★EM★

🫧heathcliff is caught between wanting to just go for it, confessing his feelings in a "i like you, so now what?" sort of fashion, and wanting to approach the situation with some small amount of caution. where there would usually be confidence in his feelings and approach, there's a great deal of hesitance instead. he doesn’t want to mess everything up, not with you. it's more likely that you two have been friends for quite some time before he even attempts to cross that gap, and he sort of sees his confession as a sort-of hail mary approach where at least he's getting them out there regardless of the outcome.

🫧in hindsight, it was unbelievably obvious. he's not blushing and stuttering and running away or anything, but he definitely took everything you said to heart. took blows for you during fights that you realistically could have survived. acted a lot more gentle with you. he wasn't really worried about keeping it a secret, but it's a little embarrassing that everyone could tell from the start

🫧a big fan of your hugs after he gets used to them, just doesn't like to be snuck up on; he gives very warm, tight hugs, the sort where you wonder if he remembers he can let go first. often he'll wrap an arm around your waist or drape one over your shoulders in a very casual but protective way, and really likes sitting together on the bus like that. i can see kisses on the cheek flustering and delighting him at the same time early on, but now its just a comforting piece of reassurance

🫧lover boy of all time. heathcliff thinks the world of you, and so he believes that you deserve that and more. he shows his affection in how he sticks close to you, by trying to check up on you when things get particularly rough, by snagging little things that remind him of you before he casually dumps them in your hands. he actually really enjoys doing things for you, even if he messes up making your favorite food or makes a situation a little more difficult than it needs to be.

🫧jealousy jealousy. trusts you implicitly, but still worries anyway no matter how he tries to hide it. just wants your attention and assurance that you still want him, even if he isn't sure how to ask for it, but you'll see the signs. he gets broody

🫧he is TRYING to communicate. he's attempting to be open and honest with you, to talk to you about what he's feeling whether he has the words or not. he needs your patience, even if he won't ask for it outright. the whole cathy situation is still a sore spot and likely will be for a long time, and there's a part of him that even feels guilty for pursuing you

🫧he is always, always in your corner. you can count on him to defend your name against anybody, whether you need his help or not. heathcliff refuses to stand by and watch you take shit from anyone, and will even insist that you've got to be willing to step up and do it... and then continue doing it himself. heathcliff will also call you out on your bullshit, albeit much more gently than he would with anybody else

in exchange for your patience, he offers you his unconditional affection. to heathcliff, actions speak louder than words, so trust in his love and devotion with each clumsy yet earnest step he takes in your relationship.

havent gotten luciocliff yet i'm gonna distort. anyway i rlly enjoy him as a character so hopefully this is a worthy contribution to heath nation. also his tag is infested with the new dogwater WH adaptation... hashtag not my heathcliff

YI SANG

🫧he enjoys every second, even if it's sort of like hugging a dead fish. it's been too long since he had a good hug

🫧sort of just accepts this as his life when you don't let go for a while. for as long as you're holding on, he's trying to really take you in. your smell, the feeling of your heartbeat, how you feel in his arms

🫧he mourns the hug when you stop, even if he's blushing and wearing a dopey little smile

FAUST

🫧she's not the most touchy-feely person, and you're typically the one to initiate most contact anyway. but she does appreciate that you ask, even if she just sort of stands there and doesn't exactly beckon you towards her

🫧(asking the gesellschaft what the most optimal hug looks like. how long they usually take. and also why you aren't letting go???)

🫧she likes having you close, even if she doesn't make it that obvious. she's soft and warm, and she moves like she has more of a textbook knowledge of how to show affection than any real intimate understanding. but the fact that she's trying at all shows that she cares.

DON QUIXOTE

🫧she grins as soon as you ask her, throwing her arms around you without a second thought. you'll have to remind her of her strength, because she might just squeeze the life out of you if she isn't careful. might lift you off the ground if she feels so compelled

🫧she proudly believes that she must just be really, really good at hugging when you don't pull away. and though she may fidget a bit after a while, she doesn't let go of you either.

🫧positively beaming when you pull away. tells you that you can come to her for a hug any time; there's no need to be so formal and ask! and really, she also just enjoys hugs

RYOSHU

🫧actually gives really good hugs. not too tight but not too loose; it feels like just the right amount of pressure.

🫧she's not necessarily touch adverse but she generally has a "i can touch you but you can't touch me" vibe most of the time. but you're special enough to even consider asking her for this at all, so obviously there's some leniency there

🫧she doesn't mind. she'll tease you about it afterwards, but for as long as you're in her arms, she just rubs little circles in your back or plays with your hair.

MEURSAULT

🫧it's very unlikely that he's going to deny you anything. you really don't even have to ask; he'd let you hug him just about any time

🫧he's waiting. he intended on just letting the hug go for as long as you needed, and then it's... still going. and he's just letting it happen. it just stretches on for a reaaaaally long time

🫧he quietly hopes that you'll do it again sometime soon

HONG LU

🫧processes the request for just a second before he opens his arms and smiles. he's newer to physical affection, but he takes to it very easily with you. he's honestly not used to you asking, he wasn't aware that that was something the two of you did

🫧after a while, he comments on how long you're taking. not in a mean way, he's just curious about why you're doing this for so long

🫧pats your head after

HEATHCLIFF

🫧do you even have to ask? while he's not the most touchy-feely guy around, he obviously really likes you. he doesn't like surprises or anything, but he sort of expects hugs from you

🫧for a guy that grins and tells you to make it quick, he sure doesn't put much effort into ending it when you hold on. he's sturdy and warm and he fidgets a bit at first, but he eventually melts into what he thought would just be a quick pat on the back type of thing

🫧straight up asks you if you're okay. or, well, he doesn't phrase it like that, but he wasn't expecting that from you

🫧won't admit it, but he wouldn't mind more of that in the future

ISHMAEL

🫧it's not that she doesn't want to, or even that she dislikes hugs, she's just... not the best at this type of thing. somehow, if you hadn't asked, it would have felt less awkward. then she could have huffed and acted like she was humoring you. but you've asked her earnestly, so... 🫧she sighs. and she blushes. and she would roll her eyes if it wasn't you. but because it's you, she indulges you and opens her arms for you to come in 🫧she softens up when you don't let go, and she holds you more tenderly. she wonders if there's something wrong, and maybe she'll ask you about it later, but for now she's determined to just try to enjoy this

RODION

🫧aw, of course you can! opens her arms up right away, maybe even wraps you up in her coat with her. she'll say something to tease you when you don't let go, but it’s not like she's pulling away either, so?

🫧gives great big bear hugs. she's warm, she puts as much strength as she can without squishing you into it. this just ends up being a very different hug from what she expected

🫧she looks a little more vulnerable when you eventually have to pull back, asking what brought that on so casually but you can tell that she genuinely wants to know

DANTE

🫧doesn't know what to do with their hands. or their arms. or how to stand. they're honestly just surprised you asked them because it occurs to them that they have not had a hug for as long as they can remember? which is only, like, a year or so. but still. that's kinda sad

🫧depending on how tall you are, it's a little cumbersome with the clock, but it's definitely not unpleasant. they're unsure of themself, but they give it a try.

🫧doesn't even think about pulling away. honestly, they might just end up keeping you there a little longer, even if they'll be bashful about it later

SINCLAIR

🫧probably gives really wimpy hugs at first; it's been a long time since he had one. but he relaxes into it after a few moments, and he has to admit that he didn't realize how much he missed this 🫧sort of starts to psych himself out because, uh, is he supposed to let go first? are you waiting for him to call it quits? and then he's wondering if something is wrong? 🫧admittedly finds it sort of cute once he gets out of his own head. and of course, it's nice to feel like he can be there for you

OUTIS

🫧she... is so stiff. her pats/rubs on your back are impersonal and practically mechanical. but despite how exasperated she acts, half-heartedly insisting that that's enough, she slowly begins to loosen up the longer the hug goes on. like muscle memory takes over, something long since locked away, her hold becomes more comforting. still stiff, but nicer.

🫧for her to say yes, the two of you needed to be in private anyway, so it going on for a while isn't too big of a deal. she'll indulge you, just this once

GREGOR

一 YI SANG　#01

One of the best gifts to get him, really. 

He slowly accepts them, and he has a happy little smile as he admires the flower and inquires about the reason you gifted him these flowers. Regardless of the reason, he's truly touched that you gave him such a gift. 

Will literally cradle it and look at it as if it's his baby and either put it somewhere safe in his room, where he'll make sure it stays fresh for as long as possible, and yes, he will stare at it whenever he can.

After it inevitably dies, he'll preserve it as a bookmark in one of his notes (he will mourn it).

He strikes me as the type of person to gift you flowers anyway, whenever the Sinners are lucky to stumble upon the rare sight of one, but he will actively seek one out to repay you as well. Wants to put your two flowers together in the sun in his room. 

Takes great care of it, there won't even be a single tear in the petal, no matter how delicate the flower is. 10/10.

一 FAUST　#02

Will act detached and noncaring, but she does seem curious about the gift.

She'll identify the species, lifespan and even the symbolic meaning of the flower and quickly deduce why you chose that flower or if it was truly just a random flower you picked out for her. I can imagine her as the type to be a bit caught off guard if you truly just wanted to gift her flowers without any hidden motives. 

Faust is not big on gifts, but she'll uncharacteristically accept them anyway since they're from you.

Probably puts it in a simple cup by her room or somewhere, at the very least, where she knows someone like Don won't knock it over and glances at it from time to time, though she has to hide most of her feelings towards it for the Gesellschaft.

Takes good care of it, she doesn't actively make an effort to preserve it, but she's dutiful enough so that it survives for a while and stays in great quality. 9/10.

一 DON QUIXOTE　#03

Loves the gift and is very happy about receiving it. 

"Ah, you've gifted me a token of great valour!"

She probably places it in a little cup of water alongside all her beloved Fixer merchandise, because your flower is definitely important enough to be beside them!

Will literally turn Mephistopheles upside down looking for a good-looking, suitable container or cup to keep them in. 

Also, will actively search for a flower to gift you back as soon as possible! Like by as soon as possible, I mean as soon as possible, when the Sinners arrive at their next stop, she's already running out to find some for you and will end up very dejected if she doesn't find any, which is likely given the... environment. 

Though Don's a bit clueless about how to, well, actually take care of it. With the best intentions in her heart, she puts it in a place where there's lots of sun, unaware that actually makes a picked flower shed its petals faster...

You will hear a scream of utter horror once the flower inevitably withers. 6/10.

一 RYŌSHŪ　#04

Scoffs at them and judges them, especially if you gave her ordinary, generic flowers. They really do not fit her aesthetic or taste.

Unless you did consider what she likes. For example, if they were to have a thorny or macabre aesthetic, she'll be a bit more interested in them. "N.B."

Despite her initial behaviour, Ryoshu will accept them just because they're from you. She, truthfully, doesn't really know what to do with it; she might keep them around for a bit if it's just a stem or two. If there's more, she places them somewhere in her room and doesn't really touch them that much after that. 

If you do get her flowers that she ends up liking, I can see her as the type who might keep a petal or so neatly tied to the red ribbon of her scabbard, where it inevitably becomes soaked in blood by the next battle (even better for her). 

一 MEURSAULT　#05

Accepts them rather mechanically before asking you what the exact purpose of gifting him these flowers was. 

Once you establish the point of the flowers, he does appreciate the gesture, though he barely shows any outward reaction to them. He's careful when touching them and might make a note about the flowers, inquiring if you liked this particular kind or not. 

He takes good care of them, though, and he'll look for some place to put them safely and keep them astonishingly well taken care of.

He will trim their stems and make sure the water temperature's right and they're in a good, cool spot in his room. They'll end up surviving for a good week or so under his care. 10/10.

一 HONG LU　#06

One of the better reactions to the flowers. He really likes them and will tease you gently about them.

Will proudly carry the flowers around for a while, only basically putting them down when he has to fight or do something where his hands are occupied. 

If you gave him multiple, he likes to "share" some of the flowers with you as well. He will tuck one behind your ear or tie a few into your hair so the two of you can match. 

He's another person who would get you flowers back whenever he can! If he can't find any, he has no qualms with going and buying a fancy bouquet for you once the Sinners reach their next stop. 

He also makes sure to keep some behind for himself, and he does make an effort to preserve them, though he's not as meticulous as someone like Meursault, he will still work out a good way to keep them fresh for a while. 9/10.

一 HEATHCLIFF　#07

He'll definitely be surprised when you gift them to him, very baffled about why you'd be giving him these flowers and turning a bit red while holding onto them for dear life (please don't do that Heathcliff)

Once you tell him you just wanted to gift him some flowers, he'll grumble a bit, trying to play it off as a stupid gesture, though he really, really likes it. 

Eventually manages to thank you and speedily power-walks to his room while looking at the flowers in his hands with a very conflicted expression on his face.

He ends up putting them into some LCB standard-issue mug or container by his bedstand with an uncharacteristic amount of care. Like his hands will be shaking as he places them in, as if they'll explode if he moves them too hard.

He's clueless about how to take care of a picked flower, but he makes his best attempt, and it survives surprisingly long. He's also oddly protective of it and will get all defensive and tense if someone walks too close to it. 

一 ISHMAEL　#08

Honestly, she's pretty cynical about it at first and will scan for any ulterior motive. You're gonna ask her for something in return, aren't you? 

However, once Ishmael realizes you genuinely gifted them out of the goodness of your heart, she gets rather flustered and will look at the flowers in her hands with an unsure expression, thanking you for the gift. 

She'll hold the flowers tightly and refuse to put them down, however, and promptly finds a suitable cup or place to store them in. Leaves them in her room and actively checks on them to make sure it's still fresh and the water is renewed. 

Also gets defensive when she feels like someone may endanger them and will remind everyone not to touch them or move them around too much, lest they fall over or die faster. 

She really appreciates the gesture, even if she's awkward at expressing it, and will probably gift you something similar in return once she has the chance to in the future. 

一 RODION　#09

Pretty ecstatic about receiving the flowers and will definitely tease you about it, saying something along the lines of, "Oooh, you shouldn't have!" 

Assuming that you bought the flowers, Rodion might lightheartedly complain that the money could've been spent on a hearty meal or some snacks, but there's zero bite behind her words because she truly appreciates the gesture, even though she's really not used to such affections.

Spends the rest of the day proudly carrying them around. 

Eventually, she does look for a way she can set them down, though she's less meticulous about it than some of the other Sinners. She might just leave them on her desk or in a cup and cherish them for as long as they stay fresh. 

She's not above showing them off to the other Sinners to. If they come near her while she's holding them or enter her room, she'll flaunt the flowers you got her like a museum artifact. 

一 SINCLAIR　#11

Another one with a good reaction, he gets very flustered and will stutter out a thank you as he graciously accepts the flowers. 

It takes him a while to get him out of his flushed daze after he receives them, where he'll just hold them carefully, terrified that the slightest movement will ruin them. Once he thinks he's alone, he'll look at them with a boyish grin. He's just genuinely so happy about the small gesture of affection. 

Finds a good place to put them in and definitely keeps them in his room, tolerating some amount of teasing and knowing looks from the rest of the Sinners.

Protective of the flowers, too! He'll make sure Sinners like Don or Heathcliff stay away from them, given the risk that they may knock them over, and will constantly check on them and absolutely panic if he sees that a petal is beginning to fall or the stem is beginning to brown.

Another one who gets really dejected when they inevitably wilt. He'll look really ashamed about it too, even if it's not his fault that they withered. 

一 OUTIS　#12

She's rather cynical about it. I can see her distrustfully asking you why you got her the flowers while turning them around in her hands to assess them. 

When you tell her that you wanted to gift her something, she remains uptight about it, though the gesture clearly catches her off guard. Outis scoffs and looks at them with a conflicted expression while awkwardly clearing her throat. 

Ends up keeping them with a reluctant facade. It's not that she dislikes the gift at all, but she's seen far too much to really be accustomed to such affections at this point in her life, so she's really not sure what she feels about them, but something within her keeps her from simply throwing them out. 

She takes care of it fine enough, though; she might just leave it in a cup in her room and leave it at that. (It's in your best interest not to point out the fact that she kept them.)

一 GREGOR　#13

Deeply caught off guard and will be all awkward about it. 

Gregor has, and I mean 100% has, never received flowers and gifts like this, and he's unsure why you'd even give such delicate flowers to someone like, well, him. So he definitely doesn't know how to act about it either. 

He settles for an awkward chuckle as he looks at the flowers you gave him. He's unsure about what to do with them, but he ultimately decides the best choice is to just keep them in his room or somewhere safe where they won't get crushed up or knocked over. He also has zero clue about how to take care of them, but he gets the gist. 

He's earnest and might try to water it or something to keep it fresh, and he glances at it from time to time with a reflective look and feels guilty when they die, and ends up thinking he did something wrong. 

一 YI SANG　#01

He's not that hard to sneak up on, considering he's usually in thought. 

Gets surprised when you initially wrap your arms around him, but quickly relaxes once he realizes it's you, a small smile blossoming on his face as he lets you hug him while asking if you want anything from him. 

If you just want his company, he's more than happy to oblige, although he would be a bit flustered as he returns to his train of thought with you leaning against him. He's also happy to tell you about what he's been thinking about or working on if you ask, explaining himself with a gentle smile. 

If you just wanted to hug him or check on him, he tells you he appreciates it, though he would also let you know that if you ever wanted a proper hug from him, you could always tell him.

Overall, Yi Sang enjoys it, provided you don't interrupt and try to pull him away from a line of deliberate thought, though he never gets genuinely annoyed at you for it. 

一 FAUST　#02

Good luck even trying to sneak up on her.

I don't know why, but I just see her as the type that'd be impossible to sneak up on. You can try, but she turns her head around before you so much as even step near her vicinity and asks you what meaningless tricks you are trying to pull.

If you wanted a hug, you could simply ask her (also, there's no guarantee she will oblige, but you have a better chance than by attempting to sneak up on her). But no chance she'll ever let herself be ambushed by a surprise hug, not while risking losing her dignity in front of the Gesellschaft. Faust has already heard enough berating from them. 

Although if you somehow, somehow successfully sneak up on her and manage to hug her, she will stiffen up for the slightest second before realizing it's you and gently pushing you away, then acting like it was a sin that you dared to even go near her genius presence. The audacity!

In truth, Faust does not hate it. Although the feeling is pretty foreign to her, she doesn't even dislike it (well, she might be a bit irritated that you snuck up on her to do it). She just really has to hide those feelings to protect what honour she has left in the Gesellschaft. 

一 DON QUIXOTE　#03

Lets out the most comical squeal if you manage to sneak up on her. On that topic, she's on the harder side to sneak up on, just because she's usually upright and energetic, and also seems to have an uncanny sixth sense for things.

Quickly relaxes and laughs when she realizes it's you, returning your hug eagerly while complimenting your skills. "Oho, it appears you have launched a sneak attack most ingenious!" 

Expect her to return the favour soon. Once you start the war, she only believes it's right that she treats you the same! You will be seeing many surprise hugs from her. Sometimes she purposefully exaggerates her footsteps so you anticipate her, but when she wants to be, she can be decently sneaky. 

Don sees it a bit like a very light-hearted, playful game. She looks forward to your hugs and does the same thing to you.

一 RYŌSHŪ　#04

Another one who's hard to sneak up on. I just get that feeling from her. 

Most of your surprise-hug attempts will be immediately foiled as she turns around with a "Don't even try" expression before (playfully) insulting your stealth skills. 

Though if she knows you better, or she's in a more teasing mood, she'll walk over, grab you, and give you her version of a loving embrace while still insulting your terrible stealth skills. Now you're on the receiving end. This is what you wanted, right? No complaining. Her hug is solid enough not to necessarily hurt, but enough so that you have no chance of escaping. Ha.

If you do successfully sneak up on her and manage to hug her, she instantly stiffens before she realizes it's you. She might let you have a few seconds of your glory before she pushes you away. "S.T.B."

Like Faust, if you wanted a hug, you can just ask her for one, and she's more likely to oblige. 

一 MEURSAULT　#05

Also similar to Faust in the sense that he will be able to just... miraculously tell when you're trying to sneak up on him. But in all seriousness, he's pretty watchful and active, so managing to surprise-hug him successfully is a very hard feat. 

Nine times out of ten, he will turn to look at you and ask you if there's anything you need, just as you thought you really got him this time. If you just ask him for a hug, he'll do it with some blunt statement like "Commencing hugging."

The one time out of ten, he overall seems unbothered about it; you may feel a slight pause when you wrap your arms around him as he processes the feeling, but that's about it.

He quickly recognizes it's you and accepts the physical contact without so much of a flinch, though he does ask you about the hug's objective or if you needed something from him. He doesn't mind receiving them, though he would appreciate it if you were direct about the hug in the future. 

一 HONG LU　#06

Relatively hard to sneak up on. He might catch you in the act of attempting to, but he's more chill and perceptive about it and will likely deduce that you want some sort of affection from him and tease you about it, though he does eventually give you the hug you wanted. 

When you do, he's surprised at first but eases into it very quickly, teasing you and reciprocating it smoothly. He's happy to keep you there and let you look at whatever he was doing, or just chat with you. 

Like Don Quixote, you can expect that he will absolutely start initiating surprise hugs for you, too. He's very playful about it and might do those things where he creeps up on you and covers your eyes, pokes your cheek, or goes "Surprise!" and laughs when you squeak in surprise. (Though he's pretty considerate and makes sure he isn't catching you at a bad time)

You have no idea what you started. He will do this a lot to tease you from now on. 

一 HEATHCLIFF　#07

Do not do this to him. Listen, he's fine if you want to ask him for a hug (though he will absolutely be very awkward and shuffly about it), but he's just too on guard to be receiving a surprise hug. 

If you manage to sneak up on him, and you're lucky, he'll just quickly push you away and tell you not to do that, and that you can always ask him for a hug next time. If you're unlucky, you're getting shoved or punched out of sheer muscle memory.

Obviously, he feels bad about it immediately, though after obviously making sure you're okay first, he'll tell you that you should ask him in the future. 

There are a few ways you can work around getting this bad reaction. If you're chatting or beside him beforehand and move to hug him out of nowhere, he'll be caught off guard and will pretend to dislike it, though he really does enjoy it, even though his body language doesn't necessarily show it (he's either shuffling around like crazy or as stiff as a board). He's still getting into this thing, so give him some time, okay?

一 ISHMAEL　#08

Hard to sneak up on, since she's pretty down to earth and alert. If she catches you, she'll just squint and ask what you're trying to do. 

If you do manage to surprise her, Ishmael stiffens up immediately. If she's in a good mood or somewhat anticipated it, she kind of relaxes when she realizes it's you, but keeps the hug very brief since she's really, really not used to affection like this. Otherwise, you might be quickly getting pushed away (lightly). She really, really, prefers it if you tell her that you want a hug beforehand and will let you know that.

She doesn't dislike affection from you; she's just one of those in the list who would dislike getting surprise affection in particular. I can see her as the type to be a bit irritated, scolding you before quickly dismissing herself for some time.

She cools off fine enough, though she might give you a few suspicious side-eyes the next few times she sees you approaching from her peripheral vision in the future. 

一 RODION　#09

Gets a little surprised when you first hug her, but Rodion is Rodion: she's super smooth and gets into it very easily, reciprocating the hug with ease. 

Assuming you hugged her while she's in her usual good spirits, she's a tease about it; she will poke light-hearted fun at the initial action before dropping a cheerful and familiar nickname, before playfully asking about what you've been up to or engaging in some banter with you. 

I feel like she generally prefers it if she could anticipate your hugs, but she never gets irritated at them unless you choose to hug her during those moments where she's more gloomy, though during those times, she's more likely to push you away or act as if nothing happened or avoid the subject when she feels better again.

I can definitely see her as the type to get into them. Might teasingly sneak up on you and hug you, just to see your reaction.

一 DANTE　#10

Very flustered. It's easy to sneak up on them if you can catch them at the right time, like when they're focused or muttering away at some work they have to do.

As soon as you hug them and catch them by surprise, they let out an erratic burst of nonsensical tick-tocking and flustered words, flailing their arms a bit before they process what is happening and slowly ease into it. They're super awkward about it, but will eventually, although gingerly, reciprocate it and stiffly pat you on the back a few times. 

Afterwards, Dante asks you if there's something you wanted from them or what the entire purpose of that hug was. They might scold you with no real weight behind their words, reminding you that you should ask or let them know next time, as they could be busy or dealing with something important. (They're happy you gave them a break)

Dante, truthfully, enjoys the hug and the affection, just not the surprise part of it. They're very hesitant about it, but to be fair, it's been a while since the poor manager felt real fondness, like the hugs you give them. 

一 SINCLAIR　#11

Very flustered 2.0. 

Like Dante, it's also pretty easy to sneak up on him successfully, given that he's in thought or concentrating on something. 

When you land your oh-so-evil surprise hug, he yelps, freezes up immediately, stutters, and his face begins to heat up like a tomato the more he processes that Oh, it's you, and you're hugging him. He's so flustered that he can't even move his legs to run away. What did he do to ever deserve this? (He likes the hug, he really does, but... just take it easy on the poor guy)

Once he regains his senses, which takes a while, he manages to stutter through asking you what you did that for, face still steaming red from embarrassment, only to turn even redder once you tell him you just wanted to be affectionate with him.

Like Ishmael, he'll give you a few distrustful side-eyes when he sees you approaching him from the side in the future, though he's more flustered about it. Just thinking about the moment will get his cheeks warming up. 

一 OUTIS　#12

Probably the hardest to sneak up on. She's very guarded and vigilant and will spot you coming.

When she inevitably catches you on an attempt, her head snaps around, and she begins to berate you, asking you what kind of immature tomfoolery you are attempting to pull on her and scolding you on the professionalism of the working environment and how it is highly frowned upon to sneak up on someone like that. 

Look, if you ask her for a hug, she might seem reluctant, but will eventually let you do so, assuming there's a good reason for it; though under no circumstances would she ever allow herself to fall for such cheap, childish pranks like this one.

If you somehow do it successfully, she stiffens up, responds immediately and pushes you away in a blink, and begins to berate you again, reminding you that you can just ask her instead of resorting to such juvenile acts. So no matter the route you take, you're getting scolded. 

一 GREGOR　#13

Do not do this to him 2.0. Really, this is a bad idea. He's already hesitant and stiff with physical affection as it is due to his bug arm.

Regardless of whether or not he processes that it's you, he pushes you away almost immediately, hesitantly stepping back a few paces before telling you not to do that again. He won't act extremely angry or lash out in front of you, so he leaves as fast as he can for a smoke.

He's willing to forget about it as long as you understand that it's not a good idea to try that again. He really wants affection from you, he truly does, but that paralyzing fear and disgust for himself will never let him properly accept such sudden affection from you.