#forbidden-sunlight

warnings: aged-up!reader (early to late twenties), fem!reader, possessive behavior, self-aware!au, obsessive affection, cyberstalking.

Hey guys and welcome to the first in hopefully many fics for Love and Deepspace! I would like to thank @gudaworks for providing links to info on the lore of the game and @jinwoosbabyboo for not only being the inspiration behind this piece, but also beta-reading it! I highly recommend the Self-Aware! AU LADS content written by @jinwoosbabyboo, it is absolutely fantastic! :3

So with that being said, sit back, relax, and enjoy the Self-Aware! AU show~.

divider by @omi-resources

You weren’t too familiar with Love and Deepspace except that it’s a mobile game that has attractive love interests, there’s a complex plot, and the memory cards that are unlocked can increase affection with the chosen love interest or something like that. Either way, your coworker was the one who introduced you to it and so far it’s been enjoyable.

You couldn’t make more progress on it except on the weekends you were off, but it is what is. Plus, Love and Deepspace was just something enjoyable to indulge yourself in. You didn’t take the sweet words whispered into the MC’s ear all too seriously because it was just fiction. It wasn’t real. Not Philos, not amnesiac Hunters, and definitely not Evol.

So why does it feel like someone was watching from the other side of the screen when you weren’t on your phone or not playing the game?

yandere!duke with wicked stepmother!reader imagine

warnings: mentioned child abuse, fem!reader, arranged marriage, implied obsessive behavior.

part two

Imagine being reincarnated not as the heroine of the dark romance novel that you fell asleep reading, but the male lead’s villainous stepmother. Although it would be many years before you would marry his father, and your family would get out their mountain of debt from this arranged marriage. You swore to not take out your anger on the poor child as you laid in your crib.

Just because the duke still held a candle for his first wife and the mother of the male lead, his son did not deserve such cruel treatment from a woman who would never receive any affection from her husband. Arranged marriages rarely result in mutual happiness, but there is always the possibility of creating a respectful partnership between each other. 

So that is what you will do. 

You became ambitious in your studies and etiquette lessons, making connections with other young ladies of high society as your own reputation grew. Instead of becoming known for being a spiteful and superficial noblewoman,  invitations to soirees, tea parties, and banquets arrived at your household every other day.

The Mad Dog of Macaluso became The Blossoming Flower of High Society. Despite the marriage proposals your household had received, none of the gentlemen in the Umbra Empire were as rich as Giovanni Lombardo, the grand duke and the male lead’s father. 

So, the marriage still happened; but you were not bothered by your new husband’s declaration on your wedding night that he would never have a child with you, citing that he found you unpleasant and nothing at all like his deceased wife as his tall frame towering over yours, his gray orbs glaring down at you with icy disdain. You stared at him for a moment before you smiled.

“No one can ever replace a loved one, and it is a relief to know that you do not care for me romantically, Your Grace. This is a situation that is beneficial only to my house, and the Emperor had forced you to select me because he was tired of hearing everyone talking about how his most trusted aide has refused to remarry since his wife’s passing three years ago during childbirth. Your son is your heir, so there is no need to have another child. If you would permit me, I would like to get to know him more. If you do not believe me, you can assign a servant to watch me interact with him and the rest of the staff. Is that acceptable?”

The baffled expression on the duke’s face at your words had been worth all the hard work you have placed into being a better side character that wouldn’t be killed in the novel’s third chapter. You would not disappoint him. 

You would prove to be a valuable partner and protect the male lead until it was time for you to leave the stage. 

Three years passed. You performed your duties as the duchess, overseeing the household and organizing any functions that were to be hosted in the duchy. When you weren’t doing paperwork in your private office or speaking to the head butler on how to improve the workplace and other matters, you spent time with the male lead. 

Alessandro was a sweet little darling, possessing his father’s shiny platinum silver tresses and his mother’s bright blue eyes that sparkled in delight when you praised him for doing so well in his studies with a big hug or a kiss on the cheek. He was precocious for a six-year-old, though he still could not understand why his Papa didn’t like Mama. Mama being you, even when you have had to gently correct him more than once that you are his stepmother, not his birth mother. 

“Some day when you are older, you will understand.” You said, resting your chin on top of his head as you carefully adjusted your grip around his middle. He liked to sit in your lap under the garden’s pagoda during tea time, and you saw no issue with it.  “Papa may not like me, but we love you. That will never change, and we only want the best for you.” You ran a hand through his hair, tucking a stray strand behind his ear. 

In the original work, he became obsessed with the female lead because he did not receive any love from his father and was abused by his stepmother. Her gentle demeanor, her kindness and loveliness triggered his desire to have her all to himself. He had even commissioned the construction of a human-sized golden cage so that he could keep the female lead by his side forever. 

Alessandro pouted. “But I don’t want to wait that long! Can’t you tell me now?”

You chuckled. “Good things come to those who wait, my dear. Believe it or not, being a grown-up can be hard in this big, scary world.”

“That’s impossible! Papa is super cool and can do so many things!”

“Yes, he is quite something, isn’t he? Now drink some tea or it will get cold.” 

What you did not realize at the time was that the duke had returned home early from work and went to search for you. The head maid had told him where you were, though the duke had not expected Alessandro to be with you in the garden. He heard what you said about him, and how you have come to accept that you will never be loved by him and it was not his son’s fault.  How affectionate you were with him, smiling and ruffling his hair while reminding him to pay attention to his arithmetic tutor because it was important for him to understand numbers because they were just as important as knowing all colors in a rainbow or which fork to use for salads. 

You had kept your promise to him. 

You did not demand his affections, prioritizing the duchy and his son’s wellbeing. You did not take any paramours nor spent more than the allowance you were given to shop for dresses and other accessories in the capital. You attended tea parties, and did not bring shame to his family name. You were a perfect wife. You were worthy.

Would you object to him spending time with his son as you do? Would you allow him to get close, to spoil you with gifts? Would you even consider the idea of giving Alessandro a younger sibling? It’s been too long, and he does have needs. 

Happy Mother's Day, guys~! :)

warnings: self-aware! au, non-mc!reader, possessive behavior, jealousy, references to sylus' myth, fem!reader, aged-up!reader (early to late twenties), cyberstalking.

Hey guys and welcome back to the second part of the Self-Aware! AU series starring the one and only leader of Onychinus~!

It has been a wild ride coming up with ideas and writing rough drafts for this man, but I couldn't have achieved it without @jinwoosbabyboo. My friend, this chapter is dedicated to you. The late-night conversations of lore and brainstorming fic concepts between long shifts have and always will be the highlight of my week :3

Do you all have a favorite lads x non-mc!reader fic? I've been reading quite of a few on here, and the angst in them is heavy and exquisite~. After all, the best romances lie in tragedy, do they not?

Comment with 🐉 if you would like to see part three in this series or 🧁 if you would like to see more fluff content.

Here is part one for those who haven’t read it yet~.

divider by @omi-resources

Sylus knows that there are risks to getting attached to anyone so long as he is in charge of Onychinus. People have betrayed him countless times in the past, and the number of competitors seeking his downfall in this no-man’s-land continues to rise each year. In the back of his mind, he thought it was better this way; to walk alone on the path to power and wait for his sorceress to come back to him. She did, eventually, but with no recollection of their shared past, and she despised him so much that they could not resonate with their Evols. People knew and respected her as Miss Hunter in this lifetime.

He had every intention of seducing her, to unlock the memories and rekindle their love once more until you came into the picture. His history with Miss Hunter spanned across eons, the galaxies, everything he had done to see her once again, the sacrifices he made…it all had been in vain. He hadn’t been the only one who remembered the past; there were three others, desperate to reclaim their prize and relive the past they shared with Miss Hunter.

But Sylus was not like them. He would not allow them to undo all the hard work he has put into his empire, and the N109 Zone. That’s why he needs to keep Miss Hunter around, even if she hates him for who he is, what he stands for. She was still useful to him.

Miss Hunter possessed exceptional fighting skills and made a lovely companion to show off at the auction house, but nothing more than that. If there is one trait he possesses that could even be remotely qualified as something positive, it is being wholeheartedly devoted to you.

Sylus is rarely left to his own devices; to think and breathe with all the work he does on a daily basis. When he is alone, he is in either his office or in his bedroom. Since he has synchronized the time in this world with yours, he knows when it’s a good time to talk to you, and to let you rest. The conversations he has with you are….well, they felt genuine. Like he wasn’t talking to a machine that is programmed to reply to his words in a way that satisfies him.

Sylus would always inquire about your day, shake at his head in exasperation and adoration, or roll his eyes, amongst emotions he doesn’t dare let anyone else in the N109 Zone see. Do you want to cook something easy but worried about making a big mess? He’s already sent you a list of suggestions after you tell him what was in your fridge and pantry. Feeling stiff? He already sent suggestions to ease your pain and home exercise videos to your phone, including his personal recommendations.

He would definitely inquire if you read a book or listen to it on your phone. He may or may not have downloaded something similar and listens to it before he turns in for the night.

Despite being an incredibly busy man with a schedule booked out for months and being in charge of Miss Hunter’s wellbeing, Sylus will always make time for you. Suddenly contacting him through the app after a rough day when he’s in a meeting or dealing with idiots who are stupid enough to do business in his territory? He will either reschedule or quickly finish it so that he can make sure you’re okay.

Although he had been very careful to hide your interactions with him from everyone, Miss Hunter had discovered the existence of his little gem all on her own. How did she find out? Well, perhaps he underestimated her resourcefulness, or didn’t dare to think she would be so foolish as to sneak into his room again when he punished her for it last time. And that was a warning.

warnings: aged-up!reader (early to late twenties), fem!reader, possessive behavior, self-aware!au, obsessive affection, cyberstalking, mention of toxic relationships, attempted home invasion.

Hey guys and welcome to the next part in this self-aware AU~! I had made a small post that I was outlining it while on vacation in March, and now we are finally here after three months of so many changes, including a few health issues. Worry not, I did see a doctor and am taking medication to get better~.

Special thanks to @jinwoosbabyboo and @dissociativewriter for their feedback and suggestions that have helped polish the earlier drafts to its current state :3

Comment with a 🍎 if you would like to see a third part in Caleb's route or a 🎖️ if you would like to see more content for this man written on my secondary blog, @acaffeinated-constellation.

Here is part one for those who haven't read it yet~.

divider by @omi-resources

You don’t know if Caleb’s sudden interest in your past romantic relationships is a good thing or just part of a malfunction in the Toring chip that’s implanted in his brain. What could you say to him? That you had been young and dumb, blindly believing that changing yourself as a person would make things better in a relationship that was already falling apart at the seams?

So infatuated with the idea of love and only staying because it was comfortable, and you were happy. That’s at least what you told yourself to help you endure the toxicity of said romance.

You thought at one point it had been all of your fault. Maybe if you did that he will show you the love that you crave so much. Maybe if you did if you did this one thing right for once, he’ll see you and give you the attention and treatment you deserve. You kept telling yourself late at night, sobbing beneath the blankets: it’s all right, I can fix this, I can fix it all and we’ll finally be happy.

It might have been three years since the break-up, but you were still healing; the memories from that time were still difficult to put behind you. You were just starting to find yourself and know your self-worth — you wouldn’t jeopardize that for anyone ever again.

So, no. You will not indulge Caleb’s curiosity. If he can’t respect your boundaries? Well, all you needed to do was press a few buttons, and poof. The app will be gone, freeing up phone storage and extinguishing any chance he’ll have to know you or your past.

“You can’t sweet-talk your way out of this one, Colonel.” You said, eyes narrowing at the pixelated man on the screen. “Your actions will decide how things between us will go from here. Our partnership.”

“Pipsqueak.” Caleb whispered. “You don’t understand. All of this time, I’ve been -”

“Struggling to win over your childhood friend, who is also the love of your life.” You finished. “Focus on yourself, no fussing over my physical and emotional well-being like a mother-hen.” Because if he doesn’t, then there’s still a chance that the other love interests will sweep Miss Hunter off of her feet before he even realizes what’s happened. He had his own problems to worry about. There was no need for him to be worried about you.

The only reason he expressed concern over your health or remotely shut down your work laptop so that you could go to bed at a reasonable hour is because you had the power to change his fate as a player. You could give him the happy ending he desperately wants with the protagonist instead of being cast aside for the other love interests, like Sylus or Zayne.

Xavier made you feel uneasy, and Rafayel was a drama queen. If any of them had become self-aware like Caleb, the consequences would be severe, particularly because their past and present are so deeply connected to the protagonist’s. You were just a bystander; an omniscient viewer who watched everything from behind the scenes, a shadow. No one importance to Caleb or to the context of the Love and Deepspace game.

But enough about Miss Hunter, Caleb, and Love and Deepspace. You needed to complete the large project for Monday’s presentation. The sooner you finished it, the sooner you could relax over the weekend instead of working overtime. And there’s no better way to reward yourself for being a diligent employee than spoiling yourself with a DoorDash’d meal from one of your favorite restaurants instead of cooking. And of course, Caleb was whining about through your earbuds, bemoaning on how his recipes were much more delicious and nutritious than what you ordered online.

“Seriously, Pips. Why do you keep pushing yourself like this?” Great. This conversation has shifted from your diet to your work ethic yet again. Your fingers blitzed across the keyboard and eyes fixed on the screen, hoping the noise would drown out his voice, but sadly, it isn’t a foolproof method.

“I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but you really need to take a break. How long has it been since you took a day off? The overtime pay is not worth putting your health at risk. Didn’t you mention a coworker ended up going to the hospital because they overdid it?” Caleb was silent, then he spoke again in a low, dangerous tone. “Pips, are you listening to me?”

“I hear you.” You said in a clipped tone. “And that’s not what happened. Sarah’s grandmother fell at home, so she spent the whole day with her at the ER.” When is he going to stop calling you that? Pipsqueak is the pet-name he calls the protagonist after seeing him again in Skyhaven.

“My point still stands. You’re overworking yourself, and you need to call it a night. Rest, do something other than sit at your desk looking at spreadsheets.” He responded with the same level of annoyance that simply soured your foul mood even further.

“I will as soon as my dinner arrives.” You answered, stretching your arms over your head with a loud groan before turning to look at him. You hadn’t touched your phone in a couple of hours, and you knew he would be angry if you logged off the app, so you kept Love and Deepspace open. “There’s nothing for you to worry about, Caleb. Shouldn’t you be in bed?” You checked the time on your laptop. “It’s almost nine o’clock.”

“Eight forty-five.” Caleb corrected.

You smirked. “Still pretty late for a guy who gets up at the crack of dawn and doesn’t leave the fleet until seven or eight in the evening. Seriously Caleb, I only have just a few more things to review -” The chiming of the doorbell suddenly pierced through the apartment, causing you to look up from your laptop and eyes widen with delight. “Whoa, that was fast. I thought the DoorDash guy wouldn’t be here for another thirty minutes.” You said, standing up from your desk.

“Pips-”

“Hold that thought.” You said as you unlocked the deadbolt, prying the door open, the kitchen lights spilling out from behind you. But even with the crappy outdoor lamp mounted on above your apartment door, you could never forget the face of your ex-boyfriend.

He was standing right there, leaning against the doorway with a lopsided smile and a brown paper bag under his arm before he held it up in the air. “Still a favorite of yours?” He asked smugly.

Your grip on the doorknob tightened. Any words that had bubbled in the back of your throat had evaporated. Your tongue suddenly felt like sandpaper, heart hammering against your chest. How could he act like this, as if he hadn’t shattered you into a million pieces and never looked back to chase down another piece of ass on the street? How arrogant does a person have to be to believe he has done nothing wrong, with the takeout you had paid for and offering it to you as if it were a gift from the heavens?

But more importantly, how the fuck did he find you when you disconnected yourself from his circle of friends, moved to another city, and hadn’t updated your social media accounts since the break-up? How?

Deep breaths, [First Name]. Inhale through the nose, exhale with the mouth. Think of ten impossible things before breakfast. This little mantra was an odd but excellent practice for quelling the triggers of an anxiety attack prescribed by your therapist. As her voice echoed in the back of your mind, you felt your body calm itself long enough to speak.

“Jamie.” God, why did you sound like a frightened child already expecting how she’ll be punished for misbehaving? Why now? “Long time no see.”

“It ain’t been that long, baby-cakes.”

“Why are you here?”

He frowned. “The hell? What’s with the cold-shoulder treatment?” He took one step forward, and you blocked him. That made the jovial expression in his eyes darken. “[First Name], what are you doing?”

“Preventing a stranger from unlawfully entering my residence.” You said.

“I’m not -”

“You are a stranger, Jaime. Have been for the past three years since we broke up.” You didn’t give him a chance to speak before you slammed the door in his face. But it wasn’t even a minute before you felt the knob twist from the outside, followed by a powerful push.

Your fingers frantically flew across the knob, deadbolt, and barren bolts as fast as they could until the door being pushed from the outside again with a loud bang. You swore under your breath, stepping back from the door in horror as the adrenaline kicked in. Shit, shit, shit!

“I came all this way to see you, and this is my reward? Getting a door slammed in my face?!” Jaime yelled, his voice getting louder with each passing minute. “You don’t know how hard it’s been since you left! I can’t eat, I can’t sleep, and my parents are furious that we broke up! I want us to go back to how things used to be between us, [First Name]! We were a great couple! I worked my ass off to support you, and you always made sure our place was clean and dinner was ready! You might’ve not have made as much money as I did at your job, but you did everything else! That has to mean something, right?! Stop being a little brat and open the door now.”

But you were not letting him in. Not when there was a perfectly good, heavy mahogany table underneath the key hooks to pull in front of the door. You released a low grunt as you heaved it towards you, then pressed it against the door with all of your body weight.

“Pips, is everything okay?” Caleb’s voice crackled in the earbuds. “I heard shouting.”

“Not a good time, Colonel.” You gritted your teeth as you quickly grabbed the ottoman from your living room, pushing it against the table before running to grab its twin and ramming it on the opposite side. “I’m in the middle of barricading myself inside my humble abode so my psychotic ex-boyfriend doesn’t murder me or the neighbors.”

“What-he’s there?”

“Uh-huh.” You dashed towards the dining room, grabbing the chairs as fast as you could and trying very hard to ignore at how much louder Jaime’s voice had gotten and his aggressive assault on your doorknob. Damn it, maybe you should’ve grabbed the dining room table and then stacked the chairs.

“[First Name], stop what you’re doing and hide.”

“I’m in a two bedroom and one bathroom apartment. He’ll find me in a matter of minutes. Caleb, you need to let me log off of the app and call for help.” But could you reach your phone in time and shut off the lights, lock yourself in the bathroom? Will the barricade even hold up by the time a cop showed up? You jumped when the door made another loud bang, causing the furniture to skid across the floor.

“Pips!”

“Yeah, hiding. Going. Got it.” You whispered, heading towards the office as you flicked the lights off behind you, including the ones in your office after locking the door. You tapped on your phone’s screen, seeing Caleb’s worried face. And your phone battery has sunk towards twenty percent right when your pulse quickened. Nineteen. Shit. “Caleb, I need to log out now.” You hissed, feeling the anxiety crawling up the back of your throat and your legs losing their strength, becoming unsteady and trembling like a baby fawn’s.

“Pips, don’t. Not yet.” Caleb said urgently.

Bangbangbangbangka-thunk.

“I have to. He’s almost inside!”

“No. Just sit tight. I’ll care of this.” Before you could ask what this pixelated man even was talking about, the screen went black. Your hands trembled as you tried to turn it on, but it was no use. The phone was completely dead. Ice chilled your veins at the sound of steady, heavy boots heading toward the door. Someone else was inside the apartment.

Hide. Your body screamed. Hide and don’t make a sound.

You didn’t need to be told twice as you quickly dove underneath the bed, your phone fallen onto the carpet and out of reach. You clamped a hand over your mouth, eyes wide and ears straining to listen, but all you could hear was the clattering and scrapping of furniture being removed. It was a good ten minutes before you heard the front door open, and what sounded like a firm command to leave the premises or else the authorities would be called echoed. This voice was…familiar, somehow. But where?

“-fuck are you? That bitch’s side piece?”

The door then slammed shut. Although the voices became muffled, it actually got louder than silent. Jaime was yelling, sounding too cocky, and then a low grunt and a thud. Then another grunt, a cry, and…. a scuffle? You couldn’t tell exactly what was going on in what order, but you had no intention of leaving your hiding place just to satisfy your curiosity. The voice spoke again, quieter and more intimidating and you couldn’t understand the words.

The front door slammed shut. You heard the locks scrapping across the wood clickclickclick and then the footsteps. The footsteps were getting closer and closet until they stopped right in front of your office. As if whoever was on the other side knew you were hiding.

“Pipsqueak?” A beat of silence passed. “Pips, it’s okay. You can come out.” Caleb whispered. “He won’t bother us anymore.”

A prompt inspired by the numerous superman x reader content I've been reading lately but with a slightly darker twist~.

warnings: stalking, fem!reader, possessive behavior, mention of violence and property destruction.

Imagine Yandere! Superhero being the poster child of an iconic, beloved golden boy; no matter what happened, or it seemed all hope was lost, he would always arrive in the nick of time to save the day. Social media adored him, TikTok reels or live video footage of a battle between him and a supervillain trending on search engines. News stations would sell an arm and a leg for an exclusive interview with him, and the fans? Well, they would do anything for a moment of his undivided attention. Or write fanfics about him, but that is another area of uncharted territory and not entirely the point about Yandere! Superhero.

On the surface it seemed Yandere! Superhero has it all: support from the citizens and government, his grandparents, and a day job that allows him to switch from the easygoing and reliable journalist to his secret identity with no one being the wiser. After all, he is the only one who could interview the city’s masked marvel and get the scoop for the front page of the newspaper he worked for. That’s the story he tells everyone, including the senior journalists he worked under.

No one knew how he did it, not even the editor-in-chief, but Yandere! Superhero always delivered on those deadlines with his articles. He always claimed it was hard, as the hero was always working hard, from fighting bad guys, to dealing with natural disasters, construction failures, rescuing cats stuck in trees, helping little old ladies across the street, whatever he could to protect those around him.

Whenever his colleagues asked how he does manage to score interview, Yandere! Superhero would say he was just at the right place at the right time. The questions would vary, like his opinion on current events, new construction projects or political campaigns, even what his favorite foods and activities during his down time were.

It was these questions that helped his golden boy image, showing others that he was down-to-earth and made him more likeable to the public.

When they ask him where he got the box of pastries he brings in every morning into the break room, Yandere! Superhero would smile widely at them and say it’s a secret. Why would this young man, brimming with ambition and energy and friendliness, be tight-lipped about the location of the bakery he frequents daily? Well, because you worked there.

A ray of sunshine and full of sugary sweetness with flour caked on the front of your apron, who always greeted him with a big smile. You may not have remembered him, but Yandere! Superhero remembered you when he first came to the city, head held high and ready to start a new life outside of his small town. He wanted to make a difference, to help people with the articles he wrote and the powers he was born with - and you were the first one who believed in him and what he wanted to do: help people with the powers he has.

He's definitely not an alien; no alien would want to eat steak and mashed potatoes and sweets. He doesn't know what they eat, but comic books never lie! He swears on his grandparent's apple orchard!

When he was down on his luck with an assignment, you offered encouragement and a plate of powdered lemon squares on the house. No gentleman in their right mind would refuse powdered lemon squares, let alone a lady’s home cooking. That’s what Granny and Gramps taught him anyway. Just because a city-folk is rude to him doesn't mean he should return the favor. Turn the other cheek, as they would always say.

He couldn’t call himself a defender of justice if he didn’t keep an eye on his darling, making sure you locked up the shop and got home safely. He wasn’t stalking you! No, no, of course he wasn’t! Why would he do that? He was just doing his job, protecting the innocent from the cruelties of the world, villains and nosy coworkers alike~.

©️do not repost or use any of the characters depicted here without the author’s permission. forbidden-sunlight, 2025

warnings: canon divergence, drug and alcohol usage, murder, possessive behavior, season two spoilers, fem!reader, cannibalism, racism, wife!reader, references to the 1920s-1930s.

author notes: hello~! Although I had initially mentioned in another post that the tentative deadline for the outline of this new series would be the week of Thanksgiving, I was able to finish it and this segment last weekend, so here is an early holiday treat from me to all of all my dear readers~! :3

If you would like to be tagged for this series, comment with a 🏨 and you will be notified when a chapter is up~! Monthly updates will continue until the spring, so please bear with me as I do have a full-time job in a very demanding field~! That's all I have for now, take care and be safe this holiday season~!

Special thanks to @ghostdoodlen and @anielly-2010 for helping polish this draft until it sparkled~!

divider by @hazbinwithquantum

You had a feeling more sinners would flock again to the lobby of the Hazbin Hotel today.

The purpose of the facility - Charlie’s vision - was rehabilitation. The guests would stay for free, including food, board, and other amenities such as valet parking and Wi-Fi. In exchange, however, they would have to attend classes designed for self-improvement, reflection, and addressing behavior issues such as substance or alcohol misuse. If they completed these sessions, they should become more empowered to make their own decisions and prevent further decline in their afterlife made by their previous choices. By doing so, redemption should be possible and earn their place in Heaven. The public is still under the misguided belief that the Hazbin Hotel is where sinners could come to kill angels or get their hands on angelic steel to protect themselves when the next Extermination arrived.

You hoped Charlie could clear up this misunderstanding soon and not get swept up in the excitement of new guests crowded around your desk, ready to check into the hotel for the wrong reasons. As the hotel receptionist, you represented the princess’s establishment and had to provide information to guests if they had questions, concerns, or complaints. It was a shame that your job could not allow you to piece together the fragmented memories that continued to haunt your dreams for nearly a century.

warnings: angst, canon divergence, aged-up!reader [late twenties], manhwa and light novel spoilers, stalking, mention of violence and death, OOC.

Please take caution in reading this series. By continuing to read on from this point, you are consenting to be subjected to reading material that might be sensitive or cause triggering.

If you do not wish to be subjected to a possible series of unfortunate events, leave now and find something much more pleasant to read.

You are responsible for your own Internet consumption.

Hey guys, I hope you are all doing well~! I know it has been a very long time since this series was last updated (almost a whole year!) but a lot has happened since the beginning of 2025: moving, changes in the workplace, health issues, and so on. @circeyoru and I had both received messages asking/demanding for the story to be updated ever since. We've read them all, and in truth, we were almost disheartened to stop writing this series altogether because it had gotten out of hand.

But we will see this story to the end. We're human, and we have a life outside of here. We write because it makes us happy, not to satisfy a fandom or an algorithm. All we ask is to please respect as to why we might disappear for weeks or months at a time, not bombard our inboxes asking when we will write the next chapter.

So with that being said, sit back, relax, and let us dive back into the world of dungeons, constellations, and international traveling~!

Part One

Part Four

Following the recovery of his memories, a certain someone requested Chairman Go to give him access to surveillance cameras; but he was not limiting it to Seoul. No, he wanted to see all that had happened in the last six months. Naturally, he did not need to remind the grizzly-bearded man what would happen if he got impatient. No one wanted to see Sung Jinwoo like that, so Chairman Go complied under the condition that he shared the information. This young man was not the only one who wanted to know the whereabouts of Mankind’s Laziest Hunter.

Jinwoo didn’t like this idea because he didn’t trust the Association or his kids; mainly it was the former because they weren’t aware of the System’s existence. But he complied, if only because he owed it to you, to sacrifice something for a timeline, to find something that would allow him to find you.

As thousands of hours of video feed started piling up on his phone, the System played its due part to show Sung Jinwoo everything that it had cataloged in the last six months via windows upon windows that surrounded him as he sat in his room, the clock on his nightstand reading one-fifteen in the morning. Jinah and his mother were already asleep, and he had completed all the meal prep work for tomorrow, but he still needed to go grocery shopping and do at least one dungeon raid. He needed to keep up appearances, to show that everything was fine when it really, really wasn’t, without you by his side.

“Wait! Pause right there.” Jinwoo’s outstretched hand hovered the screen, dark eyes widening in shock. After looking through footage from cafes, shopping malls, streets that led to your old complex and other places you would frequently visit, he had come to two theories: either you were extremely paranoid of being seen on camera, or the Side Character System had purposely erased you from existence entirely as to ensure that he, the Player, would not remember you and continue to act out however he is - was - supposed to be under its control.

It could be both, seeing as you suddenly appeared inside of a lobby, your glitchy body stepping up to a counter to collect a ticket after exchanging a wad of cash to the attendant.

He glanced down at the bottom of the screen.

Gimhae International Airport - Gate B7 Date - - Time - - - -

He zoomed in, seeing a one-way ticket and a tourist pamphlet for Europe. No, London. You had packed up your entire life to travel to the other side of the globe. Jinwoo watched helplessly as you walked through the gate, a satchel slung over your shoulder and head down, glued to your phone with a frown. You had uprooted the life you had created in Seoul, sold your home and left Korea believing you had meant nothing to him because the Side Character System said so. And a System was rarely wrong in this world - until now.

Now he knew the truth, and he would bring you home.

warnings: aged-up!reader (early to late twenties), fem!reader, possessive behavior, self-aware!au, obsessive affection, cyberstalking, implied infidelity.

Hey guys and welcome back to the final episode of the Self-Aware AU series! Thank you all for stopping by the blog and giving this series a chance, especially since I'm still learning about the game mechanics from my mutuals.

Special thanks to @jinwoosbabyboo for helping me with crafting the outline and @circeyoru for providing feedback on the drafts I've sent to them. I seriously couldn't have done this without their help.

As we dive back into the pixelated world of chaos and romance, I would love to hear feedback on how Caleb’s interactions with the reader differs from the other love interests~! Reply or comment with an ❤️‍🔥 if you would like to see Miss MC get jealous of the reader, an 🍎 for Caleb being a green-eyed monster in part 2~.

divider by @cafekitsune

Self-Aware! Caleb wouldn’t have made it back from the Deepspace Tunnel alive if it weren’t for his love for his childhood sweetheart, the memories they’ve shared until their tragic separation. Now? She had become a highly coveted and skilled Hunter in the Association, sneaking around Skyhaven before he caught her. How did he even know about it? Well, it’s simple really: when he had returned to Skyhaven from a mission (he wouldn’t call it that per se, it was more like an assassination attempt from the higher-ups who weren’t happy to have a young upstart him as a colonel of the Farspace Fleet), he had heard about a suspicious cadet who just so looked exactly like his darling and was investigating the whereabouts of the Aether Core. So, of course, being the responsible man that he is, he took charge of the interrogation and ensured her cooperation with the cameras rolling.

For a while, everything seemed to go smoothly, and he could tell that his darling was falling for him. How couldn’t she? He supported her, provided her living quarters in his home, and respected her boundaries. So why is it that when it seems every step in his grand plan is falling into place, he could still feel something is off about his beloved Hunter? Like there is another presence that lingers around her, an anomaly that appears and vanishes just as quickly before he could confirm if it is a threat to his darling’s life?

But he was a patient man. He would get his answers and neutralize the threat before his pipsqueak ever realized what’s happened.

When he did confront the strange anomaly at the Destiny Cafe, the Farspace Fleet colonel did not expect the world around him to wobble let alone seeing a face that looked exactly like his Hunter staring right back at him with wide eyes.

“What the heck? Did this game get an upgrade while I’ve been putting in more overtime at work? No, that can’t be right. The only upgrade I had heard about was the one where the love interests keep track of your activities on the phone, which is kinda creepy the more that I think about it.”

“Who are you? Why do you like my pipsqueak?” He fired one question after another. “Are you the reason she’s been acting strange lately?”

“Wait, hold on a sec-”

“Tell me. Now.”