#I’m working on sketching MCs and answering asks

[orionscelt]

I can’t believe this website is giving away serotonin for FREE

[twistyfish]

prompt~ non-mc reader feeling sad because she feels she lacks the relationship mc has with the lads. requested by anon!

Zayne

Her long, straight brown hair fell in front of her face, and she tucked it behind her ear with slender fingers. Her laughter filled your ears like sticky molasses, and you couldn’t wash it out no matter how hard you tried.

In front of her kneeled Zayne, wiping a cut on her knee with a wet tissue and bandaging it, kissing it gently. You watched as he chided her for being careless and getting hurt.

You wished he would scold you like that.

They stood up and walked away, his arm subtly resting around her waist to support her.

She rested her head against his shoulder. She was so brave. She got injured often because of her profession.

You were an accountant. Your last injury was a paper cut.

The wind blew her hair into Zayne’s face, and you watched him brush it away and arrange it neatly on her shoulders with a smile.

They walked away into the distance, and all you could do was watch.

Sylus

“Can you get my back?” Sylus asked, holding out the bottle of sunscreen to MC.

She nodded and began working the cream into his back, massaging his shoulder blades as she went.

Sylus smiled as she used her strength to massage him. “Nice arm, kitten.”

You sat next to your sandcastle, patting the wet globs of sand together into rough turrets. It was coming together, sort of.

Sylus crouched down next to you. “How’s the castle coming along?”

“It’s getting there.”

“Do you want to come surf with us?”

You hesitated. Truthfully, you weren’t very adventurous. You were a little nervous to ride the waves.

“Come on, it’ll be fun!” MC smiled at you, her surfboard held under her muscular arm.

“Um, no, I’m okay,” you responded shyly.

“Alright. Have fun building, then.” She waved at you and they both turned, running into the waves. MC squealed as the cool water hit her legs, and Sylus laughed his deep, rich laugh. He splashed her, grinning as she made various high pitched noises in response.

You sat with your sandcastle, smoothing the sides with no zeal at all. Your focus was gone. All you could think about were her hands on his back, his grin as he splashed her, their shared laughter as they ran into the water.

Your thoughts were interrupted by Sylus shouting. “Hey! Come in, it’s nice and cool.”

You shook your head.

Rafayel

“Wow, your drawings are ass,” Rafayel remarked.

“Shut up, loser.”

“Look at __’s drawing. It has such a nice composition.”

You felt pride swell in your chest at his compliment. “Thanks, Raf.”

“Of course, cutie. I’m just telling it as it is. Ms. Bodyguard could learn a thing or two from you.”

“I don’t understand how you can get everything so proportional,” MC grumbled.

“Here, let me show you.” He stood up and positioned himself behind her, taking her hand with the pencil in it and mapping out rough lines.

“Just make the general shapes first,” he murmured, hand guiding hers across the paper.

You looked away, trying to focus on your own drawing. You could hear him softly instructing her, and you sort of wished you were a beginner too in that moment.

You mindlessly sketched, and you ended up with a lazy looking cat.

“Oh, is it sad?” Rafayel asked peering over your shoulder.

“No, it’s sleepy.”

“Sleepy all the time, just like you,” he said playfully to MC, elbowing her.

“I’m not sleepy all the time! You’re thinking of Xavier,” she argued back. They continued to bicker as you watched.

Maybe it was a little sad.

Xavier

You rang the bell out of politeness despite knowing Xavier’s door code. You had made some banana muffins, and you wanted him to try them. When there was no answer, you figured you would just go inside and drop them off in the kitchen.

You entered the door code and walked inside quietly. As you passed through the living room, you had to stifle a gasp. Xavier and MC were laying together on the couch, under the blanket.

You immediately looked away, setting the muffins on the counter and moving to tiptoe out of the room. Unfortunately, the rustling woke them up.

“__? Is that you?” Came Xavier’s groggy voice.

“No- yes! Um, I just came in to drop off some muffins. I’m leaving, don’t worry!”

Xavier sat up, the blanket falling off his shoulders and pooling around his bare chest.

Your eyes widened and you turned around.

“Hey, __. Where are you going?” MC was off the couch (wearing clothes, thankfully) walking towards you.

“Yeah, sorry about that. We just got back from training and crashed. We were both exhausted,” Xavier said.

Oh. They were sleeping.

“Sorry for waking you guys.”

“Don’t worry about it. Want to nap with us?”

You paused. “I’m good, don’t worry. I’ll just be going now.” With that, you awkwardly put your shoes back on and left the house. The image of them snuggling under the blanket was cemented to your brain.

That night, you slept hugging a pillow.

[cursedcola]

TWST: The Hall Of Mirrors - Baby Update, January 24’

ART:

Guys I don’t think I’m going to be able to put art in the game because I lack a tablet. As much as I want to, it would require making *way* too many images.

So, I’m making the TW game a pure piece of interactive fanfiction as a text-based game only. I’ve poured so many hours into it and I think I would rather go extend the plot/add on details so you can visualize it rather than stress anymore about putting art in. I know I said previously that I was taking time off from it, but I actually spent a good chunk of my free time last month trying to get art to scan in. Twine does not like imagery. No, no it does not.

So I’m just going to take a wee bit more time and make the plot more detailed. I also really want to get back to writing more here >_<

PLOT:

Like I said, I’m taking more time to add in detail. Without art I feel that it needs more to make the visuals pop.

AUDIO:

I haven’t given up on this bit quite yet. Since this is a fan game that isn’t getting monetized or anything, I don’t feel the need to make original music. I’ll see if I can find anything I like enough to fit the vibes

~ On that note, this is the last written update I’m giving. I might post some pictures when I feel it's in a good place, or ask if anyone would like to test the game out (catch any technical errors or bugs)….but yeah, I’m pretty much done now? I think? Hard to believe I’ve slowly been writing this since July. It’ll be weird to not work on it anymore, but also nice since I want to write other things hehe. I will say that this is the biggest thing I have ever made for any fandom, and I hope it's something I can look back on fondly.

(Small rant below about the art because I’m me and my perfectionism demands I offer an explanation)

Like, I did the math and it just isn’t feasible to do with what I have sadly. The game was going to have 15cgs for each route’s climax. I also got a bit crazy and even did base sketches for 15 cga for the after endings without really thinking about how rough it was going to be. You can customize your Mc by their clothing, body size, eye color, hair length and color, and hair type. If I had a tablet then I could make a singular CG as the base, and then basically make a bunch of copies where I make small changes so that the proper combination will pop up depending on the choices you made. It would have took a long time but I could have done it - although using a quick combination showed that there were hundreds of different possible combinations.

I mean, there are 2 clothing options, 4 body types, 8 eye colors, 4 hair types, 4 hair lengths, and i think 6 hair colors if I remember right. I also put in customization features that have you answer Q’s that I can’t predict to edit the cg with. Regardless that’s 2X4X8X4X4X6 = 6,144 possible combinations for ONE cg. That’s kind of rough even with a tablet, so without one is just like…death. It would be 2x4x4x4 = 128 different iterations of the image (as things that are not just color changes that can be quickly altered). That’s 128 versions of 15 images. That’s 1,920 drawings. Even if they were going to be in a very simple artstyle, heck even a sketch, it’s not feasible.

I love Otomes and have always wanted to play one where your customized MC is featured in the cgs. Making a game like that is one of my life goals - but not for a fan game. If I’m doing that then it’s going to be an original work.

I’m sorry for hyping it up and making false promises. I really did want to make it happen for my mini fangame, but this is kinda just my little side project and stressing over it was zapping the fun away. So now we’re going back to plan A and just sticking to a text game >_<

[katking0943]

Hello everyone!

So, I was wondering if there are any artists on here who love drawing, and is willing to draw a concept art for me. I’m sadly extremely broke and can’t pay, but to help my creative juices flow for my fan fictions (which I don’t post… simply because it’s for me and I’m not a great writer) it helps to physically see what I’m thinking. All I’m asking is for one drawing. You can choose if it’s a simple sketch or it’s painted/rendered/super detailed.

I recently have lost many friends, and don’t have artist friends anymore who understand my predicament, and so I figured I’d reach out on here for anyone who could help.

Since it’ll be a free drawing (again, I’m not asking for full detail or rendering, a quick pencil sketch is fine for me… unless YOU choose otherwise) you have my full permission to post it as well as use it to promote your art. (If you’d also like to be friends since I’m lonely as hell, I even will give you free rein to use my character if you’d like for your own storyline/etc. But this only applies if we continue to text/talk/become acquaintances or friends.)

The art in question will be for Hogwarts Legacy. It’ll be MC (which when I get a PM, I will send a ss of my character in game as well as specifics about looks if the image isn’t enough), with Sebastian and Ominis. The fic im working on (again for my own eyes) is mostly just little one shots/drabbles. But, they take place when all three are in their 20’s. My MC has become a journalist to talk about poachers and issues in the wizard of world, Ominis works as a Parseltongue tutor as well as a public speaker against dark magic. I also imagine Sebastian being redeemed and veining a defense against the dark arts professor, and sometimes even is also a public speaker against dark magic (if Ominis allows him to tag along).

The simple art piece I’m asking for will simply be of the 3 standing together. I gave background on my idea so you can incorporate the ages and profession into maybe their style/clothing/etc. I just need to see the 3 aged up and looking like their “profession”, as well as standing together. It’ll definitely help me describe them better… and along with that will just fill a big hole in my heart if I were to see them this way.

The only art style I would not prefer is anything close to an anime drawing style, simply because it’s not MY PERSONAL taste. (Though to all you artists who draw anime style, you all are still extremely talented and I love you).

If there are any more questions, please PM me. I will be happy to answer any questions… I know I’m rambling here and this post is scattered,

Thanks again everyone.

[foxofsunholt]

Not sure if it's been asked (I'm sure it has been honestly) but what's the technology like? I can't stop imagining my mc staring wistfully at a picture of Addie during the timeskip and sighing dramatically and being like "no, she's moved on"

It has I think but honestly I’m Katy Perry hot and cold, you never know what my next thought is going to be. One second I say everyone is elephants actually and the next I say there are no elephants in the lore.

The technology is far more medieval leaning (I use Regency and Victorian inspiration for the social season and designing the nobility) with obvious quality of life changes like indoor plumbing for all and and less sexism and actually I murdered homophobia in the streets. Some cities have electricity (fuelled by magical rocks). Most cities don’t or wouldn’t bother wasting such a limited and expensive resource on their people (you might see electric lighting in a castle for example but not at your local pub). There are mages employed by kingdoms for infrastructure; why bother with technology when you can get Gary over there to magic it? But technology is advancing in The Domain and even depending on your choices in act 1, you can see a dramatic technological shift in act 2.

There’s no cameras; Mars notably carries around a drawing of Sir Snuggles that he had commissioned (it is very common practice to commission sketches to personally carry around). Guns haven’t been figured out yet because do you know how quickly they would just murder everyone with them? For the sake of logic in this fantasy story, there just is no gunpowder. Combat is very medieval. I drew Seventh with a gun initially because those pirate guns are super cool but then I realized that if gunpowder is real in this world armies could and would absolutely destroy each other and why the hell does the MC have a sword when John over there can use a musket.

Most of the convenience in the world is brought upon by magic. There are stones that can do it for you, probably. Message stones are very popular (the MC gets some to use as well) which are like answering machines between two tethered magic stones. One person records a message. The other person’s stone glows and they can hear the message back as many times as they want, and send a message in reply. The stone can store 3 messages before it will wipe all previous messages once a new one comes in. The messages are verbal, again, like an answering machine. The downside to them is that they only work in pairs and can’t be re-attuned once paired; some nobility have a whole collection of stones for all their friends but most people choose to just send letters instead.

Gossip magazines are weirdly popular even if people use them as toilet paper. For some reason people would rather get their news from probably incorrect tabloids than the poor town crier who is trying really hard. There’s an epidemic of ignorance in The Domain; someone should really help the information flow. And idk I can’t think of anything else off the top of my head. If you have a specific technology in mind, let me know! And I can tell you what the situation is

[sbmlamb]

Umm…? Excuse me? But may I ask what gender your mc is? I really, really like them and I’m think of drawing them and I don’t want to put them in the wrong clothes and colors. And also, I really, really love your style of art.

Omg sorry for the late answer my mc is non binary!!! Clothing is what ever they feel like wearing basically!!! (I've been dying at work >_<) I would be honoured if you drew lament though 😭😭😭

3 am M brain but edit:: thank you for liking my funny little sketch style and adoring lament!!! I'm a bit self conscious about my art since I rarely get to do a lot of serious rendered piece due to me constantly being in bad health or working!!! Again sorry for the tardiness of the answer!!

[grapecaseschoices]

@roxaro​

Now to answer the question the way you asked it. 

Hiyam

Performance: What are they thinking and feeling while they’re performing? How do they act on stage?

Britney’s Circus is playing in the back of their head, I imagine. Hiyam wants to both ensure that people get their money’s worth as well as make sure that they catch eyes. They don’t have to be center stage but the gazes must return to them more than once. Enjoy the spectacle but remember who you’re here to hear, right? They definitely love to dance. Both choreographed and with the flow of the music, the beat of the crowd. Think JLO in ‘Get Loud’. 

A rhythmic hype man. 

Lala

Band Name:  How did they and the others come up with the band name? Has the name changed since it was founded?  

The band name is DramaWhore.(Not as I mistakenly wrote ‘HeyKittyKitty’. Though that’s cool too.) It was their un on bloomic panic. Well, they were originally Popcorn Emoji when they were younger. DramaWhore came about when one of the band members was like, “Give us the info, you know we’re a whore for drama.”  (Seven? Rowan?) And Lala was like “YOU’RE a whore for a drama, I just like watching people dig themselves into a hole.” It became a fun squabble -- but the name stuck in the back of their mind. First they tried Whores for Drama. But DramaWhore worked better, especially when it was smushed together. 

Bethany Josnel

Tattoo: Did they keep the tattoo with Seven’s initials? Why/why not? What was that decision/execution process like?   (Bonus: What do they think of Seven keeping their tattoo?)

No. They broke up. The fight made things feel sort of final. And holding onto that felt more painful than letting go. It also seemed like the mature thing to do, he felt it would help his friends worry about him less. It felt like the next step thing to do. So with a heay heart (and mostly clear mind), he went and did it. (He’s ... surprised. And frustrated. Maybe a tad confused. But he’s even more certain that that removing it is the best decision)

Alana

Development: How did you come up with your character? Is their design still evolving? How do you think they might develop through the story?

Alana came about from the sweet options from Bloomic Panic. Being heart eyes over their RO (toasty), being a seeker of the truth, being cheery and supportive all those traits came about as I was flowing through choices on the game and deciding what kind MC vibe I wanted (same did Lala). When I finished the game and began contemplating more fleshed out MCs, I tried to take those traits and expand on them. (As seen here).

It made me realize that it had been a while since I had a rose-colored romantic (most of mine ended up being burned out of it or I just didn’t play anymore/were on hiatus), especially one that was just of the nicer/sweet side (I mean like I have Emile but they’re only nice to three people and a bitch every other day). So I started getting the vibe for Alana. It is still very tentative. I think I have most of her skeleton, I’m familiar with the sketch of her, her beats but I haven’t fully filled her out. So I’m hoping this will be the place I get to do so!

I’m hopin she stays a romantic but is more bold about saying what she dislikes, what bothers her, maybe stops biting back her pain. I look forward to playing her ‘I’m a fool for love’ stages. 

[i-am-the-avatar-of-idiocy]

demon slayer isekai MC (not plot MC)

intro

When you appear out of nowhere and pull a sword they are shocked to say the least

and lock eyes with all the demons and ignore everyone else

You seem confused when they aren’t attacking you or anyone else and they get confused when you say ‘they only half smell of demons’

then Levi’s face lights up as he yells

‘oh my god, you’re MC! It was never explained where you went… OH MY GODDDD You're favourite demon slayer character!’

You ask what he means, turning away from Lucifer, giving him the perfect opportunity to knock you out

Levi explains while your hands are tied and you sit slumped on the floor

they decide to watch the series to understand you

when you wake up, the situation is explained to you

you seem shockingly calm

‘I have heard that demon sends away its prey to disorientate them but I was never sure’

Lucifer confiscated your sword while you were there, seemingly burning his hand on it in the process

you got to know them for a while

Lucifer

When he took your sword from your unconscious body, his skin seemed to tear around it, it left a nasty scar and he wears gloves to cover it now

when he asked, you answered simply ‘wisteria poison, I wonder if it would affect you demons like our demons…’

he doesn’t want to ask what that means

hes kind of intimidated by you but don’t admit it to himself

after watching the anime and seeing what you can do, he knows not to annoy you

he evens ponders Diavolo or Barbatos skill against yours

he hides your sword from you and better after mammon gets his hands on it and also burns himself

he will work to get you home if you want, he thinks this muzan demon is disgusting and deserves to die

he likes it when you explain things about your universe to him and he slowly finds himself falling for you

Mammon

Terrified of you

fair enough, considering your occupation is killing demons

and you were wary of them, always on edge but calm

You warm up to each other after a while

but then he tried to steal your sword for you, claiming your abilities would decline

he didn’t want to upset you so he tried

but his brothers harassed him for trying to sell it and no one will believe him that he was trying to help :(

then you stand up for him

He thinks you’re so cool now

youre kind of his guard dog I’m sorry

he is scared of the anime when he puts it into perspective that all of the people that die there die for real for you

he wouldn’t want you to go home and risk your life again, but if it’s truly what you wanted he would help

Leviathan

He is asking lots of questions it’s kind of overwhelming for you

all about your ability, to your family, to ‘is it true that you and (character name) are dating’

he thinks it’s cool how you defend people, in the manga and in real life

he feels blessed that you spend time with him willingly

he even prefers you to Ruri

he will drop hints to help you in future

the others have only watched the anime which led up to your disappearance and the others looking, but he has read the manga

He knows you go back

so he tries his hardest to help you and do whatever you need, he’s enamoured and hopes when you go back to meet the other characters

the demon who sent you away never appears again so he hopes it’s killed

Satan

Intrigued

you have successfully piqued his interest

asks questions, has a field notebook of sorts

a page on everything you tell him and a page of sketches of you

he finds your universe unforgiving and is impressed by humans adaptation to it

he thinks you are incredible and tells you things to help with your healing

he also thinks the anime is interesting, he’s sad you aren’t the main character and feels bad for all your friends and oh my god you have a fiancé/é

wants to help you

Asmodeus

Wonders how you can look so pretty while doing what you do

like how are your hands not a mess and nails shorter than short

he works on a beauty routine even though you can’t carry on after you go back

which reminds me he never wants you to leave

he doesn’t care about the others to be honest

jealous about your relationship

he thinks you deserve better than the cards you were dealt in your universe

Beelzebub

Beel thinks you’re cool!

he’s interested in your universe

can you teach him your method of fighting please?

he’s infatuated with you

he thinks you are chill and don’t deserve what you are going through

Likes when you cook him your favourite food-it looks the same as in screen

hes nice and you get along well

he hopes if you go home that you stay safe

Belphegor

Won’t admit he thinks you’re interesting

but he thinks your swordsmanship is good

He finds your calm nature rather soothing compared to the buzz of him brothers

will nap with you

he’ll try to get through the anime but falls asleep often so he has a run down

he wants you to be safe but also knows you can defend yourself

part 2!

[demonicheadcanons]

Hi! I just saw your headcannon/fic about how the brothers react to finding MC's sketchbook, and I was wondering if you had one for the Undatables like that? This isn't a request cuz I saw yours weren't open, I'm just curious, I'm sorry

AN: I feel so bad for answering this so late because I’ve always found the way its worded so sweet, and I was rather excited to write this. I’m really sorry Nonny and I hope you’re still around because you seem very kind! I changed my rules after receiving this ask so that people could request for the Undateables if I had written the same prompt for the brothers, even if my requests were closed ^^

Like the last one, for this you’re already fairly close to the boys, and possibly already dating them?

The Undateables / Now-Dateables Find MC’s Sketchbook with Drawings of Them

[Brothers Version Here]

Diavolo

Diavolo stretches in his chair, sighing. It was another day of sitting at his desk, looking over form after form and reading through papers carefully in silence. He hears a noise and glances up quickly, taking in the sight in front of him.

Perhaps you didn’t realise you were mirroring him, but you stretch now too. It was a common enough sight, to see you across from him, diligently working away at something or other. It made him feel glad he’d moved that other desk in here for you to work at, the room comfortably quiet. The two of you never really needed to talk all that much, and although Diavolo could make polite conversations lasting decades, you weren’t one to put pressure on him or to expect it from him. Especially not when he was as busy as he had been as of late.

Diavolo always assumed the book you brought with you was for classwork, a general notebook which you worked hard to keep updated. And because of this, he doesn’t really see the harm in flicking the book open when you leave it behind one day, off to lunch with one of the brothers or to help Barbatos wash the dinner dishes. He only really regrets it once he realises what it is, and feels it might be a good bit more personal than a standard notebook. Still, Diavolo runs a finger along some of the sketches - they were beautiful, some detailed and realistic looking, and others quick gestures that seem to show the life of something, of someone. He turns page after page, deciding that he would stop if he came across anything he thought you might not want him seeing. He could always apologise later, could explain the situation and how it turned out like this. For now, though, he really wanted to see more.

When he sees the first sketch of himself, seated at his desk and leaning back to look up at the ceiling, lost in thought, he feels himself blush and pulls his hand back, wondering if he should continue. He knows there would be no other way to satiate this feeling blooming in his chest. Not with you gone from the room. And so he continues, and the drawings of him only get more and more frequent, more and more detailed, to the point where he feels like you’ve captured part of his soul and put it in this sketchbook of yours.

He notices when you slip back into the room, quiet as ever so as not to disturb him, and he turns and smiles, book still open on your desk. Thankfully, you only smile back and raise a hand to your chest, breathing out a relieved sigh.

“I thought I’d left that here, but I wasn’t sure,” you say.

“I must say, MC,” Diavolo grins, smile proud and bright and soft at once, looking every part a prince. “Your art is really something. Would you ever consider doing a portrait to put up in the castle? Of all the people I’ve had draw me, I prefer your portrayal the best.”

“It would be my honour.” You do a small, quick bow - a running joke between the two of you. You never really felt the need to bow to Diavolo, he treated you as close to an equal. “Its really fun to draw you, you’re beautiful and inspiring.”

Diavolo’s cheeks colour, and he laughs, putting an arm around you to pull you closer. He holds you there and continues to flick through the sketchbook, commenting on his favourite drawings as he goes, pleased as can be.

[[Others Under Read More]]

.

Barbatos

The day wasn’t going particularly well for Barbatos. It wasn’t really anyone’s fault, but after a multitude of distractions and delays he’s now rushing about trying to get ready to prepare lunch for everyone, whilst also removing all of their belongings from the bedrooms as their stay had been cut short a night. He’d never intentionally go through your things otherwise, but now in his arms he’s piled up various books from the bedside table you’d been using over your short stay at the castle with the brothers, and he curses silently to himself when they fall and spill across the floor. As if things couldn’t get any worse-

He had recognised the cover of this one, because some days you’d sit in the kitchen on one of the stools, swinging your legs as you hummed along to a song he couldn’t hear as you worked quickly with a pencil. Barbatos had always assumed you were drawing, but you never asked if he wanted to see it so he never bothered you about it.

Now, he wonders why he never asked, hand frozen above the particular book of yours. Its opened, and shows a drawing of him, calm in each sketch even as he busies about the kitchen, preparing something or other for Lord Diavolo, or teaching Luke how to bake a new treat, or making a snack for the two of you to take out on a rare day off for a picnic. Its probably the latter, because the neighbouring page shows him with his hair blowing about his face, and a soft and gentle smile as he sits back, relaxed and content.

Its a remarkable portrait, and it shows something he doesn’t usually get to see. Barbatos looks whole in it, like he’s more than the Prince of the Devildom’s servant. Like he’s just himself, and that’s all he has to be, and he’s happy about it. Of course, he wouldn’t give up his role for the world, he was happy where he was, but it was something new and he blinks as he readjusts the other bags in his arms and picks up the sketchbook, looking closer. Had you also made him look particularly attractive?-

“Barbatos? Are you okay?” You ask, appearing around the corner. “I heard a noise-“

You stop when you see him holding up the sketchbook, and you think you might have finally caught him off guard because he looks near startled, shoulders tense. It elicits a smile from you, and you stoop down to pick up the other books. Barbatos takes the brief moment to recover, smiling as you hold the remaining books yourself.

He doesn’t say anything as the two of you move to set all the belongings down in a reception room just off the foyer of the castle, and its only later he ever comments on the event, walking up to hug you around your waist as you sit in the kitchen, doodling as he works.

“I must confess, I had never considered that you might be drawing me when you were sitting here,” he notes, leaning his head on your shoulder to look at the doodles you were currently working on. Even now, scattered between drawings of random bits and bobs from the kitchen, Barbatos can see multiple sketches of himself too. “I am flattered.”

“Why wouldn’t I draw you? You’re handsome even when you’re doing nothing,” you reply, still working away. “Y’know, there should be more paintings of you all over the castle. I feel like I’d come here even more often if that was the case.”

Barbatos is quiet, and when you turn your head he laughs and presses a kiss to your cheek, ears red as he mumbles, “I thank you for your high opinion of me, dear MC.”

.

Solomon

Solomon wishes you hadn’t left today. It was a rare day where he was starting to feel numb and tired, because nothing was working and he was so sure he could do this if he could just find that one book with the right spell in it, or if he could find a way to calm himself down. You were busy and he wasn’t going to hold you back, but your presence had a way of calming him that would be much appreciated right now.

He sighs and sets down another book on his desk. After flipping through the pages, he still couldn’t find the right notes, the right spell to make this potion work so he could send it out and be done with it. Sitting back at his desk, he looks up at the ceiling and forces himself to laugh. He’d find a way, he always did, and if he couldn’t there was a multitude of demons he could ask for help here. If need be, he’d go tease Luke or one of the brothers for a bit to calm down and put himself back in the mood for working.

Determined to at least give it one more try, Solomon sits back up and glances around the room. He didn’t know how Satan coped - his room wasn’t half as messy, and he still couldn’t find the one book he needed. Suddenly, he lays eyes on one, sitting on his bed across the room. You’d been there earlier, laying down as he busied about with something else before he decided to take a break and settled down beside you, on top of the covers, legs hanging off the edge of the bed. He remembers now, how you’d simply laughed and patted him on the head before continuing with something or other.

Curious, Solomon heads over and picks up the book, flipping it open immediately. If he was exceptionally lucky, it would be the book he needed, and you for some reason had decided to page through it. The chances were low, but he wanted to see what you had been doing anyway.

The first few drawings definitely catch him off guard. Doodles of the brothers, and very good ones at that, litter the pages. They seem to paint a story of your time here in the Devildom, from the start, where Mammon seems to glare more than he smiles and Levi looks completely disinterested and Belphie almost appears not to exist at all, until later, where the drawings only get softer and softer.

And then he sees a drawing of himself and pauses, running his hand over it gently, careful not to smudge the pencil. He remembers this day - you’d been invited over to Purgatory Hall by Simeon and Luke to do something or other, and whilst you were waiting for them to finish up in the kitchen, Solomon kept you company in the dining hall. You mumbled about wanting to do something for a moment, if he didn’t mind, and when you brought out the book he assumed you were studying and took out one of his own. In the drawing he’s smiling faintly and looking down at his notes, hair falling forward over his face. He looks a blend of mysterious, kind, and quite frankly you’ve made him look beautiful.

He settles down on the edge of his bed now, flipping through a few more pages. Every time there’s a sketch of him, he tries to think back to the moment, tries to remember when you could’ve possibly drawn this and how he didn’t notice. He’s so absorbed in thought he doesn’t notice when you enter the room until you sit down beside him, looking past his shoulder at the drawings too, and he startles when you lean your head on his arm.

Solomon immediately holds the book up away from you, as if afraid you would take it from him, and you laugh. “Its okay,” you tell him, smiling reassuringly. “Although that drawing isn’t my favourite…” You reach for the book and Solomon reluctantly hands it over. Flipping forward a few pages, you show him another drawing, and his breath catches.

“You really like drawing me, don’t you?” Solomon asks, trying to act as composed as he usually was.

“Mm. You’re pretty and really fun to draw. Even when I didn’t know you that well…” You trace over the drawing gently with a finger. “I really wanted to get to know you better.”

After a brief pause, he laughs and says, “So you mostly like me for my face?”

And you smile in return and tell him, “No, it wasn’t about that. You just… inspire me to keep trying, even when it gets difficult. I feel like I can lean on you anytime.”

Solomon blushes and hums, pressing a kiss to your temple. “Its a good thing I feel the same about you, then, isn’t it?”

.

Simeon

After a long day of classes at RAD, you often wanted nothing more than to spend some of your time relaxing. Simeon was delighted that you tended to turn to him most for this, and you now had an open invitation to come over to Purgatory Hall any time you wanted - and you were always free to rest in his room if the rest of the house was busy or noisy.

That's how he ends up walking into his own room to find you curled up and asleep on his bed. He chuckles quietly, muffling it with one hand as he tiptoes over, leaning down to check on you. You looked well enough, just tired, and he stills as you move slightly, rubbing your head into the pillow in your sleep.

Simeon smiles and tucks the covers up over you properly before backing away, deciding he'd settle at his desk and get a bit of work and studying done so you could rest comfortably. He hopes to be free enough to spend time with you, then, when you were awake again and feeling better rested.

Things don't quite go to plan, because there's an odd book sitting at an angle on his desk. He thinks he recognises it, but knows it can't be his. Delaying no longer, he flips open the front cover and blinks at the picture of Mammon half-glaring back at him. It was almost lifelike, depicting all of his soft and hard edges perfectly at once.

Fairly quickly, Simeon realises this must be your sketchbook, and he wants to close the cover, feeling guilty, but decides one more page couldn't do any more damage than what was already done. Turning the page proves to be either a huge mistake, or the best decision he's ever made, as he sees a picture of himself. He's sitting on the sofa, somewhat curled up into himself as he makes notes on his notepad.

He'd been brainstorming something with you, the two of you scribbling away as he talked over some rough plans with you for his next book. The drawing captures the energy of it all so perfectly, his face focused but bright, excitement shining in his eyes - you seemed to have wanted to show that, to show the best parts of him.

"Simeon?" your tired voice calls out now, and Simeon looks up as you shift under the blankets, peeping out at him. "You're home."

"I'm home," Simeon says, voice slightly rough.

You sit up quickly, looking over at him in concern. "Are you okay?"

Simeon clears his throat and wipes at his eyes, smile brighter than ever. "I've never been better." He gestures to your sketchbook, and you stand, wrapping the top lightermost cover over your shoulders and dragging it along with you. What a sight to behold, he thinks, chuckling as he waits for you to join him by his side. "Your art is wonderful. I almost want to ask you to be the illustrator for my next book."

"I'd be delighted to. You inspire me, so I think I could really achieve my highest potential by working with you," you reply through a yawn, leaning against Simeon's shoulder until he wraps his arms around you and pulls you gently onto his lap, letting you curl up against him.

"Take another rest, and then we can make some plans, MC?"

Simeon leans his chin against your head and waits until you're asleep again, smiling all the while, ever so pleased to be blessed with your presence.

.

Luke

((AN: I adore Luke too much and got a little bit off track with this, sorry ;u; This is entirely platonic/familial affection, Luke is a child))

Luke holds handfuls of his shirt in his hands, nervous as he waits outside the House of Lamentation for you to come out and let him in. He didn't like to go in by himself or have any of the brothers walk him up, because they too often decided to take the opportunity to tease and make fun of him.

"Luke!" you call out now, excitedly bounding down the path. "Its good to see you."

He feels his face colour. Your enthusiasm was always so strange. It made him wonder if you did just see him as a child, like everyone else. But he didn't quite dislike it.

In fact, he can't stop himself from growing excited too, holding out his arms to accept a hug from you. He clears his throat and mumbles, "Thank you for inviting me." After a nervous glance around, he leans in to conspiratorily whisper, "None of those demon brothers are joining us today, right?"

You laugh. "Of course not, Luke! Activity day is just for us two!"

Luke follows you to the common room, hand firmly tucked into yours as he listens out for any signs of the brothers. He really didn't like when they disturbed your time together - they got to see you every day, where as Luke practically had to schedule time with you! It really wasn't fair. They should've just put you in Purgatory Hall like they did with the other exchange students. He could protect you as well as Mammon did, if not better!

When you two settle down, you scatter several pens, pencils, crayons, and so on across the table, a stack of paper already set out and ready. The idea of drawing together had come about after you saw Luke's notes, which had the occassional doodle in the margins, and now its peaceful as you make small talk and draw.

You both don't realise for a bit that you've taken to drawing each other until you glance up at the same time as Luke. He locks eyes with you and startles, blushing a furious red, all too obvious in his actions.

"I'm- I'm-" he starts, and you can't help but let out a laugh.

"I'm drawing you too. Don't worry!" you tell him, grinning wide. "Just make sure you capture my good side." You throw in a joking wink, and Luke seems to relax enough to pick up his pencil and keep at it.

A few minutes later, he sets it down again, and you do the same, content enough with your work. You count to three, and the two of you silently lift your pages to show each other.

Luke gasps immediately. Your drawing was a perfect representation of him - he's sticking his tongue out the tiniest bit in his concentration, eyebrows furrowed and a determined look on his face. His hair is falling forward, and the decorations on his hat twinkle in the firelight. His eyes light up, now, and he looks so excited and happy, as if he's about to start jumping around the room.

His drawing is good, but more stylised. You look happy and focused, faint smile on your face as you work. He's mostly just used colour for the background, the faintest portrayal of the sofa behind you. Still, there's something warm about the art, and you can tell how much care and attention he's put into it.

"Y-y-you're amazing!" Luke stutters, and then waves his hands about. "Your art is so realistic! You should have told me!" The last part is delivered with the slightest huff, and Luke's cheeks puff out as he cross his arms.

"You didn't tell me either!" you retort, reaching forward to pat gently at his head. "Can you sign your drawing for me? And I'll sign mine? I really want to put that up in my room."

"O-Of course!" Luke scribbles out his name in the corner in a pale blue colour, and hands it over quickly. He watches you sign your own, and looks closely at it as soon as its within his grip. "You made me look cute..."

"No, God did that. I just captured some of it." You laugh when Luke shoots you some sort of frustrated glance, flopping down against his shoulder. "Really. You're adorable. It was an honour to get to draw you."

Luke, who usually complains when referred to in such a way, only huffs again now, crossing his arms carefully as he tries not to shove you off him at all. "Well, you're welcome to at any time... So long as you let me keep some."

"Deal!"

[thedummysdummy]

What about victor jealous of mc spending time with one of the other male leads like Lucien

Your wish is my command :D

The clicking of Victor’s keyboard came to a stop and he closed the laptop screen. “Anything else you need to present before we finish?” His mild eyes met the girl’s and she shook her head. “Very well. Let’s pack up and go get some dinner.” Her face fell and Victor tilted his head slightly. “Do you have other plans or something?” 

“Well, actually…yes.” The girl gripped her skirt nervously and glanced away, unable to meet Victor’s eye. “I’m going to dinner with someone else tonight. In fact, I’m going to have to hurry home or I’ll be late.” She picked up her bag and finally met his gaze for a split second. “Thank you for your pointers on the proposal. I’ll email you tomorrow with the revised version.” 

Victor nodded and the girl rushed through the door, leaving her scent lingering in his nostrils. The CEO dropped back into his chair with an annoyed expression on his face. Who was she eating with? Who would outrank him? He gritted his teeth and packed up his work. Suddenly he had no motivation to be in the office. 

But he also didn’t feel like being home, either. Nor did he feel like cooking…while eating out alone had become far less appealing than it used to be, that seemed to be the remaining option. Victor picked up his briefcase and stalked down the halls to his car. He tossed the briefcase into the passenger seat, eyed the steering wheel, and shook his head. I’ll just walk, he thought. And with that, he took off down the sidewalk in the greying light. Streetlights began popping on as he walked and mothers called for their children to come in for supper. Through lit windows he could see families sitting down to eat together, mothers and fathers smiling and asking their sons and daughters about their days. He could practically feel the warmth on his face. A profound sense of loneliness settled into Victor’s bones and he sighed. 

Would he ever have a life like that?

His mind drifted from the question to the girl. Before the dummy had stumbled back into his life, Victor would have answered “absolutely not. And I don’t need such things anyway.” But…something about that girl made his mind seem to change of its own accord. She was just so full of life! Her entire being was intoxicating in a way that he couldn’t help becoming addicted to. 

Yes. 

Victor could imagine a life of family dinners, curling up on the couch for movies and carrying his children to bed when they inevitably fell asleep, watching little league games and dance performances, attending graduations and birthdays and perhaps even weddings some day…The very thought caused a shiver of warmth to ripple through his body from the center of his chest, radiating to his fingers and toes. 

And yet she was still such a free spirit that he couldn’t bear to tether. As achingly beautiful as the visions of a possible future could be, even more tender was the desire for the girl to choose him back. Whatever she wanted in the entire world, Victor would ensure she received. No matter what it was…

The thought was sour on his tongue and Victor shook his head to wash it away. His feet came to rest at the front window of Delicioso, pausing to allow his brain time to pull away from the train of thought and consider if anything at the familiar restaurant sounded appetizing. Victor was so caught up in his thoughts that it took a moment to register what he was seeing through the window. 

Inside the brightly-lit and comfortably decorated restaurant sat the girl. She was laughing and smiling, leaning into the table as if wanting to be closer to her dining companion. Her eyes glittered in that way that always made his knees weak and Victor could hear her giggle in his mind. Though he didn’t want to know, he couldn’t stop his eyes from traveling to the other person at the table. 

Lucien.

Bile rose in the back of Victor’s throat and he took a step back from the window. The sketchy professor who only wanted her for her genes?! She had chosen the snake in the skin of a cuddly housecat over him? Disgust filled every crevice of his being. “I don’t think I’m hungry anymore,” he growled beneath his breath, allowing the usual mask of ice and anger to settle over the shards of fiery pain that ripped through the tender flesh of his heart. With eyes vacant and cold and shoulders thrown sharply back, Victor turned and walked back down the sidewalk toward LFG. Mind-numbing reports and distracting investment math suddenly sounded far more appealing than the humanity rushing through his veins and mind.  Perhaps…he didn’t want her to have anything in the world. Perhaps he was just a little more selfish than that.

[defiledtomb]

Writers update (31/03/2022)

So this week has been fun and a bit of a whirlwind - good news is that the edits are done (well, okay, almost. I still have to quality pass it, I’m having the WORST time with randomtesting) for the demo but I have only added more on my to do list (I want to make pronouns changeable and gender choice more broad and make the genders for each RO selectable. It's a bold move, cotton. Let's see how it works out for her.)

Sad news is, I can't keep this up forever. I have fallen behind on irl stuff which is causing me some stress. And there is something bothering me still with the forward writing, which I think is the pacing, so next week I'm taking time to both catch up on life and I’m not even going to glance at my writing to see it later with somewhat fresh eyes. I'm also catching up on some reading to refill my creative well! I wasn't very present in the IF community before I posted the Ouro demo and I am frothing at the mouth to read some of the amazing WIP's out there. If you have any recs send them my way!!

That's about it for this week. I'll be around and answer asks as I'm able ofc and I hope you are all taking care of yourselves 💖 I've been so happy that you are sharing your MC's with me so I thought I'd drop a put-together sketch page of my own healer (also with pink hair @lorelaibeckons​ and @enspey​ loool when are we getting matching jackets for our good taste club) 💀 Here's Visja, an oc that started as a hunter in D2 but has been my pocketknife MC for all the interactive fiction I read. She inspired Auryn! 

[astaroth1357]

Demon Brothers Getting Possessive at the Club

… I can explain. Or, well, no I can't. But this exists now anyway so enjoy?

Warnings: Possessive Behavior, Yandere-ish, Violence

Intro: The MC and their favorite demon were just trying to have a fun night out at The Fall. The lights were going, the music was blaring, and the two of them were by the bar but there was a problem. Their demon noticed a sketchy creep who'd been eyeing their human all night long… and that simply won't do. So when their human left to use the bathroom…

It was time to take care of the problem.

Lucifer

Though Lucifer was usually less than into the club scene, the MC wanted a change of pace from their usual dates and he did so want to make them happy… At first, he thought he'd just be dealing with the loud noise and crowded atmosphere but then he noticed something else…

A demon had been following them through most of the night, always keeping his distance but staring at the MC far too much for his liking…

This put Lucifer in a bit of an odd position. He didn't exactly want to leave the club because the MC didn't look tired yet, but he also didn't like seeing that cretin following them around…

Yet, of course, it also rubbed his pride the wrong way to go tell him to stop directly. Lucifer would never admit to feeling bothered by some pitiful lesser demon… Never.

But by the time the MC left him to use the restroom, he was at his wit's end. He could see the man had taken a seat at the other end of the bar just to watch them and he was growing irritated… So he had to devise a new strategy.

It's unusual for demons to walk around in their true forms. It's not that it's frowned upon or anything, it's just that it's normally something reserved for big events… or for displays of dominance and control.

So when Lucifer slipped into his demon form in the middle of The Fall, it turned quite a few heads. Truthfully, there was only one head in particular that he wanted his way, and once he got it, he stared the guy down…

It was a taste of the lowlife's own medicine, but so much worse coming from him… The feel of Lucifer's bloody-onyx eyes and chillingly cold smile from across the bar could have made even the strongest men run for the hills…

Needless to say, the demon didn't last very long under the eldest brother's gaze. In fact, he wilted almost immediately before slinking away as quickly as he could… 

A guy not even able to stomach the firstborn's stare? Truly a pathetic coward if Lucifer ever saw one.

He was totally back to normal by the time the MC returned and went back to dancing with them like nothing ever happened… Though his human couldn't help but notice the crowd kept their distance from them for the rest of the night... 

Eh, Hell is just weird sometimes isn't it?

Mammon

Look, Mammon had been trying to have some fun the whole night and for the most part he'd been succeeding except for one thing…

He could sense that asshole still hadn't left them alone. He'd just hover near him and his MC like a hellhound stalking prey… It was annoying. It was creepy…

And it was reeeaaallly getting on his nerves.

When the MC left for the restroom, he was leaning back against the bar scanning the room for their abhorrent admirer while using the tint of his sunglasses to hide his eyes.

It didn't take him long to see the gross fuck sitting alone at a table. Who knew what he was planning... following them home? Taking candid shots of MC? Either way, he wanted to sock him in the jaw…

But, of course, Mammon knew he had to play it just a little smoother than that to stay in the club.

Mammon sauntered over to the man's table and invited himself to sit, kicking his feet up to look casual but knocking his boots against the surface so roughly it made the guy jump... Pathetic.

"Oi, so I've seen ya lookin at my human… Real work of art, eh?" He flashed the guy a fanged grin and watched him sweat for a second before cutting off any answer.

"-'course they are. Don't need to tell me. But I gotta say, you're really ticking me off, bud… We're just tryin to enjoy ourselves but I keep seeing your ugly mug wherever we're at."

He pulled his legs back from the table and reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a deck of playing cards.

"Tell ya what, I'm feelin oddly generous so let's play a game. You and me. If ya win, I'll let ya have a night with'em…" He fought the urge to punch the guy when he saw his eyes light up, "but if I win…"

Mammon put the deck on the table then leaned in real close, "I'll flay your skin off and gild ya skeleton in the 4th circle myself… Gold skulls are selling like hotcakes right now." He put every bit of malice he could into the threat, even barring his increasingly sharpening fangs.

The guy must of had a good head on him because he paled immediately before getting up and running from the table. If there's one thing everybody knows about Mammon, it's never play cards with him if he can make even a single Grimm… Chances are, you're gonna lose.

When the MC came back, Mammon flagged them down to their new table and pulled them onto his lap for a little chat before getting more drinks. They're his human. His.

Leviathan

Of course Levi noticed this creep the second that they walked in. He's Envy. He had been hyper-vigilant of all the attention the MC had been receiving since their first step inside. But this guy was… persistent.

He'd been tailing them all night, always finding spots with good vantage points, which of course was sketch as hell but...

Honestly? Levi just didn't like him looking at them. Not at all. In fact, he'd hazard to say he truly hated this complete stranger for how much real estate his eyes were taking up of his precious MC… What gave him the right??

By the time the MC had to use the restroom, he was sitting at the bar seriously contemplating whether or not to just carry them home… He didn't like night clubs anyway, but they seemed to be having fun and they always looked so cute while dancing…

No. He couldn't just take them home. But once they left, he had a much better idea.

It was easy for Levi to slip away from the bar. The asshole was leaned back against a nearby wall and pretty much pulled his phone out the second the MC was out of sight. From there, Levi only had to do what he did best, blend into the background, until he was right next to the guy...

He didn't say anything. He didn't give him any warning or threat. No, no he was far too ticked to be that charitable…

The only indication the man got of how royally he fucked up was the searing pain of Levi's fangs digging into his shoulder, the thirdborn's gloved hand muffling his screams until the venom took hold of his prey.

The last thing that man ever saw, propped up and paralyzed against the wall, was the MC coming back to their docile otaku, who now pulled them into his arms… still shooting the occasional smirk in his victim's direction.

And the last thing he ever heard was the same word his killer whispered to him after his throat became too tight to scream… "Mine."

Satan

This always seemed to happen whenever he took the MC places… They could be walking together in the park and he'd still see lesser demon eyes following them around...

Frankly, it did piss him off to a degree. He knew they never asked to be stared at like a piece of meat, but if he'd go on a rampage every time it happened then they'd never have a quiet date again. So he learned to put up with it… to an extent.

The demon that had been following them that night was really testing his notoriously short patience...

He had tried several tactics to shake the guy as they were dancing but he'd always come right back. He even got more handsy than normal to show, "Hey, this one is mine!" but that had gotten him equally dismal results… It was bordering the line of disrespect now.

He did his best to keep up a friendly face while the MC was with him, but they must have noticed he'd gotten tense. They told him to try and relax a bit before they left for the bathroom…

Oh, he was going to relax alright.

The second they were out of sight, Satan's smile broke into a glare he leveled right at the offending scumbag's table. Of course, seeing the MC had left put the guy's attention elsewhere, but that was his funeral.

Satan knew his time was limited, so he skipped the pleasantries and marched right over to him, slamming his foot down onto the edge of the table with such force it threatened to tip it over then grabbed him by the neck.

"Back. OFF."

It really didn't take much, his reputation preceded him. He felt the guy's pulse skyrocket between his fingers before he let him go.

It was hard not to get a little satisfaction when watching the worthless creep scramble away from him like his life depended on it (as it very much did). He almost considered giving chase just to amp up the fun, but the MC returned sooner than he expected…

A pair of arms around his waist and lips against his cheek were enough to evaporate his anger right then… but it didn't settle his sudden need to mark them in the slightest.

Ultimately, the real question was whether he could wait until they got home to show the world that they were his or if they needed to find somewhere… quieter. No promises, MC.

Asmodeus 

Asmo had dealt with his fair share of admirers, the stalking kind included. Fortunately, dealing with them had always been relatively easy for him (he is a ruler of Hell after all) but one targeting his beloved human…? That was far less acceptable in his eyes.

He caught sight of the beady eyes of the creep while he was dancing with the MC. At first, he thought the guy was looking at him (who wouldn't?) but then he followed his eyeline right to his lovely human companion…

Though he couldn't exactly blame him for staring, he and MC made a fantastic looking pair, he definitely couldn't sit idly by either. People like this are usually bad news and he refused to let any harm come to his MC…!

He was as tactful as ever, though. He liked The Fall and would rather not be banned from returning… He waited patiently for the MC to go to the bathroom before making his way over to the creep, his perfect smile still sitting on his face.

"Excuse me, cutie." He waited for the stalker's eyes to leave his phone and settle on Asmo's own. "Ah, there you are! Good. I had a question for you, I think… oh no, I must have forgotten it! Silly me."

Though he could see the demon was growing annoyed, Asmo stalled for just a few moments longer… just long enough for his bewitching charm to set into his victim's mind.

"Ah! Now I remember. Do you like dogs?" He smiled in satisfaction to see the creeper's head nod slowly. "Oh good! Because I know a very hungry dog right now… Cerberus is his name and I don't think he's had a meal today. Would you be a doll and go feed him for me? He lives in the cave behind the House of Lamentation. You can't miss him."

The demon's head nodded slowly yet again as he rose from his chair and walked out of the club quietly. Quick, painless, and with no messy cleanup!

Well… none that Cerberus wouldn't clean up for him anyway. Asmo returned to the bar with a newly giddy grin on his face... His MC wouldn't be seeing that man ever again~!

Beelzebub 

Beel is very patient. Beel is very kind. Beel is very forgiving. Beel is… really not about this right now...

Unlike his brothers, Beel's easygoing nature made him less quick to pick up on the lingering glances that the MC gets from others. Even when he does notice, he can usually let it slide if looking is all they do (he's the only one who can touch after all).

But even he couldn't miss how wolfishly that demon was staring at them… It made him uncomfortable and the guy just refused to leave them alone…

By the time the MC left Beel at the bar to use the restroom, he was on a level of irritated usually only reserved for when someone denied him food… It was like that jerk had taken a cheese grater to his patience and it was wearing thin…

As much as he knew he could deck him, he didn't want to get them kicked out… The MC was having such a good time, despite the creep's ogling, so he used a different approach…

Being so high up in Hell had its perks and one was that anywhere in town that offered food also had a secret menu… A Beelzebub Only menu (as a precaution so that he wouldn't wreck the place whenever he stopped by). Anything on his menu always had huge portions and The Fall was no exception.

The bartender didn't seem too surprised when he ordered a Drakon Leg, but he was very surprised when he asked to get the full bone too… Not with the meat on it. Just the bone.

Fun Fact: the bones of Drakons are supremely thick and strong enough to be used as clubs.

Even More Fun Fact: it takes an incredible amount of force to snap these bones…

...which Beel did without breaking a sweat… and maintaining eye contact with the creep The. Entire. Time. The sound of the bone snapping in two was almost as deafening as a gunshot and he didn't even flinch.

The demon went running out of the club with his tail between his legs and quickly got swapped out for the MC running back, worried about what made such a loud noise…

Of course, by that time Beel had the bone thrown away and was chowing down on the meat like nothing ever happened so they dropped the subject soon enough...

He may not be as open about when he claims someone as the rest of his family but that's because when push comes to shove, who in their right mind would want to challenge Beel anyway...?

Belphegor 

Nope. Nope. Nope nope nope, he's not having this. Not one bit.

Belphie lacks a lot of the good-natured patience of his twin... Chances are if there's something happening and he's not stopping it, it's just because putting up with it is the path of least resistance…

But there are always exceptions and those are usually reserved for the MC.

Strangers trying to get close or even imagining themselves being with MC really makes his blood boil… He knew them the most. He loved them the most. On just what grounds did some random moron think he could take his place?? Wishful thinking? Keep dreaming, buddy.

So, of course, he wasn't happy when he noticed some asshole staring at the MC like Beel does when he sees a havoc roast...

He kept his poker face up while he was with the MC, but he was devising a plan to take care of him the entire time… One he finally got the chance to enact once the MC went to the bathroom.

He's even better at going unnoticed than Levi, so sneaking his way over to the asshole was a piece of cake. He didn't notice until Belphie casually draped his arm around the guy's neck, hanging his clawed hand dangerously close to the scumbag's heart...

"Having a good time…?"

He could feel a shallow swallow against his arm as he began to slowly apply pressure to his trachea.

"I bet you were… and I was too until I saw you following us… Care to explain yourself?"

"I-I uh-Gah!" 

The guy's voice gets cut off by Belphie's arm getting even tighter, the sharp tips of his claws drumming directly over the man's thundering heart.

"Ugh, that's what you actually sound like? Never mind, it's not worth knowing…" His fingers stopped drumming and slowly began to dig into his skin...

"I'm only going to say this once… If I ever see you tailing my human again, you won't be needing this-" his claws drilled a little deeper into his chest, "-anymore. Am I clear?"

The demon's head nodded as much as his strangled throat would allow and Belphie finally retracted his claws, wiping the blood off on the guy's shirt before letting him go. He fell forward onto all fours before attempting to scramble away as fast as he could...

Belphie watched him go with disinterest on his face, but satisfaction in his heart. Yet another threat to his human dealt with… And they could go back to enjoying their evening together. Alone. Just where his human belonged...

[thenickelportrust]

Masterpost

The Blurb:

It’s a story about a world full of heroes with odd and amazing powers! But… you’re not one of them. You don’t have powers, and you don’t plan to go and fight crime. No, you’re just a model, everyday citizen. A reporter, in fact, tied into the events of heroes but never really a part of them…

Except for one (well, two, but thats already said and done), little exception.

You work for The Nickelport Rust, a controversial paper known for one reason and one reason only.

Unmasking heroes.

_________

The Demo

Here!

Url: https://dashingdon.com/play/definitelynotrena/model-citizens-unmasked/mygame/

_________

The Characters

Characters Page (Has everyones genders, sexualities, and personalities. Includes minor characters)

Asks with everyone tagged

Finley Burke

Tag, Appearance

Rafael Darzi

Tag, Appearance

Jacob Greenhill

Tag, Appearance

Lucille “Lucy” Pinchette

Tag, Appearance

Yolanda Waltz

Tag, Appearance

Eileen Abney

Tag, Appearance

The Informant

Tag, Appearance

Ricky Dempsey

Tag, Appearance

Vera / Vega / Vincent Bayer 

Tag, Appearance

Erin Liu

Tag, Tag (before their name reveal)*, Appearance

Other specific Qs:

Where do the ROs live?

What about the MCs family?

*(there’s no link here yet because apparently I did not possess the foresight to actually tag the Qs with them as 10 before their name reveal so... that’s gonna take a hot second gimme a minute)

(Will also get the appearances up soon, too, having trouble finding the specific post with their appearances)

_________

Sketch Sunday, Fun Fact Friday, and Other Fun Things

Sketch Sunday Tag

Fun Fact Friday Tag

Short Stories Tag

_________

Other Social Media

Linktree

Redbubble

Itch.io 

Twitter 

Discord

_________

FAQ

When will the next update be out?

I don’t know the specific date and I’ll be honest I also don’t like giving specific dates because then if I break them that’s Bad. 

I do have a general goal and I’ll be happy to tell you my general goal but also keep in mind that, as always, Model Citizens: Unmasked is something written for fun and put up so others can have fun with it, too. While I wholly intend to see this project through to the end no matter what, I also intend to keep it as something I do for fun and relaxation, which does mean progress can slow if other priorities take precedence.

But all that aside--

Current General Goal for Next Update:

-- (i’ve been in a truman show style series of strange but minor misfortunes so its gonna take a hot sec to get that settled, sorry!) --

What will the next update be?

More stuff in the interview! Two main goals:

Adding more questions

I’m going to add some more basic questions to either make Yolanda more or less suspicious. So far not a lot of people have been kicked out of the interview and that’s good because it means I have more space to play around with the results of her suspicion.

To also go with this:

Upping the number of questions you can ask.

With the addition of questions you can ask I’m going to up the inquiry limit before you get kicked out of the interview. This will give you more room to pick and choose what’s important, I hope (allowing you to choose ones that aren’t as important to your article but could be a chance to curry favor / lower suspicion with her / just get to know Yolanda more, or stick to purely info gathering)

This will be a shorter update, and thus also come along quicker (not another year-long gap, aha) and hopefully with the higher inquiry limit and the extra questions make some secret scenes (getting kicked out and her romance, for example) more accessible in general.

Thanks for sticking around and your continued support!

Have you dropped this project? / Why is it so slow?

I know I kinda ramble-answered this in the first q but it’s my policy to be upfront and honest with the state of my priorities and this project:

Model Citizens: Unmasked is not dropped.

Model Citizens: Unmasked has always been for fun. This does mean it’s not going to be my number one priority most of the time-- however it also means I have zero qualms about taking all the time I need to do everything I want with it.

Model Citizens: Unmasked is going to be a very large undertaking. But that’s okay! Part of the reason I want to keep it as something I do for fun and relaxation and put up so others can relax and have fun with it is so that I don’t have to trim it back. I can let this story run wild and have three totally different paths for one scene because I’m not holding myself to a deadline or an expectation of word length or writing time or whatever. I can let myself go wild with 10 different ROs and their own storylines because I don’t care how long it takes to write them. 

I just wanna write them, so I will.

What’s the Current Word Count?

According to google docs: 350,000 words* *(rounded to the nearest 1,000 // including code (including that horribly messed up coding I have in chapter one, so once that’s fixed it might easily knock another 1-2K words off of that.)

(Send me some qs youd like in the FAQ if you want)

_________

General Content Warnings:

Drugs and alcohol, violence (in terms of fights, both physical and using weapons) / fantasy violence (in terms of powers), romantic content (nothing explicit).

If there’s anything else, let me know. Nothing should go into graphic detail, but they exist and there is some level of detail of each. So take care of yourselves!

Have a lovely day!

[hannie-dul-set]

PAIRING. huang renjun x fem! reader. GENRE. high school! au, suggestive. WARNINGS. attempted murder, mentions of blood and self injury, veryy descriptive kissing, mc has a few screws lost, swearing, depictions of unstable behavior. WORD COUNT. 1.8k GENRAL TAGLIST. @danishmiilk @wownajaemin @leejunini @astroboy-lele @unknown5tar @yunoyeol @w0nni3wrld @charm-art @bat-shark-repellant @keemburley @deliciouslyyellow​ (pls dm me to be added/removed!)

NOTE. ah yes, the only two genres: murder and making out. inspired by the dream i mentioned earlier. different events, but same vibe HAHA. disclaimer that no matter how much you hate your academic rival, never ever turn to attempted murder! thank you and enjoy

huang renjun— with all his picture perfect smiles, prim and proper tucked in shirts, a pretty face enough to have you on your knees, and with a perfect gpa to top it all off— was someone you wanted.

wanted six feet under the ground.

“hey, congrats!”

speak of the fucking devil.

“you always do really well,” huang renjun towers over you in front of your desk as you sit down. you look up from the wrinkled certificate that have the abhorrent words second honorable mention printed on it's scented surface, only to face his fucking face instead. he beams at you with a smile. you feel convulsions wringing inside your throat. “congratulations again.”

you don't miss the first honor certificate tucked between his books in a measly attempt of concealment. it takes everything in your power to force out something of a smile.

“thanks. you too.”

with that, he quickly scurries away into his seat next to yours with red ears.

your first period teacher enters, beginning class with a greeting, but your mind is elsewhere.

it’s only midterms, you breathe out through your nose, hugging your arms above your desk while sketching out a study plan for the rest of the semester in your head. there’s enough time before graduation. the hold you had on yourself gradually becomes tighter.

still, you know that even if you worked yourself day and night until you bled cold and crimson, huang renjun would still be one step ahead. you bite down your lip, peeling off the dry skin with a sourness writhing in your gut, digging your fingers deeper into your arms. if only he were gone. you leer at the boy diligently taking his notes beside you. if only he were gone gone gone gone—

your eyes widen, ignoring the blood staining your nails.

if only he were gone.

after class, you walk up to his desk and asked if he wanted to work on the physics homework at his place tomorrow. he says yes with starry eyes in a heartbeat.

the next day, renjun couldn’t wait for the final bell to ring. you, too, couldn’t remain in your seat— albeit for a different reason. so when the ringing occurs, the both of you don’t waste a second in finally heading out of the campus.

it’s a silent walk to his place, a standard suburban neighborhood, the sky slowly turning orange in the background. every time you turn your head to look at him, he looks back with a small smile, and you can’t help your hands from twitching at your sides.

renjun unlocks the door and meekly welcomed you inside.

“you can leave your shoes here,” he says, digging his keys into the back pocket of his school slacks with dangling noises. you look at him, smiling, and with a soft hum you leave your school shoes next to his, trailing behind him into the living room.

looking around, you ask him. “are your parents home?” there was an opening that leads to the kitchen, glass doors showing the backyard. the stairs that lead to the second floor are made of sleek, dark oak. it’s a modern interior. they have a fireplace inside.

“no,” he breathes out, wetting his dry throat with a swallow before turning back to face you. “they’re out on business. i don’t think they’ll be home until the weekend.”

the both of you stop right in front of the staircase.

“i see.”

he quickly muffles a cough and leads you up to his room.

the inside of renjun’s room is neat— organized books on the shelf and sheets neatly pressed. There’s a set of candles beside his bed. you hold back a scoff. as expected from the top student.

your eyes flit over from the window above his bed to look at him, instead.

“you don’t have to be so nervous around me, you know,” you muse, dropping down your bag to join him on the floor. worksheets littered with numbers and constants, gravity and acceleration, all scatter on the floor. they blow with the wind knowing that they wouldn’t even be filled in, anyway.

“sorry,” renjun sputters out, loosening his striped necktie with two fingers. his vision is kept trained on the wall behind you. “i’m not— i’m not doing it on purpose.”

you adjust your legs on the floor, skirt riding. “is there a reason?”

“a reason?” he gulped.

“why you can’t look me in the eye.”

renjun thinks he sees the corners of your lips twitching upwards.

“i’ll— i’ll go open the window, it’s a little hot in here, isn’t it?” scrambling to his feet, his knees sink into the navy sheets of his bed, reaching for the window in a nervous flurry to let the air in. “the news said that the temperature’s slowly gonna start rising but i didn’t think it would be—”

he bumps into you when he turned back.

there’s a click from behind him.

the wind stopped coming in.

“it’s not really that hot.”

the way your breath fanned against his lips makes his head spin in circles.

you have an arm out against the glass, your sleeve’s fabric grazing his tempered cheek when you went to shut the window down. renjun feels a ghost in the air where there’s a space in between you. “i— i guess you’re right,” he says, clearing his throat. “i never expected that you’d ask to work together.”

there’s syrup at the end of your sentence. “you seemed pretty happy when i did, though.”

he isn’t sure if it’s just him or if you’re slowly getting closer. “well, that’s— that’s because i—”

“you don’t have to say it.”

your voice digs deep into his bones like chains of velvet. he can feel your chest pressing against him now, crushing the sense of rationality that he was bestowed with from birth and is replaced with a warm lush of rabid, violent waters gushing into bit of him stomach,

it comes off a whisper yet it sends him reeling.

“i know.”

renjun swallows. hard. but he’s afraid you’d hear the manifestations of a tempered restlessness that had managed to crawl its way up to the tips of his fingers— which found themselves resting onto the curve of your back. stray strands of his swair sweeps above his eyes, obscuring the closeness of your face, and he wants to ask how. how did you know that he likes you.

he never got to.

the question doesn’t even get to resurface after the first hit of your cherry flavored chapstick, his bottom lip caught in between yours, teeth grinding against the plush, pink skin. the second hit has his decorum slowly peeling away from his skin when his tongue traces over yours in a hot mess of delirium, when you settle between his legs, a coarse groan vibrating in his throat. the third has him forgetting his own name.

his eyes are hazy when you pull back with a rough smacking of the mouth. with a short-winded voice, you ask him.

“do you mind if i make a call?”

renjun looks at you in a fit of breathlessness.

an airy laugh leaves your lips that he can’t stop staring at. you press a kiss on his nose. “my parents need to know that i won’t be going home tonight.”

dazed, he answers. “y-yeah, sure.”

he blinks a few times before letting you go.

“take your time.”

you send him a smile before fishing your backpack from the floor and leaving the room.

just like that, a switch was flipped.

upon closing the door, you quickly twist the knob, locking it with the keys that you’d snatched from him earlier. it’s convenient that he has each one labelled— a belated thank you to your school’s ever organized golden boy who never fails to make you sick in the stomach.

at each wall you pass, you make sure to seal the windows shut and have all the doors closed. the contents of your bag make steady pangs against your back as you shuttled down the stairs. you lock the back door shut, close all the windows, turn on all the lights, and throw a match into their fireplace, waiting for the fire to come to full bloom. all that’s left is the kitchen.

there’s no time wasted in turning everything on— the microwave, oven, and the stove until you can't crank them any further. embers fly into the air. it’s getting hotter. you duck down to the compartment under the stove to reveal a white painted propane tank, taking out a cordless soldering iron to seal the safety relief valve close. you place a rag over the opening valve and twist it halfway through. a hissing sound whizzes through the air.

with that, you leave through the front door, locking it for good measure. his keys disappear into the bush nearest to their porch.

it’s only a matter of time until huang renjun ceases to be a pest anymore. if not for good, then at least lethally injured.

you head home to finish your physics worksheets that were due tomorrow.

for the first time in god knows how long, you wake up and head to school with a well rested air.

you take your things out of your backpack, humming a soft tune right before the bell rings for your first class. your other seatmate— donghyuck— notices your unusual cheery demeanor, and inquires about its oddities. you simply answer him with an allusion to finally being free. he laughs it off and turns his head to the chalkboard.

five minutes before eight. the doors creak open. you’re ready to stand and greet your teacher until you realize that it isn’t her.

it’s not.

it’s not.

it’s not.

something nauseating knocks into your lungs and stifles your throat, eyes wide and stinging. it squeezes your neck with poison prickling the surface.

huang renjun enters the classroom with his usual nods and smiles to everyone he passes.

“holy shit, dude. you look like hell.”

“i didn’t get any sleep last night,” he laughs, lightheartedly. “guess i’ll have to sleep through recess.”

your teeth grind against your lips, supple skin turning redder at each nip. your nails leave scratches on the desk as you rattle in your seat, thinking, thinking, panicking. each breath feels like choking on pulverized copper in sulfuric air. there’s a ringing in your ears and you hear nothing except your own voice screaming why is he here why is he here why is he here?

he doesn’t go to his desk. he’s standing right in front of you.

“you look well.”

it sears your fingerprints off your skin.

you don’t answer, don’t even look at him. he breaks into a small smile and leans forward, one hand pressed against your desk and the other reaching for a lock of your hair as he nears and nears and nears. “there’s something here,” he says.

there isn’t.

“you left my window unlocked, baby.”

his hot breath hits your cold cheek, tucking a strand behind with a smile. to everyone else, it would look sweet— heart fluttering. to you it was a death sentence. renjun breathes out a contained chuckle into your ear before letting his hand fall on your shoulder, a tight grip at the last second.

“better luck next time.”

© HANNIE-DUL-SET. 2021.

[gb-patch]

Ask Answers: June 6th, 2021

I’m back with more ask responses! You can also check our Frequently Asked Question sheet if there’s something you’re wondering that’s not answered here.

FAQ   Also, if you prefer to just see the main posts without all the asks/reblogs, feel free to follow our side account instead: GB Patch Updates Blog

Thank you for the patience with these questions  ♡

Hey in very beginning of step 3 in the scene where Mr.Holden had a thought dancing on the tip of his tongue but he kept it to himself after MC and Cove were being cute (idk if it makes a difference but this is when they're dating)... Can we know what he was thinking/ wanted to say? It's been bugging me lol 

He would’ve gone into a “look how much you’ve grown”, “your dad is so proud of you”, “I’m so glad things worked out with the MC”, and etc spiel, haha. But he resisted the urge to fawn on his baby boy, at least for that scene.

If we planned to move away for college/future plans in step 3, is it implied that MC and Cove would have a long distance relationship for sure? Could MC have convinced Cove to come with them? How is the dynamic of their relationship going to be addressed in Step 4, if that makes sense? 

Cove is willing to follow the MC where they went after everything is settled for them there, and if they’re sure they want him to come! You’ll get to decide how things shook out during those transitional years just by making choices about it during the opening prologue of Step 4.

Hi! First off, how does it feel to have created one of the best games when it comes to inclusion for lbtq+ peeps? I've never felt as validated with my identity and sexuality when playing a game and I'm seemingly not alone ♥ Second, and this might be a little too specific, but what kinds of drinks does Cove like as well as dislike? Thank you, you're the best ♥

Thank you for very much! It’s really nice to hear the game felt inclusive. Cove likes regular water and fruit juices/smoothies most! He dislikes coffee and cola, and he’s not super into most teas either.

Hi, may i ask what gb patch stands for? Specifically the gb part lol

It stands for my old, silly username I used in places like Neopets as a kid, aha. The company name wasn’t super thought out since it was originally just me making VNs as a hobby. Luckily, “GB Patch” kind of seems like it could mean something reasonable, so I didn’t have to rebrand when it did become a more serious, commercial group.

If we chose to not propose to cove in the step 3 dlc would he propose or would the mc propose in step 4 or the wedding dlc? 

Yeah, you or Cove can propose in Step 4 if you’re not already engaged! The Wedding DLC takes place after the engagement so the proposal scenes aren’t there.

will you guys announce if the early access for the new game is out on patreon ? 

When beta builds of Step 4 or whatever start coming out on the Patreon we will mention it here on social media too.

Heyy I just had a quick question about Baxter if that’s okay :)?

I saw in an ask+answer that it’s possible to casually date Baxter In step 3, but what leads up to that? I have the step 3 dlc and I’ve tried playing them In a different orders and ways but it doesn’t seem to get anywhere ^^;

The Step 3 DLC is Cove-based because he’s the default guy. There’s a separate Baxter romance DLC that’s not out yet. That’s where you can get him to date you. I’m sorry for the confusion!

Will we ever get any LI's or side characters with physical disabilities or deformities? I think your games would be a great place to have them in since they're always so accepting and safe! 

Yeah, we do hope to have representation for that in future projects ^^. Thank you for the confidence in us.

Is it possible to get Cove to take the bed and MC to sleep on the floor? 

Not in Step 3, I’m afraid.

So, I have played the prologue of Our Life countless times and I haven't gotten the [Your Life] achievement, why is that? 

Steam sometimes isn’t connected properly when an achievement unlocks and so it remains locked on your account. If that happens, unfortunately getting the scene again won’t unlock it. The achievement becomes inaccessible because the game thinks you already have it. Playing with the same Steam account on a different device or fully deleting your game data (more than the only the save files) are the only work arounds we’ve found.

Since when you talk with Jeremy in step 3 it's mentioned he goes on dates with someone (which assume is JB because who else would take this boy on dates) that makes him happy, does that sort of make JB and Jeremy the canon relationship in the first game?

The default for XOXO Droplets is that JB casually goes on dates with each of the jerks! Shiloh would’ve been harsher if Jeremy was the only guy getting her attention, haha. But the player can change that default by dating just one person the whole game for their own story and who she ends up with for real has no default.

Hi, hello! Huge OL fan, thank you so much for the wholesome content, it was very much needed during these times. Managed to get several people to join team Cove, so that's very exciting, I always have people to fawn over him with. I have a little question and I'm sorry if it was asked before, but does it ever come up in the game what Cove has told his mom about us? (who knows, with so many options, one can miss it) Or, alternatively, will it come up in the Step 4 DLC? 

Thank you very much for sharing the game with people <3. It’s really great to hear people are liking it. Right now that doesn’t come up in game. Kyra is willing to keep her mouth shut and Cove isn’t gonna have that conversation either. At least not when he’s younger, but yes, perhaps when he’s a fully grown big boy in Step 4 you can ask him about it.

I’ve been thinking about this ever since it has been confirmed that there would be two love interests for OL2, would there be the possibility of forming a polyamorous relationship with both love interests? I’m sorry if you answered this previously, I’m just curious. 

We are considering it, but it’s not a guarantee yet. It’d be really great to have but it’d add so many extra alterations that’d need to made, aha.

Hello! You mentioned how Cove would be uncomfortable with kids at 23, but how old would he be when he’s comfortable with having/adopting kids? (Same goes for the other LI’s.) btw, love your game!! 

He’d want to be at least 25, but even older would be good. Derek would want to have kids when he and his partner could reasonably support them, the age itself wouldn’t matter. If they were doing good at 22 and wanted kids, he’d be up for it. Or they could wait until their 30s or whatever. Baxter is also more of a “when it feels right” guy rather than having a specific age requirement. Cove is just especially wary of being a young parent because of his own parents. I’m happy you like the game!

does step 4 immediately play after you press "end summer" in step 3? or is there another button/transition (like the story text thingy) before the epilogue begins? what happens after the epilogue? roll credits? 😂 

Step 4 will have transition section always and there will be an extra button, if you own the Derek or Baxter DLC. By default the Cove-based version of Step 4 just plays once Step 3 is over. However, having the other guys’ storylines will mean you get to pick which version of Step 4 plays; Cove Step 4 (the basic one), Derek Step 4, or Baxter Step 4.

Happy pride, thank you for all you do for us🥰

I have a quick question though, I recently got a MacBook after my old windows computer broke, and now steam says I cannot download it, but it has no issues with other games, what can I do to download it?? I’m sorry if my English is bad

Happy pride month! Unfortunately, Our Life isn’t available for Mac on Steam right now. To be an approval application Apple requires having special notarization and we as a small group haven’t gotten that. Itch doesn’t care and lets us release the game for Mac there anyway, Steam does care so we’re locked out of putting the Mac build up on their storefront. Feel free to email us and we can try to help the situation out further!

support@gbpatchgames.com

Hello! I was jus wondering if the Baxter and Derek DLCs are still happening? I haven’t heard anything about them on here or patreon in a while so I just wanted to make sure ^^

They’re still coming and we just released a new sprite sketch on the Patreon for the Derek DLC c:. But right now Step 4 is still much more of a priority. Once that’s closer to being done we’ll focus way more on sharing previews for the other guys.

is it possible to tell cove you love him (platonically) at step 3 fondness/selecting him as basically family? i just love the mc and liz sibling interactions and it got me wondering about it (especially if you've selected that option)

You and Cove can be as close as family, but there’s not a specific scene in Step 3 where you say “I love you” in a family context. But there’s always Step 4~

do you intend on ever adding a collectors mode to Our Life? Like a way to collect achievements and CGs for the gallery without it effecting any save files? 

We weren’t considering it before. But if a lot of players would find that helpful, we could start thinking on that!

Sorry if it's a silly question haha, but (in crush/love) is Cove really aware of how cute and cuddly he seems to MC? If so, what does he think or do about it? Or does he just ignore it? 

He isn’t particular aware. Cove never truly stops being surprised that the MC is interested in/attracted to him, haha.

Would you say that the alone ending of xoxo droplets is worth playing again to get? 

Nope, haha. The goal is to make friends/get a boyfriend and so the alone ending is kind of the bad ending for the game. Though there is a consolation prize if you get it by accident.

Is there any possible situation which would ever prompt Pran to bake for his girlfriend? Like I know it's unlikely I mean even if JB broke her leg somehow I'm pretty sure he'd still be like "I considered baking you a cake and doing the frosting the way I think looks interesting but you don't deserve a cake, no one does." right but also ahhh it would be super nice if some day he just surprised her with baked goods one day out of nowhere. JB would be so shocked it would be cute. So is there any possible situation where that could/would be a thing that he would do? 

He might bake out of spite, like if he felt he had to prove her wrong on something. Or if JB used some good reverse psychology on him. Or he might do it in a relatively nice way if he could make his GF so shocked by the kind gesture that his amusement with that overrode his insistence on not being sweet. Pran is very difficult in high school, aha.

Is the "one route (where) it can be seen that Everett will drop his seemingly eternal waging with Jeremy pretty easily and can start getting along without thinking much on it" the Lucas route? I'm curious! 

Yep! Everett will side with Jeremy if it’s between him and Lucas.

Hi I hope you guys are having a great day :) I just had to ask how Cliff would feel about Cove's partner/fiancé Mc calling them dad whether it be accidental or otherwise and secondly I also wanted to ask how he would feel about being asked to be the one to give the mc away at their wedding. 

He would be very touched and excited! I hope you have a good day too :D

Hello! I saw an ask relating to whether Cliff "moves on" after Cove's grown up and stuff (and he stays single), but what about Kyra? Will she be with anyone else or will she stay single? 

She does start dating again, but she takes it slow.

Hi! I absolutely love the art for characters in OL and I wonder is this fine to draw my MC in same drawing style and upload online later? Is this something artists would be okay with? Thank you! 

Yeah, you can certainly do that C:

Hey there!

I wonder if I'm just being stupid here.. Is Step 4 a DLC? And if so, where can I find it? I can't seem to find it on Steam :< Thank you!

Step 4 is a free epilogue! It’s not done yet, but once it is finished you’ll just update your game file and Step 4 will be there after Step 3 ends.

hi! are step 4 and the wedding dlc two different things?

They are. Step 4 is a free epilogue that’ll be a default part of the game once it’s done, the wedding DLC is an optional paid expansion that takes place after Step 4.

Why did Baxter not receive a step 2 sprite seeing how he shows up later

Sprites are time consuming to draw and take money out of the budget that could’ve gone to other things. His tiny appearance in Step 2 wasn’t worth all the effort to make a sprite, aha.

I just realized, what happens if if you get the patreon exclusive moment but at a later date, when you don't have the membership anymore, it's updated (like a bugs fix update for example)? Would you have to get the membership again? 

You would have to get the membership again to redownload the build. But there’s very little chance there’s going to be an update once it’s been out for over a month. If a build gets released with errors, players catch/report them within the first few days. So by the time the first subscription period ends, any problems that were noticeable would already have been fixed. And we’re certainly not gonna be adding new content to it once it’s been released for a long time. There’s no need to worry about missing out on something worthwhile in the future if you cancel your membership. It’s being made with the idea in mind that many players are gonna be getting it and then going.

Hello! Wanted to ask about gaming choice in step 3? Once upon a playthorugh I got the option to buy Cove a bracelet for his graduation present. I played the same basic character again and that option wasn't there anymore. I'm not sure where I went wrong. My Cove wears a bracelet on each hand and my MC is into fashion and jewelry. Do I need to put an earring on him or? Sorry, love your game so much. 

He also needs to have liked bracelets in Step 2 for that to be considered a good gift option for him. Sorry for the confusion! I’m happy you love the game :)

Is Step 4 being released at the same time as the Wedding DLC or will the first come before the latter? Thank you! 

I’m not sure. Ideally they’ll come out at the same time, but the wedding DLC has a lot of art to get done and we may have to release it after Step 4.

Can mc still get confession from Cove at the end of step 3 even if mc casually dates Baxter in step 3? Such as in crush mode? 

I don’t think so. Maybe that’ll change, but generally there’s differences to the Step 3 ending if you were dating Baxter and those differences likely will conflict with getting the Cove confession.

For the patreon moments/dlcs, will it be available for all tiers? 

It’ll be available for tier 2 (Fans) and up!

[cheri-translates]

[CN] Shaw’s Creative Date

🍒 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for a date, 创意之约, which has not been released in EN! 🍒

This date features S2 Shaw, but contains no spoilers for S2!

[ This date was released on 13 May 2021 ]

Removing the VR headset, I rub my slightly sore eyes. Seeing the familiar modern furniture leaves me in a momentary trance.

MC: I finally cleared it - this game about the ancient times is pretty immersive.

Aside from completing missions, the game also has a rich plot written in a classical literary style. As a “workshop apprentice”, I successfully created a string of wood carved persimmons.

Rotating my aching wrists, it’s as though the sensation of carving products is still lingering on my hands.

MC: It’s a shame that I could only do that in the game...

Just when I’m about to continue grumbling, my phone suddenly rings.

Tapping the answer button, a familiar voice drifts lazily to my ear.

Shaw: Not a sound from you even during the weekend. What are you up to?

MC: I just played an immersive game, and it’s pretty fun.

At the other end of the line, Shaw makes an “oh” sound, then continues asking.

Shaw: Are you planning to stay at home today?

MC: Mm. I finally finished a big program, so I’m pretty comfortable playing games at home.

Hearing my response, Shaw’s tone lifts slightly at the end.

Shaw: It’s just a game. You can play it anytime, can’t you? The weather outside is great. Staying at home is such a waste. Why not take a stroll outside?

My gaze sweeps over the VR headset. While I’m hesitating whether or not to agree, a thought suddenly flashes across my mind, and I have an idea. 

MC: Shaw, why don't you accompany me somewhere?

Shaw pauses for a moment, his subtle breathing drifting over the phone along with the electric currents.

Shaw: Where do you want to go?

MC: I’ll keep it a secret first. You’ll know when you get there. It’s definitely a place you wouldn’t expect.

Shaw chuckles softly, and he seems to stretch.

Shaw: All right. Since you invited me with such magnificent hospitality, I’ll reluctantly keep you company.

-

Soon after, the both of us stand at the entrance of a wood carving studio. Shaw tilts his head, looking me up and down.

Shaw: You sure we’re not at the wrong place?

I nod my head.

MC: How is it? I already said you definitely wouldn’t expect it. 

Shaw arches his brows, a somewhat surprised expression in his eyes.

Shaw: When did you get a new hobby?

Not giving Shaw a direct response, I lift my hand, raising my phone to his face. The picture on the screen features the string of wood carved persimmons I made in the game.

MC: Look at this string of persimmons. I carved it bit by bit in the game. Looks good, doesn’t it? I plan to carve a replica based on this later.

Shaw leans closer to give it a sweeping glance, his expression a little subtle.

Shaw: ...the object in the picture isn’t too bad. But do you like it that much that you must carve a string of persimmons?

MC: Don’t underestimate this small string of persimmons. Slow work yields fine products. The smaller something is, the more patience and carving skills are tested. Also, this is the first wood carving I made in the game. Furthermore, “everything will go according to one’s wishes” is a wonderful message and well-wish. Making it myself will feel very meaningful.

[Note] For the translation of “everything will go according to one’s wishes”, What MC says is “柿柿如意”, which is a pun based on the popular well-wish “事事如意” (“everything will go according to one’s wishes”)

“Persimmon” is 柿 (“shi”). “Everything” is 事事 (“shi shi”)

Shaw: But based on the level of complexity, you can’t make it without having a foundation in carving.

Predicting that Shaw would say this, I make a fist, lifting my head up confidently. 

MC: Don’t underestimate me. I think I’m naturally talented in handwork. If I can make it in the game, I might be able to in reality.

Hearing my “lofty aspirations”, the corners of Shaw’s lips hook upwards, and he elongates the tail of his sentence coolly.

Shaw: Fine, I’ll wait and see. 

-

Probably because it’s the lunch break, only the boss is in the shop.

After telling the boss my purpose in coming, he very quickly prepares the wooden block and burin, then comprehensively explains some matters I should take note of.

[Trivia] A burin (刻刀 - “ke dao”)  is a handheld steel tool used for carving metal or wood

MC: Draw a design first, then trace a copy onto the wooden block, then...

Hearing me mumble to myself, Shaw can’t help but arch his brows.

Shaw: It’s no use simply memorising the steps. You’ve got to get started to get the feel of it. 

...that make sense.

Very soon, I successfully draw a design based on the picture. However, I keep sensing that something’s missing when I look at the picture of the string of persimmons in my hand.

Darting a glance at Shaw, who occasionally looks at the drawing paper in my hand, I turn my body to the side, displaying the drawing paper in front of him.

MC: Shaw, didn’t you brag about being the “best in hand-drawn sketches” in your department? Want to take a look and make adjustments for me?

[Note] For those who are unaware, Shaw is the only graduate student in the archaeological department of Loveland University, so... of course he’s the best in everything LOL

Shaw’s brows arch slightly. Grabbing a pen on the table casually, he starts making amendments quickly.

Shaw: Done.

Unexpectedly, with just a few strokes, the fullness and lushness of the persimmons are outlined, and the entire picture instantly becomes much more vibrant.

Once all the preparatory work is done, the next step is to saw the sides of the wood carving. Placing the wooden block on the machine, I test out suitable positions.

All of a sudden, Shaw presses on my hand.

Shaw: Didn’t the boss mention that it’d be safer to place it a little beyond the peripheral line?

While saying this, he pulls on my wrist, causing the wooden block to shift to the side slightly. After verifying that it’s in the right place, he releases my hand.

Wood carving in real life is much more difficult than I imagined. The more I tell myself to be calm, the more my hands refuse to obey.

I take a deep breath - 

Shaw: Tch, aren’t you going a little too fast?

Right after he finishes speaking, my hand suddenly trembles, and I saw a small hole into the wooden block.

Shaw pauses for a few seconds, then bursts into laughter mercilessly.

He leans over, pointing at the small hole, his eyes gloating over my misfortune.

Shaw: Heh. Did someone take a bite out of the persimmon? It’s actually pretty creative.

Faced with Shaw’s mockery, I pout without saying anything. Then, I mimic his usual tone and glare at him.

MC: Why are you laughing so loudly? My hearing is good, okay.

Shaw casually props himself on the table with his elbows. He turns his head to the side and watches me, eyes filled with interest and a smile.

Perhaps because we’re too close in proximity, I seem to feel his warmth encasing my surroundings.

Smelling the scent of peppermint at the tip of my nose, I subconsciously turn away, muttering softly.

MC: Stop crowding over here... it’s a little warm.

The corners of Shaw’s eyes lift upwards slightly, and he sweeps a gaze over my face. He chuckles, sitting down on the chair behind in a wilful manner.

Not long after, I painstakingly saw the overall outer shape of the wooden block. After that, I start using a chisel to carefully craft the outline and thickness.

Probably because I’m unfamiliar with the techniques, the thickness of both sides of the wood carving are very different despite me putting in a lot of effort into correcting it.

I steal a glance at Shaw who is behind. After some hesitation, I clear my throat.

MC: Erm, could you help me with a little something?

Shaw loosens his shoulders.

Shaw: You want my help?

MC: Since you look like you don't have much to do, why not adjust the thickness of the outline with me?

Shaw doesn’t respond immediately. He folds his arms and leans against the wall, both legs placed casually.

Beneath the sunlight of the scorching afternoon sun, the corners of his lips tilt upwards, revealing a mischievous smile.

Shaw: Someone made a solemn vow earlier that she could do it by herself. So, in order for you to experience this fully, I refuse.

I don’t even spare Shaw half a glance after this, heart sinking as I lower my head in silence, focusing on the wood carving alone.

Perhaps grasping some tricks, my actions are gradually much more proficient than before, despite slow improvement.

The doors to the shop are suddenly pushed open. A parent walks in with a little boy.

The boss greets the new customers. Shaw suddenly lifts his arm and waves, walking over to the boss.

Shaw: Boss, give me a burin too.

Thinking that Shaw was suddenly “pricked by his conscience” and is planning to help, I lift my head to look at him in anticipation.

Unexpectedly, after getting the burin, Shaw picks up the leftover linden wood that I had sawed off earlier.

He stands near the window, lifting his hand leisurely. Against the light, that head of bluish purple hair is even more eye-catching.

Shaw: It’s boring to wait. I’ll try it with you, and give you some competitive motivation.

He reveals a confident smile, his tone not at all humble.

Shaw: I’ll also show you what it means to be “naturally talented”.

Shaw deliberately sits down at a table that’s further away from me.

Seeing that my gaze continues to linger on him, Shaw lifts his eyes, asking teasingly.

Shaw: Why are you staring at me?

MC: ...you already know the answer. Also, you’re pretending to be mysterious. What exactly do you plan to carve?

Shaw: You want to know? All the more reason not to tell you.

With this, he lowers his head, the tip of the pen making rustling sounds. He’s likely drawing a design on the rough paper.

Pursing my lips with a “hmph”, I decide to throw myself into crafting the wood carving.

Just as I strive to painstakingly carve the appearance of the wood carving, the little boy who accompanied his parent here seems to be restless.

He runs around the shop, and finally scuttles to Shaw’s side.

Little Boy: Big Bro, your hair’s really cool!

Shaw releases a “hmph”, paying no attention to the boy. But the little boy is fearless, and continues curiously.

Little Boy: Big Bro, what are you carving?

Unintentionally hearing this, I hurriedly perk up my ears, turning my body towards Shaw secretly.

Shaw glances at the boy from the side, placing the prototype wood carving on the table and leaning it from side to side.

Shaw: Make a guess.

The boy stares at it for a while, then exclaims excitedly.

Little Boy: I see it now - it’s a fish! Big Bro, did I guess correctly?

Shaw doesn’t deny it, revealing an expression which says “you’re pretty knowledgeable”.

Shaw: [aww he sounds so affectionate] Little Imp, your eyesight isn’t bad.

Little Boy: But why do you want to carve a fish?

The boy doesn’t seem to understand, and is also slightly disdainful.

Little Boy: Fishes are so unimpressive. If it were me, I’d carve a big tiger. It’s the king of all creatures, and it’s so impressive!

While the boy speaks, he chuckles in satisfaction.

Shaw laughs, then purses his lips.

Shaw: A wooden carved fish is much more interesting than your big tiger.

The boy has an expression on his face which reads “nonsense”. Shaw casts a sidelong glance at him, scoffing softly.

Shaw: Forget it. You wouldn't understand even if I told you.

Little Boy: Who says I wouldn’t understand? I’ve already learnt many things!

The boy grumbles in dissatisfaction, his arms akimbo, pestering Shaw unflinchingly.

I try my best to control the smile at the corners of my lips, and suddenly have an idea. Clearing my throat, I pretend to be a bystander, inserting myself into the conversation.

MC: What this little boy said is correct. Young man, you can’t look down on others just because you’re older by a few years.

Little Boy: Hmph! That’s right!

My “encouragement” enables the boy to be even less willing to back down, and he purses his small mouth.

Shaw: Oh?

Hearing my response, Shaw lifts his eyes, a mischievous smile curling the corners of his lips upwards.

Shaw: What is it? You also want to know?

MC: Since you started it, it’s only right for you to talk about it more.

Shaw: Since the both of you are pretty eager to learn, I’ll broaden your knowledge.

-

Next to the window, the rays of light are bright. Shaw arches his brows wilfully.

Shaw: To put it simply, this is related to the history of “fish culture”. Since ancient times, fish have represented auspicious signs and well-wishes.

Little Boy: I know about this! Is this how people wish each other “may you have abundance year after year”? I heard my teacher mentioning it before. It’s because “鱼” and “余” are homophonic!

[Note] The well-wish the boy is referring to is “年年有鱼”, which is a pun based on the proper saying “年年有余”

“Fish” is 鱼 (“yu”), while 余 (also “yu”) means abundance

Shaw: In that case, your teacher only told you half of it.

Shaw fiddles with the burin in his hand, spinning it casually.

Shaw: Fishes are an embodiment of luck. Patterns of fish can often be seen on antiques.

MC: What’s the origin of wooden carved fishes then?

Shaw pauses for a second before responding.

Shaw: Over seven thousand years ago, the most ancient wooden carved fishes were in the Hemudu culture. Based on conjectures, they were likely used for praying and well-wishes.

[Trivia] The Hemudu culture was a Neolithic culture spanning from 5500 BC to 3300 BC, located south of the Hangzhou Bay in Jiangnan in Zhejiang, China

Shaw speaks indifferently, but the boy listens at the side, his eyes wide.

Little Boy: Big Bro, you really know a lot! You’re even more incredible than my teacher!

The corners of Shaw’s lips hook upwards with pride.

Shaw: I guess so. Little Imp, remember to read more books and learn properly.

The boy runs away contentedly. My gaze lands on the wooden carving in Shaw’s hand that I can’t see quite clearly yet.

I didn’t expect the wooden carved fish to have the same symbolism as the string of persimmons. I tilt my head, feeling slightly emotional.

Time flows by as the seconds and minutes pass. Before realising it, the sky dims, and the studio lights are bright.

Swinging my hands which have almost lost all physical strength, I release a long sigh.

At the other side of the table, Shaw lifts his chin towards me.

Shaw: Progress isn’t going smoothly? 

Looking at the half-finished product with uneven contours next to my hand, I shake my head a little despondently. 

MC: Looks like I won’t be able to finish it today, and would have to come back next time. Also, the actual wood carving is light-years away from what I expected...

Hearing my soft grumbling at the end, Shaw arches his brows.

Shaw: Just by looking at it, the string of persimmons isn’t easy to make. But you dug this pit yourself, so I’ll wait and watch you fill it up.

Ignoring the teasing tone in his voice, I purse my lips.

MC: I definitely won’t give up. What about you? Are you done with the carving?

Shaw has an expression which reads “of course”, and he nods unhesitatingly.

Shaw: It was done a long time ago.

I’m stunned for a moment, both surprised and curious.

One hand supports Shaw’s cheek lightly. With a stretch of his long arm, the wooden carved fish is brought before my eyes.

This is a bright coloured wood carving of a fish. It has a roundish head and a chubby belly, and looks extremely adorable.

I lift up the wooden fish sculpture with both hands, as though instantly struck by its adorable shape.

Shaw: Excellent workmanship with profound symbolism. Your goal has been overtaken by me.

Behind the table, Shaw arches his brows in satisfaction, casually twisting the burin, his pose utterly flamboyant.

Even though his carving is indeed not bad, the moment I lift my eyes and see Shaw’s insuppressible pride, I can’t help but remain silent.

With the sudden impulse to sing a different tune, I deliberately purse my lips, speaking calmly.

MC: It’s just like this I guess. In terms of exquisiteness, I’d give a passing mark at most.

The smile on Shaw’s lips retracts slightly. While looking at me from the side, he releases a “hmph” from his nose.

Shaw: You have the nerve to criticise me? Why don’t you look at your own standard. Also, this is my exclusive design. It’s much more creative than you making a duplicate from the game.

Hearing the unwillingness to back down hidden in his tone, I can’t help but smile secretly.

Shaw glances at me indifferently. He seems to catch the secret smile on my lips, and an indiscernible light flashes across his eyes.

Shaw: Hey, shouldn’t you return it to me after touching it for half a day? You don’t like it anyway.

MC: Who says-

Almost making a slip of the tongue, I hurriedly change my words.

MC: Actually, on closer inspection, it seems that your carving is pretty okay.

Shaw: Just “okay”?

MC: ...I’ll add one mark for its symbolism and origin then.

Pleased with this, Shaw rolls his shoulders, chuckling softly.

Shaw: You still have some taste.

He crosses his leg over the other, his eyebrows suddenly furrowing. He seems to blurt out what’s in his mind.

Shaw: But the head of this fish seems a little too round... Hm, it’s a little irksome. Looks like I need to make some corrections.

MC: No it isn’t? It looks just right like this!

Afraid that Shaw would snatch it back, I hurriedly fold my hands over the wooden carving, and notice a hint of slyness in his eyes.

He leans closer abruptly, instantly closing the distance between us.

Shaw: Looking at your posture... What is it? Can’t bear to return it?

Specks of bright light reminiscent of daytime dance on Shaw’s bluish purple hair, outlining his expression and making it look even more triumphant.

I blink my eyes.

MC: Since you’re already done, I think I should observe it for a while longer, and have some “luck” rubbed off on me. I might even be able to quickly and successfully finish my wood carving too.

Shaw turns his head, the corners of his lips turning upwards relaxedly. A pondering smile surfaces in his bright eyes.

Shaw: You’ve got taste. If you really like it, it’s not that I can’t give it to you.

My heart stirs, eyes widening as I look at him. But I have the feeling that there should be a second half to his sentence.

Shaw leans back relaxedly, stretching casually.

Shaw: But I need to make up for the costs.

...just as I guessed.

Cradling the wooden carving in my hand, I lift my chin towards Shaw.

MC: Go on, what’s the “fee”?

Shaw lowers his head, pretending to deliberate for a few seconds. Then, he lifts his eyes, meeting mine.

Shaw: When you’re done with your wooden carving...

Shaw: It belongs to me. 

[Note] There are actually two ways one can interpret this line because it’s kept purposefully vague. It’s simply “归我”, which means “belong to me”. This means we can’t be sure if he’s asking for the wooden carving or MC herself :>

Shaw: How is it? Isn’t it very fair?

Light falls on the tips of Shaw’s hair, reflecting a bright and sly smile in his eyes.

Before I can react, he has already stood up.

Shaw: All right, that’s how it’d be.

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