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gb-patch · 3 years

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Ask Answers: June 6th, 2021

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

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

Thank you for the patience with these questions ♡

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Not in Step 3, I’m afraid.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[email protected]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yeah, you can certainly do that C:

Hey there!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

#our life #xoxo droplets #gb patch #ask #gb patch games #Our Life Beginnings & Always

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esfawkes · 3 years

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Will it be possible for the MC to cheat on the ROs while in a relationship with them. To be more exact can I cheat on Sebriel, Nethica, and, Velpi while they think we are mutually in love with eachother (and we're married obviously)?

I wonder how they would react 😳

Maybe I sound like a crazy person but I want some drama and ✨flavor✨.

Ah, no, don’t worry, I totally understand you. I’m a big lover of drama and angst in stories too. It can make a happy ending far more satisfying in my opinion, and it can also just be fun to see how characters react when everything starts falling apart around them.

You can cheat while you’re in a relationship in 7H. You can cheat with other ROs and with other very minor characters. It’s obviously not a nice thing to do and can result in some unfortunate consequences.

This got very long and a little NSFW, so I’m putting Sebriel, Nethica, and Vesperion’s feelings about being cheated on beneath a readmore.

Sebriel would handle it the best. He’d be hurt, but he would not show it. He’d be calm and collected about it all — almost unnervingly so, really — and at first everything seems… fine. Nothing seems to have changed in your relationship. But then you’d notice that Sebriel, while he does still speak with you, no longer shares his thoughts with you like before. He’ll still touch you — hand upon your shoulder, fingers on the small of your back, brushing hair back from your face — but it feels… hollow. As though there’s no meaning behind it anymore.

Sebriel doesn’t necessarily hold your cheating against you. It’s more that he attributes the entire thing to a misunderstanding on his part. He thought you were both on the same page regarding your relationship, but clearly that was not the case. You might be friends and even still lovers when it suits you both, but you’re not… partners, if that makes sense. You’re not someone he can share all of himself with.

So he withdraws, pulling away until there’s a gulf of emotional distance between you both. You will never be able to bridge this gap again. Sebriel might have decided there’s nothing to forgive, but he damn sure will not forget.

Nethica, on the other hand, handles it the worst.

It’s a devastating blow to his self-worth. Nethica, like Sebriel, has no issue having an open relationship with the MC if that’s what they want, even if he’s in love with them. He understands that you can be in love with someone and want to spend your life with them but still want to have sex with other people (and sometimes have sex with other people together). But in a relationship where the MC sleeping with someone else is considered cheating — so, an entirely monogamous relationship — it’s different. Because to have that sort of relationship with him, you have to make it clear that that’s what you want. You have to make it clear that you want him and no one else.

Despite his open-mindedness about sex and relationships, Nethica, when he is in love with the MC and has a relationship of some nature with them, is monogamous. He doesn’t expect the same of the MC, so it takes the MC deliberately stating their own monogamy, their own commitment to the relationship, for him to understand and accept that MC doesn’t need or want anyone else — or so they seem to believe right now.

That said, the MC doing that does make him extremely happy — but also incredibly anxious and guilty, because he worries whether he’s actually enough, if he’s not depriving you of something/someone better, if he’s holding you back

He has no idea what on earth he really has to offer you to make a monogamous relationship with him worth it.

So Nethica is already full of self-doubt about his own worth even without you doing anything. If the MC cheats on him, it really just confirms so many of his worst fears about himself. It tells him that he isn’t enough. It tells him that he really isn’t worth it, that he isn’t worth anything, and that he was a fool to think otherwise, even for a second.

Like Sebriel, he doesn’t actually put the blame on you. He puts it all on himself. So when he finds out, he isn’t mad. There’s no yelling or fighting or anything like that. Instead he’s very quiet. He doesn’t want to end things, he doesn’t want to pull away. He doesn’t want to lose you more than he already has. He says he understands, that he doesn’t fault you. He offers to open your relationship back up again, so you can sleep with other people, if that’s what you want. Despite how hard he tries to seem nonchalant about it, how hard he tries to fake a self-deprecating smile and laugh, it’s pretty obvious that he’s heartbroken.

Nethica is so in love with you that he will do anything to make your relationship work, but cheating deals a huge blow to him that never fully heals. Your relationship doesn’t end — unless you ask for it to — but Nethica never feels secure in it again.

And then Vesperion… He is an entirely different beast.

He has been in love with the MC for a very long time, so it’s not hard to get him to be in a monogamous relationship with you, as Vesperion has no issue with monogamy. Despite never having been in a monogamous relationship before, it is his preferred sort of relationship. In contrast to Nethica — and Sebriel — Vesperion off the bat expects a relationship with the MC, be it sexual or romantic, to be monogamous; if you want it to be an open relationship, you have to specifically mention it. He’ll agree to it and even sleep with other people, but make no mistake, he will be jealous (while hoping that you’re jealous too).

Between the three of them, Vesperion is easily the most possessive. He wants you to himself, but he also wants you to want him to yourself. He knows that you alone are enough for him, and he wants you to feel the same about him.

Finding out that you cheated… Oh, he’s livid. He’s furious. By far the angriest he’s ever been. But Vesperion’s anger is not explosive. It is cold, quiet. Ominous. It’s like a keen blade in the hand of a master: sharp, precise, and brutal. Were you anyone else, he would not hesitate to lash out at you, to tear into you, to let you know just what he thinks of you and what you’ve done.

But you are the person he loves, so even though he feels as though he’s choking on his anger, he keeps his mouth shut and leaves. If you try to follow, he makes it very clear that it’s in your best interest not to.

When he eventually comes back (hours later, after finding something to hit until he finally exhausted himself), he’s still pretty fucking pissed, but he can talk now.

Despite Vesperion being the only one who really gets angry and the only one who rightfully blames you for your own actions, your relationship with him is the only one that can actually fully recover. Because god knows Vesperion understands what it is to make a mistake and hurt people. If the MC can forgive him for everything he has done, then the least he can do is forgive them in turn.

So long as you want to stay in a relationship with him, he will work through this with you. He might have an attitude about it for a while, but he will do it.

He doesn’t ask if this means you want to open the relationship. If you do ask for that though, he is pissed. Clearly he’s not enough for you, so you might as well just end the relationship altogether. But the MC will always be Vesperion’s greatest weakness, so even if you do break up, he’ll eventually take you back. And if you break up again, he’ll eventually take you back, again. Over and over, until he just cannot do it anymore.

#seven heirs #romance options #sebriel dulisca #nethica varena #vesperion verathae #i just talked more and more as this progessed #but hey have some insight into these three #asks #anonymous #tw cheating

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moinstar · 3 years

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Commissioned light_arin from Twitter a birthday fic I had in mind. And also commissioned a collab with Lemonatii again for the illustration. I hope you enjoy reading it!

Moin MC x Diavolo (self-indulgent fic)

A comfortable silence hung in the library, the quiet interrupted only by the sounds of pages turning as Satan and Moin studied together. A satisfied smile graced her features as she finally finished a troubling math problem on her homework. She looked up, pride swimming in her brown gaze, planning to show Satan the fruits of her efforts. Before she could call for his attention, her gaze dropped to the book that he was focused on.

Instead of a grimoire or an anthology that he usually read during their lunch study routine, he was looking intently at a book of cats. She held back a giggle of amusement, taking in how focused he was on the page that talked of house cats as she leaned against the desk.

“Is that a book about house cats, or cats in general?”

The Avatar of Wrath looked up in surprise, as if he had just remembered that he wasn’t alone before turning a page of the book. He gestured towards the newly visible pages, a picture of a tiger displayed along with a couple paragraphs that listed the facts and features of the large and powerful cat.

“It’s a compilation of all breeds that classify as a type of cat. I was reading it for… research purposes.”

He glances down at the book, turning back to the page of house cats. A closer look showed Moin the different breeds that were listed, along with common behaviors and biological factors that set the breeds apart.

She idly traced a figure of a white cat, tilting her head as she mulled over the subject.

“All breeds, huh? House cats are cute, but I personally like bigger cats. You know, like the tiger you just showed me, or lions, or leopards…”

Satan looked up when she paused, noticing the excited glint in her gaze as she seemed to get lost in her thoughts about the larger cats that ruled the wild. He lifted his hand to his chin with a thoughtful hum before flashing her a smile. The action brought her attention back to the present, and she gave the fourth born a questioning look. He held up a finger, silently asking her to wait, before he picked up the book once more. Moin watched curiously as Satan flipped through the pages, wondering what he was looking for.

“What are you looking for?”

“Ah! Here it is.”

In answer to her question, he handed her to the book that was now open to a page that showed a magnificent panther. It looked strong yet graceful, with a dark black coat and golden eyes that seemed to jump off the page. Her fingers traced the outline of the large cat, a small smile tugging at her lips as she whispered in amazement.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Humans sometimes call them the ghost of the jungle, claiming that there’s no concrete evidence of their existence. In reality, they’re just very rare, and tend to keep to themselves.”

“Have you ever seen one?”

“Not personally, but I have seen pictures.”

They continued to talk about the black panther, so focused on the picture in the book that they didn’t notice the presence of Diavolo and Lucifer walking by the library. The Demon Prince’s golden gaze lit up with interest at the sound of their voices, deciding to tune out Lucifer’s nagging about paperwork. A quick glance into the room allowed him to see Moin’s look of awe and interest as she spoke of the panthers.

As Diavolo continued to walk through the halls of RAD, he turned the snippet of the conversation over in his head. He knew Moin’s birthday was coming up, and he wanted to do something special for her. His golden gaze lit up as he remembered the excitement in her voice when she spoke about the panthers. With an idea of what to do, he sent a text to Moin, asking her to meet him in his garden the night before her birthday party.

In the library, the redhead was still looking at the panther, her attention shifted to the piercing golden gaze. It seemed so familiar, hypnotizing, just like… She was shaken out of her thoughts by the buzzing of her D.D.D., surprised to see a message from Diavolo.

Speak of the devil. He probably wants to have an early celebration before the brothers pull me every which way on my actual birthday. With one last glance at the black panther, she pushed the book back to Satan, sending a quick yes to Diavolo. She settled down to study once more as she tucked her D.D.D., the hypnotizing golden gaze still lingering in her mind.

---------------------------------

The night before her birthday arrived quicker than she had expected, and before she knew it, she was walking through the halls of the palace with Lucifer and Barbatos. The Avatar of Pride had insisted on accompanying her when she told him plans, claiming that he had business to attend to anyways. The Demon Butler had greeted them upon arrival, with his usual polite demeanor before letting her know that Diavolo would meet her in the gardens. She followed the two demons, adjusting the large maroon scarf she wore to protect herself from the cold nights of Devildom.

Her gaze wandered around the gardens as they approached the gazebo, slightly confused when she realized that Diavolo was nowhere in sight. Noticing her confusion, Barbatos stopped and turned to her with his polite smile, his arm held in front of his torso, the image of a perfect butler.

“The Young Master will join you shortly, Moin. Lucifer, if you’d please come with me? There was an issue found in the paperwork that we looked over today. If you’ll excuse us.”

Moin nodded, half her face hidden by her large scarf, as Barbatos held his hand to his chest and gave Moin a bow before leading Lucifer away. It was unsurprising that they had work, the Royals and Lucifer always seemed to be taking care of one issue or another. She turned to face the water that reflected the night sky beneath the gazebo, settling down to wait for Diavolo’s arrival.

Moments later, Diavolo was leaving his office after speaking with Lucifer and Barbatos. His red coat was nowhere to be seen, leaving him in his collared shirt and slacks, his red tie contrasting with the overall dark shades of his outfit. His golden gaze glimmered with excitement as he hurried towards the garden, unwilling to keep Moin waiting for long.

When he finally reached the gardens, he paused, a smile tugging at his lips as he caught sight of Moin’s figure in the distance. Fortunately for the Demon Prince, her back was turned to him and he was able to hide in the shadows, preparing the surprise that he had planned for her.

Moin’s attention is drawn away from the glimmering body of water, the feeling that she was no longer alone washing over her. Assuming that Diavolo had arrived, she looked over her shoulder. Only to find something she had not expected.

Despite looking into a glowing golden gaze, it wasn’t the one that belonged to the Demon Prince. She turned around fully, watching in surprise as a large black panther padded out of the shadows. She tilted her head, wondering how a panther had ended up in the palace gardens as she took in the features. The graceful cat was standing still, as if waiting for a signal as its tail swished over the ground.

Is it… dangerous? She blinked a couple times as she mulled over the question, her brown hues never leaving the golden orbs that seemed to glow in the darkness. No. This is Diavolo’s garden. And he wouldn’t let in anything that would hurt me.

As she came to her conclusion, she let herself relax, smiling at the black panther. She reached out a hand towards the beautiful creature, crouching down so that she was at eye level with it. The panther blinked, as if in surprise, before slowly making its ways towards her.

With every step, its muscles rippled under the black pelt that shone in the moonlight. Yet, it moved with a sense of gentleness that further put the girl at ease. The panther’s whiskers twitched as the golden eyes shut, its head butting against her hand.

The feeling of soft fur against her palm brought a smile to her face, and she cautiously scratched behind the ears. A quiet woosh reached her ears as she pets the panther, and she looked up to see the tail swishing against the ground once more as it weaved around her, each step bringing it even closer to her. Its friendly advances made her smile grow, and when the large cat sat on its haunches, she wrapped her arms around it, fingers continuing to brush over the soft black coat. At this, a purr rumbles from the panther’s chest, obviously pleased as it rubbed its head against her cheek, making her giggle.

The panther blinks at her, and for a moment she swore it was smiling at her. Then the panther was giving her one final headbutt, still purring as it pulled away.

She watched as the panther started to leave, once more admiring the way its pelt gleamed beneath the night sky. When it reached the bushes that lined the area, it paused, one paw raised in the air as it looked back at Moin one last time.

The moment seemed to last forever, the golden orbs captivating her. Then with a flick of its ears, the panther disappeared into the shadows as easily as it had appeared.

It took a few moments for Moin to realize that the panther had really left, but before she could stand up again, she once again felt the presence of another. Glancing up, she found herself looking into the golden gaze she had originally been expecting. The Demon Prince was looking at her with surprise as he offered a hand to help her up.

“Moin? Why were you sitting on the ground?”

She accepted his hand, letting him pull her up as she smiled at the memory of the panther. Her brown hues were filled with excitement as she recounted her experience, starting with how she had been surprised to see a panther in the royal gardens.

The Demon Prince listened with a soft smile on his features, relief and happiness washing over him. She liked his gift. The effort of using transformation magic had been worth it. His gaze softened as he took in her awed smile, and the excitement that swam in her brown depths.

Yes. It had all been worth it.

#obey me mc #obey me diavolo #moin mc #obey me #self indulgent shit

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alwaysmychoices · 3 years

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Retirement Talks

Synopsis: Charlie decides to return to Edenbrook to meet Kyra for lunch, but little did she know that a scandal has rocked the hospital. During lunch, secrets on all sides are revealed - some of which make Charlie question if she should leave medicine altogether.

Chapter 25 of the “with and without” series

Previous Series: “a weekend with dr. ramsey”

Pairing: Dr. Ethan Ramsey x MC (Charlotte “Charlie” Greene)

Words: 5.8k

Rating: Teen

Also available on AO3 & Wattpad (link in Masterlist)

Charlie was back in Edenbrook.

Not by her own desire, of course.

It was her therapist’s idea. She thought visiting Edenbrook would help Charlie so she could see it without the looming threat of a bioterrorist attack or meeting Ethan’s estranged mother. Her therapist hoped that it would ease Charlie’s anxiety and show her that Edenbrook really was just a building at the end of the day.

Not some evil place full of death and destruction. Even if it housed her most painful memories, those were just memories. She couldn’t fault the building itself.

She needed to stop fearing Edenbrook. If she didn’t, she could never return to Edenbrook.

Those were easy things to say – very appealing in its rationality.

But if it was just a building, it was a building haunted. The halls were lined with ghosts of memories long gone, seemingly forgotten by all but Charlie. All the hope and innocence she saw on her first day was replaced with stinging bitterness. She was afraid of what Edenbrook would take from her next.

She didn’t want to be here.

She probably would have left if she hadn’t made lunch plans with Kyra – who, of course, was late.

It had already been fifteen minutes since they’d initially planned to meet, and Charlie saw no sign of Kyra showing up any time soon. Charlie initially waited in the lobby, but after a text from Kyra that said she was stuck in an emergency staff meeting, Charlie moved to Kyra’s office to wait in privacy.

It was easier to wait there. Charlie had very few memories in the administrative wing of the hospital – even fewer negative ones. There were also fewer onlookers in Kyra’s office, and Charlie didn’t want to be stared at. Besides, Kyra kept snacks in her desk, and Charlie was starving.

This wasn’t the first time Charlie had stolen from Kyra’s snack drawer, so when she walked in, she knew exactly where it was. A few months ago, lunches like these were regular occurrences. Then secrets – primarily Charlie’s relationship with Ethan – started to separate her from her friends, little by little. Most of her spare time was taken from her friends and immediately dedicated to the intoxicating and less than honorable pursuit of falling in love with Ethan Ramsey.

Charlie had been lying for a very long time.

Two months of her relationship – almost three. Even longer if she counted the build-up.

Her friends allowed it. She wasn’t sure why, but as she stole a Twizzler from Kyra’s desk, she had the distinct feeling that she didn’t deserve it.

Just before Charlie could lose herself in the depths of guilt and a dizzying inner monologue, her companion finally appeared.

20 minutes late, not that Charlie or her grumbling stomach were counting.

“Twizzlers, thank God,” Kyra skipped the pleasantries, instead making a beeline for her friend and the snacks in her hands. Kyra took a handful from the snack drawer and waited until she’d chewed through at least one before turning to Charlie.

Kyra looked amazing.

Particularly for being on death’s door only a month earlier.

Charlie wished she had been there for more of the recovery. After finding out Kyra survived the surgery, they had an emotional moment, and they frequented each other’s room in the hospital. But after the memorial service, Charlie and Ethan left town, and Charlie struggled once she returned to Boston.

During that time, Charlie visited Raf and Kyra. Sometimes, seeing them was the only time she left her apartment. But Kyra was the strongest of all of them – to no one’s particular surprise. Kyra returned to work within only a few weeks, and with Raf and Kyra still on leave, they primarily heard from her via text or rambling phone calls where Kyra shared hospital gossip they didn’t understand.

Looking at Kyra and Charlie, you could tell that one of them almost died, but you’d think it was Charlie, not Kyra. Kyra was stylish and trendy with high heels, a freshly shaved head, and a new series of gold ear piercings to celebrate her successful surgery. She oozed effortless coolness and accentuated it with a devilish smile everyone adored.

Charlie, on the other hand, hadn’t bounced back so smoothly. She’d dressed for the snow by picking up a pair of jeans she hadn’t washed in over a week, and coupled with her anxious expression, her style that usually read as classic and laidback seemed boring and stiff.

Or at least that was what Charlie felt like in comparison.

“Everything okay?” Charlie asked, claiming another Twizzler for herself as she settled comfortably on the edge of Kyra’s desk.

“Just the hospital freaking out,” Kyra grumbled, digging through her snack drawer for something else. She didn’t seem satisfied with any of her options, so she settled on a pack of fruit gummies from the bottom of the drawer.

“About what?” Charlie’s interest was piqued, though she tried to keep her tone casual. After staying home for so long, she couldn’t help but be intrigued.

“Another crisis,” Kyra evaded her, “Which isn’t helping the dire financial straits the hospital was already in.”

“Oh… Are you sure you can still get lunch today?”

“Are you kidding!” Kyra’s eyes widened as if horrified by the idea of a cancellation, “After all that, I need lunch. Let’s get out of the hospital and actually go somewhere good.”

Kyra wanted to get Charlie out of the hospital. Something about her eagerness to do made Charlie suspicious but not enough so that she would push it further. She was so eager to leave – despite her therapist’s suggestions – that she quickly accepted the proposal.

“Sounds perfect,” Charlie agreed.

After only a few moments of discussion, they decided to go to a restaurant within walking distance. Despite its close proximity, it was unpopular with Edenbrook workers because it was notorious for slow service, a recipe for disaster for short lunch breaks. Charlie, who had nowhere else to be for the rest of the day, didn’t mind. Kyra, who regularly extended her break beyond its limit, suggested it on purpose so she could avoid their coworkers.

As they walked to the restaurant, Kyra silently lamented she’d brought Charlie to Edenbrook on the worst day possible.

But she smiled and kept it to herself.

When they took their seats, Kyra started her usual game of looking for the craziest thing on the menu and deciding she should get it just so she could live a little. She inspired Charlie to order something a little more adventurous than the basic chicken sandwich she’d been eyeing when they first walked in.

After they ordered, Kyra was smiling.

“What?” Charlie asked, “The chicken won’t be that spicy,” she felt the need to defend her order, assuming her friend was judging her hot chicken and waffles – an impulsive choice on Charlie’s part but familiar enough that she was comfortable with it.

“Not that,” Kyra rolled her eyes dramatically, still grinning though, “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too,” Charlie smiled back – genuinely.

“I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever,” Kyra shook her head as if shocked by their recent time apart.

“I know… I haven’t been around much,” Charlie admitted sheepishly, reaching for her water as if she could hide behind the glass.

She didn’t need to feel embarrassed about needing time after the attack to heal. But that wasn’t really what she was embarrassed about. It was the weeks of lying and hiding that preceded it.

“I’ve heard,” Kyra smirked softly into her drink.

“You’ve heard?” Charlie repeated, her heart rate spiking just a bit.

“I mean, even before everything happened, you were getting hard to find. And then, after the attack, you’re entitled to space, but…” Kyra smirked like she knew some grand secret, and Charlie’s stomach flipped. “Honestly, all of your roommates wonder where you are but are too polite to ask because of all you’ve been through.”

Charlie’s face fell.

Shit.

She should’ve known. Of course, they’d eventually put it together that she was often gone and frequently spent nights away, but she didn’t realize they were talking about it.

Charlie swallowed hard, and Kyra took that as her sign to continue.

“At first, they thought you were seeing someone casually and didn’t want to tell anyone after what happened with Raf, but then they thought they would have come around after the attack. For a little while, they thought you were with Raf and had secretly united after he broke up with his girlfriend because you guys were suddenly getting along again,” Kyra explained, watching as Charlie’s blanched with shock, “And he explained your absences a lot of the time, but he denied being your boyfriend, by the way. So, if you are having a secret love affair, you should know that your boyfriend denies it.”

“And do you guys still think I’m with Raf?” Charlie couldn’t believe there had been this much discourse about her absence. How many theories had they gone through?

“No,” Kyra shook her head, “You guys don’t act like a couple when you’re together. Plus, there’s no real reason to keep it a secret.”

Right…

Charlie was amazed Rafael hadn’t told her about all the gossip, but he was probably just trying to protect her from it.

“You guys aren’t, are you?” Kyra asked, just to be sure.

“No, definitely not,” Charlie insisted forcefully enough that Kyra was satisfied she was telling the truth.

“Good,” Kyra grinned in relief, “I already made a bet with Elijah that you two weren’t together, so he owes he me $20 now.”

Charlie couldn’t help but laugh.

Still, her curiosity burned.

“So, what are the other theories?”

Kyra raised an eyebrow, surprised Charlie was digging into it more. Clearly, something was there if she was this curious.

“Some are better than others. Aurora thought you might have a secret apartment to be by yourself. Sienna thinks you’re just going around to different supporters like Dr. Banerji when you need them. She usually thinks you’re at his cabin when you’re away. Bryce likes to joke that you’re out at bars on the prowl for a new boy toy,” Kyra winked with a laugh, “And then there’s this really funny one we came up with at Donahue’s, but it’s probably not true.”

“What is it?” Charlie pushed.

Kyra blushed. She was embarrassed to tell her how crazy their conspiracies had become.

“Well… it’s just that Dr. Ramsey’s been really supportive and protective since the attack. And we all saw how devastated he was right after. Plus, he’s the one who took you to Dr. Banerji’s cabin,” Kyra began, but the way she spoke made it clear she thought it was unlikely.

But she was right.

“After everything that happened with you last year, I know that you probably wouldn’t even give him the time of day, especially since you’d started dating other people right before you got sick. But… we thought you and Dr. Ramsey were, you know, together.”

Kyra expected an emphatic rebuttal or an amused laugh. Instead, Charlie stared.

“You weren’t, right?” Kyra laughed, waiting for her expected response.

“Um…” Charlie hesitated.

She wondered if she should keep lying.

But she couldn’t fathom it, not anymore.

“I was, actually,” Charlie said it casually, like it wasn’t an earth-shattering revelation that she had reunited with the man who broke her heart last spring.

Kyra was stunned to silence.

So stunned that she hardly noticed the waitress deliver their meals. Charlie thanked her on behalf of both of them.

Charlie waited for Kyra to do something.

Literally anything.

But she was just staring.

“We were actually together before the attack, though,” Charlie spoke up, trying to fill the silence. She kept her tone nonchalant in hopes it would keep the conversation that way, reducing the impact of her truth, “About a month. Not including the back and forth preceding it, where we slept together a few times.”

Kyra’s eyes widened more and more until they couldn’t possibly get wider.

“I thought you liked David! Didn’t you go out with him to get over Ethan?” Kyra asked, having set up them up just so Charlie could stop crushing on her boss.

“I did like him! But… I only saw him once. And I actually cut that date short because Ethan called me drunk, and I wanted to check on him,” Charlie admitted sheepishly.

“And that’s when you decided to be with Ethan?”

“No,” Charlie averted her eyes, “It was about a week later, I think. We, um… we had sex in Ethan’s office. We didn’t mean to do that, but as you already know, it wasn’t the first time. So, Ethan suggested that we start an actual relationship. I said no initially, but the next day, I said yes.”

“You’re in a relationship?”

“Oh… yeah,” Charlie winced, realizing her friend thought they were just sleeping together.

“How serious?”

“Like we’ve met each other’s parents, and we regularly say, ‘I love you’ serious,” Charlie’s voice got higher as she spoke until she was almost squeaking.

This was crazy. She’d been having a secret relationship – and not the kind where you text someone and show up at their door. She’d been building something meaningful with Ethan. She loved Ethan. She truly wanted to spend the rest of her life with Ethan, and along the way, she’d forgotten that her friends had no idea.

“Holy. Shit,” Kyra’s jaw dropped, and she leaned in close, “Tell me everything.”

She was smiling, and Charlie let out a deep sigh of relief.

So, Charlie told her.

Their promise to have a one-night stand. The way they pulled away and always came back. Her first date with David and the night she spent with Ethan. The morning where they shared breakfast and became friends again. The night in Ethan’s office where he offered a relationship and her teary acceptance the next night. The first time they said I love you. The way he helped put her back together after the attack. Their fight about her returning to Edenbrook. Everything.

Kyra was enthralled.

She asked more questions.

Most of which involved how Ethan was in bed. The others questioned how such an asshole could be a good boyfriend. And most importantly, why they’d kept it a secret.

On that front, Charlie didn’t have a great answer.

It was obvious why they kept it a secret from most of the hospital. The hospital didn’t approve of interdepartmental relationships, particularly if one party was a superior. It could jeopardize her place on the Diagnostics Unit, and rumors of sleeping to the top could damage her career permanently.

But why she didn’t tell her friends?

At first, just to keep the secret from spreading and maybe because she thought they’d think it was a terrible decision. Then… as time went on, it was just harder to share.

Though disappointed with Charlie’s lack of an answer, Kyra loved the conversation.

A few months ago, she’d strongly urged Charlie to stay away from Ethan, convinced he could only hurt her if they got any closer. But now that Ethan had seemingly proved himself, Kyra was eager to hear everything.

The rest of lunch was spent dishing on Charlie’s secret relationship and gossiping about the fabulous men – and the gorgeous woman – Kyra had been casually seeing in the last few weeks. Out of all of them, the only one who came close to acting like a partner was ironically Bryce – the only one she wasn’t sleeping with. Charlie, as always, encouraged Kyra to ask Bryce out and act on their perpetual flirting. Kyra just waved off the suggestion.

It wasn’t until the end of the meal that the conversation naturally drifted back to the financial state of Edenbrook and the resulting long hours Kyra had been working.

Kyra forgot why she didn’t bring it up earlier. She forgot that, as much as she loved Charlie, certain topics were still of limits. Something about the conversation made Kyra feel safe and comfortable – like she was catching up with an old friend, not protecting her from a hospital tragedy.

“I didn’t realize things were that bad,” Charlie confessed, signing her name on the check as they collected their things to leave.

“The whole thing’s on the verge of collapse,” Kyra sighed, “We’re trying everything –even begging our donor list to the point where they hate us. And things are going to get so much worse after today…”

“Today? What happened today?” Charlie asked curiously. Kyra, who had just looped her arm through Charlie’s, stilled as she realized her mistake.

“Just a little crisis. Nothing we can’t handle,” Kyra murmured casually.

“Is that why you had the emergency meeting?” Charlie prodded innocently, unaware of the change in her friend.

“Mmmhmm,” Kyra hummed avoidantly.

“Well… What was it?” Charlie asked again, growing more intrigued by the minute, “There hasn’t been an emergency admin meeting since someone tried to kill me. And before that, the last one was when Mrs. Martinez’s family threatened to sue. It’s got to be something big.”

And it was.

Something monumental and horrible.

“It’s not great,” Kyra warned, “You probably don’t want to hear about it…”

Well, now Charlie had to know.

“Kyra,” she said softly, pausing on the sidewalk once they exited the restaurant, “what is it?”

Kyra chewed on her lower lip, mulling over the decision on whether or not to tell her.

If Kyra was the one to tell her, at least she could control the way the information was spread. Charlie wouldn’t first be exposed to the news through sensationalized gossip or accusatory questions.

Maybe it was better this way.

“An intern made a mistake, or we think it was a mistake,” Kyra began, her hand resting on Charlie’s arms as they moved through the bitterly cold city. Even with their heavy jackets, they huddled together for warmth, and Kyra was comforted by Charlie’s closeness.

“A mistake,” Charlie repeated, the cogs in her brain already churning.

The last time the administrative wing panicked because of an intern mistake, it had been her own.

“What unit?” Charlie asked, hoping it would be something completely unrelated to her line of work. Maybe surgery made the wrong cut or psych misdiagnosed. Even dermatology was capable of mistakes if they tried hard enough.

“Diagnostics,” Kyra’s soft voice was almost lost to the roar of the Boston streets.

Charlie knew.

Without being told, she knew exactly what happened.

And the fact it came so easily to her meant that she had known the risk before now.

She let it happen.

“Esme,” Charlie blurted out her assumption. She prayed that Kyra would correct her.

“How did you know?” Kyra asked, bewildered.

Charlie winced.

“And the patient was Levi Coates.”

“Did someone already tell you?” Kyra’s eyes were so wide they took up most of her face. She was astonished – maybe even a little relieved she wouldn’t have to share the gory details if Charlie already knew.

Charlie couldn’t speak.

Without either noticing, the crosswalk turned green.

Most of the lunch rush had already left the city streets and returned to their office building, so the sidewalks weren’t crowded. Only a few people stood next to Charlie and Kyra, and once the light changed, they left the pair on the sidewalk by themselves.

“No…” Charlie murmured finally, only becoming aware of the crosswalk once it turned red again and stranded them in their original location.

No one needed to tell Charlie.

It all came back to her in horrific detail.

The day she came back to work – her last day before she abandoned Edenbrook and the care of her intern.

Esme acted strangely. She said things she shouldn’t have said to Charlie. She asked dangerous questions. She was too close to Levi – and too willing to take on the risks involved with helping him. And the party…. The party should have been a sign. No one survived a party at Edenbrook, it seemed.

But back then, Charlie couldn’t take it on. She was too fragile and overwhelmed to assume the responsibilities, stress, and mistakes of another. She couldn’t care for herself enough to teach someone else.

She’d left Esme.

She assumed someone would take over, spot it, and do something.

Or her little warning speech would be enough to warn Esme off from career-ruining misery.

But now, Charlie saw it wasn’t enough.

She failed Esme. She failed Edenbrook, and now she failed Levi.

Charlie didn’t want to ask what Esme had done, but she hoped it was benign – something like threatening a parent and having a lawsuit thrown in her face. She couldn’t watch another bright young intern lose a patient and devastate a family.

“What happened?” Charlie asked, not to sate curiosity but to be prepared. She knew that everyone would stare and whisper once she walked into Edenbrook again.

She didn’t look at Kyra as the light finally turned green again. While Kyra collected her thoughts, Charlie tugged her friend across the crosswalk.

Kyra sighed. There was no right way to say it, but even still, it felt wrong to say, “Levi died.”

Charlie’s world felt like it ended again.

“What?”

Charlie stopped in the middle of the street. Locked into her arms, Kyra was stuck there with her.

“She overdosed him. After everything his body went through, he couldn’t take it,” Kyra explained, looking at the crosswalk sign as she was eager to get out of the road.

“So, it was an accident?” Charlie meant to clarify, but it sounded more like a demand.

“Well…” Kyra swallowed, “We’re not sure.”

“You’re not sure?”

“She was close to the patient, and judging by the interviews we’ve conducted thus far… it’s possible that she did this to spare him, most likely with his permission. And that’s the result the admin office wants.”

“Why would they want that? That’s illegal in Massachusetts,” Charlie demanded, seemingly oblivious to the countdown on how much longer they had in this street.

“Charlie, let’s get out of the road,” Kyra implored.

“Just tell me.”

Kyra huffed, eyes scanning the cars waiting for the green light to run them over. Backed into a corner, she confessed, “Because, if she did, the hospital isn’t liable, and we can’t afford the lawsuit right now.”

Oh my God.

Finally, Charlie took a step, and Kyra immediately ushered them to the other side of the street. Only moments later, cars roared through the intersection, much to Kyra’s relief.

But Charlie was disgusted.

She was horrified. She hated that a death had turned into money so quickly. She hated that she hadn’t saved Esme and Levi. She hated that her experience with Mrs. Martinez had been repeated in another generation.

For the next block or so, Kyra and Charlie walked in silence.

Then Edenbrook came into view.

That place.

Full of death and destruction. Pain and misery. Mistakes and heartache.

An anxious building was suddenly clothed in danger.

She hated it. She hated the whole place and all it had done to those she cared about.

Kyra watched her carefully, hoping that she wouldn’t have to leave her friend in a bad state. Finally, she asked, “Should I not have told you?”

“No, you should have,” Charlie murmured, “Better you than someone like Declan Nash telling me it’s a tradition.”

Kyra squeezed Charlie’s arm, wishing she could absorb whatever terrible emotions she felt. She��d been through enough already.

“Do you think it was an accident?” Charlie bit her lip, unsure if she wanted the answer, “If only you got to decide, what would you do?”

“Me?” Kyra considered it, “I don’t know. I’ve only read a few interviews, and I hardly know her. But… looking at his file, I wouldn’t blame Esme if she did. With parents who wouldn’t allow him to give up, he didn’t have many other options, but… I don’t want her to get blamed for this for the sake of a hospital budget.”

Charlie appreciated Kyra’s fair consideration, but personally… Charlie felt sure of what Esme had done. And she couldn’t blame her, not when she saw Levi’s suffering. But it felt like a failure on Charlie’s part nonetheless. She should have been there to find other alternatives before it came to this.

They were close to Edenbrook now.

Soon, they’d say goodbye.

“Are you going to be okay?” Kyra inquired. She wouldn’t leave her friend like this, but she didn’t know what else to do. She couldn’t bring her back to the chaos in the administrative wing, and aside from Rafael, all of their other friends were currently working in Edenbrook, the source of the tragedy.

“I’ll be fine,” Charlie affirmed half-heartedly.

“Do you have any plans for the rest of the day?” Kyra asked casually. Or it was supposed to sound casual – because, in actuality, it definitely wasn’t. Kyra wanted to know that Charlie wasn’t going to mope about all day or go on a downward spiral after the news.

“Not particularly,” Charlie shrugged, “While I’m here, I think I’ll run up and see Ethan.”

“Your boyfriend?” Kyra teased, and Charlie shot her a glare. Kyra nudged her playfully, “You should tell everyone, you know.”

“I will… eventually.”

“Eventually? So, they’ll find out by getting a wedding invite?”

“I’ll tell them when it’s time,” Charlie insisted, a ghost of a smile creeping across her lips at the joke.

“Just make sure I’m there when you tell Bryce. I want to see his reaction. Promise me, okay?” Kyra demanded once they got to the front door.

“Okay,” Charlie agreed weakly, feeling the color drain from her face as she stepped inside.

“Alright…” Kyra sighed, hesitating to leave. She balanced on either foot as she tried to think of a reason to stay, but ultimately, she just gave Charlie a hug, “Call me later, okay?”

Charlie nodded her agreement.

Kyra wasn’t totally satisfied, but she walked back to the admin office anyway.

Leaving Charlie in Edenbrook.

This building. This horrible building.

Charlie started walking to Ethan’s office on autopilot, but the halls plagued her. Ghosts of patients lost, mistakes made, and heartaches received whispered to her. And then they screamed.

The panic built in her chest – mixing with her sense of regret and responsibility.

Everything here had been a devastating failure.

In her blind rage, she knew exactly what she needed to do.

Ethan felt something similar as he walked to his office.

He’d spent his lunch break with Naveen. Their scheduled lunch had been disrupted by a crisis with Dr. Ortega, and their resulting time together amounted to picking up food from the cafeteria and eating it in Naveen’s office between emergency meetings.

This lunch turned into what Ethan usually called Naveen’s “retirement talks.” Every year or so, Naveen would tire of the politics and stress associated with their profession. He would meet Ethan for drinks or dinner, and he would propose a retirement. Throughout the meal, Naveen would build a fantasy of retirement – one where he read, fished, and hosted dinner parties with frequency. Ethan played the role of reminding Naveen why he loved his job. At the end of all of these talks, Ethan’s side always won because, truthfully, Naveen was never looking to retire. After all, even when Naveen almost died, he couldn’t stay retired for even a week after his recovery.

But today was different.

Today, during the hurried meal, Naveen hadn’t built a fantasy. He reflected on the reality of their job and the pain it can produce. The death of Levi Coates and the accusations against Dr. Esme Ortega were proof enough that this was a difficult burden to bear. Naveen felt responsible. So did Ethan.

It was Ethan’s department, and she worked under Ethan – not that Ethan could say he’d given much effort to her education recently. He’d been so entangled in his own life that he hadn’t been much of an attending. Perhaps he could have taught her something to prevent this.

Then there was the day Charlie came back to work… He’d seen Ortega. She’d been up to something. If Ethan hadn’t been so focused on Charlie, he would have seen it. He could have done something.

Though he felt similarly, he lacked Charlie’s rage and depth of pain.

So, when he opened his office door and saw his beloved girlfriend standing there, he smiled. Because it felt like old times, if just for a minute. When they were so eager for time together that they’d meet here in secret…. His heart ached for the innocence of that time.

Then, he remembered she was still nervous in Edenbrook, and she was pacing the room anxiously. This couldn’t be a romantic visit.

Ethan closed the door behind him quickly and greeted her with confusion, “Charlotte?”

“You know about Esme,” Charlie skipped pleasantries.

In the comfort and safety of this office, the apprehension poured out of her. In front of him, she was going to lose it.

Ethan frowned.

He wished she hadn’t found out yet. It was the last thing she needed.

“So, you know too then?” Ethan clarified, turning the lock on his office door out of precaution.

Charlie didn’t answer. She just held her breath, sucking in air through her nose and holding it in her chest. She thought it would calm her. It didn’t.

“This is my fault,” she decided.

“You weren’t even here!” Ethan objected.

“But she’s my intern.”

“You were mine,” Ethan stepped towards Charlie, “And I never took responsibility for Mrs. Martinez’s treatment.”

“But you were there to teach me. You did what you could. I wasn’t there for Esme. I wasn’t even here at all!” Charlie retorted.

“What do you think you could have done?” Ethan asked, knowing she was expecting too much of herself.

“I knew something was wrong, Ethan. Esme was acting inappropriately. She asked me questions about ‘doing the right thing’ even when it’s not allowed. I should have told someone or at least told her more about what happened to me. All I did was give her a short speech and then leave,” Charlie huffed, “I failed her.”

Ethan felt strongly that she hadn’t. Or even if she had, she was justified given her traumatic near-death experience only a few weeks ago.

“You didn’t administer the dose. You’re not responsible.”

Charlie paused, her green eyes boring into his. He felt exposed as she seemed to read his rawest emotions with ease. And to prove it, she inquired, “You feel no responsibility then?”

Ethan shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t want to lie.

Charlie shook her head as if unsurprised, and she began to pace again.

The panic was rising, and tears prickled at her eyes.

“This fucking place,” Charlie scorned, “All I wanted to be was a doctor. I thought I would come here and learn from the best. I thought I’d leave tired and deeply in debt but satisfied with my decision. And at every turn, something horrible happens. Why am I even here? I came here to help people, but who has been helped? Levi? Mrs. Martinez? Bobby?”

“Charlie…” Ethan eyes softened, “You’ve helped a lot of people.”

“Not enough. Not enough for this…” Charlie felt like she was breaking.

She was cracking and splintering. She was giving up.

“Why am I even trying to be a doctor if I’m just getting people killed?”

“Charlotte,” Ethan didn’t expect to react so viscerally, but something about her accusation stung him deeply. He placed either hand on her shoulder and insisted, “You haven’t killed anyone.”

“I can’t do this,” she shook her head so quickly, so fervently that her snow-dampened curls flew, “I can’t come back here. I can’t come back to Edenbrook, where nothing goes right and everyone gets hurt. Ethan… I’m leaving medicine.”

He could have sworn the earth stopped turning.

“Charlotte,” Ethan began, prepared to give a speech on why she was wrong, but she cut him off.

“I’ve already made up my mind. I made it up before I even got here. I can’t take another tragedy in this hospital. I can’t keep going, Ethan. I’m literally building up my tolerance just to stand in this office! How am I supposed to practice again?”

“You haven’t given yourself enough time!” Ethan asserted.

“It’s been over a month. How much more time will it take, Ethan?”

“Naveen is willing to give you as much time as you need.”

“But when is enough time? Ethan, there isn’t enough time! I am broken. I lost the instinct. I can’t do it anymore,” she felt like she was begging him to understand, just as he was begging her to change her mind.

“You are not broken, no matter what. You haven’t even tested the instinct to know if it’s lost,” Ethan knew that pinpointing the holes in her argument would do little to sway her, but it felt like all he had.

“I can’t keep going like this, Ethan,” Charlie said so passionately that Ethan instantly knew she was right. His hand went to hers, and he squeezed it.

“I know…” he murmured.

For a second, she thought she’d won. But the racing panic and horror didn’t leave her mind…

“But you don’t have to quit to change this,” Ethan decided.

Charlie frowned, but having decided on his mission, Ethan ignored her. He went to his desk and collected the chart for the newest patient of the Diagnostics Team – a patient they hadn’t even seen yet.

He handed the file to her and told her, “Read it.”

“I’m not even on duty. I can’t read this,” Charlie dropped the chart back to his desk.

“You can, and you are. And read it quickly because you’re going with us to meet the patient.”

“I’m on leave.”

“I’m your supervisor, and if you’re going to quit, I’m taking you off leave first,” Ethan determined.

It was a risk.

He could either change her mind or make it much, much worse.

“You should grab your jacket. The patient is at a ski resort, and we’re leaving in half an hour,” Ethan announced authoritatively.

She could say no, of course. She was very good at calling him out on his bullshit, particularly when he claimed authority he didn’t have. But he didn’t think she would because she wanted to know just as much as he did.

“So, what? You don’t want to leave me alone when I’m upset, and you think you can entice me back into work with a mystery? Is that what you have planned?” Charlie accused Ethan.

“No,” Ethan stood firmly, “I’m bringing you because I know you’ll solve it, and you need a reminder of all the good you’ve done here.”

Charlie made a show of rolling her eyes. She hated that he dared to fight her on her own career decisions, particularly after everything she’d been through. But she still reached for the chart. Just as he suspected, she didn’t continue the fight. Instead, she gathered her coat and started reading about the patient.

She wanted to know if Ethan was right.

And honestly… part of her hoped he was.

Author’s Note: Thank you so much for continuing to support this series! I didn’t mean to take this last hiatus, but with finishing up my semester, graduating, saying goodbye to friends, and moving, I ended up needing more time than I originally imagined.

Please share your thoughts on this chapter - and Kyra finding out!

#Choices #open heart #ethan ramsey #ethan ramsey x mc #open heart 2 #pixelberry #dr. ethan ramsey #dr. ethan ramsey x mc #oh 2

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cshistfic · 3 years

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Get-To-Know-Me: @shireness-says

We’re excited to introduce the authors and artists who will have signed up for this event! Stay tuned in September, and make sure to give them lots of love.

Tumblr/Ao3 handle: @shireness-says/shireness

How long have you been involved in fandom? I've been writing since 2017 and lurking for another couple years before that. Gosh, time flies!

What draws you to this event? Well, you know, I just thought "someone out there has such a brilliant idea to put this together, I ought to go show my support --"

It's me. It's my event. I'm greedy and I want more historical fics and the least I can do is participate, you know? At least get folks a new chapter of one of my historic WIPs.

Do you have a favorite historical period to learn or read about? Reading, I've always been such a sucker for those cheesy regency romances. Call it cliche. Learning, I bounce around a bit more - I definitely had an Egypt phase as a kid, and I got really into bronze/iron age bog bodies for a while. Recently, I've had an itch to learn more about the Renaissance. Ask me again next week and we'll see what happens.

Why do you like historical fics? PINING. Pining. I like enormous amounts of feelings having to be condensed into tiny gestures. I'm weak for that stuff.

Beyond that... well, it’s interesting, you know? Historical fics have these built-in boundaries that writers have to work around when crafting their fics, by virtue of the time period and all the societal stuff that comes along with that. It’s fascinating to see the ways authors view our beloved characters fitting into those circumstances.

What is the inspiration behind your story? I’ll be bringing you all a new chapter of A Fate Woven in Thread and Ink (with more art by the excellent @eirabach!). I really want to finish one of my MCs this year, and while I want to support our wonderful authors in this event by throwing in my own two cents, I don’t have the time to commit to anything new. I hope you’re all excited all the same!

Do you have a sneak preview or summary you'd like to share?

Killian has imagined this moment so many times over the years: the things he’d say, the things she’d say if things were ever out in the open between them.

None of them had ever involved an umbrella.

All the same, the moment feels right in a way that Killian can’t describe, like things were always leading to this. Fate has brought them to this moment, and now, the universe can finally exhale.

“It’s you,” Miss Swan finally says. Other women might have whispered it, or breathed it, or some other melodramatic gesture, but the circus’ magician has, ironically, always been made of more practical stuff. When Miss Swan speaks, the words are acceptance, the last action needed to fully recalibrate the world as she knows it.

“Indeed,” he finally says. Any scripts have been thrown out the proverbial window as they stand here under identical umbrellas.

“How long have you known?”

“Since the beginning,” he admits without pause. There’s no point to obscuring or lying deflecting. “Since your audition. You were… different. The things you were doing were real, even if they were so obviously different from my own efforts. It wasn’t hard to put the pieces together.”

“I see.”

A silence stretches between them, though it is somehow not uncomfortable. It feels like she’s sizing him up, perhaps trying to piece together their previous encounters with this new information. He would not blame her; he’d be doing the same in her shoes. It’s been over a decade that he’s known, after all.

“May I interest you in a drink? A chance to talk this over?” Killian offers as a last resort.

And then - she smiles.

“No, I don’t think you can. Not right now.” And with a nod and a crisp sweep of her skirts, she continues on her merry way, as if they’d never met.

Killian watches her walk back into the rain. The whole thing should discourage him, he thinks, should encourage him to keep his distance and not seek to learn more about the woman he has always struggled to view as merely his competitor. Instead, his fascination only deepens. They have time - and Killian is willing to wait however long it takes to have that conversation.

(It is only as he turns back into the rain, some minutes later, that he realizes -

She never did return the umbrella.)

@shireness-says is the mod for this event, and I’m going to stop talking in the 3rd person because it’s getting real weird.

My fic will be dropping on Friday, September 24th.

#cshistfics #get to know mes #shireness-says #yes hello it's vanity hour from your mod

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sonnet009 · 3 years

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Wilder: Royo’s Story (Route Summary)

PROLOGUE:

MC decides not to flee Ziya but to instead wait for the guards to arrive, trusting that justice and truth will prevail. She is promptly arrested and thrown in prison to await her execution.

CHAPTER I:

Weeks pass and MC grows weak and despondent. Then one day an audaciously dressed djinn appears, knocks out the guards, and rescues MC from her cell. The djinn introduces herself as Royo and says that she has been sent here by an important man with a lot of coin. Royo smuggles MC out of the palace in an empty wine barrel, barely keeping her cover intact when one of the palace servants treats her like a lowly slave.

Outside and in the clear MC learns to her dismay that Royo was not sent by Uncle Makram to bring MC home, but by some mysterious other man to whom Royo intends to take her. Unable to overpower her or call out for help without being sent straight back to the dungeon, MC reluctantly goes along with Royo who has a horse waiting to carry both of them away into the desert.

In the Shining Sands Royo and MC cross paths with slavers returning to the city. One of the men recognises MC and Royo kills all of them before they can cause trouble. MC is horrified but Royo only shrugs. “Problem solved, princess.”

CHAPTER II:

Royo takes MC up into the Western Hills in an attempt to shake off any potential pursuers. She refuses to divulge the identity of her employer and will say only that he is a man who believes in MC's innocence. MC asks if Royo believes she is innocent, but Royo only replies that she doesn't care. Suddenly the two women are surrounded by a hunting party of wild djinn. Royo whispers to MC that they should bide their time for now and allows the djinn to escort them to their leader.

The tribe's chief is quickly charmed by Royo and agrees to let them stay there for the night, though he insists that MC is tied to a tree. During dinner two djinn children come to bring MC some food. Royo later takes MC – hands still tied – to a river to wash the grime away, claiming that her employer will be annoyed if MC is delivered to him looking so disheveled. MC notes that Royo seems to be enjoying MC's humiliation. Royo doesn't deny it. After all, she had to endure debasement at the hands of humans for years. “You will survive one night of indignity, princess.”

In the night a sudden storm rolls in. One of the children MC met before is swept into the river but is only noticed by MC, and no one will listen to her. Unable to swim but with no choice, MC leaps into the river to save the child. She manages to drag him to the bank before collapsing. As soon as the storm passes, Royo insists that she and MC move on.

CHAPTER III:

Royo and MC head up into the mountains known as the Knives. Feeling weaker and weaker, injuries from her clumsy rescue throbbing, MC finally passes out and falls to the ground. When she wakes it is in a cave, lit by firelight, resting in Royo's lap. Royo, unaware she is awake, is murmuring apologies for not realising MC had a fever and commendations for being brave enough to jump in the river and insults for being stupid enough to jump in the river.

When MC reveals that she is awake Royo nearly jumps out of her skin. She caught some rabbits earlier and has been cooking them on the fire. The two eat dinner together and Royo finally opens up a little more. She explains that her employer is Yasir, a member of the Guild that rules the city of Umar. He is famous as the human who emancipated the djinn of Umar and has taken great interest in MC, who killed the shah in the name of the slaves. MC protests that she didn't kill the shah, not for the slaves or anyone, but Royo already knows. It's simply a rumour that Yasir wants to capitalise on.

Once MC has recovered she and Royo continue their journey, though now they are more at ease with each other. Royo hits MC with her first snowball. They bathe together in a hot spring. Royo checks MC's still-healing wounds and tells her, “Next time, count on me.” She also muses that the tribe will probably remember MC's actions for a long time. It's not the kind of revolutionary action that will force change on a grand scale, but it wasn't bad. For a princess.

CHAPTER IV:

Past the Knives now, on the way to the port town of Dijarah, Royo finally tells MC the truth about Yasir's expectations. He wants MC to marry him. MC is appalled. Royo is sympathetic but firm, insisting that Yasir is a great man and her best option.

She tells the story of her young life as a criminal, slave to a gang of thieves. One day she tried to rob Yasir, just a simple merchant back then, only to have him declare that, if she helped him, he would free not just her but everyone like her. It was like being reborn, she says with a profound solemnity. MC starts to wonder if Royo is in love with Yasir.

Hamza and his men ambush them on the road. Hamza overpowers Royo but is unprepared for the headbutt she plants on him. Fleeing with MC on her back, Royo gives the soldiers the slip and comes to rest in an old barn. Royo tells MC to sleep while she keeps watch for the night but MC instead chooses to stay awake by her side.

CHAPTER V:

Once they arrive in Dijarah Royo buys dinner for them both at a local inn. A drunk man bumps into them and takes offence to Royo's lack of subservience. Royo brushes him off and suggests to MC that they take in the sights at the Fish Festival that is happening tonight, though that means delaying their journey by a day. MC is touched that Royo would do that for her, though Royo denies any sentimentality.

During the festival they walk through the lively streets and Royo seems to be on a mission to give MC as many new experiences as she can. “I wish we could see more things like this,” she says quietly, but they both know that she cannot be swayed from her duty to Yasir. The drunkard from earlier reappears with his friends, hurling insults at Royo and threatening violence. Royo handily disarms him – his friends are no help – and sends them all running.

This incident has upset Royo in a way MC has never seen before. Royo says that she is sick of people like him. She is a free woman but they'll never see her as anything but beneath them. The next day she and MC board a ship bound for Umar, Royo distant and closed off again.

CHAPTER VI:

MC is treated like nobility on the ship, at Royo's insistence. Royo says it is what Yasir would want but MC suspects this is another way for Royo to distance herself from her. Every night MC sleeps in a luxurious cabin while Royo sleeps outside.

One day, alone on deck, MC is grabbed from behind by a mysterious figure who whispers into her ear, “Justice for the shah,” before pushing her overboard. Royo arrives in time to save her but does not see the would-be assassin. She investigates the ship but cannot find any passenger without an alibi. That night she sleeps on the floor in MC's cabin and they fall asleep holding hands, a vow to protect MC on Royo's lips.

Days pass with no further attempts on MC's life. Royo is stuck to MC like glue, but their unresolved issues turn this into a volatile situation. During an argument Royo nearly kisses MC, then backs off – horrified at herself – and leaves the room. While MC waits for her to return and sorts through her own feelings, the assassin slips into the room.

CHAPTER VII:

Though MC is injured in the ensuing struggle Royo returns in time to thwart the assassin – a man hired by Hamza to shadow MC and wait for the right moment to enact “justice”. While tending to MC's new wounds Royo berates herself for being a terrible escort so far. She admits that it's because she's starting to want not to hand MC over to Yasir.

Giving in to their growing passion and feeling the looming threat of their time journeying together coming to an end, MC and Royo embrace each other and spend the rest of the voyage together in MC's cabin. Royo calls it “making the most of the time we still have”.

But eventually their stolen time together must end. The ship reaches Umar and they disembark. Though pained, Royo makes sure MC knows that they can never speak of this or do it again.

CHAPTER VIII:

When MC is brought before Yasir, it is not him alone waiting for her. Hamza stands beside him, intent on arresting MC and taking her back to Ziya for her execution. With no other way to protect herself, MC accepts Yasir's marriage proposal on the spot and Hamza leaves to avoid a diplomatic incident. Yasir introduces MC to the Guild, the seven most important people in Umar who rule the city as one. Though they should be equal, Yasir clearly leads them.

Yasir throws a ball to celebrate the engagement. MC ends up fleeing to a guest room and Royo follows. Both longing for each other, they give in to temptation but soon stop when the miserable reality of the situation becomes too heavy to ignore.

The night before the wedding MC cannot sleep and wanders Yasir's manor, wanting nothing more than to find Royo and beg her to run away with her. She finds Royo in furtive conversation with another djinn and eavesdrops on them. Through this MC learns three devastating things: 1. Royo and her co-conspirators arranged for the shah of Ziya's murder. 2. They plan to kill Yasir tomorrow before the wedding. And 3. They intend to frame MC as the culprit, and Yasir as the second husband she has had killed.

CHAPTER IX:

The manor is too abuzz with wedding preparations for MC to find anyone who will listen to her. Yasir is cloistered in his chambers and has no interest in seeing her until just before the ceremony. When it is just her, Yasir and Royo in the room, MC is surprised when nothing happens. No assassination. Things are not going according to the plan she heard last night at all.

The wedding goes ahead, vows are spoken, but everything is suddenly interrupted by a number of black-clad and masked djinn who storm the ceremony. While one stabs Yasir through the heart, killing him, another attacks MC. Royo cries out, “No!” and shields MC from the dagger, taking the wound herself. As chaos erupts throughout the crowd MC only has eyes for Royo, cradling her as she bleeds out on the ground. Through shuddering breaths Royo tells MC that she wasn't supposed to be hurt. MC confronts her about the plan but Royo says she changed the plan, not wanting MC to be a pawn in anyone's plots anymore – especially not hers. MC doesn't understand why this has happened. Royo's final words before she is dragged away by guards is, “His...coffer...”

While Royo is confined to the dungeon, MC searches Yasir's chambers. She unlocks the golden coffer by his bed and finds a mountain of evidence that he was far from the good-hearted revolutionary he pretended to be. His freeing of the slaves was a political stunt and the ultimate goal was to have them slide back into chains over time. Royo must have discovered this some time ago and has been plotting his downfall ever since. Not just his, but the downfall of all the tyrants who would keep her people enslaved. The documents also implicate the Guild in a lot of shady practices. MC takes what she knows to them and promises not to expose them; she just has one demand...

BITTER END:

MC demands that Royo is freed and pardoned. The Guild accepts and gifts MC her late husband's manor and wealth as further insurance that she will not be a problem for them.

Royo stays with MC for a while while she recovers but living in the manor in wilful ignorance of the injustice still present in Umar and beyond becomes suffocating for her. One night MC catches her trying to slip away from their bed leaving behind only a note. Royo says that she has to go, has to see the change she wants in the world be done, but promises to return if she can.

SWEET END:

MC demands her late husband's place in the Guild. With little choice, they accept. MC uses her new power to free and pardon Royo. The two of them return to Yasir's (now MC's) manor and spend most of their time working together to draw up proposals to bring before the Guild, forcing them to enact real and lasting change for the djinn. The one MC is most excited to put in place would be increasing the Guild's number by making Royo a member.

MC and Royo make no secret of their relationship, now able to be lovers openly and without shame. Royo proposes marriage – when enough time of “mourning” has passed, of course. The large scar Royo has from the wedding day has become both a point of pride for her and a reminder not to forget that she isn't alone in this anymore.

#Wilder #Royo #Route Summary

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designatedbreadbox · 3 years

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The Midnight Ball

Barbatos x GN!MC

Since this is a ball, your entire outfit + appearance is up to your imagination, so go crazy with the details! Most sorry Satan, I think of the brothers are here but briefly. This is mainly fluff with a side dish of angst. 🎻🎻 I had this in drafts for like 3 wks since school hdghdhh. Enjoy!~•.☆

Word count: 5.6k

There's nothing in all three realms that Barbatos doesn't know about.

He knows everything; he knows every outcome, every possibility, where people stood during a certain event, who caused it, etc.

That doesn't mean he can't be surprised; depending on what it is, there are times his usual poker face changes into a small smile or slight frown. Assuming that possibility happens, anyway, instead of it taking a turn last minute. Since Barbatos is the only demon to have absolute control over the concept of time as well as being able to see everything, it takes a toll on him. It gets tiring looking at every reality all the time; he got constant headaches because of it. He's subconsciously aware of every choice being made at all times, hence why he took the role of a butler.

Being a butler meant that during his waking hours, he didn't need to watch over the multiple realities where things can go wrong at any given moment. His chores kept him busy from that, a distraction that gives him temporary relief.

With that in mind, he was very, if not painfully aware, that every single time he used his powers when he slept, love interest always ended up with someone else. That should be a good thing, he should've been happy for them; but he can't, since in every single one, they never ended up with him. He adored whenever they spent time at the castle in the first few months of the exchange student program during their year here. His love for them was painful, though; whenever he looked at them, he can only see them smile at the brothers, giving hugs, and cheek kisses. When he sees that, he feels a pang in his heart, knowing fully well that he will never be able to be in the brother's spot. That he'll never be able to call them his, since that possibility happened to everyone else but him.

And so, he tried his best to keep his distance, to maintain a friendly nature with them. With all of them. Emphasis on tried; the growing hole in his heart kept getting bigger as the days go by the more he kept his distance. He knew that no matter the reality, he wouldn't get his happy ending.

How he couldn't have been more wrong.

What Barbatos doesn't know is that this time he's the love interest, not a friend. He doesn't know that this time, you have these feelings hidden; that you badly want to confess, but haven't so far, fearful of rejection. He doesn't know that you fell in love with him in secret. Even the brothers that know you the best aren't aware. He always hoped that this time would be different from the rest. That he won your love and affection without realizing it. He was quite impulsive the first few dozens of times; deleting the playthroughs of the player and the brother, human, angel, or Lord Diavolo himself that the numerous players ended up with. He stopped until he learned the truth he himself had trouble comprehending; a truth that would break everyone's perception of reality as they knew it.

Eventually, he learned that no matter what he did, or what precautions he took to make himself seem a little more appealing, it all amounted to nothing. He was always considered to be someone you can depend on when all else failed. How he was always seen as the last option, the last choice of the selection. How he can see the person behind the screen smile while they confessed to their favorite character, and how they chose the option to accept them and their love when it was reciprocated.

It's how these types of games played out, after all. Why choose a character that barely talks to you, barely interacts with their MC, and seems intimidating more than friendly? Who would choose someone like that? There's specific character routes for a reason; there's a reason why Diavolo, Simeon, and Solomon are options when he isn't. He hasn't found it yet, but he convinced himself it exists, even if he can't see it. One download, one person, one playthrough was all it took to maybe have someone love him the way the other players love the rest of the cast.

It was a topic he would constantly think about, but now wasn't the time for that. It was rounding the end of the school year. Barbatos was doing his usual rounds around the palace, making sure everything was neat and tidy. Diavolo decided that in order to end the year on a happy note, for the remainder of the year, this would be the last midnight ball. There was only a slight problem; the previous midnight balls has always been Diavolo, the Seven Lords, the exchange students, and diplomats that hailed from various regions and parts of the Devildom. This one in particular, however, included the diplomats with the whole school. Not only did that mean that Barbatos would have to prepare the entire palace for the whole school, it also meant he had to plan on how to feed everyone, including Beelzebub's enormous appetite. To make this ball even more spectacular, it was a masquerade ball; the perfect chance where one can confess their feelings, and if rejected, act like they never met each other.

He knew how it would end like the back of his hand; despite all the timelines having sometimes stark contrasts and very different scenerios, one thing never changed. At the end of the ball, always one hour before it ended, you would ask the person you liked to date them. The two of you would dance after they accepted. Then you both would eat, chat, show affection, basically act like a couple after the confession.

When the clock struck midnight, the two of you would kiss after the last dance, under the Devildom's eternal moonlight that was casted through the giant, dark gothic windows to a human song called Khachaturian: Masquerade: I. Waltz. Each and every time, he would always stand a ways back, somewhere in the background, just out of you and your MC's peripheral vision. Every time, he would see the same scene unfold, knowing that this masquerade ball was scripted for the two of you. Whenever this scene came up, he never saw the player's MC; no, he always saw the person standing to the MC's side. The person who's smile he always loved, their laugh a pleasant thing to hear, something no one but him can listen to. How the players managed to seperate themselves from their MCs as a type of ghost was a mystery to him, a question left unanswered. No matter who the player was or what they looked like, he always loved them; and he always hope they would love him back. Although he knew it is virtually impossible for him to be with them, he is always fine with settling for their MC.

He was always sad seeing the dance scene unfold, knowing he will never be able to call your MC 'his'; yet he never interfered. If he can't be happy, there's no reason why you and your MC shouldn't be. If it wasn't intended for it to happen, then there's nothing to be done about it.

Barbatos didn't notice he was wiping the window in the same spot repeatedly for a few minutes, nor did he notice Diavolo calling out to him. "Barbatos, is something wrong?" he asked, his face expressing concern for his loyal butler and friend.

"Ah, Lord Diavolo. No, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking of what to do for the ball. There are many things to prepare to make everything go smoothly."

". . . Barbatos, I know you're lying. Do you want to tell me what's actually bothering you, or no?"

"I'm in love, your majesty. I fear it'll turn out like the other times."

"Other times? Oh, you looked into other players playthroughs again, didn't you?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, your majesty, but I hoped this time would be different. Don't be mistaken your majesty, I'm happy that you get picked aswell as everyone else, but for once I want to be the character they choose." Barbatos said solemnly.

"And you will one day. I thought I was never going to be romanceable and yet, here we are. If they can make me a route, then there's no reason why you can't have one." Diavolo said seriously, knowing the truth behind his reality. He left the room to let Barbatos get back to preparations, as well as looking over his never ending pile of work.

Barbatos slightly perked up at that; Diavolo is right. Everyone thought Diavolo wouldn't get one and he did after the previous update. Diavolo knew just as much as Barbatos did; he is his butler, and keeping a secret as big as that isn't something he should withheld, especially from Lord Diavolo. He vaguely remembered how he was one of the "main" characters to interact with the player's MC. Every other time a character shows up, it's only in dialogue format; their faces are never shown.

He finished cleaning that room and continued to the next. When he glanced at this player's progress, he can see that they're one "lesson" behind until they reach where the masquerade ball. They seemed to be going fast, so he's going to have pick up his usually liesure pace. Not that he won't be able to finish by then; he just never found a rush to get everything done, since he always gets it done. Besides, despite having to prepare the whole palace, he only has to shift his focus onto the ballroom. Barbatos ordered the Little D's to decorate the hallways, entrances, the small guest rooms, and replace the flowers in the vases. Barbatos began to work on the ballroom, mind drifting to how the player and their MC would look under the glamorous lights. He shook his head slightly, getting himself to focus on the preparations needed at hand.

Barbatos had to use his demon form to clean the chandeliers and high tops of the room. Once he was finished, the room looked magnificent, enough to make any human realm king ashamed to call themselves royalty. The porcelain vases had an assortment of roses in garnet, gold, a deep midnight purple, and every other color imaginable. The floor and other surfaces have been polished to be as reflective as a mirror to capture the beauty of every guest that attends the room. Streamers of every color, tint, and shade ran from chandelier to chandelier, casting a variety of soft colored lights onto the dance floor.

Chairs and tables lined the walls; each table had small figures to dance along with the music to keep the seated guests entertained. On the right, a table was full of hot savory, salty, spicy, and sour foods along with drinks to compliment them; on the left, a table was adorned with sweet foods from all three realms, matching with its respected drinks. Barbatos had enchanted the room so music would be present throughout the room, instead of it coming from one spot.

He left a few windows slightly open, letting the calming, pleasant cool air to glide through the room, open enough to let the air in but not enough to make the food grow cold quickly. Barbatos used his powers to make the kitchen appear closer, using the set of doors to the farthest right of the glamorous staircases; from where he stood, he can hear the clanging and clashing of pots and pans. The kitchen was occupied with making enough food to fill another table solely for Beelzebub.

Barbatos sneaked a glance at the player's progression; they were almost there, only needed 8 story chapters to make it to the ballroom scene. He grew both dreadful and hopeful at their pace. They were impatient; they breezed through the last lesson, and were now arriving soon. He walked to a supply closet, grabbing the polisher and a rag before swiftly making his way to Diavolo's room, going to help him polish his gold accesories and clean his horns.

He knocked three times before opening the door. Diavolo was sitting on his bed in demon form, turning his head to face Barbatos when he walked in, closing the door behind him, giving a smile at his friend. Barbatos took off his gloves and poured a small amount onto the rag, using his hands to spread it around the rag; he started to rub it against Diavolo's forearms, who then started to hum patiently. The gold piece in the center of his outfit including the gold chains were the easiest to do, minus the small crevices Barbatos had difficulty reaching.

The hardest part, now, was the gold choker he wore; Diavolo was ticklish where the pieces layed, and he always kept squirming when Barbatos polished them, which in turn causes him to shift even more. Barbatos did the tips of his wings and went onto his horns; he was doing the base of his horns, working his way to the front when he felt pressure on his stomach. He looked down and saw Diavolo resting against, snoring softly. Barbatos worked his way and did most of the horns; he woke Diavolo up, who blushed and apologized, saying it felt relaxing. He finished the horns, left the room, and closed the door behind him.

Once that was taken care of, he went back to his own room, taking a quick shower before changing into his demon form. He took off his outfit and layed it ontop of a table with a hand iron. He dragged the table towards his bed and sat down on his black comforter. He ironed the pants first since that article of clothing would be folding the most when moving. Next was the shirt; he skipped doing the individual ruffles on the sleeves, focusing on the main portions of the tailcoat. He fumbled a bit with the numerous buttons, making sure the outfit fit snugly even though it was automatically tailored to his measurements. He smiled a bit upon looking at his reflection, admiring how he looked. Another glance; this time, only 6 were left. He felt slightly panicked, like he had stuff he has to do even though everything was completed.

Barbatos strolled over to the ballroom, mask in hand. Diavolo didn't specify what masks everyone had to wear with their outfits, so Barbatos chose a simple yet intricately decorated dark green mask. The lines decorating it were black, and it covered only the top half of his face. He opened the door to the ballroom, giving it another glance for a last look over. He checked on the kitchen; it had more food prepared for Beelzebub, all resting on the counters ontop of electric stoves to keep it warm. The chefs were sitting on chairs and on the floor, looking tired yet proud; when they saw him look inside, they all gave tired waves and smiles to Barbatos. He nodded at them, closing the doors, making his way to the entrance of the palace. He arrived in time to hear a few knocks, and after fixing his mask on, he opened the door.

He let the first group of guests inside, seeing all the people that walked past the gates, their outfits and masks extravagant and unique. Some came with masks resembling animals, others with full-face masks, some had masks that showed a portion of their face, and other creative variants. Another group had came in demon forms with full-face masks. The students came running towards the palace, their excitement getting the better of them. They only slowed down when Barbatos glared at them, and although he can't see some of their faces completely, he could feel some were giving sheepish grins and blushing. They all walked past him joyfully and now calmly, everyone eager to see what the ballroom looked like. Behind the students came the diplomats; all looking as marvelous as possible, knowing attention would be drawn to them and their outfits. One came as a raven, her dress stopped at her knees, but was wearing a coat that clipped onto her dress at the shoulders and went down to her ankles in large feathers.

From where he stood above the arriving guests, he can see another diplomat as a white fox, his mask turning up to the appropiate ears. He gave Barbatos a warm smile as he glided into the palace, making his way to the ballroom. Lastly but never least, the Seven Lords. Barbatos instantly spotted Asmodeus among them, strutting his way towards the entrance, acting as if the walkway was a fashion show. Everyone else was tranquil, confidently walking next to him, their heads held high, and with shoulders back. Then he spotted you and your MC; your MC's outfit was magnificent, no doubt with the help of Asmodeus and his skills to bring the beauty out in anyone. He saw you trailing behind them, seperate from your MC. Lucifer stopped to talk to Barbatos once they reached him.

"Hello, Barbatos. It's nice to see you again." Lucifer said politely.

"Good evening, Lucifer. It's a pleasure seeing you and your brothers again. You all look dashingly handsome." Barbatos chimed cooly, causing Lucifer to have a smug grin on his face.

"Hey! "Dashingly handsome"? I am the definition of anything relating to handsome, or beauty in general! How did you forget about me so easily?" Asmodeus said, feigning sadness.

"Calm down. You're going to get more compliments when we enter the ballroom, missing one won't hurt". Belphegor yawned, his pillow at his side.

"Hmph. Well, getting another one won't hurt!"

"He has a point. There is no such thing as too many compliments." Your MC chirped.

"Exactly! See, they agree with me!" Asmodeus said triumphantly, as if he won an award of some kind.

"Can we go to the ballroom? I want to see what food they have." Beelzebub stared off into the distance, thinking of what appetizers and meats would be there.

"Of course, Beelzebub. Everyone, right this way please." Barbatos chuckled, taking the lead even though everyone memorized the way by now. Lucifer glared at Mammon to prevent him from stealing as they walked through the halls.

He opened the door for them when arriving, and the soft whispers of the music now became louder. The drafts of warm air and food hit them all, enticing them to enter. Everyone fixed their masks one last time, making sure they were secured on correctly.

"Everyone, now presenting to you, the Seven Lords." Barbatos announced, standing aside.

The guests gasped at their outfits and costumes, looking at them with awe and astounishment. Asmodeus immediately moved to mingle with the people after the announcement with no hesitation. The Seven Lords dispersed into the crowd, with your MC and you being dragged by Mammon and Leviathan. Well, your MC was the one being dragged around; you, contrarily, were following them, laughing at their antics. Barbatos smiled at you enjoying yourself, and smiled a little bigger when you grew to realize that you couldn't eat or drink anything. Your MC, on the other hand, was having the time of their life; they talked with the guests, introduced themselves to the diplomats, ate what Beelzebub suggested and tried the drinks by pouring small amounts, judging which they liked and disliked.

He made his way to the staircase in time for Diavolo to walk down the steps, his gold accesories shining brilliantly in the light. As if he were on cue, Diavolo welcomed and thanked everyone for coming to those that did, with his arms folded. Diavolo went to talk to Lucifer and his brothers. Along the way, Diavolo made it his goal to chat with the people that de deemed were by themselves.

A good chunk of time had passed now, and Barbatos was certain he stretched all talking points with most of the guests. He routinely checked on Mammon to prevent him from stealing and move Belphegor to other places where he can sleep without people tripping over or bumping into him.

Barbatos took a glance at the time and already he felt anxious at the time when you would profess your love to the character of your choosing. The more the clock ticked away, the more nervous he was to see who you would pick. Diavolo insisted that he enjoy the ball to some degree; he said that Barbatos has to put his usual routines on hold until it was done. It didn't feel weird, but it felt strange not serving drinks or offering food to the guests. He didn't mind it that much, after all he enjoyed the occasional breaks from his duties, allowing himself time to wind down and relax.

Barbatos was going to talk to Lucifer when he bumped into Belphegor . . . again, who standing up while sleeping. He sighed, then gently tugged him to a few empty seats where Beelzebub sat with a few giant pieces of grilled, smoked, and cooked meat. He payed no mind to Barbatos and his twin except for sparing a quick smile at them both before picking up a piece of meat. Barbatos carefully manuevered Belphegor to lay across the seats, and once that was taken care of, he strolled to the middle of the giant ballroom.

With a snap of his fingers, the music stopped, causing everyone to wonder why. With another snap, a different song began playing, making it known to people that the dance floor is open. People started rushing left and right, either to get a partner to dance with or moving to sit down and get out of the way. He could see you dancing with Satan who's face was dusted with light blush and spotted Leviathan standing in the corner holding his phone, envious towards his brother. The woman that came as a raven asked Barbatos to dance, which he graciously accepted. Even though the scenarios were different each time, he went through this masquerade ball so many times he swears he can feel the clock tick away sometimes. Once the song ended, they both bowed, thanked each other for the dance, and went to find other partners. He looked around him, enjoying the sight of people dancing, laughing, and overrall having fun.

Another look at the time; it was nearing the hour for the confession. How did time slip through his hands so quickly?

He took a deep breath, feeling the seed of anxiety that kept growing and growing.

He danced again to two more people in hopes of it distracting him from his fear. It didn't help; it only made him imagine your MC in their place, knowing that if he couldn't date you, then your MC was fine with him. As he did with his first dancing partner of the night, he bowed and thanked them. He was about to get a drink when he heard a cough behind him. He assumed it was nothing, so he continued on his way. It wasn't until he heard it again that made him look behind him, thinking someone was in need of his service.

And there you stood, shifting a bit in your spot behind your MC who had a faint blush on their face.

"Barbatos, would you have. . . I-I mean, do me the pleasure of. . . being my boyfriend?" Your MC stuttered out, nervousness clear and present in their voice.

He stopped in his steps. What did they just say?

Time felt like it stopped; and it did, since Diavolo stopped it. Barbatos could barely make out his beaming, encouraging face through the crowd but he could still feel his smile.

Barbatos turned back to the both of you. Your MC was still standing there, now looking down at the ground, face flushed. You were hiding your face in your hands, peeking to see his reaction.

He felt difficulty breathing, still shocked from what your MC said.

He could've sworn his heart stopped in anticipation and excitement.

He had a problem forming words, something that never happened to him before; this was a dream come true and now he's about to blow it.

"I accept your proposal, MC. You don't know how happy I am to hear that." Barbatos said breathlessly, now internally exploding with happiness. Something is nagging at him though; how were you able to choose him? The update list never said anything about him having a romance route; not one he can recall at any point in time, anyway. So, when was it implimented? Regardless, your MC hugged him happily, thanking him for accepting and planted a small kiss on his cheek; he hugged back, careful not to wrinkle his clothes. You were doing a small victory dance, overwhelmed with joy. Barbatos took another look at Diavolo, who looked even happier than all of you combined, proud of his dearest friend.

Barbatos laughed at your guys reactions, living in the moment of the happiest night for him. He soon felt the subtle and gentle rush of time sweeping back into the room; the guests coming back to life, the music flooding the ballroom once more, the chatter of various conversations. He extended his hand towards your MC who graciously took it, their wide, smiling face matching yours. Diavolo was the one now to snap his fingers this time, grinning to himself as he looked at the high golden colored ceiling for no particular reason. The anticipated song begun playing, everyone else switching partners or taking a break while your MC was guided into an embrace by Barbatos. He took the lead, gently swaying into the crowd of dancing guests. Even though you were envious of your MC, you happily skipped to the side to where you were able to spectate the romantic scene unravel.

Barbatos was looking at your MC the whole time, not minding Mammon's attempts to get his attention, which ultimately led to him being carried away by Beelzebub to a few empty seats. Barbatos kept in time with the music, going faster and slower when needed. During some parts of the song, he would twirl your MC away from him, hand held tight, then spin them back into his arms. At the 'dramatic' parts, he would go as far as to spin them around in the air while holding their waist, then set your MC back down to continue the waltz. Your MC's outfit kept getting caught in the air rushing around the two of them, depending on how fast you two were both going. The soft lighting illuminated the flashier parts of your MC's outfit and mask, making the colors pop regardless of how dark it was; the whole ballroom itself seemed to warp into the perfect setting and mood. The warmth of the ballroom, the joy on Barbatos and your MC's faces, and the love that was felt between the pair intensified as the song progressed, coming to its final stages.

As the song reached its closing sequences, Barbatos caressed their cheek, looking at them with love in his eyes, an adoring smile on his lips. Your MC had stars in their eyes, mouth slightly ajar, taking a break from the fast-paced song. They closed the distance between them, their kiss filled with a fiery passion that couldn't be seen no matter how hard someone looked, one that couldn't be bound to words alone. The clock struck midnight, its courageous booms confirming Barbatos's fantasy and ending his worst fear. The moonlight that shone through the giant, gothic windows washed over everyone as the moon reached its peak, with Barbatos and your MC in the center of its graceful light. The clock continued striking as they both pulled away, needing to breathe; you stood there, silently wishing they hadn't let go just yet, regretting you made no attempt to save the moment.

"So, how was that for our first dance, my love?" Barbatos said between breaths, panting lightly.

"I loved it! We have to do this more often. It would be a crime if we didn't!" Your MC chirped, sweat beading their forehead.

"Well then; you ask for dances, and dances you shall recieve." He laughed, enjoying their enthusiasim.

Barbatos knew that the year was coming to a close; thst soon, you and your MC would go back to the humsn realm. That fact made no dent to ruin this tender, heartfelt occasion; he could visit you both as often as he wanted, so long as he made it back to keep Diavolo in check with his schedule. He let go of your MC, leading them to two empty seats with you in tow when he felt a pull at his core, as if he was being summoned. Barbatos was now confused; he never made a pact with anyone, and Diavolo was the only person who could summon him in the first place, but he was having wine with a diplomat. So who was calling him?

"I'm sorry, my dear, but I will be back shortly. Please help yourself to any of the remaining food and drinks" Barbatos said politely, internally feeling relieved as you and your MC nodded, not pushing the subject further. He exited the ballroom, going down a random hallway, opening a door and walking through it to where the tug was felt.

He once again exited the door he entered into the same hallway, feeling the tug lead him back to the ballroom. Confusion and curiosity fueled his motivation to find the source; not before quickly ducking into a secluded corner of the room, seeing himself in the center of the ballroom. Barbatos knew that with every playthrough, every download, there's a version of the brothers, exchange students, and himself; it was, admittedly, a very hard pill to swallow, one he came to terms with. He realized that the person talking to well, him, was different; unlike your MC, this one had hickory colored skin, soft stomach rolls, and coily black hair; they wore a backless currant-colored dress. From his hiding spot, he can hear them talk excitedly about something, their hands moving animately. Barbatos took a glance at the time; roughly three minutes after midnight when he felt, yet again, another pull. He walked away quickly, hoping no one realized there were two of him at once.

Repeating his earlier process, he found himself again in the ballroom; almost everyone was in the same spots, some groups of people had shifted to different sections of the ballroom. Barbatos looked once again, to the middle; the currant-dressed person was now a rather tall human. They wore a midnight blue suit, the tailcoats reaching their calves; their dark brown hair was dusted with a ceruluan color at the tips. They had softly rounded, black square glasses, and if he squinted, Barbatos could make out freckles all over their pale face; their mouth was laughing, turned into a toothy, childish grin. The last two people he saw were cute, yes, but not only did he prefer your MC, he was growing confused the more he felt the numerous pulls.

Barbatos kept repeating the process, entering and exiting the same hallway and ballroom; each time, he saw that the person that version of him talkes to changed. Everytime, they changed in size, skin color, hair, outfit, facial expressions, etc. Growing annoyed of feeling the now barrage of pulling, he went back to the same door; his destination was now the update list.

When he got there, in big words, was the latest update:

" Attention! Dear exchange students, our lovely, hardworking Barbatos has a route now! Make sure to arrive on time to your awaited dance! ☆"

He was shocked, and that intensified when he saw the timestamp for it. The timing was roughly when he was making preparations.

That explains the first random pull he felt.

It explains the consistent stream he felt the more he kept reentering the seemingly never ending ballrooms.

He was being summoned, alright.

He was being summoned to see the amount of MCs and their players choose him, to walk up to him and ask him out, roses in their hands. Barbatos realized that the magical pulls had stopped.

This is what he needed to see. This is why the feeling didn't go away until now.

Barbatos wasn't a crier; not that he was emotionless, but because there was no point to it when he knew everything that was going to happen.

That wasn't the case now; he always felt loved by the brothers and Diavolo, and when he was in reign, the Demon King. However, this was a whole new kind of love.

This love for him, the sheer amount of people that had been dying for this moment, was immense. Time didn't pass here, in the menu options, so he had no fear of wasting precious seconds.

And so, he cried. He cried because of how loved he felt. He cried because he always felt the subtle fear of being the only character that interacts with the MC and their player to not be an option to them. He cried the stress away, feeling both relieved and overjoyed.

When he was done ans composed himself, he took one last look st the update list before leaving the room. He confidently strolled bsck to rhe door he used to travel, arriving at his hallway.

He marched to his playthrough's ballroom, a powerful surge of pride coursing through him that would make Lucifer smile.

He pushed open the doors, and walked over to where his lover sat, a plate of an assortment of desserts on their lap. You were pouting, sitting to their left, still upset that you couldn't eat anything.

He took a chair next to them, allowing them to feed him a brownie, admiring the chefs' work. He smirked, seeing how they had a bit of chocolate on their lips.

Taking the oppurtunity, he kissed your MC, tasting the rich chocolate. They blushed heavily, and you jumped slightly at the sudden action, biting your lip to hold in a squeal; Barbatos chuckled, tessing them even further with a kiss to their cheek.

He leaned back into his seat, looking at them lovingly.

He was glad he had the chance to meet the two of you.

#obey me #obey me one master to rule them all #obey me barbatos #om barbatos #om! barbatos #gn!mc #this took me like 2 weeks to do and mainly was because I had school :(#obey me brothers #obey me lord diavolo #obey me diavolo #mc is gender neutral

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jamespotterthefirst · 4 years

Text

The Art of Observation

Pairing: Dr. Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Dr. Lilac Allende) Word count: 2.5K (sorry again!) Warning: None Author’s Note: The coffee house scene from book 1, chapter 7 from Ethan’s POV.

Catch up here.

_______ A rational man would keep his distance.

But Ethan discovers, with some dismay, that he is nothing close to a rational man because he finds himself in her presence again. This time in line at his favorite coffee house and at his own invitation.

“What's your poison?” he asks, unsure of what else to say as they wait.

Lilac looks up at him, quirking her lips in thought, the gesture entirely too lovely.

“Surprise me,” she tells him at last, breaking him from his wandering thoughts. “I trust you.”

His chest swells at the words and he clings to them for a second longer. The smiling barista waits patiently and Ethan schools his features with practiced expertise.

“I’ll have the Vienna and she’ll have…” He glances down at her smiling yet intrigued face as he considers what to order for her. In the span of a second, he recalls the cloud of misery swirling over him that morning as he marched towards Naveen’s room, feeling as helpless as ever. Until she found him, kind eyes piercing him completely as she said, “I wanted to ask how you’re doing.”

“...the espresso Romano.”

Lilac’s brows furrow with curiosity but she doesn’t ask. Instead, she hurries to dig her credit card out of her purse. “I’ll pay.”

With a shake of his head, he places a hand over hers, gently pushing it back.

“Don’t even think about it,” he says, shaking his head again when she opens her mouth to argue. The barista smiles fondly at them, her bespectacled eyes falling on their joined hands. Abruptly, Ethan jerks it away, feeling his neck flare with heat.

“I know how much interns get paid,” he adds quickly, inwardly grimacing as soon as the words leave him. His addled, panicked mind blurted them out in a misplaced effort to appear nonchalant. God, why was he such an imbecile around her?

After he pays, he leads her to his usual table by the window. Lilac settles in her seat with an easy comfort that he almost envies.

“Do you come here a lot?” she asks, glancing around appreciatively.

“Fairly often. Sometimes I need a moment where nobody needs anything from me. No one here recognizes me, no one cares who I am.” He vaguely gestures toward the many patrons around them. Many of them rush out in a hurry, caffeinated drink clutched in hand. Others occupy the bar stools or tables, too engrossed in newspapers or screens to pay them any mind. The only eyes on Ethan are a pair of striking green ones, watching him with silent admiration.

He ignores the pleasant swoop of his stomach. “Thirty minutes with a good roast and a new book works wonders. I didn’t bring a book, however, so I suppose you’ll have to entertain me.”

He meets her eyes in the charged silence. Lilac's lips begin to lift in a smile, a sure sign she is accepting the challenge. Just then, however, the friendly barista arrives with their drinks. Lilac observes the curly lemon twist adorning hers with amusement.

“Lemon, huh?”

“Espresso Romano is a double espresso with sugar and Meyer lemon, both squeezed into the brew and rubbed on the rim. It brightens the espresso and cuts the edge off the bitterness.” Once again, his mind travels to the icy dread in his stomach earlier as he walked down the construction zone towards Naveen, almost too afraid to face him. Before he can dwell on it, Lilac's gentle smile captures his attention, as incandescent as the beams of the sun burning through fog. “Try it.”

Keeping true to her declaration of trusting him, she takes a sip. Her eyes light up as the flavor hits her tongue. “Hey, not bad! Certainly an interesting mix of flavors.”

The reaction is entirely too pleasing to Ethan, so much so that he rants, “Just don’t ask for it in Rome. It’s a misnomer, and they won’t know what you’re talking about.” Ethan stops with a private cringe at the senseless rambling. Bravely, he adds, “But I thought you might like it.”

Her eyes light up with interest.

“What made you think that?”

The question is entirely too coquettish to be innocent.

“Simple observation.”

“So what, you’re studying me?”

A swift flush travels from his neck to his ears.

“I study everyone, Rookie. I observe everyone. As should you,” he deflects. “In fact, that’s one of the reasons I most enjoy coming here. The clientele can be… intriguing at times.”

To his surprise, she wrinkles her nose in distaste.

“No way, I like to tune out the whole world,” she explains. “If I have a good book, I’d rather be curled up on the couch with a blanket. I don’t want any distractions at all.”

Ethan smiles at the impassioned declaration, realizing it coincides with everything he has learned about her.

“I suppose that’s fair. I mostly read historical nonfiction in what little spare time I have.” Lilac matches his smile with one of her own, perhaps knowing that much about him, too. “Being out in the world adds to the experience for me. Everything around us is part of the same fabric.”

What was he talking about? Ethan couldn't sound more like an arrogant ass if he tried.

He rushes on, “But the art of observation...it’s critical to our work as diagnosticians. You’ve already begun to understand that.” Ethan glances around the tiny but crowded shop until his eyes fall on a man around his same age. “For example… that man there, the one reading a book. He’s deeply troubled. Something’s gnawing at him.”

Lilac follows his line of sight. “How can you tell?”

“He hasn’t turned a page the entire time we’ve been here.”

Lilac stares at the man a bit longer to verify his claim. When the man continues to glance at the same page, she allows an impressed nod.

Ethan doesn’t have time to feel smug because as her eyes fall back on his, she fixes him with a very sharp and serious expression. Green eyes study him astutely, almost as if they can see right through him and conclude that something is gnawing at him, too. Could she read the anguish at failing his friend, weighing heavy in his chest? The grave set of her mouth as she studies him tells him that she might, despite his masterful efforts at keeping his emotions hidden. The beat of his heart spikes up as he remains motionless, transfixed.

Hastily, he tears his eyes away from hers, making himself busy with drinking from his mug.

“You give it a shot,” he prompts quietly, desperate to change the subject.

Lilac blinks but recovers by straightening in her seat. She pushes a lock of hair behind her ear as glances around. Ethan's eyes linger on the small tress she missed, falling weightlessly against her cheek. He has the wild urge to sweep it away, his calloused fingers lingering against the freckles that taunt him so often.

He is pulled from that silly fantasy by her imperceptible nod towards the entrance. A blonde woman, looking to be a few years younger than Lilac, rushes into the store, hand nervously tugging at her coat. Her hair sticks wildly in all directions, the back of it reassembling a nest of some sort.

“I think she got laid last night,” Lilac says casually.

Ethan's mug freezes halfway to his mouth. He is grateful for that or half of his drink would be sprayed all over the grinning young doctor before him.

“Come again?”

“That’s totally sex hair,” she explains wisely. At his aghast expression, she laughs and adds, “Sorry, I don’t make the rules.”

Their eyes fall on the woman now waiting for her order by the pick-up counter.

“Besides, that look on her face?” Lilac continues wickedly. “Pure satisfaction.”

Ethan's eyes fly back to hers. “What makes you so sure?”

“I know it well.”

Throat dry, he struggles to keep his thoughts decent with herculean effort. He wavers for a second, wondering briefly what a satisfied Lilac might look like, breathless, cheeks flushed, and looking at him through heavy lids.

Mercifully, Lilac is no mind reader, no matter how well she proves to read him. Her attention is on the woman, now making a beeline towards the exit with her coffee. They catch an undeniable glimpse of a sequined dress under her coat. No doubt worn to a nightclub the night before and worn again this morning in her haste to leave her lover's bed.

“Okay, you win that one.”

She brings her mug to her lips but the victorious smile is still evident in her eyes. The chime of the entrance door bell rings loudly over the acoustic cover of a Michael Jackson song playing through the speakers. Bearclaw Man strolls in and lines up at the counter.

An idea strikes as Ethan suppresses a euphoric grin.

“Try to top this,” he tells her. “Based on how he carries himself, I bet that gentleman is going to order two venti macchiatos, one with almond milk, one coconut. And, hmm…” He feigns deep thought. “Let’s say a bearclaw. To-go.”

As if on cue, Bearclaw recites Ethan's words verbatim to the barista. He couldn't have done it better if Ethan had paid him.

Lilac's mouth falls open comically. “What?! There’s no way you predicted that!” She turns to Ethan, at once sensing his stifled laughter. “That’s total B.S.! You cheated somehow.”

He stops fighting back and allows a deep, genuine bout of laughter, his shoulders feeling lighter somehow. “Indeed. That man comes in with the same order nearly every day I’m here.”

“So you were just trying to impress me.”

Busted.

“Hardly,” he lies shamelessly. “I’m trying to impress upon you the importance of observation and memory. My point stands. Observation is key. The subtle signals, the hidden details...all the secrets in plain view.” His attention is entirely on her, all pretense and humor gone from his face. She is watching him just as attentively. “Everyone throws a curtain over their lives, hopes it will smooth out the edges and hide the flaws...but the truth always shines through.” As he speaks, his words begin to lose steam, an earth shattering realization beginning to stir him as he looks at her. “Always.”

Neither of them breaks eye contact, maintaining the spell—the illusion of being the only two in that shop, mere feet apart.

“You just have to learn to look for the light,” he finishes quietly.

As he watches her, he can see a silent realization dawn on her face. Her eyes widen slightly with a multitude of emotion before she hurriedly casts her eyes away.

“Everyone?” she asks with pause. She seems to be mustering up the courage to meet his eyes again and when she does, she says, “You’re right. I know I always try to seem more together than I feel. If people knew what was going on inside… well, let’s just say it’s good they don’t.”

The finality in her words feels forced to Ethan, as though there is so much more she is not saying.

“Precisely. If you’re self-aware about it, at least that brings you one step closer to some sort of truth.”

It's as if the words are spoken by someone else. They echo in his mind as he finally acknowledges the inexplicable, maddening feeling that constantly pulls him towards her. At long last, he accepts it, recognizing he lost that battle a very long time ago.

Lilac takes another drink of her espresso as patrons mill about them, uncaring that the world had entirely shifted on its axis mere seconds ago.

“Alright,” she says after a moment, plastering a cheerful smile on her face. “Let’s up the ante. What do you see when you observe me?”

Ethan drinks the last dregs of his coffee as he thinks, studying her over the rim of his cup. The first memory that finds him is the night Dolores died and Lilac staying by his side like no one ever had before.

“You’re too selfless,” he says. “You care more about your patients than about yourself. One day, that’s going to get you in trouble.”

A heavy silence ensues in which he swears he can see brief shock cross her face.

“So how’d I do?”

Her answer is in the form of a courageous smile that doesn't entirely reach her eyes. “You’re way off the mark.” The taunt is almost credible but Ethan knows better. “Swing and a miss. Sorry, you’re completely wrong.”

He humors her with a chuckle. Kindly, he says, “I’m not sure I am.”

Very subtly, she straightens in her seat saying nothing.

“Now do me.”

This makes her almost choke on her espresso. After fighting back a small cough, that cheeky smirk makes a reappearance, much to Ethan's utter confusion.

Whatever that was about, Lilac doesn't explain. She instead scrutinizes Ethan thoughtfully, lush bottom lip caught in a bite. He's not certain what will kill him first, the sight of it or the anticipation of her response.

“You’re lonely,” she concludes.

“I am not lonely,” he returns at once. “I’m desperate for any moment to myself.”

“I’m not sure about that,” she deflects, waving a hand. “You could go read in your office on a break. But instead you come here to people-watch.”

He opens his mouth to argue, but the truth of her words catch up to him. Solitude had always been a rare gift for Ethan, particularly when so many people had demands on his time. He had always relished a drink in silence or the comfort of a book. He had never needed or craved companionship until… until the people he loved the most left his life forever— his mother, Dolores, and now Naveen.

Ethan meets her expectant gaze.

“Did you feel this way before Dr. Banerji retired?” she asks kindly.

Stomach clenching tightly at the question, Ethan stares at those knowing green eyes for a long moment.

“Well? Am I right or what?”

“As usual, Rookie, you’re only half-right. And in medicine, that counts for nothing.”

Lilac looks wholly unconvinced. When she opens her mouth, Ethan is certain it is to continue arguing the point. Mercifully, his pager interrupts.

“Come on, then. My pager is buzzing. We should be getting back.”

As they trek through the crowded streets of Boston, Ethan glances down at her, unable to suppress the half smile she inspires. She had definitely been wrong in her assessment of his loneliness because at that moment, as she smiles brightly back at him, he does not feel so lonely anymore.

_______

Author’s Note: Thank you so much for reading! A bit shout out to @thegreentwin, @aestheticartwriting, @apphia12, @chasingrobbie, @vallerwhoas, @mvalentine for the title ideas!

_______

tags:

@dulceghernandez | @lion-ess24 | @emotionalswift2 | @the-soot-sprite |

#open heart #ethan ramsey #ethan x mc #playchoices #my writing

250 notes · View notes

hyper-super-clover · 3 years

Text

Squeeze that bunny tail!

Part 5 (final part)

Description: The RAD student council as well as the exchange students help out at a bar where, oops, the staff´s dress codes are those sweet bunny outfits that we all know and thirst for. The MCs, Violet and Clover, play a game of who can touch the most bunny tails over the evening without getting caught. Prepare for fluff, funny innuendos as well as my thirst over hot boys in bunny outfits.

This is the finale of this way too long "one shot". Find the prior parts here!

Story continues under the cut. You´re almost finished!!

Continuing to work at the bar for a while, Violet found a surprising guest on the other side of the counter.

“Clover! What are you doing here?"

Clover sank down on one of the chairs.

"A double shot, please" Clover joked, but probably wouldn't say no to a little refresher either.

"Tired?" Violet laughed, handing her a glass of water instead.

"Mhm..." Clover rubbed her face. "I´m slowly running out of energy... Well, how are your squeeze-points doing?"

They exchanged their data. While Violet was doing pretty well with a total of 17 points, Clover had (still) only gathered five points so far.

"Meh... I knew I'd loose" Clover mumbled.

"It's still not too late" Violet tried cheering her up. There's still plenty of time to touch Solom-"

"DONT." Clover shot her giggling friend a glare. "Look, it's not even anything personal, I just... Feel very weird inside when I imagine me walking up to Solomon like this."

Violet's smirk widened.

"You mean like... The fluttery feeling of butterflies in your stomach? Clover, could it be...?! That you lov-"

"I will eliminate you if you end this sentence."

She couldn't hide a smile at the joke, but soon Clover had to realise that her persistence to not squeeze Solomon's tail would have drastic consequences.

"You know...” Violet thought out loud at some point. "We never thought of a price for the winner of our challenge, did we?"

"... Nope."

The ideas kept processing in Violet's head. Then it hit her.

"Or maybe... Rather than thinking of a price, let's do a penalty for the loser."

Clover's eyes wandered up to meet hers, her face curling into a "I don't like where this is going" expression.

"How abooouut... The loser..." Violet began.

"Don't."

"... Has toooo..."

"Please don't."

"...Touch..."

"Why do you hate me."

"... Solomon's tail?" Violet grinned proudly.

"... You really hate me, don't you?"

"Come on, Clover" Violet cheered. "There's still time for you to score some points~!"

Clover wanted to reply something when a weird round of girly giggles caught their attention.

Around the dining tables, a group of female succubi where currently being served by Beel.

But they didn't seem to be interested in the drinks in his hand, but much rather in the man holding them. Even from the bar, the human girls could hear their excited squeals as they kept batting their eyes at the demon.

Clover's head landed on the bar counter in a depressed sigh.

"Whatever... I don't really care about the game anyway..."

In an instant, Violet's whole tone had changed.

"Clover..." She mumbled, voice soft as the patted her friend's head.

"It's been like this the whole evening" Clover grumbled, eyes pointing to the group of succubi. "I can't blame them, but... When I hear them thirsting over Beel, I…"

"Just go up to him" Violet said. "You know Beel, it's not like he'd be interested in some random demons."

The frown on Clover's face deepened. "... And in no random human, either..."

"Stop saying that. You know he likes your company. Likes you."

Clover shook her head.

"Just... Leave me, okay. Thank you, but... I'm just a little angry at myself. I also had so many chances to squeeze his tail but... Yeah..."

Violet clearly remained bothered, but Clover was quick to change the topic.

"Did you get that Luci-butt already?"

"... No" Violet cried. "He dashed away to grab Mammon, and they vanished in the staff room."

"... That's why Mammon was tied to the ceiling fan!" Clover called out. "Explains a lot."

Violet gave a nod, however continuing with her trail of thought.

"It's been quite a while, though... He should have been around the casino area, but wasn't there... And now he's on break, but, again, I have no idea where he is."

"Go search for him" Clover said. "I'll back you up here. I need something to do anyway, so... Go get your man. There's still his tail in need to be squished, right?"

--------------------------

They argued a little, but in the end, Violet accepted Clover's offer and excused herself into an early break. Violet was searching through the whole club. Asking some of the brothers, too, but none could give her a clue. She wasn't able to find him anywhere, so in her desperation, she went up to Simeon.

"Hey, Simeon? Have you seen Lucifer anywhere?"

The angel turned to greet her as well.

"Hello", he smiled. "Does he have a shift right now? If not, maybe he is using the restroom."

"Hm... I've been looking for him for a while now, though..."

Simeon mustered her for a moment.

"He might also be outside to catch some fresh air" he continued his trail of thought. "But I fear he might get a cold if he stays out for too long. Would you mind taking care of him?"

"Huh?" Violet's eyes widened in surprise.

"Lucy always had a bad habit of taking too little care of himself. So, could you check on him? I am sure he would be delighted to see you."

----------------------------------

When Violet pulled open the heavy doors of the bar's back entrance, a head turned towards her immediately.

"Lucifer...!" she called out, looking down on the demon sitting on the stairs.

"Violet... Did something happen?"

He was already in the movement of standing up, worry spreading in his face.

"No no, everything's fine!" Violet quickly assured him. "I just came looking for you."

He stopped mid-motion, but in the end sat down again.

"Why?"

Violet bit her lip. She decided to plonk down beside him.

"I'm also on break now. I thought we could spend it together and relax a little."

She felt his gaze on her, but as soon as she turned to face him, he was looking off into the distance.

"I am pleased to hear you decided to grand me your free time" he smiled. Then, he gave a sigh.

"However... I should probably head back in soon. Someone might need my help-"

"S-stay!"

Violet impulsively grabbed Lucifer's arm before he could escape.

They stared at each other. Until Lucifer let out a breathy laugh.

"Well, if you demand my presence that much... I fear I cannot turn down a request from you."

A little silence came over them. From the side glances Violet threw him, the demon looked kind of... Odd.

"Ah... Is there something you need from me, perhaps?" Lucifer asked. "Or why is it that you want me to stay so badly?"

And from how he looked at her, his perfect attire not shattered, but shreds of exhaustion glistening in his eyes, Violet knew that he wasn't okay.

"I'm good", she replied. "I simply... Wanted to check if you're doing good, too."

Surprise crossed Lucifer's face.

"Of course" he replied. "I am used to working until late."

However, Violet kept inspecting him.

"... Are you worried about me?" he asked. She did not really answer with more than a guilty glance off to the side. "Your worry is misplaced. I am nothing out of the usual."

Violet almost gave a grumbly noise. So he wasn't going to break through his perfect face so easily, huh?

"Okay", she said, tone almost as if she didn't really care. "You know, because I feel kind of exhausted."

Lucifer was hesitating. "... Explain."

"We've been running around for hours" Violet began to list. "The music inside is rather loud, especially near the dance hall. Mammon keeps causing trouble... Well, not only him. It's always tricky dealing with an angry Satan, too, or Beel when he's hungry, or with Asmo when he's... horny..."

The demon interrupted her by giving a huff. He had seen through her plan.

"... So you've come to pity me? Do I seem that weak to you?"

"What? No!" she exclaimed. "I would never think of you as weak!"

She made a little pause. A little nervous, she stretched out her hand to link her pinky finger with his.

"But I... Also don't think it's a sign of weakness to share your exhaustion with others... Let alone to be exhausted in the first place."

His crimson eyes met hers.

"... Why would I be exhausted?" he mumbled. "Dealing with this scumbag of a brother, keeping Beel from illegally eating food supplies without paying for them... Asmo groping strangers, Satan mocking me on purpose... Levi clinging to my side, whining that he wants to go home like some toddler... Oh, did you know Belphie locked himself in one of the toilet stalls to sleep? For two whole hours?" he was waiting for her to laugh, but had to endure her worried expression. "And then there's Lord Diavolo... Mixing his own sparks of crazy into this chaos..."

Mumbling the last part, he looked down on his clothing... Or rather the places where he normally would wear some.

Then his head perked up again.

"Why should I be exhausted?" he asked again. "All that is... Nothing out of the usual..."

Violet's lips curled into a sad smile.

Now she placed his whole hand into her palms.

"You work really hard, Lucifer."

He tried a cheeky smirk. "Words of flattery won't be enough to convince..."

But Lucifer's voice trailed off.

One could even debate that his mouth fell open just a slight bit, seeing the look Violet gave him.

So warm that it truly caught him off guard...

As if admitting his defeat, Lucifer went silent.

He enjoyed how her thumb gently brushed over his hand for a while as he was taking breaths of the fresh midnight air.

Violet was patiently waiting for him until eventually, he would speak up again.

"Aren't you cold?" Lucifer asked. "Your human body surely isn't used to the temperatures of Devildom nights..."

"Huh? No, I'm fine, don't worry about me."

"Oh, surely you are..." The teasing tone in his voice was back. "And I'm sure your outfit is only helping, isn't it~?"

He shot Violet some obvious glances, leading her to instinctively cover her body in a blush.

"Like you're one to talk...!" she mumbled.

"You got me there..." he chuckled. "I would lend you a jacket if I had one, but..."

Lucifer silently gestured at the arm sleeves, shrugging in a manner of "nothin doin".

He got a laugh out of her, and his relief immediately showed on his face.

"Your smiling face will have to keep me warm, then" he said.

Violet's smile turned into a blush immediately.

"Oh~?", he smirked. "A blush is fine as well, thank you~"

Struggling, Violet turned away slightly, trying not to embarrass herself even more.

Then, she felt arms being wrapped around her.

"However, I fear I have to take responsibility for keeping you warm as well..." he murmured close to her ear. "After all, it is my fault you have to sit here..."

The girl turned, and wrapping her arms around him as well, nuzzled her face into his warm skin.

"It's not your fault", she replied softly. "I chose to come and find you."

"... I still don't understand why."

"I told you" Violet smiled. "There's nothing wrong with taking a break from time to time. And if I, in any way, can help you with that, I'd love to do so."

She heard him breathe softly as he was searching for a response.

"... Thank you", he decided to say.

She squeezed him tightly. "You're welcome."

"...Stay like this for a little longer" Lucifer asked of her when it felt as if Violet was trying to pull away.

Of course, she agreed, and so they relaxed into each other’s embrace for a little longer.

Without meaning to, over time Violet's arms were sliding down his body a little, just enough to accidentally brush over something fluffy with her fingertip.

But, oh well, who would even mind gathering points for some silly game when there was something -- or rather, someone else to focus on...

---------------------------

They only parted after Lucifer's phone pulled them back into reality.

Sighing, he announced the end of their break.

"I'm glad we are closing soon..." he mumbled and helped Violet stand up. "Although, cleaning the place will probably leave us with another hour of work until we finally get to head home..."

"It will be exhausting… But we'll power through it" Violet assured, squishing his hand in encouragement.

"Yes..." Lucifer nodded.

Then, he pulled her closer one last time, wrapping one arm around her waist while looking down into her eyes.

"However... I would much appreciate it if we could keep our break a secret."

"Uhm..." the girl blinked, confused. "Sure, but may I ask why?"

"No reason in particular... I would simply ask that as a personal favour."

Then, he leaned in closer. Resting his chin on her shoulder, his hand reached to her lower back.

And Violet gave a gasp as she felt how he provocatively played with her bunny tail.

"In return, I will keep your secrets safe, too."

He pulled back, responding to her dazzled expression with a sly smirk, before passing her to open the door.

-------------------------

Being the gentleman he was, Lucifer held the door open, smiling at the lady as he gestured her to step inside.

"Thank y..." Violet was about to say,

Then both of them looked inside the kitchen.

Beel stood there, together with Clover, both giggling as they snacked on some sweets.

Violet wanted to smile at the sight… But the "shit, we got caught" expression on both of their faces, paired with Lucifer's tangible anger, made her frown instead.

"... Oops" Clover and Beel pressed out, simultaneously letting go of the meringues they had in their hands.

-----------------------

To understand how that situation came to existence, we should go back in time to take a look at Clover's side of the story.

She was cleaning the tables when yet another giggle pulled her out of her thoughts.

The girl felt tired, and had started to count down the minutes left until she could finally go home.

She was really done with life. And those certain giggles made it only worse. She would admit that she wasn't good with things like jealousy.

She just couldn't deal with it.

Not in a way like Mammon, for example, was expressing his tsundere feelings.

No, her way of coping was more... Self hating (like Levi I guess),

And hearing for yet another time how some hot demon girls called a certain waiter over to them drove her insane.

"Do you want to try my cake, Beel~?"

Clover flinched.

She peeked up to see how a demon caressed Beel's arm as she waited for his answer to her question.

Clover couldn't see his face, but, judging from his tone, he was wearing his usual frown.

"... I'm not allowed to eat the food we serve..."

"Oh, don't be like that..." The demon responded, loading some cake onto her fork. "It's my cake now, so I decide who gets to eat it. And I really want yooouuuu..."

She stopped, then one of her friends giggled.

"Are you going to finish that sentence?"

"It's already finished", she purred, seductively winking at Beel before leading the fork up to his face.

Beel was hesitating, for two whole seconds, before chomping down on both, cake and fork.

"Oh... Not again..." He mumbled.

The girls gave a giggle.

"Beel, you're such a beast!" The main (bitch) demon hummed. "That's no good, though... I wanted to feed you another bite, but how, without fork...?"

"Guess you´ll have to do mouth to mouth feeding...", Another chick chuckled.

And as the demon girl stood up to do exactly that, Clover stomped away impulsively.

In her fury, she didn't notice how someone was calling for her. She targeted the table in the most opposite corner possible as someone pulled her arm.

Belphie was staring at her, holding her by her wrist.

"... You're pathetic" he said.

"Thank you, tell me something I don't know yet." Clover pulled her arm out of his grip. "And, what, you've got nothing better to do then watch me be pathetic?"

Belphie blinked in surprise. “I would usually agree that it´s pretty funny to watch you get angry, but I´ve seen you be like this all night. What´s getting you this agitated?”

A deep frown spread on her face, but Clover didn´t answer. So Belphie looked back to Beel.

“Is it because of the succubi? Because of Beel?”

“… Please, leave me alone…”

She didn’t see his worried expression as Belphie was trying to figure the answer to his question.

“… Are you really this insecure?” He finally decided to ask.

As her only response was a short side glare with wet eyes, Belphie understood she wouldn´t talk about it.

“Really… Both of you can be such a pain to deal with…” Belphie breathed before leaving Clover alone.

And Clover felt even worse now.

Not only being so horrible inside, but Belphie tried to help her and she rejected it.

She fought tears as she furiously wiped the already clean table.

Pathetic. Yes, she was so pathetic. Honestly, Beel was probably in better company with those succubi than with an idiotic, childish human like her-

Clover got lifted off of the ground.

Squealing, she noticed too late how arms had wrapped around her thighs, leading her to now flail in the air in panic.

"Wh-what?!" Clover panicked.

"It's time for a break" She felt the culprit cheering into her back.

"... Beel?"

Beelzebub began to head through the local, the girl still in his arms.

"Let's go to the kitchen" he said. "Belphie just told you need a break, and I need your help with something..."

Clover gave some more confused noises, but it was impossible to move in the demon's grip anyway.

"O-okay, but... You don't have to carry me, I'm probably heavy..."

She felt him chuckle. "Heavy? I can carry you with one arm. Look!"

He stretched out his right arm to demonstrate. Beel led them into the kitchen.

The local wasn't serving any food at this late hour, so they appeared to be alone here.

"U-uhm... Beel, are you going to put me down somewhen soon, or...?"

"Yeah, soon..." he mumbled, then walked up to one of the shelves hanging on the wall. "Do you perhaps see anything on top of the shelf?"

Clover tilted her head.

"Yeah, there's a box of... What's that...? Meringues?"

Absolutely delicious meringues!"

Clover gave a little chuckle at the excitement in his voice, but her expression did a full turn when she saw the note attached to the box:

'BEEL. DO NOT EAT.'

"Could you get them for me?" Beel smiled innocently.

The girl hesitated, so Beel asked again. "Please, I can't reach them alone. The shelf is up too high."

"Well... I'm guessing someone hid them there on purpose..."

"Please, Clover... I'm so hungry..."

But as he realised she wasn't going to hand him the box that easily, he let her down to rest on the counter they had been standing in front of.

"Beel, I know you're hungry, but..." she began, however halted as she noticed how terribly tired he looked.“... Are you okay?"

The demon gave a little sigh. "No... I'm exhausted... Not like after training, but just... drained." He leaned against the counter next to her. "What about you? Aren't you tired? Have the customers been nice to you?"

"Huh? Yeah, they have."

"Good" he nodded. "We were afraid that some of the guests might harass you or Violet, but I guess Lucifer's official warning was enough to scare them off..."

Clover fiddled with her fingers.

"There was no need to worry, though. I don't think anyone would have approached us… or me, at least" she said, laughing awkwardly. "I don't have a fair share of people crushing on me like you, hahaha..."

Beel looked at her. "Good. You don't need any demons trying to seduce you. I wouldn't want you to go through a hassle like this..."

"... You don't like the attention?"

He shrugged. "Not really... But I have to be nice to them, so I tend to just ignore what they say. I won't say no to free food or extra money, but... I don't really see why they behave like this."

Clover chuckled, feeling relief at his words.

"Diavolo already said it... Good-looking staff makes more profit."

Beel blinked at her, processing her words. "... Thank you."

"Nothing to thank me for" Clover smiled shyly.

He went silent.

"No... No, there is", Beel then suddenly said, pushing himself off the counter to stand in front of her again. "I've been hit on the whole evening, but... somehow, it feels nice if you're the one to compliment me... You always make me feel nice inside. And for that, I should thank you."

He blessed her with a smile that, obviously, was directly followed by the girls' heart exploding in the love she felt for this man.

However, he still gave off odd vibes.

"...Beel?" Clover called out, seeing how he was deeply contemplating something.

"I was thinking of thanking you with some... Meringues" his smile widened.

"... Beel."

"They're supposed to be delicious! I could feed them to you... If I manage to contain myself. But I'd try really hard, because it´s for you.”

"Beel..." Clover sighed, watching as his puppy grin spread on his face more and more.

"Wouldn't that be nice to feed each other a nice treat...?" he changed into begging puppy eyes.

They stared at each other.

"Beel."

"Clover?"

"We both know you have wings, or could have simply climbed onto the counter if you wanted to get those sweets."

"... But I wanted to share them with you...?"

"We also both know how Lucifer tends to cast spells on the things that you are absolutely not allowed to eat. But those tend to apply to demons only most of the time."

Beelzebub went silent.

"What was that earlier?” Clover continued. “About you not wanting me to be lured by demons? And now, I find myself sweet-talked like this?"

His face had ultimately changed into sulking puppy mode.

"... But I... I'm... I really mean what I said…"

Clover crossed her arms.

"You're a sly demon, mister" she scolded. "And to think you'd take advantage of me like this...!" She fake cried in disbelief.

"I'm sorry..." he pouted.

Silence came over them, in which Clover fully knew that he was thinking of both, how to make it up to her AND how to achieve his goal anyway.

His idea surprised her, though.

"... Want to touch my bunny tail?"

"... Huh?"

"I've seen you and Violet do this to the others" Beel said. "I don't why, but you seemed to have fun, so..." He turned around to expose his tail. "AND I'll treat you with some of the meringues, of course", he added as he noticed Clover was seriously considering his offer.

Clover was grunting something. "Lucifer will kill us", she said.

"He doesn't have to find out."

"... You're evil..."

"Well, I AM a demon, after all" Beel laughed.

And as he teasingly wiggled his tail at her, Clover gave in to the temptation...

------------------------

"Beel... Clover... Would you care to explain what I have to look at right now...?"

Lucifer crossed his arms as he spoke.

Yeah, they were SO screwed.

"... Uhm..." Beel started to mumble while Clover felt her stomach turn in guilt.

"Beel" Lucifer called out again. "Could those be the meringues that I have personally bought and reserved for me to enjoy after work?"

"... There was no name written on it" the avatar of Gluttony said.

Lucifer pierced him with an angry stare. Then he turned towards Clover.

"And you" his tone had the girl shiver visibly. "Demons were unable to touch that box. Hence, I assume it was you who got them? AND ate them, as well?"

"I forced her to do it" Beel immediately chimed in.

"Huh?” Clover blinked in surprise. "Beel, no... I got them! And asked Beel to try them with me. It's my f-fault" she lied.

Now Beel was the one to look confused, and the two kind of drowned in a spiral of trying to protect the other one. But the ruckus only fueled Lucifer's displease.

Already stressed out, he felt like he was about to explode.

If not for Violet who kept him steady.

"Lucifer" she mumbled in a mellow voice, stroking over his arm in a calming gesture. "Don't stress yourself. They will buy you a new package."

Lucifer shot her about the same angered glare as he had done with the others, but softened as he mustered her comforting smile.

With a sigh, Lucifer stepped closer to Beel and Clover.

"... You are lucky to have Violet standing up for you..." he mumbled. "As compensation, I order three boxes of those meringues. Oh, and when we close the bar, do not expect to leave until everything is as tidy as can be."

"Y-yes, sir...!"

------------------------------

Slowly (very slowly I know) but steadily, the evening came to an end...

A lot has happened, way too much to fit into this... One shot... Story... * glances at the total approximate reading time of one hour*

...Well. Let's not talk about that...

A little after 4 AM, every last customer had left the bar/ had been carried out of the dancing hall (like, a few of the most drunk ones literally had to be yeeted out of the local.)

Now everything that was left was cleaning up the local.

Lucifer took it upon himself to punish all of his brothers - and Clover - for annoying him at some point during this event. So those appeared to have an extra load of work, while he pulled Violet aside with him for some more leisure cleaning.

Around five in the morning, it seemed like the bunny crew was finally finished.

"Alright..." Barbatos mumbled, stepping out of the last hall he needed to check. "It seems we are done. All that is left is to take out the trash as we go."

"... How are we supposed to take out the trash? Mammon is still tied to the ceiling" Belphie mumbled casually.

"WHO DID YOU JUST CALL TRASH?!" Some Mammon screamed from the staff's room.

Clover mustered them in amusement, when Violet walked up to her.

"Ooooh, Clooveerrrr...." the girl hummed in a rather... Scary tone.

"... I don't like the look on your face" Clover stated in growing fear.

"You know... We still need to see who's won the challenge" Violet grinned.

Clover crossed her arms. "... Do we really need to compare?"

"Yes."

"Uggghhh..." Clover frowned. She pulled out her phone:

-------

Clover: Lord Diavolo? May we ask how many points you have?

Diavolo: I managed to gather 12 points, fair and square. How many do you two have?

Violet: I have 20 points in total... Although I'm not 100% sure if Lucifer noticed me earlier...

Clover: ...

* Clover has left the chatroom *

------

"Violet, I don't want to do this."

Clover's friend mustered her with a smirk.

"Well..." Violet hummed. "I'm not forcing you, but... You did loose, after all..."

"Violeeet..."

"And look" she pointed at the hall in front of the dressing rooms. "He's standing there, alone, for some reason... It's fate, Clover."

Clover gave the ugliest growl.

But in the end she walked up to Solomon.

She didn't even know how to approach this. Should she try to make it sneaky, or just awkwardly ask?

Legs wobbly, Clover came to a stop behind the sorcerer, reaching out her hand in the same moment that he turned around to face her.

"Oh, hello", Solomon cheered. "Can I help you?"

She flinched backwards.

"Uuhhhh..."

Solomon gave her a confused look, but didn't get to say anything.

Coincidentally, Levi happened to walk up to them as well, wanting something from Solomon.

The human turned around as the two talked.

And finally…

Solomon's bunny tail got touched.

...

Clover escaped immediately. Avoiding any kind of interaction, at all costs.

----------------------------------------------------

The last thing to do before everyone could return home was getting dressed normally again.

And everyone felt so tired that they really just wanted to hit the hay, when...

A panicked scream rang out of the stall Clover was changing in.

"... Clover?" Violet called out, already dressed normally again.

The girl gave continuous panicked noises, pressed out random “What is happening-?!”´s.

Then, all of a sudden, silence came over them.

“Cl… Clover…?” Visibly concerned, Violet was standing in front of the stall´s door, unsure what to do. As she didn´t get an answer, she was trying to open the door, but it was locked.

She had to hurry to get someone to help, and as her face screamed “we have trouble”, most of her friends came to look what was going on.

Barbatos had to help open the stalls door, and when Violet carefully pushed it open…

They saw a small, brown bunny sitting on the floor.

Its green eyes were staring up into the countless pairs of puzzled eyes as they tried to understand the situation.

Violet was the first one to move again. She slowly lowered herself, reaching out to the animal.

“Is that you… Clover?”

“HUH?!”

Half of the people there stared at the girl in disbelief.

“You´re telling me THIS is CLOVER??” Mammon asked with big eyes. Violet had picked the bunny up and stepped out of the stall to get a better look at Clover.

“What happened to her?” Beel asked, worry spread over his face.

Bunny Clover seemed to understand their words. Or at least, she suddenly turned her fluffy head, staring directly at Solomon.

And, well, the sorcerer stared back, an amused smile on his face.

"Ah... So Clover DID touch my tail, after all!"

"... What."

The whole group was now demanding answers.

Solomon chuckled, placing his gaze on Violet now. "I was waiting until one of you would finally approach me and touch my tail... But oddly, none of you seemed to have interest in touching it... I thought I had made myself an easy target, but I must have made it too obvious..."

Violet´s mouth fell open a tad bit.

"... So you really knew of our challenge?" She dared to ask.

But Solomon would only continue to laugh.

"I honestly thought my efforts would go to waste..." He mustered the bunny in her arms. "Don't worry though, the spell will wear off eventually."

"Eventually??" Levi repeated.

"Yes, in a few days or so."

"WHAT?!"

---------------------

The whole way back to the house of Lamentation, Violet had to deal with this grumpy, pissed, simply angwy bunny in her arms. Clover couldn´t speak, but the little facial expression she could give said it all.

“Hey, Cloverrr…” Violet attempted to cheer her up. “Don´t look at me like that… It was fun, wasn´t it?”

Bunny Clover snuffled grumpily.

Yeah, yeah, she thought. It´s all fun and games until it´s about Solomon.

Meanwhile, Bunny Clover had to endure how the brothers kept poking her fluffy fur or took pictures of her.

If she could, Clover would have given a big sigh.

THIS is exactly why I don't trust Solomon... Never did, never will...

#obey me #obey me shall we date #obey me fanfic #obey me bunny event #IT IS COMPLETED #WHY CAN I NOT WRITE SHORT STUFF THO #i hope you enjoyed this :>

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mlqcconfessions · 4 years

Note

Your headcanons are perfect! Thank you for your work!♥️ Can you make a Headcanon for all four when they are drunk and MC tries to take them home so they can Rest? I think it would be so funny with a drunk Victor...

Who doesn’t love drunk MLQC boys? And this is my first headcanon with Shaw, so hope I got his character right! I changed the scenario a bit to better fit the boys’ personalities! Hope you don’t mind!

MLQC Headcanon - Overestimated Yourself

Victor

He’s a true connoisseur of fine wines, and actually enjoys small drinks with you

He doesn’t let you drink past 2 glasses (not after what happened on Christmas last year)

“But Victor!”

“No buts. You can take the 2 glasses, or you don’t”

He swiftly ignores your attempt at pinching his nose (he pinches yours, instead)

“Dummy”

Fine. You want some wine? I’ll give you some wine.

You ask the waiter to bring out the bottle with the strongest percentage (he nervously glances at Victor, who seems entirely amused with this situation)

“Ri-right away” (poor guy)

You anxiously watch Victor as he takes a sip of the new wine, your phone out and ready to record his expression

Nothing.

NOTHING

No change in expression whatsoever

It’s official. He’s a monster

He looks at your face, pouty with your lips out, and smirks before taking another sip

A few hours have passed, and he’s still drinking (from the strong bottle, even!)

Your chances of getting him drunk are close to zero, and you sigh in defeat

The waiter comes by with the bill, to which Victor returns with his card

Hmm?

“Victor?” (he looks at you like nothing is wrong, but you and the waiter’s faces beg to differ)

He turns his head to the card he’s holding (it’s his business card)

..........

You can’t help but burst out laughing at this adorable mistake

“Victor, (you’re still recovering from laughing too hard) are you drunk?”

His expression doesn’t seem to change (but that’s in the eyes of normal people)

In your eyes, you can tell that he’s lost his usual composure

He did, after all, drink more than he usually would

You can’t stop smiling even as he hands the waiter the correct card

As the two of you are walking to the car (with a driver, of course, no drunk driving) he puts his hand on your shoulder

You can sense a change in the atmosphere temperature

“I want a new proposal idea on my desk by next week” (your mouth opens wide and you can’t believe what you just heard)

It’s official. He’s a monster

Kiro

As a superstar, he and his team often go on company dinners after a successful promotion

And that includes drinks (he’s usually the one to buy it, because he just likes to)

Kiro’s constantly offered drinks by everyone around the table

He can’t take in alcohol to save his life (one shot, and he’s soon dancing on the table)

So he figured out a way to avoid having to accept any more

“Kiro, let me pour you a glass”

“Oh? I guess it’s my turn cook the meat now!”

“Take this special drink I made. It’s a mix of beer and soju”

“Savin really likes that, so you should give it to him!” (Savin has built up a high tolerance because of this)

But whenever he’s at home with you on a special day, he likes having a few drinks

The only problem is, he gets so clingy when he’s drunk

“MC, I love you so much”

“Can I braid your hair?”

“Hey! Stop getting so close to her!” (he’s fighting with a fork)

“MC, did you know otters hold hands so they don’t drift apart? (he holds your hand and takes it next to his heart) Now we’ll be together forever!”

Why is he so precious?

It’s cute for the first few minutes, but it gets a little tiring after a few hours

“Kiro, how about we play a game?”

“What game?” (his eyes are shining)

“Whoever can fall asleep the fastest wins! But you can’t say anything, or you lose right away!” (....this is what you do with the kids at the orphanage)

He mouths ‘okay’ and immediately lies on the couch with his hands folded together on his stomach

You look at him trying so hard to not open his eyes, and nearly let out a laugh (you’re still playing a game)

Meanwhile, he has his ears perked to catch you talking

After you’re done cleaning up after dinner, you return to the couch and notice Kiro’s arm is dangling off the edge

I guess we have a winner now (you quietly tiptoe to his side, kiss him on the cheek, and grab a blanket to cover him with)

He hasn’t had much sleep in a while, especially with his new song about to come out

At least he’ll be able to drift off for a few hours

“Good night, Kiro”

As you go to the kitchen to finish putting away the plates, he slowly opens his eyes and smiles at the sight of you (you had your back to him, so you would’ve never thought that he was awake)

He closes his eyes once more, happily content with knowing you’re next to him

“Good night, MC”

Lucien

You can never tell when he’s drunk or not

But he definitely can tell when you are (that’s what makes this so frustrating)

It seems he always catches you at your worst moments

Of course, he ensures you that everything you do is adorable (but that’s not the answer you want to hear)

Determined to see his drunk side, you invite him over for a dinner

You emphasize that you’ll prepare the best wine you can offer (at least with your budget)

A couple glasses of wine in, and you’re already starting to lose focus

Lucien doesn’t even change faces as he refills both of your glasses

“Don’t drink too much, MC (you’re giving him a pouty face)”

“Hmmph! Says the person who’s on his 5th glass”

He laughs at your timid remark, adding on to his list of MC’s drinking habits

The first one on the list is you trying to enter Lucien’s home with your own door passcode (he always loves watching you get frustrated through the *door monitor on the wall)

After a few hours have passed, you just decide to give up

He’s never gonna get drunk, who am I kidding?

Your head has cleared up a little (because you stopped accepting his refills)

Lucien, on the other hand, seems too quiet

He’s quiet, but not THIS quiet

It’s been a while since he said anything, so you’re worried (he has mentioned how he’s been feeling a little stressed lately)

“Lucien..?”

You lightly tapped his shoulder, and he responded by meeting his eyes with yours

He still didn’t say anything, but you notice his face is brushed with pink

“....! Lucien? Are you drunk?”

“Haha.....it appears so....” (why is he still so elegant when drunk)

He gets up to help you clear the table, but is a little wobbly on his feet

“Woah, Lucien! (he’s leaning on your shoulders) Why don’t you go home and get some rest?”

You walk him to his apartment (it’s like 10 steps) and as you’re about to turn around to leave, he lightly taps your shoulder

“Lucien?”

“MC? When did you get here?” (is this a habit, too???)

Gavin

Birdcop doesn’t usually drink, because he’ll need to be on alert at all times

“But it’s your resting day tomorrow! You can afford to lay back sometimes” (you’re handing him a beer can, cold from the fridge)

He looks at your enthusiastic expression, quickly decides that he can’t win against you, and sighs in acceptance

He’s just hoping that nothing bad happens during this drinking fest (because he can’t protect you 100% when he’s drunk)

Luckily, the night passes on without much turbulence

Except for that moment when you accidentally knocked over the chair (how does that even happen) while you were walking to get more cans

“Alright, MC (he’s collecting the remainder of beers). Confiscated”

“...! But!”

“No buts. You need to sleep early for work tomorrow”

You grab his to stop him from taking your oasis beers (he jolts a little)

“I already took the day off for tomorrow! So I could spend the entire day with you” (Gavin is being swayed)

In the end, you win (like most times) and your drinking party with Gavin resumes

You can hold your alcohol quite well (due to all the after parties you go to)

But poor Birdcop isn’t (he never tries to build up tolerance, because he doesn��t need to)

He’s out like a night light, and you smile looking at his peaceful face (he deserves a break, more than anyone else)

After you clean up, you snuggle in next to him

Perfectly content with this scenario, you rest your head on his shoulder

Then you hear some mumbling (how cute)

It’s getting late, and he should be heading home now

But as you get up, he pulls you down towards him (so he’s wrapped around you like a bear)

You try to break free, but he doesn’t train every day for nothing

Instead, you wrap your arms around him the same (falling asleep knowing that you’re protected)

He wakes up in the morning and panics

Shaw

He’s not an alcoholic but he definitely likes drinking

Especially when you’re there to make things interesting for him

He likes watching you act all dumb when you’re drunk (but immediately stands in front of you when you act too chummy with the other customers)

He keeps giving you different types of drinks, just to see how you react

So far, vodka wins by a long shot

He has videos of your drunken self (that he sometimes sends to you whenever you don’t reply to his messages)

But Shaw isn’t the type to get drunk, and both of you know that

So when he called you at 2AM, sounding wasted, it’s no wonder that you were surprised

“Shaw? Do you even know what time it is right now?” (you’re trying to sound annoyed, but holding in your urge to giggle)

“Don’t talk back to me, MC”

In contrast to his cold words, his voice was soft and full of laughter

But a loud crash can be heard over the phone, and thunder booms in the distance

Then, silence

“Shaw? Are you okay?” (no answer)

“Shaw? This isn’t funny!” (at this point, you’re nearly ready to run out that door)

“....alleyway” (the call ends there)

Alleyway.....? Ah, maybe.....

You grab your stuff and quickly go outside, almost out of breath as you run to the alleyway near the neighborhood park (the same one where he first asked you out)

Sure enough he’s there, crouched against the brick wall with his arms in front of him

You walk over to him, forehead beaded with sweat, and say in an exasperated tone

“What the heck, Shaw! Do you know how worried I—”

You’re unable to finish your sentence as you notice the wounds on him

You cup his face to closely look at his cheeks (they’re both covered with marks)

“Who...just who did this to you?”

He doesn’t say anything, and just pulls you closer to him (you catch a whiff of the strong alcohol)

Like always, he doesn’t tell you much (and you know better than to prod at a painful spot)

You just let out a sigh, and gently pat the back of his head (he always relaxes when you do that)

“Tell me everything when you’re ready. I’ll wait for you”

He doesn’t say anything, but his tighter embrace gives you reassurance

(The next day he completely forgets what happened and laughs at you for trying to make things up)

This guy....

*this is what I was imagining when I said the screen on the wall for Lucien’s part

Yeah I don’t know why Shaw’s got so dark (it’s probably because I was replaying the latest chapters)

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summonerscenarios · 4 years

Note

So I remember that request about what would happen if all the characters involved (Shiro, Kengo, Ryota, Toji, Arc, Oniwaka, Zabaniyya, and Ophion) with the genocider chapter found out that MC kissed everyone else and felt hurt, I was wondering if you could do a reverse. Where everyone knows MC is a thirsty ho, but when it came to that kiss, they later find out they're the only one who got kissed on the lips, and maybe they confront MC about why they were the only one who they legit kissed?

Yesss We love a happy reverse of angst in this house. Also back at it again with midnight posting because heyy who needs sleep when you can write cute scenarios!

Toji

Toji’s honestly tried to put the whole kiss out of his head after it happened - it was an intimate moment that the two of you shared but he doesn’t believe himself naive enough to think that it couldn’t have happened between some of the other members of your guild. It isn’t brought up again until he hears Ryota discussing what happened - the heartfelt discussions you shared with each of the Summoners, the hugs and the tears and...that’s it. The more that they talk the more that Toji starts to suspect that the kiss wasn’t a mutual experience, and it’s when Shiro notices Toji’s prolonged silence and asks what happened that the light bulb goes off and his expression is priceless. He gets to his feet and leaves so fast the other Summoners are confused, but he’s too focused on the feeling burning in his chest suddenly filling him with the urge to seek you out. He needs to find you and get answers - to what he isn’t even sure.

By the time he actually finds you you’re confused why he looks so serious (even more so than usual) when he approaches you, standing face to face as he demands to know what happened. At first you have no idea what he’s talking about because he doesn’t outright say it because ‘surely you know what this is about’ and it isn’t until you ask him what you did wrong this time that he blurts it out - was he the only one you kissed? The words come out in a jumble, less dignified than he’d hoped but it gets the point across. He expects you to laugh it off, to make some kind of joke to make light of the situation as you’ve done many times before, but when you tilt your head and say that of course you only kissed him that it hits him all over again.

You’d kissed him. You. kissed. Him.

There’s a moment where the color almost drains from his face before it comes back full force and he blushes right up to the tips of his ears. You’re pretty sure Toji chokes on the air as he tries in vain to hide his reaction behind his hand - he looks so flustered that he’d probably keel right over if you pointed it out. Instead you close the distance and take a hold of his free hand, smiling when his fingers instinctively interlock with yours as you tell him that it’s probably about time you cleared some things up between you two. Your smile is comforting and warm and Toji feels his breath catch in his throat when your eyes meet.

Only to bury his head into his free hand with a groan when you wink and warn him not to get too flustered now. Of course you had to get a jab in - but this time around he doesn’t entirely mind, so long as you seriously mean what you’re about to say.

Ophion

As similarly mentioned before Ophion does not believe himself naive enough to not consider the possibility that another being could have caught your eye in his absence, a factor which he has promised himself to compensate for by proving with absolute resolution that his love for you surpasses all others. So it is when he learns about your interactions with the other players that even he finds himself pleasantly surprised. He was the only one to receive your kiss that day? To say that his pride takes a boost is an understatement - the dragon transient’s ego will be feeding off of this information for weeks, and will more than likely wave that little flag of information for everyone in the immediate (and outside) vicinity to hear, much to the complaints of Hakumen and the other Tycoons because after a while it just gets tiring. He takes this as a sign that you’re one step closer to finally accepting his devotion, that you yourself chose him and only him that day and would very well choose him again should the time come.

With that being said however he desires to hear those very words from your mouth - for you to admit that what he’s inferring from these kisses is true. And so don’t be surprised if he ends up coming right up to the school just to whisk you away for a couple hours - be sure to give everyone a heads up after though, before they end up having to send out a missing person’s report in concern. Ophion takes you somewhere where there’s no concern of being interrupted while you bear your heart out to him (though he doesn’t even tell you why he wanted to meet with you until you’re actually there) and of course it also has to be somewhere that he deems suitable for you. You’re honestly just confused, but the usual sweet talk he peppers into his speech keeps you interested until he finally gets to the crux of why he’s brought you all the way out here. When Ophion mentions the kiss that you ‘reserved just for him in that moment’, a moment for him and no-one else you can’t stop yourself from blurting out - well duh, of course you only kissed him. Why would you have kissed anyone else?

The moment the words leave your mouth you realize you probably should have explained yourself because you quickly go from standing on your own to suddenly being held in very firm arms that are going to be incredibly reluctant to let you go now. If Ophion ever needed a reason to shower you in affection it’s hearing this, and you can be sure that he’s eager to recreate that first kiss and make each one feel better than the last. In a weird way it almost feels like he’s praising you for your commitment, in the way he holds you and moves his lips against yours, a hand coming up to trace a finger along your jaw just to get a reaction out of you. Well at least you don’t have to worry about confessing now!

Ryota

Ryota tries to focus on that moment you two shared looking over Tokyo as a means to both distract himself from all of the bad memories, and remind him of the promise that he made to you. He wants you to be able to rely on him like everyone relies on you, to share at least some of the burden on your shoulders so you don’t feel so alone. And of course with remembering that comes remembering the kiss, and his heart flutters just thinking about when you wrapped your arms around him and pulled him into a kiss - despite being exhausted, wounded and on the verge of overwhelmed tears you had just looked so alive that the image would have been burned into his brain even without the kiss. He wanted to talk to you about it, he really wanted to, but with everything else that happened as well as the worry that the version of you that he kissed might not even be the one that remembers made him back out of the idea and instead settled for just keeping that memory to himself. If you forgot than that’s fine, he’s just happy to be by your side now.

That’s what Ryota thought, at least until the Summoner’s bring up what happened during a recap of past events during a meeting. You weren’t there at the time, which is probably what sparked the debate about the whole ‘you multiplication’ situation among the members. He perks up as he listens to the others talk about their experiences with ‘you’ and what happened after you fought the exceptions - he’s so invested that by the time it comes around to his turn Ryota doesn’t even think to stop himself from letting the whole thing spill out, the kiss included. He only realizes when he receives a shocked “WHAT?!” from everyone in the room, with even poor Shiro choking on his drink in surprise at the revelation. When Ryota panics and asks if that really didn’t happen to anyone else he’s quickly informed that no - he was the only one. The emotions hit him all at once. He’s flabbergasted, conflicted and more than a little confused but above all else he is so, so happy. The joy practically burns away in his chest and he can’t sit still in his seat because now all he can think about is the possibility that your kiss was important, that you could have meant what you said.

The next time that Ryota sees you all the time he’s spent keeping the memory to himself ends with him all but pouring his heart out to you about what happened that day; the affection that he felt, the relief of surviving and fixing the destruction, all the things he’s been worried about telling you just come out all at once. When you take a hold of his hand Ryota can feel himself calm down, his worry transforming into hope as you pull him into your arms and hold him close. It feels different than before but in a good way - there’s no adrenaline of near death experiences, or the stress of something going wrong; there’s just the two of you, and the sound of your heartbeat as he rests his head against your chest has honestly never been more comforting to him than in this moment. You’re here for him, and that means more than you could know.

Zabaniyya

Out of all of them Zabaniyya would be the least likely to bring the kiss up again unprompted. Though he admits that the kiss which the two of you shared is a memory which he has carried with him ever since it is also, he also carries with it the assumption that you had no desire to leave that kiss in the past. He had allowed his greed to get the best of him for what was only meant to be a simple ranking kiss, and even now the reminder of the way his hands took hold of your body to swallow up the distance brings him pause from time to time. For all he knew this was simply what was meant to happen - that you kissed him to establish the hierarchy as you had seemingly done with the others involved in the fight against the exceptions, and so Zabaniyya chooses not to speak out about it unless you are the one to come up to him about it. And that time comes sooner than he realized.

Your confrontation comes out of nowhere, under the guise of dropping by with Ryota to say hello to Maria and the other missionaries Zabaniyya has no reasons to doubt that you have any ulterior motives until you all but drag him to somewhere more private to talk. Sure he could have quite easily stopped you if he wanted to but seeing how focused you are to bring him with you the transient ends up following you anyways. It’s only then that you ask him about what happened that day after the exceptions - having multiple trains of memory of the event to deal with undoubtedly leaves some things muddled, but you still remember everything. And more importantly you want to hear his side of the story, which upon your request is when he opens up about it. It’s right as he mentions the kiss, talking about how it had happened in a way similar to the others that you stop him, asking him to repeat himself with a look of what he quickly notes as bewilderment. As soon as you hear it for a second time you know there’s been some kind of misunderstanding, he thought you’d kissed everyone else(which coming from anyone else probably would have upset you but you know that he’d never mean any disrespect towards you.

When you admit to Zabaniyya that he was the only one that you’ve kissed you can practically see the lightbulb go off above his head (literally his halo burns brighter) and the first words out of his mouth is an apology for assuming anything different. Even for how reserved Zabaniyya can be, the color that blossoms across his cheeks makes you smile at the sight, even more so when you point it out to him. He tries to find the words to best explain how he feels about the kiss, and about his feelings in general - he wants to give you an answer that he knows is the truth, however those words do not come as easily as he would like. He needs some time to sort through his thoughts before he can give you a proper answer, and he hopes above all else that you’ll be patient with him until that time comes.

Kengo

Kengo didn’t really think that you’d just go off and kiss other people after what happened between you and him like some of the others had assumed. Sure you were kind of a flirt and made some pretty dirty comments here and there but that was just part of what made you his partner! And he wasn’t going to doubt that unless he got told otherwise. So it comes as no surprise to him when some of the other Summoner’s start talking about the whole mess that the kiss isn’t a mutually shared experience. Having multiple of you in one place at once and knowing these things all happened at the same time still hurts to wrap his head around, but hearing everyone talk about it helps to piece together a solid narrative of any gaps that happened in between fights. And it’s when the only piece missing in the other’s stories is a kiss that Kengo starts to really think about what happened back there. You two had made a promise to stick with each other even after the game was over, to have each other's back no matter what when you’d kissed him. Anyone else could have probably passed it off as being fueled by adrenaline, but when you’d assured him that rather than Shiro or Ryota you wanted him and only him well, even looking back in hindsight it makes his chest burn with resolve.

Perhaps he should have talked to you about it sooner, it’s not like he was hard pressed for chances since the two of you spend practically every day glued at the hip (or fists). But Kengo figures if there’s any way to do it he’s gonna bring it up casually - no point adding unnecessary pressure to either of you and doing it this way gives either of you an out if you feel like it’s getting awkward. He wants you to be honest about it - did you seriously mean it? You didn’t go spouting this kind of affectionate spiel to anyone else right? He just wants to hear you say it for peace of mind but he trusts you - you wouldn’t play his feelings like that. And this is only further proven when you meet his eyes face to face, expression turning serious as you assure him that you meant every word that you told him, and you still do unless he feels different about it now.

He all but shouts that of course he doesn’t feel differently about it! Surely you don’t think it’d be that easy to get him to back down out of a promise right? Plus he meant exactly what he said too! Sure he’s not the best when it comes to expressing things with words but he’ll do damn well all he can to prove to you that he’s going to be serious about what you two have got from now on, let’s just hope you’re ready for what comes next!

Oniwaka

You’d been meaning to talk to Oniwaka about everything that happened after that fight for a while, however with all of the other trouble which followed on top of the fact that the two of you had never been around each other long enough to talk since it was hard to find a spare moment to actually bring it up. It wasn’t as though either of you hadn’t thought about that day, the whole thing is burned into your brain in more ways than you’d like but Oniwaka would be lying if he wasn’t still hung up about it. Looking back he may have been a bit too harsh giving you a lecture about not being careful around others, but he still meant what he said when he told you that he’d look out for you. Still there’s a part of him that wonders if you actually took his words to heart, especially when you’re constantly swarmed with people willing to do just about anything to get your eyes on them alone.

In the end you don’t have to tell him. You aren’t sure how Oniwaka finds out, maybe by talking to the other guild members or hearing enough talk for word to get back to him, but you sure can tell when the guy all but kicks the safehouse door down to confront you. The only thing he asks is if it’s true, and there’s a good couple of seconds where you have no idea what he’s talking about until you put two and two together going through the possible questions in your head. Not sure what reaction you’re going to get out of him you slowly drawl out a yes, confusion evident in your tone as you wait for some kind of response in return. For a moment the two of you are stuck staring each other down, waiting for the other to do something. Oni moves first.

He buries you in his arms when they wrap tightly around you and you’re pulled flush against his chest. He’s warm to the touch, even more so than usual, and his grip on you is so firm as though he’s trying to get out every word he can’t say into a single hug. If anything it’s comforting to have him holding you, as though nothing could get past him and for a while you feel content to stay like this. He doesn’t say anything, face hidden from your view but when you finally manage to catch a glimpse of his face you can tell that he’s bright red. It’s too good a chance to pass up making a comment about how cute he is when he blushes, which gains you a gruff ‘oi, knock it off!’ and a hand roughly making a mess of your hair to distract you from the fact that he’s grinning. You two still need to properly talk this out, but for now? This is enough.

Shiro

Shiro’s actually the one who brings it up to you - there’s a lot about that day that he can’t get out of his mind but the circumstances were just never the right time. Plus it’s not as though any of the Summoners had time/wanted to sit down and relive through the whole thing again when a lot (him included) were still struggling to piece plans together. But at the same time Shiro desperately wants to hear those answers. Hiding his feelings towards you isn’t exactly his strong suit and he wants to know where the two of you stand before it goes any further, even if you don’t feel the same he wants to at least hear it for himself (despite how much it’d undoubtedly hurt him).

A part of him has always hoped that he was the only one, but at the same time Shiro knows that he might not be the only one you’re interested in. Bringing up what happened is harder than he thought, battling the exceptions and coming so close to the entirety of Tokyo being destroyed almost feels like a far off nightmare but he knows better than to doubt it at this point - he can still remember everything, from the panic, to the fighting, and of course the kiss. Hell he can still feel the way your lips melded against his own and his cheeks turn ruddy at just the thought, but it’s these memories that even further drive him to wanting to know for sure.

He feels awkward asking you if he was the only one you kissed, and ends up running circles around the topic when you guys finally get a chance to talk. It takes a little while before you catch on to what Shiro’s actually trying to ask you, and while at first he’s terrified that he’s offended you, that fluttering in his chest comes back full force when you instead narrow your eyes and shoot him a knowing grin. You tell him that while even you’re aware that you’ve got a reputation as a bit of a flirt you were serious when you decided to kiss him - only him. Your tone is teasing but he knows you’re telling the truth, and though he’s embarrassed that you’re able to get him to blush so easily he’s also filled with such relief to know that you meant it. That kiss means something. He means something to you. He’s honestly just so happy to know that the feelings are at least reciprocated, however give him a little bit to calm down if you plan to properly confess because you can be sure his head’s going a mind a minute over the whole thing - god forbid you try to kiss him again he’d just about keel over from the mess of emotions (not before reciprocating said kiss though hehe).

Arc

At first the kiss that the two of you shared that day is something that Arc doesn’t put much thought into. Given the circumstances it provided a means to an end regarding the exceptions, and with everyone just glad to be alive they fully assumed that talk about what happened had ended that very same day. It’s not new news to hear about how often you flirt with people - even in the face of death you haven’t shied away from getting at least one comment to catch someone completely off guard, and it is partially because of this that Arc simply lived with the assumption that you also shared a kiss with the others involved in determining the game’s rankings. That is until they find out that they were the only one you’d ended up kissing. Ryota had brought up the incident and had been going on a tangent about how weird it was seeing you multiplied, wondering if you remembered what all the other ‘you’s did, like fighting all the exceptions at once or determining rank. When Arc mentions the kiss they honestly expected Ryota to nod along and talk about your other kisses, but instead Ryota just looks confused and asks what they mean which in turn baffles Arc. There’s a beat of silence as the two stare at each other.

And then it clicks.

Ryota’s asking them 101 questions - you guys kissed?! When?! What happened!? Arc hesitates under the slew of questions but answers anyway, and by the time Ryota finally eases off their suspicions are all but confirmed and they know that they need to confront you about it. Arc waits until the next time you’re free to bring it up - they want to be able to take the time to just talk to you about it rather than spring it on you in the middle of everything else going on. Not to mention they need some time to sort out their own thoughts and feelings about the whole thing before the two of you finally talk. What exactly did your kiss mean to them? Compared to the other Summoners they've known you for the least amount of time, so what made them different enough that you shared a kiss with them and no-one else? Not even that long ago the two of you had been fighting against each other - so was it just the rush of the situation that changed things?

Arc doesn't know how to feel - but even they have to admit that there’s something appealing about you. The way that you act and your burning desire to go against the grind to aim for an ending where everyone is happy even if it gets you hurt? It’s no surprise that they feel an affinity towards you, though they know they’re not the only one. Regardless of if their confrontation ends in a confession or something else entirely they decide that their feelings from before haven’t changed. They want to get to know the real you, to make memories with you in this timeline that they can carry with them long after this game has ended. And if that ends up blossoming into something more? They find themselves looking forward to that future all the more.

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miminorenai · 4 years

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Chapter 21

In the church engulfed in silence —

Sitting on the bench, Charles speaks of conversation he had with Mimi, bit by bit.

Charles “......Even if she believes in Dazai, she said she can’t believe in me.”

Charles “She said he’s never a person who won’t be sad by a person’s death......but a long time ago, I used to be sad a lot too?”

Charles “What’s the difference with me and Dazai? Mimi seems like she’s having a hard time with Dazai......”

Faust sighs at Charles who’s muttering vaguely.

Faust “How rare, for *Shall to show negative emotions.”

(*Faust called Charles ‘シャル’ instead of his full name シャルル

Charles “Negative emotions......?”

Faust “Are you jealous?”

Charles looks up blankly at Faust.

Charles “I’ve never been jealous of anyone before, but......”

Faust “Your UNawareness is a pain.”

Faust “It appears that winning over vampires in the mansion is out of the question.”

Charles “Such thing is non-negotiable/undiscussable, huh?”

Charles “But Dazai —”

Dazai “If you could make my wish come true ···— I might be interested to get on with our discussion.”

Charles “Despite saying it like that, he didn’t tell me after all.”

Charles “What is Dazai’s wish, I wonder? What does he desire to the point pretending not to see Mimi’s favor......”

Faust “......”

From the information they received from Shakespeare, the reasons of resurrection for the great men in the mansion......

......their purposes and backgrounds were being investigated.

But regarding Dazai, his exact purpose remains unknown and has not been reported.

Faust thinks with his finger on the chin, and opens his mouth after a while.

Faust “......Shall. You once said that Dazai’s past might be resemble you.”

Charles “Hmm......yeah.”

Charles “I used to execute......a lot of people. That guy let someone died too, although the amounts are different.”

Charles “I don’t know what caused his double suicide affair, but......”

Faust “If that’s the case, a thought experiment......would you like to play an *association game?”

Charles “Game?”

Faust “It’s simple. — What do you think of the person who’s causing other people to die?”

Charles “......”

Charles’s suffocated by the cruel question.

Faust, observing his reaction, urges Charles to answer with a sharp gaze.

Charles “......Regret, I guess. Even if I said I’m sorry......no matter how much I apologize, it’s not enough.”

Faust “And, there’s no way for atonement.”

Faust “So — what if you could go back to the world before you made a mistake?”

Charles “Huh......?”

He blinks.

Charles “If I can go back......if I can do that, I’ll stop the execution.”

Faust “How? Are you going to let the dying people escape?”

Charles “If it’s possible, I’ll do it then......”

Faust “You’ve got a point there. Then, if there’s a more fundamental solution —”

Charles “Fundamental solution......”

Charles drops his gaze on the floor and thinks carefully......and suddenly raises his face.

Charles “The executioner ···— it’d be good if I were gone.”

Charles “—··· Ah, I see. Perhaps Dazai......”

Charles smiles, as if he discover a star before his eyes.

Charles “......Hey, doc. Lord Vlad said this earlier.”

Vlad “If all the great men who influence the world disappear, what will happen to the future?”

Vlad “……Hmm, how interesting.”

Charles “If Dazai’s purpose is really ‘that’, is it worth trying?”

Faust “The great men to disappear......should we do that experiment?”

Charles “Yeah. If we’re to use that door, we can even try it right away. Lord Vlad said that the abnormality had subsided.”

Faust “No one could use the door properly except for His Excellency Vlad.”

Charles “But I’ve heard of it before.”

Vlad “— The other side of the door is a space-time interval.”

Vlad “It gathers the earnest feelings of humans throughout every era and period. It’s such a door.”

Vlad “If you have a strong will, the door may respond and lead you to the desired place.”

Faust “......I see. It’s certainly interesting to see what happens if we succeed in using the door, but —”

While Faust’s face shows that he’s still has objection on the matter, Charles’s truly in bliss.

Charles “......Yeah, that’s it. It’s different from our original plan, but isn’t it better to fulfill Dazai’s wish?”

Charles “And then, there would be no death to come after this.”

Charles “Isn’t this a good thing? Mimi will definitely understand.”

Faust “— Shall. You......do you aware?”

Charles tilts his head to Faust’s voice, which has a slight suggestion of sounding out.

Faust “His Excellency Vlad still loves human.”

Faust “When he casts something away, he has his own standard, whether it’s necessary or unnecessary for the world.”

Charles “Ah, if I do whatever I want, will he get angry......?”

Faust “It’s not like that.”

Faust “......What are you trying to do is Shall’s own choice, not His Excellency.”

Charles “Uh huh, is that so......? But I’m sure it’s not in vain.”

Charles “Mimi might be sad if Dazai’s gone, but — “

Charles “......I’ll fill the empty hole in her heart.”

—··· A few days later, MC’s going out shopping in town with Sebastian.

Sebastian “Which reminds me, do you still read Dazai-san’s book?”

MC “Ah......, yes. Little by little between works and nights, though.”

MC tries to keep calm and answers the shaken topic that’s suddenly comes to her mind.

MC “To be frank, I still carry it around, even now.”

Sebastian “Right, Mimi is steadily becoming a Dazaist.”

Sebastian “It seems that Dazai-san is also writing.”

Sebastian “If there’s a request, allow me to do the editing or proofreading......”

MC “Sebastian, are you serious......!?”

Sebastian “Of course.”

Sebastian “But, it’s been particularly hard to catch Dazai-san again, nowadays.”

(......That’s right.)

MC hasn’t been able to talk with Dazai since that night he kissed her.

(He’s actually avoiding me after all......)

(But, I’ve been refused many times now, what should I do?)

The feelings of awkward, sadness......various emotions are mixed in MC’s chest and she cannot advance to the next step.

(Even so, I want to talk, even a little......I want to meet Dazai-san.)

When MC’s thinking about such thing, a scenery suddenly pops into her head.

(From what Dazai-san told me, if it’s that place —)

(I feel like I can meet him......)

There’s a strange sense like being called to the multicolored spectacle.

(Yeah......let’s go there.)

Sebastian “Mimi, what’s wrong?”

MC “Nothing......um, Sebastian. Can I take a short detour on our way home?”

And then, MC heads for —

— alone, to the path she visited with Dazai before.

On both sides of the path, the hydrangeas still have their vivid petals. But......

(Dazai san’s —··· not here. As expected, such coincidence will not happen so often.)

(I wonder why? It felt so wonderful when I walked with Dazai-san, now I’m just lonely......)

Except for the changing seasons, the scenery doesn’t change that much, but it looks different.

Instead of someone she couldn’t meet, MC opens Dazai’s book.

(In those days, it was fun to be together, and it felt so natural to be close to Dazai-san.)

(Somewhere in my mind, I was hoping he feels the same way......)

MC “This is......a hairpin?”

Dazai “It’s a hydrangea hairpin. I thought it would look good on you when I saw it in the town.”

Dazai “All right, it suits you well. You look very cute.”

Dazai “You are so good at believing in people.”

Dazai “……Really, Mimi-san is so honest enough that makes you dazzling.”

Thing that were fun and exciting......when MC remembers the days she spent with Dazai, her chest tightened in pain.

(I wonder if we can’t go back like we used to......)

(No, even if we can’t go back —)

(Right now......the scariest thing would be Dazai-san will go somewhere that’s out of reach.)

Dazai “......If you’re going to say that far, then tell me.”

Dazai “What kind of things filled my heart/mind while I kissed you just now?”

MC “......Dazai-san, are you angry? That, or is this also your intention of being a clown......”

Dazai “Hmm, who knows?”

Dazai “Mimi-san, I......I’m afraid of your straightforwardness.”

Dazai “When you’re with me, I ···—”

(I'm still curious about what Dazai was going to say back then......)

(What is making Dazai-san baffled to be with me......?)

For that little while, it seems MC was able to reach the edge of his heart, and while she’s pondering on his words many times over —

MC “Ah......”

Maybe because MC was distracted, the book slips off her hand.

She reaches out to pick it up in a hurry......and catches sight of a sentence from a page that opened by accident.

—「駄目な男というものは、幸福を受取るに当ってさえ、下手くそを極めるものである。」

“A hopeless (useless/no good) man is someone — even at the time he receives happiness — will carry his hopelessness to the extreme.”

(Happiness......Right, Dazai-san too —)

Dazai “Listen, stop have feelings for such man, since I cannot make you happy.”

MC “How about Dazai-san’s happiness……?”

Dazai “I don’t need that. I don’t wish for it anymore.”

That guy, being stubborn, doesn’t even try to accept something like happiness.

(Since the reason for his revival is “to accept punishment for making other people unhappy”......)

(But I —)

—··· MC wants Dazai to be happy.

He scoops up the subtlety of human hearts, and give them incomprehensible kindness in indirect (roundabout) expression.

(But even then, he always takes a step back......)

MC wants to reach out for him —··· who’s alone at a distance and feeling lonely in his whole life, as he sinks into a dark place.

MC “Dazai-san......”

MC picks up the book as if touching his heart gently, and as her feelings welled up, she hugs it tightly to her chest......

......there were eyes staring at Mimi from the shade of tree.

Dazai “I just turned my legs somehow, I wonder why are we attracting each other......”

Dazai “The weak fear happiness itself, huh......?”

—「弱虫は、幸福をさえ恐れるもの」

“The weak fear happiness itself. They can harm themselves on cotton wool. Sometimes they are wounded even by happiness.”

After muttering a sentence he once wrote in ‘No Longer Human’, he laughs, like mocking himself.

Dazai “Mimi-san, I’m afraid of you. Since when you’re with me, I feel happy......”

Dazai quietly leaves the place, as their thoughts and feelings passing by one another —

He then goes towards the man who summoned him.

Charles “Welcome, Dazai.”

Dazai “It’s an honor to be welcomed directly to your stronghold.”

#ikemen vampire #ikevam #ikevam dazai #osamu dazai #ikevam spoilers #kind of literature chapter haha #it's getting depressing to translate his route xD #dang #I pretty much want to hug both of them #both dazai and charles #since I'm on my break today #I manage to translate two chapters~#so happy to get rid of that procrastination haha

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girlsgonemildblog · 3 years

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Seriously, What the Fuck Did I Just Watch? - Emily in Paris, Episode 8 Recap

Poster from IMDB

I literally cannot believe everything that happens in this episode happens. I honestly may not be able to even write this blog; that's how insane it all was. The episode begins with Emily leaving her apartment at the same time that Gabriel and Camille are leaving theirs, but Emily hides to avoid running into them, meaning we don't get to start our drinking game just yet. Camille then texts her asking if they can meet for lunch and talk about "something important."

At breakfast with Mindy, Emily is sure Camille knows that she and Gabriel kissed (for the second time). Mindy gives Emily some pretty good advice, "just don't kiss Gabriel," but Emily insists that "it's not that easy." It literally is, though? Like, just don't put your lips on his? It's really not that hard? You see tons of other people every day, and you don't kiss any of them, right? Or is Emily just going around and kissing literally every person she sees? I highly doubt it. The conversation moves on to Mindy, who has friends from her old life in China visiting because one of them, Li, is getting married. Mindy is nervous about seeing them again because they don't know that she's a nanny now.

For lunch (did she go to work at all or just out to eat?), she meets Camille at a sushi restaurant, clearly following Mindy's advice to avoid anywhere with steak knives. It turns out that Camille doesn't know about her kiss(es) with Gabriel and just wants Savoir to represent her family's champagne company. Emily says she will pitch it to her coworkers, and Camille invites her to her family's chateau for the weekend to learn more about the company. Gabriel will not be coming because he has to work and is still upset with Camille for asking her mother for a loan to help him buy the restaurant.

When she finally does go to the office, her coworkers are not very interested in the champagne company since it's so small. They then begin to roast Emily about the love triangle she's in with Gabriel and Camille. Without Sylvie, Luc, and Julien, this show would be completely unwatchable.

In the morning, while loading her belongings into Camille's tiny car, Gabriel shows up, and it's revealed that he is coming because he got the weekend off work. Emily is less than happy since she is still trying to avoid him. In addition, due to their bags, the three of them all have to squeeze in the front row, making Emily sit on Gabriel's lap. As they're driving, Camille asks, "everyone okay?" in a weirdly suggestive manner, and I again have to wonder if there's going to be a threesome at some point. It almost feels inevitable. But then, Camille also says she wants to set Emily up with her brother, so who knows.

At the "chateau", Emily meets Camille's mother, Louise, who is extremely cold to her and speaks French despite being fluent in English, and Camille's father, Gerard, who is naked by the pool, his genitalia covered by a very well placed champagne bottle. Louise sends Gabriel to the market, and he tries to get Emily to join him on the bike ride. Emily says no, as a bike ride on the French countryside to a farmer's market is way too romantic to do with someone who you are trying to avoid kissing, and then Emily and Gabriel get into a fight on whether they can be friends, Gabriel saying it's no big deal and Emily insisting it's best if they keep their distance.

Emily decides to go on a tour of the winery instead, where she chugs champagne like it's a natty light and she's an 18-year-old named Brad pledging Kappa Sig. She hits it off with the hot tour guide and discovers that he is Camille's brother, Timothée. Every Timothée is hot; this is only the second I've ever seen, but my point still stands. I also must point out how much he looks like Gabriel. But they're from France, not Alabama, so I won't say what I am thinking.

Gabriel cooks dinner for the group, and I have to say that making your girlfriend's chef boyfriend cook you dinner, in your home, on his weekend off, is rude. Let the boy have one night where he's not working. Gerard makes a lot of uncomfortable comments about the taste of Gabriel's coq and eggplant, and Louise lectures Emily that women aren't supposed to touch the champagne bottle at the dinner table, and you shouldn't talk business there either. Then Camille's parents start telling Gabriel that he should accept the money they've offered him, and it gets even more awkward than when Gerard was implying he sucked off his daughter's boyfriend. Emily posts a photo of her and Camille to Instagram, and we learn that her account has grown to 21.7k followers, which is only a 1.6k increase in 3 episodes, so it seems her meteoric rise is beginning to fizzle out.

Mindy texts Emily that they look very "cozy" and then tells her to check out her friend's livestream because she's about to surprise the rest of the bachelorette party. We then cut to Mindy in a jazz club with her friends, who announce that they're there so she can sing again. They reveal that they know that she's a nanny and don't care; they just don't understand why she's given up on her dream of being a singer. They finally convince her to get on stage. She insists she can't and tries to give the microphone back to the MC, but when he tells her no, she starts belting immediately.

Emily watches through her phone, and when the livestream ends, she can hear through the wall that Camille and Louise are fighting in French over the loan to Gabriel. To get away from it, she goes outside to sit by the pool. Timothée comes out to join her with a bottle of champagne. They have a heart to heart, and Emily says she left the US because "there were no decisions left to make, not even wrong ones."

Just when I was thinking this show is actually pretty good, the craziest thing that's ever occurred in the history of television happened. Emily asks Timothée about the difference between a Champagne flute and a coupe glass, and he tells her the coupe was designed using the shape of Marie Antoinette's breasts. Emily then takes the coupe glass and puts it up to her own boob. Timothée, without moving any closer or saying even a single word, reaches out and grabs Emily's other boob. Emily then guides his second hand to her tit that originally had the glassware on it. Seriously. This happened:

There's then a jump cut to Emily and Timothée having sex, and Timothée is bad at it. I mean, rapid jackhammering and weirdly intense concentration bad. Emily actually tells him to stop and repeats his own advice about drinking champagne back to him, "slow down. You're supposed to savor it." I threw up a little in my mouth.

The next morning, Emily wakes up with a hickey and then joins Camille's family for breakfast. There is a new man there, and Camille introduces him as the brother she wanted Emily to meet. Confused, Emily asks about Timothée, and Camille says Timothée is her younger brother and is 17. Just then, Timothée joins them, kissing Emily and apologizing for her hickey before sitting down. Everyone at the table realizes what happened, and Gabriel has to get up and leave to keep from laughing. Emily repeatedly insists she "didn't know," but I'm not sure how well that would hold up in a court of law. (For those curious, as I was, France currently does not have an age of consent but has a bill waiting to be passed that would set it at 15.)

Louise asks Emily to speak privately in her office. Emily immediately begins to apologize profusely, thinking Louise is going to yell at her over the whole accidental-statutory-rape thing, but Louise says she "doesn't care about all that" and just asks if her son is a good lover. I think Emily's face says it all:

Emily lies to Louise and says Timothée was sweet and gentle. She then uses the opportunity of having Louise alone to finally talk business since Louise had been dodging her all weekend. Emily comes up with an idea to get rid of their excess inventory, based on an Instagram that Mindy posted of her friends spraying a bottle of champagne over themselves in a club. She pitches the idea of "a bottle to sip, a bottle to spray," and says their champagne could be "the official 'spray' of Paris." I have to say; this is actually genius. Maybe Emily isn't completely terrible at marketing after all? Louise is worried about the legacy of her family's company since it's a little tacky of a pitch, so Emily proposes they create a second label and name it after Louise's husband's nickname, "Champére". Louise agrees, and the episode ends with Gabriel, Camille, and Emily piling into Camille's car to head back to Paris and Gabriel mocking Emily for being a cougar.

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task-of-the-burdened-one · 4 years

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to flip the soulmate au a little bit - MC is in a relationship with RO and they're having a nice day out together, when they stumble upon a person who turns to be, undoubtedly, MC's Soulmate. ROs initial reaction? What if MC decided the Soulmate bond is worth severing their current relationship? And what if, instead, MC tells their Soulmate to get lost bc they love the RO too much to play by the rules of Fate?

Long so under cut:

Initial Reaction:

Vik: Jealousy. They have always believed that, even if you weren’t soulmates, you had an irreplaceable bond. They want a soulmate bond with you, crave it, and would give anything to have that sort of connection with you.

Alice: She’s interested in the arrival of the individual who is your destined partner, but not intimidated. She wants to know your feelings.

Marcol: He tenses just a bit, but isn’t especially concerned. He doesn’t care for destined partners, and knows their arrival won’t change anything for him. He is more interested in your reaction and how you feel.

El: They are immediately wary, as soon as they realize who the person before the two of you is. They don’t outwardly do anything or react, other than a tightening around their eyes and the flattening of their mouth.

Orion: Despair. The fear that one day MC will leave them, which has always been a small thing at the back of their mind, grows stronger. The fear of loneliness settles in their chest.

Talarae: She’s not too concerned. She never put much stalk in soul bonds, and has never sought out her soulmate either. She’s happy with MC; the first person to make her feel more.

Yenia: Possessiveness takes hold, and jealousy, rich in her chest. She wants to drag MC away, she wants to keep you with her. This person, a supposed pair to your beautiful soul, shall not come between you and her.

MC Wants Soul Bond For Soulmate:

Vik: Devastated. They plead with you to stay with them, take a chance on your connection and bond even though it isn’t a soulmate bond.

Alice: She respects your decision, though is sad to release you. Soulmate are important, and if you want to follow through on that connection, she won’t stop you.

Marcol: Disappointment. “I see.” He’ll go cold and distant and get up and leave you and your soulmate alone. Will distance himself from you going forward.

El: They accept your decision with good grace but internally they are upset by the loss. They keep a straight face, even if their eyes are hollow with pain.

Orion: Accept the loss as to be expected. How could someone like you want to be with them? It only makes sense that you would choose your soulmate when they appeared before you? How can they compare to that sort of bond?

Talarae: She’s completely blindsided by your reaction. She feels incredibly hurt, and may lash out at you as a result.

Yenia: “I won’t allow it.” She says, quietly.

MC Rejects Soul Bond For RO:

Vik: Elation. They tighten their hold around your waist. “I’ll show you that our bond is stronger than a soulmate’s!”

Alice: Contentment. I love you. She says, against your cheek.

Marcol: Relief. “Good.” He says, gruffly, and then takes your hand and kisses your palm.

El: Relief. “I wouldn’t have been upset if you had chosen them...” their hand tightens around yours.

Orion: Relief. “I... thank you for choosing me!”

Talarae: Smugness. “I knew you’d choose me. Our relationship can’t compare to soulmates, after all.”

Yenia: Pride. She’ll lean her head against yours. “Thank you, my spirit.”

#RO asks #lovely anon #vik #alice #marcol #el #orion #talarae #yenia

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mobagehelllocal · 4 years

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While reading leona's part in “wendy?” “hello peter pan” i thought for a split second that mc's green eyed daughter was Leona's child and thus that mc didn't know she was pregnant when she left the mirror ! 😯

Oooh! Honestly, I hadn’t really intended it to seem that way.

To really explain this, I have to go into my image of Leona, and why I chose to portray him as is. This will contain spoilers for those who haven’t read “wendy?” “hello peter pan”, so please avert your gaze if you have yet to read it!

This is also lengthy, so if you want, I put a TLDR at the very bottom. HAHAH.

PS: to make something clear, Twisted Wonderland is a work of fiction. Therefore everything—from story to character is truly up to interpretation. I’m just giving a reasoning behind why I chose to write Leona the way I do. At the end of the day, I will not begrudge you for portraying Leona differently from me. I just really want to share the way I understand him. Perhaps this could help, perhaps it won’t—either way it was fun to think about this. ^^

I knew from the start that I wanted the daughter to be the image of what Leona could’ve had.

Here’s something you probably wouldn’t figure out from my writings: I originally disliked Leona.

Now! Before you go clicking off, let me explain.

Savannaclaw’s story is sandwiched between Heartslabyul and Octavinelle--both of which are very emotionally driven narratives. I’ll try not to spend too long on these two houses, but look at it this way.

We can empathize with Riddle because he suffered a lot in the process of upholding his mother’s teachings. He put up with it because it had to be the truth--as if they were false this whole time, then he was suffering for nothing. So when you come in, and prove exactly that--it makes sense for Riddle to lash out the way he does.

Let’s not get started on Azul. We empathize with Azul because we all have that one bully, one person we want to either get even with--or become better than. Azul was bullied extensively in his childhood, and just snapped. He, with nothing in his hands, decided he would take everything away from his bullies. In the process of taking away from his bullies, he would build himself into someone infallible. He distanced himself from his past because he was ashamed of that part of him. So when all that hard work is snatched away by someone more fortunate than him? When even the indestructible version he had built himself to be is beaten? It meant to Azul that he hadn’t changed at all, that he was still that bullied octopus. He snapped. It might’ve been a big middle finger to Azul because it essentially invalidated all the hard work he put into being someone who could.

Then what about Leona?

The emotional drive behind Leona’s Overblot is exhaustion at being seen as the inferior second prince to his brother. In fact, it’s generally his inability to become number one. In Afterglow Savanna, he has to go up against his well-loved and preferred brother. In Night Raven College, he has to go up against Malleus Draconia, the strongest student.

Here’s the thing though, and this is my personal gripe about Leona--which tbh, I would still call him out for.

He doesn’t try.

Or if he did try, we don’t see him do it.

We see him laze about, doing nothing. Yeah sure he comes up with an underhanded strategy that could help them win against Diasomnia--but he actually barely does anything. And the moment it doesn’t work, he just concedes. It pisses him off, but he gives up. Just like that.

It’s also why him turning into the Overblot feels... (personally) so lacking to me. Like, I felt he had no place to get angry, when others (especially like Ruggie) were relying on him to pull it together at the end. Like, we all knew Leona would get the Overblot because he’s the Scar themed character. But narratively speaking? A stronger story would’ve been Ruggie being the Overblot, and Leona reacting to it. (Like do you know, how amazing that would be for Leona’s character to? I want to see it so bad!)

At the end of the day, we got an angry Leona. To me, at that time, his anger felt so entitled. Like, Leona’s always been seen as incredibly smart, skilled PLUS he’s also really wealthy. So to me, I just thought, “how could you be so angry when you’re so lucky to have all of this? In fact, why can’t you use that anger and turn it into a determination to make yourself better? You’re smart, you’re skilled, you have the resources--if you exerted more effort, I think you could get farther.”

I still think the Savannaclaw chapter could’ve been better, but I’ve also realized that it’s because Leona is the way he is, that makes it impossible to resolve his problems the same way Riddle or Azul is able to.

‘Ai, when will you stop bullying Leona?’

Hang on, I’m actually done, and I’ll finally get into why Leona’s story in “wendy?” “hello peter pan” turned out the way it did.

There are two people, aside from me, who actually gets to read these pieces before I post it on tumblr. They don’t know each other, they’ve never spoken to one another--the most they know about each other is probably from whatever I say to them about the other. And here’s the thing, they both told me this: “Leona is the best one you wrote from “wendy?” “hello peter pan.””

Of course, I’m instantly confused. I didn’t like Leona when I first wrote anything for Twisted Wonderland, by the time I was writing his piece from the series (he and Riddle were written days ahead of the rest actually) I was 50/50 on him. I was okay with him, but I certainly didn’t like him. So I did a lot of internal introspection about this.

I realized that at the end of the day, I understood what Leona was angry about.

It wasn’t anger about being stuck at second place.

It was anger about never being acknowledged in the first place.

He was never seen as Leona Kingscholar, he was simply The Second Prince of Afterglow Savanna, or Prince Farena’s Younger Brother. He never was acknowledged as his own person.

And here lies another problem. I believe Leona is someone who represses. I think he’s someone who prefers to shut his eyes and sleep, over acknowledging the problem. He decided to sleep instead of confronting Jack’s bullies in that short manga strip, he doesn’t confront Jack’s bullies in the SSR Card Dorm uniform either until he really needs to. He’ll put it off as long as he can, and if it solves itself, then that’s better for him. This ties in with the idea the fact that he’s seen as someone inferior to Farena, how he’s never acknowledged beyond that, and how it’s an opinion he can’t control. So he just decides to let it be, and keeps all his feelings to himself. Because acknowledging ugly feelings are always so exhausting, crying, getting angry--these things are exhausting, and he must’ve felt or had pent up all these emotions so much so that he’s decided the easiest way is to just leave them be. Not acknowledge them, and don’t think too deeply about it.

I had, ironically, written Leona’s piece, while unconsciously knowing this.

Leona’s piece in “wendy?” “hello peter pan” is a result of his own inaction. We all know that Leona’s cool and calm demeanor is what makes him so popular and attractive. That’s why him not expressing his true feelings is something we all, just know he does. Because that’s his character trope. However, it’s because he choses not to share his feelings that the MC leaves, and moves on with her life.

Remember, I said that Leona will “put it off for as long as he can, and if it solves itself, then that’s better for him.” Leona, at the beginning of the piece finally decides to take action. The MC being missing has probably put a toll on his otherwise impeccable control of his emotions. He wants to drag her back, claim her, make her his wife, have children with her--all of it. He realized that he wanted that, and that’s what sends him into action. However, he’s late. Very late.

The third portion of his piece, when he looks at Leona II, and realized what he could have had--the way he visualized that possible future--he lets himself have that because he realized that it’s because he didn’t try harder to hold onto her, that this future was no longer possible.

Making Leona II have features that could’ve looked like him was so intentional on my part. I wanted to confront Leona’s character with this: “this is what you could’ve had if you had been more proactive” because I personally thought, that this was what we were missing from Leona. It’s what we didn’t get in Savannaclaw--a Leona who became more proactive about the things he wanted.

Everyone else had that arc after all. Riddle, a stickler for the rules set up by his mother realized that some rules can be broken for the sake of empathy. Azul, who had denied his past self, learned to accept his past self and mistakes, and moves to become someone even greater.

We don’t get that from Leona, and I think that’s why my piece ended up the way it did.

THIS... became way too long, and I’m really sorry for that. I hope you don’t mind that I really... just... expressed what I thought about Leona and the type of mindspace I go into when I write pieces for him.

If anyone is interested in adding to this discourse, I definitely encourage you--be it if you agree or disagree with me.

TLDR: Yeah, I would’ve never given that moment of “she’s actually your daughter” to Leona because he needed to confront his lack of proactiveness.

Thank you so much for this ask!

#twisted wonderland #leona kingscholar #twst leona #aimuses #aistudies #you can all say 'but ai arent all the stories in w?hpp abt inaction'#well yes they all are but leona's proclivity to inaction makes his story the strongest #i concede defeat leona you & your good looks & sexy character depth has rendered me weak and in tsundere love #ill still pretend to deny it tho ba-baka #i can probably go into depth abt the other characters but alas...#the tags are probably not the place for that lol #interestingly enough this idea of leona's want for acknowledgement is very useful in analyzing his relationships with cheka and ruggie #especially ruggie who tbh seemed to be the first person leona is willing to be proactive for #anonymous

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