CandiedWings

Hi! I plan to eventually, but there are elements of the world/story that tie into build your heart, so I probably need a chapter or two before I do that. I'm glad you're interested though! I like the concept, glad someone would like to read it lol!

The website navigation is still very confusing, and while the art is gorgeous and script seems fun - I just can't get over the interface. No more icons, please give me words like "avatar" and "story" etc.

Also, I know this may be a dumb thing to get stuck on but I'm sad we can't customize our Candy for the illustrations with hair in the way we did with the OG MCL. I can't do short hair on my avatars for any game (trauma from my childhood, I cannot lie to you) so I fully quit on the first illustration I got when I realized my wig wouldn't translate to the illustration.

Yes, as a writer, I completely understand that chapters require care when being written, and I'm not pressuring you. However, I also need to know more, to read and reread as many times as necessary. I want to know more aaaa, I love it so much. I hope every day for an update or at least another preview or a date for new chapters, but I'll wait patiently. Take care, rest, and you're very talented. Kisses of light.

Hello my dear!!

Wow this is so touching, I do not feel pressured at all no worries! I do love this fic a lot, but I did start it with the knowledge it was going to be a slow-updater (sorry!) - but I have been working on it in the spare time I have from work! I am so glad to know you enjoy it! Nath's trauma is such a central point of his story, but I find a lot of fic writers either ignore it or try and change him automatically. And they left us with such a great jumping off point in the final few episodes of Love Life, I just couldn't resist.

I'm still unsure of a release date for chapter 3, but this ask has definitely inspired me! Thank you so much for your words, they mean so much. And just for you, I can give you a tiny preview of the next chapter <3 Mwah

Hi!

Yes, there are plans to continue. I did say updates would be sporadic lol - I'm very busy in my personal life atm and its just fallen off the wagon.

Friends, Romans, Candy-ladies, lend me your ears; I’m about to write a damn essay lol.

It’s been a hot minute, so I think we can all safely dissect [LARGE INHALE] the cheating storyline.

Off the bat, I want to make it clear that I do not vibe with having the option to cheat on your partner.  Not really sure why BeeMov and ChiNo decided to go that route, but they did. Some people enjoyed the choice or the change in pace, which is valid.  It definitely shook things up. Personally, not my cup of tea so I didn't follow that path.

But my favorite route in Love Life is Nath’s (shocker I know), and I have some thoughts, feelings and opinions.

[Here’s where I go off the rails.]

Alright, so the developers wanted a cheating storyline.  Fine, sure, it raises the stakes.  I can see that much.

But when it comes to who the infidelity was offered up with, I have some things to say.

The fact that the option we got for our baited infidelity was Nath's pseudo-father figure is so incredibly out of pocket I almost have to respect the ballsy move.  But it also made, in my opinion, the emotional impact of such a choice different depending on your chosen Love Interest - aka Nath’s circumstances vs everyone else’s.

Because let’s be real - in the other routes, Eric is just Some Guy™ who happens to be the investigative partner/aforementioned pseudo-father figure with your high school friend.  But your Love Interest doesn’t really know him beyond that.

On Nath’s route, he’s your boyfriend’s investigative partner/aforementioned pseudo-father figure.

No other route gets such a personal connection to the person participating in the infidelity.  

Had BeeMov done something like introducing a different person per route who was an option to stray from your partner with, who each had a personal connection to that love interest (See, Zach for Castiel or [omg I just thought of this] Ranata for Priya) - that would make the emotional impact of the infidelity itself even and/or equal throughout the love interests, not just so emotionally devastating for just Nath alone.

I also don’t really think we got enough time with Eric to really fall for him beyond surface level (again, just my opinion), but with Nath’s route it’s at least a tiny bit more plausible in the scope of that story.  This is a person that our Candy would’ve conceivably spent more time with than we saw in the Episodes because of Eric’s close relationship with Nath.  I can buy there being more behind the scenes feelings developing in that context, but with everyone else, it just feels rather surface level.

Which, to be fair, is plausible as well as people do cheat on their partners for petty, surface level reasons, but in a game like this where we’ve spent so much time with our respective LIs, personally I’d need a little more weight to make it plausible.

All this to say Nath continues to be the one to get the most devastating storylines (I have seen the screen shots of his reaction when he finds out the player cheats and is leaving him for Eric and its DEVASTATING).

I’ve been playing around with the strands of ideas that the last few eps of MCL: LL left us with in regard to Nath and working through his feelings about and around the abuse he suffered at the hands of his father.

I have begun pulling on a few of those threads with my fic build your heart (brick by boring brick), but I wanted to explore it further than I’ve currently gotten in that story.

I figured I’d share it here and see if anyone wanted to discuss/would be interested in hearing further on this.

TW: Discussions of medical issues, terminal illness, past abuse below the cut

I’m incredibly emo about this gen of MCL coming to an end.

So here’s some of my personal favorite moments from Nath’s route in UL and LL (I have admittedly yet to play him in HSL, sue me I was a Castiel girl until bad boy Nath in UL came on the scene.  I have a thing for snarky blondes...)

“A myth crumbles” the HOOT I let out when I read that.  Hilarity.  Amazing.  10/10.

Even Nath has his downsides LMAO.  Poor Angel, she just wanted to enjoy NCIS or something

“Jerk” - the way I have WRITTEN this text message

Aaaaand miscreant Nath has entered the scene.

Angel being absolutely thrown by this scenario took me out.  Amazing.  10/10

This dynamic also made me lose my shit.  Like poor Nath, he’s so emotionally stunted here and has no idea how to express his feelings, meanwhile Angel is just like “tough shit my guy” - too pissed off to even care.

Again, I actually really liked that in UL you could really talk back to your love interest without immediate caution about LoM dropping.  This to me feels realistic and helped with immersion into the story.  I, too, was sick of his excuses!

Also, Angel breaking out the full name - Yeeeesh Nath you done goofed!

THIS ENTIRE SEQUENCE BROKE ME EMOTIONALLY.

Like I am not one to cry at games most often, but this one, wheeew this one had me bawling.

Specifically when she screams when he hugs her, like she’s believed he’s not even there and his touch proves his existence.

WHEN I TELL YOU, I SOBBED WITH HER.  LIKE ME TOO GIRL.

This one just made me laugh so hard.

And finally, the one that REALLY broke me, after Angel throws the bouquet.

As if she’s throwing it to us, those who have followed along on her journey.

Like look at this man!!

Alright, so this is what got me the illustration:

1) When you get to the suite with the first choice, choose to go swimming with Nath.

2) Take the Water bottle! This is important!

3) Say you want to go back to the overlook

4) When you get lost both times, stay confident.  Don’t choose the options that will seem despairing.

5) Ask for his phone - it’ll have a compass!

6) Choose the lychee looking berries

7) Scream.  Loudly (this was so funny to me)

8) Tell Nath you’re going to collect branches and he will collect stones.

9) Get the low hanging branches

10) Tell him he’ll have something funny to talk about with his psychologist (THIS made me laugh.)

11) Choose to take your towel off/the shmexy option.

And viola!