#Rose Dupre

[refleurence]

The Pale Horse by 추혜연

[koreinwinter]

"Monsieur Guinness, he has such incredibly vivid blue eyes...

It's what I imagine the colour of the ocean to be."

The Pale Horse

[manhwa-animated-cover]

[brotherslayer]

“Forget about it. Your wish will never come true. Just like mine.”

[caffedrine]

Translation - Heart no Kuni no Alice - The Scent of Roses - Prologue

Summary as copied from Wonderful Wonder World wiki: On a bright Sunday afternoon, a rabbit in clothes appears in front of a sleeping Alice. Did you mean "Alice in Wonderland"? On the contrary, the rabbit transforms into a handsome man! Suddenly Alice gets swept into the man's arms and they jump down into a hole that leads them to the Country of Hearts. Even though there's a fairy tale atmosphere, Wonderland is an incredible and dangerous world. How can Alice return to her world?

Author: Quinrose and Uozumi Yukiko

ISBN: 978-4042865142

“Want to play a game, young lady?”

Saying this, he pulled a handgun from the drawer of the desk. It was a silver revolver adorned with a beautiful rose-patterned relief.

“Is this real?”

It was something that went without saying, but she couldn’t help but confirm it. After all, why was he suddenly pulling out a gun, Alice wondered. The man who had just been whispering sweet nothings in her ear. The same hand that had lovingly stroked Alice’s cheek.

“It’s a very fun game. At least you won’t be bored.”

With practiced ease, he swung out the cylinder and loaded a single bullet. After a satisfying click as he spun the cylinder, he turned his deep azure gaze toward Alice.

“The rules are simple. One by one, we’ll press the muzzle of this gun against our own temple and pull the trigger.”

The cylinder continued to spin relentlessly. It was just like roulette.

“There’s nothing difficult about it. If the bullet penetrates your temple, that’s game over. The one who survives wins.”

“Hey, wait a minute…”

“If I win, you’ll be mine.”

Interrupting Alice’s words, he continued.

He wore a refined smile, but there was a terrifying intensity in his eyes that sent chills down her spine. He didn’t threaten Alice, nor did he try to subdue her with power, yet sometimes just one glance from him could immobilize her.

A bead of sweat trickled down the nape of her neck. He was serious. He was willing to throw away his life just to avoid boredom.

“That’s in poor taste.”

To conceal her agitation, Alice deliberately intensified her tone.

“It’s a game as in poor taste as your hat. Because according to these rules, the moment you win, I’ll be dead, right? If that happens, I won’t belong to you at all.”

“You could just forfeit the game. Then, it would automatically mean I win. There’s no need for you to die needlessly.”

What an arrogant person. It seemed he had never even considered the possibility of losing. Alice, who was competitive by nature, glared fiercely at the man wearing the tasteless hat.

She wanted to see that self-assured expression twist in fear. She wanted to witness with her own eyes the color of terror rising on his handsome face.

“If I win, I’ll make you kneel.” With a smile of victory already forming, Alice continued. “Miss Alice, please forgive me for my rudeness . From now on, I will become your servant. I won’t complain about your likes or dislikes anymore; I’ll eat even the carrots I hate and say it while kneeling!”

“I don’t mind becoming your servant, but I’d appreciate it if you could spare me the carrots.” He laughed, playfully twirling the gun between his fingers.

"You really are a woman without desires. If you want to make me kneel, you could just say so. If that’s all it takes for you to become mine, it would be an easy task."

"Don't treat people like objects."

"How rude... By the way, who goes first? You?"

He gripped the barrel, aiming the grip at Alice.

Her blue ribbon and long chestnut-colored hair reflected in the beautiful curve of the cylinder. It was troubling to suddenly be handed something so dangerous. After all, she had lived her life until now in a world far removed from firearms.

"Or we could flip a coin to decide."

"Oh, you can go first."

“I see. I believe in ladies first, but I guess it’s fine.”

He removed his hat and placed it on the table. It was a large silk top hat adorned with several big red roses, like something a magician would wear. While Alice thought about how peculiar it looked, he aimed the muzzle at his own temple with a blank expression.

“Wait!”

Without the slightest hesitation, he pulled the trigger.

There was a dry metallic sound—twice.

Alice gasped and eventually leaned weakly against the armrest of the sofa. It was her first experience of going weak at the knees.

"What are you shooting at? And you shot twice..."

She said with a trembling voice. He had pulled the trigger in succession without any declaration directed at himself.

"Oh, I’m sorry. I got a bit carried away."

Was it really a matter of getting 'carried away'? More importantly, who told him to actually shoot?

Suddenly, she felt incredibly scared. A man who could gamble his life without a flicker of an eyebrow. His finger pulled the trigger without a moment's hesitation. Alice's petty bluffs and pride shattered to pieces under the sound of the hammer falling.

"Now, it’s your turn."

He placed the gun on the table. The barrel glimmered under the lamp’s light. It was an elegant piece, one that hardly seemed made for killing.

It was frightening.

But she couldn’t pull back now.

Gathering the shattered pieces of her pride, Alice slowly picked up the gun. The cool touch of the silver was heavier than she had imagined.

Taking a deep breath, she pressed the muzzle to her temple. She placed her index finger on the trigger, but it trembled and she couldn't steady it. Her heart raced like a drum, and her breath became ragged.

There was a one in four chance that the bullet would penetrate her skull, splattering brain matter across the red velvet sofa. With just a little more pull of her index finger, the world could come to an end.

—But which world?

This world? My dream?

"I'll tell you an interesting story."

He crossed his legs and cast a languid gaze at Alice.

"There was a man who challenged me to this same game before. His head blew off, if I recall correctly, on the third shot."

Alice forced a strained smile. She hated jokes that weren’t funny.

"I used that gun, Alice."

...What a terrible man. How awful.

However, that grotesque joke was more than enough to disturb Alice. The man who claimed to be the leader of a bloody organization seemed to have no trouble making a young girl panic.

It was frustrating. It was pitiful that she was clinging to the unyielding trigger. Peering into the dark abyss of death, it felt ridiculous to be standing still like this.

"Are you scared?"

"I'm scared, okay? Is that a problem?"

She knew he could see right through her. So, she figured she had no choice but to boldly admit it. She was terrified, trembling uncontrollably since earlier.

"I see."

With a surprised look on his face, he leaned forward. Then, gently, he took the gun from Alice's hands.

"Then I'll shoot instead."

"Huh?"

Before she could throw out her question, he pressed the muzzle against his own temple and pulled the trigger again.

This time, the metallic sound echoed three times in Alice's eardrums.

It was definitely three times.

"...................The sixth shot. I’ve been lucky."

After saying this in a monotone voice, he tossed the gun onto the sofa and reached for the steaming teacup, narrowing his eyes in delight.

"These tea leaves are truly the best. It has the fragrance of flowers picked in the morning."

"Are you, are you crazy? What are you thinking?!"

Alice yelled at the man who casually expressed his thoughts about the tea as if nothing had happened.

What incredible luck he had. Relief and fear alternated within her. Eventually, those emotions turned into a heat that felt like anger and dominated Alice.

This man was not enjoying a desperate life-or-death game.

From the very beginning, he didn’t care about losing his life. For him, his life was lighter than the chiffon cake sitting in front of him.

"Aren't you afraid of dying?"

She asked with a feeling akin to prayer. If he died right in front of her now… He was selfish, whimsical, and forceful, but she thought she would at least feel sad. She believed that she had deepened their relationship enough to hurt in her chest and weep.

"I’m not afraid. I’m expendable, after all."

There was no hint of pessimism in his words. He stated it as an entirely reasonable fact.

Alice sighed and looked down. She had no intention of preaching the value of life to someone who had lived with death at his side. They were not only different in values but also lived in entirely different worlds. It was absurd to think they could understand each other.

And yet, why did she feel so helpless? Was it precisely because she knew they couldn’t spend the same time together that it felt so frustrating?

"But, Alice, there’s no one who can replace you."

He had somehow sat next to Alice and drew her close to him. Despite his slender appearance, his arms were strong. He lifted her chin with his fingers, and Alice looked straight at him.

"Who won the game?"

"...you."

"Then as promised, you are mine."

—This man is crazy.

Whether she wanted to escape from the man who looked just like her former lover or wanted to stay, Alice didn’t know. All she could do was close her eyes and wait for those whimsical lips to come closer. She tightly gripped the small vial in her pocket.

"This is a dream," someone whispered from afar.

[jenwritespoems]

Hi The Order fans!!

Here’s my take on what season 3 would have looked like in my eyes. 

A continuation of season 3 if it was never cancelled.

So far there are 27 chapters with more coming out soon, set in the form of episodes. 

Extra info: Randall and Gabrielle and Jack as main characters but others characters do have their time to shine. LOTS OF DRAMA, WAR, BLOOD SHED, FRIENDSHIPS, HEARTBREAKS AND RELATIONSHIPS. 

PLEASE CHECK IT OUT!

[wildflower-otome]

Clover no Kuni no Alice ~Promise Red~ Light Novel Translation (Complete) Summary: Sequel to White Calling. By arrangement with the Boss of the Hatter Family, Blood Dupre, Alice is now living temporarily at Heart Castle until the Assembly period is over. However, for some reason, the Prime Minister, the White Rabbit Peter, is behaving strangely and suddenly starts to avoid Alice….. Despite not knowing what he’s thinking, her feelings for him continue to grow—In the midst of their estrangement, what fate does the bewildered Alice choose!?

Prologue ACT 1 – What awaited after falling was a white rose ACT 2 - Phantom silver, secrets of the roses ACT 3 – Heartbeat that calls for a singular red ACT 4 - Taking a breather, ash-coloured love ACT 5 - Hearts that must be spoken to be understood ACT 6 - Inseparable person, beloved family ACT 7 - Red eyes make a binding promise Epilogue

[ruinreigns]

Updated Muse List

comics

jane foster. marvel comics. she/her; pansexual. canon critical. info.

felicia hardy.  marvel comics.  she/her; pansexual.  canon critical.  info.

lucille smith.  the walking dead.  she/her; pansexual.  canon compliant.  info tba.

pamela isley.   dc comics.  she/her; lesbian.  canon critical. info tba.

tony stark. marvel comics & mcu. he/him; pansexual. mixed canon. info tba.

dungeons & dragons

hope. baldurs gate 3. she/her; pansexual. canon compliant. info tba.

karlach. baldurs gate 3. they/them & she/her; pansexual. canon critical. info tba.

orin. baldurs gate 3. she/her; lesbian. canon compliant. info tba.

shadowheart. baldurs gate 3. she/her; pansexual. canon compliant. info tba.

literature

beverly marsh.  it.  she/her; pansexual  canon critical.  info.

movies

amber sweet. repo! the genetic opera. she/her; pansexual. canon compliant. info tba.

blind mag. repo! the genetic opera. she/her; pansexual. canon compliant. info tba.

delia deetz. beetlejuice. she/her; heterosexual. canon critical. info tba.

gale weathers. scream. she/her; pansexual. canon compliant. info tba.

grace le domas.  ready or not.  she/her; pansexual  canon compliant.  info.

jyn erso. rogue one. she / her; heterosexual. canon compliant. info.

kirby reed. scream. she/her; pansexual. canon compliant. info.

leia organa.  star wars.  she/her; heterosexual  canon compliantish. info tba.

lydia deetz. beetlejuice. she/her; pansexual canon critical. info tba.

padme amidala.   star wars.  she/her; pansexual.  canon divergent.  info tba.

sam carpenter. scream. she/her; pansexual. canon compliant. info tba.

shiloh wallace. repo! the genetic opera. she/her; pansexual. canon compliant. info tba.

sidney prescott. scream. she/her; pansexual. canon compliant. info tba.

tara carpenter. scream. she/her; pansexual. canon compliant. info tba.

wade wilson. deadpool. he/him; pansexual. canon critical. info tba.

musicals

elphaba thropp. wicked. she/her; pansexual. canon compliant. info tba.

glenda upland. wicked. she/her; pansexual. canon compliant. info tba

original

amara rossi. fandomless. she/her; pansexual. original canon. info.

astrid farring. game of thrones. she/her; pansexual. canon critical. info.

fern montgomery. the purge. she/her; heterosexual. canon compliant. info.

lenore allan.   far cry 5.  she/her; heterosexual.  canon critical.  info.

lilly sullivan.   fandomless.  she/her; pansexual.  original canon. info.

moonbeam noble.  fandomless.  she/her; pansexual  original canon.  info.

television

rachel berry. glee. she/her; pansexual. canon critical. info tba.

robin buckley. stranger things. she/her; lesbian. canon critical. info.

wendy case.  sons of anarchy.  she/her; pansexual.  canon critical.  info tba.

drusilla. buffy the vampire slayer. she/her; pansexual. canon critical. info tba.

alex dupre. one tree hill. she/her; pansexual. canon critical. info tba.

tara knowles. sons of anarchy. she/her; heterosexual. canon critical. info tba.

erin lindsay.   chicago one.  she/her; heterosexual  canon compliant. info.

enid sinclair. wednesday. she/her; pansexual canon compliant. info tba

peyton sawyer. one tree hill. she/her; pansexual canon critical. info.

rose tyler.   doctor who.  she/her; pansexual.  canon compliant.  info.

donna winston. sons of anarchy. she/her; heterosexual. canon critical. info tba.

lyla winston. sons of anarchy. she/her; pansexual. canon critical. info tba.

nancy wheeler. stranger things. she/her; pansexual. canon critical. info tba.

videogames

faith seed.   far cry 5.  she/her; pansexual; panromantic  canon compliant. info.

princess zelda.  legend of zelda.  she/her; pansexual.  canonish.  info.

mad moxxi. borderlands. she/her; pansexual; panromantic canon critical. info.

[maguro13-2]

The Dark Beginnings ~ Origins of the Ink Demon Chapter 0 (5/6) ~

[Scenario : Courage - Fumie Kumatani, Warsaw Philharmonic]

*Rumbling+Perfect Chaos Roar*

Eruka Frog : I don't like the sound of it! If she combines the anger and Sadness to unleash the power of Shattered Resonance, we're history and so does PSO! We can't let that happened!

Ashley : Right! Which is why need to find a way to calm Kimial down before Shattered Resonance will be unleashed and this entire place inside of an MMO will be cleaned out! I gotta find a way to calm Kimial Down! [thinking] What to do? What to do?

Eruka Frog : Hurry! There isn't much time left! We need thinking thoughts straight and get ourselves in the game! Rupika, do you know how can you find a place to calm herself down?

Rupika : I know just a place!

[scene later transits]

[Rose Confession - Hideaki Kobayashi, Yutaka Minobe]

Ashley : Huh? This place? It feels familiar. So this is...where the Humarl was at. Rico was it? An NPC who went missing after being possessed by the big bad himself, Dark Falz. I heard that she was one of the first known HUmarls that wanted to be a part of the Hunter class, but Sonic Team denied when Sonic himself reported Rico was the missing Humarl that fans of Sonic really need. But thanks to Dark Falz's shenanigans, Sega love to have the nerves to make female characters dead. That's why equality is the thing we needed before the law.

Rupika : Uhh, that's referring to the state of Nebraska.

Ashley : Right, which is necessarily not in order. So, here we are. This is where we need to calm our nerves down. I mean, Kimial's nerves down. Hopefully calmness will help her lower her Shattered Resonance. This might help her do some therapy. I heard that one secpter that has the power to control the four vibes. The Vibe Secpter.

"Long before the Ohkuboverse was created, outside of Real World AU, there was a powerful Sorcerer that offered Angel vibe to give him the powerful staff that control's one vibe and he call it the Vibe Secpter, it is a powerful weapon that has granted it's own wishes by uniting the four vibes into one great warrior. So with the Vibe of Light's aid, Vibe secpter became a great success as it is the most powerful to control anyone's powerful vibes that are the emotions of hearts; Burning Rage, Sorrowful Sadness, Joyful Glee, and Calmness. These vibes can bring such power that will ultimately unleash into a powerful warrior that is a princess. However, despite it's creation on it's failed attempt of destroying the old world, Shinra foiled demon vibe plans and gave Soul World it's very foundation with the Kusakabe Legacy, that was simply a family tree of his own. Then the Time Eater arrived as it begins to destroy his world that he created was a facade and started an extermination event, but the last one survived and went insane. The witch that started it all was Inca, the first of the Kasugatani and true mother of Witchkind.

"As before the Ohkuboverse's destruction was being erased in half, Inca used the vibes of Rage and Gloom to combine a deadly force that has the power to shatter things and including the hearts of all, the one she calls it Shattered Resonance. And thus, the Shattered Meister was created and as well for the Shattered Soldiers. And they are forever remained in secrecy by the Men of Shinra's influence."

Ashley : Now what I really understand that the rumbling and that roar of a god of destruction, Shattered Meisters are actually people who gone into the despair and causes nothing but destruction. Maka, that girl and self-proclaim hero of Soul World, was the one that started the explosion on four-fifths of Japan's population, and the second explosion that started in Tokyo which is my partner. That's where the vibration and that roar is coming from.

Jacqueline O'Lantern Dupre : True. Because the Kusakabe thinks that Inca's or her people were leeches, but that doesn't mean a single thing. Shinra and his people were killed by the hands of the Time Eater, and I was not the one that is a tool to the devil's will. I used to be a fire soldier in his old world, but then the Time Eater removed me from the Ohkuboverse and brought me into the real world, where I became the member of the Phantoms of Society! Shattered Meisters are very equivalent to the Shattered Soldiers, and Kimial is one of the Shattered Meisters as well. The Great Phantom knew that the Shattered Meister I found in Vermont are linked with each others, by connecting one's heart or one's soul. With them following on their path to destruction, Shattered Meisters will break us free from the will of Kusakabe, relcaim the Kasugatani name and her position! That is what we were ordered by the Phantom to look after the Shattered Meisters and we must protect them from ever bringing destruction on the planet. I wanted her smile to be protected and we are the only ones who can protect her smile.

Kimial Diehl : (in Joyful Glee) Jacqueline, promise me that you'll finally be what I wanted for our future. The sky is peaceful, the birds are singing, and I'm in a field of beautiful flowers! My only wish that I would be together to start a future for the ones that I loved, to cherish and protect. And you would protect me from of all bad things that will ever happen to me. You certainly who you really are, Jacqueline. I consider you to be my hero.

Jacqueline O'Lantern Dupre : (blushes) Oh, ummm...It is my duty to protect you as a hero, I won't let you cry and neither you'll be angry, You stay perfectly as a good girl that I would proclaim you as a my future bride. You knew the place that where we first met...on that day in the Green Hills of Vermont, You and I, the tree where we made our love at first sight. Desperate to be forbidden that is a forever a secret.

Kimial Diehl : (Joyful Glee) You finally knew our secret honeymoon! I want a perfect person that I wanted to be my type, and you Jacqueline O'Lantern Dupre, is the person that is the love of my life! (holds Jacqueline hand) So hear me out! In our futures, in our dreams, we could start a life! We would be groom and bride, you and I! But if you still hadn't figured it out that I was one of the Shattered Meisters, I'd still be the one you loved dearly.

Jacqueline O'Lantern Dupre : ....Kimial. (comforts) I'm glad that you finally answered. When we do something for our marriage, I will do an Equivalent exchange, I'll give you half of my life, and you give me half of yours. That is what Edward predicted our marriage.

Kimial Diehl : (giggles) Jacqueline...

Eruka Frog : So much romance and drama, I might be better to get going then. *heartbeat echoing* Hmm?

[The Nearest Place to the Heaven (Quiet) - Hideaki Kobayashi]

Eruka Frog : That's strange. I don't remember that heartbeat echoing through the sound. Is that another resonance, or I wonder if there's a person inside?

(Kimial and Jacqueling laughing togther)

Ashley : (looks at Eruka) Wait, what are you doing now? That monument...!

Eruka Frog : Hey, guys. Since Kimial and her "hero" is a having romantic conversation, I'm just gonna sit over here on this nice...

Ashley & Rupika : DON'T GO NEAR ANYTHING, YOU TWIT!

Eruka Frog : What, guys? Go near what? Relax, fellas. It's not like that I'm not gonna do anything...(touches monument which changes the flora into a field of faces) stupid?

Jacqueline O'Lantern Dupre : That doesn't look good.

[The Nearest Place to the Heaven (Attack) - Hideaki Kobayashi]

Kimial Diehl : Eruka! What did you do!?

Eruka Frog : I don't know, man! I was trying to go over here to have a seat at the monument! It-It's not like that I triggered something anything to rise an attack!

Kimial Diehl : You idiot! You did not go near the monument to take a seat, you triggered Dark Falz's defenses! And now he's going to wake up to find out that we're here! Any idea how are we supposed to deal with this mess!? We need some fire power to take these spinning things out of the field! This entire place has become one deadly booby trap!

Ashley : Of course, partner! If only that froggy idiot would never go near the monument and awaken the Final Boss of this MMO, we would've left here before she completely blew it off! Now we're gonna be in deep sh*t! Now help us out and get rid of these spinning spiky things that are Dark Falz's Defenses! I'm gonna need to cast a fiery spell on this!

Jacqueline O'Lantern Dupre : Leave this one to me! I've always prepared to fight with the power of the flames! So here I go! I'm gonna make this game to the next level! Feel the power of flames, evil must be perished!

~ Prologue 24 : Falz's Land Stand Pt.1 ~

[whoviancumberbunny]

What You Own ~ An Astarion Fluff Once Shot

Takes Place after this written by @demigoddessqueens

What You Own ~ An Astarion Fluff Once Shot

Started: Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Astarion owned by the Creators of Baldur’s Gate 3

Author’s note:  I only have basic knowledge of this character based on watching clips.

What You Own ~ An Astarion Fluff Once Shot Started: Wednesday, September 27, 2023 Astarion owned by the Creators of Baldur’s Gate 3 Author’s note:  I only have basic knowledge of this character based on watching clips. As he fed He had become aware that someone had been following them afterwards as they stood up, she looked at him and gave him hug. The figure that was hiding in the shdows stepped forward and Astarion immediately felt Annie tense up as a man with greying auburn hair and dead eyes looked them up and down “Of course my brother’s daughter would become a fang banger.” Annie glared at him, “how long have you been following me you asshole?”  she paused and gathered her thoughts "He may be a vampire but he never tried to kill me for merely existing." Annie says as she glares at Gabriel Collins her uncle and the man who mindlessly slaughtered all the people in their family. the man who caused the jagged scars on her neck they were faded....but still visible.

Astarion noticed Gabriel drawing a dagger, it was obvious his intentions were to finish what he had started ten years before. Astarion placed him between Annie and Gabriel as the man fueled by rage and greed lunged at Annie. Before Astarion could raise his hand to defend he felt a burning of course it would hardly harm him since he had been walking the world like a ghost. But he would know that this dagger was laced with poison. After nearly an hour of fighting this old man, Astarion was about to kill him and he looked at Annie “Gods Be Damned.” He muttered under his breath “You Mister Collins donlt deserve this. Because you never showed it to the people you should have held dear. I am showing you mercy.”  He leaned in so Annie wouldnlt hear his next words “But if I we cross paths when Anastasia isn’t there to witness you will be the newest denizen of the nine hells.”  After Gabriel limped away Astarion collapses to his knees. Annie knelt next to him “Thank you, Astarion. You didn’t need to protect me.” “I needed you to trust me. You can trust me.” He said as he caressed her cheek a a few days later they arrive in small down the most noticeable thing is a gothic mansion. “this whole town wreaks of death and despair.”

Annie looked at him “Now you know why I evade the questions when you ask about my past.” She looked at him “go into the woods and feed on few wolves I want you to help me bury my family. I doubt Gabriel did anything.” That night in Collins mausoleum “Put Galen in my vault I don’t intend to be buried here.” Astarion looked around the mausoleum “Daphne Rose Harridge Collins.  Josette DuPres Collins.” He looked at her “You were using the maiden names of women in your family as way to keep him from finding you.”

Annie looked at him “My 16th birthday was the day before he slaughtered them. You asked me about the silver bell I wear around my neck. It is a family Heirloom from my mother’s family. She gave it to me the day before she was killed.” In the previous ten years she had never allowed herself to mourn them. She had been blaming herself for soemthign that wasn’t truly her fault. He hesitated and placed his hand on her shoulder “Annie, this was never your fault. Something was broken inside Gabriel Collins.” Astarion wrapped his arms around her and let her cry into his chest.  She had been carrying this around for almost 11 years. As they left the mausoleum they swore they could hear Piano music. The sign that her family was finally at Peace Annie could move on. As they traveled back to Baldur’s Gate, Astarion looked at her “Gottverdammt.” He muttered  “If you don’t want to be lovers. We can be friends. I do love you, Annie.” [Note: gottverdammt is the German translation of god damn it.] Annie looked at him and gave him another hug “I have never had friends no one trusted the Collins family.” He gently took her hand in both of his. His touch was still warm from feeding on three wolves  “Thank you, Astarion.”  The way she said his name always sounded like music. Everyone else always sounded disappointed or frustrated when they said his name. “You are the first person to show me any sort of kindness without asking for anythign in return.” He said before they entered town after traveling for two days. This was the start of something new for them both. No telling where the path would lead but they would do it together. Wednesday, September 27, 2023

[kamil-a]

btw was trying more to 100% vivaldi's stuff and so poking at the last bits of rosed gardens here n there. and.

well first of all the vivi nonstay rose garden stuff isnt as uncomfortable as the main branch to me and instead comes off as just VERY funny, two kids fighting over the same toy kind of thing. vivaldi dances with alice at the ball and blood turns on the mood lighting and then stands there with his arms crossed impatiently waiting for her to be done. theyre pulling her in different directions. theyre assuming she knows already theyre siblings and share a secret garden so when shes like "hey....you guys are fighting, but NOT like a couple....are u siblings?" theyre like YOU DIDNT KNOW??? . its very funny.

secondly blood gets genuinely upset she tried to leave without saying goodbye, i think, and he goes on the offensive by climbing on top of her in a love interesty way but when hes like ":( no goodbyes for ur best friend blood dupre???????" I do think he means it i think his feelings were for real hurt.

THIRDLY they make her eat a key???? vivaldis like ah...we need to unlock your mouth ;) which like 😳😳 yes ok where are you going with this and then shes like you need to eat this key. physically. it doesnt turn into anything edible its literally a key. AUGHHH

AND FORTHLY if you try to get the rose bath end by simply putting blood's affection points over the needed amount after the ball, it will result in truth end, for some reason. alice visited blood a few more times than she otherwise did and said fuck this im out

[palmviewfm]

female characters you’d like to see as counterparts?

okay  !  don't  mind  how  long  this  list  is  now  about  to  be  ! i'd  love  to  see  taylor  jewel  from  the  summer  i  turned  pretty,  claire  standish  and  allison  reynolds  from  the  breakfast  club,  sandy,  frenchy,  marty,  jan  and  rizzo  from  grease,  cher  horowitz  and  dionna  davenport  from  clueless,  olivia baker, layla keating from all american. aria  montgomery,  spencer  hastings,  alison  dilaurentis,  mona  vanderwaal,  maya st germain, emily  fields  from  pretty  little  liars,  bella  swan,  jessica  stanley,  bree tanner, alice  cullen,  rosalie  hale,  and  esme  cullen  from  twilight,  frances  houseman  from  dirty  dancing,  allie  hamilton  from  the  notebook,  barbie  roberts  from  barbie,  kim  kelly  and  lindsay  weir  from  freaks  and  geeks,  cheryl  blossom,  betty  cooper,  and  veronica  lodge  from  riverdale,  buffy  summers,  anya  jenkins,  tara  maclay,  willow  rosenberg,  faith  lehane,  and  dawn  summers  from  buffy  the  vampire  slayer.  joey  potter  and  jen  lindley  from  dawson's  creek,  blair  waldorf,  serena  van  der  woodsen,  and  georgina  sparks  from  gossip  girl,  marissa  cooper  from  the  oc,  georgia  miller  from  ginny  and  georgia,  sabrina  spellman  and  libby  chessler  from  sabrina  the  teenage  witch,  brooke  davis,  peyton  sawyer,  haley  james,  rachel  gatina,  quinn  james  and  alex  dupre  from  one  tree  hill.  sidney  prescott,  tatum  riley,  gale  weathers,  and  casey  becker  from  scream.  bonnie  bennett,  elena  gilbert,  katherine  pierce,  caroline  forbes,  liv  parker,  and  vicki  donovan  from  the  vampire  diaries.  fran  fine  from  the  nanny.  shelly  johnson  and  laura  palmer  from  twin  peaks.  stephanie  tanner,  dj  tanner,  becky  katsopolis,  kimmy  gibbler  and  gia  mahan  from  full  house.  monica  geller  and  janice  litman  from  friends.  heather  mcnamara  and  heather  duke  from  heathers.  sarah  cameron,  kiara  carerra,  cleo  anderson  from  outerbanks. paris geller, sookie st james and lane kim from gilmore girls. marcia brady from the brady bunch, grace  le  domas  from  ready  or  not.  jo  harvell  from  supernatural.  beca  mitchell,  chloe  beale,  aubrey  posen,  cynthia  rose,  stacie  conrad,  emily  junk,  lilly  onakuramara  from  pitch  perfect  and  dana  scully  from  the  x  files.  if  more  are  needed,  as  always,  send  another  ask  and  i'll  do  my  best  to  give  another  list  !

[koreinwinter]

"That day, I fell in love..."

Rose Dupree - The Pale Horse

[identity-library]

Diverse Sexuality (Web Series)

A:

Acception (Webtoon)

Bo (Aromantic, Asexual)

Casper (Gay)

Iris Bossman (Bisexual)

Always Human (Webtoon)

Austen (Lesbian)

Rae (Aromantic, Asexual)

Sunati (Lesbian)

B:

Brimstone and Roses (Webtoon)

Ava Song (Unspecified WLW)

Beatrice "Bea" Rosario (Unspecified WLW)

Sofia Rosario (Unspecified WLW)

C:

D:

Daisy Brown (YouTube)

Daisy Brown (Lesbian)

E:

Epithet Erased (YouTube)

Arnold Markdown (Gay)

Giovanni Potage (Bisexual)

Howie Honeyglow (Aromantic, Asexual)

Naven Nuknuk (Bisexual)

Percival King (Asexual)

Phoenica Fleecity (Bisexual)

Trixie Roughouse (Pansexual)

Zora Salazar (Bisexual)

F:

Forever After (Webtoon)

Aladdin (Lesbian)

Badroulbadour (Lesbian)

Lea (Lesbian)

Mad Hatter (Gay)

March Hare (Gay)

Rapunzel (Gay)

Robin Jane Brown (Bisexual)

Tank (Bisexual)

Wicked Witch (Bisexual)

Foxglove (Webtoon)

Anna (Lesbian)

Ceridwen (Aromantic)

Einan (Gay)

Elisa (Lesbian)

Feno (Aromantic, Asexual)

Rowan Alberio (Demisexual, Panromantic)

G:

H:

Heartstopper (Webtoon)

Aled Last (Demisexual, Gay)

Ben Hope (Bisexual)

Charlie Spring (Gay)

Darcy Olsson (Lesbian)

Michael Holden (Pansexual)

Nathan Ajayi (Gay)

Nick Nelson (Bisexual)

Sahar Zahid (Bisexual)

Tara Jones (Lesbian)

Tori Spring (Arospec, Asexual)

Youssef Farouk (Gay)

Helluva Boss (YouTube)

Asmodeus (Unspecified MLM)

Blitzo (Pansexual)

Fizzarolli (Gay)

Moxxie Knolastname (Bisexual)

Stolas (Gay)

I:

J:

K:

L:

Leif & Thorn (Web Comic)

Annie Persil (Unspecified WLW)

Clover Estragon (Unspecified WLW)

Cress Fenouil (Unspecified WLW)

Ebony Muscade (Bisexual/Pansexual)

Elisa (Bisexual/Pansexual)

Florian Amande (Unspecified MLM)

Grassie Amande (Unspecified WLW)

Hedge Dubois (Unspecified WLW)

Katya (Asexual)

Laurel Cerise (Bisexual/Pansexual)

Leif of Sønheim (Unspecified MLM)

Marula Boatman (Unspecified WLW)

Matatuhi Kaihanga (Unspecified MLM)

Nigella Badiane (Pansexual)

Pania Kaitangata (Asexual, Panromantic)

Plum Estragon (Unspecified WLW)

Thorn Estragon (Unspecified MLM)

Violet "Vi" Fenouil (Unspecified WLW)

M:

Marble Hornets (YouTube)

Jay Merrick (Gay)

Jessica Locke (Bisexual)

Muted (Webtoon)

Avaline Severin (Bisexual)

Camille Severin (Lesbian + Polyamorous)

Dendro (Lesbian)

Jazmin LeRoux (Demisexual)

Nyra Dupre (Bisexual)

Silvia Severin (Aromantic, Asexual)

N:

Nevermore (Webtoon)

Annabel Lee Whitlock (Unspecified WLW)

Lenore Vandernacht (Unspecified WLW)

Prospero (Aromantic)

O:

Out of the Blue (Webtoon)

Eddie (Gay)

Out With Dad (Web Show)

Nathan Miller (Asexual)

Rose Miller (Lesbian)

P:

Q:

R:

S:

Serious Trans Vibes (Webtoon)

Stephanie "Stephie" Bondu (Bisexual)

T:

The Four of Them (Webtoon)

Gaby Marquez (Unlabeled MLM)

Mariel Bemberg (Lesbian)

Marina (Aromantic, Asexual)

Micaela Grillo (Lesbian)

The Mysqueery Gang (Webtoon)

Archie (Lesbian)

Hani (Bisexual)

Io (Asexual)

Rash (Unlabeled WLW)

Total Drama Next Generation (YouTube)

Belinda (Bisexual)

Cosmo (Unspecified MLM)

Kate (Lesbian)

Stuart (Bisexual, Male Lean)

U:

Unity (Web Comic)

Juni Melrose (Asexual)

V:

Vindicaris (Tapas/Webtoon)

Arbo (Pan)

Sel (Pan)

W:

Winter Moon (Webtoon)

Florence de Beaumont (Gay)

X:

Y:

Z:

#:

#Blessed (Webtoon)

Joanna (Unspecified WLW)

[brotherslayer]

Rose + Pierre

[caffedrine]

Translation - Heart no Kuni no Alice - The Scent of Roses - Chapter 4: The Cat and the Amusement Park

Summary as copied from Wonderful Wonder World wiki: On a bright Sunday afternoon, a rabbit in clothes appears in front of a sleeping Alice. Did you mean “Alice in Wonderland”? On the contrary, the rabbit transforms into a handsome man! Suddenly Alice gets swept into the man’s arms and they jump down into a hole that leads them to the Country of Hearts. Even though there’s a fairy tale atmosphere, Wonderland is an incredible and dangerous world. How can Alice return to her world?

Author: Quinrose and Uozumi Yukiko

ISBN: 978-4042865142

There is a question about whether it is appropriate to call a stay-at-home person's departure from their host a "runaway."

If viewed from a long-term perspective, it would be more akin to a "move," while a temporary view would simply call it an "outing." In Alice's case, it was closely related to the latter "runaway."

She had left without informing anyone of her destination, but she did not have the courage to truly leave that mansion and wander lost. As long as she remained inside, at least she would not be killed for unreasonable reasons.

In the end, no matter where one might be, one cannot survive without being under someone's protection.

Alice understood this, yet she also disliked the thought of accepting it outright. This ambivalent feeling was what was driving her away from the mansion.

Now, where should she go from here?

She had been out a few times, but there was always someone beside her. When going shopping, she went with the servants, and when enjoying lunch, she was with Elliott and the guards. Upon reflection, there had never been an instance where she had casually wandered off alone.

Without a map or weapons, Alice walked persistently through the forest. This journey, filled with half anxiety and half curiosity, reminded her of the adventurous spirit she had almost forgotten. Fortunately, the salary she received from Blood remained mostly untouched. Since it was her earned money, there was no guilt in how she chose to spend it.

The passersby seemed not to notice that Alice was an outsider. But that was preferable; being treated like a rare toy would be worse.

As she passed through a path where the sunlight filtered through the trees and emerged into a square, she saw a remarkably gaudy gate that looked as if all the paint she had was spilled.

Off-key, cheerful music played as colorful balloons floated towards the sky. Families and couples, presumably tourists, continued to vanish beyond the gate.

This was an amusement park.

She recalled Elliott previously talking about the territorial disputes involving three factions: the Hatter family, the Heart's castle, and one other being this amusement park.

Alice looked over that garish exterior once more. Though it had somewhat poor taste, the cheerful ambiance shared similarities with real amusement parks. From the crowd of visitors, it was clear that it was undoubtedly a sound recreational facility.

She wondered if this whimsical amusement park truly was an adversary to Blood. It wasn't a clear good versus evil situation, but one might think the Hatter family was planning unilaterally sinister purges.

As she approached the gate and peered inside, she found that while she did not dislike amusement parks, she wasn't in the mood to let loose and have fun.

“Hey there, if you’re looking for tickets, they're this way!”

A man in a camel-colored suit had somehow appeared next to Alice.

With long hair tied in a braid and a stubbly chin, he had gentle eyes peeking out from underneath small oval glasses. The people in this world generally dressed weirdly, but he certainly didn’t fall short in that regard. His jacket had a musical note pattern, and a horse mascot dangled from the vest underneath. In his hand, he held a violin.

Indeed, his outfit was by far the strangest.

“What’s the deal? Came to enjoy the amusement park, right?”

“No, I just came to have a look around. Are you from this amusement park?”

“Ah, yes. I’m the owner here, and my name is Gowland.”

His smile was indicative of someone in the service industry, yet it lacked any hint of sarcasm, exuding a friendly atmosphere. When Alice smiled back and introduced herself, Gowland's expression grew serious.

“Wait, you’re not just an outsider, are you?”

“It’s been a while since I’ve been called that.”

“Ah... I kinda thought so.”

As he stared at Alice, much like others had done before, it wasn't particularly unpleasant. There was no leering quality in his assessment.

According to Blood and the others, outsiders are those who are "somehow felt" to be different. Even though they appear to be the same kind of human, there seems to be something different about them.

“Sorry, I get it; being called an outsider doesn’t feel good, right? But here, that’s just what we call those who come from another world. There’s no ill will, really.”

He seemed overly apologetic. Having been around a proud man until now, this reaction was quite refreshing.

Yet, could this person actually be an enemy of Blood? His first impression was of a harmless man. He certainly didn’t look like someone involved in a territorial conflict.

“How about this: it’s not really an apology, but I’ll show you around inside. Of course, it’s on the house. How about that? Not a bad deal, right?”

“Um, that’s fine, but I didn’t really come here to play—”

“Come on, come on! You’ve come all this way, so you should have some fun. Don’t you think?”

“Ah, wait, hold on a second—”

Before she could finish, Gowland grabbed Alice's arm and strode confidently through the gate. A fancy, vibrant, and somewhat poisonous scenery expanded before her, and Alice rubbed her eyes in disbelief.

On the red and pink tiled path, there were distorted little houses that seemed to belong to witches. Twisted tracks crossed above her head repeatedly, as roller coasters raced by at high speeds. An irregularly spinning Ferris wheel and caterpillar-shaped go-karts moved about. A clown led children along, crossing Alice's path while emitting strange laughter.

Carried along by the cacophony of dissonant music, they meandered through the park. It felt like a cheerful nightmare. Simply being there made her dizzy.

“...The outside and the inside of the gate are like two different worlds,” Alice remarked, glancing at the smiling employees.

“It’s a bit odd, but it’s peaceful here. Just a step outside, and dangerous intentions swirl all around,” she continued.

“Well, it’s an amusement park after all. But it’s not just here; anywhere within our territory is peaceful. At least within our territory.”

She was handed a large cotton candy and a bag of potato chips. This amusement park really had excellent service.

“As long as you’re in our territory, enemies won’t attack. That’s our rule.”

“Really?”

“Yep, that’s right. Even if they come as guests, we’ll warmly welcome them. Of course, there are exceptions.”

“Exceptions...?” She decided to ask just to be sure. “Does that mean there are times when rules get broken?”

“Just so you know, as for me, that’s never happened, alright? Unless it’s something exceptionally rare.”

In short, it seems that when something significant happens, the rules can be broken. As long as one is within the territory, it is peaceful, but even that peace is not absolute.

"But you, from what I can see, don't seem like a dangerous person at all. You seem the most normal out of everyone I’ve met so far."

"Wow, you've got a sharp eye! But if you’re saying that, it means you've had some pretty terrible experiences up to now, haven’t you?"

Alice nodded deeply in agreement, grateful that he said it.

Now that she thought about it, she really had encountered some awful people. Starting with that perverted rabbit man, everyone she had met seemed like they would be sentenced to prison immediately in the real world.

After finally meeting someone normal, she felt like she was starting to regain her objectivity. They truly were abnormal. Inconceivable. There was no way they were normal. This recognition was indeed accurate.

“Poor thing, huh? I feel for you.”

Gowland bought her another lemonade, a hamburger, and some fried onions.

“Alright, let me play you a lively tune to cheer you up.”

“Excuse me?”

Gowland held up his violin high and winked at Alice.

“Wait...you’re going to play it now?”

“Of course! Despite how I look, I’m a musician. I’ve got all kinds of songs: fun ones, healing ones, even ones that make you hungry. My repertoire is pretty diverse!”

“Uh, I’m fine, really! I’m already energetic enough and feeling good!”

“Come on, don’t hold back! Since you’ve come all this way, you should have some fun! Here we go, Sonata No. 1, dedicated to Alice Liddell!”

A terrible sense of foreboding washed over her.

Just as Alice covered her ears, an ultrasonic sound erupted from the violin. The tone of the music twisted through the gaps between her fingers, exceeding her limits of discomfort. It was a torturous sonata, almost as if her eardrums were being sanded directly.

“Ta-ra-ta-ta-ta-ta~ Ta-la-la~”

To make matters worse, he was singing along. His singing was utterly tone-deaf, oddly matching the agonizing violin sounds. Gowland seemed to revel in it, showing no signs of stopping.

As soon as the surrounding customers and employees realized the calamity that was unfolding, they scurried away like scattered spiders. What was the point of a park manager causing such a disturbance?

“Shut up, old man!”

Just as Alice was about to make her escape, she heard a voice from behind. As she turned around, a deafeningly loud noise rang out.

It was the sound of a gunshot.

Alice instinctively ducked. Right behind her, a man with pink hair was aiming a gun at Gowland.

Caught in confusion, Alice stared blankly at the man’s pink handgun. At a glance, it looked like a toy, but the muzzle was definitely smoking.

“Boris, don’t interrupt! I was just getting to a good part…”

“Your noise? Good part? It never had any merit from the beginning, so feel free to interrupt it.”

With veins bulging in his neck, Gowland was mocked by the man called Boris. Alice thought he laughed like a cat. In fact, he looked just like one.

After all, he had cat ears on his head.

Having encountered a couple of rabbit men, Alice wasn’t surprised at the appearance of a cat man. In fact, she liked cats.

“Also, why not stop calling that noise music? It’s an affront to music itself.”

“You’re the one who’s blaspheming music! You’ve put a hole in my violin!”

“I wanted to make a hole in a different place, but I held myself back. You should consider it a favor.”

He looked surprisingly young but spoke very bluntly. He wore a flamboyant pink scarf and had chains jangling from his neck and arms, with multiple earrings adorning his ears.

“…You little jerk.”

Gowland’s voice suddenly dropped low.

The moment Alice blinked, the hole-ridden violin transformed into a rifle. It was a trick, but not just any trick; it was a speed that could only be described as magic.

“Wait a second? Are you actually angry, old man?”

“Don’t act like you don’t know…”

The seemingly harmless man suddenly revealed a glimmer of murderous intent. He pulled the cocking lever back to load the first round and aimed the rifle at Boris.

“My weapon is designed for lethality… It might not be as maneuverable as your gun, but it certainly has the power to penetrate high-hardness sloped armor.”

“Gowland…?? Just calm down a bit,” Alice said, seeing that he was focused only on Boris and completely ignoring her. The target was the cat man.

Boris took a cautious step back while Alice followed suit. A moment ago, this was supposed to be a safe and peaceful amusement park. Yet now, before Alice were two gun barrels.

“Seriously, old folks have no patience, which is a real problem,” Boris sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

“Are you going to run away with me?”

“Wha—!?”

Before she could respond, Boris grabbed Alice’s arm and took off running. He moved with cat-like agility, the scenery whizzing past them.

“Hey, wait! I’ll kill you!”

“Try and catch me if you can! The youth is on my side!”

Teasingly, Boris dashed forward, leaping over hedges and ducking under tents as Gowland's furious shouts faded into the distance.

——

Eventually, they managed to lose Gowland and took refuge on the Ferris wheel. As they caught their breath and the gondola began to ascend, Boris broke the silence.

“By the way, who are you?”

His almond-shaped eyes gazed at Alice with interest.

“I’m Alice Liddell. I was just having Gowland show me around the park.”

Up until that point, it had been peaceful—until he decided to hold a recital without permission.

“I told him to only play on days when the park is closed, but he probably got all excited when a girl like you showed up.”

A long tail sprouted from his backside, dancing energetically. It moved much like Dinah when she was in a good mood.

“I’m Boris Airay. I’m staying here at the amusement park.” Boris narrowed his eyes. “So, where did you come from?”

“I’m not really sure how to explain it, but the people in this world often call me an outsider.”

“…Outsider? Seriously?”

His tail began to twitch even more vigorously. When people found out she was an outsider, they tended to react in some way. Alice imagined it felt like a rare creature arriving at a zoo.

“You’re incredibly rare, aren’t you? I want to collect unique things.”

As expected.

“Hey, why don't you stay here too? It can be a bit noisy during the day, but it's pretty comfortable, you know?”

“I’m not some rare creature or a toy. If you stay with me, you’ll soon realize that I’m not that interesting. I’m really quite ordinary.”

She wasn’t downgrading herself; it was the truth. She didn’t want to be burdened by excessive expectations.

“I’m ordinary too, you know! I mean, I’m as boring as they come. Surprising in how average I am.”

He moved closer to her, producing a rumbling sound from his throat. The gondola they were in was, of course, small, leaving no room to escape.

“So, let’s be friends, okay? Alice?”

“I-I guess that’s fine…”

In this world, was a person with ears growing from their head considered normal? In the real world, he would undoubtedly be a celebrity.

Though she didn’t like being overly familiar with people, she oddly didn’t have a negative impression of Boris.

Maybe it was because looking at his ears reminded her of Dinah.

“More importantly, are you sure it’s okay to leave Gowland like that? You’re just a guest here, aren’t you?”

“It’s fine. That old man can be dangerous when angry, but he forgets quickly. By the time the Ferris wheel makes a full circle, he’ll probably be welcoming customers with a grin.”

“R-Really? Then I won’t worry about it.”

Alice gazed down at the park from the window.

From up here, the amusement park spread out widely beneath her. It wasn’t quite as vast as the Hatter family's territory, but it was clear that Gowland held considerable power.

“Hey, let’s live together. If you're feeling lonely, I’ll sleep with you anytime! I’ve got a high body temperature, so I’ll keep you warm.”

Boris took Alice’s hand and guided it to his cheek. It was definitely warm. If she wrapped him up in a blanket, he could serve as a comfortable hot water bottle.

She pondered what it would be like to live here. While it was dangerous to make him angry, Gowland seemed to be a gentle and kind landlord most of the time. He had a ferocious vibe, but he was like a lovable cat that could warm her in bed. Since it was an amusement park, she wouldn’t have time to get bored. It would likely be comfortable, and at the very least, she could live more peacefully than in a mafia's den.

Originally, she had no obligation to stay in that mansion. She had just been invited to a tea party and ended up staying without much thought. She hadn't exchanged cups with Blood, nor had she signed an employment contract.

…But.

The smell of the books in that dim room. The stillness in the air. The feel of the red sofa.

When he sat next to her, the sweet fragrance that brushed against her nose. Those melancholic blue eyes reminiscent of a midnight sea. The whimsical gesture of his white-gloved hand touching Alice’s chin.

As she pulled together those trivial memories, a nostalgic feeling began to boil within her. Frustratingly, despite being annoyed, she realized how much she had put down roots in that mansion.

It made her feel as if she should go back. Regrettably so.

“I’m sorry. The amusement park is fascinating, but I can’t live here.”

Upon hearing this, Boris looked bewildered.

“Why not? Is it because you can’t stand the old man’s playing?”

“…Well, that might be one reason, but that’s not the only reason. I’m currently being taken care of at the Hatter's mansion.”

“Oh, really?”

His reaction was one of surprise mixed with curiosity.

“I see, so you’re staying at Blood’s place, huh?” Boris chuckled and glanced up at Alice slyly. “I get it… you…”

“What about it?”

“Well, could it be that you’re Blood’s—”

“If you say anything more, I’ll punch you.”

Alice interrupted with narrowed eyes. She could already imagine the teasing look on Boris's face, and she definitely didn’t want to hear that kind of joke.

“Hehe, I like that guy too. He’s really something.”

“What do you mean ‘me too’? I haven’t said I like him even once.”

She couldn’t stand being misunderstood like that. She was merely borrowing a room in that mansion; there was nothing scandalous about it. She wanted to shout that she was not the mafia boss’s mistress.

“Do you know Blood well?”

“Well, yeah. I sneak into that mansion a lot. I’m friends with the guards.”

“Friends? Dee and Dum?”

Given their positions, Boris and the guards should be enemies.

“How do you sneak into that mansion, anyway? I thought the security was pretty tight.”

“I’m a cat, you know? I know all kinds of shortcuts.”

Saying that joyfully, Boris leaned closer to Alice's ear. His warm, coarse touch brushed against her earlobe, almost as if a cat was licking milk.

“Wha… what are you…?”

“I think I like your scent. You smell delicious,” Boris laughed. “Let’s play again sometime! I don’t mind if you belong to Blood.”

—

…Sure enough, there really aren’t any normal people in this world.

After getting off the Ferris wheel and parting ways with Boris, Alice made her way to the gate alone.

Although she had thought the amusement park was relatively normal, a careful look around showed that every employee was carrying a gun. Just imagining a group of people aiming guns while keeping big smiles on their faces made her feel nauseous.

Yet, in this world, one cannot survive without guns. Those like Alice, wandering outside unarmed, would be seen as the real oddballs. A safe haven wasn’t something one found; it was something one had to create for themselves.

“Hey, Alice. How was the amusement park?”

When she reached the gate, Gowland greeted her with the same smile as the first time they met.

She immediately looked at his hands. There was no rifle, but instead, he was holding a new violin. Just as Boris had said, he seemed to be in a good mood again.

“Thanks to you, it was fun! But with so many attractions, I couldn’t possibly experience it all in one day.”

“Well then, just come back two or three times. You’re always welcome here! I’ll even give you a free pass.”

He pulled out a thick bundle of free passes from his pocket and handed them to her.

“N-No, it’s fine. Next time I come, I plan to pay and enjoy myself properly,” she replied.

“What’s with you? You don’t want anything? Haha, I like that.”

Gowland squinted his eyes happily and ruffled Alice’s hair with warm hands, doing it without any hesitation.

“If you don’t have anywhere else to go, you can live here, you know? Having one more guest won’t bother me at all.”

Most fathers look at their children like this when they praise them. Ever since Alice's mother passed away, her father had started to avoid coming home, citing work as an excuse.

He fulfilled his financial obligations, but that’s all. He still hasn’t accepted his wife’s death. Whenever he returned home, he was inevitably reminded of her absence.

Alice does not lament being an unloved child. It’s a common story that could be found anywhere. Even though her parents' presence was absent from home, her sister Lorina provided her with an abundance of love.

People in this world show Alice kindness. However, she knows that the place she should return to is the home where her sister waits. No matter how enjoyable and stimulating it is, when closing time comes, it’s over. The dream world will eventually curtain down.

“...The curfew has long since passed, hasn't it? Alice.”

At that moment, suddenly hearing her name made every hair on her body stand on end.

Alice looked at the man in disbelief. There was only one man who could call her name in such a chilling tone. At least, as far as she knew.

It was Blood.

Blood Dupre stood there with his impassive face.

“It’s the Hatter! What are you doing here?”

“She is my guest. It’s time to take her back,” Blood said flatly, casting a glance at Gowland.

This was precisely why he was terrifying. Instead of being imposing, he had a frightening intensity that was even greater. For the first time, she felt like she understood the feeling of a frog caught in the gaze of a snake.

“Did you enjoy the amusement park, young lady?”

“Uh, yes… I had a lot of fun,” she replied.

“I’m glad to hear that.” His voice was cheerful, but his eyes held no warmth. “Now, let’s go home together.”

“Hey, wait a minute. Did you seriously come to fetch her alone? The mafia boss, without any bodyguards?”

Gowland feigned shock with exaggerated gestures. Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen Elliott or the other family members. Whenever Blood went out, he always had someone with him.

“This is strictly a personal matter. Besides, do you really think I’m the kind of man who could be easily killed?”

“That may be true, but still— I never thought I’d see such a rare sight! You getting so worked up over just one girl!”

Gowland appeared almost jubilant as if he might start dancing. No, he might just be teasing.

Blood’s brow furrowed with irritation, and the tension radiated off him so intensely that it made Alice’s stomach ache.

Her mind was filled with questions. This was enemy territory, and it was odd for a mafia boss to venture here alone. But even more perplexing was why this man, who always seemed lazy at the mansion, had gone out of his way to find Alice.

“Thanks for today, Alice! I had a lot of fun, in more ways than one,” Gowland said, gently kissing Alice on the head. At that moment, Blood, who had maintained his composure until now, leaned in.

“...Enough already!”

Alice was pulled closer, stunned. That was the first clear display of anger she had ever witnessed from Blood. His usual playful demeanor was gone, replaced by overt murderous intent directed at Gowland.

“What’s the big deal? I’m just greeting her! You should let your guard down a little, you’re not a child.”

Even when Blood glared at him, Gowland showed no signs of backing down. His tone was one of excitement and delight.

“To think the mafia boss could be driven mad by love… you’re still so naïve, Hatter.”

“Alright. I’ll kill you.”

Having found the perfect idea, Blood muttered those chilling words.

“I didn’t plan on drawing my gun here, but my mind has changed.”

“Are you breaking the rules? You’ve got guts to face us all alone.”

“Take your time; go and get your friends. I’ll take care of all of them at once.”

“W-Wait, both of you!” In the tense atmosphere, Alice stepped between them.

No matter how she looked at it, Blood was at a disadvantage in this situation. Even so, given his personality, he wouldn’t be inclined to back down. The mafia was a profession built on pride, and he couldn’t afford to be seen as weak here.

“Blood, calm down. You’re a guest right now, so you need to show some decorum.”

“...Are you defending him?”

“N-No, that’s not it. I’m just stating common sense!”

“Your common sense differs from ours,” Blood said coldly, looking down at Alice.

“And rules exist to be broken.”

He was losing his temper completely. Yet, they couldn’t let this escalate into a gunfight.

“It's fine, Alice. This man wouldn’t dare put you in danger,” Gowland said brightly, perhaps sensing Alice's apprehension.

“Let’s part with smiles today, Hatter… but there won’t be a next time.”

Blood responded with a confident grin to his suggestion.

“Oh, there won’t be a next time. You’d better polish that old rifle of yours in the meantime... Let’s go home, Alice.”

“It… it hurts, Blood!”

Blood tightened his grip on Alice's arm and turned to walk briskly away, leaving Gowland waving them off with exaggerated gestures.

——

As they walked quickly through the forest tinged with twilight, Blood moved ahead with long strides, making it feel like a marathon to Alice due to the difference in their leg lengths. She wanted to take a break, but he showed no signs of slowing down.

“Hey, Blood,” she ventured.

“What?”

“Are you… maybe angry?”

Even though she had no reason to expect anger from him, she felt the need to ask. He smiled broadly and replied,

“Do I look angry?”

“…I-I guess it looks like you might.”

“I see. Then I must be angry.”

Still wearing that fixed smile, he continued striding toward the mansion. It was terrifying.

It was overwhelmingly terrifying. Why did she feel guilty for being scolded by him? She had simply left the mansion without permission to have fun at the amusement park. She didn’t think she had done anything wrong.

Eventually, they exited the forest and returned to the mansion. Blood led Alice straight to his room, swiftly locking the door behind them. He pushed her down onto the red sofa, her heart racing in uncertainty.

How many times had she found herself looking at the ceiling like this, with Blood towering over her? In such a situation, Alice tried to think calmly.

“...It seems you had quite a fun time today, young lady.”

His eyes glinted with quiet anger as they fixed on her. She felt as if she might be drawn into those eyes, trapped within them.

“The amusement park is a place for enjoyment, isn’t it? No one goes there to have a dull time.”

“I see. So you went to the amusement park to have fun with another man?”

“Don’t put it that way! I made friends over there. Gowland and Boris. You probably know them well.”

“Oh, that little brat? I know him quite well.”

Blood's grip on her wrist tightened further. His tone was still casual, but it seemed to grow increasingly intimidating.

“So, what did you do with them?”

“What did I do?... I had them show me around the park, went on the Ferris wheel…”

“The Ferris wheel?”

Blood’s eyebrow twitched slightly.

“The Ferris wheel I know is a ride you enjoy inside a very cramped compartment. Am I mistaken?”

“No, that’s not wrong…”

“So you got into that cramped little compartment with another man. Is that what you’re saying?”

“W-Well… I guess that could be the case,” Alice replied ambiguously.

Upon her vague affirmation, Blood fell silent. An oppressive stillness settled in as if she had been submerged deep in an ocean.

…Oh?

Seeing Blood's displeasure, Alice decided to test her hypothesis out loud.

“Blood, are you… perhaps feeling jealous?”

He said nothing in response.

Instead, he abruptly looked away.

She had always known he was a possessive man. To him, Alice was like an accessory—something rare and shiny to show off, merely existing to satisfy his trivial ego. That understanding hadn’t changed, even now.

Yet, he had gone out of his way to come searching for her at the amusement park, disregarding his own position, all alone.

Furthermore, the way he was acting now showed he was anything but composed.

“Hey,” she said, leaning in closer to peer into Blood's face.

“You did say you disliked troublesome matters, didn’t you?”

“...You certainly have a relaxed attitude.”

“I thought you used to be the one with the relaxed demeanor?”

“Shut up,” he muttered, looking away again. He had a sheepish expression.

Caught off guard by this unexpected reaction, Alice found herself feeling just as perplexed. She couldn’t believe that Blood could be, as Gowland suggested, “madly in love.” He couldn’t be that defenseless nor that shallow.

But—

“Did you think I wouldn’t come back?”

She couldn’t help but ask.

“Or perhaps you think I found somewhere better?”

“What? No one said anything like that.”

“...Never mind.” Blood immediately withdrew his statement. “I just think you might be a little reckless.”

“That’s harsh! Are you trying to say I’m flighty?”

“You don’t seem like a virtuous woman.”

His tone was accusatory, as if he were calling her out for cheating. Despite having done nothing wrong, she felt a wave of guilt wash over her. Was this some sort of deliberate tactic to instill a sense of wrongdoing in her?

“I don’t know what kind of misunderstanding you have, but I’ve intended to come back to this mansion all along, you know?”

Upon hearing this, Blood blinked in slight surprise.

“...That’s not a lie. I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

Though it felt brazen of her to say, considering she was just an outsider, it was the truth. There was nowhere else for her to go.

Even if there were, she suspected she would still return here. She would continue to visit this room despite everything, be pushed down on the sofa, and listen to his selfish words.

It was impossible to comprehend. She knew exactly that getting involved with a man like him would undoubtedly lead to trouble.

“...You always cry when you’re with me.”

Blood's cheeks tightened.

“I’m not crying! Why do you always become so unsettled?”

Somehow it felt absurd.

The situation of a man she despised, one resembling an old lover, flustered at the sight of a tearful Alice was utterly ridiculous. She would eventually have to go home, and though she loathed this man’s arrogance, she found herself unable to firmly shake off his grip.

It was almost unbearably funny, causing tears to well up.

“Don’t cry. When you cry, it throws me off my game.”

Blood’s fingers gently wiped the corners of her eyes. He slowly caressed her cheek.

“I’m not crying. I just don’t want to be swept away by everything—your sudden kindness, your voice, and your attitude.”

His fingers traced Alice’s lips with a tenderness one might reserve for something precious.

“Hey, what are you plotting? What do you want in return?”

“Don’t misunderstand me. I’m a harmless man,” Blood said, his face solemn. “Even now, I’m just here in front of you, unable to do anything.”

A harmless man wouldn’t push a woman down onto a sofa, Alice thought.

And even now, their lips were so close.

The heat radiating from Blood through her clothing.

It was warm, comforting. The breath against her ear, the fingers smoothing away her tears, the cheek that brushed against hers—everything felt good.

Though she hated it, a tightness gripped her chest. Even those whimsical words spun from his lips seemed to draw out desires from a part of her that was not purely rational.

“I don’t want to be swept away.”

Once more, Alice spoke. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. The man she wanted to be loved by wasn’t him. She shouldn’t be experiencing little kisses on her forehead and eyelids like this.

She hadn’t expected to be waiting with her eyes closed for his lips to draw closer to her own.

“If you don’t want to be swept away, then just hold on to me.”

His selfish words reached her like a soothing lullaby, effortlessly penetrating her deepest thoughts.

“Cling to me. Once you lose your strength, I’ll hold you tight.”

Whispered in her ear, Alice complied. She clung to him, determined not to fall off the narrow sofa, to not wander too far away.

“...”

Their lips met.

Breaths intertwined. It was an intense kiss worthy of a man so arrogant and selfish. His tongue suddenly parted her lips, invading her mouth. It was an urgent kiss, stealing everything from her in a breathless rush.

When she pushed back against his invasive tongue with her own, he nibbled her lower lip in retaliation. A thin, breathy voice escaped from deep in her throat, tinged with a sigh. It didn’t even feel like her own voice. She tried to seal that sweet sound by pressing her lips together, but Blood wouldn’t allow it. His tongue slithered back in, coaxing out her now-flushed sounds one after another.

“Mmm… ah…!”

From the core of her being, something maddening surged within Alice. With her lack of experience, she had never stood a chance. Even so, to think a kiss could make her melt this much.

“...What a troublesome situation this has become,” Blood lamented with a sense of resignation.

“Troublesome? You’re the one who started this…”

“You didn’t just say you weren’t in the mood for romance, either?”

Of course, she hadn’t. But before she could respond, her mouth was covered. Their heated tongues touched, causing her mind to go blank.

He was being cruel. He kissed her forcefully, yet he held her wrist just firmly enough to ensure she couldn’t push him away, leaving her no excuse to claim she was being forced.

“I should have put you in a cage from the start.”

With a deep sigh, Blood continued.

“I should have lured you into a big, big cage, locked it up, and kept you there, like a poor little canary.”

“Even if you did that, I wouldn’t chirp prettily for you… I’d shout curses until my throat gave out.”

“That would actually be convenient. If your throat gives out, you won’t be able to call for help.”

“Ugh…”

His large hand, which had been softly stroking her hair, began to playfully caress her slender neck. His fingers glided from her ear down to her collarbone, savoring the texture of her slightly damp skin.

She resisted weakly, but Blood only chuckled softly and didn’t stop his ministrations. Without the luxury of taking control, Alice was left clinging to him.

“...That’s right. Just hold on to me like that.” His damp lips traveled down to her neck, sucking hard. Marking her with a visible hickey was perhaps his petty form of retaliation, an attempt to ensure she wouldn’t be seen in public for a while.

With one hand around her waist, he began to untie the ribbon of her apron dress. His other hand slowly moved from her knee up her thigh. His long fingers traced circles against her warm skin.

“Blood, wait—”

“I won’t wait. You are mine.”

His sweet breaths and words slipped in close to her ear.

...Please, don’t touch me so gently.

Don’t hold me tightly, caress my hair, or kiss me. It makes me feel like I’m loved.

“I’m not anyone’s possession. I belong to myself…”

Though her words, woven between kisses, lacked strength, she held on to her conviction. This dream was her own.

Not anyone else's—just hers.