saiyanandproud

[saiyanandproud]

Mariko sat beside Cleo, giving him a worried look as he rested against the pillow. She opened her mouth, about to say something, but closed it right away and turned around with a sigh. She was just reaching for the cookies when Cleo offered her the controller instead; she looked at it with a surprised blink, then raised her eyes at Cleo.

"Are you sure?" She asked. "Well... Alright. Thank you."

She took the controller from Cleo's hand, retracting hers quickly as her finger brushed his knuckles for a second. She cleared her throat, settled against the improvised seatback provided by the cot, and put the blanket over her legs as she directed her attention to the screen.

It was a fun RPG adventure they had started not too long ago, but the plot was captivating enough they had found themselves playing it for hours. They often laughed at how one of the characters, a cranky silent mercenary, was eerily similar to a certain purple assassin, and Mariko frequently suggested how the half-elf teacher reminded her of Chandra with her motherly ways -- but luckily, not too much with her terrible cooking skills, Chandra could be better than that.

As for Mariko, she had a strong aversion for the blonde girl who happened to be one of the 'Chosen ones' of the game; she hated how meekly and passively she had accepted her task, unlike the other Chosen one, a rich, red-headed noble boy who seemed to have total control over his life and a strong opinion on how the system worked. However, her choice usually fell on a ninja girl with magical powers and a cute fox as her pet; only that day, as she selected the character, the fact that the red-headed Chosen one often showed a special interest towards the ninja girl hit her with a sudden awareness that made her cheek warm up.

She prayed Cleo hadn't made that same connection and pressed the Start button. As the game loaded, she casted Nucleotide another cagey look, eyes falling on the shoulder that had taken a bad blow during the fight from the other day. Remarkably, no sign of the clash were left on the blue chitin.

"Are you feeling better?" She asked, lifting her gaze at Cleo. "I mean... It seems so. Looks like you're better," she stammered, immediately cursing herself for that question. Why did she have to bring up that absurd scene from the trip?! "I hope you're better, at least," she concluded awkardly, glancing back at the screen and blessing the game for having finally loaded the last saving point, offering her a way out of that conversation.

As Mariko left, Nucleotide crept from his cot on all fours, stomach facing the ground as though he were a massive roach. It was the most agreeable position for him, in the moment, as he tested his back and shoulders. Stiff, yes, but not cripplingly so. He traded his weight to his legs as he sat on his knees, and fussed with wires to get the correct console hooked up.

... Idly, he wondered what could've been keeping Mariko up. All the excitement from the trip, maybe. Even if it hadn't ended in an all-out brawl between the strongest among them, settling back into a regular sleep schedule could be a bit of a challenge. He'd benefited from the flipside of the phenomenon: all that exertion primed him for a good, long nap.

Fortunately for Mariko's sake, he'd had adequate recovery time. Every bruise and fractured plate of chitin Gamma 2 and Atlas managed to beat into him had already healed- with minimal flaw, he'd noted, when he got a chance to examine himself.

Upon recalling the duels in more vivid detail, Nucleotide smirked to himself. He wasn't going to forget the look on Atlas' face when his arm snapped back into place with a wet squelch anytime soon.

Ultimate android this, ultimate android that; I may be flawed, but I'm born of Perfection. Let their humiliation be punishment for their arrogance.

( Downstairs, in the garage, Atlas was polishing off his repairs; Nucleotide could hear the tools still going. Maybe the strain of the vintage android's gears, too. He must've been so angry, getting beat down by a 'whiny little twig,' or whatever he really thought of him.

Meanwhile, Atlas found himself glancing at the doorway every time he thought he'd heard the stairs creak... but no one was headed towards the garage, on their journeys up and down the stairs. Curling his nose, he figured it might be better that way. No one to come ask what he was working on, exactly... )

( And Hit? Nucleotide couldn't hear anything in particular, especially not behind the white noise of whatever film he was watching... and that was a far better thing to hear than whatever it was he got up to with his mother in the night. That carnal cacophony made him wish for further faults in what served as his ears. )

By the time he heard Mariko's footfalls marking her ascent, the game was ready; the atmospheric swell of its title screen music had been turned down as to not disturb the other occupants. The hum of the console's disc reader threatened to drown it out.

He welcomed Mariko back with a glance, and a nod, before taking the acquired pillow and setting himself up a back rest.

"That should be enough." He said, caging the oreo sleeve under his thin fingers to drag them closer. As he pressed his weight against the pillow, he hissed; sharp pain stung him where his spine ought to have been, and then ebbed away into something tolerable.

Nucleotide indicated the space beside him with a tilt of his head. On the tip of his tongue, he found a few lingering questions - 'Why can't you sleep?,' 'Why this game?,' 'What was Hit watching?,' 'Was Atlas still fixing that dent?' -- but they died down after a moment. Maybe he'd inquire, later.

Instead, he offered Mariko the controller, and asked: "Did you want to play, this time?"

[saiyanandproud]

{ DATE 🌆 }

{ AMOR 😍 }

Valentine's Day Prompts

{ DATE NIGHT 🌆 } — Sender asks out receiver for a special Valentine’s Day date!

"... Are you seriously offering hanging out to eat dumplings this friday?" Mariko asked, giving Fu a suspicious frown. "Hm. Can't imagine how late it's have to be for you to go unnoticed... Unless you conceal yourself, that it. Which would leave me looking absolutely crazy, talking to myself while eating dumplings."

She huffed and shrugged. "But sure, why not. It's only that... Wait." She looked back at Fu with a bemused look, an eyebrow cocked high. "Do you know what day is it gonna be?"

Valentine's Day Headcanons

{ AMOR 😍 } ---- What was their first love confession like? Did they get rejected? Did it happen over a special occasion (like a date)?

So... Going back chronologically on this blog, Mariko's first sorta-confession was with Shallot. It wasn't even a confession, really; she was just both angry and relieved he had showed up after disappearing for a while -- Shallot behaved like some sort of wild cat and at some point she thought he left because he was mad at her. So, when he came back, she... Punched him first, and then kissed him.

Funny enough, it worked like a charm.

[saiyanandproud]

{ DANCE 🪩 } ( S3 of RGRomance! )

"I haven't done this in awhile," Atlas' gaze drifts away from Mariko as he considers whether or not he can really say that he's danced before, even if he remembers all the steps. He holds his hand out to her, "but I'll give it a shot, if you want to."

Valentine's Day Prompts

"You... What?"

Mariko stared at Atlas, blinking a couple of times. It took her a moment to put two and two together: she had just turned on the volume to one of the songs she liked the most, from a mixed CD she had commissioned to Takuma. She hadn't expected anything when she had commented how beautiful dancing to it would have been -- it was a simple consideration on the rhythm and the notes, really.

So, when Atlas held his hand out to her, at first she thought he wanted to help her down the roof where they had being hanging out for that whole summer evening. Only when the lightbulb in her head finally lit up, she felt her face burning hot, and gaped, bewildered, staring between Atlas' face and the hand he was offering her.

"... Really?!" She gasped. "You mean like..."

She shut her mouth close, realising how tactless she probably sounded. She glanced at the CD player beside her, then back at Atlas. Finally, she let out a soft chuckle and stood up, improvising a quick cursty before resting her palm on Atlas' hand.

"Are you sure?" She asked with a shy smile. "I mean, won't it be slippery, here on the roof?"

[saiyanandproud]

{ CUDDLE 🧸 } ( S4 of RGRomance? I'm realizing the tone of this would greatly depend on how the Atlas saga wraps up, but we can figure that out as we go. ... or yknow. AU )

At the edge of his cot, Nucleotide sat, watching Mariko like one does with a loved one on a sickbed. The concern widens his eyes, though he doesn't approach, but rather leans over the border of her personal space, as if waiting for invitation.

"... You look upset. Can I do anything to help?"

Valentine's Day Prompts

Laying in the bed opposite Nucleotide's, Mariko stood still under the blankets, staring at the ceiling with a tense frown. Her lips were sealed in a thin line, barely peeking from the edge of the blanket; she kept one hand over her chest, closed in a fist, with the other tightened around it. She hoped the pressure would ease the pain on her palm, but it kept burning in a straight line that crossed it diagonally, from below the pointing finger all the way down to the wrist.

She didn't know why she had done it. She was alone in the garage, crying in her hidden corner, feeling a whole lot of stuff she didn't want to feel anymore, she was done feeling. Anger, fear, but overall, guilt, and the burning sense of unfairness and shame because she had done nothing to deserve all of that, and yet, she couldn't shake off the feeling that it was all her fault and hers only.

So she had grabbed the scissors Takuma used to cut old wires, had pressed the point of the blade on her palm, and dragged it all the way down, over and over, until it had opened a long laceration over it, and blood had started surfacing from it like a shiny red river rising from the bottom of a canyon. At first, she had felt relief. But then, as the blood started spilling, anguish had invested her again like a wave; because nothing had changed after that act, not really, and now she felt as miserable as she did before, with a cut on her palm on top of that -- another thing that was just her fault.

It was Takuma who had found her crying while she stared at her cut, her shoulders shaken by sobs. He had said nothing, only promptly helped her up and taken her to the kitchen. When Chandra had seen her, the horror on her face had been another stab in Mariko's chest, and tears burt her eyes even more. Takuma had only shaken his head at the woman, as if silently telling her to not say anything; he had cleaned Mariko's wound, wrapped a dressing around it so tightly it almost hurt, and accompanied her to the bedroom. They had sat on the bed, and he had tried to ask her what had happened, but Mariko hadn't answered nor turned to look at him. She had simply gotten under the blanket and turned her shoulders at Takuma, who had stayed there in silence until she had fallen asleep.

When she had woken up, it was already late night. Nucleotide was in his bed, reading, and she had done her best to not get caught, but it only had taken her to stir for Nucleotide to turn around in a second. Now, framed by that worried look of his, Mariko felt the tears rising to her eyes again, the knot from earlier pushing back against her throat. She was in pain and she had hurt herself; and no one was there to stop her, to save her -- not Hit, not Gamma 2, not Cleo. And not even Atlas.

A sob broke through her throat, followed by another one, Soon, tears bleared her sight and rolled down her face as she squeezed her lids tight; she clenched her teeth together, pulling the blanket over her head and turning to face the wall, chest shaken by the sobs.

"It would have been better if they had taken me from the beginning!" She cried, words broken by short hiccups. "It would have been better for everyone! Then this would have been over already, and I wouldn't be still here being everybody's problem! I'm tired! I can't take it anymore," she stammered, pressing the wounded palm against her chest. "I had enough! I just want for this to be over!"

[saiyanandproud]

@viopolis from X

"Hey, Mariko." Atlas addresses her from behind. As he approaches, his footfalls aren't quite the same: louder, softer, devoid of that trademark metallic sound that made it so easy to trace him through the RGR building. ( He hadn't cracked how the technology behind his disguise worked, just yet; his diagnostic scans only assured him their components were all still functioning, despite decades of disuse. How did the illusion manage to suppress sound? He was still made of latex and steel, after all. ) Awaiting her was a young man with Atlas' face. The odd lines that faceted his cheeks, and the dark marks over his eyelids were gone, but the resemblance was unmistakable. His armored bulk had been slimmed down ( compressed, maybe? ), leaving him with an oddly wiry frame. The clothes hanging off that frame were no doubt loans from Takuma's wardrobe: same faux-biker getup, same red hues. He shoots her a smile, once their eyes meet.

"I'm grabbing some spraypaint for my bike. Wanna come with?"

Mariko turned around upon hearing a too-familiar voice calling her, but froze on the spot when the person before her didn't match the figure she would usually associate with it.

She gaped, took a step back, tempted to ask a brutal 'Who the hell are you?'. Then she frowned, tilting her head to the side when she recognised the boy's well-known face, looking... Cleaner than it usually would.

"Atlas?" She gasped.

She took a hesitant step towards him, then another one, until she was right in front of the... Boy? Android? He looked uncannily normal, just like a normal boy who'd walk into Rosegold Repairs to ask for a check on his motorbike.

Those green eyes, though, were exactly the same she had found herself staring into far too many times over the last weeks.

"It is you!" She exclaimed with a marveled smile. Her hand reached out, tempted to brush his hair, but recoiled immediately, frozen by embarrassment. "Wow. You look..."

Handsome was the first word that came to her mind, but she couldn't speak it. Anything remotely human was almost an insult to Atlas -- and yet, something he claimed with a challenging attitude whenever someone doubted he could ever own it. But that wasn't the only reason that kept her from speaking out her thought; there was something else, a remote question that made her face burn and her mind drift with daydreaming what ifs that quickened her beat. She shooed them off with a shake of her head before they could make her drift away on the spot.

"... You look great," she finally managed to stutter, embarrassment still warming up her face. "I... Yeah. Yes, sure. I can come," she said, glancing at Atlas' figure for a quick moment and wondering how it would have felt, wrapping her arms around his waist. Another fit of warmth invested her cheeks at the thought of it. "J-Just let me tell Chandra about it! So someone else can watch the garage while I'm away. Is that okay?"

[saiyanandproud]

{ DATE NIGHT 🌆 } ( for S2 of RGRomance, I suppose. )

"Heyyy, Mariko!" Under the guise of Jiro, Gamma 2 slides over to her, having just finished aiding Takuma with a rotor replacement. "There's apparently a bunch of stuff happenin' in North City this weekend, what with the holiday and all. Wanna come with me? I can't really taste chocolate, so I need someone to tell me if the weird promotional ones are good or not."

Valentine's Day Prompts

"Ah??"

Mariko's head jerked up with a gasp, taken off-guard by the suggestion. It wasn't like she was once again daydreaming exactly of a date with Jir-- Gamma 2 while writing down the garage orders sat at the desk by the entrance, oh no. She would never do it. Only about every time Gamma 2 was around, really.

"Coming... With you? To North City?" She stammered as her mind frantically tried to tell apart the bits of her romantic fantasy from Gamma's exact words. "This weekend?"

Her eyes ran at the calendar hung by the wall. Yes, it was exactly as she thought -- Valentine's Day fell exactly on that weekend. Did Gamma 2 know? And then she recalled he said something about tasting chocolate... So, yes! He did!

Did he just ask her out on Valentine's day?!

"I... S-Sure! Of course!" She answered in a beat. "I'd love to! I mean..."

Her eyes ran at Takuma with a hint of panic. Did he hear? What was he going to think seeing her going out on Valentine's Day with someone else?

Then, something sour rose in her chest at that thought. Screw that. He had his chance and couldn't care less.

Gamma 2, instead... Mariko looked back at him and found herself sighing while smiling like an idiot. He was just so cute with that energetic grin of his. Disguise or no disguise.

"I'm looking forward to it," she finally said, feeling all giddy at the perspective. "Hey, maybe we could... Have a look at the amusement park, while we're there," she suggested, heart palpitating at the bravery of her suggestion. "I'm pretty sure they'll do something special over the weekend as well!"

She really needed to ask Chandra to take her shopping before the weekend. This was going to be her first date on Valentine's Day, and she had every intention to look as cute as possible for such an event!

And for Gamma 2, as well.

[saiyanandproud]

"Oh."

Mariko took Atlas' reply with a drop of her shoulders. She turned back at the garden below them, watching as the snow slowly covered it in a thin white layer. She could sense Atlas' thoughts chasing each other in his head despite the silence; she wasn't sure why, but it was almost as if she could feel the gears inside his head grinding and twisting. He could be a silent type, but not like Hit; Atlas' silence was a wall he actively built, because she knew that, usually, he had no problems chatting with her when he had a chance to.

That was why such silence felt like a blanket of lead looming over them. Please don't shut me out, she thought, furtively shuffling closer to Atlas. She kept glancing at him, lips pressed together in a mute pray for him to talk to her again. When he did, her heart skipped a beat, only to sink again at the android's sour reply.

"But..." Mariko hesitated, bit her lip, glanced away at the frozen grass. "... It's not the same if you're not there too."

Suddenly, her face felt burning despite the snowflakes falling on it; she felt them melt against her warm cheeks, on the back of her hands, as if her whole body was on fire. Despite everything, a growing embarrassment prayed for her to stand up and leave, but she was afraid that any sudden movement would betray the turmoil in her heart, make Atlas believe she was giving up on him.

No, she couldn't do that.

"I mean... The worst part about it back home was how lonely it felt," she murmured, neck stiff as she kept her head from turning at Atlas to check for his reaction. "I wanted the people I cared for to be there with me... But they weren't. That was what made it pointless despite the decorations and all." She took in a quick breath, welcoming the cold air as it cleared her mind a bit.

"What I'm trying to say is... I get that all of this may be meaningless for you. I don't blame you." This time, her eyes couldn't help but run at Atlas once more, just for a second before staring down at her feet. "But... It would be meaningless to me if you weren't there with us," she stammered. "So, if it doesn't make a big difference to you... Could you please join us still? Because to me, it would mean a lot."

Once she finally managed to speak out her wish, her head sank between her shoulders as she heaved a deep sigh. She suddenly felt drained, as if admitting all of that had taken an unexpected toll on her heart. She realised that was probably the first time she had ever asked someone not to leave her. That epiphany left her feeling so bitter and pathetic she know felt like an idiot for having gone through all that scene like a stupid child.

"Sorry. It was selfish of me to ask you that," she muttered with a frown. "Don't worry. It's fine if you dont' feel like it, I get it."

"Easily. It's annoying because it's meaningless." Atlas glared up at the sky. His scans indicated nothing he didn't already know; it was snowing, and it would keep snowing for some time. Finding a distraction up there had been a fraught goal anyhow, and still, he was disappointed.

Now he had nothing to hold back the flood of memories. Mariko's childhood holidays may as well have been plucked out of his own history: grandiose, cold decorations peppering larger, colder rooms. Tokugawa Corporation's brand of holiday cheer had no doubt some effect on its employees, but Daichi never quite liked them as much as he had their more humble decorations at home. ... And ever since Mom passed away, more and more of those stayed in their storage bins.

By the time Daichi hit adolescence, he told himself he'd long since outgrown all of that, anyway. The gifts kept coming, but they were a formality, first and foremost. New clothes, useless gadgets, and when Mr. Tokugawa ran out of ideas, he just passed along some extra cash.

The cold light of the moon felt especially cruel, around that time of year. Had his father really forgotten what he wanted most of all? The tacky TV specials, the seasonal plays he went off to with his business partners- how did none of them jog his memory?

Atlas' fists tightened until their joints creaked. Enough already. Stay in your grave, Daichi.

He wanted to tell her that even the cozy stuff isn't all its cracked up to be. That, with time, all that sentimentality bleeds away as people exit your life, and the handmade decorations turn into cold reminders of their absence. Instead, Atlas just stared at Mariko, optics aglow with intensity he was, for her sake, trying to steer away from anger.

"Humans picked a random day as a great excuse to spend money, eat candy, and lie to their offspring while they were still naive enough to buy it." ... That was at least a little better than saying what he was actually thinking. Better than talking about a life that wasn't his, at least. He added, more gently, "Sorry you didn't get in on any of the fun. "

"You've got your chance, now, at least. Go drink your chocolate."

[saiyanandproud]

@viopolis from X Mariko is correct; he doesn’t need to sleep. But he likes to. Keeps a schedule, helps him recharge, gives him reprieve from the aches that sometimes wracked his warped body. He regards her with a tired, but much more confused frown, and lets the case rest on his chest before curling his twiggish fingers around it. “Okay.” He says, incredulously, before rising from the waist like a vampire, bringing himself at eye level with Mariko. Ordinarily, it was cold in his room at this time of year, this time of day- why does he feel so warm all of a sudden? I’m not that irritated, he notes to himself, so I guess it’s not the familiar fires. “… Go get the snacks. I’ll set up.” Thinking for a few more seconds, he adds, in a voice erring on timid: “If the assassin isn’t using them, you might want to grab an extra pillow and blanket. We can make a backing board with them. … My back is sore.”

Mariko held her breath, waiting for Cleo's response. As she returned his confused look with an awkward one, she felt selfish for having woken him up. Maybe he did need rest, after all that had happened during their little roadtrip. Maybe he shouldn't have bothered him.

However, as soon as Cleo accepted her suggestion, she found herself sighing of relief.

"Nice." She smiled. "Give me a couple of minutes."

She stood up and walked to the door, trying to open it without a sound. The corridor was desert, with a faint glow coming from the ground floor. She sneaked out in her slippers and took down the stairs, careful not to make them squeak too much.

Once downstairs, she glanced around: the door to the garage was ajar, a slice of light coming from it. Atlas, Mariko thought, fighting back the urge to go see him. She was still cross at him from the whole scene of the other day, and didn't feel like talking to him just yet.

She went to the kitchen, ignoring the intermittent glare of the TV coming from the living room. She took two cans of cherry coke and put them under her arm before grabbing a bag of doritos and a tube of oreos. She walked out and turned back at the living room, gnawing on the inside of her cheek. Ultimately, she took in a deep breath, put on the flattest expression she was capable of, and walked in it.

Luckily, it was just Hit, sat on the couch while watching some sort of thriller. Mariko was tempted to ask him why he wasn't with Chandra, but the moment the assassin's eyes pierced her on the spot, she wished to get away from that scrutinising glare as soon as possible.

"I only need these," she muttered, reaching for a large pillow and a handmade throw with a patchwork pattern.

Hit said nothing; he gave her a nod and turned back at the screen. For once, Mariko welcomed his lack of interest about her well-being; she really didn't feel like being asked what she was doing awake at that time of the night.

She walked back upstairs, not without glancing once more at the garage door, and returned to the bedroom with quick steps. She closed the door behind her accompanying it with her foot before heading back to Cleo's bed, dropping everything on the cot.

"Here," she said, finding herself sighing of relief. "I can go back downstairs if you need some more."

[saiyanandproud]

💞💘🌸 VALENTINE'S DAY PROMPTS ; some prompts for muses to send to celebrate the holiday! Specify muse if you're a multi!

{ FIRST KISS 💋 } --- Sender gives receiver their first kiss (of the relationship, of a special occasion etc.) { DATE NIGHT 🌆 } --- Sender asks out receiver for a special Valentine's Day date! { DANCE 🪩} --- Sender and receiver go out dancing/start to dance. { CHOCOLATE HEARTS 🍫 } --- Sender gives receiver some chocolates/candy as a gift! { PLATONIC DATE 🤗 } --- Receiver decides to give platonic love to Sender (friendship date, gift, etc!) { NOTE 💌 } --- Sender confesses to receiver, either verbally or through a note, about their feelings. { WOW 😍 } --- Receiver reacts to Sender dressing up for Valentine's Day. (Describe what Sender is wearing!) { GIFT EXCHANGE 🎁 } --- Sender and receiver exchange gifts. { DINNER 🥩 } --- Sender and receiver go out to a restaurant as a date. { FLOWERS 🌹 } --- Sender brings flowers to receiver. { LOVE 💝 } --- Receiver expresses how much they love Sender. { MOVIE NIGHT 🎞��� } --- Sender and receiver go see a movie together. { MAKE-OUT 😘 } --- Sender and receiver start making out. { CUDDLE 🧸 } --- Sender and receiver cuddle with each other. { SPICY 👅 } --- Sender initiates sex with receiver. { FLIRT 😉 } --- Sender or receiver flirts with the other. { ANTI-VALENTINE'S DAY ❌ } --- Sender and receiver decide to boycott the holiday together.

[saiyanandproud]

💞💘🌸 VALENTINE'S DAY HEADCANONS ; an assortment of headcanons related to the holiday or just love in general. Send in one or more to learn more about my muse! Specify muse if you're a multi!

{ HEARTS 💘 } ---- What's the most important thing that your muse holds close to their heart? Is it a person, place or thing? { CANDY 🍭 } ----- Does your muse like to eat candy or buy candy for themselves on this holiday? Has anyone ever gifted them candy? Do they like it? { LOVE 🥰 } ----- What does love mean to your muse? Do they feel loved/lovable? Are they the type to love easily? { AMOR 😍 } ---- What was their first love confession like? Did they get rejected? Did it happen over a special occasion (like a date)? { CRUSH 🌸} ----- Do they get crushes easily? How do they act around their crush? { GLITTER ✨ } ----- What's an ideal outfit for a Valentine's Day date? Do they like dressing up? Describe what they'd wear! { GIFTS 🎁 } ----- Do they expect gifts for the day? What's something they'd give their partner? { DATE 🌆 } ----- Describe your muse's ideal date. Do they have a dream date they'd like to go on? { DANCING 🪩 } ----- What kind of activities does your muse like to do with their partner? Are they good at these things? { KISSES 💋 } ----- Is your muse a good kisser? Have they ever had a bad kiss before? What's a memorable kiss they've had? { XOXO 😘 } ----- What's something steamy or spicy they've done on a date? Do they usually have sex on the first date? What's a wild sexual encounter they've had? { ROMCOMS 🍿 } ----- Do they enjoy romantic comedy movies? Have they ever read a romance novel? What are their favorites? { CHOCOLATE 🍫 } ------ Are there any special desserts or sweets they order while on a date? Do they have a sweet tooth?

[saiyanandproud]

Starter for @viopolis

It was yet another one of those boring dinners with her father's business partners. A fancy event room on top of a tall building, glass running all over the walls to face on the ample terrace surrounding them; a fancy place, with fancy drinks, people dressed in fancy clothes, and minuscule fancy portions that seemed to leave her hungrier with each bite she took.

Sat at an empty table in a corner, trapped in one of those dresses that made her skin itch with how uncomfortable it was, Mariko prayed her parents could forget about her presence for the rest of the evening. She even wondered why they kept dragging her there, but sadly, she had a guess.

She had recently made a debut -- another terrible, unnecessary event her parents had imposed on her for the mere umpteenth purpose of introducing her to high society. But Mariko couldn't care less, and while she had obliged only because obeying was her only option, she had no intention to put any further effort into the whole deal. She had no interest in society -- in fact, she would have rather stay as far from it as possible, even if it meant spending a whole evening sat in that corner talking to nobody.

Unfortunately, that wasn't what her parents had in mind.

"Mariko, stand up," her mother said heading towards her. "Your father wants to introduce you to someone."

Mariko pressed her lips together. She wanted to point out that if her father cared so much about it, he could have brought said someone there and introduced them to her instead, but once again, she swallowed her bitterness. She stood up with a sigh, eyebrows knitted together and betraying her annoyance despite her best efforts to keep a composure. Her mother fixed her gown with a brush of her hand on the fabric before turning around and heading off.

Mariko followed her mother across the room, cursing the heels she had been forced into. They made a beeline through the crowd until they reached her father; he was talking to a stocky man, about half his stature, with a wide, bearded face that reminded Mariko of a frog. Once Mariko was close enough, the man noticed her and acknowledged her with a wide grin, tapping the cigar in his hand and letting the ashes fall on the marble floor.

"So this must be your daughter, Mr Ninjin," he said in a raspy voice. "Yes, I can see a bit of the resemblance... Although she takes mostly from her mother, luckily," he cackled, elbowing Mariko's father, who took the joke with a firm smile.

"Mariko, this is Mr Tokugawa, a colleague of mine," Mr Ninjin said with a gesture of his hand. "He is in the energy business."

Mariko only replied with a mute nod, not really willing to reach out and offer her hand to the man. She could already smell the scent of tobacco coming from his breath.

"See this place, kid?" Mr Tokugawa grinned, raising a finger to point at the chandelier over them. "All lit by one of my power stations. But surely it wouldn't work so well without all the nice equipment from your dad's company."

With that, he delivered another shove of his elbow to Mr Ninjin's side, who took it in with another stiff smile under his moustache. Mariko decided that the more she saw of that guy, the less she wished to be around him.

"Mr Tokugawa's son is about your age," Mariko's mother intervened, probably to save her husband from yet another one of Mr Tokugawa's jabs. "We found out he goes to your same school."

"Ah, yes, Westerburg High," Mr Tokugawa confirmed with a nod. "At first I wasn't fond of the idea. An-American style school... But they are the top of the excellence," he shrugged, taking another drag from his cigar. "High-level universities are pretty much guaranteed afterwards, am I right? And apparently their students end up with the best careers. Not that my son would need one," he cackled, smoke exhaling through his nostrils, "as he will certainly inherit my company. And maybe your dad's too if you two get along, who knows?" He cackled, giving Mariko a wink that made her shudder before inflicting Mariko's father another of his energetic shoves and stealing him a thin snort. "Can't imagine a girl would care for accounting and management, after all, especially after a wedding."

A cold shiver ran down Mariko's spine at the insinuation. She felt the floor slipping from her feet; a sudden fit of nausea invested her while the piercing smell of Mr Tokugawa's cigar filled her throat, making her choke.

"I suppose they should meet each other before we make any big plans," Mariko's mother offered with a light smile, ignoring her daughter's discomfort. She stepped ahead and placed a hand over her husband's arm, who seemed to relax at the touch. "We shouldn't spoil all the fun for them."

"Of course, of course," Mr Tokugawa nodded eagerly. He took another drag from his cigar and exhaled the smoke from his teeth. "Let's lose no time then. Where is he?" His jovial tone instantly took an impatient note as he glanced around with a frown. He seemed to spot someone and called: "Daichi! Come here! There's someone I want you to meet!"

Mariko's eyes ran the same direction, wide with panic. She only wished to run back to the table where she was sat until a moment ago and sneak under it, hidden by the tablecloth for the rest of the evening, but her body seemed petrified. She held her breath, waiting for Mr Tokugawa's son to show up.

A boy emerged from the crowd; he was taller than her, dressed in white, with red hair tied in a low ponytail. His face looked strikingly composed, with no trace of his father's rough ways, which managed to reassure Mariko just a little. She noticed the boy's dark green eyes right before he politely bowed his head at her parent's direction, a light smile curving his lips.

"Daichi, these are Mr Ninjin and his wife," Mr Tokugawa said. "And this one is..." He hesitated before turning at Mariko with a confused look. "What's your name again, kid?"

Mariko glanced between Mr Tokugawa and his son. The boy's calm expression gave her enough courage to answer.

"My name is Mariko," she said. Then she hesitated a moment, lips pressing together before she forcefully added: "Nice to meet you."

[saiyanandproud]

The amount of hype I get whenever I see this is over 9000. @viopolis you're such a damn creative genius, thank you for spoiling me like this!

// because my roommate said to share..... here is. a Bite. featuring. Very Unfinished art ( but probably the most polished out of everything I've done so far )

[saiyanandproud]

HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL SENTENCE STARTERS

TW: suicide, ns/fw themes, violence, drugs

BEAUTIFUL

“college will be paradise if i’m not dead by june.”

“life can be beautiful.”

“what can i say? i’m a sucker for a happy ending.”

“you’re a high school has-been waiting to happen. a future gas station attendant.”

“she is a mythic bitch.”

“if i took a meat cleaver down the center of your skull, i’d have matching halves. that’s very important.”

CANDY STORE

“you’ve come so far, why now are you pulling on my dick?”

“it’s time for you to prove you’re not a loser anymore.”

“maybe sesame street is on.”

“keep on testing me and end up like her!”

“color me stoked.”

FIGHT FOR ME

“why, when you see boys fight, does it look so horrible yet feel so right?”

“i shouldn’t watch this crap.”

“could you be seen with me and still act proud?”

“i would fight for you.”

“holy shit!”

FREEZE YOUR BRAIN

“no point planting roots when you’re gone in a hurry.”

“who needs cocaine?”

“does your mommy know you eat all this crap?”

“when the voice in your head says you’re better off dead, don’t open a vein.”

“freeze your brain.”

BIG FUN

“let’s get naked in my pool!”

“so it’s salt, then lime, then shot?”

“a hot guy smiled at me!”

“hey, is that weed? i want a hit!”

“i think that’s what they call ‘third base’.”

“i wasn’t gonna come, but since you took the time to write that sweet note…”

“people wouldn’t hate you so much if you acted normal.”

DEAD GIRL WALKING

“what are you doing in my room?”

“you’re my last meal on death row.”

“shut your mouth and lose them tightie-whities.”

“it’s ‘cause you’re beautiful.”

“you say you’re numb inside, but i can’t agree.”

“i think you tore my mattress!”

“slap me, pull my hair—”

THE ME INSIDE OF ME

“no one thinks a pretty girl has feelings.”

“jesus, you’re making me sound like air supply!”

“call me when the shuttle lands.”

“maybe i can help the world by leaving.”

“you’re very quiet. what’s on your mind?”

“holy crap! this is awesome!”

BLUE

“you got a left hand, use it.”

“don’t run from me!”

“look! booze! drink!”

“my balls are in your court!”

OUR LOVE IS GOD

“they made you cry…”

“you are the only thing that’s right about this broken world.”

“you’re not alone.”

“how did you know it was always a fantasy of mine to have two guys at once?”

“i’d trade my life for yours.”

“well i was hoping you could rip my clothes off me, sport.”

“stop being a dick!”

“what the fuck have you done?”

DEAD GAY SON

“i’ve been thinking. praying. reading some magazines.”

“they just had flair!”

“they took a rebel stance!”

“that was one hell of a fishing trip.”

SEVENTEEN

“we don’t choose who lives or dies.”

“don’t you want a life with me?”

“if you could let me in, i could be good with you.”

“you’re right, that really blows.”

“i wanna be with you.”

“i’ll stay if i’m what you choose.”

SHINE A LIGHT

“deep inside of everyone there’s a hot ball of shame.”

“no volunteers? fine. i’ll start.”

“i faked it, every single time.”

LIFEBOAT

“everyone’s pushing! everyone’s fighting!”

“there’s nowhere to hide.”

“the weakest must go.”

SHINE A LIGHT (REPRISE)

“stupid childproof caps—”

“you don’t deserve to live!”

“you’re gonna die alone.”

KINDERGARTEN BOYFRIEND

“he was sweet. he said that i was smart.”

“now we’re all grown up and we know better.”

“certain girls are meant to be alone.”

“i believe that any dream worth having is a dream that should not have an end.”

YO, GIRL

“oh my god, is s/he dead—?”

“we’ve been worried sick!”

“i’ve experienced everything you’re going through right now!”

“you don’t know what my world looks like!”

“sorry for coming in through the window—dreadful etiquette.”

MEANT TO BE YOURS

“you’re my date to the pep rally tonight!”

“they’re keeping you away from me.”

“you left me and i fell apart.”

“i was meant to be yours.”

“can we not fight anymore please?”

“sure, you’re scared, i’ve been there.”

“one, two—fuck it!”

DEAD GIRL WALKING (REPRISE)

“no one here deserves to die—except for me and the monster i created.”

“it’s one more dance and then farewell.”

“yeah, well, s/he’s wrong about a lot of things.”

“this little thing? i’d hardly call this a bomb.”

“i wish we’d met before they convinced you life is war.”

I AM DAMAGED

“stick around here. make things better.”

“you beat me fair and square.”

“wish you’d kiss me.”

“say hi to god.”

“you look like hell!”

“i just got back.”

SEVENTEEN (REPRISE)

“we are done with acting evil.”

“are you free tonight?”

“my date for the pep rally tonight kind of… blew me off.”

“are there any happy endings?”

“i’d be honored if you let me be your friend.”

“if no one loves me now, someday someone will.”

[saiyanandproud]

Tfw past Valentine's day events almost make you wanna lose your will to celebrate. Almost.

[saiyanandproud]

Thank you brain for putting me in a super productive mood (work-wise, art-wise, writing-wise, ANYTHING-WISE) right on the day before I have to leave for a work trip. FFS.

[saiyanandproud]

In the spirit of Sinday, feel free to send 💞 + any dirty questions you may have for them on anon, and they HAVE to answer honestly!

[saiyanandproud]

"Oh, you wished!"

Mariko let out a sharp laugh. She took in a deep breath and shook her head, as if unable to believe the stupidities she just heard.

"Nah, don't flatter yourself, shortie. Mine is a simple concern for the poor people of Conton -- more specifically, for any victim of your interest or attention. You'd never wish a fly to be caught by a spider, right?" She commented, examining Frost with a twist of her nose from the little advantage given by her slightly taller stature. "Though, really, I feel like I'm being unfair to spiders with this parallel..."

The Arcosian's invitation to leave and spend time with Cleo, however, somehow managed to spike her irriation in a second. Partly because she wished to strangle Frost whenever he even hinted at Cleo, as if afraid he could hurt him by merely bringing him up; partly because, and she'd have rather died than admitting it, Frost's sibylline insinuations gave her the disgusting feeling of being naked in front of a crowd.

She halted and turned at the other, pressing her lips as her mind rushed to find an insult, a retort, anything that could make him feel as uncomfortable as she was. But nothing came to her mind; instead, she took in another long, deep breath, and offered Frost a stiff smile.

"You know, I took the liberty to book you in for some sparring," she said. "Chronoa suggested it would be good to give you a chance to keep yourself fit, so to say. Who knows, you might even turn to be useful in case anyone needs some support during a mission."

Personally, she'd rather die on duty, but details.

"I tried to think of a good mentor, until I thought -- hey, what other better way to make our new guest feel at home than offering him a familiar face?" Her smile grew wider, curling at the ends. "The purple guy... What was his name. Oh, Hit? He is available to spar with Patrollers during early afternoons. So I put your name down for the first session today," she said with a suave tone. "I can accompany you. I'm free, it won't be a problem."

Parting from Mariko's gaze with an unimpressed look, Frost took new interest in his claws, inspecting them for caught dirt.

Why is it so important for her to tell me she'll be making love to a lopsided freak for the occasion? Surely, she can't believe it means anything to me.

"I must state again that I am shocked you're spending any time at all thinking of what I would be doing on a day that means nothing to me, especially considering you think so little of me." He shot her a glare best described as bored; likely a mask for something harsher. "I hope you don't trouble yourself with such thoughts when we part ways for the day."

Briefly, he considered informing her there was a fast-approaching date far more exciting for him than a sentimental earthling tradition, but Frost thought better of it. It would be foolish to give someone as persistently vindictive as Mariko the chance to ruin his birthday.

He smiled. An uninitiated onlooker, familiar with Frost only through the fabled exploits of his militia, might have seen it as a fond gesture passed from one hero to another. In reality, it was colder than the ice he was named for.

"Run along, now. Go be with your mate."