Klaus's eyes lingered on the ticket, his gaze drawn to it almost hypnotically. He continued to stare at it when Desire's soothing voice awoke him.
He came to his senses, shifting his gaze away from the ticket to the luminescent violet textbox.
'No kidding,' he thought.
His eyes flickered over at the ticket a few times—never too long, but enough to get a good look at it.
'Alright, how do I use it?' he inquired to Desire. She responded immediately after.
Klaus followed her instructions, and a circular screen gradually appeared. In the center of the spinner, the word 'Skills' was stitched in a golden font, surrounded by question marks lodged within purple triangles. On the right side, an arm the same length as a clock's minute hand hovered over a triangle; however, this one appeared slightly different. Instead of the violet hue, it was painted with an ominous dark red that seemed to interweave in the light. The question mark was also different, being a warm black instead of gold.
"That's gotta be the jackpot," he muttered.
Oblivious, Ginger hummed a lively tune, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel. Klaus's voice—low and soft was muffled by the invisible yet vibrant waves of the perfect pair by Beabadoobee.
A wry smile mustered on his lips. 'Thanks for the words of encouragement.'
It came unhesitantly.
'That was— you know what, never mind,' he shook his head lightly. 'Let's go gambling.'
Klaus focused on the confirmation screen and mentally pressed yes.
The wheel spun slowly at first, then accelerated to a tremendous speed within a second or two. The arm smacked against the pins separating the triangles, producing rapid chimes.
It continued spinning at those speeds for roughly ten seconds before it began decreasing.
Klaus watched the arm as its rapid chimes slowed and took on a more rhythmic melody. He glanced at the blood red triangle, then sighed. At the rate the spinner was moving, it would be somewhere on the other side by the time it stopped. That didn't dampen his excitement, though. He continued to grin like a wee lad in a candy shop.
Eventually, the spinner slowly turned at a snail's pace before landing on a plain purple triangle. The process was then repeated for another skill, and the last ticket was spent on stats, both of which landed on purple.
'Alright,' Klaus smiled. 'No jackpot, but let's see what I got.'
<(Passive Skill) Lvl 1 Charisma Check>
<(Active Skill) Lvl 1 Revealing Gaze>
<+25 Unattuned Stat Points>
Klaus was unresponsive; instead, his eyes bulged at the rewards. Desire needn't have him say anything, for that said enough.
˚ ∘ ⊰ ⋆˙ ˖ ݁࣪ ִֶָ 𓆩𓁺𓆪 .࣪ ִֶ ݁ ˙⋆ ⊱ ˚ ∘
Desire: 1
EXP: 10/100
DP: 10
Body
Height: 175cm
Muscle Mass: 23
Vitality: 55
Agility: 45
Mind: 105
Performance
Length: 18cm
Girth: 14cm
Libido: 70
Pleasure: 100
Charisma: 89 (+150%)
Temptation: 50
Unattuned Points: 25
Skills: (New!) Lvl 1 Charisma Check, (New!) Lvl 1 Revealing Gaze, Lvl 1 Silver Tongue, Lvl 1 Cooking, Lvl 3 Driving, Lvl 5 Bookkeeping, Lvl 5 Organizing
He moved his arm over his right leg and gave it a sharp pinch, causing him to wince, but his face didn't show one of pain, but rather joy.
"This is insane." Were the only words he could muster up before Ginger's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Alright, we're here," Ginger said, watching as a car pulled out of a parking spot near the entrance and then pulled into it before anyone else could.
She shifted the car into park, unfastened her seatbelt, and then exited the vehicle with Klaus following suit, wearing a grin. He couldn't shake off his excitement after reading the descriptions of his new skills. A part of him wanted to test out 'Revealing Gaze' on the redhead walking around the car, but he refrained from doing so; instead, he thought of testing it on a random woman.
Klaus glanced up at the red bullseye on the top of the building, a thought coming to mind, 'What better place to find women than Target?'
Target, being the female industry plant it was, was one of the main places of interest for women of all ages.
Noticing Ginger walk up beside him, Klaus did his best to limit his wide, almost creepy grin, stemming from his pursuit of the unknown.
He looked at her, his eyes briefly meeting hers, but this time, there was a new sense of confidence in his gaze. Ginger noticed this as well, but didn't comment on it.
"Are you getting anything, or is this just a me stop?" Klaus asked, making a beeline for the store's entrance. Ginger walked beside him, her white sneakers producing light taps against the ground, compared to his dress shoes.
"I have a few things I need to pick up," she replied with a thoughtful expression. "If I could remember what they were."
The automatic doors welcomed them into the store, spilling a cool breeze around them. Klaus grabbed a shopping cart from the chain of them, releasing it from its captivity. He continued into the store, Ginger hovering beside him.
He looked at her empty hands, a confused expression on his face. "Aren't you gonna get a shopping cart?" he questioned. "Or a basket?"
She shook her head, saying, "I won't need one, I'm not getting much."
His gaze lingered on her for a moment before shrugging.
"What was it you were getting again?" Ginger glanced at him.
"I need pillows, pillow cases, bed sheets, a skirt, and bedside slippers."
"A skirt?"
"Yeah, a bed skirt," Klaus confirmed. "It goes over the box frame, concealing it and the bed frame."
He turned into the bedding aisle, coming to a halt. "You never heard of them?"
Her red hair jerked around as she shook her head. "Can't say I have."
Klaus looked around the shelves and located a black bed skirt among the others. His hands gripped the shiny, sleek plastic and held it out for Ginger.
"This is what they look like." She took the product into her hands and analyzed it. "In addition to covering the bottom half of the bed, it minimizes the amount of dust that accumulates under your bed, and it's also aesthetically pleasing," he continued.
Next to the bed skirts were bed sheets, a comforter, pillowcases, and other items needed for the bed. He looked over them, placing each one in the cart. The cart bounced slightly as he dropped the last item in, which was the comforter.
Ginger still contemplated the skirt in her hand.
"I don't know," she said with furrowed brows. "I don't think I'd need it, but it looks nice."
Klaus smiled, watching the plastic squeak under her tender fingers when a screen prompted in front of him. He looked around him, finding something a little off. Although Ginger was previously staring intently at the item in her hand, her gaze seemed to linger a bit longer than before.
Then it suddenly struck him; he called out for her, but there was no response. He observed her for a few moments, then glanced around and noticed the violet glow in the atmosphere before concluding, "Time froze?"
A familiar melancholy voice chimed, contrasting the stillness in the air.
"And how long does this last, per se?"
<30 minutes or until you pick an option.>
Klaus nodded, absorbing the information with a grin. 'This is a superpower in its own way, no? Even with a 3x3 radius, this is broken. The only thing is that it's randomized.'
He shook his head and glanced at the assortment of options.
Option I: 'It's ultimately up to you, but I personally would suggest getting it. Adds a bit of elegance.'
Chances: 90%
Increase: +3 Affection
Option II: 'How about this, I'll buy it for you, then we can see what it truly looks like on your bed.'
Chances: 60%
Increase: +7 Affection, +25 Lust
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
"Hmmm." Klaus ran his hand over his stubble, feeling the short hairs prick his fingers. "The first one is the safest option, but there isn't much of an increase in her affection. Option number two gives not only seven affection but lust as well."
A sharp sound echoed through the uncanny silence as the tip of his shoe tapped against the ceramic tiles.
"You know what. Yolo."
The purple glow gradually disappeared, taking the eerie silence with it. Conversations resumed as if they had never paused, while the bright ceiling lights dispelled the violet tint that lingered in the air.
Klaus glanced up, momentarily captivated by the glossy pink of Ginger's pursed lips. They gleamed in the light, radiating an undeniable allure. After soaking in the sight for a heartbeat longer, he finally raised his gaze to meet her green eyes, which were still fixed downward.
"How about this?" His lips curled at the edges slightly, while his heart pounded against his ribs. Nervous sweat expelled from his pores, making his hands moist and clammy. He casually wiped them against his trousers before continuing, "I'll buy it for you, then we can see what it truly looks like on your bed."
The words left his mouth, leaving a dry and tangy aftertaste on his tongue. Ginger glanced up with a look of surprise. Blood rushed from her chest up to her face, painting her cheeks a deep crimson.
An awkward silence consumed them, none of them wanting to be the first one to speak.
Ginger approached the same shelf where Klaus had picked up the bed skirt and carefully returned it to its spot. He sighed to himself, figuring he had failed the check; however, to his surprise, a notification caught his eye, pulling his attention away.
<+7 Ginger Affection and +25 Ginger Lust>
Taken aback, Klaus instinctively turned back towards Ginger. She cradled an olive green bed skirt, holding it tightly against her between her soft yet firm bosom.
"Black's not really my color," she muttered softly, but Klaus caught every word clearly, his senses peaked out. His breaths grew ragged, filling his lungs with deep, steady breaths that expanded his chest.
'Okay, calm down.' He took a deep, slow breath that hitched in the back of his throat. Fortunately, he managed to steady himself. 'Don't make a fool of yourself.'
It was crucial to remember that this was one of his only three encounters with women, especially with someone who looked as seductive as she did at the moment—even if not purposeful.
"Yeah," he smiled faintly. "I'd say olive green is more of your color, too. It complements your eyes."
Ginger momentarily locked eyes with him before shying away. She tossed the bed skirt into the cart before turning away from him, beginning to walk down the aisle. "I'm gonna go look for some stuff."
<+5 Ginger Affection, +15 Ginger Lust>
Klaus listened to Desire, thinking about the skill.
Emotion: Embarrassed, Slightly Aroused
Affection: 13/100
Lust: 40/100
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Ginger felt a cold shiver run down her spine as she glanced back. Klaus's deep-set green bore into hers, narrowing down on her as if he were peeling away the layers of her very soul. She shuddered, quickly turning to hurry around a corner. A cart came around the corner, barreling toward her. The near collision only added to her embarrassment, making her race even faster.
"Sorry," she mumbled before speeding off.
Klaus watched as she left, leaving him alone with his thoughts.