Natural Echo Writes

❄️ DEMO - ITCH.IO | NEOCITIES | FAQ ❄️

CURRENT CHAPTER: PROLOGUE + CH. 1

Dating’s hard. Especially in this climate.

You’ve tried it all—apps, setups, chance encounters—but nothing’s stuck. So what’s one more bad idea? In a moment of desperation (or brilliance), you say yes to reality TV.

Welcome to Warm Me Up, Snap Studio’s very first dating experiment.

You were expecting sunshine and swimsuits. Instead? You’re stranded in a luxury chalet with eleven strangers and one rule: pair up or freeze out. Fail to make a connection, and you’re headed straight to the Cold Zone.

Warm Me Up is an interactive fiction rated 18+ for explicit language, explicit sexual themes, alcohol use, and moral ambiguity.

example:

MC: "Wow, you have a really nice smile! Your eyes also glow like—"

And she keeps rambling while Luca is looking at her like this: ??!??!

(not an ask but i miss you, lu </3)

What are the RO's amount of experience with romantic/sexual relationships?

Hi!! Thank you so much for reading 💗

Most to least sexual experience would be:

Marcel

Lu

Santi/Kailee

Dmitry

Misty

Anjali

Kalea

Makai

Jong-woo

Most to least romantic experience (also includes dating around, not just proper relationships) would be:

Dmitry

Linden

Kailee/Marcel

Kalea

Santi

Makai

Anjali

Misty

Lu

Ahh I love and hate this question lmao

Because I can hear them so clearly in my head, but it's one thing to try and describe it versus actually planting it in your brains too. So I'm going to do my best to find "voice references" that kind of give you the idea, and I hope that'll help.

Anjali: Very elegant, crisp, posh British accent. Very Indira Varma but with a slight rasp, especially when she raises her voice (check out this clip)

Dmitry: Charming, "good man" warmth, with a faint New York/Jersey accent. I think Matt Bomer's got the right tone. Super close. (check here)

Jong-woo: Like a friendly, mid-range deepness, that gives this pitchy rasp when he's startled. Choi Woo-shik is like, exactly right! (check it out here)

Kailee: Light, charismatic, bright, easy to listen to. Not super sugary, but can get there if she needs to. Kristen Bell is like, quintessential Kailee. (check here!)

Kalea: Lyrical, honeyed, with a subtle Hawaiian accent. Auli'i Cravalho is close, but Kalea's voice is definitely higher than hers. (check out here!)

Linden: Slow, relaxed, deep but soft. Very Sara Ramirez, but slower. (check here!)

Luca: Masculine, but not super deep. A slight New York accent that gets much more pronounced when he's angry. I'd say Jeremy Allen White, but his is too deep, but the vibe is there if that makes sense? Early seasons of Shameless is nearly there (like here) But Sebastian Stan would be my close pick though! (check here!)

Lucia: Smooth, rich, slightly deep feminine voice with New York texture. Think Rosario Dawson. (like here)

Makai: Deep, grounded, warm, with some roughness around the edges. I think Brian Tyree Henry is good, but it needs a bit of a deeper resonance in the chest and a Philly twang. (check here)

Marcel: Very expressive and theatrical (obv lol) kind of higher, but masculine with a pretty pronounced French accent. Lucas Bravo is almost there, his voice is just too deep. So if it were like, higher in tone, this would be Marcel 100% (check here)

Misty: Kind of deep, with the slightest huskiness. Light, playful, energized. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is a decent example (check here)

Santiago: Deep, warm, slightly playful and charismatic. A pretty strong Colombian accent, but not super prominent. I think Manolo Cardona is pretty darn close. (check here!)

Ooh, this is sweet 💗

I think a good chunk of them would already have some version of MC on their lock screen or background by then 😊

Already has a couple photo: Jong-woo, Kalea, Linden, Santi

Jong-woo: He flips his phone around as soon as he sees you're nervous. "See? I like looking at us too." Honestly, he's happy you finally caught up.

Kalea: She agonized for days trying to find the right couple photo because she loves them all. If you're nervous, she'd reassure you right away. "No, I like it. I really like it. Do you like the one I picked too?" And then she'd get shy showing you hers, even though she's the one trying to make you feel better.

Linden: Their couple photo is most likely a close-up of your hands linked or you asleep against their neck. They'd show it to you with a little smile. "What's wrong with showing how much we love each other?"

Santi: They think it's cute that you're shy. "You know you're already on mine, right?" They like being part of your everyday life, even in a small way

Already has a photo of just you: Dmitry, Kailee, Makai

Dmitry: He has a photo of you as his background already, probably one you don't even remember him taking. If you're shy about your couple photo, he thinks it's sweet. "Why would I not like it?" Like the thought genuinely never occurred to him.

Kailee: She has her favorite picture of you as her background. One she took herself, of course. She'd show it to you immediately. "Are you kidding? You look amazing. It's my favorite part of turning on my phone." She may tease you for being shy, but she's very pleased.

Makai: He has a photo of you caught mid-laugh because it always brings a smile to his face. He gets why you feel shy, but he doesn't think you need to be. He'd look at the photo, then at you, and say, "Nah, I like it." Simple as that.

Doesn't have a photo, but doesn't mind if you do: Anjali, Lu, Marcel, Misty

Anjali: She tries to keep as much of her relationship with you as private as possible, especially after the show. Still, she thinks it's sweet that you want to see her every day in some way. She wouldn't make a fuss over it, but she would look at the photo longer than necessary before handing the phone back.

Lu: Their phone is pretty bare bones, so it's not a reflection of how much or how little they care about you. They think your couple photo is fine. It's your phone; they're not going to dictate how you use it. But they do like that it's them.

Marcel: They have a specific theme and aesthetic on their phone, but it's nothing against you, and it doesn't mean they love you any less. They do appreciate that you like flaunting your love around. They'll tease you for being sentimental, obviously, but they're also going to ask to see the photo again.

Hi!! Not a dumb question at all 💗 In fact, it's a very relatable problem that happens to me more often than I'd like to admit lol

I don't think there's one perfect answer because motivation comes and goes so often. But when I'm feeling stuck, I usually try one of these:

Play someone else's game/read a different story: There are so many amazing writers out there constantly making incredible things. Reading or playing something else can really help refill the creative well for me. I get inspired and, in the most complimentary way possible, I get competitive 😭 Seeing other people commit to their passion projects makes me want to get my shit together too!

Write something different: I like switching to a different project whenever I start feeling tired of the one I'm working on. And I mean wildly different. With WMU, for example, if I'm feeling too bogged down in all the details, I'll close it and write something for one of my thriller stories instead. Spending time in a completely different world helps reset my brain. Maybe it's the writing version of absence makes the heart grow fonder 😅

Skip ahead: Generally, I like writing in a linear way. If I say I'm working on chapter 2, then I'm focusing my energy on chapter 2...until I can't stand it anymore!! When that happens, I'll jump to an entirely different chapter. It could be the end of the story. It could be some random scene I may or may not ever use six chapters down the line. Either way, it keeps me connected to the story without forcing myself to come up with something my brain clearly isn't ready to give me yet.

Force myself to write, but only when I have the energy: Sometimes I do need to push myself a little. Even if it's 10 words or 100. As long as I'm writing something, it gives me peace of mind that progress is being made. I try not to treat every writing session like it needs to be some super long, 10,000 word passage. Sometimes the win is literally just opening the document and adding a few sentences.

Don't force myself: Lol I know that's contradictory, but seriously, if I can't write, I can't write. Simple as. When that happens, I focus on other things in my life and come back to it when I'm ready, no matter how long it takes. At the end of the day, I'm doing this for fun in my free time. I'm not obligated to put anything out. Yes, when you have people looking forward to something, it can feel like a tough choice. But I'm a huge advocate for mental health and boundaries. If this is something you're choosing to do in your spare time, for free, just because you love it, then you don't owe anybody anything if you're not feeling it. Take care of yourself first!!! Plus, having a clearer head usually means that when you're finally ready to get back in there, you'll be able to give it your best 😊

As an aside, I also get distracted pretty easily (opening tumblr, scrolling through reddit, locking into a TV show, etc.) When I know my brain is feeling especially restless, I use the Freedom app. It lets you block certain apps and websites for a set amount of time across your devices (for me, my phone and laptop) -- and it's free!!

I’m not sure if youre watching love island USA but Carl reminds me of Dmitry😭 he’s so sweet

Hi YES I see it!!

I hold grudges and Makai shall suffer the inevitable wrath

They're definitely fit, but not anywhere near as sculpted the way Jong-woo is!

For Dmitry, a chest like this:

And abs like this, but a darker/thicker happy trail lower down:

For Santiago, pretty much this exactly, but a little doughier in the middle:

For Luca, fit but lean. Not bulky at all:

And for Makai, dad bod for sure, but hairier!

Usually, it depends on the mood! Santi likes the imagination of it more than any one specific scenario. They enjoy the thrill of flirting in a different context and finding new ways to express attraction.

Strangers meeting is always a classic for them because you can take it in so many directions. Meeting at a bar, client and shop owner, new neighbors, etc.

Power dynamics can be fun too, depending on the setup. Cop/criminal, homeowner/housekeeper, boss/assistant, that kind of thing.

I also really want to write a hitchhiker scenario lol like they're on a road trip or something, MC leaves to buy a snack, and when they come back Santi decided to fully get into character 😭

how would the RO's act to an MC trying to impress their family/someone really important to the RO? (And be extremely clumsy at it..)

Hey, at least it all worked out in the end for you, right??? 😭😭

Anjali: She'd be painfully aware of every clumsy attempt to seem polished, especially if you're doing it in front of her parents. At first, she'd look irritated, but it's less about the spill or the awkward answer and more about watching you twist yourself into something more acceptable. She'd step in before they pass their judgement. "I think what they're trying to say," she'd cut in, voice smooth and perfectly civil, "is that they're very happy to be here. Isn't that right, darling?"

Dmitry: He'd appreciate the effort, but he'd care more about whether you're being genuine than whether you can impress anyone. If you get clumsy, he'd make it easier without calling attention to it: handing you the right dish, filling a gap in the story, drawing you back in when you start apologizing too much. At some point, he'd lean close enough for only you to hear: "You're doing fine. Please breathe."

In light of lads’ cancellation of their new love interest, I thought of a question! How would the ROs react to MC playing Otome Games or romance games? I know some real life partners are supportive while others are jealous and dislike that kind of thing. How would the ROs react to that? Cause I know I would rant about what goes on in my games lmao.

Hiiiii!

Oh god, Valkoooo 😭😭😭 I'm wrecked. I had a spot saved for him right between Sy and Raf, and now they want me to simply move on with my life? As if I wasn't preparing to welcome my new wolf husband with open arms? 🥹

If you have no idea what I'm talking about and you're curious, look up LaDs Valko. And if you feel moved to support a bunch of romance game players currently wailing on the floor, there are a bunch of petitions going around too [ Here: 1 | 2 ] Bring him home 😤

ANYWAY. Great question lol

Would listen, but isn't particularly invested

Anjali: Takes a very "that's nice, dear" approach. She will not yuck your yum, but she also isn't asking for a full lore presentation. She'll listen while doing something else, occasionally glancing up with a little hum. If you get especially dramatic, she might sigh and say, "Should I be concerned by how emotionally attached you are to a man with no pulse, or is this one of those things I'm meant to find charming?"

Makai: Knows it's just a game. If you're having fun, then fine. He doesn't really get attached to fictional romance routes himself, but he'll listen if you're ranting beside him on the couch. He may not remember every name, but he does remember the one who made you mad. "That's the one who lied, right?" he asks, frowning at the screen. "Yeah, I don't like him."

Misty: Doesn't really get the appeal, but she's not judging you for it. She'll let you rant, make a few comments, and occasionally look over like she's trying to understand why you're arguing with your phone. As long as you still love her, it's cool. "Babe, I'm gonna be honest. I don't know what any of that means, but I support your right to be weirdly stressed about it."

Oof, sending prayers for your uterus, I know the pain 💗

Sure, Dmitry would allow it. He's a generous man. A compassionate man. A man who hears "this is the only way to save me" and takes the mission seriously...even if his ears are on fire 🤭