YI SANG bites on to one end with a pleased little smile. You can practically see the little flowers around him as he nibbles the pocky stick, bringing his face closer to yours little by little. If you end up kissing, it'll be short and sweet before he asks for another round.
FAUST only agrees to playing because she wants a kiss. She's hesitant with her bites, but her cheeks turn the slightest shade of pink the closer her lips get to yours before she finally gets the kiss she was waiting for. If you pull away before the kiss and lose, she'll sulk about it.
DON QUIXOTE enthusiastically takes big bites at first, both enjoying the taste of the pocky stick and sure that she'll win. She realizes a little too late that she's going to end up kissing you when she sees how close your face is to hers, which causes her to either hastily pull away with her face flushed red or close the remaining gap and kiss you.
RYOSHU doesn't show much interest but goes along with it because it's what you want. That said her lack of interest doesn't stop her from having fun with teasing you whatever opportunity she gets, such as taking big bites to close the distance between your lips as much as possible before swiftly forfeiting so you can't have your kiss.
MEURSAULT ends up kissing you so long as you don't pull away and lose the game, and unless you pout about losing and ask him to lose once for your sake he'll continue winning or earning kisses from you. He doesn't care much for how this game turns out, but he will prioritize your happiness no matter how small.
HONG LU bites onto his end with an innocent smile like he isn't planning anything. His nibbles are both slow and small to urge you into making a move, be it pulling away and losing or closing the distance between your lips and kissing him. Regardless of what you choose to do, it's a win for him.
HEATHCLIFF thinks it's stupid at first before becoming competetive about it. His bites are hesitant at first but it isn't long until he's impatiently nibbling closer to your end of the pocky stick. If you pull away, he'll gloat about it. If you kiss him, he'll ask for another round until you lose.
ISHMAEL gets flustered early on. She takes bites hesitantly, her embarassment growing the closer your faces get before she pulls away and she mutters about how stupid this is. She tells you to just let her know when you want a kiss next time before cupping your cheeks and pressing her lips against yours.
RODION is more interested in the pocky sticks than she is in kissing you. She happily takes big bites, barely giving you the opportunity to even considering pulling away when she kisses you; both as an additional treat and an attempt to distract you while she steals some pocky sticks for herself.
Since DANTE doesn't have a mouth and can't properly participate in the game, the two of you come up with an alternative of sorts: they'll hold up the pocky stick while you nibble it all the way. Whoever gets flustered first loses and more often than not it will be them.
SINCLAIR wants to kiss you, he really does. The only reason he agreed to play was because of how bad he wants to kiss you and this game was the perfect excuse for him to do so. Unfortunately, just when your lips are about to touch it dawns on him that he's about to kiss you, causing him to chicken out and pull away.
OUTIS is both reluctant and disinterested in playing at first. She thinks that if you want pocky and a kiss then you should just say so and she'll give you both, but eventually agrees to play. The first few rounds she still thinks the game is stupid, but after a couple of kisses she can maybe be convinced to play again.
GREGOR stammers when you first offer, unwilling and unsure of how this would even turn out but eventually accepts it for you. His bites are small and hesitant, and while there are a few rounds here and there where he ends up kissing you, he'll pull away and lose more often than not.
<- Back to the masterlist?
Yi Sang | Faust | Don Quixote | Ryoshu | Meursault | Hong Lu
Heathcliff | Ishmael | Rodion | Dante | Sinclair | Outis | Gregor
the title, attempting to give the LCB Sinners a surprise hug!
一 headcanons , gn reader , mostly implied established relationship but can be read as platonic , may be ooc I'm just typing shi... also my first post hi guys.. hi limbus fanbase.. , ~2.8k wc ( it was NOT supposed to be this long )
一 YI SANG #01
He's not that hard to sneak up on, considering he's usually in thought.
Gets surprised when you initially wrap your arms around him, but quickly relaxes once he realizes it's you, a small smile blossoming on his face as he lets you hug him while asking if you want anything from him.
If you just want his company, he's more than happy to oblige, although he would be a bit flustered as he returns to his train of thought with you leaning against him. He's also happy to tell you about what he's been thinking about or working on if you ask, explaining himself with a gentle smile.
If you just wanted to hug him or check on him, he tells you he appreciates it, though he would also let you know that if you ever wanted a proper hug from him, you could always tell him.
Overall, Yi Sang enjoys it, provided you don't interrupt and try to pull him away from a line of deliberate thought, though he never gets genuinely annoyed at you for it.
一 FAUST #02
Good luck even trying to sneak up on her.
I don't know why, but I just see her as the type that'd be impossible to sneak up on. You can try, but she turns her head around before you so much as even step near her vicinity and asks you what meaningless tricks you are trying to pull.
If you wanted a hug, you could simply ask her (also, there's no guarantee she will oblige, but you have a better chance than by attempting to sneak up on her). But no chance she'll ever let herself be ambushed by a surprise hug, not while risking losing her dignity in front of the Gesellschaft. Faust has already heard enough berating from them.
Although if you somehow, somehow successfully sneak up on her and manage to hug her, she will stiffen up for the slightest second before realizing it's you and gently pushing you away, then acting like it was a sin that you dared to even go near her genius presence. The audacity!
In truth, Faust does not hate it. Although the feeling is pretty foreign to her, she doesn't even dislike it (well, she might be a bit irritated that you snuck up on her to do it). She just really has to hide those feelings to protect what honour she has left in the Gesellschaft.
一 DON QUIXOTE #03
Lets out the most comical squeal if you manage to sneak up on her. On that topic, she's on the harder side to sneak up on, just because she's usually upright and energetic, and also seems to have an uncanny sixth sense for things.
Quickly relaxes and laughs when she realizes it's you, returning your hug eagerly while complimenting your skills. "Oho, it appears you have launched a sneak attack most ingenious!"
Expect her to return the favour soon. Once you start the war, she only believes it's right that she treats you the same! You will be seeing many surprise hugs from her. Sometimes she purposefully exaggerates her footsteps so you anticipate her, but when she wants to be, she can be decently sneaky.
Don sees it a bit like a very light-hearted, playful game. She looks forward to your hugs and does the same thing to you.
一 RYŌSHŪ #04
Another one who's hard to sneak up on. I just get that feeling from her.
Most of your surprise-hug attempts will be immediately foiled as she turns around with a "Don't even try" expression before (playfully) insulting your stealth skills.
Though if she knows you better, or she's in a more teasing mood, she'll walk over, grab you, and give you her version of a loving embrace while still insulting your terrible stealth skills. Now you're on the receiving end. This is what you wanted, right? No complaining. Her hug is solid enough not to necessarily hurt, but enough so that you have no chance of escaping. Ha.
If you do successfully sneak up on her and manage to hug her, she instantly stiffens before she realizes it's you. She might let you have a few seconds of your glory before she pushes you away. "S.T.B."
Like Faust, if you wanted a hug, you can just ask her for one, and she's more likely to oblige.
一 MEURSAULT #05
Also similar to Faust in the sense that he will be able to just... miraculously tell when you're trying to sneak up on him. But in all seriousness, he's pretty watchful and active, so managing to surprise-hug him successfully is a very hard feat.
Nine times out of ten, he will turn to look at you and ask you if there's anything you need, just as you thought you really got him this time. If you just ask him for a hug, he'll do it with some blunt statement like "Commencing hugging."
The one time out of ten, he overall seems unbothered about it; you may feel a slight pause when you wrap your arms around him as he processes the feeling, but that's about it.
He quickly recognizes it's you and accepts the physical contact without so much of a flinch, though he does ask you about the hug's objective or if you needed something from him. He doesn't mind receiving them, though he would appreciate it if you were direct about the hug in the future.
一 HONG LU #06
Relatively hard to sneak up on. He might catch you in the act of attempting to, but he's more chill and perceptive about it and will likely deduce that you want some sort of affection from him and tease you about it, though he does eventually give you the hug you wanted.
When you do, he's surprised at first but eases into it very quickly, teasing you and reciprocating it smoothly. He's happy to keep you there and let you look at whatever he was doing, or just chat with you.
Like Don Quixote, you can expect that he will absolutely start initiating surprise hugs for you, too. He's very playful about it and might do those things where he creeps up on you and covers your eyes, pokes your cheek, or goes "Surprise!" and laughs when you squeak in surprise. (Though he's pretty considerate and makes sure he isn't catching you at a bad time)
You have no idea what you started. He will do this a lot to tease you from now on.
一 HEATHCLIFF #07
Do not do this to him. Listen, he's fine if you want to ask him for a hug (though he will absolutely be very awkward and shuffly about it), but he's just too on guard to be receiving a surprise hug.
If you manage to sneak up on him, and you're lucky, he'll just quickly push you away and tell you not to do that, and that you can always ask him for a hug next time. If you're unlucky, you're getting shoved or punched out of sheer muscle memory.
Obviously, he feels bad about it immediately, though after obviously making sure you're okay first, he'll tell you that you should ask him in the future.
There are a few ways you can work around getting this bad reaction. If you're chatting or beside him beforehand and move to hug him out of nowhere, he'll be caught off guard and will pretend to dislike it, though he really does enjoy it, even though his body language doesn't necessarily show it (he's either shuffling around like crazy or as stiff as a board). He's still getting into this thing, so give him some time, okay?
一 ISHMAEL #08
Hard to sneak up on, since she's pretty down to earth and alert. If she catches you, she'll just squint and ask what you're trying to do.
If you do manage to surprise her, Ishmael stiffens up immediately. If she's in a good mood or somewhat anticipated it, she kind of relaxes when she realizes it's you, but keeps the hug very brief since she's really, really not used to affection like this. Otherwise, you might be quickly getting pushed away (lightly). She really, really, prefers it if you tell her that you want a hug beforehand and will let you know that.
She doesn't dislike affection from you; she's just one of those in the list who would dislike getting surprise affection in particular. I can see her as the type to be a bit irritated, scolding you before quickly dismissing herself for some time.
She cools off fine enough, though she might give you a few suspicious side-eyes the next few times she sees you approaching from her peripheral vision in the future.
一 RODION #09
Gets a little surprised when you first hug her, but Rodion is Rodion: she's super smooth and gets into it very easily, reciprocating the hug with ease.
Assuming you hugged her while she's in her usual good spirits, she's a tease about it; she will poke light-hearted fun at the initial action before dropping a cheerful and familiar nickname, before playfully asking about what you've been up to or engaging in some banter with you.
I feel like she generally prefers it if she could anticipate your hugs, but she never gets irritated at them unless you choose to hug her during those moments where she's more gloomy, though during those times, she's more likely to push you away, then act as if nothing happened or avoid the subject when she feels better again.
I can definitely see her as the type to get into them. Might teasingly sneak up on you and hug you, just to see your reaction.
一 DANTE #10
Very flustered. It's easy to sneak up on them if you can catch them at the right time, like when they're focused or muttering away at some work they have to do.
As soon as you hug them and catch them by surprise, they let out an erratic burst of nonsensical tick-tocking and flustered words, flailing their arms a bit before they process what is happening and slowly ease into it. They're super awkward about it, but will eventually, although gingerly, reciprocate it and stiffly pat you on the back a few times.
Afterwards, Dante asks you if there's something you wanted from them or what the entire purpose of that hug was. They might scold you with no real weight behind their words, reminding you that you should ask or let them know next time, as they could be busy or dealing with something important. (They're happy you gave them a break)
Dante, truthfully, enjoys the hug and the affection, just not the surprise part of it. They're very hesitant about it, but to be fair, it's been a while since the poor manager felt real fondness, like the hugs you give them.
一 SINCLAIR #11
Very flustered 2.0.
Like Dante, it's also pretty easy to sneak up on him successfully, given that he's in thought or concentrating on something.
When you land your oh-so-evil surprise hug, he yelps, freezes up immediately, stutters, and his face begins to heat up like a tomato the more he processes that Oh, it's you, and you're hugging him. He's so flustered that he can't even move his legs to run away. What did he do to ever deserve this? (He likes the hug, he really does, but... just take it easy on the poor guy)
Once he regains his senses, which takes a while, he manages to stutter through asking you what you did that for, face still steaming red from embarrassment, only to turn even redder once you tell him you just wanted to be affectionate with him.
Like Ishmael, he'll give you a few distrustful side-eyes when he sees you approaching him from the side in the future, though he's more flustered about it. Just thinking about the moment will get his cheeks warming up.
一 OUTIS #12
Probably the hardest to sneak up on. She's very guarded and vigilant and will spot you coming.
When she inevitably catches you on an attempt, her head snaps around, and she begins to berate you, asking you what kind of immature tomfoolery you are attempting to pull on her and scolding you on the professionalism of the working environment and how it is highly frowned upon to sneak up on someone like that.
Look, if you ask her for a hug, she might seem reluctant, but will eventually let you do so, assuming there's a good reason for it; though under no circumstances would she ever allow herself to fall for such cheap, childish pranks like this one.
If you somehow do it successfully, she stiffens up, responds immediately and pushes you away in a blink, and begins to berate you again, reminding you that you can just ask her instead of resorting to such juvenile acts. So no matter the route you take, you're getting scolded.
一 GREGOR #13
Do not do this to him 2.0. Really, this is a bad idea. He's already hesitant and stiff with physical affection as it is due to his bug arm.
Regardless of whether or not he processes that it's you, he pushes you away almost immediately, hesitantly stepping back a few paces before telling you not to do that again. He won't act extremely angry or lash out in front of you, so he leaves as fast as he can for a smoke.
He's willing to forget about it as long as you understand that it's not a good idea to try that again. He really wants affection from you, he truly does, but that paralyzing fear and disgust for himself will never let him properly accept such sudden affection from you.
Warnings: Obsession and other general yandere behaviors; they hate you at first; swearing; canon typical violence (mentioned); device hacking + privacy being breached; threats (directed at MC); spoilers for several Cantos; written by someone who's still on Canto 6 </3; probably OOC; MC implied to play on phone; NOT PROOFREAD
Notes: Lil celebration post as my requests finally open!!! Also I wanna try using m-dashes now. It isn't AI I just like how m-dashes look
To them, you meant their downfall. Your very existence. Your inane ramblings. Your voice. Your stupid voice…
You simply being there proved it was all fake. All the suffering, all the growth, all the memories and relationships. All false events slipped and interwoven into their minds like a plague.
None of it was real. None of what they went through- were made to go through- was real.
So why? Why do you now sit safely behind that invisible wall, voice ringing in their ears as you chat with people around you and things around you and to them. To them?
You can't even comprehend how your mere existence ruined their lives. Ruined any dreams, hopes, goals. All burned by a single word and left them stranded with the ashes as you continued as if you didn't even know. Did you even know? Could you even understand?
But it wasn't like they could get rid of you. You were safe. Simply just a presence they were forced to hear again and again and again.
…
Each and every Sinner, at least once, wished they could kill you. Find and mangle your body, try to ruin you as you ruined their lives. They hated you, they swore they hated you.
Well… not one.
Dante had no memories to lose. No relationships to watch burn. No complicated past that was so real to them and yet wasn't at all. They were simply a clock-headed manager who swore they heard you clearest of all. Each kind word you uttered, each humorous remark, each light tease, each complaint, each murmur.
They liked listening to you. They sympathized with why the Sinners and others aboard Mephistopheles felt different, yes, but they didn't understand. They had nothing to lose, and- even if the world they existed in technically "wasn't real"- you treated it as if it was. It gave them relief, in all honesty.
That probably was why the reliance came so swiftly. You gave them reason. Made it felt real. Each cheer and blissful remark as they succeeded in their goals and each bemused chuckle as comical events occurred…
Without you, well, could their life even be "real"?
Your appearance broke up the monotony of day to day life. You would usher the story along, encouraging the Sinners along their paths just as they did, and acted as if this world was a very real thing you merely peered into. Something like a book, real as long as you're there to witness it.
You had favorites, things and characters you resented, scenes you found funny or made you start to cry. You were more than a person. You were a force who strung along this world and Dante was so willing to let you lead them any which way.
They already had little say over actions, less so than the Sinners, so what even was the harm? When you clicked that "Win Rate" button, they got to choose what actions the Sinners took (even if you'd often reach in and correct them to be "better" choices). And if they were forced to bow to the whims of someone kind like you, someone who gently encouraged them to lead and rejoiced with each success, why would they complain?
All they wish is that they could've been the one to greet you whenever you open the game.
–★★★–
No Sinner warmed up to you as quickly as Dante. Well, excluding Meursault.
But to say Meursault "warmed up" to you would be quite the overstatement. In fact, he merely accepted his position and continued on as per usual. He was under the Manager's command, but- by a technicality- the Manager was under your command. Therefore, you were his true superior here.
He was willing to tolerate you and follow through on your commands. While some of your remarks were more questionable, he was willing to turn a deaf ear and continue his duty as long as you were there to give it to him. As for his real "warming up"… well, that comes later. Far later. And no one even notices when it does.
Outis as well accepted her position. Her little remarks weren't tolerated when you experienced the stories of the Sinners (she had received enough reprimand from Dante for attempting to slip a snide remark you immediately clocked and grew confused on), so all she could do was grit her teeth and go along with whatever order you issued in battle and listen to you be so foolish she wish she simply could—
…It was no use. Clearly, someone in a position like yours was better off blissfully unaware they were essentially a god looking in upon a world of dolls sat prettily for them to watch suffer again and again. Even if you were, kindly put, an actual idiot often, you were capable of slight strategy at times. Often scraping past bosses in the first few attempts if they were deemed a challenge and doing what you could to ensure fights ended in the favor of the Sinners (even if the story often turned around and said they failed).
And while certain things could improve, she wasn't going to break the orders given to her and say anything.
Ishmael, meanwhile, had to such qualms.
Specifically after her Canto, to be precise. Her confrontation with the fake woman who ruined a false life wasn't what she yearned it to be the moment she started going down this path, yet you treated it as if it were real. Being horrified at the things she suffered through and cheering as she speared through the Whale's heart with her snag harpoon.
She wanted to scream it was fake. That it didn't matter and was pointless. But you… you made it had a point. Somehow, someway, you forced it to be real. Real to her, at least.
But, by the name of the Head, your team building skills were pathetic. These passives won't work well with this character- This isn't even a keyword for the central team comp and offers no support- Did you just attempt to put Sunshower Heathcliff onto a team you want to use to complete Canto 7? What is wrong with you?
While she isn't allowed to directly intervene, she is going to make comments in the story. Slight, missable things. Hints to what keywords to use for an upcoming boss, recommendations for IDs and EGOs… all carefully crafted to keep you as oblivious as possible as she drills this information into you.
Of course, the wiser of the Sinners catch on to what she was doing. Yet, Faust has no complaints. Being the way she is, it hadn't taken her especially long to catch onto the fact that she- being the primary ID of all Fausts- was the most real one. The others barely existed outside of IDs or EGOs you'd cycle through for each team comp you struggled to compile- even with a certain Sinner's help- and yet she, and only she, would be the one found in each Canto. Returning in each story, central to the plot.
Not to mention, you clearly had a soft spot for her. Specifically her, as the LCB Faust. She couldn't necessarily place it's source- perhaps relating to her role as a shunned figure in the Gesellschaft and connecting it to your own life- or simply finding her to be specifically likeable. Either way, you seemed to listen intently to her lectures. Often complimenting her or something akin to that.
And to say she didn't enjoy it would be an utter lie. She relished in your praise, almost blooming in it like a flower under the sun. It was the first genuine praise she constantly earned in her life, real or fake. And she'd much prefer if it stayed, flowing around her in a constant veil she wanted to wear on her day in and out.
And she was Faust. She was wise enough that, if you stopped enjoying the game, you would leave. Therefore, to regulate success in the form of viable teams was immensurable in ensuring you stayed. Thus, Ishmael was permitted to continue her hints and Faust did what she could to tweak the rates of Extraction in your favor. Especially if the newly released character was something you want.
Furthermore, making her base ID appear in your pulls regularly surely wouldn't bother you. You may question how you acquire so many of her EGO shards, but she knows you will care little about the constant Fausts as you see the chains shine gold.
Yi Sang doesn't miss Ishmael's actions either. He's simply unable to truly comment on it in a way that feels as if it truly meant something. Out of each Sinner, he is one of the most devastated his entire history was a lie. Forced to time and time again witness people he remembers as friends tear themselves and others apart by a past that was never real. Even at the end of his Canto, he felt like he had only slipped deeper into the shell of who he was.
Even your joy didn't make him regaining his wings feel real. Merely a scripted event he was made to undertake. He felt rather pathetic, in a sense. Even his current compatriots were more capable of coping than he was. But he could not.
And when you noticed he continued to behave similarly to how he did pre-Canto. Noticing a few missing lines here and there and slight alterations anyone could've missed. But you commented, and you worried for him.
Perhaps it was simply a worry stemming from an issue with your game, but Yi Sang noticed your murmurs of concern. And to say it didn't warm his heart would be a lie. Constant encouraging, sweet worry, almost delusional behavior on your end… You made him want to use those wings he regained, to fly once more. To reach you so high up in the sky and thank you for the love you gave him.
A part of him regretted he never truly could. Never could thank you, or feel your warm skin, or hold you in his arms. Never could utter so much as a new sentence without your experience being warped and you'd leave in fear. But that didn't matter to how his feelings of you changed.
You went from the being that proved it all to be fake to the being that made him feel a genuine warmth he'd never feel again. Perhaps that's why he was the first to admit his love for you.
And his admission wasn't necessarily popular. By this point, out of every Sinner, only about a third of them felt positively about you. To the others, you still were the personification of their ruin.
Of course, though, their attachment grew as you watched them through each of their stories. Encouraging and watching them move forward. Perhaps that was how the seeds of obsession were planted. Perhaps it was because others heard little snippets of what you said and assumed you to be a divine being. Perhaps that was why they started to believe it too.
Don Quixote became one of your most reverent followers by the end of her Canto. Not only had you bore witness to a past she herself wasn't aware of existing (unlike the others, her devastation over the fact her life was nothing but fake fizzled away rather swiftly) and your perception of her barely changed (leave her blissfully unaware you always knew, will you?), but you had listened with rapt attention when she spoke of her beloved Fixers. You deemed each word she uttered as meaningful, and she would do all she could to repay you in whatever way she can.
When you were gone- oh it was painful when you were gone- she was your greatest defender. Any snide comment against you was quickly retorted with a quick yell and charge from her. How dare they slander someone as kind as you! You did not mean to shatter their worldviews! No. After it happened for a second time, she understood you quite well. You only meant well.
You were a truly just figure—the very thing Don would picture when thinking of such a thing. And she would do all she could to ensure your name remained untainted with foul lies and remarks! Alas, she could not speak to you. Could not lead you about her room and show you each memorabilia and merchandise she has collected for every Fixer she could find merchandise of. She could not see you listen with rapt attention, seeing you nod along from the corner of her eye. Could not hold your hand in hers and usher you about, shield you from those who wished you harm, could not sing your praises to your face…
But she would be your knight for as long as you were unaware, and for long after.
Heathcliff was in a similar boat to Don. However, at first, he absolutely despised you. Was his love for Cathy even real? Why was he forced to recall suffering that never even existed outside of pieces of code etched into his being? And why did you have any right to saunter about and act as if you…
You're lucky the others held him back from screaming his head off at you. You're also lucky to be safely behind a screen, separated from him and the bat he would love to use to split your skull in half.
But then came along his Canto. It wasn't something he was looking forward too, not feeling ready to go back to Catherine—not with all these doubts of his love you sown in him. But this wasn't something he was allowed to change.
So he went through it. Listening to your words that made him want to pop a blood vessel, deal with the bastards who didn't even truly exist, and find out she was dead. He had to confront his other self, distort, and then fight the Wild Hunt until the Red Gaze stepped in.
But as the Canto started to creep to its end… he couldn't muster that hate for you anymore.
Maybe because you didn't leave. Maybe because you let him rest on that moment with the memory of Catherine. Maybe because you mourned alongside him as she was deleted.
He remembered, he was forced to remember. Him and only him.
But you remembered too. Of course you did, you weren't in the bloody game, but…
It was nice knowing someone remembered her alongside him. That, even if he nor she were real, their love was. What he felt wasn't something that could be forced into him, he knew it.
It grew harder to stop him from saying lines that weren't supposed to be in game. Specifically regarding Catherine. Constant comments about her, confusion from the Sinners, but sympathy from you. He wanted you and him to talk about her. Someone who recalled her to hear all the stories he remembered having with her. And you were that someone. You were someone he wanted to walk and reflect with, the real journal he wanted to keep.
You became his new Catherine. The two of you separated, but in love. And he refuses to mess up like how he did with Catherine. There will be no Erlking when it comes to you.
But with Gregor, the Ungeziefer Kaiser is inevitable. Not out of malice—no. The fight was something he couldn't prevent, as much as both of you wished he could.
It wasn't a pleasant thing, first having everything he knew uprooted and then suffering through… That. He already felt lowly enough, with his arm and past experiences. He couldn't understand why you seemed to… like him?
You were sweet, appearing unbothered or regularly forgetting about his arm. You thought of him as entirely a human, not the pathetic bug he knew he was. He didn't resent you for forcing him and his coworkers to learn they were never real. He didn't resent you for not leaving and constantly reminding them again and again they were just bits of code in a device. But he couldn't understand how you thought so highly of him.
In all honesty, he didn't think you were half-bad. He didn't get too attached to you or despised you too much. You were alright, and he was alright with you. Then came the Ungeziefer Kaiser fight.
After that, it was like a switch flipped. He was horrified to realize he could be forced into becoming a brutal boss-fight you'd helplessly grow stuck on or struggle past. He was miserable to be left out of the plot for a long time after, alone from everyone.
Being unable to hear your voice for the first time after growing so used to it felt off. He just felt entirely off. When alone with only his thoughts, that's when his opinion of you spirals. And it does moreso when he gets back.
Hearing the relief in your voice… overjoyed to see him return and using the new IDs you acquired for him with utter glee… He came to realize you loved him. You had to. Why else would you be so glad to see him okay? He couldn't see any other reason for you feeling like this. And, in a way, he supposed he loved you too. Couldn't understood what you saw in him, but… A part of him enjoys your love. He'd rather it didn't disappear.
Unlike the others though, he wasn't particularly skilled at hiding his newfound infatuation with you. And Rodion would relentlessly tease him, as if she hasn't been in love with you since Time Killing Time.
Was it something she'd simply fess up to? Oh, absolutely not. She's not that gutsy, after all. She simply knew that, by the end of that Intervello, she had decided she loved you. There was no big build-up like Heathcliff or sudden change like Gregor. She simply decided you were no longer annoying and instead were rather cute.
Funny, how thin a line annoying-ness and cuteness is. And it was simple enough you crossed the line and became a harmless crush. But, having a crush that you can't act on and merely grows as you don't leave, well… It went from harmless to so, so much worse.
And unlike the crush, she was well aware of how wrong she was. What kind of woman began to view someone as a possession? But in a sense, you weren't truly a thing to her. You existed outside of her world as a voice who could control the actions taken during combat at most. She saw no physical body of yours, no eyes or skin or anything. She already wasn't entirely sure you viewed her as a human, and she wasn't able to entirely humanize you.
Well, you were doing the same thing, weren't you? Just listening in, thinking of her as just a beloved PNG with text in a box below… Maybe making some things for her or admiring her, but not thinking of her as real, no? She was sure you'd make some fucked up shit about her, wouldn't you? So how wrong was she really? You're just as bad as her…
Oh, don't worry! She doesn't hate you for it, no. You're both shitty people with how you think of each other. What's the harm in both of you being shitty together? Shame there's that screen separating you two, and the others on this bus thinking the same as her… Wanting her winnings? She'd be offended if she didn't understand why. And at least some of 'em are cute about it, like Gregor or Sinclair…
And speaking of Sinclair… He is the most wet, sad, pathetic thing when it comes to you. Already you cooing over him flusters and embarrasses him. But he can't see your face when you do it. And he is so lucky there doesn't exist a sprite of him blushing for you to see…
It also took him quite awhile to fall for you. Mostly due to what you did for him and… well… his trauma. He sometimes wondered if he was as good as a prosthetic user because he isn't real. He never was. Does he even count as a human..?
Yet, by the time Canto 7 ended… well, he was used to your kindness. You wormed your way into his mind until almost every thought involved you. How would you react to this..? Would you enjoy this kind of thing? How would he protect you if..?
There were many what-ifs for someone he couldn't truly interact with. Someone the mere thought of made him tremble. He wondered so many things about you, but feared he'd never get the answers he wanted. He'd never talk face to face with you. He'd never hold your hand. He'd never…
Hong Lu, though, wasn't as caught up by these what-ifs. To be quite honest, he was rather apathetic to you before his Canto. Oh? So your arrival came with worldview shattering realizations? Oh well, it is what it is.
Then came his Canto. Where he finally learned how to express his opinions on things. Where he finally figured that he didn't like you due to what you made him realize. Sure, you were kind, but you destroyed any semblance of existence he thought he had. But a part of him wasn't sure, so he kept thinking. Trying to formulate just what he thought of you.
And by the end of Canto 9, he came to the realization he actually liked you. Sure, the realization that his life was never real was not something enjoyable, but it wasn't your fault. You didn't mean any ill will by trying to play a game you enjoyed.
And on the contrary, you were quite a likeable person to hear. Made a good few humorous jokes, took serious moments as solemnly as you could, and served as more of a guide than Vergilius did. What was there not to like? Shame he's forbidden from speaking with you… he'd like to hear more about what you think on a wide array of random topics.
Ryōshū, meanwhile, could genuinely care less. She already forgot pieces of her life, already had the trauma from the Nursefathers, already had suffered so much. What was one more thing on the pile? S.H.E.E.T. (She had expected everything, thickhead).
If she had her way, she'd S.Y.N.C. you. You quite honestly annoyed the hell out of her. She'd want you to S.T.F.U. constantly. But you wouldn't, and she couldn't, so she just had to begrudgingly deal with it. And all she could do to resist was make Faust withhold her IDs and EGOs from you in Extraction.
Then came her Canto and her change of heart. Maybe it came from forgetting Araya. Maybe it came from your warmth now truly directed at her. But she didn't want you to B.U.R.N. anymore (break up, run now). She didn't know why herself, but all she knows is she—like the others—fell to your whims. Impressive, T.B.H.
Though her interest manifested in the worst forms. Notably, with how she wanted to turn you into A.R.T. (Absolutely relentless torture). Your body would be soft and malleable under her, a perfect canvas for whatever suffering she wanted to paint on you. She wanted to see you powerless, looking up at her in fear, and understand how she felt below you. And after, she wanted to nurse you back to health so it could start all over again.
She was one of the latest to fall, but the quickest to spiral into complete utter obsession. Almost ironic, in a sense.
And then there were the others on the bus.
Vergilius was perhaps the most affected by your presence. Unlike the Sinners, he would get no Canto. He would be given no opportunity to see those he remembered and move beyond his past. He wasn't even a playable character, merely a playable NPC who's join a fight or two now and again.
Yet, he tolerated you. Begrudgingly, of course, after all, you annoyed him as much as Don did, but he tolerated you nonetheless. You weren't something he could get rid of, not without fuss and the worry that—without you—they'd eventually cease to exist.
He watched the others fall to your apparent spell with faint disgust but hesitant acceptance. He could not control the others, just as you could not control him in battle. He also wasn't particularly inclined to tease anyone like Rodion or grow angry with them like Outis—well, not that they had any right to make fun of anyone when they felt the same way…
He doesn't even realize when he falls. He doesn't even realize he did fall. There isn't even a specific point where he does fall. It takes a long time, yes, but it comes. And he only realizes when Charon comments on how happier he looks when he hears you finally log on and progress the story, or do a Mirror Dungeon run, or anything of the sort.
Charon herself isn't bothered by you. In all honestly, she always knew this was a game yet didn't care as long as she had Verg and Mephi. Though, now she has you too. You make Verg perk up slightly when you finally show up, and Mephi likes you… well, she guesses she likes you too then. Disappoints her you aren't here, but she copes better than the others do. Anyways, with the rate they're going, their work at getting out of the game to meet you will be finished in a little while. So, she, you, and Verg can all be a family soon enough.
She wonders who's going to wear the wedding dress in the marriage. Probably Verg.
–★★★–
If they were only a little more patient, everything would've probably ended in their favor. But no.
The well of content had run dry. All current story? Completed. All current events? Completed. IDs? EGO? All you wanted that were out as gathered as you could get them (your newfound "luck" was instrumental to that), and leveled up and threadspun too. So, outside of dailies and MD, there wasn't much to stick around for.
And they started to panic. Sure, every few weeks new content would drop for you to play for, but you were appearing to lose interest. Not in the series, no—they hear how you consume fan content (it isn't the same as spending time with them), but in the game. If you were gone, they'd be…
They didn't want to know what would happen if you left. If you deleted them. If you suddenly stopped being there. They didn't want you to go. Even nights without you were almost unbearable now. What would happen if it became a week? A month? Forever?
So they came up with a plan. A very stupid, very rushed plan. They'd get access to the rest of your device.
It was hard enough to dig into the code—their life blood—to find the permissions. It was even harder to alter them, change what the game was allowed to access. Especially when they realized they needed you to tap the little button and approve them accessing these things.
But they were in too deep to give up now.
When you logged on, you were startled to see, "'Limbus Company' would like to access Camera," as a pop-up. But when you clicked, "Don't Allow," the pop-up came back. Every time you tried to deny it, it kept popping up.
Then the text read, "Just let us see you," and you nearly chucked your device through the nearest window. But curiosity overtook you, and you allowed it.
Then the next pop-ups came. Location, Contacts, Storage, Call Logs, Gallery, Memory, Personal Information, other apps…
And when the Microphone came up, all the text next to it said, "We already hear you." You nearly went and uninstalled the game right there. By this point, you came to the realization your game was hacked and you made a horrible mistake, or…
Then there was Dante's sprite standing in a blank, empty void.
<Sorry about that…> The textbox read, <We couldn't get access to what we needed to otherwise.>
And then they confirmed that, yes, they were aware of you. Always were (at least since you showed up). They wanted to finally reveal it to you, but you weren't given a reason. The text continued, growing faster over time, until you just shut off the game and buried the device in a drawer somewhere.
You checked it again the next morning, and found it open on your Notes app.
"Don't do that again. We can make you regret it."
And then came the slow, painful process of trying to change everything. Your email, phone number, important information like pins and passwords… all when the aggressors causing this came from inside the very device you now tried to get rid of.
It was a hard, delicate balance. Especially when the characters would lull or pressure you into opening the game, into chatting with their sprites and silent voice lines because they didn't know how to artificially create voiced lines for you to listen too. Especially when they inevitably noticed and did all they could to destroy your progress.
But it was too late. You were able to change it all, let everyone know you changed it all, and throw the device far, far away. You accepted you never could risk playing Limbus again, stuck solely to watching others enjoy this game. But it was for your own good.
But you should've known you weren't safe.
–★★★–
Living alone came with benefits and losses.
The most notable loss, though, was there was no one to help protect you when they showed up.
It was late at night. Sun set, hour past ten, and you were relaxing alone in the safety of your general living space. There was something small playing on the TV, mindless background noise as you folded laundry. It was still warm in your hands, and smelled just like your favorite soap. A bit of mindless comfort that got your mind off things.
Your hands had finally stopped shaking now. The thought of your strange game was far in the past. Months have gone by, anyways, with nary an issue in sight. You had many plans going forward, especially for the upcoming weekend. But for now, all you focused on was laundry.
Then there was a knock at the door. At this hour? Naturally you checked, why wouldn't you? But the sight you were met with… How were they here?
"Open the door." Vergilius ordered simply. His voice speaking in a non-Korean language was… jarring. You heard ticking, probably from Dante, but you couldn't understand it. You just moved as far from the front door as you could.
"We know you heard us." Faust told you, "The lights in your home are activated, strongly indicating you are here."
You started to lose track of who was saying what when they spoke again.
"C'mon bud, let's just make this easy and open this door…"
"Attempting to resist is futile, Player!"
"Open this bloody door already! Before we just knock it down!"
"Mine dearest player, I implore thee to welcome us into your abode!!"
"Y.I.B.H.A.N."
"I- I agree-! Just… please let us in..!"
"What do you hope to get out of this? We know where you live."
"Aww~ Look at your home! I hope ya got enough room in there to fit all of us~"
"I understand if this intrusion startles you, but-"
"Is it really that hard to open a door? Perhaps they work differently here."
"The Manager has requested I-"
The sudden banging on your door made your head spin, and you realized—in horror—they're trying to knock it down.
So you fumbled to unlock the thing and swung it open. Your chest heaved, and you stared at the fifteen people standing on your porch, illuminated by it's light and the glowing bulbs from the inside of your own home.
You couldn't muster up a word to say as Charon moved to the front of the small crowed.
"We're home now. Charon wants to go inside."
–★★★★★–
Final Note: A tier list summarizing when each Sinner starts to simp (Featuring the Driver and Guide)
Sorry I didn't go super in detail to all of the yandere ass behaviors these dorks did. Mostly this was just a "what if" thingy. May make this a series if people request follows up. Good thing my requests are open!! lololol
Heathcliff isn’t trying to be rude or dismissive, his question is genuine. He doesn’t really know what to do in this situation. Catherine was always secretive whenever she wasn’t feeling well and the same was true when she was on her period. Nelly never helped him get a better understanding either since she just kept repeating that “it’s unladylike to talk about such things”.
He’s completely ready to do whatever you need. You need sweets or snacks? He’s ready to even break into Charon’s stash. Need period products? He’s the first person off the bus at the next stop. Want to yell at him or beat him up? He’s taking it all without complaint.
“A burden shared is a burden halved.”
Yi Sang can’t fully understand your pain but he can understand your feelings. He will bring you anything you need but his main concern is not letting you be alone. Always staying nearby. He won’t speak if you don’t want him to and he’ll leave you alone if you ask but if you don’t he’ll always be close.
He really just hates ignoring the situation. It reminds of his past when he would just wait and do nothing. He remembers when Dongbaek would have her periods and get irritable while he just went on with his day. He doesn’t want to give you the same treatment.
“Oh… I’m sorry?”
Sinclair doesn’t really know what to do. Outside of his pretty basic education on menstruation he hasn’t really had encounters with it. He never saw any period products since he had his own bathroom and he’s pretty sure his mother and sister stopped having periods altogether after their procedures. Kromer also never mentioned anything outside of letting him know when she was ovulating.
So he’s pretty much lost on what to do. He’ll most likely ask Faust what he can do since all the other options are too embarrassing. He will do anything he’s told but he keeps looking at you with this very apologetic face almost like it’s his fault you’re in pain.
“Hmm… I’ll ask Miss Faust if she has any painkillers.”
Gregor doesn’t have experience with periods. All the women he met in the army stopped having them after their procedure. What he does have experience with however is dealing with pain. If he can’t get you something for the pain from Faust he will give you some from his personal stash. He also has cigarettes if you smoke.
He’ll bring you whatever you want to your room but he’ll never stay with you unless you explicitly ask him to. He thinks he bothers you with his presence despite a complete lack of evidence.
“Your period should start in approximately 7 days.”
Meursault notifies of your period before it even starts. He had tracked and calculated your menstrual cycle as precisely as he could. He has also asked Vergilius for the route towards your next destination and compiled a list of all the products available at the stops you’ll be making so that he can get you anything you need.
He is also willing to make space in his schedule for any activities you wish to partake in for comfort. He also offers to take over any of your work while you are absent. If there are any punishments for your absence he takes those over too.
“Oh, I know just the thing.”
Hong Lu has had to help out in situations like these with Xichun so he knows exactly what to do. At the first stop he’s off the bus and getting things for you. What kind of menstrual products do you use? Doesn’t matter he’s getting one of each. Snacks? Also going all out. The entire bus ends up having a party due to his overspending.
No matter your mood his attitude doesn’t change. He will stay positive no matter what’s thrown at him. You could be yelling at him and he would just continue carrying you into the bath he prepared for you.
Reader with the ability to see and communicate with the dead (even if they are erased by someone or something)
Canto spoilers from 1 - 9
The reader is a sinner. Don’t ask how pls. This is my first time doing this but HOPEFULLY I GOT THEM IN CHARACTER ATLEAST!
Also thx to @existence-is-a-pain87 for the inspo from their series <3 READ THEIR WRITNG PEOPLE IT IS DELICIOUS!
—
Honestly, you have no idea how this ability manifested. BUT HEY YOU ARE NOW THE MESSENGER BETWEEN THE SINNERS AND THEIR LOVE ONES NOW!
Also you can see some of the ghosts glaring at each other out except for those in the back
Yi Sang would ask you to rely his remorse about unable to intervene when things were going to a boiling point meanwhile Dongbaek is casually reassuring him while beating the hell out of Donrang for his betrayal to the League of Nine. Dw you are just watching it go down with a slight smile on your face on how stupid this is now
Gregor is relieved knowing Yuri and his sister has been following them for all this time despite not seeing them. Slightly feel better after having words relayed to him on how much he meant and done for them, even if it may be a short time. You have definitely let him cry on your shoulder with Pablo on your other shoulder while seeing some of his dead comrades around.
Don is happy. Happy in an understatement, overjoyed would be the perfect word. She is glad that her family is doing well without the constant need of blood. While papa don is rambling on how proud he is to see her grow and how she is accepted by the sinners despite being a bloodfiend. I hear a certain bloodfiend got jumped for breaking an important rule. Honestly you are seeing curses thrown by them that you don’t even understand while stepping away.
Ishmael is happy that Queequeg is free and the whole crew able to speak freely now after the whole whale thing. They are definitely planning on how to spite Ahab after what she has done to them. I mean reasonable knowing how fuck up the City is. The crew is definitely dragging you around after both of your contracts are over cuz you all deserve a vacation of sorts.
Heathcliff is tearing up in his room knowing that there is someone else beside him and Dante that knows Catherine. Yeah they are going to go on about how much they love each other and their regrets about the past they have done. You do have to pat Heathcliff’s back the moment he sobs. The other sinners have zero clue on who Heathcliff is talking or crying about sadly.
RYOSHU! She may not remember Aryra but she knows how much that names means for her. You see Aryra following Ryoshu like a duck with its mom or a kitten following its mother’s footsteps. Did you cry? Probably. It is painful for accidentally killing your child. Also Sora, Ren, and Lucio are also in the bus for some apparent reasons- Nevermind the nurse fathers are here as well.
Hong Lu is actually genuinely smiling knowing his childhood friend, Jia Huan, has been following him all this time. They spent the first 30 minutes expressing their regrets before going on how fun it was together. Jia Huan was DEFINITELY GIGGING HIS ASS OFF AFTER WHAT HAPPEN TO JIA MU! Meanwhile you are casually conveying Huan’s words to Hong Lu while giggling on how ironic Jia Mu fate ended up along side the elders.
It took quite a lot of convincing to Rodya and Sinclair to talk with their previous friends and love ones. And it went sorta… well??? As they understood why Sinclair and Rodya did what they done but didn’t mean for their deaths. Except for some people that are pissed off despite it being years.
Faust said she doesn’t need it as she doesn’t have anyone that she is attached to. (I SENSE LIES FAUST!)
Outis got her family at home still alive somewhere; DONT MIND THE DEAD VETERANS CUSSING HER OUT OKAY! They’re from the Smoke war
Meursalt probably had a few small talk with his mom before accepting the fact that she has been with him constantly after her death. (Honestly I hope we get hints of his previous life)
BONUSS
you are now the UNOFFICIAL THERAPIST OF LIMBUS COMPANY BUS! With Dante as well, honestly you two need a damn raise. Also the bus is definitely more lively than before you manifested this ability, hopefully nobody decided to make a religion out of you 😅
i dont think i can iterate enough how much of a loverboy and romantic this guy is
like hed do so much corny shit i believe. but he does so with with the stupidest cutest grin on his face whilst looking all flustered and nervous oh how could you NOT kiss him stupid RIGHT WHERE HIS ASS STANDS
i can see him call you the british versions of terms of endearment aswell (like hun or luv or whatever you may think of)
okay whatever lets get into the stuff i think he would do for his partner (or you😉didyou read that😉i saidyou😉his partner is you😉wink)Ok
i think heathcliff is the type of guy who would hold your hand while youre on the loo 🤗i was about to go further with this but i wont ill say things i wont be able to take back anymore
gift giving i think is something he would like ... not necessarily buying stuff but making it himself and giving it to you. you both think it holds more value that way, and he adores seeing you light up by something he himself made with his own two hands
another one of his love languages is physical touch!
youre that hallway couple everyone hates.
no im playingBUT LIKE hed definitely like holding your hand whilst youre on a date (i mean like if your man didnt i think you should snipe him) and especially in private he likes cuddling or just touching you casually
in private a bit more though hed be more confident and comfortable touching you there. he gets a bit nervous doing it in public.
not in a bad way or anything! its just that his co workers are lowkey better professionals at making light hearted comments about his relationship to him and teasing him about it than they are at their current occupations in limbus company.
see its because it almost always manages to fluster or piss him off
laying his head on yours or yours on his or on either of your shoulders, lying on the others lap, wrapping your hands around his arms are all gestures i think would make him blush
for some reason i feel like hed like books or writing. i mean he literally keeps a diary too (definitely writes about you in it too oh my god what a whipped loserNo im sorry i didnt mean that but dear lord)
the concept of library dates with heathcliff..💆cynthia what are you doing here
hed definitely also always tend to your needs . hes a very protective guy in general, too. if he thinks something is wrong, he wouldnt hesitate to come to you about it
ergo i think hed be an awesome boyfriend dude.
🔮 𐐪𐐩 : HONG LU . . ♡
im envious that you bagged the physical manifestation of the bag tm
trust that you will be pampered and spoiled. NOT in a dom sugar daddy way though sometimes hong lu buys you very questionable stuff solely on his own accord
like man okay imagine hong lu goes on trips regularly (like ie how he does in the lcb world with the bus) and he just purchases you the weirdest shit ever.
"hong lu what in the corporations am i looking at." you'd ask him, "i bought you some time from t corp.!" he'd answer, "and what am I supposed to do with it exactly?" you reply, "...give me a kiss as a thank you?" he smiles.
...you suppose you can give that to him.
hong lu the type of guy to just NOT gaf about pda
and by that i mean he just touches you whenever the hell he wants where the hell he wants. 😪
is it bad etiquette? kind of. has he been taught better? probably. does he care? not really.
i think your reactions are what amuse him and make him do that fuck ass face with the gigglyesque smile and the blush and the closed eyes and the "ya allah i want to punch your face" expression and
your relationship with him is just bickering/teasing and pampering eachother. among other things.
if he bombards you with gifts, you can bombard him back with physical affection! which he loves a lot.
i think as opposed to heathcliff, hong lu would like to be more public with you, and comments by others dont really bother him.
infact i think he would use them to his advantage to show you off more😭
whether you mind or not is up to you!
but something tells me you dont.
well in any case, hong lu being your other half comes naturally to him! he doesnt really have to "try to be a good boyfriend" or anything if that makes sense, your relationship is like in the permanent flow state and both of you just always know what the other needs
speaking of that i think as his partner you would be able to read him best too. like YES this motherfucker is cryptic DAMN but its little things you pick up throughout your relationship that makes his nature more transparent to you
maybe its the way he says a particular word or sentence, maybe its his facial expressions, maybe its his body language... its for you to know and find out!
i was in the flow state writing this too bruv. i hope you liked them dear anon... my bad for the delay<//3
