ineffablelunatic

[ineffablelunatic]

BBC Ghosts Bird Assignments

A good friend of mine shared mistyjessart and m1nts’ BBC Ghosts bird AU to me (which y’all can check out here!) and I couldn’t resist sharing my thoughts as well. I think about what the Ghosts characters would be as birds pretty often. (It’s the curse of a bird-nerd who enjoys BBC Ghosts…)

Just an preface, this isn’t technically an AU, but rather just how I’d draw the characters as birds (similar to how I’ve done with Ghostbusters, which I still need to share here haha.)

All of the species I’ve listed have been sighted in Surrey. I haven’t included any domestic species, such as chickens, domestic pigeons, e.t.c. as no humans exist in this context, and therefore weren’t around to domesticate these birds.

Captain: Starting off with my personal favorite, Captain! I would personally depict Cap as a mistle thrush.

Firstly, mistle thrushes are grey-ish in color, which suits Captain’s appearance quite while! They favor mistletoe, hence their name, and ferociously defend their clusters. They do the same with their nests, and I think this is a great reflection of Captain’s dedication to Button House. Males have loud, far-reaching songs which continue even during stormy weather — sort of like Cap’s commands. Additionally, mistle thrushes have an upright posture; they’re at attention!!

Robin: Up next is everyone’s beloved caveman’s. I originally wanted to give him a species prevalent during the Pleistocene (Ice Age) period but none of the birds I could find occurred in Britain. Therefore, I’ve assigned him the long-eared owl!

Long-eared owls are not a sedentary species. They move around (usually using the same routes) annually, sometimes being described as nomadic. I don’t know much about cavemen but I assume this is somewhat similar to Robin’s lifestyle during his life? They’re a specialized species, and normally prey on small rodents — this works for Robin’s fascination with his mice family! They hunt from midnight to sunrise, matching Robin’s love for the night sky and the moon. Plus, their plumicorns vaguely remind me of his hair.

Humphrey: I went with a short-eared owl for this guy.

This is partly as a nod to his head being played by Larry Rickard. The specific name of short-eared owls is flammeus, meaning ‘flame-colored’, a hint towards Humphrey’s clothes and him hiding in the fireplace. Their flight is characteristic and described as ‘floppy’ due to their wingbeats, sort of like the clumsy stumble of Humphrey’s body.

Mary: I’m so sorry for this assignment, but she’s a grey wagtail in my head.

Why I’m sorry? The specific name of grey wagtails is cinerea, Latin for ‘ash-grey’ (from the word cinis, meaning ‘ashes’). Like any typical wagtail, they’re constantly moving (haha genus translation reference!), giving a nervous sort of energy that reflects Mary’s. Their shock of yellow reminds me of her outfit too.

Kitty: Common rosefinch.

Although females do not have pink coloring, males do, and I love the idea of Kitty fawning over males because of that. Additionally, the genus they’re part of, Carpodacus, means ‘to bite fruit’ (from dakno and karpos, Ancient Greek). Pineapples are fruits…

Thomas: I wanted to go for a wading bird for sure for Thomas, ‘cause of the whole drowning-in-the-lake thing, so I ended up with the (eurasian) bittern!

Bitterns are secretive, shy birds, ironic to Thomas, but at the same time I can 110% picture him being all “I’m not like the other bitterns!” about it. Though he probably uses his natural hiding skills when he wants to skulk in the lake. During breeding season, males have a distinct, booming call. Pretty hard to ignore, and persistent if you’re Alison.

Fanny: She is so, so greylag-goose-core.

For starters, they’re greylag geese! Grey, like the Grey Lady of Button House. They’re the type species of the Anser genus (grey and white geese), which works for Fanny’s conventional viewpoint on things. The species mate for life (her dedication to George, even upon learning about his affair). Their call vaguely fit Fanny’s complaints t haha.

Pat: Wood warbler!

I don’t have much of an explanation for this choice, aside from the fact that their appearance suits Pat in my opinion. They have yellow coloring and a darker band near their eyes reminiscent of glasses. They also tend to nest near the ground, which reminds me of camping to an extent.

Julian: Herring gull!!

If this man isn’t the definition of a gull I don’t know what is (/hyp/lh). They’re loud, noisy, with distinct calls. Typically, the species is sexually monogamous and both parents incubate their eggs, so this choice is more to emphasize Julian’s behavior rather than match it.

I have ideas for the other characters as well but this has completely whipped me LOL. I’m gonna plop them down but I’ll only share the reasons I think are important.

Alison: Common kingfisher

Mike: Wryneck (a type of woodpecker! It fit’s Mike’s whole DIY vibe!)

Barclay: Eurasian jay

Obi: European goldfinch

Plague Ghosts: Jackdaws

Annie: Eurasian magpie

Havers: Reed warbler (naturally)

Will: Starling (his feathers inspired Robin to assign stars to the friends he lost.)

#I love this! #my favourite bird nerd strikes again

[ineffablelunatic]

get him good, boys!!!

[ineffablelunatic]

the captain & his lieutenant 🥺

inspired by this j.c. leyendecker piece

i think i butchered havers' face, but I have no idea how to fix it and fiddling around with it just makes it worse so *shrugs* here u go ghosts fandom x

[ineffablelunatic]

guess who's back on tumblr in time for the ides of march

I'm never escaping this hellsite

[ineffablelunatic]

I haven't purchased a HP item in close to a decade - I use the books I already had as doorstops or to prop a laptop up for meetings nowadays.

There is NO "death of the author" with JK Rowling - she controls and continues to profit from her IP, and uses that money to fund hate groups.

[ineffablelunatic]

there was nothing I could have done, I swear.

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PLEASE check out the wonderful and amazing fanfic Wartime Blues by @ineffablelunatic on AO3 in which this fanart is inspired by.

#AAAAA I LOVE THIS I LOVE THIS I LOVE THIS #This is amaaaaazing

[ineffablelunatic]

Guys, guys, guys. You don't get it

THE CAPTAIN ASSOCIATES HAVERS WITH WAR, WHEREAS HAVERS ASSOCIATES THE CAPTAIN WITH PEACE

Like, listen: The Captain has always seen their relationship and his feelings for Havers through the context of war. War is the reason they met, the only reason he ever got to know him. And the societal war, the discrimination against queer people, is what keeps him from acting on his feelings. To him, being with Havers feels like fighting two wars at the same time: the very real one they're facing, where they might die any moment, and the more emotional war, the thing that forces him to repress and deny his love for Havers thanks to society's expectations.

Furthermore, the fact that he never fought at the front haunts him. Havers did, though, and the Captain feels like he's broken for not "really" fighting in the war. He feels embarrassment, guilt, and shame because he never got to follow Havers to the frontlines, never got to prove his worth to him. At least, that's how he sees it.

Havers, on the other hand, sees his relationship with the Captain through the lense of peace. Their time together at Button House was undoubtedly the most peaceful he felt during the war. He fights at the frontlines, get injured there, and doesn't see the merit in experiencing the horrors of the frontlines, contrary to the Captain. To him, their relationship is defined by peace; after all, it's only after the war ends that they're reunited. Sure, it ends... badly, but it's peacetime nonetheless, and Havers gets the chance to see his love again. He gets to hold his hand, he gets to connect with his Captain for the last time and he is able to say goodbye in relative peace. A mercy he never had at the frontlines, surely.

Thus: Havers is grateful the Captain wasn't hurt by the war the same way he was, whereas the Captain thinks they should have fought together at the front. Havers was broken by the war, and his Captain was broken by never experiencing it. But maybe they can find peace together, wherever they may get the chance to meet again.

(I hate it here. I am screaming, crying, writing a fic etc. etc.)

[ineffablelunatic]

[for @ineffablelunatic]

Wartime blues got me in the feels have a storyboard for class :3

[ineffablelunatic]

Do you remember the time Ben was on a show with one of his cricket team friends, and they were so flirty around each other on set that the rest of the cast thought they were a couple?

Do you remember the time Ben was in a movie with one of his cricket team friends, and the movie starts with Ben's character shamelessly flirting with him and then capturing him?

Do you remember the time Ben was on a show with one of his cricket team friends, and Ben was the one who wrote the script so he was like "How random would it be if my character was completely in love with your character? That'd be so funny, for this comedy show I'm in! We should brainstorm some ideas together after the match so you will definitely get the part when you audition!"

[ineffablelunatic]

Headcanon disguised as a little fic lmao

When Button House was being renovated for the hotel, items the button house ghosts would enjoy were being brought in (courtesy of Alison). Unbeknownst to Alison, the old radio from 1947 (she didn’t know the reason why it was bid so cheap) housed a ghost.

Said ghost would only come out when early 20th century songs played which nowadays would be difficult to hear but because it’s radio with many stations, there was always one that played 30s to 40s music.

This was found out when Julian was messing with the knobs of the radio and the ghosts surrounded Julian and the radio with fascination as the ghost faded in and out of existence before heaving to the politician, “please stop doing that- you’ll make me sick-“

“It speaks!” Thomas gasped which made the new ghost roll his eyes.

“Yes, I do.” He noticed Julian attempting to turn the knob again and shot a glare at him with a, “don’t.”

“New guy!” Robin pointed with a grin

Fanny hummed, “yes quite”

“Oooh! How exciting! A new best friend!” Kitty clapped her hands excitedly all the while twisting side by side. Which made the ghost smile albeit a bit awkwardly

Pat fixed his aviators and sidled up to the newcomer with a welcoming smile and a hand to shake, “hello! On behalf of me and my fellow ghosts, welcome to button house! I’m Pat! What’s your name?”

While the ghost shook Pat’s hand, he finally greet himself, “oh! Uhmm, I’m Anthony. Anthony Havers.”

It was then the Captain made a noise that reminded the room that he was still here.

To the Captain’s delight, the two found themselves in a daily routine. Since the ghosts saw that he was certainly very attached to Anthony for the next couple of weeks to the point where they had to drag him out of the room to join them with their clubs, they had a plan. The Captain obviously protested on this but Anthony swayed with the idea and to make it solid for the Captain, kissed his cheek and reminded him he isn’t going anywhere unless someone forgot to change the station.

(“Thank god we’re changing the channel in the afternoon. Can’t stand this, lovey dovey nonsense” icked Julian while Thomas woe’d, “oh when will it be my turn?!”)

From then on it was decided by the house ghosts that the radio should remain on this station every morning until it switched to a more lively station for the rest of the day. The Captain cherishing Anthony’s company every morning after his daily two minute thirty second runs morning runs.

[ineffablelunatic]

thank you for the tag!

You can run, you can hide

So this is acceptance

I breathe stories

I can't seem to focus

Staying with Alice, she's doing fantastic again

They call you a harlot

Some things, they're solid, they're built to last

Marceline, is it just you and me in the wreckage of the world?

I left you here

I'll drown my beliefs.

Leaving the tags open because I sleepy haha

Put your Spotify on shuffle and write down the first lyric of the first ten songs that come on, post the poem that results - tagged by @dorianslayyy <- like nearly 2 weeks ago but better late than never… 😭

KYRIE !!???ELEISON??

my god, i’m so lonely

confess

AVE MARIA ?? GRATIA PLENA???

lying beside you

as the sun slips over my shoulder

i tried to tell you

he could never love you

DIES IRAE ????? DIES ILLA???

tagging: @spineless-lobster @rms-himmel @thelastplantagenet @thattransboyaled

[ineffablelunatic]

being a jew studying preholocaust european jewish history is just *mourns over what could have been, mourns over what could have been, mourns over what could have been, mourns over what could have been, mourns-*

[ineffablelunatic]

My husband’s job primarily employs adult men but there is one (1) teenage girl and my husband said originally he worried she might be a bit of an outcast but instead every man on the crew was like “huh guess I am a dad/older brother now.”

[ineffablelunatic]

It’s okay to not want to have sex ever. It’s okay to never even try it.

[ineffablelunatic]

Alright so I’ve been mostly quiet about the Ghosts front on here but it’s still my favourite comedy program (other than red dwarf) because I’ve been mourning and obsessing (much to my friends who haven’t seen the show’s annoyance) over the show’s last season and end.

Anyway I was reading the Ghosts companion for the 50th time since October and I realised a few things (sorry for the essay in advance)

1) the Captain’s death day is either the day before, on or just after the day Julian was born (Julian was canonically born the day after VE Day in 1945, The Captain died either on or just after VE Day, the 8th May 1945)

But more importantly,

2) this fucking thing:

So we all know who this is right? Of course we do, it’s Lieutenant/Major Anthony P Havers, the love of The Captain’s life (it’s probably fair to say that isn’t it). Well, look at the description- ‘Photograph of an unknown soldier found in the Commanding Officer’s belongings after Button House was decommissioned at the end of the Second World War. ’ Now there are two things that don’t seem right about the description to me:

1) Havers is referred to as an unknown soldier.

2) Found in the CO’s belongings upon the decommissioning of Button House.

Let’s tackle the first thing first, as it’s pretty easy, there’s a likely chance that it’s been enough years that the people who made the ‘home fires: records from the British front’ records that Alison is printing in the book doesn’t know who Havers was and couldn’t find any information about the person in photo. Perhaps because there weren’t any records and photos beyond that matching Havers or sometimes there just aren’t any records of the soldiers. There is another option, a sadder option is the reason why they couldn’t find information on Havers is because he may have died young. We know he didn’t die in the war but there’s a chance he died soon afterwards, perhaps in a ‘disgraceful’ way, but I guess we’ll never know.

The second thing, the Captain wasn’t there at Button House when it was decommissioned. He was in Weymouth from the end of ‘44, and the next time he was at Button House was the day he died, and he didn’t have a bag on him or anything so….how was this photo from his belongings in Button House after the war?

My theory is that the photo either fell out of The Captain’s pocket when he climbed in through the kitchen window or was found in his personal effects at Weymouth after the war when Button House was decommissioned.

Sorry for this bad unnecessary essay but what I’m trying to say is that I think there definitely was more tragedy surrounding the Captain that he maybe didn’t witness himself after he died beyond Havers grieving for him.

[ineffablelunatic]

OMG THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING ME!! I'm wartime blues hehe and I'm so glad you enjoyed it

what WIP caphavers fics would you recommend reading?

I GOTCHU.

‘A’ is for… by virginianbloom is a GREAT modern au where they’re all teachers. ITS STILL GOING ON, IT HAS ONE CHAPTER LEFT. HAVERS IS A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER !! https://archiveofourown.org/works/51350230/chapters/129755194

Wartime Blues by ghost_daddy is a 1940s AU. So all the residents of Button house all live in the same street in 1940s https://archiveofourown.org/works/46124884/chapters/116114599

Fix Your Heart and Build an Altar Where it Swells by Plathes is an AU where the Captain survives the heart attack and is placed back at Button House with Havers to rehabilitate https://archiveofourown.org/works/51640432/chapters/130537219

Havers in Time by imashoutyghost it’s a time loop AU!! Basically Havers reliving the Captain’s death over and over and trying to stop it :’) https://archiveofourown.org/works/52266853/chapters/132214861

Carpet Burns and Carousels by Mithica so much back fucking pining and MISCOMMUNICATION. I GOT UPSET BUT THATS GOOD- https://archiveofourown.org/works/52503304/chapters/132818755

Everybody Loves Somebody (Sometimes) by capversen1 I am pretty sure they have seen my posts so if they see this, hi hello I love ur fic :’). Basically Havers becomes a ghost at button house and there’s a reunion! https://archiveofourown.org/works/51239641/chapters/129471865

I WOULD REC Saudade by King booooo but they just uploaded their final chapter 😭 (I’m still recommending it tho!) https://archiveofourown.org/works/52185175/chapters/131996239

Object of Desire by Daniel_eating_beans IF YOU WANT A VAMPIRE!HAVERS STORY . ITS REALLY FUCKING GOOD BUT THE CAPTAIN IS SO OBLIVIOUS IT’S CRAZY BUT OH MY GOD- https://archiveofourown.org/works/47955187/chapters/120909886

Sooo these are my recs for WIP capvers fics! Mainly because these are the ones I’m actually waiting for to update and I can’t wait ! :D

[ineffablelunatic]

Crowley’s response to being offered a chance to return to an “abusive household” (so to speak) is to react with pure horror at the very idea and to express symptoms of genuine trauma towards anything that reminds him of it, ie. Gabriel. Aziraphale’s response is a hopeful feeling of “maybe this time will be different!” because he’s too scared to acknowledge that he’s being manipulated by the Metatron (or else he doesn’t even realise that he’s being manipulated, because manipulators tend to be quite good at what they do). He’s frightened to leave a source of familiarity that he is unable to let go of because he feels he has no other safety net, not least of all because he has literally been conditioned to believe that.

Both are genuine responses to abuse, neither are “more” or “less abused” than the other, neither are “perfect victims” but both of them are victims. I feel like that is an extremely important acknowledgement we need to keep in mind.