#love and deepspace brands

[love-and-deepspace-wiki]

Random Facts: Xavier

Huge shout out to @ourlittleuluru for the landscape photos of this scene! I'm always a sucker for more information!

Here, we can see Xavier had seven Noodle Soup cups?? Bro must really like White Bear lol.

Other Details Gathered:

They're at a Harmonious Convenience Store, another recurring establishment I plan to post about

There are two noodle cups from another brand in there too, but no concrete info on them beyond that.

The pink and yellow soda cans fascinate me too. I'm able to make out the bottom two characters: "空泉" ("empty spring"). But the top one remains an unsolved mystery. shhhh pls don't tell my Chinese professor 😭😭😭

[starmocha]

I don't normally share active wips, but since I mentioned in a previous post how Lost Oasis has a scene similar to one I had written in a wip I've been working on, I've decided to share it. I may scrap it or I may rework it to align more with the canon material.

This wip is basically an intimate (emotional and sexual) Sylus/Reader sexy domestic slice of life fluff, because I have needs. Really bad needs. 🥺👉👈

The scent of your peach body wash had become more familiar each night, the sweet fragrance clung to Sylus’ body after every shower when he would climb into bed with you. Your hands traversed his bare torso, gliding over smooth skin as you furrowed your brows. “Like what you see?” he teased, but when you didn’t react, Sylus reached out, lifting your chin to meet his concerned gaze. “What’s wrong?” “You don’t have any scars,” you murmured, your hands still skimming over his body in examination. “You sound disappointed,” Sylus quipped with a deep chuckle, but he paused almost immediately when you looked up, staring at him with a worried expression. He was quiet briefly before speaking more seriously, “A benefit of my Evol, if you will.” “Then…how many times have you been injured?” “Does it matter?” he looked at you with a gentle smile, reaching out to tuck strands of your hair behind your ear. You appreciated the affectionate gesture, but it didn’t mask the fact that he was pointedly ignoring your question. You nodded firmly, refusing to let this conversation end. Sylus looked conflicted. “It’s a good thing you can’t see any scars,” he insisted. You touched his bicep. “Were you injured here?” He sighed, and nodded. “Yes.” You looked frantically around his body before your hand randomly touched his right shoulder. “Here?” “Yes.” Your mind continued to race with increasing anxious thoughts. You touched his thigh. Sylus nodded. You reached up and touched his chest, your hand near his heart. You paused, your face paling, already knowing the answer to this one. It had all happened so quickly, and even now you could still feel your finger pulling that trigger. Sylus grabbed your wrist, pulling away. “Don’t think about it,” he said firmly, “I did it.” “But…” His hands held your face, pulling you to him, capturing your lips to swallow your words. You felt like you were choking, his kisses suffocating you as your mind was in turmoil from both the guilt of what you did and the painful knowledge of never knowing how often he was injured or how severe they were. Sylus broke the kiss when he felt you sobbing against him. He looked at you with concern, not understanding what had led the two of you to this point. Instinctively, he pulled you into his lap, surprised when you lay against him almost instantly, your arms wrapped around his body, cheek pressed against his chest. He could feel the trembles in your body, knowing you were barely keeping your emotions in check. “I’m not hurt,” he said, fingers already threading through your hair as comfort. “I know,” you whispered back, tightening your hold around him. You could barely keep your voice steady, afraid that just one wrong word could break this dam and unleash all of the tears you were holding back. “But,” he started, peering down at the top of your head, “this is nice.” You looked up curiously, meeting his soft crimson gaze. He leaned down, his warm breath ghosted over your lips, making you shiver even more in his embrace. “Having you worried about me,” he said, elaborating further, “Caring about me.” Sylus drew your lips to his again, this time gentler, more tender. You responded, hearing a pleased hum from him as his hands moved down your body. “Sylus—” He guided your hands back to his body. “I just hate to see you cry over me, sweetheart.” You blinked back your tears. [INSERT EMOTIONAL COMFORT SEX SCENE I HAVEN’T WRITTEN YET LMAO]

[scumpatrol]

how to not talk to ur 5'3" g/f smfh🙄😑

[dawnbreakerluna]

im gonna say it: PLEASE GET THOSE FUCK ASS SUNGLASSES OFF THE BOYS’ FACES

[pumpkin-patch-cat]

Idk why, but it makes me so happy seeing Zayne use emoji's ☺️

[planetxiao]

xavier’s lore makes me so emo :((((

[tbaluver]

When You Randomly Turn Into A Cat- The Love And DeepSpace Men

parings in order: Xavier x Reader, Zayne x Reader, Rafayel x Reader, Sylus x Reader synopsis: a day where you randomly turn into a cat and how they love and deep space men would take care and spend the day with you ! genre: silly and cute a/n: hihi lovelies! sorry this took so long to write i had to channel in all the cat videos i loved and seen and put it into each scenario for each men ! (ᵕ—ᴗ—) i also had to make sure some cat facts were true or not just in case and also because i don't own a cat but i rlly want one (•ᴗ•,, ) i hope you all enjoy ! ^•ﻌ•^ฅ♡ If any new readers are here you can read where the men turn into cats here; When They Turn Into Cats any likes and reblogs are always appreciated! enjoy!

⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆

Xavier /ᐠ˵- ᴗ -˵マ ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 :

Xavier wasn't particularly shocked that you would turn into a cat but truly surprised him was the timing of it. You both speculated that his transformation one time might be linked to his recent handling of a Protocore and it would eventually spread to you. He just didn't anticipate that this would happen in the middle of a mission. Fortunately, he managed to defeat the remaining Wanderers, scooping you up along with your clothes, and bring you both safely back home.

There were no answers on the internet on what to do when your partner turns into a cat. He doesn't understand how you did so well when you took care of him when he randomly turned into one. He only wishes that he can do the same for you as you did with him.

The first step Xavier does is search for any leftover cat food but finds nothing so he takes you along to the grocery store. He'll gently place you in the baby seat of the shopping cat, determined to find the best options for you. He scrutinizes every brand of cat food and snack, carefully considering what you might like. To ensure you would have everything you could possibly need, he ends up buying far more than necessary, his cart basically overflowing with a mountain of cat supplies.

When you both return home, there is no doubt that Xavier showers you with affection. He lavishes you with cuddles and kisses in between your ears. He finds your feline form to be cute and can't help but pet you, his fingers gently brushing through your soft fur. You enjoy in the soothing touch, arching your back in contentment as he continues his gentle caress. The two of you settle into a cozy spot for nap, as he drifts off to sleep to the comforting rhythm of your adorable purrs and you fall asleep to his gentle caress. You've always been a source of comfort for him and you still are even in this tiny cat form.

Xavier can't help but feel a little jealous when he finds you curled up on the plushies that he won you in the claw machine, instead of you nestled comfortably on his lap or cradled in his arms. It stings a little to see you so content with the plushie and wishes that it was him to provide you with that comfort. Same thing when you knead your plushies with your paws, he can't help but feel envy, wishing that direct attention was towards him instead.

To keep you entertained as a cat, Xavier downloads a few interactive cat games on his phone. He places the phone down, allowing you to paw at the moving images and you pretend as if you were catching them. Another way he can play with you is using playful revenge on your plushies. He watches with amusement as you pounce and swat at the plush toys, your antics providing both of you with entertainment.

Whenever Xavier grabs a snack, he makes sure you feel included in the moment. He helps you to select a treat you want to try by holding it out and shares it with you, making sure you have your own little snack to enjoy alongside with him.

When it was night time and time for bed, even though both of you took several naps the entire day, he prepares for bed. He settles beside you, gently reaching out to stroke your fur with a soothing touch. Carefully, he pulls the blanket up, tucking it around the both of you to create a comfy cocoon. As he holds you clos, he presses tender kisses to the top of your head. "Goodnight honey. No matter what form you're in, you'll always be my partner for life." He whispers, eagerly waiting for the morning to come so you'll be back in your human form.

Zayne /ᐠ - ˕ -マ :

It was Zayne’s day off and he was in the kitchen, preparing a delicious and nutritious meal for the two of you. Meanwhile, you were in the living room, browsing through DVDs or anything you can find on the TV to watch for your movie marathon. You both chatted back and forth while he worked in the kitchen as you continued to browse in the living room until minutes ticked by and he noticed you were quiet. Out of curiosity, he peeks through the kitchen and sees the living room empty. He calls out for you but he is met with no response. A wave of concern washes over him as he quickly turns off the stove and makes his way to the living room to find a bewildered cat.

He sighs deeply, knowing this all too well. He had experienced this bizarre transformation himself not too long ago. A smile creeps up on his lips as he crouches down, extending a hand to your feline form. “I guess I have to make a different lunch for you now.” He murmurs as you brush against his hand.

He’ll find the cat food that you fed him when he once turned into a cat randomly one day and he’ll feed that to you. He knows that the mixed kibble was unappetizing but as he scooped up a portion and placed it in front of you, he gave you a reassuring soft smile. He gently pats your head, his fingers brushing through your fur to offer some reassurance as you hesitantly ate the food. As you eat, he promises that he’ll buy you some yummy foods when you’re back to normal.

Since it was his day off, he'll finish up any chores around the house. He gathered all the freshly laundered clothes out of the dryer as you trailed after him. When he sets the basket down in your shared room, you couldn't resist the inviting warmth of the freshly dried clothes and hopped right into the basket. You nestled inside the fluffy pile, your body curling up into it. The warmth and softness was irresistible and not too long you find yourself drifting off into sleep. His gaze would soften when he finally notices you inside of the basket, smiling fondly at the sight. He scoops you up, cradling you carefully before placing you gently on your shared bed.

Once he finished folding the clothes, he returned to you. Your eyes slowly flutters open and to help ease you into waking up, he carefully extends your limbs, stretching your front paws upwards.

Zayne would make sure to play with you so you're not bored the entire day. Sometimes when he has do some other chores, he'll leave the TV on so you can go watch. Or he'll gather a selection of plushies you both had won from the claw machine and toss them around as you pounce and batted at the plushies. If you weren't feeling the plushies anymore, he'll reach for the laser pointer he uses for panel discussions and watches in amusement as you chase it around.

Although it was his day off, he still chooses to do a couple hospital reports. While he's busy typing away on the computer, he lets you curl into his lap as he finishes up his work. Despite his best efforts to stay concentrated, you made it a habit of hopping in front of his computer, inserting yourself in front of him to grab his attention. It seems your stubbornness remains even if you were a cat because this goes on for a couple of minutes. "Behave." He would gently scoop you back into his lap or nudge you aside and you would end up back in front of his computer, blocking his hands from typing on his keyboard. It was impossible to ignore you, melting at the small feline form in front of him. Folding, his hands instinctively find their way to scratch the back of your ears. He would take this as a sign to finally take a break and enjoy his day off with you, even if you were a cat.

As nightfall arrived, you trailed after him into the bathroom where he began his nightly routines. You were perched on the counter, watching him do your skin care routine that you both normally do. He made sure you felt included, using a small brush and gently groomed your fur.

He scoops you up after he finishes his routine and carried you to the bedroom. He places a gentle kiss between your ears, right on the top of your head. He placed you gently onto the bed, arranging the covers and settles beside you. "Even though you're adorable as a cat," he murmurs softly, "I miss you. Come back soon, my love." He whispers, eagerly waiting for morning to come when you return back to your human form.

Rafayel ฅᨐฅ :

A wave of emotions washed over him. Fear. Panic. Uneasiness. His lover has turned into something he had feared the most. A wanderer? No. Worse. A cat. What gods has he upset for this too happen? Why must he go through so much feline presence in his life? For him to be one and now you?

Rafayel would snap out of his daze as you began to nuzzle against his legs. Slowly, he'd start to come to terms with the idea of having you as a cat for a day might not be as daunting as he initially feared. Nuzzling against his legs gave him a reassuring contact of your soft fur and helped him realize that you wouldn't do anything to harm him. You were still his caring and beloved partner and he will continue to love you even if you were a cat. It wouldn't be so bad or so he thought.

In this cat form it seems you have the zoomies. He expected you to be a laid back cat but instead, you had turned his entire day into a constant adventure. Not only are you darting around the house with enthusiasm but you're also sneaking into every nook and cranny. You've slipped in behind shelves, climbing into fragile small statues around his studio, and even perching on the edges of delicates vases.

Rafayel would constantly be on the move, trying to keep up with your mischief. One time you had darted into the kitchen cabinets, where all his expensive glassware was located. You refused to come down despite his pleas and he wonders if you were just being stubborn or if you were just having too much fun teasing him. When he manages to catch you, he wraps you into a blanket, like a burrito to keep you still. He smirks as you meow in protest and he returns to his painting, chatting with you softly as he works.

When you're finally out of your zoomies, he'll let you go from the blanket but he'll only regret that later. You approach him, holding out a fish plushie and he thought you were hungry but truly you just wanted to play. "Hey fish aren't food!" He huffs, a pout forming on his lips as he gently removes the plushie from your mouth and crosses his arms in mock disapproval. "I want my cutie back....this cat is slowly turning her into a monster....."

He'll take this as a sign to go find you some food. Food that isn't fish related. He'll make sure to find something that's good and the best rated cat food for you.

Whenever there a fly or bug that made its way into his studio, Rafayel would make you help to catching it. In your human form, you'd be squeamish about dealing with insects and would leave the tasks to him. But now since you're a cat, you're fascinated by the challenge of catching it. He would gently lift you into the air, holding you up so high so you could get a better shot at the tiny intruders. He'll give you a mix of encouragement and amusements as you grab the bugs with your paws.

You are Rafayel's muse and he's determined to keep you in that role. He'll position you on a stool where you stand tall, ready to be the subject of his art. You meow in protest, growing fatigued but he urges you to stay still just for a little longer. The finished sketches of you s a cat turned out to be truly adorable once you see them later. You don't know how he's so uneasy around cats.

As nightfall came around, he settles beside you in bed. Typically you would be curled up together, foreheads against each other but tonight is different with your smaller, feline form. He stays close, tenderly brushing your fur as if it were your hair. His eyes were growing heavy with sleep and he whisper softly, "No matter if you're a cat, a goose, or anything else, my heart's deepest wish is to be with you in every form in every life time. Sleep well my beloved. I shall see you again in the morning."

Sylus ≽^-˕-^≼ :

Sylus would be informed by Mephisto that you turned into a cat. He was initially be taken aback but quickly settled into a knowing smile, knowing this experience of a similar transformation himself. He would immediately find you and when he does, he tries his best not to snicker from how amusing this was but it came out anyway. It seems you have taken the nickname Kitten, a little to seriously. You would protest in meows and his snicker would turn into a louder laugh and your cat ears turn into airplane mode.

He reaches for his phone and scoops you up to settle you into his lap. He adjusts the screen so it was perfectly angled for you to also see as his other free hand gently stroked your fur. He scrolled through various stores, adding items to his cart with things you might enjoy or need in this temporary form. He'll know you were interested in it when you paw at the screen, lowly chuckling in amusement as you do so. Not wanting to leave your side, he orders Luke and Kieran to pick up what he ordered.

You didn’t think it would be even possible for this man to be more affectionate with you even if you were a cat. He would pepper your head and nose with lots of kisses and he would find it even more amusing when you would place your paw on his mouth to stop. He doesn’t listen and continues to do so anyway, finding this cat form of you to be adorable. He also loves to brush his fingertips against your paw/ toe beans. He’s careful to not apply too much pressure on them so he doesn’t hurt you.

Mephisto may not be your biggest fan ever in your human form, but he's definitely not warming up to you as a cat either. In this cat form of yours, you have an enhanced agility that helps you jump and try to catch him on his perch. Your attempts to chase him around the house seem to get intense that Sylus had to step in and separate you two so you both can behave.

In this cat form, it seems as your cat senses heightened, driving you to explore the house in new ways you haven’t before. You find yourself climbing onto high shelves and underestimating just how high up you were up. Sylus noticing your predicament, he would sigh and grab a basket to help you climb down. However, your fear of falling to your demise, you meow in protest as you tremble at the idea.

You tried to place a paw into the basket, in hopes to provide a safe descent but looking down and how light the basket was, made you freeze in place. You backed away and retreated further into the shelf. “It’s okay. I got you,” He would reassure you, his voice calm and soothing. Despite his efforts of holding the basket out for you to jump into, you continued to meow in protest, clearing preferring the direct approach of being lifted down by his hands instead. He finally caught on when you ignored his third attempt with the basket and instead reached out with his hands as you crawled towards his forearms. Once you are finally safe in his arms, he strokes your fur with tender care. He lets out a soft sigh, “You really don’t want to make it easy for me don’t you kitten?” He murmurs, "meow."

When it was dinner time, you'd perch on the kitchen counter beside Sylus, watching with curious eyes as he hummed contentedly while preparing his meal before preparing your cat meal. He carefully selects the best rated cat food, ensuring it was packed with essential nutrients and vitamins. After serving you with the cat food, he would spoil you with a few tasty cat treats, hoping they would be a little more enjoyable for you than the cat food. His attention to your needs will always be attentive even if you were a cat.

After you both settled into bed, Sylus lies on his back, inviting you to curl up on his chest. As your eyes fluttered close, a content purr rumbles through your body and he can feel the gentle vibrations against him. He strokes your fur tenderly, his own eyes heavy with sleep. He murmurs as he wishes you a goodnight, "Goodnight princess. I hope to see you in my dreams and see you back in my arm again when I wake up."

[always-just-red]

Heya! Rafayel with a reader who's slightly afraid of deep water because she doesn't know how to swim? Fluff please!

Thanks for the request! Hoping this is the perfect balance of heartfelt moments and utter silliness. It's Raf, after all! Gotta have fun with it! ❤

Practice Makes Perfect

Rafayel x Reader 🎨

Summary: "I'll teach you how to swim!" he said. "It'll be fun!" he said. Let's be honest: the warning signs were there from the very start.

Genre: Fluff

Warnings/Additional tags: gn!reader, established relationship, one instance of swearing, a mild panic attack, humour, Raf bullies you ('out of love!!'— his words, not mine 🙃)

| Word count: 2.3k | Masterlist |

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Love and Deepspace. All work is my own, so please don't repost or plagiarise!

“Rafayel, can you stop that? Please?”

You watch as Rafayel bobs around in the water in front of you. “Swimming?” he asks, pushing slick hair back from his forehead with a lazy smile. “Nah. I’d drown.”

“No, I—” you suck in a sharp breath to keep yourself from wasting it. He knows exactly what you meant. He knows what he’s doing, too: making everything look effortless when you can’t even get out of the stupid boat.

It tips you a little closer towards the ocean, as if responding to your criticisms. You’re done with this. Done with him. Swimming lessons with Rafayel had seemed such a promising idea a few months ago, but now? You’re thinking it would have been better to go it alone. If you’d have drowned, you’d have at least drowned in peace.

He calls his teaching style ‘motivational’, which is to say he spends every lesson trying to motivate you to lunge at him, regardless of your personal safety. It was funny at the local pool. It’s less funny here, on a rickety boat in a deserted bay, where the only witnesses to your demise would be a setting sun and an insufferably smug Lemurian.

You glance up, seeking the familiar half-oceans of his eyes. They’re taunting you to the point of distraction: heating the blood in your veins that had just been running cold. Look at me, they gloat, alive with shimmering reflections, you’re mad at me, remember? 

And they have a point. You are. “Stop showing off.”

“Can’t help it.” Dark water laps at the pale of his collarbone. “It’s just so easy.”

“Says the actual mermaid.”

“Merman!”

“Oh whatever!”

He pouts. Then he strokes his chin thoughtfully. “I was worried about this,” he muses, as if he has actually masterminded a teaching plan, and hasn’t just been winging it from the start. He clicks his fingers, signalling a lightbulb moment. “Lucky for you, your super duper swimming teacher came prepared. Check my bag!”

He sinks until he’s peering out from the water, the lower half of his face submerged so you can’t see his smile. You can, though; it’s obvious. You roll your eyes and take the bait because it’s better than sitting here questioning your life decisions and your own mortality. Your hands rifle through his bag until they stumble upon something unusual. Smooth. Plastic. Is this what he meant?

You pull the package out into the evening light, narrowing your eyes.

Inflatable arm bands. Brand new. A toddler beams at you from their cover, seemingly thrilled by its extra buoyancy, and its parents are watching on with unbridled pride. You tilt your head as you read: suitable for ages 2-5! “Not funny, Raf. Not funny at all.”

“What d’you mean?” You flash the photo at him, tapping the toddler’s face. “Yeah? What about it?”

“These are for kids! You’re making fun of me now? Really?”

“No…” His hand leaves the water to scratch at the back of his head. “I thought that was a suggestion? It was kinda confusing, actually. You humans have such weird stuff to help you swim.”

“Oh don’t you dare play the Lemurian card right now!” you seethe, in the middle of retrieving an arm band from the packaging. “You knew! I know you did.”

Set on making your point, you blow air into the arm band’s nozzle. It’s so infuriatingly small; it takes all of three breaths to fill it. “I mean, look at it!” you exclaim, holding it out to him.

He barely keeps his act together. “I think it’s, like… stretchy, yeah?” His bottom lip is caught between his teeth: he’s biting back laughter. “Try it on, maybe it’ll—”

Smack! The arm band hits the water in front of him, and he blinks down at it, shocked.

“Wooooow,” he enthuses sarcastically, “nice throw! I bet the Wanderers just run for the hills when they see you comin—”

Thwack! Another half-inflated arm band strikes his face, and he reels backwards.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“You’re so full of it, Rafayel!” you can’t help leaning towards him, and the rowboat lurches. You clutch at the side of it, but you’ve had enough. “Ugh. Screw it.”

Your adrenaline is lurching too, and you make the most of the momentum: taking a deep breath and swinging your legs over the boat’s side. The chill of the ocean steals that breath away as you lower yourself into it. You’re going slowly, so slowly, your fingers still latched to the boat. But this is… something. You’re in the water. Oh gods you’re in the water. Don’t think about it. Don’t.

“Raf…” you squeak, because how can you not think about it when it’s cold and around your neck?

“I’m here,” he reassures from behind you, and he’s not close, but he’s close enough.

You look at him over your shoulder, gently tugging at the boat until you’re afforded a better view. He chuckles as he flicks the offending arm bands back into it: a calculated arc that sprinkles saltwater over your head. You wince, but you don’t mind.

“You just gonna… hang out there, then?” Rafayel enquires as you wipe a stray droplet from your eye.

“Yep.”

“Nice,” he grins, and it’s weirdly sincere. “Kinda wish you were over here, though.”

“Yeah?” You don’t move.

“I miss you.”

“Aww.”

You’re still not moving, but it doesn’t crush the embers of amusement that glow within his eyes. He’s thinking up ways to drive you crazy again, you just know it. “You could totally make it over here if you wanted,” he says flippantly. “It’s just swimming. If jellyfishes can do it, you definitely can.”

What? What? “They’re sea creatures!”

“Yeah, but they’re soooo stupid.” He taps his head. “No brains, y’know?”

You turn to the boat, pulling yourself impossibly closer to it. “Raf, c’mere,” you beckon, reaching back to him— grabbing at air.

“Why?” He draws nearer.

“So I can hit you.”

You swing a hand at him, but he dodges it, laughing. “If you wanna hit me, you have to reach me.”

There’s movement in the corner of your eye, so you twist to see it. His thumbs and forefingers have met as a square; he’s making a viewfinder. “What are you doing?” you speak from inside the frame.

“Making sure I remember this. I think I’ll paint it.” A corner of his lips lifts as he reveals a prospective title: “Cutie braves shark-infested waters.”

“Sharks?!”

“Who said anything about sharks?”

He’s messing with you— you know he’s messing with you— but you hide your face against your arms, all the same. You squeeze your eyes shut, trying to stifle your senses and your spiralling thoughts. You’re feeling everything too keenly: the water licking at your throat, the darkness beneath you, around you, waiting to pull you under and fill your mouth.

You never feel further from Rafayel than when you remember he calls that darkness home.

“Rafayel?” you call out, because you need him to tell you you’re being ridiculous. You need him to laugh with you, at you— you don’t care so long as you can hear it.

The only sound is water, and it’s cold and dispassionate.

“…Rafayel?” You glance behind you, and he isn’t there.

What do you do? What do you do? Your mind is in contest with your heart; they’re both trying to see who can race faster. You still can’t move. Shit. What can you do?

“Hey.” Rafayel’s voice makes you jump. He’s next to you all of a sudden, water streaming down from his hair and running over his shoulders. He rests an arm on the boat, too. “I’m here, ok? I’ve got you. Just breathe.”

Breathe? “Don’t do that!” you force out of aching lungs, and then your mouth is trying to catch up with the rest of you. “I thought something happened to you! What if something did happen to you? I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t help you. What if—”

“Hey, hey, hey, hey,” he cuts in. “Nothing’s gonna happen to me. I’m not going anywhere.”

Your eyes are watering and he’s so close, but it’s not enough. You reach out, pulling him, urging him to close the distance, and he leans in, pressing his forehead to yours. You can feel the heat of his breath and it’s deep, slow: one, two. One. Two. You hold him until you can match it, and almost everything’s still— the ocean, your mind— but not your heart.  

The waves break softly against the boat and they’re breathing with him, too.

“You ok?” Rafayel murmurs. His wet hair is clinging to your skin.

“Yeah,” you sigh.  

He pulls away and gives you a smile. “Wanna know what I’m thinking about?”

Always.  

“The claw machine,” he continues, because it was, as you suspected, a rhetorical question. “Remember that time you took, like, a hundred goes to get that one plushie? We were there for, what— an hour? Maybe two?”

You sniffle, and you’re just leaning on the boat, now— not gripping it. “That’s because it was a peach blossom birb, Raf. They’re super rare.” Another sniffle. “And the only reason I got it is because you kept buying more tokens.”

“Yeah,” he nods. “Because I knew you’d get it eventually. Just like I know you’re gonna get this. We’ve got all the tokens in the world, yeah? So it’s just like before. One go at a time.”

His gaze is full of faith, and you want to be worthy of it. “One go at a time,” you repeat. “Thanks, Raf. Really.” You tilt towards him again, set on kissing his cheek, but he swerves away like it’s another attack.  

“Nuh-uh.” He propels himself backwards. “You wanna kiss me? You gotta meet me out here, cutie.”

And he’s so far already. “C’mon, Raf,” you whine.

“C’mon yourself! Look at me!” He runs a hand through his hair— beads of water sliding and sparkling across his skin. “I’m a total catch.”

“More like catch of the day when I get my hands on you.”

“Cute,” he quips, treading water. “You gonna come get me then, or what?”

You eye up the distance between you. You’re willing yourself to cross it; it won’t be good, it won’t be graceful, but you can do it, right? You just have to go for it. Three. Two. One… Go!

Nothing happens. Rafayel laughs quietly, and it’s warm— so passionate.  

“Here,” he says, meeting you in the middle. He holds out his hand.

You can’t trust the boat; it rocks beneath your touch and at the behest of every wave. It is just a thing, like you, at the mercy of something so much bigger than itself. Not Rafayel, though. He’s a part of all this, maybe even the heart of all this. The ocean will not betray him. It needs him to beat for it. To bleed.

Your hand grasps his and you let him guide you into the open water. You’re borrowing him. Stealing him, if only for a moment. He isn’t living for his ocean right now— he’s looking at you. Just you. There are canvases back in his studio, awash with cerulean waves and his love for Lemuria, but there are sketchbook pages, too: you, asleep on his couch. You, with a lily in your hair.

A few days from now, there’ll be a new one, etched eagerly in dark pencil. This.  

Rafayel smiles as you tread water with him. Your movements are clumsy, half-frantic, but you’re keeping yourself afloat. He gives you time to adjust, to find some semblance more of a natural rhythm, but your muscles ache and you’re getting tired, so he draws your arms around his neck.

“What d’you think?” he asks, because you’ve captured him. “Better than a beach bottom bird, right?”

“A peach blossom birb,” you giggle into his shoulder.

“Yeah, that too.”

…

The sky is full of stars, and the sun has sunk behind the wine-dark horizon.  

Rafayel rests his chin on his arms, staring down into the ocean from the edge of the boat, and he’s deep, deep below those waters too. You don’t have to see his eyes to know the faraway look they’re harbouring. There’s nostalgia for all the things he cannot show you. Grief. Rage. Regret.

He thinks you don’t see it, but you do. Especially on nights like this, when the azures of the waves turn black beneath the moon, and they could just as well be blood-red.

“Thanks for waiting for me, Rafayel.”

You’re not sure what compels you to say it, but he glances up at you, his gaze a brief storm of turquoise before settling to its usual amethyst. “Waiting for you?” he asks warily.

“To get all of this swimming stuff. I know it must seem silly to you.”

He relaxes, sitting up straight with a smirk. “Most of what you do seems silly to me. Not this, though. Change can be… scary sometimes.”

“Yeah.”

He slouches back down, but he’s on his side this time— still looking at you. “What made you decide you wanna swim, anyway?”

You mirror him, laying your head against the boat’s edge. “I don’t know. I guess—” waves are sloshing beneath you— “I guess it’s because the sea is a part of you. It’s in your paintings, your stories, and I’ve always felt… disconnected from it. Like it’s fiction— something I could only ever hear about second-hand. But I want to feel it for myself. To know it. All of it. All of you.”  

With a sigh, you give your hand to the ocean and draw mindless shapes in the water. Rafayel watches. You both know you’re only touching the surface.

He smiles, bittersweet. “Wanna go home?” he says.

Home. You pull your hand out of the water and smile back.

It’s been a long day. Yeah, you wanna go home.

[yuzuocha]

LOVE AND DEEPSPACE? MORE LIKE LOVE AND SCAMSPACE

ok as much as i absolutely love this game, it hasn't even been a YEAR yet people are ALREADY EXHAUSTED because of how fucking punishing the game is in terms of spending

i've spent around 600 USD on this game, give or take. it isn't a small amount, but it isn't a gargantous amount either — and yet, even i feel like i've been cheated out of my money, which is hard to do.

"but gacha games are predatory by default, it's ultimately your fault for spending money on the game"

yes, they are all predatory. they're meant to get their consumers into a top-up addiction. however, infold is especially (and unfairly) scummy towards lds players.

if you are unaware, infold isn't a brand-new company — it's just papergames underneath an alias. they're mostly known for their nikki dress-up game series and mr love: queen's choice franchise (which is another otome game).

question ‣ but why, exactly, does this matter?

answer ‣ the way infold/papergames treats mlqc and nikki fans in comparison to lds is night and day.

for reference, i've played both game franchises and i first played infold's games back at 2017, right when love nikki, the game that catapulted infold in the mobile game industry, released. i've spent money on infold's games before love and deepspace's release.

the games' difference from lds in terms of f2p/p2p is laughable, the largest difference being the existence of the top-up accumulative system.

if you are wondering what the top-up accumulative system is, here's an example (DO NOTE THAT THIS IS JUST A SAMPLE. THIS IS IN NO WAY INDICATIVE OF WHAT IT SHOULD BE.):

see what i mean?

infold has shit somewhat like this for all of their gacha games EXCEPT FOR LDS.

im going to continue posting content and fics for lds, not for the sake of papergames but for the sake of fans who can't enjoy the game without dumping their entire fortunes on this shit.

y'all deserve better.

sorry for the huge rant. i just had to blow off some steam bc :'D this game ain't sustainable

[englishotomegames]

Love and Deepspace (恋与深空)

Release date (Android, iOS) English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean: January 18th, 2024

"As the brand new installment of the popular Mr. Love series, Love and Deepspace allows you to step into a sci-fi world where love knows no bounds. With immersive cutscenes, 3D storylines and interactions, love is truly within reach!

[First-Person Perspective] Dates via 3D cutscenes. Step into a 3D world from a first-person perspective, where romance and adventure unfold before your eyes. The unique viewpoint design brings you closer to those heart-pounding moments you share with your love interest, blurring the line between reality and fantasy.

[3D Interactions] Interact with him all you want. Real-time 3D rendering ensures lifelike interactions. Experience intimate moments like never before, watch as your actions provoke unique responses, and savor unforgettable dates, sweet voice messages, and more.

[24/7 Companionship] He's always there for you. Each day with your love interest is brimming with intriguing intimacy. Snapshots, Claw Machines, Kitty Cards... It's never a boring day in Linkon City.

[Fight Together] You can fully trust each other in battle. As a Deepspace Hunter with the superpower of 'Evol', you will fight against the onslaught of mysterious alien creatures, together with love interests. Along the way, your paths intertwine, and the secrets about your fates and humanity's future will be revealed.

[Profound Immersion] Choose your voice and look. Delve into an array of customizable features, from dozens of appearance details and hundreds of makeup choices to personalized timbres, all yours to explore."

This is a freemium mobile 3D visual novel / action rpg / gacha game! You can download it for Android or iOS here.

[hellcatinnc]

How the Men Of Love And Deepspace Would Be On Being Fathers

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Warning This includes: SFW (Read Tags Before Continuing)

Tags: sfw, fathers, daddys, pregnancy, baby daddys, babies, baby rooms, morning sickness, fluff, love and deepspace, zayne, xavier, rafayel, lamaze, birth, pregnancy test, flirty, kuudere

Word Count: 2,292

Feature: x Fem! Reader

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Zayne

That moment when you show up at the hospital and he is in between surgeries. He has been there for over 24 hours now with all the wrecks of recently but you just can't wait to tell him. You let his nurses know to tell him that you will be waiting in the cafeteria until he has a moment. A couple hours have gone by and your play candy crush or one of your other addictive mobile games this week it might just be the new game that came out "Love and Deepspace". ;)

After time has passed you happen to look up yawning its nearly 9pm cafeteria hours are almost up but you see a shadow out of the corner of your eye. He is grabbing a few croissants and a few sweet treats then walks over at the table and sits down in front of you. Same Zayne you have always loved even though its hard to know what he is thinking you know he loves you in the little things he does for you. Like the fact he had already slid across the table your favorite pastry and coffee and he didn't even ask, he has been with you long enough to just get them now.

You take a deep breath then look at him "You're going to be a daddy!" You are so used to no expression so you expect it you just happen to tell him when he was sipping his coffee and he started coughing, it had gone down the wrong way because the moment he heard that he breathed in the liquid. After a few moments it took and he got his composure he looked back up at you. "I thought we been using protection and pills, you been on pills right?" You nod yes "Sometimes they aren't all full proof, you're a doctor you should know that."

He looks at you then sighs, "Well you know we financially can afford it but we will have to look for a bigger place and then balance our bank account and see what we need to take out each month on what we are going to buy for the baby's room. Then there is the care after they are born......" He trails off on this logic train you lean over put your finger to his lips "Shhh, honey lets take one day at a time. For now its to be happy that we are going to have a little one together. Tomorrow on we can think about the logics but for now lets just be happy. I mean you are happy right?" He nods yes, you know he is just freaking out under it all but you wouldn't expect it any other way than him trying to plan ahead to make sure you and the baby is taken care of.

He always goes out of his way to make sure you are safe and secure and he wants to do the same for you during your pregnancy right on into having the baby. You two think differently however this ride you will be on having a baby you will teach him to breathe and feel the baby kick, and he will be there making sure your lined up for the best daycares and have just enough diapers when you come home from the hospital. He doesn't always tell you how he feels but the next 9 months he will be the man who brings you home lotions to give your feet massage from where they are swelling due to water weight in the pregnancy. He will pick up you prescription on his way home for lunch for your prenatal. He is there holding your hair out of the way when you have morning sickness in the toilet. He helps you decorate the baby room with a more clean look to it but not to childish but with name brand stuff in the room.

The day the baby is born it will be induced earlier since he was able to get one day off the clock to be there for you in the emergency room. He will be there holding your hand as you push. Because he is a doctor you won't have to worry about him being squeamish. He is there when they cut the ambilocal cord and he is the first one with his baby in his arms. Its a little girl looking up at her daddy in that moment you see a smile curl up on his face. If no one else can get an expression from him the moment he sees her she melts his icy demeaner and thats how she will always be wrapping her daddy around her little fingers.

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Rafayel

You show up at his art studio day and you wanted to surprise him with lunch because he has a habit getting caught up in his artwork and sometimes forgets to eat. You step inside and see him painting away and don't want to startle him so you go sit on the couch and set up a little lunch picnic on the table for him. He happens to look back at one point sees you there and heads over to you walking over leaning in and kissing your lips first as he gives you a playful smile. "This looks amazing, also you look absolutely radiant today. Something new about you darling?" No sooner than he says that you think your sweet Raffy has been in tune with your emotions and feelings from the very start so doesn't surprise you that he can already tell your pregnant even though he doesn't know he can still notice the differences in changes in your appearance.

You nod yes as you pull out a box from your purse and hand it to him. Well Raffy loves getting gifts from you but he hadn't expected what was to come. Its a longer box so he is kind of surprised but smiles wide at you as he opens the box. He pushes the paper aside to see a pregnancy test sitting in the box. He flopped down in the chair and has a shocked look on his face. He starts to smile and looks up at you with tears starting to form in his eyes. "You.... Y-ou mean......I'm..I'm going to be a d-daddy?" His cute stutter was precious but with his actions, the tears in his eyes you knew you had picked the perfect partner to have a family with and spend your life with. You reach over wiping his tears out of his eyes and kiss him softly. "Yes my love, your going to be a daddy." He starts to chuckle a bit then gives you that sheepish smile he knows he did well to get you pregnant and you can see that gleam in his eyes he is proud of himself.

He is there every step of the way, you thought he was clingy before you haven't seen anything. He will make sure everything is done though, he will make food for you and keep the house cleaned up. Even though he is normally a messy person he refuses to be the reason you fall and get hurt or hurt the baby. He is sitting beside you in morning sickness wiping your face with a cool rag and handing you water in between getting sick so that you are keeping hydrated. He is all about going out shopping for baby stuff like cute rompers, and he will find little baby paint brush sets that look like paint brushes but are rattles instead. He will decorate the baby room by painting cute baby stuff all around the room. He will paint a underwater theme he did it with more of a kid friendly feel to match the rest of the baby room.

He is set and ready to go. Those 9 months are just not gonna go by fast enough for him. He is super excited and can't wait to meet his offspring. You will go to lamaze classes with him and sign up for a midwife to do a water birth. So the day you go in labor he will have the midwife on speed dial on his phone so that she can get over there and give birth to your child in the garden tub you have in the bathroom. No matter how much Rafayel tries to keep it together he gets dizzy at one point and looks away but refuses to leave your side. He holds your hand through it all no matter how much you scream at him he doesn't leave. When his daughter cries for the first time he is in tears looking down at his sweet little baby. First words out of his mouth is "I love my baby girl and thank you darlin for giving us such a beautiful family." Now its time for selfie time he will take a 100 of photos of you and him and the baby before the nights even over because he will be so proud. He will take care of everything while you recover after birth for the next couple weeks.

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Xavier

You sent him a text seeing if he was home and awake. When you got a response back he asked you if you wanted to come up and make them some pancakes. You agree because you know he is better on a full stomach and well rested so this would be the perfect time to tell him. You get up to his apartment and even though normally he doesn't get too excited when it comes to food he is all in ready for it. So you decide to get creative and after you make the pancakes you draw with the syrup the word daddy on the pancakes well that didn't work. No sooner than you sat the plate in front of him he jumped right into eating didn't even notice the words in syrup. You sit across the table and you sigh of course now you have to go a different route.

"Honey, have you ever thought about having kids?" The moment he hears you say this he almost chokes on his pancakes then looks up at you like you have got to be kidding. I mean sure have you ever thought Xavier would be good daddy material, probably not but hey its going to happen your pregnant and he is your boyfriend. He gives you that curious stare he likes to give like he is trying to figure out if your pulling his chain or if your serious. "I can't say I have." He says in a hurry but then goes back to eating like you had interfered with his enjoyment. You look directly at him put your hand on his hand as he looks up at you. "Well we are going to be having a baby, I'm pregnant!" He just stares at you like he is trying to figure out how to address this.

He sits there eating as he does so in silence like he is trying to figure out what to do next. You sit there uncomfortable thinking that he doesn't want you and the baby now. After some time he finishes his breakfast then grabs your hand and walks you to the bed. Pulls you onto it and into his arms where he wraps his arms around you. "I'm not prepared, nor am I ready. I have never wanted kids or even thought about them. However I feel for you like no one else, so lets see where this takes us." He made you happy in that moment, yeah sure he isn't over the moon but he is also still staying by your side through it all. He goes to the doctors appointments with you and finds out you are having a girl he had no performance thought.

You two went to appointments and he asked alot of questions. Went to help you get baby stuff for the house and he asked you to move in with him so that you two could be there through out the pregnancy. Whenever you got sick with morning sickness he would teleport you to the hospital. When it came to picking out baby furniture he just wanted the items to either be accented in stars or lights or both. He strung all the lights himself so that you dont have to do alot of work he wanted you to lay low while he did most everything so that your pregnancy stay healthy.

When it came the day you were to give birth you woke up from a sound sleep. So as he realized you were in labor he teleported you to the hospital. He wanted to be in the room with you but the moment they told you to push and the baby was crowning he got nauseated and passed out. When he woke up the baby was already laying in your arms. He crawled on to the hospital bed cuddling up to you watching you talk to you two's little girl. He looked down at her "She is so precious". you could tell he was interested in her even if he acted like he wasn't. When you got home you realized he had someone there cleaning up so you could focus on you and the baby. He still couldn't believe he was. He cuddled you two for a few hours and then he went and laid his head against you as you both snuggled up and pulled a bassinet next to you to put your baby in as he held you the rest of the night so you could get rest after the long day as well you felt safe.

[love-and-deepspace-wiki]

Tumi Hotpot

Details:

I've seen this rabbit-themed hotpot restaurant referenced twice in-game. Once from a poster in the elevator at Xavier's apartment (pictured right) and then again in Xavier's Anecdotes (pictured left). When Frank/Frankie is shadowing Xavier for his paper on hunters, Xavier takes him there for a meal.

From the poster below (stitched together from three screenshots lol), we can see it's highly rated at 5 stars. And they specifically advertise seafood and fresh meat.

Menu:

I haven't seen a menu picture or any scenes at this location. But based on the laundry list of items Xavier orders, we get a decent sampling of their menu:

Bunnie's Fatty Beef

Bunnie's Signature Lamb Rolls

Beef Brain

Beef Tenderloins

Ox Tongue

Tripe

Beef Ribs

Black Chicken Rolls

Fish Balls

Spicy Soup

Bowl of noodles

Notes:

The Anecdotes story says Xavier placed his order with "a frightening familiarity" 🤣

When his father picks him up, Frank/Frankie describes it as "the best hotpot"

The bowls of noodles are served in rabbit-themed bowls

The Spicy Soup, which Xavier requested be made extra spicy, is red in color

[chaos-in-deepspace]

LNDS Boys Cologne Scents

So I'm drunk and was giggling because I work at a men's shop and we sell some Cremo colognes and I have inhaled the scent of every single one of them before and lemme tell you, they be smellin good. And so I was like "Wait, I can accurately say which cologne each of the boys would wear, EASY!"

So anyway, here's the cologne's that I associate with each of the boys from Love and Deepspace but it's only Cremo brand because that's what I know.

Zayne

Bergamot and Musk

Now homies, when I say the first time we got this cologne in and we sprayed it, all of us were freaking out. It smells so good. It smells masculine. The musk scent in it isn't overpowering either, it's the PERFECT amount. The bergamot also gives more of a sophisticated air to it. When I smell this one, I think "Daddy", y'know? It just goes perfectly with the local Zaddy.

Rafayel

Saltwater and Cypress

Okay, we don't even technically carry this one at the shop. However, when the boss lady was making an order we saw there was a new scent and I ordered it for myself so we could smell it. Y'all...it's bussin. The cypress is the main note, however it definitely has this slight tinge of sea water almost. It brings me to the beach. It's a sunny scent. I feel comforted by it. It's also still more of a strong scent though. If you put it on and someone walks over, they're gonna know you're wearing it and be like "Damn, can I just envelope myself with you?" Which is why it's Rafayel (also Saltwater, c'mone it's in the name frfr).

Xavier

Silver Water and Birch

Now I dunno what tf Silver Water is, but I will say this has a very relaxing scent. It's soft and fragrant with an earthy tone, but not overly masculine. It reminds me of clouds almost. It's so refreshing and, again, relaxing. I love it. If I notice whatever scent I put on in the morning isn't there anymore, I'll grab the sampler we have at my shop and use it. It just smells that good. Like I need a nap. Which is why it's Xavier because if homeboy smells like that, you best bet all of us gon be layin on his chest and sleepin 24/7.

[starmocha]

Part 2 of me yapping about bird men is coming, it's in my drafts, but uhhhhh.....I also want to yap about the other two men in my heart (aka I clearly have a type and it's "I'm just a soft baby that wants to be taken care of instead for once in her goddamned life and these men are more than ready to take on that task") 👉👈

[if anyone wants to read part 1 of me yapping about Gavin and Sylus, here ya go]

Victor (Mr. Love Queen's Choice), aka Daddy

CEO of a large investment and financial company (Loveland Financial Group (LFG))

Birthday: January 13 (Capricorn)

183 cm

Evol: Time control

Flower motifs are red roses (love, passion, beauty; burgundy roses can also mean commitment)

Animal motifs are panda bears. During his childhood, for his birthday, his father even adopted a panda at a zoo in his name

Associated with winter because he was born in the winter lol

Tall, dark, and snarky af

Perceived as cold, stoic, serious...but he is a softie with you

Highly respected in his field

Grinded through school so he could begin his career early

Workaholic

Childhood friend of MC...but it's complicated...

Gourmet chef. Man even opened a secret restaurant he sometimes cook at whenever he fancies (key note: the restaurant is only opened whenever he's in the mood...and it's insanely popular too).

Will cook anything MC craves, and even knows ahead of time, so he has everything prepared in advance.

Calls you Dummy (affectionate). Sometimes adds in a "moron" or "fool" to shake things up a little bit ig 😀

Scolds MC a lot, but he loves taking care of her, too.

When he loves, he loves deeply 😩🫶

Believes in you, will guide you when you need his assistance or advice, but overall, he wants you to believe in yourself and trust your own judgment

Zayne (Love and Deepspace), aka Zaddy

Chief cardiac surgeon

Birthday: September 5 (Virgo)

186 cm

Evol: Ice

Flower motifs are jasmine (love, sensuality, beauty)

Not explicitly official, but Zayne is sometimes associated with seals due to a childhood incident with MC.

Associated with winter because of his Evol

Tall, dark, and snarky af

Perceived as cold and serious, but is a total softie with you

Highly respected in his field

Grinded through school to begin his career early

Workaholic

Childhood friend of MC....and I guess it was also lowkey complicated, too

Average home cook, but we love to see that 🫶

Tries to learn recipes MC shows interests in. Does his best to perfect the recipe so he can cook for her.

Doesn't really have a pet name for you (yet), but I make him call me Darling and it heals me immensely 💕

Chides MC frequently, but it's also because he loves taking care of her and looks out for her.

He will be vulnerable for you, he will tell you how much he loves you, what it does to him, how you are healing for him. He loves holding hands, the feel of your hand in his. Pls caress his face, let him feel you, it's all he wants, all he needs. ZAYNE'S VULNERABILITY IS HIS SEXIEST QUALITY I'LL DIE ON THIS FUCKING HILL i just love zayne so fucking much pls love him too ok is this also me realizing zayne is touch-starved like me asklsa;;;sk

Believes in you, but worries about you, too, even if he knows you are capable. He can't help it. He just wants you to be healthy and safe, and not having that 100% certainty kills him inside. 🥺

THEY LOVE CATS. BIG SOFTIES. Victor is also a cat dad to one named Pudding and it's adorable af. If Zayne's career isn't so demanding, I would also say give this man a cat, too, but we know he wouldn't want to take on responsibilities he couldn't give his 100% to. 🥺

This brand of spicy is top-notch. Absolute elite shit 🤌 god me and who fucking when???

Head empty. Just long-haired Victor and Zayne to heal my tired soul 😩🫶

I like them for their personalities. 10/10 would recommend. 😀

[hananoami]

Veiled Whispers

■ Love and Deepspace × Sartoria Pirozzi

Love is the wellspring of creativity and inspiration. In collaboration with Sartoria Pirozzi, the renowned Neapolitan tailoring brand, Love and Deepspace invites master tailor Nunzio Pirozzi as the designer for the neckties of Xavier, Zayne, and Rafayel in the upcoming "Veiled Whispers" event. His artisanal touch weaves an exquisite tapestry of romance.

■ Special Interview With Tie Designers

The latest version of Love and Deepspace [Veiled Whispers] has been released! We are more than glad to invite Nunzio Pirozzi, the founder of Sartoria Pirozzi and top-tier craftsman from Italy, and Domenico Pirozzi, the leading director of Sartoria Pirozzi, to take part in the design of the ties our three characters wear in the Memories. We're committed to weaving romance with artistry and perfecting details with professionals. As of how ties illustrate the charm of characters and how ties can be used in a creative way, we've prepared this special interview to share more details with hunters!

[skynapple]

Budding Romance | Ch. 6

Love and Deepspace | Jeremiah x MC / slow-burn / friends-to-lovers

warnings: none

Multi-chapter | A03 link

Beginning | <- Prev | Next ->

Jeremiah is dragged along and encounters some thistles.

Oh, Xavier would die if he were here. If only he could see me right now...

The night market was two blocks of Linkon City's downtown district, lined with booths selling trinkets, crafts, art, food trucks, and a few games that were easy enough to tear down and store away. They arrived at a themed booth that looked like it was representative of a popular toy brand he could have sworn he recognized. 

It was some kind of toss-in-a-hole game but with pebble-like stars that looked like they barely fit in the holes on the board. They stood in line and watched child after child try and fail, the angled edges of the stars often catching the edge of the hole causing it to bounce right out.

Jeremiah immediately failed to see how it was a two-person game. "So, how exactly is this two-player?" He said, always one to speak what he was thinking.

"Well, look how hard it is!" She deflected quickly. "If it was just me, I wouldn't have that many chances. But with you, I'll definitely have a better shot."

"Ok. But, why-" 

"NEXT!" The irritated teenager called out to the line, interrupting his thought.

She seemed to know what he was asking anyways. "Well, I also wanted to thank you for helping me the way you did before, maybe get you away from the shop for a little bit? I dunno..." She looked at her shoes, shyly. "And like I said, all my other friends were busy, so I thought, why not?"

It warmed his heart to hear her so sincere.

"I thought I'd mentioned before, no need to thank me. Any friend of Xavier's is a friend of mine. It's an honor to help out a Deepspace Hunter." He pretended to roll up his sleeve. "So don't you worry, ma'am. We'll definitely win this."

They definitely did not. 

Sure enough, their handful of stars each bounced right after the holes, try as they might.  "These stupid stars." She said, gritting her teeth bitterly as they turned away after both of their turns had passed. "Yeah!" He agreed, "I can't believe they made it like this! It's impossible." A familiar feeling settled in his heart. In a strange way, it reminded him of losing a wanderer fight. He turned to her, resolved as her own words to him from so long ago came back to him.

Sharpen your sword, Jeremiah.

He may have had no idea what the prize was, but he was not going to let her back down so easily. "What are we waiting for?" He nudged his chin towards the line, already hurrying to the back of it.

After an hour of playing over and over, the teen attendant felt bad and admired their persistence in being the only ones to try again and again. "Yeah, it's kinda rigged not gonna lie." The kid said with a wink and handed one of the prizes over. "It's day one. No one's gonna know if one's gone.

And so she'd finally obtained her prize.

"This is what you wanted?" He remarked at huge succulent thistle plushie that she needed both of her arms to hold onto. 

"This is the same one they have at my favorite arcade! But this one is Linkon limited edition and they only have it here! I'm trying to collect them all. I can't believe I got it!"

He laughed. "It's so cute! Glad I could be of service."

She buried her face in it, taking in the artificial scent. "Let's get a picture?"

"Yes!" He quickly agreed and slung an arm around her shoulders to take the photo with his phone.

"Can I post this?" She asked eagerly after admiring the selfie.

A wicked grin grew on his expression. "Of course!"

He was mentally preparing to tease Xavier when the feeling of her warm hand fingers clenched around his palm interrupted his thoughts. It lasted only a millisecond -just a quick squeeze, to say thank you- but it left his heart pounding.

"Thank you so much! I couldn't have done it without you."

"Oh-..." He stammered. What in the world? "No problem."

Suddenly he felt like it was the first time he really looked at her. Inexplicable emotions rising as he stared. Would the woman he'd known head have spent so much time attempting a plushie? Who would have been at her side then?

"Something on my face?" 

"Hmm? No. I was just wondering how in the world you're going to get that plushie through your door."

She laughed. "That's why it's squishy!"

Before he could say anything else, she was pointing out a food stall.  "After all that effort, I'm starving! Oh, and foods on me. No arguing. Everything here is so good. But you know what's really good here? You can get hot dogs dipped in fried potatoes. Have you ever had one?"

"I can't say that I have..."

Jeremiah had no idea what to think as he followed her, barely hearing her as she began to point out the other stalls over the thoughts swirling in his head. Part of him was pleased that he could spend so much time casually with her like this. It was a refreshing replacement to all the negative memories spent at war, and nice to be around her in such a joyous, youthful way. It was nice to feel like she was his friend again.

But she's not. She has no idea. I'm just a stranger. A friend of a friend.

Maybe if she knew who he was, he'd feel better about it. He'd know where he stood; he'd know his place with her. With this in mind, the other thoughts were about how jealous Xavier would be. While at first it was funny and he was never one to shy away from making him more jealous, he never actually wanted to get in the way of anything between them. For as long as he'd known the both of them, they'd only ever had eyes for each other and that was not something he felt like he could or should interfere with. A sinking feeling grew in his stomach that maybe this was too far?

No, this is fine. This is casual. If I was any one of her other friends, she'd be doing the same. Now he chided his racing thoughts. This is nothing. He can't be too mad about this. Just helping her out, like always.

"Any of those sound good?" She was asking. Even though she'd spent so much time listing all their options, he hadn't heard a single one.

"Well, my mind kinda stayed on the Korean hot dogs. What did you say, potatoes, huh?"

"Yes! Ok, you're going to love it. Let's get in line!"

He smiled. "Yes, ma'am! Lead the way."

This is nothing.

--

When he got home later that evening, he had half a mind to gloat to Xavier and send him the picture he'd taken, but hesitated.

He's going to kill me.

Right when his thumb hovered over his contacts, a notification from a new sender lit up on his screen.

Miss ma'am: [Had fun tonight :) thanks for the help! It got through the door!]

He pursed his lips together and thought long about what to reply. [Np! Had fun too.] Was all he was going to leave it at.

She replied less than a minute later. Miss ma'am: [Btw I need help tomorrow. My real succulent died :(]

[Send pics.]

Miss ma'am: [Its too dark rn. I'll pop by the shop tomorrow.]

He thought about it. [Closed tomorrow.]

Miss ma'am: [Oh ok! I'll send pics then.]

He thought about it some more. [I'll swing by?]

Miss ma'am: [That works!! Do you have Xavier's address? Same building. I can let you in.]

[Ya. What time?]

Miss ma'am: [Noon?]

[Kk!]

For a while he tried not to overthink it. It was just helping out an old friend, for which he felt he owed her a lot anyways.

...This is nothing.