#char:n

Since no explicit gender was established, I’m using gender neutral pronouns! I hope that’s okay!! ❤️

MC: “Here, I made this for you.”

Alex

Alex takes the gift reluctantly, unsure of how to react. “I feel like I haven’t been nice enough to warrant any kind of gift.” They look at you, quirking a small smile. “But I can’t say I dislike it. Now I have to think of something to give you.”

“You don’t have to—“

“If it means making you feel how I feel now, then yes, I do. I can’t let you one-up me.” Alex walks backwards, retreating to their room. The mischievous smile on their face is one you’ve seen often enough, but it holds a new sort of warmth that Alex has never shown you. They almost look…shy, but that can’t be, right? Alex doesn’t get shy—

Right?!

Perry

“Oh—“ Perry stares down at the gift, eyes wide. He takes it from your hand, his throat bobbing. “Thank you, this—is sweet.” He smiles a little, raising his hand to cover his mouth, almost as if he can’t suppress his happiness. “I don’t know what to say.”

His hazel eyes dim with an emotion you can’t place when he meets your eyes again. “I will treasure this. This is the best thing anyone has ever given me, thank you.”

Noah/Nora

N stares at the gift with wide, almost panicked eyes. “For me?”

You nod.

“But…why?” Seemingly realizing how that sounds, N shakes their head fervently. “Not that I don’t like it, I’m just—just surprised—ah, I don’t—“ N’s pale cheeks brighten into a flush so deep it reminds you vaguely of a tomato. “I don’t know what to say.”

You push the gift toward them and they take it cautiously, their lip twitching as if they’re hesitant to smile.

“Thanks.” N ducks their head, letting their hair fall in front of their face. It’s in that moment that N feels confident enough to smile. You suppose they thought you couldn’t see…

Dani

Dani looks down at the gift, staring at it. “What’s this?” It comes off almost suspiciously, but with a hint of nervousness that’s never been there before.

“For you,” you repeat, pushing the gift to their chest.

Dani swallows, grabbing the gift with delicate fingers. They let out a small exhale through parted lips. “For me? Why?”

You huff. Geez, can they just take the gift?

Fortunately, a second later they do.

“Thank you.” Dani shoots you a rare, reluctant smile. It brightens their whole face. “I’m grateful for it. I will get you something in return—“

“You don’t—“

“I want to,” Dani says, more firmly this time. They hold your gaze in a way that makes you warm.

Kade/Kiera

K’s brows shoot up in surprise, and they grab the gift. “I didn’t get you anything.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“It’s not my birthday yet—“

“I know.”

“We’re not celebrating anything—“

“I know,” you echo. “I just wanted to.”

“You just wanted to…” K’s voice trails off. You catch them exhale slowly, before looking back at you with a smirk. “Is this your way of getting on my good side? Because…well, it’s working.” Their voice lowers into a mumble at the last word and they look up at you behind their lashes almost nervously.

Catching K off guard? It feels like a victory.

Finn/Fera

“For me!?” F takes the gift, their mouth shaped into a firm O of surprise. “Thank you!” F hurries to open it, and they laugh a little. “You should’ve told me, I would’ve gotten you something!”

F looks up at you, their toothy grin almost blinding. “I’m really happy.“ F looks back down at the gift, a secret smile on their face. “You make me happy, MC.”

Oof. Doesn’t F know not to say such things so casually?

Everett/Eva

E quirks a brow at the gift. “This is mine?”

You nod.

E laughs a little; a small, almost imperceptible huff of a breath. “What did I do to deserve this?”

“I just wanted to give it to you.”

E holds your gaze for a moment, their eyes darting around every inch of your face. You sense they’re searching for something, and it makes you fidget. “Careful, or I’d think you find me special, MC.” The teasing in their voice shifts into something else entirely: into something softer, heavier with meaning.

The cool expression on their face finally melts into a small smile. “Thank you.”

Andrei

The tears begin forming in his eyes, and he takes it with shaking hands. “F-for me?”

“Andrei, don’t make it a big deal—“

“THANK U SO MUCH I AM GOING TO FRAME THIS I WILL STARE AT IT EVERY MORNING.”

“Sigh.”

Ohhhhh

So I have quite ambitious plans for the routes since I have a plan to have every romance (and the platonic) route have a main conflict that encompasses that route. I just feel like narrative romance is more satisfying/realistic with obstacles lol

I’m not going to put like actual labeled tropes for all of them mostly because I feel like they can’t really encompass it so-

Perry: friends to lovers/ hiding a Big Secret? Unable to be honest with each other

Alex: unable to open up, emotionally detached RO, struggle to come to terms with feelings, doesn’t like Feelings lol

Dani: enemies to lovers? Doesn’t know what they’re feeling/how to handle it. Wants to push MC away for MC’s sake because loving them is DanGeRoUs

E: relationship baggage, afraid to fall in love again, can they fit MC in their busy life?

N: hard to trust, can’t fall for MC in fear of getting distracted, afraid of leaving MC behind

F: too good to be true, afraid MC won’t take them seriously, afraid of getting left behind by MC/rejected by MC

K: not sure if they’ll scare MC away, afraid to show their true self, don’t want to be vulnerable/don’t want to show their feelings only to be rejected over it, never really loved before so unsure of how it all works

hey and sorry for the really delayed answer!

I'm not big on jealousy plots (because if it's not written right, it can easily dive into unhealthy/toxic territory) but they do all have a little level of jealousy haha and you'll prob see it later in the story

"I will never give up. Never."

Noah/Nora ??? | 23 years old | Quiet - Melancholy - Uneasy

Before you came, N was essentially the new kid of the house. Having been there for a year, they've hard a hard time 'fitting in' so to speak. They prefer staying alone, devising plans to run away and find the person they've been looking for for years. N is distant, shy, and sensitive, and relishes in alone time. It's hard to get past their defensives, but once one does, N will be loyal for life. All it takes is to crumble that wall they've built since they've arrived to Dufner House....unfortunately, it's easier said than done.

Appearance: 5'9, tan skin with golden blonde hair and blue eyes. They're described as having an angelic face, and are usually seen wearing a red plaid shirt and jeans. Canadian.

Likes: long walks in the park, comics, being left alone

Dislikes: being prisoner at Dufner House, not being believed, lectures

sure! its not really spoilery since you find out in chapter two I just didnt expose it in case no one asked and people would rather wait for the chap 2 update lolol but here goes:

Perry: teleportation (only at a certain distance at a time)

Alex: shapeshifting (any animal--no humans--but they feel closest to/more attached to their feline shift for reasons you will find out later)

F: speedster

K: duplication (of themself)

D: elemental manipulation (all four elements-water, earth, air, fire-but they prefer fire...surprise surprise.) (Dani is basically an angry Aang)

holy crap I keep forgetting you guys haven’t actually formally met literally two out of the seven ROs (which is funny since I already wrote the meeting scenes for both)

ohhh good question (and sorry for the delayed answer!)

K likes someone with a little fire in them, someone who is honest, who isn't afraid of saying their opinion. You will find that choosing the options that may offend other characters is actually liked by K, mostly because they appreciate honesty more than anything else. K's whole thing is about 'tough love' so they appreciate that in return because that's their way of seeing someone actually cares enough to speak up

N likes someone understanding, someone with patience. You don't have to agree with what they do but you have to at least see their perspective. They don't like someone who is too pushy, too persistent (example: trying to force them to do something they don't want to). Sometimes just being a quiet supporter is the best approach with them.

D likes someone who is real, lol someone who can face the truth, be honest to both themselves and everyone else about their reality (for optimistic MCs this can be more like: I understand this is a bad situation but im going to stay positive and hope for the best) they don't mind a little push back, either

E appreciates someone strong-willed, with high determination, someone who won't let anyone stop them from getting what they want, someone who doesn't just lay down on their back and wave a white flag. They don't want to be a dominant force in a relationship (as they are dominant in every other aspect of their life) but rather an equal. Unsurprisingly, E likes people like them lmao

Alex will be completely won over by a charming MC, someone who is funny, surprisingly they don't mind someone overly energetic because it balances them out

Perry: they value kindness above all things, they like optimism, someone who cares about others, someone who is willingly to try even if they don't want to

F: doesn't have any specific traits they're drawn to, as long as that person is fun and can have a good time with them. what they don't like though is being talked down to like a kid. Their behavior lends them to a lot of condescension so they'd appreciate a partner who steers clear of that and accepts them as is