#music is definitely a habit he picked up from Delia

[mayybirds]

Reading your blog has been such a delight and it makes me excited on where you will take this story and I'm just AHHHHH XD So anyways, a small thing that I adore from RE8 is they hinted that Ethan is more leaning on the artistic side of things, with the piano and sketches. Oh btw, I've read on some place somewhere that CAPCOM may have accidentally added piano genius on Ethan's lore lmao. They pointed out Ethan's ability to play a relatively complicated piece and on a fast temp with 8 FINGERS and zero errors. They also said Ethan most likely had to modify the left hand part ON THE SPOT! Gurl talk about talent XD Anyways, I'm just curious to know what's your take on Ethan's artistic streak and is it going to be a part of your fic? Like, is this one of the things that Ethan had to leave behind, like it's some bitter remainder of his previous life? Plus Ethan and Eveline bonding over playing the piano and drawing makes me melt XD

Also!!! I feel like in the canon, RE8 had really small breadcrumbs on Ethan's background. I wholeheartedly believe that the wedding gift from grandma was specifically from Ethan's grandma. Like Ethan's artistic abilities is something that pass down within the family. I don't know, I just wanna share XD

Thank you!! <3 <3

I also love Ethan's secret artistic side and find it super interesting, especially after RE7 handed us this straight-laced computer programmer in chinos.

I really like the idea (in my fic, at least) that painting/sketching is something Ethan had picked up from his mom--I feel like Chava was both this really straight-laced, no-nonsense woman, but also had this crazy artistic side that culminated in giant weird canvas projects in their living room (am I just projecting from my own Jewish family...maybe so). Ethan loved it as a kid, but kind of abandoned big artistic stuff after Raccoon City because it was part of his old life. I feel like he retained sketching, though, because it felt like a safer way to "record" his life than long journal entries or, god forbid, photographs. He was paranoid as hell in the months and first couple years immediately after Raccoon City, and was very conscious of ways his family could be traced/tracked/ran through databases, etc. Too many photographs were dangerous. Drawings, though...? Well, if he sketched his family or surroundings from time to time...that couldn't be too bad. I like to imagine it's a habit Ethan picks up again after RE7 because he feels that subconscious need to be Off The Radar (either bc canonically he's in a safehouse in the middle of nowhere or because, in Through the Valley, he's running around incognito with Eveline), even if he's...also taking photos. Hey, trauma presents in weird ways! Translate that over to RE8, and, well...he has no idea if he'll make it out of this alive, but it makes sense he'd want to leave some kind of record behind on take two, especially for Rose's sake.

As for piano, I love the idea of Ethan being a good pianist and teaching Eveline. I feel like he'd consider music a "safe" hobby after Raccoon City and just. latch onto it.

[vicunaburger]

Admittedly, I’m Hard to See

Fandom: Beetlejuice the Musical Chapters: 2/? Pairing: Beetlejuice x OC (Holidae) The Players: Beetlejuice, Lydia Deetz, Holidae Bell Word Count: 1,679 Warnings: M for Language

Notes: Gettin’ spooky up in here.

In Which Odd Happenings Occur

It took several hours of the women to fully unpack the truck and start to settle in their respective space in the house. Lydia had given Holidae the guest room next to her own bedroom on the second floor, which happened to be nearest the steps to the attic. A situation that was not Lydia's original intention, but Delia had commandeered the other bedroom to store her art pieces while she and Charles were away. Holidae wasn't the sort of person go to poking around by herself, so there wasn't a danger of her discovering the secrets lurking around the home. However, there was a zero percent chance that the resident ghost would extend the same courtesy to her friend's privacy.

The proximity of the new breather to his humble abode did not escape Beetlejuice's attention. A nagging little thought in the back of his mind warned him that this might some sort of test set up by Lydia to see how well-behaved he could be with such an opportunity.

Fuck that, he thought, not as though she could do much in retaliation.

The specter watched the girls throughout the move-in process, hovering just out of sight to not alert Lydia to his presence. One glance from her and there was good chance he would be sent back to cool off in the Neitherworld before you could say sandworm.

No, he had to stay inconspicuous, which was a struggle for the extroverted bioexorcist truth be told. He followed Holidae up the stairs to her room, picking occasionally at her sweater to make her pause and glance around to look for the stray nail or some other object she might have caught it on. At one point, her gaze had landed right on his face, her dull-green eyes staring right into his molten gold.

It made him pause, thinking that he had pushed her a little too far and the jig was up on his playtime. After a few moments, she continued her trek up the stairs, heading into her bedroom. Beetlejuice was safe, for now. The benefit to such a position was that it allowed him a very intimate look at the new house guest without her freaking out.

She was pale as Lyds; and between the smudged eye makeup and dark circles she gave the impression she hadn't slept in a good several years. Insomniacs were the best when it came to frightening breathers. Fish in a barrel. Not that he wouldn't have appreciated a harder challenge, but hey, everyone likes to have a little break now and again.

Holidae's lips were full - matching her overall face shape - but noticeably bitten. Nerves? Bad habit? Things that he definitely kept tabs on to create the perfect storm of scares for the unsuspecting breather? Yes.

Beetlejuice busied himself with being nosy while Holidae haphazardly unpacked her suitcases, moving the clothes into a nearby dresser under the window. He frowned at the lack of frilly lingerie and other scandalous things one might hide away out of embarrassment. Nothing obscene to gossip with Lydia about, how disappointing.

The only thing worth noting were the copious number of notebooks and accounting ledgers.

What was she, a nerd?

While she was distracted with the dresser, he caused one of the ledgers to "accidentally" flutter open to a random page. They were filled with detailed lists and monetary amounts; a few random acronyms he couldn't identify in the side margins. After a moment, it dawned on him that the lists were titles of Lydia's photographs and art pieces.

"Oh God/Satan, don't tell me she's an accountant." The ghost ran a hand through his hair, the green fading into a more solemn blue tone.

Lydia had told him about the growing number of followers who frequented her art shows in the human world; to which he would always offer himself up as the next model for her studies. For some reason she always turned down his offer, stating that it would be difficult to photograph a ghost that wouldn't appear on film.

Thoroughly dejected after yet another rejected, Beetlejuice decided to be a brat and take a chunk of her photographs down into the Neitherworld with him. Turns out, human paraphernalia was a hot ticket item to all the ghouls and demons down there, and he was able to make a quick'n'dirty profit off Lydia's work. Sure, he kept the profits for himself, since he was the one who had the brilliant idea in the first place.

It was only fair.

Holidae must do the same thing for Lydia topside, he surmised, although by the shabby state of her wardrobe and sparse furniture... it wasn't a profitable venture for her. Did she not know that sellers get at least a 75% cut of all deals? What do they teach breathers up here anyway?

"Gonna have to teach you the fine art of the deal, girly," Beetlejuice muttered, floating over to drape himself over the dresser. "Be happy to lend you my expertise on a whole bunch of topics."

The woman paused in folding her clothes into the dresser, looking around the room with a sour expression. She could have sworn she heard someone talking, but Lydia had gone back downstairs not too long ago. A chill up her spine made her shiver; not having noticed the temperature of the room dropping sharply.

The ghost above her grinned from ear to ear, "C'mon, I know you're not scared already, are you? I haven't even done anything. So sensitive, huh?"

Holidae hugged the sweater she had been folding against her chest tightly, her mouth curving into a pout. A faint buzzing sound... like someone mumbling constantly from several rooms away.

"It's an old house, probably fried wiring buzzing." Holidae reasoned with herself, continuing her task and closing the dresser drawer. "Maybe an animal got into the walls at some point; it's an old house, probably needs new insulation. ...or some sort of eldritch horror beckoning me into the deep abyss through some portal in my closet."

Beetlejuice snorted with a cackle, "You have no idea how accurate you are, baby doll. Oh boy, I have got to get us better acquainted."

"Lydia?" Holidae stood up straight, rubbing her arms to generate some heat. "Are you trying to talk to me?"

Soft footfalls were heard coming up the staircase, and soon Lydia's head popped into view from the doorway. She opened her mouth to reply, but what came out was a choked gasp.

Lydia could clearly see Beetlejuice balanced on the dresser beside Holidae, his expression like a snake toying with a mouse. When he noticed his bed friend staring at him, he waved enthusiastically, his hair turning a bright, luminescent green. Her jaw worked up and down like a gaping fish, her brain furiously scrambling to process the scene.

"Babes! Aren't you going to introduce me to your breather buddy?" He vanished and then reappeared on Holidae's bed, lounging like a great cat. "Teach her the magic words and we'll have the best housewarming party."

Holidae noticed Lydia's distressed expression, "Lyddy! What happened?"

"Nothing!" The tone was so high pitched it could cut glass, "You... startled me and I ran up here. I thought you like, fell or something."

Her eyes kept nervously flicking over to the bed, trying to ignore the ghost rolled around on the sheets like a child.

"Laaaaaaaame. Better come up with something quick before she gets suspicious." Beetlejuice taunted her.

"I meant the house makes things sound weird, so I rushed up," Lydia placed a hand on her hip, "Haunted and all that."

Holidae's eyebrows furrowed, "Right. So, the buzzing noise is a portal to another dimension, yeah? Just want to make sure none of my clothes get stretched out by demons trying them on."

Lydia laughed, "Exactly. Demons aren't exactly known for being petite."

"I resemble that remark." Beetlejuice hissed, sitting up on the bed and smoothing out his striped suit.

"Good to know." Holidae cleared her throat, "Oh, hey, mind if I snag some extra blankets? You weren't kidding about the drafts in here."

"Third door to the left," Lydia gestured out into the hallway, moving aside as the other woman moved past her.

As soon as they were alone, Lydia marched over and grabbed Beetlejuice by his tie, putting them nose to nose with each other. The childish attitude he had was completely dropped, replaced by with a much more placating tone.

"Now now, babes, I wasn't bothering her that much. Just wanted to know what was going on since you hadn't come and said hello yet." He held up his hands in a surrendering gesture. "How was I supposed to know she would be thoroughly engrossed by my humble presence."

"Nothing about you is humble, BJ." The deadpanned tone said it all. "What did I say about Holidae?"

There was a pause, "...that when there's a school holiday you get to come visit longer?"

"Beetlejuice," Lydia let go of his tie, running a hand over her face in anguish. "No."

Beetlejuice winced at the use of his full name, "Okay, okay... I know. Don't bother her. But Lyds, she looked right at me. She knows I'm around! You're not gonna deny me the chance to be seen, are you?! You were the last human in aaaaages that could see me first thing."

As much as she wanted to stay angry, to say him name three times and banish him for a while as punishment for breaking her rules, she couldn't refuse his plea. It was true what he said: she had been the first living person to notice him in a long time. To end his invisibility. If Holidae could already feel him around... maybe it was better to treat the subject like a band aid and rip it off quickly.

With a heavy sigh, she rubbed the bridge of her nose, "Give me some time to ease her into the idea."

"That's why you're my best bestest friend, babes." He loosened his tie, vanishing from the room.