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#thought it’d be cool if Ellie decided to share stories of her travels with other ghosts
halfghostwriter · 1 year
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“You’re listening to Wraith Radio, your number one link to the living realm. I’m your host, the wandering ghost, Ellie Phantom. This week, we’re taking a tour of the cursed and creepy Gotham City. Longtime listeners will note that this place is nearly impossible to get into for us uninvited specters and spirits, but even longer time listeners will know my fun little method for getting around anti-ghost wards. That’s right, dear listeners, I’ve been playing human, and let me tell you, it may have been the best decision I’ve ever made.
Now, you all know how bored I can get playing human, what with the whole ‘being bad at being alive’ thing. I spend way too much time trying to remember things like how far a human body should be able to bend or how fast a heartbeat should go to have any real fun in my human form. In my defense, it’s not my fault my vital organs don’t work the way they should, that’s on the evil billionaire who made me. But anyway, I’m wandering through this place called Park Row, trying to practice breathing and blinking without needing to think about it, when all of a sudden this group of humans come out of nowhere, shooting each other.
Well, I love a good fight as much as the next ghost, so I get closer to them, try to see who’s on who’s side, who wants to put a bullet in who, when one of them grabs me and puts a gun to my head. So now there’s all this shouting, some threats get yelled out, and I’m thinking, ‘man… I am killing it with this human disguise!’ And it’s true, I was! They really thought I would die to a bullet! So I’m getting ready to phase out of this guy’s grip, maybe rough him up a little, when I see a bullet go straight through his arm. The guy drops me, and suddenly I’m hooked under this other guy’s arm, being thrown around like a potato sack.
And this is where it gets good. Because see, as fucked as my biology may be, I do have a damn good ghost sense. And this guy? He was about as ghost as any undead could be. Yeah, you heard me right, listener. The rumors are true. Gotham, as inhospitable it can be to any and all unwanted ghosts, does in fact have an undead population. Now, that’d be incredible on its own, but this guy? Folks, this guy was fucked. Up. You know that feeling you get when someone nearby gets punched in their core? That real quick ‘oh shit I gotta help this guy before they cease to exist’ feeling? Think that, but constant. Like this guy should be in so much unbelievable pain. And he’s throwing me around like I weigh nothing.
So I’m kind of freaking out, and I look up to ask this guy if he’s okay, and. Guys. You’re not gonna believe this. It was the Red Hood. He’s an undead. I know! It’s insane!
So he throws me to the side, kinda blocking me with his body while he’s shooting these people, and I think he told me to run at some point, but I’ll be honest, my brain just kinda stopped. Cause I’m not thinking about the fight anymore, now I’m thinking ‘holy shit, I need to get this guy to a doctor.’ I was actually in the process of starting to ask when one of the other guys’ bullets grazed me. So I decided against it.
Instead, I took out one of my spare inter-realm radios from my bag— always good to keep an extra in case the first gets destroyed— and one of the flyers for Wraith Radio with the airtime on it, and I snuck it into his pocket and disappeared.
And now, here we are, live on the radio, with— hopefully— Red Hood tuning in. So here we go: Red Hood, I am offering to bring you to the ghost zone doctors to get your core fixed. All I want in return is either an interview or a tour of your haunt, whichever you’re more comfortable with. You helped me out, stopping those guys from shooting me. Granted I would’ve been fine if they shot me, but you didn’t know that, so it still counts as a massive favor. I’m not gonna force you, obviously, but coming from someone whose unstable core almost melted her to death, I really think you should come with me. I doubt you remember much about the afterlife, what with the whole ‘being revived’ thing, but trust me when I say that getting an offer to go to this place as a human is rare, and probably won’t happen again. I will be waiting tomorrow at noon at the same place I was yesterday, hopefully not surrounded by people who wanna shoot me this time. Cool?
Anyway, back to talking about the city—”
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Jason stared at the glowing radio. He genuinely couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He remembered that girl, she was so scrawny that she looked like she could keel over at any minute. And apparently, she was some… horror radio show host? Sure, she pegged him as dead, but she probably said that about every interesting person she talked about on her show. And now she was going back to the same place she almost got shot? This kid was gonna get herself killed. Looks like he was going to have to talk some sense into her.
Part 2
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negasonicimagines · 3 years
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Tell Me I'm Not Funny
Request: darkandmysteriousbutheartofgold!ellie and wholesomeanddoesn'tunderstandwhyelliedoesn'tlikeher!reader where they're both part of the friend group but ellie just thinks reader is straight and messing with her pls
Notes: I don’t usually write MCU!Peter, so if he comes up in any future fics (like as the reader’s stepdad 👀 I’ve loved spideypool longer than I’ve loved Negasonic) you can safely assume it’s Andrew Garfield. But, for this time, this is MCU!Peter. Everyone in the friend group is 18-20, just to be clear.
This really isn't my best work, but it's a fun little slice of life piece. A lot of my ideas are pretty cinematic, I can picture them in my head but sometimes those pictures don't really translate into words. I may revisit this one day.
Warnings: D-slur (reclaimed by Ellie in one line), allusions to prior assault (an unwanted kiss that could've been more had another character not stepped in), and that's about it. Oh, and a little swearing, but this is an imagine for a character from Deadpool. If you can't handle swearing, you're on the wrong blog.
Synopsis: You’re into Ellie, but she’s with your good friend Peter. She treats you like you don’t even exist, and in the few instances she does acknowledge you, it’s usually just to make some sarcastic remark. You’re head-over-heels, though, and decide to deal with your unrequited love by writing her a song she’ll never hear.
“Fuck, that movie was terrible,” Michelle groans. “I’m just glad it was a matinee show and we didn’t have to pay as much to see it.”
“The special effects were good, but can’t Disney just leave stuff alone?” Peter agrees.
“Next thing you know they’ll be making a live action Toy Story, as if the original wasn’t traumatizing enough. I don’t want to imagine Watermelon as a sentient being. She’s seen some shit,” you snicker.
“Who’s Watermelon?” Ellie asks with a dark chuckle, and you clam up. How had you forgotten she was here?
“Oh, uh, nobody.”
“Don’t tell me you still sleep with a stuffed animal,” she snarks. “You really do need to grow up.”
“Don’t be mean, Ellie,” Peter protests.
“Watermelon is cute, everybody likes cute things!” Yukio adds.
“I think a live-action Toy Story could be cool,” Ned says. “It’d look really good if they did stop-motion animation.”
“Oh, you’re right!” you chirp. “It’d be quite the undertaking, but it would look badass.”
“I think you’re using that term a little loosely,” Ellie grumbles, and you have to stop yourself from frowning, instead you laugh it off. Why does she always pick on you? Sure, she’s got a witty remark for everybody, but she’s way harder on you. It hurts, she really is so gorgeous and funny and mysterious and everything you want in a woman, but she acts like she can’t stand you.
Ellie and Peter head off together, Peter still hasn’t gotten around to getting his license and Ellie seems happy to give him a ride. You really don’t stand a chance.
You and the others pile up in MJ’s SUV for some late-night band practice.
“I don’t know if I can do it,” you admit to Yukio in the furthest row back.
“You can,” she insists. “You’re a way better singer than Lola, anyways.”
“I’m sorry about that. I didn’t mean to give her the wrong impression, I-”
“For the millionth time, Y/N, you didn’t. If she hadn’t left the band, we would’ve kicked her out. Not just for cheating on me, but for hurting you.”
“I guess,” you sigh. “Why can’t you sing instead?”
“Because I’m flat.”
“Yukio, breast size doesn’t have anything to do with singing ability, you’ve just gotta practice,” you joke.
“Shut up!” she giggles, punching you in the arm. “Plus, when you sing, the songs are being sung as they were written. We’re getting the real feelings.”
“Speaking of… I have something new I’m thinking about sharing tonight. Do you mind if I text you the demo?”
“Ooh, a first look! Hell yes!”
You text her the audio file and she puts in a wireless earbud, nodding along. Her smile gets wider and wider as she listens, and when she’s done, her assessment shocks you.
“Oh my gosh. You’re into Ellie.”
“What?!” you squeak. “No way!”
“You are! But, uh-”
“Don’t even say it. I know I don’t have a chance in hell. She only tolerates me for the sake of you and Peter.” Despite the gloominess of your tone, Yukio gets a mischievous glint in her eye, it confuses you. But, that’s just Yukio. Her thoughts are all over the place; she and Ellie balance each other out that way. They dated a couple of years ago, but it didn’t work out. They decided they were better off as friends.
“Screw that other song, we’re using this as the lead single. Everybody’s gonna love it, do you have the sheet music?”
“Yeah, uh, it’s in my bag.”
“Awesome.” Yukio’s grinning like she’s won something. Is the song that good? “We’ll have to practice this one a lot, we definitely need to have it ready by the concert this Friday.”
Right. Liz’s 19th birthday party. Apparently Peter had convinced her to let the band play, it’d be cheaper than hiring a more established artist.
“Our first paying gig? I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” you remind her. She scoffs and rolls her eyes.
“We’re mostly gonna be playing covers of Liz’s favorite songs, and she only has so many. We’ve gotta beef up the setlist with originals, and this is perfect! Has that pop-y fun vibe, it’ll fit right in.”
“Yeah, but if it’s that obvious how I feel about her after one listen-”
“Only because I already had a hunch after Daft Pretty Boys,” Yukio clarifies cheerily, and you sigh.
“Fair enough.”
The gang makes it to Michelle’s house, travelling down to the side door and going into the basement from there. MJ’s parents have encouraged her creativity from day one, and were ecstatic when the band was formed. You speculate that they’re mostly happy that she’s made friends. Writing and photography can be lonely hobbies.
“Y/N has something new for us!” Yukio chirps.
“That fast?” Ned’s surprised as you hand him the sheet music. He skims it. “Holy shit, this is a wicked solo! Thanks, Y/N!”
“Well, I’m hoping highlighting everybody else’s talent will disguise my lack thereof,” you chuckle.
“Don’t be stupid, we’ve all heard you sing backup,” MJ says. “You’re Ryan Ross, she’s Brendon Urie. I’m just glad we booted her out before she decided she was gonna be the only pangolin in The Pangolins.”
Everyone laughs at that.
“Let’s try it,” Michelle continues, and everybody agrees. After a sound check and a few runs of the song, it’s still clumsy, especially on your part. You’re not really used to playing and singing at the same time, outside of backup vocals, which require far less focus.
“I suck,” you mumble, but it happens to be into the microphone.
“You don’t!” Ned insists.
“With that attitude, we’re not going anywhere,” Yukio says. You hate it when she gets to the tough love stage of her support. You wish she’d stay in the shallow reassurances stage, it’s easier to brush off. “You wouldn’t be the lead singer if we all thought you sucked. We would’ve just put an ad in the paper. You’re awesome, get over it!”
You sigh.
“Fine. Thank you.”
“Say it,” she insists.
“I’m awesome,” you huff, it’s hard not to smile when Yukio tries to look serious.
“Damn straight,” Yukio says. “Or, I guess not, considering that was about Ellie.”
“Yukio!” you squeal.
“That’s about Ellie?!” Ned exclaims.
“Obviously,” MJ scoffs, fiddling with her tuners.
“Is it that obvious?!” You can’t help but feel embarrassed. Ellie probably knows exactly how you feel, maybe that’s why she dislikes you so much. Her boyfriend’s stupid friend has a crush.
“Wait, but at the beginning…” Ned trails off, before laughing. “Oh my gosh, I get it.”
“Get what? Oh… Y/N, have I ever told you how much I love you?” MJ asks.
“I- I love you, too?” You’re puzzled by their words, but you’ve got enough on your plate.
“Let’s go ahead and practice some of Liz’s favorites while we’re here,” Yukio suggests. “It’s a pretty big set list.”
You practice until dinner, getting a pizza and deciding to make a night of it since it was a little late for Michelle to be dropping you all off at your assorted residences.
You all sleep on a pallet in the basement, and despite your worries, you manage to get some rest.
Over the next few days, The Pangolins practice at every free moment, until it’s finally time for the party.
“So, just pictures of everything?” Oh, shit. She’s not supposed to be here. How are you supposed to sing that song with her here?
“Yeah! I know with how many people are coming, I’m probably not going to get as much time as I want with everyone, so pictures will be a good way to remember the night.”
“Why not just invite less people?” Ellie wonders.
“I want all my friends to be here,” Liz explains. “How’s the sound check going, Y/N?”
“It’s going great,” you say into the microphone, demonstrating the quality and volume with a smile. “Thanks for letting us play here tonight.”
“Well, Peter said you guys are great. Are you really gonna debut your best song so far tonight?”
“Oh, um,” you stutter, stepping away from the microphone. “Maybe not.”
“What? Oh, come on, please, it’ll make the night even more special! You’re playing covers of all my old favorites, sing me my new favorite!” Liz presses, but she’s not being demanding or bratty, she seems genuinely excited.
“If the birthday girl says so, who am I to say no?” you concede. Hopefully Ellie will be too distracted taking pictures. “You have way too much faith in me.”
“If you don’t quit with the self-deprecation, I’m gonna duct tape your mouth shut,” MJ interjects.
“But, Daddy, how will I say my safe word?” you tease, giggling at your own joke with the rest of the group. Yukio’s laugh seems the loudest. Ellie glares.
“We should practice a song!” Ned suggests.
“Ooh, a private show!” Liz seems excited.
“Any requests?” you ask her. Ellie’s resting scowl intensifies. If she’s more pissed off the more you open your mouth, you’re not sure how she’s gonna survive a night of you singing without going nuclear.
“Oh, oh, Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne, please?”
“You’ve got it,” you agree.
The song goes smoothly.
“What happened to the old singer?” Ellie asks, clearly unimpressed.
“You didn’t tell her?” you ask Yukio, grateful for the excuse to turn away from the sharp-tongued girl you adore.
“Didn’t want her to get the wrong impression,” Yukio explains. “She already makes enough rude comments towards you.” Yukio leans over her drum kit to give Ellie a pointed look.
“Oh, wait, shit, I didn’t mean it like that. You, uh, sound good, Y/N.”
You can’t help but whip your head back to look at her with a flabbergasted expression.
“What?! It’s true,” Ellie defends herself.
“Uh, yeah, but you just said something nice. About me. Liz, do you mind checking her for a fever?”
Liz obliges for the sake of going along with the joke before quickly withdrawing her hand.
“Jeez! I know you were kidding, but she’s burning up,” Liz declares.
“My internal temperature is higher due to my mutation,” Ellie quickly explains, looking a bit bashful. “Besides, I say nice shit about Y/N all the time.”
“No, you don’t,” the whole band says in unison, including you.
“Well, clearly I shouldn’t if everyone’s gonna make a big fucking deal about it,” she retorts, rolling her eyes. “I’m gonna go get some pictures of the decorations before there’s a bunch of fucking people here to block them.”
She stomps off in her heavy boots, and The Pangolins get back to work, putting on the final touches and making sure all the blocking looks right.
Soon enough, guests start flooding in, and Liz zips around to greet them, eventually meeting up with Peter and keeping him with her. He and Liz eventually pull Ellie away from her picture-taking, confident she’s done enough and needs to just relax and enjoy the party.
So much for distracting herself with work, she thinks.
They sit on the couch and eat, the dining room was monopolized by The Pangolins due to its elevation and space.
Ellie’s mesmerized by the way your fingers move until she hears Peter talking to Liz. They really are a cute couple.
“You really do need to hang out with us. Yukio told me Y/N thinks Ellie and I are a thing,” he says.
“Gross, you’re like my annoying little brother,” Ellie remarks.
“And you’re like my bitchy older sister,” Peter retorts with a shit-eating grin.
“Both of you, quiet! They’re about to play the new song. You’re in for a real treat, Ellie.”
“What does it have to do with me?”
Liz gives Peter a confused and slightly irritated look.
“I haven’t said anything to her, I didn’t know how,” Peter squeaks, blushing a little at the look in his girlfriend’s eyes.
“Explain, quickly,” Ellie demands.
But, then you start to sing again.
“Y/N-” Peter starts.
“Shut up.”
“But you asked-”
“I said, shut up,” Ellie insists.
“You know me as your boyfriend's goofy friend. I seem to have this effect on women, and your friends aren't as goofy as I am. I try my best to keep you entertained, always laughing at the jokes you are saying. I nod my head when you make a point, oh oh…
“Kiss me, kiss me with your eyes closed! Whisper that your heart shows all I want is you, yeah, you… Hold me, hold me I'm your bunny! Tell me I'm not funny, tell me I’m legit! ‘Cause I feel weak, in your hands and your feet… A precious end, I’ll never feel your touch…”
Ellie continues to listen to the song, all expression drained from her face. All the yearning in the words and your voice, all you want is…
Ellie looks at Peter, who’s looking at her with a triumphant smile.
“I told you.”
Ellie feels like she’s about to faint. She notices you’re talking to Liz— when did she leave? —your hand over your mic. Despite the knowledge that Liz is taken, Ellie gets jealous. You look so happy to be talking to Liz, to just about any girl you talk to.
She wishes you’d smile at her that way.
You nod at whatever Liz said, and the band starts packing away their instruments. Liz sets up her phone on some Bluetooth speakers, and songs that sounded so much better when you were singing them start to play.
No! Ellie internally protests. Sing for me again, please, sing that stupid song about how you think I don’t like you.
Yukio’s dragging you somewhere. Gosh, Ellie wishes it was her holding your hand.
Suddenly, though, you and Yukio are approaching her. She knows what she has to do.
“So, what’d you think of our- Eek! Finally!”
Ellie parts from the kiss to tell her to fuck off and not ruin the moment before kissing you again.
“Holy fucking shit,” you breathe. “Uh, I thought you were-“
“Dating Peter?! Seriously?! Do I need to write ‘dyke’ on my fucking forehead? I practically already have with the way I dress and act and-”
“I, uh, I try not to make assumptions,” you mumble, fingers touching your lips.
“I’m, uh, sorry for not asking.”
“No, it’s- It was good. I’ve wanted you to do that for a while. It’s just that that was the first time somebody’s kissed me, since, uh…” Your eyes dart to Yukio, who’s ruffling Ned’s hair and laughing.
“Yukio?!” Orange flickers in Ellie’s eyes for a moment, but she keeps it under control.
“No, no, of course not, uh… The old singer, Lola. She and Yukio were dating, but apparently I was the one she really had her sights on, and… She was entitled. Thought that because she wanted me, I must want her. That wasn’t really the case, I was already pining over you. Didn’t stop her from forcing a few kisses on me and trying to go further. If Yukio hadn't shown up early with cupcakes, I don’t know what would’ve happened.”
“I am such an asshole,” Ellie says softly. “Can I kiss you again? The right way.”
“I’d say what you did before was pretty right, but sure,” you consent.
Her kiss before had been rough, needy, and impatient. Just the way you like it. This, though, this is gentle, soft, and exploratory. You tangle your hands in her hair and kiss her harder. She moans into the kiss before pulling away, bewildered.
“That was…” Ellie trails off, trying to find a positive adjective that won’t sound to frilly or lovesick.
“A mistake, wasn’t it?”
“Oh, fuck, no. I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time,” she corrects you. “Just- Didn’t really know how. Even when you were kinda flirting with me at first, I just thought you were messing with me, so I- I am so stupid.”
“So am I,” you scoff. “I thought you were dating Peter.”
“I was spending a lot of time with him, but… I was just using him as an excuse to avoid you so I wouldn’t embarrass myself anymore. And I was asking him for advice. I figured if he could land somebody as far out of his league as Liz, maybe I stood the slightest bit of a chance with you. But I kept fucking it up. I’d just get so nervous, all of my compliments would turn into insults, all of my teasing turned into straight-up cruelty. I don’t know how you actually like me.”
“I’m a little bit of a masochist, I’ll admit,” you tell her. “I’m really glad you don’t hate me.”
“I’m really glad you don’t hate me,” Ellie replies, but she can’t help but think that what she‘s really saying is ‘I love you, too.’
She takes your hand, and you two rejoin your friends, swept up in a group hug. They wanted this to happen almost as much as you two did.
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