somehow taking him out to leave a husk the demon could have forever. 

But he was getting some new information already even if he couldn’t trust the source. Caleb had a source he could trust, someone he could run this information by later and see what was truth and what wasn’t. It was the only thing calming him down. “Badalisc…I didn’t realize there were so many different types of you guys.” 

His mouth ran dry as the badalisc continued, news of a greater demon already walking around making him feel a new kind of terror. From what he had gathered throughout the months of Aesil’s reign, the greater demon he was trying to raise had one goal and one goal only; to wipe out the human race. That demon despised humans, the undead even more so, and had been planning very cruel things for this dimension. If what this thing was telling him was true though, it didn’t seem like Leviathan had the same goals. Caleb hoped that was true. “You want me to meet them? And be friends?” That wasn’t happening. The idea of telling them about Aesil so they could take care of them? That could be arranged. “....Okay. I have a lot of information about Aesil I can pass along. I think I even know the name of the demon they were trying to raise.”

—

“Oh, there’s loads of little demon friends. Not all of us can talk, though. I’m special like that.” Gabagool beamed proudly, deciding to forgive the man for his tight grip. He seemed hesitant about meeting Leviathan, which was fair. Most people heard a name like that and started to remember all the human stories they’d ever heard and read about creatures called Leviathan, most of which were the demon in question at one point in its life. It could be terrible and cruel, just like the stories all said, but it did love humans. It was fascinated by them, even though it sometimes did terrible things to them. That was just greater demons, though. You can love a thing and treat it poorly, too — Gabagool had witnessed this plenty of times. It made sense, really, since humans were so very far beneath demons on the totem pole of life. They were like… pets. More like pets than even Gabagool was! Which he was fine with. He liked being pampered. 

Of course there were exceptions to every rule, like his human brother, Teddy. Teddy was a human who was made into something better, then changed back. It’d been sad to see them lose what connection they’d had to their father, but it had been necessary. And Leviathan still seemed to love them just as much as it had when they were less human. 

“Great! Leviathan would love to hear it, if you know the name. Is it their true name? Greater demons love to use aliases, you know. Leviathan isn’t my master’s real name, of course — we wouldn’t just use that in casual conversation. You can do a lot of damage with a greater demon’s true name. Leviathan might even be able to summon it to kill it!” He wiggled excitedly in Caleb’s arms, staring up at him with wide eyes. “It did that once before, you know! Killed a greater demon for a human. I don’t know if it would do that again, but it’s worth asking.”

—

“You sure are.” Caleb felt like he was on autopilot as he started to walk again, going over the bridge into World’s End Isle. The closer he got to this thing’s house, the more his body started to buzz with anxiety. He almost wanted to let it go on its own but the idea of sending Aesil and their greater demon to an end was too tempting to let go of. Their doom might even make him feel a little lighter knowing that they wouldn’t be back to continue what they started. It was a constant fear in the back of his mind. What if Van let them out again? Worse, what if she brought on the greater demon with the powers that she couldn’t control? Would Caleb be sought out for the use of his body? Would they succeed in taking over this time?

It was worth seeing this other one. As long as he didn’t get possessed yet again. “…I’m really putting a lot of trust in you right now.” Which felt like a mistake even as he looked down into the demon's eyes, even as he admitted to his master doing such a good thing before. It didn’t seem truthful though Caleb was probably biased…with good reason. “Please…please don’t lie to me about this.” He’d seen too many die by his own hand, good people who hadn’t deserved the fate that had been handed to them.

“Andras. The greater demon, Aesil called them Andras. I don’t know if that was his real name or not.” Was Aesil smart enough to not let Caleb in on the true name of the thing they were trying to raise. His money was on ‘no.’ The cockiness alone was enough to make them believe that Caleb was never coming back from inside his own mind. “Does it sound familiar to you?”

—

The house was like most in this area — large and somewhat imposing, especially when you knew that a demon lived inside of it. Well, two demons, technically. Gabagool might not have had the talents of Leviathan, but he was every inch as demonic! The sky was dark and smattered with stars that peeked out from behind the thick cloud cover, and the ocean roared behind the house with large, stormy waves that crashed against the private beach. There were a few lights on on the first floor, glowing amber and warm in contrast to all else in the town.  

“I would never lie, mister. I’m honest as they come! Don’t worry, Leviathan will have a lot more interest in this possessor of yours — and the demon they serve — than it will in… you. To be blunt.” The town had no shortage of viable humans, there was no reason to go breaking the trust of this one just to add one more to the pile. No, he seemed like he’d be much more useful alive. 

“Andras, though… no, that doesn’t sound familiar. Papá might know it, might know it by some other name, too. Sometimes the real names only pass the lips of other greater demons, you know? Very sacred stuff.”

As they approached the house that the badalisc indicated, he finally wiggled himself free from Caleb’s grasp and dropped down onto the footpath, stretching out his limbs before hopping up and down on the spot. “C’mon! Time’s a-wastin’!” Bounding up to the door, he leaped at the doorbell and slapped it with a paw, falling back into a heap before righting himself on the stoop, little nub of a tail wagging. 

Footsteps approached the door, and there was a loud click as the lock was disengaged. Then, the door was pulled open and artificial light poured out onto the stone walkway. A large figure stood silhouetted in the doorway, silently assessing the stranger on his doorstep.

“Leviathan! This one’s got a story you’re going to want to hear.”

—

As Caleb watched the animal scurry out of his arms and up towards the door it was hard to believe that this wasn’t some unbelievably talented cat but instead a demon. He’d spent the better part of the last five months believing that those things came in only one form; evil. Gaba wasn’t evil, or he was at least doing an amazing job at lying if he was. Which...was possible. Demons were manipulative and even if Aesil lacked the cunning that the zombie believed they should possess he was pretty sure it was because a dud took over his body and that wasn’t normal. Still…watching him slap the doorbell with his paw almost made him smile. 

But then the door opened and his eye was drawn upwards, that fear from earlier trickling back in when he took in the sight of this greater demon. Of course it was intimidating in all aspects, because why wouldn’t it be? 

He met its stare for a brief moment before looking back down at the steps of the porch, not able to summon the strength to boldly look it in the eye. At Gaba’s insistence, Leviathan seemed to deem the zombie worthy of entrance and it stepped aside to let him in but he hesitated, swallowing down the lump that was forming in his throat. All he could do was hope this would pay off. He stepped forward, still avoiding the persistent gaze of the demon, and didn’t even bother looking around the house before he started his story.

“I’m Caleb…and I think there’s a demon you might want to look into.”

[themacabrebarbie]

@cagedchoices sent " do you remember your nightmares ? " (for Maeve)

KG ANSWERS A MILLION ASKS !

What a question? For as long as she could remember, sleep was a void of nothingness that she couldn't quite put her fingertip on. Each new scenario she would wake up within would feel like an odd fresh start yet the memories of her life were there. But now, with realization and understanding her own narrative, every memory and nightmare came into view. It was haunting to know the strife and pain she had lived through, the evil that humanity could demonstrate if given the playground for it.

"If you had asked me years ago, you would have gotten another answer," she started as she raised the glass to her lips. "But now I'm afraid every memory is a nightmare that I see when I'm awake and when I sleep." Maeve took a moment, little pain or sadness showed in her features; it was nothing more than the truth.

"But I suppose without the sour the sweet doesn't taste, right?" Her words echoed the same bravery she always held onto now. "Would be a shame if the sweet wasn't that sweet, darling."

[mikuyuuss]

I imagine Alaska!Jesse from post El Camino to be a part time student at a community college, pursuing something that he wants, like sports medicine or education. Jesse also starts drawing again, attending art classes and participating in the art events around his community.

(I also imagine Jesse with bangs. He becomes comfortable enough to grow his hair out, kinda like Aaron Paul's character Caleb Nichols from Westworld s4, sans the beard maybe)

Jesse also starts drawing children's comic books, where the story is loosely based on his own experiences. It's Jesse's own way as an emotional outlet and a way for him to keep the memory of his people alive like Jane, Andrea, Brock, Mike, his friends, his family, and heck, maybe even Walt, but ofc the names are different and the characters are reimagined as superheroes, (think of Team Science from the official Breaking Bad Minisode) The comics became a hit to his community, especially the kids.

Since Vince and Aaron stated that Jesse has wood working related jobs, I HC that he works there part time, and then after he graduates, he becomes a teacher, a good teacher, and then he gets a girlfriend or a boyfriend. Jesse having a family just makes so much sense, so he definitely settled down and had kids.

Jesse's partner probably had some idea that he went through something (w the scars and all) but willingly settled down with him, so when the time came that Jesse told them about his past, they weren't too surprised. Sure, they might have freaked out for a bit but they love and trust him at this point so they were very supportive of him.

I like to think too that Ed occasionally keeps in touch with him and that at some point, Jesse was able to reach out to Skinny Pete and Badger to send them gifts and to at least let them know that he's doing fine.

Jesse might never fully recover from his past, but he has a new life in Alaska, where he gets to do what he loves, where he has a family that he loves and loves him back. Jesse is content with this life, so he will be okay.

[kayssweetdreams]

Kaylo Crescendo's Court of Children

(This is a DIFFERENT Kaylo. Not the one from my Balan Wonderworld stories)

So, I had this idea in my head for a while now, and it involves Kaylo, and the idea of her having a court, since she's the ruler of a kingdom. This however is no ordinary court. This consists of various children from throughout the Multiverse. So, I'm gonna list them out here.

Rules of the Court:

Any Child that joins the court MUST be at or under 16 years old (it's the Court of CHILDREN. Not teens or adults.)

The only people that know about the Court HAVE to be close to said Child (parents, close friends, family) other than that it's a complete secret (at least from mortals)

All kids in the court must take the "Immortal Promise" (A special pinkie Promise like ritual that ensures that a child freezes in the aging process. They can not, and WILL not age, as long as they have this promise

KEEP IN MIND! The list isn't complete, and more names will be added, so don't be surprised if the list looks longer

Kaylo's Court of Children and Kids

No kingdom is complete without a Court. And this is no exception with the pink haired ruler of Rhythm Heaven. Of course, this is no ordinary court. This court consists of the many children that exist around the Multiverse, that have all taken "The Immortal Promise", a promise that ensures that they live as long as Kaylo does, and still retain their youth

Princes Charles

Prince Feathrik Humero III

Mirabel Madrigal

Antonio Madrigal

Emma Cole

Leo Craig

Yuri Brand

Haoyu Chang

Meilin Lee

Miriam Mendelsohn

Abby Park

Priya Magal

Tyler Nguyen-Baker

Ben

Saoirse

Sam Witwicky

Mikaela Banes

Annabelle Lennox

Luke Triton

Flora Reinhold

Yinu

Dodo

Tila

Sofa

Remi

Sayu

Vella Tartine

Shay Volta

Wren and Renold Carver

Lucy Chu

Everett Nichols

Razputin Aquato

Frazie Aquato

Dion Aquato

Mirtala Aquato

Queepie Aquato

Lili Zanatto

Rose Goodwin

Jamie and Sophie Bennett

Pippa

Claude and Caleb

Monty

Cupcake

Jack Frost

Star Butterfly

Marco Diaz

Mariposa Diaz

Meteora Butterfly

Steven Universe

Connie Maheswaran

Claris Sinclair

Elliott Edwards

William Taylor

Helen Cartwright

Gregory Fazbear

Cassie

Robyn Goodfellow

Mebh Óg MacTíre

Cuphead

Mugman

Miss Chalice

Luca Paguro

Alberto Scorfano

Guila Marcovaldo

The Collector

Mac

Goo Goo Ga Ga

World

Dipper Pines

Mabel Pines

Grenda Grendinator

Candy Chiu

Crybaby

Magnolia

Fleur

Celeste

Angelita

Ben

Jenny Wakeman

Tuck Carbunkle

Brad Carbunkle

Sheldon Oswald Lee

Nemo

Squirt

Molly Blyndeff

Trixie Roughouse

Phoenica Fleecity

Hat Kid

Bow Child

Mustache Girl/Mu

Jason T. Conrad

Michelle Frances Conrad

Amanda/Rebecca Colton

Wooly

Elio Silos

Billy Hatcher

Rolly Roll

Chick Poacher

Bantam Scrambled

Violet Meadow

Ivy Divine

Lilly Padd

Tanta

Billie the Goat

[dirtwatchman]

PARTIES: @dirtwatchman and @vanoincidence TIME: Early October WHERE: Nichol's Funeral Home SUMMARY: Van comes over to see Erin but finds Caleb working in the yard instead. The two have a talk. WARNINGS: Parental/Familial death mentions.

Ever since she and Erin’s conversation in her living room, Van had been on edge. She still wasn’t sure what to say about the melted table, knowing that honesty was out the window. She couldn’t tell the only adult left in her life from the before times about what was happening to her, not if she didn’t want to keep living freely. The last thing she needed was for Erin to think she was going crazy. Still, there was a strange sense of comfort that came with knowing she was cared about, even if it frustrated her. So she showed up at the Nichols’ Funeral Home with the intention of telling Erin that she was completely fine and back in therapy. 

It was a lie, of course. But as soon as she got through to the front gate, she noticed that Erin’s car was not in the driveway. Instead, she saw Caleb out by one of the trees, gloved and on his knees, ripping out what she could only assume to be weeds. Van felt the weight of the spicy pickle she was holding onto for later in her bag and she sighed, deciding that if she was going to pay him a visit, not to come empty handed. “I have a spicy pickle with your name on it.” She paused. “That’s a lie, it had my name on it, in sharpie, but I’m giving it to you.” She stumbled over the raised mounds of dirt that were cast behind Caleb and she leaned down, digging into her bag to hand it over to him. “You’re weeding?” She looked at the base of the tree, nodding in approval (as if it mattered what she thought). “Great technique.” 

With everything going on with the side job, Caleb was ashamed to say that he’d been neglecting some of the duties he had at the Nichols funeral home. When he’d gone by that morning to drop off some paperwork and noticed the weeds getting out of control he’d felt so bad that he’d put off some of his other plans to start doing some of the yard work. This place had to be presentable even if it was a place that most people would consider creepy with housing the dead and all. Erin had left earlier that day, something that Caleb should have been taking full advantage of with the cold storage free for the brain snatching but he could do that another time as this was atrocious. 

Van’s voice cut through his thoughts, making the zombie jump and realize he probably shouldn’t have had his back to the driveway. No telling who the hell would walk up behind him. Caleb was just lucky that this time it was someone he knew. “You really should announce yourself when you’re walking up to somebody. What if I was someone who hit first and asked questions later when scared?” Something that would never be true. Caleb was not a fighter by nature but there were others out there that most definitely were. 

Caleb smiled up at her though, definitely intrigued by the spicy pickle she had mentioned. He turned to sit, taking his gloves off before reaching out and taking the pickle from her. “How about I not be greedy and we can share it? I wouldn’t want to take the whole thing from you.” Looking around them at her question, he nodded, squinting when he looked back up at her. “Yea, it was getting pretty bad out here. I haven’t done it in a while, I’ve been a little busy. Are you busy today or do you want to stick around and help?”

“What were you going to do, throw some dirt at me?” Really, she wouldn’t put it past him. Van arched a brow and looked over his shoulder at the mess he had created. It’d turn into something nice soon enough, she was sure of it. Van knelt down next to him as he offered to share and she shrugged. “No, you’re good. I’ve got like, three more in the fridge back at home.” It wasn’t really home, but she didn’t need to dive into the intricacies of losing her home to the goo and how she was staying with a doctor she barely knew. If anything, he might just worry like Erin did, or become upset that she hadn’t asked him for help instead. 

“You want me to weed?” A deep frown formed at the corners of her mouth and she let out a dramatic sigh. “I guess I can help, but only because you’re like, cool and not some weirdo.” She pulled her bag off of her shoulder and set it to the side, uncaring if it got dirt on it. “Where do I even start? It looks like a gopher got into this place.” She tossed a clump of weeds away from where she knelt and grabbed another handful, ripping it from the ground. “Do you like doing this stuff? I don’t know why.” 

“I have a tiny gardening shovel and I’m not afraid to use it.” He lifted the tool up for emphasis, waving it a little before it was abandoned in favor of the pickle still waiting on him to devour. He’d eaten so much regular food lately that it was starting to become a habit again. Still, the idea of not sharing with her when he didn’t even need it didn’t sit right with him. He’d learned long ago that it was futile to argue with Van though and this was such a little thing to start one over that he didn’t see the point. So, he bit into it, savoring the spice that came with the otherwise bland treat. “Thank you for this. I forgot to eat lunch.” A lie. Caleb was getting better at those, wasn’t he?

“Only if you want to. I’m not going to force you into hard labor.” He had to laugh at her comment. It had been comical in the first place but he also knew how weird he actually was whereas Van didn’t get to see much of that from him. Not many people had. “Being called cool by Van Zhou is basically a highlight. If only people could recognize that about me in high school.” Caleb watched her start pulling the extra weeds he hadn’t gotten to, the pickle slowly dwindling down as he continued to munch on it while considering her question. “I mean, it’s my job, but yea I do like it. I like the peace. But I also like being helpful, I guess. If I can make Erin’s life easier by taking on the gardening here then that’s a good day for me.” That went for any help he gave people. It made him less anxious, like there was a reason he was in these people’s lives. “Do you like serving pizza?”

Van looked at the shovel that Caleb held, nodding. “Okay, yeah, I guess that would hurt.” Maybe she should heed his warning. Van leaned down and waved her hand over some of the already pulled weeds, feeling the edges of their leaves tickling her palm. She pulled back and looked over at Caleb as he gave thanks for the pickle and she waved it away, hand pushing through the space between them, fingers wiggling. “You don’t need to thank me, but you owe me a pickle like, later on or something.” She grinned at him before putting her hands on her hips, arching a brow. 

“Just because you know me so well and know that I hate being outside doesn’t mean I won’t help.” It did mean that she would silently complain about it, but she was down for helping somebody out, especially somebody who was kind to her, all things considered. She yanked another clump of weeds and tossed them to the side where a pile was already forming. It seemed like monotonous work, but the kind that made time go by fast. Van pulled another clump, looking over at Caleb as he spoke. “Yeah, I guess Erin deserves to have it easy, huh? She gave me a phone after mine broke and she always makes sure I have something to eat… does she do that with you, too?” Caleb was a lot older than herself, but it seemed like Erin had it in her to care about pretty much anyone. At his question, she shook her head. “No, I hate it, but um, it pays the bills or whatever old people say.” Another clump, and then another. She wiped her hands on the grass and pulled another before sighing. “Helping Erin is cool and all, but this like, sucks. Don’t your hands get sore?” 

It would more than hurt, the thought crossed his mind as he glanced over at the gardening tool again. Shove that thing in someone’s neck and they were a goner. Maybe that was something he shouldn’t mention. Raising an eyebrow at her comment, he bypassed the talk about the shovel in favor of a playful retort. “So, this wasn’t out of the goodness of your heart? The reluctance should have given that away, my bad.” Despite his teasing, Caleb made a mental note to pick a few up for her next time he was at the store. Even if she hadn’t been serious it would still be a nice thing to do.

He chuckled before taking another bite of the pickle in hand, wondering why Van even wanted to help in the first place. “Well, thank you very much, Van. I know this must be torture for you so it’s heartwarming that you would do this for me.” Caleb was half serious as he said it, watching her pull another clump from the ground before he scarfed the rest of the pickle so he could join her. As he pulled on a stubborn weed, he couldn’t help the genuine smile forming as the conversation shifted to how giving Erin was, a trait he knew that had been passed down. “She does, actually. Did I ever tell you that her dad took me in just like she took you in? It wasn’t exactly the same but I think he’s the reason I’m still here. The whole family is amazing.” 

He pulled at a few more as Van spoke, now wondering how long he had actually neglected this task. It seemed Caleb needed to be more aware of his schedule. “Us old people also think we should be miserable just to pay bills. I thought the younger generation knew the value of not torturing yourselves.” Something he admired. He loved that people were taking care of themselves more these days. “Have you ever thought about looking for something else? There are other jobs that can pay the bills.” He laughed as he tossed another handful of weeds to the pile, shaking his head. “They used to. But callouses start to help and once your muscles get used to it the pain is pretty much gone. I don’t even think about it anymore.”

Van mocked Caleb by sticking her tongue out at him. She liked to do things for people, even if she didn’t actually want to do them. She was a little bit selfish, but the people in her life deserved assistance purely for putting up with her bullshit. Caleb was one of those people. They lived on the outskirts of one another’s lives, but he was in her peripherals often enough with the involvement of Erin that she felt like she knew him. Plus, in recent years, she felt like she really got to talk to him more. Maybe it was because she’d become an adult. 

Caleb’s presence made Van look up, and a part of her feared that maybe he would tell her she was doing it all wrong, but instead there was a comfortable silence that fell between them. The kind that she didn’t feel the need to fill, which, in Van’s case, was pretty rare. “Wait, really?” She raised a brow. She hadn’t considered that. “I don’t think I ever met her dad. If I did, I don’t… really remember it.” Van had been consumed with a lot of her own stuff, so much so that up until her grandma left, she didn’t see a whole lot of Erin. In recent years, though, they’d become closer, and it was something she was thankful for. “That’s really nice of him, and I guess it’s nice of Erin to keep you around.” She grinned at him, scooching over slightly in case he tried to lash out. 

“See, like, I’d love to not torture myself and whatever, but the bills stack up and then I get overwhelmed.” There was a whole two months where she simply didn’t turn on the air conditioning for the sake of saving pennies. She wasn’t really sure if it’d been worth it considering how warm the house had gotten. At Caleb’s question, she rolled her shoulders. “I mean, sure, like, a little bit.” Erin had asked her the same thing, and so had Dr. Kavanagh. There were a slew of people questioning why she was still at Sly Slice. “Rocky lets me pick my own hours and that’s really nice… that’s why I stick around, I think.” That, and the fear that nobody else will ever hire her. Van looked over at Caleb’s hands as he commented on his callouses, “I think I got a callous on my pinky once.” She paused for a brief moment, pulling another weed, “from holding my phone weird while playing Candy Crush.” She lifted her hand and stuck out her pinky for Caleb to see. “Or wait, maybe that’s more of a dent, actually.” She squinted at it with a frown before returning to the menial task of pulling weeds. “So like, not super different from you I guess.” 

Rolling his eyes at her playful gesture, the zombie slowly let his smile slip as he continued on. “You missed out then…he was a good man.” He didn’t mean for the quiet grief to take over but Caleb averted his eyes to the ground so that he didn’t have to look at Van as the moment passed. It was still hard without Jack there but it was also nice to appreciate the people who were still around. “I didn’t have the best home life and Jack recognized that…mostly because I was hanging out in his cemetery at midnight more often than not. He spoke to me one night, I told him what was going on, and I think he gave me a job to keep an eye on me and let me have an excuse to get out of the house more.” He grinned right back at Van, shaking his head at the comment but grateful to move back into a more playful territory. “No, you’re right. It is nice of her to put up with me.”

Caleb paused his movements to look over at her, concern starting to sprout in his chest. Why did she remind him so much of him and yet the two were wildly different in so many ways? “If you ever need help, all you have to do is ask, Van. I know Erin helps you out but I’m around too. Just…you know, just in case.” If she were anything like him when it came to money or gifts though she wouldn’t ask easily. Still, the offer was there. The last thing he wanted was to see her suffer. She was Aria’s friend, Erin cared about her, but he did too and he would readily help in situations that helped ease the financial burden even if that meant making his own worse. 

In an attempt to make this less awkward on his end, he pulled another weed, willing to let her drop it if she wanted to. Luckily a distraction came in the form of her shoving her pinky in his face. Unluckily, it only deepened his concern for the girl. “Yea maybe you should limit your phone time. That’s a crater. How long do you have to hold your phone for that to happen?” He was staring at it before she moved it away to continue working with him and Caleb mumbled as he pulled the last of the weeds on his side. “I don’t know if they’re similar. I’m not technologically advanced enough to know how machinery affects the body.”

The way that Caleb spoke about Erin made her a little jealous. She wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because Erin had dedicated a lot of time to her, and the idea that she might dedicate it to others, too, meant that she wasn’t the priority. Though, hadn’t she fought against the idea that she should be? She hated the concern that crossed over the older woman’s features. Van listened to Caleb as he spoke, her earlier jealousy disintegrating as soon as he explained why he was so close to Erin. Or rather, her father, and then her by proxy. “That was nice of him.” It reminded her of the way that Erin had taken her in, or at least tried. If only she’d really let her. 

Van picked at the dried skin at the edge of her thumb, gaze fixating on the clumps of weeds at Caleb’s side. His comment pulled her back and she shook her head. “I like it better when you make fun of me.” It was easier that way. It was harder with the people who knew her, better with the people who didn’t. Nora, Cass, Thea… they knew her darkest secret, or at least part of it. But people like Caleb and Erin, they knew everything that came before that, and she found that more terrifying than the former. She flexed her fingers, dusting away some of the dead skin as it peeled beneath her nail. “Thanks though, I um… I really appreciate that.” She offered a small smile. 

But like all things, it was easy to fall into the rhythm of something less cruel. She frowned at his comment and rolled her eyes. “Just because you don’t know how to play Candy Crush doesn’t mean you need to talk about how long I do or don’t hold my phone, you know.” She reached into the dirt, uprooting another weed before tossing into the still growing pile. Van snorted at his admission of technology ineptness. “Look… technology isn’t even that hard. You don’t still have a flip phone, do you? Like, one of those old ones from the early 2000’s?” 

Caleb let her comment linger in the air for a moment but didn’t reply. He didn’t need to. Jack was one of the nicest people he’d ever met and he was glad that legacy was living on through the ones that cared most for him but he didn’t think he could keep going without the emotion taking over completely. It made him feel better that he wasn’t the only one vulnerable though, his lips pulling up into a smile at how she liked less emotion in their talks. He did too, but she needed to know that he was there if needed and now that she did it could pass. Their snark could live on. “Of course.”

It was then that he pulled one of the last weeds out of the ground, his scoff of laughter accentuating the motion. “You’ve deformed your finger for a phone game, I don’t think you have any room to judge me. What if I don’t want to know how to play Candy Crust?” Picking up a garbage bag, Caleb started to throw the weeds they’d pulled into it as he continued. “No, I don’t have a flip phone. I’m not that bad. But I do remember those and if you don’t appreciate the iconic flip to end a bad conversation we can’t be friends anymore.” 

“Maybe it’s a good thing that you’re out here helping me. Some fresh air and physical labor is good for you.” The zombie gave her a pointed look as his mind went back to what the late 90’s/early 00’s was like. Kids played outside, people connected a lot easier despite not having a handheld computer readily available. It was a good era and not appreciated enough by the younger generations. Old man Caleb was coming out to play.  “Plus Snake will beat your Candy Crust any day.”

“Why wouldn’t you want to know how to play Candy Crush? It’s a great game, Caleb.” The tone that Van spoke with was of high importance, and she stared at him ublinking, challenging him to disagree with her. If he did, she didn’t really care– she just thought it was a little funny. It was nice, not being so in her head, and with people like Caleb, people who knew her, but not everything… it made it easier to digest being in their presence. 

“You have a face of somebody who looks like they’d have a flip phone though, has anyone ever told you that?” She grinned at him before stuffing some of the weeds into the garbage bag, frowning as one caught on some of the dry skin of her hand. She shoved it into the bag and got to her feet. “They make them now, I think people want to like, relive the flip-phone era or something.” She’d been thinking about getting one, but she wasn’t fond of Android systems, plus she wasn’t really in the market for choosing her new phone. 

She rolled her eyes at Caleb’s comment before leaning down to shove the rest of the weeds she had uprooted into the bag, patting some back inside as she moved the bag too quickly and they nearly spilled out. Van blew some hair out of her face, exhaling dramatically. “Candy Crush, and I know what Snake is. I could beat you at that, too.” Wiping her hands off on the backs of her pants, she looked down at her pile, satisfied that she had managed to clear it. Maybe a part of what Caleb said was right– about the outdoors, fresh air, manual labor… she hated it though, and she wanted to go inside. She’d had enough. All this talk of Candy Crush made her wish she was tapping away on her screen right now. “I think we should be done for today, do you think so?” 

“Maybe because you want me to know it so badly.” His eyes widened playfully with a teasing smile pulling at his lips. In truth, Caleb didn’t have the time for games anymore. Being undead was supposed to mean an eternity to do what you wanted but for him it just meant more time to work. Even if his aging had stopped, that didn’t mean his landlord didn’t expect his rent to be paid. But it wouldn’t be a day in the life of Van and Caleb if they didn’t tease each other and he couldn’t let her have all of the fun.

“You know what? I’m going to take that as a compliment. I know you think that’s some kind of insult but I like my generation.” The implication of not enjoying hers settled between them as he gave her a satisfied smirk. It wasn’t often that he was comfortable enough with someone to joke around like this but things with Van had always been easy. Besides, she started it. “That’s because they were awesome. I’ve been telling you this, you don’t listen.”  He watched her carefully as she started to fiddle with the bag, the zombie reaching out and taking it from her after the first almost spill. He didn’t want her carrying it anyway…or drag if he were being honest. “You probably could, not even going to lie. And yea, I think this is good for now. It looks presentable, at least.” He took the bag over to the bed of his truck before turning to her and nodding his head toward the house. “Let’s see if Mrs. Nichols has anything cold to drink. I think you earned something refreshing.” And a few spicy pickles. Reaching up, Caleb ruffled her hair if only to annoy her further as they walked up to the house, his arm resting comfortably over her shoulder. “Good work, Van.”

[cagedchoice]

"Hey man, the way I look at it, that INCITE MACHINE they blew up didn't tell us who we could be, it told us who we already were." "You actually believe that?" "Don't you? Let me ask you this. Has your life changed since they DESTROYED THOSE MACHINES?"

indie, selective, private roleplay for CALEB NICHOLS from HBO's WESTWORLD. written by mel (they/them).

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