#BUT it has been really fun doing this event!!

[coqhee]

HATE NISHIMURA !

IN WHICH ✷ prepping for the school's annual charity event, but with your #1 public enemy ∘ ∘ ∘ more

enemy riki x f!r ― one-sided e2l comedy angst(if you squint) fluff comedy cursing kissing menace!riki ⨯ 6334

em's note ★ this was supposed to be for riki's bday back in dec but I just never got around to proof reading, so theres' a lot of christmasy related themes,, hope its still fun n readable lawl. no joke it took so long to write cause when I was editing I kept adding scene after scene with more detail

it was hard being the class president, filing papers, being every single teacher’s errand runner, and always taking the beating when your class was just being so dumb. though, it wasn’t all bad. you enjoyed planning the school events, and having this sort of responsibility.

this winter, you were planning your school’s annual winter charity drive, your goal was to surpass any other year. 

every single school year, your school has fallen way behind their set goal, it was like people had no christmas spirit of giving. you had your mind set to change that. 

and what was better than having a little bit of help. when the school admins had notified you saying that you’d have a student ambassador voted by the student body to help you out and co-lead, you were elated.

until you found out, it was none other than nishimura riki.

you hated the way nishimura riki smirked whenever you scolded him for skipping class.

you hated the way he’d talk back to teachers.

you hated the way he laughed during truth or dare in 7th grade when someone else revealed your crush on him and he laughed. 

you hated nishimura riki. 

─── ♡

you were filing papers in the copy room when a tall figure loomed behind you.

“hey pres, when do we get started,” riki’s voice rang through your ears, startling you. you turned around, glaring at the boy, then went back to filing and stapling.

“you sure you’re not here to be a pain in my ass?” you questioned back with venom in your tone. some part of you wishes you were a little more shameful talking back to another student in front of the other teachers in the room, but you couldn’t find it in you to hold back.

the other teachers in the room exchanged amused glances but stayed quiet, clearly entertained by the exchange. riki had that effect on people—effortlessly charming, even when he was being an absolute menace.

“who says i can’t do both?” he grins back 

you sighed, setting the papers down with a little more force than necessary. “look, nishimura, if you’re here to joke around, the door’s that way.” you nodded toward the exit. “i have actual work to do.”

“oh, come on, y/n,” he said, leaning casually against the filing cabinet, his grin unwavering. “you act like you don’t secretly love having me around.”

“yeah and i’d love if you could’ve read the email i sent a week ago with what i need to have done before today,” you rolled your eyes, giving a mock smile to the boy. 

riki feigned a look of guilt, his hand flying to his chest. “ah, so that’s why you’re mad. you’re holding a grudge because I didn’t read your essay-length email?”

you crossed your arms, fixing him with a pointed stare. “it wasn’t an essay. it was three bullet points, nishimura. three. and if you had bothered to read it, we wouldn’t be behind schedule. i gave you a week of prep and we are running so far behind with vendors and financing.”

he shrugged, the grin never leaving his face. “guess I like living on the edge. keeps life interesting.”

“you know what’s really interesting?” you shot back, grabbing a stack of papers and thrusting them into his hands. “you doing your job for once. congratulations, you’ve been promoted to my assistant for the day.”

“not even co-pres,” he sighed, hoping to annoy you further, lucky for him, it did.

it only took a moment of fidgeting for riki to figure out how to use the copy machine, and while it was a simple thing, god you hated how he already found a more efficient method than what you were doing within 5 minutes. 

“impressed yet?” riki smirked, glancing at you as the copier whirred to life. “i think i’m a natural. maybe you should consider me for co-president after all.”

you rolled your eyes but couldn’t deny the pang of annoyance—and grudging admiration—that flared up. “don’t get too comfortable, nishimura. one productive moment doesn’t erase a weeks worth of slacking.”

“ah, but it’s a start,” he said, stacking the freshly printed papers with a flourish. “besides, you need me. who else is gonna keep you from working yourself into an early grave?”

“i don’t need you,” you retorted, grabbing a paper clip and aggressively fastening a stack together. “i just tolerate you because i don’t have a choice, the school admin assigned someone from the student body to help, and it just so happens the student body thinks you’re oh so funny.”

“tolerate, huh?” he leaned in, his voice dropping to that infuriatingly confident tone that always got under your skin. “clearly, it’s more if you trust me to copy fliers for..” he looks down at what he’s been copying all along. 

“‘Jinglin Bucks for Joy’ Holiday Auction” he trails off with a look of disgust.

“who named this charity auction?” he spewed out pure critique from his tone.

you rolled your eyes, snatching the top sheet from the stack in his hands. “does it matter who named it? it’s for a good cause. not everything needs your approval, riki.”

“oh, come on,” he said, leaning against the copy machine with an exaggerated pout. “you have to admit it’s a little... cringy. ‘Jinglin’ Bucks for Joy’?”

“it’s festive,” you countered, defending the name despite secretly agreeing it could’ve been better. “and unlike you, the rest of us are focused on making sure this event actually raises money instead of nitpicking the title.”

“just saying, i think you could be earning a lot more if you didn't have that as a name,” he put his hands up at your accusatory tone.

“well, too bad that’s what it is,”

“anyways, i’m done copying these, and i’d say i did a pretty damn good job,” he smugly said waving around the last stack of copied papers in his hand.

“congratulations,” you said dryly, grabbing the packet from him. “you’re officially the MVP of the copy room. want a medal or something?”

“actually, i was thinking more like dinner,” he said casually, tossing the suggestion out like it was no big deal.

your hand froze mid-motion, the papers suddenly feeling heavier than they should. “dinner?”

he shrugged, a playful grin still plastered on his face, but there was something softer in his eyes. “just to celebrate our hard work, of course. unless you’re scared i might make it fun.”

“you wish,” you muttered, turning away to hide the blush creeping up your neck. “finish your stack first, and then we’ll talk.”

he laughed, the sound warm and light. “deal. but don’t keep me waiting too long, pres.”

─── ♡

for the longest time ever, nishimrua riki could not figure out why you hated him so much. every glaring look you gave him when he greeted you. 

every sarcastic comment you threw his way—none of it made sense to him. sure, he liked to tease you, but he teased everyone. with you, though, it felt personal, like there was an invisible barrier between you two that he couldn’t break through no matter how hard he tried.

he wasn’t even sure when you had started hating him, let alone why. 

back in 6th grade when you were classmates and he swears thats the last time you’ve ever been nice to him in like, the history of ever. 

riki racked his brain, replaying every interaction the two of you had since sixth grade. back then, you’d actually smiled at him, even laughed at his dumb jokes about the teacher’s weird handwriting.

he even thought you were cute and might’ve been developing a crush at the time. that’s an understatement though.

actually, riki had been obsessed with you in sixth grade. the kind of crush that made him extra careful not to look like an idiot when you were around. he remembered trying to impress you during gym class, running just a little faster during laps or kicking the soccer ball a little harder, even if it meant face planting into the ground one too many times.

he was convinced that if he ever had the chance to tell you how he felt, you’d smile at him and say you liked him back and you’d live happily ever after. childish, sure, but he was a sixth grader—what did he know about anything?

now that you and him were finally working together on the school’s lame, and failing charity event, he was determined more than ever to get to the bottom of why you hated him so, so bad.

and of course, it starts with dinner. 

that, being the $6 after hours discount sushi at your grocery store. okay, so maybe it wasn’t the best dinner imaginable, but with riki’s limited budget and even more limited time, it was the best he could do on short notice. plus, he was convinced sushi was a universal icebreaker—who could resist a good spicy salmon roll with day-old rice and browning avocado? 

no wonder it was $6.

“dinner,” you deadpanned, staring at the plastic containers he held out. “this is your grand idea to fix whatever this disaster of a charity event is?”

“no,” he grinned, plopping the containers onto the nearest desk and pulling up a chair. “this is my grand idea to get you to talk to me without biting my head off.”

you raised a brow, unimpressed. “and why would i do that?”

“because,” he started, peeling the lid off a tray of salmon rolls, “you’ve gotta eat, and i’m not leaving until we clear the air.”

you rolled your eyes. there was no way you were going to be talking about your issues with riki. “i’m not talking about my issues with you, we’re gonna be talking plans for the charity event,”

riki sighed dramatically, picking up a piece of sushi with his chopsticks. “fine, fine, charity event it is. but I’m warning you, my feelings might get hurt if you keep ignoring me.”

“oh, cry me a river,” you muttered, flipping open your notebook and pulling out a list of tasks. “we need to finalize the vendor approvals, confirm the auction items, and—”

“kinda cold out no?” he asked absent mindedly looking at his phone. you groaned in disapproval, how many more reasons could he give you for hating him?

“can you focus for 2 seconds nishimura?” you questioned with annoying radiating strongly from your tone. “you’re the reason we’re behind right now, and we need to get a move on, except no, you’re on your phone, and get to take credit for the work, i’m doing,” 

riki slowly put his phone down, his lips twitching like he was holding back a laugh. “you done, boss?”

“no, i’m not done,” you snapped, glaring at him. “you’re insufferable, nishimura. do you even care about this event?”

he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms with an easy smirk. “of course i care. i’m here, aren’t i?”

“barely,” you shot back, flipping through your notebook aggressively. “you’re here, but you’re not actually helping. if you cared even a little, you’d—”

“relax,” he interrupted, his tone unusually calm. “you’re gonna give yourself a stress headache. i already checked in with the admins about the vendors, they’re all approved, and i sorted through part of the auction items already,”

you were skeptical to say the least, unsure of the quality of work riki would put in. he turned his phone around and handed it to you, letting you look through all the documents and files he’d pulled up.

you scanned the screen, flipping through the emails and spreadsheets he’d meticulously organized. it was... surprising. everything looked in order, maybe even more thorough than what you’d expected.

“don’t stress yourself out, kay? i’ve can handle stuff too. that’s why they put two of us up to this,”

you narrowed your eyes at him, still not entirely convinced. “you’re way too relaxed about this. it’s weird. are you trying to mess with me?”

“y/n,” he put his hand around your wrist forcing you to set your chopsticks down for a second, “put some faith into me, let me help,” 

you hesitated, staring at where his hand rested lightly on your wrist. his touch wasn’t overbearing, just steady enough to get your attention. his words lingered in the air longer than you cared to admit.

“fine,” you muttered, pulling your hand back and avoiding his gaze. “but if you screw this up, it’s on you.”

─── ♡

one week had gone by since nishimura riki had started being useful. you were surprised with the quality of work he put into the project, not ever once worrying about any finance emails as he was quick to take care of it.

not only that, but he had started showing up to your study sessions, popping by with snacks or making sure you were eating at least once a day.

it was… weird to say the least. you couldn’t say you didn’t like it though. it felt nice to not be entirely alone, worrying about yourself and everyone else constantly.

riki even brought coffee to your early morning meetings with the district board, handing it to you with a teasing smirk, "you looked like you were about to fall asleep in your notes, so I thought I'd help."

you tried not to smile too much at the gesture, but it was hard to ignore the small spark of fondness that began to grow inside you. his thoughtfulness was... unexpected, especially given how much you had believed him to be nothing more than a lazy troublemaker.

you kept trying to find reason after reason to nitpick at riki, yet none came up. you could’ve sworn it was easier to find so much fault in everything he’d do before you had started working together, but all of a sudden they’ve faded.

at first, it had been so easy to be irritated by him. the way he’d walk into a room like he owned it, his stupid grin that seemed to always be a little too smug, the way he’d talk as if everything was a joke.

 you'd spent years loathing his presence, convinced he was just some annoying, carefree guy who only cared about himself and was out to make your life more difficult. that’s what you’d told yourself. that’s what you believed.

but now? now, it was different. working side by side on the charity event, you began to notice things you’d never seen before. the way he cared about the details. the way he would take over when you got overwhelmed, quietly working to fix things before you could even ask for help. the way he showed up on time every day, doing everything he could to make sure things ran smoothly.

it was... disorienting, to say the least.

it was late one evening, the two of you sprawled across the desks, working on the final details of the charity event.

"you’re the only one who would still be working at this hour," riki said, leaning back in his chair and watching you from across the room. his gaze softened for a moment, but you didn't notice. you were too busy finishing a set of final emails. "can I help with anything else?" he asked casually, but you could hear the underlying sincerity in his voice.

“guess you can take a break you bum, go grab a snack from the vending machine or something, grab me a sprite while you’re at it,” you say, digging out a $5 bill from your pocket and holding it out behind you, while focused on the screen in front of you.

he raised an eyebrow, but there was no hesitation as he stood up and took a step toward the door. "i got it," he said with a grin, slipping the bill back into your hand before you could protest. "this one’s on me." 

a few minutes later, riki returns, the sound of the vending machine bag crinkling in his hands. he places a can of sprite on the corner of your desk with a flourish. "your highness," he says dramatically, "your drink, as requested."

“mm thanks,” you hum, cracking open the can and taking a sip out of the cold refreshing drink, the fizz laying dormant on your tongue.

“you don’t need to keep doing all this nice stuff to win me over, just cause we’re working on the auction, you know that right?” you comment after taking another sip.

“ah, so I’m starting to win you over,” riki grinned, a playful glint in his eyes. “told you I’d be useful.”

you rolled your eyes, but your lips were tugging into a small smile. "don’t get ahead of yourself, nishimura," you muttered, though it was clear you were no longer bothered. in fact, you kind of... liked having him around.

you didn’t hate nishimura riki.

─── ♡

the day before the auction rolls around faster than you thought it would. 

while you and riki should be meeting with the vendors in person and getting other important work done, the two of you found yourselves putting up the last batch of fliers for the event, your hands full of paper and tape.

“ugh, why do we have to be the ones doing this?” you muttered, sticking another flier to the wall, your fingers lightly brushing against the cool surface. "we should be overseeing the auction, not putting up fliers like we're in charge of the school play's promo team."

riki chuckled from beside you, holding a stack of fliers in his hand as he adjusted his baseball cap. "hey, someone’s gotta do it. besides, you’re the one who wanted these ridiculous posters," he teased, pointing at the flyer in your hand, which featured a picture of a reindeer in a santa hat with overly saturated colors.

“i’ll have you know, these posters are actually art,” you shot back with a grin, tapping the paper to the wall a little more forcefully than necessary. “besides, i’d like to think they’re festive.”

“sure, sure,” riki said, his grin spreading wider as he glanced at the flier you were working on. “if by festive you mean blinding.”

you laughed, feeling a warmth spread through you. riki’s teasing had become a lot easier to tolerate, maybe even fun. he was good at making you laugh, something you never thought he could do before.

 the playful banter you’d shared over the past week was slowly chipping away at the character of riki you’d spent years building up in your mind.

“you tryna go out and get hot chocolate after we wrap this up?” he asked, cocking his head gauging your reaction.

“in this weather?” you asked, glancing outside where the wind whipped against the window and the sky was an icy gray. “are you out of your mind?”

“maybe,” he grinned. “but hot chocolate makes everything better, right?”

you couldn’t help the smile that tugged at your lips. riki was right, in his own annoying way. hot chocolate did sound nice, especially on a day like today. the thought of sitting down somewhere, just the two of you, without the weight of the charity event hanging over you... it felt strangely appealing.

“fine,” you sighed, rolling your eyes dramatically. “but if you make me walk to the corner shop in this cold, i'm blaming you.”

“deal,” he said, not missing a beat. “we’ll take my car.”

he flashed a grin at you, and for a second, you almost felt like it wasn’t just about the hot chocolate. there was something more in his eyes, something that made the conversation feel different, lighter, almost... comforting.

you quickly pushed that thought aside. no, you weren’t about to go down that path. but you couldn’t deny that riki was making it harder to keep your walls up. every little interaction, every small smile, made you rethink the way you’d viewed him for years.

it was as if the years of tension, of seeing him as nothing more than an annoying, reckless guy, were slowly fading into something else.

yet, in the back of your mind, that old familiar voice crept in—the one that told you to be careful, to guard your heart because you knew exactly what happened when you let your guard down.

you’d been there before. back in seventh grade, when you’d caught feelings for him and let yourself believe maybe—just maybe—he could feel the same. but that was before the truth or dare game, before he laughed it off like it was a joke, like it was nothing worth taking seriously. 

he’d been so carefree, so effortlessly charming in front of everyone, and you’d been so embarrassed. you’d sworn to yourself you’d never let yourself fall for him again.

and yet, here you were. laughing with him, sharing these moments like you were the closest of friends. it was easy to forget the hurt, easy to ignore the part of you that still flinched at the memory of his laughter.

you wanted to be able to move past though, and believe he wouldn’t be the same boy who’d laugh if you told him you liked him

he stood up, pulling his jacket on and offering you a hand as if he had all the time in the world. “you ready?”

you hesitated for a moment, then grabbed your own coat and stood up. “mhm, yeah.”

“you won’t regret it,” he said with that same confident grin, and for the first time in a long time, you believed him.

you shook your head, trying to push those thoughts away. there was no way he would do that to you again, right? no, he’d changed. he had to have changed.

but even as you smiled back at him, as the two of you walked out into the cold night together, the doubt gnawed at you like a constant shadow, just waiting for the perfect moment to remind you of all the reasons you had to keep your distance.

─── ♡

nishimura riki could feel himself falling. again. though it’s not like actually every fell out liking you to begin with. 

and now, as he sat across from you, trying to figure out how to navigate this new territory—where the walls you’d built between you were finally starting to crumble—he couldn’t help but feel that same pull toward you, that same feeling of wanting to be close.

he felt himself feel like he was back in middle school with you all over again.

then it hit him what had gone wrong, and he knew he had to set the record straight.

“so... seventh grade,” he started, turning back to you, handing you your cup.

you froze mid-sip, the mention of that year, let alone night, sending a jolt of embarrassment through you. “what about it?”

he set his chopsticks down, his expression unusually serious. “is that when you started hating me?”

you scoffed, crossing your arms as the words slipped out before you could stop them. “sure.”

you felt your walls building back up, stronger this time, higher than before. that night had been the catalyst for everything that followed—your reason for hating nishimura riki.

riki watched you carefully, his eyes softening. there was no sign of mockery in his gaze, no hint of teasing—just the same quiet sincerity you had seen over the past few weeks. but you weren’t sure you could let yourself fall for it again.

“i’m serious,” he said quietly, his voice lacking the usual playful edge. “was it really that night? or... was it just easier to keep hating me after?”

your chest tightened at his words, a mixture of frustration and confusion swirling within you. “i don’t want to talk about it,” you muttered, finally meeting his gaze. you couldn’t read the expression on his face, but it only made you more anxious.

“if it brings you any peace of mind, i laughed because i liked you, okay?” the words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them, and his cheeks flushed pink. “i liked you, and you blurting out that you had a crush on me... it threw me off.”

your jaw dropped, the confession catching you completely off guard.

“you... what?”

“i liked you,” he repeated, quieter this time, his gaze dropping to the table. “but i handled it like an idiot, and i’m sorry. i should’ve stood up for you, if you wanna keep hating me, go ahead.”

“i’m sorry for holding it against you all this time,” you mumbled.

riki didn’t look up at you immediately, but you could see the tension in his shoulders ease just a little. you had no idea what to say after that. the words you’d carried with you for so long—the reasons you hated him, the reasons you pushed him away—suddenly felt like nothing more than old wounds that had started to heal on their own, without you realizing it.

you sat in silence for a moment, both of you unsure how to move forward. it was almost as if the confession had left you both vulnerable, unprotected.

“you really liked me?” you asked, half laughing at how ridiculous it sounded now that it was out in the open.

riki’s eyes flickered with an unreadable emotion, and he shrugged, the teasing tone returning to his voice. “yeah. shocking, right?”

the playful comment was like a breath of fresh air, and for a second, the tension between you both was broken. but you couldn’t ignore the way your heart was racing, the fluttering feeling you hadn’t experienced in so long.

“i think, i like you too nishimura,”

“good, keep it that way,” he smiled, reaching out his free hand not surrounding his cup to clasp yours.

you felt your heart skip a beat at the sincerity in his eyes. "you know, you’ve actually been pretty decent lately," you said with a teasing smile, hoping to lighten the moment a bit. "maybe you’ve actually grown up, or maybe i have"

me chuckled, leaning back in his chair, but his hand remained near yours, his fingers lightly grazing the back of your hand. "maybe I have. but I’m still the same guy who likes you. just... trying to be better about it."

you bit your lip, your smile softening as you took in his words. for once, you didn’t feel like you had to keep your guard up. "i think I like this version of you."

"good," riki said, his voice barely above a whisper. "because this version of me likes you too."

a silence fell upon the two of you as you took in the atmosphere around you, looking around awkwardly.

“well,” you said after a beat, not sure where this was headed, but feeling oddly at ease. “you really know how to make things awkward.”

riki grinned, the corners of his lips curling into that familiar mischievous smile. “you’re the one who’s been holding a grudge for, what—years?”

“rightfully so, you’re the one who laughed. you’re lucky the student body voted you to work on the auction with me,” you shot back, the edge of your tone softening just a bit. It was hard to keep being mad when he was being so... well, riki.

“hey, don’t act like you could’ve done this with anyone else,” he teased, nudging your arm lightly with his own. “i mean, look at us. we’ve made a pretty good team, right?”

you rolled your eyes, but a smile tugged at your lips despite yourself. "yeah, a pretty good team that almost got yelled at and kicked off the project because you were too busy texting during the planning meetings."

“hey, i was checking in with the vendors,” he said defensively, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “i’m a multitasker.”

“you mean you’re just a distraction,” you replied, your voice laced with playful sarcasm.

“uh huh,” he rolled his eyes, grinning afterwards. 

─── ♡

the day of the auction soon came and you found yourself getting ready with a hopeful mind of what was to come. 

the last few weeks of you and riki’s hard work would finally be tested, and hopefully you could bring back some holiday cheer for charity, though a layer of uncertainty was still in your mind.

as you stood in front of the mirror, adjusting your dress, you couldn’t help but feel a little more at ease than usual. the nerves had faded, replaced with something lighter. maybe it was the fact that you and riki had finally talked things out, or maybe it was just the comfort of knowing you weren’t doing this alone anymore. you still didn’t have everything figured out between the two of you, but for the first time, it felt like you were both on the same page.

you met riki backstage before the event started. his hair was perfectly styled, and the suit he wore fit him just right. there was something about him in that moment—calm, collected, yet still as mischievous as ever—that made your heart do a little flip.

“you look good,” you said, trying to sound casual, though there was a softness to your voice that you couldn’t hide.

riki turned to you with a teasing grin, but his eyes softened when he took you in. “you look amazing,” he said, the sincerity in his tone making you feel a little shy. “i mean it.”

your heart skipped, and you brushed your hair back, trying to play it off. “well, don’t get used to it. you’re the one who’s been doing most of the work,” you joked, nudging his arm playfully.

“true, true,” he agreed, a smile tugging at his lips as he adjusted his cufflinks. “but you’ve been the brains behind it. i’m just the pretty face.”

you rolled your eyes but couldn’t suppress the small smile creeping up on your face. “right, the ‘pretty face’ who kept texting during all the important meetings.”

he chuckled, the sound light and easy. “hey, it was multitasking. get it right.”

before you could respond, someone called your names, signaling that the event was about to start. riki offered you his arm with a grin, the moment feeling a little more like a date than anything else.

as you walked into the venue together, the lights dimmed, and the guests filled the room. the auction was about to begin, but in the chaos of people and students gathering around and the rush of excitement, you found yourself standing next to riki, feeling surprisingly calm.

“you ready for this?” he asked, his voice low, just for you.

you gave a small nod. “i think so. let’s just hope we don’t screw anything up.”

he grinned, his hand brushing yours briefly. “even if we do, we’ve got each other’s backs.”

you took your seat in the front row with your bid paddle in hand as you watched riki announce each item.

the first few items went smoothly, and you found yourself glancing over at riki every now and then, catching his eye, and feeling his radiating confidence.

you glanced back at the screen over and over, watching the donation reach close to the school goal of $2000, feeling hopeful you might actually hit it for once.

the auction had been a smooth ride so far, with everything going according to plan. the excitement in the air was palpable, and you could feel the buzz of anticipation from both the audience and the team behind the scenes. each item was going for more than expected, and the donations were rolling in steadily. everything was shaping up to be a success.

then came the final item.

riki stepped up to the microphone, his usual teasing grin plastered on his face. “alright, folks,” he began, his voice smooth and confident, “we’ve got one last item up for grabs. it’s the grand finale, the cherry on top of this entire event. it’s... a date with yours truly.” a cocky smile formed on his face, as he nodded smugly, pointing to himself.

you froze, the surprise hitting you a second too late. the audience erupted into laughter and applause, but you couldn’t help but roll your eyes at riki’s ridiculousness. he gave a mock bow, and the laughter grew louder.

“that’s right, ladies and even gents,” he continued, his eyes scanning the crowd. “you get to spend an evening with the one and only nishimura riki. dinner, a walk in the park, maybe even a movie if you're lucky. the best date of your life. no need to thank me.” he shrugged, clearly enjoying himself.

you couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking your head. “seriously, riki?” you mouthed towards him watching as he smiled smugly back.

“alright we’re starting this bid at $1, any takers?” his eyes scanned the crowd jokingly as he continued on, watching as people egged each other on to bid.

but before you could stop yourself, you found your hand reaching for your bid paddle. your eyes flickered to riki, who was watching you with an amused expression.

“come on, y/n,” he teased, “you know you want to.”

you hesitated for a moment, but the playful glint in his eyes, the way he looked at you as if daring you to do it, pushed you forward. with a mischievous grin of your own, you raised your paddle, calling out “$100!” with a cheerful smile.

the crowd’s reaction was instantaneous—there were gasps, followed by bursts of laughter, as the bid sheet was raised for all to see. the final bid was noticeably higher than the previous ones, and you could feel your face flush with the attention.

“going once, going twice, and sold!” he announced, slamming the gavel with a strong bang.

“well, well,” riki said, stepping back to to take the microphone from the stand to hand it to you, his expression one of mock shock. “looks like someone’s feeling bold tonight. looks like y/n just won a date with me, someone’s got a crush, i don’t blame her.”

you shot him a look, trying to keep your cool. “you better be prepared, riki,” you said, your voice just loud enough for the mic to catch as he handed you the mic to give your statement.

he raised an eyebrow, looking both impressed and slightly nervous. “oh, it’s on. and just like that lady and gents, we just hit our goal too,” he added, glancing at the screen where the total amount had just surpassed the $2000 mark.

the room erupted into applause, and you felt a mix of satisfaction and embarrassment settle over you. riki’s grin softened into something a little more sincere.

as the applause continued and the event slowly came to a close, you found yourself standing beside riki, the noise of the crowd fading into the background as the two of you shared a quiet moment. there was something unspoken between you now, something that went beyond the playful teasing and jokes.

“you know,” riki said, glancing at you out of the corner of his eye, “this whole thing—working together, laughing, making this auction happen—it’s been... nice. really nice.”

you turned to him, catching the genuine warmth in his gaze. “yeah,” you agreed, feeling a sense of contentment you hadn’t realized you’d been missing. “it’s been good.”

the awkwardness from earlier had melted away, replaced by a sense of ease you hadn’t felt in a long time. you could see riki in a new light now, not just the careless, teasing guy from your past, but someone who actually cared, who had grown alongside you.

“so,” riki said, breaking the silence, “now that the auction’s done, what do we do next?”

you raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at your lips. “well, since you owe me a date, we could start with that,” you said, unable to resist.

riki smirked, his usual confidence returning. “oh, i’m looking forward to it.”

riki’s smirk softened as he took a small step closer to you, his gaze lingering on yours in a way that made your heart race. the space between you felt different now—more intimate, charged with a new energy that neither of you had quite acknowledged until now.

“yeah?” he asked softly, his voice almost a whisper as his hand brushed against yours, just a touch, but it was enough to send a jolt through you.

you nodded, feeling your breath catch. “yeah,” you replied, your voice steady, though your heart was anything but.

he was so close now, his presence overwhelming in the best way, and for a moment, neither of you spoke. the noise of the event faded away, leaving just the two of you standing in the soft glow of the lights.

without another word, riki leaned in, his eyes flickering down to your lips before meeting your gaze again, seeking permission. you could feel the warmth radiating from him, the same warmth that had been growing between you both over the last few weeks.

you couldn’t help but smile, a little breathless, before you leaned in, closing the gap. the kiss was soft at first, tentative, but the moment your lips met, something shifted. it was like a weight had been lifted, like all the years of misunderstandings, teasing, and distance finally melted away.

riki’s hand found its way to the back of your neck, pulling you just a little closer as the kiss deepened, slow and gentle. it was everything—everything you’d both been waiting for, without even realizing it.

he pulled away smiling, wiping the small bit of lipgloss that had smudged, looking into your eyes.

the two of you shared a look, the kind that spoke volumes, and for the first time, you weren’t worried about the future. you didn’t know where this would go, but for once, it didn’t matter. what mattered was that you were here, together, and that was enough for now.

@ coqhee 2025. all rights reserved.

[railmaster777]

Ok, so after looking over everything written for this for the third time, I've got some ideas.

It was mentioned in one of the posts that MC was either murdered, or nearly murdered, but either way, came back seemingly completely unharmed later. Now, completely avoiding any and all grimdark implications from that, that does imply either a Princess Bride style "mostly dead" sequence that hasn't been written yet, or the fun option with more story potential, at least MC, and maybe all of the class have a respawn mechanic. (It probably can't be everyone in the universe with a respawn mechanic, because otherwise the king wouldn't have killed MC, knowing that he would just respawn.)

Maybe it's automatic, or there's a delay until after whatever battle or event that killed them is over, or maybe someone has to do something in order for their fallen friend/friends to be revived. Either way, it opens up story potential and humorous character opportunities.

For example, a student who's genuinely trying to be a useful member of the team, but who's comically terrible at everything, or is a glass cannon who's really good at doing certain things, but has such a low health pool that any form of combat is practically guaranteed to result in him being incapacitated for the next few hours until he respawns/gets revived/recovers, at which point he goes right back to working on whatever it is he's trying to accomplish.

The standard 'entire class gets isekai'd to a fantasy world and the outcast MC is basically discarded' anime setting, where the MC, now assumed dead, decides to instead help the class of Heroes in the shadows, making sure they live up to what the people need.

However, the entire class knows that he's alive and are hellbent on dragging that son of a bitch back into the spotlight and to give him the recognition he deserves.

(And maybe because he was basically the entire class's Little Guy™.)

[seeingivy]

at this point i know you know it’s gonna be eren. x fuck you if i can't have us. but what if it’s like a criminal minds!au and y/n x eren are coworkers and in a forbidden relationship (at this point my fingers are just crossed u like criminal minds too and get that i am YEARNING for a spencer reid x i can see you type of thing) omg this is so fun u are a genius btw

sending you roses and kisses and hugs

fuck you if i can't have us x eren jaeger

**part of my tortured poets concert event

--

“do you have any fun plans this weekend?” 

you swivel back from your computer, abruptly stopping the speed of your chair with the heels of your shoes to catch sasha and connie draped across the closest desk desk – two fresh, steamy cups of coffee in their hands. the looks on their face betray the innocent imposition and you shoot the two of them a polite smile, before shaking your head. 

you can tell the not so innocent question has now piqued the interest of eren, who’s sitting three desks away, and very indiscreetly peeking over the monitor of his computer.  you shoot him a look of recognition, one that has his head ducking back under the monitor, before you turn back to the two of them. 

 “are you free on saturday?” connie asks. 

“i could be. depends on the plan. the company…” 

connie narrows his eyes at you, beckoning for an explanation. 

“the company?” connie asks. 

“that’s right.” 

“who said anyone else is going to be there?” sasha asks.

you click your pen in your hand twice, before twisting it between your fingers. 

“you’ve approached me hours before the end of my shift and inquired about my weekend plans. the last three times you’ve done that, you’ve inadvertently tried to set me up with your friend – jean, was it? – in a series of group hangouts, where i’ve somehow been isolated with him alone for at least an hour. two of those times, he was the one to drive me home, in which he spent a painstaking amount of time asking me about myself, far outside of normal curiosity. now that you’ve settled on what i’m assuming is your version of an easy introduction, at least enough to pique my interest, you’re now going to propose that i go out to dinner with him alone.” 

connie lets out an unwavering groan, accompanied by sasha’s boisterous laugh, as you lean back against your desk. 

“i’ll do twenty bucks that you were going to suggest italian.” you add. 

“how could you possibly know that?” connie groans. 

“that’s why i’m the detective and not you.” you offer. 

sasha gives him a consolation pat on the back, one that he immediately shoves off in disgust. 

“i’ll go one step further. our beloved junior detective here has zero interest in your friend – jean, was it? – but just entertains whatever weekend plans you seem to spring on her from a lack of good, stable friendships in her life.” 

you turn towards eren, who has now materialized at your side, a stray hand strewn across the back of your chair, and an unmistakably pleased look on his face from the chuckles he’s earned from sasha and connie from his comments. you narrow your eyes at him.

“really?” you ask. 

eren shrugs. 

“all signs point to yes. the only reason that you’ve been free three weekends in a row, to entertain such plans, is because you haven’t had any other ones. and loneliness spurs us to entertain even the most tiresome pursuits.” 

you roll your eyes at eren, unnerved by the very pleased look in his eyes, as you turn back towards connie. 

“well, the latter part of that statement i can actually agree with. i’ve had far too many tireless pursuits recently.” 

you watch as eren’s eye twitches, something you silently relish in, before turning back to connie. 

“you can tell jean that i’m free for italian at seven tomorrow. he can pick me up from my apartment.” 

you can feel eren’s grip on your chair tighten, certain that he’s trying to mitigate his immediate reflex to go slack jawed at your words, as connie and sasha rush out of the room, presumably running for their phones. the second they’re down the hall, you look up at eren – who’s shooting pinpoint needles into your forehead – his glare steely. 

“what the hell?” 

“i have a lack of good, stable friendships. far too many tireless pursuits. i could at least go for a free dinner. maybe get a kiss at the end of the night if i’m lucky.” you murmur. 

you watch as eren darts his eyes around the room quickly, before bending down and pressing a swift kiss to your lips, just long enough for you to feel the warmth simmering off of his cheeks. you’re quick to push him off, before reaching up and smearing the glitter of your lipstick off of his face. 

“i do recall you telling armin and mikasa that i was an arrogant virgin two hours ago.” he notes. 

“do you want to get fired? erwin is three doors down.” you whisper. 

“no. let’s get italian. tomorrow. i know you’re free.” he jests. 

you shake your head at him. 

“no can do. i have plans.” 

eren reaches for your wrist, his fingers warm on your pulse point, as he beckons for you to lean against him. 

“sweetheart.” 

“oh?” 

“i was teasing. you know that.” 

“so you can dish it but you can’t take it back?” 

eren narrows his eyes at you. 

“it’ll be funny if you promise me that you won’t go to dinner with whoever this jean character is.” 

“well, i’ll do that when you actually decide to take me out instead of doing…whatever this is.”

eren squeezes your wrist in his grasp, eyes uncharacteristically earnest, as he pulls you immediate closer, enough to teeter your balance. you place your hands out in front of you, firm on your shoulders as you narrow your eyes at him. 

“eren.” 

“how serious are you being? if you recall, we’re not dating because of you.” he murmurs. 

“well, i’m dead serious now. i…i just get tired of sneaking around. i got over the fact that our job is dangerous, that it ties us together in ways that aren’t good sometimes. and i like you, i don’t know how you feel about it, i just…” 

“i like you.” he interrupts, almost demanding. 

“then, do something about it. i’m tired of doing this in between thing, i understand why we do, but…i’m willing to take the risk. otherwise, i don’t know.” 

eren gives you a thoughtful nod. 

“and if i don’t?” he whispers. 

you shrug. 

“well, fuck you if i can’t have us.” 

--

“y/n. this is hitch.” 

you look up from your computer, quickly closing out the last of your tabs, to find eren peering over your monitor, a short girl standing at his side – with an almost bored expression on his face. 

“is this the girl from the sequencing lab?” you ask. 

eren shakes his head. 

“she’s from human resources.” eren states. 

you narrow your eyes at him. 

“are you filing a complaint against me as a joke?” you ask. 

eren shakes his head. 

“you just need to sign….” 

eren pauses, before quickly taking the papers from hitch, and pointing to the three highlighted lines on the paper. 

“there, there, and there. we can’t go on a date, in good faith, before declaring our relationship to hitch first.” 

“you’re serious?”

“sign them quickly. you can question my intentions at dinner because the office closes in…eight minutes.” 

you put your hands up in defense, quickly signing all three lines, before eren takes the papers – shooting hitch one last smile – before running down the hall. hitch shoots you a polite grin, before crossing her hands over her chest. 

“i leave work early on fridays. and i was on my way out, before your…boyfriend over there gave me a very impassioned speech about italian food and seizing the moment and then offered me a giftcard to the coffee shop on the corner to stay here and draw up the papers. he’s very keen on doing things right, not jumping through hoops and all that. it would be very adorable if it didn’t mean i had to push my own dinner plans.” 

you shoot her a smile, one that barely conceals your own excitement, before reaching for your own purse. you can find a similar gift card, one that eren spared you two weeks prior as a gift, and extend it out to her. 

“i’m sorry. he can be very razor focused when he sets his mind to one thing. here’s another gift card.” 

hitch shoots you a smile, as she takes the card. 

“i can tell.”

[gumims]

cops and robbers | choso x reader

for the @phantasmaebg event!!!

wc: 792

the city buzzed with energy as you slinked through the shadows, the sharp scent of rain clinging to the air. the museum was quieter than usual, almost eerie, the soft hum of the security system the only sound accompanying you. the painting you were after glinted just ahead, a priceless masterpiece practically begging to be stolen.

you’d done this countless times before. in and out, no complications.

but tonight was different.

tonight, he was here.

“y’know,” a low, smooth voice drawled behind you, sending a shiver down your spine. “for someone who prides themselves on being invisible, you’re pretty predictable.”

you turned, your heart skipping as choso kamo stepped out of the shadows, his dark eyes locked onto you with an intensity that felt like a physical weight.

“predictable?” you shot back, masking the flicker of nerves with a smirk. “i prefer the term ‘consistent.’”

his lips twitched, but he didn’t smile. instead, he stepped closer, his long coat brushing against his legs, his boots echoing softly in the empty gallery. you took an instinctive step back, your fingers itching to reach for the smoke bomb in your pocket.

“you really don’t know when to quit, do you?” he murmured, his voice dipping into something darker.

“what can i say? i have a knack for making your job harder,” you teased, even as your pulse quickened.

“yeah, i’ve noticed.”

his gaze was unrelenting, a mix of frustration and something else—something that made your stomach twist in a way you weren’t entirely prepared for.

“you here to catch me or flirt with me?” you asked, tilting your head with a grin you hoped looked confident.

his eyes narrowed slightly, his jaw tightening. “who says i can’t do both?”

your breath caught, but you refused to let it show. instead, you shrugged, leaning casually against the nearest pillar. “you’ve been chasing me for months, kamo. don’t you ever get tired?”

“never.” his answer was immediate, firm. “you make it interesting, plus if i wanted you arrested, you wouldn’t be here right now.”

you hated the way his words sent a spark of heat through you. this was supposed to be a game—cat and mouse, thief and officer. but the way he looked at you, the way his voice dropped just enough to make your pulse race, it felt like something else entirely.

“well,” you said, pushing off the pillar and circling him slowly, your eyes scanning for an opening. “if you enjoy the chase so much, maybe i’ll let you catch me one day.”

he didn’t move, his gaze tracking your every step like a predator watching its prey. “maybe tonight’s the night.”

“you think so?” you asked, stopping just out of reach, your smirk widening. “hate to break it to you, but i’m not that easy.”

“neither am i,” he shot back, his voice low and dangerous.

the air between you was electric, charged with a tension that had nothing to do with the job and everything to do with the way his eyes lingered on yours. for a moment, you wondered what would happen if you closed the distance, if you stepped just a little closer.

but then you remembered who you were—and who he was.

“well,” you said, taking a step back, “as fun as this has been, i’ve got places to be.”

you moved to dart past him, but he was faster than you expected. his hand shot out, grabbing your wrist and pulling you back before you could make it two steps.

“not so fast,” he murmured, his voice a quiet rumble that sent a shiver down your spine.

you twisted in his grip, your free hand pressing flat against his chest to push him back. but instead of letting go, his hold tightened, his body impossibly close to yours now.

“gotcha,” he said softly, his breath warm against your ear.

your heart pounded, and you hated how much you noticed the heat of his skin, the sharp line of his jaw, the way his scent—clean and faintly woodsy—seemed to wrap around you.

“you really think this is over?” you asked, tilting your head to meet his gaze.

his lips curved into a faint smirk, and for the first time, you saw a flicker of amusement in his usually serious expression. “you tell me.”

you leaned in, so close your lips nearly brushed his ear. “not even close.”

with a sharp twist, you broke free of his grip, your smoke bomb already in your hand. you tossed it at the ground, the room filling with a thick cloud of smoke as you made your escape.

“see you around, officer,” you called over your shoulder as you slipped into the night, your heart racing for reasons you didn’t want to think about.

you knew this wasn’t the end. not with him. and as much as you hated to admit it, part of you didn’t want it to be.

[luvvyouforever]

vampire!emily prentiss

you are mine, you shall be mine, you and i are one for ever. ꨄ

-carmilla, sheridan le fanu

content: vampire au, wlw imagined when writing, lowk sugar mommy dynamic, sex, possessive, blood, feeding.

𖤐 uses her immortality to enjoy all that life has to offer. indulges in expensive trips, luxurious fabrics, international delicacies, and art collection. her home is always beautiful no matter where she lives and becomes her own personal museum. probably has storage units around the world holding her keepsakes.

𖤐 works for fun rather than for money. creates new lives for herself when she gets bored with one. essentially builds an entire character and lives as her in some new place. will change her hair or her entire style so she's not recognized.

𖤐 if she had some way to just ethically source blood like premade bags or something along those lines, she would. but if those options aren't available, she will feed and drain the worst, almost like a vigilante.

𖤐 she is suchhhh a seductress, luring people in for pleasure and company easily. all she has to do is attend an event dressed to the nines and lean against a table before she has people crawling to her.

𖤐 when she meets you, she's entranced immediately. thinks about you all night long, dreaming of touching your skin and brushing your hair away and feeling your lips on hers. she tries not to let herself wonder what your blood tastes like but she can't help it when you're close and she can smell it.

𖤐 spoils you to no end, but makes sure she's buying you the best of the best. she's so good at being rich and enjoying luxury that she practically has to teach you. she shows you what expensive fabrics feel like and makes some expensive drink for you saying this is the only way you can enjoy vodka.

𖤐 i think she confesses to you that she's a vampire rather than you finding it out in some dramatic fashion. she feels herself becoming more attached to you and she's lived so long that she knows it's better to be upfront about it to keep you.

𖤐 i like to think that if there was some way to have you eternally and let you live alongside her for the rest of her life, she would want that, but she would make sure you're really sure. eternity is not what everyone makes it out to be, she says. but she would be so heartbroken if you said no, knowing she has to watch you age.

𖤐 loves teasing you by dragging her sharp teeth along your skin, sending shivers down your entire body as you think about how powerful she is, what she's truly capable of. enjoys making you come completely undone for her.

𖤐 she has so much experience and knows exactly what to do to make your body sing for her. she can draw it out for an entire night, keeping you down on the bed, making you finish around her till you're a babbling mess. or she can take you against the kitchen counter quickly, having you leave for work in record time.

𖤐 is very possessive and claiming of you. she gets angry at someone's touch against you, even more so if they've been so close to you that she can smell them. licks along your neck, muttering 'mine' the whole way up.

𖤐 will totally gift you something that makes it glaringly clear that you're taken. she'll gift you a locket with her initial carved into it, or an ornate ring she picked up centuries ago. you wear it with pride, so happy to have been gifted something beautiful, but she's smirking as she feels her possessiveness quelled a little bit.

freaky vampire blood stuff below i'm sorry (no i'm not):

𖤐 it would take multiple conversations for her to be comfortable with feeding from you. she likes strict boundaries and open discussion and prioritizes your health over anything. she informs you about how you're gonna feel, how the process will work, everything. when she receives another confirmation from you, she can't help but feel excited that she finally gets to taste you.

𖤐 the first time she does it, she makes it an intimate experience as if it was your first time having sex. makes it dark in the room, lays you down on the plush bed and crawls on top of you. she asks for permission one more time and when you readily give it to her, she bends down and gently seeks her teeth into your neck.

𖤐 from that moment, she's obsessed. she dreams about your taste and craves it all the time. but if nothing, she's great at self-control. she holds herself off until you've recovered, then she will practically crawl to you, begging for another taste. it's the most submissive you've ever seen her.

𖤐 she lost her mind when, as she was about to cum during sex, you lifted your neck, offering her the perfect spot to sink her mouth onto. she finishes just at the moment that your blood fills her. she never wants to leave your side.

[shinski-chan]

❛❛𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚢 𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢❞

synopsis: it was one of those spontaneous events where your friends invited you to have some fun, not knowing that one of your guy friends was jungwon's ex-best friend, making him lightheartedly jealous and pushing him to mark his territory.

paring: jungwon x gn!reader

word count: 1.3k

notes: fluff, playful and possessive!jungwon, teasing, placing hickey, lighthearted jealousy, childish, whiny!jungwon, suggestive

the sound of the loud music was echoing in the four corners of the place. the smell of alcohol in the place, filled with smoke from different cigarettes.

while you sat there with your group of friends, laughing together at a joke, one of your friends cracked.

this event was a spontaneous one, like how one of your friends invited the group to have some fun at the very moment, and you weren't able to tell the deets to your boyfriend, and all he knows is that you're going out with friends.

work has been eating you up lately, and events like this were one of the ways to unwind and just enjoy living your life like a decent human being.

the place was filled with laughter, and you raised a glass to take a quick selfie for your instagram story, making sure the glowing lights were captured. just as soon as you tapped the click button, your friend leaned a bit, throwing a peace sign and making sure he was captured in the frame.

on the other hand, jungwon was all alone in the house... done with his busy schedule and is now lounging on the couch, aimlessly scrolling through his phone, when suddenly a notification from his instagram appeared.

as soon as he saw your name on top of the screen, he immediately clicked the notification, and in a snap, his once relaxed posture now turns stiff when he sees the guy next to you.

"wait... isn't it..." he mumbled between his breaths, his head tilting and his brows curled with a mix of emotion.

he squinted his eyes, hovering his phone closer to his face, closely examining the guy, checking if it was really him. his jaw clenched as he confirmed that it was really him, his ex-best friend.

before he even knew it, his fingers were aggressively tapping the keyboard, sending you a message.

"you didn't tell me you had a guy with you."

his eyes blinked twice, his index finger tapping the sides of his phone, waiting for your response. once he received none, he immediately called.

you felt how your phone vibrated. you glanced over your phone, casting the caller name of your boyfriend, but you didn't bother to answer, deciding to text him later.

with jungwon's persistence, he called and called and called again. before you could even turn your phone into silent mode, a text flashed on the screen.

"you better be heading home."

reading the text he sent, you immediately feel the heat of his annoyance radiating. you glanced at the time before giving him a text.

"i'll be home by 12,"

after tapping the send button, you spent the next few hours chitchatting and catching up with the latest news.

by the time you walked into your apartment, you were greeted by an eerie silence. the air was too thick, and it felt a little suffocating.

you saw jungwon sitting on the couch, his arms crossed, moped around like a child who didn't get what he wanted.

"you ignored my calls," he said, his tone sharp and cold. if his stares could kill, you'll be lying on the floor already.

you raised a brow before settling your bag beside him. "it was so loud in the bar,"

"yeah right, with him," his voice laced with irritation, making your brows curled in confusion.

"what are you talking about?" you asked, plopping yourself beside his figure.

"nuh uh, don't play dumb, love. i know you know who am i referring to," he said, squinting his eyes.

"do you even know that guy? do you have any idea who he is?" he asked, ambushing you with questions.

you sighed, finally knowing what he was actually talking about.

"jungwon-"

"no no, no, let me finish," he said, grumping like a child.

you heavily sighed, walking out of the area and walking your way towards your shared room, knowing that he's unstoppable at this moment.

"you don't know who that guy is! he's the perfect example of those main characters in those cringeworthy stories—you know, the rich and rude guy who felt like every girl was head over heels with him," he continuously said, going after you.

you bit your lips, trying not to laugh, but he wasn't done.

"that guy? he's a human embodiment of a red flag. he's manipulative, self-centered. i couldn't forget those times when he always had to brag about everything! like, 'oh, jungwon what's your score? oh, i did better than you,'" he says, his voice dripping with mockery as he tried to imitate some 'back in the day' situation.

"it sounded like you weren't still over with your high school shits," you said, turning around to face him.

"don't change the subject!" he snapped, putting his index finger on your lips.

"he's a changed man," you said, and with that being said, he ran his fingers through his hair.

"A CHANGED MAN? HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT!" he exclaimed. "you never knew that guy, i swear..." he said, slumping his shoulder in disbelief.

"baby-"

"I will never forget that one time he ghosted me when i was being vulnerable! and now all of a sudden, he'll come back, and the worst part was this a kind of reunion i wasn't invited to?" he continued to yap, and it felt like he's never running out of words at this state.

"love-"

"no, seriously, love. tell me, did he badmouth me? was he trying to be a saint? what did he talk about-"

"yang jungwon!" you shouted, pinched his nose, and gave him a quick peck on his lips. "You're overreacting," you said. you couldn't help but to feel irritated with all of the rants he kept throwing at you.

"oh, you know i am definitely not!" he defended as he frowned. "do you even know how much i hated that guy???" he asked as he stomped his feet on the floor like a whiny little child.

you couldn't help but to smile; he was all worked up, and there's nothing more exhilarating than seeing him act jealous like this.

"you're jealous," you teased, couldn't hide the grin on your lips.

"no, i'm not," he grumbled, but his red ears speak louder than his words. "i'm just being protective!" he pouted.

"same thing," you shortly said, and as you were about to turn your back at him, he pulled you closer and wrapped you around his arms tight.

"no it's not," he insisted, his voice now calmer and softer. "the point of all of these is that i don't trust him, and i don't wanna see you hanging around him," he said, carrying you on to the bed.

"you ain't gonna do anything about it," you teased, brushing off stray strands of his hair.

"glad you mentioned that," he says, burying his face to your neck. "yah, what are you trying to do?" you asked, gently placing your hand on his head.

your heart starts to skip a beat.

"marking my territory," he shortly said, and as soon as he said those words, you felt his lips press against your skin.

"won-"

"shh," he whispered, his voice low.

the heat of his mouth sends a shiver down to your spine as his kiss starts to deepen, leaving a mark on your neck.

"baby,"

he paused a little, giving you a little more time to process what he just did, and after a few seconds, he placed a soft kiss from your neck up to your lips.

"there," he says as he slightly pulls back, admiring the mark he just left. the mark was visible against your skin, and a smirk started to form from his lips, clearly satisfied with his work of art. "now, everyone will know who you belong to, especially him," he added, making you chuckle.

"you're ridiculous," you said, gently brushing his hair.

"i know," he admitted, shifting your positions, now you're laying on top of him. he wrapped his arms around you and said, "i love you,"

"silly, i love you more..."

©shinskichan

[space-station-nursery]

✦ㅤ―Helping regressors in storms ‧ ⛈️ ◞

Good timezone starshines! Storms can be really scary for some littles, and with there being massive snow storms right now, i think a lot of caregivers and sitters could use some advice on how to comfort their little ⁺　　◍ 　 . 　 ⁺　　☆　　⁺ 　 . 　 ◍　　⁺

⟣𓂃 Put on their favorite show/movie ⧼ 📺 ⧽

Sometimes the loud noises from the wind, or branches hitting the window can cause some spooks. Turn on something your regressor might find entertaining [and distracting] and snuggle up with them while the storm passes. Try and avoid tv in the event alarms are being played, and instead opt for a streaming service or even music to prevent more anxiety

⟣𓂃 Close the blinds or curtains on the window ⧼ 🪟 ⧽

Along with the noise, sometimes seeing things blow past the window, or seeing how hard everything is coming down [including seeing things like lightning] can cause a little one to go running. Try and close the blinds or curtains to keep them calm

⟣𓂃 Talk to your little ⧼ 🗣️ ⧽

Have a conversation about their favorite things, or what you wanna do after a storm to help keep them distracted. Talk about how excited you are to have fun with them after the storm is over

⟣𓂃 Offer reassurance ⧼ 🫂 ⧽

Talk and comfort your little through the storm. Affirm them that they are safe, and that you're there to protect them. Remind them how much they are loved, and anything else needed to put their mind at ease

⟣𓂃 Use breathing techniques ⧼ 🌬️ ⧽

Square breathing, or 4-7-8 breathing can be a great way to help keep your little one focused on you and themselves, instead of the scary going on around them

⟣𓂃 Plan out relaxing activities before the storm ⧼ 🧩 ⧽

Aware of a storm coming ahead? Plan out some comforting indoor fun for you and your little one to prepare for whatever comes your way!

⟣𓂃 Nest with them while using comfort items ⧼ 🧸 ⧽

Nesting is the act of well... quite literally making a human nest 🤭Take some blankets and some pillows and form a circle or "U" shape around your little. Add some of their comfort items, or things that make them feel safe to keep them comfortable as you ride out the storm together

⟣𓂃 Let them ask questions ⧼ 🤔 ⧽

Sometimes the best ways to let out some anxiety are by letting your regressor ask you questions about the storm as its happening, or even questions about what you can do AFTER the storm ends!

⟣𓂃 Explain what's happening during the storm ⧼ ☁️ ⧽

While theyre asking questions, feel free to explain what type of storm is going on! Sometimes learning why something is happening can make a little feel a lot more curious and a lot less afraid

⟣𓂃 Work on a safety plan ⧼ 🗺️ ⧽

Some storms [like tornados and hurricanes] can be especially devistating. If you are living with your little one, work out a safety plan to ease the anxiety of something dangerous and unpredictable. Its better to be honest that these things can happen, but can be safer with a plan in mind!

Fact OTD: In the sibling department, every President has had, at minimum, one half-brother or half-sister. However, a few Presidents are sometimes considered to have been raised as only children

[taniahylian]

Tristes tropiques: The worst chapter in Reverse 1999

Alright, so I’ve wanted to talk about ch8 of the main story since I’ve finished it because it’s, imo, the worst drop in writing quality we’ve seen in the game so far. It has a lot of inconsistencies, things that aren’t explained or happen off-screen, and the emotional segments are rushed/not impactful enough, and about characters we’ve barely seen (excluding Anjo Nala, who is the best part of the chapter imo). Now, as you can see, this will be quite a negative take, so if you liked this chapter, please don’t let me ruin your fun lol. Also, it’ll have spoilers, so be warned.

Part 1: The representation.

Alright, had to get this out of the way first because it’s what everyone is talking about. The representation.

Is the representation bad? Yes. Really, really bad if we compare it with literally all other stories in the game. To put things in perspective, imagine if in the Notes of Shuori event nothing changed but they clamed this was Japan instead of China, yet characters still spoke in Chinese, had Chinese names, and many of the references were Chinese. That would have been outrageous, wouldn’t it? Well, that’s basically what happened here but with Brazil and other Latin American countries.

What they tried to do, basically, was dump all of Latin America (you, know a region that’s bigger and more diverse than Europe) into one singular “culture” and put this in fictional Sao Paulo. Why do I say that? Because many of the words they use for different things are in Spanish, and many characters speak in Spanish, have Spanish-sounding names, and reference things from other countries in Latin America. Also, one of the npcs, whose name I don’t care to remember, is literally a walking Mexican stereotype. To me what this says is that they didn’t do any research at all about Brazil (for those of you who don’t know, they speak Portuguese and are also far enough away from Mexico that these two cultures aren’t really comparable); enough that they couldn’t get even the language right, or even the geography or the Sao Paulo landscape, judging by what I’ve seen being said by Brazilian players.

Remember when they accurately portrayed the Secession building in Vienna? Or Jantar Mantar in Mor Pank? Or how they usually have characters speak small phrases in their native language, which is appropriate to the region and their character? Well, Bluepoch doesn’t, apparently.

Then there’s the whole “life here is hell, this is hopeless and everything here sucks” aspect of their portrayal of Sao Paulo (and their infamous tweet). This feels especially disrespectful when the story so far has always had quite a good amount of nuance. Vienna for example, having the contrast of being the “city of freedom”, yet having such a strict oppression of arcanists. Or San Francisco, having such a huge poverty and gang problem, yet still portraying the people living in these conditions as actual humans with hopes and dreams that they sometimes were able to accomplish.

And finally, to wrap up this representation thing… it feels disrespectful that the only Brazilian character we get is Mr. Duncan. Mainly because it seems he’s not really Mr. Duncan, but actually Mr. Karson. You know, an English man. I think they should’ve made Lopera Brazilian because so far having her be from Colombia adds nothing to the story, and if she was from Sao Paulo it’d make a lot more sense for her to be Vertin’s guide/translator in the city.

Okay, so that’s what we get from the representation in this chapter, which is pretty bad (haven’t read Anjo’s character story, which I’ve heard is better in this aspect, but that’s not actually part of ch8, so I excluded it). However, honestly I wouldn’t mind that much if the story had at least been good. So… let’s talk about that next, shall we?

Part 2: The story.

The good.

Okay, first let’s get the good things out of the way, because I don’t want to sit here and pretend that everything about this chapter was bad; that would be unfair and disingenuous.

I liked Lopera and Molly. They were interesting characters and have a lot of potential for the future of the story, which I really hope they deliver in future chapters.

I liked White Rum; she’s a funny character, and the concept of an Awakened pirate ship that has the skeletal hand of her former captain (Anne Bonnie, my favorite pirate of all time) is quite an interesting and unique idea, and I wish we got more characters like this. Also, I need to see her interact with Regulus lol.

I absolutely adored Anjo Nala. She’s the highlight of the story for me; an interesting, complex, and adorable character with a lot of potential for stories to tell, both about her past and her future. I really became attached to her over the course of this story, and I think they did a good job making you care for her… in this specific chapter. Don’t look back at versions 2.0 and 2.1 if you don’t want to get your fun ruined, because consistency is something they didn’t care about at all while writing this patch. And that brings us to…

The bad.

Buckle up my friends because what’s bad about this chapter is really, really, REALLY bad. Consistency is something they don’t believe in anymore, retcons are on the market, and setting up characters/settings/relationships is a thing of the past.

Does it sound like I’m being too harsh? Maybe, but it’s deserved, so idc.

Let’s start from the least bad, shall we? Anjo Nala’s hunger. In 2.0 and 2.1, as well as the first of Anjo’s monologues (the things you unlock after getting traces of a specific character), it’s implied that she can’t eat human food. Not that she doesn’t find it satisfactory, or that she doesn’t like it. It’s heavily implied she literally can’t eat it.

But then she steals some bread and Vertin gives her chocolate, and she eats both, so… what’s up with that? Also, they never really explain what her hunger is for. Was it really just normal human food? Or something else? In her trailer (which btw I wouldn’t consider it part of the main story because it’s a freaking trailer, but whatever) she “feeds on someone’s love” by using her tail. Okay, but then that person turns into a “walking corpse”. Does she have to do that every time she’s hungry? What happens if she doesn’t? Is human food substitute enough? The game never answers these questions, which is a mistake because this whole thing is a central part of Anjo’s character, as well as her turning from her bloodthirsty self to the Anjo we meet in this chapter.

And this brings us to my second issue… the inconsistency of Anjo’s character with the two events we had before this patch. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying anything she ever did was her fault since she was simply a slave following orders, and one thing that is consistent about her character is that she doesn’t like when people do give her orders. However, what really annoys me is how in 2.0 she was very bloodthirsty. Sure, she didn’t know J and his gang, and she had done these types of jobs before, but imo it would’ve been more consistent with the other patches if she was indifferent about killing them, rather than excited. 2.1 was slightly more consistent with ch8 when it comes to Anjo’s character, but it’s kind of implied it was all an act, and her “real” personality was that of 2.0.

Now, I’ve seen some ppl explain this as “well, in a wilderness interaction she says she acts however her master prefers her to”. Okay, but why put such important information in a freaking wilderness interaction and not in the main story??? You can’t even see those unless you have the character, and seeing as Anjo is limited, not everyone will have her. This is a fact.

Another problem I have with Anjo (this is the last, I promise) is that we’re not introduced to her again in ch8, which surely is a decision. Why? Because 2.0 and 2.1 aren’t part of the main story; they’re side events, which are time-limited and, at the moment, not available in-game. This is a problem because anyone who didn’t play those events for one reason or another will be very confused by Anjo Nala and how Vertin reacts to her. It would’ve been better if we were introduced to her from the pov of Lopera, for example, when she raided the Manus base and captured her. And then we could have Vertin run into her on the ship and explain to Sotheby (with a little more detail than what we got) that she actually met her before.

I’m just saying, this isn’t the first time we got a character in a main chapter that had been previously introduced only in an event (Marta/Bessmert), but in that case, if you missed the event, you could still fully enjoy the main chapter, because you wouldn’t even know that you were missing information. That’s not the case here.

And speaking of Urd… okay, let’s talk about how little sense it makes for the Foundation to want to find her in this chapter. In ch5 Vertin and her team found a suspicious radio that talked about a travel note about Aperion written by someone named “Urd”. In this case it makes sense for them to want to investigate, since the base Ms. Radio was in had things that belonged to the Manus, and they found some Manus followers there as well. Even after ch5 and everything that happened, it still makes sense for Vertin to want to keep looking for Urd because now she has the suspicion, based on what 6 said, that Urd is her mother.

However, although it makes sense for Vertin to want to find Urd, it doesn’t make sense for the freaking Foundation to want to find some random UTTU editor. Because that’s really all Urd is, isn’t she? She’s not the head of UTTU (that’d be Pandora), and the fact that she can traverse the storm, which is the only reason we’re given in ch8, is shared among all UTTU editors, as we learn from Barbara.

But even if we assume the Foundation wants to know how UTTU keeps its editors safe… first of all, why? We already have the equilibrium umbrellas, don’t we? We spent a whole chapter seeing their creation, and even saw ppl die for this cause. Why would they need yet another method for surviving the storm? If they instead suspected UTTU to be involved with the Manus somehow, and that’s how they’re traversing the storm, then at least give us that!

Furthermore, the Foundation already knew where she was! They were the ones who gave her the white marble chair with a button! If they just wanted to speak with her, surely a simply call would’ve sufficed? Why send Vertin?

And that’s another thing! Constantine knows Vertin’s mom, and I'm sure she’s not the only one in the Foundation who does, yet the Foundation tried to cover it up and tell Vertin that she doesn’t have a mother. Clearly they have some motivation for keeping it hidden, right? Then… why send Vertin specifically to search for Urd? Why not send some other random investigator, preferentially one with experience finding ppl? Why Vertin???

If Vertin had gone out of her own will, like in ch5, I’d have no problem with this, but no; the Foundation sent her this time. And I just can’t bring myself to understand why.

Maybe if Urd isn’t Vertin’s mom, that would explain this, but for now this makes no sense at all.

Next I want to talk about Lopera and Molly’s relationship. I said before that I truly liked their characters and their relationship, which is true, but… I wish it had been better stablished. Why? Because we had only had one, one single scene, of them together and the suddenly there was a grand betrayal and we’re supposed to feel bad for Lopera? Lmao.

If I felt slightly bad for Lopera it was because of the voice acting, the music and the art. I can assure you, not one single ounce of those feelings came from the actual story being told. It’s even worse when it comes to Igor because he barely exchanged words with Lopera, and all we know from their relationship comes from Lopera telling us “he’s better than my biological father”. And let’s not talk about Ptoleme. He literally only appeared to be a jerk for like five minutes and neither Molly nor Lopera seem to care much about him. How are we supposed to care about that entire family? They really don’t feel like a family at all (except for Lopera and Molly, but even then, it’s the bare minimum this chapter could do with this concept).

It would’ve been so much better if we had this whole chapter to stablish Lopera’s relationship with her adoptive family, with Zeno, the veterans and the Sao Paulo community, and then in the next chapter we could have the big betrayal be more impactful. But here? We barely spent any time with these characters!

And then we have the actual betrayal scene, which is… nonsensical. At best.

What happened in it? Molly arrived at the Colonel’s manor with her squad of Zeno soldiers and attacked the few Apostles Brotherhood ppl that remained, then says she’s glad that Lopera was able to rescue Dr. Dores and that they should all go back to the base. None of this is suspicious, imo, because Vertin had already told Lopera that she was going to call Zeno for reinforcements, specifically to assist with the rescue of Dr. Dores. It’s true that Molly hesitates a little when Lopera asks “what about the timekeeper?”, and that she dismisses Lopera’s concerns about evacuating Sao Paulo, but imo this shouldn’t be enough for Lopera to be so suspicious of her freaking sister. Also, why ask “who’s waiting for you in Tierra del Fuego”? Why would Lopera every think this was anything other than a mission from Zeno???

Sure, they didn’t tell her about it, but also she’s been gone from the base for a couple of days and she knows there’s been traitors and rebels. A lot could’ve changed in that time. Even if she didn’t want to leave because she got attached to Sao Paulo, I think it’s weird that she immediately was so confrontational about it, especially with her sister, who famously just follows their father’s orders without questions.

This could’ve worked if Lopera was already suspicious of her family beforehand, or maybe even of Zeno’s higher ups, or if Molly and her squad had just waltzed in without attacking the Manus or being attacked by them. But that’s not what happened. Also, if she really was suspicious, why not go back to the base and question Igor about this whole thing like Molly suggested? I don’t see why she immediately would think base=bad when her whole family and the army she’s part of is currently at the base.

Like, I get she already had trauma because of her biological father being a jerk, but that situation doesn’t seem to have anything to do with this one imo. All in all, what I’m saying is that the bad writing of this scene lessens the emotional impact.

And it’s not the only emotional scene that’s affected by the blatant bad writing in this chapter. No, that “honor” goes to the scene the trailer for this patch opens with; Anjo being ordered to kill Vertin by Ptoleme.

Okay, so as a refresher, Igor requests that his son, Ptoleme, is sent to the base because “he can only trust in his children because they always obey him”. Okay, so then what does Ptoleme do when ordered to bring back Kimberly, preferentially without a fuss? Of course, cause the biggest scene imaginable, which leads to Kimberly being freed.

Now, I wouldn’t be so harsh on him if his actions were reasonable but due to circumstances led to an unfavorable outcome for him, but that’s not what happened. Okay, he ordered Anjo to kill Vertin. Whatever, he’s a sadistic asshole, but this at least kinda makes sense. What makes no sense whatsoever is that he not only gave Vertin a gun because “he won’t shoot an unarmed civilian” (why does he care? Also ultimately he orders Anjo to kill her, so he wouldn’t have shot an unarmed civilian anyways), but also that he kept trying to make Vertin shoot Anjo.

Why? Just why? There was no reason for him to want Vertin to kill Anjo. None at all. And if what he wanted was to convince Anjo to kill Vertin… he can’t play both the “I’ll free you if you kill her” and the “Vertin, kill her, she’s a monster” cards at the same time. It makes him look like a pathetic moron with no sense of reality whatsoever, and in retrospective makes Igor look like a bigger idiot who doesn’t know his children at all. I think the reason they did this is because they wanted to replicate the infamous orange scene from ch2, but without all the logic, lore and emotional impact behind it, just hoping players would feel emotions by association.

And finally, we come to my biggest complain about this chapter: the retcon about how the storm works. Because yes, it is a retcon. Why do I say that? Mainly based on ch6.

In ch6 we learn that Heinrich, in 1912, left Vienna to study at Berlin. There, he met the Manus and joined them, surviving that storm, and subsequent ones, until time returned to 1913 and he went back to Vienna, reuniting with his old friends and telling them about the storm.

Now, how is this relevant? Well, from Heinrich’s story we learned two things; 1) you can indeed see again someone who was once reversed by the storm, but only if time ever goes back to that era, and 2) The fact that his friends recognized him and he recognized his friends, and his friends’ existence was consistent even though the storm had once reversed them. You see where I’m going with this, don’t you?

At the end of ch8, Vertin says “the storm doesn’t kill ppl, at least not physically”. Okay Vertin, did you have a lobotomy between chapters? The storm has never killed ppl; it’s just the end of an era, remember? It reverses time! It’s in the freaking name! The scariest part about the storm isn’t the storm itself, but the storm syndrome, which is when most casualties seem to happen. Sure, the storm sucked for Vertin because she kept traversing eras and losing the friends she made in them, but those friends remained anchored in their own time (perhaps with the exception of ppl who had already crossed the storm at least once, like The Ring and Isabella, but I digress).

My point is, that I really don’t like where this retcon is headed, but I do hope they somehow fix it in the future, either by making it clear that not everyone who gets reversed is reincarnated and there’s very strict conditions that should be met (like having knowledge about the storm, for example), or this hypothesis is wrong and the storm isn’t actually making ppl reincarnate.

One reason I especially don’t like this new reincarnation thing is that… Mr. Duncan isn’t Mr. Karson. Let’s not lie to ourselves. He looks nothing like Mr. Karson (and I wish the game would stop gaslighting me), doesn’t act like Mr. Karson, doesn’t speak like Mr. Karson, and doesn’t even have the same nationality as him! The only things that are similar about them is that they’re both old war veterans who once had a dog and now have a soft spot for young ladies. And if this is the approach they’ll use to bring back characters in the future… thanks, but I’d rather they stayed reversed.

Think about it! Will they next say that Anjo is Schneider? They look similar enough (more similar than Duncan and Karson, that’s for sure!), both were antagonists that joined the manus for reasons beyond their control, both had a fight with Vertin in which they almost got killed, and both have a snake bracelet on their left arm. Surely that’s enough to say they’re one and the same, according to this logic!

My point is that using such simple similarities, they can literally invent any new character they want and then say “this is actually this other character, who was once reversed by the storm”, regardless of if they’re actually similar at all, and I don’t think that people who wanted them to bring back Schneider or Marian, or Mr. Karson, or 888, or literally anyone, wanted them to be brought back like this.

But that’s enough of me ranting lol. What do you think? Did you like this chapter? What are your main complains about it?

To be clear I’m not saying we should stop playing the game or anything like that; from what I’ve heard the next event is actually good, and I have faith Bluepoch will listen to the players and make sure ch9 is better than whatever ch8 was, but it’s precisely this why it is important for us, as players, to speak out when we don’t like something so that Bluepoch knows they can’t get away with such blatant drops in quality.

Now, if you somehow made it to the end, thanks for reading!

[kotegiris]

[Event Story] 3rd Anniversary -Mark of Glory-

Events Referenced: Ice Castle of Thaw

previous chapter ✧ all ✧ next chapter

Chapter 2: Trip for the Request

Yuhan: I see… Evidence that proves we’re worthy of receiving the reward…

Teddy: Even if they tell us that all of a sudden… What kind of evidence would be good?

Shiro: An angel’s head… would be impossible. Since they disappear as soon as they are defeated.

Bellen: …Shiro? Don’t just say something scary so nonchalantly.

Lucas: Fufu. There’s no need to think so hard about it.

Lucas: Finlay-sama has already taken care of that.

Lucas: What we have to do is… As delegates of the Central Lands, go to various places and deliver official letters.

Haures: Deliver letters…? That’s it?

Lucas: Yup. In those letters, “Please document the Devil Butlers’ contributions,” is written…

Lucas: We’ll bring those documents back with us, and it’ll become the “objective evidence” that proves we’re worthy of receiving the reward.

Fennesz: I see. So we’ll be having the people we’ve met so far provide proof of our accomplishments.

Fennesz: Having to ask them ourselves, though… It’s a bit embarrassing.

Lamli: But if we gather evidence… We’ll get a reward, right?

Lamli: Then let’s do it! If it’s just delivering letters, then it’ll be easy ♪

Hanamaru: Yup. We can just treat it like a small trip.

Hanamaru: If we’re “delegates”, that means the travel expenses will be covered by the Grovanner family, right? I’ll take what I can get.

Ammon: That’s right. Anyways, I’m glad this request isn’t hard.

Nac: Berrien-san, how many places will we be delivering letters to?

Berrien: There are four major places: Eastern, Western, Southern, and Northern Lands.

Berrien: Since it’s a chance to travel… And we have plenty of time before the deadline…

Berrien: I want Aruji-sama to be able to enjoy traveling to all the different places… What do you think?

> So we’ll be going to all the lands?

Berrien: Yes. It’ll be a long trip, but… Since we’ll be going to all the places we’ve been to up until now…

Berrien: I’m sure it’ll be a fun one.

Berrien: Fufu… It’s basically a trip around the world.

> It does seem fun.

Berrien: I’m glad. Then it’s decided.

Berrien: Next, we have to decide who will accompany Aruji-sama, but…

Berrien: Why don’t we change who’s accompanying Aruji-sama for each destination?

Miyaji: I see. Then it’ll be fair.

Miyaji: The butlers staying back at the mansion can also continue the ritual of prayers too.

Lono: Fine by me! If it’s alright, I’d like to go somewhere far away!

Bastien: Hmm… I see. If you do that, then you can spend a longer amount of time with Aruji-sama.

Bastien: I’d like to go somewhere far too then.

Lono: Hey! Don’t expose my plan! And don’t copy me!

Haures: Hm… We’ll decide who’s going where later…

Haures: First, we need to make preparations for the trip.

Flure: Yes! I have to hurry and make new outfits for so many people.

Bellen: Uhm… Make new outfits? For all of us?

> (So he’s making new ones after all…)

Bellen: Uhm… Flure-kun. Why do you need to make new ones?

Flure: Because we’re going to be visiting many places as delegates of the Central Lands, right?

Flure: Then as delegates we have to be dressed properly!

Bellen: As delegates… That makes sense.

Bellen: Wait a minute… I just agreed without thinking, but hold on.

Bellen: If we need proper outfits, then… Then aren’t our usual tailcoats enough?

Flure: Yeah, but… I want us to really look the part!

Flure: Ah, by any chance… Do you not like my outfits, Bellen-san…?

Bellen: Of course I like them. Your outfits are always the best.

Bellen: But making outfits for almost 20 people… Isn’t it a lot of work?

Flure: It is, but I’m so excited! Please look forward to them!

Bellen: G-Got it… If there’s anything I can help with, let me know.

Shiro: ……Flure…… When it comes to outfits, why do his eyes change?

Lato: Kufufu… When Flure gets like that, no one can stop him.

Lato: All we can do is help him, so he doesn’t work too hard on his own.

> Flure, don’t push yourself too much.

Flure: Yes! I’ll do my best without pushing myself!

Boschi: …What kind of response is that?

Muu: Fufu… Making outfits is a lot of work, so I’m worried about Flure-san, but…

Muu: At the same time, I’m also excited to see what kind of outfits he’ll make! Right, Aruji-sama?

> Yeah, me too.

And so the butlers and I will be delivering official letters to the various lands…

A few days later the trip preparations were finished, and we changed into the outfits Flure made for us…

First, I’ll be traveling to the Northern Lands with the first floor butlers.

【Central Lands - Snowy Mountain】

WHOOOOOSH…

Lono: Brr… S-So cold…

Berrien: The amount of snow is gradually increasing. Just as Bastien-kun said…

Bastien: Yeah. Good thing we decided to change route at the last minute.

Bastien: If we had continued going the other way to the northern border… We would have gotten stuck in the snow.

Lono: I-I don’t mind taking a detour, but… Is there really somewhere for us to stay on this snowy mountain?

Bastien: Yeah. Aruji-sama and Muu have been there before too.

Muu: Ah, that’s right… No wonder why I thought this looked familiar.

> If I remember correctly, along this path is…

Bastien: There it is.

Bastien: The “Ice Palace”... Aruji-sama, the others, and I stayed here before. It’s a noble’s mansion.

Berrien: …Oh my? Someone from the mansion is coming over here.

Step… step… step…

Shira: …Geez. I thought I saw people from the window, so I came to check…

Shira: I didn’t think it’d be you guys. Long time no see.

> Ah! It’s…

Muu: Shira-san! It’s been a while!

Berrien: So you’re Shira-san? It’s nice to meet you.

Berrien: I’ve been hearing about you for quite some time now. I’m Aruji-sama’s butler—

Shira: Yeah, yeah. Let’s save the introductions for later and go inside first.

Shira: It’ll be a pain if another incident happens. This way.

Lono: Brr… T-Thanks…

[thelonelyshore-if]

Weird question, but I was wondering if we could get some cute facts for the polys (but with head cannons as how the partners interact without/when MC isn't around)

Ooooh I love this question thank you!! Answers below the cut because I'm prone to writing essays and this got long <3

Beck & Perri:

I've joked recently that they're a bonded pair and this doesn't change once MC is in the picture and their relationship becomes romantic--it simply becomes a bonded trio.

And by this, I mean that Beck and Perri will nearly always be found together in their free time.

They do have their own lives and homes and groups of friends, of course, but they've been best friends since middle school and they really do prefer to be together when they can.

Beck is so, so gentle with Perri.

More gentle than Beck ever thought he could be.

And, in a similar vein, Perri is protective of Beck to the point of being fierce.

It's a little out of character for both of them, but they're a team, and it works.

(MC will also be able to experience this on both ends <3)

I think in their polyship, both Beck and Perri will end up putting in a lot of work to make sure MC feels included. They both love MC so much, and they don't want MC ending up feeling like a third wheel.

But, when MC isn't around, I think they fall right back into their usual habits. Inside jokes, teasing one another, referencing stories from the 6th grade--that sort of thing.

Beck's family adores Perri, but Perri's grandmother thinks Beck is a bad influence.

Kissing one another is literally something neither of them have ever thought about until MC comes along, despite the fact that they're so close. Having someone around who sees them both in a romantic light really makes a lightbulb go off in both of their heads.

Jay & Ravi

Okay so these two didn't become friends until after high school. As a teen Ravi was this quiet shy weirdo while Jay was outgoing and friendly and popular. They didn't run in the same circles.

But once they kicked up a friendship it went fast.

Both of them had been spending a long time looking for something, and they found it in one another.

Ravi needed to connect to another human being. It had been so long, and he was freezing up inside. Becoming completely numb.

Jay needed somebody who knew what was going on but who wasn't on the S&R team. Someone who could challenge them to see things in a bit of a new light, but who could also care about them beyond just what they do for other people.

They actually disagree on a lot! They're very different people. I'm really eager to write the differing ways that MC will be able to work through this--either by taking sides, or by smoothing things over, or by fanning the flames. It'll be fun!

Jay did not see Ravi romantically at all before MC came into the picture. They loved him, sure--he was their best friend--but nothing else. Ravi, on the other hand...hm. It's complicated.

I think Ravi saw the potential for something, but he never would have gone for it without MC. Ever. Too much potential for pain.

Jay reminds Ravi of his ex.

The relationship between Jay and Ravi once the poly route has started is going to depend heavily on late-game events. Which will be delicious.

But overall they'll be very tentative with one another, once they're in a relationship with one another & MC. Shy, but curious to explore this new thing they've got going on.

Jay & Yasmin

I'm going to talk about both the V and Triad routes in the same list because this is already long enough but!!

As I've discussed in-game, Jay and Yasmin have been friends since they were tiny! Alongside Yasmin's dead husband, Seth. Which means that their relationship now is...complicated. In ways I'm pretty excited to get into in the story itself.

For Yasmin, the V route is ideal. She finds MC charming and she adores Jay, Jay's her best friend. In theory. Why not share a partner? I think she'll be very teasing about it, but also she'd be thrilled for Jay and MC.

Jay's feelings on the matter will be slightly more complex. They don't mind that MC is seeing Yasmin, too. Not at all. But they do feel like...well. Maybe Yas is taking this opportunity to avoid talking about the issues between the two of them. For someone so direct she sure can avoid talking about her feelings.

The triad route is a bit different, though!!

Jay and Yasmin adore one another. Genuinely, despite the baggage.

Dating one another alongside MC will be a net positive for them both, once they've figured out their issues (both personal and with one another). They're genuinely a power couple and they'd dote on MC soooooo much.

But, we're talking about them without MC!

One fun fact is that, unlike the other polyships, Jay and Yasmin have thought about dating in the past. They never would have taken that plunge without MC--when the story starts, that's long in the past.

Specifically F!Jay and Yasmin kissed one time when they were teenagers, to 'see what it's like'. This was before either of them figured out that they're queer lol, so they walked away blushing and just like 'huh that was interesting let's never do it again!!!'.

The way it shakes out: Jay had a crush on Yasmin before she and Seth started dating when they were all in school. Yasmin had the inklings of feelings for Jay right after Seth disappeared.

It was never the right time, though, and both of their feelings have long since faded. That is, until a mysterious stranger walks into their lives...

[fireflysummers]

Baldur's Gate 3 makes up at least 65% of my mental health support at the moment.

Playing on co-op with a friend. Left is my character, Firefly, half-drow bard. Right is @snowleopardferret's Tavros, bronze dragonborn paladin. The two hadn't met prior to events of the game, but rapidly formed a familial bond, and have been going around telling everybody that they're biological siblings and then acting offended somebody suggests that that might not actually be the case.

Some other fun facts:

firefly:

unchecked and unrepentant kleptomaniac

really smart otherwise but once looked directly at the sun for like a concerning amount of time w/Astarion

down to be a distraction

will start fights and commit violence in tav's stead, if his oath is at risk of breaking

excellent storyteller but shitty at lying in the moment (reliably fails persuasion rolls if caught stealing)

artistically prophetic; performed a song before it's author finalized it

a freak and not shy about it

Just Drow Enough:tm: that literally everyone's racist

has a tiny "microaggression" tally mark note somewhere probably

bloodbag

collects rocks and precious stones; at some point she and Tav determined that skulls were a type of rock and now her rock collection includes like 50 humanoid skulls

the actual braincell of the party

tavros:

this lawful stupid knows how to lie (rizz)

can only do basic math, spelling is questionable

surprisingly chill with thievery, allegedly because they don't believe in Property:tm: in the capitalistic sense.

ignore the gilded chest

disney prince who's gonna wind up with a dozen pets

barely suppressed murderhobo tendencies just like innately no dark urge required

racist but in a stupid way with no/little ill intent (i.e. initially convinced that "drow poison" meant that if a drow bit you you'd be poisoned; had to explain the difference between "venomous" and "poisonous" and also that "drow poison" refers to the poisons that they brew)

handles party finances, somehow never leaves a merchant w/any gold

seriously ignore the gilded chest

and the excessively large collection of chests in general

definitely ignore the boom chest

what if we need to help cater Laios' sister-vore party that's why I need all this firewine

probably a freak but shy abt it

[dominiquelucalover]

"Touching" blurbs, can I ask for number 47 with Street.

Recharge | Jim Street x GN!Reader

Prompt: touching their elbow to get their attention

CW: reader has some social anxiety in this one.

It was a S.W.A.T. fundraiser at HQ, the department rallying together to raise money for the children's hospital by hosting guests in the parking lot, bringing the community together with games, prizes, and a tour of some of S.W.A.T.'s finest, including Black Betty. There were people all over the place, parents with kids, couples who ranked high in society, teens just looking for something to do that day. The event was open to everyone, including the press and anyone who just wanted to drop by.

You were among those there to help with the event. The partner of Jim Street, you were invited because S.W.A.T. was a family. Even if you couldn't financially contribute, you were assured that there were plenty of ways for you to chip in. You were paired up with Deacon's wife Annie to run the snack stand, giving people cupcakes and cookies she'd made at home while her kids ran around and had fun with the other children who'd shown up. It was nice, but you were felt a little awkward and out of place. But what were you going to say? No to helping the fundraiser? As if.

You'd only been dating Street for a few months and had only recently met his team. Today was the first day you met Annie, and though she was really nice, you found it hard to stay on one topic with her. You were in totally different stages of your lives, so it made sense, but you wished you could just talk to her like a normal person. Hell, you wished you could talk to anyone normally.

You were brought out of your thoughts by a teen asking you a question. "Do you work here?"

You blinked and shook your head, smiling. "No, my boyfriend does. Why do ask?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I've never seen a lady S.W.A.T. person before."

You gave her a cupcake on a plate and smiled. "There are totally badass ladies in S.W.A.T.," you told her and pointed across the parking lot Chris. "That woman over there, she's on the best squad in the city."

"Really?" the teen asked, her eyes lighting up.

"Really," she said and watched the teen quickly thank you to hurry over to Chris.

You sighed heavily once she was gone though, feeling drained. You looked around the place, feeling a little nervous. It wasn't that you didn't like being there to help, but you wished you didn't have to talk to so many people. Kids and teens were fine, you'd never not talk to them, but it was getting harder to want to stand there and smile at everyone when all you wanted to do was hide.

"Do you need a break?" Annie asked, making you turn to look at her.

You bit you lip and nodded. "If that's okay."

"That's perfectly fine," she assured you with a smile, that motherly look about her.

"Thanks. I won't take long, I promise," you said softly and slipped away.

It didn't take long for you to find your boyfriend, who always knew how to make you feel better in these types of situation. He recharged your social battery just by letting you be and at that moment, you needed that.

He was talking to Hondo and Luca about something you couldn't bring yourself to care about at that moment. All you cared about was getting to him. So, you approached from behind and waited patiently for him to finish, but when it went on for longer than you could wait, you reached out and gently touched his elbow.

He looked at you, still talking and opened his arm to you, immediately noticing your closed off body language and bland expression. You went straight into his side and hid your face in his shirt, and he kept going like it was normal. He didn't make a big deal out of it and carried on business as usual. He held you close and securely, letting you breath in the smell of his freshly washed shirt and his body spray, listening to his voice as you took all the time you needed. That's what he was there for, after all, and he was more than happy to be there for you.

[babyzzai]

arcane cglre labels ⋆˙⟡ ♡

vi: flip with caregiver lean // i think vi has a natural instinct to care for others, the way she cared for powder, and in a way mylo and claggor too. she just has such big sister energy that i cant not see her as a caregiver. despite this i think she still needs her own regression time, and her own time to decompress and let herself be taken care of for once. i think her little age is around 3-5! a bit on the younger side, because shes never really been taken care of before, and so being in a younger headspace would allow her to more easily depend on someone else.

jinx: regressor ALL the way. // oh my gawd. if jinx isnt a baby the sky is freaking like purple idk, because ill bet my top dollar shes a regressor. shes a very very mischievous baby lol, probably a chaos toddler, around 3-5 years old!

cait: neutral // shes never heard of age regression before she met vi, and was a little confused but ultimately accepting in the long run. shes not a caregiver but shell care for vi whenever she regresses, because she loves her!

jayce: regressor // for a long time he thought he was neutral too, but actually engaged in regression without realizing!! he doesnt really know his regression age. id say maybe somewhere between 6-10, but its kinda unsure. hes not that familiar with his regression and is kinda uneducated about it so even after finding out about agere he doesnt really know what to do with that.

viktor: flip with no lean!! // everyone hcs viktor as a little, which i can get behind because i think living with a terminal and chronic illness is traumatic for him and he regresses to cope with those feelings and the physical pain, but something in me sees so much potential of viktor as a gentle caregiver. oh my gawd caregiver viktor please save me, hes SO important to me!! i think viktor is actually pretty educated about age regression because hes a scientist and he understands psychology more than the other character probably. i think his regression age would be around 8-10, a bit older, but still a kiddo. sometimes hell go younger though, around 4-6.

ekko: regressor // idk why i have this headcanon, i just do. it just feels right. his regression age is around 5-7! he likes to try and use his hoverboard when regressed but he does not have the same control and balance as he does when big lol.

mel: neutral // i think mel is neutral but knows of age regression. shell be a babysitter for any littles in need but i dont think she has her own little tbh. she views it as something completely normal and natural, which shed be correct for, and doesnt think twice of it tbh. i think it was mel actually who first informed jayce of age regression and asked him if he thought he could be a regressor!

isha: regressor // isha is already pretty young, id guess probably between 8-10 years old literally. i think though shes experienced a lot of traumatic events, no one even really knows where her parents are in the show if im correct, and she regresses to around 1-3 years old! jinx isnt a caregiver but she sees herself as ishas big sister so of course shell… attempt to take care of her baby sister lol. caregiving may not come naturally to jinx, but she tries. she makes her fun toys and plays games like hide and seek and tag, and likes to doodle with the baby!

[crystallizsch]

“Hm... ‘Prince Jamil Viper’ has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

[ -> GROOVY VOICE LINES UNLOCKED!!! <- ] Glimmering Soirée (fan event by @starry-night-rose)

Home Idle - Groovy: I should enjoy myself. It’s not every day I get the opportunity to feel… catered to.

Home Tap - Groovy: You’re wondering why I chose to dance with you despite all the others asking me? Haha. Don’t look too much into it.

[bacchuschucklefuck]

they tried to rebrand as The Criminals but riz is literally the city council's treasurer and also turns out people in their late 20s don't really name their friend groups. so now they're The Intrepid Heroes

[meamiki]

mira !!! :]