#moment: derek step 4

[riding-the-sunset-bird]

In Derek's DLC, when he remembers the marriage pact, what different responses can determine how the DLC is? Because I thought I picked a response that make it one big slowburn but we stayed only friends throughout the whole thing.

I'm presuming that you accepted the marriage pact in Step 2 since otherwise Derek won't make mention of it? So I'll go with that.

There are technically three options for a confession in Derek's Step 4. Either you can confess at the very start, you can talk about the pact at the very start, or Derek can confess to you near the end.

(Also, goes without saying but of course you have to be at Crush/Love; agreeing to the marriage pact in Step 2 isn't enough. In addition, avoid any options that imply you don't want things to change or that you're happy where things are. Sounds obvious, but yeah, options like those lock you out of both you confessing and Derek confessing later because the game assumes that you don't want the relationship to change beyond being friends.)

If you choose not to remember the deal and don't press Derek to tell you about it, the MC has the option to confess ([At the very least you were certain you wanted to be with him...]), but not if you do press him to tell you.

If you choose to remember the deal instead, then you have multiple options to pursue:

Confess ([You wanted to be with him and it had nothing to do with that deal!])

Date by joking about the deal ([You joked about the whole thing.] followed by anything except ["We were crazy to make a deal like that!" you laughed.] will work, and then after the fact don't pick [You shook your head in amusement. He was being silly.] or ["Now that'd be really crazy."] either)

Be serious about the deal (anything except ["I'm really sorry. I can't go through with something like that."] will do, followed by anything except [The conversation was too nerve-wracking and you glanced away.] or ["I think it was a bad idea."])

The difference between confessing yourself and joking about/seriously discussing the deal is that the deal is treated more as a "dating test run," and then you can confirm that you want to continue being together for real at the end of Step 4 (anything except ["I think so too. We're better off as friends."] will suffice).

If you want Derek to confess to you instead though, you need to make sure that the game understands that you're interested. Any of the following will confirm that:

With either two options I listed to have the MC confess (not remembering the deal, not pressing Derek to tell you about it, then being certain that you wanted to be with him, or remembering the deal and wanting to be with him even without the deal), choose to back out instead of confessing with words or kissing him ([You did not want him to guess what you'd been thinking.]).

If you choose to remember the deal, you can then choose [You really, really hoped Derek wanted to be with you for reasons other than that deal.], or if you choose not to remember and don't press Derek to tell you, you can choose [You really hoped you were right and he did want to be with you.]

If you chose not to remember and didn't press Derek, you'll have to reaffirm your interest after he asks you to go to the water park with him ([You had been hoping that he might ask you on a real date...])

You'll know you did everything properly if, after the scene in the park when you're playing ball with Derek and he rants to you, but before he goes and retrieves the ball he sent off into the distance, he'll start to tell you something but will "Never mind" it away.

In addition, after you wake up from gaming late with Derek and have properly woken up (specifically after you've had breakfast), Derek will talk about today being big and how the two of you should do something you "couldn't do anywhere else."

If he mutters, "Wait..." afterwards, then something has gone wrong, but if he mutters, "The last chance..." instead, you're golden. Nothing can go wrong at that point besides the obvious of you rejecting him once he's confessed.

And that should be everything covered! Hopefully all goes well for you on your next try at Derek's Step 4. ;D

[kimbapisnotsushi]

baxter dlc sure was something

[diavorchid]

I JUST FINISHED DEREK'S DLC AAAAAAAA

okay OKAY I'm now in love with you too

[creativesaturn]

Can you do Emiley w/ bau f!reader. They are on a case and get stuck in a hotel room together w/ only like 1 bed (I know, overdone, but its my fave) But Reader hasn't told Em that she has a crush on her, and Emiley kinda figures it out and teases her for a while? Idk, smut if you want? But you can also just like ignore if your over this scenario. I love your stuff! <3

Summary: Emily chose to room with you, but she didn't account for the one bed.

Genre: Fluff , Suggestive

Pairing: Emily Prentiss x gn!reader

Warnings: One bed trope , kissing!!

Word count: 1.4k

a/n: the way I was already working on a one bed trope for her 🤭🤭 but don't even worry cuz the one bed trope is my absolute favorite as well

You sat in the lobby with your go bag at your feet with the rest of the team. Hotch went to go check everyone in, since the case was so last minute it was hard to check in beforehand.

You looked up when Hotch walked over, "That explains why we couldn't sign in beforehand. They're completely booked." He spoke, "But I managed to get us 4 rooms, meaning we're all going to have to share." He explained, holding up 8 key cards.

"Can you behave and choose who you want to room with? Or do I have to hand them out randomly." Hotch asked, making eye contact with everyone one at a time.

You turned your eyes to the couch in front of you, catching eye contact with Emily who had already been looking at you. A slight pink tint filled your face. These past few days have been.. different, with Emily. Stolen glances, goosebumps every time she said your name. And butterflies going wild every conversation.

You couldn't not look away, it was like she had you in some sort of trap with no way out.

"Can me and Derek share?" Penelope asked, biting her bottom lip with a wink aimed at Derek.

Derek laughed in response, his eyes going to Hotch as he waited for the answer. "Sure." Hotch responded, handing them both a key card.

Penelope giggled as she stood up, grabbing onto Derek's arm as they made their way to the elevator.

"I'm not rooming with anyone, but Hotch. You guys can't be trusted." Rossi raised his hands as if he was surrending to his own words. He stood up and placed his hand in front of Hotch, Hotch laughed but nodded, placing a key card in his hand. Shoving the matching card in his own pocket.

Your eyes had finally left Emily's, trying to think who the best person to room with for a week. Your eyes on the floor, lost in thought. Emily watched you contemplate, but she had other plans.

"I'll room with, y/n." Emily blurted, standing up from the couch with her hand out.

"Y/n?" Hotch asked, turning his eyes to you for your answer.

"Huh? Oh-- uh.. Sure. I don't mind." You finally answered, standing up and grabbing the card Hotch handed you.

Emily grinned at you as she began walking towards the elevator, you following close behind her. As you both entered the elevator, you turned your head.

"Why'd you want to room with me?" You asked, genuinely curious on why she suddenly wanted to room with you.

"Who else would you rather room with?" She asked, obviously teasing, finally turning to look back at you.

"Didn't have much time to think about it." You admitted, listening to the ding of the elevator as it pushed open, both you walking out and trailing the halls for your room.

"I haven't actually roomed with you, now that I think about it." She stated, opening the door and letting you step inside first.

"Yeah, it's not very common that we have to share in general." You replied, quickly stopping in your tracks with an annoyed sigh.

Emily furrowed her brows at your expression, and the moment she stepped inside her mouth made an 'O' shape with a soft chuckle.

"I can sleep on the floor if you--" You quickly spoke, but quickly being interrupted by Emily.

"What? You're not seriously sleeping on the floor." She scoffed, walking towards the back of the room that had two chairs to place her bag on top of it.

Her back was facing towards you as she slid off her jacket, "Are you sure?" You asked, placing your stuff on the opposite chair.

"Please. You wouldn't be the first person I shared a bed with." She scoffed, "I call dibs on the shower." She raised her brows, quickly lowering them as she entered the bathroom, leaving you alone.

You sighed, unable to argue with her as you looked around to take in your surroundings. You checked your watch and when you noticed how late it was, you decided showering can wait. You took the time you had with Emily in the shower to change your clothes.

You slid into the bed, sighing at the feel of the plush mattress beneath you. You pulled the blanket up your body and kept your back towards the bathroom, trying to catch up on your sleep.

You weren't surprised you couldn't sleep. The first night in the hotel is always the worst. But you kept your position and continued your attempt.

You listened to door of the bathroom open and the light that peered through turn off. The mattress dipped from the weight of Emily that got comfortable behind you.

"Y/n?" She whispered, clearly testing to see if you were awake.

"Hm?" You hummed lazily.

"You don't mind that I don't wear pants to sleep, right?" She asked, a wide smirk on her face when she spoke but you were unable to see.

You stayed silent for a while. The thought and realization that Emily, the woman you've had a crush on since you started at the BAU, was inches away wearing no pants.

Your face flushed and you unconsciously tensed your thighs together, which Emily couldn't help but notice.

"I'll take that as a yes." She continued to whisper, clearly teasing you at this point.

"But I didn't say anything." You furrowed your brows, your words slightly stuttering and more above a whisper.

Emily raised her brow, "You're right," She responded, "Is it okay?" She asked again, her back against the mattress but her head towards your direction even if your back was facing her.

"Oh-- yeah.. Yeah, it's fine." You muttered, silently cursing at yourself at how embarrassing that was to answer.

Emily couldn't help but laugh. She wanted to keep the conversation going, obviously you were having trouble sleeping if you were still up, and she already knew she wasn't going to be able to.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked in a soft mumble, shifting her weight to lay on the side of her body, staring at the back of your head in the hope you'd turn around.

You hummed to let her know you acknowledged the question, now thinking of a reply. "The case." You answered honestly, well slightly.

You weren't lying. Just.. bending the truth.

She groaned as a reply, "Other than the case."

You thought about it once more. Finally deciding to answer honestly.

"You." You managed to mutter between your racing mind and your now dry mouth.

You finally adjusted your body to lay on your other side, finally making eye contact with Emily who had a wide smile on your face.

"I could've told you that." She laughed, her white teeth showing, almost blinding you with how pretty she looked in the moment.

"What?" You asked, knitting your brows together. "You knew?" You questioned her, genuinely confused, you thought you hid it well.

"Are you kidding? You're always a wreck when you're with me. It's adorable, honestly." She grinned, her smile never leaving her face. In fact, you swore you saw it grow bigger.

"Oh." Was all you said, unable to find the words that could explain how you felt. But your actions did. She could see your face grow redder even from the darkness, your fingers fidgeting with each other, and your eyes unable to find a place to sit for more than five seconds.

"Don't be embarrassed," She cooed, shifting herself closer towards you, close enough to where you could feel her breath hit your skin.

"It's cute, really." She whispered, her hand trailing up your hip, getting caught on the fabric of your t-shirt.

You couldn't find your words, staying silent with your eyes locked onto hers even when she wasn't keeping eye contact.

"Cute?" You breathed out, your words hiding in your mouth, barely being able to mutter anything.

"Mhm." She hummed, bringing her hand to your face to rest her palm against your cheek, finding herself moving closer to you and closing the gap between your mouths.

You kissed back in an instant, letting the soft flesh of your lips move against her before she pulled back.

"You think you can be quiet for me?" She teased, her lips slightly grazing your own.

Your head bobbed up and down in a nod, "Yes."

reposts and comments are appreciated <3

[most-datable-datable-bracket]

ROUND 5 MATCH 4

Derek propaganda:

“Extreme hot take but Derek is the best OL1 love interest. He has the best and sweetest confession in the game. You play video games together. He seems reserved until you actually start dating and find out that he's actually just a gentleman who didn't want to be overly forward with someone he's not in a relationship with. He's a family man. You get to blatantly abuse your 'dating' privileges in front of his brothers. He's just so insanely sweet and caring and makes me wanna cry whenever I play his DLC.”

“- Impossible to dislike

- No, like, literally impossible. OL1 will allow you to be indifferent to it's two other LIs, Cove and Baxter but you actually can't pick that option for Derek. Game decided that You Will Be (at least) Friends With Derek

- This boy is so good!!!! He's a sweetheart and has your back in the best way and he's constantly doing his best to make sure the people around him (especially you) are happy

- This is also a complex flaw of his because he feels like he needs to be the best that he can be and to be worth something

- This both manifests in how he treats others (he's exceedingly well-mannered and does everything for others because he secretly hopes that someday someone will do the same for him) and his career prospects (he takes on excessive practice to get good at football/soccer so that he can potentially get a scholarship and become famous all so he can potenially feel like he's worth something. This is actually a major conflict in his Step 4)

- His DLC also has some of the best moments in the game

- He also has a family and they're also really good and you get to see a lot of them

- His dad is hilarious, his mom is gorgeous and their relationship is very cute

- Meanwhile, Derek's brothers are great. I wanna gush about them because I love them but also play Derek's DLC yourself!!! See how good they are for yourself!!!!

- I will say that these three have a really good relationship dynamic and the development it takes in the 10 years between when you first meet Jorge and Nico as little kids to Step 4 where they're adults (and a teenager, Nico is 16 in Step 4) is genuinely very well written

- If you're into the steamy stuff, Derek also has the best make-out session out of all of the boys

- He's also just. Very funny. This boy will invite you to a waterpark and then ask you if its a date so he knows whether or not it's ok to check you out in your swimsuit

- Or, if you aren't dating by that point (but you do want to to date him), the narration will note how he's trying so so hard not to check you out, he's just trying so so so hard

- Puppy dog face. Look at it. Tell me you can look at that face and not want to smooch him

- His confession is also the best, did I mention it's the best? Because it's absolutely the best one in the entire game

- He has a whole thing about having to confess to you on a ferris wheel and he's so committed to it that he actually avoided ferris wheels for a long time before this confession because he promised himself he'd do it the next time he went on one

- And then he went on one...and he literally doesn't confess when he does it because he lost track of time and he had to get off

- so he asks you to go on the ferris wheel with him again so he can actually confess this time

Just. Just vote for him!!!!”

“He's sweet, polite, and out-going and is always willing to put you first (sometimes too willing).”

“polite responsible jock u r NOT immune to this”

Asra propaganda:

“He GIVES AWAY HALF HIS HEART TO REVIVE YOU okay but like. He's the MCs roommate and they were together for a few years before the MC caught a plague and died and he obsesses over a way to bring them back before succeeding by making a deal with a god to trade half his heart for MC and betraying the emperor. And then when MC comes back but without any of their memories, he takes care of them and teaches them how to live all over again and he never asks for anything in return. On all the routes where you don't choose him he's really supportive and helps you out despite your history and overall he's just really nice and supportive of the MC and is their rock no matter what route you go down. Also he has a pet snake named Faust and I love her she's so <33 

Idk I just appreciate him so much”

"He gave you half his HEART!! He would literally go to hell and back for you!! He wants to take you on adventures all around the world—doesn’t matter where, as long as he’s by your side!! AND he’s nonbinary!!!"

[gb-patch]

Hi! I just finished my first playthrough of the Baxter dlc (I loved it btw) and I was wondering if there were any 1 on 1 "steamy" moments with him similar with what we had with cove and derek?

I just wanted to know if I missed a specif dialogue or if there wasn't any, thank you in advance!

Yeah, there's a briefer one in Step 3 and a longer one in Step 4!

Step 3:

-Be at crush with Baxter

-Play Sightseeing and follow the steps in order to start dating him

-Play Mountain

-Go downstairs for drinks at night

-Choose to feel excited being up with him rather than sleepy

-Invite him to your room (and then reaffirm the request when he doesn't accept right away)

Step 4:

-Be at crush or love with Baxter, don't be dating or in love with Cove

-Confess yourself or let him confess so you're in a relationship

-When you're in his work office alone at night choose to feel excited rather than contented

-Choose to flirt with him there in the office or encourage him to head back to the apartment for some romancing

I'm glad you enjoyed his story :D

FAQ    

Ask Archive    

Update Only Side Blog

[rui-drawsbox]

Ruri x Baxter posting! Many stuff after the cut cuz I'm gonna say random facts about Ruri

They are SO in love with each other honestly what's wrong with them

Also in game moments where i think Baxter started to/ fell harder for the MC, i added a badump everytime cuz i thought it was funny

Gonna reblog this one with the zoom ins later

Random Ruri facts!

If IF Derek confessed between steps 2 and 3 she totally 100% no doubt wouldve fell for him at the moment, but he didn't so rip🥺

The only thing she wanted as a teen was someone that showed her some interest (she had Derek! But was always oblivious bc she thought it was in a friend way)

↑also main reason of why the mysterious soiree boy stuck on her head so long, the leg compliment was so random and unprompted that she made a whole novel inside her head the rest of the evening lmao

Not very smart, academically sucks, passed the last high school years cheating (and with some of Cove's help)

Mainly cheating bc on her reinforcement classes after school she had this "friend group" of older and problematic kids that adopted her like the pet of the gang (she was like 15 and the others like 18-19)

Never really got her into big problems but she became disturbingly skilled with knifes and at throwing things bigger than her head

If the mean not-grandparents made Cove cry when they were a little older than ten she wouldve throw a rock at their window

A hopeless romantic, also a hopeless idiot

You know how we can tell Cove that we found an animal skull on the beach once in Ghost? Well she kept it and named it Ramón (because I have an animal skull in my room I found on the beach and I named it Ramón)

Found a new confidence after she had to move out with Cove, things about being a responsable adult and such

Main love language is physical touch! Second is quality time

Romantic inclination? Whatever that likes her back tbh (became pretty picky after step 3 but it's bc she never got over Baxter). Sexual inclination? Her beloved partner

A night owl that tried to keep up with an early bird (Cove), that's why she has more droppy eyes and eyebags in step4, she's always at her 70%

Cove relatioship was nervous fond at steps 1-2 and relaxed fond at steps 3 and 4 (they're family!). And Baxter was nervous crush at step 3 and direct love in step 4

Scared of driving cars so she has moto in step4! Baxter think is hot (Trust me, he told me)

[statistically-spencer]

Fortunate Dream

Summary: Like many other criminal minds fangirls, you had always dreamed of joining the BAU. What happens when your dream becomes a reality?

Pairing: Spencer Reid x fem!reader (eventual), BAU members x reader(platonic)

w/c; 720

Part 2 Here

“What?” You mumbled out loud, why was your alarm going off at 4:30 AM. It never did, and you were certain you hadn’t set it for that early.

Looking around your room, you became increasingly more suspicious. Things were there that hadn’t been there before. You stared at an outfit that you must have laid out last night.

Last night.

Yeah, you definitely hadn’t been laying out clothes last night.

For the next hour and a half, you wondered around your apartment, picking at things and trying to figure out what was going on with you until you received a phone call.

“Derek Morgan?” What a strange coincidence. That was also the name of a character on your favorite show.

“Hello?” You answered almost immediately, “Hey pretty girl, where are you?”

“...Um... Who is this?”

“It’s Derek.” He sounded dumbfound, “Are you alright, Y/n?”

Okay, what is going on?

“Uh, yeah, yeah, I’m fine. I’m just at home.”

“Well, you were supposed to be at the BAU half an hour ago. You sure you’re alright?”

“Yeah I’m fine. I’ll be right there.” You hung up.

WHAT

Okay, this is an extremely, extremely vivid dream. You had definitely been hearing talk about ‘shifting’ and stuff like that on the internet, so you must have been doing that on accident. Criminal minds is your favorite show after all. And the thing is, you're a chill person. You can go with the flow. It's not like you've never had a strange dream before.

After calming yourself down, you decided to roll with it. Why not take advantage of the dream? You threw on the outfit that was laid out and ran to your car. Much to your surprise, it seemed you knew the directions to the bau, it was like muscle memory taking over.

When you got there, you grabbed the badge you found in your purse and made your way to the bullpen.

The first person you ran into was SPENCER Reid!!!

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD.

breath, y/n, breath.

“Hey... Spencer.”

You had no idea what your relationship to him was in the dream.

“Oh, hey Y/n/n! Is everything alright?”

“Yes. Yup. I'm fine."

HE HAS A NICKNAME FOR YOU.

"Well, you're late, and you're never late. And you also look a bit flushed. Why don't you sit down."

Blinking, you followed his instructions and sat in the nearest empty seat. You looked up at Spencer and he was even prettier in person. His brown eyes were full of concern and sparkled with an indecipherable mixture of amusement and pain. His hair was slightly disheveled but still swooped perfectly over his forehead, and his pouted slightly and curved downward.

"Y/n?"

"Yeah!" You cleared your throat and diverted your eyes as quickly as you could, "Yeah. Spencer. I'm fine. I'm just really tired."

You could see the disbelief in his face but were relieved when he decided to look past his skepticism.

"Coffee?" He offered, holding up an empty cup.

You nodded. Breathe, Y/n. Breathe.

You just had to collect yourself. You're just dreaming, everything's fine. You're going to take advantage of this awesome dream and just have fun.

"Hey!"

Oh. It's Derek.

"Hey, Derek."

This is good. Just acting normal.

"You okay, kid? You're acting a bit... Weird. You're usually strange but not THIS strange." He chuckled, putting a hand on your shoulder.

It took everything in you not to stare at his bicep in that moment. Derek was also much more handsome in person, and his muscles were even bigger, too.

You swallowed, "Yeah, just tired."

Derek patted your shoulder and took a step back, "Okay, well Hotch said wheels up in 20 about... 15 minutes ago."

"Right." You bit your lip.

You knew you were dreaming, but that didn't stop you from having the same fears that regular you had, too. And unfortunately, you had quite the fear of flying. Even if that wasn't real, you didn't necessarily want to go through the motions of your worst fear. In that moment, you figured it was time to wake yourself up. You sighed, bringing your right hand to your left arm in preparation to pinch yourself awake.

That's weird. It's not working.

"I got your coffee-"

Well, this is going to be a long day. Night? Experience.

Part 2

[ofoceansandtombsanew]

👀 a plus-sized love interest in a game? please tell me more

yuuuup you heard me right

in our life 2, one of the romanceable leads is plus-sized and the other lead starts off using he/him pronouns but comes out as genderfluid part way though the story

our life as a game essentially functions as a visual novel that takes place during your early childhood (step 1), preteen/early teen days (step 2), young adult (step 3) and then finally with step 4 adulthood where you and your extremely customizable mc (that you can name, customize the hair color/texture of, change your pronouns throughout the story if you desire, if they're ace or not, the kinds of people they're interested in, etc. etc) as you grow up with your friends, family and of course the leads whom you can either have a purely platonic, romantic or familial relationship with

basically, everyone gets a piece of the pie as the game is incredibly inclusive and the base games are free, you only pay for the dlcs (which are about 3.99/4.99 each) if you want additional content

in our life 1 the primary love interest is cove holden, your shy but 'opens up like a flower when you get to know him childhood friend' whose dad offers you $20 bucks to befriend his son over the summer, will you take the money? or nah? whether or not you do, you do have the choice to tell him or keep it a secret. either way, cove is a lonely kid in love with mermaids and the ocean whose parents are going through a divorce and maybe a special kid born and raised in sunset bird can help him out. (canonically on the autism spectrum as well)

but with some fairly priced dlcs, you can also unlock two more love interests

derek suarez: oldest of 3 brothers and while playful, he means very well. sometimes that well-meaning nature can get him into trouble though. he has a crush on the mc and if given the chance, asks if you're both single as adults if you can get married. you mainly get acquainted with him in step 2 as step 3 he's a bit too busy to be around, but depending on your choices you can stay in touch despite all that or perhaps you'll lose touch over time only to rekindle old feelings in step 4.

and baxter ward: an eccentric but extremely charming tourist that comes to sunset bird in step 3 with a penchant for dressing in black and white all the time. if you choose to get close to him, he asks if it's possible if he can be your suitor for the season (it's possible, through a moment in step 2 to meet baxter earlier than his intended proper introduction though). either way, you do have a chance to take things to a more permanent relationship in step 4 when you reunite once again when you've become a bridemaid for a wedding and oh shit baxter is the wedding planner

ol1 takes place in a fictional town called sunset bird which is essentially a touristy seaside retirement community. you're raised by your two moms along with your sister liz, the both of you being adopted.

also, this game is told through various summers in your life.

our life 2, on the other hand, takes place in a completely different fictional town called golden grove located in oregon (baxter's hometown) and there are 2 base leads you can romance (idk if there will be anymore though):

qiu "autumn" lin: to start, qiu is very charming and that leads to him being very popular in step 1. he's the guy everyone adores to the point each semester there's a 'who gets to sit next to qiu' chart so it's all fair. by step 2 though, they're going through their emo phase and if you aren't close to them by that time (or choose that you stopped being friends between steps 1 and 2), then as far as they're concerned you're just another face in the crowd. by step 3 though, they're back to the charming rizzler they were back in step 1

(step 4 designs/info not out yet for for ol2)

and tamarack baumann: who starts as a bit of a wild child in step 1. she prefers to the forest to the city and can spend all day there. she's blunt and can be loud, but she has your back from day 1. by step 2 though, all that self-assured confidence where she knew herself is gone and tamarack is considerably shyer and more awkward. she can find solace in your friendship though should your promise to be friends forever in step 1 still hold out. by step 3, she's evolved into a quietly confident grandma friend

also contrast to the first game, ol2's story is told throughout various autumns of your life.

you and your mom are a solo duo who have recently moved into golden grove about a week after tamarack (a fellow new kid! it makes it easier for you to connect with her), your mom being a single mom by choice through ivf (but it's strongly hinted that a waiter at the local diner (born intersex, assigned female then transitioned into male) is into her and i am MANIFESTING MY ASS OFF they get together at some point). ol2 also will have a poly feature that comes in the game for those who wish to be committed to both of the leads!

the leads themselves are all pansexual, leading to them being able to date your character regardless of gender and sexual identities and are just extremely wholesome and lovely overall. i always play them whenever i need a mood boost. between the two though, ol2 is not yet done BUT there is a demo of step 1 out right now on itch.io and steam

it's a fun game where all your choices matter and are referred throughout the game as a 'hey remember when yn and cove tried running away from home? that was such a nightmare' or 'hey i met you! a few years back at the summer soiree! wow, if anything had gone slightly different, we might not have even met then' or even 'yo remember when we spent that summer doing beach cleanup??? we should do that again'

even the side characters you grow up with or become acquainted with throughout the steps have journeys from either transitioning and identifying with different pronouns than they were initially introduced with or pursuing specific degrees at school, moving away and either you stayed in contact or hell maybe it's one of those situations where a friend of yours moved away and you never heard from them again etc etc. the ol universe also extends partly into the universe of the xoxo droplets game (made by the same team and also free, unless you wanna pay for the paid version with 3 more romanceable leads and a mc with a hilariously unique personality) with some characters from that game making cameos as childhood encounters in ol. it's all really fun! i really recommend giving the game a try, you'll fall in love with sunset bird and golden grove i guarantee it

you can have a peaceful run with the normal amount of growing pains, or you can go full novela and have lots of drama and flair but rest happily knowing that in ol everything ends up working out. your mc can be shy or bold and out going in one step and then be completely the opposite in the next. maybe you have a very biting attitude or maybe you're extremely gullible. you can change it up with each run, it's extremely replayable

can't stress enough how much i love this game and the characters in it

[riding-the-sunset-bird]

I'm still riding a high from Baxter Week last month so I just wanted to gush about how much I adore Baxter and his DLC! No specific rhyme or reason, but it is a nice break from my usual dives into the code!

Also, I won't be saying anything negative about Cove nor Derek; I don't need nor want to do that. I'll be comparing them to Baxter, but only for contrast/showing the skillfully written differences between them (example: Cove does [x] and Baxter does [y] to account for multiple player preferences).

(might go without saying, but there will be spoilers for basically his entire DLC)

The Background

I actually had no interest in Baxter when my MC first met him in the game. He was fine, I was neutral, but what it came down to was that I was one of Those People who just wanted time with Cove and excluded others (if it's not obvious, I always got a cold Cove unless I used the Cove Creator).

That all changed, funnily enough, during the Cove Wedding DLC. On a whim, I agreed to let Baxter give my MC dance lessons and prodded him on his disappearance after Step 3. Getting a hint of Baxter's underlying problems piqued my interest and I'd had the Baxter DLC downloaded before I even hit the reception!

After the Cove Wedding DLC was over, I rolled back to a save right before Soiree and got to romancing.

Zero regrets.

The Setup

As a character, Baxter is so beautifully designed as both a contrast to Cove and someone to fill out the gaps that Cove and Derek leave. He also completes the "comfort level" of love interests that I had in my head, where the MC can be whatever they want but each guy seems to have a particular comfort level themselves (Cove being Nervous, Derek being more Relaxed, and Baxter being Direct).

When if comes to their actual engagement through the family, Baxter has only brief mentions of his parents, Cove's story is partly connected to his parents whilst still giving focus to one-on-one time, and Derek's family is front-and-center to his conflict. It's all about how much time a player wants to invest in the character versus the time they want to spend with others.

Likewise, Baxter's route features a relationship that ends and gets back together again, Cove's route is a relationship where he and the MC always live close to each other, and Derek's route is a long-distance relationship past Step 2 and before Step 4.

Baxter's undeniably a controversial character, I imagine due to possibly being based on the "playboy" type, which tends to be someone who flirts with anyone they find attractive whether the recipient likes it or not, won't take "no" for an answer, and lies to their dates that they're serious about them when they actually don't care for them at all.

The game cleverly subverts this right out of the gate when Baxter first meets Cove and the MC. Baxter does find the two attractive and initially flirts with the both of them (a great start to confirming that he's pan), but backs off and apologizes the moment he notices that Cove is uncomfortable. He adds as well that he wouldn't mind having a summer fling, but that it's not his core reason for wanting to get to know and spend time with them.

So already, the player is made aware that he's forward but considerate, takes Cove's discomfort more seriously than even the usual residents of Sunset Bird (who enjoy teasing him into embarrassment), and has non-serious flings with a priority on simply having fun connections over the course of his time with them.

He, like Cove, will only propose a relationship with the MC in Step 3 if the MC expresses interest first (the only difference being that the MC expresses the interest in Cove to "the game" while talking to Lee, whereas the MC expresses interest in Baxter by talking to Baxter directly).

This gives the MC a powerful opportunity, as Baxter is a character that the player has the most options in interacting with. He begins as a total stranger, similar to Cove, and the player can decide whether he stays that way or becomes more than that. Even down to the optional moments he appears in, the MC only has to interact with him in Hang and Late Shift, both of which lets them avoid further interaction by going home early and rejecting his invitation to his house/telling him not to come to their workplace respectively. The only mandatory instances of seeing him are the Step 3 intro, a brief goodbye in the ending, Hang, and the very beginning of Late Shift.

Whether it be strangers, friends, friends that fell in love after they met again, a friendship or fling that started well and ended horribly, a fling that turned into genuine feelings in the end, or two people that love each other all the way through, Baxter's route can do it all. In Step 4 as well, the MC can choose to be calm, professional, upset, or angry about seeing Baxter again, which all lead to different conversations/narration with him, and the end of Step 3 makes him the only love interest where there can be a technical "break up."

This is also a rare occasion where the MC, due to Cove not being a fan of Baxter, can form a relationship outside of their normal range. Baxter doesn't live in Sunset Bird and isn't connected to anyone the MC knows - neither Cove's nor the MC's friends and family - at the time of meeting him, fitting the narrative of the MC starting to look at things beyond their little neighborhood and even the people they're close with. It can be further emphasized in Soiree where the MC starts to gain a bit of independence and can end up dancing with a younger Baxter, foreshadowing that little peek into the wider world from a mysterious stranger who's there and then gone.

Something else that's fascinating is that Baxter, due to him leaving at the end of Step 3 and meeting the MC again during Step 4, is the only love interest where players see virtually all of the MC's interactions with him. It does leave out the gaps that Cove and Derek have that can be neatly filled with headcanons, but that ultimately depends on what the player prefers. Point being is that the MC's experiences are the player's experiences when it comes to Baxter: whatever time they spend with him, the player also spends with him.

So already, the setup for Baxter and his route are really strong for me, but the content of his DLC isn't limited to just him.

The Content

Baxter's DLC introduces a total of two new characters and extra content for Terry and Miranda, both of which were absolutely welcomed by me. I was hyper-focused on Cove in the base game, but the Baxter DLC made me appreciate the other characters more.

Even the moms, who already got plenty of screen time, are shown to be rather nosy and gossip-y in Sightseeing (something not showcased overly until then), which ends up being the perfect encouragement towards the MC learning more about Baxter. Then, if the MC meets the requirements and agrees to Baxter's fling, Noelani in particular is stunned into silence. If the MC was upset with Baxter over what happened, then both moms will show a rare coldness to him as well.

These are all things one would miss out on with other interests, due to how the whirlwind relationship and drama in Baxter's route are designed.

Then there's Terry, who becomes Baxter's friend more directly in the DLC whether Baxter is convinced of that or not, and is given more to do in every best way. Baxter's version of Hang allows for more focus on Terry's relationship with Miranda, partly with more hints towards his crush on her but also seeing Terry interact with someone who's "like him." Cove and Miranda are described as "shy" and the MC can be equally as much, allowing for new facets of Terry's character to come through by Baxter's being there.

Even after Baxter goes no contact and Step 4 makes the shift to focus on his relationship with the MC, Terry's friendship with him isn't forgotten: Baxter laments that Terry isn't calling him by his affectionate nickname for him anymore.

Terry getting attention from being Baxter's friend doesn't exclude Miranda from getting any either; far from it. If anything, she gets more than Terry, both with an expansion on her family in the form of her brother (and eventual brother-in-law) plus a moment dedicated to giving her a birthday party. As if that weren't enough, she gets a mini-plot in Step 4 concerning her relationship with Terry and her role in his life.

Seeing more of Terry and Miranda was in every way a case of "thing I didn't know I needed until I had it." Maybe it was the Cove tunnel vision that persisted for so long, but when I first got to re-experience Terry and Miranda in Baxter's version of Hang, it was great and I was so happy any time they were on-screen.

They aren't given extra time just for the sake of it either; they're expertly woven into the overarching story of Step 3 and the themes of Step 4.

Step 3 centers on adulthood with the MC and their friends growing up and having to face the fear of growing apart. The step already does a good job at keeping that a focus, but Planning expands on it in a way that feels almost criminal not to have in the base game. The already high stakes feel even higher when put up against the last birthday party they'll be able to plan before everyone goes off on their own.

Then, Step 4 balances Terry putting forth so much effort for Miranda with her worrying that she's not doing enough for him. She doesn't need to worry, obviously (Terry loves her for every reason), but with Step 4 focusing so much on relationships, self-reflection, and trying to make up for past mistakes (both real and perceived), it's just a cherry on top of an already fantastic story.

Meanwhile, Jude and Scott, despite only appearing for Step 4, are easily some of my favorite characters in the game. They're adorable, they can be sweet with not just Miranda but the MC too (the player has the option for the MC to see them like honorary family/big brothers), and the way the groom's cake ultimately ties into helping bring Baxter and the MC closer again while serving as a callback to Planning is perfection. One may think little of Miranda's initial mention of them (probably assuming that it's just a little bit of character introduction to show that she has family who has things going on), but it all comes together in the end.

The DLC additionally has a potential bonus (depending on player preference) in that it is benefited by most other DLCs. The other DLCs are not required to enjoy it, but they add that little bit of extra flavor.

The Step 2 DLC adds Birthday and Soiree. Birthday is Miranda's birthday party when she's fourteen and before she officially becomes the MC's friend, meaning you get the development of seeing the difference in the MC's and Cove's investment in her party then versus now, as well as how her taste in parties has grown. Soiree allows the MC to possibly meet Baxter earlier than Step 3 and add to the "fate"/"destiny" angle if the player so desires.

The Step 3 DLC obviously allows for more Baxter in general with Boating and Late Shift, the former showing a much needed reaction from Lee if the MC is dating him at the time. It's also a good "starter DLC" for people who aren't sure about Baxter, allowing them to choose to interact with him if they want to get to know him more (as I mentioned before).

Derek's DLC lets the player meet Baxter in a different way during Soiree, something that can be brought back up with Derek in Step 3 and then again in Step 4 (to which he'll joke about the MC's meetings with Baxter in five year increments).

Even Cove's Wedding DLC can have advantage, bringing a soft conclusion to Baxter's story for those who don't want to play Baxter's Step 4 but still care for him, and/or something more dramatic following how he ends off Step 3 with the MC.

So one doesn't just get Baxter content; there's quality content from others and it can be further added to with other DLCs.

Not that the Baxter content isn't worth it all by itself either because I adore this man.

The Man

I'm a simple woman. Give me an intelligent man with simultaneously zero braincells and I am in.

I don't even like "playboy" type characters normally, but Baxter is actually charming and tries to make things clear to the MC from the beginning. He falters during the Step 3 ending but not because he was trying to keep it a secret; he genuinely didn't expect the MC to try to press him and deemed himself unworthy of their company.

I'd seen more than enough of rich boy plots where the rich boy is a perfect do-no-wrong type and it's everyone else's problem that they don't like him. Baxter, however, is a flawed character who not everyone is going to like (which is absolutely 100% fine and valid) and him being rich is not just something that influenced his self-esteem but also what he ultimately gives up despite having relied on that financial safety net for his whole life, showing a deeper sense of awareness as he got older.

I don't normally like fate/destiny stories either, as they often feel as though they're taking agency from one or both characters involved (in terms of forcing them to love/be in a relationship with each other), but Baxter's route isn't like that. It's the player's choice to have that dance in Soiree (which they can just as easily turn down), their choice to form a closer relationship with Baxter outside of the disinterested Cove, and their choice to choose Baxter's Step 4 when they have already one guaranteed "safe" option in Cove's Step 4 and a potential other "safe" choice in Derek's Step 4 if they have Derek's DLC.

The player is the fate, which coincidentally went into my first playthrough, as my MC was initially designed for Cove yet ended up being perfect for Baxter.

Baxter is so absolutely delightful and absolutely stupid at the same time. From his openness to be questioned by the MC followed by this assumption that he's like a stranger to them (meanwhile the MC and Cove being best friends/crushes right out of the gate if the player so chooses), to him talking about the play he and the MC go to while not seeing the obvious parallel to his own issues, to openly admitting that he doesn't want to leave the MC while making the decision himself to go no contact.

He unconvincingly uses the cupcakes as an excuse to not get more intimate with MC, he wants so badly to spend time with the MC that he's willing to risk letting them see him in his useless morning state (and is surprised when it goes wrong, at least in his mind), and tries to convince himself to not stay attached to the MC during Step 4 despite being unable to help constantly reminiscing on their time together.

At his core, he's a funny, charismatic sweetheart who wants to be loved, to be touched, to have someone in his life (even just a friend) that he can make happy, but his upbringing and deep-seeded insecurities make him cynical to the idea of being in a genuine relationship with someone. This causes him to constantly sabotage himself before he can make any progress. It's why he can prefer flings: he can use his money to make a passionate, pleasant time with his temporary partner, but not so long that he feels they'll find something disappointing in him.

Low-risk, high-reward.

This, of course, ultimately backfires by the end of Step 3, and it's perfectly structured to set him up for Step 4. The brilliant foreshadowing of him being skilled with planning events in a pinch, to Jude and Scott's long-distance relationship and Baxter claiming that they won't stay together, to Baxter insisting that it's unlikely for he and the MC to meet again (made funnier if they'd already met again before, if the MC saw him in Soiree), then Step 4 hitting where he's not only a wedding planner planning Jude and Scott's wedding, but accidentally/unconsciously putting himself into situations where he's "stuck" with the MC.

That starting instant where Baxter reacts to the MC in the restaurant, initially shocked and then having to bring himself back into a professional persona, apologizing for his immature self but sticking to only focusing on the wedding?

Not just a wonderfully-written hint to the player as to what they're in for, but very much a "I'm not stuck in here with you, you're stuck in here with me," situation. It's all about making Baxter as uncomfortable as possible so he can reflect, flying in the face of his thought that he could control everything and project what he thought about himself onto others. He can give advice to other people, but refuses to give the same to himself because he held himself to an impossible standard.

Once he finally figures that out, he's feels extremely guilty and apologetic towards the MC and everyone else. Him unloading all of his emotional baggage and work to do better is so satisfying after seeing it affect him in key moments like Drinks, Planning, the Step 3 ending, and finally Step 4. Underneath the facade he (weakly) attempts to put up for himself is a teasing gentleman who hates mornings, wants to see everyone around him be happy, and feels blessed just to simply have a relationship with the MC (real or temporary).

This isn't even talking about Baxter's perspective from a meta standpoint, adding layers on top of what's already there in the canon and adding even further when considering Baxter's appearance in the sidequel Our Life: Now & Forever.

The MC can learn in Sightseeing that Baxter had a crush on a kid who was doing ballet lessons while he did ballroom. Those who know anything about Now & Forever know that this is kid is Qiu, who's one of the two potential love interests there. Naturally, Baxter wouldn't have had a chance with them, as the only person Qiu can possibly fall for is the Now & Forever MC.

Baxter confesses in Step 4 that he's naturally drawn to the people who are "wanted by everyone else," which translates to Qiu (who is widely popular during Now & Forever's Step 1) and the MC (who is liked by most characters in the game and automatically crushed on by at least Derek). In the Cove Wedding DLC specifically, he adds that he is simply someone whereas Cove is the one.

Because here's the thing: in the eyes of the base game, he's not wrong. Cove is the game's focus, taking an active role in every step and being the first that the MC meets out of the potential love interests. He's the only love interest in the base game and his Step 4 is not just free, but the default.

Meanwhile, Baxter is just someone. He's a person who shows up in Sunset Bird for a single step - only showing up thrice - and then is entirely gone without his own Step 4. His DLC costs more than any of Cove's Step DLCs and the player already knows Cove, already has spent two steps with him, thus has far less incentive to get Baxter's DLC over Cove's own Step DLCs.

Then, despite Baxter appearing once in Cove's Step 2 DLC and twice in Cove's Step 3 DLC, most players won't experience the former (either due to focusing on Cove or not wanting to dance) and Baxter can be largely excluded in the latter if he happened to leave a bad first impression on the player.

And let's take it a step further. While Derek, like Baxter, doesn't have a Wedding DLC like Cove does, Derek can get into a marriage pact with the MC as early as Step 2, he can be dating the MC throughout nearly all of his Step 4, and the MC can agree to them moving in together before the ending.

Baxter has none of that. His DLC's story is steeped in drama and the earliest the MC can properly get together with him is after the wedding. There's no chance at a proposal (such as what can happen with Cove's Step 4, where they MC can date and then propose within an equally short timespan), no opportunity to move in with him, nothing.

He takes time, work, and actual money to get into a relationship with, whether platonic or romantic. It's a level of investment that not everyone would be willing to put in for someone, especially when only one Step 4 can be chosen out of the whole bunch.

Baxter's insecurities come from a very real place. His parents treated him like a child, all while expecting him to behave like someone their age, and they deliberately picked a town for him to go to that was near the ocean he feared (where it was unlikely for there to be people his age around) to keep him in check. In his mind, he's "broken" and incapable of being with anyone long-term.

Furthering that, there's a joke he makes about "being too late" if the MC and Cove are in a relationship by the time he appears, back when he wouldn't have considered himself a worthy partner anyway (also a bit of out-of-universe humor over how the MC couldn't get together with him whether they wanted to or not, due to being unable to break up with Cove). Despite that, he's pleased as punch to see the MC dating/married to Cove and hopes the best for them regardless of his potential attraction.

Baxter puts forth so much effort to try and make the MC's last summer in Sunset Bird memorable with the thought that he won't be seeing them ever again. The potential relationship he can have with them is the most stable he's ever had and it scares him when they make him feel wanted and important. All the while, he's convinced that the MC's friends and family are "better" than him and he'll only bore the MC if he remains in contact with them.

With his DLC, the MC - the player - get to prove him wrong: an MC who is liked by everyone and loved by up to three different interests, but end up choosing him in the end. Cove and Derek are "easy" and the MC has undoubtedly spent more time with them in comparison to Baxter - who would feel that either guy could make the MC happier than he could - but they have the chance to show that he is the one that makes them happy.

Baxter is so absolutely amazed to be in a relationship with the MC that he willingly takes in all the shocked reactions and potential backlash from everyone else due to his five years of going no contact. He's regretful when he finds himself back in old habits and eager not just to message the MC multiple times per day after they return home, but also to take time off to go visit them after his Step 4 is over.

I think that makes for an incredibly special experience: to have someone who comes last out of the three possibilities, doubts his true potential, and eventually realizes how misguided he is. It's not about who got the most time with the MC, or who got "dibs" on meeting them first, or what can be accomplished the quickest in their time with them.

It's about the MC forming a bond with someone, picking him despite the difficulties/limitations because they love him that much, the work he's willing to put into it in return, and finally the happiness that comes out of it.

For those reasons and even more, the Baxter DLC is by far my favorite.

[violetflowerswrites]

Can’t Sleep - Derek Morgan

Prompt: How does Morgan comfort his partner when they can’t sleep?

Pairing: Derek Morgan x GN! Reader

Disclaimer: mentions of death and loss. Mentions of bullying, abuse, and violence and killers. Reader works in a hospital. Some angst and comfort. Established relationship, a consensual kiss, SFW.

Word Count: 780

A/N: I just watched Season 11 episode 16 where Morgan gets KIDNAPPED and TORTURED and it was so painful to watch and stunningly beautiful and heartbreaking. In the ep, Morgan mentioned the moment he knew he wanted to marry Savannah: when they sat together until the sun came up, with no words exchanged, after a bad day. Here’s my take on that moment. Fun Fact: the ep was directed by Thomas Gibson aka Hotch!

…

Click.

You heard the lock of the front door click open, a sound that was alarmingly loud in the still quiet of the night.

A glance at the grandfather clock by the fireplace told you it was 4:11 am. The dead of night.

You were hunched up in a knitted blanket, feet tucked under yourself, where somehow the warmth of the fireplace still didn’t seem to be able to warm your fingers and toes.

Derek Morgan stomped into the house. Even through all his tactical training, somehow he never walked quietly when he wasn’t on duty. You heard a sigh escape from the depths of his exhausted body as he tore off his boots and carelessly tossed his black go bag on the floor.

His sleep-deprived brain finally registered the glow of the fireplace, illuminating your face as you turned to glance at your lover.

Derek opened his mouth to speak, to ask the questions you knew were coming like:

Why are you up? I texted you but I didn’t expect a reply.

Why are you downstairs? Shouldn’t you be in bed?

Are you okay?

The answer to all of which was etched on your face as clear as day.

You were grieving.

This had happened a few times before in the years you’ve been together. At the hospital, patients were lost every day, just like in Morgan’s line of work, people died all the time.

But, as the both of you knew, some days the loss was harder to deal with than others. Much harder.

Morgan remembered that you were treating a teenager who had been injured in a suspicious camping accident, where you suspected they were being severely bullied. They must have succumbed to their injuries today.

As Derek stepped closer to you, you seemed to shrink deeper into yourself, your face now buried in your arms as silent tears racked your body.

His heart broke for you as your usually strong, confident frame, shivered and shook with sadness and anger.

He took a seat next to you on the couch, his largeness sinking the cushion down so that you naturally fell into his side, leaning your head on his shoulder. He gripped your hands in his callused ones, rubbing them gently to bring warmth to their icy touch.

After a few moments, your breath started to come back into your lungs with more certainty; the sobs had subsided.

So you picked your head up, about to thank your lover for his comfort.

But the flickering light of the fireplace now revealed his face. And you were startled to see tears rolling down his chiseled jaw as he stared deep into the flames, his mind clearly elsewhere.

What you didn’t know was that SSA Derek Morgan also had a bad day. A spree killer was after father and son pairs, taking revenge on his own abusive and alcoholic father. He always left the sons alive. Morgan connected with one of sons who became a key witness to catching the killer. But it was watching the kid square up his shoulders and comfort his distraught mother in the hospital, that broke Morgan’s heart.

Just like him, that little boy had now become the man of the house. Just like him, he had to learn the ugly truth of life at far too young an age.

The truth that dads can die.

It was this grief, for himself, for that now fatherless child, that made Derek Morgan, the big, strong FBI profiler, who kicked down doors and tackled serial killers for a living, break down in tears in the privacy of his home, and in the arms of his lover.

So you comforted him. You drew your arms around his broad shoulders and tipped his head down into your chest, soothingly rubbing his back up and down. Derek hugged you back fiercely, locking his hands around you and squeezing tight, as if he never wanted to let you go.

You held him for hours, until the first beams of light started to stream through the woven fabric of the curtains.

Sunrise.

And just like that, another day. Another patient, for you, and another case for him.

People always needed saving. And that’s what the two of you were here for.

Derek shifted on the couch, loosening his hold on you, but still grasping a hand in his. His expression now much more calm than it was before, you were relieved to see. His eyes softened as they took in your beautiful, tear-streaked face, as if seeing you for the first time.

He leaned in to press his lips to yours, filled with unspoken words.

I need you.

I love you.

Thank you.

…

[delulu-hours]

Together {3}

Paring: Derek Morgan x Latina!reader

Summary: You had a big surprise for him. So when you and Derek go and visit his mother for her birthday, you figured it would be the best way to tell them. To tell his family; however, things don't go as planned when Derek gets arrested. Memories flood the both of you as you figured out how to fight this nightmare together.

Tigger warning: mention of sexual assault and abuse.

{1} {2} {4}

You were instantly hugged when you arrived at Derek's mom's house. His mom held you tightly, whispering how she was worried about you. Sarah and Desiree stood close behind, and you could see it in their eyes. They were suffering, just like you were. "I'm sorry." You wrapped your arms around her.

"Did you eat? Where did you go?" She placed a hand on your shoulders, pulling back from the hug. Her eyes searched your face as she touched your cheek. "Oh honey," You knew she could tell you were exhausted. You were drained even if you gave them your best smile. "You look tired." 

"I'm fine." You reassured her. You didn't want to add more to their worries. Soft steps behind you reminded you who else tagged along. You cleared your throat and slightly moved away. "Right, uhm," You looked at Emily and Reid, who waited outside the door. "These people are here to talk about Derek. They work with him, and they're here to help." You motioned them in.

"I hope you don't mind if we ask you all a few questions about Morgan." Emily took a step inside the house. Her eyes quickly glanced around before looking back at Derek's mom. "It shouldn't take too long. We need to understand why this is happening." You felt the way Derek's mom shifted closer to you. You smiled at her as you rubbed her arm.

"I'm gonna go shower." You excused yourself and went to the room. You grabbed some clothes, took a hoodie from Derek, and went straight for the bathroom. You turned on the water and allowed it to run as you sat on the toilet seat. Hands in your lap as you looked at them, nails digging into the side of your fingers.

"Nadie te va a amar como yo. (No one is going to love you like I do)" His voice sounded so close to your ear as you squeezed them shut. You could feel his hands touch the side of your arms as the goosebumps rose and the way he kissed the side of your neck. The bile was stuck in your throat as you were too scared to move. To say anything as his fingers played with the hem of your shirt. "I love you the way you should be loved." You were too scared to move. 

A small yell caused you to snap out of your thoughts. You shook your head and got in the shower. You could feel the lingering touch of his fingers on your skin. The kisses he had placed on your neck, and you grabbed the rag and scrubbed your body. You scrubbed the places where you felt his touches until your skin was red. You scrubbed until it hurt. You hated this feeling as you knew it wasn't happening. It was all just memories; you were away from him but couldn't help but feel disgusted. As the warm water hits your skin, you let out a slight hiss from the irritation. You ignored it as you went on to wash your hair.

When you had finished showering, you changed and walked out. You could feel the tension in the air. Your eyes traveled to each one of them. Reid quietly looked through the book filled with Derek's things. Emily was no longer here, along with the other detective. Fran got up when she saw you; she moved past Desiree. "Let me warm you some food up." She didn't wait for an answer as she started to cook something quick. 

"How are you feeling?" Sarah's eyes took me in as you neared the table. 

"Tired." You told her as you pulled out a chair. "Just ready for this to all be over." You didn't have the energy in you at the moment. It seemed now that you were in the safety of his mom's house; it was drained out of you, and all you wanted to do was curl up in a ball. Sarah didn't push anymore, and Desiree placed a glass of water before you. You looked at it before looking up at her. She touched your shoulder and slightly nodded before moving to the couch. Fran placed a plate down, and you took in the scrambled eggs. The plate also had some toast, fruit, and cherry tomatoes cut in half. The smell of the eggs caused a cry of hunger from your stomach as you placed a hand over your stomach. Reid observed you. The way you lightly rubbed your stomach, a flash of emotion crossed your eyes. It seemed like you huddled in the sweater that was too big on you, which he assumed was Derek's. And then, when you took a bit of the egg and frowned, a hand covering your mouth, it all clicked in his mind.

"You're pregnant." Reid put down a photo he had in his hand. Your head snapped over to him so quickly you thought you pulled a muscle as you looked at him with wide eyes. "It explains why you were very emotional at the precinct." You could tell he was ready to list all the facts that made him assume why you were pregnant, so you stopped him before he could. You held a hand up and forced yourself to swallow the egg. The taste did cause a slight stir in your stomach, but you had refused to give in to the chances of throwing up. 

"Reid," You gave him a slight glare. "If you open your mouth about this to anyone else, I will kill you and get away with it." Your threat was empty, but Reid knew better either way. He curled his lips in and gave you a nod.

"Got it," He placed a finger up to his lips. "I won't say a thing." 

"Thank you." You sighed and looked back at the food in front of you. Your appetite was lost, but you knew that you had to eat. Willing yourself to keep eating, you silently listened to the small talk his sisters would engage with Reid. Derek's mom sat beside you, joining in and glancing at you, ensuring you were okay. It was clear that Derek's sisters were worried for you as well, but none of them wanted to push you, worried about how you would react. It was stressful, and they didn't want to add any more stress to you.

~~~~~~~~~

You gripped Derek's hoodie close to your chest. You waited outside for Hotch and Gideon but, at the same time, tried to avoid Derek's family. You knew they were worried when they had to wake you up, saying you had been crying in your sleep and calling out to stop. You could see the questioning look in their gaze that you were glad to have the call interrupt them. When you answered, and Hotch told you that Derek had escaped, your heart dropped. You were worried because this wouldn't look good on him, but before your worries could get out of hand, he told you that he knew where he was. Hotch also said he would need you to accompany them, and you got ready. The hoodie kept you warm, but you still felt cold as you pulled on a sweater. When the SUV pulled up, you didn't wait as you rushed over. You heard the door unlocked and jumped in the back seat. "Where is he?" You asked as Hotch sped off. 

"At the youth center. We are meeting CPD there." You knew Derek went there a lot to visit the kids, but when you asked him about Carl– the man who helped him– you could see how he would push the pain that painted his eyes. There was something that Derek hadn't told you about that place, about his past, but you never pushed it. You always waited until he was ready to tell you, just like he told you about the little boy he found at 15. "He's going to need your support." It was a weight on your chest. You didn't like that Derek was taking on so much alone. You knew working at the BAU took a mental toll on him, but he never showed it. You felt the lump in your throat as you neared the youth center. 

Just as Hotch pulled close, you didn't even wait for the car to stop as you jumped out. You stumbled out as you rushed through the front doors. Hotch and Gideon follow behind you as you hear Derek's voice. The pain it held only made you push towards him faster. "God, I was so afraid of you." A hand grabbed your arm, slowing you down as you tried to pull away. You looked over your shoulder, and Hotch shook his head. "I was afraid of the police, afraid of losing everything I was gaining, but that's how you work, isn't it." You could hear the resentment build up in his voice. "You make sure there's a hell of a lot to lose, don't you." 

"I don't know whatcha think you remember." A new voice spoke up; you could only assume it was Carl.

"No, no, no. See, it's not what I remember that's gonna hurt you, Carl. Our business is over way too long ago to matter. You're protected by a statute of limitations; that's my fault." You knew you were being held back so that CPD could hear it themselves. Hear that this wasn't Derek's fault. 

"Then good night." Carl didn't seem phased by whatever Derek was hinting at. 

"You set me up." Hotch gave you a look as you frowned. You nodded and shook him off as he released his hold on you. "You knew Damien Walters wanted James to call me about you. So you killed him? You killed him because you knew I'd come after you, didn't you?" You close your eyes as you take in a shaky breath. You hated hearing the slight weaver in Derek's voice because you knew he was trying not to break. 

"Now you're just talkin' crazy."

"God, I should have told somebody about you when I was a kid!" You heard him move as he raised his voice. "When you were helping me." You could hear the mocking tone in his voice. "Well, you know what happens in cases like this? Once that dam breaks, the flood comes. One kid steps up– just one– and then another one, and another because they're not scared of you anymore. They know they're not alone." You finally understood why Derek always looked slightly hateful when Carl was ever mentioned. His voice always had a slightly distasteful sound as he changed the topic. "James Barfield is your dam."

"Whatever lies James told you-" Carl raised his voice as he needed to defend himself.

"They're not lies!" Derek yelled. "You did the same thing to me!" The tears stung your eyes as you had to fight the urge to cry. 

"I did nothing to you. To James." 

"One by one. They're gonna pile up until there's so many accusations, you can't say that they're all lies." 

"Do you have any idea how many kids I helped get out of this neighborhood?" Carl now stopped denying it. A conceited tone in his voice. "How many lives I've provided." You couldn't help the disgusted look that crossed your face as you let out a quiet scoff. That son of bitch sounded so full of himself. It was like he was on a high and mighty chair, and nothing would bring him down. "Look at you. You'd probably be dead by now."

"Yeah," Derek's voice broke. "Well, it wasn't for free, was it?" 

"I pulled you out of the gutter," Carl said as if he was the reason why Derek was the man he was. Trying to take credit for all the good Derek has done as if it were his. 

"I pulled myself out of the gutter, all the way to the FBI!" Derek raised his voice. "I did that!" You couldn't help the tears that slipped down your cheek. 

"You sayin' I had nothin' to do with making you who you are?" Carl sounded angry as if Derek was denying him the credit he deserved.

"No, Carl," Derek's voice was calm, and you knew it was taking a lot for him not to lash out. To not break. "Actually, I'm saying you have everything to do with making me who I am. Because of you, I'm somebody who gets to spend the rest of his life making sure guys like you go down."

"Look, Derek, I never hurt you. You could have said no." 

"You're under arrest, Carl."

"I've helped a lot of kids," Carl tried to defend himself. "The neighborhood won't be the same without me! It's gonna be worse without the center!" You could hear the cuffs being placed on him as you moved closer to the door. Your eyes landed on Derek's back.

"Somebody will keep this center running." Carl resisted the detectives. "The neighborhood will. I will." You understood why Hotch brought you here.

"Wait, wait!" Carl tried to pull his arms from behind him. "Derek, isn't there something you can do for me?" You narrowed your eyes on the man, astonished he had the audacity to demand something like that from Derek.

"You go to hell." You watched as Carl was pulled out. He walked past you, and you had to remind yourself not to lash out. You felt the need to give that man a bit of what was on your mind, but you didn't. And when Gordinski followed behind them, a small excuse me leaving his lips as he moved around you, your eyes landed on Derek's figure again. He turned around, and you saw the tears he held back as he looked at you and the two men behind you. He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw, not saying a word. You knew he didn't want anyone to see him like this; you didn't blame him. 

"Derek," You said softly as you stepped towards him, cleaning the tears from your face. When he didn't respond, you called out for him again. "Derek." You reached out and grabbed his hands, balled into a fist. You moved to cup his cheeks. "Cariño, mírame (dear, look at me)" You spoke softly, trying to draw his attention to you. He opened his eyes slowly and looked down at you. You could see the pain in his eyes. "You are so strong and have every right to feel those emotions." His hand moved to your side. You pulled him closer, wrapping your arms around his neck as you hugged him. "I believe you, amor, (love) and I'm so sorry you had to deal with this alone." He took in a shaky breath as he held onto you tightly. "We will get through this together." You promised him softly as you kissed his temple. 

"Together." He said softly and you could feel the way he shook as he cried quietly into your shoulder.

[sunbloomdew]

i can't stop thinking about the constant mentions of fall and summer in regard to baxter and mc, in the dlc.

i find the emphasis put on the seasons very interesting. unlike other potential love interests - cove and derek - baxter is not from the sunny state of california, but a town in oregon, surrounded by forests and mountains. in fact, baxter is the only character from the cast of olba that is not associated with summer, but with autumn instead, so it makes perfect sense to draw attention to that dissimilarity.

following that fact, just by acknowledging it we can see how different baxter is from other characters from sunset bird at his core. and since most of his time is spent with mc, that means the focus will be drawn to how different are these two specifically.

on a side note, this might be a complete overreach, but i consider it interesting how baxter uses the phrase 'suitor for a season' to describe himself in step 3. the use of the word 'season' in my opinion drives home the idea that their time together will inevitably come to an end, just like summer will end eventually, and there is simply no other outcome for this relationship.

when we consider the seasons theme even more, a thing that stood out to me is that summer and fall aren't opposites, like i'd say summer and winter are. they are next to each other (like california and oregon) and in some ways they intertwine. still they are different enough, to be regarded as separate seasons.

just like baxter and mc, no matter how alike, feel so different from each other, and they are aware of that.

i really love the monologue in the sightseeing moment, that mc has about them and baxter being different in that way.

"More and more, you felt as though Sunset Bird formed a vital part of your emotional core. Happiness to you was the sound of waves on the shore, the feeling of warm sand between your toes. [...] Maybe you'd forever be seeing the world through sea glass. But Baxter was another person entirely. For him, perhaps the world was monochrome, or maybe it was golden, but with color of leaves instead of sand. Talking with him made it impossible to ignore just how different your lives had been up until now. How separate your worlds were. All up until that moment, when he showed up on your street. Now your lives were intertwined, however briefly, the forests and the seafoam commingling. Though you knew his love was in the trees and the fall air, you couldn't help but feel happy that he'd wandered his way down to the shore. To you."

i find it so beautiful. everytime i read it i get a little choked up, you know? in my opinion, the summer/fall parallel is the perfect way to portray their relationship. the brainrot gets so intense every time i remember about this,,,

the same seasons theme returns in step 4 when the two reunite. to be precise, it comes back during mc's internal monologue preceding a confession. i was unable to recall if it appears somewhere else in the dialogue as well, but if you happen to find some more, feel free to reblog with this post!

"He tore himself away from you like an autumn storm bringing down a sapling/He fell away from you as naturally as a leaf fluttered off its branch in the fall. There was no holding on to your suitor for a season. Yet the affection you'd nurtured never died out. It had gone dormant for a long winter, ready to burst back to life if the cold passed. Seasons were meant to come and go, but there was no guarantee summer would come again for you and him."

(i'm pretty sure the dialogue here changes based on how you decided the break up went, cause i found two versions of the same confession monologue. still, both of them have a comparison to autumn!)

seasons can be used in art with a lot of different symbolism and meanings behind them. the cycle of the seasons is usually used to portray the passage of time, how the nature but also people change.

in this part of the monologue we see the usage of changing of the seasons to show how despite the time that passed ('winter'), mc still had feelings for baxter, that were ready to return ('spring'). the words "seasons were meant to come and go" bring our attention to how wrong things were between the two, to have something inevitable like the seasons cycle stop.

each season on its own also has its own meanings, and can be used to enhance certain themes or emotions in the text.

in case of baxter and mc, summer is the season in which they met time and time again. not only did their relationship start during summer but it developed in that season as well. as such, for them summer is inextricably a time of growth for their relationship.

outside of their relationship, individually their characters' are connected to summer and fall respectively. as mc referred to it, their emotional cores were influenced by their hometowns - one a summer tourist spot and the other a picturesque autumn town.

to bring back one more thing from mc's monologue in step 3, they wonder if baxter sees the world in gold, but in the colour of the leaves and not sand. well, i noticed, how when they make up after the wedding, the whole place is bathed in gold. you could view it as the summer gold and autumn gold merging together, as those two finally reconcile. or you could see it as a summer gold, as this season is important for their relationship. i like both options.

aside from that monologue, there are several instances of baxter's appearance being compared to things associated with autumn or nature, like descriptions of his eyes as "brown rich like the earth" (i love this one sm it lives in my head rent free) and "oak brown eyes". i think it's a great characterization to have baxter be a 'woodsy person', despite most of us (me for sure) thinking he would be a 'city boy' kind of character at first glance.

i think the reason there is such strong focus on the fact that mc and baxter embody different seasons, is to make the differences between them even more pronounced. when they ultimately reunite and overcome their struggles to mend their bonds, it's even more impressive to witness.

either way, i cannot stop thinking of summer/fall parallel and how genius i think it is. the vibes! the emotional turmoil!! the art potential!!! it's incredible. especially if you try to implement it more into your mc, which is what i'm trying to do.

i'll leave you with this screenshot, that is kinda making my stomach go funny, because of the whole summer/fall parring thing,, i am so unwell in the best of ways

because like if you think about it way too deeply which i of course had, he's saying that summer/fall combination is beautiful, like he's not saying anything besides that BUT when you remember that mc is summer and baxter is fall, then you know?????

i hope you had fun reading this spontanous post! i've been thinking about the summer/fall thing since my first playthrough, so i'm happy to finally gush about it <3

i should not be here, it's 4am and i'm leaving in three hours,,, my time management skills never fail me. toodle-oo~

[most-datable-datable-bracket]

ROUND 4 MATCH 8

Derek propaganda:

“Extreme hot take but Derek is the best OL1 love interest. He has the best and sweetest confession in the game. You play video games together. He seems reserved until you actually start dating and find out that he's actually just a gentleman who didn't want to be overly forward with someone he's not in a relationship with. He's a family man. You get to blatantly abuse your 'dating' privileges in front of his brothers. He's just so insanely sweet and caring and makes me wanna cry whenever I play his DLC.”

“- Impossible to dislike

- No, like, literally impossible. OL1 will allow you to be indifferent to it's two other LIs, Cove and Baxter but you actually can't pick that option for Derek. Game decided that You Will Be (at least) Friends With Derek

- This boy is so good!!!! He's a sweetheart and has your back in the best way and he's constantly doing his best to make sure the people around him (especially you) are happy

- This is also a complex flaw of his because he feels like he needs to be the best that he can be and to be worth something

- This both manifests in how he treats others (he's exceedingly well-mannered and does everything for others because he secretly hopes that someday someone will do the same for him) and his career prospects (he takes on excessive practice to get good at football/soccer so that he can potentially get a scholarship and become famous all so he can potenially feel like he's worth something. This is actually a major conflict in his Step 4)

- His DLC also has some of the best moments in the game

- He also has a family and they're also really good and you get to see a lot of them

- His dad is hilarious, his mom is gorgeous and their relationship is very cute

- Meanwhile, Derek's brothers are great. I wanna gush about them because I love them but also play Derek's DLC yourself!!! See how good they are for yourself!!!!

- I will say that these three have a really good relationship dynamic and the development it takes in the 10 years between when you first meet Jorge and Nico as little kids to Step 4 where they're adults (and a teenager, Nico is 16 in Step 4) is genuinely very well written

- If you're into the steamy stuff, Derek also has the best make-out session out of all of the boys

- He's also just. Very funny. This boy will invite you to a waterpark and then ask you if its a date so he knows whether or not it's ok to check you out in your swimsuit

- Or, if you aren't dating by that point (but you do want to to date him), the narration will note how he's trying so so hard not to check you out, he's just trying so so so hard

- Puppy dog face. Look at it. Tell me you can look at that face and not want to smooch him

- His confession is also the best, did I mention it's the best? Because it's absolutely the best one in the entire game

- He has a whole thing about having to confess to you on a ferris wheel and he's so committed to it that he actually avoided ferris wheels for a long time before this confession because he promised himself he'd do it the next time he went on one

- And then he went on one...and he literally doesn't confess when he does it because he lost track of time and he had to get off

- so he asks you to go on the ferris wheel with him again so he can actually confess this time

Just. Just vote for him!!!!”

“He's sweet, polite, and out-going and is always willing to put you first (sometimes too willing).”

“polite responsible jock u r NOT immune to this”

Zen propaganda:

"Extremely handsome, HES A MUSICAL ACTOR FKFNKSNSJ, deep and relatable family trauma, He's genuinely a good person behind the vainness <3"

[gb-patch]

Happy Anniversary Our Life: Beginnings & Always! 🎉

Our Life: Beginnings & Always launched two years ago today 🥳️. It originally went live with Steps 1-3 and two DLCs, an expansion for Step 1 and one for Step 2. In the past couple years we've released the Step 4 epilogue, three more DLCs (Step 3 expansion, Wedding, and Derek's Story), and made that little Cove bonus Moment for the Patreon.

It's amazing to me how long it's been and how much has happened in that time. But I think the most incredible thing is that, even after two years, interest in Our Life hasn't really dwindled at all! Every time we've released new content or even just previews, people have been excited for it. I'm so grateful players have continued to enjoy what we're creating with this story. Thank you so much to everyone who has made a life for themselves in Sunset Bird 💕. And I'm looking forward to what comes for the Our Life universe in the future!

[Prior guest art was removed and replaced with official game promo image!]

[rui-drawsbox]

hmm im curious. whats olba about :0?

Oh anon you have no idea of what you just asked-- let me get my teacher costume

AHEM

OLBA or Our Life: Beginnings & Always it's a visual novel where you can play the perfect life you never got and cry about how much you wanted it after you finish it :DD (available on Steam for pc and Itch.io for both pc/mac and android!)

You play as-- well, you (or not, you choose)! You can choose your name, last name, pronouns, appearance, personality, hobbies, everything except your family, but you wouldn't like to change them for anything after you meet them.

You start the game as an innocent 8 years old kid that meets a random guy that tells you that he just moved across the street, he also tells you about his son: Cove! who has the same age as you. This guy tries to bribe you with 20 dollars, you can accept or refuse (or run! i like that option), either way you end up in a poppy hill behind your house and find the so famous Cove! He tells (cry) you that his parents just divorced and that he miss his mom ( :c ), you can comfort him or not, but you two still will be found by both of your families and have to go home.

That's the prologue! Gameplay aspect: it consists in 3 Steps of your life: 8, 13 and 18 years old! Each Step comes with 5 Moments, where you can spend time with (mainly) cove, if you're playing the base game. Talking about base game! You can complete it in around 5 hours (that's what took me the first time i think), and it comes with a 4th Step that work as an epilogue!

There are 6 paid DLC's (and a free one that is a name pack), 3 are other 15 moments for the first 3 Steps, 1 is a wedding dlc for our lovely Cove <3 (we'll get to him in no time), and the last 2 are extra content for two characters you'll meet in your very first playthough: Derek in Step 2 and Baxter in Step 3 (you should know this one very well if you follow me lmao), each with 5 moments extra for their assigned Step and their own Step 4 where you can follow and give proper closure to their stories!

I'll try to not ramble a lot because it's something you just need to experience yourself to get it but-- i will introduce you to the love interests! (or friendship interests, you don't need to crush on anyone to have a great time)

Cove Holden! Our lovely neighbor that we see almost everyday for like 10 years! You could also call him the second main character after you, since you learn more about him and his family during all the game. He's an introvert and ocean nerd (in the cutest way possible), depending on your choices you can shape his personality/style and become best buddies, the sweetest couple or just remain neighbours that never really got along. (you'll learn to love him, platonic or not, trust me)

Another perk of the game is that no matter what you do there's not "wrong or right" (unless you feel bad for the characters, like me), your actions does have consequences but there's nothing like a "bad ending/good ending", after all it's just your life, it goes on no matter what! Unless you want to reach a specific scene you found online you'll never have to use a guide for anything.

Derek Suarez! A caring guy! mabye a little too much, he's the oldest brother of 3 and that shaped him in a way that he always feels responsible of everything😔. During his storyline you'll help him to learn how to relax and lean on other people :D!

Baxter Ward! A monochromatic gentleman, mischievous as a cat and emotionally repressed like a pressure cooker <3. Struggles a lot with making deep conections and being emotionally vulnerable, you can imagine about what goes his storyline lol.

He's my favorite, if you haven't noticed. He has that infuriating charm that only someone that unironically says "Hallelujah" has. A very dramatic route, he's a very dramatic guy, you should see how he texts in step 3 aghsdas.

Also! all the side characters are super likeable, from your family to the baker of that bakery that is metioned a few times!

ANYWAYS, in conclusion: this is a very relaxing game! If you like visual novels you should definitely give it a try, the amount of replayability this game has is insane. My recommendations for when you play are:

Try the base game first! If you like it you can buy the moments dlcs (theyre only 3$ each!), mabye the wedding dlc after that (if you want to marry cove that is, this one is 2$ btw), Derek's dlc and Baxter's dlc (5$ each) for last. Those are pretty much the release order but i that's also the order i enjoy the most!

(play this game at least 2 times trying different choices/personality, the differences are ughhhh/pos)

When you're playing for the first time you should play the moments left to right. On later playthroughs you should change the order to find new dialogues! theyre small things but omg theyre so fun

Have fun! do whatever you want, i literally said there's no bad or good ending, take advantage of it and be as foward or shy as you want, be a little shit or a literal angel! That is your life we're talking about.