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artificialqueens · 4 years ago

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Tree House Kisses, Chapter 43 (Adorney) - Scorpio and Veronica

A/N: Click here for previous chapters here on AQ or here if you’d rather read on AO3. xoxo!

And thank you again to our wonderful betas: @saiphl, @sillylittlecandycane

Chapter Summary: It’s finally the night of senior prom!! It starts out great...but will it end in disaster? (Spoiler alert: yes)

Chapter 43: I Just Wanna Dance

There were a million things Courtney loved about being in the The Scarlet Pimpernel--finally getting a chance to play a lead role in a musical, the songs themselves, the beautiful costumes they’d borrowed from a nearby university’s theatre company, the warm encouragement from Mrs. Maguire, watching her friends and castmates shine, when her dad surprised her by showing up for one of the weekend shows with a bouquet of pink roses…

But her favorite thing of all was being onstage with Adore. It was the first time they’d had multiple scenes together since playing Annie and Miss Hannigan in 5th grade, and for Courtney, it made the experience a million times better.

Closing night was bittersweet. In some ways, Courtney wished that it would never end. But she was excited for prom and graduation, their Mexico road trip and their first apartment. So even though it was a little bit sad, she didn’t cling to it. Instead, she focused on the excitement she felt about everything to come, and really tried to live in the moment, committing every single second to memory.

In the garden scene with Adore, she noticed the little wisps of hair around her face that were lit up by the bright stage lights, the way her hazel eyes gleamed, and when she leaned toward her, it was the closest they’d ever come to actually kissing in this scene. All Courtney wanted was to surrender, to just close her eyes, let their lips touch, but she fought it, finally pushing Adore away like she was supposed to at the last possible second, heart pounding, feeling a bit light-headed while she watched her sing. Really listening to the lyrics for what felt like the first time.

“Marguerite, don't forget I know who you are. We were cut from the same surly star, like two jewels in the sky, sharing fire. Where's the girl, so alive and still aching for more? We had dreams that were worth dying for. We were caught in the eye of a storm! Come again!”

Adore grabbed her hands, spinning her in a circle, and a lump formed in Courtney’s throat.

“Let the girl in your heart tumble free. Bring your renegade heart home to me. In the dark of the morning, I'll warm you, I'll rouse you . . .”

As they slowly stopped turning in a circle, Courtney swallowed hard, the dizziness getting to her, stomach in knots, and it was if Adore could sense it. She pulled her in by the waist, singing the last verse softly, directly to her. And something happened for the first time that Courtney couldn’t explain--a single tear began to slip down her cheek.

“Where's the girl? Is she gazing at me with surprise? Do I still see that blaze in her eyes? Am I dreaming or is she beside me . . . now . . .?”

The music slowly faded out, and Courtney knew that Adore was waiting for her next line, her eyes soft and expectant. She knew that she had to get it out; this was the script, and she couldn’t change it no matter how much she wanted to. So she mustered up all of her strength, squaring her shoulders and speaking, firmly and hoarsely.

“No. Get out.”

Adore’s eyes went cold as she turned and left the stage, and for a second Courtney really did think that she was going to fall, to faint or throw up or something else entirely unexpected. She knew she only had about three seconds before Willam and Gia entered, so she quickly swiped the tear from her cheek and took a deep breath, pushing down the terrible feeling that something had broken inside of her, something she wouldn’t ever be able to fix.

“Hey…”

Courtney whirled around as Adore touched her shoulder, a startled look on her face that softened when she saw Adore.

“Oh, hi.”

“Are you alright?” Adore asked. She’d noticed the tears while they were onstage, and had a feeling that it was more than just acting.

“Yeah, sorry, it’s...I guess just that this is the last time we’re gonna be doing the show. Kinda silly.” She wiped her eyes, looking a bit embarrassed.

Adore smiled softly, pulling her in for a hug. “Nah, I know how you feel.”

Courtney squeezed her back tightly. “Thanks, Dory. I love you.”

“Me too, babe.”

“You girls are just so gorgeous and grown-up,” Bonnie said, sniffling a little as she snapped photo after photo.

It was finally the night of their senior prom, and as a treat, Bonnie and Karen had gotten together and treated the girls to a little spa day: mani pedis - the fancy kind with paraffin wax and massages and rhinestone embellishments, lunch at their favorite café, and professional hair styling. Courtney had gone for a glamorous updo studded with tiny red roses, Adore for a half-up style with criss-crossing fishtail braids, and Tati for smooth finger-waves that made her look like an old-time movie star. Afterwards, they’d all headed back to Adore’s house to do their makeup and get dressed.

To Adore’s relief, Courtney hadn’t brought up her weird objections to Tati being her date, and she was friendly as can be to Tati just like usual, gossiping about their classmates, giggling, having a grand old time.

Adore was very pleased with the outfit she’d ended up with: an amazing thrift store find, a short, square-necked black lace dress, very bruja, and she’d paired it with studded black boots, fishnets, and the leather choker that Courtney’d gotten her for her birthday last year. Tati looked amazing as always, her skin-tight hot pink minidress really pushing the dress code limits, but the color so fun that she’d probably be fine.

And then there was Courtney. Adore was surprised when she’d chosen it, the sleek white two-piece so unlike her: no sparkly embellishments or flouncy girliness--just a simple, spaghetti-strapped, open-backed top and long slitted skirt that made her early summer tan glow. When she first put it on, Adore had to look away for a moment, so as not to get choked up about how beautiful she was. Then of course, she completed the look with sparkly silver star accessories, red stones in her necklace matching the roses in her hair. Before they’d headed downstairs for photos, Adore gestured to her charm bracelet, the rose-gold obviously not fitting the color theme of her ensemble.

“That doesn’t really match,” she noted, and Courtney bit her lip, meeting Adore’s eyes with a look that made her insides twist.

“I don’t care.”

Now, in Courtney’s backyard, they posed for the dozens of pictures that Karen and Bonnie insisted on. First all the girls separately, then together, then Adore and Tati, who were still posing when Roy finally rounded the corner in his white tux. The second Adore caught sight of his red pocket square she burst out laughing, unable to help herself.

“Thanks, Delano, exactly the reaction I was hoping for,” he said.

“No, it’s cause your pocket square is...Courtney, I fucking knew that you’d do that shit again!” Adore laughed, and Courtney just shrugged, accepting first a kiss on the cheek and then the wrist corsage with the requested red roses.

“I never denied it!” Courtney said. She reached out and adjusted Roy’s lapels, grinning. “I think he looks perfect.”

“Thank you, babe, and you’re beautiful,” Roy said, before ruining the moment by turning and blowing a raspberry in Adore’s direction.

“That’s mature.”

“Adore, please pull it together for two more shots!” Bonnie interrupted, and Adore put her arm back around Tati’s waist.

Courtney and Roy were next, followed by group shots, and then Karen insisted on a couple with Courtney and Adore.

Adore swallowed, letting Courtney take her hand and lean a head on her shoulder, feeling slightly awkward.

“It’s kind of funny, don’t you think?” Courtney asked, between shots.

“What?”

Courtney gestured to their outfits. “Black and white.”

“Oh yeah. Very fitting, huh?” Adore said.

Courtney gazed up at her, a starry-eyed smile on her face, and Adore could feel herself melting right back to the place she’d insisted she’d never go again as the camera flashed.

“Mom! I wasn’t ready!”

“It was cute!” Karen defended herself.

“Do you think we should call Pearl and ask when-”

“Limo has arrived, bitcheeeeeees!” screeched a voice, and everyone turned to see Willam at the gate, along with Trinity, Pearl, Fame and Violet, who all came bounding in, dressed to the nines.

Courtney squealed happily, clapping her hands. After about ten or twenty more pictures of the whole group, Bonnie and Karen finally dismissed them, letting them pile into the limo, laughing and screaming happily, music blasting.

Adore was the last one to go, turning to give her mother one last little wave, pretending not to notice the tears shining in her eyes as she called, “Bye Ma! Don’t wait up!”

The hotel ballroom where their prom was held was the fanciest place Adore had ever been. After looking up at the huge crystal chandelier over the dance floor, Adore turned to Tati with a look of confusion and asked, “Oh my god...is our school bougie?”

Tati laughed, pulling her onto the dance floor with the rest of their group. The DJ was surprisingly good, and they twirled and laughed, dancing for hours before Tati finally admitted that her feet were killing her and she needed a break.

“Ugh, same,” said Pearl.

“This is why you wusses should have worn more comfortable shoes,” Adore proclaimed, modeling her combat boots as they trooped over to grab some punch and sit down.

“Not everyone can pull that off, dear,” Tati told her.

“Or you can just do what Trinity did,” Pearl said, gesturing to her prom date, platform sandals kicked off to the side of the dance floor, her bright yellow dress hiked up with her hands as she, Courtney and Willam shook it to Shakira’s ‘Hips Don’t Lie,’ Roy awkwardly joining in with decidedly less enthusiasm than the others.

“Still think my solution’s better,” said Adore, settling down at the table with a glass of sugary punch.

They relaxed for a few minutes, chatting and giggling, before they were joined by first Violet, then Fame, then Bob, who came bounding over with April to hype up the afterparty.

“You guys are going, right? It’s gonna be amazing!” he exclaimed, and Violet shook her head in disbelief.

“You really think a school-sanctioned afterparty will be that much fun?” she asked.

“I’m telling you! Everyone says it’s the best part of the night.”

“Really? I would think the best part of the night is how sexy your girlfriend looks,” said Pearl, sending a wink in April’s direction, making her giggle and preen.

“Okay, yes, she does, but also...after the afterparty, there’s a pancake breakfast. So, come on...”

“Robert! Hello young man! Lookin’ slick!” Roy called, walking over to give Bob a hug and slap on the back. He looked a bit sweaty and disheveled, and it made Adore chuckle.

“Courtney’s giving you a real workout, huh?” she teased.

“That girl wouldn’t leave a dance floor if you paid her,” Roy answered with a sigh, dragging a chair over from a nearby table to sit heavily. “Luckily, Willam and Trinity have much higher endurance than me, so-”

“Guess again!” Trinity exclaimed, as she flopped into Pearl’s lap. “I’m fucking exhausted.”

“Aww, you guys all abandoned the blue-eyed devils,” Bob said, gesturing to Courtney and Willam on the dance floor, making April crack up.

“They’re fine,” Roy said, leaning back in the chair, eyes closing.

Adore looked over at the dance floor, watching them while everyone chatted. When the song ended, to her surprise, Courtney made her way over to the group too.

“Whoa, maybe she’s actually tired! Did someone slip you some Benadryl, Court?”

Turned out, she was only there to ask Adore to come back onto the dance floor.

“Will you come dance with me?” she cajoled, reaching out her hand, a soft and hopeful look in her eyes.

“Uh…” Adore knew this was a bad idea. As much as she tried not to, told herself not to, she’d already spent too much of the evening with one eye on Courtney with Roy, fixated on the way they laughed and flirted and touched each other--it was like regressing two years, and she just wasn’t in the right headspace to confront her feelings.

“Please?” Courtney touched Adore’s lace-covered wrist, adding with a twinkle, “I’ll be your best friend...”

Adore had to chuckle at that, standing up with a resigned sigh. “Good one, bitch.”

Courtney beamed at her, leading her to the dance floor. Of course, it was some slow, schmaltzy pop ballad. And of course, Courtney’s arms immediately went around her neck, pulling her close. Head resting on her shoulder.

Adore didn’t know where to put her hands. Courtney’s skimpy top left so much of her back exposed, she could feel herself panicking before finally letting them settle on her hips. Even then, it was impossible to avoid her waist, her thumbs grazing the soft bare skin a few times before she tried tucking them into her palms.

“I love you, Dory,” Courtney murmured, and Adore gulped.

“Love you too.”

Adore tried to get her heart to settle, tried to stop the churning in her stomach, the song dragging on for what felt like an eternity while she sweated and held back her tears. When it finally ended, she broke away immediately, mumbling about how she needed a cigarette, and bolted from the dance floor.

Courtney watched Adore go, misty-eyed, wondering why she always ran away just when it felt like they were getting closer, and couldn’t help the dejected feeling inside, stomach twisting with regret.

“Punch?”

Courtney turned around to see Roy, holding out a cup of red punch for her. Of course he was. He was always there: dependent, steadfast, the one person in her life that she could always count on. The guilt Courtney felt would be crushing if she didn’t love him so much.

She slid her arms around his waist, pulling him close, asking, “How did I end up with the best boyfriend in the world?”

Roy sighed, setting the cup on a nearby table and wrapping her into a hug, resting his chin on top of her head.

“Just lucky, I guess.” After a few moments, he ventured softly, “Do you wanna dance some more?”

“Yes,” Courtney said, arms tightening around him even more. “Yes, I really fucking do.”

“There you are…” Tati said, when she finally found Adore in the hotel courtyard, sitting against a stucco wall, smoking a cigarette. “You alright?”

She settled in beside her, maneuvering the best she could so as not to let her dress ride up around her hips. This didn’t feel like a conversation where it would be productive to have her underwear showing.

“Just fucking peachy.” Adore took a long drag.

“Yeah. Listen, I-”

“I really don’t want any advice right now,” Adore said, and Tati immediately closed her mouth.

“Ooookay,” she breathed, realizing that now wasn’t the right time to say what she had to say.

“Sorry. It’s just, my head is all-”

“Nah, I get it.” Tati patted her fishnet-covered thigh.

“Thanks.”

They sat in silence for a few moments, Adore’s head leaning back on the wall, Tati watching the smoke curling up into the midnight sky.

“Can I ask you a question, though?”

“I guess.” Adore’s voice was tired and hoarse, so Tati tried to phrase it as gently and tactfully as possible.

“What’s the worst thing that could happen? If you, like, told her?”

Adore took a long drag of her cigarette, pondering the answer before saying, “I could die. I could literally die.”

“Alright.” Tati said, stretching her legs out in front of her. She wasn’t inclined to push it, adding a simple, “Just seems like something to think about.”

After a few more moments of tense silence, Adore sniffled, and Tati realized that she was crying.

“I should get out of here,” she said, stabbing the cigarette out on the pavement, using her lacy sleeve to wipe her eyes.

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“No. It’s prom. Stay and have fun,” Adore said, and Tati was overcome with sympathy, wished there was something she could do to make her feel better--or at least, enough better to have a carefree and fun night like they all deserved. It had started out so well, and Tati still wasn’t sure where it’d gone wrong.

“Adore, come on, you can-”

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Tati said, staying on the ground while Adore got up, resigned to just let her have her feelings, realizing that there really was nothing she could do in that moment.

“Yeah, I know! There’s just something off about his face!” Violet laughed, following Trinity out of the bathroom, still talking about an idiot jock who’d tried to feel her up on the dance floor.

“I think it would be an okay face if he wasn't such a jerk,” Trinity said.

“Okay face is probably the best he can hope for,” Violet agreed. “But don’t you think he-”

Violet stopped short, abdomen twisting when she spotted Fame, in the same location they’d left her outside the restrooms, looking beautiful as ever in her full, floor-length gown covered in a large-scale blue flower print. Only she wasn’t alone. There was a blonde girl chatting with her...a blonde girl in a short, sparkly pink dress who was acting awfully familiar, a hand on Fame’s bare upper arm, flashing a bright white smile.

“Who the hell are you?” Violet asked, and the girl turned to her, blinking her brown eyes slowly.

“Excuse me?”

“I said-” Violet began, but Fame jumped in.

“You know what? We should talk later,” she told the girl, mouthing ‘sorry’ in an annoyingly obvious way, clearly not caring that Violet could see her. Or maybe doing it specifically for Violet’s benefit. Violet’s nails dug into her palms at the thought.

“Alright. Later then. Can’t wait to hang out again,” the girl said, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to Fame’s cheek before sauntering away with a victorious smirk.

“Who the fuck was that?” Violet asked, and Fame turned to her with crossed arms and a crosser expression.

“Hey, I think I hear...something...uh…” Trinity stammered out, backing away so as not to get caught up in the drama, calling out to an imaginary person, “What? Oh, you need-okay, coming!”

She turned and ran back towards the ballroom, leaving Fame and Violet alone.

“Well?” Violet asked, her tone still hostile, but how else was she supposed to be right now?

Fame let out a long sigh, asking, “Why are you so difficult?” She began to walk away, but Violet reached for her, fingers closing around her wrist and tugging her back.

“Fame. Who was that?”

“She’s just a girl I know from working at the bakery,” Fame said, eyes closing as if the conversation was too exhausting for words. “She graduated last year, but I guess she’s here with a friend, so-”

“No. I mean, why were you flirting with her? I thought tonight was about us.”

“Vi…” Fame finally looked into her eyes, blue eyes a bit sad, shaking her head. “Why do you always have to do this?”

“Do what?” Violet could feel herself growing more and more agitated, more and more uneasy, the ground shifting beneath her.

“Talk about us, like that. You’re my best friend. You know how much I love you. But not...not like that.”

Violet didn’t like where this conversation was going, not one bit. She bit back her anger, her impatience, her jealousy, and made her voice as soft and calm as possible.

“But you agreed to be my date. You came here with me-”

“As friends.”

“I don’t get it!” Violet exploded. “You finally broke up with Patrick, officially, and-”

“This is not about Patrick!” Fame exclaimed, exasperation all over her face. “It never was. I guess it was easy to use him as an excuse, but...I just don’t think of you that way.”

Bitterness swirled in Violet’s chest, and before she could stop herself, she spit out, “But you think of that random slut that way?” She gestured angrly in the direction of the blonde, the girl who it seemed had single-handedly managed to ruin her night. “And what did she mean by ‘again’?”

“I...we kind of...hooked up last year,” Fame admitted. “When Patrick and I were on a break, after-”

“You hooked up with a girl and you didn’t tell me? What the fuck?” Violet said, anger and confusion combining, the whole thing like hands wrapped around her throat, making her eyes water and her chest constrict.

“Well, I wasn’t sure how you’d react. I guess I was wrong, since you’re being so understanding.”

“Fuck you,” Violet spat out, turning and walking away.

“Violet, wait!”

Violet stopped walking, but she didn’t turn. She couldn’t bear to look at Fame’s face right now, not when tears were burning in her eyes, threatening to spill over any second.

“Look, I’m sorry! Okay? I guess I just...I didn’t want to say anything that would risk hurting you. Because I don’t want to lose you as a friend. I do love you-”

At that, Violet whirled back around, those angry tears streaking hotly down her cheeks.

“No you don’t,” she said. “You never have. God, I’m so stupid.”

“Vi-”

“Enjoy your prom,” she choked out, before breaking away and rushing towards the lobby. She had no idea where she was going, but she knew that she couldn’t go back into that ballroom, with those people. Not like this.

Adore trudged slowly through the parking lot, wondering where she should even go. This part of town was mostly new--lots of pointless high-end stores, yuppie restaurants, hipster bars.

“Hey! Where the fuck are you going?” demanded a voice, and Adore smiled to herself, turning around to find Violet, face streaked in tears, stomping from the hotel angrily.

Adore chuckled sadly. “You look like I feel.”

“Well you look like shit,” Violet countered.

“Okay, so I guess I look like I feel too.”

“God fucking damn it, why can’t we just have one night where we’re like, normal teenagers?” Violet exclaimed, face turned upwards, and Adore shook her head.

“I dunno.”

“Where were you going, anyway?”

“I honestly don’t know. Just...anywhere but here.”

“Same.” Violet took her hand. “I think there’s a diner a few blocks away that’ll be open. Come on.”

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c-atm · 5 years ago

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Convember:Crossover SU X Multi series

Steven Universe life has never been normal. Being a gem hybrid, a diamond…..A child of a rebel leader who played both sides in an attempt to bring peace, and having to clean up said parent mistakes...Had ran it course..He took it with as much stride as he could and in the end succeed in bringing relative peace throughout his galaxy.

Of course he couldn't have done it alone. He had help from his family, the Crystal Gems. Pearl, the closest thing he had to a mother. She cooked,cleaned,schooled him and was a bit smothering. Always worried about him and hardly enough about herself. He hoped she was taking care of herself back home.

Amethyst; his smaller-older sister, shorty squad member, fellow 'worst gem’ and ‘most mature Crystal gem', and the most human. Always there for a prank or a talk, always ready to lounge around.

Garnet; the leader and heart of the crystal gems. Respected and respectful, wise, forthright, and loving. Always around for advice, to guide, and to guard her fellow man and gem. To stand up against any who would dare hurt her family or friends. She was his hero. one of them.

Bismuth; Friend to all who needed it. Always ready with a pun or a new project in her forge. Strong in body and heart. He wondered what new armament she’ll have when they stop for a visit.

Peridot; Lovable, excitable, and quirky. Always ready to share her new meep morphs, technological project or her thoughts on pop culture..Mostly Camp Pining Hearts. He wonders if she's enjoying the reboot.

Lapis Lazuli: His beach summer fun buddy, arguably the most powerful of them, in the right circumstance. Once a sad gem filled with self-loathing for her past actions and a sarcastic cold demeanor due to her past captivity, now a calmer, happier person. Someone who you can see flying freely over Little Homeworld with a nymph like giggle.

He missed them so much. Being away from the gems did make him worry. As he walked out of the bedroom he shared and began to transverse the ship, he being to wonder if they were getting to any fights or arguments..Wonder if his father,Greg was keeping the peace all right. He missed him even more than the gems.He missed Beach City and Little Homeworld. He missed Homeworld and earth...He missed their Dimension.

The nineteen year old missed them dearly..was he nineteen or twenty? The calendar in this world was hard to understand and all the 'verse' hopping didn't help either. Regardless, he wasn't lonely at all. It was hard to be with the group they had gathered.

As he walked by an open room he eye caught sight of a man and woman sharing a bed. Sleeping with a cloak over them was the bounty hunter named Sol Badguy and his lover Aria, formally known as Jack-o . While Sol wasn't the nicest guy around he more than proved to be loyal and a good guy at least. He was blunt with his advice and a bit lazy at times..but when you have the power and strength that he has, he could afford to be.

Resting cozy in Sol's arm and lap was Aria,and despite her looks she was just as powerful as the man she leaned against. She was the nicer of the two and very intuitive. She had the aura of a mature older sister, always willing to lend an ear or a shoulder when needed.

Leaving them be and closing the door to their room, Steven continued his walk. he came into one of the living areas; a spacious room very fantastically and futuristically furnished. Across from entranced the laid Yuri lowell on crimson recliner a book between his chest and hand, slightly snoring. Steven spared him a glance before looking around the room. He sighed as his search turned up empty.

As he was about to continue on his search, he was accidentally bumped into by the pink hair and blue eyes of a nobility; Estellise Sidos Heurassein, Estelle for short. After apologize with a giggle, Steven indicated where a certain vagabond sleeping with left nod of the head. She peered in and sighed slightly annoyed, slightly adoringly as she walked to the sleeping man and playfully poked his face. Only for him poke her back and pull her down with him.

He allowed himself to smile at the antics, before moving on...No need to watch a couple at play. He made his way along the corridor walking pass empty and unused bedrooms and soon found himself going down the elevator to the first level of the ship.

As soon as he walked out he caught a whiff of something sweet in the air, like fried cookie cat sweet. He followed in a trance like state, his sweet tooth and stomach urging him to find the source of this aroma.. . It led him to the kitchen and as soon as he entered, He walked right back out and ran away.

He was not going to taste any of Noel Vermillion cooking. He did feel bad but.. he ate her food once and saw his life flash before his eyes, not in the pleasant way either.He felt bad cause Noel along with Estelle was one of the sweetest people you could ever meet. Helpful and kind to a fault, even able to get the sarcastic and cool Yuri and Mr.Badguy himself to smile or smirk genuinely.

He turned the corner to see one Ragna the bloodedge..Looking quite sick, green as his right eye. It didn't take long for Steven to put two and two together. He looked at the older man quizzically, he knew better not to eat Noel food, hell he warned them not to eat his sisters cooking.

Ragna looked up at the hybrid and held a cup of water shaking it. Steven smirked before sticking his finger in his mouth getting a good amount of healing essence and sticking it into Ragna's cup, swirling it around. Ragna looked slightly disgusted but he drowned the water with gusto. he shivered over how disgusting it was to drink someone saliva, but couldn't deny the quick and powerful results.

With a stretch the rebel patted the younger man on the shoulder giving him an appreciative nod before heading back to the kitchen in hope of getting the blonde girl out of there before she kill anyone else.

Steven shrugged wishing him luck, before continuing his way. Past the control room..He doubt who he was looking for would be there at this time..Especially since the ship A.I was in control. As his travel continued something caught his ear, the sounds of battle.

With a smile, Steven upped his pace towards the sounds of clashing weapons and grunts. It took him all but 30 seconds for him to reach the giant sliding doors.with a press of a glowing red button to the left of the doors, he was allowed entry.

Inside was a modest balcony with a protective window pane, a control module and a door on the left. Sitting by said module was a young man of similar age, one of the first people that they recruited on this journey, Jude mathis. The man took a quick glance at the hybrid before turning his head back forward, back to what was going on beyond the balcony. Steven was quick to join him the sparkle in his eyes and grin on his face said it all.

Beyond the balcony was unprecedented and always awestucking. Below was land, air, water or whatever someone wished it to be as long as they've been there.. At the moment it was a place Steven knew very well..It been months since he saw it.. The ruins.

In the ruins two warriors were sparring, clashing sword to sword, fist to fist, foot to foot; each with shallow cuts and slight bruising on various parts of their bodies. One was a tall, beautiful young woman with pink eyes and long, blonde hair that reaches down to her waist. Dressed in a high thigh, form fitting blue and white dress, with long thigh high boots and matching gauntlets., Mila Maxwell; The lord of Spirits from Reize Maxia

The other was slightly younger.. but was just as beautiful (If you asked Steven, moreso). With skin of brown and eyes of black pearls, full lips and curly deep brown hair that stopped at her mid back was held in a top bun-braid combo, thanks to the star bralette in her hair. Her body: full figured shapley, and built for battle; was adorned in a cobalt Kalaripayattu outfit with a crimson sash, cobalt shoes and mid-finger gauntlets that matched her sash. Connie Maheswaran..Crystal gem..and partially awaken Lord of the Universe.

Something they have been working to ratify since the start of their journey, and bring to full fruition.Something they need to succeed in unless existence itself ceases to well.. Exist. One of the ways through exercise and battle like this, attempting to force it out.

The two clashed and pushed their blades against each, eyes locked in determination and excitement on their face. The sound of the blondes rapier scraping against the brunettes shortsword as they struggled for supremacy, only added to their fun. A share of taunting chuckles came from each other as they try to figure out how to take advantage of this deadlock.

Connie was the first to make a move as she slightly loosened her grip on her blade, allowing Mila full momentum to throw the lord of spirits of balanced as, as Connie shifted her body and step to the left side of her friend momentarily out of her sight. Using the momentum and the opening, Connie swung her right foot to the back of blonds knee, sweeping her feet from under her.

Mila landed hard on her back with a groan, but recovered quickly; rolling back to her feet in a crouch, holding her hand out, a green circle of mana around her.

“Pierce through! Wind Lance!” .

A green arc of wind based mana flew from her hand, straight towards Connie. The indian woman grimace as she blocked with her sword being pushed back a little, feeling the wind still knick her stomach slightly.

Earth, cry out! Rock Trine! "

Connie eyes widen when she saw a yellowish triangular glyph appear below her. Letting her instinct take over The woman leapt up just out of the way of the rock pillars rising up to stab her. Quite higher than a normal human would.

Flames come forth! Fireball!

Connie swore as she saw and felt the flame sphere head toward her. She took a chance tossing her blade at milia, causing to the sphere to explode as it flew through; unfortunately Connie was still close enough to feel a bit of the shockwave, being blown back a bit more.

She did hear the clang of Swords and the grimace of her opponent..

‘Guess where both disarmed now...Though she still have access to her worlds workings and mana' Connie thoughts were interrupted when she saw a blue sphere of water above her.

“Oh Fu--”

She didn’t get the chance to finish as a torrent of water collided with her, throwing her down to the earth below, pounding and beating her body harsly. She breath haggardly as she climbed to her feet drenched, coughing up some water left from that attack. She growled in irritation and determination. Not at Mila, but at herself. She took a deep breath before calming herself, placing her hands in the meditative symbol garnet taught her and Steven as Stevonnie.

Her eyes changed slightly but gaining what look like a four point star and each of her pupils the size of a pin.

“ Shadowing”

Her voice seemed to have a bit of an echo as she spoke. While it seemed as if nothing happened that was far from the truth. Seeing that Mila was not running but gliding towards her, sword in hand caused her to smirk.

“ Splash!”

Seeing the water bubble over her head again, kickstart her mind and in a low almost whisper, Connie spoke.

“Lapis lazuli.”

Wings similar to her fellow crystal temp appeared on her back, the only difference they were black as shadows. As the water, Connie raised her hands, shakingly stopping the waters fall before tossing it towards Milia who dodge the stream .Connie leapt back before flying towards Milia, no where near the speed of Lapis, but still faster than Mila expected.

“Bismuth.”

With a twist the Lord-to-be, substituted the wings, for warhammers hands, slamming them towards the left side of the spirit lord, who despite blocking the blow still tossed towards a nearby pillar. Mila through stinging pain righted herself and landed on the pilar before bounding of it, towards her opponent.

Mila slammed her blade against Connie hammers with her whole weight behind it. The force pushed the young woman back and slightly off balance. Mila landed on bended knees before she followed through with a horizontal slash towards Connie face. She successfully laid a shallow cut upon the bridge of the Maheswarans nose as Connie fell back.

Using the momentum of the fall and the hammers as a balance, Connie backed flipped away from Mil, kicking her chin in the process. The Maheswaran leapt back as the hammers vanished in a wisp of smoke. She clenched her hands thrice, getting a feeling for them.

'Ten seconds still for 'Bismuth'...Not ideal but better than five.'

" Peridot."

Connie leapt over Mila attempt to stab her abdominal, countering three kicks towards the spirit lords head, which were blocked by their blade. On the third kick she used mila as spring board jumped back and high into the air.

Hmm!" Mila stood before kneeling down.

"CLOUD PIERCE!"

She leapt diagonally upward towards Connie with her sword pointing forward, spinning clockwise, the thrust emitting blue energy.

As she watched her come Connie held her left hand in a gripping fashion she pulled it back towards her.

"KKSH! KSHKSHKSH!"

The sounds of weapons clashing resounded as Connie sword back in to her hands, clashed against Mila attack. Try as she might though she couldn't keep the defense up as Mila was able to breakthrough. The blue energy hit her on the side, shaving and burning her outfit and skin, while tossing her back towards the ground, with a dust gathering crash.

"Amethyst ."

Just as mila was finishing her attack a shadow colored imitation of the gems whip, snapped around her waist and swung her into the ground hard, releasing before impact. Mila coughed as she felt her back slammed into the ring. Mila groaned for a moment getting her bearings before seeing Connie bruised, battered, but smirking; run out of the cloud. Sword in her left, whip in her right.

Connie snapped the whip towards the spirit lord, putting her on the defensive. She wasn't as efficient as the namesake, but she at least has mila on her toes and kept the lord from moving closer. With one lucky snap, she was able to knock the weapon out of her hands roughly and closer to a smug Connie . With a running leap and a elegant twist, Connie swung the whip down ward. A trail of grayish flanes ran across the stone covered whip as it nearly collided with the lord of spirits blocking hand...only for it to dissipate before contact, leaving Connie a bit drained..and very open as she landed in front of Mila in a crouch.

Mila stretched out her hand towards connie as a sphere of fire appeared in her palm..only to be accompanied by two more each to a side of the Maheswaran. She smirked at the look of defiance on her protege. She leapt back to escape blast range.

"Flare Bomb!"

"Gar-"

Connie voice was smothered by the blinding explosion of spheres. Smoke stood where Connie was but Mila stood ready. Connie, if anything proved to be resilient, vigilant, and at times relentless in her pursuits. Time has taught her that. Mila eyes widen and her instinct screamed to dodge as Connie shot of the smoke, worse than wear, shadow version of Garnet's gauntlets on her hands.

Connie swung with a mighty right hook, that would have took of the lord of Spirits head, if she didn't duck, did take of some strands of hair though and caused a bit of a shockwave. Connie raised her left and try to bring it down on her opponent only to have her miss again cratering the place once stood.

She coughed as she felt a fist to the left side and swung towards the source, meeting air and receiving another fist to her midsection. Connie growled as she a round house towards the source this time hitting the forearm of mila, a block. Connie was thrown off by the Spirit lord for a moment before using the momentum to land into a handstand. Splitting her legs, she spun her body around attempting to break Mila guard, with a flurry of helicopter kicks.

Mila grunted against assault. Each kick feeling like a steel rod beating against her arms continuously. After the sixth hit Mila dropped her guard for a moment.

at the same time, Connie dropped to her feet and drove her gauntlet to milia guarded stomach. It was enough to send the blonde flying back many yards.

Mila righted herself in skid it back near a broken pillar seeing her sword nearby. The spirit lord watched as the brunette charge, slower because of the gauntlets. She lifted her beaten arms up and began to speak

"O spurring wind, scatter like flowers! Arriverderci!"

Connie stopped her charge as she saw the light green glyph appear below her. From it she felt the gust of wind and petals, knocking her upward and giving her a bevy of shallow cuts all over , grunting all the while. She twisted herself right before disengaging the gauntlets.

"Pearl"

From Garnet gauntlets to Pearl's spear, a weapon Connie knew very well. She pointed shadow imitation at milia and launched a volley of energy bullets at the blond, putting Mila on the evasive as she fell.

Mila charged dodging shot after shot picking up her blade, she met Connie with a horizontal slash from above as she landed, clashing weapon to weapon before leaping back just bit.

The two women swung, clashed and evaded each others blows neither giving the other an inch of space. For every step back met with a step forward. Every party an attack..It was a beautiful dance of blades.Connie did get the first clean hit by partying a stab to the left and kicking her straight to the gut knocking her back in a tumble.

Connie breathed tiredly as the spear disappeared..She could feel her time running short as she blinked her eyes. she could feel the power waning. she smirked, she lasted longer than usual. That's a plus especially when utilizing ' shadowing' .. It does eat up a lot of her time and energy, more so when it dissipates by itself..She figured she had at least three to four minutes left...Better make it count.

Mila shook her head and got up with a grunt. She rotated shoulders and with pride she saw Connie charging toward her..Sword in hand. Conjuring the mana needed in a purple glyph circle surrounding her. With a reach towards her connie, spirit lord commanded

“Bolt Strike!”

A giant shadow and the sound of crackling caused connie looked up...and her eyes widened in shock. A sphere of dark purple energy above the ground, and after several seconds of waiting, several lightning bolts struck down from it at random directions, in her general area.

Connie jumped, duck, and dodged the deadly making attack the best she could.. Only to find herself in the middle of four lighting bolts aiming straight at her..

" BISCUIT!"

Instantly familiar 'shing' of the pink diamond shield was heard..except it was a darker pink.. A shadow but much more solid than the others, make sense, this is the weapon,the power she knows just as well as her own.

Using the shield, she reflected the lighting at the caster, who dodged by cartwheeling to the left. Sh charged tossing not one but three shields at Mila, who dodged two and knocked the third into the air only to catch back in her hand and slamming it back down onto her blade, pushing her back.

Mila couldn't escape Connie ferocity. Any where she went Connie was on her Shield and sword in hand, elegant and deadly. She ducked under a swing losing some hair from Connie's sword, responding with an uppercut that met her shield Mila pressed her palm on it .

"Flare bomb!"

The explosion gave Mila the seconds she need to jump away and prepare her attack.

"Shining Prism!"

Milla conjured a white hexagon under the smoke where Connie stood, with four shining hexagons around the edges of the ground hexagon. The hexagons then rotate counterclockwise as a series of white rays bounces several times from the walls. They tore through the smoke revealing a dark pink bubble; with Connie in the middle. The light couldn't penetrate it.

Connie started to charge after mila bubble still activated Muscling through spell after spell to drag her into close combat. Once close enough Connie deactivated the bubble Swinging her blade diagonally towards Milan's throwing her off balance.She followed though with a smack of her Shield throwing mila back.

Mila watched as she came yet again and smiled.. The pride in her protege and friend was immense. She felt a bit sad for what she was about to do. Milla crouched low drawing her left hand behind her, summoning a ball of red energy in it. She charged at her opponent with an open palm.

"Overdrive!"

The met in a destructive clash, the reflexive force of the shield versus the overwhelming power of the orb, godly beings struggling against each other ,neither willing to give the other an inch.

Connie could only look in a mixture of defeat and satisfaction as the shield. and orb canceled our each other causing an implosion between the two.. The last thing Connie remembered is her shield getting shattered, And both her and Mila flying back.

When Connie opened her eyes she nearly cried..She was at beach house..In Steven's room. She walked over to the balcony and her heart exploded in joy..Steven, the gems, Her parents, Greg and lion..They were at the beach..She was home. She looked further down the beach and saw the group they gathered on their multiverse adventure.. She laughed as she raced to join them only to turn around and see a white nearly demonic version of herself.. She didn't get to scream as the wraith god jumped on her.

Connie scream woke up the person next to her, Steven as he grabbed her by the shoulders, rubbing them gently. She looked around and realize they were on the ship in the room sh..She sighed as she turned to Steven who looked worried. She grabbed his hand seething a bit at her own movements.

She felt lingers of the battle Steven, of course seeing this, did what he always did. He gripped her chin and kissed her tenderly..Healing and exciting her as she moaned both thank you and a hunger for more.

Connie grabbed him and pulled him down with her, cuddling close with his legs between her thighs instinctively rubbing against him. arms around his big torso head by his heart taking in his still beach city scent. She felt at home here In his arms.The fact that he held her similarly made it even better.

It was late though..too late to talk about their moment of homesickness..or the nightmares or training..or theirs ragtag team.or the fate of the goddamn multiverse..All they wanted right now was to hold and he held by the piece of their home within their grasp...Each other.

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pearlsartblog2019 · 5 years ago

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Monster Verse AU: Part Five

SPG Monster Verse AU: Part Six Notes: Notes: Don’t own SPG… all of those lovelies belong to the bennetts and co. I just do strange things in stories with the characters for fun.

Don’t own Sprocket Or Dex they be long to the very awesome: https://spg-fanbot-cousins.tumblr.com/

Pearl is my own character and is used in this and several other stories. Time period note : This is the start of the part of the story which is set in modern times.. The year is about 2018-early 2019. Hope you like! Enjoy the show.

Sprocket slithered around the corner and was headed back to her sisters room secret weapon in hand. It had really been a day from hell and finding out more of the details had made things that much worse.

Upon getting the lights on and managing to get a good look around it was clear that more than just what appeared on the surface had been going on. Her sister had not only not been eating but it was clear from the shape of the bathroom, everytime she TRIED to eat, she was throwing up. So she had two days into this apparently just stopped trying and hid in her room. It was a good thing they had gone in there on the third night to find her because she had been almost at death's door.

Now the clamor had died down and Pearl was at least awake now, but still retching any time she even so much at took a conscious swallow of food. This left Sprocket determined to get something down her even if it took right out lying. Tho she would just rather tell her the truth about what was in the thing she had for her.

She stopped outside the door and knocked.

"Come in" A very hoarse voice rasped.

She poked her head in and found Pearl propped up on what looked like every pillow in her room looking too miserable to even draw. Staring out the window with an expression on her face that spoke to the condition of the poor thing's throat after having thrown up about 20 times.

"Hey" Sprocket glided in and shut the door behind her, "where'd dad go?"

Pearl looked at her sister, "Talking to peter, Maybe they can figure something out. " She sighed and flopped back. "Ya know sis.. maybe i should just have you bewitch me.. If i don't know what i'm swallowing maybe I won't gag."

Sprocket frowned, "I am NOT going to do that to you Lil sis. I won't take your free will away but I had an idea for something that might help. If yer half human maybe you can eat human food. I mean we can all eat a lil, but maybe you need it more now that your body is changing?"

Pearl looked over at her, "Seriously? You think that might be it?"

Sprocket lifted one carrti'ed shoulder in a delicate shrug, " It's better than you throwing up every time you think about it. And we can try mixing some blood in with the human food. If you don't know its there, if i can hide the taste. It might work."

Pearl looked down, " I feel like this is all my fault somehow. It's possible I might even be the reason mom ...."

Tears welled up in the other girls eyes and Sprocket sat what she was carrying on the nightstand to wrap both arms and her coil around her sister. The other girl still felt like she was made of ice. Sprocket desperately wanted to warm her sister up or at least make her feel a lil better.

"Listen to me," She took one finger and coaxed her sister to look up at her, "Do not EVER think that your mum dying was yer fault kiddo. YOU didn't ASK to be brought into this world. Dad and yer mum knew what would happen and they took that chance. NONE of it is your fault. Dad will never blame you for this and when he knows you feel this way, I am pretty sure he will go out of his way to say he’s sorry."

Pearl shook her head, "I don't want that. I don't want him to feel bad because my brain decided to lose its mind, ugh."

Sprocket snorted, "Well you have Dad's way with words thats for sure. Listen.. we WILL figure out a long term solution sis. There has to be some way to solve this, in the meantime, " Sprocket turned and grabbed what she had set on the night stand.

"I got Specter to show me how to make Chocolate milkshakes , strawberry and Vanilla too. you absolutely can ONLY taste the chocolate in this.. I promise."

Pearl looked at the glass a bit but shrugged, "Well the worst thing that can happen is I vomit again. At least we will have tried. "

Sprocket smiled, "Yep.. so , " She held it out to her, "Wanan try?"

Pearl nodded and took the glass outta her sisters hand, " here we go."

She took a drink and Sprocket sat there and stared at her, "Anything?"

She could tell pearl's throat hurt like crazy just swallowing it from the wince, but when nothing bad happened after about a minute and a half, the Lil Naga watched as her Dhampir sister took another gulp and came up for air.

"OMG it tastes like you put the whole bottle of chocolate in there, Its ice cold," She flopped back on her pillow, "OH that feels so good to keep something DOWN!"

A few more gulps later and Sprocket was grinning ear to ear as her baby Sis flopped back onto her pillows again and looked if not happy at least not starving to death any more.

"I KNOW I can't eat that all the time, But holy snot, " She looked about to fall asleep, " My neck feels so much better."

Sprocket Smiled, "Glad it worked kiddo, " She petted her sisters dark hair affectionately. "I know it's barely one am but do you think you can actually sleep some? You don't really need to be out prowling."

Pearl sighed, "I'd love to sleep sis. But when I try .... "

"you remember being sick? " Sprocket finished.

"Yah," The other girl told her, "Throwing up hurts... and not knowing why... it was pretty frightening."

Sprocket's tail twitched from side to side a bit. She normally never liked using her abilities to entrance people on her family or anyone really. The idea of someone being trapped with no way out, no free will, icked her out beyond belief due to what had happened to her. But she realized Pearl NEEDED to sleep if what she had just ate was gonna do her any good.

"Want a lil help?" She offered shyly.

"I'm not gonna make you do that Sprock..." Pearl told her, "I know you don't like it. I was being sarcastic to myself before. "

"I know," The naga girl told her sister, "But I'm offering, you need sleep kiddo. And yes, I know it would work cus you aren't in any condition to stop it. "

The other young girl closed her pink eyes for a second and then sighed, "Yes please. I can't take the night mares tonight. .. Thank you."

Sprocket hugged her sister, "Your welcome, get up on your pillows. They said you were still having trouble breathing cus of that sore throat."

Pearl nodded a bit and schooched up further on the pillows. Then turned back to look at her sister and was caught almost instantly by the lil sliver Naga's stare.

" Go to sleep Pearl," Sprocket told her.

Between that and the finally full stomach, it only took seconds for the lil Dhampir to completely give up and doze off.

Sprocket blinked and rubbed her eyes a bit, Smiled and fished out one of pearls books from the shelf to sit there and read.

She was flopped on the bed, keeping her warm coil draped over her still cold sister when their father finally returned .

Spine stopped and just stared. Finally managing, "She's asleep. "

"Yah," Sprocket told him looking up from her book, "I FINALLY got her to keep something down Dad. I thought she might..."

"You what?" Spine stared at his older daughter in disbelief, "HOW? "

Sprocket smiled, "Well i thought since she's half human.. maybe mixing it with human food would work... "

The Silver Vampire Lord Stared at his Naga daughter for a second and blinked a time or two as that sunk in.

"That's BRILLIANT!" he blurted.

"SHHH.. " Sprocket warned, " Dont wake her up dad. She didnt wanna sleep so..."

He nodded, " No I understand but that's just brilliant. I would never have thought of that! how did you?"

She shrugged, " Well I mean her mum needed human food.. Right? And I don't think you would cus.. your full blooded. So it probably never occured to you."

"NO I am ashamed to say, " Spine admitted, "No it didn't. I am so glad it did to you tho. What did you get her to eat?"

"A milkshake," She motioned to the glass, "Specter showed me how."

Spine nodded thoughtfully, "It's not the best solution, but it's a start. At least we got her fed tonight."

Sprocket nodded, "Want me to keep thinking about it ? Maybe I can come up with something else?"

Spine smiled, "Please. And I want you to know you probably saved her life tonight. She wasn't going to last much longer without food."

Sprocket blushed and smiled back, "Well something had to give. Humans have been nothing but nasty to me father. BUT if something as sweet and precious as her can come from them. THey can't be all bad, Same for specter. If those two can come from those people, SOME humans at least must have redeeming qualities. So i asked specter his fave food and he helped me. I'm just glad it worked, we.... " She trailed off for a second and got tears in her blue slitted eyes,

"We can't loose her Dad."

Spine came over and sat down next to his daughter and hugged her, "We want baby, i promise i will find some way to help her for good. "

"Thanks," the lil naga sniffed, " I know this is going to be ok now. "

Spine smiled back at her, "Me too."

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audreysl0ve · 7 years ago

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Escape Verse: Put A Ring On It

This is a prequel, for @ninzied, who generously also betaed for me.

Graham goes ring shopping and employs literally the worst person to help him in said endeavor - lovesick puppy dog Robin.

It is also on FF.net

Chapter 1 is here

He hates this guy.

He hates to even give him a name. Unless he absolutely has to, he refers to Graham as "him," "that guy" or "Regina's boyfriend" as much as possible, because his name tastes like ash in his mouth.

He really, really, intensely dislikes him.

In every occasion where he's had the, uh, pleasure of Graham's company, he finds himself wanting to get away from him as fast as he can. He humors him, chats him up and occupies him, because he's important to Regina, and hell, what's important to her should be important to him, right?

When Regina mentioned Graham felt left out of company matters, Robin sucked it up and started inviting Graham golfing with the guys. He shared his baseball and football and basketball tickets with the man, because well, it made Regina smile.

But typically, Robin only sees Graham when he is Regina's date to black tie events, where he always ends up acting like a neglected child, begging for Regina's attention, when she needs to network. Robin finds himself playing babysitter, keeping Graham occupied so Regina can schmooze in peace.

Graham's just a child. An ungrateful, pathetic child.

It doesn't help matters that Regina recounts his antics with him over coffee. She'll show up, frustrated and sleep deprived, admitting she had spent yet another night arguing with Graham over god knows what.

Graham doesn't like to go to those black tie affairs her job dictates she attends. He complains about the long hours of her job, yet when she has time off, he's always made plans of his own.

He blames her for their lack of intimacy, and Robin hates it.

And Regina's revealed that there is a lack of intimacy, sadly. He knows Graham hasn't shown much of an interest in her sexually, which could just about make Robin lose his mind. He's terribly jealous, and terribly frustrated because this man has the whole world in his hand and doesn't even appreciate it.

So, he hates Graham. And to be quite honest, he'd assumed the feeling was mutual.

Which is why he's extremely puzzled to find Graham calling him in the middle of a work day.

"Hey it's Graham. Ya gotta moment?"

Robin frowns. "A few I guess. But I got to be going—"

"It won't take long. I just...need your advice on something."

"You want my advice?" Robin asks. What pearl of wisdom was this man trying to grasp from a single father who spends his days pining over his coworker and best friend?

"You're her best friend, right?" Graham asks. "I need shopping advice."

Oh, well. Years on television have taught him more about women's fashion than any man should know, but oh well. Such is life. "She likes jewel tones and black. She's a size two, though if it runs small in skirts or pants she can be a size four." Because she has the world's greatest ass, he thinks. But he's not going to mention that. Besides, Graham knows that, the bastard has held her ass in his hand — god he hates that man. "The set dressers always describe her style as sleek and sexy sophisticated. Go to Neiman Marcus or Saks and tell a saleswoman. She will help."

"Not clothes," Graham grumbles, "god why would I ever bother shopping for clothes, she's impossible and too damn picky."

Robin bites his tongue.

"What then, mate?" he asks, trying to stay cool.

"A ring."

Robin nearly falls out of his chair. He never saw it coming. They don't seem there yet.

"Engagement ring, I take it?"

"Yeah. We've been together forever, and she's always saying that I don't make an effort… well this is a helluva effort, isn't it?"

Robin rolls his eyes. "I suppose…"

"She's picky, I figure you're her friend, you know about this stuff, you're always complimenting her hair and jewelry and outfits, so you must know what she likes. You're like her gay best friend or something. Though, obviously you're not gay, I'm not saying that. Anywayyyy…. any chance you can come meet me at the mall for lunch and help my pick something out?"

Robin groans and wipes a hand over his face. God, this guy. " Not the mall. Go to a proper jeweler. Kings on Second Street. And it's not something you're gonna be able to figure out during a lunch hour."

"Really?" Graham asks. "It's just a ring. How complicated could it be?"

He really hates this guy.

.::.

They meet at Kings on Sunday at 2 PM. Graham shows up in this beat-up looking shirt and dirty jeans. He looks relaxed and carefree. Smiles as Robin comes up to meet him.

"Thanks a lot man, these things all look the same to me."

"S'ok," Robin say, scratching the back of his head. "Now, what are we looking for?"

"A diamond?" Graham asks sheepishly. "I dunno, help me out here. I didn't expect there to be so many...different styles."

"Go look around. Tell one of the salespeople your price range and see what catches your eye within it."

He picks out five rings...five gaudy, ugly rings with nothing in common except none of them are Regina. There's the emerald cut diamond with two little oval stones on either side, expensive and flashy and thick. Then there's the marquise cut with some sort of diamond encrusted band that looks more like a weapon than a ring. And a round cut with a diamond halo surrounded by a thick band that just looks… cheap. A cushion cut with two smaller cushions on either side, but it's raised in this ridiculous way, and the band is flimsy and cheap. And then there's this tacky swirling travesty the jeweler calls the twisted petal ring, a line of diamonds weaving around smaller marquise diamonds.

"These?" he asks, looking down at them and trying not to grimace.

"No good?"

He should just let the man hang himself, and get one of these ridiculous garish pieces of trash and just let Regina see what the man who is asking for her hand actually knows about her.

But there's a fair chance the woman will say yes, and he can't look at one of these terrors on air.

"May I take a spin? See if there's anything in your price range that might suit her better?" Robin asks. "Not that these aren't great options, but—"

"'Course man, that's why I asked you here."

He's not that nice.

He won't pick out the perfect ring for her. Regina likes antique rings anyway, something with a history. So he won't find the ring here, anyway.

But he could have directed him to the thin band with a large round cut diamond solitaire. The simple but elegant ring he'd associate with Regina.

Instead he picks out an emerald cut with a thin band of diamonds around it, and a similar ring with a pear cut.

That's just fine. Regina will like it enough, but he won't have to look at it and think that she's wearing his ring. Robin won't have to hear her gush about her fiancé's good taste, while he has to swallow down the fact the damn imbecile had outsourced this intimate task.

He won't have to hear Regina loving on the ring he wanted to give her himself.

Assuming she says yes.

He shows Graham the two options.

"Really?" Graham asks, looking at the rings with disdain. "They look so...boring."

"Just an idea," Robin shrugs. The best case scenario is Graham doesn't listen to his advice, shows up with one of these god awful rings, and Regina realizes how little he knows her, and finally dumps him. He's not an asshole, but he's not going argue too hard here. "If you think she'd like these better, by all means…"

Graham frowns. "Honestly, I don't really pay attention to what she wears. Hey, ma'am?" He calls over a saleswoman. "Which of these do you like?"

It's his five picks against Robin's two, and each ring looks quite different. She looks confused as she stares at the options. "I would...need to know more about your fiancée…" she says carefully. "Tell me about her."

"Err…" Graham scratches his head and looks at Robin desperately. "She likes pilates, and uhh, football, she watches that American sport, and…she's got dark brown hair...she's short..."

"She's in broadcast journalism," Robin steps in. "She's a reporter for newscast. Very dedicated to her job, very smart. Likes straight skirts and silk blouses."

The saleswoman smiles at him gratefully. "So a classic sort of style?"

Graham jumps in. "Yeah, classic. That's her." The saleswoman picks up both of Robin's rings. "It's going to be one of these, then. Definitely."

Graham sighs deeply, looking downright annoyed. "Thanks, give me a moment?"

He stares at the two rings as if they were a quantum physics equation.

"Fuck it." He mutters, then holds up the pear cut ring. "This will do I guess."

He calls over the saleswoman and effectively tells her to wrap it up. But of course, that's not how it works.

"What type of metal would you like the band to be?" she asks, and Graham looks confused.

"This...metal?"

"Platinum or gold, or—"

"Gold," he says, turning to Robin and asking, "right?"

"There's yellow gold, rose gold, white gold, 18 karat gold, 24 karat gold…"

He frowns. "Rose gold? Like a pink?"

The sales woman smiles and takes out a brochure showing the various type of metals. "Why don't you look at this and get back to me?"

Graham looks at the brochure for a second before dropping it on the table. "Fuck if I know what metal is best."

There's a rage inside Robin threatening to get out, but he swallows the anger down best he can. For Regina. Still he'd be remiss if he didn't at least try something….

"You know, maybe you should hold off on this for awhile," Robin offers, "this is a big decision."

"I know," Graham says, narrowing his eyes, "but it's a decision made. What are you saying, mate? You sound like my mum."

Robin tries to fight a wince, tries to keep things light and non-confrontational. "Well you don't seem to have a sense of what she likes...and this is an expensive gift to get wrong, yeah? Maybe give it a few weeks to feel her out, notice her tastes and preferences...most of these men…" he motions to the other customers, "probably have a better sense of what their girlfriend's style is. It's easier to shop this way. I know you brought me to help, but I shouldn't be making all the decisions. I should just be input, right? Because you know her best, right?"

"Of course I do," Graham says defensively. His expression changes, as if he's determined to show Robin he's got Regina all figured out. "White gold. I'll go with that. Yeah?"

It's...certainly not the worst decision. She would probably have preferred platinum but at least it's not rose gold or yellow gold. She's never been much for either of those.

"It's a good choice." Robin agrees.

They call the saleswoman back.

"What size?" she asks.

"Err...a two?" he looks at Robin as if he's proud of himself. "Or sometimes a four.."

The saleswoman is biting back a smile.

"Those are dress sizes, mate." Robin rolls his eyes. "this is a ring size."

The saleswoman reaches for a little laminated guide to ring sizes, along with a key chain of sample ring sizes. "So this is what our ring sizes are, a lot of times men can get a sense of what would fit when they see the ring itself. Do you know what size is close to hers?"

Graham eyes the rings dumbly. "I usually feel her fingers more than look at them," he admits.

Robin shudders.

He doesn't like hearing that one bit.

"Maybe go on home and find a ring of hers, trace it on a piece of paper, and bring it back?" Robin offers. He cannot help adding a small dig, "you know, since you've no idea of her size."

Of course leaving a store is nothing a good saleswoman will permit. Not without a fight.

"Would this help?" The saleswoman takes out a large silver stick It starts more narrow, and widens throughout the length. "there are different widths here, for each ring. If you are used to holding her hand…"

"Oh, that will help," Graham says hastily. He seems determined to prove something as he grips each width, frowning as he does. Then finally he shakes his head. "Definitely this, 6.75."

He hands Robin the stick, as if he just accomplished some great feat, and starts to talk to the saleswoman about diamond clarity and color and carat.

Graham seems to have something to prove now, and he's making an ass out of himself but Robin doesn't really care what sort of shit diamond he ends up with.

He plays with the sizing stick idly. It's strange, Marians fingers always seemed bigger than Regina's, and she was a size 6 ring.

But when he feels what a size 6.75 width feels like, he knows Graham is off.

Way off.

Regina's got long slender fingers, slender even for her tiny frame. She's probably a 5.25 but he would get a 5 ½ just to be sure.

This ring will fall off her.

He should say something, and prevent Graham from embarrassing himself.

He should, but he won't. There's only so much his heart can handle, and watching this asshole with the woman he loves has been years of sweet torture. He's tired of always putting his own feelings aside to be the good guy in all this.

Graham can give her this tasteful (but not her type) ring (that she will never know Robin picked out), but it won't even come close to fitting. And then Regina can see how little Graham actually knows her.

And maybe that will be the small sign she needs to turn down the proposal and finally leave him.

He shouldn't hope for his best friend to have a terrible breakup. He should be wishing her the best.

And there will be days when he's strong enough to push those feelings aside and be the bigger person.

But today is not one of those days.

#oq ff #outlaw queen #outlaw queen fanfic #outlaw queen fic #outlaw queen ff #escape verse

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dukevividwriting · 5 years ago

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Convember:Crossover SU X Multi series

Amethyst; his smaller-older sister, shorty squad member, fellow 'worst gem’ and ‘most mature Crystal gem', and the most human. Always there for a prank or a talk, always ready to lounge around.

Bismuth; Friend to all who needed it. Always ready with a pun or a new project in her forge. Strong in body and heart. He wondered what new armament she’ll have when they stop for a visit.

Mila landed hard on her back with a groan, but recovered quickly; rolling back to her feet in a crouch, holding her hand out, a green circle of mana around her.

“Pierce through! Wind Lance!” .

Earth, cry out! Rock Trine! "

Flames come forth! Fireball!

She did hear the clang of Swords and the grimace of her opponent..

‘Guess where both disarmed now...Though she still have access to her worlds workings and mana' Connie thoughts were interrupted when she saw a blue sphere of water above her.

“Oh Fu--”

Her eyes changed slightly but gaining what look like a four point star and each of her pupils the size of a pin.

“ Shadowing”

“ Splash!”

Seeing the water bubble over her head again, kickstart her mind and in a low almost whisper, Connie spoke.

“Lapis lazuli.”

“Bismuth.”

'Ten seconds still for 'Bismuth'...Not ideal but better than five.'

" Peridot."

Hmm!" Mila stood before kneeling down.

"CLOUD PIERCE!"

She leapt diagonally upward towards Connie with her sword pointing forward, spinning clockwise, the thrust emitting blue energy.

As she watched her come Connie held her left hand in a gripping fashion she pulled it back towards her.

"KKSH! KSHKSHKSH!"

"Amethyst ."

"Flare Bomb!"

"Gar-"

Mila grunted against assault. Each kick feeling like a steel rod beating against her arms continuously. After the sixth hit Mila dropped her guard for a moment.

at the same time, Connie dropped to her feet and drove her gauntlet to milia guarded stomach. It was enough to send the blonde flying back many yards.

"O spurring wind, scatter like flowers! Arriverderci!"

"Pearl"

Mila charged dodging shot after shot picking up her blade, she met Connie with a horizontal slash from above as she landed, clashing weapon to weapon before leaping back just bit.

“Bolt Strike!”

Connie jumped, duck, and dodged the deadly making attack the best she could.. Only to find herself in the middle of four lighting bolts aiming straight at her..

" BISCUIT!"

"Flare bomb!"

The explosion gave Mila the seconds she need to jump away and prepare her attack.

"Shining Prism!"

"Overdrive!"

The met in a destructive clash, the reflexive force of the shield versus the overwhelming power of the orb, godly beings struggling against each other ,neither willing to give the other an inch.

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pacexlikexaxghost · 5 years ago

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Pearl Tag Dump

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pubtheatres1 · 6 years ago

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MIDNIGHT IN MANHATTEN: Three plays by Tennessee Williams Every Twenty Minutes (1938) The Pink Bedroom (1943) The Fat Man’s Wife (1938) Pentameters Theatre, Hampstead until 2 December 2018 ‘An entertaining, intelligent, and sensitively put together bill’ ★★★★ In the Pentameters Theatre’s seventh annual Tennessee Williams’ programme, we are taken to Manhattan, not the Deep South, for three one act plays with the thread of marital infidelity the theme of the night. These three acts, all self-contained stories within themselves, introduces its audience to a corner of Williams’ repertoire that goes further than the Southern Gothic tales of Streetcars and cats on hot tin roofs. Instead, we are treated to acts of infidelity with characters that are echoes, shadows even, of his other creations. Si tu vois ma mère plays as we are welcomed into the late 1930’s. Set Designer Godfrey Old works in synch with the already atmospheric Pentameters Theatre. With chaise lounges, record players and an attention to detail especially for The Pink Bedroom, you know this is going to be an homage to Williams. It is dusky, dirty and dusty. Once the jazz wiles of Sydney Bechet saturate us firmly in 1930’s America, EVERY TWENTY MINUTES is our first course in Newham’s Williams feast. Richard Stephenson Winter throughout the night plays every husband in each play, which later on does become confusing and hard to pinpoint where each character begins and ends. Perhaps this is down to the repetition of theme and character in the three selected. That said, it is a powerful opener and alongside Andrea Milton-Furlotti, the pair hold no punches back in their emotional intensity. There are some fine allusions and explorations of the American identity to be had here, as Winter fires, ‘It’s the goldfish bowl we’re all swimming in.’ Begging the question, whose country is it? Does America belong to the Americans? Milton-Furlotti entrenches Williams’ talent for female characters and she gives a performance that is both charismatic and heart breaking. THE PINK BEDROOM takes us to 1943 and a mistress who wants more than just a long-term arrangement. Ava Amande is enigmatic as the frustrated mistress; pearls hang like teeth around her neck, teeth too trapped for a smile. Winter swaggers out once more with bravado and baseness as her lover but Amande counters Winter’s machismo with her sublimity and the two actors here shine in a delicately mature performance. By this second play, Director Seamus Newham has implemented an excellent sense of context with these pieces. It is essentially an exploration of female strength in the face of marital tragedy. They are queens; the mistresses still, but queens nonetheless, but of whose empire? Dividing up the plays, Newham has two poems by Tennessee Williams performed by members of the casts. Although this was a little confusing with little differentiation between verse and play text, it shone a light on the writer’s experimentation with another literary form. Ava Amande is excellent in her performance of the poem Life Story, treating Williams’ even deeper lyricism with effortlessness and ease. It is a monologue that stands alone as a piece that captures loneliness in maturity. THE FAT MAN’S WIFE sees Jessica Boyde superb in her weighted silence as she portrays the hopeless Vera Cartwright, a betrayed wife of a womanising show business producer, just as she is confronted by a tempting proposition by a younger man. David Angland is that younger man, offering her last chance at happiness in love and makes a convincing and charming Dennis Merriwether. The play does suffer however by a few pacing issues but is remedied by Boyde’s subtlety. A particularly poignant moment in The Fat Man’s Wife, comes when Vera must face the consequences of her choice of man, and it shatters her: ‘Get used to it. We’ll be saying unimportant things to each other for the rest of our lives.’ It’s an achingly tragic scene between wife and husband. Conclusion Midnight in Manhattan adds a sumptuous and retrospective set of plays to the Pentameters Theatre’s odyssey through Williams’ one acts. Newham’s direction drips in sepia memories of a mythical America and all three casts give fine performances. We are left with a fresh, eccentric evening exploring Tennessee Williams’ lesser known works. An entertaining, intelligent, and sensitively put together bill. MIDNIGHT IN MANHATTEN Pentameters Theatre 13th November - 2nd December 2018 Box Office: http://www.pentameters.co.uk/WhatsOn.html Reviewer Emma Zadow is an actor and theatre maker from South London. She trained at Rose Bruford College in Theatre and Performance. @EmmaZadow

#Midnight in Manhatten The Fat Man's Wife The Pink Bedroom Every Twenty Minutes Tennessee Williams Pentameters Theatre Review

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gravetells · 8 years ago

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Meet Special Agent Will Berwick, Incy Black’s black ops hero from Hard To Protect #excerpt #giveaway

Read an excerpt

What he wanted was an explanation as to why she’d nixed his return to active duty. He grinned, instead. “You seem more piqued than usual by my silence, Doc. Pre-menstrual tension?” No flinch. No sharp intake of breath. She didn’t even blink. But the sudden chill she threw damn near caused his balls to retract. Then, like an assassin’s blade in the dark, she sliced. “Suffered any symptoms of impotency since your injury, Berwick?” Perversely, his groin heated. Well, apparently, if he wasn’t going to dignify her surprising and utterly unprofessional counter-challenge with a response, his dick would. Odd, when to-date, this woman hadn’t stirred so much as an extra pulse-throb from him. Not that she was unattractive. On the contrary, her classical beauty could launch ships. Flawless bone-structure. Complexion creamy, lustrous as a pearl. Fathomless grey eyes intent enough to make a man’s soul hum. Wide mouth. Generous lips, blush-pink and ripe. Hinting at dirty. Her demeanor though—do-not-touch frigid. Jesus, if someone had told him a Nordic God had carved her out of ice and then had second thoughts about getting close enough to breathe some warmth into her for fear of forevermore ejaculating snowflakes, he wouldn’t have argued. Without breaking eye contact, he vaguely imagined what she might look like with that tight French braid of hers loosened, the tips of her breasts peeking through the untidy fall of blond tresses, as she lay naked, writhing beneath his hands. And gave himself a mental slap. Never going to happen. No way would he take this female to bed. Even if he survived the encounter, he doubted she would. Someone, or something, had damaged her. No woman wrapped herself in that many layers of frost without good reason. She may have crossed him, and for that she would pay, but he didn’t want to break her, for Christ’s sake. He’d shattered Diana, and in return her death—suicide—had shattered him. A joyride through hell he preferred not to repeat. No, he’d cajole the whereabouts of Treherne’s brother from her in a way that didn’t require physical contact or, at least, not deep physical contact. The odd affectionate caress he’d allow, purely as a sign of friendship. He had a feeling she could do with an ally. “What would have to happen for you to agree to have dinner with me?” “Both ice caps would have to melt.” He choked back, Well, you would know, and widened his grin. To hell with his reservations. This wintery beauty shared none of Diana’s frailty. The Doc could take care of herself. Game on.

Some Black Op missions are too dark—even for him.

Volcanic hot and ambitious Special Agent Will Berwick doesn’t give a damn what his orders are, he’s not taking the enemy—the lovely, but arctic Dr. Angel Treherne—to bed. Nor will she die on his watch, most certainly not by his hand. Oh, he’ll root out her secrets. But his own way—teaching her a much-deserved lesson while he’s at it: that no one messes with his career plan just because they’re a little peeved with him.

Caught up in a tangled web of deceit and betrayal, psychotherapist Angel trusts no one—certainly not alpha-cocky, cunning Will Berwick. First he’s hostile, then he’s charming, now he wants to protect her? Why? What’s he hiding? With her life—and heart—on the line, she needs to know.

Find it online at Amazon* | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

About the author

To escape the frenzy of three children aged under 4 years, two mad dogs and four very odd cats, Incy Black committed to a law degree (University College, London), first to piss off those who said she didn’t stand a chance, and second, because she’s never learned to walk a hill when there are mountains to be climbed.

When not fighting injustice and righting wrongs on ‘Planet Incy’ via her love of writing romantic action adventures, she works as a Marketing Director…also cook, cleaner and homemaker. Living in the UK’s West Country, her (now five) children are well versed in what scares her (most things) and delight in pushing her neurotic buttons—at their peril.

Find Incy online at her website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

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from Meet Special Agent Will Berwick, Incy Black’s black ops hero from Hard To Protect #excerpt #giveaway

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