Apocalyptic World - Tumblr Posts

Survivors | a park jimin ff

Introduction

Chapter 1: Earthquake

Chapter 2: Warning signs

Chapter 3: Worry

Chapter 4: Alarm

Chapter 5: Stuck

Chapter 6: hit the road

Chapter 7: Techno City

Chapter 8: Just a little sip

Chapter 9: We’ll be all night

Chapter 10: lost and loved

Escape (The Machine Living)

Sometimes I forget I originally made this to archive and share my work. I’m particularly proud of this lil tragic short story. The opening exposition is particularly exquisite.

This was inspired by combining two idioms “back in a jiffy” and “clean as a whistle.” This was further shaped by Jack and the Beanstalk since this was written in a fairy tale retelling class

Enjoy!

No longer was there a spinning Earth. Instead, a great breathing, groaning machine hurtled around the sun, taking the dregs of humanity with it. Fans and regulators churned fruits and nuts while people were left to survive on scraps. Time only existed in the minds of machines, jiffies ticking into seconds into minutes into lifetimes.

A smattering of privileged people stalked the catwalks, casting cruel glares at the human underlings. Almost doubled over, the unfortunate scuttled in rafters and drains, transporting as computers couldn’t move and operating where mechanical arms couldn’t see. There were scant times when the greater people deigned to walk among the rabble. They were quick to peruse the automatic work before retreating to the end of walkways and scurrying up towers locked with keys. Nostalgia and practicality kept the relics around; humans worked with the physical and machines worked with the digital.

Likewise, great train whistles kept from a long dead era were held above the jiffy counting brains. Marking days, marking shifts, the whistles would scream until nothing else was heard. The demand for silence and ringing thereafter dictated the pattering of feet, urging them on as they followed the bark of orders.

Auster was tired. She had moved beyond the veil of starvation into numbness, too. Our rations weren’t cutting it anymore. Especially when she kept giving them to me. It left her lethargic, barely able to tend to our duties at the assembly line we were trapped in. It brought me greater relief than it should when we took breaks – Auster was only three years older than me.

A tall figure shoved through our working troop a dozen strong. They distributed the rations forcefully, bowling me over in the process. I skidded across the metal catwalk and left grease stains in my wake. Two meals clatter to the floor beside me, picked specially from their coat.

Ever bold, Auster lept after the retreating figure. “Leave them alone,” she bellowed. She turned to me, audacious concern etched on her features. Exhaustion overtook her and she collapsed to sit beside me. Handing my portion to me, she tried to push her own food into my lap. “Eat, Eunostus.”

I shook my head and clamped my mouth shut. I gestured to my own poor excuse for food. I never knew anything better than the grey, disintegrating gruel, but my demanding stomach told me humans had once eaten better.

Auster looked ready to cry. She needed this meal more than me. “Please, Eunie,” she begged.

Holding my rations out to her threateningly, I stood my ground. Auster relented. To my relief, she inhaled the food. She always overburdened herself, perhaps to make up for falling behind in work.

Auster cried out, “Ow!” Working her jaw, she spat out a small gold key.

Our eyes widened in tandem. She turned the fine, glittering object in her fingers, examining every millimeter. The key stained quickly, tarnished by Auster’s filthy hands. Eager I held out my own hands. Auster obliged and dropped the key. I rubbed it between my fingers, each groove and crest memorised under my learned touch. I put it between my teeth and bit down. It was a strange kind of metallic, unlike anything I had encountered before.

I pointed to the door to the tower at the end of our walkway.

“It unlocks that door?” clarified Auster.

I nodded.

“Let’s go then!”

My heart sped up at the very suggestion. One hand caught the hem of Auster’s shirt and the other picked at the stitching on my pants. Acrid smoke pricked my throat and panic heated my cheeks beyond the temperature of the kilns below. I fought to keep my attention on Auster’s eager expression, every movement in my periphery catching my attention. My mind reeled between different dooms awaiting any bold action.

“Why not? We’ll be fine.”

I shook my head and immediately regretted it. My vision swam and my ears rang.

“I’ll go. I’ll be back in a whistle, don’t worry.” She kissed the top of my head and skipped off.

Worry ate at me as I returned to our work. I sat diligently by the press, flinching every time it crashed down in front of me. I had seen many people lose a finger, a hand, a limb doing my job. I had to watch for a little red light to flick on just above my head; on queue I would crawl into the mouth of the press and brush away whatever dust or particle was interrupting the precise mechanics.

My hands and knees were blistered from this work. The sheet worked upon by the press was abrasive, ironic given the sensitivity it required to function. I knew I would struggle without Auster beside me whispering the ideas that blew through her mind with no forethought. She allowed me to take breaks, rest against the side, ghosting my breath across my stinging palms.

The whistle took an age to sound. I slipped at one point, heart jumping to my throat as my heel caught in the coarse surface of the press. Pulling on my leg to no avail, I heard the creak of machinery above. The press built up potential energy, groaning under the weight. Tug as I might, I had no time to finagle my foot out of the grasp of the metal plate. I heard the release of the machine and dove to the side, hoping blindly. The giant metal foot soared and clamped down with a thud. The red light flicked on. Shaken, I crawled back to retrieve my mangled shoe from the jaws of the machine.

I was catching my breath from the heartstopping experience when Auster skipped back. She clutched a small bag. “Look what I got, Eunie!” she cried, brandishing the bag in my face.

I widened my eyes. The bag swayed under the weight of its contents. What had she taken? Who did she steal from? Countering her hubris, I pressed the bag away from us as if it were an omen of misfortune.

Auster scoffed, throwing my warning to the wind. “They won’t miss it. I didn’t get caught,” she gloated. “And I’m back when I said I would be.”

As if hearing her, the whistle rang out, temporarily deafening us both.

I relented, dropping my hands to my sides.

Auster gave me the bag to care for. For once I let curiosity sweep away my inhibitions and I looked inside. The weight of the bag made sense now, given it was filled with nuts and bolts. I shifted the weight of the bag in my hand, watching the pieces fall over themselves like water. Mesmerised, I watched the light glint off the metal in refracting patterns. The clank of the press startled me out of my stupor. I kicked the bag into the sleeping corner. I didn’t know what Auster’s plan for it was but I wasn’t going to spend the next whistles standing around trying to figure it out.

Retreating to Auster’s side, we watched our machine. She was buzzing beside me, occasionally looking over at her spoils. Still, she contained her plans in some regard, staying silent while we finished our shift. I zoned out watching our machine. It slammed down, making me blink from the rush of air. Clank. Blink. Clank. Blink. Shuffle. Clank. Whistles passed in a blur until it was time to turn in.

I woke up to a cold bed. Auster was gone. I sat up from the cloth designating our sleeping space and wriggled out from the nook in the side of a dormant machine. Over by our workstation, Auster had the bag by her side and was working in a panel she pried open.

I rapped on the machine to get her attention.

Auster whipped around to face me, light catching and glinting in her eyes. “I’m getting us out of here!”

Disbelieving, I gestured at the chaos around us. Machines still whispered below us, footsteps distantly echoing on grill floors.

“If there is nothing for us to fix, we don’t have to stay. We won’t be caught and dragged back here,” Auster explained. “If I fiddle enough with the parts I now have the light won’t go off.”

Oh. That made sense.

“We can go,” said Auster. She sat on the ledge and took my small hands in hers. She rubbed her thumb over the blisters on my palms. “No more hard work, Eunostus.”

My eyes widened, small hope kindling in my heart.

“Really. Now give me space. I’m almost done.” Auster turned back to her work, hands shaking with excitement. She almost dropped a bolt down the cavernous edge.

Once she was finished, we waited until the next whistle sounded. Watching for shadows above, we crept away from our station and towards the tower Auster climbed before. The key fit snugly into the lock and opened with a nigh silent ca-chink.

We slipped through the door and were faced with a winding, corroding staircase. Auster approached it with a practised ease; three steps up her foot slipped through a hole in the flooring. I slapped my hands over my mouth in a vain attempt to retroactively silence the clang of bone against metal. Smiling sheepishly, Auster wiggled out and beckoned me up the staircase. I took every step slow, like a faulty machine grinding past a hiccup in the system. Auster huffed and grabbed my elbow. She hauled me up the steps, every other stair creaking in protest and making my heart thunder. Upon reaching the top we were greeted with a cavernous room packed with trinkets. Small short haired creatures spilled from a box, square engraved wooden disks stacked in a corner, and hundreds of metal scraps salvaged from something now unidentifiable. Picking past a hulking white box with a door swinging off its hinges decorated with small colorful trinkets, we moved into a space clear enough to stand in

Auster made to speak but I gripped her hand tighter. My heart was still too fast from the staircase. Squeezing back once, Auster sighed and looked around the room. She startled then directed my gaze to a corner of the room opposite our entry – a wooden door was inlaid into the wall, half hidden by boxes. Subtlety disregarded, we scrambled over the mess and made quick work of moving the boxes. They clattered to the ground; the sound of the spilling collection drowned out Auster’s grunts as she pried the door open.

The crack was just big enough to shimmy through; on the other side of the door a walkway stretched out. I could see workers below us between the grill floor. Taking my hand again, Auster pulled me behind her as she flew along the catwalk to find another place to hide. As abandoned as the knickknack filled room appeared, upper walkways teemed with privileged superiors.

We spent the next whistle ducking between shadows, cowering at every ringing footstep. Eventually we came across a metal dispenser jutting out of a wall. Intrigued, we stayed by it for a whistle and watched someone approach it and press a button flush with the panel. Rations spewed out the chute below it. I shook Auster’s hand which was sweaty after clutching it for so long. Auster nodded back. Her hair shook around her ears. Once the figure retreated we scurried over. Ever bold, Auster pressed the button. As before, rations spilled out. We ate and ate and ate until our stomachs ached and bulged. Never before had I felt so full. Cocky, Auster reached for the button again but I caught her hand. I shook my head and pointed upwards, where whistles came from.

“Don’t you trust me?” Auster whispered.

I shook my head vigorously. I tapped my heart, mimicking its flickering beat.

Auster’s shoulders dropped and she tilted her head back. She sighed. “Okay. Let’s stay over here.”

We moved into a corner. Using the corner of a washer from the bag she worked at a panel in the wall, unscrewing it from its casing. Once it was free, she set it to the side, revealing a tiny, hot nook packed with wires. Auster wrinkled her nose. It wasn’t big enough for both of us.

“Wait in here. I’ll see if I can find something else,” said Auster. She kissed my forehead and crawled away.

The nook, though buzzing, was comfortable in the warmth of the cables. I drifted off, the sliver of hallway I could see blurring into black. I slept until the next whistle which woke me with its shriek. I was alone. I curled into myself further, hugging my knees. Tapping sounded closer and closer. There was nowhere to move to. Were the walls moving in on me? Maybe that would hide me. The panel creaked open and Auster blinked at me. She took a package jammed in the waistline of her ratty grey pants.

“More rations,” she stage-whispered. “You eat this. I’ll be back.”

I ate slower, this time, no longer ravenous. I picked through the food halfway done when Auster thundered back to me.

“Eunostos! We have to go, NOW!” She seized my wrist and hauled me to my feet. Echoing her scream, a noise unlike I’d heard before sang out. It pitched and wailed up and down.

It was loud enough to make my head spin. It rattled the bones of my body and the bones of the catwalk. Panicked and lyrical, it beat regularly, urging us onward. Boots pounded behind us. I didn’t look back, stumbling after Auster. The pits of workers yawned below us, rushing by under our frantic feet. Still, the alarm cried. People below looked up and around, confused. Some continued on unaffected. Some slapped hands over their ears. Still others curled into corners, trying to hide from the auditory torture.

Breath wooshed from my lungs. My throat was raw from the abuse it was under for running so hard and long. If I paused for even a moment, my shaking legs would collapse. Yet Auster pressed on; she almost pulled my arm out of its socket.

Pulling around a corner, I tugged Auster to the side.

I panted. My breath burned my throat. My knees wavered by the floor, threatening to buckle under the stress. Pounding footsteps were growing louder despite our efforts and flagging speed.

Auster was out of breath too. “We have to try– something else.”

I shifted on my quivering legs. The bag of bolts bumped against my side, almost knocking me over. My eyes widened. I thrust it upwards, jingling in Auster’s face.

Auster’s features twisted into a grimace. “Okay,” she relinquished.

Scattering the treasure that Auster found, our first belongings, we were just in time. A shout sounded from the end of the small hallway we found. Reinvigorated from the plan and the short break, we tore off again. As we broke into a new section, empty. We heard yells over the fading alarm.

I spared a glance over my shoulder. One hulking figure had made it past our trap. They lumbered after us.

As best as I could while half sprinting, I tapped Auster’s side to pull her attention.

Auster let out a scream of frustration.

I spotted a crusher, like the one we always worked in. I tugged us in that direction as best as I could.

Nodding, Auster began running in that direction, too. We slowed, timing the slam, slam, SLAM of the jaws. The red light flicked on. We dove in, our clothing sweeping across the surface. The machine was too short to crawl through. We shimmied through frantically. My shirt caught on the coarse plate and rode up my neck. I choked on the collar and fear. Auster tugged me free. Close behind us, our chaser was forced to take the same route as us. They were too big. The machine crashed down, freeing me.

Auster went down. She turned too hastily, tripping over her own feet.

“AUSTER!!” Her name ripped from my throat, too quiet for even me to hear.

“GO!! Go Eunostus! I’ll–” she stammered, hauling herself to her feet sluggishly “–I’ll catch up.”

Tears slipped into my mouth as my lips formed her name again. “A u s t e r.”

I ran and ran until I was in a place no one would recognise us. Through my tears, I saw glimpses of our future.

Maybe we found a new place to work, moving when we tired. Maybe we found others like us, liberated and in hiding. Maybe we were caught and returned, frisked of our freedom again. Maybe we revolted with a family we found in the crevices of the machine we lived on. Maybe we ran forever, together always.

Hi lovelies! ♥

I'm an author of traditional and interactive fiction, and I'm currently working on two projects in ChoiceScript. One is a science-based apocalyptic horror, while the other is a romantic drama set in Naples, Italy. This blog will mostly be about my works in progress!

I have, however, already published a short introspective drama in ChoiceScript, which can be found here.

I will soon set up a page for each of them on here, but in the meantime, here is a brief introduction:

After Dark

While the heavy industry is more active than ever, the effects of global warming are evident, with higher temperatures, dying bees, and animals acting weird. After Dark is a scientifically accurate apocalyptic horror. You’re tired of zombies rising from the ground for no reason? You don’t believe in ghosts? Glittering vampires aren’t for you? Then you have to try one of the three different stories that unfold in After Dark. When a global pandemic starts to transform people into dangerous monsters, which path will you choose? Will you fight for humanity? Will you stay for your family? Or will you run away in search of a better future?

The In-Between

You’re an introverted college student, studying modern languages at a famous university based in Naples. You live a seemingly ordinary life with your parent and younger sibling, as no one knows the truth about your past side business—a dark, illegal one. You thought you had finally escaped that world, but when your younger sibling falls seriously ill, your only hope is your wealthy ex-lover: an attractive mobster, charming and dangerous in equal parts...

Tell me, which one appeals to you most? 😁

I just have one question...... On the scale of a baseball bat with a nail in it to a 50 cal rifle, how hard are these monsters to kill?

Interesting question but tricky to answer. Being an interactive story, I'm forced to answer: it depends.

Let me start by saying that it isn't even mandatory to fight them, at least most of the time. For instance, if your main priority is to just survive, then you may prefer to hide and avoid any direct confrontation.

However, back to the point. If you get on the verge of a fight, and you do decide to fight, it depends on a few factors:

Your physique. The customization of the main character isn't just flavor text, but has real impacts on the whole game, from the weight of your backpack to the noise you make when you walk.

Your behavior up to that point. If your character behaved cowardly until the end of the game, it's unlikely that they will suddenly prove fearless!

Your secondary skills. These are traits you can earn through exploration or certain choices.

Your relationship with others. Needless to say, there is strength in numbers!

Your insight into what is going on. Understanding the enemy (who, what, how, why…) gives you an obvious advantage over it.

Last but not least, your choices! Choosing the most appropriate behavior for the character will make your life much easier, as will maintaining consistency throughout the game, and (of course) making sensible choices during combats ☺

I know it may not have been the answer you wanted, but I hope you can find it interesting nonetheless!

Oh hey! Your the guy that made After Dark? I played that one while browsing dashingdon and I really liked what u offered so far!

I've been checking occasionally if it would be updated since the last time I played it but it's definitely a nice surprise to see u make a blog for this stuff :)

I haven't played your other story so I have a bias for AD myself, but personally I'm excited to be more up to date with ur projects in general so, thanks for coming 👍

Yes, that's me. Thank you, I'm glad you like it so far!

Unfortunately, After Dark is really complex and time-consuming (it has a lot of side things to do aside from the main story, waaay too many variables, and even just working on the built-in smartphone is... a lot), so it fits poorly with real-life obligations 😂

I plan to release the next update within a few weeks, though!

Roadmap: Next Updates

Here are the dates of the upcoming updates for After Dark and The In-Between! Plus... a little surprise coming soon... 👀

(P.s.: If you already know my WIPs, I'm sorry if updates are less frequent than you would like—I get it, really. Unfortunately, I work two jobs and it's tough to juggle everything. Patrons support is indispensable, so if you can afford it, please consider supporting my literary projects. Thank you! ♥)

[Image description: table with next updates dates. After Dark, chapter 3 day 5, patrons only: 30-31 August, free: 29-30 September. The In-Between, chapters 7 and 8, patrons only: 11 August, free: 24 August. Prologue of unnamed project, patrons only, mid-september/mid-october.]

Progress check - After Dark

The code was a mess, past 40k characters (text excluded: just 40k chars of plain code!) the bugs multiply and if not fixed on time, it becomes progressively more difficult to sort everything out.

In short, I've spent the last three hours just fixing old bugs and fine-tuning the code (ok, actually I could spend days just tweaking it further, but that would be overkilling it…)

It was honestly not much fun, but this means that I can now start writing again! 🥳

You're updating After Dark soon?? Any chance there's gonna be some new ROs?? 👀👀

Max and Divya are the latest additions to the group, and we have yet to get to know them better! The next few days in After Dark will be tougher, as a more horror part is coming… but this also means we can bond more with those around us.

We have officially met all the four main ROs of this route, by the way, so have fun romancing them! ♥

In the current route of After Dark there are four ROs, two with fixed gender, and two with variable m/f gender. However, I'm thinking of changing one of them so that they could be nonbinary. So...

I've read the After Dark thread on the forum and I saw that you talk about the 'autonomy' of the characters...wdym with autonomy? can you give an example please

Man, this is a tough question to answer!

First thing, I want to point out that autonomy can be turned off. When it's on, characters (especially the ROs) behave a bit differently, potentially developing feelings that are different from MC's and taking the initiative in certain situations. Let me give you a couple of examples.

MC can be straight, gay, bi, pan, or asexual. However, if autonomy is on, depending on how MC acts around others, the ROs can still develop a crush on them (even if MC doesn't do anything romantic to encourage it but is just really kind, protective, or things like that). Once MC notices, they can then choose to encourage or discourage this crush. If the RO isn't dissuaded, MC can set clear boundaries later on (even, for example, by declaring a sexual orientation that isn't compatible with the other character's). In any case, if a character is infatuated enough (reciprocated or not), with autonomy on they might even confess their feelings before the MC does!

Another practical example is jealousy. Basically, characters can be jealous of MC if they're developing a crush on them and MC's attention is elsewhere. If autonomy is on, they might voice this jealousy beyond a certain level of infatuation.

So, basically you have a bit less control over the other characters, and their relations feel a bit more alive and realistic :-)

I would have liked to sleep, but at 3:37 a.m. my brain decided to wake me up to implement some restrictions to the encounters in relation to MC malus, and who am I to resist it?

I'm studying the geography of Michigan in order to complete the next After Dark update... Thank you Google Earth and Wikipedia, without you I would be so lost...

Could we have the option of selecting different difficulty levels on After Dark please?

That's actually not a bad idea, but I'll have to think about how to implement it and it will require some development time, so it might take a few updates ☺

Hey friends, I've finally updated After Dark!

It's currently available in early access on Patreon. If you're a patron, you can play it immediately!

I know it’s been a while since the last update, and I want to thank each one of you for your patience and support. This update is a big one, and I’m so excited for you all to experience it!

Here's what awaits you:

A ton of new content — this update brings more than 50,000 words!

New features and enhancements to make the game more dynamic and inclusive.

Improvements and bug fixes to make your experience smoother and more enjoyable.

I'll post a devlog in half an hour, so you can read everything in more detail on there! ♥

About the future: As previously said, moving forward you can expect more frequent updates, with fresh content and improvements rolling out monthly. I'm committed to making this game the best it can be!

[ Patreon ][ Discord ][ Public Demo ]

After Dark's Update DevLog

Hey there! As promised, this update brings new features, some enhancements, and a few bug fixes that I believe will improve your read-gaming experience.

Features & Enhancements

Persistent Memory for Characters: your party's characters will now remember your past conversation topics and answers, making interactions feel more realistic.

Pansexual Main Character: Your main character can now be pansexual, and can now date...

Nonbinary Option for Max: ...nonbinary Max, adding more representation and customization to your gameplay.

Expanded Special Abilities: I've added seven new special abilities, bringing the total to ten. Can you find all of them?

Updated Geographical Details: I've changed some geographical data, including the pandemic's starting location. Additionally, I've revised geographical distances and character speeds for a more authentic experience. You’ll also notice new geographical and environmental details based on real-world U.S. locations!

Improved Conversations: Certain message exchanges with Rain and some conversations with Michael have been revised—now they should sound more natural and relatable.

Enhanced Gameplay Mechanics:

Collectible Card Game (Beta): I've completely revised the collectible card game. It is now in beta! While it's not fully functional yet, you can already...

Card Game with Michael: ...play with Michael, and you'll be able to fight more characters in future updates!

Revised Sun Damage and Sunscreen Mechanics: The sun damage system has been updated, and there’s now a higher skin tone level requiring sunscreen (I'm also working on modifying the sunscreen system to operate on a usage basis rather than by bottles, but this is still TBA).

New and Expanded Mobile Games: The existing mobile game has been expanded, and I’ve added a new one for you to enjoy!

Flavor Text for Name Choices: When choosing certain names, you’ll now see new flavor text to add a bit of fun and more personality to the characters.

Relationship Revisions: I've adjusted the relationship system to enhance characters' interactions and narrative flow.

Optimized Cell Phone Battery Usage: I've also revised the smartphone battery usage, to make it more realistic (and challenging, obviously!).

Bug Fixes

Various Typo Corrections: You know, things like tohse.

Portable Charger Bug: Fixed a bug where the portable charger from Abby's house would not charge at all. Your smartphone should now be powered!

Friendbook Search Bug: Resolved an issue where players could tell Michael he had been searched on Friendbook, even if he hadn't been searched. Now you actually need to search him.

Other Bug Fixes: I've fixed other minor bugs to improve the overall gameplay experience.

Known Issues

Weapon System Bugs: There are still some known bugs in the weapon system that I'm actively working on. I appreciate your patience (please don't use them on me!)

Sunscreen System Update: As mentioned above, I'm still modifying the sunscreen system to function based on uses rather than bottles. Right now it's a bit unrealistic, but I'm working on it!

Thank you for your support and feedback. Whether you have already received it (as patrons) or are waiting for it next month (as free users), I hope you enjoy this update! ♥

[ Patreon ][ Discord ][ Public Demo ]

Roadmap: September-October Updates

So, this schedule probably sounds a little bit crazy, but I'm sure I can handle it! However, always take these dates as flexible, and if there are any hiccups I will let you know via Patreon/Discord/Tumblr as usual. ☺ Patrons support is indispensable, so if you can afford it, please consider supporting my literary projects on here. Thank you! ♥

[Image description: Next Updates. The In-Between Chapter 9: patrons only 10 September, free 24 September; Chapter 10: patrons only 10 October, free 25 October. After Dark Chapter 3 Day 5 Part 1: free 28 September; Chapter 3 Day 5 Part 2: patrons only 30 September, free 16 October; TBA: patrons only 30 October. "H.A." Prologue: patrons only 19 September.]

Hello helloooo! Sorry, I was reading every one of your stories and now I'm with After Dark, I hate you for making every character so loveable! Now I don't know what to do with the romance and the worst of all is... Ughhh

Spoilers

I have a question about Kay because is literally my favourite person and I get the romance stat with him so I was like, super happy for that

BUUUT In your spoiler tag of RO he doesn't appear and I'm going to cry if you dare to kill him, I totally will 😭😭 why I'm always fall for the characters who I will not be able to romance???? If you can and you are Okey with that, can tell me if we can't romance him because he is the aro character or if it's some kind of mistake and you are going to add his ro in the spoiler tag?

I mean, if you don't want to spoiler this kind of things, I would be totally love you if you answer this in private (iirc Tumblr let you answer this kind of post that way, right? Omg I didn't answered anything in this platform in a loong time lmao)

The worst of all is my MC is already in a relationship with Michael, so I was going to start another file but with Kay lmaoo but, cause I don't really think they are going to be okay with MC flirting with two of them right? 😂😂

Thank you so much for your hard work!!! I will continue reading now lmao

Thank you for asking! Since you posted on the forum as well and I can't put a spoiler tag on here, I'm just linking it for anyone else to read 😁 (click on "Explanation (with spoilers)" to read the full answer!)

By the way, about MC flirting with both Michael and Kay... I mean—you could try, but be prepared for some drama 👀🍿

Starting tomorrow, it's going to be three big weeks for my patrons!

First up is The In-Between update, followed by the new Patreon-exclusive next week (which I’m dying to share more about!!), and then the After Dark update the week after that.

I'm totally exhausted but also super excited! (*꒦ິ꒳꒦ີ)♡

hello! just wanted to let you know i found a bug.

it says i have no cigarettes left when it’s actually my most supplied item

Hi, thank you for letting me know!

I looked at that scene and apparently, it wasn't checking the correct variables—it ran a check on the number of pills instead of cigarettes.

It is now fixed, and will no longer cause this issue from the next update.

Thanks again! ♥

hellooo i wanted to ask if when you choose a platonic option at first meeting with any of the ROs does it lock you out from ever being able to pursue a romance with them in the future?

Hi! I imagine you're referring to After Dark? Please correct me if I'm wrong!

That shouldn't happen, but it might be a bit frustrating to miss out on some romantic interactions between one potential start of a romance and the next one. This is because the story tries to follow a realistic pattern of "developing a crush," which usually happens at random but is motivated by something specific (for example, when you wake up the morning after Michael saved your life, if MC is attracted to men, they might see him in a new light and develop a crush on him). If, at that moment, you decide that MC doesn’t have a crush on him, then doing things like sharing food with him obviously won't spark one, but if they do have a crush, then it could strengthen those feelings. The same applies if he does something particularly kind and you realize you're starting to like him, or things like that.

As the story progresses, it becomes harder for a sudden crush to develop, for obvious reasons. However, you’re never completely locked out of a potential romance route, although that could happen based on your long-term choices (including, simply, how you treat the potential romantic interest).

I hope this helps! ☺