#thinking up all sorts of voicelines

[fuzzybluefox]

Afton kids TOYSHK au

(An AU I came up with for shits and giggles)

So the idea is that UCN is a surprise gift by all 3 of William's children for their old man ( C.C take the lead cause that poor boy deserve it). I mean, if it hadn't been for Will's actions they wouldn't have gone this far in life ( or death) so they ought to "thank" him for that

Michael built the animatronics, for he had faced several if not all of them and has excellent art skills. Elizabeth creates the script, says the voicelines,for she is a master at playing pretend with the voice mimicking ability from the amalgamation that was Ennard. And C.C ( I'm calling him Cassidy ) with his great imagination, his connection to Will's other victims and whatever spiritual bs it was with golden freddy, formed the foundation and everything else . The siblings are having a great bonding time preparing it all for their father. He had left them in the darkness ( forgottened, trapped, abandoned- ), favouring his lifeless machines.

And just for him, they will bring it all to life.

A neverending, living nightmare.

"This is a gift . . . for us . . ."

[duskgryphon]

if i play fnv again it'll just be me drawing sift 300 times again i think. been thinking about fallout a lot lately...

[aromanticasterisms]

read through all of neuvillette's stories on the wiki and. what do you MEAN people were right about him giving furina her vision

[no1blacksapphirefan]

For the self aware au- Have you ever written something about the sort of 'discovery' stage of the cookies being self aware? Like, if the cookies did accidentally 'break character' but instead of reader freaking out and deleting the game they become fascinated by it and start trying to get them to do it again? Curious and trying to figure out if it was a bug or glitch or some hacker, but not really bothered by it?

If you haven't written something like this and chose to use this as a prompt I'd love if you'd involve Capsaicin or Burning Spice if you feel like it! love the spicey boys,,,

I like your words weather boy. I hope I understood your request

Capsaicin (May be OOC) Oopsie!! He didn't mean too, he just got really excited seeing you. Perhaps you were wearing a new outfit, how could he not compliment you about the colour? Prune Juice had quickly jabbed him in the chest because of his slip up. And seeing you take notice...oh no, this isn't good right?...

But you didn't seem to be scared, your eyes sparkle with curiosity, he couldn't tell what you were doing at first, but when he realised you wanted to see him talk to you directly again? Oh he's more than happy too, he's quick to compliment you again, perhaps it's your eyes this time, your smile. He gets so giddy when he sees you not mind at all. And cookies said you'd be freaked out.

Burning Spice The words just left him, he didn't think about when he said it. He just didn't expect you to cry out in joy when he did the finishing blow on the other team in Arena...I mean, sure he was the only one with a bit of HP left, but god did that praise boost his ego, he couldn't help but thank you directly...with your name.

Look, look. He can't always just sit around and listen to you speak without talking to you, especially when you seem to talk to him casually as if you already knew...you won't delete the game right? Witches is he happy to see you become a giggling mess as you try and get him to speak again...hey stop poking him, he'll talk to you but-- you're still poking him??

Black Sapphire Like Shadow Milk, he doesn't think too much about his words and if they break the "4th wall" because to you, it was probably just in character, besides. One of his lines already did that anyways. What he didn't expect was, for you to actually believe it...like it wasn't just some code.

Is this a bad thing? He feels like this is a bad thing, maybe he shouldn't have talked his mind as often as he did in the kingdom and-- OH! You like it?? Heh, well if you enjoy it so much, he'll continue as he has done before. He'll just...ignore the stares Pure Vanilla is giving him. Hey! You like it, even if you seem to think it's real...he'll just argue that you found out through one of his already made voicelines.

Shadow Milk He's so happy when you notice, he always wanted you too y'know. He hated not being able to talk to you and besides, once he comes out of your device, he doesn't want to freak you out!! It's better if you knew, that's what he told other cookies but he always got shunned as the others worried it would freak you out too much.

He can't wait to rub it into other cookies faces. See!! You didn't care, you love it! Now he can talk your ear off, c'mon. Join him for dinner. Bring your food and he'll bring his. You might not be able to share a table but hey, you're eating together. He's quick to "confirm" your suspicion.

Pure Vanilla He didn't mean to let it slip! You were coming back with food to continue playing, and he couldn't help but call out in alarm to you, wanting to see if you were okay. Your pain (if you had any) disappeared and you just looked in amazement at him. Uh oh...

Unlike the others who were quick to just accept the fact you knew. Didn't even try to hide it or cover it up with a lie like, it was merely a bug. He's quick to try and continue the charade. It's not that he doesn't want to speak with you more personally, but he wonders if you'll still play when you do find out they all know. Even if it seems like you love it so. He might give in to speak again to you if he sees you desperately wanting to hear him again, he wants to see you happy

[kiwi-on-ice]

Saw your most recent tiktok🤭

Could you do something for Lucio when you get the chance? Please and thank you

First date headcannons with Lucio, Cole Cassidy, Mauga, Lifeweaver, and Genji with gn!reader

Word count: 1.7k

Warnings: Fluff, a little suggestive but not too much.

Notes: The ask probably meant NSFW but wanted to write something light while i work on an anon request for Cole Cassidy. Prefer girls? check here

Lucio:

I always think of his valentines day voiceline bless him, he'd be quite nervous to ask you out. If you don't do it for him, he'll most likely want to be traditional and get you flowers before stuttering out an invitation.

Once you've actually said yes, he'll relax a little bit.

Most likely your first date is going to be music related. He won't take you to his own concert, but if there's a concert playing music he knows you'll like he'll take you there.

Alternatively, might take you dancing to show off a little. When he's around music, he feels much more confident so he'll be able to be himself and even be a little flirty.

You might have to put up with people coming up to him for his autograph though. But it'll give him a rush when everyone realises he's on a date with you.

After dancing the night away, he'll probably take you to try some street food. He'll insist on paying, he's a celebrity after all! But he ends up not needing to when the vendors recognise him as the hero who stood up to Vishkar and insist on giving you both what you want free of charge.

Given that the weather is nice, he'll do his best to be respectful and not look at your body too much. However if you're wearing shorts...lord have mercy, they're his weakness.

When you guys part ways, he might cheekily ask for a goodnight kiss but he's happy with anything. Considering how much fun you both had, he's confident you two will go out again sometime.

Feeling the beat of the music, Lucio moves like it's second nature to him. You both laughing and joking as he starts to dance with you, his hands respectful in their placement before he spins you around, making you both laugh again.

"Not bad babe, maybe you should be a backing dancer at my shows." he teases playfully, trying not to let his eyes look down at how your legs look in your shorts. Although with the way you start to move, he isn't sure he can resist the temptation.

Cole Cassidy:

Will ask you out pretty smoothly in conversation, hardly giving you time to process that you've been asked on a date before the cowboy starts to think about his ideas.

Invites you on a hiking trail, giving you both plenty of time to talk and get to know each-other.

He'll do the stereotypical action of taking his hat off when he sees you and gives you a small bow, flustering you a little.

As you walk, he won't initiate physical contact for a while, waiting until you guys cross some sort of stream or rough terrain; he use the opportunity to hold out his hand to help you over, before interlocking his fingers with yours.

Quite easy to talk to, and flirtatious comments seem to roll off his tongue without him meaning to. He'll compliment your outfit and hairstyle, before making comments about how the sun reflects so lovely off your eyes.

Prefers asking you questions and listening to you, he's working on being more emotionally vulnerable and open especially about his past, but it's still difficult for him.

Afterwards, you both will have worked up an appetite, so he'll take you to a diner for a bite to eat. Sitting in a booth, he might teasingly play footsie with you under the table to watch you laugh.

He'll have to get coffee, since he hasn't had his cigar for hours. He didn't want to smoke while on the date, a little concerned you'll find it rude. But towards the end he'll get a little twitchy.

Will offer to pay, southern values and all that.

Will also offer to walk you home, and will definitely come in if you invite him.

Approaching a stream, the running water providing a soothing ambiance as Cole steps forward. He hops over the stream before holding out his hand for you, causing you to giggle.

"What? A cowboy can't be a gentleman?" he teases, as you take his hand and he helps you across, "There you go pumpkin."

Smoothly, he interlocks your fingers, holding your hand tight and gently rubbing his thumb over the back of your hand as you both resume the walk. Looking to his left, he makes some remark about the surroundings to distract himself from the warm feeling in his chest as he feels the heat of your palm against his.

Mauga:

This man is CONFIDENT, he asks you out with his cocky grin almost like he knows you'll say yes.

Wants a relaxing date, so will ask you for drinks at one of his favourite bars.

Once you meet him there, he's nothing if not charming. He lays the compliments on pretty thick, with a cheeky smile that gets wider the more you feel flustered.

He's also hilarious, finding it so rewarding to make you laugh and giggle at his jokes. Isn't afraid to play the part of the fool if it means you'll be entertained.

Is hyper aware of his large size, and while he loves feeling bigger and stronger in the bedroom, in this context don't be surprised if he hunches himself over a bit to make you feel more at ease.

Also don't be surprised if he grips his glass too tight to make it smash, pretending to be hurt worse so you'll dote on him, he likes the attention more than he should.

He has to really restrain himself from getting too handsy with you, he doesn't want to scare you off. But he'll brush his hand against your hair or arm as he speaks.

Most likely will just get up and leave without paying lmao.

And will most certainly invite you to go home with him.

"And someone as pretty as you with a guy like me? People will think i'm payin' ya." he says with a laugh, causing your cheeks to burn as you giggle alongside him. Taking a sip of his drink, his eyes won't leave yours. "Someone as small as you as well, though it ain't hard for someone to be smaller than me."

You can't help but agree with his statement as he hunches over the bar with you, his thigh brushing against yours. He notices, and subtly presses his thigh more into yours, almost manspreading on the bar-stool.

Lifeweaver:

oh my god, the ROMANCE.

Listen I've said before he's the type of nerd to read romance novels and take notes, best believe he's planning the most romantic date he can, especially if he's caught feelings for you.

He'll show up, dressed to the nines with a bouquet of red roses with gold string attaching a little love note and hand them to you. He'll kiss your hand and open the car door for you and drive you to a lovely restaurant.

Most likely booked ahead to score the best table, and told the waiters to make it as romantic as they could.

But despite everything, he's secretly nervous. He planned it all so meticulously in his head, what if it goes wrong?

Not that you'd know his internal panicked monologue with how he treats you, he'd be so complimentary without overdoing it. Charming you with speech about your clothes, hair, everything. Will also start to drop in petnames like 'darling' and 'petal' to see how you react.

Is a little scared to hold your hand cause his hand is a little sweaty from the nerves, so he'll gently trace your fingers with his metal hand instead.

He's paying for the meal, you''ll have probably have guessed that already.

Will take you home and kiss your cheek, but will most likely leave it there. He doesn't want you to think he only wants you physically, so he'll be as respectful as possible.

"Well i assure you, you're the most radiant person in here." Niran says with a soft smile, his eyes tracing up and down your body and face as you sit down. His hair half up, he places his metal hand on the table, gently nudging your hand as if to ask permission.

"But please, order anything you'd like. My treat." he says, almost stuttering when you hold his hand, the cool metal refreshing against your touch. When you thank him and look down at the menu, he releases a breath he didn't realise he was holding. It's going well so far, he thinks, even if he's blown away by how you look all dressed up.

Genji:

bless him, he's also kinda nervous. He used to be a playboy, he never once used to be bothered with asking people out. But after his accident, now that his body is mostly metal, a lot of his confidence has been knocked.

But he'll try to hide it as he suggests an aquarium date. He finds the colours and the marine life quite therapeutic and calming, and hopes you'll feel that way too.

Prefers to stay away from the crowds, standing by the less popular exhibits to talk to you.

Will love to ask about your job, especially if it's more 'mundane' than his. He'll want almost a taste of the normality, something he's never really had in his life.

Will offer to take your picture against the backdrop of the fish tanks, his chest feeling fuzzy as he sees how gorgeous you look.

As you two explore, he'll gently go to hold your hand. When you reciprocate, he won't let go, clinging to your hand like a lifeline.

When you go into the gift shop, he'll surprise you by buying a soft plush toy of a fish or shark behind your back.

Most likely will ask if you want to go back to his, not realising how it sounds until after he's said it, to which he'll quickly reassure you he doesn't expect anything to happen.

"Oh look at those." you say excitedly, tugging him over to the jellyfish exhibit. He of course follows wherever you lead him, his hand firmly gripping yours.

"Here, let me take a picture." he offers, taking your phone and stepping back to get a good angle. You pose, and he swears he stops breathing when he sees your through the phone camera. He has to look at you above the device, mesmerised by how the blue hues reflect on your face.

"Genji? Have you taken the picture?"

[kefiteria]

Denial: As If It Were a Choice

Azul Ashengrotto x Reader

tags: fluff, inspired by azul 2024 bday card voiceline

summary: Azul was in complete denial. Your genuine interest and honesty about pursuing him romantically left him utterly confused. A date at the local fair? This had to be some kind of love scam—or worse, an elaborate mlm scheme. Right?

“How wonderful love is. It creates so many problems for folks that they have to come to someone like ME for help.”

Hypocrisy at its finest. Even Daedalus, the master craftsman, would laugh himself into the sun at the tangled mess Azul had just stepped into. Even Orpheus, after failing to retrieve Eurydice, would pat Azul on the back and say, “That’s rough, buddy.”

Because he, Azul Ashengrotto, was supposed to be the schemer. The one who spotted every loophole, exploited every weakness, and ensured that no deal was ever made against his favor.

And yet—

“You’re working hard as always, Azul!”

Azul flinched. He had been so engrossed in reviewing contracts that he hadn’t even noticed you enter.

“How did you—? Who let you—? How did you get in here?!” he snapped, immediately sitting up straight.

“Oh! Jade said I could just enter.” you replied, smiling like you hadn't just shattered every security protocol Azul had in place.

Feeling the betrayal seep into his bones, he knew those damn eels had sold him out. But before he could even begin plotting revenge, you spoke again—

Completely derailed his entire existence.

“I'm pursuing you!”

Azul instantly short-circuited. His brain did the mental equivalent of a blue screen.

“You’re WHAT?!”

“Romantically!” You clasped your hands together, beaming like this was normal human behavior. “That’s why I’m inviting you to the fair this weekend. Oh! They have fried chicken, by the way! I know you like it.”

Azul’s eye twitched violently. What— what was this?

A love scam? An elaborate multi-level marketing scheme? Some previously undiscovered pyramid scheme where he was the target instead of the orchestrator?!

No—NO. That wasn’t possible. He would have noticed the signs. The recruitment tactics. The suspiciously friendly invitations.

… Wait.

Was this one of those forbidden love spells he had always been so careful to avoid?!

Or worse.

Had someone abused a loophole in a contract he hadn’t accounted for?

His hands flew to his coat, patting his pockets as if a cursed contract would fall out. Did someone sell his own heart to this absolute menace in front of him?!

Is this how it feels to be scammed! IS THIS HOW HIS CLIENTS FELT?! Azul folded his arms, narrowing his eyes at you like you had just offered him a fraudulent stock investment.

“What’s your angle?” he demanded.

You blinked. “Huh?”

“This—” He waved a hand wildly between the two of you. “—This business transaction—!”

“Confession.”

“—This confession transaction—”

“Just confession.”

“—This blatant attempt at fraud—!”

You tilted your head. “It’s not fraud? I just like you. That’s it!”

He now felt something deep within his soul fracture.

“You’re too honest.” he muttered, rubbing his temple as if trying to ward off the migraine of the century.

“Yep!” You nodded enthusiastically. “Gotta make a good foundation, y’know?”

Azul’s soul nearly exited his body. A good foundation.

A GOOD FOUNDATION.

WHAT WAS THIS, A BUSINESS MERGER?!

WHAT SORT OF ADVANCED EMOTIONAL MANIPULATION TECHNIQUE WAS THIS?!?!

“This isn't how romance works.” Azul hissed, as if saying it aloud would somehow reverse time. “Where’s the fine print? The hidden agenda? The careful deception?!”

You blinked. “Oh! I mean, consent is cool! And so are choices! You can totally reject the date if you don’t want to. No pressure! Just lemme know once you’re done thinking, okay?”

“Done thinking—” He exhaled sharply, gripping his desk as if it were the only thing keeping him tethered to reality. “You—you expect me to think about this?!”

“Well, yeah! Big decisions need proper thinking time!”

BIG DECISIONS.

Azul can feel a second overblot forming, all from this nonsense.

You gave him a cheerful little wave. “Alright, see you tomorrow, Azul! Take your time!”

He sat there, paralyzed, as you exited like you hadn’t just tossed his entire worldview into some deepest trench. This had to be some kind of conspiracy. It had to be.

There was no way someone would just walk into his office, declare their romantic pursuit, and leave. So he just stared at the contract on his desk. The ink had smudged from how hard he had been gripping his pen.

His hand was shaking because the horrifying, gut-wrenching truth was—

You were being completely serious.

Azul had absolutely not come to this fair for a date.

Absolutely. Not.

This was market research. Yes, that’s all it was. He was simply here to observe seasonal trends, analyze consumer behavior, and assess potential menu additions for the Mostro Lounge.

The fact that you had invited him was purely incidental. The fact that he had dressed well was merely a reflection of his natural sophistication. The fact that he had spent far too long thinking about what to say to you was… irrelevant.

This was a professional outing. Nothing more.

At least, that was what he kept repeating to himself, right until the moment he saw you waving at him, beaming with an enthusiasm so bright it made him squint.

“Azul! You really came!”

Your excitement was unreasonably infectious, and before he could even formulate a proper response, you were already standing in front of him, looking genuinely happy to see him. He cleared his throat, adjusting his gloves as if the motion alone could help him regain his composure.

“I had business to attend to.” he said smoothly.

You raised your eyebrow, questioning his reply. “At a fair?”

“Yes.” he replied without hesitation. “As an entrepreneur, it's only natural to study popular market trends and analyze consumer interests.”

“Right, right, of course.” you nodded, completely unfazed. “Well, thank you for accepting my invitation!”

Azul froze like those fishes in the mostro lounge freezer in the kitchen. No. No, no, no—

He had, in fact, accepted your invitation. Which, by definition, meant— THIS WAS A DATE.

A headache bloomed in his temples as realization hit him like a tidal wave. He had been so focused on maintaining a logical excuse for being here that he had overlooked the most crucial detail: he had willingly agreed to spend time with you outside any contractual obligation.

This wasn’t a negotiation. This wasn’t a business meeting. There was no deal to be made.

So why was he here?

His thoughts were spiraling so quickly that he barely noticed you taking his hand and tugging him forward. “Come on! No pressure, let's just walk around and enjoy the fair, okay?”

No pressure? No pressure?! Azul wanted to scream. What kind of business tactic was this? You were just walking in, completely unarmed, with no ulterior motives? What kind of hidden agenda was this?

He had spent years mastering the art of deception, yet here you were, casually obliterating his defenses with nothing but pure, unfiltered sincerity. It was unnatural. Suspicious, even.

The fair was lively, bustling with chatter and laughter, but Azul was beginning to wonder if he had made a critical mistake in coming along. Everything had been manageable so far—mildly inconvenient, sure, but manageable—until you suddenly stopped in your tracks, eyes lighting up like you had just found buried treasure.

“Oh! A mushroom stall!”

Azul’s stomach dropped.

You practically skipped over, marveling at the selection of freshly foraged mushrooms, mushroom skewers, mushroom pies, and— Azul's blood ran cold—wild mushroom soup.

Why? Why did it have to be mushrooms?

Of all things, why did it have to be Jade’s most beloved fungi, the very ingredient Azul and Floyd had fought so hard to exile from the Monstro Lounge?

Before he could even think of an escape route, you turned to him, eyes shining.

“Want to try?”

Azul had never regretted a decision faster in his entire life.

Mushrooms. He hated mushrooms.

Not just in a casual, mild dislike way—no. This was a deep-rooted, visceral loathing forged from years of being subjected to Jade’s endless, borderline cultish enthusiasm for fungi.

Jade had force-fed him so many varieties, ranted about textures, aroma, umami, and gods-knew-what-else that Azul had developed a knee-jerk reaction to the mere sight of mushrooms. It was to the point that he had banned them from the Monstro Lounge entirely.

So when you enthusiastically ordered a bowl of mushroom soup, took a careful sip, but— your damn smile. Blasphemy!

Not just any smile. That smile. The one that made Azul’s mind go blank for a second too long, the one that messed with his judgment in ways he refused to acknowledge.

He should’ve just said no. He should’ve walked away.

Instead—

“Right…" Azul found himself saying. WHY? WHY WAS HE LIKE THIS.

You beamed at him like he had just agreed to some sacred pact of mushroom enlightenment. “See! It’s amazing, right? Fresh mushrooms have a way better depth of flavor!"

No. He did not see. There was no flavor except suffering.

Though somehow, Azul was now holding a spoon.

He stared at the soup like it contained his entire downfall. The rich, earthy scent mocked him, reminding him of every terrible mushroom-related experience Jade had ever inflicted upon him.

With the grace of a man walking to his execution, Azul lifted the spoon to his lips and took a sip.

… It was tolerable. Barely.

But before he could think better of it, before he could stop himself from digging his own grave even deeper—

“It’s good.” he said. Lies. Deception. Betrayal—his own betrayal.

And then, Jade’s voice echoed in his head.

“Oh? It seems you’re finally appreciating mushrooms, Azul. How delightful.”

A chill ran down his spine. He nearly dropped the spoon. He had to get out of here and need a palate cleanser after this.

As the two of you continued strolling, who had been quietly observing—suddenly tilted your head. “Are you tired from all that walking? I think merfolk might feel slightly weird after walking too much on two legs.”

This was an ambush!

He immediately straightened his posture, adjusting his glasses with practiced ease. “A businessman must always be prepared to handle different environments. This is hardly enough to affect me.”

Before you could press further, he quickly redirected the conversation by gesturing toward a woodcarver’s stall. “Look at that craftsmanship. A fine display of artisanal skill.”

Your attention shifted as you spotted a pair of octopus-shaped keychains carved from driftwood, complete with tiny pearls embedded in their tentacles. Your eyes sparkled with excitement as you grabbed them. “Azul! Matching keychains!”

Azul internally winced. How many times had he convinced love struck customers to buy exactly this kind of sentimental nonsense at Mostro Lounge? This was an absurdly cliché romantic gesture.

Nevertheless, his fingers moved on their own, smoothly retrieving his wallet and paying for them before he even processed what he was doing. “Wait. What?”

Why did he do that so naturally? Where was his resistance? This was a scam. A love scam. Brand new tactics!

Meanwhile, you simply smiled brightly at him. “Now we match! Thanks, Azul!”

Azul sighed, rubbing his temple. Too late to back out now.

To make matters worse, you suddenly turned toward a food stall and, without hesitation, bought a portion of fried chicken—with your own money. You returned with an eager grin, handing him a bag. “Here! Since I mentioned this when I invited you, it’d be unfair if I didn’t fulfil it!”

His pride was hurting. Both as a businessman and as a man in general. He was the one who should be paying. He was always the one in control of deals. Yet, here you were, giving him something so happily, without any ulterior motive.

“… Thank you.” he said, taking a bite. “Damn it, it was delicious.” he thought to himself.

The next stop was an exotic animal stall, where vibrant birds, fluffy rodents, and even small reptiles were displayed. Azul found himself absentmindedly discussing the market value of rare creatures.

“These birds—while striking—are often smuggled illegally, making them highly valuable in underground auctions.” he remarked, adjusting his glasses. “Of course, with the right contacts, their worth could—”

He stopped mid-sentence when he noticed your expression. You were simply chuckling, utterly amused.

“What?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.

“You sound like a merchant debating rare treasure, but you mean well.” you replied with a knowing smile. “It’s kind of charming.”

Azul felt his face heat up. This was dangerous. This definitely a scam. A perfectly crafted, terrifyingly effective love scam. And the worst part? He had willingly walked into it.

As time passes, the sky had begun its slow descent into dusk, painting the fairgrounds in warm hues of gold and violet. Lanterns flickered to life, their soft glow reflecting in Azul’s glasses as he found himself still by your side, a realization that should have alarmed him more than it did.

You turned to him, expression bright despite the long day. “Did you have fun today?”

Fun? That wasn’t something he usually factored into his outings. Business, market research, calculated investments—those were justifications. But fun? He was supposed to be scrutinizing every stall, noting trends, mentally categorizing what could benefit Mostro Lounge.

Hypocrisy shines through, here he was, hands full of a wooden keychain, the lingering taste of fried chicken on his tongue, and an entire afternoon that had somehow slipped away.

Before he could even conjure up a proper response, you smiled, cutting through his internal debate with infuriating ease. “Thank you for spending time with me! I appreciate it a lot. Can I invite you again?”

Azul’s breath hitched? No, perhaps hyperventilating at this point. His instinct screamed at him to analyze, to look for the loophole, the hidden terms of this ‘invitation.’

But his mind betrayed him, replaying the way you had laughed at his muttered grumbling over mushrooms, the way you had beamed when handing him the fried chicken, the way you had listened—actually listened—to his ramblings about exotic animals instead of brushing them off.

He should have walked away. He should have redirected, refused, twisted the situation in his favor.

Instead, he exhaled slowly, adjusting his glasses as he spoke.

“... No.”

The way your face faltered for a second almost made him smirk. Almost.

“Come to Mostro Lounge next Tuesday.” he continued, clearing his throat. “11 PM, after closing.” His fingers ghosted over the keychain you had chosen for him. A ridiculous, hand-carved octopus that he had somehow ended up paying for. “It’s… late for dinner, but I want it to be just us.”

It wasn’t an agreement. It wasn’t an answer for the confession. Just yet.

But the way your eyes lit up made him feel like he had already lost.

[bunnwich]

What kinds of things do people usually do for their birthdays? I don’t really know, will you help me figure it out?

Voicelines:

Summon: I wasn’t expecting everyone to make a big fuss but…I’m happy that you could make it!

Home: Before I go to bed I usually do something with my hair; saves me time in the morning. Grins

Home Transition 1: Hmm, this fancy lounge set showed up at my door the day before my birthday? I wonder who left it? Must be some sort of mistake. 

Home Transition 2: Savanaclaw apparently has no Vice Housewarden I’m staying here in their old dorm room. Got it all to myself! Come to think of it, Savanaclaw's got a lot of rooms that are empty.

Home Transition 3: Leona seemed pretty knowledgeable about this symbol on my sweater. Something, something about the mark of the Night Queen’s guard? He goes on forever about that stuff when we play chess. 

Home Transition - Login: Hey, I heard it’s a full moon tonight. Wanna sneak out and go see? There's a buncha cliffs in here where you can see the stars really well! 

Home Transition - Groovy: Now that I’m required to go to these dumb morning Spelldrive practices, there’s not much time to get ready in the morning... When I manage to roll out of bed, it's just enough to let out my hair and get in my uniform.

Home Tap 1: I may have the ex-Vice Housewarden’s room to myself but...it's a revolving door ‘round here. Sigh All these guys are always getting hurt somehow.

Home Tap 2: Yume gave me some new mini plant pots for my birthday! With the natural lighting in Savanaclaw it's a much easier environment to grow herbs for my potions. Plus...it helps liven up this dusty ass room.

Home Tap 3: Leona’s been acting weirder than usual, He acts like he hates parties but according to Ruggie, he’s never missed one at the dorm. What a weirdo…

Home Tap 4: What’s with the slides you ask? Don’t ask about the slides, okay? …It’s a long story.

Home Tap 5: If I have time, I’ll clean up my appearance in the morning for classes. You know, brush my hair out, maybe a little makeup. Look…mornings are rough for me, okay?

Groovification: Yawn It’s my birthday isn’t it? Thanks but- I’m gonna use it as an excuse to sleep in a little longer…

Home Tap - Groovy: In Savanaclaw it’s tradition for all the guys to come to the room of the “birthday boy's” at midnight. For such rowdy, boneheads the guys here have such soft underbellies…

Duo:

[YUU]: Ugh. What is it now, Leona?

[LEONA]: Hm? Can’t a guy help out his cute underclassmen, Yuu?

Birthday Login Message: Oh, yeah I guess it’s my birthday today. Shh, not so loud! The guys here are already so nosy. Oh, they're already planning something? And they invited you? Okay fine, what did you bring me?

Now that you're here might as well stay for the bonfire tonight. There'll be plenty of grilled meat…Yume’s bringing smores if we're lucky.  Here…the stars are brighter than at any other dorm. Heh, guess being out in the wild has it's perks sometimes.

[milkbobatyun]

a flightless dove

pairing: yandere!sunday x reader

genre: angstober, events, yandere

summary: you thought you could be free, spread your wings and fly. but flight, it isn't inherit for all birds.

word count: 350

C O N T E N T W A R N I N G : yandere behaviour, manipulation, fear, injury, slight quest spoilers (?)

a/n: this was inspired by the 'beauty and destruction' quest, if it isn't obvious enough, i haven't done it, but i've heard voicelines from a playlist i listen to.

what a foolish little dove you were. you thought that your best behaviour and candied words could exchange you the freedom you had wanted. an extra blanket for the cold night, a new book, some more water, all sorted with the clear ring of a bell and good behaviour.

it had taken you a week of good behaviour and light treading, before sunday relented. after all, a bird with clipped wings couldn’t fly, so what harm was there in letting you go out onto the balcony?

what a silly little dove you had been, thinking you could escape from sunday’s clutches by jumping from the balcony.

you gathered up all your courage, choosing a moment when you knew the servants wouldn’t enter. this was it—your leap to freedom.

your body was weightless, a bird soaring into the sky, the wind whipping against your face as the ground rushed to meet you.

then it hit. a sickening crack. the sharp, searing pain tore through your legs, radiating from your ankles. the pain was blinding, tears prickling at your eyes as you curled in upon yourself.

the toes of a pair of well-polished black leather shoes tapped into your eyesight.

“little dove,” sunday’s voice purred, a dangerous edge in his voice. “what were you thinking?”

that was the last thing you remembered, before the pain and darkness consumed you.

when you awoke again, you were lying on the soft mattress of your confines. the pain in your ankle was agony, bright and hot, bringing tears to your eyes. sunday sat on the bed beside you, lovingly stroking your hair.

“shhh…” he comforted, his gloved thumb wiping at your tears. “don’t cry, little dove.”

he leans down, brushing your hair aside and leaving a kiss on your forehead. another, against your cheek.

“you can’t leave, little dove.” sunday whispered, his hot breath fanning across your cheek. “you’ll live here, with me, forever.”

the fall had shattered the dove’s wings, robbing it of its freedom. you writhed, helpless and powerless in your gilded cage, all your fight, all your efforts, it was for naught. you would never escape his clutches.

taglist (open): @yeonjunsfox

∧,,,∧ ( ̳• · • ̳)  © curated with love by milkbobatyun 2024 / づ ♡

[sfznyxio]

-ˋˏ THROUGH THICK AND THIN ˎˊ

SYNOPSIS. with your kin swept away by the cataclysm, you have no one to rely on other than your wits. the curse of being immortal has you start fresh in the modern world as a citizen of inazuma, living alongside humans and yokai. throughout your life in the moral realm, you’ve met many interesting people. out of all of them, one becomes your rock and a shoulder to cry on. out of the blue, you say whatever is in your heart. they’ll reach out for your hand to let you know they're listening.

CHARACTERS. arataki itto, gorou, yoimiya

CONTENT. gn!reader. canon-compliant. immortal au. hurt/comfort. 0.5k wc. rewrite of phase six at my old main blog @/verxsyon. itto is half- immortal due to his oni blood. gorou is fully immortal due to him being some sort of yokai. yoimiya stays mortal. references to voicelines when you ascend characters to phase six, or in other words, from level 80 to 90. they’re part of the dialogue, which will be italicized.

VERA. you can tell from the old title that i’m terrible with titles. what even is phase six? good thing rewrites exist, amirite?

𝄞༉‧₊˚. ARATAKI ITTO

once an oni, always an oni. that’s a farewell from the villagers when they drove him out of his home for an incident he wasn’t involved in, just because of his half-immortal heritage. the streets ridiculed him; he spent so long fending off for himself until he met granny oni. you remind him of his younger self, even the strongest people need support the most.

“this is the cliff that me and the boys go to sing our hearts out to, you know, loosen up,” he says. “if you want, make sure you’re loud and clear so the ocean can hear you. i gotta warn you though, my voice is so amazing that it’ll blow you away.”

“but in all seriousness…” he helps you up on your feet, and you’re able to see the beauty of the world down below — the ocean that is waiting to hear you sing and the unknown ahead. “just because i made it to the top doesn't mean i’m gonna forget all the things you've done for me, okay? i’ve still got your back, anytime, anywhere.”

𝄞༉‧₊˚. GOROU

top dog. the ever-victorious pointy-eared general. those nicknames are what he believed he didn’t deserve. an immortal like yourself, he has lived through and fought in countless wars for centuries to be acquainted with loneliness. most of his best soldiers are gone. that kid teppei, one of his brightest, is gone. he’s never been so afraid.

“out of all the wars i fought in, this war against the shogun scared me the most,” he confesses, squeezing your hand tightly. “i wasn’t ready to face any more casualties after teppei. i wasn’t ready to lose both kazuha and the traveler after almost getting executed by her judgment. and when i thought all hope was lost…”

“… you were there beside me to assure me that it’s not. i should be the one thanking you. to return the favor, i’m always here to listen if you need me.” his face lights up and his tail starts to wag. “with momentum on our side and close camaraderie, we are unstoppable. thank you for your guidance. this is a victory that belongs to the both of us.”

𝄞༉‧₊˚. YOIMIYA

despite being a mortal, she understands the perspective of an immortal through fireworks. mortal lives are fleeting, she had said to the traveler. once launched into the sky, they disappear. whereas for immortal lives, they can keep watching them disappear forever and ever. she knows that she’ll be gone while you continue to live on, but it doesn’t explain her rather cheerful demeanor.

“oh, why am i happy?” she tilts her head to the side. “well, it’s not because i’m about to leave eventually. it’s because you’re here with me. i’m glad to be able to spend this moment with you. whenever i look at my creations, i don’t think of them being a representation of every mortal living here.”

“i think about the enjoyment i had watching them with my pops, my friends, and my special someone. even when i’m gone, you still believe i’m here.” she stands firm and proud, flashing a peace at you. “never fear, yoimiya is here! evil begone! justice prevails! think this is a good way to introduce the powers you've taught me to the children? isn’t it cool? hehe! hey, tell me if anyone picks on you, too. i’ll stick up for you!”

[distant-velleity]

new kai oc?!??!?!

MOLI FENG (锋茉莉)

[SSR] Council Uniform

“Weapons and armor don’t make the warrior—discipline and strength do!”

The student council president of Flower Blade Academy. Stoic and disciplined with a stern resting face, she may come off as imposing. However, she aims for improvement, not impossibility, and tries to be reasonable.

she was supposed to be the main helping figure in my event, at the fan school it was hosted at, and she's ruixing's cousin lol--- idk i just think shes neat </3 if u guys want i could post more abt her and her fan school and all that

(voicelines and groovy below)

Birthday: July 7th (Cancer)

Age: 18

Height: 176 cm

Dominant hand: Ambidextrous

Homeland: City of Orchids

Grade: Junior

Club: Xiangqi Club

Best Subject: History of Magic

Hobbies: Tai chi

Pet peeves: Close-mindedness

Favorite food: Pork buns

Least favorite food: Bitter melon

Talent: Swordsmanship

~

Summon: Feng Moli of Flower Blade Academy. I look forward to my stay here. …Rest assured, I’ll try not to be too much of an intrusion.

Set to Home Screen: Thank you for your hospitality.

Home Transition 1: I heard that Ruixing is in Diasomnia. If the rules allow it, I’ll pay my cousin a visit and see if his dormitory lives up to its reputation.

Home Transition 2: The statues of the Great Seven line the main street, dignified and honorable… In the future, I’ll make sure to hold my head high just as they do. 

Home Transition 3: Hm… This campus could use more varied physical education facilities. The mind and imagination work in tandem with the body. 

Home, after login: I’m here representing Flower Blade Academy at one of the largest arcane academies. There is no room for carelessness; I must be extra conscientious. 

Tap Home 1: All student council members are awarded ceremonial swords at Flower Blade Academy; unlike Night Raven College, it used to be a military institute. …Of course, my sword is the real deal.

Tap Home 2: So you have stables on your campus as well… I do recall Silver mentioning something to that effect. 

Tap Home 3: I don’t agree with Coach Vargas’ methods entirely—everyone learns differently and at different paces. However, I do appreciate the kind of instructor who believes in the potential of their students.  

Tap Home 4: I ran into some other students on my morning jog. I was pleasantly surprised—it seems a spirit of self-improvement exists at Night Raven College, too.

Tap Home 5: …Enough. You have my attention. How can I help you?

~

“I’ll never grow complacent—I swear on my honor!”

Home Transition (Groovification): Night Raven College students… are a rowdy sort, aren’t they? Aggressive, competitive, stubborn… Heh. All commendable qualities, of course.

Tap Home (Groovification): Soldiers have to be able to sleep under any conditions, though we’re no real soldiers. That is to say… The conditions in Ramshackle are rather unique.

~

taglist (ask to be added or removed): @thehollowwriter @theleechyskrunkly @elenauaurs @casp1an-sea @nahelenia

@skriblee-ksk @boopshoops @scint1llat3 @nyx-of-night @nemisisnemi

@beneathsakurashade @sillyslipperybananapeel @kathxrat-01 @lumdays @twistedwonderlandshenanigans

@taruruchi @oya-oya-okay @kitwasnothere

[yuri-is-online]

no cause the way you have filled my brain with sho brainrot,,,

baby acting like a mf guard dog for his favourite senpai, constantly wanting their attention 😭

LISTEN

I am so glad I waited to answer this for a teeny bit because I thought I was exaggerating at first because like. It was one voiceline right? WRONG. When you level him up he says "thank you senpai" and when I got his SR and slapped him onto my homescreen he does in fact try to get your attention and ask for help from his senpai. He's supposed to be this brash delinquent but he's shockingly respectful of one very specific senior even if he's just a bit sarcastic about it ugh.

Sho feels like he needs an excuse. He can't just ask to hang out with you because then it looks like you're friends, but if he's asking for a favor then you won't have a reason to say no. The Professors all want you to help out the ghouls so he can say just about anything and you'll jump at it, right? Yeah no that's not the real reason. He wants to have you to himself and if he words it like he needs help he can make excuses as to why you two need to be left alone.

Absolutely uses the fact that he can cook to his advantage. I think one of the main reasons Sho started liking the MC so much was because you supported his cooking. He seemed like he expected to be judged for it so when MC was just hungry and said his food was good? The only person he really seems to have cooked for up to this point is Leo (and Bonnie but she's special) so he wants that praise. And to hear you say he could charge money for it? Oh he was riding that high for ages. I feel like he already wanted to open some sort of cafe but really appreciated the support.

And it gives him the excuse to get you to stay around him longer when he asks for your help. Well he's going to cook anyway and you're hungry, so just stick around. He'll make something and pretend to complain about it but he likes feeding you. Well assuming you don't douse his food in hot sauce, though that won't stop him from making you stuff.

I really like the idea of him competing with the Frostheim ghouls idk why. I think MC should get to be good friends with Kaito and Luca and Sho should get to be a brat about it. Vagastrom and Frostheim already don't get along and he never got his fight with Lucas so yeah. He's super intense about how he's way better at protecting MC than they are, especially with Lucas. Part of it is because he feels guilty for going along with Leo's plan and almost getting you killed, he feels like he needs to prove that he's strong enough to not let that happen again.

Speaking of Leo... I sort of get the sense that Sho hides how much he hangs out with the MC from him. In book 3 Leo makes a bet that would see him getting Sho's food truck if he wins it so I sort of feel like if Leo knew Sho liked the MC he'd be insufferable about it. Honor Roll is stealing his best friend (¬､¬) how lame ugh. And he would try to sabotage it because he would find it funny, or even worse try to make Sho's friendship with you the cost of a bet. I could see Sho having nightmares about that.

Book 3. When Towa and MC go missing. I just know in my heart Sho was loosing his goddamn mind. Again I think he feels sort of guilty for almost getting you killed, and now that you aren't with his dorm you just go missing? Unacceptable where are you? How did Jabberwock fuck this up so badly holy shit. I wanna see him admit that he was worried about MC. I wanna know if he got into any arguments with the Frostheim ghouls while the professors forced them to stay behind.

... i kind of want him to argue with Jin. Like specifically Jin. For no reason other than it would be funny to me personally and like... Jin is the one who interrupted his fight with Luca so I just think it would be funny if they had beef.

I need to level his affinity more. I need to see more chats game please ;-; I love him shomuch.

[meisaer]

what do you mean mavuika didnt find seven-year-old kinich at the foot of a mountain trying to drag his dead father's body back up it and immediately pick him up and take him to the stadium where she would then raise him like he was her son.

what do you mean citlali doesnt look at ororon and mualani and kinich and mavuika and ifa and kachina and everyone else and think "maybe this will all come crashing down one day but at least ill get to see them grow until the end" and proceed to be there for every one of their funerals and keep every single photo and painting and memory of them with her until she thinks her time is up and she'll finally be able to see her family again.

what do you mean mualani, kachina and kinich aren't human-equivalents of sun/earth/moon and mualani and kinich don't revolve around kachina and watch her grow until she is as proud of herself as they are of her.

what do you mean chasca and mualani werent close close childhood friends and they don't meet up after the sun goes down to reminisce on simpler times and how much they've grown and stayed the same.

what do you mean capitano couldve been the casts' awesome strong cool dad who taught them how to guard their hearts while appreciate the sun all the same. what. do you mean. ororon lost his dad. his dad who he saw had a good soul but was just tough on the outside. his dad who didn't want him to get drunk alongside the fatui soldiers. his dad who saw his worth and helped him reach his full potential. what. huh.

what do you mean iansan and xilonen and kinich arent mavuikas most trusted who have been with her since the beginning when she woke up until now when everything has finally ended. what do you mean they didn't lounge about in the speakers chamber waiting for mavuika to come home and discuss future plans with her. what do you mean the three of them barely acknowledge each other outside of xilonens forgery, iansans strength and. Ajaw. ajaw.

what do you mean kinich doesnt look at the people around him and realise he has found the family he always needed. and wanted. what do you mean canon kinich cant even call mualani and kachina more than just acquaintances. what do you mean he doesn't even have an ororon voiceline. what do you mean he used to be considered the only one who could handle citlali and now they arent even acknowledged as a duo anymore.

what do you mean mavuika doesnt look at her six heroes and citlali and kachina and capitano and get reminded of the friends and family she left behind. what do you mean she doesn't look into kinich's eyes and see the same spark of defiance and acceptance that burkina's had. what do you mean she doesn't feel a grief everytime she looks around the dinner table and sees mualani and chasca bickering just like tupac and menilek used to. or see xilonen, sundjatta, grab kachina's, hine's plate and pile on every sort of food onto it. or citlali scold her on overdoing it just like her mother used to.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN NATLAN CAST ARENT AS CLOSE AS THEY ARE IN MY HEAD. WHAT DO YOU MEANNNNNN.

[no1blacksapphirefan]

In your self aware crk au, what if the player didn't log in for a week or two? Like, usually they're there every day for the log in bonuses and stuff but they're missing. Maybe their phone broke/ lost it or they were really sick or something. Would our beloved beasts and ancients (+ black sapphire if you want) freak out?

I like the way you think >:) Before I came back I did wonder, if the cookies were aware, I wonder how they feel about me constantly dipping back in and out of the game. (I'm here to stay this time!!...hopefully...if my phone storage lets me)

Pure Vanilla He's worried :(( He isn't sure what happened but not seeing your face for nearly 2 weeks now worries him a lot. Did you...loose interest? He understands and he can't be too mad if you didn't know that they're aware. He can't help but feel done as he patiently waits for your (hopefully) return.

And when you do? He nearly breaks character, running up to where your screen is pointed at and waving happily. Nearly telling you welcome back. He quickly switches to once of his automatic voicelines and prays you didn't notice the slip up. He's so happy to see you, if you were sick and that's why you weren't playing? He makes sure to (try) and send you good blessings through the screen, he may not be able to heal through he screen but he can try in another way.

Dark Cacao He won't admit it to anyone, but your disappearance makes him upset. He's gotten so used to you after all. He doesn't exactly like the thought of you going missing even if...sure technically you're probably not. His mind goes to the worst case scenario. Caramel Arrow Cookie has to try and calm him down until you return.

Upon seeing your face again, he instantly feels a wave of relief crash over him. What's that? You just broke your phone when you accidentally dropped it down the stairs?...Now he feels embarrassed on what he thought had happened, but hey!! He was just really worried about you okay...

HollyBerry She waits patiently, she knows you'll come back!!...Right? If you're go for more then say, 2 weeks then she'll get scared. You will come back right? She knows you technically didn't promise anything (Joke or not) and you aren't...obligated to come back but...she's starting to miss you!! She loved hearing you laugh.

When you finally come back she's so happy, quickly waving to you, when the screen goes to her. She'd knew you'd come back!! There's no way you'd get bored of them, she can sense how much you love them after all!

Golden Cheese She didn't notice it at first, well...she noticed the silence but she knew when you get upset, sometimes you'd be more quiet. Eventually she realises...it's a bit too quiet. And that's when sh realises you've been gone. Wait, don't leave her too!! Well, she knows you're not gone gone but. She can't help but pace back and forth, hoping to see your face again She silently begs you to come back.

When you do she lets out the biggest sigh of relief ever. She tries her hardest in Arena (And arcade arena if it's there + she's allowed to fight) for you. As a sort of, welcome back kind of thing. Oh she misses seeing that smile of yours.

White Lily Wait what? You're gone? Okay you're not gone gone but...what happened?...Did you...finally get annoyed by her? Has her actions eventually annoyed you enough to make you leave? She shakes her head, and tells herself that if you did leave, it wouldn't be because of her...surely...you've shown her how much you cared about her after all.

She nearly lets out a noise of pure delight as you come back, she's so happy and relieved to see you again after so long. Sure it wasn't years but it's still been a while!! Plus it felt like forever to her...she can't help but smile in her cookie menu and your kingdom for a few days.

Mystic Flour She's the Light of Apathy. You'd think she'd care? That's what she told herself and others anyways. That your sudden disappearance didn't mean anything to her. You could be gone for years and she wouldn't feel anything. That's what she said and that's what she believed...she did feel strange though, but that was probably nothing.

She was quickly proven wrong when she realised seeing you again after 2 weeks made her feel a sense of joy in her chest...what's this? She swears she didn't care you were gone...but seeing you again with your smile, hearing your laugh again...it proved her wrong...she really did care about you being gone...huh, you make her feel the strangest things you know.

Burning Spice He become a bit more...how do I put this, tense, angsty. Not even Nutmeg Tiger Cookie could calm her master down as he constantly hit his axe against the rock each day you've been gone. Where have you even gone?? Arg, he's gonna run out of rocks to destroy at this poin- wait you're back?

He's quick to throw his axe to the side and greet you happily, he couldn't care for playing along right now. Right now you have his attention and he hopes he has yours as well. Take him back to the Arena yeah? He's gonna take the rest of his rage out by destroying these cookies for you. Just for you!!

Shadow Milk He's been trying to cope by writing script after script after script. He has a feeling that you just can't play right now, or atleast he wants to believe that...he has yet to be proven right with your return...he's so worried, he hopes the reason you're not playing isn't because you got hurt...oh if it is, he hopes no one hurt you...he isn't scared to teach the other person a lesson if that's the case.

His worries washes away as he sees you return, happily taking advantage of the fact he "can break the 4th wall" without trouble. Giving you nearly a whole dramatic speech about oh how lonely you've made him feel, how much he missed you and how you shouldn't leave him alone like this again. He hides it all behind a giggle but...he does mean some of the words he's said in his speech.

Black Sapphire At first he brushes it off, even using you being gone as something to get more viewers to listen into his radio show...but after awhile, seeing that you're still gone. He gets more upset and worried, almost cancelling his usual radio shows until you came back. While he doesn't in the end up, it's not as well done as it was previously, listeners can tell your disappearance is upsetting him.

When you eventually do come back, his mood quickly shifts and he becomes happy again. His mic keeping an eye on you, seeing if it can spot the exact reason why you disappeared. He almost never leaves your screens field of view, waving at you any chance he gets, just to subtly tell himself it is you there. His radio shows go back to normal after that with the usual charm in his voice.

[kinbedo]

Lyney : Cards and Colours 

Summary: You’re just another artist presenting your work at the Fontanalia Film Festival. Just what were the chances that the great magician Lyney would stumble across your art?

A/n: I was in my Herta phase while writing this, constantly listening to her voicelines and watching her burst and skill animation, and this fic is a product of whatever “open sesame!” and “a door to a whole new world” did to me. But hey, at least both Herta and Lyney give off magical girl vibes so :D 

Dedicated to the biggest blond man simp I know. @lucishell Happy birthday pookie <3

wc: 3.8k

----------

Although the main attraction of Fontaine’s Film Festival were the films themselves, it wasn’t uncommon to find other exhibits around the city. Even the smallest of stalls seemed to display the most exquisite of creations– from handicrafts to decorated foods, each design was unique.

You yourself seem to have attracted a decent crowd for your own art exhibition. Was it because of the last film you designed a poster for? Regardless, a satisfied smile makes its way to your face as you look at the people browsing through your work.

Three of them seem to be more popular than the others. One is a still from “The Little Oceanid”, another is the spectacle of the courtroom with Lady Furina in all her glory as the archon, accompanied by Monsieur Neuvillette, and the third is of a renowned magician and his assistant. 

You watch as two little kids run up to the painting, exclaiming “Look it’s Lyney!” “Sister Lynette’s there too!” A blond follows them, nodding his head in approval and in a low, husky voice states “Looks like this is from when Pers was in the show.”

You lean into the palm of your hand, satisfied at the attention they were giving to the painting, when two more people walk into your view causing your hand to slip and for your chin to collide into the table you were leaning on. 

“This is truly magnificent! Even “Father” would approve of this.” Lyney exclaims, not hiding the wonder in his words, making your cheeks heat up.

“The lighting has also managed to capture the sense of suspense you tend to create during shows. Impressive.” Lynette states in her usual monotonous voice, taking another bite of the sweet bun in her hand.

You felt obligated to introduce yourself at this point. “I’m glad you like them.”

Upon seeing you approach, Lyney’s wide grin only got wider. “So you’re the artist then? Pleasure.” His dexterous fingers easily slip the hat off his head, twirling it as he bows and then placing it back in its place. You could tell that he must have practiced this move multiple times for it to be so smooth, just like how you had to practice certain strokes multiple times for them to feel natural.

“The pleasure is mine. I love your shows. They’re mesmerising.”

“I’m honoured. And with the effort you seem to have put into this painting, I truly do feel appreciated, and would like to repay you.” He thinks for a while, his purple irises scanning the other artworks on display. And then, he smiles brightly, his mind calculating the possibilities. He holds his hand out to you and asks, “How about we work together?”

----------

Working with Lyney was easy. He was pretty open about his preferences and didn’t beat around the bush regarding any details. He could be professional but also knew how to stir up a casual conversation. It was like he was made to handle all social situations.

You ended up becoming the first person he sought out to make posters for his upcoming shows, and for a while, you felt like the exchange had become unfair. 

“You’re not only paying me the full amount, but also giving me a VIP ticket? Isn’t this a bit too much?”

Lyney only scoffed. “It’s only fair that you get to see the shows you helped me prepare for. Plus, you can say that your presence will be a sort of morale boost for me.”

His easy-going personality and your identity as an artist led to him introducing you to some of his siblings who wanted to try their own hand at art. Some of the little ones had apparently “begged” to be taught by you. (He’s exaggerating, they just expressed an interest and he immediately sought you out, thinking you would be the perfect mentor to them.)

You’d often find yourself just outside the main city, accompanied by some of Lyney’s siblings as they lay in the grass and tried to draw or paint whatever caught their attention. The sound of pencils scribbling on paper, brushes being dipped into the water with a silent ‘plop’ and ‘gurgle’ and the sound of cards being flipped and rearranged filled the air.

Yes, cards. Because Lyney decided to accompany you and his siblings. Not only for everyone’s safety, but also because “practicing out in the open feels refreshing”. It almost felt like a school field trip or a picnic. On rare occasions, Lynette or even Freminet would tag along. And on occasions that were rarer still, even The Knave would come along, taking a seat by the water and either reading a book or polishing her scythe.

Her presence was chilling in the beginning, but realising how gentle she was with the kids and with Lyney’s reassurance, you soon found yourself painting her a portrait.

Working with Lyney changed your life pretty drastically to say the least. You ended up meeting people you never would have met on your own, engaging with personalities that you wouldn’t have expected, and receiving more job offers from influential celebrities in Fontaine’s entertainment industry.

However, despite being the social butterfly he is, you realised Lyney was also quite the people pleaser.

“People pleaser?”

“Mhm, even when it looks like you disagree with something, you hold back. You greet everyone with a smile, and often try to ignore their flaws. You also seem to get tired rather quickly, and are the first to pass out after an event.”

Lyney laughs, shrugging it off by saying, “It’s how the world works. You need to be careful about what you put out there.”

Yes, he also tends to hide things. The more time you spend with him, the more you seem to notice. His nervous glances when things don’t go as planned, his silent pleas when a conversation drags out for too long with someone he isn’t fond of, his clenched fists when he hears a backhanded comment. And yet, he takes it all in stride, his smile never leaving his face when he’s surrounded by others, still radiating warmth and openness.

You sigh, noticing the way Lyney’s bow crinkles as this random guy walks into the Opera Epiclese, boasting his accomplishments. His loud voice echoes through the empty theatre, making him sound more obnoxious than he already is.

“I promise you’ll profit greatly if you work with me. Plus, 70% of our earnings are used for charity, so it would also help you raise your reputation further! We are a rather successful organisation, having worked with multiple drama troupes in the past, and it would be our honour to work alongside the mighty magician himself.”

“I’m afraid I’ll have to decline. My associates and I have already made preparations for tomorrow’s show. Suddenly making new contracts last minute can hinder our performance.”

“Oh but we are very cooperative! We will not make any changes to the show itself.”

Lyney’s patience is slipping through his fingers. His usually composed self is starting to show some creaks. You could tell that he really just wanted to finish up the decorations and go home. And to be fair, he deserved the break. Being the lead, he was in-charge of everything– from designing to practicing his own tricks and to checking the budget and ensuring everyone else was prepared for the show. Despite you offering to help with the decorations, the most you could do was repaint faded props or fix up basic damage.

You glance at Lyney’s now clenched fist. To see him this mad was definitely not a good sign. Looking back up at the obnoxious man, you realise that he was completely unaware of how unwelcome he was, as he went on and on. Before Lyney could act on impulse and ruin what he had slowly built up over the years, you had to intervene.

“Alright gentlemen, I think that’s enough for today.” You walk between the two men, trying your best to stand tall. “It would be much appreciated if you came back after the show, or better yet, if never at all, since Lyney has clearly declined your offer and shows no interest in working with your organisation.”

The man tries to explain himself again, but it seems he finally realises the tension in the room. He excuses himself and (thankfully, finally) leaves.

“Thank you [name], I owe you one.”

You merely nod, noticing that he still looks uncomfortable after the exchange. Perhaps you should ask him about it later?

.

.

.

“He was reminding you of someone, wasn’t he?”

You hear the magician’s breath hitch beside you. He pauses for a moment, hesitant, before finally replying in a whisper, “You saw through me.”

“As artists, we tend to search for hidden emotions. It’s what helps us determine the background, the tone, the lighting and the rest.”

“How much do you know?”

“Only what you feel. Only storytellers would go out of their way to extract hidden stories. As an artist, the most I can do is bring suppressed emotions to the fore through symbolism, and for that, I need to be able to read people’s expressions.”

Lyney lets his head fall, staring at the floor as he fidgets a little. You raise your eyebrow at his actions– it’s the first time he was visibly nervous for a reason that was not about a performance.

He doesn’t say a word, and you don’t press the matter. You know better than to. Some things are just too difficult to talk about. But that’s okay, right? Yet you stay for a while longer, giving him all the time he needs, and the magician appreciates it, mentally noting to himself to thank you properly later...

----------

Lyney finds himself visiting you more often with each day. He doesn’t know when or why it happened, but he would subconsciously walk to your abode, often practicing his magic tricks while you painted.

Admittedly, however, he spent more time watching you work. The way your brush moved in simple, neat strokes. The way you would suddenly pause whenever you had a new idea, quickly grabbing a sheet of paper to briefly sketch it out, before returning to your previous work. He could never get enough of watching a blank canvas slowly gain life, the colours feeling like they were always meant to be there.

Subconsciously, he had started thinking of new tricks too. Before he even assembles his thoughts and realises his own words, he’s already blabbering. “What if I used your paintings in a show? Making things, or maybe even people appear out of it?”

You pause. Pulling the brush back from the canvas and watching a drop of paint fall to the floor. “You already make things appear out of thin air. Why would you need a painting to do that?”

“Maybe because it would look prettier?” And maybe because he could spend more time at your place, spend more time talking to you.

You hum in thought, prodding your chin as you look around your room, glancing at each painting hung on the wall. “Well, I would definitely need bigger canvases if you want to make people appear out of a painting. And would you want the painting to look more realistic? Or maybe more cartoonish to add to the effect?”

Lyney’s eyes light up, the prospect of working together exciting him and the fact that you were indulging him making him feel giddy.

----------

He's starting to grow fond of the smell of paints.

If Lyney didn't already spend a lot of time at your place before, then he practically lived there now. He would sometimes even spend the night because "it's too risky going back home so late". The statement makes you raise an eyebrow the first time you hear it, after all, he probably has had to return home late after shows or even head out in the dead of night for Fatui missions. But he brushes it off saying that he's "more prepared" and in a "different" mood when he has to do that. He would curl up against your couch, stretching his limbs before snuggling against a pillow, his cat-genes on full display.

Sometimes, he would help you with your chores.

"I'm just repaying the favour after you helped me deal with that difficult man that one time!"

"Lyney, that was months ago."

"My saviour, you needn't be so humble." 

If people ever questioned why Lynette has cat ears and a tail but Lyney doesn't, they should really see him when you're trying to get him to go back to his own house. He's like a cat that refuses to leave his territory.

"Lyney please, your siblings are probably worried about you."

You are genuinely worried about him. Freminet is genuinely worried about the amount of time he spends with you. Lynnette is genuinely worried about his sanity.

One minute, he could be swaying his hands while singing to the wind, the next he would be coming down a flight of stairs, stumbling across until he lands on his chin. You wince at the sight, the box of stage props scattering in front of him.

Lynette barely moves to help him. She places a hand on her hip, her tail drooping down, indicating annoyance. “Oh he fell fast.”

"I uh don't think people take different times to fall…" you laugh nervously, scratching the back of your neck as you watch the great magician give you a thumbs up with a bleeding nose.

Lynette only sighs at your oblivion. She’s so done with the two of you.

Lynette doesn't mind having sharper senses than most– her sharp ears come in handy when she's on missions and her senses can help her avert dangers pretty often.

But she hates it when she's being forced to listen to whatever you and Lyney have to say to each other. She was stirring her tea when her tail stiffens up. Her eyes dart around, trying to figure which path would be a quicker escape but it's too late.

"You seem to really like using lilac in your paintings."

"I feel inspired just looking at Lynette's eyes sometimes. They're really pretty."

"I can't deny that. Her expressions also make her seem like an elegant cat." 

Lynnette barely hangs out with you. It's her brother that's always running circles around you. It's his eyes that you see more often.

And they have the same eyes.

So it should be his eyes that you're actually so enticed by.

She might have been better off if only her brother was dumb, but the number of times she has had to urge to break her usually stoic nature and just scream because both of you are hopeless around each other makes her scrunch her nose up.

With how often Lyney visits you, it’s almost impossible for you to go over to the House of the Hearth. On one of the few occasions that you (manage to) go over to his place, you meet with 'Father', who tells you that Lyney talks about you often enough for even her to see you as family. Lyney thinks of you as family.

And the rest of the conversation ends up becoming a background noise for your thoughts. While The Knave is busy complimenting your art and thanking you for indulging the children, you're busy mulling over her words.

You finally get it off your chest when you're helping Lynette in the kitchen.

"I wonder... does he think of me as an older sibling or a younger one?"

Lynette deadpans you. "Do you mind gendered terms?"

You're taken aback by the seriousness in her voice. Laughing nervously, you stutter out a "no" to which Lynette just says "girl you're not actually serious."

"You're right. Knowing Lyney, he probably sees himself as the oldest."

Oh Lynette was so close to smashing the ceramic plate on her head at your words.

And she knows it’s bad bad when even Freminet starts picking up on your requited crushes. “Lyney is really good at reading expressions. Maybe… maybe he should look at himself in the mirror.”

So she does what any good wingwoman person who wants to be rid of the pining would do– set you two up.

----------

A new establishment for the rescue and care of injured and abandoned animals had been set up, and Lynette had already started frequenting the place to play with the cats there. She overheard the owner talk about needing a new poster and just knew what she had to do.

She spoke to both you and the owner to set you up for the poster making job, effectively making herself the mediator.

The owner’s wishes were pretty simple– he just wanted an attractive poster that could give people the message and help them come in contact with anyone who wishes to help the animals.

But Lynette wasn’t going to make things so simple for you.

Not when you and her brother had tortured her enough with your endless pining.

So she gives you awfully vague, but awfully specific details regarding the poster. “He wants it to look like Wonderland with little animals scattered on a backdrop of a vast area, preferably a combination of these.” She hands you a piece of paper with multiple different places written down. 

You look through the list.

Weeping Willow of the Lake

Mont Esus East

Lumidouce Harbour

Fort Charybdis Ruins

Mont Automnequi

Tower of Ipsissimus

Chemin de L’Espoir

These places barely have anything in common! How were you supposed to inculcate these places while also adding animals into the poster? And wait are those last few places… “UNDERWATER?”

Lynette only shrugs her shoulders, already zoning out. She doesn’t actually intend to “enter standby mode” without offering you any explanations, does she…?

You sigh. Seems like you’ll be heading out for a trek.

.

.

.

“Let me come with you.”

Lyney can be very persistent when he wants to be. You only sigh, turning the Kamera in your hand to make sure that you hadn’t left any spec of dust uncleaned. You’re tired of telling him that he has far more important things to do– he’s Fontaine’s greatest magician, with his shows highly sought after. He’s one of the older, more reliable siblings at the House of the Hearth. He might even have some Fatui missions lined up for him.

Assuming your quietness to be a sign of you relenting, he continues, “I can fight. It can be dangerous out in the wild and it'd be better for your own safety if you took me with you.”

“Lyney, what about your shows this week? Or in general, because there’s no guarantee I’ll be done within this week. What if I need to camp-out for, say, nine or ten days?” you sigh again, pinching the bridge of your nose.

“Not important. Safety first, your safety first. I can also swim, how else will you get your underwater references anyway?”

He makes fair points but you can’t help but worry about his prior commitments.

Lyney refuses to leave your side until you give in. He’s pouting and sulking as he follows you around. You nearly bump into him multiple times when you turn around. You try glaring at him, only to end up admiring his cat-like eyes, his most distinguishable katzlein feature. You’re certain that if he were an actual cat, and if you made the mistake of sitting down, he’d crawl into your lap and refuse to leave. To you,he seemed more like a cat than Lynette ever has.

After hours of Lyney being at your heel, you finally agree. In less than two hours, he’s beside you again, grinning from eye-to-eye with an extremely convenient bag for camping (courtesy of his missions and the random picnics of the Hearth). He’d also brought along an emergency medical kit (that you definitely didn’t forget about) and a bit too many snacks for a camping trip and still had more than enough space to accommodate more of your things. This made you feel grateful that he was coming alone (and that you could bring more stuff along, just in case).

You and Lyney stand in front of “Father” as she reiterates the importance of safety on your little trip. The younger children then fall into your arms, begging you to come back soon. “Please don’t leave us forever.” Foltz clings to your right arm while Heloir takes the left. “I'll be back soon, don’t worry.” You pat them, trying to get them off your arms, worried that they’ll pull them off with the way they’re hanging on you.

In the distance, Lyney’s talking to Freminet and Chapleau regarding some of his house-duty shifts, while Lynette’s further away, purposefully avoiding eye-contact with you as she sips her tea. You send her a nervous smile and wave in her direction and she only turns her head again, her usually stoic face now showing one of both worry and avoidance.

After some more reassuring from Lyney regarding his “completely free week” (he gave most of his work to Freminet) and some more long goodbyes (courtesy of Foltz and Heloir), you finally set off.

“This will surely be fun.”

.

.

.

Lynette doesn’t typically go out of her way for things. She never really bothers putting in extra effort unless it directly affects her or her missions. But she started getting restless. She’d toss and turn around in her bed until she came face-to-face with Lyney’s empty bed.

Is he even using this opportunity she oh-so-gratefully granted him?

She decides to go for a little walk, hoping to catch the two of you in the wild. A glimpse at your current status should be enough, she thinks. “According to the list I gave them, they should currently be around Mont Automnequi. Great, I could visit Navia for her macarons on the way back.”

The sound of grass crunching and a few twigs cracking reaches Lynette’s ears and she stiffens up, her hand on the hilt of her sword as she readies herself to take on another group of treasure hoarders. 

Instead, what she’s met with makes the corners of her lips twitch upwards.

It’s you and Lyney. 

Her purple irises are met with a temporary camp set-up and your art supplies scattered on the ground, mixed with some of Lyney’s props that he brought along to practice his tricks. Seems you’ve gotten too comfortable camping out with Lyney.

Lynette looks back to see Lyney dramatically kneeling on the ground while you’re laughing, devoid of all worry, completely carefree in this moment. The two of you almost seem like the young kids running around the streets, free of all burdens of the world.

“A rainbow rose, for the artist themselves.”

Perhaps this could go somewhere after all.

----------

[lu-is-not-ok]

Do you think that it is possible for one of Hong Lu's base ID skills to change affinity during and/or after his Canto?

I doubt it, but at the same time I don't think it's completely out of the question.

See, the reason I doubt it is because we have no precedent for something like that happening. Up to and including Canto 7, we have yet to see a post-Canto change to a Sinner that affects gameplay. The only changes we have seen are entirely cosmetic. Whether it be different Base E.G.O voicelines, a minor appearance change to the LCB Identity sprites, or in the most major case - a change to voicelines of all relevant Identities and the addition of a whole second alternate Uptie story for one of them.

At the same time however.

This is Project Moon we're talking about. This is the company who cannot stop themselves from making Every Little Bit Of Gameplay somehow tie back into the lore or story. I wouldn't be shocked if at some point the LCB Identities did end up changing gameplay-wise due to in-story events.

There is also some merit to it with us having passed a sort of. Threshold. With Canto 7. We are officially at the halfway point of Inferno, with what I believe to be an approaching tonal shift to how we view the Sinners. See, up until now, every Sinner we've gone through a Canto with was more or less either justified in what "Sin" they committed or they didn't have any real agency in their committing of that "Sin". However, I believe that starting with Hong Lu onward this will no longer be the case.

We are now going to be dealing with Sinners who likely actively caused harm towards others of their own free will. They might absolutely still have their own reasons for doing so, but they no longer can be seen as innocent. I think we're finally entering the part of Inferno where we're not just learning of what everyone has done in their pasts, but also finding ways to make them commit to actually changing as people.

If there was any moment in the story for us to start seeing plot developments cause gameplay changes in LCB Identities, this I believe is one of the points where I think they'd be most fitting. The only possible arcs that I believe would make such shifts even more fitting would be whatever is in store for Purgatorio.

So my take is that I doubt it, but if it were to happen, I do think now would be a really good moment for it.

[craving-for-chaos]

Sage and the pressure she's under

Y'know, something interesting I noticed while scouring agent voicelines—as I do—is the way the other agents talk to and about Sage. What really got me thinking about this was Waylay's voiceline about her: "Their Sage is good, but she is so stiff! I just wanna go over there and shake some fun into that girl."

One could argue that this is in reference to Omega Earth's Sage, who seems to be more ruthless than Alpha Earth's, but I feel like that doesn't hold up considering this could be said by Waylay regardless of whether she's attacking or defending. Technicalities aside, though, I got curious, and noticed that the other agents seem to (intentionally or not) place Sage on a pedestal.

I've mentioned in a past post that Sage has a very noticeable tendency to take on more responsibility than she should, which is very evident in the way she talks to the other agents and about herself. A few examples:

"I will defend you all with my power and with my life." "I wasn't strong enough before. But now, now I am strong enough for us all." "I will do anything for you all. I will subvert the flow, I will hold back the tides." "I will hold up the sky." "Trust in my healing."

Now, a lot of her voicelines are very team-oriented; encouraging other agents, boosting morale, highlighting teamwork, rallying cries, etc. I suppose these lines I quoted could be her attempt at reassuring her team and reaffirming trust, right? It's still a bit concerning, but maybe it's nothing all that deep.

And then I looked at what the other agents say to her. Most of the time, agents will get a wide range of voicelines about them, anything from wariness, to playful and impressed compliments, to talking about plans for off-field activities. Sage should be no different...except that she is.

One glaring common thread that nearly all of the ally voicelines toward her share is expectation.

Astra is quite literally the only one who doesn't have a single line putting pressure of some sort on Sage. Other than her, every agent talks about/to Sage almost like she isn't human, or like she's above them somehow. Most often, when agents compliment or commend her, there's either a sense of awe or lack of surprise. It's not like they're saying, "Woah, that was cool, good job!" It's more like, "Wow, how are you real?" or "You were incredible—just as I knew you would be."

Here are some examples to hopefully make my point a bit clearer:

"Sage, you're working miracles." "So, Sage. You can bring people back from the dead? Anyone? No constraints? Interesting." "Sage, you are truly limitless." "Glad you're here Sage. With you we can't lose!" "Everyone just learnt what I already knew; you're wild Sage!" "Damn, Sage, you do everything. Why are the rest of us even here?" "Sage, "healer," what an understatement."

Even when they AREN'T commending her, there's this strange trend of the other agents still placing responsibility on her, whether that means literally ordering her to help them or reminding her that she is meant to be a powerful leader. Again, some examples:

"Sage, if I die out there, you're in charge. Someone has to look after these knuckleheads." "Sage. Keep me alive. I still have things to do." "Stay sharp, you don't get a second chance in combat, unless Sage is involved." "Lead the way, Sage." "Keep those heals comin'!" "It is strange, Sage. Where I'm from, you're no medic, only a weapon." "Yo, doc! Keep us topped up!" "Sage, let's keep everyone alive." "Sage, protect the others." "Sage, you're the only one who can keep us alive. Don't fail us now like you failed me then." "Show me what you got, Sage." "Stand strong, Sage."

To be clear, I'm sure some of these are meant to be playful and innocuous! But even with that in mind, it doesn't change the fact that almost every single agent treats her as "other." More often than not, she's reduced to her radiant abilities, and even when she isn't, she's shoved into the role of "strong, reliable leader." They don't treat her like just any agent, they treat her like she's a symbol, or something akin to it.

She's there to heal them, to support them, to lead them. It's not about who Sage is or what she wants, it's about what she can do, it's about the role she plays in the Protocol. It's almost worse that so many of these voicelines are thoughtless, because that means that this is such a deeply ingrained opinion that the other agents don't even consciously think about it. It's just a fact in their subconscious.

When everyone talks to and about her that way, it's easy to see how the others are likely reinforcing her savior complex. Even her voicemails to Brimstone (there are only two) are about OTHER PEOPLE. In the first she talks about approaching Deadlock with an offer to heal her arm, and in the second she talks about empathizing with Omen and wanting to help him. She even explicitly says, "If I know his pain, maybe I can heal it."

Every single thing she does is for the sake of others. She's genuinely afraid of not being enough for them, and that's just...painful. Hell, even in the Die For You music video her worst fear is implied to be losing the ability to heal and therefore being useless to her teammates. And then what does she do? Heal Brimstone and run straight into enemy fire.

Going back to Waylay's voiceline about her, though, it somewhat surprised me that someone is acknowledging/noticing how stressed Sage is all the time. It's not the first time someone has, as Astra has a voiceline saying, "Mad love, Sage. Come on, girl. That win's gotta be worth a smile!" and Skye also tells the others to bother her instead of Sage, but still.

Anyway, this is just my interpretation and analysis of things, of course, but I thought I would share my findings. Justice for Sage :(