#like you can’t tell me that MC already views what happened as a past event and nothing more | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

thirsting-over-demons · 3 years

Text

The Lingerie Game

{An Obey Me Fic} -- F!MC

Synopsis: A game is happening at the House of Lamentation— anyone who sees MC not fully clothed will get the opportunity to spend 12 hours time alone with her wearing lingerie of their choice.

Chapter One: Pre-Game Show

>>CH2

warnings: mildly n.s.f.t, sexual themes, strip teasing

Mammon walks in on MC changing and chaos ensues when the rest of the house finds out.

Word Count: 2767

Without warning, the bedroom door swings open, revealing Mammon barging into the room, apparently too eager to knock. “Yo, MC!” Also too eager to wait for a reply, he begins spewing his new money-making idea to his already decided partner, oblivious to anything but his own ideas. All he notices is that MC is there, facing away from him.

MC, meanwhile, was changing out of her school uniform when Mammon had burst through the door. Uncaring about that fact, and already pantless, she turns to face him, making a noncommittal comment as she does so. In the same second, she continues to undress, removing her shirt and tossing it aside before returning her view to Mammon. Upon this, she is met with what appears to be a body frozen in time, plagued by silence. She also notices that, although paralyzed with a face expressing unspoken shock, it seems as though he is studying her, as if to confirm his understanding of the situation. With each dart of his eyes, the redder his face becomes.

Tired of the silence, MC attempts to gain Mammon’s attention by calling his name. However, no words seem to break the barrier of silence that has surrounded him. Receiving no response, she escalates her attempts by walking toward him.

Snapping out of his daze, Mammon finally stutters out, “What are ya doin’?!”

“I'm changing,” MC responds curtly. Then, seeing how her conversation partner is no longer a statue, well, no longer mute, at least, she goes back to putting on her house clothes.

“Why ya doin' it in front of me?!” Although reacting in protest, Mammon makes no efforts to look away. Rather, his focus is solely upon the very thing he's protesting. Every action she takes is absorbed by him. He’s determined to commit this image to memory.

“You barged in without knocking. Leave if you’re so distressed about it.” Exasperation almost takes her. But before it can, mischief assumes her thoughts instead. “Though, it seems to me that you’re enjoying the show.” She goes on to put on her shirt very pointedly, making sure to maintain eye contact the entire time.

Mammon bumbles out a half-excuse, claiming to be taken off-guard, yet remains in the room. A fact, that does not get by MC, who's expression clearly relays this awareness. An expression undeniably saying, but you’re still here.

The atmosphere finally catches up to Mammon and he makes a hasty escape, leaving the door wide open as he flees.

Could’ve at least closed the door. Instead of closing it herself, however, she decides to just finish dressing, she was practically done anyway. As she pulls up her second pantleg, she hears another voice calling out to her.

“It’s always a treat to see Mammon’s teased expression!” The pure joy in Asmo’s voice could not be mistaken. “What did you do this time?” Although he asked this, by the end of his sentence he had more than an inkling of what just happened as he observes his surroundings. “No way. You didn’t…”

“Relax, Asmo. He just walked in on me changing.” she knows she needs to interject before his thoughts are left to wander.

“Liar! There’s obviously more to it!”

Knowing she won’t be let off the hook so easily, MC briefly and reluctantly explains the event in as little detail possible, hoping to satisfy Asmodeus’ pressing curiosity.

However, all this does is excites him more and he bombards her with increasingly personal questions. This is what she was dreading. Out of all the brothers to find out about this and it had to be the Avatar of Lust.

“Stop being nosy.” A swift flick of the forehead causes all of Asmo's questions to come to a halt.

“So mean.”

MC walks past Asmo and out into the hall. He follows at her heels, not yet done with the conversation.

“That was such a waste on Mammon,” Asmo pouts, wrapping his arms around MC's waist. Continuing, he rests his head on her shoulder, and tempts one last question, “When do I get my show?”

Finding it difficult to walk now, she stops, turns her head slightly to see him, and says “When you walk in on me changing.” With that, she removes his hands, which had begun to gently grasp her shirt, lifting it ever so slightly.

It was when she did this that he realized he was even holding onto the fabric like that. He was so concentrated on hearing her answer that he didn’t notice his hands clenching in anticipation. But he’s not concerned about that now. No, he’s preoccupied with turning her answer into a deal construed only in his mind.

“I accept!” His response is swift and filled with loud glee. And just like that, he disappears down the hallway, leaving MC to question just what exactly he’s accepting. She quickly decides it’s not worth thinking too much about, opting to continue heading to the library as she originally intended instead. Reading as she waits for dinner is a much better use of time than trying to analyze whatever is going on in Asmo’s head.

Dinner is ready at last, and everyone is gathered at the table, all set to eagerly enjoy their food. However, before that is able to happen, an absence is called into question. Mammon is missing from the table. Yet, this causes only a brief setback as they all begin to eat anyway. The lack of Mammon’s presence receives barely a fleeting acknowledgement, much to the annoyance of Lucifer, who originally brought up the matter. Noticing this, Asmo takes it upon himself to clear up the mystery.

“MC gave him a strip tease earlier. He’s probably still recovering.” There was definitely connotation in that last word, and knowing Asmo it was sexual. When he says this, his face shows nothing but delight. About what, exactly, is up for debate.

In contrast to the brothers’ nonreaction to Mammon’s absence, this announcement stopped them dead in their tracks. Asmo had everyone’s attention and was relishing in it. They all were staring at him, waiting for him to go on, while occasionally stealing glances at MC. Was her face saying this was true? On the reverse, knowing this was going to happen, she continues eating. Her face reads nothing but unfazed. That is, until Asmo adds that he’ll be next.

“I don’t remember that part,” MC retorts promptly, breaking from her next bite to stare slightly questioning at Asmo. Such a comment provoked further uproar in the brothers, who now took Asmo's previous statement as confirmed.

“But you remember giving Mammon a strip tease?!” Levi blurts out. Then, realizing what he just said, reflexively covers his mouth. In the same moment, all focus was instantly on MC as the brothers await her answer.

“It wasn’t really a strip tease. More so a…” she stops midsentence, searching for the appropriate word. “What’s the opposite of strip?” She quickly dismisses her own question, however, and continues, “Anyway, I wasn’t taking off my clothes. I was putting them on.” Well, when the actual teasing started, at least.

Another query is added to the pile when Satan calls into question what Asmo meant by being next. To which Asmo brings the spotlight back to him and relays the one-sided deal he made with MC. That being, that when he catches her changing, he’ll get his own strip show. He goes on to express his excitement in being able to see a new side of her, giddy at the prospect.

That’s what he meant. Realizing just what Asmo was accepting earlier, MC let’s out a small sigh. Any eating has all been stopped–well, except Beel, who still manages to take bites despite the ruckus. Otherwise, questions and protests fill the air. The only two not participating is the star herself, and Lucifer, who looks like he is getting more aggravated by the second. MC, meanwhile, is on the opposite side of the spectrum, simply exhausted by the commotion and is just wanting to enjoy the meal she was looking forward to.

“You guys are making this into a bigger deal than it is. He just saw me wearing underwear. Nothing more. It wasn’t even cute.” A tinge of defeat hung in her last sentence.

“Tell that to Mammon," Belphie teased.

“Enough! This talk is hardly appropriate for dinner!” Lucifer finally went off. He’s ending this conversation once and for all.

At least, that was his intention. The topic immediately returns when MC's claim is challenged by Asmo's so-called deal. This provokes a deadly glare from Lucifer. Unfortunately, it was Satan who reignited the conversation, who promptly ignored the eyes attempting to bore into him. He does make a point of letting Lucifer know this, though, giving him a quick sideways stare before returning his gaze to MC.

She really thought Lucifer could save her from this. She’s actually going to have to explain such a nonincident. And then there’s Asmo making it far worse than she anticipated. Fine, so be it. Having resigned herself, she gathers her energy to put this matter to rest. But before she’s able to say even a word, Lucifer's voice pierces her ears.

“Don’t encourage them,” he speaks flatly, but the authority he holds is ever-so clear. If he can’t control his brothers, he’ll just have to restrain the source.

The pre-empted scold chills MC. The discomfort brings a blessing, though. She has an excuse to not indulge her interrogators further. Yet, she doesn’t care for being targeted by Lucifer like that. It’s hardly her fault. For the most part, at least. Still, she obliges him, leaving everyone else to quietly ruminate on what the truth could be.

Tension accompanies this silence. It’s only a matter of time before one of the brothers breaks. They were all dissatisfied with how the conversation ended, aside from Asmo who was smiling to himself the entire time. Nevertheless, there was no resolution. Is there really a deal between Asmo and MC? The question plagues everyone’s mind.

While the brothers were stricken with anticipation, MC felt an impending doom. They could only be held off for so long. Especially when it concerned her, even more so with a subject like that. She could tell they are almost up to their limit—glances are being stolen at her more and more frequently. In fact, Beel somehow still has food on his plate—probably distracted by the discourse earlier—and he isn’t prepping for another bite. Further, the expression on his face reads rather pensive. His speculation has caught up to him. He’s about to say something for sure.

“MC,” Lucifer blocks any attempts before they could begin. “Go bring Mammon his plate.” He looks at her sharply, with a face clearly saying that he’s not asking. It’s time to remove the source now, it seems.

She’s reluctant to go despite this. Having to deal with Mammon is almost as bad as being badgered by the others. But the way Lucifer is looking at her gives the impression that she doesn’t want to be here for what happens next. Giving in, she takes the plate meant for Mammon, much to the disappointment of Beel who had been eyeing his food from the start, and heads to his room. With this, she leaves the brothers behind in the wake of Lucifer’s wrath.

He must have been thinking of a punishment the entire time, she notes as she walks away from loud objections and pleading yells. She doesn’t pay attention for too long, however, as she has to prepare to manage whatever Mammon is about to throw her way. He’s really fussing over nothing. It’s just underwear. Common everyday underwear.

“It wasn’t even cute,” she complains again to herself, burying her head against a nearby wall. “Damnit.”

Realizing she too was now fussing over it, although for a different reason, she quickly shakes her head once to clear her thoughts. Whatever, all she has to do is get him to open the door. Then she can give him his food and tomorrow this will all be a thing of the past.

She finally reaches his room and gives two knocks on the door, calling out his name as she does so. A few seconds go by without an answer, and she calls out again, this time stating she has his dinner. Again, she is met with silence.

“Mammon, I know you’re in there. The light is on.” As soon as she says this, the light that was seeping from under the door instantly vanishes. “That’s not how that works!” She tries the handle only to find the door is locked. Refusing to give up, she resolves to ordering Mammon to come get his food.

It’s unsuccessful, however, as the door remains shut. Another tactic is needed. A short exhale escapes her mouth as she leans against the wall by the door.

“You know, Asmo has it in his head that if he sees me changing that I’ll do a strip tease for him.”

The door violently bursts open at this, and Mammon suddenly appears to exclaim an indignant ‘what’ only to cower backwards when he meets MC's eyes. He breaks his gaze as his face becomes visibly redder but doesn’t close the door again. MC takes this chance to offer him his plate of food, which he greedily accepts, still refusing to make eye contact.

“Well?” He attempts to probe for a further explanation.

“What?”

“You- how did Asmo get that idea?!" Mammon instinctively looks at MC and immediately regrets it as he feels his face instantly burn even hotter. He can’t look at her now. The memory is too fresh. The time he spent memorizing her features is now his downfall.

MC inevitably decides to appease him, going on to explain the events following his escape, and how Asmo decided to take her words literally.

“Shoulda known better. It is Asmo we’re talkin’ about here,” Mammon responds in a nonchalant manner, trying a bit too hard to seem unbothered.

MC is tempted to tease him about this, but shrugs the urge away, not wanting to make Mammon go running again. She’s finding him rather endearing like this; she can’t ruin it so early.

“I can’t even begin to imagine what Asmo is expecting, though. I mean, really,” she opts to give her thoughts on the supposed deal instead. “He won’t be seeing anything special. It's not like I just wear lingerie all the time.” She goes silent after that last sentence. Wait, no. That’s it.

“Mammon, how would you like to see me wearing lingerie?” She speaks with excitement, an idea forming in her head.

As a response, Mammon attempts to slam the door shut, he can barely take the conversation as it is. The door gets stopped before he’s able to completely close it, though, as MC pushes back with her hand. She’s not going to allow that to happen.

“No, seriously!” She hastily begins to explain what’s going through her head. “It’ll be a game!”

This got Mammon's attention, just like she thought it would, and he let’s go of the door he’s been trying to close. He’s all ears now.

She continues, “Okay, so, I’m building off of the deal Asmo made up, right? But, instead of a strip tease, if someone sees me not fully dressed, then they get to choose some lingerie for me to wear for them.” As she’s talking, it’s obvious that her thoughts are going straight from her brain to her mouth, no time is being spent on developing them.

Mammon counters her proposal with the fact that by those rules, he's already won. She quickly rebuttals by saying that all's that left is the reward then. This brought Mammon back around, his interest clearly showing, even if he's pretending it’s not.

“I get to choose, huh?” He asks this mostly to himself. Endless amounts of questions start forming in his mind. Eventually, he expresses one. “W-what happens after I choose the-,” he stops midsentence, unable to say the word. Instead, he rephrases, “Is there more to this reward?”

MC reflects on this for a little bit, leaving Mammon to get more anxious with each second his question remains in limbo. “There should be, huh? I’ll work on the details tonight.” She pauses for a moment before concluding, “Just be in the library after school. This is gonna be fun!”

With that, MC leaves down the hallway, on her way to create a game that will certainly stir up trouble in the House of Lamentation.

#obey me fic #obey me fanfic #om! fanfic #obey me otome #the lingerie game #my posts

77 notes · View notes

ginkgomoon · 3 years

Text

Gavin’s Old Days Date- Analysis

I received an ask just then about this date and so I’m typing my heart away at 2 in the morning. It didn’t really fully sink in to how much of a good date Old Days was until some time had passed, with the way how I looked at Gavin back then different to how I saw him now. This date brought back so many emotions and memories- especially when it’s such a well-rounded story with various hidden meanings and references which enabled me to have something to analyse!

This date circulates around Gavin and MC’s high school history in the span of days Friday and Saturday- on that fateful day when Gavin wanted to give the letter, to the night he waited for her.

It also has a circular storyline structure, from when MC first dreams of Gavin that catalyses following events. But something we also have to note is that the whole entire time until the very last few minutes- MC is ‘dreaming’.

The turbulent flow of time and space stunned me, and countless doors opened before me one by one.

The memory fragments poured in, and those images reflecting me and Gavin flew past quickly.

He turned his back to me and walked away, his white shirt fluttering in the wind, almost engulfed by the increasingly denser mist.

I shouted his name aloud and ran desperately, wanting to catch up with him, but the corner of his shirt was like wind that couldn't be grasped, dispersing between my fingers.

His figure became increasingly blurred as he was farther and farther, finally disappearing completely in the narrow field of vision.

Standing in the void, I seemed to have lost all directions and motivation forward.

Until a gentle breeze with a familiar fragrance blew the fog away.

There seemed to be dazzling sunlight piercing through the clouds, and after the mist dissipated, a completely different space-time appeared before me…

This part of MC’s dream is like a metaphor for Gavin’s sudden leave. The mini fragments of her memories and the information that she knew now compared to back in high school come together to try to form some comprehensible picture in her mind, which in this case- her dream.

(Which probably was helped by the presence of Black Cabin with the ‘“doors”. But I could also argue that it wasn’t, because this isn’t supposed to be the first time MC enters Black Cabin. Then again, dates differ from the main storyline.)

But just like how MC is Gavin’s North Star, without him, even she is lost and directionless. They both need each other. As they are each others’ mystery, they are each others’ answers.

“This uniform and medals are my beliefs, with you guiding me in the direction forward.” -Go See Him

MC wants to reach out, not wanting Gavin to leave her, just like how he left seven years ago. Though even here, Gavin’s wind helps guide her forward- to meet him again in this time-space.

Dreams are still a big mystery to us. Some say it reveals our deepest desires and fears presented by our subconscious. By listening to it, we are able to guide our efforts in achieving and chasing what we truly desire whilst avoiding our fears. And if some dreams are based on truth, then it can easily foreshadow what we are about to encounter.

As MC finally settles in appearing at their old school of Loveland High, she sees Gavin.

Through the crowds, he seemed to be looking at the girl standing on the middle of the flag raising platform with a speech draft in her hands. Without realising, he crumpled the letter in his hand even more tightly.

The infamous letter.

Moments ago he saw me, he was so shocked that his pupils contracted slightly. He also slipped when he was about to jump down.

“Who are you?”

The shock in his eyes was now replaced by alertness and uncertainty.

Gavin clearly doesn’t know this MC- because in this time-space, she doesn’t really exist. As I said above, as dreams can be based on truth and our desires, MC feels like she could have done something to correct their relationship in this course of time. But at this stage between her and Gavin, she doesn’t know much about it because he never explicitly told her and she wants to know. This dream is a manifestation of that.

MC: “Excuse me, do you know MC? I am her cousin.”

MC also experiences being her own cousin such as in Time Subway’s Loveland High Noodle Bar and STF Drill Ground.

Gavin looked at me suspiciously for a long time, and finally nodded indifferently.

Gavin: “Oh, what do you want with her?”

MC: “How is she doing in school lately?”

Gavin: “I don’t know her that well.”

Gavin helps MC locate herself- her high school self- but when she looks back, he has already disappeared. She then overhears students talking about Gavin getting beaten up by a hundred people and becomes an investigator into his whereabouts.

The next part of the date isn’t from MC’s narration, which led me to believe that this really did happen in MC and Gavin’s own universe. The ‘truth’ of the dream.

*Beating up happening*

Random Kid Who Doesn’t Have Better Things To Do: “I heard that our school overlord is transferring to another school. Is that true? Since you are leaving, why can’t you be good?”

Gavin: “That’s none of your business!”

Random Kid Who Doesn’t Have Better Things To Do: “True, but after you leave, your beloved girl will no longer be under protection, right? Don’t worry I’ll take care of her for you. And I heard she’s our campus belle.”

Gavin (fiercely with an angry face): “What did you say?”

*More beating up*

MC’s POV begins.

Finally, I found the alley from memory.

Gavin: “You won’t get off so easily next time. Try getting near her and see what happens.”

Gavin leaves and even MC wasn’t fast enough to catch a wounded, bleeding Gavin. She racks her brains to try to figure out where he is, and finally comes to the piano room.

And BEHOLD- Gavin casually sitting on a ginkgo tree dressing his wounds.

Gavin (annoyed): “Why are you everywhere…”

MC: “Are you waiting for MC? She’s preparing for exams so she won’t be here today.”

Gavin: “...I wasn’t looking for her.”

Gavin reluctantly agrees to follow MC into the infirmary and she starts to help properly dress his wounds.

MC: “Are you not a close friend with MC?”

Gavin: “... I’ve just heard her name before. She’s got good grades and she’s very kind.”

MC: “Have you ever talked to her?”

Gavin: “Nope.”

MC: “Then how do you know she’s kind?”

Gavin: “Why should I answer your questions?”

He looked a little vexed, looking away with his ears turning red.

MC: “Sorry, I meant well. It’s just that she’s mentioned you to me. She says you’re not as bad as what people say you are. You helped carry her books and took her to the infirmary…”

Gavin: “I just happened to be around.”

MC: “Err, then you must happen to be around quite a lot.”

Gavin: “How do you know all of this?”

MC: “She tells me everything. We even look very similar don’t we?”

Gavin: “But you act differently.”

MC helps Gavin finish patching his wounds and Gavin is noted to be unwilling to stay with her.

MC: “I have one more thing to tell you. MC is a bit slow. She is not as good as you think, and will also be blinded by rumours…”

Gavin interrupts me coldly.

Gavin: “She’s a very nice person. What she thinks of me has nothing to do with anyone else. If you're here just to tell me these things, then I don't need to listen to you.”

Gavin grabbed his uniform, but a white object fell from his pocket to the floor.

It was a crumpled letter. Stained in blood.

I went to pick it up but the paper slipped out and I caught a glimpse of the contents by accident.

Gavin quickly picked up the letter and put it back without saying a word.

There was a flash of dismissal in his eyes. He tried to flatten the creases on the letter awkwardly.

(RIP LETTER. He even tried to flatten it. GAVINNN)

Gavin’s view remains the same in their own universe- “You can’t change other people’s opinions but you can change your attitude towards them. Don't let yourself be easily affected. You shouldn't envy me. You’re different from me. You're kind and thoughtful. That's what makes you, you. Besides, I’m not as free as you think, and I care about a lot of things.” -Company Footage [Chapter 3-7]

The scene around her changes. MC figures that if this is the memory of her and Gavin, then the most important thing was to find him.

MC’s mind fixates on the familiar bloody letter- recalling its words. MC then sprints to the school library.

The library looked a little deserted in the darkness. Looking along the rows of bookshelves, I finally found Gavin seated next to the window.

At this point, Gavin has been waiting a whole day for high school MC to meet him. She didn’t read the letter that had the time he wanted her to come.

He turned around and the moment he heard my footsteps, and the glimmer in his eyes suddenly died away again when he saw me.

I realised that on this day, he had wanted to say goodbye.

He just frowned and looked away, uninterested.

MC: “Are you waiting for MC? She might have misunderstood. Sorry, let me apologise for her.”

Gavin: “It has nothing to do with you.”

He paused and said in a self-mockery tone.

Gavin: “I knew she wouldn't come anyway.”

I’ve never seen Gavin like this. At this time, he was still so young and one could easily read his emotions.

Only then did I realise how he described his past as a mere “regret” was an understatement. He had to endure the long wait and the misery of being understood silently.

(It’s 2am and I’m crying.)

I mistook the farewell letter as a threat and threw it away. I never tried to learn the truth and misunderstood him. And still was protected and cherished by him.

I never felt so sorry and never wanted to blame myself even more.

If I didn't know all of this, if we had never met each other after we went in opposite directions…

MC: “Although I know saying these now is meaningless...You’ll be a very awesome person in the future, and you will stick to your belief and to justice. And you’ll also meet the person you want to meet. Even though she might not be great and always troubles you, you will definitely meet each other in the future. So…”

But when I looked back up, Gavin was gone.

As if back to the beginning of the dream, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t catch up or make a sound.

And MC wakes up. (Circular storyline- starts and end with a dream- starts and ends with Gavin.)

“Why did it take you so long to answer? Did you just wake up?”

It was Gavin.

MC: “Gavin… I….”

Gavin: “Why do you sound so weird?”

MC: “I had a dream about you.”

Gavin: “Was it a bad dream? Don’t worry, it won’t happen. By the way, I'll be at your place soon. I brought steamed buns and soybean milk for breakfast.”

Just like how he bought milk and bread for her at the infirmary after she fainted during a school sports event.

The moment I saw Gavin, I threw myself into his arms, crying.

His strong chest, the familiar smell under his collar. This was Gavin, the Gavin who would never disappear or leave me.

Gavin: “Why are you crying?”

He tried to dry my tears clumsily, but both his hands were occupied, so he had to move to the table and put the breakfast down while I hung onto him like a koala.

Gavin: “Tell me, what was your dream about?”

MC: “In my dream, you skipped class, got into fights, and ignored me.”

Gavin: “...”

MC: “You also said, ‘it’s none of your business’ to me coldly several times.”

He held back laughter and listened to my tearful complaint. Then he suddenly took my hand, and slapped it on his palm.

Gavin: “Then bully me back now.”

MC: “Gavin, have you ever thought about… what if we didn’t meet?”

He gave it some thought and nodded seriously.

Gavin: “Yes I have. If I wasn't there, would the girl get bullied? Would someone be looking out for her? I’ve also wondered if someone would fall in love with her or give her a love letter.... Would she like someone else? So, if I were to meet her again, I must hold onto her.”

He took my hand lightly, and kissed it preciously, his voice soft.

“And never let her go again.”

(The same hands that helped dress his wounds. CRYING.)

All this time Gavin had regretted not being able to give the letter to her in person, presumably with the fear of rejection from the one person he cared about. Even if Gavin hadn’t had a conversation with her or knew her very well, the interactions they have had together was enough for Gavin to form an opinion of her- a strong enough opinion that even he refuses to listen to MC’s ‘cousin’ (interactions like wanting to introduce himself in the library but MC dashes off LOL).

Wanting to protect her continuously from the students during the alleyway fight and waiting day and night for her also really does showcase his determination and the effectiveness of having a glimmer of hope from and for someone goes a long way, especially with a loyal man like Gavin.

Additionally, MC states that he was cold to her, which shows that even someone who claimed to be her cousin wouldn't melt Gavin’s heart with secondhand words. (That wall that he built up between him and MC of how he bats each question she asks with another question LOL.)

Even in front of Cousin MC, he wants to keep up that tough and unbreakable persona, the one that high school MC is more familiar with- until the very end when he finally has to come to the conclusion that MC is not going to see him. This therefore really does make him think that she didn't want to meet him. And in the storyline, he really did have to live like that, thinking that she thought of him just like how everyone did- until they met again.

But after all that Gavin had been through, he’s willing to cherish every moment he has with MC in the future. Not basing their relationship off of the failures, misunderstandings and regrets- but their hopes and dreams of a better future together.

“Before you… I lower all my defences.” -Gavin

#ITS 2 AM #ANALYSIS OH HOW IVE MISSED YOU #mlqc #mr love queens choice #love and producer #恋与制作人 #mlqc gavin #mlqc en #mlqc analysis

29 notes · View notes

missnight0wl · 3 years

Note

everyone hates the prank arc, but it would be soooo much cooler if during the final prank, the portrait that peeves gives us gets wet or something and the paint comes off revealing the vault portrait. Think the Thomas Crown Affair style. I think it'd have much better resolution than the actual ending. you're the writer, so what are your thoughts?

Oh, I totally agree with you that it’d be a really dope reveal! In fact, I still believe that it’s supposed to happen that way. I actually talked about it like two years ago, when those events were being released for the first time (I got the idea from the video of WillBits, actually).

See, soon after we talked to Peeves, we had this conversation with Penny, for example:

And you just can’t tell me that it doesn’t sound like they’re building the ground for the reveal that: “Oh, snap! MC had the right portrait all the time!”. I’m pretty sure there were more similar mentions, once or twice. It simply feels too random to be a coincidence. Especially that the frame of both portraits and even its size were exactly the same.

I know that on the one hand, it’d be pretty frustrating. That it could feel like everything we did was for nothing. But I personally think that it’d be a good kind of frustrating. You know what I mean? Like, the whole pranking plot would’ve been so much better if the narrative focused more on the fact that MC was absolutely desperate at this point, and having a peak of it filled with pure frustration would be a great opportunity to talk about MC’s emotions.

Moreover, it’d be a brilliant moment to show that things are not always how they seem to be. Let’s remember that the game is called Hogwarts MYSTERY, and the theme of using misdirection to build the said mystery was already kind of used in the story. For example, look at Ben in Y4. The game wanted us to think he’s suspicious, then that he wanted to hurt MC – only to reveal that he was being controlled. It was pretty prominent in Y5 as well when we were learning about Jacob’s past. Then again in Y6 and Y7 when Verucca talked to Merula and later to Madam Xeep etc.

I dunno, I just feel that the revel with the portrait of Peeves being the vault portrait in disguise would fit all of that very well. Like, MC’s whole life is basically about being deceived. They even had that dramatic moment in the Portrait Vault after Jacob left:

So, why not add a cool reveal with the portrait into that?

Also, such a trick is even more in Peeves’s style, in my opinion. Like, imagine how hilarious would it be from his point of view if MC was doing all of his wishes while already having what they wanted to get.

#hogwarts mystery #hphm #hphm mc #peeves #portrait vault #jam city #analysis post #ask #anonymous #also asking about my opinion bc i'm 'the writer' gives me fuzzy feelings #so thank you for that anon! <3

21 notes · View notes

cheri-translates · 4 years

Text

[CN] Victor’s Sleepless Night Date

🍒 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for a date which has not been released in English servers! 🍒

Dedicated to @pixiestick0924, who sent me my very first message on Tumblr filled with wholesome sweetness 🌹

Kiss Dates Collection: Gavin // Kiro // Lucien

The date begins with MC receiving an invitation card from Loveland TV to participate in an award ceremony at the end of the month

The card notifies her that she has won the “Best Influence Award” due to the many highly rated programs she has produced

She’s allowed to invite one person to the ceremony, so she immediately thinks of Victor

Just then, she receives a message from him, which reads: “What time are you coming down?”

MC: …it’s already 6.30pm?!

Stuffing the invitation card into my bag, I rush downstairs. Victor is standing at the bottom of the steps, his arms crossed over his chest as he watches me run over.

MC: Something special happened today. I was so excited talking to everyone that I didn’t notice the time.

Victor: What were you all talking about?

MC: The previous program. I didn’t think it would receive such good ratings. It makes me feel like all the late nights and overtime were worth it.

I share the news with Victor happily. He seems to smile a little, and takes my hand as we walk along the path lit up by streetlamps.

Victor: Looks like high ratings have become your cardiotonic.

MC: Of course. However, there’s an even bigger piece of news!

Victor: What is it?

I carefully take out the invitation card and wave it in front of him with satisfaction-

MC: This!

Hiding the fact that she’s an award winner, MC explains that she can invite one person to the ceremony.

MC: Dear CEO of LFG, Mr Victor. I cordially invite you to attend the award ceremony as my male partner. I wonder what CEO Victor’s response would be…?

Victor: …that’s all?

MC: Yeah! You wouldn’t reject, right…?

Victor gives me a meaningful glance, then retracts it.

Victor: What do you think? I’ll pick you up then.

The day of the award ceremony arrives. After putting on her makeup and outfit, she carefully puts on a pair of earrings.

The brilliant blue earrings give off a crystal-like light in the palm of my hand.

She meets Victor downstairs and they travel to the venue by car.

I turn my head and see Victor sweeping a glance towards me.

Victor: Looks like the past few hours weren’t a waste.

MC: …can’t you just give me a direct compliment? Also, don’t you have anything else to say?

I deliberately lift up the hair by my ear, revealing the earring. Victor’s eyes trail to my ear lobe, and a smile surfaces within them.

Victor: Not bad.

MC: I think these earrings look nice too.

Victor: I meant that my taste is not bad.

MC: …!

Victor laughs lightly, then leans against the car seat.

Upon reaching the venue, they head to their designated resting area.

?: Nice to meet you, CEO Victor.

Right after we go through the doors, an elegant lady walks towards us. She looks to be around forty years of age, and wears an amiable smile on her face.

Victor: Good evening, Chairman Li.

Victor tilts his jaw slightly, greeting her. From the way he addresses her, I react immediately – this is Chairman Li of the Film and Television Association!

I hurriedly straighten my posture and give her a slight bow.

MC: Nice to meet you, Chairman Li. I am MC, the…

Chairman Li: The producer of “Miracle Finder”.

Hearing Chairman Li smoothly stating my identity, my eyes widen in surprise. She smiles at me.

It’s rare to have such an opportunity to meet, so I speak.

MC: It’s still early… if it’s all right with you, could we sit and talk?

I look at Chairman Li with anticipation. Sensing my concealed anxiousness, Victor arches an eyebrow. He doesn’t say anything, and just looks at Chairman Li.

She nods.

Chairman Li: Of course.

Noticing that MC was surprised that Chairman Li could recognise her, the latter explains that she used to watch Miracle Finder as a student

She comments that the programs produced by MC are excellent

Chairman Li: You must have experienced several setbacks along this journey, right?

MC: Setbacks and difficulties are inevitable… However, meeting these thorns along the way seems to make the resulting flowers even more beautiful.

Chairman Li: Having such a mentality enables me to rest assured. Please continue working hard.

Looking at Chairman Li’s tender smile, a warmth bubbles in my heart. I nod solemnly.

Victor: She has improved quite a lot…

Victor, who has been standing silently at the side all this while, suddenly speaks. I look towards him in disbelief.

Victor: But there is still a lot of room to grow.

At an angle where Chairman Li can’t see it, I blink forcefully at Victor to signal my protest.

Looking at Victor, Chairman Li laughs lightly.

Chairman Li: Come to think of it, I was even worried CEO Victor wouldn’t accept the invitation to attend the award ceremony. I’m grateful that you could make it today.

Victor: You flatter me. It’s an honour for me as well.

Hearing their conversation, I get a shock -

Victor had already received an invitation?

Perhaps the shock on my face was apparent, as Chairman Li pauses for a moment, as if realising something.

She looks at Victor and I subtly, then reveals an intrigued expression.

Chairman Li: I might have accidentally said the wrong thing.

Victor remains as calm as ever, resting his arms on the arm rests as he leans into the chair.

Meanwhile, my heart starts beating rapidly as I think about how I had deliberately left out the news that I am an awardee.

While Chairman Li answers a phone call, MC leans towards Victor.

MC: When did you receive the invitation? Why didn’t you tell me…

Victor tosses me a glance and responds plainly.

Victor: That isn’t important. What’s important is that I accepted your invitation.

MC: Then…

I originally wanted to ask if he knew who the awardees are. However, as I’m afraid to blow my cover, I stop the words from coming out.

Chairman Li excuses herself to return to her resting room. MC offers to walk her there, and requests for Chairman Li to keep the fact that she is an awardee a secret

All of a sudden, two boys accidentally crash into MC and her skirt rips. Turns out those brats are Chairman Li’s children

Chairman Li offers MC a spare dress

It is a blue spaghetti strap dress, with ribbons strung from the shoulder areas. The blue skirt is reminiscent of clear, brilliant ocean waves.

MC finds the dress beautiful, but notices that it reveals her bare back.

MC: …isn’t this a little too sexy?

While Chairman Li tidies the folds around my waist, she laughs.

Chairman Li: It’s very suitable for tonight’s event. Moreover… don’t you want to give CEO Victor this unexpected surprise?

After saying goodbye to Chairman Li, I walk towards the resting room where Victor is.

Hearing the sound of the door being pushed open, Victor immediately turns around. In the process of putting on his suit, he halts his movements the moment he sees me.

Victor: Why did you… change your clothes?

I bunch up my skirt, walking towards him while explaining the incident that happened just now.

Victor: I see. It’s a good thing she could resolve the issue.

MC: Yeah, it’s fortunate that she prepared this spare dress.

Victor has a tender look in his eyes, possibly due to the lighting in the room. He lifts his hand, preparing to put on his suit jacket.

Without realising it, I have already reached out for his suit jacket to assist him.

As I turn to the side, Victor has a clear view of my back… I lift my head and meet his eyes, which are as dark as ink.

The light in front of the mirror is a dim yellow, descending into the turbulence within his eyes. They reflect the depth and heat in his gaze.

Noticing the way he is staring at me, I suddenly feel the temperature of the surroundings rise. My palms break out in sweat.

MC: W-what is it… do you find me exceptionally pretty today?

He retracts his gaze, and laughs lightly.

Victor: I discovered that someone has become even more thick-skinned.

In response to his words, I tug at his suit jacket to show my soundless protest.

Victor’s eyebrow twitches slightly.

Victor: Are you helping me put my clothes on, or taking them off?

Hearing this, my face involuntarily turns red. Unwilling to back down, I retort.

MC: It depends on whether you want to take them off or put them on.

I thought Victor would say that I’m being childish, but he pauses for a moment and his lips hook up into a smile.

Victor: ...dummy.

Feeling the heat on my face, I turn my head to the side and happen to see the flower display. Only then do I discover that the fresh flowers are actually blue roses. The flowers silently release an aromatic fragrance. I lean closer to take a whiff. Victor also leans over, pulling at his cuffs.

MC: Victor, do you know what blue roses represent in flower language?

Victor: What is it?

MC: In the language of flowers, blue roses represent “miracles and things that are impossible.” I once read a poem that said, “Plant some blue roses in the courtyard. Plant countless of them. Miracles will definitely come.”

I turn my head towards Victor. Dressed exceptionally formally, he stands behind the blue roses, his eyebrows arching gently.

Victor: What are you hinting at?

Looking back at the mirror, I’m standing next to Victor, whose suit jacket has been tidied.

MC: Apart from the blue roses, I also have the blessings of this blue skirt and blue earrings… maybe there will really be an unexpected occurrence.

Using his palm, Victor holds onto the hand that I’ve hooked onto his arm. His lips curl into a nice-looking smile.

Victor: Not a bad insight. However, you can keep those “maybes”. Let’s go, it’s about time.

At the venue, MC sees a lot of distinguished figures, including a renowned producer. Victor encourages her to talk to him.

Victor: I need to settle some things. You can go over to talk to him. I’ll look for you later.

MC has a pleasant talk with the man.

Eventually, the host takes the stage, but Victor has not returned.

MC: Where has he gone to? If he doesn’t come back soon, he’d miss my award...

Host: The next award is the “Best Influence Award”!

The host has already begun introducing the guest who would be giving out the award. At the same time, my heart feels anxious and downcast.

With the thought that I wouldn’t be able to share my joy with Victor immediately, my anticipation dulls. Just as I try to pull myself together-

An incredibly familiar profile appears from behind the stage. His footsteps are steady, and his face is illuminated by the lights.

MC: How could this be…

My heart is throbbing in my chest. Before I have time to think, Victor is already standing in front of the microphone.

His eyes sweep across the room, and his gaze ultimately rests on me.

Victor: I’m honoured to be the guest presenter for this event. In this day and age, producers and people in the media are indispensable. They open the door for the audience – a door that reveals a wider world. The “Best Influence Award” bears testament to the certainty of the contributions by producers. This certainty is not just from the Film and Television Association, but also from the audience who have walked through this door.

On stage, Victor gives his speech without any hesitance. His deep voice and the words that he says are like the keys of a piano, ringing in my heart.

Victor: The recipient of this award…

The dazzling spotlight illuminates Victor as he stands at the center of the stage. As he pauses, I feel all the blood in my body flooding to my head.

He unfolds the card, looks at it calmly, and continues.

Victor: I have watched quite a number of programs she produced. Through her programs, I see a producer who is steadfast in her responsibilities, searches for the truth, and her tenderness towards the audience. Undeniably, her first few programs had a few flaws. However, she has grown from being naïve to becoming a benchmark. I’m thinking that she must have put in a lot of effort.

Saying this, Victor pauses for a moment. His eyes cut through the crowd and land directly on me.

Victor: MC, congratulations on your award.

When these words leave Victor’s lips, my heart is filled with both surprise and a certain stillness.

I do my best to calm my thunderous heart rate. I bunch up my skirt, straighten up, and walk towards the stage.

At the side of the stage steps, Victor smiles as he offers me his hand. With his grip, we walk towards the center of the stage.

I solemnly receive the trophy from Victor’s hands, and an indescribable emotion pours out from my heart. Clearing my throat, I lean closer to the microphone.

MC: I am incredibly grateful to the Film and Television Association for giving me this award, and also for everyone’s certainty towards me and Miracle Finder.

Different from the tens of rehearsals I did at home, the stage lights and the eyes of the audience are all on me.

MC: To be honest, this trophy is quite heavy… but it shall be the motivation for me to carry on moving forward. Even though producing this program is not an easy feat, we will never give up as long as we have one audience member who likes and looks forward to it.

I cast a quick glance at Victor, who is standing beside me, and purse my lips.

MC: Also, I’m very grateful for the guest presenter’s certainty… it’s very important to me. In sum, all of us in Miracle Finder will continue working hard!

After giving my thank-you speech, I happily raise the trophy towards the audience.

Victor smiles faintly, joining me as we face the applause of the audience.

At this moment, a sudden surge arises in my chest. I can’t help but turn towards him.

He happens to turn his head towards me at the same time. The smile in his eyes is even more striking than the spotlight.

After the award ceremony, I stare at Victor as he walks out from a corner.

MC: “The respected guest presenter Mr Victor”… does this mean you already knew that I won the award right from the start?

Victor’s eyes trail from me to the trophy resting at the side. His eyes hide a mildly teasing look.

MC: I wanted to give you a big surprise, but it turned out the other way round… why didn’t I hear anything about you being the guest presenter?

Victor: It just shows how poorly informed you are. LFG has always been an investor of Loveland TV, and is also the sponsor of today’s event.

MC: …work can really be confidential.

Faced with my “accusation”, Victor lifts an eyebrow.

Victor: Seems like you haven’t finished complaining in your heart earlier.

MC: …how did you know?

Victor: The thoughts of a dummy are not difficult to guess.

While he speaks, his eyebrows smoothen out. The gaze that rests on me contains an obvious warmth.

My ear suddenly feels hot, and I mutter softly.

MC: I’m not a dummy… have you seen a dummy win an award?

People spot MC and start showering her with congratulations. After a while:

MC: Huff… it feels like my smile is stuck in place, and my feet are starting to hurt from standing.

Victor is beside me, a hand in his pocket. Hearing what I said, he looks at my high heels, then places a hand on my shoulder.

Victor: Since you’re tired, don’t force yourself. There’s an open space outside. Want to take a breather?

MC: Eh?

I follow Victor, leaving the venue through the backdoor and walking to the open space he mentioned.

I am met with a quiet courtyard bathed in moonlight. The fountain in the center reflects the moon and its silver light.

Sitting next to the Roman column surrounded by roses, I take a few breaths of fresh air.

MC: This place is really pretty! As the guest presenter, is it really okay for you to be accompanying me outside? Do you still have any other tasks after this?

Victor: I do.

Before despondence can arise in my heart from his straightforward response, Victor continues.

Victor: Have you forgotten that I was invited to be someone’s male partner?

While speaking, he sits next to me, traces of amusement in his eyes.

I turn my head to give him a grin. The small earrings sway along with my movement, and the gemstones seem to glow. Sensing that Victor’s eyes are on this brilliant blue light, I suddenly speak up.

MC: Actually, I am a little selfish.

Victor: What?

He looks slightly confused, not understanding the meaning behind my words.

In the courtyard, the moon reveals itself from behind the clouds. I look into his deep and tender eyes, and say a little shamefully.

MC: I had a selfish reason for wearing these earrings today. You gave them to me, so I hoped they would bring me good luck, and also…

I pause, lowering my eyes.

MC: It would be as though you were on the stage with me as well. I didn’t think that…

Recalling the moment I saw Victor appearing on stage, I can almost feel my earlier frenzied heart rate.

Victor: I see. It suits your style. Always putting in effort in the strangest of places.

Victor lets out a small laugh. Even though it’s very soft, it plucks at my heart clearly.

MC: Come to think of it… I really like how we are tonight.

For such a long time, I’ve been continually working hard and never letting any opportunities slip me by. Apart from the passion I have for the program and being a producer, it’s also because…

I wanted to stand on a stage that he had walked on, and stand at the same place he stood.

Despite my obscure words, Victor seems to have understood.

The night lights descend into his deep eyes, refracting colours. He turns to the side slightly, and takes my hand into his.

Victor: You’ve actually set a reasonable goal. Moreover, you’ve already reached it.

The night breeze tousles his originally tidy fringe, and sticks against his forehead softly.

The Victor in front of me no longer looks as cold and strict as before. He even exudes warmth. Faced with such a Victor, I can’t help but feel like joking.

MC: Actually, I was going to give this trophy to you as a surprise gift! Since you deliberately hid your identity as the guest presenter from me, I’ve decided to take back my gift.

Seeing my sly and satisfied smile, Victor also lets out a light laugh.

Victor: Your ability to find excuses is unparalleled. Who was the one who first hid the fact that she won the award?

MC: Um, this… well, if I win a global award next time, I’ll think about it!

Victor: I’ll wait and see then. I hope I wouldn’t have to wait too long.

MC: Don’t underestimate me!

Just when I think he would continue joking around, Victor suddenly tightens his grip on my hand, and closes the distance between us.

Faint music drifts from the venue – melodious and gentle. However, my entire focus is on Victor.

Victor: Since you have prepared a present, I should give you a return gift.

MC: R-return gift? There’s no need…

As his face draws closer, my voice involuntarily carries a tremor. This situation, and this familiar conversation…

In just a moment, he cups my neck, his other hand shifting to my waist.

MC: Mm-!

My bare back, which was slightly cool, is suddenly covered by a searing palm. My body trembles.

The music from the venue continues to chant. The shadows cast by the moon above us dance amid the haze. The neon lights in the distance seem to be painted in a romantic colour.

Even so, the only thing I can see are Victor’s deep eyes.

He leans closer, rubbing the tip of his nose with mine. Then, his warm thin lips trail slowly from my forehead downwards…

Victor’s breath encases my entire body. He plants scalding kisses on every inch of my skin, making me tremble as I hold onto his cuff.

MC: V-Vic-

He swallows the remaining syllable before I can finish.

This time, his soft lips seize mine, prying my teeth apart and diving right in.

He takes my breath away. In the midst of our breathing, what surrounds the tip of my nose is the unique taste belonging only to him…

After a long while, Victor finally ends his deep and searing kiss.

I clutch onto his arm, my chest heaving as I struggle to catch my breath.

His lips once again brush my nose and cheek gently, like a dragonfly flitting across the surface of water. He looks into my eyes.

I see myself in his pupils, red-faced and misty-eyed.

Our close proximity and breathing causes every single one of his words to drift into my ears with clarity.

Victor: The future you foresee, as you said it yourself, has both flowers and thorns. Are you ready for it?

I nod subconsciously.

Victor: Me too. No matter how far you go in the future, I am prepared… to never let you go for eternity.

The fragrance of the fresh flowers permeates the air, accompanied by faint music. It makes me wish that I could etch this moment for my keeping.

My arm presses against his familiar warmth. I lean my head on his shoulder, feeling exceptionally at peace.

I will continue working hard and running forward, and he will always be by my side – becoming the deepest source of strength in my heart.

#mlqc #mlqc cn #mlqc spoilers #mlqc victor #I laughed then cried then broke out in s w e a t

465 notes · View notes

obeyme-kaidii-writes · 3 years

Text

Regret

Belphegor x gn!MC

Words - 1366

Content warnings - POST LESSON 16, major spoiler warnings, angst, lots of comfort, platonic relationship, discussion of the events in Lesson 16

Prompt/Inspiration - inspired by another anon request I was writing

Summary - Belphie has been avoiding you, so you head up to the attic to find out what’s wrong.

AO3

You hadn’t seen Belphie all day, which you felt was rather odd.

He had been practically attached to your hip since you two had reconciled following his release. So as soon as classes finished at RAD, you went straight to the attic room, the one place he liked to go when he wanted to be alone.

“Belphie? Are you up here?” you called out to him. He didn’t respond right away, but you heard sniffling and the shuffling of blankets as you approached the open door, “Belphie?”

“Hmm? Why are you here?” he asked, hastily rubbing at his eyes as he sat up.

“I was worried about you, I hadn’t seen you all day.”

“I’m fine. It’s nothing to worry about. Just wanted to catch up on my naps.”

You eyed Belphie suspiciously as you sat down next to him, watching as he averted his eyes and attempted to hide his face from you.

“Are you sure?” you started to reach out to tuck his hair behind his ear so you could have a better view of his face when he suddenly slapped your hand away.

“It’s fine!” he snapped, cursing himself immediately afterwards for yelling at you. He didn’t want to yell at you, he wanted to be nice to you, to be close to you. But right now...he didn’t know what else to do besides push you away.

You froze, your hand still hovering in mid air. You could see how he was gritting his teeth, fighting back his tears, and your heart ached at the sight. Why couldn’t he just tell you what was wrong? It was obvious that things were far from fine, so why was he trying to hide it from you?

“Belphie, you can talk to me, you know,” you said, setting your hand down on your lap.

“...I know…”

“Then why won’t you?”

“...this isn’t something you should need to worry about.”

“But I care about you. If it’s upsetting you, I want to help.”

Why, why did you have to be so kind? So understanding? So forgiving? Why couldn’t you just hate him? Why didn’t you chase him away? Belphegor just couldn’t understand it. He had done the unthinkable to you. He had attempted to use you and manipulate you, and then he killed you - not once, but twice. And still...here you were, alone with him in the very room where he once strangled the life out of you, with no trace of fear, trying to comfort him.

“WHY DO YOU CARE SO MUCH?! I killed you!! You should HATE ME,” he yelled, glaring at you with all the anger he could muster.

But when he saw the look of hurt and shock on your face, his heart shattered. This isn’t what he wanted. He had been trying to keep this from you, so he didn’t hurt you. So why was he now screaming at you like this was somehow your fault?

“I can’t...I can’t do this...” he said half mumbling, half crying, as he fisted at his hair in frustration, trying to curl up and make himself as small as possible.

“Belphie…”

“Don’t you get it??” he sobbed, “I...I don’t trust myself with you. You shouldn’t trust me either. What if I hurt you again? It’s all I think about. Every time I close my eyes, every time I fall asleep. That whole scene just replays over and over again. I can’t make it stop.

And I want to be close to you. But it hurts. And it’s terrifying. And I...I don’t know what to do.”

By now, Belphie had broken down completely, no longer able to form any coherent words, he just cried into his pillow as he hid his face in his lap. He knew he shouldn’t be telling you this, he shouldn’t be burdening you with it. It wasn’t your job to comfort your murderer. That was just too twisted, even if he was a demon.

Gently, you wrapped your arms around his shoulders, pulling him to your own lap. He didn’t resist you, having emotionally exhausted himself by this time on top of the physical exhaustion he had already been struggling with from his broken sleep, and just let you cradle him to your chest as he laid across you. The two of you sat like this for a while, with you occasionally running your fingers through his hair as you attempted to soothe him. When you felt his breathing even out, you tried talking to him again.

“Why didn’t you talk to me about it?” you asked, whispering softly.

“...what am supposed to say? ‘Hey remember that time I murdered you?’...you shouldn’t have to deal with this,” he replied, sniffling, his tears finally having run dry.

“What about Beel? Does he know you feel this way?”

“...no…”

“So you’ve been struggling with this on your own, all this time?”

He didn’t need to answer that question. You knew the truth. It was as clear as day based on his behavior. He had been trying so hard to be strong for you, to show you that he was a changed demon and someone you could rely on. But inside? Inside he was still struggling to forgive himself and to process everything that had happened.

“Belphie, I understand, you know? It’s been hard for me too,” you felt him flinch in your arms as you continued, “I have those dreams too. It’s not just you.

I don’t...I don’t want you to keep this from me. Okay? I know that might seem backwards to you but...it’s kinda comforting? I guess you could say...to know that you feel regret. I don’t want you to suffer, but I would still like to talk to you. I think it’ll help us both if we do.”

You tightened your arms around him, hugging him as best you could from your current position. He had been through so much in his lifetime, and where he may have gone to his brothers before, or at least Beel, for support...he didn’t feel he could do that anymore because of how deeply they all cared for you, and how much he feared hurting them even more. Instead, he had been trying to handle things on his own, leaving himself lonely and isolated.

“Please talk to me, Belphie. Please. We can support each other.”

Belphegor sat up to look at you, scanning your face for any sign that you might not mean what you say or that you didn’t fully understand what you were suggesting. He was surprised to see that your eyes were also damp with tears, and you looked as desperate as he felt.

The past few weeks were hard on you as well. You also had kept these dark memories to yourself out of fear that you’d hurt the ones most important to you. But with Belphie confiding in you, you now had someone you could open up to. As counterintuitive as it seemed, he was perhaps the person best suited to comfort you - because he knew what had happened better than anyone, and he was the only one who could reassure you that he regretted it. And knowing that he was already struggling with these nightmares, meant you didn’t have the fear of stirring up painful memories for him; they were already stirred up, whether you said anything to him or not.

You gave him a soft smile as he looked at you, and when he leaned forward to wrap you up into a hug, you were quick to open your arms to him, letting him bury his face in the crook of your neck. By all accounts, the two of you made for an unlikely pair. The murderer and his victim. But there was no denying that you were drawn to one another. You understood his pain, and he understood yours.

Now, he was determined to protect you and see to it you never suffered again. He didn’t have the words to convey how deeply he regretted his actions, so all he could do was hug you close and hope you could feel just how much he treasured you.

#200 followers #anon request #request #gn!mc #platonic belphie #platonic relationships #obey me #obey me shall we date #obey me belphie #belphie x mc #obey me fanfic #obey me angst #belphie angst #belphie fanfic

113 notes · View notes

bangtan-madi · 3 years

Text

Year of the Rabbit — Six: Flower

Pairing — Jungkook x Reader, Hoseok x Yoongi, Taehyung x Jimin

Tags — best friend!Jungkook, non-idol au, flower shop au, gym au, florist!MC, gym owner!Jungkook, brother!Namjoon, friends to lovers, slow burn, mutual pining

Genre — fluff, angst

Word Count — 2k

Summary — Blame it on the storm or the secret feelings or the snow-in, but one thing is for sure: a lot can happen to two best friends when they're confined to their stores overnight.

Warnings — language

Part — 6 / 7

Previous — Next

After the fireworks trickle off in numbers, you and Jungkook still remain cuddled under the blanket. The darkness and chill tempt you to stay this way forever. His arms wrapped around your center, your back pressed against his chest, his chin on your shoulder: it's given you an immense sense of comfort. All this, despite the smoke and exhaustion rolling over you.

Eventually, Jungkook pulls himself away from you, putting a little bit of space between you. Knowing what he's going to suggest before he opens his mouth, you let your eyes close and enjoy the last seconds of his closeness.

"It's gotta be after midnight," he whispers. "The fireworks have stopped. I still don't think it's safe to go home yet. Even though the storm has stopped, the snow is over a foot at least."

You give a non-committal noise, just enough to let him know you heard him.

The man behind you rubs the tops of your arms over the blanket still wrapped around you. "You're falling asleep, Flower. Maybe we should get you to sleep."

"Where the hell am I going to sleep in that supermarket?" you chuckle, finally opening your eyes as you turn on your heel to face him. "Or maybe we can freeze in the shop."

Jungkook rolls his eyes, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "For once, can you just...not fight me? Too much to ask?"

You give a single, firm nod. "Yep!"

"Well...too bad."

"Not gonna ha—Hey! What are you doing?"

Instead of standing there and arguing, Jungkook sweeps an arm under your knees, placing the other behind you. Knocking you off your feet, you settle easily into his arms, and he slides you around so that you're slumped against his back. An arm under each of your thighs, yours instinctively circle his neck.

"I'm tired, and I'm even more tired of fighting you," he huffs, already trudging towards the attic door. "Even if I have to tie you up, we're going to sleep. Got it?"

You snicker at his hyperbole and rest your cheek against his mid-back. "Kinky."

"Really?"

"Yes. And did you seriously call me 'Flower' just a minute ago?"

Jungkook's shoulders shrug under your weight, and he's careful to take one step at a time as he descends down the ladder into the supermarket supply closet. "What if I did? Do you not like it?"

Your arms tighten around his neck. As you shake your head, your cheek rubs against the hem of his jacket. "I like it...a lot, actually."

Your best friend doesn't try to hide his amusement as he hikes you up further on his back, fingers gripping your jean-covered thighs. "Add that one to the pet-name collection, then."

Once you're back in the supermarket, Jungkook walks quietly towards the area where you were before. The sofa with propped pillows and throw blankets is a welcome sight, as is the view of the snowy streets through the storefront. He's quick to settle you both down on the cushions, keeping you close to him as he rests you both on your sides.

"We're cold and tired and here overnight," he murmurs, burying his face into the crook of your neck, arms winding around your midsection. "Just get some sleep."

Forcing the butterflies down, you circle your arms around his shoulders and back, cradling him to your chest. Jungkook breathes a sigh of relief, nuzzles further into you, and moments later, he's out like a light.

It takes you a little longer to fall asleep, but the warmth of the night and of the person lying next to you eventually lulls you into dreamland.

You dream of the feelings you won't say.

When you awaken a few hours later, the first light of daybreak is slowly starting to stream across the horizon, through the buildings, and onto your face. Eyes narrowed at the minimal light, you stir and hide your face in the fluffy thing nearest your face. A blanket, a pillow, who knows. Groaning to yourself, you move your arms, anticipating Jungkook to be next to you. The space is empty, and it prompts you to peek one eye open.

Jungkook isn't anywhere to be seen. Not on the sofa next to you, nor on the sitting area where you ate dinner. Looking over your shoulder, you don't see him anywhere in the near vicinity.

As you pull yourself up into a seated position, your phone illuminates. Your gaze flickers to it, and you see your partners' names on his new messages. Out of curiosity, you pick up the device. A sense of relief floods through you; your connection must have been restored while you were sleeping.

But when you read the messages on the screen, it's clear that this phone is not yours. It's Jungkook's. However, you were not mistaken on the identities of the messengers; Yoongi and Hoseok's names are as clear as day.

The latter's reply is connected to a message Jungkook sent about an hour ago, that much you can tell even from the home screen. His original message reads, "If I tell [Y/n], if I'm honest, I'll lose my best friend. For sure. One-hundred percent. Every conversation I play over in my head, they always end the same damn way. I lose her."

Hoseok's reply is simple. "You can't let that stop you, Jungkook-ah. You deserve to be happy. It may take time, but she will come around."

Yoongi agrees, "It may surprise her, but I guarantee you won't lose your best friend. Things will change, but it's bound to happen eventually."

A thousand thoughts and emotions flicker across your mind as you reread those words. Despite having little context, your heart hurts at the sentiment in your best friend's concern. I'll lose my best friend. For sure. One-hundred percent. What could be so horrible about this person that he's in love with that it would cause him to lose you? What about them would make your long friendship come to an end? What could possibly come above the love and connection and history you have together?

As the minute ticks by, and the sunlight pours over the buildings with greater strength, your heartbeat quickens and your palms sweat. The ball of nerves in your stomach grows deeper and darker with each moment, and you feel as if you might be sick. Jungkook has been your longest companion; he's the one true thing that you've always relied on. Never in a million years did you think any event, any argument, or any lover could come between you and him.

But could you be wrong about that? Have you overestimated the love you have for each other? Surely he knows how much you do...even if you have kept the nature of that shifting love a secret.

Was that also a mistake?

Jungkook appears from the storage closet, in his grasp are several breakfast bars and bottled cold brew. He smiles brightly at you, but as he sees your expression, it falls away. "Hey, are you okay? I brought breakfast..."

Clearing your throat, you avert your eyes and push his phone off your lap. "I saw a couple of texts by accident, sorry."

"From who?"

"Yoongi and Hoseok."

Your best friend visibly swallows, then sets down the breakfast goodies on the end of the sofa. You gnaw on your lower lip with anxiety, and he takes a cross-armed position in front of you.

"I didn't mean to," you defend softly. "I had just woken up, saw the names, thought it was my phone. Didn't read any but the new ones." As he remains silent, you turn your gaze upwards, gathering the courage to ask once again. However, this time the question feels heavier. "Who is she?"

Jungkook is hesitant to show any form of emotion, give anything away, on his face. "She?"

"The girl you love. Or is it not a girl...is that why you're so standoff-ish? Is that why you're so certain you'll lose me?"

He lets out a soft, breathy chuckle, shaking his head. "No, that's not it."

"Then who is she? Who is she that she will come between us and end our friendship?" Jungkook begins to look visibly uncomfortable; he's running a hand through his wavy hair, clenching his jaw, shuffling where he stands as if he wants to run. "I—I'm not trying to give you an ultimatum, Bunny. I'd never do that, ask you to choose between me and someone else, but we've been friends for so fucking long. To throw all that away...what are you so scared of?"

He closes his eyes, heaving a sound of frustration. "It's not like that. It's not what you think. You only read a couple texts, out of context. That's not the entire conversation."

You perch up on your knees, giving yourself a bit more height on the sofa, and reach for his hand. "Then explain it to me, Kookie." Your fingers graze his, barely touching tip to tip. "Don't leave me in the dark."

After a moment of silence, Jungkook pulls his hand back. "Nothing's going to change, [Y/n]. You gotta trust me on this."

The pit of anxiety in your stomach begins to grow at his hollow words. "But you told Yoongi and Ho—"

"—That every conversation ends with me losing my best friend?" he finishes, and you nod once. Jungkook bites the inside of his cheek. "That's because once you know...you're going to feel differently about me. And I don't know if I'm ready for that."

"You know me better than that," you assure, voice strengthening with resolve. "I'm not going to cut you off because of who you love."

"You don't know that."

You attempt to keep your expression and tone calm and tender, but his concern is sharp and deep, going to the foundation of your care. "I do! What kind of friend do you take me for?"

Jungkook's brown eyes meet yours, and his gaze shifts back and forth between them, as if trying to find any fault with your truth. You don't waiver; you hold his line of sight until he breaks it, looking past you, towards the snow piled up outside.

"Okay," he breathes, voice barely a whisper, barely held together in its shakiness. He scoops up his cellphone. "Fine. You want me to call her? I will."

Taken back by his words, you blink in surprise as he quickly dials a number by memory. Your chest tightens with guilt, and you start to say, "Kookie, you don't have to—"

"—No, I want to. You...You deserve to know. It's been a long time coming, and I—I need to get this off my chest." His fingers hover over the dial button. “Might change things...Aish, who cares. Here goes nothing."

The moment he selects the number and raises the device to his ear, the device in your pocket begins to vibrate. Jungkook's signature ringtone gets louder as the seconds pass; a lofi version of "Yellow" begins to play. For the first few seconds, you stare blankly at the boy in front of you. His chocolate eyes flicker back and forth between yours, waiting with bated breath for your reaction. In those moments, an inhale turns into a shaky exhale.

And then it clicks into place.

You fish your phone from your pocket as quickly as you can, only having to glance at the screen for half a second to see Jungkook's name flashing against the white background.

Taglist — @kooala

55 notes · View notes

marshmallowprotection · 3 years

Note

You've probably received an ask like this before, but do you have any specific thoughts/headcanons for Ray Route AE, in regards to the twins, as well as Saeran and MC's relationship? And what I mean by that is... do you think Saeran would have an easier time (even just slightly) getting over his hatred for his brother than he does in 707 Route SE? How would they interact? Would it be similar to how many people interpret their interactions for after the SEs (brotherly love-hate type deal), except maybe toned down a little?

And as for Saeran and MC, I'm not so much referring to the contents of their relationship, but Saeyoung's reaction to it, how he feels about it, etc.

I hope this makes sense, because I love the way you explain things and I would love to hear your thoughts on these ^^

[417]

Hopefully, Cheritz will give us a canon answer soon. I’ve definitely had the time to compare the two of them since I spend so much time in Saeran’s headspace playing around with this and that. Now, if we compare the events of the Secret Ending and the events of Ray Route, Saeran is in a very different headspace by a long shot. His place in his life is also drastically different. Unknown spent two more years in Mint Eye than GE Saeran did. There’s a vast difference between 6 months of being trapped and two years of being trapped.

Both Suit Saeran and Ray were long buried in Unknown’s consciousness with no MC around to keep them tethered to the front. It was only a matter of time until either of them couldn’t function with what Rika did. I view Unknown to be another personality that split from Suit Saeran after some point during that two year period. Unknown and Suit Saeran have some things in common but they don’t read to be the same person to me.

SE Saeran is just Unknown post-therapy and confrontation with Saeyoung, so I don’t see them as separate people, but the same person just in different eras of life. I’ve got a whole other people I could make about how it’s possible that Ray could flood back to the surface in therapy, as well as Suit Saeran, but they may not have the same names by that point. That’s more so just a big post on the way that their system works and how all of them cope with their trauma.

But that wasn’t your question, but I’d be glad to answer that too at some point if you’re curious! Some people are torn on if Saeran has DID or OSDD specifically, and that’s a whole other topic. Anyways, back to the task at hand, SE Saeran in question went through literal hell for a very long time. He is fraught with so much anger and pain. He physically lashed out at Saeyoung and took weeks if not a few months to truly come to terms with what happened. He has to live with blood on his hands as well.

We all know that SE Saeran tried to get rid of himself and Saeyoung, too. His emotional crisis is a strong one. He’s hurting so much until Saeyoung can get through to him and they can start to heal. It wasn’t easy. It was a fucking mess and that’s how life is. After what they went through? It’s wrong to assume that it would be simple or without pain and tears. Even after the Secret Ending comes to a close and we see Saeran with everyone, he looks so tired. His emotional state isn’t healed. He’s going to be dealing with panic attacks and much of the lingering PTSD for years to come. Saeyoung will as well.

It’s going to be a constant battle for them.

But, they’re both trying and the MC, as well as the RFA, are going to be there to help, which is great. A good support system is important but that’s also going to be messy because... well, you know, the truth wasn’t completely revealed to all of the RFA and that’s a ticking timebomb in itself. Saeran’s got issues trusting and being around much of the RFA. He can’t be around Yoosung or Jumin for obvious reasons.

Either way, the Secret Ending has a lot of weight to it and it’s going to hurt just as much as it can get better for the Choi boys. Saeyoung believes that things can get better, and he’s willing and ready to stand by his brother to fight for their happiness. You know how much turmoil Saeyoung went through because we watched it. We know that he’s willing to do whatever he has to do for the ones that he loves.

Even if it feels like pulling teeth.

Now, thinking about what happens in Ray Route, we see the boys past revealed to the world with a direct attack. Saeran is able to realize that he was lied to and manipulated by the people that were supposed to take care of him. He is able to find out on his own that he needs to leave Magenta if he truly wants to be happy and free from his chains. We watch him be so damn strong and turn against the brainwashing and gaslighting. What he did should not be glossed over because going against your abuser is not easy.

I was so proud of him for learning that for himself. He says himself that MC isn’t the one that got to him completely. It was a combination of factors that allowed him to see it. From how Ray was treated to how Saeran is treated, how they are promised things, and how those things are taken away. How it just didn’t make sense that Rika was disrespecting him and taking away everything. Nothing at all made sense anymore. She said one thing and did another. He decided to fight it even though it made him feel sick.

You can watch his actions on the last day. How talking about Mint Eye as a bad place makes him gasp and choke, and whenever he tries to give his brother a chance... well, you see how he acts when you’re still holding onto your phone so tightly, asking him to take a chance on the RFA. He nearly has a panic attack when he tries to even say that he should look into it, much less talk to the RFA about it. He knows that he’s been tricked but he’s bouncing between what he has been told and what he’s trying to learn.

That’s not an easy process. Saeran is going to be dealing with a lot after the events of his ending that we know of. The sudden fusion of Saeran and Ray can actually happen, I know some people feel like that was out of the blue but that can very well happen whether they make the conscious choice to do that or not and it was the best thing for the body at that time. GE Saeran isn’t Ray and he isn’t Suit Saeran, he’s not the two of them smashed together and he’s not one or the other. He’s someone made up of those parts but also his own person. Again, that’s a whole other thing that I’d have to get into here.

Saeran has a lot to deal with as far as his trauma goes but you know what the difference is between GE Saeran and GE Saeran? GE Saeran had the choice to set himself free and SE Saeran had no choice. He was cornered like an animal and just... exploded. He was put in a position that he couldn’t decide. GE Saeran had the choice to leave Mint Eye on his own. That already makes the world of difference in his recovery. If we’re talking reasonably here, he definitely needs to start seeing someone to talk about what happened as soon as he feels ready to open up.

So, he’s going to be spending a lot of time working on his problems and God knows how long it’s going to find Saeyoung so he’s likely to be making some good progress on his own. His relationship with the RFA is already pretty good compared to his counterpart as well. He gets along with everyone in the RFA, and he’s particularly close with Jumin, which makes sense given their natural wits.

Now, therapy and getting a support system is good for Saeran. He’s got his MC as well with him. However, that doesn’t mean that he’s ready for Saeyoung to be back. When they find his brother... he’s going to need time and space for this to work. But, I imagine that he’s in a better headspace to handle it. He will tense up if Saeyoung hugs him and gets overwhelmed to see that his brother is alive after whatever he went through. Saeran will have to gently stop him and let him know that he needs time, he can’t handle all of this at once. Saeyoung needs to take it easy too.

He’s got to react to the fact that he’s no longer bound by the agency and that he can live a life not hiding behind a mask. That’s going to be his own journey in itself that we could talk about for a while and I hope it doesn’t get glossed over because Saeyoung’s got a lot of his own woes to work on. So, don’t expect it to be perfect or anything here either.

Saeran is able to breathe through the unease this time, but his MC will be there to hold his hand and help him speak to his brother about it. That first meeting is going to be a lot. It might trigger him, too. That would be the first time that Saeyoung is able to see that Saeran has someone that cares about him and that would be the selling point. If his brother is overwhelmed and scared and the one with him holds his hand and gently calms him, and removes him from the issue at hand, he’s sold.

No hesitation.

You protect Saeran, you show Saeyoung that you love Saeran, and that’s all he needs to see to trust you. He may not know all the details at that point but you can fucking count on him to be on board. He knows how to spot liars and people with bad intentions, and you don’t have that.

He wouldn’t forget to tell you that, either.

I think even more than that when he’s around the MC, he will notice how they just know when to touch Saeran’s hand and calm him. Saeran and his Mc have this silent communication. They don’t even really need words. They just look at each other and understand. That’s not something that is easily found in any relationship and when you see people that work in harmony you can’t help but smile. Saeyoung has hardly ever seen Saeran smile and you know when he sees it, he feels grateful that someone was there for Saeran when he couldn’t be there.

There’s going to be guilt and other feelings in that but he’ll swallow that down. One more thing to add to his list of things to talk about when he’s ready to get his own help.

Saeyoung and GE Saeran are going to interact slowly but surely. They’re going to be awkward... tense... maybe not angry, but there will be tight moments that feel overwhelming for both of them. Saeran might get angry and Saeyoung might be upset so there’s no avoiding a fight here and there but it may not be as violent as with SE Saeran and Saeyoung. Them getting to know each other is like getting to know a stranger... it’s been nearly a decade, they really don’t know each other at all.

Sad as that is, it’s fun to get to know each other again. Saeyoung gets to learn things about his brother all the time and he writes that down, trying to make things right and make up for the past... Saeran swallowing back his shame and telling his brother that he’s not mad, and them just looking forward. It’s not always easy but I do think that GE Saeran and Saeyoung will have a different kind of relationship given purely from the fact that Saeran was allowed to choose recovery instead of being forced into it.

47 notes · View notes

sondepoch · 4 years

Text

Chapter 6

Written in the Stars (Lucifer x Angel!Reader)

Four thousand years is a long time. In the absence of your most cherished friend, it feels even longer. But when a certain student exchange program in the Devildom reunites you and Lucifer, things aren't the same. Because four thousand years of separation is a long time. And the love you once felt for Lucifer has changed into something different—something forbidden. But that might not even be your biggest problem, because with each passing day, your holy wings are turning blacker and blacker.

MASTERLIST

You're in your element.

All of you, really.

The demons love Solomon—well, "love." Most of them still avoid him, never really having taken the effort to look past the shadiness of his outward personality, but the few demons that have stuck around have been added to his collection of pacts, and they have iron-tight bonds with the sorcerer. You've never seen him so pleased.

And then there's Simeon: probably one of the most goodhearted angels even in the Celestial Realm, so blissfully kind that even the demons have grown used to him and his little antics. Of course, it absolutely helps that the angel is nowhere near as innocent as anyone expected, constantly keeping the demons on their toes, but they seem to consider that thrill an added bonus to his company.

Luke...well, Luke might be the one having the hardest time, if you're perfectly honest. He still gets teased by the lower demons for his youthful appearance, but once they grew to learn that he was more bark than bite, even they began to relax with the insults. By now, the angel boy is quite happy, with Beel readily available to taste whatever treats he produces, and Barbatos always equipped with a new "recipe he doesn't have time to make but would like to see made."

And of course, there's you.

Well, you always knew that R.A.D. would be a blast. Even if the lower demons hadn't grown to love you for your bubbly nature (a fresh change, they say), you had the entire House of Lamentation to keep you entertained. And not to mention the fact that you and Lucifer grew involved at the beginning of the year—that thought alone still sends a flutter of butterflies to your stomach.

But you can't think of Lucifer like that right now.

No, Lucifer is the enemy.

"MC, catch!" Luke exclaims, tossing two water balloons your way, which you somehow manage to grab without popping them on contact. "Everybody ready?"

You glance around at your teammates: the nine demons remaining alongside you, Simeon, Solomon, and Luke. Everybody has two water balloons in their hands, and your faces are all rock hard with the memory of your comrades who have fallen at the hands of the enemy team.

A firm frown fixes its way onto your face when you recall how Belphie and Beel had cornered you from the treetops earlier, and had almost released an entire bucket full of liquid onto your shoulders before you bribed your way out with promises of paying for dinner next time the three of you go to Ristorante Six.

"Alright, split into teams!" A demon shouts, and then you're at Solomon's side. The mage enchanted your body earlier with a weightlessness spell that makes it even easier to sprint around and evade balloons, and you're not about to leave his side after he already helped you out once. "And go!"

Wordlessly, you and the mage begin sprinting along the treeline, both of you harnessing the full strength of Solomon's enchantment to jump and land in the treetops, where you have the best view of what's going on below.

"What if someone else is in the trees?" You ask, making a long leap from one tree branch to the next. Your figure peaks out over the treeline every so often, but the giant oaks are so high up that you doubt anyone will see.

"Shouldn't be a problem. Demons don't like using spells to boost their bodies, and Diavolo said that shifting out of human forms will lead to an instant game-over for that person."

You nod, continuing the journey forward in silence.

The other demons may be taking this lightly, but for you (and the rest of your dormmates in Purgatory Hall), this is your only shot—and you all plan to win.

You briefly recall the assembly this morning from when Levi took the mic. At the time, you'd been shocked that the shut-in otaku was willingly giving a speech in front of the entire student body, but you quickly realized that this was a major source of his ego. At the end of every sentence, as Levi explained (probably for the thousandth time, since he remarked that this was an annual occurrence) the rules of the Water Wars, cheers would erupt from the entire student body.

It took a message from Lucifer to calm everyone down enough for you to actually learn the rules of the Water Wars, but they were simple enough.

There are only four rules.

Rule 1: No switching sides. Everyone is assigned to either the Southern Water Fortress or the Northern Water Fortress, based on which half of the campus their dorms are on. Friendly fire, even if accidental, is grounds for "Water death"—a fancy phrase Levi coined for being 'out,' but you're determined not to let it come to that.

Rule 2: No leaving the R.A.D. campus. Yep, for the annual Water Wars, Levi has clearance to use the entire R.A.D. (buildings included!), though the students who are more interested in playing will stay towards the center.

Rule 3: Participants must get one 'kill' every half hour. Evidently, the entire Water Wars game was framed in the image of an actual military war, so getting someone out counts as a kill, and being killed yourself really only means that you're out of the game. Rule 3 is what prevents students from hiding during the entire game, since it only lasts one day, and is enforced through an enchantment spell everyone was bound to at the start of the game.

Rule 4: Avoid killing. And now this is probably the only rule you actually have a problem with, since it only says "avoid" killing without explicitly prohibiting it, but Simeon reassured you that demons won't actually take it to heart.

But if Rules 1 through 3 attempt to create a semblance of order, the subtle openness of Rule 4 wrecks it all, perhaps the only reason why these Water Wars have begun to feel like actual war.

And Lucifer is the enemy.

It's nearing the end of the day, and both teams have suffered heavy losses. The enemy team is exclusively the remaining members of the House of Lamentation and some other odd demons, while your team's numbers are even fewer. But that's why you and Solomon are going straight to their base—to eliminate the brothers before they can eliminate you.

You glance at your wrist, where there's a timer that dictates how long ago your last kill was. Eighteen minutes.

"How much time is left for you?" You ask Solomon when the Southern Water Fortress becomes visible. It looks empty, almost completely abandoned, and the sight worries you.

"I need to make a kill within ten minutes," He mutters back, squinting at the ground in case any lingering demons are foolishly wandering around.

You don't bother.

This is the endgame, less than twenty people left on both teams after the eight-hundred that started the game, and no one who's lasted this long will be making careless mistakes.

"Ready?" You call to Solomon when the fortress grows close enough for the two of you to jump onto it. For a moment, you worry that his human body won't be able to take the force of the collision, before realizing that he's not stupid enough to allow something so trivial to kill him.

He nods.

The two of you jump, landing weightlessly in the heart of the enemy fortress not seconds later. Staying back to back, you slowly begin walking around until you realize that your earlier worries have indeed become reality.

"They abandoned their fortress."

"Damn," Solomon mutters, standing up straight after he realizes you're right. "Shit. Five minutes before Rule 3 gets me out."

"Same," You mutter worriedly, seeing that the timer has approached twenty-four minutes on your wrist.

But before either of you can further comment, an announcement from Diavolo interrupts you both, his figure lighting up the sky over the R.A.D. campus.

"Greetings, students!" He exclaims happily, arms crossed with a pleasant grin stretched across his face. "At this point, there are less than ten students remaining in Leviathan's annual Water Wars!" You hear a cheer go up, but you can't tell where it's coming from. "To keep with tradition, the formal betting will now begin! More interestingly, it is now exclusively exchange students versus demons, with three exchange students defending the Northern Team and seven demons remaining in the Southern Team!"

You and Solomon exchange wary looks.

Shit.

"In light of this turn of events, your host Leviathan has decided to refill both fortresses with holy water and hexed water! The rules of elimination have been altered: to eliminate an exchange student, you must tag them with hexed water; to eliminate a demon, you must tag them with holy water. That will be all! The next update will come in either one hour when this session of the annual Water Wars comes to a close or when there is a winner!"

Double shit.

"Um, won't holy water kill a demon if it touches them or something?" Solomon asks. "And won't the same thing happen with angels and hexed water?"

"Not quite," You murmur, grabbing Solomon's arm and using all your strength to jump up with the sorcerer, the enchantment carrying you high into the sky where you can already see a group of demons returning to refill their water balloons. The two of you float to the ground right in front of their fortress, realizing that you're in for an all-out battle. "It'll sting a lot, but that's about it. Levi is probably only doing it to make us scared so that we fight even harder."

"Alright…" Solomon trails off, nodding his head hesitantly. "So, what's our current plan for those demons heading straight for us?"

"The reason they're returning to their base is because they need hexed water to get us out, right? That means they can only tag us with normal water right now," You respond, grabbing your two sad-looking water balloons.

Solomon nods, grabbing your arm. "Ready?"

"Ready."

And then the two of you have jumped forward with all your strength, soaring over the demons and their looks of utter shock as you begin the return to the Northern Water Fortress.

***

You and Solomon had managed to reset your Rule 3 timers on your journey back, both of you dropping water balloons on an unsuspecting Mephistopheles. It hadn't counted as a kill, but it had worked to give the two of you an additional thirty minutes.

On your return journey, you'd been completely cautious, making every effort to avoid demons for the sake of your own protection.

It seems that Simeon, on the other hand, went all-out.

"I'm not sure how they got here before you did, but the Southern team attacked our fortress!" He exclaims with his usual pleasant smile, sliding you both water balloons filled with holy water. You would worry at his revelation, but he says it with such a calm demeanor that you can't help but be suspiciously at ease as well.

"How did you manage to evade them?" You ask, squishing a balloon experimentally.

"Evade?" Simeon asks, shaking his head with a smile. "Luke and I attacked them, of course! Though Luke sacrificed himself to take Beel out. The lower demons came in range of the water cannons, so I managed to get them out like that—but I actually had to venture out to fight the rest of the brothers." He shakes his head, frowning. "I was only able to get Mammon and Satan. Lucifer is still out there."

Who put this overpowered angel on defense? You can't help but wonder, realizing that he's successfully reduced the entire enemy team to one demon in a single attack.

"Simeon, you're amazing!" You exclaim, wrapping him in an excited hug. Before, your team was the underdog—but with only one demon on the other side, your chance at victory has never been higher!

"What about the rest of the brothers?" Solomon asks. "Levi, Asmo, Belphie—are they already out?"

"Levi couldn't play, since he's hosting the Water Wars. I think Asmo got out in the morning because he didn't want to play and risk ruining his face and Belphie…" You actually don't know about Belphie. "I'm guessing he fell asleep and also got out because of Rule 3."

"So that means…"

"Right."

There's only one enemy left.

"Alright," You say, crossing your arms. "Then let's make a plan."

In the end, it's really Simeon who makes the entire plan while you and Solomon stare at him in awe, wondering whether he was a battle commander in a past life. The angel's reasoning is perfect, and he thinks of everything: a counterstrategy, four different what-if scenarios, and a plan to throw Lucifer off-guard. And it absolutely helps that he still remembers everything about the fallen Morningstar, using his current knowledge of the demon to even pinpoint where Lucifer must be right now.

And, from your position in the treetops, it seems that Simeon was right.

You wave at the angel subtly, keeping movement minimal to not draw attention. He's hundreds of meters away, but you can still make out the subtle nod he gives you and Solomon, all three of you now in-position for the plan.

As expected, Lucifer is standing in the middle of an open field, arms crossed, with a bucket of water balloons next to him. His pride won't allow him to seek out the enemy on their terms, so he's forced the three of you to come to him, and now he waits. You know all too well that he's waiting for a single one of you to make a sound, so that he can pinpoint your location and throw a balloon filled with hexed water your way to knock you out. But you won't give him that chance. You bend your knees, hands firm around the two water balloons in your palms.

Ready, you mouth to Simeon. Solomon must do the exact same thing, because in seconds, the angel is moving—your own cue to begin the assault.

Simeon stays low on the ground, zig-zagging his way toward Lucifer as the demon pauses and aims, focusing on the angel while Solomon makes his own lunging jump forward with three haphazard balloon tosses.

Lucifer manages to dodge all three, barely taking a second to grab a balloon and knock Solomon out with it—the impact of the collision dropping Solomon's body to the ground, and you can't help but wince—before he's back to focusing on Simeon.

With the demon's brief shift off balance, you recognize your cue to make your jump out of the treetops, soaring over Lucifer while Simeon draws ever closer, and—

Oh no.

You can feel the precise movement when Solomon's enchantment wears off, likely caused by the sorcerer's sudden unconsciousness, and Simeon pauses for a moment to glance worriedly up at your flailing form. You've already jumped, but your body is no longer weightless, and you're charging headfirst at Lucifer with gravity pulling you down all the way.

Sensing Simeon's hesitation, the firstborn demon wastes no time in delivering a swift throw straight to Simeon's chest, the added sting of the hexed water crumpling Simeon to the ground in a hiss.

Still flying through the air, you decide that it's too late to turn back, so you do your best to take aim and throw your balloons at Lucifer, now approaching him directly overhead. Powered by your strength, the balloon cuts through the air faster than you, and it makes a streaming sound as if approaches Lucifer overhead, and it's so close to hitting him, just another hundred feet and he'll be out, and you're so close and—

Damn it.

Hearing the sound, Lucifer looks up, only briefly stunned by the fact that it must look like you're falling out of the sky armed with water balloons. His eyes widen, realizing that both his hands are empty, and then he comes up with perhaps the most frustrating solution he could possibly think of: throwing the entire bucket of hexed water balloons up at you, the pink and purple and yellow balloons soaring up into the air at top speed.

When they collide with the two balloons from your own throw, the sudden stop after such overwhelming speed is nothing short of chaos.

Seven hells.

The balloons collide in a deafening pop! that sprinkles holy water and hexed water everywhere in a mini-explosion: onto you, onto Lucifer, and every inch of space in between.

Your body streams through the suspended water particles in the air, and you hiss at the sensation of hexed water. On the ground, Lucifer is wincing with the same pain, feeling holy water sizzle on his skin—but really, that should be the least of either of your problems because your jump was extremely well-aimed and any second now gravity is going to your body all the way and you're going to collide with Lucifer and—

Goddammit—really, can you catch a break?

The two of you groan in pain, skin hurting from the holy and hexed water, bodies aching from you literally crashing into Lucifer from almost a thousand feet up in the air.

"Are—are you okay?" You manage to ask him, wincing as you try to stand up, only collapse onto his chest again.

"All...good…" He mutters, groaning. "And you?"

"S-same," You manage to stutter, holding your head.

And then you both black out.

***

Today's dinner is served in the House of Lamentation, with the food prepared by Luke and Beel.

At the beginning of the school year, you would all eat in your own dorms, separate from one another. But by the end of the second week of school, there was no point to it. You would always be texting the brothers on a group chat, Solomon would always be video calling Asmo, and it got to the point where even Luke, with his self-proclaimed hatred of demons, was texting Beel on his D.D.D.

Simeon and Lucifer got together and agreed that, to cut down on everyone's phone usage at the dinner table, your dorms would begin eating dinner together once a week. And then it turned into twice a week. Soon, thrice a week. And then it was every other day, and now the only time you guys don't eat together is on weekends.

But today, there's a competitive edge in the air, all of you having come fresh from the Water Wars. (Well, others did. You, Lucifer, Simeon, and Solomon were all temporarily stored in the infirmary until you regained consciousness.)

"Oh please, Asmo." Solomon crosses his arms, tapping his fork on his plate while Beel brings the dishes from the kitchen over. "You were out in the first half hour, there's no reason for you to act all cocky."

"Excuse me!" Asmo gasps dramatically, crossing his arms. "What if someone threw something at my face?! I know you're okay with being knocked out, but I have to look perfect all the time. You could never understand, Solomon."

"Alright," You interrupt, leaning back in your chair. "But I'm sure we all know that our team actually won, right? Lucifer totally lost to me."

"Those are bold claims, MC." Lucifer regards you with a smirk. "If I recall, I wasn't the one who was completely soaked to the bone afterward. Look, your hair is still wet."

"Shut it, Luci." You scowl. "The only reason it even counted as a tie was because gravity did all your work for you when I fell through the water. How did that feel, hm? To know that, if not for the Devildom's natural forces, then you would have lost?"

"Wasn't it you who came crashing into me, though? You needed me to break your fall. Are all your plans so thoughtless?"

"Only because Solomon's enchantment spell wore off!"

"And you didn't think of that as a possibility? Tsk, how disappointing."

"Hey!" You protest, crossing your arms. Lucifer still wears that devilish smile, daring you to continue. And you absolutely would, if not for Simeon.

"Now, now. No need to be upset, little lamb." Simeon pats your head, frowning slightly at the dampness before his lips curve upward once more. "We all know he's simply jealous because he knows we were the rightful winners."

"Simeon!"

A wave of laughter rises from the table as you continue to taunt each other, only finding eventual peace when Luke brings out the last of the food. You mindlessly take spoonfuls of whatever looks good, your plate a mixed assortment of Celestial and Devildom food. It took two months to get to this point, but you've finally grown used to the local cuisine.

Everyone seems extra talkative today, the excitement of the earlier events still not worn off. Levi chatters animatedly about everything that happened, regaling you with all the details you weren't able to see in person.

"Still, though. I can't believe no one thought to dry you off," Simeon tuts disapprovingly, a frown present on his face. "I hope you don't fall sick, little lamb."

"Oh, right!" Mammon exclaims, glancing at you. "I forgot that angels fall sick so easily. How ya doin', MC? All good there?"

"I feel fine," You say, stretching. "I think falling onto Lucifer was worse. He's not comfortable."

But as if on cue, you suddenly cough, a shiver following soon after.

Simeon sighs, his frown deepening.

The rest of dinner passes by quickly, but no one's in a rush to leave. As with tradition, the Water Wars took place on the third Friday of the second month of school, and no one has any plans for the evening.

The eleven of you end up spaced out over various couches (with Belphie napping on the floor) in the common room, chatting aimlessly about all the projects you have coming up. As usual, Mammon keeps trying to convince you all to play card games—and thus, to gamble on them—but Lucifer shuts him down quick enough.

Another violent cough is ripped from your throat, the room going silent at your momentary struggle.

"Little lamb?" Simeon questions, concern present on his face. "Are you sure you're alright? You know that this is how all our illnesses start, and I don't want—"

Another coughing fit comes from you, only stopping when Simeon moves forward to rest his hand on your back. "Little lamb?" He repeats, voice gentle.

"I, um…" You place your hand over your chest, where it still tingles from all your coughing. "I don't feel too good."

Simeon brings a hand to your forehead, and when he steps back, his frown is even deeper. He turns around, glancing at the brothers. "I'm going to take her back. Her forehead isn't incredibly hot, but it's warmer than usual."

But Lucifer shakes his head. "You know how cold Devildom nights get, Simeon. The journey back will only make things worse." He glances at you, worry written into his features. "It may be best if she spends the night here."

Simeon looks hesitant about the idea, still incredibly aware that the exchange students dorm separate from demons for a reason, but when he sees you shiver, he relents.

"I'll fetch her things," He says, unclasping his Celestial cloak in favor of using it to cover your body as a blanket. "Solomon, Luke, let's go."

"I'll come, too!" Asmo exclaims, jumping up as soon as his eyes settle on Simeon's bare shoulders. An amused smile dawns on the angel's face at the realization, but he humors the fifth-born and allows Asmo to tag along as he ushers the rest of the residents of Purgatory Hall out, Asmo practically clinging to his arm the whole time.

When they're gone, the air in the room changes.

"Are you alright?" Lucifer asks, moving to sit next to you on the couch. His lips ghost over your forehead, earning a small groan of protest from Mammon at the PDA. Even you're surprised at it—given that Lucifer has never liked showing affection so openly, even when it's as small as this—but when you look into his eyes, you see genuine worry.

"I'm fine," You respond, laughing a little. "Don't kiss me, or you'll fall sick, too."

"Demons don't fall sick as easily as angels," Satan comments from the other side of the room, leaving to give you some privacy. The other brothers soon follow suit.

Lucifer watches them leave, waiting until they're all gone before he pulls you into his lap, pressing his forehead to yours. "Excited to spend the night here?"

You laugh lightly, leaning into his warmth. Even with Simeon's thick cloak wrapped around your shoulders, you feel undeniably cold, and you shiver in the demon's arms.

"Still cold?" Lucifer asks. You nod, and he lifts you. (You have to stop yourself from gasping when you realize that he's carrying not only your body weight, but the weight of your Celestial cloak, plus the weight of Simeon's even-heavier cloak.) "We have a guest room in the House of Lamentation, so I'll set you up for the night in there."

"I can walk," You say, pouting lightly as he carries you up the stairs, but Lucifer ignores all your protests.

"You're sick," He justifies, entering a room you've never seen and setting you down on the bed. He goes as far as to tuck you into the covers, batting your hands away when you try to do it yourself. "Rest and sleep is the best remedy for a common illness like this. If we were in the Celestial Realm, I'd get you some medicine, but…"

"Luci," You reach your hand out of the blankets, slipping it into Lucifer's. "Don't stress. I'm fine."

You hold back another round of coughs, but not for long, and in half a minute, you're in a seated position once more, coughing into oblivion with no signs of stopping.

"Shower? Do you think a shower will help?" He asks as he helps you lie down, his eyebrows furrowed. "Or do you want warm water? I can get you some more blankets, too, but if you want some—"

"Lucifer," You interrupt, silencing him with a hand. "I'll be fine by tomorrow morning, really. I'm not as sick as you think."

But he's far from convinced.

"Fine, do you really want to know what might help me right now?" He nods, crossing his arms, ready to travel to the ends of hell to get you whatever you say you desire. "You. Come and lie next to me."

You tug him into bed, giving him no chance to retaliate as you snuggle into his side.

"Simeon will be returning…" He begins, hesitant.

"Shush," You say.

You close your eyes, forgetting how cold you are when Lucifer silently wraps his arms around you, keeping an ear open for the sound of a message on his D.D.D. or any approaching footsteps. But the only thing you register is the soft sensation of his hands as they go up to stroke your hair, and the feather-light kiss he lays against your forehead.

"Get well quickly," He murmurs softly, pressing his lips against yours as if he knows that you're already drifting off, and the action is more than enough to keep all bad thoughts away from your dreams as you're pulled into a deep slumber.

***

Simeon didn't leave your side the entire night.

Angels certainly fall sick more often than demons, but it's still unpleasant whenever it happens—and the last time Simeon had seen you shiver this violently was six centuries ago.

He frowns as another gasping cough tears its way through your lungs, your frame curled into itself as you try to stop the sickness from progressing, and a wave of sympathy washes over Simeon's heart.

Being sick is never pleasant.

But it seems that he's not the only one concerned for your well-being.

"You don't need to watch her from all the way over there," The angel calls, not bothering to turn around and face the demon standing at the door. "Come inside, Lucifer."

Simeon hears the firstborn hesitate before he finally accepts the request, quietly walking over to the other side of the bed.

"How is she?" Lucifer asks, raising a hand to your hair, brushing the loose tresses out of your face. You flinch at the contact, but your body leans in to the additional source of warmth soon enough.

"Worse. She began shivering around midnight. I think her fever started up two hours later. It broke for a while in between, but…"

"It's back."

Simeon nods, tightening his grip on your fingers as he holds your hand, thumb brushing over the knuckles as you sleep. He glances upward, trying to catch Lucifer's eyes, but the darkness is too overpowering. The moonlight falls into the room at the perfect angle, illuminating your body but neither the angel nor the demon, the two men as hidden from each other as their thoughts.

He watches with bated breath as Lucifer's hand trails from your hair to your cheek, gently stroking the skin in soothing circles, just how Simeon had done an hour ago.

"She's beautiful," Simeon comments, more to fill the silence than anything.

"She is," Comes Lucifer's response, a confirmation, but it's something more than that. It's an affirmation, a silent you're right, and you've done well that comes from the guardian of old to the guardian of new.

And then the angel doesn't bother saying anything else, because the silence that wraps around Simeon and Lucifer isn't a veil of awkwardness or edge, but one of serenity. Their faces are tranquil as they watch over your figure, at peace as they bask in the quiet knowledge that the bond they share—two guardians, past and present, connected through you—is something that words can never convey. Their bond goes deeper than brothers, deeper than the love they have for one another and deeper than any materialistic birthright that could bind them together: no, they are bound to each other by their love for you, pure as an angel in Simeon's case, passionate as a demon in Lucifer's.

The demon bends low against the bed, cupping your jaw gently with his hand to lay a chaste kiss against your forehead. It looks innocent, sweet; but Simeon knows the truth.

As Lucifer's lips ghost over you, you begin to stir in the slightest, eyes fluttering open as you look up for the first time since falling asleep. "Luci?" You ask, though it's more of a quiet mumble than anything.

"I'm here," He mumbles, leaning back. "Go back to sleep, MC. Save your strength."

But you don't heed his words, tugging insistently on his sleeve before he can draw your hand away. Your eyes are clouded with drowsiness, but your request is clear: "Come closer, Luci. Lie down with me."

There's a moment of silence, one where Simeon presumes the demon is raising his eyebrows in shock at the boldness of your request, before he lowers his head. The moonlight catches his eyes just the slightest, and Simeon can make out the question in his gaze—the silent May I? that Lucifer is requesting.

Simeon smiles. "Go ahead."

Lucifer is stiff as he shifts onto the bed, your body embracing him instantly with no regard for Simeon next to you in your compromised state. Your chest is soon rising and falling in a calm rhythm once more, arms wrapped tight around Lucifer's waist as you press into his warmth, but the demon is more preoccupied with Simeon than anything else. Now, in the moonlight, Lucifer's face is completely bare—the angel is the one who is concealed.

"Simeon, I—"

"You don't need to pretend," Simeon cuts him off, a soft smile present on his lips. "I already know, Lucifer."

"You...know?" Lucifer asks, voice incredulous.

Simeon can't help but laugh a little at that, the sound soft as it leaves his lips. He smiles, even though he knows that Lucifer can't see it in the darkness. "Being her guardian for four thousand years has taught me how to read MC well. She hides the truth with her lips, but not her actions. Even Solomon has figured it out."

For a moment, Lucifer is left speechless, evidently not having expected this of all things. And then, Simeon feels guilty for having his face hidden by the darkness and he sits on the bed, facing Lucifer where they can both have an honest conversation illuminated by moonlight.

"How long?" Lucifer asks, relaxing the slightest when he sees the kindness in Simeon's smile. "How long have you known?"

"As long as this has been going on, I suppose." Simeon taps his chin. "Though I only grew confident in my deduction that night before school started, when you called and covered for her."

Lucifer nods, remembering the night well.

And now, it's Simeon's turn for a question.

"Do you love her the way she loves you?" He asks, though he suspects he knows the answer.

"No," Lucifer murmurs, looking down at you fondly. "I love her more."

"I'm sure she would say the same thing."

"I don't think it's possible to love anyone the way I love her," Lucifer responds, raising his eyes back up to Simeon's. For once, the angel realizes that Lucifer isn't trying to hide any of his emotions behind his wall of pride, and everything is evident on his face: the love he harbors for you, the adoration, the inexplicable infatuation that nothing seems to surpass. "A part of me suspected that you knew," Lucifer comments, twirling a strand of hair between his fingers. "MC told me that you never asked questions, so that meant that you either hadn't noticed anything at all or you were consciously letting us be. And you've always been…" The edges of Lucifer's lips curl upward. "Observant."

"I wanted her to tell me when she felt ready," Simeon whispers. It's the truth—he knows that if he were to ask you an outright question, you wouldn't lie to him. "And I wanted to give her the option of keeping the secret. I can't imagine this relationship…"

"You can't imagine it has a happy ending."

Simeon nods quietly, dropping his gaze.

He knew from the start that this would happen. When you begged the High Seraphs to send you to the Devildom for Diavolo's exchange program, your heart only thought of Lucifer platonically—but that was before the element of temptation had been introduced in your relationship. When you used to both be two holy beings, proud and pure, it was unsurprising that only a friendship blossomed between you two. But when Lucifer's wings turned black, his nature changed as well, and four thousand years had only furthered your subconscious desires for the man.

And the High Seraphs knew it, too.

Part of Simeon's role as your guardian was to save you from temptation, to keep you walking the holy path and to halt any potential relationship between you and Lucifer. But he had never sworn it. And so when he saw the light in your eyes as you talked about the demon, he knew that he would not pry you away from the man who made you so happy.

Because he knew that in the end, the two of you would be separated regardless. So why not allow you the mercy of happiness in between?

"That night she left Purgatory Hall crying. It was two months ago, but I'm certain you remember. That night, she went to you. Tell me, Lucifer." Simeon's eyes darken, an occurrence rarer than a blue moon, but Lucifer doesn't flinch as their eyes meet. "Were you the cause for her tears that night?"

There's a moment of silence between the two, Simeon's protective instincts over you colliding with Lucifer's natural urges to shield you away, but Lucifer finally speaks.

"You are asking if I hurt her, correct?"

A nod.

"I did not." Lucifer casts his eyes away. "But I was inadvertently the reason she was crying."

A spark of curiosity lights Simeon's eyes for a moment, but it's gone as soon as it arrives. He does not seek forth anything beyond what is necessary, and the temptation for answers is one that cannot influence him. "Very well," He says, lips curved upward. "If you have not hurt her, then the two of you have my blessing."

Lucifer smiles.

The look in his eye is amused, and Simeon understands the reason for it. A relationship blessed by an angel is fated to succeed, it is said. Neither of the two know if this is truth or merely a myth cultivated from the heavens above, but both want to believe in it.

"Blessing a relationship that is doomed to fail," Lucifer mutters. "You have always had a strange sense of humor, Simeon."

"I have still yet to see a failed union that was blessed by an angel. Who knows? Perhaps, there will be happiness for you both in this."

"Perhaps," Lucifer responds.

The two of them remain in silence for the rest of the night, all things that needed to be said having been said. They only speak again to soothe you in hushed whispers when your figure begins to tremble particularly violently, or your cough grows especially bad. By the time the sun has begun to rise, you've broken out into a cold sweat, your entire body shaking as you try, in vain, to get warm.

"Are you leaving?" Lucifer asks when Simeon finally gets up, surprise written onto his features.

"Not quite. The High Seraphs gave me some medicine to use in case of an emergency...I know that a common cold such as this hardly constitutes as an emergency, but I'll deal with them later if I need to fetch more."

Lucifer nods, bidding Simeon farewell while the angel promises to return with Solomon and Luke, hoping that by the time he can bring you medicine, you'll be woken and eager to see your friends.

"Go," The demon says when Simeon hesitates. Only a final promise actually convinces the angel to depart: "I won't leave her side until you return."

***

As expected, mornings in the House of Lamentation are chaotic. Add all the residents of Purgatory Hall into the mix, and the house can hardly go a full ten minutes without a shout or the sound of something breaking.

Thankfully, both the parental figures of the dorms are locked by your side, tending to you while the brothers (and Luke and Solomon) pop in and out of the room.

"How long does the medicine take to work?" Lucifer asks impatiently, crossing his arms as he stares down at you. Simeon administered the aid over half an hour ago, but you've yet to show any signs of getting better. If anything, you've gotten worse.

"Relax," Simeon comments, amused at his friend's impatience. "It should kick in any second now. We'll know when it's working."

"How?" Lucifer asks, tapping his foot on the floor.

"Goodness, Lucifer," Simeon tuts disapprovingly. "Have you no recollection of how Celestial medicines work? We know it's kicked in when her angel form materializes. The natural boost to her magical power will force whatever toxins are causing this illness out of her system, and—"

"Her angel form will materialize?" Lucifer asks, with an intensity that Simeon doesn't understand.

"Yes. And then we'll begin to see symptoms of—oh look, it's already begun!"

Simeon watches with a pleasant smile as he recognizes the familiar light overtake your body, observing as you transform from human to angel. He hums approvingly, noting that it's been quite some time since he's actually seen you in this form.

And then the light fades.

Simeon's smile drops.

"Little lamb?" He whispers, eyes round in confusion. It quickly fades into horror, and then fear. This can't be right. His eyes are failing him, surely. How can it be possible that your wings, so pure and white and precious, have turned black?

The angel glances up at Lucifer, desperate for answers, for solace, for help, but the sympathy in the demon's eyes stops Simeon completely.

Lucifer knew.

There's another moment of confusion: a second of agony where Simeon simply doesn't understand why you would keep something so important from him but would tell someone else, why you would hide a change that must have torn your heart apart, why you would act like nothing is wrong when something clearly is.

And then the pain clears, and there's a flash of understanding where the truth dawns upon him. Not just the reasoning for your blackened wings, but truly everything. Why you never told him about your wings. Why you hid your relationship with Lucifer. Why you thought you could protect him if he never found out.

The two men glance at each other, eyes communicating more than words can ever say as they mutually vow to protect even this secret.

But then the sound of footsteps—the sound that they've both heard over ten times in the past hour alone—draws nearer once again, and they realize that while they can protect your secret, the moment the other residents of Purgatory Hall find out, it's over.

The door! Simeon's eyes seem to shout. But neither the angel nor the demon can move as they stand frozen at the sound of the footsteps drawing nearer. It roots them to the spot, freezing them like an enchantment stronger than anything they've ever experienced.

"Hey, guys!" The familiar voice of Luke calls out, drawing closer and closer. Simeon wills his legs to move, his mouth to say something, but his body isn't his own anymore. "Breakfast is ready!"

And then Luke is in the room.

Simeon doesn't think he'll ever forget the deafening silence of this moment, as the secret of your blackened wings that you've tried so desperately to keep hidden comes unraveled.

Because in one second, Luke is screaming at the sight, flinching at your impurity, and calling Michael's name at the top of his lungs, summoning the archangel in what he doubtlessly thinks is the right thing to do.

We failed her, Simeon and Lucifer seem to say to each other as they maintain eye contact, unmoving despite the sudden chaos that has gripped the room. They don't move, nor do they speak, nor do they flinch when the holy light of Michael's spirit materializes next to them, the rest of the brothers soon following suit.

I'm sorry.

The words are meant for you, a quiet beg for forgiveness that Simeon couldn't protect your secret. Would it have been different if he had known the truth from the start?

It matters not. I have failed her.

The angel's turmoil is written in his eyes, in his furrowed brow, in his slumped shoulders. But as the world around him continues to move in slow motion, he closes his eyes, sending a quiet prayer to God that this situation may somehow be salvaged.

Though in his heart, Simeon already knows that all is lost.

MASTERLIST

Word count: 7.1k

Notes: Posting this really late at night because today was wild :( Also i took a nap in the afternoon and i am like 90% sure that it was just a graphic sex dream (straight up porn, but like mild plot) which is extremely interesting because i am not a horny person and he’s the last brother i would expect to dream about but maybe its a sign that i should give him sum attention

Comment & Like

Next Update: 6/9/20

I do not own the rights to Obey Me! or any of the characters within it.

162 notes · View notes

starrynite7114 · 4 years

Note

43. “What the fuck were you thinking?” And 57. “You look so fucking hot when your mad” ❤️❤️❤️

Thanks for the request lovely! <3

Currently making my way through the requests! Request are still open if you all want to make one! :)

43. “What the fuck were you thinking?” And 57. “You look so fucking hot when your mad”

Looking at your watch, you began to become worried as Angel still wasn’t home. Even though he didn’t usually come home at a decent hour, you would think that during your birthday, your old man would make it a fucking mission to get home on time. Instead, you already blew out your candle and ate the dinner you made for both of you, or at least what you could have since your appetite truly wasn’t there. You’ve been with Angel for a little over five years now, the last 3 of it you’ve been engaged.

Why haven’t you pulled the trigger?

Can’t really say.

There were many factors that played a part. One was the fact you went to medical school as soon as you and Angel became engaged. Thankfully, you were accepted to UC San Diego and wasn’t too far from Angel. With your medical school education ending this year and moving on to residency, which thankfully, was at UC San Diego once again, you were thinking that maybe before residency, you and Angel could get married. But with everything going on with the club and the cartel, most recently, Los Olvidados, then maybe another three or so years till you could get married.

Currently, you were sitting eating your ice cream cake as you watched the latest episode of Tiger King. It was your guilty pleasure, that bitch Carole Baskin. You chuckled at yourself as you shoved another spoonful of ice cream in your mouth. It was rare for Angel to miss your birthday. While you were angry at first, now you were worried. He also hasn’t been answering your phone calls, but he could be at the other side. You would call Coco, Gilly or EZ, but you knew that those four were always together.

“Stupid Angel, stupid EZ.” You murmured to yourself.

You met Angel through EZ since you two were classmates in Stanford. You and Angel didn’t immediately hit it off, but you two didn’t hate each other. He was EZ’s older brother and you knew better than to mess with your friend’s older siblings. But one thing led to another and you were now engaged to Angel. For some reason, your mother was absolutely in love with Angel and your older brother took a liking to Angel since they bonded over guns. It was a weird dynamic, but you loved it.

As the next episode of Tiger King was about to start, your door burst open with Gilly assisting Angel inside.

“What the fuck?!” You yelled out as you saw Angel’s blood soaked shirt and his face that was bruised up, with dried blood at the corner of his lips. “Are you fucking kiding me right now?”

“Y/N, we know this looks bad, but half the blood on his shirt is not even his.” Coco tried to calm you, which just earned him a glare. He held his hands up and instructed EZ to close your door.

“Hey baby,” Angel greeted before letting out a groan as Gilly sat him down on one of the dining table chairs. “Happy birthday.”

“Don’t,” you walked over to the guest room you and Angel had at your apartment, taking out the medial kit you kept in the event the club needed you or Angel was being an idiot. When you got back outside, Coco and Gilly were out in your patio smoking while EZ was helping clean Angel’s wounds. “Do I even want to know?”

EZ chuckled. “Your man has a smart mouth, got himself hit.”

“The truth EZ.”

“That is the truth, we ran into trouble across the border. Angel was a smart ass, got hit a few times and cut by a knife.” EZ was telling the truth. He was thankful that Adelita saved them cause otherwise, he wasn’t sure where Angel would be right now or himself for that matter.

You narrowed your eyes at Angel who gave you that annoying smile of his. “You still love me right?”

“That’s debatable.” You took out a suturing kit so you could suture Angel’s wound. “Take off your shirt, and don’t be smart, I’ll give you another bruise on that face of yours.”

Angel took off his shirt as you asked and you assessed the wounds, thankful that it was just superficial. A few stitches would definitely benefit it. Usually, you would have a sterile field, but since you were working with these assholes, there was no need, it wasn’t like you could get some anyway. Putting on some gloves, you instructed Angel to lay down on the bed in the guest bedroom. His blood was not getting on the new comforter you got for your room. Nope. Not today Satan.

He grimaced as he laid down, but kept mum, not wanting to upset you further. Hell, he was upset too. He missed your birthday and he had this extravagant plan to whisk you away for a few days to Lake Arrowhead. He knew you needed a break, a break from everything that was going on and truthfully, so did he.

“I love you,” Angel told you as you began to suture his wound. He flinched, hating the fact he couldn’t have some anesthesia, but he knew you would enjoy repairing his wound without it.

“What the fuck were you thinking?” You scolded him.

“I wasn’t thinking mi amor,” Angel really wasn’t. All he wanted was to get rid of that heroin that Adelita had stolen from Galindo. Now, he was paying for it and he was pissed. The last thing he wanted was to miss your birthday especially since he missed it last year. Though, you weren’t in town then and it was completely out of his hands, but this year was going to be different. He wanted to take you to Lake Arrowhead, where your family and friends were waiting, so you two could get married.

This was the one thing he wanted to do for you after everything you two have been through. He was honestly surprised you two have lasted this long, but he was thankful you didn’t give up on him. This wasn’t about his insecurities or whatnot, but he definitely didn’t think he deserved to have someone as patient as you were with him. At times, you did want to strangle him and he would have let you, but he knew you two were meant to be together. If all these illegal activities and uncertainties didn’t drive you away, you two were in it for the long run.

Not like Angel would let you go anyway.

“Of course you weren’t,” you closed up the laceration, shaking your head. “You’re such an idiot, how can you put yourself on the line like that?!”

“Baby, I had to help Adelita, the longer I had those keys, the more paranoid I became.”

“Yes, Adelita,” you rolled your eyes, placing a gauze on top of the wound on his forehead. “Should I be worried?”

“What?” Angel wasn’t sure if he heard her correctly, sitting up causing him to hiss in pain.

“About Adelita, should I be worried?”

Angel shook his head. “I don’t know, should I be worried about Dr. Youngs?”

You sighed then. You didn’t have a problem with Adelita, you thought her mission was remarkable. But at times, you couldn’t help and be jealous due to Angel’s willingness to do everything for her, even pushing you aside at times. You were human, it happens, but you knew you had nothing to be worried about. Angel has always been faithful and he wasn’t going to stray now.

“Are you serious right now?”

“Well are you fucking serious right now?”

“How can you even ask that?”

“I can say the same to you querida. You honestly think I would fuck up our relationship? I told you what it is, it’s to help the MC get away from the fucking cartel.”

“And you know he’s my attending physician, he’s a great guy, but he’s also engaged.”

“That doesn’t mean shit, I saw how he looked at you.”

“You are such a fucking prick, Angel. You can’t come in here saying stupid shit like that after you missed my fucking birthday.” You fumed as you took the tray that had all the items you used to clean Angel up. “EZ! Can you take this tray and dispose of it, please?”

EZ came, immediately taking the tray. It’s not like the other three men didn’t hear your argument, the door was wide open. And no matter how close you were to them, their loyalty would always lie with Angel. Walking out of the room, they all gave you smiles.

“Happy birthday Y/N, we’re sorry Angel is a dipshit.” Gilly gave you a hug, which you returned.

“Happy birthday, if you want we’ll take him off your hands and let you have some quiet time.” Coco offered after he gave you a hug.

You shook your head. “It’s fine, he can sleep in the guest bedroom.” Looking back at Angel who was now standing up, you narrowed your eyes as he gave you his annoying smirk.

“You look so fucking hot when your mad.” You knew he was going to say something stupid, it was always paired with that smirk.

His three brothers groaned at Angel’s comment, knowing it wasn’t going to help his situation.

“You can go fuck yourself Angel,” you flipped him off. “Do I still look hot to you?”

“Got even hotter baby,” he knew he was in deep shit, but if you were bantering with him, he must not be in too deep. He gave you a kiss, which you couldn’t really avoid since hitting him would cause him further pain.

“Happy birthday,” EZ greeted you as well, startling you since you were focused on Angel. “From me, Coco and Gilly.”

You looked at the envelope in his hand and you raised an eyebrow. Taking the envelope, you opened it and found tickets to see Bruno Mars. You squealed, wrapping your arms around EZ. Giving him a quick squeeze, you made your round towards Coco and Gilly.

Angel watched you, leaning against the wall. He smiled, happy that you enjoyed the idea he gave those fuckers. He was in the dog house right now and he knew giving you your present wouldn’t exactly relieve him of his sins.

“You guys are more than welcome to stay, but I have some errands to do tomorrow.” You turned around, Angel semi-blocking your way to your room. “Don’t even think about coming to the room tonight.”

“You look even hotter when you threaten me.”

You rolled your eyes and brushed past Angel. He watched you until the door obscured his view. Looking back at his brothers they just shook their heads.

“What? She loves me, she’ll forgive me.”

“Or she’ll slit your throat.”

You tossed and turned, annoyed that you couldn’t get comfortable. You heard them laughing outside for a few hours before it died down. The television was still on, that much you knew, so the boys most likely decided to stay. You hated that you couldn’t sleep without Angel. If you were extremely exhausted you could, but with the adrenaline you got after he came home injured, you couldn’t sleep. You knew he was okay, but hundreds of thoughts came through your head. What if he wasn’t okay? What if today was the time he wouldn’t come back. It was a vicious cycle every time Angel wasn’t around you, you worried about him constantly. One of the reasons you were thankful that you decided to become a doctor was so you could save Angel’s life just so you could kill him with your bare hands.

The door opening broke you out of your thoughts and you immediately closed your eyes. Your back was turned to the door, but you knew only one person would be coming in. The door closed once again and you stayed still, not sure if Angel decided to just peak in or if he actually came in. Your question was answered when you felt a dip on your bed.

“Baby?” He softly shook you.

You chose to ignore him, not wanting to have an argument about his stupidity.

“Come on baby, I’m sorry,” he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you against him. “I know you’re awake. All the Tiger King episodes were watched, come on, talk to me.”

“You missed my birthday.”

“I know I did, and I’m sorry.” Angel placed a kiss on your neck.

You turned to face him, his arms still around you.

“I’m upset you got hurt most of all.”

“I know you are, but I’m okay, I came home to you.”

“What if you didn’t?”

Angel frowned. He cupped your face, softly rubbing your cheek with his thumb. He placed a kiss on your lips and then one on your forehead.

“If I can help it, I will always stay alive for you.”

You began to cry then and Angel panicked. “Mi dulce, why are you crying?”

“Cause you’re such an idiot and I hate you.” You closed the distance between you two, wrapping your arms around him. “I love you so much Angel, I don’t know what I would do without you. Every time you come home looking as you did today, it always scares the shit out of me.”

“I’m sorry amor, I promise I wasn’t trying to upset you.” He buried his nose in your hair, holding you tight against him. “I act on impulse, it’s a habit, I’m really trying to be better.”

“Can you try harder? Our kid is going to need you.”

“Of course, anything for our kid.” He froze then, pulling away from you. “Wait, what?”

“I’m pregnant Angel, I’m 3 months along.” You happily shared with him.

“Holy shit, we’re pregnant?” He sat up, a smile spreading across his lips. “We’re having a fucking baby.” He breathed out.

You took out the present you’ve had for him. It was in your bedside drawer, in a rectangular box. You handed over to him and sure enough, it was a positive pregnancy test.

“Baby, holy fuck,” he enveloped you in his embrace, kissing the side of your head. “We’re gonna have a baby,” he felt the tears welling up as excitement coarse through his body. He always wondered how it would be to have a child with you, someone who had your smile, your eyes, your nose, just your everything. And now, he didn’t have to wonder any further. “Shit, I gotta tell the guys.”

You laughed as Angel was basically skipping out of your room to inform his brothers that you were having a baby.

Even though your birthday didn’t start out as planned, it definitely ended on a way better note.

#justahopelessssromantic #angel reyes #angelreyes #mayans mc fanfic #angel reyes fic #angel reyes fanfic #mayans mc imagine #mayans mc fic #angel reyes fanfiction #promptrequest

143 notes · View notes

sheep-mc · 3 years

Text

As promised from yesterday...

Yesterday following my not-so-brief rant post, I stated that I’d follow up the travesty of that event with a more in-depth analysis and more collected thoughts. That is what awaits you under the cut! Be warned though, there are going to be major spoilers for the event (and possibly things that occur from lesson 20 and prior)

First I’m going to give a summary of the event and how I view it. This is mostly for those of you who haven’t played the event yet, so you can understand why the community is so angry about it. If you’ve already played, feel free to skip the next 3 paragraphs.

It starts out with Lord Diavolo suggesting a party to improve the bonds between the exchange students and the student council. Asmodeus suggests that everyone should dress up - but nothing big, just small angel wings and such. Diavolo shakes his head and says that everyone should go all out, because if you’re going to dress up, you may as well go all the way. Several of the brothers (Mammon, Lucifer, Belphegor) express disdain for this, saying that they don’t want to get dressed up, but Diavolo uses his own magic to put them into outfits anyway. Not just any outfits. Their old Celestial Realm outfits. Simeon then mentions that Michael has given him a gift to give to the brothers, as a thank you for them treating the angels so well. The gift is only for the brothers, not MC, not Diavolo, just the brothers. Simeon aware of the effect the bangles will have on the brothers. He does not tell them this until they’ve put it on. He knows fully well that the bangles will cause them to act in more “righteous ways”. The bangles then react unexpectedly with Diavolo’s magic, causing the outfits and bangles to become irremovable. That is to say, they cannot take them off. It was forced upon them when several of them clearly showed that they did not want to go along with this, and now they cannot undo it. That’s the first issue.

After this, Diavolo still decides that he wants to hold the party, and Simeon agrees. The preparations continue nonetheless. Throughout the event, we speak to the brothers as they’re preparing for the party. Here we’re shown that the brainwashing of the bangles is gradual, not immediate. Mammon is able to resist it slightly at first, claiming that he’s going to cut the clothes off of him. Once he grabs the scissors, his behavior changes. He decides that what he’s doing is dangerous and instead goes to put the scissors away. This action scares Leviathan, who fears that they’re all going to turn out like Mammon and that he doesn’t want that to happen. When we’re alone with Lucifer and Satan, the bangles have only started to affect them, but it hasn’t fully kicked in. They express that they don’t like the situation at all and that they don’t feel like themselves, ending their interactions by telling MC to leave them alone because they don’t want to be seen like this. Speaking to the rest of the brothers, the effects of the bangles have been fully realized. Leviathan has put away all of his obsessions, offering a Ruri-Chan figure to MC because he ”doesn’t need it anymore”. He goes on to say that he was hiding behind anime and manga and that from now on he will work on nurturing his relationships with his brothers and being honest with MC about his feelings. Even if MC rejects him or calls him gross, he doesn’t get upset. This is obviously out of character for our beloved otaku.

The rest of the brothers suffer a similar fate. Beelzebub no longer feels hungry, claiming that instead of feeding himself, he wishes to feed others and see them happy. He says that he wants to be kinder, implying that he wasn’t kind enough before - which is fucking bullshit because holy shit this is Beel we’re talking about are you fucking kidding me you don’t think Beel was kind enough he was literally the nicest of the brothers what the fuck are you on about - ANYWAY. Belphegor goes on to say that he was wasting his life by sleeping it away, and that all of his brothers are good and that he wants to spend more time with them. He doesn’t want to take naps anymore, unless prompted by MC, and he says that he used unfair tactics when trying to win MC’s love. He also says that he won’t be doing that anymore, and is instead going to do things “the fair way”. Asmodeus offers you all of his beauty products, claiming that he was trying too hard to be beautiful before. If you choose to kiss him, he’ll go along with it, but say that he feels like he’s betraying his brothers and being unfair and sneaky. For some reason, I can’t recall much of Mammon’s interaction for the life of me. I remember him saying that he was mean and rude and greedy and shameless before, and how he wants to change to be a better person now, but I don’t remember the second half of the interaction. I just know it was bad. The event ends with the party being held, Diavolo and Simeon smiling and laughing, Solomon and Luke being concerned, and Lucifer overcoming the power of the bangle. Well, that’s what Lucifer says, but I believe he was lying.

Here’s my actual opinions on it: It was fucked up! I left this bit out of the summary, but all of the brothers (after Lucifer and Satan) express that they don’t want to do anything unless you’re okay with it. They want to be someone good enough that you’d approve of it. They don’t want to upset their brothers. All in all, they’re prioritizing the thoughts and feelings of others over their own. They express hatred for their past selves, condemning their actions and interests as shameful and wrong. Even their most harmless actions. They got rid of every single bit of their own personality in order to “purify” themselves. This ideology is the exact embodiment of toxic positivity and it’s revolting. I would also like to focus more on how all of the brothers (except for Asmodeus and Beelzebub) showed that they didn’t like this idea. for the most part, they were strongly against it. Satan, who according to this event, has never been an angel, says that he doesn’t feel like himself at all. He shows the most fear towards the effects of the bangle and quite frankly it’s just. Disturbing to see someone like Satan so afraid. Lucifer tries to hide his worry, but his thoughts are similar to Satan’s, since he also says that he can’t rest because he doesn’t feel like himself.

Some of you might think that the changes were good or harmless or whatever, and you might have appreciated the fact that they’re trying to change for the better, but realize this: their change was forced. They didn’t do it of their own free will, they didn’t have any experiences that caused them to think or feel this way. It was all forced. They’ve been brainwashed. They are not doing this of their own accord. It’s not them. They are not themselves.

And this is not a side effect of the Celestial Realm or being an angel! If you’ve played through certain cards devilgram story (Belphegor’s “Hatred” or Lucifer’s “Glory Days”) you can see that the brothers are still themselves even though they are angels. They still have their personality and are not completely “holy” or “pure” or “righteous”. This is specifically a result of the bangles. If this had been part of the main story it would have been interesting. It could have been more thought out and well written and had a conclusive ending. So where am I going with this?

I believe that the devs had good intentions but executed them poorly. This is an event, meaning it’s non-canon and not related to the main story. I think that the devs wanted to show how toxic the beliefs of the angels can be, and they did good on that. That was genuinely disturbing to play through. What they’re missing is criticism. If the brother’s had returned to their normal selves and said “what the fuck was that”, then it would have been okay. If they had focused more on how wrong and weird the changes were, and how it’s actually bad, then that would have been a satisfying conclusion. But they didn’t. Well, there was one brother that supposedly returned to his normal self, right? Lucifer.

At the party, Lucifer tells MC that he’s returned to his normal self, but admittedly the clothes still cannot be removed. He shows that he didn’t enjoy the experience, but as he’s watching the rest of his brothers still controlled by the bangles, he...doesn’t do anything. He says that it’s interesting and that they should let it play out a bit more, just to watch them. Now, I am not a Lucifer simp. My MC has copious issues with him. However. This characterization is just PLAIN FUCKING WRONG! WHAT?! What were the devs thinking?! That’s Lucifer! He cares about his brothers above all else in this world! He was strongly against the angel outfit and bangle idea! He said that it made him feel unlike himself! Lucifer has experienced the brainwashing of the bangle first hand! He would never, EVER say something like that when he KNOWS how serious it is. Yes, he is a sadist. Yes, he likes to joke sometimes. But this? He would be way more concerned for them. Which is why I believe he was still under the effects of the bangle. I don’t have a full theory for how much it was affecting him at that point in time, but that will probably come about later.

Anyway, those are my thoughts on the event thus far! It’s possible that the next event will have a callback to this one (considering how this one mentioned TSL: The Musical) but I highly doubt it. I also don’t think that there’s going to be continuation of this in the main story. I doubt we’ll ever get our resolution, but if you want one, I plan on rewriting the entire event on my Wattpad. I’ll announce it when I finish posting it, so feel free to follow for that or just check it out later. My dms should be open and obv you can comment/reblog on this post so if you want to discuss this more, feel free to intract!

#obey me #obey me swd #mod talks #long post #haha sorry ive got many thoughts head full #ive scripted a whole animatic for this event with mind electric from hawaii part two but i dont animate so idk how that's gonna work out #hope you enjoyed!#this took like an hour and a half to write jkefhgjk

14 notes · View notes

goofygomez · 4 years

Text

An analysis of The Last of Us Part II and its themes

I’ve seen a lot of people share their experience with playing The Last of Us Part II, and it’s safe to say most of it has been largely negative. It’s no secret this might be one of the most divisive games of all time, and it will probably stay that way for a long time after. I personally adored this game. I believe this is the masterpiece of masterpieces, and it’s the only game to ever top the emotions I felt when playing the first game, although I will say in terms of raw story (with nothing else like gameplay to support it) the first game is still a bit higher on the list for me.

But for all intents and purposes, when considering all aspects of this game, I think this is the single greatest accomplishment in game design and storytelling I’ve ever seen in a video game. That being said, I would like to try and respond to some of the criticisms this game has gotten, and furthermore, I’d like to try and analyze some of the themes I noticed when playing the game. Keep in mind this is MY opinion, and should not be taken as fact. This is just my experience, and I’ll respect yours one way or the other.

Take this as a MAJOR WARNING that there will be spoilers for both games in this post.

With that, let’s start with the common criticisms:

1. “They killed Joel for no damn reason. He deserved better.” This is an easy one to tackle. For one, Joel most definitely did not deserve better. Even though we might love him for being the first game’s MC and have grown attached to him, there’s no way we can or should look past the fact that he, Joel, is a bad man. He even says himself in the first game that he and Tommy did some questionable things to survive in the 20 years between the outbreak and even during the events of TLOU. While he may be perceived as the hero of the franchise, when you look at his rap sheet, you start to notice he’s not so great after all. Take the ending of TLOU as the most glaring example, where Joel has been told Ellie must die in order for the Fireflies to develop a vaccine. His first and only reaction is to kill every single Firefly he sees and murder the surgeon who would have killed his “baby girl”. Would I have done any different in his shoes? Probably not, but that’s the beauty of the first game. Its ending and the ambiguity of Joel’s morality given his actions is one of the driving forces that make the first game so spectacular and why it’s still being discussed 7 years later. Now let’s talk about the second point to this criticism: “He died for no reason”. If you recall, the people who killed him were former Fireflies, one of which (Abby) was the daughter of the surgeon whom Joel unceremoniously killed. In their eyes, they had every right to go after Joel. Like Anthony Caliber, one of the best TLOU speedrunners, said in one of his recent livestreams, “Joel signed his own death sentence when he killed Marlene and the surgeon back at the hospital in TLOU1”. While it may seem overly zealous to us as players who have grown to love Joel, if the roles had been reversed would you not do the same? Would you not want revenge for the killing of your father? And isn’t that exactly what Ellie is doing in this game, which most players justify in this hatred of Abby?

2. “Joel was out of character in giving out his name and trusting strangers. They dumbed him down for the sake of plot.” As I recall, Joel literally gave Henry and Sam his name and followed them out to their hideout barely 30 seconds after meeting them and beating the shit out of Henry. Joel may be an untrusting person at heart but he always does so with reason. The most common reason people give of this is “He didn’t trust the guy asking for help in Pittsburg and ran him over so why trust Abby and her gang”. First of all, that was literally the one situation Joel had already been on the other side of, and knew perfectly well it was rehearsed. On the flipside, he and Tommy had just saved Abby and literally mention there’s no other way to go other than with her because there’s a huge blizzard and a herd was after them. And especially now, after Joel has been living in Jackson for 4 years now and has been living comfortably in a community very obviously open to new people. Abby’s group gave them no reason to distrust them, and giving out his name, in any other situation, would have made no difference in the outcome. It was just unfortunate they happened to be after him.

3. “I hate playing as Abby, why are they trying to make me sympathize with her?” That’s the whole point, they’re not. The entire game, you keep rooting for Ellie to find and kill this woman who wronged you, and when you’re forced to play as her, you’re understandably angry. You’re upset, and you feel you have to slog through this seemingly endless section of the game. But as you keep playing, much like I did, you start seeing the other side of the story. Abby is not the villain the game paints her out to be when she killed Joel. She’s another human being with human emotions and a very real reason to hate Joel and to want him dead. As I said before, Abby is doing exactly what Ellie eventually does after Abby kills Joel.

4. “Why would Ellie go through all that effort to not kill Abby in the end?” I will touch on this in the analysis of the themes, but simply put, it was about breaking cycles.

Now I’d like to start defending how and why I believe this is a masterpiece by first taking a look at one of the admittedly less touched upon parts: gameplay. This aspect usually takes a step back when it comes to narrative-based games, and it is obviously not the most resounding part of this game, but it is clearly not taking a back seat either. The flow of both combat and mellower scenarios in this particular game is astounding. When battling opponents, the AI feels like one of the most intelligent I’ve ever seen in a video game. The way the enemies communicate between each other, telling the others when the player is out of ammo or when they’re flanking to create much more nuanced fight sequences, coupled with the expanded worlds Naughty Dog has come up with to create a seamless experience when fighting hordes of enemies without it feeling stale or repetitive, is one of the most immersive gaming experiences I’ve ever had. Each encounter feels unique and challenging in some ways you may not have felt before in the game, and by the end you’re so immersed in that feeling that going through the Santa Barbara group (to me, at least) was almost automatic and I could see so many different options for me to approach each situation as it came my way.

Likewise, Naughty Dog have managed to turn the puzzle solving from the first game, where you simply had to find a dumpster to step on or a door to open with a shiv, and incorporate the environment and world into it, finding clever ways to get over obstacles without simply having a step-up ladder be the end of it. The mechanics that went into the rope puzzles, breaking windows to get to previously unexplored territory (which is admittedly not new in gaming, but still a cool concept to add to the franchise) paired together with so many more new little features to bring the world they created to life, and bring you into it as well.

As always, and as was the case with the first one, you can’t talk about The Last of Us without talking about the soundtrack. The haunting score created by the masterful mind of Gustavo Santaolalla, a fellow Argentinean like me, brought to life some of the most heart-wrenching moments and the most beautiful ones as well, in a way that can only be achieved with amazing sound design and music. The main theme song, which is a sort of homage to the one from the first, takes a much darker approach, choosing instead to focus on the bass and that resounding low voice in the background, setting the tone for the rest of the game: a much darker, grittier, and grounded experience that will pull no punches. Santaolalla managed to create a score that mimics the first one in melody and rhythm, while succeeding in mirroring it to create a more dissonant accompaniment to the gruesome story you’re brutally killing your way through.

Another aspect of the game that deserves all the praise it gets, and one that people seem to at least be in consensus about, is the graphics and animation design. I can safely say this is hands down the most beautiful, gorgeous, astounding, breathtaking game I’ve ever laid my eyes upon, and that might not be enough adjectives to fully encapsulate how I feel about the graphics in this game. One can argue all day about the morality of the characters in the game or the balance between right and wrong that Naughty Dog so masterfully plays with in the story, but one thing is for sure: The graphics design team deserves so much credit for actually bringing the story and the characters we know and love to such vivid life. You can see it in the little things, like the veins in Joel’s arm as he plays “Future Days” by Pearl Jam and the facial expressions Ellie can make if you stand in front of a mirror during the museum flashback; you can also see it in the larger things, like the jaw-dropping backdrops that range from a beautiful mountain range in the snow to the downtown Seattle skyline. No moment will be wasted by stopping your pace to just admire the absolutely gorgeous view you’re presented with every time you enter a new game world. The attention to detail in animation is also not lacking at all, with so many little actions being given special treatment as we see Ellie patch herself up and still having the actual bandage over her arm instead of disappearing like any other game, or the way Ellie’s fingers perfectly (and correctly) play chords without resorting to generic hand gestures. You can see the love and care the developers have for this game in every tiny crack in the game that simply takes your breath away and that sometimes you won’t even see from the vastness of the world around you.

And finally, the story. It is definitely a divisive story, and Neil Druckmann did warn us it would be. There were times, namely the moment they switched the POV to show me the first 3 days from Abby’s perspective, when I was genuinely wondering what the hell they were thinking. My faith in Naughty Dog never wavered, though. I kept playing because I thought, “There must be some reasoning for this.” And to my greatest relief, it finally clicked for me a few hours into Abby’s section. Namely, the moment where she meets Lev and Yara, two Seraphites that defected after the former shaved his head. At first, it seemed weird that they would be cast out for such a stupid reason, but then you start to get to know them, and you understand the real reason they had to leave their religious cult. As I said before and will say again, this is a game about perspective. Up until that point, I just wanted Abby dead, albeit with some guilt since learning that it was her father Joel killed in that operating room. But seeing Abby’s willingness to help total strangers, much like Joel did at the start of the game, was what sold me on this game’s concept. The purpose of this story is to make you feel the regret and the weight of the actions you impart on the world, as you can see the carnage Ellie left in her wake during your time as Abby, seeing Abby’s friends butchered by either Ellie or Tommy, realizing they’re no different than the villains we have such tunnel vision about. The ending is something I’ll get to in the themes, but I just have to say I love the way it’s such a parallel to the first game’s ending, up to the point of divisiveness in the people who actually played and finished the game (which at the time of writing this is less than 4% of players).

Now onto the themes. One of the things people always praise about the first game, and rightfully so, is its themes and how well it portrays them through certain characters to create a cohesive and coherent story that pulls at your heartstrings and makes you root for the “heroes” of the game. This time it’s not much different, with the minor exception that this time, there are no heroes. Just like Neil Druckmann said many times during the development of Part II, “While the first game was about love, this game is about hate”, which is one of the main themes.

1. Hatred: I can safely say there have been very few times of my gaming life where I’ve been so viscerally angry (in a “good” way) while playing a video game as I have as I tore down through countless enemies that got in the way of me and my target. This game will let out the worst parts of you in ways you can’t even imagine, and will make you take a look at the way we glorify violence in video games without the usual preachy tone of “video games cause violence”. Like I said before, this is a game that mirrors the first one while paying homage to its themes. To take a page out of Abby’s book, it’s like a coin. There are always two sides to it. On the one hand, the first game’s main theme was love, and how loss and grief can be overcome with it with the proper care and time. The Last of Us Part II shows us the uglier side of human nature, which is anger, despair and a natural desire for revenge (another theme). Both games show us the natural progression of a grieving person, but both of them take wildly different approaches. Granted, we don’t know how brutal and vicious Joel was right after losing Sarah, but it’s safe to assume he was nothing short of a monster, which eventually didn’t really help in dealing with that loss until he found love and hope in a little girl whose safety was now his utmost responsibility. In Ellie’s case, she’s still in that first stage. Ellie as a character has always been reckless and foolhardy, and her actions in this game are a testament of how well Neil Druckmann and Halley Gross know their characters. The entire game, right up until the final moments where she’s about to finish Abby off, her actions are fueled by a rage and desire to exert justice onto those who’ve wronged her. In other words, she’s looking for revenge.

2. Revenge: Both main characters have at least one thing in common, and it is their desire to avenge their father/father figure. I truly believe that Joel’s death was not only justified (from a storytelling perspective) but also crucial to the development of a sequel that both enhanced the world of The Last of Us while building onto it with new ideals and perspectives. The idea this time is definitely not one we haven’t seen before in so many other mediums: “Revenge is bad and is never worth it” Seems trivial to even suggest it when we all know the outcome, but The Last of Us Part II manages to not only build upon the idea that revenge is a double-edged sword, but it also manages to balance the perspectives within that cycle to attempt to explore the psyche of the characters we’ve put into the boxes of “hero” and “villain”. And subsequently, they manage to break that characterization by showing us both sides of the aforementioned coin to see, in no unclear terms, that the consequences of our actions when dealing with vengeance always circle back to expose the nastiest side of our nature. It stands to reason that we, as the player, would at first be on board with Ellie “finding and killing every last one of them”, and demonizing Abby for not only killing but torturing possibly one of the most beloved characters in gaming history. We want her dead. We want her to suffer for the crime she’s committed. Yet, in our quest for vengeance and justice, would we not be succumbing to the same cycle that brought Abby to killing Joel in the first place? Did she not think, from her perspective, that she was entirely justified in killing the man who had not only destroyed the one chance humanity had against the Cordyceps, but also murdered her father in cold blood? Are we not the same as Abby for wanting her dead after she kills one of our own? When does it end? And that’s the real question. This whole thing, the lust for revenge that can only be quenched with cold-blooded murder, is just another facet to our complex and grey morality as human beings. It’s natural for us to feel angry and upset at this, and I believe all the hatred people give this game that stems from it forcing you to play as Abby is the exact nature the game is trying to bring out of us and show to us in a mirror.

3. Cycles: While this may not be such an obvious catch as the first two, it’s still very much ingrained in the inner workings of this game’s narrative and how both characters view the world according to their reality and perspective. The concept of revenge, as stated above, is a repetitive one. One that causes cycles and events to repeat themselves if left unchecked, and The Last of Us Part II plays with these masterfully. Starting the game with a heartbreaking moment and setting the dark tone for the rest of the game is what starts the first part of this cycle, which is Ellie wanting to avenge Joel’s death, much like Abby avenged her father’s death after 4 years of despair, planning, and training. Ellie’s desire to kill Abby is what leads her down the path we would characterize, were she some random character and not the main one of the franchise, as the villain’s route, going down a dark path that prompts her to mindlessly and mercilessly slaughtering countless people whose names you hear from their friends’ mouths when you kill them, to the point where you end up getting to Abby’s closest friends and companions and murdering them too, not unlike Abby murdered Joel. It is a sobering feeling to realize the character you most love and root for is, in the eyes of the other main character, as much of a villain (if not more) as we as players make Abby out to be. It is at the end of the game, which a lot of players had qualms about, where Ellie is beating Abby within an inch of her life that she realizes this is not worth it. Killing Abby will not bring Joel back, and will certainly not bring her any satisfaction, as showcased by how traumatized Ellie was after the killings of Abby’s other friends and the fact that she still kept seeing Joel’s lifeless body as she attempted to drown Abby on that coast. Then, as we are mercilessly choking the life out of her, which is yet another example of the visceral anger the game elicits from the player, we see a different memory of Joel. One of hopefulness, where Joel is playing the guitar and smiling. It is at that moment that Ellie realizes the only thing she can do now is to move on with her life and accept Joel’s death as something that happened. To add onto this realization, it’s probably good to mention that Ellie must have seen some of herself in Lev in that killing Abby would have left him (if not dead) in a state much like the one she, Ellie, was at the start of the game. Coming back to the theme of cycles, if Ellie killed Abby, what’s to stop Lev from coming after Ellie the same way she came after Abby, and so on and so forth. Both these things coupled help Ellie finally break the cycle and go back to the farm, where she’s greeted with the consequences of her actions in a more emotional and real way than the PTSD: Dina being gone and Ellie leaving her guitar behind, symbolizing her letting go of Joel’s memory and accepting her reality.

The game scares us; it scares me. It is a harrowing experience that will only get better with time and will, in my humble opinion, go down as one of the greatest games of all time for years to come. No matter the context, and no matter the medium, I wish it were easy to find such real, emotional, and powerful pieces of art as this one more often. But alas, we will have to wait and see. As someone whose name I can’t seem to remember said: “This will mark the gaming industry and divide it between ‘Before TLOU2 and After TLOU2”

#tlou #tlou2 #tlou2 spoilers #joel #ellie #dina #abby #tlou part ii

49 notes · View notes