#her final boss dress was v cute i liked it a lot and i wanna draw it

[kaykoko]

I finally finished Dungeon Meshi!!! Very fun read and amazing charaters!! The hype i have for the anime now is unreal!

[behappykeepclassy]

LOVER Track-by-track Impressions

1. I Forgot That You Existed

catchy AF with the da-da-da in the beginning

“Free rent, living in my mind”

love how she sings “and quieeeetttt”

“It isn’t love, it isn’t hate, it’s just indifference”

“I forgot that you sent me a clear message, taught me some hard lessons”

The “So, yeah” at the end is gold, like vocally shrugging

2. Cruel Summer 

Pure BOP!

Feeling that bass in my soul

“I’m always waiting for you to be waiting below” - 80s John Hughes movie style!

“Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes” is perfect

The whole chorus floats and soars and I love it so much

“You say that we’ll just screw it up in these trying times, we’re not trying” - SUCH A GOOD LINE

“So cut the headlights, summer’s knife, I’m always waiting for you just to cut to the bone” Ouf!

“I don’t wanna keep secrets just to keep you”

The raspy roar in her voice when she sings “He looks up, grinning like a devil”

3. Lover

Quiet and precious and sweet and lovely and cozy

So happy we have an album with a title song again

4. The Man

“They’d say I played the field before i found someone to commit to”

“Every conquest I had made would make me more of a boss to you”

“I’m so sick of running as fast as I can, wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man” - MY MOTTO FROM NOW ON, just running through my head constantly

“What I was wearing, if I was rude” - I feel like this also doubles for her sexual assault case against that radio DJ (blaming the victim)

“I’d be just like Leo in Saint-Tropez” LOL

The whole bridge, when she switches from “And getting bitches and models” to “If I was out flashing my dollars, I’d be a bitch not a baller” OUF

MY INHERENT FEMALE ANGER AT THE INJUSTICE OF THE PATRIARCHY IS ALIVE AND WELL

5. The Archer

This is one of my favourites, even though I’ve had it longer than most cause it was released earlier

Lyrically, best or second best on the album

Destroys me every time, goddamnit

6. I Think He Knows

“I am an architect, I’m drawing up the plans”

I love how she sings “skipping down 16th avenue”, like so specific and wonderful but universal

I like how she owns how much of a catch she herself is in the second verse - like yassss girl

“Lyrical smile, indigo eyes, hand on my thigh, we can follow the sparks (SPARKS FLYYYYYYYY), I’ll smile”

7. Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince

The way it starts, it made me think of The Killers “Well somebody told me that you had a boyfriend who looked like a girlfriend…”

“American glory faded before me” - her fall from the spotlight

“I saw the scoreboard and ran for my life” - hiding away from media and everyone

I like how she incorporates the “OKAY” school chant in the background of the chorus

This has a lot of “I Know Places” vibes, especially second verse

The switch in the bridge from “And I don’t want you to (Go), I don’t really wanna (Fight), ‘Cause nobody’s gonna (Win)” to “And I’ll never let you (Go), ‘Cause I know this is a (Fight),” That somebody we’re gonna (Win)”

Wish she’d held the the last note that she started before entering back into final chorus (it sounded like it was going to go on longer

8. Paper Rings

Makes me think of the happiness of “Stay, Stay, Stay” with a dash of “Holy Ground” energy

Easily one of my faves

Jack Antonoff counting us into the chorus, just love him

Just such fun, every lyric and beat

“I like shiny things but I’d marry you with paper rings” and “I hate accidents except when we went from friends to this” SO CUTE

“Honey, without all the exes, fights, and flaws, we wouldn’t be standing here so tall” - so mature and wonderful and she’s so happy now!

I love that she brings it up an octave starting at the bridge and into the final chorus

I can’t help but smile listening to this over and over again

Like, I want Lover as my wedding song and Paper Rings as a choreographed 20s swing dance with my future husband

9. Cornelia Street 

Hit me the second time more than the first, like wow I actually love this

“‘I rent a place on Cornelia Street,’ I say casually in the car” CUTEEEEE

“That’s the kinda heartbreak time could never mend, I’d never walk Cornelia Street again”

Second half of the chorus makes me think of Dress

“Windows swung right open, autumn air, jacket ‘round my shoulders is yours” - ALL TOO WELL callback

“Back when we were card sharks, playing games, I thought you were leading me one, I packed my bags, left Cornelia Street before you even knew I was gone” - makes me think of when she sings “If I had known what I know now, I never would have played so nonchalant” in Come Back, Be Here

“Barefoot in the kitchen” - makes me think of All Too Well “dancing in the refrigerator light”

I also think Cornelia Street doubles for love itself, like this is it for her, this is the one big love for her and there won’t be another so she wants to get it right and keep it safe

10. Death By A Thousand Cuts

Ignore the lyrics and you almost think it’s a happy song (classic Jack Antonoff Bleachers thing to do)

“I look through the windows of this love, even though we boarded them up, chandelier still flickering here” - brilliant

THE PIANOOOOOOOOOOOOO (very Bleachers ‘Wild Heart’ outro)

She goes from “We were a fresh page on the desk, filling in the blanks as we go” in Cornelia Street to “But if the story’s over, why am I still writing pages?” in Death By A Thousand Cuts, and that kills me

“My heart, my hips, my body, my love, Tryna find a part of me that you didn’t touch”

“Our songs, our films, united, we stand, our country, guess it was a lawless land”

“Why are my fears at the touch of your hands? Paper cut stains from my paper-thin plans” - some of the best lyrics on the album right there, IMO

“My time, my wine, my sprit, my trust, Tryna find a part of me you didn’t take up” - this destroyed me more than I thought it would because it was so unexpected and raw, especially the second half of the line, like she’s realizing that he took too much and it hurts but it wasn’t good to lose herself like that

11. London Boy

Is the voice talking in the beginning Idris Elba?

“They say home is where the heart is, But that’s not where mine lives” - she says the second half like a secret she’s sharing with us over wine

Gotta go back to London STAT

“Doesn’t have to be Louis V up on Bond Street” LOL fancy baller line

12. Soon You’ll Get Better

This and The Archer are the two songs I cried during, just gutted

“The buttons of my coat were tangled in my hair” - how we think of the mundane things when the worst things are happening to try and distract ourselves

“Holy orange bottles, each night, I pray to you” - I don’t know what to say

“…’Cause you have to”

I love that the Dixie Chicks are lightly assisting the chorus without taking the song away from Taylor and its focus

The bridge and pre-final-chorus have me crying the most and I don’t know what to do

This remind me a lot of Ronan mixed with Never Grow Up and Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide

13. False God

Sax is a bit like the sax in Bleachers’ Everybody Lost Somebody (not complaining at all)

“We were stupid to jump in the ocean separating us

I get Dress sexy vibes from this (“The altar is my hips”)

The feathery way she sings the second “this loooovee)

Reminds me of “So It Goes…”

14. You Need to Calm Down

Still a bop, and always will be a bop - just so fun

15. Afterglow

I like that she owns up to her mistakes and destructive tendency

Makes me think of the Lover lyric “And I’m highly suspicious that everyone who sees you wants you” and in the music video it’s her jealousy that leads to a fight

“Fighting with a true love is boxing with no gloves”

“I lived like an island, punished you in silence”

16. ME!

Lyrically and musically, exactly like what happened with Look What You Made Me Do and Reputation - almost like a red herring to put us off the sonic trail of her album until single 2 came out

17. It’s Nice To Have a Friend

We get a story again! I’ve missed story song! (think Mary’s Song and Everything Has Changed mixed together)

Lovely chill indie vibes

“Something gave you the nerve to touch my hand”

Love me some trumpet

“Church bells ring, carry me home” (like third verse of Mary’s Song)

“Rice on the ground looks like snow” - poetic cute

18. Daylight

“My love was a cruel as the cities I lived in, everyone looked worse in the light” - like Cruel Summer and Getaway Car and even Back to December, she wanted something and got it, only find it wasn’t what she wanted and she ended up hurting someone in the process

Chorus makes me think of You Are in Love floating synth

“I wounded the good and I trusted the wicked” (Back to December, Getaway Car, I Knew You Were Trouble)

“Clearing the air, I breathed in the smoke” harkens back to The Archer’s “The room is on fire, invisible smoke”

“Threw out our cloaks and our daggers because it’s morning now” - she no longer needs I Know Places, no fear or hiding

“I once believe love would be (Black and white) But it’s (Golden) […] I once believed love would be (Burning red) But it’s golden” - Burning red calls back to Red (duh!), Golden calls back to Dress “Made your mark on me, a golden tattoo”, End Game “It’s like your eyes are liquor, it’s like your body is gold”, So It Goes… “Gold cage, hostage to my feelings” and Dancing With Our Hands Tied “Deep blue, but you painted me golden”

“You gotta step into the daylight and let it go” - remind me of the poem The Trick to Holding On that she wrote for Vogue (“The trick to holding on Was all that letting go”)

The talking outro is very Jack Antonoff/Bleachers’ Strange Desire, cause he threads introspective talking throughout, especially when she says “I wanna be defined by the things that I love” and he sings “I wanna be grateful for the experiences that I’ve had” in You’re Still a Mystery

[jaeminlore]

friends to lovers!ten

prompt: how about a scenario in which the reader enters a convenience store, late night, wearing super fancy clothes and ten works in this store and they talk and sparks fly and there's a little bit of angst but lots of fluff?

okay well so this request immediately made me think of that ten gif where he is wearing those pajama pants nd the black sweater

y'all KNOW the one

i found it and added it ^^

but that outfit comes in a lot later in this scenario so we'll skip it for now

okay so the setting is prom

nd the most popular boy in school asked you so you bought this super fancy dress and wore your nicest heals and jewelry

you even wore fake eyelashes like you wanted to look n i c e

bc you're not very popular in school and you thought your senior year would've gone unnoticed by everyone

but the cutest (*´꒳`*) boy in school asked YOU out and so ofc you accepted

but :(((

unfortunately :(((

said cute boy had only asked you out as a bet

and . . . it hurt

bc you had your insecurities but you thought that for once someone had just seen you for you and had fallen in love w you

or at least liked you like you obv don't think someone has to love you in highschool

it'd be nice tho :'—(

anyway so when you find out (you had heard some girls whispering abt it in the stalls) you left as soon as you could

the popular dude had been your ride

so you called your mom and asked her to pick you up at the convinience store near the school

partly bc you didn't want to stay at that school any longer

but mostly bc you were craving some spicy noodles

you pull off your heels and walk over to the convenience store, smiling softly at the worker at the counter

he looked bored before you walked in, his chin resting on his palm

but when you came in he was all business like suddenly he was standing up straight w a charming smile

"hello i'm ten! let me know if you need any help!"

his eyes trail down your body and his eyebrows lift "oh! were you just at prom? did you have fun?"

you shook your head solemnly

"i went but . . . i didn't have much fun."

"oh" ten frowns before brightening up again "well you look pretty."

"thanks"

you feel a little flustered at his words, since he sounds so genuine

"um— i'm gonna buy noodles now,,,,,"

nd you probably scurry away from him as quick as you can bc you already feel humiliated

like the only thing left is to have a crush on the convenience store worker just bc he called you pretty

you snatch your favorite brand of noodles and go over to the lil station, pouring the boiling water into the bowl before heading back to the counter

you pay for the noodles, and when ten hands you back your change his fingers brush your palm and you're just

blushing aGAin

you plan to eat the noodles outside bc there's no way you're going to stay in the store

but ten kinda leans over and asks

"can i eat w you? my break is soon and since you’re the only customer . . . would it be okay?"

his cheeks are kinda pink as he asks, and his eyes are avoiding your gaze as he stares at a soda stain left on the counter

u rlly don't wanna say yes

bc you just want to be alone in your misery

but also ... he looks so nervous you rlly didn't have the heart to reject him

"sure. but let's eat outside."

suddenly he gets the bRiGhTeSt smile on his face!!!! and he's like just let me make some hot chocolate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you actually have no idea how lonely ten is

esp tonight bc he had to take a shift at the gas station while his school had prom

and of course he wanted to go bc prom is like the one time you can dance and no one makes fun of you for it

but his boss would not let him take his shift off so :(

and he doesn't think you know him bc the two of you are in completely different social groups

he is on the dance team and participates in musical theater

you are on the swim team and spend any other time in the library

ten knows you bc he thinks you're really cute :,,,,)

and he was going to ask you to prom

but

in the locker room after gym he overheard one of the popular boys talk abt bringing you and he knew he couldn't compete

so he never asked

fate must've intervened and brought you to him, so he took advantage of the situation and asked to eat with you

you're already eating when he arrives w his hot coco and a cup of noodles

it's an odd combination but you don't criticize it

"so, y/n, what brings you to my humble workplace?"

you narrow your eyes "you know me?"

"we go to the same school," ten answers, and he can see the obvious awkwardness in your eyes bc you genuinely don't recognize him "it's okay, we aren't friends or anything. i just know you bc you're on the swim team and my friend doyoung is the captain."

"ah! doyoung!" you say, thinking of your captain who always nags you to keep up your fitness regime. you wonder what he would say if he saw you with a sodium-packed cup of noodles

"he's annoying. nags too much."

ten laughs, and it's chirpy and bright and so wonderful that you find yourself leaning in to hear it more clearly

"he's always been like that," ten supplies, "he didn't even want mark or donghyuck to go to prom tonight bc he was afraid someone would spike the punch bowl"

"i think i saw that yuta kid pouring some tequila in it earlier."

the two of you compare nagging mom!doyoung stories before ten brings up the elephant in the room

"so why are you here, and not at prom?"

"oh. well I found out i was asked on a bet. something like who could bring the biggest loser as their prom date or something. i didn't stay around for the details."

ten is mad. you can't see it, bc he's rlly good at hiding his anger

but his jaw is clenched and his fists are going full arthur meme under the table

he just doesn't understand why someone would do that to anyone, let alone the person he liked the most in school

you don't even seem that bothered by it anymore, having gotten your noodles and disposed of your fake eyelashes and heels

(you save the eyelashes for another use tho obv those things are expensive)

and ten kinda has the urge to ask you to go to prom with him

it must have an hour left, and he could close up the store early (even if he would have to hear from his boss the next day)

but you could get the prom you wanted, and he could dance beside the prettiest girl in the room

"hey, y/n?"

you don't hear him, because a minivan is pulling into the parking lot, and you're already walking towards it. "I'll see you at school, ten! thanks for hanging out w me!"

"oh. no problem!" he gives you a wave and a halfhearted smile before turning around to clean everything up and return to his shift

he's very sad that he missed out on his opportunity w you

fast forward >>>>>>>>>>

two weeks later, and you're cramming for final exams while simultaniously training for the last swim meet of the year

and you're v v busy

but also you just want a break

and doyoung has had the whole team on a no carb diet bc he wants everyone to have suburb energy burned by vegetables alone

and all you're craving are some spicy noodles from the convienice store

you also kind of want to see ten again

ever since prom night you've noticed him around school and your heart gives a lil stir every time he sends you a smile or tiny wave

bc he's so cute :(

and you can't believe you haven't noticed him before :/

but at least you know him now :)

so anyway you decide to visit the store he works at in the hopes of gaining enough energy to be able to finish studying for your finals

you also rlly want ten to be there bc you highkey want to ask him on a date

bc he’s rlly cute and he was so kind to you that he just makes your heart go zoooooOOOoOoOOOoommmmmMMMMmm

so you go completely dressed down compared to last time 

like your hair isn't even brushed lololol

when you arrive,,, ten isn't there :(

instead it’s this old guy behind the counter and he kind of sneers at you before going back to watching the lq tv in the corner

although it sucks that ten isn't there, you go to the back to find the same instant noodles you found last time

and low and behold!!!!

i bet you guys cant guess what happens next bc this is so unpredictable ;)

ten is there!!!

this is where the gif comes in bc he’s dressed in his pajamas too with an oversized sweater and messy hair that brushes over his eyes and U DNjkzwbfjdjfbbfjewbfe you gET it

“ten?”

he jerks around from looking at a packaged cheese danish (you KNOW he would don't argue w me!)

“y/n?” his smile grOWS “what’re you doing here?”

you shrug “i came for snacks..... and maybe you”

“me??” and ten is blushing !!! bc his crush is looking for him!!!! 

“well.... you found me”

“yeah...” you don't really know what to do next, so you just hold up the cup of noodles,, “do you wanna ... idk ... eat w me?”

a cheeky smile appears on ten’s face and he just kind of asks,,, “is this a date, y/n?”

“idk do you want it to be?”

“tbh yeah”

“yay bc me too”

yall are just two cuties who like eating together outside of the convenience store

nd when you have your swim meet ten is the loudest cheerer in the crowd

when your team wins he runs up and kisses you in front of everyone!!!! bc he’s extra!!!! nd doyoung chides him for it bc you have to go get your award but ten doesn't care!!!!

anyway yeah that's friends to lovers ten

:’)

the end

[bazypitchandsimonsnow]

Snowy Day (Children Part 4)

Rating: T

Genre: Fluff

Word count: 3509

Summary: A snow day in for the Snow-Pitch family.

Read on AO3

Baz

The relentless banging in my bedroom window is what wakes me up. For a terrifying second, I think Tasha has somehow gotten outside and locked herself out. But as I slowly open my eyes, I see it’s a flurry of snow pounding against the glass. There’s so much I can barely see any other buildings.

I shake Snow (my Snow) lightly. He groans and rolls over to face me. He looks adorable in all his bed head, stubble faced glory.

“What?” he grumbles.

“There’s a snowstorm, love. A big one. Just look.”

He moans overdramatically, making a show of rolling over again. He leans up on one elbow. “Huh. Look at that. A bloody blizzard. Think the roads will be closed?”

“Knowing London? Certainly.”

“Mm.” He flops back down and pulls our duvet up to our shoulders. “Then we don’t have to go to work. Stay here forever.”

“Very true.” An idea pops into my head. I grin evilly as I snake my arm across Snow’s chest. “Which means, we have time to do this.”

I press my lips just under his bristly jaw. His breath hitches, muscles tensing up. “Baz,” he says like a warning, but his voice is already shaky. “Tasha is probably already awake. And she always bursts in here-”

“She’s not up yet,” I mumble as I trail kisses down his freckled and mole covered neck. He lets out a quiet moan. Crowley, I’ve missed this. Our sex life has thoroughly decreased in the past three and a half years. Between general life stress and specific Tasha related stress, we haven't been in the mood a lot. With no work to go to now, I plan to change that.

My hand slowly trails down across his warm stomach. Simon’s breathing increases with it, becoming more shallow and laboured. When I push past his boxer waistband, he groans and arches his lower half against me, punching the air right of my lungs. He reaches back to tangle his hand in my hair, pulling on it slightly. I moan myself and push my mouth more forcefully against his skin. Snow moves his hips in a slow circle. For the first time in quite awhile, it's slow and focused, not quick and frantic. And fuck, is it good. Fuck, fuck, fu-

“Daddy! Papa!”

The door bangs open. I don't think I've ever been so quickly turned off in my entire life. I let out a little yelp as my hand shoots out of Simon's pants. He squeaks and lets go of my hair, allowing me to shove myself backwards. Tasha jumps up on our bed. I roll over, propping myself up on my elbows, to see her kneeling over us, looking at us curiously with her hazel eyes through her curly black hair.

“Morning, little puff,” I say, voice still a bit horse.

“What were you and Daddy doing?”

Snow inhales so sharply he coughs. I grip the sheet in panic. “Uh, Daddy and I were just...hugging. Because we love each other very much.”

Simon snickers, and I promptly kick his shin under the sheets. She looks curious for another second, but quickly beams. “Okay. Did you see outside?! Iss snowing lots and lots!”

“Yes, we did, love,” Simon says.

“Are we gonna have a snow day?”

“We just might. We'll have to check the news though.”

“Okay! Can we have pancakes for breakfast?”

I look at Snow. He shrugs up to his ears. “I don’t see why not.”

Tasha jumps up, bouncing on our mattress. I can’t help but laugh (she’s too cute.) “Yay yay yay!”

“Go wait in the kitchen, love,” Snow says between his own giggles. “Papa and I will be there in a minute.”

“Okay!” She jumps down and scrambles off the bed, dashing off towards the kitchen. She’s not as hyper as Gil was at her age. But she gets close sometimes.

I flop down and groan, running hand over my face. “Merlin and Morgana, we're never going to have sex again, are we?”

“Nope,” Simon sighs heavily. He pats my shoulder. “C’mon, lover boy, get up. Pancake time. I’ll make the batter, you and Tasha can cook them.”

I roll onto my side and pull the duvet over my head. “Five more minutes.”

“Oh no. If I have to get up, so do you.” He pulls the blanket down hard all the way to my hips, making me shiver.

“You arsehole.”

“Language, Basilton. There’s a child in the house.” He swings his legs over the side, stretching out his bare tawny skinned, freckled back. Crowley, I want to push him back onto this bed and never let him up again. He looks over his shoulder, smirking devilishly. “Like what you see?”

“Of course."

“Mm. Good to know.”

He lowers his head down, hovering his lips just over mine. I tilt up to close the distance. We’re almost there, just a breath away from each other. One millimeter more...

“Daddy! Papa! Hurry up!” Tasha yells.

We both sigh, chuckling under our breaths with our foreheads together. “The queen calls,” I whisper.

“Yeah, I hear her.” He gives me one fleeting peck and hauls me up by my wrist. “C’mon, pancake time.”

“Alright, now let’s pour the batter slowly.” I carefully tilt the ladle, Tasha’s hand wrapped around my wrist. She holds it in place until all the white liquid spreads out on the pan. When it’s all gone, she tugs for me to tilt it back up. I turn to her with a grin.

“Very good job, love,” I say. She gives me a wide, toothy, three year old grin.

We end up making quite the stack of pancakes, far more than we should need. But considering Snow’s appetite they’re necessary. I put one on Tasha’s plate, cut it up, and dribble maple syrup on them.

“More,” she says flatly.

I give her a pointed look. “What’s the magic word?”

She groans in a way that’s eerily close to Snow. “More, please?”

“That’s better.”

I drench the fluffy chunks and Tasha giggles happily. Snow walks in, freshly shaven and hair still damp from the shower. He goes wide eyed at the stack of flapjacks.

“Wow, you two made a lot,” he says with a smile.

“You did make a lot of batter for us.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t expect you to use it all.”

I quirk an eyebrow. “You don’t seem that upset.”

He shrugs as usual. “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”

He takes his typical place at our dining room table, kissing Tasha’s head and my cheek as is routine. Then he takes three pancakes (of course.)

“So,” he says with his mouth full (adulthood hasn’t improved his manners), “London roads are officially closed today. We can call into work but I doubt our bosses will make us come in.”

“I hope not,” I reply. “I for one am not driving out there.”

“Me neither, love.”

“Snow day?” Tasha says cheerily through a mash of pancakes and syrup.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full, darling,” Snow chides kindly. “But yes, snow day.”

I chuckle as I cut off another piece. “Snow day for the Snow-Pitches. How poetic.”

“And then, the big dragon swoops in to get the princess! Roar!” Snow makes Tasha’s dragon plushie soar through the air. Tasha shrieks and giggles. He’s always good at this, making a big show for her. She loves Snow’s grand adventures created with all her toys. He lowers the dragon to fake attack her. She rolls on her back, fake batting the dragon away. After watching some telly, we’ve been keeping her occupied for hours through the storm.

“Papa, save me!” She giggles.

“Sorry, love, even I can’t defeat a dragon,” I say calmly from my place on the couch. Snow gives me a knowing look.

Tasha scrambles away from Snow towards me. She laughs wildly as she buries her face in my side. Simon’s dragon menace goes after both of us.

“No,” Tasha yells. “He gonna get both of us, Papa!”

“I’ll protect you!” I throw an arm over her and lightly shove at Snow. He puts a hand to his chest, falling down overdramatically.

“The dragon is too weak to go on,” Snow chokes out. He “dies” dramatically, spread out on the floor in starfish with his tongue hanging out.

Tasha hugs me tightly with her little arms. “You can defeat a dragon.”

“It seems I can. Especially for my little girl.”

She giggles and plants a wet kiss on my cheek. Even at three years old, Tasha is incredibly affectionate. It’s one of her best qualities, in my opinion. As someone who had to figure out how to show affection later in life, I admire her innate ability to do so greatly. She crawls up the couch and looks out the window over my head.

“Iss not snowing anymore,” she says. “Can we go play?”

Snow and I look at each other. “I don’t see why not,” he replies with a shrug.

I put down my book and stand up triumphantly. I take Tasha’s little hand. “C’mon, little puff, the snow awaits.”

Getting Tasha into her snowsuit is always a production, to say the least. It’s bad enough trying to fit her thick mess of black curls under her tiny hood, but she always insists she doesn’t need her boots or mittens.

“You need to wear the mittens or you’ll get cold, love,” Snow grumbles.

“But Papa’s always cold and he’s fine!” she whines.

“That’s very different.”

After many minutes of arguing, we finally get her properly dressed and step out into our building’s small courtyard. Everything’s covered blindingly white snow. The trees, the bushes, everything. It sparkles in the sunlight. Tasha lets go of our hands and runs into it. The powder flies up under her boots, and she flops down on her back.

“I making snow angels!”

Simon runs forward and falls next to her. I stand over them, hands on my hips.

“The Snows making snow angels,” I muse. “How cute.”

“Well, you’re a Snow too. Get your butt down here.”

“Yeah!” Tasha yells. “Get your butt here!”

“This is a wool coat, love. I’m not getting it soaked.”

An evil grin splits across his beautiful face. I back away slowly. “Snow, don-” Quick as lightning, he grabs my wrist and yanks me down, sending me tumbling onto the snow covered ground.

“You are the worst,” I growl.

“And yet you married me,” he says with a smug sing song.

“I’ve been known for making poor life choices.”

“Jerk.”

Tasha tugs on Snow’s coat sleeve. “Daddy Daddy, I wanna make snowballs.”

Snow sits up, legs spread out in a v. He gathers some snow in his mitten covered hands and attempts to squish it into a ball. But bits keeps falling off.

He grumbles, frowning adorably. “Should be compacting better.”

“This is fresh powder. It isn’t wet enough,” I say. “It won’t stick. Sorry, darlings.”

Snow grunts. “Well that sucks. But, I can still do this!” He throws a handful of snow right in my face. I bolt up, spluttering with cold powder coming out of my mouth. Simon and Tasha howl with laughter. Snow clutches his stomach, wildly kicking his feet similar to an excited child. Well, actually exactly like our excited child, doing the same next to him.

“Oh,” I chuckle, “it’s on, Snow.”

I toss my own handful at him. This sets off an all out war. Snow flies everywhere, a practical shower of flakes covers all of us. Tasha takes Snow’s side. She jumps on my chest and drops a handful right on my face.

“Betrayed by my blood!” I shout overdramatically.

Snow barks out a laugh. “Oh, if only Penny was here. She’d have so much to say.”

I throw more snow at him. “Shut up.”

Our snow battle rages on. After totally soaking my coat and hair, we attempt to make a snow fort. But that’s quickly abandoned by Tasha in favour of just running and throwing snow in the air. She looks so happy. It’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.

“Dishes all done,” Simon sighs, sitting next to me on the sofa,

I throw an arm around him. “I could’ve helped y’know.”

“You made dinner, I do the dishes, it’s only fair. Besides, someone needs to watch the munchkin.”

The sky is dark, the only light coming from our dim lamp. Tasha sits on the floor, playing with her dolls and action figures. She’s adorable as always, snow damp hair hanging around her head like a curtain. Sometimes I really do wonder how I ended up here. Not dead or banished for my vampirism, but with a husband and daughter I love more than anything. Maybe the universe isn’t so cruel after all.

“I had fun today,” I sigh quietly.

Simon hums happily. “Me too. Though I totally won the snowfight.”

“You had help.”

“Like a three year old is sufficient backup.”

“Hm, says the man who had it.

The storm whips up again, sending a flurry of snow against the window. Snow cranes his neck back.

“Wow, there it goes again,” I mutter

“Yup. It’s frightful out there.”

An idea enters my head. Being with Snow for over ten years has made me more prone to impulsive decisions. I discreetly queue it up on my phone. I pick up my wand from the coffee table and point it at the speaker and say, “play it, Sam.” The system turns on. It’s already connected to my mobile. The soft, simple melody rings through the room. Michael Buble’s smooth voice starts to sing.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. And since we've no place to go, let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

“Oh my god,” Snow groans, “are you serious?”

“What? It’s appropriate.”

He pushes his warm nose into the crook of my chilly neck. “Cheesy bastard.”

“Oh you want cheesy? I can do far more cheesy.” I bolt up from the sofa, tugging his wrist up to follow. He yelps and stumbles right into my arms. We stand pressed together, arms out, my other hand on his lower back, similar to the Leavers Ball all those years ago.

“When we finally kiss goodnight,” I sing as I dance him around the room. “How I'll hate going out in the storm! But if you'll really hold me tight, all the way home I'll be warm.”

He throws his head back laughing, and it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Snow takes over lead, spinning us and waving our joined hands up and down. His voice is slightly off key but still gorgeous. “The fire is slowly dying, and, my dear, we're still goodbying. As long as you love me so, let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!”

I feel a tug on my leg, and look down to see Tasha grinning and jumping with her arms up. “Dance too, dance too!”

Letting go of Snow, I scoop her up onto my hip. Snow holds her back, his other arm around mine. We swing and shake to the beat in our own little circle. Tasha squeals and laughs wildly, black curls bouncing with every happy sound. Simon and I sing along between our own giggles. And I think this is what joy really is.

The song ends, and we all flop down on the sofa still laughing. Snow and I hug Tasha between us.

“Papa can sing!” She yells.

That sends Simon into more loud howls. “Yes, Papa can sing. He should do it more often.”

“Fat chance, Snow. One song a year, that’s all you get.”

“Aw, so cruel.”

Tasha wriggles out of our arms and starts spinning. “Let snow, let snow!” She yells.

Snow chuckles, leaning his head onto my shoulder. I tilt my head back against the back of the couch. I close my eyes and take a slow, happy breath. That was joy, and this is just contentment. Simple, easy, comfortable contentment.

“Papa! I gots your stick!”

Contentment is immediately replaced with terror.

My head snaps up, as does Snow’s. Tasha jumps around waving my wand. Oh shit, oh shit! Simon leans forward.

“Tasha,” he says slowly, “please put that down. That’s Papa’s and it’s very important that you-”

“I make music!” She swings it like a conductor’s baton. “Let snow, let snow!”

I freeze. I recognize that tone of voice. And from Snow’s expression of utter shock, I know he does too. Something cold hits my skin. Then again, and again.

“Baz, look,” Simon whispers.

I do. Impossibly, falling from our flat ceiling is a light dusting of snow. I chuckle quietly. “Merlin, Morgana, and Circe.”

“She has magic. Our daughter is a mage.”

“Holy shit.”

Snow elbows my side. “Language!” He tries to be serious, but he can’t help but laugh. I don’t blame him. I can’t stop smiling either.

Tasha jumps up and down. “Daddy iss snowing inside!”

He stands up and scoops her into his arms, peppering her little cheek with kisses. “Yes, it is, darling. It certainly is.”

I stand in the doorway of Tasha’s room. After playing in her created snow for a an hour, she collapsed in exhaustion. (It has been a long day for her.) Now she sleeps soundly, curled up in her little yellow onesie, clutching her plush dragon. Even after three and a half years, I still can’t get enough of staring at her. My girl. A mage.

“Hey,” Snow whispers, wrapping his arms around me from behind, his chin resting on my shoulder.

“Hey.”

“Merlin, she's out cold. Think using magic for the first time drained her?”

I shrug. “Maybe. Or we just tired her out. Having a snow fight will do that.”

He pushes his nose under my jaw, lips just hovering over my skin. “But y'know, I'm not that tired. Want to pick up where we left off this morning?”

My face breaks out in a grin. I grab his hand and tug him towards our room. “Gladly.”

Snow and I lay in our bed, sweaty and smiling. The snow storm still rages outside, banging on our window. But I hardly care or notice. My brain is still going off like a fireworks display.

“That was nice,” Simon sighs.

I scoff with no menace. “Understatement of the century.”

“Oh, well, I’ll certainly take that compliment.”

I kick his foot. “Don’t let it go to your head, Snow.”

He throws his arm over my chest, snuggling against my body. “Too late.”

I sigh, still frowning a bit as I hold him tight. We sit in silence for awhile. All I focus on is his steady breathing and the wind howling outside. I love these moments. Simple silence and calm. It makes me happy, and more importantly now, brave enough to talk about tough subjects.

“Y’know,” I whisper, “I really would’ve been okay if she wasn’t a mage.”

Simon sighs, hot breath clashing against my cool skin. “I know, Baz. I know you would’ve been totally okay with a Normal kid. But turns out we have a magick one, which I’m okay with. She’s a mage, which is great. She’ll-she’ll be a fucking great mage. And we’ll teach her. Both of us.”

I sigh myself, all the worry in my body escaping with one breath. “Yes, we will. But do you know what this means?”

“That you’ll need to hide your wand better so Tasha won’t accidentally summon a hurricane?”

I pinch his side. “Shut up, no. It means, I was right. You were a real mage. You were never a fraud, Simon. Your magic was all your own.”

He looks up, blue eyes wide and still slightly swollen lips hanging open. I stroke his bronze hair and smile down at him. After fifteen years, I never get tired of looking at him either. He kisses me, fast but passionate. Soon, he breaks away, panting slightly.

“Yeah,” he chuckles out. “I guess you were.”

“You should listen to me more often.”

“Oh shut up.” He bends over the bed and tosses my shirt and sleep trousers at my face. Once we’re both fully dressed, Snow lays his head on my chest like always. We don’t speak anymore, letting sleep take over our bodies after a long day of fun.

“Daddy?”

We lift our heads up. Tasha stands at our door, clutching her stuffie.

“Hey, love,” Simon whispers. “What’s wrong?”

“Had a bad dream. Can I sleep here?”

“Of course. C’mere.”

Tasha crawls up into our and over me, settling in between us. I look over her, pushing some raven hair away from her cheek. Snow rubs her back up and down. She quickly falls asleep, her soft breathing audible in the quiet, clam room.

“Hey Baz?” Snow says.

“Yes, darling?”

“I think we should have another kid.”

My heart swells, beating faster than I thought possible. I reach over and hold his hand, gripping it firmly.

“Me too.”

AN; Alright this isn't my favourite/best piece of writing but it's cute. I love to imagine Baz dancing Simon around the room. Tomorrow: letters to Santa!

[ronyxfic]

Educating the Victim - Act V, Chapter XXVIII

Pairing: Pearl/Amethyst, Yellow Pearl/Yellow Zircon, Yellow Pearl/Yellow Diamond (mentioned)

Rating: Mature

Warnings/Tags: none for this chapter!

Read it on AO3!

Educating the Victim Masterpost

(Previous chapter) (Next chapter)

CHAPTER 28: Moving on

Introspection sometimes cut through her fears like a samurai sword, and that evening, Pearl found herself with the courage to finally send Amethyst a message.

‘Hey. I'm really sorry. Could we maybe please talk? Even if all you do is tell me how much you hate me. I just want some closure.’

   Amethyst, having returned from the meeting, looked at her phone.

Frowned.

After about half an hour of careful deliberation, she finally texted back.

‘Fine.’

The fact that she was using capital letters and punctuation should probably serve to show Pearl that she was taking this Seriously, with a capital S.

‘Wanna meet up somewhere? idk. A cafe or something.’

She sighed.

‘And I don’t hate you.’

 ‘Isn't it late?’ Pearl frowned, ‘nowhere is going to be open. We could call.’

Knowing she wasn't hated was fairly relieving.

  ‘i was more thinking like tomorrow or something’

‘dunno if i wanna call’

  ‘that's alright.’

It wasn't. She sighed and tried to swipe away the messenger bubble. She noticed an earlier conversation she'd had with Sapphire.

‘so, uh. There's a rave tonight. I'm kind of grounded but might try and sneak out.’

 Amy frowned.

On impulse, pressed the call button.

 Oh.

Pearl picked up. "Hey." She said, nervous. "I'm sorry."

 “Nah man, forget about it. Did you say rave? I was talking to Ruby earlier and she told me about one – this wouldn’t happen to be the same one?”

 "Down by the junkyard? I'm not too sure how safe it is but Sapphire wouldn't invite me out to something dangerous."

 “Oh, man, so we are talking about the same thing!” Amy grinned. “I saw Sapphire texting but I didn’t realise she was talking to you. I wasn’t gonna go, got no one to go with. Well, until now. You down?”

 Pearl then frowned.

"Um. What are you doing with... them?"

 Amethyst cocked her head.

Oh yeah, Pearl didn’t know.

“We were just hanging with your ex,” she said casually, “nothing you need to worry about.”

 "Um!" Pearl was flabbergasted. "UM!"

 “Dude, chill, I’ll tell ya about it later. Though, ya know, ratting her out to Diamond? Not cool. Anyway. Whatever. Do you wanna-“ Wait, inviting Pearl over was probably not a great idea. “Uh, I could come to yours? Or we could just meet there?”

 "Meeting there. Parents aren't letting me have anyone over."

 “Ok, sure. Uh. When?”

 "Hang on. Need to ask Sapphire when it starts."

 Amethyst laughed. “No you don’t,” she said. “It starts at eleven. I talked to them, remember? Ruby told me everything. She’s gonna be there too.” She then realised her mistake. “I mean they.”

 Pearl paused.

Oh.

She felt envy. Upset. Amy wasn't meant to know them.

"I'll see you there at eleven. "

 “Cool! See you soon then,” Amy said, and waited for Pearl to hang up.

 Her voice betrayed her heartbreak. "Can't wait!" She promptly dropped the call.

 "Amy!" Aurora called out. "I'm going out!"

 Amy instantly jumped up. “Yo, where are you off to?” she said. “I didn’t realise you had plans.”

 "Um, I forgot to mention." Aurora looked awkward. "I set up a tinder account. I have a date."

   “Oh man, that’s so cool! Incidentally,” Amethyst nodded at her phone, “so do I. I’m going to the rave Ruby was talking about, and Pearl’s gonna join me there.” She grinned at Aurora.

 "Oh!" Aurora seemed surprised. "You're friends again?"

 “As of like five seconds ago, I guess,” Amethyst said. “So who’s your date?”

 "She's really cute. Rich, too. A lawyer. She's from out of town, but look." Aurora swiped up a profile and passed her phone to Amy for a look.

   “Aw! Cute. Not as cute as Pearl, though.” Amy grinned at Aurora. “Anyway, yeah, I’m going to the rave. I guess you can’t drive, but I can take the bus. You have fun, yeah?”

 "You... take care of her, okay? Don't get too drunk and just lemme know if you're going to crash somewhere. Even if it's a very drunk call, lemme know you're safe."

 “Will do, mum.” Amy grinned and came in for a hug. “You stay safe too, yeah? Don’t let lawyer girl kidnap you. She’d win the court case for that, probably.”

 "Oh, she might. I'll try and not let her steal my heart." Aurora winked. "There's lamb chops in the fridge to heat up when you get back."

 “Thank you!” Amy waved. “I’ll go back to my room, I need to find a cute outfit.”

 Aurora watched her leave and finally allowed her face to drop. An odd pang of envy sent ripples of upset through her. She shrugged it off.

She had a date. They'd arranged to meet up at a conveyor belt sushi bar that was open until late. She was ready to try and move on for tonight. Amethyst had been right. Everyone seemed to be enjoying some form of romantic love in her life and she was tired of lagging behind over her loss of Marigold.

Adorned with her usual pretty yellow evening dress, she pulled up at the location they'd agreed on.

 Zaira Giallo was already there; she’d only ever been late for anything once, and that had been a complete embarrassment.

(She was fairly sure everyone else involved had long forgotten about it.)

She was intrigued by this girl she’d managed to find online. Several years younger than her, but Aurora didn’t seem to mind that in the slightest.

She caught Aurora’s eye and waved her over. Eyes wandering over the flattering yellow dress she was wearing.

“Good evening,” she said when Aurora was close. She leant in to kiss Aurora’s cheek. “A nice location. Sushi isn’t usually my fancy, but it’s always nice to try something different.” Her English was accented, but otherwise perfect.

   Aurora blushed, not quite expecting the contact, but heavily appreciating it all the same. "This place is pretty good, they do a lot more than just the fish, so it's not that bad. What do you usually enjoy?"

 Zaira smiled as they settled down. “Well, I’m from Italy,” she said, “I have high standards. This country...” She grimaced. “Well, let’s just say, it could do better in many ways. How has your day been?”

 "Oh yes, you mentioned it on your profile. What brings you here?" Aurora smiled. "I've had a... busy day. Had to meet up with a friend since she's been suspended from work."

 “My boss is here investigating something,” Zaira said. “I can’t disclose details, but it’s an odd little case, and she’s called me here to help her sort out things. I won’t be staying for long,” she added, “so I do hope you’re not looking for anything permanent. I don’t do long distance.”

 "Just some fun from a pretty older woman. I'd appreciate a distraction and," she pressed a soft, seductive stroke against Zaira's hand. "I'll try my best to help you have a good time."

 Zaira frowned, displeased. “I am really not that old,” she said, “and if you insist on making me feel like I am, I might just leave.”

 Aurora could only apologise. "Sorry; I didn't mean for it to come out like that. Wanna order drinks?"

 “It’s forgiven.” The smile was back. She held on to Aurora’s hand before Aurora could pull it away. “Of course. They actually have some decent wines. What will you have?”

 "Oh, I'm feeling just the cider for now. That might change if something else catches my eye, though."

 Zaira nodded, then waved the waiter over to order their drinks.

When he was gone, she turned to Aurora again.

“So, tell me a little about yourself, Aurora Jaune,” she said.

 "Well, I'm not very special. I'm local from here. A personal assistant and secretary for now but I'm planning to go to university soon." She looked a little mournful for a second. "If there's anything interesting is that my high school sweetheart was the headteacher."

 “Gosh, you’re so young. But that sounds exciting. What was your headteacher like?”

 "Tall. Loud." Beautiful. "Annoying. It wasn't a good time, but hey. Kept me close to my sister for a while."

 Zaira frowned mildly. “How so?”

 "I graduated high school five years ago. I could have gone to university then, but I didn't trust my parents to look after my sister. I raised her, you see." She looked a little distracted for a second. "We had a decent relationship for that time until last summer."

 “Sounds like quite a ride,” Zaira said. “Tell me about your sister, then.”

 "She's unfortunately rather vulnerable. Gave me this number on my nose." She laughed, unable to really be bitter about it anymore. "A fighter. The thing was that I was really a permanent part of her life until my boss started to chip into more and more of my personal life."

 “Hmm. I don’t have any brothers or sisters, or children, so I wouldn’t know what that’s like. Almost all my life is work, which is how I like it.” A small, slightly cheeky smile played around her lips; almost like she had made a joke that Aurora wasn’t in on.

 "Oh, yes!" Aurora blushed a little. It felt like she was somehow being made fun of.  She wasn't going to let it make her feel defeated, however. "Your job does sound incredibly exciting. I must admit it was one of the things that drew me to you. Tell me about it."

 “Oh, being a lawyer is really not all that exciting. Unless you’re very good. Like me,” she smirked. “I got hired by someone rich. So I get to do their court cases. Have been for several years. And it’s Italy, so yes, occasionally, the Mafia is involved.” She winked.

 "Oh my god." Aurora gasped. "Now that is exciting. Though, I take it that disclosure agreements mean that you can't tell me much."

 “You have the right idea, bella.” The way she said it was sincere, a little arrogant, but didn’t cross the line to condescending yet. “I’m sure there’s things about your job that you wouldn’t be able to tell me about. So let’s not talk about jobs, hm? What is it you like to do in your spare time?”

 "Now that I have a little more time to myself, I've been getting more enthusiastic at reviving some of my old video games in my spare time. I also spend way too much time watching makeup tutorials on the Internet." Aurora laughed, awkward. But unashamed in her earnest glance. "What do you do?"

 Zaira smiled. Aurora was cute.

“I don’t get much free time, and I tend to spend a significant amount of it trying to find someone to spend it with,” she said, nodding at Aurora. “But when I do have time, I like roleplay. Any kind – Dungeons and Dragons, online, or … sexual.” She deliberately held Aurora’s eyes.

 Aurora bit her lip, eagerly. "Oh, that's exciting. My twin was always into that, so I was kept up to date. Never really tried it, but I could be persuaded to try anything." She rubbed her own wrist. Her dates had never been this forward. This open.

She liked it.

 Zaira’s smile widened. Her gaze going from calculating to seductive in a heartbeat.

“Well, if you’re up for it, you could come back to my hotel after we’re done here,” she said.

As if on cue, their waiter brought their drinks. “Would you like to order any food?”

 "It would be a pleasure." She winked back and then paused, picking up her cider. "Hmm... I'll start off with just salmon sashimi."

 Zaira shot her a look and then looked at the waiter. “I’ll have whatever she’s having.”

Displaying an air of confidence even though she really did not know her way around sushi.

 "Tell me, then," Aurora said, sipping as they were left alone. "What's the main appeal in role play for you?"

   Zaira took her time answering, taking a long and calculated sip of her wine.

Not too bad.

She then smiled at Aurora again. “Should I be honest with you?”

 "I won't run, I swear." Aurora was charmed by that mysterious smile.

 Zaira could tell. She chuckled. “Okay then,” she said. “Well, my job… excites me. More than it should. I like the power it gives me over people, the legal means to… interrogate. I like to imagine that power in different settings… what I would do to them if I was given the chance… but I like how controlled it is. I’m held back only by the law, or, in roleplaying scenarios, by my own moral code… and yet that is the strongest force there is. That balance – between being in power and being controlled… well, I’m sure you know how it is.” She gave a soft little giggle. “Even in non-sexual settings, I always play a lawyer. Or judge. Somebody who has power, but only as far as the law allows. It excites me.”

 Aurora was somewhat aflush by the time Zaira was finished, watching her with net typical adoring intensity she'd only shared with Marigold in prior.

"My goodness," she finally replied. "That really is something. Is the fact that you're getting off to it something you can hold a keen poker face to? Or have you ever been accused of enjoying proceedings a bit too much?”

 “No, no. Please, Aurora, I’m a professional.” Zaira laughed. “The only people who ever know about this are my sexual partners. Who I tend to keep strictly separate from my work. Hence the dating app.”

 "I figured it was worth asking." Aurora giggled. It had been a dumb question. "It's clever, though."

 “It’s just the way I am.” Zaira shrugged, still smiling. “So, what do you like? What… excites you? I can tell you’re into women who are a little older than you. Anything else?”

 "I suppose I'm drawn to an imbalance of power. But I'd like to explore it with a fair bit of control. I feel that regardless of the amount of self empowerment I feel, I'm naturally fairly submissive and enjoy being led around."

 “Oh, I feel we are going to get along splendidly,” Zaira said.

Their food hadn’t even arrived yet and Zaira was getting impatient, ready to leave. Aurora seemed like the perfect girl for a one-off thing, just casual play, nothing serious. And the way she took Zaira’s interest…

It was all so exciting.

 Aurora noticed the slight fidget and lightly smiled. She'd found the same impatience in Amy.

Once the slices of fresh sashimi arrived, adorned prettily with vegetables, Aurora broke apart her chopsticks. "I take it you would like to head back to yours fairly soon?"

 “Please. Though I won’t hold it against you if you want to eat your fill. If the evening goes as planned, you’ll need your energy later.” She winked before digging into hers as well.

She was a little clumsy with the chopsticks, but managed.

“Oh, this is really good. Maybe I should have sushi more often,” she said after having a few bites.

 "Oh," Aurora flushed and dug in, spreading some wasabi paste over the pink fish and then letting it soak in a tiny dish of soy sauce. "I like it the best when it's so salty I can't feel my face. My twin likes hers completely on it's own and thinks I'm utterly mad."

 “Hmm.” Zaira hadn’t tried the condiments yet. “The wasabi is spicy, right?” She picked up a tiny bit with her chopsticks and laughed. “White people spicy,” she commented before spreading some of it on her sushi, copying Aurora. “I have to say I probably agree with you. It’s a little dry on its own.”

 "It's just the right amount of controlled spice for me, I feel." Aurora beamed, licking her lips and picking up a bowl of edamame beans off of the conveyor belt.

 “You do seem to like controlled spice, hm?” Zaira chuckled. Watched Aurora pick up beans off the belt and let her eyes wander along. “Anything on there you’d particularly recommend?”

 "The wafu salad here is pretty excellent." She smiled. "And the gyoza - that's the veggie ones passing us by on the purple plate."

 Zaira picked up one of each. She started with the salad.

“Unusual,” she commented, “but I like it.”

 "It's the weird seaweed crunch that gets me every time. " Aurora watched, finding a selection of tuna and vegetables.

 Zaira nodded, concentrating on eating. Maybe if she ate fast (which she knew how to do; five-minute lunch breaks were a regular occurrence for her) they’d get to the actual interesting part of the evening more quickly.

 Aurora finished her food and ordered another cider. It would be her last but she already felt more drunk than she had been in a while. "I'm just going to head to the bathroom," she said, flushed. "I'll be right back."

 “Okay,” Zaira said. In the time Aurora was gone, she topped up her makeup a little and fixed her hijab. Which, hopefully, she would not be wearing for much longer.

She also took the opportunity to pay the bill for both of them, not even giving Aurora the the chance to protest. By the time Aurora got back, they’d be ready to leave.

 Aurora made it to the bathroom and ran her hands under the water. She neatened her fringe and spritzed on a new wiff of perfume. She'd even shaved down there. Shaved.

In her many years of physical and sexual services to Marigold, most of her expectations were more behavioral. Marigold had never mentioned her hair. Nor her body in any way that wasn't calling it beautiful.

Why did she even care? Her date hadn't expressed anything about her appearance and yet...

And yet she found herself under pressure. She had standards. She needed to meet them and prayed she'd done enough to not disgust Zaira.

She sighed and walked back, a pleasant smile on her face. "Oh! Is that the bill?"

 “All paid. You ready to go?” Apparently Zaira hadn’t been the only one to neaten herself up. Excitement boiled in her belly. It was so rare to find someone she could do this with – she only hoped Aurora wouldn’t wimp out later on.

 "Oh, would you like me to pay you back at all?" Aurora asked, grabbing her jacket. "I'm all set."

 “Oh, please don’t worry about it. I’m sure you’re doing well, but I probably still earn significantly more than you. Shall we?” She slid out of her seat and held her hand out for Aurora. “We could take a taxi, or we could walk. It’s not very far.”

 "I'm quite tipsy," Aurora gently took that hand, cheeks indeed rosy. "Maybe a taxi would be a good idea."

> Insert 7

> Act V, Chapter XXIX