Hi there! Fishy here. My other main blogs are @nyxigill and @saltwater-goldfishy and this is a sideblog dedicated to the story I’ve been developing, Love Letter Inn! It’s slightly connected to the lore of a roleplay AU I’m a part of, the PK Academy AU (go check it out if you’re interested!) although the context to that story isn’t necessary to understanding this one. Read a little bit about it below the cut!
Love Letter Inn is a slice of life, character-focused piece which follows the protagonist, an aspiring delinquent, as she’s employed at the namesake Love Letter Inn. There, she meets a cast of eccentric characters, described by Yukiyo below:
Each one of them will go on their own personal journey and arc, helping each other along the way. But… that’s once I get this fully written. Right now, it’s just a concept- but one I’m very dedicated to and fleshing out, and would love to share with all of you!
If you’d like to ask any questions, whether they be to me as the author or to any of the characters in the main cast, feel free to slip something in the inbox of this blog! Thank you very much, and I hope you enjoy hearing about my story!
shh. it’s okay. Naomi explaining how she solved the mystery of the Dark Prince’s identity, unable to stop her words from devolving into a rapid sequence of squeals, while the Dark Prince grins at her like the proud mentor he’s become.
Hey Keiko, did you hear? They're making a new language called Sucondese
SUCONDESE NUTS
Is Sucondese Nuts a real language or a gang terminology and a way of sending signals as to who to MAIM and TORTURE? Please tell me as soon as possible.
can i hold her is the plastic safe has it been appropriately sanitized will flakes of its microplastic sheen enter my food where can i get one do they have pink ones or just yellow it’s okay if so i will love my duckling no matter what she looks like i will keep her safe
I’ll nam six! Or seven. Six seven get it? Murder, steeling, commoditees fraud, beeting peopol’s asses, staking, wearing plad to the met gala, and explodeing a whol lot of buildings even though the villan was in them!
Toshimitsu- Adventure (the type and setting of this adventure changes throughout, representing both Toshimitsu’s scatterbrained nature and childlike freedom and wonder)
LOVE LETTER INN EPISODE ???(LATE IN THE SHOW) “COMING OF AGE STORY” SCENE 1 [The episode opens on Keiko, sitting on a desk in the back
Enjoy, folks. This is basically my attempt to understand the writing style for this project, as well as a few dynamics, with an episode that doesn’t drive the characters or plot forward significantly. For now, assume it isn’t canon, or at least it’s in an ambiguously canon space, for a lot of things about my characterization and writing might still change. This is really just a test run, so don’t expect high quality.
UPDATE: I am redrafting this! This is a very rough draft that most likely will be updated!
LOVE LETTER INN EPISODE ???(LATE IN THE SHOW) “COMING OF AGE STORY” SCENE 1 [The episode opens on Keiko, sitting on a desk in the back
Here’s my redraft- it’s significantly better in my opinion. It still has some issues, but I added a scene that makes the whole thing a lot more fluid and coherent. Read this instead!
Amelieyre Lightenfoot let her blush pink gossamer dress flow behind her as she stepped towards her lover, waiting for her amidst the garden of roses almost bowing to their presence. Amelieyre had never seen a garden this large or beautiful; much less outside a mansion of one of Tandarin’s business associates.
“How do you deal with these parties?” Amelieyre commented. She was not yet used to the life of glamour; of shining dresses, delicate roses, plentiful spoons Tandarin had promised to her. She didn’t think she’d ever be used to using whatever a salad fork was.
“I don’t. Why do you think I’m out here?” Tandarin flirted.
“Well… I thought you might have been waiting for me. You’re always so protective.”
“You’re a beautiful bonus, Lady Amelieyre.”
Amelieyre felt a blush rise onto her cheeks as Tandarin’s footsteps approached her. “I thought I was a little more than a bonus.”
“A little more?” Tandarin questioned, embracing Amelieyre in his muscular arms. “I really must correct myself. The truth is, you’re everything.”
*
Erika’s written this scene many times before. She’s painstakingly mentally revised it, spun it through her mind for hours on end.
Still, she can’t bring herself to type a single word down. Maybe, because if she says something, it might as well be true.
Anelieyre wasn’t even supposed to be the protagonist’s name. It was a placeholder name Erika couldn’t let go of once she’d said it. The same goes for the entire plot of the story. Once she’d given the idea for her twist to Kouki, despite his lack of verbal feedback, she knew it would be the route her story went down.
Of course, this could change. Depending on how she writes this scene, Amelieyre could try to continue to pursue a life of glamour, keeping her promise even after its creator is dearly departed. Or, she could abandon it all and return to her old life with ease.
This scene could also bring her back to her initial plan; a plot relatively free of twists. Amelieyre could stay with Tandarin, and she could be allowed a ripe romance, a beautiful wedding, a perfectly happy family.
All Erika has to do is type it.
*
They were in the car, driving home from… something.
Some party or another- it must have been the birthday of one of her husband, Kouichi’s friends, or Toshimitsu’s second grade graduation. Yes. It must have been that.
Erika’s not sure why they needed a whole graduation ceremony simply for leaving second grade; although she supposes nobody’s innocent of the desire to reward others for essentially nothing. After all, she rewarded the family with ice cream that night. Or… was it Kouichi who had the idea? No, it was Erika. She was driving, and she decided to stop by the local ice cream parlor.
It had to be her, because it was Kouichi who must have beamed so widely at her, squeezed her shoulder or kissed her cheek as blush rose onto it and he left his seat. Kouichi, who must have walked into the ice cream shop in his… suit, yes. He handed Erika her strawberry ice cream, just as always.
Once, years ago, before Toshimitsu was born, Kouichi got her a pint of strawberry instead of the… pistachio? Yes, it was pistachio she had asked for. Ever since then, strawberry ice cream has been her favorite.
*
She’s drinking a particularly sweet riesling wine tonight, which would pair excellently with a nutty, salty treat.
It really is a shame her favorite flavor of ice cream was strawberry.
*
“A little more?” Tandarin questioned, embracing Amelieyre in his muscular arms. “The truth is, you’re everything.”
Amelieyre pushed herself out of Tandarin’s warm grasp, standing tall as she kicked off her shining, silver heels. “No, Tandarin,” she commanded.
“What do you mean?” Tandarin tried to embrace her once again, but Amelieyre continued stepping back.
“I mean no. I can’t keep doing this anymore.”
“What can’t you do anymore? Listen, Amelieyre, I don’t have to take you to these parties. I didn’t know they made you so uncomfortable.”“Do you know anything about me? Have you ever really taken the time to listen, or care about me? About my life; my family, my priorities? No! I bet you couldn’t even tell me what my sister’s name is?” “...Mary Rose, right?”
“Anna Rose! That just proves it! To you, I’m not a person; I’m Lady Amelieyre- a bonus, a doll you can pretty up and show off!” “You’re already beautiful,” Tandarin undulated softly.
“I’m more than that, you know. I’m Amelieyere, and I deserve more than the way you’ve treated me.”
“Listen, Amelieyre. I didn’t mean for you to feel this way. I can make you feel better. Just give me a chance.” “No. I’m leaving you,” Amelieyre said, as she marched through the garden of roses and away from Tamarind. “For good.”
*
Well, that would imply the relationship wasn’t good in the first place. That it was something that needed to end.
And if the relationship wasn’t healthy, it simply wouldn’t make sense for Amelieyre to have the scenes filled with grief Erika’s planned out. It wouldn’t make sense for her to tell her new lover her heart still belonged to Tandarin Dragonsbreath. It wouldn’t make sense for her to sit for nights on end slumped against a bar counter, staring down a bottle of riesling wine like it killed her beautiful family.
It didn’t, but it was wasted money she could have spent on anything other than accompaniment to her ridiculous novel. She could have spent it on rent, or a nice outfit, or- hell, that castle playset Toshimitsu’s been asking for.
*
Toshimitsu was in the backseat, eating his cone of… mint chocolate chip? It would be mint chocolate chip- that’s his favorite, right? He said… something. Did he mispronounce a word? Make a silly comment? Ask a ridiculous question, or add to the conversation without knowing what it was about? What was the conversation about?
She doesn’t know, but there was a conversation. Jokes were cracked, gossip was spilled, sparks flew. Kouichi put his hand on top of hers, and they connected between car seats. At least, he probably did. He always used to do that when they were younger. When they’d been together for about a year, he told her that every time he squeezed her hand it meant ‘I love you.’
*
Erika’s hands clench over her keyboard.
They’re freezing, and the only way to warm them up now is to type.
*
“A little more?” Tandarin questioned, embracing Amelieyre in his muscular arms. “I really must correct myself. The truth is, you’re everything.”
Tandarin’s dark curls cascaded down upon his chiseled, olive face, contrasted by the roses surrounding him. His startlingly blue orbs gazed down at Amelieyre like he truly meant it.
“I wish this moment could last forever,” Amelieyere whispered, burying her face into his arms as the roses disappeared from view.
“Me too,” Tandarin replied.
“Then why can’t it? You’re going after Wolfheart, aren’t you? Why? You don’t have to-”“He killed my father.”“I know, but… you don’t have to let him kill you, too.”
“I won’t die,” Tandarin assured, pulling Amelieyre in tighter; but not before she could catch one last glimpse of his doubt-filled eyes.
“And if you do?”
“I won’t. But… if I did, my ghost would always watch over you.”
“I’d rather be in a living man’s arms than stay with some ghost,” Amelieyre whispered. “So, if you want to be my husband, you’d better come back here alive, you got it?”
“Got it,” Tandarin chuckled before nestling his head into Amelieyre’s.
The couple held each other in through the night, as Amelieyre captured every part of the memory; the smell of roses mixed with linen, the feeling of Tandarin’s hair, the calluses on his fingers as they caressed her. Then, the feeling of his kiss; on her lips, down her collarbone, between the curves of her dress as he gently unzipped it without care for the chance that anyone would walk out of the party and into the rose garden to find the two of them, exposed.
The world didn’t matter now. Not tonight, which Amelieyre had a feeling would be the last. Tonight, all that mattered was the two of them. Tandarin and Amelieyre, becoming one tangled, beautiful being until they were eternally imbued with pieces of each other.
*
No, no, that’s not right at all.
While it’s sweet and melancholic, it’s important that Tandarin doesn’t get the chance to go after Wolfheart. If he did, Tandarin would make Wolfheart promise not to talk to or endanger Amelieyre in any way. Wolfheart is a respectful man, even to his enemies; he’d keep that promise no matter what it meant. Even if this meant that he couldn’t swoop in and become the second love interest of the novel, ruining the entire plotline Erika’s painstakingly set up.
Even if Tandarin died before facing Wolfheart somehow, the plot twist simply doesn’t carry the same weight if Amelieyre gets any sort of proper goodbye. Amelieyre can’t find closure throughout the rest of the story if she has it before Tandarin even dies- and Erika almost certainly can’t surprise the readers, at least not as much as she’d like.
To have a scene like this here, even if it has many lines Erika adores, wouldn’t even make sense for Amelieyre’s character in the moment.
Tandarin lives a life of both glamour and danger, which he’s been trying (and failing) desperately to protect Amelieyre from. They’ve always known he could die at any moment, but neither of them actually believed it. It would make much more sense if Tandarin was going into a seemingly more minor assasination, or didn’t even know he was getting into anything deadly at all the night prior.
If neither was terrified, cautious, saw it as anything more than any other night.
*
Erika doesn’t remember what she did once she, Kouichi, and Toshimitsu arrived home from whatever party they were at. Maybe she was exhausted, and went straight to her old, plush, king-sized bed. Or perhaps, she sat down to watch TV, or got up to clean the kitchen.
Whatever she did, she let whatever conversation they were having end instead of holding on, and she didn’t think much of it.
She didn’t need to. It was months later that Kouichi left- two? Three? It was months later that he stormed out through the back door saying he was going to work, and she told him to please, please take the trash out.
He didn’t take the trash out, nor did he say another word. He wouldn’t even text her back, when she tried to reach out later.
Erika just yelled at him on his way out the door about not being able to do something as simple as take the trash out. She didn’t yell ‘I love you,’ or ‘goodbye,’ or ‘please, please, please stay, please give this beautiful family one more chance, Kouichi, please-’
*
Erika’s written this scene many times before now. She’s painstakingly mentally revised it, spun it through her mind for hours on end. She lifts her finger from the backspace key, knowing exactly what she will type when she reaches for another.
Still, she can’t let her fingers touch down and type them. Maybe, because if she says something, it might as well be true.
But ‘might as well be’ is not ‘is.’
Even if Erika pushed the words to the back of her mind, down her throat, through her spine, they would only settle in her feet, weighing her body down until she chokes them onto the page.
Until every muscle in her body begs; not for good writing, a coherent plot or a spicy scene or beautiful prose, but for the truth.
*
“I wish this moment could last forever,” Amelieyere whispered, burying her face into his arms as the roses disappeared from view.
But her words could not stop it from slipping away.
*
They were driving home from somewhere, and got ice cream on the way.
*
She didn’t think, or even remember, much of it.
She just knows it was the last time they would ever be happy together.
