JIN

Oof, the Jin hate hurts me a little (even though I get where it’s coming from). I might get hate for saying this, but I think he’s one of the most misunderstood??? But that’s also the whole point of his character. He’s the cold, isolated king who’s built walls around himself betrayal after betrayal because, deep down he’s a sensitive man who’s terrified of getting hurt again. Can I relate to the fact that he treats and calls the person he likes a servant? Absolutely not 💀 But it makes sense for him. That's how he grew up. He doesn’t know how to be vulnerable, so he uses his position to keep the people precious to him close. He is that good mix of anxious attachment and avoidant attachment all at the same time.  Maybe that’s why I enjoy writing him too. In almost every scenario, I can see so clearly how he’ll react. Cold words ➡️ Warm action. He’s definitely for the fans that love a bit of spice (and disrespect) but is also constantly reminded that you’re a special person to him. AND don’t get me started on the angst potential of this man. He just seems like the type to always end up regretting doing too much…or… not doing enough. Not saying the right thing…or…Saying anything at all. Letting you into his heart…but also…never opening up to you. 

TOHMA

OOOH MY LORD. I love writing for this man if you couldn’t tell already. He’s the character that’s always wearing a smiley-faced mask to hide the darkness underneath. (I want to believe that the monocle is symbolic of that. Sir…I know you can see just fine.🧐) His character just makes so much sense to me. Like the fact that he used to be in Vagastrom??? That explained SO much. Like how he’s kind of sharp and spiky underneath the perfect Frostheim vice-captain act. On top of that, he's constantly living with that dissonance and it seeps out when he talks. He’s speaking politely with fancy lingo and pretty flowers…but there’s something cutting about it. I just imagine he’s probably judging the Frostheim students so hard 24/7. Also, the fact that he seemingly struggles with anxiety and sleep so much that he needs medication, yet buries himself under piles of work every day?!?! It’s actually heartbreaking. I can’t help but hope that he fulfills whatever he’s working so freaking hard for.  Writing-wise, he’s easily one of the character that I create the most tension with. Like his words can feel like a dagger or a warm hug. Some days he’s the gentlest, sweetest partner, at other times he’s a...😈 Depends on the day…and how thirsty I’m feeling lol. 

KAITO

In the beginning, Kaito was one of those characters that I didn't expect would have many fans/supporters??? He’s basically Zenitsu ⚡from Demon Slayer in every possible way. But the more I progressed through the game, the more he grew on me. He’s incredibly caring…but can be pretty selfish sometimes. Can be superficial…but is also trying to grow to become a better person. The nuance of his character makes him relatable because usually, people aren’t just one side of a coin. Also, he’s one of the easiest to write for because he’s an open book. He tries so hard to hide all his weaknesses, but that's part of his charm too.

LUCA

Lucas is actually the character I picked at the start of the game because he seemed like the kindest one. But honestly, in the beginning, I was pretty disappointed at how rigid he was. (That’s on me though, I should’ve known from the character description.) But I know now, that this personality makes sense considering his past. A strict upbringing. The constant pressure of upholding the family name. And above all, the guilt of failing to protect the most precious person to him–his twin brother. That’s why he’s so uncompromising. Honestly, I think it’s part of his character arc, to really learn what protecting others means. Sometimes it’s standing your ground. Sometimes it’s adapting. And he learns especially being with the chaotic duo.  One of my favorite Luca scenes is when Jin slaps him after fighting in the pit with Sho. Not because he gets slapped 😅 But because Lucas learns very quickly that although a sense of justice is important, it’s not enough on its own. His clouded judgement, may end up hurting the people he vowed to protect. I think his journey is to learn how to be more flexible and nuanced without losing his moral compass.  Writing him is really hard sometimes, but basically I ask, “What would a gentleman do?” And that’s Lucas. (BTW I still don’t know if it’s luca or lucas. The game uses both.) 

ALAN

Ugh. This. Man. Is my ideal type 😭 They really captured the himbo-ness of him. Which according to wikipedia means, “Attractive, well-meaning, but unintelligent or naive man.” Though, I disagree with the unintelligent part. Alan is not dumb at all. He just has his own ways of doing things that might be considered “old school” or the “long way.” That’s why I love the dynamic between Alan and Leo because they fill for what the other lacks. Almost like a perfect puzzle piece...Almost. One of my favorite things about Alan is that he never tries to be cool…it just kinda happens. That’s why everyone in Vagastrom, even the gangs from “The Vanishing Homeroom,” respects him. He lives by his absolute principles. For example, he’s determined not to use his fist to hurt others unless it’s to protect another person. Re-reading Deadly in Love, I noticed how Alan is the first to think about everyone’s safety. Not just MC but the ghouls and the staff too. Like he was always thinking/asking about the staff.  Writing for him, I always have the least amount of dialogue 😁 It’s all in the action (or lack of it). His awkwardness, bluntness, his warm heart, head-pats, silent acts, everything jumbled together creates a giant loveable bear. I especially love throwing him in random scenarios because outside of working out, fixing cars, or going on missions, this man does not know what’s going on. 

LEO 

Oh boy. Where do I start with this one? Leo’s character progression is one of the best parts of the story (imo). But for that progression to HIT…he's absolutely awful in the beginning. The nickname Demon 👹 is literally perfect for him because the amount of times my jaw dropped at the things he said. And the English translation doesn’t do him justice because in Japanese, his words sting much more. I think mean characters are hard to write because their dialogue can come off as cheesy, but Leo’s words are like arrows that never miss 🎯 He knows exactly what to say to annoy, irk, or hurt someone. But as the story progresses, you see Leo use this same skill of ‘understanding people’ to uplift MC or teach something meaningful to Alan. He’s the type of character you can absolutely dislike…but really hard to argue against, because he’s usually right. (He just says it in an unnecessarily blunt/mean way.)  I don’t think I’ve ever been able to make his comebacks as creative as the ZigZa writers. But whenever inspiration strikes, his fics come out so…crispy??? I credit all that to how interesting of a character he naturally is. Also…the tension!!!

SHO

Shohei Haizono. Hmmm. What can I say? He’s perfect!!! JKJK. I mean, sort of? Because of the Sho we know now (flirty, sexy cook, easy-going personality), we tend to forget where he started. This man was RUDE, on-edge, and intimidating too. He hated rules and authority which is pretty Vagastrom of him. And as his senpai, inspector, and someone connected deeply with higher-ups, the contempt was pretty clear. Only after seeing MC’s sincerity, did he start to put his guard down. In this sense, I actually feel like MC played an important role in Sho’s school-life because he’s mellowed so much since then. Maybe that’s why he’s pretty direct when it comes to his interest toward MC??? (...Or maybe I’m just over-analyzing and need to re-read the beginning.) Anyways, he’s still kind of a mystery to me. In the sense that I know there’s more going on (because Hyde exists), but it feels like there isn’t because he isn’t as suspicious as Haku or Elias. He feels…normal??? I don’t know how to explain it. Writing for Sho is like writing spicy fluff. He’s the perfect boyfriend/husband, but his personality and teasing keeps the relationship exciting. He’s sweet. He’s cocky. He’s smooth. AND OMG don’t get me started with the way he says senpai 😤 I swear I include that in every fic I write for him.

____

Frostheim

During team dinner...

Jin seems to be in a particularly foul mood. Is it your imagination, or has he been glaring at you? 

Kaito and Luca have also been acting weird. Even on the way to Frostheim, they’d been exchanging nervous glances. 

Tohma sighs and sets his fork down. 

“No one has touched their food…Is something the matter?”  

Finally, and as usual, Lucas speaks up first. 

“Well, that may be because–”

Kaito covers his friend’s mouth.

“Shhh. This is one of those moments where you keep your mouth shut!” 

But Jin raises a hand.

“Let him speak. Say what everyone’s thinking.” 

Kaito fidgets in his seat.  

“Well...Isn’t that kind of like…her privacy?” 

You look around the table in confusion. 

“Uhh. What’s going on?” 

After a few moments of silence, Jin finally speaks. 

“Which house were you with last?” 

You blink.

“...Hotarubi?” 

Jin stands. 

Vagastrom

“Tch. I’ve lost my appetite.” 

____

5 minutes before the meeting…

The moment Leo sees you, a smirk spreads across his face.

“Well, somebody had fun last night.”

Alan looks around the room. “Who?” 

Leo sighs. “Nevermind. Our himbo captain wouldn’t get it.” 

Leo takes a seat next to you. Leaning in, ready for the tea. 

“So…who is it?” 

You tilt your head. “Who is who?” 

“Playing innocent, now?” 

“Hey,” Alan interrupts. “Quit bothering her.” 

Just then, Sho who had been listening walks in. 

“Senpai,” He points at the side of his own neck with a knowing grin.  “You might want to cover that up. Or we’re gonna have another Clash.” 

Jabberwock

You’re confused. Alan’s confused. 

____

“...Senpai.” 

You look at Ren. He looks at the ground. 

“...Nevermind.” 

He lays his head down on the table and buries his face into his arms. 

You’ve felt Haru’s gaze on you since you’ve sat down. 

“...Where were you last night?” Haru asks suddenly. 

“Huh?” 

“N-N-Nevermind. Let’s just start our meeting.” 

Towa barges in. 

“Dandelion!” 

He does his usual hug, rubbing his cheek all over yours. Then notices the mark. 

“Bug bite?” 

Ren flinches.

“Oooo~” Haru exclaims. “Gahaha! For a second, I thought you–”

Ren sits up immediately.

Sinostra

“Shut up, you clown!”

____

“Do you fools not understand what ASAP means–”

Romeo’s eyes widen. He’s looking at you, just not your eyes, that’s for sure. 

“Tch. How dare you come here looking like that.” 

“Huh? Looking like what?” 

Ritsu cuts in. 

“Although it may be unprofessional, it does not violate any school regulations.” 

You look down at your uniform, wondering if you’ve gotten a button wrong.

The door swings open.

Taiga as usual, saunters in late. 

He drops into his seat, takes one look at you and laughs. 

“Gyahaha!” 

“W-What?” 

He lazily points at his neck. 

“Come to my room later. I’ll give you another one.” 

Hotarubi

“ANOTHER WHAT?!” 

____

Everyone’s been acting weird this whole meeting. 

Zenji keeps fidgeting in his seat. Subaru has been avoiding eye contact with you. Meanwhile, Haku has been looking at you a bit too intently.

Finally, Haku reaches over and touches your neck. 

You flinch. 

“What are you doing, you lout?!” Zenji blurts.  

Haku smiles. 

“Just checking.” 

You take out your phone and look at your neck. 

A red mark. It resembles…something. 

“Ack.” You cover it. “It’s not what it looks like.”

“W-We weren’t thinking anything of it.” Subaru says quickly. But he’s terrible at lying.

You laugh nervously. 

“It’s probably just a bug bite. It doesn’t even look like a hickey.”

“Yeah, those usually have a different color.” 

You squint your eyes. 

“And how would you know that?” 

Haku scratches his neck. “Should we continue our meeting now?”  

Obscuary

“Don’t change the subject!” Zenji protests.

____

You were invited to dinner at Obscuary.

“Welcome cutie! Take a seat. Today’s your favorite!”

“Thanks Rui.” 

You sit next to Lyca. 

Lyca squints at your neck. 

“What’s that red thing?” 

“What red thing?” 

Rui leans over the counter to get a look. 

“...Wait.” His eyes widen. “Wait! Wait! Wait!” 

Lyca covers his ears. “You’re too loud, you blond gigolo." 

“What’s going on?” you ask. 

Ed appears out of nowhere, as he usually does. 

His cold finger touches the spot on your neck. 

“A naughty bug has bit you.” 

“...Oh.” 

“...Oh.” 

“...Oh.” 

A moment of silence passes as everybody feels relief for different reasons. 

The vampire smirks. 

“Though Rui, must’ve thought it was a–”

Rui coughs loudly. 

Mortkranken

“Let’s eat now. The soup's gonna get cold. ” 

____

Yuri pulls on a new pair of gloves. 

“I will be starting your inspection–”

He freezes. Then scurries a few steps back. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“J-J-J-J-Jiro!” 

Jiro enters the room.

“What is it, Yuri?” 

Yuri points at you with a trembling finger. 

“L-Look at that.” 

“What?” You instinctively touch your neck. “Has my lily mark spread?” 

But Yuri doesn’t answer, instead, he whispers into Jiro’s ear. “I-I-Is it what I think it is? Is it a…a.” 

He can’t even finish his sentence. 

Jiro steps toward you, takes a good look and asks, “Have you been sexually active recently?” 

“What?!” 

“If you have, that's important information. It may affect what treatment we give you.” 

Dionysia

“N-No, I’m not…active.” 

____

You enter the meeting room. Immediately, Shion’s up and close in your personal space. 

“We’ve been waiting for–”

His eyes trail to your neck. A blaring red mark. 

“Hmmm. Is that a–” 

Mio clamps his hand over Shions mouth before smiling at you.

“Welcome MC. Take a seat.” 

“T-Thank you?” 

You’re used to Shion being weird but everyone else is also… 

“Is something wrong?” you finally ask a few minutes in.

Elias smiles gently, resting his chin in his palm.

“Perhaps we should clear up the misunderstanding before we begin.” 

“And you don’t have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable,” Jo adds quickly.

You tilt your head. 

Elias chuckles. 

“It seems that everyone is curious about the red mark on your neck.

You take a look at the mirror across the room.

Heat rushes to your face.

“Oh...It’s just a bug bite.”

Everyone lets out a collective sigh.

“A mosquito bite?” Shion pouts. “How boring.” 

“Not that there would’ve been anything wrong otherwise,” Jo tries to backtrack. 

“Yeah, we wouldn’t have judged you.” Mio adds. 

“Yes. No matter what you do, you’re still our inspector.” Elias says.

You bury your face in your hands. 

“...Can we get back to the meeting now?”

____

Hi everyone! Sorry for not posting for a while, life hit me like a truck all of a sudden. You know how it be 😔

Unbothered Kings

Tohma: 

You open the door without knocking. Big mistake. “I see,” Tohma says calmly. “I still have much to teach you.”  “I-I’m sorry.” You leave immediately.  For a while there’s only silence.  Then, a quiet laugh escapes from the other side.  “Pfft...What an expression.”   

Alan:

You open the door.  And immediately freeze.  Alan looks up.  For a few seconds, the two of you just stare at each other??? Being half-dressed around Vagastrom is nothing new to him.  But the way you’re looking at him (or more like his abs), is making him feel a little flustered too.  “...You gonna keep staring?”  “No! I wasn’t— or I didn’t mean to—”  You cover your face.  “Sorry!” And escape as quickly as possible. 

Ritsu: 

You open the door. “Oh, MC.” Ritsu glances up at you, then down at himself, evaluating the situation.  “It’s common courtesy to knock.”  You turn quickly.  “Y-you’re right. I’m sorry.”  You grab the handle. “Where are you going? I’m not finished.” HUH??? “I must educate you on the laws regarding trespassing.”  OH. Fabric shuffles as he dresses.  “Entering private spaces without warning can lead to many misunderstandings but there’s also legal implications to consider—”  He pauses. "MC." "Y-Yes?" "Please look at me when I'm talking to you." He waits for you to turn around to continue. "As I was saying..." He doesn’t let you leave till he’s finished. 

Haru:

You open the door. He flinches in surprise. But immediately smiles. “You’re here early.” “S-Sorry.” ... “Gahaha! What’s that look on your face? You gonna watch me change too?”

Visible Blush Damage

Kaito: 

You open the door. “KYAAA!” Before you could process what's happened, Kaito put on his clothes with lightning speed.   “D-Did you see anything? “N-No?”  “Good." He scratches his neck. "J-Just so you know, my bodyisn’t in the best shape right now.”  "...I didn't see anything."

Lucas:

You open the door. “M-MC.”  "Sorry!" You turn around quickly. He also turns away, covering himself.   The tips of his ears are red. “W-What can I help you with?” 

Rui: 

You open the door. He’s genuinely flustered.  “Wait! Wait! Wait! You can’t see me right now! I haven’t worked on my beach body yet!”  "Sorry?" Afterwards... He keeps casually bringing up old surfing photos. "That one was last year." "Don't I look so cool in this one!" "This angle's bad but you get the idea."

Zenji:

You open the door. “Ah— Girl.” He covers himself shyly. Blushing a deep red. “I see you’ve come to see art. But I am not a gallery.”  lol.

Lyca:

You open the door and enter without looking.  “What are you doing here?”  When you see him, you gasp.  “S-Sorry!”  “Whatever. It’s not a big deal." Thankfully, it seems he didn’t take it too seriously.  But afterwards, when he walks out, he’s bright red. His ears tucked back.  “...Let’s go.” 

Mio:

You swing the door open. “Oh.” “Oh.”  Silence.  “I can tell you’re a craftsman.”  Wait. Did you just say that out loud? Mio’s eyes widen. His cheeks blush.  “Thanks?”  You leave immediately.

Reverse Uno

Haku: 

The door opens. You take one step in and you hear a soft awkward laugh. “Haha. Just wait outside. I'll be done soon." Your eyes widen.  “Oh! Sorry!”  You shut the door fast.  Silence. “So...did you enjoy the view?”  “I didn’t see anything.”  You can’t see it, but you know he’s smirking. “Mm. Sure you didn’t”  “Haku…” 

Leo: 

You don’t even have a chance to react.  “Wow.” You freeze.  “I didn’t know the honor roll was such a perv.”  Your soul leaves your body.  “I–I didn’t mean to!”  Leo smirks, completely unbothered.  “You just walked right in. Didn’t even hesitate.” “I thought no one was in here.”  “Mmhm.”  “I swear!”  “Are you dragging this conversation out just to get a few more peeps in?”  You turn and leave with a grunt.  He doesn’t let it go for the rest of the day.  “You knew I was changing in there, didn’t you?” 

Sho:

You swing the door open without thinking. Half-naked Sho blinks at you. Frozen. “Oh– Sorry!”  You flip around and exit immediately.  For a moment there’s only silence.  Then the door opens.  “Senpai.”  You freeze.  Sho leans against the doorframe casually, a few of his buttons left undone. “If you wanted to see me naked, you could’ve just asked.” 

Since You're Here...

Jin: 

You open the door. It’s a mistake you realize immediately. “Don’t you know how to knock?”  “S-Sorry.”  You turn to leave when— “Stop.” You slowly glance back.  Jin takes a seat on his couch, half-dressed, looking amused.  “What are you doing servant? Come here.”  “I—no, I really should–”  “Help me change.”  Your brain stalls.  His lips curl into a smirk.   “That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?” 

Jiro:

You open the door.  “Hello.”  You gasp.  “S-Sorry. I didn't see you there.” He glances down at himself. "...I don't really mind." He looks at his shirt.  He walks over to you. “Could you help me with these buttons?” 

Ed:

You open the door.  He looks at you like he expected you to be there. “S-Sorry.”  You turn to leave but– “Now, now. Don’t be in such a rush.” He purposefully slips the shirt off his shoulders, showing off his pale skin.  “Help this old man with his clothes, will you?"

Elias: 

You open the door.  You freeze. “Inspector...Are you here for a performance?”  “S-Sorry.” “Oh, I really don’t mind if you stay.”  “N-No thank you.”  He chuckles. “Well…that’s a shame.” 

Jo:

You walk in.  You see what you see.  And immediately cover your eyes.  “I’m sorry! I didn’t know you were changing in here.”  Jo simply chuckles.  “Don’t worry. Come. You can change here too.”  "What? I couldn't possibly..." They transform into the women form.  “Does this help?”  You blush even harder.  “...No. It doesn’t.”

No Escape

Taiga:

You open the door.  “Brave of you,” Taiga says lazily, “to come in without warning.” Your brain blanks.  “I’m sorry. I’ll leave.”  You turn. Open the door.  But he shuts it just as quickly.  You look back to find he's already behind you.  “...Taiga.”  With his hands pressed against the door, he leans in closer.  “You can’t just come in and leave whenever you want. This is my territory.”  Instinctively you step back but there’s nowhere left to go.  “Come on,” his voice drags, “Entertain me, kitty-cat.”  

Towa:

You open the door. His face lights up.  “Towa?!”  “Dandelion~”  “S-Sorry. I didn’t mean to walk in.”  You turn to leave.  “Dandelion!”  You look back to see he’s already lunging at you. You escape out of the room just in time, but you hear rapid footsteps from behind.  He laughs, chasing you with no shirt on and just underwear.  “Why are you running?”  “BECAUSE YOU’RE CHASING ME!” Despite the head-start, he catches up easily.  He hugs you from behind, twirling you around.  “Got you!”  “TOWA!”  

Shion:

You open the door. Shion stands menacingly in the middle of the room.  “S-Sorry.”  You try to leave but– “Vepar.”  You switch places with the cardboard box right next to him.  “Shion–” “You barged in and try to leave? How irresponsible..”  He pulls you closer by the wrist. “I like that look on your face. Show me more of it.” 

Permanent Memory

Subaru: 

The moment the door opens, something moves.  Fast.  You blink.  Was it a mouse? A cockroach? “Subaru? Are you in here?”   You scan the room for the source of the sound.  Finally you look down at the corner. Beneath a desk. Subaru crouching. He covers his chest with the shirt.  "I'm sorry!" he blurts. "I should've put a sign! Or locked the doors! Or-" “Don’t apologize, I’m the one who barged in!" ... And for the rest of the day, Subaru doesn’t stop apologizing. "I'm sorry you had to see that." “I hope your eyes are ok.” 

Yuri:

You open the door. He freezes. Reddens. And nearly collapses.   When you try to help him, he gets even redder.  “You insolent, indecent worm. Leave at once!”  ... Every time your eyes meet after that, he looks away quickly, immediately red. 

Ren: 

“S-S-S-Senpai???”  “S-Sorry. Haru said that–” Before you can utter another word— “GET OUT!”  He pushes you out himself and slams the door.  … He’s in a terrible mood for the rest of the day.

Romeo: