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inkdemonapologist · 4 hours

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My BatDR Take That Used To Be Hot But I Left It Out On The Windowsill To Cool So You Should Be Able to Eat It Now Without Burning Your Tongue

its not actually that hot, is what im saying

Anyway my BatDR hot take is that BatDR's story is not fundamentally worse than BatIM with one exception; an exception that, for BatIM, covers a multitude of sins:

BatIM has a theme.

I can't presume the intentions of the creators, but if I had to write an essay on the themes in BatIM, it wouldn't be hard to pick one out: the cost of obsession, or even just, the ruin Joey brought on the studio. In the very first chapter, Henry asks "Joey, what were you doing?" and every single thing in the rest of the game revolves around that central question: what WAS Joey doing? Each audiolog is a snippet of the studio's path to this messed up state; each character you meet is someone ruined by Joey. The major antagonists echo Joey's flaws -- obsession with Bendy as more than a cartoon, obsession with perfection, obsession with fame and greatness and legacy -- but even without that, they're also each a picture of how the lives of people caught in the path of Joey's dream were ruined by it. Bertrum, for example, doesn't match the concept of rubberhose cartoons, but as yet another person screwed over by Joey, he fits the central question of the story, so he feels like he belongs here. Ultimately, in a narrative sense, the Ink Demon isn't the story's monster -- Joey is; the Ink Demon is just the consequence of his reckless ambition.

But what's the theme or central question of BatDR?

You can... try to pick out a theme. There's some promising options, because it feels like the story WANTED a theme, stating its emotional intentions more overtly -- "there's always a choice" to leave the darkness and chose hope; family and the struggle of living in a heavy legacy's shadow; or even just good old mewtwo-brand The Circumstance's Of One's Birth Are Irrelevant, It Is What You Do With The Gift Of Life That Determines Who You Are.

I think, even WITH the clumsy execution of Joey's "arc" and Audrey's lack of real choices, any of those could work about as well as BatIM. But unlike BatIM, the majority of the game doesn't tie in. Joey's tour can be considered relevant -- a picture of the family legacy and the "darkness" that Audrey doesn't yet know she's inheriting -- but like, the audiologs and hints and environment of BatDR are mostly teasing the question of What Is Gent Up To, and the takeover of Gent is detached from Audrey's choices, her family, her legacy, and Gent never really becomes a relevant threat to those things in this game. The Cult of Amok and the Ghost Train have nothing to do with any of these ideas. It might've been neat if Audrey had ever considered, "Did my father really drive all these people insane?", a hint of actually having to wonder about the darkness in her past. Even Wilson only barely brushes against these concepts; he doesn't like Joey and he also is trying to escape his family's heavy legacy, but it doesn't really reflect on his actions and we don't find that last part out until he's about to be dead.

There's also the question Wilson poses of "real" people versus ink creations, and what counts as valid "life." It would be an interesting theme with a lot to build off of in this setting, it ties into Wilson more as Wilson seems to represent the opinion that Inky Things Aren't Really Alive, which could've tied to Audrey (as an ink-person who has yet to accept that part of herself) and maybe given Wilson a reason to think it's fine to sacrifice her, it could've even tied to Gent (who don't even seem to value human life) -- but after Wilson asks the question, it doesn't tie into the direction things go. He smooshes a little Bendy, we see hints of his disregard for Betty, and then everyone continues with their plan to destroy the Ink Demon without any further moral quandaries about inky life.

The thing is, when you compare an element like, say, audiologs, there's a lot of differences you can point to -- but I don't actually think Lacie Benton's audiolog is notably better, taken on its own, than Grace Conway's or Kitty Thompson's, and yet tons of people were intrigued enough to flesh out Lacie. None of them are big plot points or compelling characters on their own; Lacie and Grace both give us a little note on what it's like working in the Studio, and Kitty shares a little bit on how Gent's expansion is affecting people. But when Lacie talks about Bertrum trying to make a creepy animatronic, that ties back into Joey's ill-fated schemes that are the point of the whole story. The question we're asking through the whole game is "what happened here?" so the fandom is interested in who Lacie is and what her life was like and extrapolates a whole person out of a couple sentences. But that's not the question in BatDR -- what has Wilson done to the Cycle and the Demon? Why? Who is Audrey really, and why is she here? Telling us new things about the Studio's fate seems strangely irrelevant to those questions, just an attempt to create a Mystery To Speculate On like the previous game did... but what question you're asking and how it fits into your story's main theme, like, matters. I absolutely believe that one clock animator guy would've been in EVERYONE'S crew if he'd been introduced in BatIM, but the context makes a difference; fleshing him out feels less relevant here.

The explanations of how and why Wilson did everything he did are baffling and handwavey, but in and of itself that's not a worse problem than anything else in the franchise -- I STILL don't understand why the Ink Machine needs pipes in the walls or even how it works, there's no good reason for Sammy to believe the Ink Demon will "set him free," most of Alice's motives don't make sense, etc etc etc. But the thing is that in BatDR, the wibbly bit is the closest thing to a central question we have! Wilson, what were you doing? The theme doesn't really explore or connect to that question, so the explanations that are finally tossed our way feel lacking in a way that BatIM's handwaved elements don't. There's a lot about Joey's motivation in BatIM that we can't know, but the heart of it resonates -- Joey wanted something, he was willing to exploit people to get it, and he became obsessed and prioritised that dream at any cost. We'll weather a thousand logistical inconsistencies if it's got heart.

But all of that said.... to be honest, I don't think Lacie overtly fits that theme anyway. Even, like, Sammy is iffy -- we don't really know what happened to him, only that he didn't used to be made of ink and worship Bendy, and now he does. We assume Joey's nonsense had something to do with what happened to him (though the books later assert his influence was indirect at best), because when there's a pattern, we can fill in the blank. So many fan creators found a place for Lacie, Grant, and Shawn in the cycle as butcher clones or lost ones, so many people imagined that Wally must be the Boris we meet, because that would've fit the pattern, the idea that the point of what we're seeing is the downfall of the studio. It's not actually that BatIM did a great job tying everything together -- it's that BatIM gave us a compelling idea and that was all it took to make everything else SEEM like it could find a place to fit. This is what I mean when I say BatIM's theme covers a multitude of sins. There's a LOT of characters in BatIM that don't make sense. There's a lot of inconsistencies and things that just sort of happen without any real reason. Characters don't really have "arcs" so much as different states they happen to be in at different times. But because there's a central question and the story doesn't wander away from it, our pattern-loving human brains will slot in all the pieces and do all the work to make the story feel at least somewhat coherent.

The things that happened in BatDR aren't a whole lot less coherent than BatIM imo, they just don't tie into a bigger theme or any of the questions the story's asking, making "how do they fit into all this" feel irrelevant, making it easier to forget entire sections and harder to get invested in audiolog characters. I think a lot of the other criticisms people have for BatDR's story are very valid, but I also suspect that if BatDR had a more successful theme/central question, then a lot of its flaws would be easier to overlook -- just like BatIM.

#we all write on the walls #batdr #short-ish essay is fond but critical of both games so puts it in a readmore for the fine folks in the tag who arent here for that haha #batim #bendy and the ink machine #lmao I WROTE THIS LAST YEAR ITS JUST BEEN SITTING IN MY DRAFTS #go out into the world little post... be free......#also I do think the fact that batdr kind of dropped the central question of batim #is probably also a significant factor #if you were really invested in the main thrust of batim then batdr doesnt really follow it or finish that exploration #just tries to give it an answer and move on #so again it comes down to the theme and the central question just in a different way

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kxyera · 5 months

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What the Ghost ghouls were in their mortal lives (Headcanons!)

Just headcanons that ive thought of <3

Aurora

I feel like she would've been an owner of a super aesthetic store, like the most ultimate place to get cute clothes that matched everyone's aesthetic, whatever it may be.

Cirrus

She gives off strong army vibes — She was an army cadet as a teenager (UK PEOPLE KNOW) at the very least. She was the sweetest cadet in the squad, but could definitely pin you down and beat your ass if needed. She doesn't take shit from no one (ahem- swiss.)

Cumulus

I feel like she would be an early years/kindergarten teacher, always in the most bright colours and taught the kids through singing and music. She's good with children and finds them adorable, even if it means she drinks coffee more than any other substance and marks worksheets with stickers.

Sunshine

I am telling you, this girl is a history BUFF, she worked in a museum — simply as an employee, but found happiness and love in every single day. She definitely lived her mortal life to the fullest.

Swiss

He's done military service, like Cirrus, but he really found passion in singing. He was definitely the soldier bringing up everyone's spirits in hard times, while being the fastest and most agile.

He and Cirrus definitely have competitions and races in the Ministry/On tour just to have fun and keep fit. A real brother/sister relationship where they challenge literally everything.

Who can drink water the fastest, who can do the most press-ups, who can do the drills better? It’s always a competition between the two.

Sodo

He was actually always a musician. He always was a lead guitarist, and he can't let go of that in his immortal ghoul life either. He enjoys the freedom of it, the thrill he gets on stage, the adrenaline of a show.

Mountain

He owned a small bookstore in his hometown, a little cosy one where anyone could come along and read/buy books. He knew everyone that came in, chatted with them about life. He just was a calm boy with a lot of close friends, in all honesty. He enjoyed talking about books, the pure fact it could bring out long conversations about possible endings was his favourite thing in the world

Rain

He was a tattoo artist (totally not based off of @rainyhoursinhell, im totally not obsessed with 'there is a star in the sky', not at all! teehee)

He was definitely also the teenager that gave shitty stick and pokes in the school bathroom, his motto was "Once its on your body, its your problem" so he wouldn't get the blame if it got infected

Phantom

He was a scare actor! He loved going around the theme parks, just being a little silly and getting reactions out of people. He also loved getting into costume — he said it was like halloween every day (He loves halloween)

Aether

He was a journalist for music -- A bit like Sodo, he couldnt give up the thrill of music, just in a separate way. He loves interviews specifically, writing up and meeting different artists and bands

He met Sodo's band once, but they've never realised since being in the Ministry for whatever reason. Maybe one day they'll realise they met before.

#swiss ghoul #nameless ghoul #the band ghost #sodo ghoul #nameless ghouls #aurora ghoulette #cirrus ghoulette #cumulus ghoulette #sunshine ghoulette #mountain ghoul #rain ghoul #phantom ghoul #aether ghoul #kxyera’s headcanons

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kristinamae093 · 10 months

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Ghosted

Ghosted - The Apple Banquet (Chapter 7)

Series Summary - Prince Liam fell for Riley Brooks hard and fast. A marriage filled with love and devotion was within his reach. But everything changed when she vanished just before the end of the social season. As everyone voices their concerns regarding her scandalous departure, a confession from an unlikely source turns Liam's world upside down and makes him question everything around him.

Book/Pairing - TRR - Liam x MC (Riley Brooks)

A/N1 - This AU starts right before the beginning of the engagement tour. There is a two-month lapse between the coronation and where we pick up, but we will stray from canon. Please excuse any errors found.

Characters belong to Pixelberry

The Apple Banquet was set to begin inside the ballroom of the Applewood Estate momentarily. The entire country was excited, as it was the first one to take place since Constantine wed Regina. All of the nobility gathered to witness the bride and groom share an apple from the year’s first harvest before the wedding.

The wedding, Liam scoffed at the thought. After they found all of Riley’s things a few days ago, he completely changed his view point on the scandal and her disappearance. He spent all this time believing she left to be with someone else, but he began to see the situation from a different light.

It seems the more he learns about Riley’s last night here, the more he believes she was forced away.

Liam learned of Riley retiring early from Maxwell, so they had a solid timeframe where someone could have gotten her out of the estate undetected and the maid to pack and move her things. He felt a sense of relief when the maid reiterated that she was not seen leaving with Tariq, but another man. Of course, he wished she would have been able to identify the unknown person, but in a way, his heart swelled knowing she didn’t leave with Tariq, although it opened a world of other unanswered questions.

Bastien had been searching for Tariq and Riley but had no luck in locating either thus far. The last trace of Riley was landing from her flight in New York, the morning after the Country Jamboree. From there, her trail runs cold. There was no trace of Tariq after his arrival to Applewood whatsoever; there wasn’t even a record of a car coming to pick him up from the estate that night. They had both simply vanished into thin air, like a ghost.

Without either of them, Liam was clueless as to how to proceed further. The few clues they had were just that, clues. There was nothing prominent enough to place blame anywhere. Riley's room had been cleared, not a trace to be found. Nothing was spotted outside, no predominant leads were found in the shed, aside from the dress and the piece of mail. Much to everyone's dismay, Bastien confirmed that he disposed of Riley's phone and the letter left in the room, so no comparison could be done. Liam took blame for everything and felt helpless, there was nothing more he could do; but he felt he had to put on his Kingly facade and continue as if nothing was amiss, at least for the time being.

However, Liam felt the time constricting on him. He was set to marry Madeleine in just a few short weeks, and he didn’t have a clue as to what he was going to do about that. Although he knew it was his duty to marry and produce heirs, he didn’t know if he could marry Madeleine just to appease the nobility, especially now that he knew someone potentially plotted to put her on the throne.

More than that, after they found Riley’s bloodied dress, Liam felt a renewed sense of urgency about locating her; he needed to see that she was unharmed. Of course he wanted nothing more than to hopefully bring her back and ultimately make her his Queen, but he didn’t want to get too far ahead of himself. Just seeing with his own two eyes that she is okay would suffice him, although it would break his heart all over again.

As Liam stood on the dias next to Madeleine greeting all of the court’s nobles, he couldn’t help but look at everyone as if they were a suspect. Although the maid said she saw Riley with a man in a suit, every single person there could have benefitted from getting rid of her; he was aware of the fact that Riley was a commoner and not everyone would be okay with having her as a Queen. Furthermore, Liam was sure it was a hired person who escorted Riley away; he knew his nobles were not stupid, but conniving and malicious. They wouldn’t risk getting their hands dirty, especially with something of that magnitude considering she would have been his selection. That meant the suspect list was open to all of the nobility at this point.

“Liam? Are you even listening to me?!” Madeleine snapped.

“No, I’m not.” Liam retorted. He realized the other nobles were lining up behind the double doors, a sure signal that they were about to be announced into the ballroom with his Father and Regina at the head. He turned away from Madeleine and headed toward the line of people. He took his position in the back of the procession, as tradition dictated. He squared his shoulders, stood to his full height, and waited.

“Penelope!” Madeleine snapped her fingers. “My train!”

Liam silently scoffed as he watched Penelope scurry over and take position behind Madeleine. He saw her struggling to keep up with Madeleine’s pace, but she never once let that train touch the ground.

As they reached Liam’s position, Madeleine shooed Penelope away before she turned to Liam. “Cute. I don’t know what your deal is but you need to knock it off.”

“Or what?” Liam snapped as he turned to face her.

“I’m sure I can think of something.”

“Are you threatening me?”

Madeleine indignantly laughed. “No, darling, whatever would make you think that?” She feigned innocence.

Liam stepped closer to her and lowered his voice to where only she could hear. “I told you, I'm not playing whatever game it is that you are trying to play. You'd do well to remember that you are not the Queen, not yet… I hold that power, so I would advise you to tread carefully, Countess.” He hissed through clenched teeth.

Liam found himself on edge; he was not in the mood to deal with Madeleine, or anyone else for that matter. This is the last place he wanted to be, and he was not about to let Madeleine try and boss him around or assert whatever dominance she thought she held over him.

Liam stood back up and adjusted his lapels. Madeleine’s face turned a hundred shades of crimson, but she returned her attention to the line in front of her. She attempted to thread her arm through Liam’s, but he pulled away. At a nod from the herald, the doors swung open and Liam strode inside with Madeleine walking closely beside him.

They were led by a servant to a banquet table adorned with a white lace tablecloth. A wooden stand sat in the middle of the table with a bright red cordonian ruby sitting atop it, beside the apple was a knife with a black handle and gold trim.

Liam took his position behind the table next to Madeleine and directed his attention to his father, who had taken place in front of the table with a champagne flute of cider in hand.

"The sharing of a Cordonian ruby dates back to the times of King Fabian. At that time, the King and Queen would not share cake when they wed, but instead a Cordonian ruby. The monarchy has since modernized, but this tradition is to honor those who have paved the way before us.

We gather here today to celebrate not only another year's bountiful harvest, but the matrimony that these two will share. Although no vows will be exchanged here today, the symbolism remains the same."

Constantine stopped his speech as applause filled the air. He waited for a few moments before he raised his hand to quiet the crowd and continued. "We have a bright future ahead of us as a country. I have no doubt in my mind that these two will lead us with distinction and grace, just as the Kings and Queens before them. We will not only thrive under their rule, but prosper." He lifted his glass in the air. "To King Liam and our soon to be Queen, Countess Madeleine."

The crowd all raised their glasses and echoed the former King's sentiments. Liam and Madeleine then each cut a slice from the apple and ate it to complete the needless ceremony. Liam grew up loving the Cordonian ruby and was incredibly proud of his heritage, but that particular apple tasted incredibly tart and bitter. It took all of his willpower not to scrunch his face as the tangy, sour flavor overcame his taste buds.

Liam was forced to stand for photographs with Madeleine before he could take a moment for himself. He didn't smile, but instead just started blankly into space past the camera. Madeleine was positioned at a slight angle in front of him and he made it a point to put as much space between them as he could and still get a 'natural’ looking portrait.

Once pictures were finished, Liam made a beeline for the bar and ordered himself a scotch on the rocks; he needed something to calm his dangerously high stress levels. As his drink was delivered to him, he felt a hand on his back. He turned around to find Drake. “How you holding up?”

“I’m not, Drake. I haven’t slept, I don’t want to be here. I need to be looking for them, for her; I have to find her.” Liam said before he downed his drink in one gulp and motioned to the bartender for another.

Drake stepped forward and signaled for a whiskey as the bartender refilled Liam’s glass. As he waited he addressed Liam. “I know this is hard on you especially. But, for now, you gotta just play along. Make ‘em think you’re really gonna go through with the wedding.”

“It's just around the corner. There's not a lot of time…”

“Don’t think about that. Right now, our focus is this investigation. We just need a little bit more to go off of, and we’re going to find it, Li. However, that means you gotta pretened to be a pretentious stick in the mud to appease all these ass wipes for a little bit…” Drake smirked as he took a sip from his drink and looked around the room.

Liam half-laughed. “I know you’re right. This is the best option, at least for now.” He shook his head and looked into his drink. “I’m just having a hard time being diplomatic when I know that someone very likely in this room is responsible for hurting the woman I love.”

Drake patted Liam on the back. “I know. But, just think, when all this is said and done and we figure out who did this, you’re gonna get to go full blown King on that mutherfucker! Goddamn I can’t wait for that!” Drake exclaimed with a huge smile on his face.

Liam laughed, for real this time. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so happy, even when I got you that international whiskey subscription for your birthday.”

“Man, I should order another one of those, that Hakushu Single Malt was to die for.” Drake responded as he took a drink of the whiskey in his hand, imagining it was the japanese liquor.

“Maybe when this is all said and done I can get you a whole case of that.” Liam chuckled when Drake’s eyes widened, but he soon sighed and looked out at the crowd in front of them. “I suppose I should circulate the room, pretend I want to be here. But thank you for lifting my spirits.”

“What I’m here for.” Drake replied as he lifted his glass to Liam, who returned the gesture and downed a large drink after. Liam shook his hand before he turned and made his way through the crowded room.

As he turned away, Liam saw some lesser nobles and the suitors he hadn’t chosen, minus Olivia, who was not yet joining the tour officially. At first glance, he noticed Lady Hana was not present. He was unsure if an invitation had been extended or not, but made a mental note to find out. He shook his head and looked away as he observed Penelope dabbing Madeleine’s mouth with a napkin. She trailed behind holding her drink, even going as far as bringing the glass to Madeleine's lips.

Liam continued through the room, stopping on occasion to shake a hand and exchange pleasantries. He spotted his Father and Regina as they glided throughout the ballroom together. Even though Constantine hadn’t been given much time to live, he insisted on being present throughout the tour. Liam told him he didn’t need to accompany them on the entire route, but Constantine was stubborn and was outside with everyone else when it was time for the motorcade to leave the capitol.

As Liam made his way to the other side of the room, he noticed Bertrand and Maxwell in a secluded alcove. Bertrand waved his finger in Maxwell’s face and Maxwell had his gaze trained to the floor in front of him. Bertrand’s body was turned slightly away from Liam, but he could still see his reddened face and it appeared he spoke so fast he hadn't even stopped for a breath.

Liam decided he needed to intervene and walked toward the pair. He cleared his throat as he approached them. Bertrand turned with wide eyes and bowed to Liam.

“Is everything alright?” Liam asked.

“Oh, yes, of course Your Majesty. We were just discussing House business.” Bertrand replied as he slid his eyes over to Maxwell with an irritated expression.

“That’s not what appeared to be happening. It looks as though you were once again berating Maxwell when I specifically told you to lay off of him.”

“I understand that. However, I learned today from a potential business partner that Maxwell left the estate when he should have been awaiting their call! We didn't secure that deal because he decided he had something more important to do!” Bertrand exasperated as he kept his steely gaze trained on Maxwell.

Maxwell finally looked up to meet eyes with Liam. Liam knew that Maxwell snuck away from the estate to meet Drake and Olivia before the tour started; he also knew that Maxwell had not told Bertrand about their investigation, per Liam's request. Instead, he continued to let Bertrand berate him and place blame on him for their houses' tanked reputation and financial crisis.

What Liam saw in Maxwell’s gaze was complete devastation, he knew judging from his defeated expression he was starting to break. And Liam couldn’t blame him, he had put up with Bertrand's rants daily for months.

Although Liam wasn’t entirely sure if he should, he couldn’t bear to watch his friend be torn down to nothing and let it happen; it was time to set Bertrand straight.

Bertrand began again. “He’s continuously shown his irresponsibility! You can’t pick a suitor, you can’t answer a phone, what can you do, then?! I am this close to–”

“Enough.” Liam said in a quiet but stern tone as he held up his hand to stop Bertrand from his tirade.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty, I forget myself–”

“No. You are not going to berate Maxwell any longer as if this is his fault: it is not. As far as him missing your 'important' phone call, I happen to know where he was and who he was with, and that meeting was far more important, I assure you.” Liam bit out.

Bertrand grew confused. “What? I don’t understand, what meeting? Why didn’t you tell me about this meeting?” He asked Maxwell.

“I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone…” Maxwell quietly answered, avoiding eye contact.

“What does that even mean?!”

Liam quickly looked behind him to the crowded ballroom and decided it was too risky to talk there. He motioned for Maxwell and Bertrand to follow him and led them down a hallway close by. He stopped at a nondescript door and ushered them inside.

As he faced them, Liam addressed Bertrand, specifically. “Duke Beaumont, I’d first off like to say that you should be ashamed of how you’ve treated Maxwell as of recent. Let's not forget, you didn’t even select a suitor to begin with.”

“With all due respect, Your Majesty–”

Liam held up his hand to stop him. “I’m not interested in your excuses, nor your apologies. Those are not meant for me, anyway.” Liam looked to Maxwell with a sad expression, then back to Bertrand. “I just wanted you to understand that your King is incredibly disappointed in your horrific behavior, which you had no reason for.”

“No reason?! Sir, I have every reason to be upset! Maxwell brought that… that… harlot here and she–”

“You are two seconds away from finding yourself in the cells. I know you don’t know the truth, but I’d advise you to watch your tone.” Liam hissed through clenched teeth.

“The truth? What truth is there to know? We all know what happened–”

“I have officially opened an investigation into Lady Riley’s disappearance.”

Bertrand’s eyes bulged from the sockets. “D-Disapperance?!”

Liam told Bertrand about what they had learned so far and where they were at with the investigation, as well as his suspicions of Riley being forced to leave. He told him about the shed they found, as well as the bloodied dress and letter inside.

When Liam was finished, he and Maxwell watched as Bertrand slowly walked over to a chair and sunk himself down into it. He clasped his hands together and stared in front of him for a long while. Liam and Maxwell didn’t say a word, just observed as a plethora of emotions crossed Bertrand’s features.

Finally, Bertrand spoke. He kept his gaze to the floor in front of him, “So… she was set up?” he whispered.

“We believe so, yes.” Liam answered.

Bertrand broke into sobs. Maxwell quickly crossed the room and crouched in front of Bertrand. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but we’re going to figure this out! We’re going to fix this!” Maxwell promised him as tears of his own streamed down his face.

Bertrand shook his head and looked away from Maxwell. “While I’m upset she was set up, I’m mostly ashamed of how I’ve treated you since... I’ve blamed you and berated you this whole time, and you were never at fault. You never once challenged me in all the atrocious things I said about you, you just… allowed me to do it…” He tried to swallow the overwhelming lump in his throat and quietly asked, “Did you know about Lady Riley? This whole time?”

Maxwell shook his head and quietly responded, “I only found out before the tour, although I will admit I didn’t know when I snuck out.” He looked away. “I had my doubts about it though… But you were so mad at me and I didn’t want to make it worse.”

“Maxwell… I-I’m so sorry...” Bertrand shook his head as more tears flowed down his cheeks. “You didn’t deserve any of that treatment. I can’t believe I’ve acted this way…”

Maxwell inched closer. “It’s okay, Bertrand!”

“No, it’s not okay. I treated you so… maliciously, as if you weren’t my own flesh and blood.” Bertrand wiped at his cheeks and looked Maxwell directly in the eye. “I’ll never forgive myself.”

Maxwell leaned forward and embraced Bertrand; he squeezed him as tight as he could. Even though Maxwell was still indeed hurt from Bertrand’s harsh words, he didn’t want to see him beat himself up over it. All he wanted to do was to move forward and put this entire mess behind them. Ultimately, all Maxwell wanted was to clear his best friend’s name and bring her home to make the family complete again.

“I love you Bertrand, and if I forgive you, you have to forgive yourself. You’ve been under so much pressure since Dad got sick, and I know I’ve always added to your problems. And then to lose our suitor at the very end of the season…” Maxwell took a deep breath to steady himself and continued. “You were under a lot of stress, and it was technically my fault for bringing her here to begin with, so…”

“No.” Bertrand firmly said as he pulled himself from Maxwell’s embrace, “You are not to blame here whatsoever Maxwell… In fact, I may be more at fault here than you..." He took a deep breath and quietly said, "I – I'm afraid I may need to come clean about something…"

Maxwell immediately moved and stood next to Liam with a furrowed brow. Liam felt his heart rate increase and stepped forward instantly. "What do you mean?"

"I – I worry you may find out anyway during your investigation, and I feel after my other atrocious actions I may as well come clean and take my punishment."

Bertrand was suddenly yanked up from his seat by Liam's strong hands. Liam held Bertrand by the collar of his sweater and pulled his face to eye level, nearly lifting him off his feet. "What did you do?"

Maxwell stepped forward to intervene, but Bertrand held a hand out to stop him. As he spoke, his eyes never left Liam's steely gaze. "Don't. I deserve whatever may come." He took a deep breath and told them about going through Maxwell’s phone and selling the photos from Liam's bachelor party. Bertrand realized if Liam found out on his own, his fate would be ten times worse than whatever he would be facing now. To hopefully spare himself, he was willing to come clean.

The longer Bertrand spoke, the more Maxwell's shock intensified; he couldn't believe Bertrand stooped so low. Liam saw red; he yanked Bertrand closer and growled, "You fucking snake."

"I understand your anger, sir–"

"Did you do it? Did you set her up?" Liam slightly shook Bertrand. "Did you force her to leave?!"

Bertrand's eyes widened once more. "No! My indiscretions were toward the beginning of the social season, and I changed my view on her! I believed in her until–"

"Why? Why do it then?!" Liam shook Bertrand harder, audibly tearing his vest in the process, but Liam was quick to bunch up more fabric to keep his hold intact.

"I assumed she wouldn't last and I was desperate for the money." Bertrand quickly spat out.

"So you not only sold your suitor out, but you sold me out as well? For profit?" Bertrand didn't respond, only nodded his head with shame etched in his features.

At that moment, every single thing that happened over the past couple of days combined with this newly added betrayal sent Liam overboard. He tightened his grip on Bertrand’s vest and pulled, ripping it down the middle with ease and leaving it dangling like the jacket over it. Bertrand stumbled backwards but was given no time to react before a fist connected with his jaw, the popping sound echoing throughout the room. Bertrand dropped to the floor with a yelp cradling his face as he frantically prepared himself for the next blow. Maxwell wanted to help, but he was frozen in fear at seeing the look of pure rage in Liam's features.

Liam stared down at Bertrand through narrowed eyes with heavy breaths. "Your actions are making me question whether or not you are truly fit for the title of Duke. To not only exploit your suitor, but your future King?" He stalked toward Bertrand, who was scooting backward across the floor.

The moment was interrupted by a stern knock. Without notice the door swung open and Bastien rushed inside. He quickly approached Liam and said, “Sir, we need to get you to the safe room, now.” and placed his hand on him to begin leading him away.

“What, why?!” Liam questioned as he attempted to evade Bastien’s grip.

“There’s been a body found.”

Liam forcefully stomped his feet on the ground. “What?! Do you know who it was? What happened?”

“Sir, I don’t know a lot of information right now, but I have to get you to safety before I can go secure the area.”

“Where was it?”

Bastien remained silent for a long moment. He looked as if he didn’t want to answer, but once he saw Liam’s budding impatience he finally spoke. “The west grounds, sir.”

While Liam was locked away in the guarded safe room with Madeleine, her parents, Constantine and Regina, Olivia and Drake were on their way to examine the crime scene with Bastien. The royal family had a secured area inside all the major estates for this purpose, although houses were available nearby. However, those were only used in drastic scenarios such as terrorist threats or assassination attempts. Since there was no signs someone was attempting to target the nobility, Bastien assured them they would be safe there while he and the guard did an initial investigation.

Olivia was not yet ready to join the tour on an official standpoint. She knew the time would come when she would have to, but right now she was only stalking in the shadows looking for any kind of information. Only a select few knew of her presence and she intended to keep it that way until absolutely necessary.

Olivia went back and searched Riley’s room again to ensure nothing was missed and returned to the shed to retrieve the contaminated dress. As her initial shock faded, she realized that was a prominent clue laying right in front of their faces. She went back and grabbed the article at the start of the Apple Banquet while everyone was distracted. She intended to give the item to Bastien, but when he found her and informed her of the crime committed she sprung into action and followed along, the dress momentarily forgotten.

As they walked along the path she immediately realized where they were headed; the shed she had visited just a few hours prior where Riley's things were hidden. From the front, everything appeared as it was when Olivia visited the area. Her anxiety increased as Bastien approached the structure, but he veered to the left and led them to the back, which she was nowhere near during her earlier venture.

Guards scoured all around, some people in lab coats were taking pictures, multiple evidence markers lay on the ground near the area. As her eyes searched over the vicinity, she couldn’t help but feel like it seemed incredibly – tame, for what she was guessing had happened.

Propped against the back wall of the shed was a lifeless body. Upon first glance, the cause of death was undoubtedly clear; the victim's throat had been slashed nearly from ear to ear. Olivia grew up around weapons and knew exactly what kind of damage her skills could do. As she gazed upon the gruesome gash, she immediately knew that wound was deep and absolutely intentional; whoever did this did not hesitate whatsoever. Furthermore, the face was severely battered; both eyes were swollen shut and painted every shade of black, as well as a severely broken nose. She stared at the battered face for only a moment before a small gasp escaped Olivia as recognition swept over her; it was the maid they had spoken with only a few days prior.

Olivia’s widened eyes traveled down the body and she was unable to tell if there could be more wounds on the maid’s chest and abdomen, or if the coat of blood was due to her fatal injury. However, that’s where Olivia’s suspicions sky rocketed; the body was covered in a heavy layer of blood, but the ground around her had nothing.

“Walker, come here.” Olivia beckoned. Drake walked over to her with furrowed brows as Olivia stood. “Tell me I’m crazy, but there’s absolutely no blood around that body.”

“Huh…” Drake answered as he looked around. “You’re right. Hey Bas!” He hollered over his shoulder. Bastien appeared within an instant with a pen and pad in hand. “Have you noticed how there’s no blood here?”

“Hmm…” Bastien glanced down at the area with an unreadable expression before he nodded and wrote something down. “I’ve added it to my notes. Do be sure to let me know if you notice anything else. The more information we have, the sooner we can find an answer.”

“Are we just going to ignore the gigantic elephant in the room?" Olivia motioned to the shed. “This is no coincidence. Who this is, where she’s at, the fact that I'm certain this body was placed here specifically…”

Drake’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. “Holy shit–”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “I’m going to start charging if I have to keep spelling everything out for you.”

Bastien spoke before Drake could retort, “I hadn’t made that connection; excellent work Duchess.”

Olivia raised an eyebrow and watched Bastien jot something yet again on his pad. “Okay, him I understand needing a preschool explanation, you on the other hand should’ve made that connection instantly.” She snapped as she continued to eye him critically.

Bastien was slightly taken back, but quickly recovered himself. “I understand your frustration. However, I’m becoming aware of developments at the same rate as you. I’m grateful for your assistance.” He bowed to her. As he stood he addressed the pair, “I’m going to secure the perimeter.”

Olivia watched him leave with narrowed eyes. He went over to a guard and spoke quietly then aimlessly walked around the area. Every now and again he would write something down, but otherwise he only made laps. She knew Bastien was senseless at times, but he almost seemed more so than normal.

For the first time, she took a good look around and again couldn’t help but notice how everything seemed conveniently placed. The yellow evidence markers were almost in a straight line in clustered areas. She approached one and bent down to observe and saw it was a wad of hair; not one single hair, a bunched up ball of long, dark hair. Another was simply a piece of gum; she was no criminal mastermind, but who in their right mind would spit their gum out in the middle of a vicious murder? Of course, it’s possible to be unrelated, but this area was practically of no use; that is until Riley’s things were shoved here. Regardless, Bastien still continued to search the area as if this was a normal crime scene and nothing was amiss.

As she scanned the area, the sudden realization of what was going on on a broader spectrum hit her; whoever orchestrated getting Madeleine on the throne was surely onto the fact that they were now asking questions. It was a silent agreement that whoever managed to remove the top two suitors from the social season was a powerful force, but it suddenly seemed much stronger and deadlier than before. This entire scene was pieced together to send a message; someone knew, and whoever it was was not happy about their venture for answers.

Olivia pulled Drake aside and spoke in a low, cautious tone. “We need to get out of here.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Look around, Drake! Even you have to notice something does not add up! This was fucking staged – someone is trying to send us a message.”

“We gotta tell Bas–”

“Why? So he can write it down?” Olivia rolled her eyes. “We need to plan our next steps… our next move has to be calculated.” She looked around with a nervous expression. As she did, her eyes landed on Bastien who simply nodded and returned to his grazing.

Tags (please let me know if you'd like added or removed): @choicesficwriterscreations @ao719 @txemrn @imashybish @queenrileyrose @kingliam2019 @riseandshinelittleblossom @dcbbw @tessa-liam @twinkleallnight @amandablink @cordonia-gothqueen @sfb123 @jared2612 @harleybeaumont @bebepac @charlotteg234 @busywoman @malblk21 @angelasscribbles @bascmve01 @iaminlovewithtrr @hopelessromanticmonie @mysticalfangirl @umccall71 @fuckitweball0000 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @lovingchoices14 @emersyn-in-cordonia @aussiegurl1234 @karahalloway @the0afnan

#the royal romance #king liam #liam rys #choices the royal romance #trr #choices trr #trr au #choices #liam x riley #choices fic writers creations #ghosted #liam x mc #prince liam #drake walker #olivia nevrakis #trrmystery #what happened to riley?#where is riley?

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mrs-delioncourt · 8 months

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I’m not sure of the best way to express this but all I want in relation to any possible events tomorrow is that people be respectful of Tobias, his choices and other fans. A lot of people will miss Copia regardless of how his departure unfolds especially if he was your first Papa. It’s totally okay to be sad about it and skeptical of the “new guy” when he presents himself. But believe me you’re gonna come around to 5.

It’s not okay however to harbor and display genuine anger and hostility and lash out at TF. This is his vision and creation that a lot of people have loved so much for many years, it’s highly disrespectful to expect that to change because it doesn’t suit you.

I in no way mean this to be accusatory or singling out newer fans. I want GHOST to be the biggest band in the world 😍. It’s just after seeing the reaction after a simple lineup change to a touring band that had zero impact on the music itself (among other incidents) I’m scared a shitty minority will call for TF/Ghost to be “cancelled” (🙄) only for proceeding with what has always been his work.

Just remember it’s okay to feel sad and miss him (I love Papa II + III 4 ever) but ultimately this is fun, the arrival and departure of different characters is supposed to be fun and really just a cherry on top of the music we love so much.

TLDR don’t show up to a party that’s been going on for 13 years and try to take it over when you get there. Just show love and wobble your ass with everyone else 🖤

#the band ghost #papa emeritus iii #papa emeritus ii #cardinal copia #papa emeritus iv #tobias forge

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ghoulette-knell · 8 months

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Ghost B.C Kinktober:

October 2nd 🎃🔞

Prompt: Shower Sex

TW: Shower sex; handjob (m receiving); fingering (f receiving); groping; vaginal penetration; spanking.

Sodo

Fem!Reader

🔞 MDNI 🔞

Word Count: 1,423

You were beyond exhausted. You and the rest of Ghost had just finished up the United States of America leg of the tour, and the final show had been very taxing. Taxing as in all of the months you and your friends had prepared for everything was now done, and also mentally taxing due to the fact that, if Lucifer wanted to, any of you could be taken.

The only thing that could get all of this off your mind was a shower.

You turned on the warm water and began stripping out of your clothes. A yawn left your lips as you climbed into the water; the heat from the water not even causing you to flinch.

You stopped underneath the low pressure, cheap hotel room shower and just let the water soak you to the bone. Showers like this always did your muscles such good.

However, your relaxation time was interrupted by a knock at the door.

“Occupied!” you yelled while sticking your head out of the shower.

“(Y/N), it’s Sodo. Can I come in?”

A grin flew to your lips. You knew what he wanted. The bastard always showed up when you least expected it, because at these moments is also when the fire ghoul would get mysteriously horny.

“Of course,” you purred while sticking your head back into the shower, “I hope you don’t mind soap suds.”

A chuckle left the ghoul’s mouth as he walked into the bathroom. He locked the door behind him, and you could immediately hear him unbuckling his belt so he could hop in the shower with you.

“How are you doing?” he asked while kicking his shoes off, “You rushed away quickly after the show.”

You hummed and turned around 180° so you’d be facing the direction Sodo would enter once he was undressed.

“Yeah, I’m okay. I got to thinking about Sunshine and Aether. It’s been a whole year since they got dragged back to Hell. I miss them so much.”

Sodo sighed and stepped into the shower. You’d seen him naked so many times that this wasn’t a magnificent moment.

“Come here.”

You nodded and stepped into his opened arms; falling into a hug. His lips pressed warmly on your forehead, “I miss them everyday too, (Y/N). It isn’t the same without them, but there’s a time where we have to move on. Phantom and Aurora have been doing a wonderful job, and ultimately, we need to be happy about that. The clergy’s success is our main priority.”

“I know,” you mumbled into his chest as you hugged him, “I’m just worried that Lucifer will… take you from me.”

A sigh left Sodo’s lips as he craned your chin up so you could look into his eyes. The fire ghoul pressed his lips against yours; breathing in your scent.

“Live in the present. I am here, and so are you. When the time comes, we deal with it then. For now, we have each other, and we should celebrate togetherness.”

You slipped into the kiss without hesitation. You knew the guitarist was right— living in the present was so, so important for mental health. Worrying about something you can’t control is taxing.

“Thank you for talking some sense into me, Sodo,” you whispered while blinking shower water out of your eyes, “I’m beginning to feel better. Why don’t we get started on the reason why you’re here? Hmm?”

Sodo chuckled and nodded; his hands automatically rising to massage your soapy tits, “That can be arranged.”

You grabbed his hardening cock and began to lightly stroke it. Sodo chuckled lightly and continued to stimulate your breasts which caused little moans to leave your mouth.

“It’s been too long since we did this,” Sodo groaned as you continued to increase your speed on his dick.

You giggled and kissed his lips one more time before turning another 180° so you were facing away from Sodo. You leaned downwards and placed your hands against the side of the shower; your throbbing pussy pointed towards Sodo’s dick.

Sodo growled and laid a hard, upwards smack against your ass. You mewled in pleasure while wiggling your ass at him; a smile plastered to your lips.

Using his strong hands, he quickly applied more, sharp smacks against your sensitive backside. Sodo just adored the sounds of your little moans of pleasure.

After a few moments, he quickly pressed two, cold fingers into your pussy; testing how tight you’d be. You hissed from the sudden pleasure and rammed your hips back.

“Eager are we?” the fire ghoul purred while briefly massaging your clit with his thumb as you backed it up onto his hand.

“You said it yourself,” you groaned as Sodo sent shock waves of pleasure through your legs with his expert hands, “It has been way too long since we’ve done this. And I haven’t been hooking up with anyone else in the meantime.”

Sodo chuckled cockily and grabbed his dick; rubbing the tip against your entrance.

“Good girl. It pleases me to hear this. You know you belong to me.”

You groaned and arched your back as Sodo began teasingly entering your pussy, “Fuck yeah. There’s no one in this damn ministry that can make me scream the way you do.”

That was all the fire ghoul needed to hear.

Without hesitation, the man gripped your hips roughly; likely leaving little love bruises on your sensitive skin. He plunged forwards into you; his eyes rolling into the back of his head from how tight you were for him.

A scream left your mouth as he violently entered you. Sodo’s hand stretched forward and cupped over your screaming lips,

“Usually I love to hear you scream for me, but this bathroom is right next to Swiss’ room. If that fucker knows what’s going on, he will try to join us,” Sodo growled into your ear while using his sharp teeth to nibble on your shoulder as he rutted into you.

You giggled while nibbling on the inside of his hand. Although Sodo was the best fuck you could ever ask for, you secretly didn’t mind the idea of Swiss joining the two of you once in a while. The idea of getting face fucked in one hole and getting pile drived in the other was orgasmic in itself.

“You act as if that’s a bad thing!” you grumbled while pushing back into Sodo’s rhythmic thrusts.

Sodo chuckled and rolled his eyes while bending closer into your arch so he could localize his thrusts. The water from the shower helped him slide in and out better, which ultimately increased both of your pleasure.

Skin slapping on skin, the two of you were a moaning mess. Sodo’s craws dug into your hips, drawing blood. The ghoul simply licked up the blood and water mix from the shower without hesitation. Everything he did was so damn hot.

“Sodo~” you whined while bucking your hips back towards his oncoming thrusts.

You could feel your orgasm coming as you gripped to the slippery walls. Sodo grunted deeply with every thrust; his cock finally hitting your g-spot.

“F-Fuck!” you hissed as your eyes rolled into the back of your head as your pussy milked Sodo dry.

You could feel his seed spilling into your stomach as Sodo leaned all of his weight into one last thrust. Your stomach grew warm as the fire ghoul’s cum met it’s mark.

The two of you stood there for at least a minute more; Sodo’s cock unmoving as it stayed buried inside of you. The two of you tried to catch your breath.

Sodo only began moving as the shower water began to turn cold. He pulled out of you with a ‘plop’, a smirk on his lips,

“I hope I could make you feel better, baby,” he said while watching his seed drip out of your swollen cunt, “Sorry about the shower water. We ran out of hot water.”

“Meh,” you shrugged with a slight giggle; your legs wobbling as you tried to stand straight, “Honestly, you made me feel better than any shower would’ve. Now, help me out of here. My legs are way too unstable to get out of this tub by myself.”

Sodo just laughed and did as you asked of him.

#fanfiction #fanfic #oc #oneshot #one shot #ghost kinktober #kinktober 2023 #kinktober #shower scene #steamy shower #sodo ghoul #sodo ghost #sodomizer #dewdrop ghost #dewdrop ghoul #sodo x reader #dewdrop x reader

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glassprism · 1 month

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Do you have some least favorite final lair kisses or least favorite return of the ring scenes?

I don't think I have any least favorites because, for me, I don't think there's many ways to play this scene "wrong". Well, maybe during the kiss Christine could slobber her tongue all over the Phantom's face or something, but even then I wouldn't make it my least favorite, because it's entertaining! Heck, it'd probably be my ultimate favorite for the sheer hilarity.

The same goes for the returning of the ring scene; I'm pretty open to any and all interpretations, so short of Christine, I don't know, hurling the ring back at the Phantom's face whilst singing, "Sayonara, sucker!" I don't have any individual least favorites that I've seen. At worst, they're unmemorable, but that's also the majority of kiss and ring returning scenes.

No, I think my least favorite ring returning scene is from a specific production, and that is the scene from the restaged tours (the kiss scene is fine). If you don't know, in that version, after chasing Raoul and Christine out, the Phantom cries over his torn up music sheets (clearly the most important thing in his life) and sings, "Christine, I love you" to the audience. Unbeknownst to him, Christine has returned to his lair to return the ring, but the Phantom does not see her as his back is to her. Rather than facing him, Christine simply places the ring down on his table and leaves. The Phantom then turns around and sees the ring and cries some more, I guess, before diving under the bed to hide from the incoming mob.

And man, I just don't like this interpretation. First, it deprives us of that emotional, final face-to-face moment between the Phantom and Christine. Second, we lose out on the endpoint of the Phantom's arc from seemingly mystical, manipulative being to a sad, broken man; he's no longer the Angel of Music, no longer the Opera Ghost, no longer trying to force Christine's hand, entrance her into loving him, or manipulate her feelings, he's just a lonely man, telling her that he loves her. (Though the restaged tour overly humanizes the Phantom so much that it probably doesn't even matter much.) And third, Christine loses out on that final moment of choice, of agency. She doesn't get to look at the Phantom and decide, once and for all, "No, I can't stay with him, whatever I feel." Instead she avoids the entire moment, dropping the ring and fleeing. Her arc is all about seeing behind the Phantom's many masks and personas and finding the strength to face him, but then at this moment, maybe the most important moment of all, she's robbed of it. Blargh.

Anyway this turned into yet another "I hate the restaged tour" post so I'm going to stop. I actually do enjoy some aspects of it, I swear! But boy do I not like how they blocked some scenes.

#GP gets asks #anonymous #man every time the restaged tour ends I'm like “aw I miss the restaging it was fun in a weird way!”#and then every time it comes back I'm like “screw this horrible production!”#no consistency here

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gravehags · 8 months

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i am simultaneously SO glad tobias doesn’t have social media because have you seen this fandom sometimes like…the secondhand embarrassment would literally blow me to smithereens but also…just imagine his posts. like the weirdest most off putting shit and then a picture of him playing pinball somewhere. the most scandinavian mirror selfies you can imagine of him looking grim as hell in all black and white clothing. the backstage tour photos. him being able to see all the gorgeous art this fandom creates in such a wide variety of mediums. everyone telling him how meaningful ghost is to them, how he’s changed their lives for the better…damn. ultimately very happy he lives in ignorance of us because some of you don’t know how to fucking behave but sometimes i wish we could show mr. ghost how much we adore him and what his music means to us 🖤

nemA

#tobias forge #the band ghost

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echoes-lighthouse · 8 days

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Tate and Echo: The Full Story

I'm trying to get all my lore for my selfships down on paper, and people said they would be most likely to engage with text posts with illustrations, so that's what I'm doing! I'm writing them so that they're hopefully understandable to people who don't know the source material (in this case, American Horror Story Season 1)

Previously: Toga

This selfship is pretty damn dark because of the source material being a horror show, so content warnings for murder, ableism, abuse, sexual assault, school shootings, suicide, toxic relationships, self harm, and parent/child death. Also I really struggled to summarize the ending to the story, because it's a bit of an eldritch ritual thing that only makes sense in the context of the story I haven't written lol

Chapter One: Backstories

Tate Langdon was born in 1977, the youngest of three siblings and the first to be born without a disability. Accordingly, he grew up as his abusive mother’s ‘golden child,’ trying to protect his siblings and ultimately failing. His father allegedly ran away with an affair partner when he was six years old, leaving him the “man of the house” according to his mother (who had, in fact, killed his father and the affair partner).

When Tate was 17, his older brother was murdered with the direction of his mother, who didn’t want him taken away from her due to her abuse (chaining him in the attic). Tate tried to kill his brother’s murderer, then killed fifteen people at his school, Westfield High, and committed suicide via police.

Tate died in the property known as “the Murder House,” in which all people who die there remain in the house as ghosts, to serve an unknown hunger that lingers in its history.

Echo Makovsky was born in 1987, an only child. They grew up happily, a third-generation witch with traditions passed down from their grandmother. They occasionally struggled with their powers, but ultimately graduated high school and went into a teaching degree.

In 2012, everything went wrong for Echo: their best friend died in a car accident, their parents both passed away in the span of eight months. They took two months of bereavement, and then left their job altogether. By the next year, they had taken a new job teaching in the US, and they were looking at places to stay.

While visiting for an interview, they took a tour of the Murder House and were immediately struck by the house’s energy. They went back to Canada, considered their options, and ultimately used their parents’ inheritance to buy the property.

August 2014 finds Echo moving into the house that has claimed so many spirits, not knowing what they will find there… and also taking a teaching position at Westfield High.

Chapter Two: First Meeting

Echo enters the house and immediately starts to have nightmares. The house has many interlocking desires, but one of the pressing ones is to have a baby, to create a baby, to have something small to hold and nurture. Tate has promised one of the other ghosts that he’ll get them a baby, and Echo looks like a perfect opportunity. Among the nightmares of fire and bathtubs and searching endless hallways, Echo has a dream that a man comes to their room in the night and forces himself on them.

That is, technically, Tate and Echo’s first meeting, although only one of them knows it.

Echo starts to explore the house and encounter the spirits that dwell within it. They start to get into little routines: reading children’s books to the unseen sisters who like to sit by the fireplace and whisper to each other, making tea for the woman who wanders through the kitchen every day in tears, and rolling a ball back and forth with the spirit in the attic, who never speaks.

One day, Echo is playing with the ghost in the attic and Tate introduces himself, joining the two of them. He tells Echo about Beau, his brother, the spirit chained in the attic. Tate is the first ghost that can actually talk to Echo properly, and they’re determined to get more information from him.

Chapter Three: Getting Together

Tate starts following Echo around after that, asking them questions and stealing their books. Echo likes him: he’s sardonic and sweet, clingy but goading in turn. He has information and tips about the spirits of children in the house, but stays closed-mouthed about most of the adults. The gaps in his information only make Echo more interested in his story, as do the inconsistencies in his behavior.

Tate has always known how to be sweet and lovely: he knows that he’s pretty, he knows that he can use it to his advantage. The difference is that he’s never wanted to before. His mother always wanted him to be the perfect son, charming and soft, so he made himself as sharp and abrasive as he could manage.

Now, he wants Echo for himself. He knows that the house wants them: he knows that every member of the house will want something from them. Tate is determined to stake his claim first, enough that Echo will choose him when the others come knocking.

So he plays the vulnerable, the bird with a wounded wing. He’s attentive, he plays with his sweater sleeves, he confesses his insecurities, he talks about his nightmares instead of his hallucinations. He tries not to flinch under the onslaught of affection he receives in return, but it’s still not enough, still not more than Echo gives to all the members of the house. So he crawls into their arms and presses them against the back of the couch and Echo takes him to bed.

And Tate thought he would be satisfied: he’s special, he’s chosen, but he’s lying. He’s playing a part and it’s starting to make him feel sick. The closer Echo gets to the other spirits, the closer Echo gets to finding out about the first night they were together, and Tate still can’t tell them how he died, or how he knew his mother abused his siblings and did nothing, or anything that isn’t part of the sweet boy he’s made himself into, to be easy to swallow, easy to hold.

Part Four: Where We’re At The Conclusion

It’s at work that things fall apart: in a conversation with another teacher, Tate is mentioned as the shooter that caused so much collective trauma at the school, and the pieces start clicking together. I hold onto the information for a while, resentful of needing to be the one to bring it up, trying to look at Tate from the right angle to make it all make sense. Trying to pretend that things can keep going as they’ve been.

Filled with my months of labor and love, the house is finally opening up. Knowing that it might mean abandoning Tate, I descend into the heart of the house and give myself to the deepest reaches of the house’s need. I no longer know if I can fix things, with Tate or with the house itself, but I no longer care about my own well-being, and I can hope that my sacrifice will help.

The house accepts me, and the First Abandoned Child, Thaddeus, is reborn through me: a bloody process that would have killed me if the spirits of the house hadn’t come together to save me. I come out of the process alive and with a baby in my arms, which is a bit of a shock since I was on birth control this whole time and have never intended to have a baby. But the house is suddenly alive again, and the spirits are given the chance to move on.

Not all of them choose to leave: Nora stays to be with her child properly, the twins want to stay to cause more mischief, and there are a couple of ghosts who just aren’t ready for whatever comes next, but a great majority move on.

And then there is Tate.

For a while, I think he might have left without saying goodbye: I don’t see him anywhere, and I grieve for him with the others, but I’m still hopeful. Eventually, he comes to me, and we can finally talk honestly. It’s a long discussion, but Tate decides to stay, at least for a while. And I love him, as he is. It will take a long time for him to believe it, but I’m willing to put in the work. I can remodel the house, I can keep the gardens, I can raise my child, and I can love Tate unconditionally.

In the years to come, Thaddeus will grow, and the remaining spirits will move on, but as long as they are in the house, I will love them, and when the time comes to let go, I will continue to love them, wherever they are.

#my ghost boy #this one has soooo many moving parts it's hard to summarize #there are like twenty ghosts in the house and i'm going to fix all of them #but tate is the one that real!echo cares about the most #so he's the Selfship (tm)#but the actual self-insert is kind of part of a huge house-wide web of issues #my selfships #selfship stories #my art

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