#we did a spooky month of prompts

[mercifulmemories]

Rus, even coming from a cold country like Germany, was not a fan of the cold. He'd moved to LA for that reason. The sun, the sand, the beaches. With all the weather though, today was cooler than usual, and cloudy, which gave the air a crisp feel, and he was feeling a bit more under the shroud of gloom lately. Out for his usual run, Ruslan had to pause half way because he just felt the weight of the weather.

Sitting on a bench, he focused his breathing, and listened around him. It was oddly quiet. Almost eerily so.

But it was chilly, and he was alone, and it all suddenly felt very heavy with that realization.

[alloftheimagines]

joel miller | complications

masterlist | tag list

words: 2.9k warnings: 18+ | angst, near death experience, blood, reader has a traumatic birth w/complications, PTSD naturally, joel reminded of sarah's death, newbown baby (yes they can be spooky! but this one is cute and safe), (please just somebody take that poor man's pain away) (or not because then what would we write about?) (also he and ellie are a little estranged like in tlou2) prompt: I was thinking maybe Jackson! Joel era and pregnant reader and then she almost dies while giving birth to the baby! Gives room for a lot of drama and angst, and potential comfort right at the end for our favorite old man. tags: (i know it's been a while since I last posted so let me know if you want to be untagged) @sweetbabygirlsworld @m4tthewmurd0ck @domaniquessidehoe @spideysimpossiblegirl note: you can read this as pedro's joel if you so wish, but i am in my game!joel feels rn

“I can’t do this, Joel.” Your face creased with pain as another contraction wracked through you. You’d known that labour would hurt, of course, but you hadn’t expected it to come on this quickly, and so strong. You hadn’t yet passed the eight-month mark, and you weren’t prepared. Not even a little. You hadn’t even sorted the nursery yet, or found a crib.

Joel held your hand on the floor of your living room, keeping you supported while you braced against the couch. He brushed the hair from your face, calm and unreadable as ever, but even you didn’t miss the way his fingers trembled against your skin. “You got this, baby girl. I know you can.”

“Don’t think you have much of a choice.” Your doctor, one of the few midwives in town, lifted her head. She sat at your feet, peeling off her gloves after your examination. “You’re fully dilated. This baby is coming right now.”

“There’s no time to get to the infirmary?” you questioned, voice rising in panic. The contractions had barely started an hour ago, and sure, you’d left it a little late before confessing that they were getting painful. Ellie had rushed out not fifteen minutes ago to call for your midwife’s help, and now…

Now, the baby was coming, and all you could think was that it wasn’t supposed to be like this. The pregnancy had been a shock to your system. You hadn’t even been sure that Joel would want to go through with it after everything he’d experienced before. But he’d held your hand through each ultrasound, felt your belly for the first kick, and even when you saw fear — dread, even — cross his features, you could easily reassure him that this time was different. This time, it was safe. You’d lived in Jackson for over a year now, and it was the security of the community that had made motherhood feel possible. 

The midwife shook her head. “I’m sorry. You need to start pushing on your next contraction.”

“Oh, god,” you whispered, teeth chattering as the weight of the situation hit you.

“Hey, look at me.” Joel tilted your chin gently. “It’s gonna be just fine, darlin’. You just breathe and push, okay? We’ll do the rest.” 

“Right, just breathe and push,” you muttered. “Of course, you forgot the part about shoving a small human out of my hoo-ha.” 

He smirked, planting a kiss on your forehead. “Oh, right. That little detail.”

“I kinda hate you right now.” Just as you said it, another contraction hit, and your head fell back as you moaned. 

“Push now if you feel like you should!” your midwife reminded. Then, to Ellie: “Go get some clean towels, hon. Lots of ‘em.”

In the doorway, Ellie looked grateful to be given a job and scampered off. 

You did as instructed, dipping your chin into your chest as you pushed, pushed, pushed. A scream ripped through you at the pain it brought, each moment worse than the last. 

“You’re doing so good, baby. So good. She’s gonna be here so soon,” Joel whispered, his grip around you the only thing keeping you tethered to the here and now. 

Dizziness consumed you as your contraction finally eased. “Is she okay?”

“I’m seeing the head.” The midwife beamed. “Just a few more pushes, okay?”

Somehow, you breathed, and you pushed, and you felt your way through the pain as your body broke and mended and then broke again. Joel kept his grip on your hand tight, reassuring, but you saw him bite his lip toward the end and knew that he might have been just as terrified as you. 

The final push finally came, and you sunk back as the newborn's cry rang out.

“She’s here. You did it,” Joel murmured, kissing your clammy temple. He laughed into your skin, the sound of joy and disbelief sending a shiver through you. You tried to lift your head, to see your daughter, but everything felt wrong. Heavy. It still hurt, and black spots dotted your vision. 

“Le’ me see her.” Your words were slurred, your voice far away.

The last thing you heard was Joel calling your name, his voice raw and broken — terrified. 

***

“What’s wrong with her?” he demanded. 

“She’s bleeding too heavily. I need to get her to the infirmary.”  The midwife shook her head, handing him the screaming newborn. His screaming newborn. It had taken months to quell the panic of becoming a father again — not that he had ever truly stopped. Sarah had lived in his heart all these years, and Ellie was his daughter, even if she hated him for what he did. 

He made the mistake of looking at you, and the sight of the blood made him sick. So much of it. There was so damn much of it. He’d seen a lot of people bleed out, but he couldn’t remember ever seeing this much. 

“Shit," he cursed.

He didn’t know when Ellie had returned, but she stood wan and she’ll shocked beside him now.

“Please, take her.” He shoved the baby into her arms before lowering back to his knees to grab your hand. “Don’t you dare do this to me, baby. Not now.” 

“Can you carry her to the infirmary?” the midwife asked desperately.

He didn’t think twice, slipping his arms under your limp body. 

“Joel! She’s gonna be alright, right?” Ellie stuttered, and he heard the panic in her voice, too, as she swayed the baby from side to side, swaddling her in blankets. You were the closest thing Ellie had to a mother. If either of them lost you…

He couldn’t even try to find an answer, as much as he wanted it to be yes.

He gritted his teeth, hauling you up on shaky legs. Thankfully, the infirmary was only a few blocks away, and nobody was there to slow him down so late at night. 

He couldn’t make sense of it. One minute, he’d been settling down for the night after a long patrol shift. The next, you were curled up in pain, claiming the baby was coming. 

“Stay with me,” he pleaded, fingers curling into your old sweater. His old sweater, if he was being particular, but you’d stolen it from him so long ago that it smelled completely of you now: soap and fresh air. Blood. 

He staggered into the infirmary with that smell still in his nostrils, dampness spreading across his hands, and he damn near passed out on the threshold. But he wouldn’t, couldn’t, leave you, even when flashes of him holding Sarah this exact way raced through his mind. Even when a broken sob stuck in his throat, because he was holding on, and you weren’t, and she wasn’t, and why did he always have to be the one to watch the life seep from them? To end the night with nothing but their blood on his hands?

He set you down on the first bed he came to, drawing the alarmed attention of the nurses, who had a moment ago been ready to dose off on their night shift. In such a small community, they weren’t often needed after dark.

Behind him, the midwife called out orders, wheeling you away into the surgery theatre. He watched you disappear into a white-walled room, a tiny thing that never would have sufficed in the old world. 

In the old world, you probably wouldn’t have given birth in a living room. In the old world, he wouldn’t be stiff with a fear he couldn’t control, frozen with memories that refused to ever leave him.

He spun around and felt unsettled to see Ellie cradling the baby, mouth agape with the same cluelessness he felt. His baby. His. He had to be a father now, but he didn’t know how when you weren’t here with him. He felt like that thing he was always losing in his dreams was finally gone for good. Ripped from him one last time.

He couldn’t look at the baby’s cherubic face. Couldn’t even look at Ellie.

He couldn’t remember why he’d been so relaxed just yesterday to think of the little life you’d both been impatiently waiting to begin. Couldn’t remember how he’d found the strength to sing a lullaby to your bump, laughing when a foot kicked his palm as though telling him to shut the hell up. 

What the fuck was he supposed to do now? She was so tiny and pink and new, wrapped in bloody blankets, and he…

“Go give her to one of the nurses,” he whispered. 

“Joel—” Ellie made to protest, but he couldn’t hear it. Wouldn't.

“Ellie,” he snapped. “Go give her to one of the damn nurses. I can’t.”

“Well, you don’t have a fucking choice, because she’s yours now.” Ellie shoved her into his hands without warning. He tensed with the new weight, bile rising in his stomach. No. No. No. Everything he held, he broke. 

But then the baby let out a gurgle, her feet kicking his palm just like the night before when she was still safe in your belly, and he couldn’t keep from looking down at her. Couldn’t keep from seeing you in all her innocent features. Eyes, nose, even the fine tuft of hair on her head. 

“I can clean her down and check she’s doing okay,” a nurse offered, and suddenly, he was reluctant to let her go. 

And then he remembered you, the blood, your motionless body after so long spent screaming, Ellie’s hatred, Tess, Sarah, and he was glad for somebody else to take care of her. The further away that kid was, the better. He was a fucking curse, and she…

He scraped a hand over his face, pacing over to the surgery room. He didn’t dare march in, no matter how badly he wanted to. 

“She’s going to be okay,” Ellie said from behind him gently. “She’s strong, and I’m sure shit like this happens all the time.” 

“I told her we’d be okay,” Joel rasped out, face crumpling finally. “I told her that it would turn out alright, that we could be… That we could make something good here.”

“And you will,” Ellie said. 

He shook his head. “I might as well have killed her my damn self.” He looked down at his bloodied hands as though they weren’t his. They shook more than they ever had before. 

“Stop it! She’s going to make it. She has to!” Ellie’s yell took him aback, piercing in such a quiet, echoey space. She jabbed a finger into Joel’s shoulder. “And you have to hold it together. I know it’s fucking hard, alright, but you don’t get to lose it now! You can’t blame yourself for everything that goes wrong in our lives, Joel! That’s not how it works!”

He swallowed down his own self-loathing, head bowed. “I can’t do it without her,” he whispered. 

The rawness in his voice must have been visceral, because Ellie paused, her eyes filling with tears. 

And then she hugged him, tight enough that he thought maybe she was trying to keep him in one piece. He let out a ragged breath and held her. And then he did what she asked. He tried to hold it together. 

***

You woke to whispers and gurgles and wondered for a moment if you were dreaming. Your lids were heavy, body distant, and you couldn’t quite remember where you were or who was supposed to be with you. 

Until you prised your eyes open and found IVs plugged into your veins. 

“There she is,” a voice said softly. 

You blinked, searching for the source, and found it in a bleary version of Joel. He sat in a chair beside your bed, a tiny baby in his arms. His smile was shaky, distorted, and you didn’t know why. Not until he leaned forward and brushed your hair from your face with his free arm.

“Thought you’d left me there for a second.” 

“Is she okay?” Your throat was hoarse. 

He nodded. “Right as rain. It’s you we were worried about.” 

You frowned, trying to remember. One minute, you were pushing as though your life depended on it, and then the next, you were just… gone. 

“You had a heavy bleed. Needed a transfusion,” Joel explained finally. “But they reckon you’re gonna be okay, thank god.” 

“But she’s okay?” You stared at the baby nestled against his chest, not quite sure how she was here. When had this being growing inside of you become a real, tangible thing? How much of her life had you already missed?

Joel sighed impatiently. “Yes, baby. She’s perfect. Takes after her mom in that department.”

He moved to perch beside you so that you could get a closer look. He was right, of course. She was a little smaller than most newborns, but she was perfect. Pink apple cheeks, wide eyes, tiny fingernails. Looking at her felt like everything had finally fallen into place. You tickled her chin and her lips twitched with something content. Something right.

“How’s it feel, being a daddy again?” you asked gently, looking up at him. 

“Right now, it feels like hell. You can’t go scaring me like that.” He wouldn’t look at you, frown set firmly on his daughter. “Thought I was gonna have a heart attack."

“I’m sorry.” You couldn’t imagine how scared he must have been. After everything, you’d finally thought that danger, terror, was a thing of the past. You’d done a great job of ruining that, even if it wasn’t on purpose. Joel had lost too much before to deal with all this, and you had no idea how you’d cope in his shoes. 

He chuckled. “You’re sorry.” Shook his head. “I ain’t trying to make you apologise for almost dying, darlin’. You don’t gotta worry about me.”

“We said we could do this right,” you whispered. “I promised you it’d be different.” 

“Yeah, well… feels like things’ll never be different for me.” 

You snapped your head up. “What’s that mean?” 

“Nothin’.” He sighed, kissing your temple, and yet still, he wouldn’t meet your eye. “How about you get some rest? I’ll keep the little missus company.” 

“Joel.” You cupped his jaw, pleading now. Everything felt so wrong. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Even though the proof was right in front of you, it was hard to believe your baby was happy and healthy after all the trauma you’d faced. “We’re not gonna start her life this way. Tell me what you mean.”

He placed the baby down in the crib beside your bed before pinching the bridge of his nose. “I keep having to plan a life where I’m alone again, and honestly, I don’t know how I’d do it if I had to. Not this time.”

“But you’re not alone. I’m right here.”

“But you weren’t. For a minute there, I thought…” His voice grew thick, and he shook his head. “Sarah’s gone. Ellie hates me. Why the hell did I think it’d be third time lucky? She’s not even a day old, and she almost lost her mom! And there was nothing I could do. There’s never anything I can do.”

Your heart ached for him. One day, you prayed he wouldn’t hold the responsibility of every single person he loved on his shoulders. Maybe he was right. Maybe you’d been foolish to go into this thinking it could be better. The world would never be safe, not even here in Jackson, and the pain he must live with every day sure as hell wouldn’t ease now he had another daughter to raise. 

You felt hollow at the thought that maybe he’d leave. You wouldn’t blame him, not really. You were scared, too. But you’d only found the strength to do this because you were together, and you’d survived the odds so far. If that stopped feeling true… what then?

Devastation must have been written all over your face, because he pursed his lips. “Don’t listen to me, baby. I shouldn’t be sayin’ all this. You’re barely out of the woods.” 

“I don’t think we can keep doing this if you don’t let some of that guilt and blame go, Joel,” you admitted. “I think your daughter is gonna need a man who doesn’t hate himself for every single thing that’s wrong in the world. You’re right. There was nothing you could have done to stop this from happening. It was my body, and things like this happened even before the outbreak. I can’t imagine how scared you were, love, but fuck, you can’t keep making it your fault. It isn’t. It never was, especially not with Sarah. And this baby? She isn't Sarah." 

He winced at her name, as he often still did. Collapsing back in his chair, he took your hand. Slowly, his lower lip began to wobble as he finally met your gaze. “I love you too much to lose you. And her… How the hell am I gonna do this?” 

“I can’t answer that,” you said. “We knew it wouldn’t be easy.”

He snorted. “Ain’t that the truth.” Then, he bowed his head to press a kiss to the back of your hand. “Gonna try to be better. I promise. I'll hold it together."

“You don’t need to be better, and you don't need to hold it together. You’re already a good man, and talking about all this is important - for both of us. And for her.” You squeezed his fingers tightly. “I love you so much.” You teared up as you looked at the baby dozing in her crib. “And god, I love her. Can you believe we made her?” 

He hummed. “What the hell are we gonna call her?” 

“And where the hell are we gonna put her?” you added, worrying at your lip. “We never even found a crib.”

He shrugged, teasing. “I’m sure we’ll find a corner somewhere.” He leaned forward, tracing circles along your arm. “We’ll make do. Between the four of us, we’ll find a way. I’ll cut the damn trees down and build us a place from scratch myself if I have to.”

You smiled, peace finally flooding your exhausted body. You saw Ellie standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame with her arms crossed, and knew Joel was right. Your family was complete now. It would be a little broken at times, as all things were, but you’d do everything in your power to keep it whole. 

Even if it meant reminding Joel every damn day that he had to be gentle with himself.

[just-jordie-things]

I know he's not your favorite but consider... #73 with Itadori... short reader has a crush on him but is too afraid to confess bc she knows he likes tall girls lol I think this could be super cute

kiss prompt 73: height difference kisses where one person has to bend down and the other is on their tippy toes

a/n: first time writing for itadori !!! ___

if you had to think about it, you'd had a crush on itadori yuuji since the day you met him.

after getting a call from megumi where he'd begrudgingly asked for your help tracking down a cursed tool that some spooky-loving school club had snatched before he could, you hadn't expected things to take the turn they did.

as soon as you'd run into the pink haired boy, it was like a daze took hold of you. megumi honestly could have believe you'd been poisoned with how you stammered over your words and moved awkwardly. he'd never seen you so out of it when exorcizing curses. you were sloppy, defensive maneuvers delayed, offensive maneuvers... megumi would have gotten the job done better when he was ten, so, let's just leave it at that.

but nothing would have stopped itadori from eating that finger, and, well, we all know what happens from there.

you were surprised with how quickly he adapted to an entire world he'd never known the existence of. he was an avid learner, eager to train, eager to educate himself. he was always asking you questions that megumi found silly having grown up in jujutsu society, but you'd been happy to talk to him for hours about the ins and outs of it all. that was how your friendship began to blossom, you supposed.

it was easy to crush on yuuji. he was kind, handsome, silly, and had a warm energy about him that just drew you to him like a moth to a flame. even with your harbored feelings for him, being around him was easy, and comfortable. you'd only known him a few months, but the way he treated you made you feel like you'd been close friends for years.

however, due to how close you'd gotten, you were well aware that you were not his type. he'd joked a few times about how he liked tall girls like jennifer lawrence, and you didn't exactly meet that standard.

after he'd casually let that information slip, you found yourself comparing the height difference between you two more often. it was no shock that he was taller than you, you could remember the first time you'd met him you'd tilted your head back to stare up at him- your eyes had been blown wide like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming vehicle. he'd just leapt through a window like it was nothing and fought alongside you like his entire reality hadn't just flipped upside down- but now that he'd made his ideal type clear, you'd frown when it would dawn on you that you were barely even an average height.

you'd stand up a little straighter when you were standing before him, but even still you'd tilt your chin so you could look at him properly. he'd noticed the sour expression on you a few times, but you always brushed it off as something else. it felt sort of childish to tell him that you were upset for not being taller.

it's one afternoon that you're out shopping with the other first years that you finally tell him the truth. not that you'd planned to, of course, you were ready to take this secret to the grave.

but you're wandering around with yuuji, half avoiding nobara who was on a rampage and throwing armfuls of clothes at megumi, and half looking at the display of silly hats. some of them were cute, but most of them were pokemon themed, or beanies with funny saying.

yuuji had excitedly picked up a fluffy pikachu hat, complete with the tall ears, and fluffy yellow flaps that hung down your face, ending in paw shaped pockets that you could stick your hands into. he was grinning as he turned to you to tug the hat over your head. you had half a mind to scold him for ruining what was a good hair day, but you keep it to yourself. he looked too happy to have you model the accessory for him.

and you'd thought it was cute, at first. then you take note of how he has to stoop over to reach your level in order to properly adjust the dorky hat, and you're made aware again of how short you are in comparison to him. of how small in general you are compared to him. his tall stature complete with broad shoulders and biceps that were starting to display how hard he'd been training himself- as appealing as he was to look at, you're frowning due to your own self pity.

and when he's done playing with the droopy ears on top of your head and sees the look on your face, he's frowning, too.

"what's wrong?" he asks, quietly, worriedly, like a good friend. "you don't hate pikachu, do you?"

it makes you laugh, even just a little bit, and yuuji gives you a small smile in relief that his joke worked to ease your sad expression, even just a little bit.

"no, it's not pikachu," you huff, pulling the hat off your head and placing it carefully back on the mannequin. "i'm just short"

his brow furrows, assuming at first that he'd heard you wrong, but when you don't say anything else and give him an awkward shrug, he realizes you're serious.

"so?" he asks, chuckling to himself. "what's so bad about that?"

you avoid his gaze while you pretend to take interest in the other hats on the wall, despite you not being a hat person, which he knows.

"it's pretty dumb" you say, running your fingers over a fluffy sylveon cap that was similar to the pikachu one.

"try me" yuuji smiles at you, leaning into the display to catch your attention again. his smile reaches his eyes, and he seems to genuinely hopeful to ease your foolish concern, that you find yourself giving in.

"promise not to laugh at me?" you mutter.

he raises a hand to his chest, drawing an x over his heart before raising his palms towards you in silent promise. you crack a smile at how serious he's taking this.

you take a deep breath before confessing the thought that's been plaguing your mind for the last few weeks.

"i know you like tall girls," you say, staring straight ahead at the sylveon hat like it had been the object of your desire for our entire life. "and i know i'm not even close to being called tall,"

yuuji blinks a few times, his brows raising as he processes this information.

you were upset because you didn't consider yourself his type? did he understand that right? so this was because... you wanted to be his type?

"well, maybe a fifth grader would think i'm tall," you began to mumble to yourself. "but that doesn't really make me feel better-"

"you think you wouldn't be my type because you're so short?" he cuts off your rambling, and she turns to him with a bewildered expression.

"well you don't have to put it like that," you mumble with a furrowed brow. "kinda makes me feel worse-"

"(y/n), i promised i wouldn't laugh," he cuts you off again, stepping forward to wrap his hands around your shoulders. "but that's the dumbest thing i've ever heard!"

you frown up at him, not comforted at all at his attempts to make you feel better.

"you're really bad at this" you tell him, and he begins to break his promise as a few giggles escape through his toothy grin.

"are you kidding?" he teases. "you're the cutest person i've ever met!" he reaches his hands up to your face, squeezing your cheeks together playfully. "i don't want you to be any taller, i like you just the way you are!"

your face begins to heat up under his touch, and with his hold on you, you have no choice but to stare back at him, only making your blush burn hotter.

"you are my type, even as a tiny lil' tater tot," he says, and despite his laughter, you can tell he's being completely genuine. you can see it in the shine in his eyes as he stares at you. "that doesn't matter. what matters if you're a really awesome fucking person, and a badass"

the knot between your brows begins to relax and your lips curl into a smile at his sweet words.

"you're not just saying that?" you ask quietly, just to be sure he wasn't spewing out bullshit just to make you feel better.

yuuji laughs at you, the corners of his eyes crinkling from pure joy. he doesn't respond, but he doesn't need to say anything else.

instead he leans over you, bending almost dramatically to reach your short stature in order to press his lips against yours. it's a short kiss, but it's sweet, gentle, warm- all things yuuji.

when he pulls away, before he can stand back up properly, you're shooting up to the tips of your toes, your hands flying towards his shoulders for balance as you return his kiss. it's fast, eager, curious- all things you. he can't help but smile against your lips as he drops a hand from your face so he can wrap his arm around your waist, keeping you close.

you both distantly hear a harumph! from a passerby in the shop, having forgotten you were still in public. you pull away with sheepish smiles and pink cheeks.

"you are short though" he tells you point blank.

"i know, yuuji" you huff.

"but i like it" he says proudly, and you turn away so he won't see how your blush is spreading down your neck.

you still notice the significant difference in your height often, but it's mostly due to yuuji pointing it out every time he bends over to kiss you from there on out.

___

a/n: i love him sm it's criminal that i haven't written for him :'( xoxo ~ jordie

[solarmorrigan]

Deck the Halls - Spooky Scary Remix

For the @steddie-spooktober day 7 prompt: Skeleton Rated: G | Words: 682 | CW: None | Tags: established relationship, modern AU, Steve Harrington loves Eddie Munson, Eddie Munson is a menace Divider credit: @steddiecameraroll-graphics

“Eddie.”

“Yeah?”

“Those are skeletons.”

“They sure are.”

With an air of satisfaction, Eddie deposits the two life-size, plastic skeletons onto the couch, where they preside over the boxes of decorations sitting on the living room floor like a bony king and queen (or two kings. Or two queens. Steve guesses he can’t say for sure, since they’re skeletons).

“Eddie, it’s December,” Steve says.

“You know, your observational skills are one of the things I really love about you,” Eddie shoots back.

“Fuck off,” Steve snaps, with no real heat. “We’re supposed to be decorating for Christmas.”

“And so we shall!” Eddie claps his hands together. “Where should we start?”

“Let’s start with why there are skeletons on the couch,” Steve says, and Eddie tsks, like Steve is the one being weird.

“We’re going to decorate with them, obviously.”

“Skeletons are for Halloween, not Christmas.”

Eddie eyes Steve with that shrewd tilt to his mouth that never bodes well for Steve’s chances in an argument. “Says who?”

“Uh, everyone?”

“Oh, everyone. Is that all?” Eddie waves his hand dismissively. “You know, skeletons don’t stop existing just because it’s not October. In fact, I’ve got news for you, baby.” He steps closer to Steve, bringing his hands up to Steve’s hips and giving them a squeeze before leaning in to whisper, “there’s a skeleton inside of you right now.”

Steve scrunches his nose up in distaste. “Don’t say it like that,” he implores, and Eddie snickers.

“Too late, thought’s in your head now.” He leans in and pecks a kiss to Steve’s cheek before stepping away. “Besides, I have a plan to deal with the Christmas skeleton nay-sayers such as yourself!”

He goes to dig through the plastic shopping bags he’d come home from the store with, where Steve had only sent him to get another box of lights and some extra hooks for the gutters, not these new spooky-scary interlopers, who are still sitting on the couch, eyeing Steve with their empty sockets.

“Where did you even get these things, anyway?” Steve asks as Eddie digs.

“They were on sale, can you believe it?” Eddie says. “No one wanted the poor, bony bastards, so I brought ‘em home. Aha!”

From the depths of the rustling plastic Eddie unearths his treasure: two fur-trimmed Santa hats.

With what seems to Steve like a disproportionate amount of delight, Eddie sets about placing the hats onto the two bare, plastic skulls, tugging them around carefully and setting the pompoms at jaunty angles before he steps aside and gestures with a theatrical sweep of his arms.

“What d’you think?”

Steve blinks at two festive skeletons on the couch. What does he think?

He thinks that they only moved into this house a few months ago, and he doesn’t want anyone in the neighborhood to think they’re weird.

Which– okay, they are weird. Obviously. Everyone is going to find out. But Steve had been hoping that the idea could sort of bake in; that they’d have time to settle and become a part of the community before everyone figures it out, so they’d have a better chance of not getting frozen out. He’d had a plan.

But then again– Eddie is standing there grinning at Steve, so hopeful and pleased with himself, practically begging Steve to tag along with him on his weird little endeavor, and honestly? Steve would rather live as a socially ostracized hermit until the end of his days than make Eddie unhappy.

“I think you’d better find a good place outside to put them, and they’d better stay there, because if I wake up one morning and find out you moved one of those things outside our bedroom window, or somewhere inside the house, I’m divorcing you,” Steve says.

If anything, Eddie’s smile only grows. “I wouldn’t dream of it, baby,” he says, his tone implying that he absolutely would.

All the same, Steve allows himself to be smothered with grateful kisses, and braces himself to deal with “mysteriously” moving Christmas skeletons for the rest of the season.

The things he does for love.

[if-whats-new]

What's New In IF? Halloween edition! Issue 26 (2024)

By Brij, Dion, Bex and Jen

Now Available!

Itch.io - Keep Reading below

If you read the zine, consider liking the post: it helps us see how many people see it! And sharing is caring! <3

~ EDITORIAL ~

Boo! Did you get scared?

Well we hope we didn’t scare you away! Our favourite time of the year is here and with it a Halloween themed Issue! Next to the regular WNIF stuff we included a recommendation section full of the best games to play in this time of the year, so be sure to check it out!

We want some feedback!

As we’re starting to get a hand of things, we would love some feedback from you guys! What you enjoy, want more or less off, how we could improve... Anything goes! We even have a nifty form!

Still looking for members!

Due to the severe changes in the Zine team, we are once again looking for free hands with a couple of hours to kill, and minds, looking to make a little difference in the community!

If you too would like to help us out in a more official capacity, please shoot us a message! You can check out the available positions here, but if you’d like to help in any other way, feel free to contact us as well!

No Small Talk for some time!

We hope you have a terror-ific time reading this issue!

BRIJ, DION, BEX AND JEN

~ BE A PART OF THE ZINE ~

THIS ZINE ONLY HAPPENS WITH YOU!

Want to write 1-2 pages about a neat topic, or deep-dive into a game and review it in details? Share personal experiences or get all academic?

WRITE FOR THE COLUMN!

Prefer to be more low-key but still have something to share? Send us a Zine Letter or share a game title for Highlight on…!

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Came across something interesting? Know a release or an update announced? Saw an event happening? Whether it's a game, an article, a podcast… Add any IF-related content to our mini-database!

EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS!

Contact us through Tumblr asks, Forum DMs, or even by email! And thank you for your help!!

~ EVENT SPOTLIGHT : ECTOCOMP 2024 ~

La Petite Mort or Le Grand Guignol? Either way, it’s going to get spooky!

Ever since October 2007 spooky-game enthusiasts all over the world have a chance to participate in ECTOCOMP, an annual competition for interactive fiction celebrating the SPOOKY MONTH OF HALLOWEENTOBER. Whether you celebrate Halloween, Day of the Dead, All Saint's Eve, or just love ghost stories and creeping people out, this is your time to shine!

Previously organized by Jason Guest for ADRIFT games, the jam is now open to all development platforms. Since the beginning of this initiative, there has been a motivation to unite and strengthen ties between international communities in the IF world. Creators can submit games either in one of the four main languages - English, Spanish, French and German or any other!

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Ghostbusters. Named after the Ghostbusters’ car license plate number ECTO 1, this year the jam pays tribute to the film that inspired the title! Some other subthemes and inspiration prompts are: Spooky adventure, Sweet supernatural, Halloween fest, Día de Los Muertos, All Saints', All Souls' Eve and any other festivity or mythology around the world.

As per tradition, Ectocomp has two categories:

La Petite Mort, for those who want to speed-write their game in 4 hours or less.

Le Grand Guignol, for games that, for whatever reason, took longer than 4 hours to write.

When the jam is over, all of the submitted games will be uploaded to the IF Archive.

~ ENDED ~

The voting for IFComp ended and the winners have been announced! Congratulations to the first-place winner, The Bat by Chandler Groover! Check out the complete results for this year's competition.

Another edition of the Bad Art Visual Novel Jam is upon us! Check out the two entries!

~ ONGOING (VOTING) ~

Entries have been submitted for the 6th Spooktober Annual Visual Novel Jam! You can vote for your favourites until October 27th! Every October Friday you can also watch Chizu's sponsored Spooktober Stream where she plays through all submissions!

Find inspiration in dusty old decrepit corners, revivify the forgotten - the Revival Jam 2024 is here! You can now vote for your favourite entries!

~ ONGOING (SUBMITTING) ~

Strip IF to it’s bare bones and all it become beautiful text. That’s what The Bare-Bones Jam is about.

It’s spooky month and with it comes the annual ECTOCOMP 2024. If it’s spooky or supernatural why not submit it?

Running until Halloween, the Phantasia Jam is a three months game jam to create a fantasy narrative game, with the theme of “Hidden Magic”. It accepts both VN and IF.

On the CoG Forum, Halloween is already there! Until Oct 31st, you can submit your projects to the Halloween Jam - but don't forget the theme! VAMPIRE, Murder, 70’s Disco!

Disabled Rep VN Jam has a very simple premise but a very important message.

Once upon a time, a game jam was held to create stories around the theme of fairy tales… and that game jam is the Once Upon A Time VN Jam. It’s running from October 1st to January 31st.

Concours de Fiction Interactive Francophone 2025 is for all French-speaking enthusiasts. Submissions are accepted until March 3rd 2025.

Are you perhaps a fan of more somber, melancholic themes? Then check out the Dying Year - Visual Novel Jam! You have until the end of the year to participate.

The Black Visual Novel Jam is all about working with creative professional developers who work in visual novels to bring more Black stories to life. The goal is to create a space where Black creators can show their unique storytelling through visual novels.

Bare your teeth and sharpen your claws because the Monstrous Desires 2024 Visual Novel Jam is here! Dedicated to the love of entities, horrors, and monstrosities, this jam will be full of romantic Visual Novels (VN) that heavily focus on a monster may it be original or from classics, folklore, modern media, etc.

~ OTHER ~

Jams are a great way to find new games! Don’t be afraid to check out submissions from previous years as well. There might be some gems hiding between them!

~ NEW RELEASE ~

Heavens’ Revolution: A Lion Among the Cypress (CScript) is a flintlock space fantasy inspired by eighteenth-century Iran.

Love and Death in the Shadow of the Demiurge (Twine) is an interactive tale of self-love and self-hate, beauty and the lack of it. @infimace-blog

As the Eye Can See (Twine) is a short story about the day before Halloween. @skyshard13

Larut (Ren’Py) is a fictional work retelling of the Indonesian folklore and mythological figure, Nyi Roro Kidul.

As always, don't forget to check out the submitted entries to the events mentioned in the previous pages. They deserve some love too!

~ NEW RELEASE (WIP) ~

You're only 20 when suddenly your life goes bam! Throwing you into a whole new city, a different country even. Can you find your place in the world and restart or lose yourself in temptation? Time to find out in Paved in Ashes (CScript)! @pavedinashes-if

Spotlight (CScript), navigate the red carpet, bloodthirsty paparazzi, cut-throat tabloids and complicated relationship dynamics with A-list celebrities (who may or may not be completely unhinged.)

Exit Through The Gift Shop (CScript) is about the arc of your life, from beginning to end, as experienced through the lens of trips to the museum, with each chapter moving forward one decade.

Blood of the Living (CScript), the first public demo for Blood of the Living, sequel to Fields of Asphodel is here! @chrysanthemumgames

Bridge Ices Before Road (CScript) Finding your place again in your old hometown might sound tough, but nothing is tougher than being an Olympic athlete. You have to juggle training along with all that, but you try not to let it get you down. After all, skating is your passion! @bridgeicesbeforeroadif

Fortuna Favours the Bold (CScript) is a low fantasy, high stakes, romance forward tale about self-discovery and hidden secrets. @fortunafavours

Being the only homicide detective around for miles, it’s up to you now to find out what exactly happened to your brother, why it happened, and who did it in A Bouquet of Chrysantemums (Twine). @abouquetofchrysanthemums

it's been a long, long time (CScript), a group of three find themselves reunited through their shared past, grappling with the haunting memories of a tragedy that shattered their bond. @haynahkho

In Spices of the Heart (CScript) you step into the shoes of an ambitious chef who has landed a job at a prestigious restaurant known for its innovation and artistry. @when-life-gives-you-lemons-if

Love to be Forgotten (RPG Maker MV) is a visual novel inspired by historical figures like Lucrezia Borgia and eerie vampire folklore, such as the tale of Jure Grando.

~ UPDATES ~

Keyframes (Ren’Py) released a patch update. @blankhouse

Shepherds of Haven (CScript) alpha preview has been updated. @shepherds-of-haven

One Knight Stand (CScript) released Chapter 2 Part 3. @oneknightstand-if

Weeping Gods (CScript) added new content to Chapter 2. @jcollinswrites

The In-Between (CScript) released Chapter 10. @dalekowrites

Space Captain (CScript) released updated their demo.

Hunter's Requiem (CScript) added new content to their demo. @huntersrequiem-if

The Inn Between (Ren’Py) released an extended demo. @catslilypad

When Stars Collide (Ren’Py) released Episode 1. @steamberrystudio

Made Marion released Will’s route. @velvet-cupcake-games

Wasteland Pony Express updated their Patreon demo. @katieaki

~ OTHER ~

The Halloween Sale 2024 on Itch.io is here!

Are you a Girls! Girls! Girls!? fan? You can now pre-order an artbook!

The Retro Adventurers podcast released Episode 9, where they have a conversation with Robin Raymond about the project Kingdom of the Seven Stones, a sprawling text/graphic adventure.

Studio Mansoon Games is hiring! Are you a Programmer or a Game artist? This is your chance! @allieebobo

~

As always, we apologize in advance for missing any update or release from the past week. We are only volunteers using their limited free time to find as much as we can - but sometimes things pass through the cracks.

If you think something should have been included in this week's zine but did not appear, please shoot us a message! We'll do our best to add it next week! And if you know oncoming news, add it here!

~ MAYBE YOU NEXT? ~

We did not get a submission this week. But if you have an idea for a short essay, or would like a special space to share your thoughts about IF and the community...

Shoot us an email!

~ HIGHLIGHT ON ~

A couple of games that we thought were cool.

Viatica by @fir-fireweed (Twine)

Wonderful prose, interesting worldbuilding, lovable characters! Chapter 10 was recently updated and it tore my heart out 10/10.

//submitted by Silly//

Do you have SALT? by BRXKEVN (Steam)

I wanted to tell you about the salt.

//submitted by Oreolek//

Your favourite game here?

Do you have a favourite game that deserves some highlighting?

An old or recent game that wowed you so much you spam it to everyone?

Tell us about it! And it might appear here!

H/T = Horror/Thriller H = Halloween themes S = Supernatural C = Creepy

~ RECOMMENDATIONS (COMPLETE) ~

It gets so lonely here (H/T) by ebi-hime (Ren’Py)

Yuri yandere visual novel, what else needs to be said? //submitted by Remm//

Deepest Grievances (H/T) by 17 confused villains (Ren’Py)

Equal parts murder mystery, eldritch horror, and office satire. This is a great adventure-style VN with a puzzle that made me gasp when I figured out the solution. //submitted by Natasha//

Hanna, We're Going to School (S) by Kastel (Twine)

You and your ghost friend go to school and everything goes sideways. My favorite piece on queerness and rage. //submitted by Emerson//

Last seen online (H/T + S) by qwook/sochinstudio (Three.js)

It is a very great and short game. It includes puzzles that are both satisfying and sad to solve. //submitted by anon//

Escape from Hell (S) by Nils Fagerburg (???)

Switch between monsters and use their abilities to help you escape! Elegant design with fun puzzles. //submitted by Sera//

Neighbourhood Necromancer (H/T) by Gavin Inglis (CScript)

Command the undead to take revenge on the suburbs! Perhaps you’ll start by taking over a convenience store.

Yûrei Station (H/T) by Atelier Sentô (Unity)

A girl takes a night train heading to an unknown destination…

Everyday Horrors (H) by Jacob Aberdevine (Bitsy)

A short Halloween game about fear and uncertainty.

Ghosterington Night (H/T) by Wade Clarke (Inform 7)

Danger-filled Ghosterington Manor appears atop the same cliff each year on Samhain night. It’s hidding four poems that are worth a fortune, and you, famous adventurer Jubilee Grief, are determined to find them.

Forever and Ever (H/T + H) by @PetricakeGames-IF (Ink)

Halloween night comes to a close and you're just settling in to get a good night's sleep when your son Lucas lets you know there are monsters in his room.

First Bite (S) by firstbitegames (???)

One night. Three (very hot) vampires. Make a deal with Death or die trying… (Alejandro Saab is in it so you know it’s good. Also very 18+.) //recommended by Dion [team]//

Well Tended (C) by danielle taphanel (Bitsy)

A short storybook simulator about wandering through death's shade-filled garden, following the spiraling path of poisonous plants to the center.

Witches x Warlocks (H + S) by Nifty Visuals (Unreal Engine)

Seven days until Halloween! Seven days until Fay Nightshade gets booted out of school for being the only witch unable to cast a single spell.

Eat me (C) by Chandler Grooverr (Inform 7)

In this castle, you'll eat or be eaten. May contain dairy, carnage, puzzles, nuts.

~ RECOMMENDATIONS (WIP) ~

We Wretched Creatures (H/T) by @darkfictionjude (Twine)

Who can you trust? What’s the truth behind your family? What are things that you see in the dark?

Sentience (H/T + S) by @sentience-if (Twine)

After a near-death experience at the hands of a crazed angel, you're suddenly thrust into a conspiracy surrounding a corpse-worshiping cult, divinely mad saints, and something buried far, far beneath the earth.

Fervency (H/T) by @fervency-if (CScript)

After getting cured from a vicious plague, you begin to feel some strange and unfamiliar cravings - namely a fervent desire for flesh or blood.

The Story of Sin (H/T + S) by @devilishmango (Twine)

You are the spawn of Satan and The Devil. You decide to defy them once again, and just like always… they aren’t exactly too happy about that. This leads them to decide to punish you one last time- only, this time, the punishment is deadly.

Reanimated Heart (H/T + S) by @doubledeadstudio (???)

Figure out how to build a life from scratch in a strange dimension where the sun never rises and supernatural creatures live freely.

Van Helsing (S) by @vanhelsing-if (Twine)

You are the last of a family of elite slayers. When you get tasked with slaying an ancient Entity in four months, will you remain the indomitable Van Helsing of legends or will this finally be your breaking point?

SLAUGHTER☆SQUAD (H/T) by @harlequinoccult (Twine)

For the most part, you’re a pretty normal mid-20-something year old who lives in a shitty apartment in the city. Well, except for one thing. Your ”Associate” Carter “Dollface” Abernathy. Who is a murderer.

Did we miss your favourite game? Don’t worry, there’s still a chance! Fill out this form and we will include it in our next Halloween issue.

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL! WHETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD, OR EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN...

Have something to say? Send us a message titled: Zine Letter!

As we end this issue, we would like to thank: Silly, Oreolek, Remm, Natasha, Emerson, Sera and the awesome anon!

For sending us their game recommendations and highlights!

And as always, huge thanks to all you readers who liked, shared, and commented on last week's issue! What might be tiny actions are huge support and motivators to us!

Thank you for cheering us on this journey!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We now have a Linktree! Accessing all of our links has never been easier.

And see you again next week, even more spooky!

BRIJ, DION, BEX, JEN

WHAT'S NEW IN IF? 2024-ISSUE 26

[robbinghisdick]

It's as they're wrapping up yet another potential world ending threat when Hal's voice cracks across Bruce's comm-link.

"Hey, heard everyone's still alive."

Bruce is more relieved to hear his voice than he'd ever be able to let on. "We could've used your help." It comes off harsher than he means to.

"Missed you too, Spooky." Hal sounds tired. "Any chance you can come meet me in the Watch Tower?"

It has been a solid nine months since they had last seen each other. Their ambiguous relationship meant they had sex before Hal left and Bruce pretended that he wasn't bothered by the radio silence. It was better to keep things more professional, less involved, in any case.

Bruce glanced around at the barely contained destruction around him. They might've actually come away from this incident with no casualties. Superman and Flash have doubtlessly already scoured the affected area for anyone caught in the crossfire.

"I'll come up in a few." He didn't bother asking why Hal wasn't coming down to talk to him. If he could, he would have.

"A few what?" Hal asks in exasperation. "Minutes? Hours?"

"Maybe more."

"Oh my god," Hal hisses, "you are insufferable."

The slightest of smiles twitches on Bruce's lips. "I'll be up as soon as I'm sure I'm not needed down here."

///

Hal looked just about as tired as he sounded over the comm. It was clear he hadn't showered in a few days, hair disheveled and greasy, tired bags under his eyes. While there weren't any apparent injuries on his body...

"You had a baby."

Babies, especially newborns, grew up fast. This baby looked only weeks old at most. If Hal hadn't joined the fight, Bruce estimated the baby was only days old, and that Hal was far from recovered.

Hal snorts. "Great deduction skills there, detective." He swallows hard. "Can you solve the rest of the mystery?"

For a moment, Bruce doesn't say anything. He stares at the sleeping baby, at its whispy locks of dark hair. He glances back up to Hal's eyes, notes the guarded look on the other man's face given away by his tense shoulders.

It doesn't take a genius to put together the fact that Hal wasn't pregnant when they last slept together nine months ago.

Bruce's eyes fall back down to the baby, chest constricting as he finds himself moving forward towards Hal. He wordlessly reaches out, and Hal responds in turn after only a moments worth of hesitation to hand over the baby.

Cradling the baby in one arm, Bruce pulls off his cowl with the other. Bruce suddenly finds himself needing to sit and finds himself sinking into the nearest available chair.

"For what it's worth, I tried to get back to Earth before he was born."

Bruce barely hears Hal, making a small hum of acknowledgement. His hand reaches to touch his son's face before freezing. He's quick to bite off his glove and drop it off to the side. The baby barely stirs as Bruce rubs his finger against his cheek. The tiniest eye peeks open, not enough to really see his eyes before it closes again and he grunts softly.

When Bruce is finally able to tear his gaze away, Hal is looking at him nervously.

Suddenly there is issues to be had with their ambiguous relationship... but Bruce doesn't really feel like getting into all of that at the moment.

"Have you..." His voice comes out hoarse, prompting him to clear his throat "Does he have a name yet?"

Hal relaxes a little. "I've just been calling him "little man" the past couple of days. Been thinking of some names, but I really thought I'd have time to talk to you first."

The thought that Hal had an entire pregnancy on a foreign planet was enough to unnerve Bruce. Hal could've died, the baby could've died, and Bruce might not have ever found out.

"Are you mad?" Hal asks after a beat of silence.

Anger was far from Bruce's mind. "Did you purposely keep your pregnancy from me?"

"It pains me that I couldn't use the pregnancy against you and you wouldn't have been able to fight back," Hal laments with a sigh, an attempt to lighten the tension. "But no. I couldn't get back home, it was out of my hands." He studies Bruce for a moment, a serious look on his face. "You're not upset at another kid being sprung on you?"

Bruce had met Damian not too long ago, all things considered. He had wanted him, back when he found out Talia was pregnant, before she lied about a miscarriage and left him. Ten years he was left out of his child's life.

"No," Bruce says, looking back down at the infant, "this is the first one I've been able to hold."

He's carried his Robins before. When Dick was still so young and tired, when Jason was hurt and could've walked it off, but didn't pass off a chance to be carried, Tim in a rush to get him somewhere safe when he got injured, and Damian as huffed and puffed about being fine, but didn't fight Bruce too hard on it. He's held Cass hard enough to hurt and she held him back just as tightly.

This was different. He never got to hold his own baby.

Bruce feels his throat constricting. He swallows hard and takes a deep breath. "What names did you have in mind?"

"Was considering maybe Thomas after your father, Tommy for short."

Bruce briefly considers it, but is very quick to decide no. "Maybe as a middle name. What about your father?"

Hal immediately shakes his head. "No. He's too young to be a Martin."

It's not like Bruce had never thought of names before, names he would've potentially given Damian... but that was for a different time.

They lapse into silence.

"Are you okay?" Bruce finally asks, taking another good look at Hal. He wasn't sure where they were going to go from here.

"Just need some rest, really." Hal rubs at his eyes. "It's been non-stop for weeks now--"

"Hal!"

In a blink, Barry is there, hand on Hal's shoulder. "Where you've been, man?"

"Oh, you know, space," Hal smiles and brightens up a bit.

"Very descriptive," Barry said with a huff. "You look like shit. You alright?"

Hal waved him off. "Yeah yeah, I'm fine." He gestures over at Bruce. "What should we name the baby boy?"

Barry glances over. "Uuhh, Finneas?" He then does a double take. "Wait, what the hell?" He immediately drops into a crouch in front of Bruce, a grin on his face as he coos at the baby. "Hey there little guy!"

Barry holds out his hands and Bruce reluctantly hands the baby over.

"He's way too cute to be your baby," Barry teases Hal before booping the baby's nose. "Am I the god father?"

Hal spares a glance at Bruce before saying, "Of course!"

Bruce didn't have any complaints anyways.

"I like the name Finneas too, Finn for short." This time Hal's look towards Bruce was seeking actual approval.

"No objections here," Bruce finally decides on.

He notices the way Barry's eyes dart between them, realization suddenly dawning on his face. "Hold up! Hal, you and Bats are a thing?"

"No!"

That stung a little.

"Well, I mean," Hal runs a hand through his hair, pointedly not looking at Bruce as he seems to reconsider. "Kinda. I don't know. Either way, yes, he's the other parent."

Barry hums thoughtfully, looking down at the baby. "So... who's last name is little Finn here gonna take?"

Hal and Bruce stare at each other.

"I carried him for nine months."

"Finneas Wayne sounds better."

(Art of Finneas!)

[radioactivedotcom]

SpookGames is recruiting!

If you’re an aspiring artist dreaming of making your own character designs for video games, you’ve undoubtedly heard of our company before. We’ve made classics such as Spooktacular Extravaganza and Once Upon a Spook. Who hasn’t spent hours in those games?! This is the opportunity of a lifetime to get your foot in the door of the gaming industry!

To apply, please fill up the form linked above and attach your portfolio.

Now, we don’t want your old and dusty art. No, no, no. Since we’re a game company, we’ve decided to make it a little more fun than that. Each answer you give in the form should be your prompt to create a character! This way, we get to know your personality and your creative talent all in one fell swoop! (And we will not be arbitrarily judging your answers as ways to extrapolate how this would translate in the workplace and throw away your application should we dislike said answers. Though we welcome essay-andying your answers to explain why it should get you the job.)

As you've surely noticed, there are 31 questions to fill out. You do not need to create a character for all of them (but you certainly can if you wish to!). We ask for a minimum of three designs to whichever prompts inspire you most.

Having doubts about applying? There are many advantages to working at SG! Such as:

Meager pay below industry standard; unpaid overtime; no sick leave; no vacation for the first 3 years; a boss who only cares about margin profits; mandatory team-building exercices every weekend; no promotion for the first 20 years; no private life allowed; SG will be your new family so make sure to ditch the old one!

Apply now, what are you waiting for! You have from now until October 31st to send in your application through either using the tag #spookapplication OR tagging us @radioactivedotcom !

Psst, by the way, don’t worry about about doing better than the other applicants. The CEO’s nephew is the one getting the job, he'll get a promotion after three months.

Yes, all this just for a CAS challenge! Listen, I wanted to have fun. You don’t have to roleplay in order to participate, you can just make your cute little simmies and hit post, no pressure whatsoever. But I certainly ain’t stopping you if you did want to roleplay. winkwink.

ALL PROMPTS UNDER THE CUT

 What is the halloween costume you loved wearing the most?

 What is your favorite horror movie?

 In your humble opinion, which is the best magical creature™?

 Choose... Glitter or blood?

 What is the kind of villain you aspire to be?

 Tell us of the best horror character archetype!

 If YOU were a horror character, what archetype would you be?

 Are you... cute spooky or scary spooky?

 The fantasy ennemies-to-lovers you can’t get enough of is...?

The ONLY post-apocalypse setting should be?

What was the monster under your bed?

How would you personify your zodiac sign?

Who are you in an alternate universe?

Who's the stranger you’d flirt with in a fantasy setting?

What is your go-to DnD character?

If you were an alien... what kind would you be?

What is the best year to time-travel? (past or future)

What is a monster you’d adopt in a heartbeat?

Make disney princess you'd have loved as a kid!

Or a disney prince you'd love to hate.

If you were to have a sidekick, who would they be?

Who would you want haunting you?

Choose... Science or magic?

What is your favorite halloween-themed emoji?

Are you more of... An evil witch or a benevolent healer?

What is your go-to song for halloween?

Choose... Earth, wind, fire or water?

Would you more... Growl or Purr?

What's a creature you’d have as your BFF?

What is a futuristic trend you would love?

What is the best candy? Wrong answers land you in jail.

+ dl the .word application form if you'd like!

[cloveroctobers]

OCTOBER PROMPTS 🦇 — 11. Evan “Buck” Buckley

A/N: my man, my man, my man!! Hopefully we get to see you soon and I can actually get the nerve to finish season six—I only have maybe 4 episodes left? Then I’ll dive into 9-1-1 lone star while we wait. Regardless I thought this would be funny and a little creepy to write so here we are! Enjoy 😉

Synopsis: Buck loves the new house you live in together and although you’re not crazy about it…you decide to pull a prank on your boyfriend to liven up the place that perhaps leads to you opening doors for a uninvited guest?

PROMPTS ARE FROM HERE & HERE & I’m using: A buys a crappy sound machine and plants it in the house. While it plays ghost noises and spooky sounds, A hopes they can convince B that the place is haunted. + “Come on, if there was ever a time for me to be superstitious it’s definitely now.”

*GIF BELONGS TO: @911edit

<- read my previous anthology prompt here.

꩜⌖ㄨ࿔⚡︎꩜⌖ㄨ࿔⚡︎꩜⌖ㄨ࿔⚡︎꩜⌖ㄨ࿔⚡︎꩜⌖ㄨ࿔⚡︎ ꩜

“BABE!” Buck yelled into your ear after pulling the headphone away.

You flinch as you stand up straight from the kitchen island and away from your overnight oats, “Yes?” You press with raised brows.

Buck waves his hands around, “you don’t hear that?”

“Hear what?” You question, pausing the podcast and resting your headphones to lay around your neck, “I didn’t even know you were home.”

Buck immediately frowns, “don’t tell me that. That means anybody could be hiding in here and you wouldn’t even know because of those stupid things.”

“You bought them for me.”

“Yeah to use at the gym and keep those meathead douchebags away while I’m not around.” Buck explained which made you smirk with a roll of your eyes.

“Listen,” Buck said again as you moved around the modern kitchen (that you hated) to place the now empty bowl and spoon into the sink.

Placing a hand on your hip you glance around the new open floor plan home that you and Buck moved into together. The modern contemporary home was such a contrast from the outside to the inside with its exterior being too boxy for your liking but you enjoyed the black exterior and the courtyard and pool. The inside was much lighter, from white to cream walls, along with the high ceilings which made the home feel bigger and instantly sold Buck who believed this would be your forever home.

You on the other hand were not convinced but nobody could ever say you weren’t open to trying new experiences. It’s only been four months settling in and there were still some things you wanted to change like: mainly the wall colors but Buck was convinced furniture and decor could replace that urge.

Sighing you say, “I don’t hear anything Ev,” you tap the sink on, “maybe you should lay down? Was it a rough day?”

“No, it was a breeze.” Buck fanned his hand along before resting them both flat against the White Island counter, “…maybe it’s a bird or something?”

“Well what exactly did it sound like?”

“Like scratching. Kinda like Pearla when she tries to sneak into our room at night,” Buck answers before glancing around, “matter of fact, where is she?”

“At the groomers. She won’t be ready until after four,” you inform Buck of the whereabouts of your old English sheepdog.

Buck dips his head, looking at his watch, “it’s 3:42.”

“Shoot! time does really get away from me,” you widen your eyes as you quickly finish washing the dishes before spinning around to shove it into the dishwasher.

Buck nods his head, “I’ll drive.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah,” Buck shrugs his shoulders, “it’s a nice crisp day and…I don’t want you having any accidents considering your hearing isn’t the best right now.” He playfully lifts the headphones from your neck to place down while you roll your eyes again.

You lean towards him smug, “ah, I see what this is…you’re scared to stay here by yourself because of this imaginary noise you’re hearing.”

“I’m not! And i don’t think it’s in my head.” Buck defended while you went over to the couch to shove your hoodie back over your gym attire.

“Uh huh,” you say as Buck scoffs ready to plead his case as you lock up the home behind you.

The next time Buck hears the noise is around 3am when you’re both tucked away at the back of the home in bed. It’s not a pleasant sound as his eyes snap open to the darkness of the room, the moaning and creaking almost sounds like a mixture of a whale and the cracking of a ship that meets the bottom of the ocean. Buck knows he should stop clicking on random things on YouTube before bed that leads him down a deep dive but this isn’t the first time he’s hearing that groaning sound.

It was brief before on his day off while you were at work and he was lounging on the couch watching some twisted documentary about Russ McKamey. Buck tried to brush it off as something that was on screen since it stopped when he paused the television but he couldn’t hear it while watching again. Was this truly in his head? He started to think but here he was— technically—the third time hearing the noise for much longer.

When he peaks over at you with your back to him, he lightly grips your shoulder and leans over to see that you’re still fast asleep and sits up in bed. By the edge of the bed, he spots Pearla on the floor with her fluffy ears perked up and Buck nods his head.

“You hear it too, girl? I know I’m not going crazy!” Buck whisper-yells to the dog who’s definitely more alert than you are.

Buck’s crawling out of bed with Pearla at his ankles, taking a deep inhale he opens the bedroom door to peak down the left of the hallway towards the front of the new home and only sees darkness. Pausing for a moment he listens for the noise again but the home is eerily quiet.

Buck stands there for at least two minutes before he considers closing the door but the creaking starts up again, sending Pearla flying out of the room barking as she tries to locate the noise first.

“Pearla!” Buck yells for the dog who disappears down the hallway and out of sight.

He blows a whistle with his fingers to get her attention, stepping into the hallway now but Pearla is nowhere to be seen. When he glances over his shoulder back in your direction, you’re still in fact sound asleep. Usually you’re the light sleeper out of the pair but somehow in this early morning, you’re having a grand time in dreamland.

Reaching for the doorknob, Buck slowly pulls the door closed with a soft click and begins taking the path to the main areas of the home. Pass the three bedrooms and the half bath on the left, Buck scans the dining room, kitchen, and living room to find it all empty. Confusion is written all over Buck’s face as he stands in the center of the home, hands on his hips as he’s searching but…for what?

The groaning picks up again just as a touch goes to his hips. Buck yelps, whipping around to face you who’s actually holding their composure. Buck holds onto his chest ready to let out a exhale but the look you cast behind your shoulder then back to meet Buck’s island water eyes you say, “the house is haunted.”

“What?” Buck let’s out a full exhale, trying to calm his heart rate.

You swallow, hands still holding onto Buck’s hips, “I hear it too.”

He tightens his jaw, ears picking up on the noise but now it’s the loudest it’s ever been, making you grip your very sensitive ears.

“Wait here,” Buck suggests, hands flexing as he picks up a fire poker that was left leaning against the industrial bookcase from his old apartment, “it sounds like it’s coming from the laundry room.”

You huff, feet slapping against the floor as you latch right onto the back of his shirt, “hell no! You’re not leaving me behind in this sketchy house.”

“Ohhh,” Buck sing songs, “now it’s sketchy but when I said it’s been weird lately you tell me I need a nap.”

You hiss, “be quiet, we’re supposed to be stealthy when sneaking up on a ghost.”

“I wasn’t aware that you had experience with the paranormal.” Buck looks back at you with a frown before slowly leading the way back towards the bedrooms.

“I’ve seen ghost whisperer you know?”

“…am i supposed to know what that is?”

“It’s a show Maddie and I are currently binge watching, now ssh!” Your attempt to silence the man was met but Buck used this silence to steady his heartbeat.

If this house was truly haunted then it was going to be hard to explain this to the insurance company when he’s done tearing up the place.

And we all know Buck’s not afraid of some action. His arm goes out to shield you as you both slide up against the wall opposite of the door that leads into the small laundry room. Buck couldn’t hear Pearla’s barking anymore and she did go in the opposite direction so he hoped whatever this is, didn’t harm your beloved dog.

“On my count,” Buck signals peering at you shortly to make sure you understood where he was going with this, “three…two…”

Of course he didn’t say “one” as he pushed the door back, revealing the very normal looking laundry room. Everything appeared in tack as Buck stepped into the room, hand reaching out to shove some clothes on the rack aside and then checking the cabinets above the washer and dryer.

“Huh,” Buck hummed before pulling the appliances open to find them both empty, “nothing.”

When he turns to face you, you’re hugging yourself but your brows are still furrowed in disbelief. He reaches to flick the light off and steps towards you to exit the room but a screeching noise picks up yet again. Instead of it sounding like it’s in the laundry room, it’s appears as if it’s coming from back towards the front of the home.

“No freaking way!” Buck yells, bringing the fire poker up like a bat as he runs down the hallway.

You scream at his back, “stop running towards danger you idiot!”

Buck ignores you, following the sound right to the pantry door, which is closed shut. He wastes no time, pulling the door back to reveal a gray and white Pearla fleeing from the room with a whine. Buck almost recoils at how loud the sound is coming from the pantry but steps in anyway, looking around the spacious storage room until the door shuts right behind him.

He tries the knob but to no avail, he turns back to the dark room, dropping down into a push up motion to check underneath the shelves. The thirty year old was just waiting to see something further unusual but got back to his feet just to be shoved towards the shelves.

Buck steadies his hands out in front of himself, catching himself against the shelves but not without the goods crashing onto the floor. He spins back around as the cracking noise picks up, almost making his teeth ache at the sound but that doesn’t stop him from swinging the fire poker wildly in the air. He’s not sure when the poker breaks one of the shelves but he spots a flash of red way at the top behind a acrylic container.

Panting Buck begins latching and crawling up on the shelves and swipes a hand across the top shelf, knocking the contents onto the floor to spot some sort of machine that suddenly shoots a weak steam of fog his way, followed by the creaking sound. Buck presses on top of it which sends out that screeching sound that makes Buck slip at the upsetting noise.

He’s shouting your name once he aims his footing right, landing back on it but not without the machine slipping right towards his face and knocking Buck off balance.

“I’m just glad it’s not broken,” you say for what felt like the thirteenth time as you hold the door open; ten am later that morning, leading your boyfriend back into your shared home that Buck secretly didn’t want to come back to.

The bandage on his bruised and cut up nose was prominent but Buck still sported a small smile on his face. “See what happens when you try to prank me. Now you have to tell everyone that I did in fact fight a ghost.”

The pantry door was jammed by the time you got to Buck, hearing him calling your name and Pearla barking for your attention. It wasn’t something it commonly did but you just deemed it as your anxiety getting the best of you, struggling to get it open. You were in on a bet with Chimney and Hen since Eddie (surprisingly) and Bobby didn’t want to participate—that you could convince Buck that your new home was haunted.

However you weren’t expecting for him to go investigating and get smacked in the face with the crap ghost machine you purchased off eBay. You were just happy that you weren’t the cause of Buck almost breaking his nose (you didn’t intend for the machine to slide off the shelf) but everything else you’ll take responsibility for.

“Sit,” you ordered Buck by his arms who laughed at you going into your nurturing role, “you know they’ll never believe that right?”

Buck kicks his feet up along the couch with a sigh, “but it could be a plot twist x2 with there actually being some haunted vibes going on. I mean…you did set me up.”

You pout as stood in the kitchen, “it was supposed to be all in good fun but then you had to go Rambo—being Buck. Did I mention how sorry I am?”

Buck laughs, “it’s just a scratch,” as Pearla jumps up beside him to rest her head in his lap, “it’ll heal and I can take a joke but just know…you did start a prank war for the rest of this fall season. You have no idea what you just unleashed.”

You didn’t like how Buck was rubbing his hands together in wicked joy but you’ll learn to deal with it.

“Yeah that’s what Maddie said,” you mumbled as you pulled open the fridge, “so before you come up with those ideas…I can make you your favorite breakfast.”

Buck grins, “that’ll be nice but I’d prefer a cuddle first.”

“Is your head hurting?”

Buck lolls his head, “I told you babe, I feel fine. Now get over here.”

You make a cross motion as you cautiously step over to Buck who shakes his head at you with a grin. Once you’re close enough, he reaches for your sweatshirt to yank you to his other side since Pearla made her claim on his left.

“Now that I know I’m not going crazy anymore, I can really enjoy this house with my two favorite people.” Buck curls a arm around you and rests the other along the back of the couch after patting Pearla’s head.

Resting your head against Buck’s chest you sink into the comfort each other. However that doesn’t last long with the sound of glass shattering from the mirror that once hung on the wall above the wooden chest that contained the record player on top of it.

The silence is almost deafening now as the both of you watch the pieces of the mirror decorate the floor.

Buck says, “Come on, if there was ever a time to be superstitious it’s definitely now.”

You knew a broken mirror was not a good sign and Buck started to feel like it wasn’t really all in his head as the flashes of what happened earlier this morning played back in his head. It couldn’t just be the trash machine you bought whenever and Buck really wasn’t that clumsy to trip over his feet so what gives?

Spookiness can be fun but Buck could always sense when things didn’t exactly feel right anymore? He believed in the full moon, mercury in retrograde and he strongly believed in when things weren’t just a good scare.

“So you agree, we should go house hunting?”

Again? Buck hated the process when he was on his own but with you it felt nice, like there was a definite future to look forward to.

“Yeah,” Buck states, “I think I’m done ghost hunting for awhile.”

“Hell yeah you are.” You respond, keeping your eyes towards the area just in case you saw something else that didn’t sit right with you; while reaching for your phone.

The both of you didn’t bother to debate over where you would be escaping to for the night as you searched your contacts for your realtor and fast.

꩜⌖ㄨ࿔⚡︎꩜⌖ㄨ࿔⚡︎꩜⌖ㄨ࿔⚡︎꩜⌖ㄨ࿔⚡︎꩜⌖ㄨ࿔⚡︎ ꩜

Continue with my fall anthology prompts here.

[the-cloudy-dreamer]

“And here we are! Mister Gadling if I may introduce you to the owner of this estate, Lord Morpheus Endelas?'' The portrait of a severe looking man hangs at the top of the staircase, with an ornate golden frame. It is the only thing occupying that wall. 

It looks lonely. 

“Lord Morpheus? So, if he is the owner of this estate, why is his sister the one rushing to sell it? Where is he?” Hob asks, confused.  

“Nobody really knows. He was quite the renowned painter at the time but went missing at the peak of his career months after his only son died in a tragic accident,” Mister Edwards explains. 

Hob’s heart clenches in sympathy, as if to lose one’s child seems horrible enough, but to be expected to carry on after such a loss seems unthinkable to him.

“Hold on, missing? Missing implies that he is still out there! Doesn't he get a say in what happens to his state? He could come back and rightfully unleash his wrath upon us for going through with this! Sir, you have to understand that if I am to take up this job offer I need to know I’m not risking my entire career and reputation over it.”

He feels perplexed “Wasn't anyone else concerned about this? How is picking apart a missing man’s home and selling all his worldly possessions to the highest bidder even considered acceptable? What was the Endelas family even thinking? The man lost his only child, surely he just needed some time away?” It didn't seem unreasonable to Hob. 

He didn’t like it. Something about this felt wrong.

“It is believed even by his own remaining family, that Lord Endelas killed himself. Saying he is missing is the polite way to not address the fact that no body was ever found! Even before his son’s death he was infamous for his melancholic moods and tendencies towards neglecting himself to the point of damaging his own health significantly. So I’m hardly asking you to do anything immoral here! You are a good man Mister Gadling, and if the thought of taking this job distresses you so much I will accept that and find someone else to do it, but Lady Endelas wants this to be done sooner rather than later and I think you are the best choice for it.”

Hob turns his attention back to the portrait and contemplates for a moment.

He truly did look lonely up there.

“I will give you my answer tomorrow morning, Mister Edwards,” he concludes. 

“That’s all I ask for Mister Gadling, for you to consider it. Thank you.” Edwards inclines his head and promptly turns around, heading back downstairs.

Hob looks helplessly at the portrait of Lord Morpheus, already knowing he will take the job come morning. 

Damn him and his bleeding heart.

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

Ta-dah! illustration that's part of my gothic romance dreamling AU for @dreamlingnation spooky event !! the prompt that inspired this was "cursed painting" the comic pages for the ficlet above are already in the works so stay tuned for that and more!

special thanks to @academicblorbo for helping me edit this, you are the best friend!

[helsaweenfun]

Helsaween 2024

Icon was a collaboration by @nap-hime & @magentacravat

Boo! Did you scream? Be afraid, be very afraid!

Last year, the Helsa server on Discord (👻https://discord.gg/BXy3yfff👻) arranged a 4 prompts & free days event, and we’re so delighted to announce our return to host it again this October 2024.

We hope you guys are bursting with spooky spirit!

Our (not-a-cult) group are opening our arms to welcome fellow Helsa lovers to participate in a month-long Helsaween event!

Don't be afraid to let creativity and inspiration creep in! Create fanfiction, fanart, comics, edits, mood boards, videos, headcanons, poems, essays, cosplay, anything you fancy!

🎃🎃🎃

EVENTS 

Week 1 (1-7 October) — Illusion

What is real and what isn't? Was it all a lie or is there still something to uncover? The line between truth and fantasy often blurs, and perceptions can shift, leaving you to wonder if anything is ever what it seems.

Week 2 (8-14 October) — Deadly Dynamic

The stakes are high and the outcome is uncertain, will this couple conquer together or be each other's undoing?

Week 3 (15-21 October) — Myth

Pssst! Heard the legend? Something lurks in the woods — a haunting, spirits, or something otherworldly. Dangerous? Thrilling? Life-changing? It’s up to you to decide, that is, if you believe in the myth.

Week 4 (22-28 October) — Disguise

Whether you're hiding in plain sight or playing a part, anyone can appear as something they’re not. Masks, cloaks, hidden identities; who's behind them and what secrets lie beneath?

Free days (29-31 October) — Free space / Repost

🎃🎃🎃

The examples above are merely ideas. Feel free to use your own interpretations of the prompts.

🎃🎃🎃

When posting your work, please:  

1. Tag @helsaweenfun

2. Tag #Helsaween 2024 and #Helsaween2024 and #Helsaween

3. Tag the Week(s) your work is inspired by (i.e. #Week One / #Week 1 / #WeekOne / #Week1), along with other appropriate tagging (fandom, characters, ship, spoilers, NSFW and content warnings).

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask :) Have fun and Happy Halloween!

[gaybananabread]

For the TT prompts, how about Lee!Miguel and any ler for day 5 or Ler!Peter B. with any lee for day 24?

TickleTober Day 5 - Boo!

~I can’t believe I haven’t written anything for Lyla yet! Really wanted to do the “lee mood spook” trope with Miggy; our AI gal was the perfect candidate! Got back into writing after a particularly bad slump with this one, so hopefully it’s okay. Thank you for requesting; have a happy spooky season!~

Lee: Miguel O’Hara

Ler: Lyla

Summary: Miguel is having one of his famous “I’m not in a lee mood” lee moods. After spooking him and catching on, Lyla decides to give her boss/bestie a hand…or eight.

Warnings: none! This is a tickle fic, so if you don’t like that, scroll away!!

Miguel was a closed-off man, to say the least. Few ever knew what was going on in his head, and those who did only knew what he wanted to reveal, which was never much.

Most of the time, that was how Miguel liked it; in a place where everyone had the same base traumas and sad backstories, it was nice to keep some air of mysterious individuality. Other times, he wished people could tell when he needed things… Not that he’d ever tell them, of course. He could handle himself, with or without support.

It was when a very specific problem arose that he started to second-guess himself.

The irritable Spider-Man had woken up feeling oddly giddy, a fluttery feeling in his chest. He craved a certain, very embarrassing touch. While he wished one of the other spiders would help him, there was no way in hell he was gonna tell anyone about his predicament.

That’s how he ended up in his office, door locked, scrolling through the fluffier side of the internet to try and deal with his mood in the most indirect way possible. The teasing audios, blurbs, and sketches were sort-of helping, allowing him to let out a giggle or two and relieve a bit of the giddy pressure in his chest.

He was fully absorbed into a short tease, squirming a bit as he read each word. The man imagined everything mentioned happening to him: the squeezes, the nibbles, the stupid teases, the affection in it all… He didn’t even think to check and see what Lyla was up to.

Turns out, she was up to terrorizing him.

“BOO!”

Letting out a sound he wasn’t proud of, Miguel jumped, immediately closing his floating screens. He did his best to glare at the holographic woman, but the blush on his cheeks dampened the effect. Lyla noticed almost immediately.

“Wait, are you blushing? Aww, Miggs, no need to be embarrassed! Everyone gets spooked sometimes.” She teased him, zipping over to float above his shoulder.

Thanks to Miguel’s need to overachieve with tech, Lyla had the capability to “touch” things when she wanted to; he’d spent months developing that part of her base code. So, when she playfully poked his ear, he felt every bit of the slightly sparky contact.

“Grk- LYLA! W-what have I told you about disturbing me when the door is locked?!” Miguel tried to scold her, sounding like a disgruntled father. She just rolled her eyes, a small scoff leaving her tiny mouth.

“Oh, c’mon. I made sure you weren’t doing anything important! The website you were on wasn’t naughty or marked as admin, just-” Lyla paused, her digital brows furrowing at the URL specifics. “Tumblr? Why were you on Tumblr?”

“I was…checking some potential members’ digital footprints,” he lied, struggling to stay still and stoic. Her attention made him squirmy, but he couldn’t busy his hands with the screens; if he tried, the very teasy post he was viewing would be on full display for the digital menace.

“Since when are we stalking new members?” She rolled her eyes, obviously not believing the man. Floating up high above his head, she checked his screen specifics.

“It can't be that- oh.” Lyla paused when she read the post, her digital eyes widening for a moment. It was…very specific, to say the least.

Miguel pinched his temples and groaned at her realization. How could he have been so careless as to forget Lyla could just check his browser whenever she felt like it?

“Are you in a…lee mood?” Lyla tried the words out, trying to understand what was going on with her boss. It wasn't the first time someone in the Society had the liking for those things, but it was the first she'd heard of it from him.

“Cállate, Lyla.” He was being a bit nasty, but Miguel was embarrassed, ashamed, and flustered all at once. How could she just ask that so casually?! It felt like an attack, though he knew it wasn't.

The sentient AI was at a crossroads then. She could have backed off, surrendered, and left Miguel to be a moody little shit-fuck. Or. She could deal with his mood head-on and get him to quit being such a jerk. It was an obvious choice.

“Shut up? Really, Miguel? To think I was trying to be nice to you.” Rolling her eyes in mock anger, she jabbed his side. Sure enough, he growled, swiping a claw at her; it went right through her, of course.

“Lyla, I swear, if you even-”

Before he could finish his empty threat, Lyla attacked. The three-inch tangible hologram zapped behind his head, fluttering all ten of her fingers against the back of his neck.

Miguel squeaked, jerking his shoulders upwards to try and protect his neck. Lyla pursued the sound, using her digital body to her advantage to avoid his claws while still tickling him.

“L-Lyla! Gehet away from me, now!” He tried to growl at his assistant, but the underlying giggles took away the venom in the sound. The giddy feeling in his chest swelled, a blush settling on his cheeks.

“You don’t really want that, do you, Migs?” Lyla teased, moving to scribble along the backs of Miguel’s ribs. Arching his back, he swiped at her, a strangled laugh catching in his throat. It was taking everything he had not to laugh or giggle, but her insistent, unstoppable scribbling was driving him crazy.

“Yes I dohoho!” He cursed the giggles that slipped out, hugging his ribs in an attempt to hide from her evil fingers. While he did want to be tickled, he preferred not to give her any more teasing ammo against him; Lyla was evil enough as it was.

While she was enjoying his attempts at stoicism, Lyla was after a more audible response. She could only reach so far with her small hands… Unless she got more, that is.

Backing off for just a second, the AI made a few copies of herself. She hadn’t used the feature since Miles’s grand escape, since it took quite a bit of focus to maintain. That just seemed like the perfect time to abuse her power.

The man’s eyes widened, filling with subtle excitement before narrowing dangerously. “Lyla, I swear, if you so much as think about touching me-”

Forty little wiggling fingers cut off Miguel's empty threat, a strangled squeal warbling in his throat. Staggering, he gripped the edge of his desk console hard enough to leave claw marks, unable to repress his reactions any longer.

“L-LYHYLAHAHAHA!”

There were ten fingers on the backs of his ribs, ten on his neck, ten on each hip, and ten alternating between his two ears. He did his best to try and grab her little projections, but she was purposefully sticking to his blind spots.

Miguel was in contradictory hell. On one hand, the fluttery feeling was being acknowledged, swelling in his chest quite pleasantly as she tickled him.

On the other hand, it was so fucking embarrassing; he was at his weakest when he was being tickled, much less in the workplace. Where anyone could walk in on them. It made him nervous in the most giddy way.

“What’s wrong, boss? Ticklish?” Okay, maybe she was pushing her luck, but c’mon! Miguel was such a hardass; it was nice to see him laugh so freely, especially when he was enjoying himself.

“SHUHUHAHAT UHUHAHAP!” Miguel pretty much lost it, stumbling back to lean against his desk as he laughed. It was hard to focus on anything but the tickles; he wasn’t sure he wanted to try anyway.

While Lyla would’ve been willing to carry on the silly moment, a motion sensor alerted her of an incoming spider: Hobie Brown. He probably would’ve just found the scene amusing, but she didn’t want to push Miguel’s boundaries.

At a moment’s notice, two of the copies glitched out of the air. Her main form went to greet the punk while the other hung back to rub each side of Miguel’s neck soothingly; it was the closest she could give to a calming back rub.

Miguel clamped a hand over his mouth, muffling the leftover giggles that streamed out of his mouth. He was about to ask why she stopped when he heard the door to his office slide open. A warm glow of appreciation swelled in his chest when he heard Lyla help and politely redirect the teen elsewhere. Lyla truly was a good friend, if a touch evil.

Once Hobie was gone, Lyla focused her efforts fully back on Miguel. “You okay, boss? Need me to request anything from the cafeteria?”

“I’m fine…” He grumbled the words into his palm, trying to hide his affection for her. The lack of annoyance in his tone told her everything she needed to know. The tickles helped, whether he would tell her that or not.

“Good. And hey, if you ever need a good giggle again, I’ll always be here~” She teased him, dragging one digitally manicured nail up the back of his neck. The squeak her action received was worth his glare.

“If you don’t stop talking, you’re gonna be filing new medical records all weekend.” Miguel’s growl was hardly up to par with its usual menace, giving him away. He couldn’t help it; having that lee mood dealt with, while quick and embarrassing, put him in a good mood.

“Sure, sure. I’m gonna go scan in the latest mission reports; see ya later, Miggs!” With a knowing smirk, she blipped from the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

That was…fuck. He felt lighter, a small smile tugging at his lips; in the privacy of his office, he let it come. While there was no way in hell he’d ever live it down, he was glad to have someone to help. Even if that someone was an evil little sass queen.

He closed the inciting Tumblr page and got back to work. The thought of later giggles and teasing conversations kept a small, manageably happy grin on his face for the rest of the day. Maybe some secrets were worth sharing.

[mercifulmemories]

Gui should have been used to the subways by now. The schedule still seemed to elude him. This particular station had a lack of upkeep. That made him wonder if they were letting it get decrepit so that they could close it down, and have the justification to build one elsewhere. But that logic didn't make sense, did it? 

Then again, politics never made sense.

[oneforthemunny]

girl i missed you!!!!🥺🥺🥺 so happy your back! i was thinking for your spooky stories, can you do older! eddie x reader take lilah trick or treating. thank you ❤️

a roo and a boo |older!dilf!eddie munson x reader|

prompt: delilah's first halloween (not exactly the trick-or-treat sorry. i started it and ended here with this but still fluffy and sweet and cute!!).

part of my munny's spooky stories series!

contains: literal fluff and cuteness. dad!eddie, mom!reader, age gap relationship. you can read the full older!eddie works here for all the lore and such :)

“Look at her.” You coo, peering over the padded changing table, wrangling Delilah’s tiny arms and long limbs gently into the costume. A random find you had shipped last minute, random and adorable and everything you’d ever wanted for your babies first Halloween. 

“She’s so fuckin’ cute.” Eddie grinned, dimples creasing in the scruff of his beard, at its beginning stages of salt and peppering like the curls that framed his hairline. “How did you find one this small?” 

“I got it off Etsy, so I could put the size in. Pretty handy because everything was too small for her.” You hum, shushing the small whimper that tore from Lilah’s chest. 

Only three months old, still tiny and fresh and new, but bigger than before. Bigger than when you first brought her home, scared out of your own mind that you’d drop her, break her, hurt her. Eddie was always so calm, so good about your fears and helping you- he’d done this before. He knew what it was like to be scared shitless with a baby. 

“How’d you come up with this?” Eddie’s eyes sparkled when they met yours. “Thought you were doing the bat and I was gonna be Ozzy?” 

“She’s too little for the bat costume. The biggest they made wouldn’t fit her, so I figured next year.” You shrugged. “I thought this was cuter.” 

“A kangaroo, hm?” Eddie’s finger brushed over Lilah’s cheek, grinning at the way she turned into his touch. 

“She’s Roo, Eddie, from Winnie the Pooh.” You glare at him playfully, grabbing the blue sweater next to you with the cross stitched letters ‘ROO’ on the front. “And I have some ears and a brown sweater and I’m Kanga. Get it? Because I’m her Mama.” You babble down at the baby, voice lifting in that airy coo of a tone that had Lilah’s lips curling in a gummy smile. 

“Oh,” Eddie nods, helping you maneuver Lilah’s balled fist through the sweater. “Just a you and Lilah costume?” 

“You get to be Ozzy and a bat next year.” You countered lightly, though your stomach flipped in fear. Fuck, maybe the suprise thing was stupid. Maybe you should have included him. “I mean, I can run to Target and try to find a shirt with Winnie on it or-” 

“-I’m just kidding.” Eddie shook his head, a gentle, calming hand rubbing down your spine. “I think it’s adorable. Both of you.” You beam, looking down at your little Roo, the hoodie with tiny ears that poked up. “Besides, I’m more of a Tigger man myself.” 

You snort lightly, rolling your eyes. “You? Thought you’d be more like Rabbit.” 

“Rabbit? No, that’s you, bunny, c’mon.” Eddie grinned, pinching your thigh playfully so you squealed. 

“You better watch it, Munson.” You pointed at him, fixing Lilah’s little sweater in place. “We have to be at my parent’s house in, like, thirty minutes. And they’ll actually care if we’re late now.” 

“Yeah?” Eddie hummed, lifting Lilah carefully into his arms. Her brown eyes blinking back at him, the small furrow of her brows from being disturbed- she looked like Wayne. 

“Yeah.” You nodded, swiping a stack of diapers from under the changing table. “My mom’s already losing it because she can’t wait to see Lilah’s costume. I’m never doing this surprise shit again.” 

“It’s their first grandkid, baby. What did you expect?” Eddie followed you down the hallway towards your shared bedroom. “They’re excited. Brie and Madeline too. It’s her first Halloween.” 

“What time is Brie getting here?” You pulled the brown sweater over your head, folding the slouchy neckline into place. 

“She’s here, I think.” Eddie muttered, eyes squinting, scanning the room undoubtedly for his phone. You bit back a smile. “I told her just to go over to Madeline’s. She’s staying at her apartment anyway tonight since she’s going to Gina’s tomorrow.”

“Oh?” You quip, brows raised in surprise. “They’re talking again?” 

“Yeah,” The sigh Eddie let out was soft, but heavy enough you knew he was… bothered, to say the least. 

Brielle’s silence towards Gina came after her mother’s nasty, cruel words about your pregnancy months ago. Eddie always felt guilty that Brielle was in the middle of the mess that was his relationship with his ex, even if she was the one dragging Brielle into it, weaponizing her even now against Eddie so he’d feel insecure. 

“I don’t… I don’t want to think about that tonight.” Eddie admitted, a soft tone that sounded defeated, hurt, really. 

You nodded, looking at him through the mirror, slipping on your own DIY made Kanga ears on a velvet headband. “I’ll text my mom. Let her know we’re on our way before she shows up and breaks down our door.” You laugh lightly, hand petting over Lilah’s soft cheek, your own lips brushing over Eddie’s for a sweet kiss. 

The drive to your parent’s house was brief, it took longer for you to load up the car. Carriers, diaper bags, extra clothes, strapping in the car seat, everything- it was a chore to pack up a baby to bring, but it was worth it. The look on your mom’s face when you pulled Lilah out of the car, her coos and squeals of excitement. 

“She is adorable. Just precious, oh!” Your mom gushed, ushering her grandchild through the doors, leaving you and Eddie for the rest of the things. “Honey! Look, look at Lilah!” You heard her call, scampering into the house. 

“I think she’s excited.” You roll your eyes playfully, slinging the diaper bag over your shoulder. 

“Yeah,” Eddie smirked. “Can you blame her? She is pretty cute.” 

“She is.” You nod, head leaning against his shoulder while you walked towards the house. Your felt ears hit his chin, tickling the skin there, but he didn’t move. “Is Wayne still coming?” 

“When he gets off.” Eddie nodded, his hand squeezing your waist softly. “He had to work. Likes to work at the plant on Halloween. They always bring the kids to trick-or-treat.” 

“Really? We should bring Lilah next year.” You look up at him. 

“Yeah, he’d love that. Hope he retires this year though.” Eddie rolled his eyes. He’d been trying to convince Wayne he needed to retire for years, but the older man was stubborn. “I used to take Brielle there every year, and she loved it. He did too. He would always save her the best pieces of candy.” 

The warmth in your chest spread to your cheeks, tugging at your lips, curling into a smile. You liked hearing memories like this with Eddie, not ones tainted with Gina’s venomous actions and words. Your fist balled at the thought- no, you wouldn’t say anything. Not when Brielle drove all the way from Indianapolis to be here. Not when everyone was happy. 

The cackle of the girl in question floated through your ears as the two of you climbed the pumpkin lined steps. Your parents and Madeline had insisted on carving them with Lilah, for her first Halloween, they’d said. She hadn’t done much besides being passed from person to person in her little pumpkin onesie while they carved them, but it made your family happy- it made you happy. 

“... This is so cute! Ugh, Maddy, we definitely still had our costumes from junior year. I know mine’s in my closet at my mom’s. We could have been Piglet and Winnie with her.” Brielle nodded, cradling her tiny, baby sister in her arms.

“Yeah,” Madeline looked at you, brows furrowed in annoyance. “Why didn’t you tell us? We would have matched.” 

“I didn’t know.” You huffed, rolling your eyes at your little sister, Eddie shutting the door behind you. “I wanted it to be a surprise.” 

“Well, we could have matched.” Madeline’s lips pursed, only for a moment before she was back to Delilah, cooing at her. “Hold on, Brie, let me get a picture. No, let’s go out by the pumpkins, it'll be so cute!” 

“Hi, Dad.” Brielle muttered, leaning into his hug, still cradling Lilah. 

“Oh! Take my camera, Madeline!” Your mom called frantically, spinning in a half circle looking for her camera. 

“Hey, sweetheart. Your drive ok?” Eddie pressed a kiss to her head, finger tickling down Lilah’s little cheek. 

“Yeah, it was good.” Brielle hummed, following Madeline out the front door. 

“Hi, Mom.” You said, stepping towards her. 

“Hi- oh! That’s so precious, you two match! Where did you find this, honey? It is so cute! It is- hi, Eddie, how are you?- It reminds me of when you dressed up as Tigger one year. Your Dad is looking for the photo album right now, so I can do a side by side.” Your mom rambled, jittery with the excitement of Delilah, the holiday, the side by side post she was already plotting to post on Facebook so all her friends would go ballistic. 

“I gotta see that.” Eddie grinned, hand wrapping around your waist sweetly. 

“Dad is looking through it now- it’s in the second one!” Your mom yelled into the living room, over the re-run of Hocus Pocus playing for the millionth time. “I’m going to go take some pictures with the girls, but there’s chili and hotdogs in the kitchen and- oh, Eddie, I got you Fritos for yours.” 

Eddie blushed, cheeks tingling pink in the warmth of your home. Your mom had remembered from last Halloween, remembered something about him and gotten it for him. It was small, he knew it was, but it made him feel… content? Made him feel like a part of the family. 

Your mom didn’t hear his response, scurrying out to the front porch with her phone to take her own photos. Your eye roll made Eddie grin, pulling you into his side, pressing a kiss against your hairline where your velvet headband met your hair. 

“She’s insane.” You muttered. 

“She’s excited.” Eddie hummed, rubbing a hand down your hip soothingly. 

“She’s lost her mind.” You scoff. “I don’t think she even cares about me anymore. She’s just, like, give me my baby.” 

“Hey, it could be worse. Could want nothing to do with her.” Eddie sighed. He didn’t finish the sentence, didn’t tell you that Gina’s parents had been that way. 

Your heart ached for him, leaning into his chest. “I think they’re going to be busy for a while.” You tilted your head up to look at him. “You hungry?” 

“Starving.” Eddie grinned. “Especially for your Mom’s chili. I’ve been thinking about this all week.” 

“God, don’t tell her that.” You snort, arms still around his torso when you walked into the kitchen. “Her head will explode. She’s already got an ego because she’s a Grammy.” 

“Think you’ve got one too,” Eddie teased, eyes twinkling in the yellow light of the kitchen. You frowned, his hand rubbing over the ears of your headband. “You and Lilah in your matching outfits. ‘S cute.” He beamed, love struck and gooey, the way he would schmooze over you years before. 

You fought back the blush on your cheeks, lips twisting to hide your smile. “Yours is gonna be huge next year, Ozzy.” 

“It’s already huge, sweetheart. You know that.” Eddie purred playfully, squeezing the fat of your ass to make you jump and squeal, eyes cutting around to make sure none of your family was around. “I think it’s cute. Surprised she didn’t steal you for photos.” 

“Don’t give her any ideas.” You huff, pulling a bowl out of the cabinet. “How much do you want?” You ask, reaching for the ladle. 

Eddie shook his head, batting his hands away. “I got it. Got yours too, go sit down.” He nodded towards the table. 

You hesitated, Eddie’s hip bumping yours to move out of the way. “I want mine on-” 

“-chili on the hotdog, cheese on top, and no mustard.” Eddie hummed, spreading the bun to put the chili on. His eyes flicked to yours, smug smile on his face. “Right?” 

You nodded, sinking into the chair by the kitchen table, where you always sat growing up. Eddie smirked. “Told you, I got it. I got you tonight, alright? Take it easy. You don’t have to be Mama Be- Kangaroo tonight.” 

Your eyes roll, huffing lightly when you settle into your seat. Eddie maneuvered the two plates and a bowl with far better ease than you expected. It was nice, sitting in your childhood home with your husband, with your family. 

Your mom came bustling in with the photo of you in hand, a tiny toddler in an old school Tigger costume, face painted to match. Your dad holding Lilah in his recliner, feeding her the bottle you packed, content watching whatever sports he’d managed to flip on before your mom would make him change it back to Halloween movies. Wayne came by after his shift, a handful of candy for Brielle and Madeline, giving them a wink and a, “Told you I’d save you the good stuff. Always save you the good stuff.”  

Eddie beamed, watching it all from his own corner of the kitchen. Your mom and Wayne looking over photo albums, Brielle and Madeline giggling in the corner like they used to when they were younger- when the two of you had just met. You flitting between all of them, content and relaxed, Lilah in your arms. 

Eddie knew that Lilah would be loved. That she’d grow up in a better house than he had, that even Brielle had. In the type of family home he’d always dreamed of having, and now he had it, with you- because of you. 

[invisiblequeen]

For @ethicaltreatmentofcowplants 's BC: May I Introduce...Pauline Irwin? (Again?)

Name: Pauline Irwin

Age Group: Young Adult

Pronouns: She/Her

Orientation: Bisexual

Life State: Former Vampire Turned Non-Occult

Hometown: Forgotten Hollow

Current Town: Chestnut Ridge

Occupation: Rancher

Traits: Rancher,Horse Lover, Loves Outdoors

Aspiration: Master Vampire (at least, that's what she used to want...)

Likes: Fitness, Horse Riding, Mixology, Rascals, Spirited Sims, Nature Enthusiasts, Hard-Working Sims, Yellow, Black, Carnival Beats, Classical, Soul, Jazz, Hip Hop, Retro

Dislikes: Egotistical Sims, Argumentative Sims, Blue, Cottagecore Music, Winter Holiday Music, Spooky Music, Batuu Music, Strange Tunes, Ranch Music (she's in the ranch life, but not THAT much!)

Misc.: Finally tried Garlic. Delicious. Favorite horse is a black stallion named Lemaire. Her good friends back home keep her updated on all the gossip.

Gifts: A well-aged bottle of nectar, a knitted beanie (from a neighbor, and ,

• Flirting with other contestants? No

• WooHooing other contestants? No

• Flirting with/and or woohooing NPCs? No

• Flirting with the host? No

• Changes to traits via gameplay prompts? Yes

• (Humans Only) Becoming an occult? Depends on where the story leads her (taking her bio into account.)

Did you know I was once the most Powerful Vampire In Forgotten Hollow?

I was.

I'd been set for greatness since birth, with a family line of high-class and ancient power, and I had impressed even them with plans to turn the Hollow into an unforgettable empire for all vampires near and far to congregate. The people adored me, if they weren't busying envying me. I had the world at my fingertips.

But others more powerful than me wanted my power for themselves. They joined forces against me, threatening to destroy all I held dear. For months, we locked into a bitter back and forth. But in a final battle that put both sides against each other, we turned them all to dust.

My victory cost me my own power.

While the remnants of my former life still rest in my visage (glowing eyes, gaunt cheeks, and sharp teeth), everything that made me the Vampire I was died that day. I did not belong at home anymore. With a heavy heart, I left the Hollow behind, in the hands of the people I trusted most, and set out on a voyage to find a new purpose while they remained and searched for a way to reverse this loss.

In my new home, Chestnut Ridge, as I await word of a possible cure, I distract myself with a mortal life's pleasures. To my surprise, there are many things to love. I love the feeling of galloping through plains with the wind in my hair, hearing the horse neigh joyfully. I do it every night. I enjoy the sweetness of nectar. I relish the spicy and the tart of new dishes I now rely on for sustenance. I even find pleasure in the warmth of the sun on my skin.

And for the first time in a long time, I feel a desire for companionship. For a partner. A lover. A friend.

My life's work is somewhere behind me, with the home I miss more than anything. And yet...I wonder...could this be a better life, as a mortal, a companion...forever?

WHAT DO WE THINK, @ethicaltreatmentofcowplants ?

[dancinglikebutterflywings]

Spooky Season | Halloween Event 2024

Ghost Stories | Jongho

🧡 Pairing: Choi Jongho x gf!Reader

🖤 Requested by: Anon

🧡 Prompt: 18 - Telling ghost stories.

🖤 Warnings: Ghosts. This one involves babies, midwives and a matron (chief or head nurse). The ghost story Jongho tells is inspired by one of the many experiences I had as a kid. I tried to make it spooky but let's face it as much as I love spooky stuff, I suck at writing it.

🧡 Word Count: 1,783

🖤 Taglist: Open. Send an ask or fill out the Tag List Form. Please note that the halloween event taglist is included in the general taglist.

Spooky Season 2024 Masterlist | Main Masterlist

Y/N and Jongho were finally enjoying their first date night in what felt like months. This Halloween, they opted for a cozy evening at home, ready to dive into a marathon of scary movies while indulging in takeout and snacks they bought the day before. They’d politely declined all their friends' invitations to Halloween parties and events and placed a bowl filled with candy outside the door so they weren’t interrupted by trick or treaters. However, they were caught off guard by an unexpected power outage caused by a drunk driver crashing into the transformer that supplies electricity to their block. 

"How about instead of scary movies, we tell scary stories instead," Y/N suggests lighting her last candle so they have a little bit of light. 

"Who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend," he chuckles, not quite believing the words coming out of her mouth. This is coming from someone who only watches scary movies on Halloween with the compromise that they keep the lights and a promise to follow up with something lighthearted afterwards. He thought she’d be relieved to skip the scary stuff altogether. "Are you possessed or something?" he joked, leaning in closer to her face as if to inspect her for signs of a takeover. "Hello, Y/N? Are you still in there? Blink twice if I need to find an exorcist."  

"Stop," she chuckles, rolling her eyes and gently pushing him away from her. "I assure you I have not been possessed," she says. "I just thought it would be fun to keep it somewhat spooky, ya know, without the jump scares." 

Jongho raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her unexpected suggestion.  I guess that could work. But you have to promise me one thing," he says agreeing to it. "Remember that this was your idea. If you get scared, you can't put the blame on me." 

"Deal! But if I do get scared, you have to hold my hand," she counters with a cheeky smile. "Let’s play rock, paper, scissors to see who goes first."  

They both lifted their hands, "One… two… three!"  

Jongho goes with paper, while Y/N picked rock.  

"Ha! I win!" he cheers, clapping his hands in excitement. "Looks like I get to start. I promise the first story won’t be too scary."  

"Alright," she rolled her eyes again, a grin on her face as she settles into the couch.  

"A friend of mine told me this story. It really happened to him," he began, also getting cozy on the couch. "So, my friend’s dad worked as a security guard. His job was to check on old buildings to ensure they hadn’t been broken into and that no one was squatting inside. Some of these places had alarms, so he would just walk around a few times, making sure there were no one suspicious hanging around," he continues. "One of the buildings he had to check was an old maternity hospital on the outskirts of town. After being closed for years, it had reopened as a temporary doctor's office. The locals often whispered about it being haunted, claiming it felt cold even in the summer and that they heard babies crying or the sound of heels clicking down the hall," he explained, his eyes widening as he recalled the eerie details. Storytelling has always been something he's always been good at. "My friend's dad often did night security at this building. After his shift he would come home and tell my friend about what he experienced that night. My friend was so excited to hear his stories. He's really into the paranormal." 

"You've told me about this friend," she says recalling the times he talked about him. "He does ghost hunting on YouTube now, right?" 

"That's him," Jongho nods before continuing his story. "One night his dad promised to take him to the hospital with him. His mum reluctantly agreed but since it wasn't a school, she allowed him to go. Of course he was over the moon about it. This is his first time going to a real haunted building." 

He leans forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, as if the very walls of the room might be listening. This causes Y/N to instinctively lean in closer to. 

"It's dark by the time they get to the old maternity hospital. My friend said he could feel the eerie feeling before he even saw the building. It sent chills down his spine. After they get out of the car, his dad hands him a flashlight, and they made their way to the entrance. The door creaks as his dad pushes it open, revealing a dark hallway that seems to stretch for miles. The air thick and heavy as they walk inside, so much so that it’s almost suffocating. My friends could feel his heart racing, both excited and terrified at the same time." His eyes gleam with mischief as he recounts the details. "They stepped inside, and then, bam!” he shouts causing Y/N to jump, “The door slammed shut behind them. My friend's dad chuckles trying to lighten the mood. He’s been there many times so he should be use to all the activity by now, but my friend could tell he was a bit on edge too.”  

"What happened next?" she asks, her curiosity piqued.  

"They began to walk down the corridor, making sure all the doors were locked and secure. My friend can’t shake the feeling that they’re being watched the entire time,” he replies. “They get to the room at the end of the hall and as his dad makes sure its locked, the door swings open. It was unlocked. His dad reassured him that perhaps one of the doctors had forgotten to lock it, so he closed the door, the keys clinking loudly in the stillness as he locked it. After confirming it was locked, they turn to head down another corridor, which was much shorter than the main one. But as they walk, checking the doors, the temperature drops, and the sound of babies crying fills the air. It’s a haunting sound and it sends chills down my friend's spine. He glances at his dad, who’s gone pale, his usual bravado replaced by a look of fear. He may have checked on this building so many times that he should be used to it but it still scares him." 

"I would still be scared too," Y/N confesses. He nods in agreement, even though the only thing that truly frightens him is bugs. A haunted place doesn’t faze him at all. "What did they do next?" she asks. 

"They kept on going," he replies, his tone growing more serious. "But with every step, the atmosphere thickened and crying grew louder and more desperate. My friend wanted to turn back, but his dad insisted they keep going, he has a job to do after all."  

"That sounds terrifying," Y/N interjects, her voice barely above a whisper. "Did they find anything? Were anymore doors unlocked."  

"Not at first," he says, shaking his head. "They reached the last door, and his dad paused, listening intently. The crying had stopped and it was replaced by an unsettling silence. My friend felt a knot in his stomach and heard his own voice in his head telling him to run. His dad, on the other hand, had to brave it and went to push the door open."  

"What was inside?" Y/N asks, her curiosity piqued.  

"I don’t know. The door was locked," he tells her before continuing with the story. “So, they end up walking back up the corridor, the eerie silence, following behind them. When they got back to the main corridor, that’s when the loud clicking of heels on the concrete floors begins and it only grows louder as the sound grows closer to them. But, it eventually stops when the sound reaches the end of the corridor and is quickly replaced with the sound of a door unlocking and the creak of the door swinging open." 

"Fuck that, I'd be out of there as fast as my legs could take me," she shivers. 

"My friend said the same thing. He would have bolted if he wasn't frozen in fear," he says. "His dad, though scared, walks the few feet to the door, pulls it shut and locks it again before calling out to the spirit he believes it is. 'Matron, you can't be unlocking doors that are supposed to be locked. I don't want to lose my job because someone thinks I'm not doing it properly.' he calls out to the old chief nurse, his voice trembling." 

Y/N's eyes widen, captivated by the unfolding story. "Did the matron respond?" 

"No. But the sound of babies crying started again," he says and shakes his head. "After making sure the door was locked once more, they bolted out of the hospital as quickly as they could. They got in the car and my friend's dad started the drive back to the next location. As they were leaving, my friend heard a voice telling him to look back, so he did." 

"What did he see?" Y/N asks, her interest clearly piqued. Jongho can't help but smile at her fascination; usually, she hides behind a cushion during scary stories. 

He leans in closer again, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret. "He saw a figure of a woman wearing an old nurses uniform standing in the doorway of the hospital. Her face is pale and gaunt, with eyes that seem to pierce right through him. He couldn't bring himself to look away." 

Y/N's breath catches in her throat, her heart racing as she imagines the scene. "What happened next?" she urges, leaning forward, her eyes wide with anticipation. 

Jongho takes a moment, savoring the suspense. "As he stared, the woman raised a hand, slowly started waving to him," he says lifting his own hand and waves it at Y/N. "As the terrified feeling inside him starts to dissipate, he couldn't stop himself from waving back to her. She was the first ghost he'd ever seen." 

"Did he ever go back to the hospital?" she asks. 

He shakes his head. "No, he had all the evidence he needed to believe that hospital is haunted. He didn't feel the need to go back." 

“I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t go back either,” she says, moving closer to him.  

“It’s your turn to tell a story,” he teases her and pulls her into his arms. 

Just as she’s about to say something, the lights flicker back on. “Let's watch something instead,” she suggests picking up the remote and starts going through the movies on netflix. 

©️ 2024 dancinglikebutterflywings - do not copy/modify/repost anywhere. reblog instead

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[nycbaby21]

going live

Cole Caufield Imagine

prompt: influencer reader doing a get ready with me live and Cole interrupting

word count: 717 short and sweet

“Uhm… that’s a good question username. I would say my favorite holiday would be Halloween. I love spooky season,” I say reading the comments flooding in while I apply a layer of foundation to my face. Every once in a while I glance up to the mirror in front of me. The background of the video is Cole’s bathroom, but no one watching knows that. We have been dating for a little over six months and we still hasn’t announced our relationship.

I smile reading the comments about how happy and glowing I look. I hear the little pitter patter of feet on the floor and find our sweet baby come into the room sitting at my feet. I bend down and love all over our dog, well Cole’s originally but now our baby. As I show my fur baby some love, my human baby leans against the door frame watching us. “Hi baby,” I smile sliding just our of frame to give him a kiss. He just smiles and whispers a small hey back.

As I get back into frame the comments are going so fast I can hardly read them. All of them saying around the same thing, oh my god the secret boyfriend, i wonder who he is, c’mon guys it’s obviously so-and-so, or as long as she is happy we should all be happy. “Thank you y/nismyworld. I am in fact very very happy,” I say looking over to Cole who has now moved to sitting on the lid of the toilet watching me continue to get ready. As I finish my routine I answer as many questions as I can and sing along to the music playing. 

The beginning chords of Enchanted start to play and my smile widens looking over at Cole. “Why am I smiling so much? Well I’ll tell you, so we actually had our first date at The Eras Tour. So during the song apparently while I was freaking out over Taylor, he was just looking at me with such adoration and the cutest older couple behind us recorded the whole thing. It has become like our song basically as cheesy and cliche as that may sound,” I say thinking back to the night of our first date. I thought Cole was insane for buying us tickets when he had just met me. 

As the song plays I can’t help but think how tiring it is hiding our relationship. “Can I have this dance,” Cole asks walking my way holding his hand out. I can’t help but laugh and him and reach out for his hand. I can only imagine how we must look, my hair still in rollers and makeup half done is a huge messy shirt and shorts and Cole in his sweat and compression shirt. “You trust me,” he says leaning down into my ear. I look up and smile nodding my head. “Of course,” I smile wondering what he was going on about. “I think it’s time,” he says glanicng behind us towards my phone. I follow his eyes and nod.

I step away from him and back into the frame and hold my hand out to him now. He laughs and places his larger hands in mine. I pull him forward and the two of us spin around and dance like absolute dorks. It felt like only the two of us existed . When the song ended we stopped and his back was towards the camera. I switched our positions and Cole was now standing behind me resting his head in the crook of my neck.

“Everyone I would like to officially introduce you to my loving boyfriend Mr. Cole Caufield. Number 22 on the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL,” I smile reading over all of the comments about people saying that they knew it or how he looked just as happy as I did. We even had a couple of hockey fans in the chat freaking out. “Okay now that that is all over and done with, I really do need to get ready for this red carpet,” I smile into the camera. I turn and look over at Cole and raise my eyebrows,” Now that everyone knows, wanna be my plus one?” He laughs and immediately says yes.