auburn's vn sideblog!!

MATCHING APRONS MATCHING OVEN MITTS LEMON BROWNIE MIX AND MATCHING RINGS. OKAY? OKAY. LETS GO.

[nulla-s]

auburn | she/they | 20s | visual novel interest blog!! | 18+ blog due to content of the vns discussed here!!

⤿ discovered that actually i have so many vns that i love so i made a whole separate blog for them. here are my recs & star ratings!! + my favorites <3

SELF INSERTS!! -> symptoms of deceit. the freak circus.

FANFICS!! -> masterlist.

please mind the trigger warnings for each vn if you're curious about any of them <3

[nulla-s]

IM GOING TO MAKE A NALIS ITA BAG IVE DECIDED.

[whispering-bolt]

Harlequin x MC pairing

MC grocery shopping, but Harlequin made an impromptu decision to appear with them.

Harlequin, walking beside MC: This almost feels like a date~

MC, holding many grocery bags: Then why don’t you help me carry these stuff?

Harlequin: That’s why I said almost.

MC rolling their eyes: Wow, what a great boyfriend you are.

Harlequin: So I'm your boyfriend now?

MC: No. This isn’t a date, remember?

Harlequin leaning close: I don’t need to be your boyfriend to go on a date with you. Well, not yet.

MC’s brows scrunched up by his audacity: What do you mean ‘not yet’?

Harlequin: It means I know that you’ll choose me when the time comes, Ma’am ~♡

[rediss-tfc]

The Reverse Side of Colour

Inversion is not just about flipped colours. In The Freak Circus, it becomes a mirror — one that reveals what hides beneath the mask. Run the characters through an inversion, and you'll see how one of them changes, as if putting on another's costume, while their colours begin to tell a story they would never say out loud.

Let's start with the most obvious pair:

Jester → Harlequin

When inverted, Jester turns green — as if wearing Harlequin's colours. They are both the youngest in the circus, but Harlequin can afford to act more openly, while Jester carries a huge responsibility for his family. Perhaps Jester would never say it aloud, but he probably finds Harlequin's actions toward Columbine justified. Yes, it's cynical — but that's Jester, isn't it? If his life had been less traumatic, and if he didn't carry the weight of others' lives on his shoulders — could he have been more like Harlequin? More reckless, more open, not hiding his budding envy? Of course, envy is Harlequin's main trait — but inversion is meant to turn things upside down. What if, deep down, Jester envies people and their freedom? Envies that they don't have to fear for their own lives or their family's? Well… maybe one day we'll find out.

Harlequin → Columbine

Green, when inverted, gives a purplish-pink — the colour of naive love, flirtatiousness, and hope. This sounds almost like a revelation: Harlequin, deep down, is Columbine. His aggressive, childish jealousy is actually an immature form of wanting to be loved and be the centre of attention. Without his mask, he's just a love-struck child, longing for recognition and understanding.

Doctor ↔ Pierrot

This is where it gets even more interesting. These two are colour twins under inversion — their colours mirror each other, turning into a pure sky blue. Compared to blood red, this blue might symbolise the purity of the soul — the one we're about to look into.

Perhaps, on a deeper level, Doctor and Pierrot share the same trauma, just expressed in different ways. Both are quiet and contemplative. Both suffer — but differently. It's as if one essence split into mind (Doctor) and soul (Pierrot).

And here's another parallel. Pierrot struggles with loneliness — he attaches himself to one person so strongly that he can't imagine life without them. Doctor, on the other hand, seems uncomfortable in a crowd: his height makes him too noticeable, and he's likely faced inconveniences because of it before. One suffocates in emptiness, the other in tight spaces. In essence, it's the same thing — just turned inside out. They're like two sides of the same coin.

I've noticed that many Pierrot fans also like Doctor. Of course, it's all individual — but you have to admit, it's an interesting coincidence. Maybe people intuitively sense something these two share? Both are deeply absorbed in something: one studies human bodies, the other studies one specific person, trying to learn everything about them. Pierrot descends into madness through love, Doctor — through blood. And here we return to the "mind and heart" parallel — so different, yet so deeply connected.

What if Doctor is Pierrot who stopped hoping? Who turned his pain into cold curiosity. And Pierrot is Doctor who can still cry — who dives headfirst into emotion, losing his mind.

Ticket Taker → Ticket Taker

Ticket Taker is the only one without an inversion pair: his colours reflect themselves. He's also the only one who wears a two-coloured mask (the others have masks that are either completely white or completely black — only Ticket Taker has both colours in equal measure). These details might suggest he's the one who maintains balance. Under colour inversion, he remains himself — meaning he doesn't repress any part of his personality, nor does he have a clear echo in others. He doesn't need a "pair" or a "double" — because he's already whole.

Perhaps his role is to be the circus's point of reference. The one who sees everyone in their inverted form, but never changes himself. This strongly echoes what we saw in his tent. He is the mirror room — where others see their shadows, and he is simply the light.

We don't know the exact answers. But colour inversion offers a surprising lens — one through which familiar characters suddenly become a little different. What do you think?

[where-spar0w-barks]

Why exactly would lane not like us meeting his mom if we were in a relationship?

its because Lane knows exactly how shed react. his mom is extremely possessive of him and has a hard time accepting anyone who gets close to him.

he knows shed see a girlfriend as someone "taking him away" and would do everything she could to push MC out of his life.

so hed rather avoid putting someone he cares about in that situation than expose them to the inevitable hostility. 🥀

[bismuth-drawing-corner]

trying out a new type of shading. how we feelin

[bismuth-drawing-corner]

another classic

[nulla-s]

what is your PROBLEM

[nulla-s]

i have no cute intro. this is my freak circus self insert that is so so very exasperated with the happenings around her place of work. (picrew)

Auburn :: She/They :: Human :: 21 years old, saving up money for grad school.

Occupation: Barista

Birthday: April 3rd.

Height: 174 centimeters

Dominant Hand: Right.

Hobbies: Writing stories, art & crafts, baking.

Pet Peeves: Other people being messy or acting too friendly.

Talents: Untying knots.

Favorite Food: Any kind of cheesecake.

Least Favorite Food: Onions.

Likes: Puzzles, working, having to clean up all those damn flyers.

Dislikes: Unreliable people, having nothing to do.

Relationships & Events

the pierrot: initially charmed by how kind and sweet he was to them, their impression of him quickly soured after seeing how violent he was with harlequin. plus the whole breaking and entering thing. she's a light sleeper and has been woken up by the sound of her balcony door opening and closing, but assumed it was just the wind until he followed her home on the second day. alarmed by how close he got to her just to explain himself, she has begun pushing him away and dodging him unless he shows up to her work.

harlequin: initially disgusted by his treatment of her, she begins to soften up around him after he warns her to continue going to the circus. it's proof enough for her that he's willing to protect her in the same way the pierrot wants to. appreciates his honesty about his more monstrous characteristics, they begin to believe that he isn't hiding as much from them as the pierrot is.

ticket taker: intimidated. she's good at acting like she's keeping her cool, but they aren't capable of maintaining a strict poker face. they know that he knows that they are freaked out. however, following the advice of harlequin and the pierrot, they continue to show up to the circus and try their best to enjoy the attractions.

the doctor: they are never stepping foot in his tent again for as long as they attend the circus.

jester: intimidated x2. it seems like none of her thoughts are a secret whenever he's around. being read so easily would normally comfort her, but not when it's a jester two times her size talking about how he "appreciates her honesty." dude go AWAY--

fun facts!?

wears both pins that the pierrot and harlequin gave her. likes to accessorize with them and does not...Quite understand their deeper meaning (yet.)

has a massive sweet tooth and enjoys baking brownies in particular, but even since learning that harlequin doesn't like sweet she's been trying her hand at spicy brownies.

barricaded the shit out of her balcony door. woke up to the pierrot standing over her anyway. promptly screamed.

whenever harlequin starts flirting with them, they gently take his hand in their own and laugh at him when he recoils with disgust. exploiting the genuine acts of affection that throw him off is becoming their favorite way to deal with him.

out of every circus member, the doctor is one that scares her the most.

they like cleaning up the flyers because it gives them something to do when business is slow.

[nulla-s]

Hello!! I love characters who are emotionally stunted honestly, it's just so interesting to watch them feels things and they're like so confused and lost 😭😭 OMG YEAH!! The baking, shopping, playing games, the night talk IT WAS ALL SO SO CUTE AND DOMESTIC MAN 😭😭😭😭😭 peak sleepover, he's not so slick about wanting mc to just move in with him... I see u nalis... I see what ur plotting.... and I'm not objecting 🤭

HAHAHA well it's those MC's that keeps the game going so idm (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠) plus when I play vn's I usually pick the nice options first before replaying for other branches, the nice ones I wouldn't pick irl 🤔 like I just let Ilya get into the truck first thing or letting Ren stay over when he asked as a stranger LOLL I'm pushing forward the plot 😭

bbd does have a huge community, I was kinda surprised when I first join it 😆 I thought SOD would be more popular but I suppose it wasn't 😓😓 ur carrying the fandom hard on ur back 💪 thank you!! 🥹 have you ever did or asked for a matchup before? I before there was a matchups peak on Tumblr a few years back HAHA did u ever join it?

YES!! I appreciate any and every recommendations you give 🙌🙌 I recently saw you played a new one called my sweet housemate? Is it good? Oh and the Bianca and Lane jealousy statement couldn't be anymore real, like that woman genuinely wrecked Lane to the core... why would anyone feel jealous of that 😭 he got hurt so badly 😞 OH AND I READ UR SERKAN FF IT WAS SOOOOOO GOOD AND CUTE!!! the fluff was fluffing bomb 😭❤️ thank you for your services!!!! 🙇 and for releasing it to the public 🫂

- 🦭

HI SEAL ANON :3 yeah no i came to the realization that likeee 3 of my fav vn charas at LEAST are emotionally stunted in some way. like its okay hon we are gonna get u some feelings whether u like it or not!! NALIS IS PEAK FOR DOMESTICITY HE REALLY JUST WANTS MC TO MOVE IN W HIM T0T like nalis. nalis. i am in love with you. if you wanted me to move in i would. its so hard playing sod and being a nalis girlie bc i want to grip him by the shoulders and yell that i love him to his face ARHHGHGGHGH HES NOT SLICK AT ALL. DRIVES ME INSANE.

yea they do keep the game going ofc ofc what i really like in a vn is when the mc is allowed to be A Proper Freak. 14dwy does that by allowing the mc to be like "well maybe you Should kill him." and i ATE IT UP IM NGL. I LOVE FREAKY MORALLY CORRUPT MCS. "perfect love" is a vn that does that really well actually...two horrible people in a relationship...except its YOUR fault bc you enable the love interest's insecurities and yeaaa. yea. I PICK THE NICE OPTIONS ON MY SECOND PLAYTHRU i like enabling im ngl T0T

bbd has an insanely huge fandom for a vn T0T like omfg i keep checking the symptoms of deceit tag and im the only person posting about it. insane work. WHERE DID EVERYBODY GO. ASJHDG YEA IM CARRYING IT ON MY BACK TT0TT ITS OKAY ITS MY BURDEN TO BEAR.,.,.,,.,.

as for matchups UMMM ithink ive had three done for me on here!! i have never done them as an event on tumblr b4 bc i did them on quotev and got SWARMED w like. no gratitude or conversation so i kinda just told myself i'd never do it again unless it was an exchange!! so i offer matchup4matchup on my blog now but thats as far as im going SJDHHDJSJHDS

THANK UUU :((( i love dragging ppl into shit ive done it so many times LOL yesyesyes my sweet housemate is on steam nd its on sale rn i think??? it's pretty cutesy i liked it!! JSAHDG RIGHT I CANT FATHOM BEING. JEALOUS OF THAT idk man i dont wanna get angry ppl in my inbox but why is ur first thought about a man getting sexually abused by a woman "im jealous of her" ???????????????????????? we are in a literacy crisis. AAAA IM GLAD U LIKED THE SERKAN FIC <3333 he was rotting in my drafts for a week im sorry king...

[wilinyc]

a colorblind mc

[justawhimsyclown]

OMG I LOVE THIS. AND I LOVE THE ART STYLE OOUUUGH 😩

[blackoutslime]

Cuteness Agression with harlequin

quim can bite my hand all he wants

theres a bunch of detail i missed but its like 1 am so enjoy XD

[rudrouh]

Oh my! Poor... Pierrot?...

[nulla-s]

i do really like the detail this game has in it's snack world. the lemon flavored potato chips nalis picks up and the strawberry ones in the vending machine??? cucumber chocolate and sea grape flavored marshmallows? gelatinous chocolate and salty marshmallows? roe flavored biscuits? there is a culinary WORLD in this game.

CASE IN POINT!!! LOOK AT ALL THOSE POTATO CHIPS!!!!!!! symptoms of deceit universe seems to really like their sweets with their salties

[nulla-s]

.,.,.,,. realizing that "roe flavored crackers" is kind of. "baby flavored crackers" ...? because of the marine animal association? depending on your animal association? bc some organisms eat fish eggs but what about the fish that Have roe?

[nulla-s]

right and this is the guy that is Not Protective.....i understand mc no i understand perfectly. surely the cuttlefish article has absolutely nothing to do with this whatsoever!!

[nulla-s]

◉_◉

im practicing deep breathing rn.

[nulla-s]

TREMO CLOCKING IT WAS. NOT ON MY BINGO CARD. I'M JUST AS DENSE AS MC...ARE WE REALLY THAT OBVIOUS...............