#my love for this pairing is going too far i can no longer include barnaby & howdy in the same space Without making them In Love

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

My dude that butterfly howdy is the most handsome man I've ever seen. You gave him all the things...long hair AND FLUFF...and BIG OL WINGS...I'm looking at him respectfully but DAMN 👀👀👀👀👀

its my Duty as an artist to make him as pretty as my skills allow

(bonus barnaby having a mild crisis)

[catghoststories]

Frank, Eddie, and the Tell-Tale Heart

So, I know the main focus of this update was Poppy, which I was happy to see (though I'm not happy to see what happened to her).  I do have a theory cooking about her, Sally, and the Commedia Dell'arte, but Frank n' Eddie are my favorite pair, and I've been stewing over this particular theory since the July '23 update.  This tiny line from the Looky-Loo storybook is what cinched it for me.

Source: Merchandise Page, Looky-Loo Storybook

This line isn't read out loud, but we can see it at around the 9 minute in the video, above Eddie, looking so polite.  It reads,

"Villains!" I shrieked, "I can deny it no longer! I admit the deed!—tear up my flower bed!—here, here!—it is the ticking of my beloved alarm clock!"

This isn't the actual line from The Tell-Tale Heart.  The original line reads "Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more! I admit the deed!—tear up the planks!—here, here!—it is the beating of his hideous heart!"

Source: The Tell-Tale Heart

The Tell-Tale Heart is about someone murdering their roommate, cutting him into pieces, and hiding the evidence under the floorboards of their house. 

And I think this is what Frank is going to do to Eddie, in an attempt to protect him in a perverse, misguided way.

This rewritten lines seems very specific to Frank and Eddie.  We know Frank loves his garden.  And who's the only character in the Neighborhood who owns a clock?  Eddie.

At the end of the Homewarming video, Frank sees how distressed Eddie is.  As many have theorized, Frank seems to be somewhat aware of what's happening, although we don't know to what extent.  But he sees that Eddie is now in the line of fire of The Powers That Be, and he becomes worried for him.  

I think Frank will dismantle Eddie and hide him in his garden until he deems it 'safe' for Eddie to come back, once the 'eyes' are off him.  (Kind of reminds me of the Eye of Sauron from Lord of the Rings).  An unintentional—or perhaps intentional—side effect of being dismantled and put back together, with new parts, is that Eddie doesn't remember things well. 

Including, possibly, his and Frank's relationship.

This goes along with the theme we've seen several times in WH now, including this new Halloween update.  The puppets unintentionally—yet seriously—harm their loved ones in order to protect them from something they deem far worse—whatever that may be.

As these posts by kykudos, oniongrass, and nikkiiiscute discuss, there is an image from one of the hidden bug clips of Frank's garden with 9 clothespins—one buried in the dirt.

Source: Welcome Home Hidden Audio ('til it's back on the official site :3)

And there's the references to burial in Bug-a-Bye and Goodnight, too.  This post by the-nosy-neighbor goes quite a lot into this song very well, especially how it might indicate Frank could put Eddie into a suspended state!

Source: Transcript Page, Bug-a-Bye and Goodnight

Now I have been thinking about this dismantling/reassembling thing for a long time, especially since the last Halloween update.  Eddie is one of the puppets with a new costume, and he is Frank(enstein)'s monster.  And he has a big yellow band-aid on the back—Frank's color.  If Eddie is taken apart, Frank will patch him up again.

Source: Clown's Tumblr

(Also, I'm curious about the blue hand and face in Eddie's costume design. That's Barnaby's color. Does Frank use Barnaby's spare parts to put Eddie back together?! 😳 Especially since I feel like Barnaby's time on Mister Bone's Wild Ride is fast approaching—but that's yet another post 😅)

But based on the Tell-Tale Heart line, Frank may have been the one to do the dismantling in the first place, which is quite dark.  Based on the below picture from the former staff member page—clearer image here from Clown's Tumblr—Frank may be aware they're puppets and made up of various parts.

Source: Welcome Home Wiki until it's back on the official site :3

There is also an intense piece on Clown's Ko-Fi here (please support Clown if you can!) that shows butterflies doing SOMETHING to Eddie. Are they putting him together? Or taking him apart to join them in their hibernation? 🤔

Frank also likes gelatin. As he tells Poppy in their hidden audio, 'it holds perfectly sliced fruit beautifully'.  Perfectly sliced, cut up fruit, eh?  Gelatin is a preservative that we also see in the cookbook recipe, and we all know Eddie has an unholy encounter with his single pea.  So yet another symbol of suspended animation that is related to Frank and Eddie.

Source: Merchandise Page, Cookbook

So it seems like Frank has some experience in preservation, hibernation, etc. and knows how to use it, if it comes to it.

The next big update will likely be spring-themed.  A long time ago, Clown posted that Frank has a holiday in spring. Of course this isn't canon until it's on the website, but either way, I think Frank will have an important role in the spring update, which I believe will also focus on Julie.  We may see him wake up Julie from hibernation...and Eddie from his dirt nap.  

Source: Clown's Tumblr

(I've been so curious about that shadow behind the flower.  At first I thought 'OMG, it's Eddie's hand!', but I don't think so. 😅 I dunno what it is, but it doesn't quite seem flower like to me...🤔)

This Ko-Fi post (again, please support Clown if you have the means!) was posted around Easter this year and had a bunny/Easter theme.  Clown says "What is there to say though... Well! We know what the next holiday is in our Home Sweet Home, I'd say."  A huge theme of Easter/Spring are Rebirth and Resurrection.

As this post by serene-hatterene so beautifully details, Frank may feel pressured to kiss Julie to wake her up to prove his heteronormativity.  Maybe to further protect Eddie, too, to prove they aren't a thing.  Seems like Julie's family may show up this update, too, and we know family can cause a lot of pressure for couples during holidays. 😬

My last item isn't that strong, but I have been thinking of since the July '23 update.  In Eddie's Big Lift, Frank says the following line:

Source: Transcript Page, Eddie's Big Lift

The tense of "You always did work too hard" always bothered me.  Why doesn't Frank just say, "You always work too hard!"  And Eddie doesn't seem to know what he's talking about. Frank sounds almost wistful here.  It's like he's talking about his ex—a former version of Eddie, pre-dismantling, perhaps?

(Also, 'Enjoy the ground, Mr. Dear'? Dude, if this theory is right, that line is even more screwed up than it already was. 😳)

Here is my order of how I feel these events actually happened:

Secret Bug Audios (Eddie and Frank flirting) -> 1st Halloween Audio (Eddie still seems like his chipper, knowledgeable self) -> Homewarming -> Springtime (and Eddie's Resurrection)? -> Eddie's Big Lift

Not quite sure where this last Halloween update lands, but I feel like it's later.  Eddie seems ignorant of the potential adverse effects The Brickening (TM) could have on Poppy.  I feel like he's been more sensitive to Poppy and others in the past (but maybe I'm wrong, I'm biased towards him, heh).  Perhaps after his Reconstruction, his memory has now been reset, and he has "fallen into line" with the other Neighbors and their weird, pile-onto-one-person ways.

Anyway, what do you all think? 😬😬 I do hope I'm wrong, since Frank is my favorite, and this would make me feel very differently about him. 😬😬😬 Please tell me your own WH theories, too! I find them so interesting!

[judediangelo75]

My Bride (Part 1)

Hello everyone~

So... this is going to be very different than anything I’ve written before. For starters this connects to nothing that I’ve previously written.

Two, it doesn’t really take place at Hogwarts per say. I’m including a lot of the characters from the game but that’s the closest I can say it relates to the game.

Three, it’s gonna be in parts because I’m too lazy to write a long post.

I got the idea from @makichaotic where in her headcanon there was a rumor that Talbott was a vampire.

Except Talbott is actually a vampire.

I have no clue what I’m possibly doing to be completely honest. This idea has been floating around in my mind for awhile so I have to get it out somehow.

Let me know what you think!

I also threw in David ( @that-scouse-wizard / @jd-the-anime-fan ) and Vixen ( @cleverglitteryfoxtrot ), two MC friends 😊🥰

----------------------------------

“Baby girl?” 

Judith turned away from the full body mirror in the direction of her father’s voice. An elegant strapless and backless white silk dress hugged her short, curvy figure. Her long locs were pulled up into a high ponytail, a few hanging around her face. A dark shadow dusted over her eyelids while dark red lipstick covered her full lips. 

“Yes, Papa?” came the soft reply. The older man frowned.

His daughter was beautiful.

Gorgeous even.

Though he wished she wasn’t getting dressed up for this.

Judith just recently turned 21.

As required by law, every young adult that turned 21 were to attend a ball that is hosted every year by the royal family.

Though, there was a catch. 

It was for a way for vampires to find a desirable mate among the human population. If they was able to return home by sunrise, then they were free to live their life as they pleased. If not, they becomes that vampire’s wife or husband.

Most were forbidden from seeing their families and friends ever again. 

Kendrick would know. He never personally saw his best friend Ava again after her ball. Who then later became their queen when the former king and queen died.

Ava’s parents passed away few years after her coronation. They never saw their precious daughter again.

Now that same fate seem to be staring the seasoned Healer in the face.

And Kendrick isn’t ready to say goodbye to his little girl.

“Papa, you’re crying,” Judith whispered, a frown forming on her painted lips. She quickly walked up to the older man to wipe away his tears. Misty gold eyes locked with concerned ones. 

“You’re so beautiful, baby girl,” Kendrick whispered. Judith hugged her father tight as he said this, waiting to prolong her trip to the castle. The older man didn’t hesitate to return it, breathing in the scent he grew accustomed to from when she was a baby.

“I’ll do my best to come back home,” Judith said softly, squeezing the man who sired her. Kendrick shook his head at this.

He didn’t want her to promise him anything. 

Judith was the spitting image of him. His little girl grew up into a beautiful young woman. It would take a miracle for a vampire not to take notice of her.

“Please don’t promise me anything. I don’t think my old heart can take it...” Judith pursed her lips.

“You’re not old, Papa. You don’t look a day over 25,” she said in hopes of lifting the man’s spirits. And she got what she wanted. An inaudible chuckle rumbled in the his chest. 

It’s just like his daughter to try to make him smile or laugh. 

If he could never see her again, he can only pray that she’s mated to a good man.

“Thank you, Judith. I... I love you, baby girl...” Judith forced herself not to cry in front of her dad. 

She didn’t like how this felt like a goodbye. She didn’t want to leave her father forever...

“I love you too, Papa...” The two stayed there for a bit longer until Kendrick pulled away with a soft sigh.

“Time to go baby girl...”

-------

Judith hugged her dad’s waist tighter as they approached the looming castle.

They weren’t rich. Her father spent a good amount of his savings to buy her dress and shoes. 

When he wanted to buy her a carriage to escort her to the ball, she declined. She claimed that she was more than happy to be escorted by her father on horseback. Kendrick agreed, unwilling to deny his little girl anything.

They approached the entrance slowly before stopping a foot away. 

Kendrick dismounted first before helping his daughter off their horse, Nerco Di Angelo. Judith hugged her father one last time before going to pet the dark horse, who let out huff and nuzzled her face.

“I love you, Nerco. Take good care of Papa,” she whispered before kissing the star on the horse’s forehead.

The sound of someone clearing their throat sounded off behind her.

Taking a deep breath, the young woman turned to find a guard staring passively at her.

Time to go.

Without a word, the guard gestured her to come inside. Judith turned to her father.

“I love you, Papa...” It took everything within the usually stoic man not to cry again.

“I love you too, Judith. Never forget that...” Nodding sadly, Judith walked into the castle with the guard in tow.

She sent a silent prayer in hopes of seeing her dear father again.

---------

Talbott was bored.

Extraordinarily so.

He felt the eyes of his parents burning holes into him on occasion and it annoyed him to no end.

The ball started some time ago and he’s already wishing it to be morning. He himself just recently turned 21 and his parents, along with the council, are looking at him to find a bride.

If not this year, then he will continue to socialize with potential mates every year until he does. After all, his father was 25 when he finally found his mother, who recently turned 21 at that time.

Ava and Trent glanced at their disinterested son with slight worry. They knew how much the young man hated social events. He did his best to be polite to his guests but not much more. They would be lucky if he found someone on the first try.

Ava sighed. Although she was happy and grateful with the life that she has, she sometimes missed the old life she once had. Under the old king and queen, they forbade her from seeing her friends and parents.

She missed them terribly. She hoped whoever her son chose that she could help them adjust to life as a part of the royal family. She and her husband even discussed about letting their family to come to the castle. After all, they clearly saw what it did to their relationship.

Despite Trent’s evident infatuation with her, Ava hated him for choosing her. If he never laid eyes on her, she would’ve still be with her parents and dear friends. It took a few years to even consummate their marriage because Ava refused to share a bed with him. She didn’t let him drink from her.

It took Trent years to win the young woman’s heart. With a decent amount of suffering on his part. To be deprived of the one that suppose to complete him drove him to points of madness and bloodlust.

They didn’t want the same thing to happen to their son...

Glancing at her son again, she noticed that he was sitting up a little straighter. Her brows shot up to her hairline. 

He found someone...

Oh dear Gods above, please allow whoever it was to love her son. She’ll do anything to make sure that they’re happy, just as long they were able to love Talbott...

-----------

‘She’s so beautiful...’ 

Talbott’s red eyes were trained on a young dark skin woman in a white silk dress. The dress highlighted her slim, but curvy, figure. Her hair was up in a ponytail, ending around mid-back with a few locs framing her face. Her facial features were delicate and sharp.

Her eyes.

A brilliant shade of gold that would put the coins in the treasury to shame.

Talbott felt his body flush with heat and his gums throb a bit. 

He had to get to know her.

The young woman was conversing with a familiar pair. David Willows, husband to Merula Synde, and Vixen Mcmachen, wife to Barnaby Lee.

Interesting...

With no warning to his parents, Talbott got up and walked towards the trio. 

David saw the prince coming and bowed.

“Your Highness,” the young man greeted. Vixen smiled and curtsied to him, giving him a cheeky wink all the meanwhile.

It was at that point Judith felt a presence behind her. Turning around, she came face to face with the Crown Prince himself. 

Swiftly, Judith curtsied.

“Good evening, Your Highness,” she said, willing her voice to remain steady. She straighten and was minorly surprised to find the prince staring at her.

“Good evening, David. Rosalina. Miss,” Talbott said, taking Judith’s hand and kissing the back of it. 

‘Her scent...’ Talbott’s eyes grew a little heavy, his pupils dilated. It was so inviting... 

Vanilla and along with something else he couldn’t name. He also detected a faint accent in her voice, something completely unfamiliar, but far from unpleasant.

“I don’t believe we’ve met before,” he started slowly, curious to know the name to this enchanting woman. 

David cleared his throat. 

“Prince Talbott, may I introduce to you, Judith Harris. A childhood friend to Vixen and I,” he said.

“Pleasure to meet you, Judith...” The young woman did her best to suppress a shiver. The way the prince said her name...

It was like he was tasting it.

“Please, Your Highness. The pleasure is all mine,” she said, trying her best not to read too deep into how the way Talbott was staring at her. It didn’t help that he had yet to let go of her hand...

David and Vixen did their best not to smirk. Their partners so owe them a few gold coins. They were both happy to find their old friend. Especially since it’s been 3 years since David married to the love of his life and Vixen just a year after him. 

What they didn’t expect was for Prince Talbott to fancy her. 

They was just talked to her about their lives at the castle and their relationships. Judith was just telling them how she was doing, her archery, combat lessons and art. Just as she was telling them that she was hoping that no vampire took an interest in her, the Gods placed Prince Talbott before her.

Seems like she hasn’t quite learned her lesson about speaking certain things aloud. The Gods loved a challenge.

“May I have a dance with you, darling?” Judith sharply inhaled, willing her heart not to race. 

‘It’s just a dance. Nothing more...’ 

“It would be an honor, Your Highness.” Talbott wanted to pout. He wished that Judith would say his name. He wants to know how it sounded like with her faint accent.

Offering his arm, Judith interloped hers in his. Saying goodbye to her old friends, they walked to the center of the dance floor. A slow song started to play.

The two took the initial position. One hand on Judith’s lower back. One hand on Talbott’s broad shoulder. Their remaining hand intertwined with each other’s. The pair moved along with the music.

‘Warm. She’s really warm and soft...’ Talbott was biting the inside of his cheek, willing his hand to stay in that one spot. His heart was beating rapidly now and he was fighting his instincts.

To pull her closer.

To inhale more of the sweet scent that clung to her skin.

To taste her full lips.

To sink his fangs into that elegant long neck, marking her as his.

He bet she tasted divine...

“Are you enjoying the ball?” Her lovely voice brought him back to the present. He cleared his throat.

“I admit, I was rather bored at first,” he admitted. Gold eyes glimmered with curiosity.

“Oh?” she inquired. He nodded before pulling her closer to satisfy his needs a little.

“But with you here, I can finally enjoy the night.” Those pretty eyes widen and pearly whites bit the plump flesh of her lower lip.

Talbott fought back a groan. 

He wanted to be the one doing that...

“Oh! What a... lovely thing to say,” Judith whispered, uneasy. 

She wasn’t going to deny that she felt something towards the tall handsome vampire, but she wanted to go home.

Go back home to her Papa.

And that idea seems bleaker and bleaker with the way Talbott was looking at her. She swears she can see a hint of his fangs every time he spoke.

“Is something wrong, darling,” Talbott asked.

“Oh, no! Just a little thirsty.” Judith knew she was lying through the skin of her teeth but she knew better than to openly reject the Crown Prince. 

She liked her head exactly where it was, thank you very much.

“Come. Let’s get you something to drink then,” the young man smiled. Judith tried not to grimace.

‘Yup, those were definitely his fangs I saw...’ she thought to herself as Talbott led her to the refreshment table. Judith wasn’t a fan of wine and stuck with water. Talbott even hand feeding her some samplers as they converse with one another.

“Hello son.” The pair turned to the masculine voice that spoke. Judith felt her blood run cold. 

The king and queen.

She really may not go home after all.

------------

Ava and Trent have been watching their son curiously as he acquainted himself with a young dark skin woman.

Not once has he left her side. The two look at each other and decided to meet the woman who seem to unknowingly captivated their son. They approached the two by the refreshment table.

“Hello son.” The couple turned to them. Talbott nodded at them as the young woman curtsied.

“Mum. Dad.”

“Good evening, Your Majesties.” Ava studied the young woman closely.

She looked very familiar.

“Good evening, my love. And who might this be,” Ava asked. Talbott wrapped an arm around the short woman’s waist, causing her to flush a soft shade of red.

“Mother, Father. This is Judith Harris.” Ava inhaled sharply.

“Did... did you say Harris,” she asked softly. Could it be-

Judith shyly glanced at the royal couple, gold eyes shining.

“You’re Kendrick’s daughter, aren’t you?” Judith blinked in surprise. She knew that her father and the queen were childhood friends, but she didn’t expect her to remember him.

“Yes I am, Your Majesty...” The likeness was uncanny. She looked like the female version of her father. The queen smiled and hugged her. 

Judith stiffen at the sudden hug and hesitantly hugged the queen back.

“I’m sorry, my dear. I didn’t expect a piece of my past to catch up with me...” The queen was eager to learn more about Kendrick’s little girl.

And her future daughter-in-law...

If she was Kendrick’s daughter, she shouldn’t have to worry about Talbott’s mating to her. Kendrick, although cold and aloof, was a very sweet and caring man. She’ll bet her crown that his daughter was the same exact way. 

Though she didn’t like how Judith kept glancing at the entrance every once and awhile.

She understood the girl’s desire to leave but she didn’t want her son to suffer. Especially when he was already showing signs of infatuation towards her. 

‘Please, all I ask is for you to give him a chance’ she silently pleaded.

-------

Talbott was growing restless. 

He was happy to see that the young woman he chose was to the approval of his parents. Especially since she seem to be the daughter to a childhood friend of his mum.

But he wanted to be alone with her.

So when Judith said she wanted to get some air, he jumped at the opportunity to show her the gardens.

The walk there was silent. They reached the heart of the garden, sitting on the lip of the fountain.

“This place is breathtaking,” she whispered. Talbott bit his lip as he stared at her. 

She was breathtaking.

The moonlight bathed her in its ancient glow. 

Her molten gold eyes lit up like embers of a flame.

Her cheekbones, collarbones and shoulders were kissed by the moonlight itself, reflecting the slivery rays.

Her dress took on a silver light, making her take on the form of a goddess.

‘Mine...’

“Yes, it is...” Judith stiffen when she heard the response whispered against her cheek. A cool pair of lips pressed against her cheek for a chaste kiss. 

“I’ll be frank with you, darling. I never would’ve thought I would find my mate tonight, but I’m glad I was wrong,” Talbott said softly before placing another kiss to her cheek. 

Just as he was about to wrap his arms around her waist, Judith pulled away. She was standing, taking cautious steps backwards.

Talbott felt his heart stall, fighting back a snarl.

“I-I’m sorry, Your Highness... b-but I-I can’t be your mate...” A frown found its way on Talbott’s handsome face, as he was quick to stand with her.

“I’m afraid I can’t take no for an answer, darling. I can’t live without you now that I found you,” Talbott said slowly as he approached her, trying to keep his instincts in check. He’s seen vampires being rejected by their mate, and it was never a pretty sight.

A lot of them were driven to bouts of madness and eventually had to be taken out of their misery.

He didn’t want to end up like them.

He’ll give her anything she wants, all he asks in return was her unconditional love.

Judith, feeling like cornered prey, did the only thing she could think of.

Run.

A snarl sounded out behind her, sending a cold wave of fear down her spine but she didn’t dare stop or look back. She found a garden maze and quickly ran inside, in hopes of losing the prince. 

Thanks to her training, she rather light on her feet, even in heels surprisingly. Low growls and snarls filled the air all around her so she could barely tell where Talbott was. 

She wanted to cry.

She didn’t ask for this. 

She didn’t want to become the wife to a vampire, even if he was a prince.

All she wanted was to go home to her Papa.

She let out a scream when a hand grabbed her by the elbow, spinning her around to find glowing red eyes staring down at her.

A pair of lips descended on her soft, vulnerable ones. A sob escaped the back of her throat as she tried pushing against Talbott’s chest.

Though her efforts were futile.

Talbott pulled away to look at his mate’s teary face. Though his eyes spoke volumes of his anger, Judith never noticed the fear there as well.

The heir to the throne said nothing as he laid kisses along the length of her neck.

“Talbott, no! Please,” she cried, squirming to get away when she felt cold fangs brush against her skin.

“I’m sorry, my beloved...” was the last thing Judith heard before the pain of his fangs sinking into her neck took root in her system.

Her cry of pain was broke the peace of the night before everything fell quiet once again.

-------------

Kendrick watched as the morning rays peaked over the horizon, waiting.

His daughter was no where in sight.

A lone tear escaped his eye as sun made it’s way up in the sky. Accepting the fate he was given.