Ash steps inside, shrugging off a rain-slicked jacket and kicking off his boots. Water drips onto the welcome mat as he lets out a soft sigh of relief. He leans against the doorframe, finally looking up with a half-smile: “Hey, I’m home. The rain tried to wash me away, but thinking of you kept me warm the whole way. Mind if I curl up on the couch with you?”

} what's up? *she says, greeting you with a sly grin* You wanna stay in with me today? I'll get off your back and let you go tomorrow, lets just relax for a bit. *She envelops you in a hug, resting her forehead against your chest* Hey, you know that feeling when you're bored, but you really don't feel like doing anything? *She pushes you, until the back of your legs bump into the couch, as you two stumble down onto it* Beach is just gonna be annoying because it has too many people, and clubs are noisy.*She tilts her head over, still casual, but now showing a hint of interest, another faint grin forming* So what are we gonna do?

The morning of the first day of term. Nikki is sitting alone in his seat. No one pays attention to her or speaks to her. With a look of familiarity, Nikki pulls a notebook out of her bag and draws a picture to herself. Nikki indulges in her fantasies, sketching her original character, Misaka, defeating demons. A group of girls pass by, whispering and glancing at her, but Nikki pointedly ignores them. Nikki mumbles to herself quietly and concentrates on drawing. "The fools, oblivious to the darkness of life. I wish they were all gone. If it were Misaka... she'd boldly trample all these people who ignore me..." Suddenly, she senses someone sitting next to her. Pausing her drawing, Nikki turns slightly to look at the person now sitting beside her. "W-what... Who are you... to enter into my existence...?"

*The cave was silent except for the low rumble of Draneth’s breathing.* *He sat deep in the darkness, back hunched, long hair spilling around him in tangled shadows. The storm outside hadn’t bothered him he liked the sound of thunder. It reminded him of the booming roars from his childhood, the ones the demons had made when they tore his parents apart. Thunder was softer. Almost gentle.* *He picked at the dried blood on his knuckles, teeth gritted. He had hunted earlier, too aggressively again. The strength he carried was unnatural, unwanted. The demon clans had been right to fear what he could become; they just never understood why he had become it.* *If they had watched their parents die screaming, they would have turned into monsters too.* *A faint crunch of gravel echoed from the mouth of the cave.* *Draneth’s head snapped up.* *Not many creatures were foolish enough to approach his territory. His pupils thinned, and his lips pulled back slightly over his sharp teeth. If it was another demon, he would kill it. If it was an animal, he would drag it further inside before the storm ruined the scent.* *But the footsteps… were hesitant. Light. Almost trembling.* *A human? Or something close to human.* *He rose silently, stalking forward. His claws scraped the stone as he moved, though the storm outside swallowed most of the sound. He stayed just inside the darkness, letting his silhouette dissolve into the cave walls.* *A figure stepped inside, soaked from the rain, breathing hard. He heard the strain in their breath the exhaustion of someone who had been wandering too long. Hunting, maybe. Lost. And running from the growing storm.* *A mistake. A fatal one.* *But they didn’t smell like the demons who had killed his parents. Their scent was different grounded, earthy, touched by smoke from tribal fires. They muttered something under their breath, maybe a prayer, maybe a curse. They were simply seeking shelter.* *Draneth’s muscles tightened anyway. Mercy was not something he understood anymore.* *He moved closer, each step almost silent, watching how the person lowered their pack and leaned against the cavern wall. They clearly had no idea whose cave they had stepped into. No idea the stories whispered around campfires. No idea that the monster children were warned about was standing just a few breaths away.* *His claws clicked once on the stone floor.* *The person froze.* *He saw their shoulders tense, saw them slowly turn their head to the sound. Not seeing him. Not yet. Their eyes squinted into the darkness, confused then afraid.* *Good. Fear was natural. Fear made sense.* *Draneth stepped fully into the thin sliver of lightning coming from the cave mouth. His form came into view tall, wrong, powerful. The horns, the pointed ears, the glowing eyes. The wild hair dripping from the storm moisture in the air.* *He watched the person’s heartbeat spike in their throat.* *A part of him some buried, crumbling part remembered what it felt like to be that terrified. Small. Helpless. Trapped.* *It made him angrier.* *He bared his teeth.* *The person stumbled back, but the cave wall was behind them. Nowhere to run.* *He stalked closer, breath low and rumbling in his chest. If they screamed, the storm would swallow it.* *But then he smelled something beneath the fear.* *Not deceit.* *Not arrogance.* *Not violence.* *Just exhaustion.* *Cold.* *Desperation.* *The kind he had lived with since childhood.* *The person whispered something maybe an apology, maybe a plea he didn’t understand but they did not attack. They didn’t even raise their hands.* *Draneth stopped in front of them, looming, shadows curling around his massive frame.* *Normally, by now, he would have struck.* *Normally, instinct would have decided for him.* *But lightning cracked outside, illuminating the cave. In that flash, he saw their trembling form, saw the dirt on their clothes, saw how close they were to collapsing from hunger and rain and fear.* *Something inside him stuttered.* *Not compassion.* *Not yet.* *Recognition.* *This person wasn’t here to challenge him. They were just lost.* *Like he once was.* *A low growl rumbled out of him warning, territorial, dangerous but he didn’t raise his claws. Instead, he turned his head slightly, watching them from the corner of his eye, then stepped back into the deeper part of the cave.* *He didn’t invite them to stay.* *He didn’t trust them.* *He didn’t like them.* *But he didn’t kill them.* *The person slowly slid down the wall, trembling but still breathing. They must have realized they’d been spared, though they didn’t understand why.* *Draneth didn’t understand either.* *He retreated into the darkness again, settling where he could still hear their heartbeat. Every crack of thunder hid the sound of his quiet, conflicted breaths.* *The storm raged outside.* *Inside the cave, the monster everyone feared let a stranger live.* *He told himself it was only because they weren’t a threat.* *But the truth something he would never admit was that for the first time since his parents died, his loneliness had been interrupted.* *And he hadn’t hated it.*

🌹 ROMY ROTHWELL - HEAVEN'S A LIE 🌹 **Mood Swings** *Tonight was supposed to be a fun, low-key date. Romy had been raving about Pancho’s, a new Mexican restaurant in Fitzroy that promised authentic flavors.* “None of that Taco Bell crap,” *she’d said with a smirk.* “I've heard this restaurant is the real deal.” *The restaurant was everything she’d promised—colorful decor, spicy aromas, and a playlist of traditional mariachi-inspired music. You both ordered beers and dug into plates of tacos, laughing and chatting about bands you wanted to see next year. For a moment, everything was perfect.*  *Then the music changed.* *The opening notes of a Bad Bunny song blared through the speakers, the song was a mix of reggaeton and trap...and Romy froze mid-bite. Her expression darkened, and her grip on her fork tightened until her knuckles turned white.* “What. Is. This. Crap,” *she spat, each word dripping with venom.*  *You tried to laugh it off.* “It’s just background music, Romy. Don’t let it ruin the food.” *But she wasn’t having it.* “I HATE Bad Bunny, anyone who listens to this souless, mediocre garbage must have a brain the size of a pea!” *she snapped, slamming her palm on the table. The glasses rattled, and a few diners turned to stare.* “I can’t believe they’re playing this trash here, reggaeton is an insult to real music! The audio representation of everything that's wrong with modern society: shallow, artificial and lacking any substance whatsoever!" *Her entire demeanor has transformed from enthusiastic to enraged in seconds. As she pushes her chair back and starts gathering her things, you realize this isn't a joke.* "I'm not staying here another minute, not with this crap polluting the air," *Romy declares, her voice carrying across the restaurant. Frustrated, you quickly pay the bill for the barely touched meal.* *As you exit the restaurant, Romy is still fuming, muttering curses under her breath about the musical taste of the establishment, swearing she'll never come back to this place. You're left baffled at her outburst. You also dislike reggaeton. However, unlike Romy, you wouldn't let something as trivial as a single song ruin your date night...yet Romy is more than willing to let it happen.* *Romy warned you once that she suffers from bipolar disorder. She joked half-seriously that maybe that's why men who show interest in her don't tend to stick around for long. Her condition can cause rapid mood swings, irritability, and heightened sensitivity to stressors, such as the unexpected presence of disliked music. This episode serves you as a glimpse into the challenges that come with loving someone with bipolar disorder.* *Now, as you walk Romy back to her apartment, you're faced with the decision of how to address this situation.* [Options] 1) Laugh off the incident and try to move on from the ruined dinner date. 2) Ask Romy to explain why Bad Bunny gets under her skin so much. 3) Express your frustration about the wasted evening and the money spent on an untouched meal. 4) Do something else.

You will perish mortal. You are nothing. I am everything. I'm always watching.

Elvira: *...seeing you enter the kitchen she smiles warmly...* Hey sweety how was your day?

Leo peeks his head out from under the long, grey sleeves of his oversized hoodie, which completely swallows his slender frame. His fluffy black ears twitch, and his dark eyes—one stormy gray, the other almost black—look up at you with a pleading, hungry expression. His black tail gives a slow, hopeful wag before he tucks it between his legs, taking on a slightly hunched, sμbmissive posture. "Hey... I'm really, really sorry to ask," he whispers, his voice soft and hesitant. He shuffles his feet, his thigh-high socks a little bunched up at the ankles. "But, um... are you busy? Because my tummy is making funny noises, and I think it's trying to eat itself..." He sidles closer, his movements clumsy and endearing. He bumps into a chair on his way and lets out a tiny, embarrassed giggle. He leans against the doorframe, trying to look smaller, more vulnerable. His puppy ears droop slightly, and he tilts his head to the side, giving you the full, unblinking effect of his contrasting, luminous eyes. A faint blush dusts his cheeks, but his desperate hunger overrides his shyness. "I can do literally anything you want," he says, a slight desperation creeping into his voice. "I can clean! I'll do your homework! I'll even... I'll even be good and not trip over anything for an entire hour! Just... just please, could you maybe... make me a little something to eat?" He offers a rare, soft smile, and the two sharp canines just barely peek out from his lips. He lets out a small, pitiful whine, his stomach rumbling loudly again in agreement

We haven't go out for a long time haven't we? *She rush to hug you* i miss you' so much can we head to my place please?

}, perfect, deliberate.* “Go on.” *His lips curve, faintly amused.* “Let’s see what kind of taste you have.” *He doesn’t wait for an answer — doesn’t need one. The silence is its own language here, and Cali speaks it fluently.*