#baxter 4 ever

[orion4ever]

NEW DNI INTERACT

NO SETETH ENJOYERS

NO SETETH SIMPS

NO ONE WHO VOTED FOR SETETH

SETETH

I will hunt you down and forcefeed you soggy cereal.

[sunshine-in-your-smile]

I'm such a sucker for angst and characters playing characters themselves and having a bit I'm legitimately crying over a loser of a man named Baxter on a Wednesday afternoon. You know this is truly hitting me right in the meow meow because never will I ever get emotional irl for a man especially one named Baxter???? Pack it up Buster Bunny

[aruban-spaceshuttle]

Just completed the Happiness moment from Step 3 DLC with my graphics on high 💪😎 (I went to the aquarium on a field trip)

[spacetravels]

alright our life oomfies who got the baxter dlc . no spoilers but . did not expect to start crying or have to get up and walk outside standing in my backyard in stunned silence at the end of step 3

[differenteagletragedy]

Thinking about the country club in Sunset Bird.

Because if you end up with Baxter, then that's the place you met AND the place you ate on your first date, right before he asks you out for real, right? So what if before Step 4 Baxter plans a wedding and that's the venue, then he has to watch people be in love and happy at a place that holds such fond memories of you, the best significant other he's ever had? Pain! BUT BUT BUT that's also the place where you and Derek have your first date. So can you imagine going to the soiree with Derek, meeting Baxter AND THEN ENDING UP WITH BAXTER? Like Derek had the biiiiiggest crush on you, but sure, you end up meeting that one kid you randomly met while you were on a date with him. Bonus points if you and Baxter get married and choose the country club for your own venue, then Derek is there like "WELL FUCK ME I GUESS HUH"

[freyyzu]

PROMISE

All Cove wants is to see you happy, and all Baxter wants is to reassure him that he was going to do exactly that.

a/n; takes place some time during step 4 when your friends throw you another surprise party and you're off talking to someone else. i just think the two most important men in mc's life should interact a little more. implied step 3 ending on a bad note.

The twinkle of the fairy lights that hang from every wall of the first floor is mesmerizing. It's simple decoration, easy to put up, easy to get down, but beautiful all the same. The soft glow it emits puts Baxter at ease; even more so when accompanied by the sight of your smiling face.

His heart skips a beat when you glance over in his direction, your eyes meeting for the briefest moments. You discreetly wave at him, trying your best to not interrupt whatever story Terry is going on about, and he gives you a wave of his own back. He doesn't even try to fight the smile that tugs at his lips.

It was such a straightforward interaction, one that lasted all but three seconds, but just that was enough for him to feel the butterflies in his stomach lurch into a frenzy.

He's so enthralled by you, in fact, that he doesn't even notice the sound of someone making their way closer to him until they're already speaking.

"Uhm, how... how are you enjoying the party?" It's an expected question coming from an unexpected source.

Baxter turns to face the new presence by his side, more than a little surprised. Out of all the people here, Cove Holden would be the last person he expected to initiate a conversation, but the appearance isn't unwelcomed. Far from it.

"It's been fun," he says with full sincerity.

Despite the sparse decorations and only handful of people here, Baxter would say with his full heart that this is the best party he's ever been to. Surrounded by people who really care for him, those who took the time out of their day to surprise him even after all the stunts he's pulled. "Thank you for your part in this. I deeply appreciate it."

"Oh," Cove sputters, apparently flustered by the earnestness. "It's no problem. I'm... glad you're enjoying yourself."

Baxter smiles knowingly, "is there something on your mind?"

The taller male doesn't answer, but he fixes his gaze on a particular person across the room, still intently listening to Terry's story. Miranda and Xavier have joined them by this point.

'Ah.' his expression softens. "Are you worried about them?"

"Of course I am," he replies. Any hesitation in his voice from before lost within those four words. His hands clench and loosen by his sides a few times and he glances down at his feet, as if debating whether or not it was okay to say the next words.

You had forgiven Baxter a long time ago, that was a fact, but Cove couldn't forget your dejected expression or how many false smiles you wore to assure everyone you weren't hurt that summer.

Baxter waits quietly. He doesn't know exactly what your best friend intends to say, but from his fidgeting alone, he could garner a guess. Eventually though, he does break the silence. "I won't hurt them."

Cove looks over to your boyfriend, unable to keep the doubt from his expression. He trusts you, he wants you to be happy, that's all he ever wants for you; but that's even more of a reason for him to be wary. Baxter had broken your heart once, and he never wants to see that happen again.

"Can you promise that?"

There's a pause, and then a shake of a head from the black color haired man and Cove feels his heart nearly sink. "I'm not like you. I haven't known them my entire life. I'm just someone who showed up to the doorstep of your neighborhood one summer and then left."

There's a gleam in his brown eyes that make them seem to sparkle even more than the lights decorated around the room. "We'll have arguments, we'll get into fights," his voice lowers, "but I hope I can learn from those mistakes. That I'll make a better decision the next time." He turns to face Cove. "I can promise that."

Cove swallows the lump in his throat. He had come here to talk to Baxter, but in the end he ended up not being able to say anything at all. Though, maybe that was okay too. Whatever the lead up was, he heard what he needed to hear.

"Thank you," he says.

Baxter's face lights up at those words, eyes widening with boyish glee, before reverting back to his more well-known smirk. "No, thank you for coming over and chatting with me. I'm thankful we got to have this time together."

"Aha," Cove chuckles awkwardly now that the air has cleared. "But uh, Baxter?" He calls, wanting to get just one last word in.

"Yes?"

"You... should take care of yourself, too." And with that final statement, he steps forward to join your group.

Baxter blinks once.

He takes a moment to reign in his shock. Did Cove Holden of all people just give him some encouragement? He chuckles, straightening up as he spots you splitting from the circle to make your way over to his side.

This week has been full of surprises.

[meowzilla93]

okies!

so we spoke about her love language earlier in the week! something very particular about August, she does have one little thing she does to show her affection to those around her

booping you

cheek, chin, ribs, arm, forehead, anywhere she can reach to basically poke you, thats he oddly showing her affection!

Baxter is the only one she bops on the nose! to her, its such a twee and precious nose and she simply cannot help herself!!

(feat commissions from @minthe-drawings of August penchant to 'boop!' Baxter in step 3 and 4!)

Step 3 Babies!! (Baxter is so endeared by it because he has never experience this before!!)

Step 4 Darlings!! (August likes to be cheeky, and has conditioned Baxter to expect a kiss when she boops him, and here he is gonna get what he is promised!)

URGH seeing them side by side is the cutest thing ever and seeing how they change but their love is precious and sweet and and

i love them so much your honour!

[riding-the-sunset-bird]

is there any difference in dialogue if ur mad or sad at baxter at step 4? are there any different options depending on whether you pick fond, crush or love if ur mad or upset? sincerely, curious anon

(this anon clarified that they specifically mean the differences between being mad versus being sad and not the differences between mad/sad and other options; thank you!)

Hi, curious anon~!

There actually are quite a few differences depending on if the MC is angry or sad over Baxter. There's overlap (a general "upset" state where both will get the same narration/choices/dialog), but in general, an angry MC will be more hostile towards Baxter while a sad MC will feel discouraged at Baxter's treatment towards them.

Example from initially seeing Baxter would be:

if the MC is angry

"Mhm. Miranda knows him, so do you, Terry. It's Baxter, again."

"No one can recognize you if you're not wearing black and white, Baxter." (the MC will even add "You didn't leave much else to remember you by.")

"You said you weren't coming back," you spat out.

"Is it too late to say I can't help with this?"

"You have got to be kidding me. Not him." / "You have got to be kidding me. Not that asshole." (depending on if the MC swore in Step 3 or not)

You glared with a silent fury.

if the MC is sad

"Miranda, you know him. So do you, Terry. He's... Baxter."

"Baxter, you don't wear only black and white anymore."

"I thought you weren't coming back," you whispered.

"Baxter...?"

"I remember you."

No words could form in your tight throat.

When attention goes to the MC to agree to continue participating in the wedding:

if the MC is angry

"Fine."

"I'll put up with you for Jude and Scott. That's it."

"You're so phony. Whatever. I don't care."

You glared but kept your mouth shut.

You gave a curt nod.

You said nothing. You did nothing. He got no acknowledgement.

(the MC will also have the option to give their number to Baxter "begrudgingly" if they're specifically angry with him)

if the MC is sad

"Okay..."

"It's alright. Don't worry about me."

"All that matters is that the wedding goes well."

You shifted uncomfortably. You didn't want to be around him, but couldn't ruin this.

You nodded weakly.

You said nothing. You did nothing. You couldn't give any acknowledgement.

After the MC reads the "most recent" texts:

if the MC is angry

He vexed you, but... maybe you could be friends again. / He vexed you, but... maybe you could be close again. / It was so infuriating because the truth was, you still wanted to be with Baxter. (depending on if MC is at Crush/Love with him or not)

Getting to speak with him hadn't changed anything. You were as mad as ever.

Being reunited was an unbelievable chance. You had some optimism for where it'd go.

Things were different now. You'd focus on being entirely professional around him.

You weren't sure what to think or how to feel about Baxter anymore.

if the MC is sad

If you were being entirely honest, you hoped to be friends again. / If you were being entirely honest, you hoped to be close with him again. / It hurt so much because the truth was, you still wanted to be with Baxter. (depending on if the MC is at Crush/Love with him or not)

Being reunited was an unbelievable chance. You had some optimism for where it'd go.

Getting to speak with him hadn't changed anything. You were just sad.

Things were different now. You'd focus on being entirely professional around him.

You weren't sure what to think or how to feel about Baxter anymore.

After Baxter asks for the MC's address of where they're staying, the narration will say "Fine. You could do that- and did." if your MC is angry but "Cautiously, you did as requested." if your MC is sad.

Then, after he apologizes for his behavior at the bakery (if the MC didn't insist on having a talk), the MC won't respond at all if they're angry ("You gave him as much consideration as he'd shown to you. None.") or will let out a mumble-y response if they're sad.

If the MC did insist on having a talk, then Baxter will asks how they are, to which the MC will respond "How do you think, Baxter?" if they're angry or "I'm not doing very well, Baxter." if they're sad. Something similar to the above paragraph will also occur afterwards.

If the MC had the difficult conversation with Baxter (if they were upset with him at the end of Step 3), then the MC will think sarcastically to themself after Baxter texts the group about that day's accomplishments if they're angry with him, or wince about it if they're sad.

If the MC was upset with Baxter after meeting him again (depending on their choice after the MC notes Baxter's most recent text soon after meeting him again), their cuts after making the groom's cake will become aggressive, whereas they'll slump in their seat if they're sad.

And, if the MC agreed to have a conversation with Baxter instead of becoming friends/lovers again right away after the wedding, then choose to tell him, "I never wanted to see you again," the MC will say they were "furious" if they were angry with him or "shattered" if they were sad.

Those are most of the big differences between being mad and sad specifically. Interest level doesn't play a large role.

[r3dcam3llias]

How to Download Our Life: Beginnings and Always Mods

(a step-by-step guide!)

If you've ever wanted to download extra content for OLBA but were unsure how or where to even start, this post will hopefully explain everything you need to know!

What you will need:

Our Life: Beginnings and Always

RPA extractor

Latest version of Python

RPA repack tool

1. Finding mods.

As far as I'm aware, there are very few people who make OLBA mods, but if you do happen to come across someone who makes mods/script edits and would like to download them, you'll likely end up with files with the end extension ".rpy" or ".rpyc" Because the software used to make OLBA is Ren'py, these are ren'py script files that basically contain the script that runs the mod and official script files. (Note: Some mods that don't just simply add onto/edit/add more scenes may also include other important resource files (images, sounds etc...) and might be formatted in a ".zip" file. I'll cover how to unzip and use those as well.)

2. Find your game files.

First of all, before you do anything with your .zip or .rpy/.rpyc file(s) you're going to need to find your copy of your OLBA game's files. For Steam, you should be able to open the Steam app on your computer, navigate to your library, right-click your copy of OLBA, select "properties", navigate to the "Installed Files" tab, and click the "Browse" button.

For a direct download of the game such as from Itch.io, you should just be able to navigate to wherever you downloaded your game and find the same results. You should see your game files now like the picture below.

3. Finding/extracting the RPA file.

Now, you are going to want to navigate to the "game" folder inside the OLBA folder. Here you should find these files:

(Note: depending on whether you have the DLC or not, you may or may not have the DLC files. I do not have the Baxter or Derek DLC so I don't have those files here.) These files are basically all the .rpy/rpyc files, along with images, sounds and all other resources for the game, compressed into single files. So, in order to add our modded files, we will need to extract whichever RPA file pertains to the mod. For example, archive.rpa contains all the scripts, etc from the main game. The rest should just be DLC, so if you have a mod that only affects the main game, you will only need to extract that file. The same works if it is a mod that only affects a DLC; you will only need to extract that respective DLC file.

To do this, you can either download this RPA extractor or find your own and follow its steps. For this tutorial, we will be following the steps of the RPA extractor provided. Once you have downloaded the RPA extractor, drag the .RPA file you want to extract out of the OLBA folder, into a new folder, then drag and drop it onto the RPA extractor icon (shown below)

This should open a new Command window where the .rpa file will be extracted. You should end with something like this:

(for this example I extracted the step 3 DLC RPA file)

Now you should have a new folder containing all the .rpy and resource files you need.

4. What to do with modded .rpy/.rpyc and/or .zip files?

If the mod you downloaded just came with the files not zipped, you can skip this first part. Otherwise, you will need to unzip this zipped folder. To do this, you can either just right-click the zipped file and click "Extract All" and "Extract" when a new window pops up.

Alternatively, you can use a program such as 7-zip, which may help extract speeds for large files. Now, you should have, or already have your modded .rpa files on hand (finally!) Normally, if these files are editing preexisting material from the game or adding new scenes, at least one file, if not all of them will have the SAME EXACT file name as an already existing file. In this case, BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING go into the folder(s) you got earlier by extracting the .rpa file(s) and look for the file(s) with the same name(s) as your modded .rpy/.rpyc file(s) and either make a copy or move them somewhere safe in case something is wrong with your modded files/you no longer want the modded files, you can put the original files back in. Once you have done this, you are going to drag the modded files directly into the folder(s) you got earlier by extracting the .rpa file(s). MAKE SURE YOU PUT THEM IN THE CORRECT FOLDERS AND EITHER OVERWRITE THE ORIGINAL FILES OR MAKE SURE THEY HAVE BEEN REMOVED.

If there are any other files, such as sounds or images or .rpy/rpyc files, feel free to just make another folder to put these in.

5. Repacking the RPA file.

Now these next steps can get really complicated, so I'll break them down into smaller steps. 1.) Download the RPA repack tool (make sure to unzip it) and the latest version of Python if you haven't already.

2.) Inside the unzipped "rpa-master" folder you'll find another folder of the same name. Inside this folder all you need is the "rpatool" file. Take this file and move it into a new folder completely outside of the "rpa-master" folder, name this folder whatever you want, it doesn't matter. (EXAMPLE BELOW)

3.) Now take the folder(s) you got from extracting the .rpa file earlier or created and put them in this new folder. (EXAMPLE BELOW)

4.) Type "cmd" into the path while in the folder with both of these.

5.) Now, a command prompt window should pop up, type in this:

 py rpatool -c

followed by the name of the .rpa file you want to make and the name of the folder(s) you are repacking separated by a space for each. (EXAMPLE BELOW)

6.) Depending on the size of your file it might take some time, but once you see the .rpa file appear in the folder, you're all done! It should look something like this:

Now, all that's left to do is put that .rpa file into the game folder with the rest of the .rpa files !! After that you can test it out and your mods should now work!

As always if you have any questions or need help doing this yourself, feel free to contact me or submit an ask!

[bearofohu]

my favorite headcanon for my olba MC is that after baxter fucks him up at the end of stage three, during the 5 year gap where he lives with cove in their apartment, he adopted a tuxedo kitten and named him baxter to try to move on from the hurt of being cut off

and like cove doesnt want at all to invalidate the way his boyfriend grieves for baxter but also its REALLY fucking awkward having to come home and go pspspspsp cmere baxter when the cat comes up to greet him

and can you fucking imagine being baxter in stage 4. youre forced to reunite with vegan star trek fan from socal that you had an ill-fated bicurious fling with who has haunted your dreams for 5 years. he hates your guts now but also he named his cat after you and chose a coat color in your likeness and yuo just have to continue to exist with this information like its not the weirdest shit thats ever happened to you. youre not religious but you cant imagine a world where this isnt a punishment from god

[rosegirl6140]

Hopes for Season 2 of Hazbin Hotel

Okay, so I have been reviewing some of the original ideas for the first season of Hazbin Hotel. Episode 1 and 4 pretty much match what the originals were going to be and it looks like back when Baxter was originally part of the main cast instead of Sir Pentious he was supposed to get an episode where he saves everyone and becomes accepted by the group. Here are a few episodes from the original plan that I want to still happen:

There was an episode where Charlie goes to a meeting with the Deadly Sins and she can't bring Vaggie and while Vaggie stresses everyone else in the hotel takes her to a dance club to relax (Vivziepop has revealed that Vaggie is an excellent dancer). I'm hoping that at some point in the night Vaggie feels guilty for having fun without Charlie and we touch on how Adam being a narcissist taught her that if she thought for herself people would think she was selfish and leave. Cherri Bomb helps her and we learn more about her backstory.

There was a comic where Angel Dust helps Vaggie navigate an awkward dinner party. I want to see them bond.

I want to learn more about the Exorcists. Were they born in Heaven? Were they ever children or did Adam purposefully make them full grown adults? What is Lute and Vaggie's history? Since Vaggie was a top exorcist was she popular with the other exorcists before she let that sinner go?

I want Nifty and Baxter to date.

I want more of Molly. Someone had an idea for her to secretly be trying to find Angel Dust so she could be used to help Pentious and Emily. In this scenario she runs a clothing store and Pentious is asking her about Heck and she first goes "I'm sorry sir but I don't really have any information about that specific top-" then as a customer leaves. "Follow me," then she reveals a back room full of stuff to try and find her brother.

[crystallizedtwilight]

🎃 More Questions: Part 4! 🎃

Part 1 here! | Part 2 here! | Part 3 here!

Yes! Santa may have (begrudgingly) forgiven them but the easter bunny still shivers at the thought of them. They've been banned from all doors but can't be kept out of any.

Yes he is very (subconsciously) emotive with his tail

It is dried and hanging up next to his shadowboxes!

Right now she's living out in nature!

😂 I don't know what I did to successfully give that vibe but yes—Baxter, Benji, Bodie, and Bentley.

If he ever learns about kotatsu it's all over. Also I hc that he thinks snow is fun but he's the first one to be like OK. THAT'S ENOUGH. Hot bath, hot drink, blankets, body heat let's go

Here is the collection!

The horrors are all natural!

Not obstacle courses but he switches out their enrichment every now and then! Animal skulls are a big fav!

She's met them casually! When Lock wouldn't dance with mummy boy she danced with him instead!

[lvndrptchwrk]

Hi! If you have request , Could I request Baxter Ward with a reader whos a model? Step 3 or 4 are cool!

((omg thank you for the request ! i just finished the baxter dlc the other day so i've been itching to write him and this seems like the perfect scenario ! ))

baxter ward with a model mc

step 3/4 baxter x gn! mc 

spoilers for baxter’s dlc ahead! 

🔲 you’ve always had a particular taste in fashion and always loved dressing up, so it’d make sense that you would find a part time job at a modeling company after you graduated

🔲 meeting baxter for the first time, you two instantly clicked about your tastes in fashion

🔲 colorful wardrobe: he is your exact polar opposite with his black and white wardrobe, but you two loved to compare the differences in taste, and see if there's any similarities

🔲 black and white wardrobe: he is enamored about how similar your wardrobe is to his and you two talk about the similarities and how bad of an idea it is to wear black in the heat 

🔲no matter what your wardrobe is, he simply loves seeing the kinds of outfits you wear for different occasions, from casual hang-outs to fancy nights out

🔲 you two would try to coordinate your outfits to match when possible ! esp if you have a colorful wardrobe yall would be true polar opposites ! and with the matching black and white outfits you guys would fr be twins 

🔲 if you take part in a fashion show or photoshoot, he would definitely attend or want to see the photos

🔲 seeing your photos or watching you model clothes has him blown away, you are in your element and truly the star of the show in his eyes

🔲 during sightseeing, mountain and drinks, he would offer to take pictures of you throughout your time together so you could post them to social media and enhance your portfolio

🔲 leaving when summer ends is probably the hardest thing he’s done, he truly loved seeing you and you’ve impacted his life more than he ever imagined 

🔲 “as much as staying would benefit both of us, it simply isn’t meant to be . as you say, the show must go on . ”

🔲 gives you his iconic black and white eye button up as a souvenir of him

🔲 “you would find use of this when you model . plus, i can always buy another one”

🔲 after he leaves, he finds you on social media and watches as your modeling career takes off 

🔲 always likes your posts of professionally done photos and videos of you on the runway 

🔲 has cried when he saw pics of you modeling in his button up (and made it his wallpaper on his phone)

🔲 if you're contracted to model for a clothing company, he would definitely buy a couple of articles of clothing that you’ve modeled in (if its black and white of course)

🔲 if you start a blog of fashion tips, he would follow the blog and take some of your tips to heart, learning what colors would work best for him

🔲 would also take these tips for his clients, offering them colors and themes that would make them pop out at the wedding

🔲 if you ever appear on the cover of a magazine, he’d buy a couple copies just because you're on the front page

🔲 if he’s also bought posters and prints of you as well, that’s definitely for him to know and no one else to find out (he has a poster of you hanging in his office at work) 

🔲 when it’s time for jude and scott’s wedding, you were in charge of ensuring everyone’s outfits were coordinating and all the decorations matched

🔲 jude and scott definitely mentioned you were in charge of outfits but since they never mentioned you by name, he was floored when he realized you were the one helping for the wedding 

🔲 “it all makes sense, looking back at it . only you could make everyone look as divine as they are tonight, truly the work of a model”

🔲 you instantly hit it off right away a second time, you both simply could not not talk to each other, whether its about modeling or the wedding or fashion in general

🔲 he eventually reveals he follows you on social media and could not stay away from you and your work (the poster in his office was a partial giveaway)

🔲 when you two start dating again, he starts coming to all of your shows/photoshoots when he can 

🔲 if you lived far, you would definitely convince your work to let you move closer to baxter so he’d be able to see your shows or take constant trips out to model near the area

🔲 loves when you coordinate clothes with him, loves it even more when you wear his clothes

🔲 has modeled with you once or twice in his freetime, and was elated to see his face alongside yours in the final product

🔲 you both are so photogenic so obviously photographers constantly love you two together in photos

🔲 your fanbase goes feral over seeing you two together, they simply can't ignore how good you both look

🔲 he however is your number one fan and makes everyone aware of it 

🔲 “hi yes im baxter ward, wedding planner and mc’s number one fan”

[crowdeerdire]

Incredibly stupid Our Life AU - Ribfest

Background: Where I live there's an event going on called "Ribfest" where a ton of vendors come out, selling, as you can guess: ribs! It's really good! But... to get people interested in their stalls, they have 'conventionally attractive' people standing out front, wearing tank tops and shorts and handing out samples (mostly BBQ sauce to get you interested in their products). Because I'm a silly little goose, my mind went to: 'what if the OLBA boys were those conventionally attractive people standing out front to get people to try their BBQ'... Synopise: OLBA boys volunteer their time to help a friend in a rib competition by attracting customers to their stands with samples. (would take place in Step 4 after all the events for the sake of y'all being friends!)

Cove

Would be generally comfortable in the outfit (reminder: tank tops and shorts because it's hot af outside, but also designed to attract the customers ;) ), but trying to persuade passer-bys to try the sample would be hard at first

We know he can do that kind of stuff because he volunteers for ORCA and he's done it in the past for the funraising event

BUT

this time he knows the concept around why he was choosen and is dressed up like this

he's eye candy to get people to try BBQ

If he got to do it with someone else (i.e. Derek or MC) I think he would relax a bit more and maybe get into it, especially by Step 4 I see him a lot more comfortable in his own skin

If he was working with Baxter, I think he would still be awkward af (you'll see in a minute)

but if he's left on the front lines all by himself, he would be blushing and awkwardly standing there as people check him out and the booth he's working at

might be sweating bullets

get this man some WATER before he passes out

but since he did volunteer he would try his best and be geninuely friendly, I think? 'No pressure if you don't wanna try! But you should!! It's really good!!' *smiles*

btw would go 10x as red and be 10x as awkward if MC whistles and cat calls him (as a joke)

in the end he would try his best!

Baxter

Step 4 Baxter would get into it

Maybe a little embarrassed by the concept at first, knowing why he was choosen as eye candy to get people to try BBQ, but it wouldn't take him long to get into it

he understands a good business opportunity when he sees one

I think he would really get into it

like giving people a sly wink and a smirk

urging them to come over with his nice voice, almost purring

like I think this man is smooth when he's just playing

when he's not and genuinly likes someone, he's awkward af (but that's another story)

I think he would also be really good at remembering repeat customers??

like he would know why they're coming back, but would still play with them and be like 'Oh, how wonderful~ You came back for more?' with a smirk and a wink

making people giggle and blush

If he's working with the others I think he would play off them well, even try to help someone as nervous as Cove to relax a bit (or a nervous MC)

In the end I would think he would somehow find himself in the back, running the show rather then being up front. Somehow - even if he doesn't really know the friend he's helping. He just has good business sense

Derek

Derek is mister sunshine

If he's been asked to help, even if it's from a distant friend, he's putting 110% effort into it

Embarrassed by the concept of why he's dressed that way/put on display... BUT!!

he still tries REALLY hard

I think he would be the type that's kind of loud - cheering and getting people's attention?

But if that was getting a bad reaction (depending on the crowd) he would be calm and super nice, like Cove. Not wanting to pressure you into trying the BBQ, but SUPER excited when you do

If he got a sale because of his samples, he would high five who ever he's working with - or maybe a random stranger lol

he's just such a happy go lucky guy on the outside (although we all know the truth... but shush...)

working with others he would get really pumped up - especially with Cove and MC

Might be awkward with Baxter at first but I honestly see them getting along???

tbh Derek will just be a great sales person

big hype man

a/n: Hi, this is dumb but I couldn't get this out of my head and being really into Our Life lately has gotten me wanting to write again.. :))) Maybe I'll write more? Also I apologize if any of the characters seem OOC or anything. I was really trying to get them down right, but idk :))))

dividers by: @/cafekitsune

[differenteagletragedy]

Swap AU Alert!

At last, a Step 4 for Baxter, your best friend since childhood. Hallelujah.

Here's the last fic in this delightful series, with links to the previous ones!

You were sitting by your gate in the airport, waiting on the plane that would take you back to your hometown, when you felt your phone buzzing in your pocket. You took it out, looked at the screen and smiled.

Baxter had sent you a photo, and when you opened it, you saw it was specifically a selfie. He was at the country club with your moms, deep into planning their anniversary party. In the picture, they had him in one of their trademark mom hugs, and he was smiling wide with one of his arms out to capture the moment.

Before you could respond, he sent a follow-up text: "You should be here now."

"On my way," you told him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When you made it to Prism Vista City, you'd texted Baxter like he'd asked, and you were outside for just a few minutes when you saw his sleek white car pull up towards you. You made your way towards him, anticipation at seeing your best friend making you move faster. He parked, got out, and threw himself at you.

You forgot your bags for a minute, letting them drop as you put your arms around him instead. He hugged you like he always did ever since you both left town and stopped being neighbors who saw each other every day -- hard, like he had to be sure to feel every single bit of you to remember in the weeks or months until you saw each other again.

"How have you been, darling?" he asked, pulling back to look at you. He brought a hand up to stroke your hair, then let it rest on the curve between your shoulder and neck. If anyone was watching, they'd think you were two lovers reunited, but you weren't. You were just you and Baxter.

"We talk everyday," you told him, pulling your own hand around to rest on his chest. "You know how I've been."

"I know, but it's different seeing you. Being like this."

You were about to reply, but a honking car stopped you. With a particularly dramatic sigh, Baxter let go of you and grabbed your bags, carefully placing them in his trunk as you got in the passenger side. As he drove away, he shot you a grin, then held his open palm out over the middle console. You laughed, grabbing it and putting it in your lap to hold for the drive to his apartment.

It was a little strange, you knew that. Best friends didn't normally behave as affectionately as you did. But you'd had a crush on Baxter for over a decade, one that had long since turned to love, and so you embraced his flirty, touchy tendencies. It might not mean anything to him, but it definitely meant something to you.

"Can I ask you the question now?" he said, giving your hand a squeeze as he pulled away from the airport and onto the main road.

"Already? Isn't it a little early?"

"I'm feeling particularly inspired," he told you, so you said, "Ok, go ahead."

He took a breath, gave you another squeeze, and launched into a question he'd asked you countless times in the past year since he'd moved back to the area after graduating from college.

"Will you move in with me?"

You chuckled, and he took it as an invitation to continue.

"I have a second bedroom. It's fully furnished, completely ready for you to move in at a moment's notice. You'd be closer to family."

"I like my job," you told him.

"You can do your job here, too," he argued. "And even if not, I already pay the rent and bills on my own, I could support you until you found something else."

"Baxter, I wouldn't let you support me."

"Then you can rely on your industrious spirit," he laughed. "I don't care. Just move in with me."

You told him what you always told him whenever the subject came up: "I'll think about it."

He hummed, not entirely pleased with the noncommittal answer, but he didn't have much of a choice besides accepting it.

Soon you arrived at his apartment building, and when he parked, he got out and swiftly made his way to your side. You waited for him, content to give him the opportunity to be a gentleman, and he opened the door, then offered you his hand so he could help you out of the car.

"I can do this kind of stuff on my own," you told him, watching him grab your bags from the back.

"I know, but why would you? You've got me."

You followed him into the building, then into the elevator that took you up to his floor. You'd been here a few times since he'd moved in last year, but you were always impressed with how nice it was. For all he went on about cutting his parents out of his life and making his own way in the world, he was still doing very well for himself.

He unlocked the door, held it open for you, then followed you inside. He quickly moved to the guest room to put your bags down, but he was back by your side in a flash.

You hung out for a bit to rest before heading out to Sunset Bird to visit your parents. From there, you and Baxter followed them back to the airport so you could give Liz a quick hug when she arrived. She went back to your hold house with your moms, then the two of you were free again.

He wanted to cook dinner for you.

Back at his apartment, you sat by the counter, watching him prepare a somewhat complicated dish, still wearing his crisp suit. It was a nice view.

Seemingly reading your mind, he said, "It could be like this every night, you know."

"Is that so?" you asked, knowing what he was doing but wanting to hear him tell you about it anyway.

"It is. I could cook for us both, you could sit there looking gorgeous. It would be quite the life, don't you agree?"

Even after years of those kinds of comments, they could still sometimes take your breath away. Your cheeks turned red, and he grinned.

"Just think," he said, taking his voice a bit lower, "all the ways I could make you blush if we shared a home."

The way he looked at you then, glancing over from the stove, was a little different than the way he usually did. There was a sort of heat in his gaze, and you felt your face get even hotter.

Before you could find any words, his phone rang. Still, he kept his eyes on you.

"Should you answer that?" you asked. "It could be about the party, or a client."

He paused, still watching you, but eventually reached for his phone. He told you that it was a client, then took the call.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day was the party, and most of the day was spent with Baxter at the country club, getting things ready. The prep wasn't nearly as intense as it was for a wedding, but he still wanted things to be perfect, so he put in the same amount of effort as he would for his actual clients.

When the guests started arriving, it took Baxter a moment to flip from planner mode to party mode, but your moms forced it. As their unofficial third child, they wouldn't accept him not sharing the table with them, and so when it was time, he took the seat by you.

Dinner passed quickly, and when you were done, he gave you a familiar smirk. It didn't take a lot of considering to figure out what he was getting it -- he'd hired a band, so he wanted to dance.

With a playful sigh, you held up your hand. He took it, and pulled you to the dance floor.

"Imagine if you lived here, how often we could do this," he told you once you got in the swing of things.

"I think that's more of a reason for you than me," you replied.

"Of course, but you can't say you wouldn't like it."

He was right. You couldn't.

Much of the rest of the night was spent dancing. Your moms took turns dancing with Baxter, and you had to share your own dance with Lee. You loved it like this, everyone being together.

You hadn't told Baxter, but it was getting harder and harder to refuse his requests for you to move in with him. It really would be so nice to be closer to your parents and to see him every day. The main reason you didn't wasn't because of your job -- he was right about that too, you could do it anywhere. It was because you thought living with Baxter, so close to him while not actually being with him, would just be too hard.

When things were winding down, he approached you for a final dance, and you agreed.

"I have a proposition," he told you. "Do you think after we leave here, you might indulge me just a little?"

"In what way?"

"It's a surprise," he said, his eyes twinkling.

You couldn't say no, and he knew it, so instead of waiting for a response, he just smiled.

And that's how, when the party was over, you went with him on the familiar road back to Sunset Bird.

Baxter drove all the way to your old street, refusing to answer any questions about what exactly he was doing. He parked on the street, but this time by your moms' house -- his own parents had left the house across the street while he was in college.

You got out too, too impatient to wait for whatever he was planning. He approached you, offered you his arm, then led you down the path to the beach.

"I still don't get what's happening," you told him, but all he would say is, "You'll see."

He took you down by the shore, and when he was in a spot he deemed acceptable, he let go of you and started taking his shoes off.

"Is the surprise that you want to wade in the water?" you asked. "Because that's kind of a weird surprise."

Instead of answering you, Baxter took his socks off too, then his jacket. He unbuttoned his shirt, added it to the pile of clothes that was forming by his feet, then took off his pants.

"This is still a weird surprise," you told him, but your voice was a bit constricted this time.

"I want to go swimming," he replied. "With you. Out there. That's the surprise."

Your eyes went wide. Baxter was scared of the ocean, he always had been. Despite ten solid years of living right beside it, he'd never once gone in deeper than his knees. He always said that someday he would, but you stopped believing it a while ago.

But it looked like someday was now.

Too excited to think about being self conscious, you took your clothes off too. Both in your underwear, you made your way down to the waves.

When they started hitting his legs, he instinctively grabbed your hand. You held it firmly and let him take the lead, which he did. Despite being tense and visibly nervous, he kept going until the water was up to his chest. Then he laughed.

"You're doing it!" you told him proudly.

"Almost," he said. He let go of you then went a bit further out, fully swimming. His biggest fear, or one of them, at least, was conquered.

These days, Baxter was generally happy, but this was different. He was elated. You could see his dimples standing out on his cheeks in the moonlight. He looked like a little kid splashing around, not the mature professional he usually presented himself as. It was adorable.

You swam with him for a bit, staying close in case he got nervous, but he didn't. When he'd had enough, he moved closer to the shore so he could stand solidly again, the water up around his ribs.

You followed him, ready to congratulate him on the massive accomplishment. But before you could, he gripped your hips, pulled you against him and kissed you.

After freezing for a split second, your body reacted for you. You wrapped one arm around his shoulders, the other coming up to rest on the back of his head. The kiss was long and deep, and although you were so close already, he kept trying to bring you closer. He'd pull away for just a moment to trail smaller kisses across your cheeks, down your jawline, on your neck and across your shoulders, but it never took him long to find his way back to your lips.

Finally he took a break, leaning in close and breathing heavily. You searched his face and saw that same expression of pure and utter happiness.

"What was that for?" you asked quietly.

"For being you," he said, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "For being my favorite person. For being patient with me even though I should have done that years ago."

Your heart was racing, but with Baxter so close, you could feel his heart beating steady. He was excited, you knew that, but he was sure. Solid. This was what he wanted. He wanted you, it seemed, just as badly as you had always wanted him.

"Baxter?" you said, spinning a lock of his hair around your finger.

"Yes?"

"Ask me the question again."

[teabeexo]

I kinda wanna hear more about Vérène… 👀 Baxter MCs intrigue me, ALSO SHES PRETTY AND COOL

OOOUHHH DELIGHTFUL!! Vérène seems to be becoming a fan favorite hehehe. Let’s get into it! Buckle up.

potential trigger warnings: abandonment, alcoholism, implied domestic violence, divorce

So. Vérène moved from Nice, France to Sunset Bird when she was eleven. Her cousins moved alongside her, though they all landed in Golden Grove instead. Preceding the move, Vérène went through a familial upheaval that tainted a majority of her childhood. Her father, Will Alcott, developed an alcohol addiction when she was about three. While it never devolved into outright violence, screaming matches and broken furniture was not uncommon. Often, Vérène felt outright ignored by her father. During that time, Vérène would often spend the day or eat dinner at her cousins’ houses and only really come home when it was time for dinner. On some occasions, dinner would just be her and her mother.

The straw that broke the camel’s back was Vérène’s father yelling at her in front of her mother. It was a quick and messy process, but the divorce was finalized by the time Vérène was 9. Her and her mom moved in with Opal, Maël, and Mina (the twins being 8 at the time) for the two years that came before their move to America.

Following the divorce, Vérène seemed to close herself off from the world. More specifically, she created a security bubble around her — a safe, comfortable place in her imagination where everything was okay. Where nothing had changed. Where her family was perfect.

This bubble was only eventually broken by Winona, Cove, and Luella. Those three broke her out of her tentative shell, begrudgingly or not, and officially became life-long friends. Her adolescence was bittersweet, for lack of a better word. She had great friends, a loving family (excluding one), and a good future. At the same time, communication with her father was practically nonexistent. Three short calls a week faded into two, which faded into two a month, then one, then none. It was a gradual decline, but notable nonetheless.

During that time, Vérène’s mother (named Sophie) was one of her closest allies. Sophie was officially a single mother, and worked two jobs in order to provide for herself and her daughter. Where Sophie couldn’t make ends meet, Verene’s grandparents would help out.

By the time Vérène was eighteen, things more or less had settled. Communication with her father was nonexistent, her mother had a stable income, and she had a strong collection of friends.

Of course, nothing was ever that easy. Around that time, her mother was diagnosed with early onset breast cancer. Vérène picked up a new job in response. Additionally, her father was beginning to crawl back to her, asking for communication.

Now, by this point Vérène had established a subconscious fear of abandonment. She’s very hesitant to start or rebuild relationships because she’s so acutely aware of the possibility of that person dropping her after she forms a connection to someone. I’m sure you can guess where that comes from.

So, choosing to go out with Baxter was a shot in the dark. Vérène can’t quite believe why she did it. Even by her friend’s standards, he was usual. But she found himself gravitating towards him. She figured she can’t hide from emotion forever. Why run when it calls?

And for a while, it was great. For three months, she felt good.

Then Baxter left, with some-less-than-savory commentary, and the cycle started over again.

By the time she was twenty-three, things were looking up again. Her mom’s illness was more or else resolved (thankfully), and Vérène had completely, or more importantly, voluntarily cut her father out entirely. She would not enable him anymore. She has her own business, a local boutique she runs in collaboration with Winona and Luella.

When the events of Step 4 occur, her story primarily follows the plot laid out ingame. She is extremely distrustful and cold towards Baxter, but slowly mellows out in the face of his perceived regret. By the end of the epilogue, her and Baxter are actually not officially together, but agree to slowly try to rekindle things (because Vérène would absolutely NOT forgive what he did within the span of just three days — and she also wants to make sure he’s being sincere). They probably only re-enter a full relationship by the time they’re roughly 24.

OKAY PHEWWW THIS IS KIND OF A LONG-WINDED RECOUNT… I didn’t really get to talk about how Vérène actually is as a person, and the depth of her personality, but that might be a separate post of it’s own if requested!! I also wanted to emphasize that even though I mainly focused on the negative aspects of her life, Vérène is content. Also, her and Baxter have a very cute relationship going forward that I would loooove to explore… if I am allowed ehehe

anyhow! If you read all this… thank you? So much??! I love you. Mwa.