#I wish I had more pink ribbon and lace but all my pink is pastel | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

rnufharose · 4 years ago

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Chapter 1

Words: About 2K

Warnings: None. Maybe some violence and a character death.

Every child is an artist.

The problem is how she can remain as such when she grows up.

It all begins with just one moment—the moment she picks up a crayon, a marker, a piece of colored chalk, or maybe a paintbrush. She uses the color red, maybe blue, or green, until her imagination blossoms and creates her hopes and dreams.

And what were her dreams? What dreams did she embrace? What honor did she protect? Well, she did many things, but as time passed and as the Planet was being sucked dry, so was the landscape. All she could see was the green lights, the iron skyline against the vibrant blue sky, reminiscent of an important person's eyes, and soon, each and every canvas was the same. The same buildings in the distance, the same children on their bicycles, the same young couple that held hands, the same schoolboy who fumbled with his phone.

To Ann, embracing her dreams was becoming much more difficult as time passed. Her time in Midgar wasn't as beautiful as it used to be when she first arrived.

It was when she was fourteen years old. She had saved up all of her money and left her hometown of Gongaga to follow her older brother where she too wanted to make it big in the greatest city on the Planet. She wanted to be an artist that would make people smile. She wanted her works to grace the canvases of every gallery where people would come from all over the sectors to see what she had painted next.

While her brother climbed the ladder and became a renowned SOLDIER for Shinra, Ann continued studying, spending the late-night hours perfecting her skills in sketching or painting while her brother slept away, his snoring sounding throughout the apartment. When she turned eighteen, she had been accepted into Midgar University, taking her place in its prestigious art program, but things changed. Ann's life grew dull, the warm and cool and pastel colors that were her world reduced to black and white, and she wasn't the same anymore.

She never picked up the color sky blue. She never looked up at the blue sky on a clear day. That very shade of blue became a constant reminder of what she had lost, and she would never see him again.

Ann was seated in her studio apartment, looking at the blank canvas propped on her easel, the city lights of Midgar just through the wide window with the skyscrapers of Sector 8 towering in the distance, Mako energy tinting the landscape a bright green with no stars to be seen in the night sky. She should have been working on her art project but she didn't feel like picking up her paintbrush, the shades of red acrylic on her palette untouched.

She breathed a heavy sigh, looking down at her lap where her hands were clasped, only to look back up when she heard a knock on her door. The brunette stood up, blue eyes set on the door, and she crossed the apartment to see just who had arrived.

"Helloooooo," a sweet voice called from the other side, and Ann knew just who it belonged to.

She unlocked the door and pulled it open, coming face-to-face with the one person who made her a life a little more vibrant. There she stood—a slightly older girl with big green eyes and an optimistic smile. Her brown hair was planted into a rope braid, tied back with a pink ribbon, and she wore a laced necktie with a flower charm along with a red bolero jacket, a pastel pink dress, and boots.

"Annie!" She greeted, wrapping her arms around the younger girl and giving her a tight hug, smelling of lilies. "Ooh, I missed you so much!" She always said that even when she had only seen her the day before.

"Hey, Aerith," Ann spoke softly before allowing her inside, closing the door behind them as the other girl walked toward the table, putting down her basket of flowers.

"I brought you those red roses you love so much," Aerith said as she took one step toward the kitchen area, opening the cabinet and pulling out an empty glass vase. "I figured you can brighten up this place. You need to surround yourself with more flowers."

"You don't have to do that," Ann chuckled a bit. "Do you want anything? Tea, maybe?"

"I'm afraid I can't stay for too long. I have more flowers to sell. You know what they say," she spoke as she filled the vase with water. "Midgar full of flowers, your wallet's full of money!"

He said that, Ann thought, walking back toward the easel and picking up the palette, washing off the acrylic in the kitchen sink.

"I see you haven't painted anything yet. Artist's block again?" Aerith wondered with an innocent tilt of her head and Ann gave a nod.

"You could say that," she said tiredly. "Sometimes... I just think I should just quit and go back to Gongaga..."

"You can't do that!" The flower girl gasped, walking away from the vase and standing at Ann's side, holding her arm with both hands, her brows furrowed with concern. "If you leave, then I'll never see you again! You're my best friend, Annie, and I'll be sad if you go..."

"Things just aren't the same anymore, Aerith," Ann shook her head, her eyes closed. "It's been a year, and nothing has changed... my world is dull... everywhere I look, all I think about is him."

Aerith pressed her lips together, gazing at the younger girl in silence, her eyes becoming melancholy. She knew exactly who Ann was referring to. That person she spoke of was important to her as well. He was the one who fell from the sky and into her bed of flowers. He was the one who helped her face of fear of the sky. His smile, his heart, his laughter, his dreams—they all became a part of her until she fell for him.

Her twenty-three wishes, her eighty-nine letters—they were all so she could see him again. Through him, she met Ann, and they became as close as sisters, and when she sensed his death a year ago, it kept her closer to Ann. She had to look after her and make sure she was okay. It hurt Aerith just as much, but she took comfort in the fact that he simply returned to the Planet.

She would see him again at one point... just not right now.

"I know," Aerith hugged Ann close, stroking her hair. "But he's always with us. You can't let his passing stop you from living. He would want you to embrace your dreams too. He will be so proud of you when you become a famous artist." She looked up for a moment, her gaze distant. "You have to keep his memory alive, and I've been doing the same thing. If I just sell more flowers, I know he'll be happy. That's what we've always wanted."

It seemed like it was only yesterday when the three of them were together. In his free time or when Ann wasn't in school, they would spend all of their time in the Sector 5 slums or the Church where Aerith's flowers grew, and they would make the best memories. They were a family and their future seemed bright, but somewhere in the back of her mind, Aerith wished she had stopped him from leaving for his mission that day, and Ann wished she had stopped him as well.

Zack... Ann thought, her eyes glistening with the onset of tears. I wish I could have told you I love you one last time... then maybe... my big brother best friend forever would still be here right now...

"Why don't we go out?" Aerith offered, pulling away from Ann and reaching forward to wipe away her tears with her thumbs before they could fall down her cheeks. "Turn those corners up. Selling a few flowers will put a pretty smile on your face and cure your artist's block!"

The younger girl was ready to politely decline, but she decided not to. Instead, she gave a single nod, the corners of her lips turning up slightly, "Alright... let's head out and sell some flowers."

"Hurray!" Aerith chirped happily, gathering her basket, and Ann gave a slight chuckle, walking toward the closet to pull out her weapon—a red rapier with a rose and gold thorns, along with three Materia slots in the hilt. It was a gift from Zack on her sixteenth birthday, and he had taught her how to wield a sword. There were more monsters in the city back when he was alive and he felt she needed to learn to protect herself in case he wasn't around.

She grabbed it, placing it at her hip where her belt held onto her red skinny jeans with black designs along the left pant leg that looked like rose petals. She grabbed her white leather jacket with its red hoodie, slipping it over her black fitted cropped shirt, and she faced the flower girl. "Ready to head out?"

"Mm-hmm," Aerith grinned, giving her a single nod, and Ann grabbed her keys. They stepped out of the apartment, locking it behind them before walking down the hallway toward the elevator, ready to fill Midgar with Aerith's vibrant yellow lilies.

******

It hadn't been long since they had left the apartment building. The streets of Midgar continued to bustle, its citizens chattering and walking about while the tires of cars raced forth and splashed against puddles. Ann and Aerith were walking through LOVELESS Avenue, the busiest street in Sector 8 which was the center of art and business. It was famous for residents who were studying in that field, as well as employees of Shinra or even the rich folks that purchased penthouse apartments at the top of the residential area. There was the local café, the art museum just down the block, the theatre where hit musicals and plays, including LOVELESS, had been held. There was the convenience store, the boutiques, the concert hall, the fountain at the center of the city sector, and just down the stairs several blocks away was the Sector 1 station.

Aerith had come to a stop in the alleyway between LOVELESS Theatre and the adjacent building, her emerald green eyes on a pipe that was slightly severed, a greenish-blue light coming out from it.

Ann had noticed her come to a halt, curiously eyeing the small light in the alleyway, "Aerith? Is everything okay?"

The flower girl was compelled to go near the light, stepping toward it and away from the busy street, crouching before the light and clasping her hands together in prayer.

Ann followed after her, standing above the slightly older woman and watching the green lights release something akin to embers. "Aerith?" She tried to grab her attention, but she was still engrossed in praying, her eyes closed. This wasn't the first time she had seen her best friend do something like this. It was almost like she was a divine being capable of sensing something otherworldly, but Ann chalked it up to her just being her quirky self as always, never questioning her.

"I hear them," Aerith spoke softly. "They're crying... they're in pain... they want help..."

"Who does?" Ann wondered, but the other girl didn't answer her. Instead, she stood up, having finished listening to the voices that echoed in her head, but her blood ran cold, the sound of howling coming from the other side of the alleyway. She flinched and looked the other way, her brows furrowed, shoulders tense.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ann inquired. Obviously, she couldn't hear the howling, but she could see the way Aerith had tensed, her eyes in the other side of the alleyway.

"I'm fine," she began before turning away, walking back toward the busy street. "L-Let's get out of here..."

"Wait!" Ann called out, following after her and still perplexed at her friend's frightened expression, and she bumped into a pedestrian, exclaiming slightly as the flowers in her basket fell to the ground.

"Hey, watch where you're going, chick!" The man barked, and the flower girl's eyes widened apologetically, bowing before him several times.

"I'm so sorry!"

He grunted, walking away and grumbling every curse word in his vocabulary while she stayed in her ninety-degree bow.

She gave a huff, straightening her stance, eyes darting toward her feet before her lips parted. "Oh no!" Aerith gasped, kneeling to grab the assortment of yellow lilies and red tulips that had fallen out of the basket.

Ann dropped her shoulders, opting to help her, grabbing the flowers as quickly as she could before anyone could step on them, and once Aerith reached for the last lily, another passerby walked past them, stepping on the flower, crushing the petals underneath his boot, and the flower girl's heart sank a little.

When he was gone, she gathered the flower in her hand, touching the petals delicately. She sighed heavily in defeat, holding it to her chest, "You poor thing..." she couldn't stand it when people stepped on flowers. "Normally... people are more careful with flowers... but he didn't even bat an eye..."

Ann looked over her expression with pity and melancholy. She knew how important flowers were to Aerith. Back when she first met her, she recalled the big scolding Zack had received when he almost stepped on her flowers. "Not many people see them in the city," Ann frowned, holding her shoulder in comfort while giving her the rest of the flowers that weren't harmed. "They often take such beauty for granted..."

"I wish they didn't," she mourned, lifting her gaze to look up to the nearly black sky, covered in smog, Mako energy, and light pollution.

"One day, I want to fill the whole city with flowers," Aerith continued. "But how can I do that when the Planet is crying out in pain?"

Ann wasn't sure how to answer that. Slowly, she pulled her hand away from Aerith's shoulder, lifting her gaze toward the sky, and she too gazed at how starless it was. Back in Gongaga, she would have seen so many of them, but this was Midgar, the iron city, and there was clearly something wrong. Zack... she thought. What would you do?

******

Somewhere in another part of Sector 8, the train was pulling into the Sector 1 station near Mako Reactor 1. Atop the train, on one of the many cars, someone was kneeling, baby blue eyes set on his destination ahead, the wind blowing in his spiky blonde hair. His hand grasped the hilt of his giant broadsword tightly before bringing it against his forehead, almost like he was paying respect to it. Then, he set it on his back, standing up from his crouched position.

He was tall, with a lithe, well-built frame, his face fair with the lightest dust of freckles dotting the bridge of his nose and cheeks. He had a tall nose, thin lips, his eyes glowing with Mako energy. He wore leather and metal gauntlets, a pauldron on his left shoulder, and the garbs of a SOLDIER First Class.

The train came to a halt, pulling into the station where two Shinra troopers were on patrol. He hid in the shadows, waiting for the right time to strike, and the troopers inspected the train before one of them was pulled into one of the cars, knocked unconscious by a young man on the heavy side who wore a yellow t-shirt, denim shorts, a red bandana, and some belts and armor.

The remaining Shinra troopers had realized his partner had been immobilized, and he followed the sound of his pained grunt, his machine gun at the ready, but another male had captured him—a young man of the same age with scruff on his face, brown spiked hair and a bandana on his own forehead. He wore a t-shirt, protective gear, and fatigues, and while he held the captured trooper, a third person appeared.

The woman kicked the trooper in the stomach, a smirk gracing her pink lips. Her hair was tied in a ponytail and she wore breastplates over her blue shirt with brown fatigues. She giggled and watching her friend set the trooper to the ground and finally, came the leader of their little group.

He was a burly male with dark skin and tattoos, a crew cut, scars on his cheek, and a gun for an arm. His shades covered his eyes and he wore a sleeveless vest along with a wife-beater, dog tags, cargo pants, and a belt. He turned toward the top of the train, speaking in a gruff voice, "Get down here, merc."

The blonde male complied, making a grand entrance as he flipped off the train, looking ahead toward the end of the platform. It was time for their bombing mission.

My name is Cloud. SOLDIER First Class

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doll-collecting-aerialist · 4 years ago

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Ranking The CYO Outfits

It’s my off week on my medications, and I can’t get out of bed, so might as well.

Let’s Create Outfit I

8/10

This outfit would get full points if it wasn’t for the fake collar. Design choices were made, and I do not approve. I’m particularly obsessed with the cat themed flats, and the beret. If I was redesigning this outfit, I’d substitute the magenta leggings out for pastel pink tights, change the donut print to be on a cream fabric, make the screen printed collar real, and maybe include a basic white sweater (either in the outfit or the corresponding accessories). I might also change the cat flats to match the baby blue of the beret, but it’s not necessary.

Let’s Play Outfit

10/10

This outfit is adorable, and I enjoy how everything matches. There’s not to many colors at play, and I can appreciate that. The only things I would change would be making the halter top snap, instead of velcro, as it looks pretty flimsy, and like it might come undone during play. I’d also include some lilac socks, because wearing sneakers with no socks is gross.

My only real complaint is that this outfit retired before I figured out you could order CYO outfits by themselves, and now all the eBay listings for this outfit are ridiculously priced.

Let’s Smile Outfit

9/10

This appears to be one of the most popular CYO outfits, and it is pretty cute. My only (superficial) complaint is with the jacket, because whenever I see it on a doll, it just looks stiff and awkward. I’m assuming that it’s meant to be a Jean jacket, but I personally don’t like the quality of the fabric that they used. It doesn’t really simulate the texture or weight of jean material. If I was designing this outfit, I’d simply make the jean jacket out of a heavier type of fabric.

Let’s Daydream Outfit

8/10

Honestly, it’s not my personal style, but I don’t really have any critiques of this outfit. It reminds me of something I’d see one of my friends wearing at fourth grade recess. I think the flower crown is a unique hair accessory we haven’t seen in the CYO line, and I love the sandals. If I was to buy multiple CYOs (let’s ignore the fact that I cave each time I try to save up for one) I’d probably use this outfit on one of them. I’m sad to see it retire.

Let’s Explore Outfit I

9/10

This is totally something I would wear in middle school, for better or worse. This entire outfit is so cool, and the only thing I’d change would have to be the shirt. I get very alternative vibes from this outfit, but the shirt messes with it a bit. I don’t like the graphic or the raglan style, I don’t think it works well here. I’d probably opt for a band tee of a fake band.

I’m very happy to see that there was some thought put forward towards girls who aren’t necessarily incredibly girly. Options like this are incredibly important.

Let’s Celebrate Outfit I

9/10

It would be a ten out of ten, as it is one of my favorites, but I’ve always had beef with the shoes. What ARE they??? I’m sad to see this outfit go, but I love the outfit that replaced it even more. If I was redesigning this outfit, I’d fire whoever created those shoes (an exaggeration), and replace them with some pastel pink, satin, ballet style shoes that laced up with ribbon. I also find it odd they chose a tiara for this outfit, I personally would have followed the styling choice of the huge bow on the waist band, and included a large bow for the hair.

Let’s Explore Outfit II

9/10

This was also nearly a ten out of ten, but honestly it just isn’t my favorite, and I’m stingy with my 10/10s. I wish more care and detail was put into the jean shorts, and my problems with this outfit are pretty similar to my problems with the Let’s Smile outfit. I also wish there was an option on the CYO website to see your doll without the beanie on their head, but that’s just a personal pet peeve.

Let’s Create Outfit II

10/10

This is buy far one of my favorite outfits, but is another one where I must painstakingly ignore the shoes. This outfit would have been adorable with pastel pink boots.. instead of whatever those boots are. Other than that I have no complaints, and I’m a huge fan of the shiny pink fabric.

Lets Move Outfit

5/10

Seeing the shirt and the leggings in person, they’re good pieces on their own. But together, it does nothing but make my eyes bleed. There’s too much going on, and I feel like both the pants and the shirt need their own individual outfits. I picture the pants with a corresponding sports bra, and possibly a puffy iteration of the vest. I picture the top as a rash guard, and imagine it coming with corresponding swim bottoms, shorts or a towel tied around the waist, and sandals.

Let’s Celebrate Outfit II

10/10

This is currently my favorite outfit, and not just because it’s new. I love how the colors of the skirt blend together, as well as how the tulle skirt overlay matches the tulle detailing at the top of the dress. The shoes are passable. Personally I still don’t like them, but they’re so much better than some of the other shoes on this list.

My personal favorites are definitely the Let’s Play Outfit, the Let’s Create Outfit II, and the Let’s Celebrate outfits I & II.

Sorry for the long post, I’d put a keep reading tab it, but I’m on mobile.

Maybe I’ll get bored again and rate the CYO accessories- anything is possible.

#American Girl Doll #American Girl #Ag #Ag Dolls #CYO #American Girl CYO #Create Your Own #American Girl Create Your Own

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darkhymns-fic · 4 years ago

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When Life is a Song

Genis narrowed his eyes, looking up at Lloyd and Colette both. “You two… What kind of dancing was that?” He frowned, standing on his tip toes, trying his best to be tall, though in comparison to his already tall friends, this only slightly worked. “How about we leave some room for Martel, huh?"

In which there is awkward dancing, awkward confessions, and awkward musings about a sleeping Goddess.

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia Characters/Pairing: Lloyd Irving/Colette Brunel, Genis Sage, Raine Sage Rating: G Mirror Link: AO3 Notes: This was a secret santa gift made for @poesby for the Colloyd discord server! Thanks so much for being a part of it! I had so much fun with this prompt.

It was at a school dance that Lloyd first realized he was in love with Colette.

That dance happened just a year before Colette would be off on her journey to regenerate the world, Lloyd remembered. No oracles had come down to Sylvarant, and no Desians had gone to attack the Martel Temple where she would train and take her lessons on the scriptures of the Angels. It was still just in the tail-end of spring, before the air would grow more humid with the coming of summer. The farmer’s crops had yielded their share, and the treaty still kept them safe, as far as everyone was concerned.

It was the Professor that had arranged the school dance to begin with, which had always confused Lloyd back then, even though she claimed that it was to celebrate a successful school year. Only years later, after the journey, would he realize that perhaps this had been his teacher’s way of giving Colette what had been denied her for so long. Never allowed outside of the village, with sometimes her entire days being holed up in that temple, Colette barely got to just relax and enjoy the normalcy that everyone else had.

But of course, Raine had to make that be a part of school somehow.

“Lloyd! Why are you so late?!” Genis was standing at the wooden door to the Iselian schoolhouse, hands on his hips, and looking very displeased. The air around them was warm, even in the early evening, carrying the scent of the oak trees that surrounded the village. “The party started a half hour ago!”

“Gah, sorry!” Lloyd said, rushing up to the entrance as if he had just run all the way from his house. Which, well, he did! Once he realized he was late… “Noishe doesn’t like to walk around the forest at night, and it’s really dark! Monsters are also kind of a pain…”

Genis wasn’t convinced. He eyed Lloyd’s outfit. “And you just wore the same thing you wear every day to a party ever since you were 13?”

“It’s not the same thing!” Lloyd proudly pointed at his familiar red jacket, but specifically at the buttons that lined up his torso and sleeves. “See? These are golden buttons! This is my fancy jacket!”

“…That’s stupid. You can barely even tell they’re different in the light!”

“At least I’m not wearing a lame bowtie,” Lloyd argued back. Bright red and decorating Genis’ little suit like he was a doll, Lloyd would have teased more had he not felt Raine’s sudden smack across the back of his head, his only warning being the slow smile on Genis’ face just a half-second before.

“Don’t be rude, Lloyd. And you are very late. This is going to affect your grade, you know.”

“What?! I’m being graded for a school party?!” But he barely got to argue, already being pushed along into the schoolhouse by Genis. To think that he’d have to go to school still on a weekend…

He hadn’t realized how that night would be so important to him then.

The schoolhouse wasn’t big, containing only one room for the entire class. But with the desks put away, replaced with tables of home-cooked food from local chefs in the village, and fun party decorations that lined the walls, it looked so entirely different. Streamers that were a multitude of colors flowed down from the ceiling, and even some balloons were tied around the place, some having cut loose and now floating way up high to the wooden beams overhead.

And honestly, to Lloyd, it still felt a bit like another school day with the other students here too. The girls who always gossiped in the corner were chatting away in the very same place, but wearing different dresses that looked like the colors of the grass outside. And the boys that he remembered being part of Professor Sage’s fan club were milled about in a small group, sneaking occasional glances towards the door where Lloyd and Genis came through, groaning when seeing their teacher wasn’t with them. They always had more and more members than he thought…

But the ages of everyone also ranged all over the place, from those being as old as him, to others as young as seven. He could already see a group of the youngest students trying to play tag with each other while flitting about the tables, treating the party as if it was just another recess period. That was what happened when everyone in the village had their classes at one place and with just one room.

But through all that, through all the people he recognized and the color that brightened the walls, he searched for her, barely finding a trace.

“Where’s Colette?” he finally asked Genis.

The boy pointed to the back of the classroom-turned party hall. “Over there when I last saw her. She tripped, and well…”

Lloyd winced, knowing exactly what that meant. “Ah man, again?” Hopefully she was okay, but then again this was the usual for her.

“She didn’t mess with my decorations at least, but I made sure Raine healed her of any injuries.” Genis nodded, looking proud of himself for that decision. “Anyway, I don’t think she’s moved from their since.”

“Why aren’t you hanging out her? She’s probably been really bored of this party!” Now Lloyd was starting to feel bad about being late if Colette had been by herself this whole time.

“Hey! It’s not boring!” Genis argued. “Besides, I can’t hang out as I’m in charge of chaperoning. Well, sis is, but I’m helping out!”

Lloyd tilted his head. “Chapa what?”

Genis frowned. “...Just go to her.”

Honestly, Lloyd didn’t need to be told twice, already heading off while Genis was still talking. “Whatever you say!!” Saying the last bit in a shout was not exactly the smartest move, the sound traveling easily in the room and making heads turn; from the kids playing tag, to the boys still gossiping, openly wondering why Raine wasn’t here yet…

It made her head turn too, just in time.

Underneath the dim lights of the set table lamps and the stars outside, he saw Colette, still brushing away the wood chips from her dress. A familiar-shaped hole was just behind her, which was about her very height and width. Maybe something that Lloyd could help fix up later…

But it was at his sudden shout, bouncing across the room that took her attention, made her turn to see him coming over. “Lloyd! You finally made it!”

And for one moment, Lloyd slowed his steps.

Back then, maybe Lloyd hadn’t understood what he felt just yet. Colette’s dress was different from her usual one, still covering her from head to toe. But it was more flowy than her usual, the edges trimmed with lace, her hem printed with star-shaped patterns. It was a summer dress perfect for the warm air outside, the kind that would let her feel the summer breeze. Her hair was also tied up in a bun, showing off more of her face, such as the red on her cheeks, and the dimples that formed whenever she smiled.

Lloyd hadn’t understood why his heart had beat so strangely back then, why he took a moment to speak… and why he suddenly felt a little ashamed at how he dressed, wishing he had gotten something cooler, like a cape, or maybe even a party mask… “Uh, hey Colette! Why are still over here?”

Colette laughed, though she looked nervous as she did so, still brushing away more invisible dust from her dress. “Ah, well, I messed up…”

She gestured to that hole, scratching her cheek in embarrassment. “I’m not even sure how I did it this time!”

“Oh right… It must be all these balloons here,” Lloyd offered as an explanation. “They’re in the way of the floor a lot!”

“Aw, but they’re really cute. I was afraid I’d pop them if I get too close.”

Lloyd reached out to one balloon floating nearby, its pink color so bright and pastel-shaded that it drew the eye a bit. “Nah, there’s no way these can just pop that easily!” He took its string, pulling it to him quickly. “You just gotta-” Pop!

The sound made both Lloyd and Colette flinch, along with a few other people who stood nearby. From the front of the room, he heard Genis yell out to him. “Lloyd! Careful with those!”

“Er, sorry about that!” Now Lloyd held a completely deflated balloon by its string, smiling at Colette shamefacedly. “Guess we both should be careful…”

Colette giggled. “It’s okay, I’m just happy you’re here. I thought that maybe you wouldn’t come.”

“No way! I uh, did kinda forget for a little bit, but then I remembered!”

Her smile was gentle in that dim light, and it was different than what Lloyd was used to, even though he was always seeing Colette’s smiles each day. How come…? She spoke again, breaking the brief little spell he was under. “And you have new clothes too! I really like those golden buttons.”

Lloyd stood there in shock. She noticed! “Y-yeah! It’s my fancy set! See, look, look!” He turned around, showing off the white ribbon strips that streamed from his collar, looking the usual to the untrained eye until…

“Oh! There’s patterns on it!” Colette said, reaching out to hold one of the ribbons, so softly in her hands. “They look like little dogs!”

“Hehe. I was using Noishe as a subject to make these! I still gotta get better at sewing though…” He turned back around, while Colette still held onto that ribbon, tracing the shape along the surface. He stared at what she wore as well, so used to her thick overcoat and not the dress that fluttered about her legs freely. “And, uh, you look pretty great too!”

“Hehe, thanks. Usually the Church doesn’t want me to but… they said it was okay for tonight.” Her voice lowered a fraction, her fingers still twiddling with the ribbons until the note of a flute floated in the air. She dropped it in surprise, raising her head. “Oh!”

Lloyd turned around, seeing some of the other students gathered near the very front of the classroom (party room?); one girl was holding up the flute that played softly, while a spectacled boy was by her side, strumming a guitar, and another was holding up a triangle, waiting for the perfect moment to strike it… “Isn’t that the music club?” he asked aloud.

“Oh, they’re playing for the party! That’s so nice.” Colette clasped her hands to her chest as some of the other students moved from their groups to go out into the middle of the room. The music was still in its beginning phases, but the tune was finding its place, delivering a rhythm that even the youngest student could jump around to. The song was simple, the beat easy to nod heads to.

“Wow…” Lloyd hadn’t expected this party to be much of anything, but the music stirred something in his chest. Did Iselia do stuff like this often? Was this what he was missing living so far off in the forests with his dad? He looked at Colette, finding her suddenly very quiet, eyes rapt to the front of the room.

“Colette, what’s up?” he asked.

“Hm? Ah nothing! Well maybe just, um, Lloyd…” Her voice held something soft that he didn’t understand, not just yet still, but it made him give her his full attention either way. The candlelight within the lamps shone off her tied-up hair, illuminated the stars on her dress, all as the music stirred louder around them. “Do you think… you want to try dancing?”

Lloyd only felt a twinge of nervousness – just a bit. But not enough to make him hesitate or refuse. With a grin, he held out his hand for Colette to take. “Yeah! Just uh, I haven’t ever danced before.”

“Hehe, that’s okay! I haven’t done anything like this before either, I think.”

“So that sounds like a pretty good excuse to try it then,” he teased, feeling her hand go in his. It always felt so natural to hold her hand like this, like it was just the right size when her palm pressed against his. His heart went ba-dump! all the sudden, but he only focused on Colette, walking with her to the floor, hearing that same flute play with more energy, the student musicians giving it all they had.

On the way, Colette caught the edge of her shoe against a small pile of confetti on the ground. Lloyd reached out with both arms to catch her, pulling her up. “Oh, uh, watch out for those!” It was literally just paper Colette had tripped on but somehow that was enough…

“Ah, I’m sorry… I��m just too clumsy.” She bit her lip. “Maybe this is silly…”

“Didn’t you just say you wanted to try?” Lloyd asked, genuinely wondering. And they were already here, weren’t they? A brief glance to their surroundings showed him how everyone else danced too; many of them just excitedly moving around each other in erratic patterns, while others interlocked their arms together, skipping across the floor. Genis was to the side, arms crossed, looking out over the place with a certain pride, with Raine finally not far behind. She was taking a red pen to a piece of paper she held in her hand… She really was grading people right now!

He had a few ideas on how he couldn’t fail on this.

Lloyd quickly looped his right arm into Colette’s left, keeping her close. He heard her lightly gasp, but she didn’t move away, her cheek brushing against his shoulder as she turned to him. “How about this? You definitely can’t fall if we dance this way!”

Colette looked radiant before nodding in approval. The warm light over her hair made it glow, and she gripped Lloyd’s arm back just as tightly. “Okay!”

Lloyd had no idea what song was playing, or if it was a mish-mash of many at once. (The students were still learning, after all). But as he took Colette out to the floor, he made sure to keep her standing upright. The most he knew about dancing was a few dwarven jigs, and Lloyd quickly kicked out his legs to imitate such a thing, moving to the beat of the song(s). “Dad taught me this!”

“Oh, I wanna try!” Colette saw and then attempted to follow through. The hem of her dress flew along with her, and already Lloyd could see her tilt a bit backwards at the motion. But he kept hold of her fast, and even when she lost her balance, soon she was falling back against his arm safely. “Ah! I almost fell again…”

“But you didn’t! See? I won’t drop you, promise.”

Colette’s face was nearby, a few stray blonde strands already slipping from her bun. “Okay, I trust you!”

Even as they tried out their dwarven steps that a few people raised an eyebrow at, Lloyd felt the night rush around him. They were clumsy on their feet, and they bumped into other pairs that were also out on the floor. But even through all the stumbles, Lloyd felt his cheeks ache with a constant smile.

Even for a party that he was being graded on, this wasn’t so bad at all.

Still, there were a few hiccups along their dancing journey. Colette would somehow, through by her own little miracles, accidently step on someone else’s toes, earning a complaint from the victim. “Sorry!” she’d say, and then trip over another person, and then sometimes, even accidentally planting her heel against the tip of Lloyd’s boots.

“Ah! Oh no…”

“Hey, that’s nothing!” Lloyd reassured, the pain simply brief and then forgotten. But he’d have to carry her closer, or hold her nearer to avoid everyone else. “Just follow my lead!”

“I thought I was…”

“Oh, watch out for that other balloon!” he warned before neatly whisking Colette off her feet, saving her from accidentally popping the party decoration. “Phew. Just in time.”

“S-Sorry about that!” Colette giggled, hands placed on his shoulders as he held her up by the waist. Her cheeks were red from their dancing, and she was catching her breath, all while she grinned so wide.

Lloyd didn’t move for a few moments, staring at her before finally getting the idea to set her down. “No more apologizing, remember?” he teased, one hand slipping from her side while the other lingered. Because they were going to keep dancing! Unless she was tired? “Did you wanna keep going?”

Colette nodded, and the relief in Lloyd was so palpable, he wondered then just what he would have felt if she had said no. The music still went in their same beat, bringing everyone else on the floor into more energetic movement. A pair of young children swerved around them both, one of them bumping against Colette’s leg and offsetting the precarious balance she always had.

With hardly any sound, she fell forward. Lloyd caught her deftly by the waist once more, because it was natural to do so. She was always so light between his fingers.

“Still not letting you fall,” he said to her with a smile, helping her stand up just a bit. “No matter how many little kids run into you!” In this room right now, that was a very high probability.

“Hehe…I’ll do the same for you!” Colette said, straightening, but only a bit. She was leaning against his chest, head tilted downward. He still held her, and she felt perfect against his palms. “Wow, those buttons are really shiny…”

“Told ya they were!” Lloyd said with pride, having made sure to extra polish them before coming over. But even with that, and the frenzy of the students around them who still danced to the music, he felt a little calmer then usual. Colette hadn’t moved away and he didn’t want to question why.

“Sorry,” she whispered again, hands reaching up to clasp before her chest. But her knuckles just brushed against the front of his jacket. Her fingers loosened their hold on each other. “Just trying not to trip…”

She was shuffling her feet across the floor. Lloyd found that he did the same, keeping the slow, slow pace with her.

Were they still dancing? It didn’t match the music, or everyone else around them…but he liked it.

“Dork, don’t apologize,” he chided once again, but softer. Would she be able to hear him through the noise? But she was so near, she must have. Her hands finally let go of each other to press against his jacket lightly. “But, this works out, doesn’t it?”

“Hm?” Colette, eyes half-lidded, raised them to meet Lloyd’s own.

“If you’re tired but don’t wanna stop dancing, we can just do this.” This seemed like the perfect solution, that and holding Colette this way made him feel so warm. “Right?”

“Yeah, hehe.” She nodded, her cheeks still a bit red, her hair still reflecting the dim light of the room. “Just tired… And, you don’t mind?”

He had more to say, but the way she looked up at him made his words catch in his throat for a short moment. How to say that he really, honestly, liked this so much? “I don’t mind…” he told her, and as she lingered in his hold, he wanted to say something more. “Hey, um…”

Colette gave him all her attention, a hand now over one of those bright buttons of his. “Yes, Lloyd?”

Something that his voice was doing, his own brain barely able to catch up. But with Colette, it felt natural still. Along with…

“Do you think…that maybe you and I could-”

“Noooope!”

And then he felt a sudden force between them, with Colette somehow further away from him? But she looked just as confused in the position, her hands held up in the air with surprise. Huh? What is-?

It was only the tell-tale peek of silver hair that brought Lloyd’s eyes down to see Genis was right in-between them, hands pressed against their stomachs as he pushed. “Red flag, you two!”

Both Lloyd and Colette blinked, looking down at their tiny friend, who was doing all he can to stretch out his arms. “Oh, Genis!” said Colette, smiling down at him, even though she was still very confused. “Um, is something wrong?”

Lloyd was less nice about it. “Yeah, what gives? Ow!” Also, Genis was pushing on his stomach way too hard!

That… made no sense to Lloyd at all. “What are you talking about?”

“But… Martel isn’t here though.” Colette argued, though she sounded just as confused. “I mean, I guess she is everywhere technically… Oh, Genis! Can you talk to Martel? Is she dancing with us?” Then a softer question, her concern so apparent. “Are we squeezing her too tight?

“N-No! It’s an expression!” Genis sighed, putting down his arms but still standing in-between them. “You’re getting way too lovey-dovey in here. You’re just lucky my sis isn’t watching right now.”

And that was it, the moment Lloyd completely understood what he had been feeling all evening just then. He could only hope the light was dim enough to not show off his blush, and that the crack in his voice was unnoticeable. “K-Knock it off!” Had that been it all along?

Colette also looked a little shocked…. Though maybe for different reasons. “I didn’t know Martel would be so angry…” She bowed her head to Genis. “I’ll tell her I’m sorry.”

“Colette, I just said it was an expression! Agh, forget it.” Genis still hadn’t gotten out of their way, which probably made Lloyd more annoyed at his friend then he had ever been. “I have to watch out for you guys all the time.”

“No you don’t!” Lloyd argued. “We’re older than you!”

“Sometimes I honestly wonder about that.”

Colette was more patient than Lloyd, but her hands still hovered over her chest, fiddling with her fingers as she could only just stand and wait. “Um, does this mean we’re not allowed to dance anymore?”

Genis sighed and waved away the question, already stepping away. “Go ahead, but again: No lovey dovey stuff. It’s weird!”

Lloyd was about to protest that it wasn’t that lovey! Even if the memory of holding Colette close got his heart racing just a little bit… But Colette stepped forward, taking Lloyd’s right hand in her left, while placing her other hand on his shoulder. The way she took over made him lose his very track of thought.

“Is something like this okay? Oh, maybe you can dance with us too, Genis!”

Genis flushed then. “No way! I’m still chaperoning! So you two better keep those hands where I can see them!” Pointing at his two friends, Genis walked off, maneuvering easily between other dancing pairs across the floor.

Lloyd stood there now, gripping her hand tightly in his, unused to this somewhat fancy dancing position she had gotten them into. “Is he still watching us?” Lloyd asked Colette, who still faced the direction Genis had gone off to.

Colette leaned past his shoulder slightly, the loose collar of her dress falling gently across her neck. The sight made him consider a few new feelings in him. “A little bit… But he keeps looking at the musicians a lot!”

“Genis always wanted to play that flute,” Lloyd said, letting his other hand fall to her waist again. Again, fitting so perfectly against his palm. “Um, did you still wanna dance?”

She smiled up at him, and even though she wasn’t as near, the sight of it got him feeling warm. “Only if you want to.”

So Lloyd took her hand and they tried again to dance across the floor with the others, not as slow as before, but careful to not trip Colette’s feet. Still, he had to swerve her out of the way of an excited third-grader, or another couple that kept stepping too near their pace. It was only a matter of time before Colette tripped again!

“If we danced outside it’d probably easier…” he whined aloud, needing to make another quick swerve to the left to keep Colette from running into a table. “More room to move around, also way less stuffy than in here!” That was also one other issue; having so many people packed into one large room made him yearn for fresh air.

“Hehe, and the moon outside looks really pretty too.” Colette turned her head to the windows, where the torches that served as Iselia’s light helped illuminate the dirt roads outside.

“You think so? I guess it kinda does.” Lloyd looked too, then back to Colette. She blinked up at him as he shifted his hands to hold both of her own. “Is Genis still watching?”

A soft pause, but she looked again past him. Her loose hair tumbled just past the shell of her ear. She then giggled. “He’s now trying to play the flute too!”

Perfect. He shared with her a grin, all while still holding her hands, that he had shared with her so much over the years, the kind that he knew Colette would recognize what it meant.

“So,” he started to ask, tilting his head towards the door. He had again seen the night sky outside, how inviting it looked, with the stars so intensely bright, with even the upright torches so warm. “Wanna sneak out?”

The party was festive, with music that was now accompanied by a few off-beat tunes from a certain flute. But it was always nicer when it was just the two of them anyway.

“Oh…” Colette breathed, and then he saw the hint of a smile at the corner of her lips. “You think we could?”

“Genis is distracted.” Another piercing flute note that made Lloyd wince slightly. Yeah, he was definitely distracted. “It’s now or never!”

He barely had to wait for Colette to decide – who already locked his arm in hers, head just slightly touching his shoulder.

“Just so I don’t trip,” she said, winking at him.

Lloyd knew exactly what he was feeling then, and it only made him smile. “Yeah!”

With the two of them together, they had all the awkward grace of a stumbling newborn deer, but it hadn’t mattered much. They had rushed out from the schoolhouse, once again underneath the soothing dark sky. Lloyd quickly ushered Colette, their boots stepping hard on the wooden doorsteps. “Come on, come on!”

“I am!” Colette agreed, but her eyes had caught something else, just behind them as they finally got out into the open world before them. “Oh, is that the Professor…?”

Lloyd swore he felt his blood leave his face at the mention of it. He dared to turn, saw that familiar frown framed by silver hair as their teacher stomped after them. “Uhhh let’s go right now! Hurry!”

“Waa! O-Okay!” And somehow, in their mad dash away from the schoolhouse, Colette didn’t trip or slow down. She held fast to Lloyd’s arm, and rushed alongside him down the Iselian roads. Dirt kicked up at their travel, but neither really cared at all.

“Okay…I think we lost her,” Lloyd said as stopped at a nearby hill to catch his breath. It was a place that overlooked Iselia, but still stayed clear of the forests where monsters roamed. He winced then, remembering. “Man…I probably got detention for a week now.”

Colette was also panting a bit, but each breath she let out was like an airy giggle, making her shoulders shake. “We ran so fast! I think I tore my dress a little too!”

“Huh!?” Lloyd snapped his head up towards her, and then immediately saw that tear on the hem of her outfit. “Dammit, it must have been when we ran past that tree and a branch got you… Argh, I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?” Colette asked, sticking out her tongue at him. “But if you really wanted, maybe you can fix it for me later.”

“Oh, yeah! I can do that!” Lloyd figured he could use the practice at sewing. If he could stitch up the face of a dog into his ribbons, he could fix up a dress!

“And besides, we can dance out here.” Colette reached forward to grasp his hands. “Like you said?”

“Heh, already? There’s no music this time, but we don’t need it!” And he went to grasp her hand in his, the other settling on her waist. “And no people to trip you.”

“Yeah! Unless you do.” Another tease, prompting out a ‘Hey!’ from Lloyd but she only laughed, and so did he. The night air was comfortable, and the flowers that were near surrounded them with the scent of pollen, mixed in with the pine from the forest.

And then – another trip.

Colette this time got her boot caught up in a tangled nest of grass stalks and weeds. She fell back, pulling Lloyd down with her until they were both sitting on the grass, legs askew.

“You let me fall!” she told him with a grin.

“I didn’t think you could even fall now!” Lloyd protested. He sat up straighter in the grass, hands still on Colette as he helped her do the same. “I want a do-over.”

It must have been something from before that made him still keep his hand in hers, that made his thumb brush against her dress, now not only torn, but stained from the grass. He hoped she wouldn’t be in trouble, not with her grandmother, or the Church, or with Professor Sage who had just saw them sneak out…

“Lloyd…” Colette asked, and her voice was now more serious than before. It made him pause, wondering. Maybe he was being too weird with her now, and she didn’t like it and- “Didn’t you want to ask me something before?”

Oh. He hadn’t expected that. There was no warm candlelight to color her hair, but the moon made it shine even more, highlighted the many ruffles and folds of her dress.

“Haha, um…” He did know. He knew exactly what he wanted to ask, even before he understood the significance. “It’s too lame though.”

“I won’t think so,” Colette reassured him.

“Why do you say that?” he asked, curious.

“Because it��s you, Lloyd. I know I’ll be okay with what you want to say.”

She was okay with being with him too, away from the party, their hands still clasped.

“Ah well…” he hedged, feeling suddenly so childish in all the wrong ways. “Maybe it’s a weird thing to ask.”

At that, Colette only looked even more curious, looking up at him. No crowd to continually make her trip, or the well-meaning friend of theirs to keep them from getting too close, or the teacher who probably already had their grades set.

It was just Colette, and no one else.

“Do you think, um…” Lloyd started, worried for an interruption; from the sky, from the forest nearby, or from Colette. But she waited for him to move on, to be brave enough in what to say. “Do you think you and I could be…I dunno, uh… more than…” It was sounding worse by the minute, even as he couldn’t stop holding her. “More than friends?”

It was the best he could say, and he only hoped that the silence that followed would be merciful enough. Maybe Colette would only make fun of him a little bit.

“Lloyd, is this your way of asking to kiss me?”

Huh?! Wait, is it?! He blinked, staring at Colette, who seemed to have also made her own little gamble on what should happen next. Her cheeks were still flushed, even long after they had stopped dancing and running, and laughing…

Maybe it was dumb, to take her bet just then. But he leaned down to kiss her, just like he wanted to at the dance so suddenly before being pushed away. It was quick and tinged with a bit of panic, but he felt Colette press against him, not turning away.

He was already laughing in mid-kiss, pulling away only to cup her face in his hands. “You’re really a dork.”

“So are you,” she told him, matching his smile. But then there was something so sad in her eyes then, that it made Lloyd pause.

“Oh…was it that bad?” he asked. It had been his first kiss! Not exactly something one could practice…

“No, not that! It was… really nice.” Colette reached up to brush her fingers against his hands, happy to keep him near. “I’m just thinking about what Genis said.”

Lloyd’s mind stilled. “You were thinking of Genis when you kissed me?”

“Not like that!” she argued with a pout. “It’s just, what he said, I can’t stop thinking about it.”

Lloyd let his hands fall from her cheeks to rest on her shoulders. “You’re gonna have to remind me what he said because I completely forgot.” Really, Genis was the last thing on his mind right now!

Colette wavered, hands now brushing from his wrists down to his arms, always continually touching him. He hoped she would keep doing that. “Lloyd, do you think…Martel would be okay with this?”

That had been unexpected, a weird splash of cold water that just got dumped on his head. “Um, why are we talking about Church things right now?” As if talking about Genis after their kiss wasn’t weird enough!

“Maybe she wouldn’t… Because I’m supposed to…” Then she trailed off, stopped.

Lloyd saw the defeat her eyes, a pain in them that he hadn’t understood back then. There had been so much he didn’t truly get until it was too late.

Maybe what he said next was careless, but the feeling gripped his ribs, wanting to be known. “It doesn’t matter what Martel thinks,” he said, and saw Colette’s eyes widen. “I mean! Well…this doesn’t have anything to do with her, does it?”

Colette blinked, her hands gripping his tight. “It doesn’t?” she repeated, thinking it over.

“I mean, not that she’s not important!” All he ever heard about Martel was how important she was, especially to Colette, a Chosen! He didn’t want to make her feel bad, but how best could he explain? “It’s just, well, this isn’t part of being a Chosen. So… it doesn’t have anything to do with her, right? Just us.” He paused, thinking it over again, liking that so much suddenly. “It’s just us right now.”

Colette still hesitated, and suddenly he was understanding that whatever she struggled with now, she had struggled with for years and years. All of it unraveling right before him, in his very hold.

“But anything I do… has to do with Martel.” She looked down, right at those golden buttons of his. “So, shouldn’t I…”

Lloyd tried one last thing, a thrown-out fact in class that he had somehow been able to retain. “But Martel is asleep. Would she even know what you’re doing?”

Colette didn’t say anything, silent, considering.

“And besides…” Lloyd continued. “Martel is supposed to be good and kind. So, even if she was awake and everything…why wouldn’t she want her Chosen to be happy?”

Still Colette stayed silent, still, she would not say anything.

Lloyd worried just then he had messed up, but he couldn’t take back what he meant. “But it only matters if you like this.” He grinned nervously, his lips still tingling from remembered warmth. “Because I definitely do.”

“…Me too,” Colette said, staring up at him again. The words came out fast, all as she looked up at him. “I- I really liked it!”

He hadn’t expected such intensity in her eyes. “Colette?”

“I do too, I really do, I-” she said it even faster, as if she was releasing something held insider her for so long, and then she moved to kiss him again, surprising him with the force of it. But he was eager to learn, eager to take whatever Colette was giving him right now. He held her close, kissing Colette underneath the many stars.

And if Martel really was watching and disapproving them right now in her sleep, Lloyd thought, then he didn’t care. Not if Colette wanted this too. She deserved to want things, and he promised since then, that he would keep helping her believe that with every part of her heart.

#tales of symphonia #lloyd irving #colette brunel #colloyd #fanfiction

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ask-anti-cosmo · 4 years ago

Text

Anti-Cosmo X reader my dear pet part 2

You were sitting in your room, feeling very confused as you were just teleported there by Anti-Cosmo right as he was getting in a fight with a little bald red-eyed Anti-fairy. You sighed and laid down on your bed. Why was Anti-Cosmo being so nice all of a sudden? Honestly it just worried you….

You heard Anti-Cosmo enter and you quickly stood up from fear. He simply walked over to you and wrapped a tap measure around your waist.

“W…what are you trying to do?” You asked worriedly.

“Take your measurements.” He shrugged.

“For my coffin…?”

“No silly, I want to make you a dress.” He chuckled, making you blink at him.

“W-what? Y-you’re being nice?” You asked confusedly as he measured your hips, making you blush a little.

“I’ve decided to go to a party, down on earth its October, and a very rich man and woman are throwing a lovely costume party~”

“You’re taking me to a ball…?” You asked, feeling slightly excited. Other than the walk earlier, he had never taken you anywhere since you got there.

“Why not?” He grinned and gently wrapped the tape measure around your chest, making you blush more.

“Y-you just never take me anywhere…”

“I can have some fun~” He chuckled and got up, taking out his wand. He waved it and your clothes were replaced with a regular boring black dress. “Here we go, let start with the sleeves.” He smiled and made the sleeves long and slim, but had them flow out at the end with dark blue lace here and there.

You smiled at how pretty they were and then the skirt of the dress lowered into a mermaid style, and the fin part spread long on your left and super short on the right, making you blush a little. Blue ribbons laced up like a corset on each of your sides, and blue lace lined the collar.

“There.” Anti-cosmo grinned then frowned. “Hmm, something’s missing…”

“Stockings maybe…?” you said hopefully, feeling bare with your legs being displayed.

“No that’s not it, but I like the suggestion.” He grinned and made some appeared, but had the garter strap on the high side visible.

“T-that’s not what I meant!” You blushed and tried to hide it.

“Ah! I’ve got it!” He grinned and slide your sleeves off your shoulders.

“A-Anti-Cosmo…” You whispered embarrassedly before realizing what he was doing. He was putting your neck scars on display. “I-I don’t want to show these off!”

“But I do! It shows you’re mine!” He grinned. “Be happy! You’re beautiful!”

“That’s the last thing I ever expected to hear from you…” You huffed.

“Any how…” He poofed up a tall mirror for you. “Time for the final touches.”

“Final touches??”

“Cinderella didn’t go to the ball wearing only a dress you know.” He chuckled and waved his wand at your feet, making comfortable black heeled shoes appear. They looked like they were made of obsidian.

“Oh…” you said as you covered your mouth in astonishment.

Your ears got heavy with earrings similar to the one in Anti-Cosmo’s left ear. And a small black gemmed tiara appeared in your hair that was going up into a bun. Light make-up graced your face and you felt entirely new looking at yourself in the mirror.

“There, perfect for my little princess of misfortune~” He grinned

“T…thank you Anti-Cosmo…” You said quietly.

“You’re very welcome my dear~” He grinned and took your hand, kissing it. “Shall we then?” He grinned, swishing his hand to make a cape appear on his shoulders.

“O-okay…” You nodded, and you soon found yourself in front of a great house. People were flowing in and they were all dressed as if they were prepping for the red carpet. A Halloween styled red carpet.

Anti-Cosmo lead you inside to the grand hall, filled with people dancing and tables where food could be served. Halloween decorations covered the walls and stairs everywhere. “Absolutely wonderful~” Anti-Cosmo grinned.

“How did you get invited here…?”

“I know the owner.” He grinned. “Ah, speaking of, there’s my little porcelain doll herself~” He said, pointing to a woman who indeed looked like a doll, with platinum ringlets and a pastel frilly dress with a high collar. “Come, let’s go say hello~”

You agreed curiously and you two walked over to where the lady and her Dracula dressed husband stood. She was smiling at everyone till you two approached. She flinched at the sight and just stared with a look of fear as you two approached.

“Hello again my dear.” He grinned at her, making her flinch. She must have been one of his past victims, which actually gave you hope that he’d someday let you go.

“H-hello again….” She said softly. “How are you doing?”

“I am doing quite well.” He grinned and held you close. “As you can see…”

“I do see…” She nodded and looked at you sympathetically. “I hope you enjoy yourselves.”

“We will!” He grinned and took you into the crowd to dance. You began to feel conscious about your scars and the skin the dress showed off, making you blush as some men would leer at you. Especially when Anti-Cosmo would spin you, and your dress would flare open.

Anti-Cosmo leaned close to your ear. “If any other man dare touch you, tell me and I will bring the wrath of Hell upon him.” He whispered, making you shudder, but also somehow made you feel safer.

“Thank you…” You whispered back. “C-can I go get some food…?”

“Yes of course.” He smiled.

“Anti-Cosmo…why are you being nice to me all of a sudden?” You asked.

“Go and get your snacks love.” He told you, ignoring your question. You sighed and went to the table to get something to eat.

“Hello…” A familiar voice said. You turned to see the Doll Woman Anti-Cosmo talked to earlier.

“Hi…” You said back shyly. “So uh...I assume you know what I’m going through?”

“Well enough…” She nodded. “When I was much younger, my family was a mess and reporters constantly wanted to prove it. But because I fed Anti-Cosmo, he was able to keep their secrets safe…”

“I see…” You nodded. “When did he let you go?”

“Let me go? I sent him away, He appeared in my house one day and promised me wishes for blood. I wanted my family to appear normal and perfect so I accepted. One day I had enough and told him to leave and never return.”

You blinked in astonishment. Will He leave you alone should you ask? You’ve never gotten a wish from him, so does that mean he owes you? He has taken blood from you almost constantly since he took you two and a half years ago.

“So what about you?” She asked.

“Um…he saved me from a sexual assault from a student at school…”

“Oh wow, wonder why, usually unless you as he waits till after the misfortune to approach you.” She chuckled lightly. “I’m sorry…time with him messed me up a little…”

“I can understand why…” You sighed and saw the Anti-Fairy call to you. “Gotta go…”

“Good luck.” She smiled.

“Like there’s a chance of that happening…” You mumbled softly as you went back to your master.

“There you are love~” He grinned and held your hands. His grin wasn’t his usual cocking look that made your stomach turn, it was more loving and happy. It made you smile back at him without realizing it.

You were too distracted by the kind green eyes looking in yours to notice the drunk man behind you that came over and groped your bottom roughly with both hands, making you squeal with surprise and embarrassment.

The next thing you knew, was Anti-Cosmo’s angry eyes burning with hatred at the man who touched you. To your great surprise though, he simply swatted the man’s hand away and pulled you closer to him.

“Keep your filthy hands to yourself sir!” He spat and walked you away.

“Wow…you handled that really well.” You said. “I thought you’d kill him…”

“I basically did.” He shrugged.

“What?” You blinked and looked back at the perv.

“Let’s just say, he going to find a cancerous lump downstairs.” He said subtly. “If he’s lucky, they’ll find it in time and he won’t die…He’ll definitely lose something reguardless.”

“Oooh….” You winced.

“Why don’t we head back home then?” He smiled.

"Right…home…” You mumbled.

“Yes, it’s your home too.” He told you gently.

“It’s my prison…and I think you own me some wishes!” You huffed at him, making him blink in surprise. “From all the blood you’ve taken from me! You did the Doll girl!” He then smiled his nice smile again.

“I supposed you’re right, but there are some wishes I will not grant.”

“Fine…” You grunted.

“So what is it you wish?” He grinned.

“I can guess you don’t want me escaping or anything, so those are probably out of the question…” You sighed. “Alright, I want either these scars from you gone, or covered!” You huffed.

He frowned slightly at that but sighed and waved his wand, wrapping a blue scarf around your neck. “There….”

“Thank you…”

He smiled at your thanks and kissed your cheek. “Let’s go…”

You agreed and followed him to the back where you both disappeared into your room. “I wish my room looked less like a dungeon…” you frowned.

“What would you like it to look like?” Anti-Cosmo asked.

You stared at him a minute. “Like a bedroom.” You said sarcastically.

“Boring, but fine.” He sighed and made it look like the room of a teenage girl. A very girly teenager, but at this point you were happy with anything. Even the pink walls and boy band posters. The vanity was super nice at least.

“Thank you…” You smiled happily. “Anti-Cosmo…Why are you being so nice to me?” You asked again.

“Come now dear, time for bed.” He said, avoiding the question again. He waved his wand and you found yourself in nothing but a night gown and underwear. The night gown was black, short-ish with soft mesh-like fabric over the black silk inside layer and spaghetti straps.

You blushed and tried to cover your legs before taking a breath. “Please stop avoiding the question.” You said bravely.

He paused a second before sighing.” I’m avoiding because I don’t know the answer myself…”

You blinked surprised but smiled at him softly. “Well…either way, thank you. It was a nice evening.”

He smiled back at you and kissed your head before leaving the room.

You sighed happily and flopped on the bed. He’s been so nice to you today! It’s made you feel so happy that he’s even trying! You got under the nice cover’s and felt yourself drift into the best sleep you’ve had in years. You were completely unaware of the red eyes that watched you.

#Anti-Cosmo #my dear pet #march 11 2016 #dollhouse reference #dollhouse #fairly odd parent #anti-Fairies

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docholligay · 4 years ago

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The Intercession of St. Raphael 5: To Walk in The Way He Has Commanded

Patreon realease day! Up through Chapter nine on Patreon!

“What the hell, dude!”

Seiya hissed into her ear, sitting next to her outside of Father Anthony’s office, the velvet of the chair coverings worn where a thousand girls before them had sat, waiting for judgment. Haruka did not react, just stared down at her hands, rubbing her thumb over the back of her palm. It was early, and Father Anthony was likely making them wait because he had no desire to be up himself--it was simply designed as a further punishment for the both of them.

Both Haruka and Seiya had taken their usual route of forcing femininity as hard as possible when brought for punishment. Seiya looked nearly demure in her lace-trimmed blouse, her hair pinned back with delicate gold clips, her legs crossed neatly under her pastel blue skirt, gently flared out at the knee. Haruka had little casual clothing anyhow, none of which she had devoted to being ladylike, and so she wore her uniform, pressed by Mako this morning, the peter pan blouse selected, accented by a pink ribbon in her hair from Usagi.

“I said,” Seiya stared hard at her. “What the hell, dude? I thought we agreed we don’t want to end up here, again, with Father fucking Anthony.”

Haruka sighed and flopped back in the chair, forgetting her urge to be ladylike, staring out the window and wishing she could fly away into the clouds. “I’m sorry.”

Seiya sat back, somehow more taken aback by Haruka’s genuine apology than the fact that Haruka had hit her in the first place.

It took her a moment to recover. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Haruka kept staring out the window, barely registering the quiet miracle of she and Seiya having a civil conversation, “I got into a fight with Mina last night.”

In the way of most stories people tell, this was not entirely true, nor entirely false.

Haruka would have told you she finally unleashed after years of small jokes that barbed at her, that even she could only take so much, that Mina had been cruel, and that Mina herself had offered no defense for her action, for the way she had manipulated Haruka’s feelings for a joke. She would have edited her choked-back tears, and the way she had stormed out of their shared room and slept on the floor of the small chapel where she had spoken with Michiru just a few weeks previously. She would never had said that the chapel had once seemed a cathedral to her, when Michiru touched her hand, incense woven into the woodwork and surrounding her, as if she’d been blessed, but that now it was just a small and dingy place where she buried herself into the tattered carpet, at least kind enough to absorb her errant tears.

Mina would have told you that Haruka exploded at her when she had touched her shoulder in concern, that she could not have said a word if she had wanted to, that Haruka made no sense and she had no idea what she was even talking about, that she thought Haruka must be drunk or on drugs on something to explain her erratic behavior. She would have edited out her hurt, that she had never seen Haruka so angry with her, that she was confused and scared and worried, that she had looked for Haruka for hours before going to bed, slipping a note under her pillow and hoping she’d come home, that it hurt more deeply than any argument she had with any lover.

Seiya gave an awkward shrug. “Sucks, fighting with your girl.”

“It’s not like that. I’ve known her since I was eight, Kou, she’s like my sister.”

“Yeah, I got one of those too.” Seiya recovered, finally, and waved her hands over at Haruka. “So why the fuck did you hit me?”

Haruka wanted to pour the sourness out of her soul, wanted to cleanse the rotted hurt from her heart, to lay it tenderly within the soft love of forgiveness, but all she could see is Mary looking down on her with shame, the backs of the saints turned to her, and she could not hear the reassuring whispers of love and gentleness, only the fierce anger of men who had used the words of the saints as a weapon.

And so she choked out, “Because I’m stupid.”

“I’m gonna be honest, I don’t know how to treat you when you’re like this. Maybe you should just hit me again. I can deal with that.”

Haruka buried her head in her hands, her legs spread, and groaned heavily.

“Ladies.” The voice was cold and commanding, and Haruka immediately remembered that she was supposed to be very demure, and sat up straight, crossing her ankles.

“Good morning, Father Anthony.” It was in perfect concert.

He beckoned them with his hand. “Into my office. Now.”

They half-scrambled, not wanting to be any more of Father Anthony’s personal annoyances than they already were--he has a hard man, and his distaste for children was only surpassed by his dislike of teenagers, to say nothing of ones who wore their hair too short, wore pants too often, and walked too heavy.

They sat down on the plush chairs in his office, the room smelling of tobacco and a light mist of flowers. The colors were dark and imposing, the entire place giving off the air of judgement that he doubtless craved.

“I hope you are pleased that this is how we all have to spend our weekend.” He sat down at his desk and glowered at the two of them.

Seiya and Haruka looked at each other out of the corners of their eyes, wondering if they were meant to respond.

The answer was, luckily, no, and so Father Anthony continued:

“From the report of several bystanders, I have it on good authority that you were the one to throw the first punch, Miss Tenoh, and I am very curious as to why you thought that a good idea.” His voice was dripping with condescension, and Haruka felt anger and shame in a glorious duet that burned hot on her skin.

Haruka did not know how to begin to explain, even to someone who held her in good faith, and certainly not to the man who held her in contempt. That she had been hurt, and sad, and all of it had built up in her, in the way things do, and she tried to stop herself when it happened, but she was just so angry, and her feelings so tender.

“Haruka, answer me.” He gazed over the desk at her, his eyes boring into her soul, looking for every crack and chip.

Haruka fidgeted uncomfortably, looking up at Father Anthony through her bangs, narrowly obscuring his gaze, a weak confessional panel between them.

“I saw her with...a boy...that I liked. I was jealous. I thought he might like me. It was stupid. I’m not the kind of girl any gi--guy might fall for.” She bowed her head, staring at the floor. “My friends told me he liked me because they thought it would be funny.”

Father Anthony seemed a strange mix of surprised and appeased. Seiya looked over at her, and even out of the corner of her eye, Haruka could see her rising compassion. It only made her feel more ashamed, that she was an object of pity in Seiya’s eyes, and she shrugged.

“Sorry I hit you.”

“Envy is among the ugliest sins, Haruka.” Father Anthony boomed over the desk.

“I know.”

He pushed himself out from the desk and drew his hands behind his back thoughtfully, strutting about the large oak-paneled office.

“And, in addition to that, to strike against your Sister in Christ over desires of the flesh.”

You don’t know the half of it, Father. You have no idea how much trouble I should be in.

“Haruka, your continued presence at this school is representative of Holy Mother Church's commitment to the poor and the unwanted,” she winced at the word, but Father Anthony was not so much as looking at her, “and it is a privilege for you. If we were forced to tell the state that you belong better in--”

“It was my fault, Father.” Both Haruka and Father Anthony’s heads snapped to look at her. “I knew Haruka liked...that boy, and I bragged about it in front of her. I caused my sister to stumble.”

He frowned deeply, and it was difficult to tell whether he was more disappointed that Seiya had done such a thing or that his speech threatening Haruka’s home of nearly ten years had been interrupted. The children who paid were not subject to nearly the same discussions, and the Kou family had enough put into the school that a light slap on the wrist was most of what he could manage.

“50 Hail Marys, Miss Kou, and my personal admonition that it would be wise not to stoke the anger in others. One day you may meet with someone whose bite outshines their bark.”

Seiya grinned. “Well, this shiner doesn’t feel great.”

He frowned heavily at her, and she sat back up straight and folded her hands in her lap.

“Miss Tenoh, it would do you well to reflect on the sort of company you keep, if your story is to be believed.”

“Trust me, Father, I am.” She spat the words, thinking of Mina, and how she and Rei must have giggled over Haruka’s hurt and pain.

“I cannot ignore that you were the one moved to violence, whatever Miss Kou might have said. 50 Hail Marys and a loss of your commissary privileges for one month.”

Haruka burst. She had worked so hard for the small amount of pocket change that she had, and she delighted in the times she picked up a candy bar, or some soda, or any of the small pleasures allotted to her. “Are you kidding me?! Father Anthony, that’s not fair, I--”

“You are fortunate, Miss Tenoh, that I do not remove you from the track team, for all it seems to fire up your blood.”

Haruka stopped immediately, her face grave, and bit her lip.

“Yes, I thought as much. Temper, Miss Tenoh. I am told it causes you grief, and you should reflect on your lack of control, don’t you agree?” He looked down his nose at her. “Hm?”

“Yes, Father Anthony.” She took a deep breath. “Thank you for advising me.”

He looked down at the paper on his desk and waved his hand. “You may go.”

Seiya and Haruka stood up as quickly as they could without seeming as if they were rushing out in an unladylike way, and went to gather their belongings, Seiya’s leather satchel sitting next to Haruka’s tattered green bag.

“Thank you.” The words were bitter in her mouth as she scooped to pick up her bag.

“Don’t mention it.”

“Why did you--”

“When I say, don’t mention it, I mean, tell no one, I’ll deny it, and never talk to me about it again.” Seiya picked up her bag and turned back toward Haruka. “Father Anthony’s a dick.”

Haruka nodded her assent, and they wordlessly walked down the hall to the back stairs.

“Let me give you some advice. Michiru’s hot, but she’s a Kaioh. She’s mean, and she’s crazy, and she could probably have you killed if she wanted to. Nobody likes her, the only friend she has is Rei, and probably only because Senator Hino needs to be up the Kaiohs’ ass for political reasons. There’s tons of girls in this school, Haruka.”

Haruka’s mouth was open to defend Michiru before she realized she had done it, but she stopped herself and closed it, remembering that Seiya had done her a great and unexpected favor, and she could, at least, sit for a moment and listen to what she had to say.

“I mean, do what you want,” Seiya waved her hand dismissively, “I’m not gonna cover your ass again, but I’ve gone to school with her since I started going to school, and trust me on this one. Her whole family’s creepy.”

Haruka nodded. “Okay.”

Seiya sighed at the non-committal nature of it all, turned on her heel, and headed back to the dorm hall.

Haruka looked out at the campus, the green beginning to grey under a quickly-darkening sky, the raindrops heavy in the bottom of the clouds, begging to burst forth. She walked toward the tree at the end of the field--the day after the St. Stephen’s dance was almost always quiet, and the coming rain had only stilled the normally busy hum of the girls’ school even further.

Which was fine with Haruka--she didn’t want to go back to her room, but she didn’t want to see anyone, either. What she really wished, most desperately, was that her suggestion of a punching bag in the gym center had been taken up, but Father Anthony had called it ‘completely inappropriate for young ladies.’

A punching bag was inappropriate, but that flower arranging was still a part of Home Ec was a vital skill.

She touched her chest for reassurance, and then remembered the lost medal. When it rained it poured, it supposed, though the slight misting drizzle of the day seemed to deny her even this. She looked back up at the clouds. They looked so heavy, she could tell there was a torrent inside of them just waiting to be free, to break out and rain down on the land, covering it. BUt it was restrained, held back to this sad drizzle.

She thought about walking the few miles up the road to St. Stephen’s, to ask about the medal, but though, considering her recent bent into lawlessness in the eyes of Father Anthony, this might not be the widest choice.

Instead, she shuffled slowly across the field, the wool coat provided for them just barely hitting her hip. She was as ill-fit and wrong for it as for everything else in this place. She sighed heavily and leaned against the tree at the other end, looked up at the pattern of grey between the fading green of the leaves.

She understood them, she thought, slowly dying as she tried to cling to something that didn’t want her anymore.

Glad to see you’re still being as dramatic as humanly possible, Heathcliff, she could hear Mina say.

Mina. The rage boiled in her again, how Mina could do something so cruel. That, in itself, she supposed, was not the greatest surprise--she had been known to strike back at people aggressively when they got in her way, or had done something she considered something a slight. No, the great surprise was that Mina could have done something like that to her.

It had been years since they both came to this place, stuffed together in the back of a station wagon, a social worker assuring them that this was a marvelous opportunity, that Mother Mary’s was a brilliant and exceptional learning institution, (and this Haruka would have happily concurred with, were she not so certain that such things were essentially wasted on her), that they should be happy and grateful. Mina, young as she was, had still seemed rather unaffected by the whole thing, as happy in one place as another so long as there was something to be fiddled with, a person to be teased, a rule to be exploited.

Haruka, on the other hand, had been crushed, feeling the dream of her having a family set aside. Her grandmother had died only a year prior, and her mother had seemed wholly disinterested in raising her. She had a vision of someone coming and telling her they wanted her to be their new daughter, and pictured birthdays and Christmases overflowing with the warm smells of home.

But she was not the sort of doll anyone selected from the shelf, she thought, gangly and boyish, never the honor student.

Mina had patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry,” she winked, “you’ll be okay.”

She could not possibly have known such a thing, but she played it off with such confidence that Haruka believed her instantly.

“Yeah?” She had furrowed her brow, trying to look tough, in a move that would become very familiar to her. “I’m not scared.”

“No one said you were.” Mina sassed back.

Haruka had crossed her arms and slumped down in the seat. “I never wanted a stupid family or anything anyway.”

“Good, ‘cause you’re not getting one.”

Haruka shot her a look, then, with all the insult her child’s face could offer.

She had shrugged. “Just being honest,” she extended her hand, “Call me Mina.”

“Haruka.” She shook her hand, feeling very adult in the moment.

Mina had been wrong, when she’d said that, Haruka reflected, sliding down the tree and sitting at its roots. It was true that no one had ever wanted to adopt them--Haruka had given up the idea later than most, but she eventually got it through hr thick skull--but they had become a family to each other, and as Usagi and Mako had come along, they had been worked into the fabric as well, making some sort of quilt of useless and throwaway patches.

It had always worked for Haruka, on some level, just having Mina to care about her, but she could not square Mina’s betrayal with the rest of their lives.

Mina had sat by her as she trembled and shook from the chicken pox last year, only teasing her later as the only human being capable of being in a boarding school and waiting til she was 15 to catch it. They’d discussed a dozen hurts and fears and Haruka had even seen Mina cry, which she considered no small sight. She didn’t like being mad at Mina. She hated it.

But she would never get over what Mina had done to her, not now, not ever. She balled her fists and bit her lip.

Temper, Miss Tenoh.

Had anyone ever had the idea that Joan had decided to leave France because she was simply so sad, and so hurt, by what was happening, that all she could was react with any army? Likely not--that wasn’t the way saints thought, God had told her to do it, not the burn in the belly of her soul, but Haruka longed to tell someone what it felt like. To know that someone understood what it was to have that aching hurt down inside, to want to lash out like a rattlesnake, but of course, Haruka only ever bit herself in the end.

“Haruka, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Jesus Christ, I’ve been worried sick, you flipped the fuck out last night, and I didn’t see you at breakfast this morning, if this is some kind of lesbian dramatics that’s fine but for fuck’s sake, keep me in the loop.”

She didn’t need to look up to know who it was.

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thewayofthetrashcompactor · 5 years ago

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Rating: M Tags: Lingerie, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Retail, Corsetry Chapter: 3/4 Summary: Rey’s part-time job at Holdo’s lingerie botique is going surprisingly well. She may not be an expert, but Poe’s there to sweet-talk the customers, and it helps pay her bills. But one particular tall, dark-haired customer catches her eye while he’s looking at corsets, and she’s about to learn a whole new meaning of customer service.

Chapter 3: Rey’s turn (Rosy pink florals)

READ ON AO3

Rey waits outside the fitting room for Kylo as he gets redressed in his suit. He emerges with his sleeves rolled up and his jacket over his arm, clearly ready to get to work. Even after seeing him next to naked, his body highlighted by scraps of fabric, the well-fitted button-down and pants still do things to her, an effect only exacerbated as he runs his free hand through his messy hair, scattering the dark waves. Her hands itch to push it back for him.

“So! Women's lingerie. Our main collection will be just up here.” She leads him to the section at the front of the store where their most impractical options are displayed, the kinds of things that their customers buy purely to show off in the bedroom. They pass Amilyn by the register, chatting with Poe. With less than half an hour before closing, the store's cleared of other customers for the moment. Amilyn flashes her a quick smile, which she returns before ducking her head.

She drags her hand along a bodysuit of soft silk with strategically placed holes. “Is there anything at all that you wanted to look at in particular?”

He leans against a display and shrugs, a clear effort at nonchalance. His face betrays him though, a mix of nerves and embarrassment and excitement that she can empathize with very well. “What do you like?”

She looks around her. There are plenty of options to choose from. The most eye-catching are in bold black and red, demanding to be looked at. Further along, the displays shift, creating a different sort of mood. Bright white fades into pinks and other pastels, most of them featuring delicate lace and sheers. She fingers the strap of a soft pink babydoll that has flowers decorating the cups and scattered over the see-through fabric that splits in the middle. “Florals,” she says, thinking of the plants that cover her apartment, stuffing her bedroom nearly to overflowing.

Ben doesn't say anything, and she looks back over her shoulder at him to see him blink in surprise, as if he expected something different from her. He smiles. “Perfect. I'd love to see you in flowers.”

She smiles back and looks down at the garment. She can't possibly mistake his intentions anymore. If she wanted, she could direct him back to the fitting rooms, grab his selections, and take him directly to Amilyn and have her check him out. But she's desperate to see where this will go. With a deep breath, she pulls her size off of the rack. “Like this?”

He looks at her like he can't believe his luck. “Yes,” he breathes.

She grins. “Great.” She looks around them at the myriad of options. Much as she could spend an entire day looking at lingerie with Ben, they don't actually have that long. “How's this,” she says, meeting his eyes. “You and I both find something, then we'll meet back at the fitting room to try it on.”

The awestruck look doesn't leave his face. “Sounds great.”

She nods, then turns and starts looking through the outfits surrounding her. Behind her, she hears Ben slowly walk away as he browses.

She's considered what some of the pieces here would look like on her before, but not for long, and never really seriously. The price point here is a little much for a broke college student, even with her employee discount. She has some idea of what she might like though, as she circles the rack she'd started with. She's about to turn away and look at another one when something catches her eye.

It's not what she'd typically think of for herself, and it's much simpler than most of the other items around it. She rubs the sheer fabric between her fingers as she considers. It's soft, and the color is so pale that it's almost white. Flowers adorn the hem, but most of it consists of the simple sheer, meaning that she'd be entirely exposed. Her lips twitch when she thinks of Ben's reaction to her in this, and that's enough for her to pull it off the rack and put it in her arms with the first outfit. If she's doing this, might as well go all the way.

Smiling uncontrollably, she heads back to the fitting rooms with the two sets. She can feel herself rocking on her toes in anticipation as she waits for Ben.

He emerges from the racks not long later, holding another collection of pink and flowers and sheer. He holds it up for her, wordlessly asking for her judgement.

“Perfect,” she says happily, because it is. With how he dresses, she's not surprised, but he clearly has good taste. She opens the door to the fitting room, hesitates, then gestures for him to join her. “Come on.” His eyes widen.

“Don't you - I - Are you sure?”

She nods with a certainty the the rapid beating of her heart belies. “You're going to see most of it anyway,” she reasons, for both of their benefits. She's never been too concerned about nudity, but it's one thing to quickly change in front of friends, and another to put on lingerie for a man that she's painfully attracted to. She wants to though, and by the interest in his eyes and the way he ducks into the room after her, she can tell he wants it too.

She hangs their selections up on the door, keeping her choice at the back. With a quick glance back at Ben, her hands lower to the hem of her shirt, and she pulls it over her head. When she emerges from it, she sees in the mirror that Ben has turned his back to her politely, red visible even at the back of his neck. She tosses her shirt on the bench, followed by her slacks, then her bra, one of the nice ones she reserves for work. She lays this down more carefully, nearly brushing Ben's backside as she leans over. She looks at herself in the mirror, bare except for her plain underwear, Ben visible behind her. She bites her lip and smiles. She's really doing this. Her nipples are pebbled with a combination of excitement and the chill of being bare, and she almost wants to cup her breasts in her hands and ease the sensation building under her skin. She can imagine Ben looking back over his shoulder to see her working herself, his shock fading to desire before his own hands sneak around her waist and up to join in.

Instead, she turns to the door and takes the first option off its hanger. She pulls the panties on quickly, then finds her way through the top. She adjusts it over her breasts, pushing them up so they sit in the soft cups. Taking a breath, she lets Ben know she's ready. “Okay!”

He turns around slowly, eyes locked on her in awe. They start at her chest, where the loose triangles of fabric cover her small breasts, flowers curling up from the bottom, then are joined together by a short section of lacing in between. Fabric hangs down from there, a sheer floral that falls away from her stomach in the middle. She's surprised how much she likes that feature, especially the way it showcases her toned abs. Below, the sheer panties are also dotted with flowers, and cut high on her strong thighs.

“Wow,” Ben breathes, and her cheeks turn darker than the fabric.

“You like?” she asks with a smile.

“Definitely.” His fervent tone leaves her in no doubt of his sincerity. She trails her hand in the gap left by the top and shivers. Ben's eyes follow the motion hungrily. She catches his gaze in the mirror and slowly starts to pull the lacing apart. He watches, his stare hot and heavy. She finally pulls the last section free, then pauses for a moment before her other hand comes up to rest on the other side, and then together they push the slip over her breasts and off of her. She thinks briefly that he'll watch, but at the last moment he looks away in a blur of dark hair.

She sighs, not sure if she's disappointed or not. They still have two more outfits to get through after all. She hangs up the babydoll, quickly sliding the laces back in place to hold it on, then pulls down his choice. It reminds her of the embroidered top she'd had him try on earlier; apparently he was serious in wanting to see her in it. She tugs the top over her head, then frees her hair from the tight fabric. The bottom of it comes to just above her stomach, banding there with a thin ribbon. The rest of it is simple enough, a panel of intricate floral lace that comes up from the hem, cuts across her shoulders in a scalloped edge, and ties behind her neck. She's never been well-endowed, but the way her breasts thrust against the delicate fabric makes them more prominent than when she was naked. The rub of the lace against her sensitive nipples makes her press her legs together, wishing she could relieve this tension.

“Okay, Ben.”

His eyes are just as hungry this time, and she feels her nipples get even tighter. His eyes are drawn there immediately, and his hands twitch, like he wants to reach out and touch her, but he restrains himself. She wishes he wouldn't. Despoiling the fitting rooms is exactly what she's hired to prevent people from doing, but it's sounding like an increasingly good idea.

“I was right,” he says roughly, and she shivers at the sound of his voice.

“Right?”

“It does suit you better.”

“I don't know about that,” she says, looking down at herself.

“No. Definitely better,” he insists, eyes raised to hers.

“Well, if you say so, it must be true,” she echoes, and he smirks at her.

“Exactly.”

Their eyes hold, and Rey feels a rise of emotion in her chest that has (almost) nothing to do with the thickening arousal between them. She turns away first, overwhelmed.

“One more,” she tells him. “My choice.” He nods and turns his back to her again.

She shimmies out of the lace, hangs it, then drops the last one over herself. She pulls her hair back and tugs on the hem. She gives herself an appraising glance. If this doesn't bring things to a head, she doesn't know what will. “Ben.”

His mouth actually falls open when he sees her. She was right about how this would expose her. It fastens at her neck in a wide collar, then falls free over her torso, cut deep in the shoulders to expose the sides of her breasts. The pale fabric shows as pink against the golden tan of her skin, and every inch of her is visible under it until the floral patterns decorating the bottom half start around her waist. Her nipples push out the fabric as it hangs, the darker skin there clear to his gaze. The sheer flowered panties are almost an afterthought, clinging low on her hips.

“What do you think?” she asks with a mischievous grin, arching her back just a little further so that the fabric shifts over her breasts. His mouth moves but no sound comes out.

“Gorgeous,” he finally says, voice hoarse.

“Yeah?” She twirls slightly, enjoying the way the fabric flares around her.

“Absolutely. You win.”

“It wasn't a competition,” she laughs. “But thank you.” She looks back at him happily.

Every inch of his body, from the way his eyes drink her in to the tension in his shoulders, tells her that he wants her. It's not polite, but she's curious if...

She's not a saint. Her eyes drop down between his legs. He hasn't lost an inch of the hardness he'd gained during his own fashion show, and she thinks he might somehow have gotten bigger. She really wants to find out. She opens her mouth to ask him something, and then from beyond their room, the mall's regular announcement echoes, letting them know they have ten minutes left.

She sighs in exasperation. “Guess I need to change back then.” Reluctantly, she tugs the top over her head and replaces it carefully on the hanger. As she's pulling on her own clothes, she asks him, “So do you know what you're getting?”

His voice is slightly muffled as he's turned away. “I think so.”

“Great!” she says as she emerges from her shirt. “Just leave whatever you don't want back here; I'll put it away once you check out.” She turns back to him with a smile, but frowns slightly when she sees him rocking on his feet uncertainly, not meeting her eyes. “What?”

He still doesn't look at her. “Do you - I know you're probably just being nice because it's you job, but I thought maybe, if you were interested - Do you want to come back to my place? With me.” The last bit all comes out in a rush, and she blinks, then grins once the words register.

Carefully, she reaches out and takes his hand. His head jerks up and he looks at her in shock. “I swear, I've never done all this for just a customer before,” she tells him with amusement. “I would very much like to go back to your place with you.”

“Yeah?” His voice sighs with relief and suppressed excitement.

“Definitely. I have to close, but wait for me outside the entrance and I'll meet you?”

He nods quickly. “Of course. I'll be there.”

She grins at him and leans up to land a quick kiss on his cheek. “I can't wait,” she whispers.

“Neither can I.”

They're both reluctant to let go of the other's hand, but they slowly slip apart as she opens the door and leads the way out. Kylo gathers his garments, leaving only the obvious no’s behind. He takes all three that she tried on from the door.

“You're not buying all of those?” she asks in slight disbelief.

He cocks his head and frowns. “Why not?”

“I mean, the women's stuff, you said you don't have anyone to give it to, you can't mean to actually buy all of it.”

He raises an eyebrow. “I said I wasn't seeing anyone, not that I didn't have anyone to give it to.” His direct look can't be mistaken.

Her eyes widen. “You--!”

Amilyn appears out of nowhere and interrupts. “Are you all ready sir? Excellent! Those are some lovely choices, and I think Poe is at the register to help you check out; yes, there he is. Very good, and Rey, I need some help in the back a moment, thank you.”

Everything's abruptly gone very off the rails for Rey, but she doesn't know how to stop it. She follows Amilyn to the back, while throwing worried looks back at Ben over her shoulder. She knows exactly how expensive everything she tried on is; she hadn't thought he really meant to buy all of it, for her specifically. There's no way she can let a near-stranger spend hundreds of dollars on her.

Before she can figure out a solution to that problem, Amilyn is holding open the storeroom door for her. She walks over to a box, looking through it as she tosses over her shoulder to Rey, “So it looks like you found a very interested customer?”

Rey flushes. “Yeah, I mean, he just--" She cuts off, not sure how to explain herself.

“It’s okay, Rey, you're not in trouble.” Rey sighs in unexpected relief. “I can't say I entirely approve, but as long as this doesn't become a habit…” Her eyes twinkle.

Rey shakes her head emphatically. “No, definitely not.”

“I figured as much.” Amilyn smiles at her and Rey can hardly believe her luck. “Ah, here it is.” She pulls out a garment from the box, made of so little fabric that it fits in her hand. She holds it up for Rey. “We got this in with the last order, but it has a defect,” she says, tapping a spot on the shoulder. Rey leans in and can just see the discoloration on the strap. Barely noticeable, but she knows it's enough that they can't sell it. “Supplier says to destroy it, but I'm of the opinion that what they don't know won't hurt them. I believe this is your size?”

Rey looks at the label Amilyn offers to her, and confirms that it is. “But-" she protests. Amilyn shakes her head.

“It really will have to be destroyed otherwise; you're doing me a favor, dear. Just don't go posting about it online anything.”

Dazed, and still feeling strangely guilty, Rey shakes her head. “I won't. Thank you, I don't--”

Amilyn cuts her off with an understanding smile. “You're a good girl, Rey. Go have some fun.” She leaves the room, throwing a last smile at Rey over her shoulder.

Rey looks down at the small bundle in her hands. She's about to go meet Ben at the register as she walks back into the store, but then diverts at the last moment to the fitting rooms.

#reylo #reylo fanfic #benrey #rffa writers #reylo fic #my fic #rated best

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daintyephemera · 5 years ago

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#the belles #the belles by dhonielle clayton #the belles fan fiction #fan fiction #marie antoinette #steampunk #new orleans aesthetic #french aesthetic #let them eat cake #marisephine

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alixzandriapaige · 3 years ago

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Grimcliff Court - Chapter Three

Summary: Prince Quinton of Grimcliff has watched misunderstood magic destroy his Kingdom for 24 long years. When he finally finds a Knight righteous enough to defy the kingdom for its own good, Quinton and his Knight, Alixzandria, must trick the king and save the world from the nightmarish monsters Grimcliff Court has created.

Words: 3.4k

The carriage stops.

There is an audible click in the lock, then the door is propped open. There is a barrage of goosebumps due to the chill evening air.

Sloan clambers out and walks around to the passenger side, extending his hand for Alixzandria to take, just as they had practiced. She grabs it and is whisked away across the drawbridge towards Grimcliff castle.

The unusual feeling of layers of navy-blue lace around her ankles nearly trips her. Eventually, distracted by the many beautiful suits of armor surrounding them, decorated with the clan image of ferocious stalking lions to represent King Ulysses Grimcliff, she does stumble.

Sloan catches her by the arm.

“Focus,” He reminds her with a smile.

Her dark eyes reflect the blinding shimmering of armor.

“I wish I had been allowed to bring my sword,” She confesses breathlessly.

They look up at the pristine building before them; it towers up to the heavens, blocking out the dancing pastels of the twilight around them.

Looking down at the gaping stone door, there is a long scarlet ribbon that dances in the breeze, beckoning the guests closer, disappearing deep into the castle. Blazing torches cast long shadows across both faces.

They look at each other.

Her posture is nearly correct; her back is rod-straight, her head perfectly poised to carry a multitude of books. The difference in her posture, the one thing that calls attention to her being an outsider, was the gait with which she stood. She does not try to waltz around, her grace leading her across the floor. Instead, she pushes herself forward with strength and will.

“Now walk along with me,” Sloan instructs her, whispering softly into her ear, pulling her along by the grip he has through their intertwined arms.

The ribbon sections off the main gallery of the tower, creating a scarlet maze. After walking through the parted-off pathways in the gallery, the two guests are led deep into the back of the tower, into a twisting corridor that descends into darkness, four mystery floors between here and the next wall-kept lantern.

They descend.

There are a few straggling guests looking for their own spots on either side of Sloan and Alixzandria, and they allow the strangers to lead the way. Eventually coming upon a wooden door, closed with metal bolts, they push it open and walk into the light.

The new room is a vast colosseum layered on all sides with four tiers of seating. Sloan and Alixzandria find themselves within the lowest tier, which is the fullest. They stand with just enough room for a full lung-full of air, and due to the proximity of strangers, she is bombarded by talk and gossip.

Many of the strangers look at Alixzandria and whisper behind hand-held fans decorated in intricate patterns. She pays them no attention and instead scours the higher tiers for the royals whose names and ranks she could match with faces. These would be the masters she would need to approach.

“I used to work here,” Sloan reminds her with a gentle tone, amber eyes twinkling beneath the descending chandeliers. “I was initiated right in this room.”

She does a quick scan at the colosseum itself.

“Weird decorations,” She said, eyeing the evenly spaced stone stands that each held a different antique weapon.

“Those are forbidden, you’ll be yelled at just for looking at them,” He tells her. “But yes, very strange.”

He peeks over at her; she has been watching him, one chocolate eye peering from her peripherals, a half smirk plastered on her lips.

He looks much better now that his face is not swollen with alcohol. He will need to shave off that beard, though, Alixzandria considers.

She scans her surroundings again, appreciates the shimmering gold ambient light, the soft twinkle of a distant piano, the scents of foreign herbs and meats, the overall cleanliness that permeated every piece of the atmosphere around them in a way that she hadn’t noticed before.

She sighs wistfully.

“Why would you ever give it up?” She wonders out loud.

His face hardens and he looks away from her, taking in the sight again for himself. He places a tender hand upon her shoulder.

“There will come a day when you understand. It is not all it seems to be, kid,” He reminds her, just as he had done dozens of times.

Youth is evident in all her features; her skin is so supple, her eyes are wide with curiosity, her lips plump and parted with wonder. He remembers how she looked when she was younger. Two of her could have fit in her father’s ill-fitting armor, but still, she always held that same determined look on her face.

There is determination, yes, but as he looks deeper, in the depth of her dark eyes he sees the way her mind turns as she takes in all things around her, studying it deeply. She is intelligent and mature, and she will be able to understand what he means.

One day.

“I know, I know, but I haven’t learned yet, so what about him?” She asks as her eyes lock on to a particularly old man.

“Sir Richard is a viable candidate,” Sloan informs Alixzandria, “Though he doesn’t have very progressive opinions about female Knights.”

Alixzandria sucks in air between her teeth.

“That gets rid of him, then.”

She scans the crowd.

“Sir Wilford?” She asks.

Sloan searches for the familiar balding red hair and finds him in the top tier, down the right wing.

“Well, you’re going straight to the top, aren’t you?”

“Is it a possibility, or not?” Alixzandria asks, suddenly growing infuriated by the ridiculousness of the system again.

Why is it not enough that I am every bit as good of a soldier as the rest of them? What games are they trying to play when the safety of the Kingdom is at stake! Alixzandria considers silently.

Sloan nods. “Possible.”

She furrows her brow, considering something new.

“Why do Sir Richard and Sir Wilford not have a Blessed Knight at their service, if they’re so important to Grimcliff?”

Sloan’s face fell under the weight of his knowledge.

“They’re Knights are dead. They will soon contract more,” Was all he offers.

Alixzandria feels a twinge of that emotion Sloan will not stop cautioning her about. However, before Alixzandria could respond, the music stops playing and all heads turn to where the King sits - directly centered in the highest tier.

King Ulysses stands, walks graciously to the rail of the tier, peers down at his subjects and nods. With his approval, several robed figures step out of the shadows and into the light on the colosseum floor.

Alixzandria watches with bated breath.

The robed figures walk in a single line until reaching the center of the colosseum, spreading out until they are spread along the equator.

They reach for the pestle inside of the mortar they carry and vigorously crush the incorporated herbs into dust. This takes several minutes.

Once they are finished, they place the bowl onto the floor simultaneously, then reach inside of their robes to procure one long needle that glints under the lights of the crystal chandeliers. They wait.

More shadows emerge on the colosseum floor. They are pairs of men, one half of the pair dressed in immaculate armor, not a single dent or gash to be found. The other half of the pair is an elite member of Grimcliff Court, dressed in their finest vest and sash.

Upon reaching the robed figures, the Knight kneels and waits.

The robed acolyte turns to the elite men and extends an arm, waiting for the Court member to fulfil their part.

The men of the court offered their hands; the needle is used to prick the index finger of all of them.

A single drop of that prestigious blood finds its way into the mortar bowls filled with fragrant and colorful herbs. The mixture smokes like a wildfire, then a light emanates from the bowl like a true fire has been lit, so hot that it blazes a white-blue, but no flames arise.

At the sight of the reaction, the soldiers hold out their right arms, remove the glittering steel-plated gauntlet, adjust the undergarment underneath until the tepid, pink flesh of their wrists are exposed.

Their masters tilt the bowl; their movements are so careful to avoid touching this mixture. As the white-blue liquid lands on the knight’s flesh it sears. Many of them wince, a few groan, and one howls with pain. Sweat drenches their weakening bodies as they sag under the strain of the powerful magic.

Alixzandria looks away for a brief moment, imagining how it must feel to sign over one’s soul for the sake of their Kingdom.

Her eyes fall upon the top tier of elites and finds one boy directly next to the King, scribbling furiously within a leatherbound journal, his eyes enraptured by the events taking place on the colosseum floor.

Alixzandria squints her eyes, leaning closer to this boy as though she has seen his face before and is trying to place it.

A scribe, an advisor, or the Prince? she wonders.

He consumes all of her attention until his stunningly blue eyes flit to hers. She looks away, feeling a physical shock. She controls her breath, brushes her dress down as if it had become wrinkled, and turns her attention back to the knights who had finally stopped writhing in pain.

She watches each with envy as that familiar blue sigil illuminates their wrists, signalling that the ceremony is complete.

That is, until reaching the last knight. His sigil never turns blue. Instead, a strange black mark burns into his skin, and then like ink spilled on paper, it spreads up his arm and slowly begins overtaking the rest of his body.

“Is that normal?” She whispers to Sloan as murmuring erupts in the crowd.

Sloan leans forward, his upper body crossing the railing as he gets a closer look. He shakes his head.

“I’ve never seen that happen before.”

Alixzandria glances up towards the King to gauge his reaction.

The King stands quickly, eyes narrowing in recognition before he waves a hand to summon someone near him. He whispers to that man and sends him hurrying off.

Alixzandria squints to reveal some of their secrets and thinks she understood what he had said, but does not understand how “Send the Knights,” made any sense in this situation.

The crowd is now panicking and shouting loudly, pointing down at the knight, as if there is not a single person here that isn’t aware of what was happening.

The knight, now completely black, begins to transform into something horrendous. His height grows by at least a foot, though that is difficult to tell as he hunches over and pulverizes the stone beneath his feet.

There were protuberances along his appendages resembling the scutes that decorated reptiles. Alixzandria grows rigid with recognition.

This knight is no longer anything of the sort. He has somehow transformed into the exact thing that Alixzandria had just spent her last year vanquishing in the outskirts of Grimcliff.

The presence of it so near her brings goosebumps to her flesh and she snarls reflexively. Her instinctual call to duty pulls her toward the lich.

Overcome by an unlimited fury, it turns on one of the new Blessed Knights, who is too overcome with the fatigue from the ritual. The new Knight can do nothing more than hold out a wary arm against his attacker.

A robed assistant moves between the Knight and creature, throwing out a handful of dusted magic that plumes in a purple haze around the lich, but otherwise does nothing to deter him.

Alixzandria hesitated for a single moment to consider the consequences of her actions. Perhaps if she had time to pray on it, God would have given her a different answer, but she did not have that time. Instead, she listens to her instincts.

“So much for becoming a Blessed Knight,” She sighs.

“What?” Sloan asks, but his question falls upon thin air.

She leaps over the railing and falls five feet, landing with a gracious roll. The impact surely bruises her bony shoulder blade, but that is the consequence of doing battle without her armor.

She thinks briefly about the King’s reaction to her interference, and about Sloan’s reaction when she is surely to be beheaded, but still she disregards modesty and runs at the creature.

She is not fast enough to deter all casualties.

The lich digs its newly acquired talons into the abdomen of the robed assistant, tearing him in two, spilling organs and viscera along the perfectly polished floor. Both halves of the man fall.

She is upon the monster from behind him, which is no longer to her advantage as he has turned around to face her.

With no time left to improvise, and unfortunately no weapon with her, she turns towards the forbidden stone pillar and reaches for a beautiful antique mace; symmetrical emerald spikes decorate the several feet of thick spine.

She grabs the handle and prepares to attack but the weapon remains on its stand due to the immediate contact searing her palms like acid.

She lets go immediately, smelling the burn of her skin, the heat blisters forming and popping plasma across her palms and down her fingers.

“That’s probably why it is forbidden,” She whispers to no one.

The creature swipes its large claws at her.

She ducks and slides under him and away, her head-start granting just enough time to get to the second stone altar.

This one presents a long golden broadsword.

Alixzandria is good enough with pattern recognition to acknowledge that this weapon, too, will probably burn through the remaining flesh of her hands. However, the alternative is certain death by mauling.

The creature is upon her, reaching forward with both hands to seize the small maiden.

She spares a single second to check for reinforcements: the robed figures are working together to remove the useless new Knights and Master from the colosseum, and the Blessed Knights of the Grimcliff elite are still fighting their way through three tiers to make it to the bottom floor.

With no choice left, Alixzandria reaches for the sword handle and lifts. She hadn’t expected the sword to move, and her disbelief in it nearly crippled her.

When she finds that it does move, and that nothing in its handle is harmful, she jumps behind the stone pillar and is pushed back against the anterior wall. There is enough space between the creature’s swiping paws to grant her life, and where they should have scarred the delicate skin of her stomach, the sword deflects them with a show of sparks.

She twists the blade and brings it down diagonally, cleanly severing the left hand from the lich’s wrist while simultaneously taking wide steps to her left to escape being pinned by the monster.

It screams at her, a fierce, high sound of fury. Spit and phlegm carried along the wind in her direction, but she shields her skin with her arms, continuing forward towards it. She wants to avoid another swiping of its killer right hand; she slides to her knees and propels herself forward.

She is carried easily by the fabric of her gown against the floor. She unintentionally splashes through the puddle of the dead man’s insides, which dye the navy a darker ebony as she popped up behind the lich.

She knows from experience that liches are dimwitted, reflexive creatures. They will not predict an attack, but they will face one head-on with more ferocity than can be imagined. But now, from behind it, with one extra second than he had, she sticks her sword into its throat, which gurgles around the puncture, and seesaws the blade through cartilage and sinew until it easily comes out the other side.

She gives the monstrous form of the creature a slight nudge with the tip of her boot and two things happen: the barely adhered flesh of his neck severed completely so that his head was now level with his chest, and the monster itself slumped against the stone.

It was only at this time did the Blessed Knights of the Grimcliff Court break onto the colosseum floor, ready to fight the monster that had already been slain.

Standing there now, the adrenaline in her veins fading, an audience of Grimcliff elite watching her every move, Alixzandria felt self-conscious.

Her eyes slithered over to where Sloan watched. His eyes were bulging, disbelief written over his hunched body. He waved her over, signalling that they needed to leave right now.

Alixzandria blushed heavily, bowed quickly towards the Grimcliff Court, the only apology that she could offer. After taking care to return the sword to it’s hold perfectly so that it looked exactly as it had, with the addition of flesh and blood, she began to make her way off the floor.

Before she is free of the crowd, a booming voice commands her to still. She does and turns her head towards the sound. From the location of it, she assumes it is the King, and she wonders if his executioners would make a quick show of her death or not.

However, when her eyes find who spoke, it is the very same boy she had seen earlier. From the slender build of his jaw, similar eyes, and command of the situation, she deduces that he must be Prince Quinton.

“Madam, do not be too hasty, this is not the end of our festivities, here,” He calls to her.

She is frozen. Alixzandria dares not move a single muscle, and will obey the first command ordered to her as soon as it is. She silently begs for more direction from the boy.

He turns his head to the Blessed Knights on the colosseum floor around her with weapons drawn, awaiting their own commands from the King.

The Prince looks at them with disdain. He whispers to his father. The King shakes his head with disappointment at whatever the Prince asked of him, but ultimately allows it to come to fruition.

“Clean that up,” The King ordered, making a sweeping gesture at the two mutilated bodies decorating the floor.

“The festivities will continue. Now, it is time for the dance,” He orders and the band begins playing at once.

Alixzandria blinks quickly, trying to make sense of the events around her. The Prince wants her to stay and enjoy the festivities, but with each second she remains, the higher the chance that she will be beheaded for her interference in Court business grows.

The Prince walks down the steps, his eyes focused entirely on Alixzandria as he approaches her.

She raises her chin a notch with each step he takes, resolving to at least die with honor.

When he approaches, though, it is not certain death he offers, but his hand.

“I will heal your hands, please present them to me.” He crushes an aromatic herb between his fingers, rolls the oiled leaves into a ball, closes his eyes in concentration and then they glow a faint pink.

She offers her hands to the boy, but upon their extension they are both surprised.

“Already healed?” He asks as he takes in the unbroken skin. He smiles at her, “Another mystery solved.”

She looks back to the bloodied sword across the room.

“The sword did this?”

The pink light dies when the herb is crushed completely, then flicked away.

“Yes, my lineage has left us many arcane, magical gifts with no explanations as to what they are. All of the weapons in this room are forbidden to touch because of the danger they pose,” He offered.

The floor being polished reflects in the Prince’s eyes and when the job is done he makes his way to the center of the floor, indicating with a slight head nod that she should follow.

“Yes,” She ran after him, “When I grabbed the mace it burned like nothing you’ve ever experienced.”

“Oh yes I have,” He smiled. “The sword should have burned you, too. Instead though, it healed your wounds. If this is the magical mystery of the sword, I thank you for solving it for me.”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

He finally stops walking in the dead center of the room; she stuttered on her feet to stop an appropriate space away and bowed cordially.

“Dance with me,” Prince Quinton commands.

#medevial #slow burn #prince/knight #romance #Grimcliff Court

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frankierising-blog · 8 years ago

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Lair Review for Cov

@cov-rising I’m sorry, I had to cut this one short because it is somehow now 6:30am and I need to start wrapping up to finish my shift!!

First Impressions:

Okay, wow. From your front page I thought I was going to be blasted to death by pinks and cuteness, but this is actually a pretty cool, relatively varied lair!! I like it!

Honey

Is this your Progen!? If it’s not, I basically hate you. Honey is GORGEOUS!! HOT DIGGETTY DAMN! Al those golds and yellows, absolute perfection!!I love the subtle greens in Sylvan Apparel and the Peace Dove! It blends in really nicely! And of course, matches the sprite perfectly!

I like that you’ve managed to keep the bulk of it within the yellow/gold range without making it look tacky or cluttered! Very, very well done! The accent compliments it all perfectly! LOVE IT!!!

Neria

Stop, STOP! What a perfect Mate for Honey! This is fantastic! The oranges and the golds with the contrast of the Midnight! The Candles match the midnight perfectly, I love it! I do feel like this one is not quite as perfectly balanced as Honey, but that kind of makes sense! If they’re both perfect then it would probably look more like twins!

Do you have any character or lore for these? Are they actually a pair or am I making incorrect assumptions? Also, the Reaper kind of makes it look like Neria is the more sinister of the pair, or maybe has a darker history, is this a correct impression?

Lucian

Lucian, stop. No. This is freaking amazing! The colours, the Iri/Shim/Thyla that actually WORKS! I don’t know if I’ve seen that before! That accent is freaking PERFECT! I feel like the Golden Wing Silks doesn’t match quite as perfectly as I’d like, but there’s definitely nothing wrong with it! I wonder what he’d look like with the matching Ember dress and then more exposed wings? IDK my lair is a freaking mess so wtf do I know?

Love the Mith familiar with him, too! The purples in it are dang spot on! And so much gorgeous art! LOOOOVE!!!! But gurl, even if you don’t write lore yourself – if you can spend that much commissioning art, COMISSION SOME DANG LORE – IT’S KILLING ME NOT KNOWING WHAT HE’S ABOUT! Get on that. My interest is now your No.1 priority, KTHXBAI

Atlas

“Atlas is a smart philosopher man with a beard and a bird” THAT IS THE BEST SENTENCE I HAVE EVER READ ON THIS DAMN SITE! 10/10 WOULD READ AGAIN!

Atlas looks PERFECT! He’s like this well-read, learned old kook who’s always got his nose in some book, tome or scroll. The Ethereal Ribbons really look like he’s gotten himself tangled up in some long, ancient scroll he was reading and just couldn’t be bothered untangling himself.

I get the impression he doesn’t even realise there’s a cat on his head, he’s just busy thinking about where he left that book he’d borrowed from some ancient library or temple that he seems to have misplaced.

But gurl, he is a philosopher with a beard, why is he covered in flower petals? Wouldn’t that piss him off? OR IS THAT PESKY BIRD GIVING HIM HELL!? IS THAT HOW HE GOT TANGLED IN THE SCROLL!?

Tea

Tea seems like she’d be the head of the clan…. But she’s not at the front – I always just assume that’s where the head goes.

So I have decided that Tea is not the leader, but is extremely up herself. Flaunting her golden spoils. Just look at the snobby way she’s got her head turned to get more light on her face, and that self-important smile.

JOKES ON YOU, TEA, THAT BIRD LOOKS LIKE IT’S ABOUT TO NEST IN YOUR PRECIOUS CROWN!! HA!

But seriously, I really love how nice and subtle this is. Tea has this almost oxymoronic shimmery, pastel look about her, I really dig it!

Essence

Um, excuse me, I’m pretty sure someone vomited pretty things on a gorgeous GenOne. IT’S A DOUBLE BLUSH, WHY IS IT COVERED IN LEAVES!!!

Okay, but seriously, I LOVE the colours, and Daisy Flowerfall, Crown and Peace Dove look absolutely FANTASTIC but I just wonder if the golds are a little too light against the Blush. Or is that something that changes once the gene-ing is finished?

Also, I just learned that a Pink-Tail Mole exists so thank you for that! It also looks fantastic with Essence’s colours! :)

Blossom

Why stop at 2 Flowerfalls? Why not get the Violet one going? While you’re at it – chuck some snowflakes and fire in there too! Screw it, grab those Festival Butterflies! Let’s just go all in here!

But seriously, dayum, you’re fond of the Flowerfalls, haha!

I actually really love Blossom! Especially the greens to compliment the Blush. 33KG HOLY FREAKING CRAP OKAY PUT ALL THE FLOWERFALLS, PUT EVERYTHING ON THIS OH MY GOD. JUST SELL EVERY OTHER DRAGON AND GIVE THIS EVERYTHING BECAUSE WOWEE THAT’S AN EXPENSIVE BABBY!

Were the Witch’s Cobwebs supposed to look like Moss? I hope so because that’s exactly what I see! Birds and moss and flowers floating in the breeze, little white butterflies resting on his limbs. Freaking gorgeous!

I don’t like the tail rings but I think that has more to do with the fact that I don’t like them in general! YOU MATCHED THE SPEEDY WITH HIM SO WELL! I LOVE THIS!!!

Bloom

Holy freaking cow. That is a lot of pretty things on one pretty, pretty Wildclaw! The Sylvan Wings and the Alchemist Tools work SO WELL together, holy crap! They compliment the Pistachio and the Spined Cobra SO MUCH!!!

I love the way the accent looks on the legs! I just wish there was some way to break up the green on the tail a bit? IDK

But uhm… I don’t mean to alarm you, but I think a tacky feather boa has somehow connected itself to this gorgeous masterpiece’s tail? :P

Honeysuckle

Okay, I actually really like the River Royalist Tail Rings on this one! Maybe I’m just extremely picky!! Honeysuckle looks absolutely fantastic!! Look how nicely the green highlights in butterfly work with the green in Spring’s Breath! The only thing that will forever shit me about Springs Breath is that green petal right on his thigh. WHY THIS, SPRING’S BREATH!?

I’m REALLY impressed by your Familiar matching skills, too, you got the yellows, golds and greens spot on! Also, your GenOnes in general are… decadent *Drools*

Dahlia

A dragon representations of the Tumblr Aesthetic

Allium

The Tumblr Aesthetic going through it’s SLIGHTLY edgy animal print phase

Hydrangea

Okay, so I like to make fun of girly things that I secretly love and that whole row are absolutely STUNNING but Hydrangea takes the damn cake!!! For one – way to nail Piebald! I haven’t seen Piebald properly utilized in a fairly long time so it’s really impressive how much you’ve nailed it! PLUS the wings of the fairies make it look like you’ve got Thylacine-like markings that actually spill into the secondary field and the tie the Skys in nicely! This is absolutely amazing!! I really love the tiny bits of gold from the Sky Blue Silks and the very discrete Clawtips! I didn’t even notice those till just now, THIS IS ACTUALLY PERFECTION, HOLY CRAP!!!!!!

Amity

Yet again, you’ve managed to match your familiar PERFECTLY! Amity is STUNNNNNNIIIINNNNNGGGG!!! What are your plans for the primary? I kind of hope you ditch the sylvan on it’s neck and chuck in another Piebald HINT HINT!!! But again, customisation is lovely AND I SEE YOU’RE BRANCHING OUT A LITTLE WITH YOUR DUAL FLOWERFALLS NOW!

I really love how discretely complimentary the Cobwebs are, and what a surprise it is when you finally notice the Tail Jewel, so many hidden little treasures here! I love it!

Laurel

Get out. You have no business here anymore. I’ma need you to just pack your things and exit this site, this is too much. You have too many amazing gems in here (that I’m sure you worked extremely hard for, but I’m still going to be ridiculously jealous!)

How GREAT does Oilslick look with the cream!? It’s perfect! Like, if the Tert was much darker than that, it might have come off a little too Pastel Goth and then seemed forced with the Antique Lace, but Oilslick Glimmer comes out just brown enough and with just enough highlight to perfectly compliment the antique and cream! LOOOOVE IT!

And once again you’ve matched the familiar freaking perfectly, even the Accent creates the ultimate perfect match!

Laurel is gorgeous to the point that I feel like you could make a real life porceline statue and people would display it in there homes or gardens loll.

OH AND YES, I SEE YOU SNEAKY ICE EYES BRINGING ALL THE BLUES IN.

You are a freaking ARTIST with these customisations, dayum!

#flightrisinglairreviews #Fight rising lair reviews #fr lair reviews #1424 words :O

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anpanmann · 3 years ago

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some tag games! ~♡

- lockscreen + last song listened + last photo 📱

rules: post your lockscreen, the last song you listened to and the last photo you took/saved

tagged by @loversmore , @ourownwings and @intronnevermind thank you! ❤❤❤

1. i think i’ve had this lockscreen for over a year, i rarely change it, oops 2. just listening to music on shuffle as always. but this song 💔 3. i went for a walk on friday and this is one of the pictures i took :)

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- personal soundtrack tag 🎶

open your spotify ‘on repeat’ and the first five songs are the soundtrack to your personal rom-com.

tagged by @loversmore thank youu! 🤍

1. butter - bts 2. 0x1=lovesong (i know i love you) feat. seori - txt 3. where are we now - mamamoo 4. arizona - sonohra 5. na sua estante - pitty

there is definitely a heartbreak in this rom-com, specially with na sua estante there haha i remembered this song like two or three days ago bc i saw a meme with it (of all places), then now i’m reminiscing my a-little-bit-emo-13-yo self listening to it on repeat lol but seriously this is a good song, check it out if you wanna listen to some brazilian rock. also i didn’t realize i listened to butter that much o.O

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- which bts member is similar to you? 💜

tagged by @loversmore and @hoseosk thank youu ❤❤

you got jungkook! you're a dreamer. is this your first life? it must be, since you're so easily amazed. your mind is a bit all over the place, and you get lost in your thoughts like a kid gets lost in a maze. you're good at a bunch of things, and your interests vary from music to sports to art. you're a softie, but remember that it's okay to cry often! your aura is purple, which makes you an intuitive, sensitive person. you remind me of sleep over parties, sharing chips, the loudest of concerts. if you were a star i'd find you even in a cloudy sky- among the other stars, you are the brightest.

ahh, the description is so sweet ;u; but i don’t think i’m that similar to jk (i wish!), i think i’m more similar to yoongi tbh hehe

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- zodiac sign game 🪐

This or That game for the zodiac signs (Choose your sign from the link above)

tagged by @intronnevermind thank you!! ❤

Scorpio: Maroon or Black. Opal or Topaz. Dahlia or Chrysanthemum. Horseradish or Peppercorns. Parasailing or Deep diving. Photography or Poetry. Garlic or Onion. Hot Spring or Sauna. Necromancy or Poison Specialists. Lizard or Snake. Living on a desert island or Cabin in the woods. Bass or Guitar. Cabernet Savignon or Brandy (wild guess). Darkness Manipulation or Emotion Manipulation (magic). Eagle or Wolf. Paintball or Laser tag. Telepathy or Invisibility. Cactus or Joshua tree. Virgo or Capricorn (wild guess pt. 2).

really liked this one! :3 but why are the aesthetics for scorpio are always so “dark”? haha

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the next ones i was tagged by @slipped-away thank you!! 💛

- another This or That 🧸

indoor plants or gardens // cloud-watching or star-gazing // water or fire // paperback or hardcover // running or hiking // sleeping with socks or without socks // fruit or vegetables // hanging plants or succulents // dark wood or light wood // handwritten or typed // instagram or pinterest // braids or pigtails // dc or marvel // books or movies // oceans or meadows // forests or fields // sweet or salty // ice cream or chocolate (chocolate ice cream!) // hoodies or sweaters // long hair or short hair // piercings or tattoos // summer or winter // boots or sneakers // cars or motorcycles // curls or straight hair // castles or cottages // sunny days or storms // reptiles or birds // disney or nickelodeon // strawberries or watermelon // essays or posters // phones or laptops // glass or stone // dark or light // photos or paintings // circuses or theatres // reading or writing // dogs or cats // poetry or novels // monsters or ghosts // thrift shops or libraries // fiction or non-fiction

i definitely can’t choose hahah

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- aesthetics ✨

>> SOFT 9/20

>> DARK ACADEMIA 8/20

>> EDGY 6/20

>> 70′s 6/20

>> PREPPY CASUAL 5/20

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- recreate your blog’s aesthetics as a drink 🍸

kinda hard to work with a basically monochromatic scheme, but it was really fun! ^^

tagging: @loversmore @ourownwings @hoseosk @intronnevermind @slipped-away in the ones you haven’t done + @jmin @kimtaegis @jinniepiphany @dnaez @starlightcastiel do as many as you want or none at all! no pressure!!

#i need to stop hoarding these tag games #i keep forgetting to do them #tag games #also sorry for the long post

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