#like yes if pink diamond were a man she would still be criticized for what she did

[oceanwithouthermoon]

"i dont hate this female character, i just have a nuanced take on her" and the nuanced take is comically stereotypical misogyny

[psalacanthea]

WiP Wednesday

its tabletop night, so here, have this. I need to stop looking at it tho, must purge the durgetash brainrot for the night so I can try to murder my players effectively.

A little bit of my Durge Belladonna being a weird freak at Gortash, more of which can be found here on my AO3!

"Is she still alive, my dear Belladonna?”

Belladonna blinked, tilting her head to stare down at Enver.  He took the wine back from her hand, their fingers brushing.  Reflexively her hand withdrew the instant they touched.  Her attention drifted back to Lady Janneth, still lying sprawled on the bed, under the blanket.  Oh, he thought she’d–

“Why would I kill your toys?” she asked, attention drawn back to him as he sipped the wine.  Ugh, the hair.  Her eyes kept being drawn back, obsessively.  “It’s only a sleep spell.”

“Why would you follow me to my lover’s home, watch me bed her, and then sneak into the still-occupied bed to read her diary?  Every conclusion a sane man would draw from your actions would offend you deeply.”

“Then don’t say it,” she said blandly.

“Why did you follow me?” Enver was staring at her with the intensity of a man who expected eye contact.

What a pointless question.  “To see where you were going.”

“Why did you enter the room?”

“Again, to see where you were going.  And then I was eavesdropping.  While I was doing that, the door was closed, thus trapping me within. To answer your next three very pointed questions.”

“You can’t convince me that you don’t have a dozen ways you could have escaped, Belladonna.”

She shifted her weight, uncrossing and re-crossing her legs, table pressing into the back of her thigh. “You only use the name you made up for me this often when you’re truly annoyed.  I didn’t know you would care.  You’ve seen me have sex several times.”

“Depending on the definition of the word, that may not be entirely true.  In my mind, sex involves at least two willing participants.”

“Yes, the con man and the dupe.”

Enver laughed quietly, giving up the facade of being angry with her.  Yes, he was irritated, but she’d noticed he very rarely was angry.  At least not with her.  He reached for the other wine-stained glass, poured from a pitcher of water into it, swirled it until the wine had all turned the water pink.  Then he dumped it out on the floor.  “Your standards of behavior are not at all normal, my dear Bhaalspawn, did you know that?”

“What exactly is wrong with wanting to know where people are going?”  she inquired, wondering why he thought it was all right to pour water on the floor.  Was that what he meant by behavior standards?

He poured her clean water into the glass and offered it over, stem tucked between his fingers.  She accepted it, dipping her finger into the liquid and wiping off the rim.  It still didn’t feel clean even despite the lack of smudges, so she just held it.

He leaned forward in his chair, staring up at her with a critical air and a relaxed posture. “Anyone else would have stopped me in the street, said hello, and asked where I was off to.”

“That would be a waste of the man I’d killed three alleys over,” she said, glancing down as he leaned a little closer, chin on his hand.  And then she immediately averted her eyes before she was upset again. 

“Do you do this often?”

“Yes?  I must practice what I preach, after all, or I would not be much of a leader.  Much like yourself.  Following and watching people is an important part of being a successful killer.”  

“I meant to me, not– why won’t you look at me?”

“Your hair is a mess and it makes me want to scalp you,” she admitted without even a moment’s pause to consider if she’d offend him.  By now she knew he wouldn’t be.  

“Thank you for your self-control.  I’ll fix it right away.  Hold this for me.”

Puzzled, she extended her hand by rote, and he dropped something into it as he rose.  Heavy and still warm from his finger, the massive diamond ring he’d handed her was the one she’d watched Wisteria slide onto his finger.  It was shiny and all, she supposed.

“Why give this to me?”

“I wanted to see your reaction to it,” he replied with another chuckle, crossing the floor to what seemed to be a dressing table and a desk in one.  “You don’t care about such things, do you?”

“I’ve seen larger and shinier stones.  I usually give them to Orin to play with if they’re not worthy of the coffers. Children like toys." Though Orin was always terribly ungrateful for it; but that was a youngest child for you. Always yelling about not being your sibling and trying to stab you.  "I don’t handle money, that’s beneath me.  You seemed quite enamored of it.”

“Not of it, my dearest Belladonna.  Of what it is.  That ring is worth more than this entire house!”  He sounded quite satisfied.  Gloating was one of Enver’s biggest vices, she’d learned.  It didn’t bother her to be his audience for a bit of smugness, as she was quite often when he was feeling self-important.

And he was always feeling self-important.

[myrskytuuli]

I’ve been rewatching Steven Universe and was suddenly hit with the chaotic crossover potential of Steven, the pink jacketed, forgiveness preaching, eager to make friends with everyone, Steven refusing to trust any other protagonists’ stories of their tragically dead good moms. Especially Harry Potter holy shit. 

Steven: Okay so, let me get this straight. Your mother, named after a flower, died so you would be able to live?

Harry: Yes.

Steven: And she was a respected warrior in a civil war trying to protect non-magical humans of this earth, to the point that people still reminisce of her skills and are inspired by her memory?

Harry: Yes. And her sacrifice made me magically shielded, but now all the bad guys also target me because the fact that I live is unprecedented.   

Steven, his eyes taking a pinkish tint: And people were surprised when she married an irresponsible, a bit childish man enamored with her long before she even took him seriously? 

Harry, a bit offended at the tone Steven has taken: My mother saw beauty in everyone, even if they themselves could not see it. Her capability for love was unparalleled! 

Steven, eyes fully pink: And how many horrendous war crimes has she committed??????????????

It would be awful, because everyone would be forced to be nice to this new alien overlord, visiting the magic world, but every time someone would mention Lily Potter and how extraordinary she was, he would look suspicious as fuck and honestly it is starting to be a bit disrespectful. 

Snape would hate him the most, because he would cheerfully declare that: “I understand that you feel like your entire self-worth is tied to the idea of serving the right people and dedicating your entire life for grieving over a woman who chose to marry a man you think is unworthy of her, while hurting those around you, because taking responsibility of your own actions has become so hard after a lifetime of believing that you need someone to tell you what to do.” casually snatching Snape with him, “but now we are going to a garage rock-concert, where we practice saying no to masters and maybe you’ll even meet a cute mystery girl of your own.” Cue Snape trying to unsuccessfully curse Steven into little stain on the floor. 

I would also love to imagine Steven’s smile growing more and more fixed as some poor wizards would try to explain the house-elves to him

Some poor wizard: No you don’t understand! They are born to serve, that’s their whole function, their place in the society! They don’t want to be free, it goes against their nature! And it is not like most masters even overwork them. Mostly they are just a status symbol for rich wizards to flaunt their wealth around, making them hold their stuff and stand around, clean their house and cook their food. It would be cruel to force them to be independent, when they don’t have any purpose if they don’t belong to anyone.”

Steven, eyes turning diamond shaped. “Do you take constructive criticism for your society-”

[lilbabycee]

daybreak // steve rogers ✨

hi! i decided to make a tumblr so that i can write here too, not just on AO3 - please be nice to me i’m nervous 🥺 enjoy! xx

↳ summary: an insight into the relationship between steve rogers and his little ray of sunshine. 

↳ relationship: steve rogers x reader

↳ warnings: a lot of cute domestic fluff and some dom/sub undertones bc steve is a closet freak and that’s that

READ SUNDOWN

Steve learned from a young age not to stare directly at the sun but that was becoming an increasingly difficult task when he has a clingy little everyone seemed little to him ray of sunshine sprawled out in his bed most mornings. She carries a certain wonder about her and he is sure that she must be aware of it to some extent for in his eyes, it is impossible for somebody to entrance and captivate the people around her as much as she does without even knowing it.

She isn’t perfect - she snores - loud - and is clumsy and speaks too fast and too loud sometimes. But she can be quiet - like in her refusal to burden him on any of the days when she is feeling more akin to the color of the sky against the New York skyline outside their massive apartment windows than the sunflowers that she insists on keeping on the dining table during the whole year. Or the way she draws in on herself when she’s being heavily criticized, diamond eyes shining in a way that makes his heart freefall to his stomach. The way she can get insecure about her work despite the way people laud it. She is too hard on herself, doesn’t know when to stop even when she is dead on her feet and cries often and quick if she fails to achieve whatever her little fighting heart is set on.

But she is his. Her bright and youthful spirit chose his old and weary one, painting over the tainted black and grey with vibrant yellows and reds and greens and golds using the fine sable brushes that he has tucked away in the lower drawer of his bedside table. Years ago he had come out of the ice, but he had never truly unfrozen until she came and melted him, his own personal sunlight with her arms wrapped around his neck and with him wrapped around her little finger.

Steve had never considered himself a poet. An artist, yes, but even that was a modest affirmation. But then she came into his life, all breezy skirts and pouty lips and he knew that he would have to find a new way to articulate his feelings because he failed to find a way to express how she made him feel. Like eating cool orange slices outside in the summer, the juice running down your chin but you don’t care because the weather’s hot and you’re in love. Like stepping into a warm department store when it’s snowing, knowing full well that you won’t buy anything but it doesn’t matter because you’re warm and you’re in love. Like laying surrounded by loved ones but your arm is cramping because your cousin has been laying on it for hours, but that’s not important because they’re comfortable and you’re in love.

In love. It doesn’t seem like enough to describe what he feels for you, the way that heat blooms in his chest every time you lock eyes or how your smile makes the steady beating of his super soldier heart stutter. Even now, looking down at your sleeping form, he can’t help the boyish smile that grows on his face. His right hand rests on your waist and your head rests right over his heart, the pulsing of it lulling you to sleep the night before. His left hand comes up, thumb gently caressing the bottom lip of your wide-open mouth.

He can feel the magic buzzing in the air in moments like these, the subtle beauty of it all, the life he thought he would never have. You shift on his chest, throwing a leg over his and then settling. Steve exhales, watching the sunlight stream through the crack in the blinds and reflect off of your bare shoulder that his t-shirt has fallen off of, shrouded in the white cotton of the sheets. You were-

His thought process is interrupted by a loud snore and some quiet muttering before you bury your face deeper into his chest. A deep chuckle vibrates through his chest, causing you to shift some more and a quiet groan to escape your lips. He presses a kiss to your forehead and you half-open your eyes as he looks down at you in a way that you can only describe as reverently.

“Good mornin’, doll,” he rasps, voice deeper from sleep and it caresses your ears, making you coo.

“Hi, baby,” you whisper, blinking sleepily up at him, kissing his bare chest right over his heart. “How long have you been up?”

Steve hesitates, contemplating lying for a split second but then he remembers who he’s talking to. He needs not feel embarrassed when you’re around, your accepting nature allowing him to express himself while avoiding judgement.

“A couple of hours now,” he replies, tracing patterns on your bare shoulder absent-mindedly. He glances over at the clock - 8:44 a.m   - and exhales deeply, pushing your head deeper into his chest. You wouldn’t need to be up until around 10, because after that, Tony would surely be up to disrupt your peace with incessant teasing. Today you had offered to help Bruce in the lab with some undisclosed - but “very safe, I can assure you” - project, but that was supposed to be for early in the afternoon.

“Time really flies when you’re being a creep, huh, old man?” You tease, eyes full of mirth as you stare up at the love of your life.

He smirks, digging his fingers into your sides making you giggle and squirm on top of him.

“Watch your mouth there, young lady,” he calls you out in his captain voice, making your stomach flutter and your eyes lower in submission. He knows what that voice does to you, how it melts your resolve. His smirk only grows when he realizes how your eyes have dropped and how quiet you’ve become. “Don’t worry, baby, I know you have work to do. I won’t spank you today. You can find a way to thank me later.”

He follows his last sentence up with a wink and you giggle, always content about how soft he makes you in the morning. Later you may find the time to exhibit your bratty behaviour, but for now, everything was soft and sweet and quiet. You nuzzle your face into his neck and his hands slip down to grip your ass.

“I’m sure I will find a way later, Captain,” you mutter, yawning. His hands start to move in slow, languid circles, as both of you know that you have some time left in your little safe haven bathed in golden light and wrapped up in each other’s body heat. “What are you gonna do today, super soldier?”

He sighs, licking his lips and your eyes can’t help but follow the movement of his pink tongue peeking out between those perfectly pink lips. Instinctively, you bring a hand up to trace their outline, fully appreciating the beauty of the man that you hold captive beneath you.

His pretty blue eyes stare contemplatively at the ceiling and you notice how in this light, they look greener than they do blue. It was as if God himself poured a vat of molten gold into the ocean of his eyes, letting it sit and reflect the sun on this early morning. His cheekbones are pronounced and his jaw is strong, giving his face such a classically beautiful structure. The spun flaxen strands of his golden mane are unruly, but the time that the angels had spent slaving away and spinning it does not go unappreciated. You have a sudden urge to run your fingers through it, but instead your eyes are drawn to his moles and his freckles. They make constellations across his unblemished skin you’re jealous and reassure you that this perfect man that lays beneath you is still indeed human.

“You’re so damn pretty , baby,” you sigh, interrupting whatever response he was about to provide to your question. He smiles up at you and you return it easily, leaning down to place a soft kiss right on top of his lips. He grips your ass slightly tighter pulling you deeper into it. You make a noise of surprise that he quickly swallows, then moving his lips to nip and suck at your neck. Last night was long and he made love to you slowly and lazily, bringing you right to the edge again and again. Keeping up with his elevated libido was a constant but extremely enjoyable workout for you, one that he always found amusing.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” he says once he relinquishes your lips from his hold, pecking you one more time. “But I don’t think I’m the pretty one in this relationship.”

He kisses you again before you can protest but then sits up abruptly, taking you with him and making you squeal. Your arms are still wound around his neck while your legs cling desperately onto his waist. His hands still rest on your ass and he wears a bright smile on his face.

“I don’t know about you, doll,” he starts, walking through your shared apartment towards the kitchen. You’re only wearing his t-shirt - one of the bigger ones because why are his shirts always so small - and he can’t help but admire how pretty you look in his clothing. He thinks that he wants to keep you like this forever. “But I’m a little hungry.”

You side-eye him at the potential double entendre - the abused flesh between your legs is already screaming in protest. He doesn’t look at you, but continues looking straight ahead with that naughty little fucking smile on his face, the picture of innocence.

“For food though, sweetheart, I swear it,” he finally cracks, laughing shortly while placing you on the kitchen counter. He deposits another kiss on the tip of your nose, looking at your bratty little pout causing his hand to twitch. He knows that he wouldn’t - can’t spank his best girl before breakfast - and you really are too sore from last night to go again for at least a few more hours. Because, if Steve’s being honest to himself, it never just stops at spanking.

But you’re clingy in the mornings so as soon as he turns to grab a pan from one of the cupboards, you clench your legs tighter around his waist. Turning to you once more, he raises an eyebrow and your pout only intensifies. He doesn’t do anything but kiss it once more before unwrapping your legs from his waist with those strong big ass motherfucking hands .

“What you do want for breakfast, babydoll?” He asks, successfully grabbing the pan this time. You chew on your lip, thinking hard.

“Pancakes?” You question, looking up at him for confirmation. He nods, a smile on his face.

“Go put on your music or something, baby - we can make them together.”

And that’s how you ended up dancing around the kitchen to one of the songs on your playlist, shaking your ass and singing obnoxiously loud as Steve watched you humorously, flipping a pancake here and a piece of bacon there. Soon, you both have glasses full of juice and about three dozen chocolate chip pancakes, as well as multiple pieces of bacon.

When you shove a piece of pancake into your mouth, Steve catches your eye across the jar of sunflowers on the table, light glinting off of the fork that you’re holding and the white plates adorning the table. He dwarfs his hand in yours and plays idly with your fingers.

“I love you,” he states definitively, as if he is stating his name and what color the sky is.

A mouth full of pancake, you grin at him. Quickly swallowing, you lean over the table and kiss him soundly on the lips. He tastes like orange juice and maple syrup and Steve .

“I love you too,” you reply, a small smile on your lips. His smile grows until you snort the last word, your own grin spreading.

“Dork.”

[astxlphe-fics]

Pink Flowers  // Fukumori

Mori had his feelings for Fukuzawa cut out of him years ago. Hanahaki AU

Word count : ~1700

CW some blood, one murder, one medical malpractice 

When they’re younger, when they’re still a doctor and his bodyguard, Mori is the target of many attempted murders and kidnappings.  

Despite his constant misgivings about bodyguarding, despite the simple fact that Mori doesn’t, actually, need any kind of rescuing, Fukuzawa comes for him.  

Every single time.  

Then they fight together, back to back, as a team, against threats to the fragile balance of Mori’s world, of the neutrality of his underground clinic.  

It’s during those fights that Mori realizes than yes, sometimes he needs Fukuzawa by his side, and that he enjoys his company. They collapse, letting themselves fall sitting on the ground, side by side, bloody and tired.  

Mori sighs and there is a tingle in his throat.  

He doesn’t think much of it, barely notices it, but he does feel the beginning of a fondness for the man.  

+  

The itch at the back of his throat takes months to turn into a full cough, and he spits out the first petal in his own sink, thankfully.  

Having a patient around while he discovers his own illness would be less than ideal. Rumors go fast in the underbelly of Yokohama, and if the news escape his office it’ll quickly make its way to his enemies.  

He picks it up and studies it carefully.  

“How bothersome,” he declares, throwing it in the trash.  

But what can he do about it?  

There are several things he can do, in fact.  

First option — kill Fukuzawa before this disease takes a hold of him. But it’ll upset Natsume, and he isn’t sure he is capable of killing his bodyguard.  

Second option — get rid of the feeling altogether. While this is something he can eventually do on his own, letting it fade, an operation would be a sure way to fix the issue. The problem: he can’t operate himself.

Third option — seduce the man. Make sure that what Mori apparently feels for him is returned. Keep him by his sides, for good.  

This thought is infinitely more appealing than the first two.  

He doesn’t have to decide immediately. He doesn’t want to.  

“What do you think, Elise?”  

She looks up from her picture book. “I think you’re gross.”  

His laughter makes him cough again. Another petal comes out, and he thinks of every possibility again. He thinks of Fukuzawa, of the flowers fading from his lungs as the man holds him close.  

He’ll cross that bridge when he gets to it. Hanahaki isn’t a kind illness, but it’s considerate enough to make the killing slow.  

+  

Elise doesn’t start looking worried until a few months later, when he wakes up gasping for breath, petals sticking to the back of his throat and spilling out of his mouth.  

Her reaction tells him the situation might become critical soon.  

It’s more anger than worry, to be fair, and she throws some of his tools to the ground in a fit of rage. “Just kill him!” she yells, before crossing her arms and setting her face into a pout. “I’m starting to feel sick too, so get rid of him before he kills the both of us.”  

He would, usually, cave in to whatever Elise demands of him. He loves her, after all, and anything she wants is worth getting for her.  

But not this. This is something he can’t give her.  

+  

By the time Fukuzawa finds out about Yosano, Mori is throwing up whole flowers. It’s starting to affect his work, but it doesn’t look like Fukuzawa has noticed.  

If he has, he hasn’t said anything about it, which is fine by Mori.  

They fight — of course they fight, but it’s not like they usually do.  

Everyday fighting is banter and annoying each other, it’s Fukuzawa coming for him every time he gets into trouble, no matter how much he doesn’t need it.  

Everyday fighting makes the flowers in Mori’s lungs grow larger. It makes Mori want this man to love him.  

His chest tightens, thinking about what they have the potential to be, about how much they could do for this city just by being together, about the kind of embrace he could give him.

Fukuzawa draws his sword, and Mori almost chokes, swallowing down the flowers threatening to fall from his lips.

There is no fixing it now.  

+  

Their partnership broken, the illness gains more ground, with no hope of recovery through more...traditional means.  

It quickly becomes urgent to do something about it. The flowers are larger than ever, and if he was a lesser man, he would cry thinking about what they could have been, he would go back to Fukuzawa and ask him to reconsider, to come back to him.  

Gritting his teeth, he closes his eyes, grieving for a relationship that doesn’t exist, which was doomed from the day he threw up that first petal.

He is not a lesser man, however. He shoves his own fingers down his throat to drag the flowers out. They clog the sink, bloodied and of a horribly cheerful pink color.  

How those feelings have made him weak. They make him sick with a deadly disease, shift his focus, make him yearn for something he knows he can never have.  

He needs to get rid of them as soon as he can.  

“Look at you!” Elise scolds him. “I told you, we should have killed him.”  

“I’m sorry Elise.” He smiles at her sheepishly, because she is right. He should have dealt with it a long time ago. He just hadn’t wanted to.  

They make him irrational.  

There are other underground doctors in the city, though none of them as skilled, none of them as reputed, as he is. He will find someone to take care of it.  

She scowls, eyebrows drawing together, and she tugs at his sleeve. “You’re so stupid, Rintarou.”  

+  

The other doctor is surprised to see him, of all people, but he gets to work quickly. He looks smug, knowing such a thing about Mori Ougai, about the weakness taking over him.  

He will use it against him, in the future, if he can.  

Mori doesn’t let him entertain the idea.  

He refuses any kind of anesthetics, unwilling to put himself at the mercy of another person with a scalpel, and Elise stands guard. The other doctor underestimates her, but Mori knows she can recognize any suspicious medical action and rise up to protect him with barely any prompting.  

The doctor opens him up and fixes him, and the pain means nothing when he’s finally getting rid of the feelings he has for Fukuzawa Yukichi, for they have been weighing on him since the beginning, far more than he ever admitted to.  

When it’s done, he’s both curious and satisfied to realize that what he feels is now little more than indifference. Everything he has wished for since the start, to have him standing by his side, for lips on his skin and to be the only one in his eyes, seems ludicrous now. A waste of time and energy.  

He cuts the doctor’s throat once he’s done and looks for any witness. Then, he puts Fukuzawa out of his mind, and moves on.  

His work won’t do itself. He has a Mafia boss to take care of.  

Time to get down to business.  

+  

"It’s a pity.”  

Blood seeps out of Fukuzawa’s neck, and Mori is regretful, surprising even himself, though it’s not as personal as it could have been, once.  

His feelings for Fukuzawa were cut out of him years ago.  

Without this virus, they could have been a team again and crushed those rats with ease. They were always a deadly combination, so this is nothing but a missed opportunity.  

But first comes the security and well-being of his own, and any feeling he allows himself those days is for them, for the Mafia — and for Elise, of course, but she is something else entirely.

He still apologizes for cheating. He may not love the man anymore, but he respects his strength and a fair fight would have ended in Mori’s defeat. It’s not something he can allow again, not with so much at stake.

All he needs now, is to wait for Elise to pop back up into existence, stay here until Fukuzawa dies — it’s the least he can do for his old teammate — and prepare for the rage of the Detective Agency.  

Until Natsume shows up to scold them and drags them away to Dostoievski’s hideout.  

Later, as they’re on their way, it’s plain in the way Natsume looks at him that he knows. Mori doesn’t care. He has done what needed to be done.  

Elise reappears soon after, and he gives her a hug that she pretends to protest to. She will always be the most constant thing in his life, the only one who he knows will stand by him until his last breath.  

+  

The virus fades, and the ability user at the origin of it tries to run. Fukuzawa and Mori grab him before he can, together, like old times.

It makes Fukuzawa nostalgic, in a sense. He misses the team they used to be, before they each took a different walk of life. Before he learned of Yosano.

A part of him wishes that, when this is over, when they have won against Dostoievski, they can stay this way — a little bit of a team, again.

He wonders what Dazai is planning, forcing Akutagawa and Atsushi together.  

Both boys are like rough diamonds, and Dazai is playing a dangerous game, hitting them against each other like this. There is little he can do but trust Dazai’s judgement and hope the sparks he makes don’t start too big of a fire.

Though, knowing him, he would probably say it’s the point.

Mori, he can tell, is thinking the same, though he doesn’t speak of it. He catches him glancing at the pair, eyes lingering on Atsushi, and Fukuzawa can’t blame him for it. He’s just as doubtful of the black-clad young man with whom his subordinate already seems to have a quiet understanding.

The Mafia leaves. Fukuzawa watches as Mori’s red scarf billows in the wind.  

There is an itch in his throat.  

[seasonofthegeek]

The Perfect Partnership, Part 4

This drabble was requested by @lovesquareghost on ko-fi. Thanks so much for the support!

Parts 1, 2, 3, 4:

“I don’t know what to do,” Marinette groaned, tossing a wedding magazine to the side.

“Talk me through it.” Alya picked up the discarded magazine and traded it for the one she’d had before. There was also a dangerously tilting stack of other wedding and event magazines between them.

“On one hand, I want a wedding. I want the fancy dress and Adrien in a tux and flowers and family and friends. I want my parents to make us a ridiculous cake and I want to dance and get pictures and do the whole normal thing.” She covered her face. “I even want the honeymoon but mostly for the traveling part.”

“Like I believe that. And on the other hand?”

“This isn’t a real marriage so it feels silly to do all that,” she sighed. “We’ve already applied for the paperwork so now we just have to decide the details. Maybe we should have an officiant do it with you and Nino as witnesses.”

“I see.”

Marinette frowned at her. “You see? That’s all you’re going to give me?”

Alya didn’t bother looking up from the magazine as she flipped to the next page. “You already know what my answer will be.”

“Humor me.”

“Do the wedding exactly how you want.” She met the other woman’s eyes. “You deserve this. And as I’ve said before and I’m sure I will have to say again, I don’t agree when you say this isn’t a real marriage.”

“But we aren’t in love.”

Alya snorted and flipped another page.

“Okay, fine,” Marinette amended. “I’m in love but Adrien’s not in love with me. Not like that.”

“And you should absolutely do the honeymoon. That’s a must. And I will require details.”

“Alya, we aren’t in--”

“I’m not having this conversation again. Ooo, what do you think of this dress?” She turned the magazine around to show off the page she was talking about.

“I really liked that one. I was going to mark it but that’s when I got worried about having a wedding and started this downward spiral.”

“I think it’d look perfect on you. And the soft pink ribbing along the hems is so Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I think this is the one.”

Marinette blushed but moved closer to look at the dress again. “It is really beautiful.” 

“It would knock Adrien out, that’s for sure.” Alya lifted an eyebrow. “We could leave your hair down and weave some flowers in it. You’d look like a princess.”

“It’s way too expensive.”

“Then we’ll make one that looks like it. I can help you.”

She eyed the dress a little longer. “I think we could do it.”

“I know we could,” Alya agreed.

“You’re not doing a very good job of convincing me not to have a wedding.”

“You knew I wouldn’t. That’s why you invited me over.”

___

“Do you have an idea of what you want?” Adrien’s voice was low as they leaned over the jewelry case. “I know there are a lot of different cuts and bands.”

Marinette frowned at the glittering rings below. “Would it be weird to get something other than a diamond?”

“You don’t want a diamond ring?”

“I don’t know. They’re really pretty but I guess it feels like too much.”

He covered her hand where it rested on the edge of the counter and she looked at him in surprise. “You know I don’t feel like anything is too much when it comes to you, don’t you?”

The breath rushed out of her lungs and Marinette knew her face had gone a deep pink. The look in Adrien’s eyes was so intense, so sincere. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to punch him. She wanted to tell him he was being stupid and they shouldn’t get married. She wanted to walk him to the first officiant they could find and marry him right there on the spot. “I...”

“What can I help you two with today?” A salesman stood ready and waiting on the other side of the counter as if he appeared from thin air.

Adrien squeezed Marinette’s hand before uncovering it. “We’re looking for an engagement ring and wedding bands.”

“Ah yes, I could tell as soon as you and your lovely bride-to-be walked in, sir,” the man winked. “Do you have anything specific in mind?”

“Do you have any pink diamonds?”

“Adrien, no.” Marinette tugged on his arm. “Excuse us, please.” She pulled him away from the counter. “I’m anxious about a regular diamond. You’re definitely not getting me some rare and super expensive one.”

He stuck his bottom lip out. “But you love pink.”

“I love you” is what she wanted to say but she bit her tongue. “Then maybe can we look at some rings with other pink stones? I think that’d make me feel better.”

His brow furrowed. “You really don’t want a diamond ring?”

“If I say no, will you drop it?” She saw the argument leveling up in his eyes but he dropped his gaze with a resigned sigh. 

“I want you to get what you’ll be happiest with.”

“Thank you.”

He trudged back to the counter like a child who’d been told he had to take a nap. “Could you show us your best pieces with pink stones that aren’t diamonds please?” His tone was pained and the salesman’s eyes flicked from Adrien to Marinette.

“Of course, sir.”

___

“She wouldn’t let me buy her a diamond,” Adrien complained, jerking the game controller in an upward motion. “I’m definitely getting her one on our first anniversary.”

“I thought the first anniversary gift was paper.” Nino cursed under his breath as his game avatar took a critical blow. “And you are welcome to buy me a diamond anytime, dude.”

“It’s just frustrating.”

“Maybe if you actually told her you’re in love with her, she’d be more willing to accept a real engagement ring.”

“She said what she picked out was still a real engagement ring because that’s what we were using it for.”

“Then she was right,” Nino agreed.

“But you just said--”

“She was right,” Nino repeated pointedly. “Also, don’t think I didn’t notice the whole ‘our first anniversary’ bit. How long are you going to hold out on telling her you’re in love with her anyway?”

“It’s not like that between us.” Adrien stood up with his controller and leaned towards the screen with a scowl. “We’re in this as friends.”

“Sure. Picking out rings, moving in together, getting married, all normal friend stuff. You and I have done it a thousand times.”

“You were much more supportive the last time we talked.” Adrien slumped back to the couch and tossed the controller on the coffee table.

Nino followed his lead, leaving the game on the menu screen. “Yeah because I thought you guys would’ve actually talked through things by now. This is getting nuts, man. Just tell her you love her.”

“She knows I love her.”

“So you’ve told her, ‘Marinette, I’m in love with you and I want to get married because I love you.’?”

He shifted uneasily. “Well, not in those exact words.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I’ll tell her soon. I promise I will.”

“I’ll believe it when you actually do it.” Nino picked up his controller again. “One more?”

“Yeah, I think I still have some stuff to get out.”

“Gaming therapy has to be our best idea yet.”

“Agreed.”

___

“So what I’m getting is that it’s between the haunted penthouse and the two-bedroom loft near the bakery?” Adrien switched back and forth between the tabs for each listing as they sat with his laptop.

“I think so. Do you like both of those?” Marinette leaned against his arm from her own desk chair at his side.

“I like whatever you like.”

“You have to have a preference, goober.” She poked his side and he laughed. 

“I do, but I want to know yours first.”

“No! You’ll just change yours to match mine. I know you.”

Adrien beamed at her. “I promise I won’t. I have a favorite and it won’t change no matter what your answer is.”

“And the one that’s your favorite is the one we’ll move into,” Marinette added sternly.

“If you say so.”

“I do.” She straightened and lifted her chin primly. “Which one’s your favorite?”

“The haunted penthouse.”

Marinette’s eyes lit up. “That’s my favorite too!”

“I’m shocked,” he winked.

“You knew it was my favorite already, didn’t you?”

“How could I? You just told me.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Mmhmm.”

Taking a steadying breath, Adrien reached for her hand and linked their fingers on top of the desk. “So that’s that then. We’ve got the rings and the marriage certificate paperwork and now we’ve found our new home.”

Marinette swallowed thickly and stared at their joined hands. “Only one thing left to do.” She met Adrien’s eyes and could feel it on the tip of her tongue. She had to tell him. It was now or never. He had to know how she felt before they took this next step. 

She opened her mouth to let the words roll out and her tongue betrayed her.  “Are you hungry? I think I’m ready for dinner.”

He smiled and nodded. “That sounds great.”

And if Marinette heard someone chanting the word “coward” over and over in her head, that was most likely just her imagination.

Buy me a cherry coke?

[advernia]

fic: coloring inside the lines

— as they say, you always need to keep your eyes on the prize. - queen of hearts/alice the second.

1: a bit late, but here’s a happy birthday to one jonah clemence! ◦°˚\(*❛‿❛)/˚°◦

These are a couple of the many things he just learned about the place she calls London:

Women, regardless of their status, are expected to maintain their elegance and decorum whether it be in thought, speech, or deed,

Another commonality, though not openly admitted, would be the pursuit of preserving natural beauty - whether rich or poor, any lady would put in some effort to maintain or enhance her appearance for her own purposes (and through her own means), but;

While makeup - powders, lotions, creams, rouges, lipsticks, you name it - was admittedly a valuable aid to the relentless pursuit, the sheer fact that it was masking one’s true beauty led to the use of makeup eventually frowned upon.

So maybe, just maybe gifting her an elaborate makeup set was not appropriate - oh no, it was totally fine if just not to upset her - never mind the fact that he just spent at least five painstaking hours in the finest cosmetics shop of the Diamonds Quarter, selecting from shelves and shelves of exquisite products with only her in his mind, urging him to focus on picking the most charming of colors and the most suitable of scents that were perfect complements to her loveliness. 

It was just eight bottles of cream and lotion, three different powder jars, six varied shades of rouge, three lip salves and two lip glosses. Not a big problem at all.

True, she hardly needed the aid of any makeup to make herself even more dazzling than she already was in his eyes (though any more effort on her part was something he’d always appreciate), but in Cradle, a man giving a woman makeup as a gift carried different implications:

To give powders, lotions, or creams suggested a budding interest, for the items were for the lady’s daily use. It gave off messages along the lines of ‘remember me’, or ‘I support you’, for example.

Lipstick and rouge had more intimate meanings as both items were applied to the woman’s face - gifting the latter implied that the man was drawn to sight of her and if worn in return, it meant that she was also interested in him and was open to the notion of courtship.

The former was applied to the lips, so this was more of a confirmation: if she wore it, it meant that she accepted his affections entirely and was ‘claimed’ by him; but if not, it meant that she couldn’t reciprocate his feelings, and finally;

Giving a personal and complete makeup set carried all the messages and implications of the aforementioned items but even more than that, it also signified that only he was worthy enough to influence the beauty of his recipient; a clear cut sign of a romantic relationship in bloom.

… Well, it’s not like he wanted her to know that and maybe it’s better if she didn’t; for what truly mattered was her opinion on the subject: did she frown upon the use of makeup as well? Now that he mulls it over, her vanity was spotless, save for the bottles of perfume he gave her in the past and a vase for flowers. 

Or rather than frowning upon it, was she not accustomed to using makeup? She was a confectioner, so perhaps she didn’t bother buying herself any of the sort when she already knew that she’d be too busy in the kitchen all day with little to no chances to mingle with her customers at all.

During their so-called dates the month she landed in Cradle, she didn’t look like she put any trace of makeup on, either. Then again, they were still on… unsavory terms back then, so… 

… Did London also place meanings into certain gifts? If yes, did she ever receive an item conveying -

Jonah Clemence scowls, shaking his head in an attempt to get rid of any more trifling questions in his mind. To vacillate is not characteristic of a Clemence, and if he had any more time to fret, then he might as well head over to her and hear what she had to say about the matter herself. 

                                He gets his answers that night:

Contrary to his fussing, no, she wasn’t upset receiving a very ornate case filled with his five-hour exhaustive effort of fine makeup choices. Instead, she was flustered and taken aback, but after some convincing she takes the box into her hands with a winning smile that makes all those five hours worth it,

She didn’t disapprove of makeup at all and if anything else, she was honestly curious about the whole thing: she tells him that she thinks of it as some form of painting or even decorating, similar to what she did with cakes and pastries - the sudden reference to food was very like her and he snorts at that,

She had a bit of knowledge on how to use certain types of makeup thanks to her friends but true to what he thought, she admitted to rarely using makeup because her job aside, there wasn’t much reason for her to frequently use it in the first place, and;

Yes, London also attached meanings to certain gifts. When he surly asks her if she had been offered gifts with special intentions, she twiddles her thumbs and she stutters, so -

- pinning her against the wall and watching her cheeks flush a shade of pink akin to the rouge he picked out for her, he lowers his lips to the shell of her ear, intentionally allowing his breath to fan over the flesh before whispering in a low voice:

… Were those gifts so wonderful?

Teeth nipping onto her ear, she lets out a small whimper.

                    … Ah, yes, he did get his answers that night.

                                She finally, finally makes good use of his gift for her appearance in the Red Army’s annual ball as his official partner, and he takes it upon himself to observe her in the art of applying makeup on herself.

He did ask her beforehand if she required professional help, but the sheer twinkle in her eyes when she told him that she’d try doing her makeup on her own was an… unfair move, in his book. How was he to say otherwise when she looked at him like that? Well, he’d like to believe that she really did have an inkling on how to use cosmetics, but just to be sure; he insisted in watching her in case she needed help - thankfully, she accepted without question.

Now, seated in the couch of her room where he could also see her reflection clearly in the vanity’s mirror, perhaps he didn’t need to be so critical of her skill at all.

He wasn’t able to properly see her process when she started with the exposed skin of her collarbone, but he’s left staring as her fingers cheerfully and repeatedly traced the curve of her neck to apply a fair amount of the vanilla-scented cream thoroughly, then followed immediately by patting it down lightly with some of the lavender dusting powder. He raises an eyebrow when she extends the same treatment to the nape of her neck - the wavy updo of her hair did leave that part visible to prying eyes…

Next she went about applying rouge onto her cheeks, and he quietly hums his approval upon seeing the color of her choice lightly dust her cheekbones: he had to hand it to her, out of the six rouges in her set, the pastel pink shade was the most suitable pick to complement both her dress and the overall image she was exuding so far - a youthful yet elegant look, the former defined by the light colors of her whole ensemble while the latter through the style of her outfit paired with her tasteful selection in jewelry.

And last but not the least she began to paint her lips, the tip of her index finger somewhat hesitant as she dipped it into a small jar. He sees the fingertip leave the jar tinted with a light crimson stain that she brings up to her parted lips but to land on one corner of her bottom lip, dragging slowly to a center point - she does the same for the other corner and he’s transfixed on her reflection, or rather the way that her finger moves oh-so carefully, oh-so gently across the smooth curve of her lip.

When she smacks her lips together, pulling her lips inward for a brief moment only to release them with a pop, he hears himself swallow a lump down his throat.

He’s still entranced as she continues to add some paint to her upper lip and before he knows it, she was already done with her makeup and had turned around on her seat to face him.

… What do you think?

Eyes snapping back into focus, he did his best to study her from head to toe: lengthy blonde hair tamed into an updo held up by lovely butterfly-shaped adornments, light pink cheeks a nice contrast to the vivid blue of her eyes, a complexion that still appeared natural even under the light, dangling earrings and necklace with beautiful pearls similar to those sewn on the front of her bodice, a tailor-made dress in varying shades of pastel peach flattering her curves in a most discreet manner, dainty feet slipped onto pristine white heels.

Yet…

He rises from his seat to stalk over to where she sat, briefly looking into those expectant eyes gazing back at him before looking down - back down, to those crimson lips.

… Unbelievable.

He barely gives her any time to react when he takes hold of her shoulders and swoops his head to capture her lips urgently in his: a little noise manages to escape her when he presses the tip of his tongue to that same corner of her lips where she first applied the lip salve, then drag slowly to trace the curve of her lips carefully like how he had seen her fingertip do earlier.

If he recalled correctly, the shop owner absurdly stated that the crimson lip salve was a delicious new product made out of a magically brewed concoction of plant butter and oils, then mixed with in with an organic blend primarily made out of strawberries - he dismissed it as nonsense but true enough, what tickles his tongue is a tart, so pleasantly sweet taste as he keeps his lips pressed to hers.

But as delicious as it was, nothing could ever compare to the taste of her so he coaxes her to let him in and she readily complies - as she received the taste of her own lips, he’s again reliving the taste of her mouth.

                                And she’s still as perfectly sweet unlike anything else in the world.

                                When they part for air, their foreheads are pressed together and their heavy breaths mingle, lips only a small distance apart - she meets the heat of an amber gaze with the haze of her of blue, but she does manage to lift a hand up and tenderly touch the delicate skin of his bottom lip with her thumb; wiping away at the faint crimson stains she saw there.

Voice a breathy whisper, she asks:

… Too much lip salve?

                    He laughs softly before setting her hand on the back of his neck, then leans over to kiss her again.

                    2: an interesting survey distributed in the office yesterday listed some… specific turn-ons, and this is one of them lol - it’s phrased as: taking a keen interest watching your partner apply makeup on themselves… weLL… lowkey spicy times, amirite ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿ 3: on that note, makeup isn’t my thing but studying victorian era makeup was pretty fun and so was giving some meaning to cradle makeup, lol! thought those on the top of my head, and i think jonah would probably be the type to be hung over the meanings of certain types of gifts given the occasion + recipient, haha!

[missnighttigress]

We Can Do It In Vegas

REPOSTING DUE TO TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES! Characters: Tony Stark, Fem!Tony Stark, Natasha Stark, Toni Stark, Iron Woman, Iron Man, Steve Rogers, Captain America

Pairing: Toni Stark x Steve Rogers (Stony or Stoni)

Word Count: 6,994

Summary: It didn’t take Natasha Stark much to convince Steve Rogers to have a spur-of-the-moment, iron-clad, star-spangled destination wedding in Las Vegas. Weddings are supposed to be sappy and sentimental, but Toni wouldn’t be Toni if she didn’t try to fluster the super soldier until he couldn’t take it anymore. How exactly is that going to go over with her new husband?

Warnings: 18+ Readers only, smut, Dom/sub tones, some cursing so mild language, some fluff, teasing, slight denial if you look hard enough

A/N: This was a fic that was part of @becaamm‘s Valentine’s Day Challenge. I asked for the prompt of “We can do it in Vegas,” and this delectable little piece just flowed right onto the paper. It’s been a while since I wrote something so sultry and downright sexy, and initially I wasn’t that pleased with it until I read it out loud. Please let me know what you think! All comments (and criticisms) are appreciated!

Lithe arms stretched out as Natasha Stark rolled off her super soldier lover. Her chest rose and sank heavily as she struggled to catch her breath, head and body reeling from the salacious activities that had just taken place. Wiggling around on her side of the bed beside Steve Rogers, she could hear the popping of some of her ligaments.

“I think I’m gonna have to hit the gym with you,” she whined, twisting to the side as her back popped. “Either that or start taking multivitamins like an old woman. My body just isn’t what it used to be.”

Steve grunted in acknowledgement.

Milk chocolate eyes peeked through long lashes at his face. Baby blue hues were fixated on the ceiling in deep concentration. She waved a hand in front of his face, and he blinked down to her with a grin. “Hey, doll.

“Hey yourself,” she murmured, snuggling up against his side and tossing an arm over his chest. “What’s got your star spangled Spanx in a bunch?”

His hand came up and weaved his fingers through her own. With minimal effort, he pulled her hand closer into view where he could stare down at the radiantly sparkling jewel donning her left ring finger. “Just can’t wait to make you my wife is all,” he whispered, lips brushing over her knuckles.

Her lips curled into a soft smile before it faded. They had been through hell together. They defended Earth against an alien invasion, stopped the world destruction from her own robot creation and his army, and even went toe-to-toe with each other. When it came to Thanos, they weren’t able to stop him...and she almost died in space. Since being reunited, they hadn’t been able to get enough of each other. Even how fast the engagement came was quite a shock.

They determined that they were going to take their time though, maybe put the wedding off for a year or so. Rushing in so soon after the decimation probably wouldn’t be fair to everyone else.

Then again...the wedding wasn’t for everyone else, was it?

Her eyes grew wide as an idea popped into that genius mind of hers. She perked up, drawing Steve’s attention away from the ceiling and onto her. “We can do it in Vegas.”

“What?”

Pure excitement pulsed through her veins as she jolted up out of bed, sitting cross-legged and holding onto her knees. “Steve, it’s perfect! Let’s just get married in Vegas!”

He cocked an eyebrow. “What, like elope? What about the others, and Rhodey, and Pepper, and…”

Her hands raked through her just-screwed auburn locks in frustration. “That’s just it, Steve. Our wedding? That’s for us, to celebrate our union. You can’t wait. I can’t wait. Why should we wait?”

“But-”

“We could get married at the Little Neon Chapel, have Elvis officiate and then drive down Las Vegas Boulevard in a pink Cadillac,” she interjected, ignoring him.

He rolled his eyes, his hand resting on her knee to get her attention. When her eyes locked on his, he offered her a small smirk. “Why spend the money to go all the way out there when we could just as easily get married at the courthouse with a few witnesses?”

She shook her head, eyes falling where his hand rested. “We haven’t ventured very far from this compound since I got back,” she drawled. “We’ve been exhausting all our resources to reverse this thing...and I want to, I do. I still close my eyes and see Parker just disintegrating in my arms.”

There was silence from Captain America, but he squeezed his fiancee’s leg as a gesture of support.

Tears formed in her eyes as she glanced around the room and back at Steve. “Stevie...I have to get away from it for a while. I want our friends there, but I need to get away from all of it, every reminder. I’m afraid...I’m afraid I’ll go out of my everloving mind if I don’t.”

Instantly, his arms ensnared the woman in a bear hug, his hand bracing the back of her head and petting her hair in a comforting gesture. His lips met the corner of her eye as he kissed her tears away. “Okay, doll. Okay,” he cooed, squeezing her even tighter. “We can do it in Vegas.”

It was almost hard to believe that had been just 72 hours prior to the moment Toni was living in. Then again, to her, the last 72 hours flew by like a dream.

In their luxurious hotel room at the Venetian, she gaped in the mirror at the woman who was reflected back at her. Her lengthy light auburn locks were pinned back away from her face, the strands weaved into a elegant low updo held together by pearl and rhinestone bobby pins. One strand hung off to the right side for a little dramatic emphasis, curled just enough to give her hair a soft wave.

Her makeup itself was done mostly naturally. Darker flesh tones painted her eyelids, outlined on the bottom with inky lines of eyeliner. Her long lashes were made even lengthier and more full with waterproof mascara. She already had full lips to begin with as well, but the addition of maroon lipstick made them appear even plumper.

The dress itself was a marvel. She had managed to go to a bridal store and find the perfect ivory silk gown. The straps were thin, but cut over her chest in a v-formation with an extra little curve to accentuate her bosom. A wide ivory sash wrapped around the waist of the gown, separating the bodice from the skirt. The skirt flowed beautifully over her curves. It wasn’t form-fitting or body-conforming in the slightest, but hugged just the right areas before the fabric spilled to the floor and made a tiny pool at her feet. A slit ran right up the left side of the skirt to the middle of Toni’s thigh, adding just the right amount of sultry to the whole outfit. To pull everything together a little more, long silver earrings with diamond leaves down their length and two pearl spheres at the bottom dangled from her ears. Her freshly manicured feet adorned strappy silver heels with rhinestones down the front, toe and leg straps.

As Toni gawked, her stomach started to flip. Within such a small amount of time, she would be on a gondola marrying Steven Grant Rogers, a man out of time. Both of them had defeated the odds against them time and time again to get to where they were. It seemed so much like a fairy tale, a dream. Like if she reached out and touched anything, she’d wake up and still be lost in space, even further from Steve’s arms than she was in that moment.

Just the thought of that possibility made her nearly double over, the flipping in her stomach shifting to more of a churning. Her chest felt hollow and empty, like the air had been sucked from her lungs and the room. Her body trembled and convulsed as she shivered, the warmth having fled her body. Her clammy hands tugged at her own upper arms as she gasped for air.

“Miss Stark?” a voice trilled, a soft hand resting on the small of Toni’s back.

That minute amount of touch was enough to ground Toni a little, to calm the tumultuous storm that had been building inside her. Her head snapped up, her eyes locking on the concerned forest green eyes of a petite red-headed woman, the wedding planner. Taking a deep breath, the billionaire straightened herself out and gave the woman a small smile. “Sorry, Miss Waltham. What can I do for you?”

The woman carefully scanned Toni’s face, and Toni couldn’t help but feel guilty. How many brides with cold feet had she seen before, that ran out and cancelled the wedding completely? She must have been worried that Iron Woman was going to do the same thing. “Is everything okay? You know, it’s perfectly natural to feel nervous. Marriage is, after all, a new adventure! But I can assure you, it’s an exciting one.”

This caused the bride to snort. Because of their status as Earth’s defenders, even getting coffee was an adventure for them. She knew how the woman truly meant it, though: that every day was a new opportunity to discover things together and try new experiences. She could only wish for all of those opportunities with her new husband. When the red-head cleared her throat, Toni broke out of her mini daydream. “Sorry. Yes, I’m fine. It was a case of nerves, just not the nerves you think, I promise. I’ve never been more sure of anything...of anyone...in my life.”

The petite physique of the wedding planner wiggled in place before she bounced off, returning just a second later with a bouquet of red and white roses. “In that case, he’s waiting for you, Miss Stark. Are you ready?”

Toni’s fingers curled around the bouquet with a wide grin. “More than you know, Miss Waltham. Let’s get going.”

CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK!

Steve’s black dress shoes echoed through the corridor of the Venetian’s gondola station as he paced, waiting for his future wife. He didn’t think this life was possible before. He had always hoped for it, but between the war and the ice, then the whole Avengers thing, it was almost for the best that he didn’t settle down. How could he share such a dangerous life with someone and put them at risk, give them nightmares and anxieties?

That isn’t to say he didn’t date. There was that cute coffee waitress in Brooklyn, a couple women he met at the gym here and there, and of course Sharon. Sharon he could have possibly settled down with, but their dynamic was never quite like what he shared with Toni.

The thought of the billionaire made a warm smile dance over his lips as he continued pacing. He had read her file prior to jumping on the Helicarrier during Loki’s attacks, and initially wrote her off as a spoiled, pompous brat. They were at each other’s throats initially more than once, but then when they figured out how to build a team dynamic? Everything ran almost as smooth as silk.

Almost. There was that little matter of the Sokovia Accords and then the big secret about Bucky. Who could forget the Moscow battle and then all this garbage with Thanos, and how Toni was almost lost to the cosmos? Yeah. Almost as smooth as silk.

“Captain.”

The male voice broke Steve from his thoughts, effectively halting his pacing as he glanced over to the large white and gold gondola. Near the bench reserved for the lovebirds stood a dark-haired man, dressed in a black and white striped shirt with black dress slacks and a red scarf around his neck. He was giving the super soldier a smirk. “Cap, buddy, you’re gonna put a hole through the floorboards if you keep pacin’ like that.”

Baby blue eyes glanced down at the dark oak of the platform, and a chuckle reverberated through his chest. “I’m sorry. Suppose I’m just a little excited to finally be marrying my gal.”

The man gestured to the seat in front of him. “Why don’t you climb aboard? I’m sure she’ll be down any minute.”

Steve did as he was asked, stepping into the gondola carefully before taking a seat on the bench across from the gondolier. He wasn’t even seated 10 seconds before his leg began bouncing, rocking the whole boat.

A bell jingled by the station then, and the gondolier beamed at the captain once more before placing his hand on his shoulder. “And here she is.”

Steve nearly jumped from the bench, and the boat weaved on the water under the sudden shift in weight. He murmured an apology before turning his attention to the end of the dock, where a white and gold door creaked open agonizingly slowly. He expected to see her hiding behind the door, but when it finished opening, all Steve could see was a faux stained glass window and a wine-colored carpet. He huffed in aggravation. If he had to wait any longer to see his wife, he was going to go bonkers. Leave it to Toni to tease him, even at their own wedding.

When she finally came into view, Steve’s heart swelled. She was truly a vision in the simplistic ivory gown she wore, and he couldn’t drink her in enough. The way her hair was pinned back from her face, how just the slightest makeup made her glow, she was absolutely stunning...and about to truly be all his.

The way those pools of blue raked over her figure made Toni blush and glance off to the side before fixating her attention back on the soldier in front of her. He looked like he just stepped out of a post-World War II photo. Over his broad shoulders and proportional torso rested a dark greenish-brown dress Army jacket, complete with pristine brass buttons, buckles and his various military distinctions. His undershirt was just a shade different, his collar buttoned under his chin with a gold tie hugging his neck. His dress slacks were the same greenish-brown as his jacket, pressed with a crease down the center of his legs. His beeline honey hair was coiffed in a very neat, very 1940s style. He looked delicious, and it took all of Toni’s strength as she approached the boat to not jump his bones right there in front of God and everybody. Judging from his stance and the vibes he was giving off, it was safe to say he felt the same about her.

A sly smirk made the corners of her lips curl upward. Oh, she was going to have fun with this.

When she approached the end of the dock, Steve flashed her a toothy grin as he offered her a helping hand. “Good evening, Miss Stark. Lovely night for a wedding.”

Her eyes rolled, her tendrils shaking slightly with her head before she took his hand and stepped into the gondola. “I would agree, Captain Rogers,” she purred out, adding just enough emphasis on his title. It drove him wild when she did that. With how small the blue rings around his pupils were getting, she would say it was having just the right effect. Her smile widened before she adjusted her dress as they both took a seat on the bench in front of the gondolier.

Once they were comfortably seated, they were joined by an older gentleman holding a tome, and a mousy brunette with a camera. Once everyone was seated and comfortable, the gondolier untied the boat from the dock, pushing off to float through the Venetian’s stunning canals.

After a moment, the older gentleman cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses before he opened the book in his hands. “Miss Stark, Captain Rogers, it is my honor to be with you today as you-”

Toni readjusted her dress so it showed enough skin on her leg for Steve to take notice. When she took a peek from under her lashes at him, she could tell she succeeded.

He leaned in and pressed his lips to the shell of the ear of the woman beside him. “Doll, what’re you doing to me?”

A playful smirk danced over the genius’ painted lips before she feigned innocence, flashbulb going off in her face from the photographer. “I assure you, Captain,” she cooed against his ear, blowing against his lobe for added effect. “I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”

He grinned before nipping at her ear gently. “Sure, sure. That’s why you bought the dress with the slit in it and prolonged your appearance at the dock. That’s fine, sweetheart. Keep toying with me. See where that gets you.”

She whined softly, just audible enough to hear between the two of them before she whispered back, “Hopefully pinned against a window as you make me see stars...and I'm not talking about the ones in the sky.”

“Oh, good! You two are facing each other. Let us get to the vows, hmm?”

Steve smirked before pulling both of Toni’s delicate hands in his, his eyes meeting hers. The connection between them was always strong before, but this time it was different. There was a stronger magnetic pull. She could’ve sworn he was looking right past her and deep into her soul.

“Captain Rogers, repeat after me, will you?”

The genius tuned out the words as the officiant said them, but paid perfect attention to the captain in front of her.

“I, Captain Steven Rogers, take thee, Natasha Stark, to be my lawfully wedded wife...to have and to hold, from this day forward...for better, for worse...for richer, for poorer...in sickness and in health...to love and to cherish...till death do us part. I pledge myself to you."

Tears pricked the edge of the woman’s eyes, but she didn’t allow them to fall, even with waterproof makeup on. Instead, she wiggled in her seat to adjust herself before reciting her part of the vows.

“I, Natasha Stark, take thee, Captain Steven Rogers, to be my lawfully wedded husband...to have and to hold, from this day forward...for better, for worse...for richer, for poorer...in sickness and in health...to love and to cherish...till death do us part. I pledge myself to you."

The older gentleman grinned at the two before reaching for a small velvet silver pouch in his pocket. He jammed his finger through the drawstring opening and pried it open before extending his arm to the couple. “The rings.”

Steve let Toni reach in first and dig around for his wedding ring, a modest gold band. She held it in her grasp as he pulled out her ring, a thinner gold band with alternating diamonds and rubies on it. The smile never left his face as he slipped the wedding ring over her left ring finger, resting it on top of the engagement ring.

“Natasha, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love. As it encircles your finger, may it remind you always that you are surrounded by my enduring love.”

Her thumb brushed over the cool metal of the band as she played with it. Her chest felt full, and not of shrapnel this time. Instead, it was full of love, so much so that it was spilling over through her eyes in the form of tears. She took a small gulp of air before she responded, “I will wear it gladly. Whenever I look at it, I will remember this momentous day and the vows we have made.”

The super soldier’s left hand cupped her cheek, a thumb brushing away the water streaking down before she took his hand and slipped the gold band down his left ring finger as well.

“Steven,” she whispered, taking another ragged breath before she continued, “I have for you this golden ring, a most precious metal that symbolizes your love and how it’s the most precious element in my life. The ring is a loop, with no beginning and no end, symbolizing that our love will never cease. I place it on your finger as a visible sign of the vows that have made us husband and wife.”

Her new husband jolted forward eagerly, ready to seal the deal with his bride before the officiant cleared his throat again as a warning. There was still one more part of the ceremony to be completed before they could get to the grand finale.

The officiant straightened his posture before his chest heaved in a big sigh and he closed his book. “Captain Rogers...Miss Stark...by the power vested in me by the state of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife!”

There was a mass amount of cheering ringing through their ears, and suddenly Toni and Steve weren’t in their own world anymore. They both glanced up as the gondola passed under a pedestrian bridge where several people had been watching their ceremony. The flash from the camera simulated a strobe light as the photographer took what felt like 200 photos a minute. Had they really tuned everyone out except each other and the officiant this whole time?

“Now, Captain, you may kiss the bride,” the officiant teased with a wink.

Steve wasted no time at all, his strong hand wrapping around Toni’s waist and tugging her so her torso was practically in his lap. She squeaked before barking out a laugh.

“C’mere, Mrs. Stark-Rogers,” he growled out. His lips crushed against hers almost bruisingly, like he was a man starved for her. With how long he waited for this, for her, he might as well have been.

Toni melted into the kiss, turning into liquid in his arms as she pressed her lips against his in return. His tongue swiped against her lower lip, seeking entrance which she granted. The kiss lasted only a moment more (because Toni was truly worried she was going to snap at the older officiant if he cleared his throat one more time). When the two broke apart, even as they caught their breath, they couldn’t help but grin wildly at one another.

It was only a short time later when the gondola came full circle and docked at the station. The newlyweds were both yearning to get on with the wedding night festivities, but were whisked away by the photographer and wedding planner for photos. After an hour and a half of posing at various property locations followed by a half hour of additional paperwork to wrap everything up, the happy couple were finally dismissed to begin their new life together, to which they both immediately rushed to the hotel tower elevator.

“No party, no dancing, no having to mingle with a million and two guests, and we managed to stay under a $20,000 budget, Captain,” Toni teased, her feet slipping in and out of her shoes anxiously. “That’s the best wedding ever, if you ask me.”

He snorted, eyes fixated on the digital number of the hotel elevator as it kept climbing. “What made it the best wedding ever was that you were there, Mrs. Stark-Rogers.”

Her new name made a chill run up and down her spine, causing her to shiver pleasurably. “Oooh,” she purred, leaning her head against the back of the elevator car. “Is this what it’s like when I call you by your title?”

He couldn’t help but chortle at his lover as he bent down to give her a sweet peck on the cheek, leaving him in perfect position to whisper, “If this damn elevator would hurry the hell up, I plan on showing you exactly what it’s like.”

She twisted her head and captured her husband’s lips eagerly, her teeth nipping on his lower lip and eliciting a groan from the super soldier. His arms curled around her frame as he deepened their embrace, the numbers just ticking by on the ride up to their floor.

They almost didn’t hear the bell ding to signal that the car had finally arrived on their floor. Toni broke away from the kiss first, and was about to wiggle free from Steve’s grasp when a small animalistic growl ripped from his throat, his right arm hooking under her legs and hoisting her up bridal style as he carried her through the corridor.

“Y’know this is reserved for the actual threshold, right?” she amusedly scolded.

“Y’know...I don’t care,” he retorted, an ear-to-ear grin on his face as he strode towards their room. “I don’t care what threshold it’s supposed to technically be. I’ll do this over every one if I have to just to show everyone that you are my wife. Mine.”

They reached their room door a moment later, and she yanked the keycard from one of Steve’s lapel pockets. She slid it in the lock, waiting for a green light and click of the deadbolt before twisting the knob, aiding the super soldier out since his hands were otherwise occupied. He nudged the door open with his foot and took two enormous steps in, effectively crossing that threshold. He set his bride down momentarily to lock the door.

They both stepped further into their luxury suite from the foyer, and were taken aback in surprise. In the bedroom portion of the room, the spacious queen bed was freshly made, red rose petals littering the white cotton bedspread and pillows. On top of the rich mahogany dresser across from the foot of the bed sat two crystal champagne flutes with a large aluminum bucket in between, the pail filled with ice and a bottle of champagne nestled inside. The elegant beige curtains in the step-down living area were tied back with a thick red rope. A white sheer curtain draped over the window was the only thing protecting the room from getting more light glare from the bustling Las Vegas Strip below.

“Guess they needed that extra time from the photos to go ahead and do all this,” Iron Woman murmured, taking in the work of the wedding planner and the guest room attendants. She was still admiring their handiwork when she felt soft lips brush over the sensitive area where her collarbone and neck connected, causing her to tilt her head to the side and grant Steve easier access.

“Probably. That...and it was all just one big tease. It was torture, having to wait so long to get you back here to ravish you,” he gruffed, voice low and husky as his hands skimmed up the curvy sides of his bride before they danced back down again, both hands resting firmly against her rear and giving that area a squeeze. “Doll...I think you’re wearing way too many layers for my liking.”

A trill of a giggle left her throat as she shifted out of her heels and kicked them to the side. Craning her neck, she made eye contact with him from her peripheral. “Then do something about it, Captain.”

The guttural snarl that emanated from him as he nipped at her shoulder caused heat to shoot down and pool in her stomach. His calloused fingers fumbled at the top of her dress, trying to feel if she had a hidden clasp or anything he had to be concerned with. When he realized it was just a zipper, his lips skirted over the center of her shoulder blades. He tugged on the tiny metal piece, the teeth eliciting a perfect noise as they split apart, exposing more of her to him. As more skin revealed itself, he peppered it with a trail of kisses leading to the base of the zipper, resting right at the small of her back. He shoved the silk of the gown aside on the right just enough to be able to nibble her hip.

“Recite our words for me, love.”

She sighed as he kissed a trail back up her spine. “If we say ‘lime’, then everything’s good.”

A kiss to her left shoulder.

“‘Lemon’ means we take things slow.”

One to her right.

“And ‘cranberry’ means we need to stop.”

His fingers hooked under either strap of her dress as his lips skirted over the junction of her neck and collarbone again, taking the skin between his teeth and suckling gently. “And where are we at now?”

The gesture caused Iron Woman to pant slightly, arousal pooling further near her core. “Lime, lime, lime, Steve. Dear God, it’s lime,” she hissed, flustered at his agonizingly gradual pace.

A soft chuckle, and with a flick of his wrists the bodice of her dress fell around her waist, exposing her torso to the cool air in the hotel suite. Her fingers propelled it over her hips quickly, allowing all the silk to pool on the floor at her feet. She was bared completely to him, save for her white lace bra and matching cheeky panties. Her fingers reached back and found the clasp of the bra, yanking the hooks free and letting the garment fall to the floor. Rotating on her heel, she smirked at her husband playfully, head tilted in an innocent gesture.

“What is it?” he inquired, eyes focused on the bounce of her chest and the perkiness of her nipples in the brisk air.

“Well, Captain,” she breathed, her hands fiddling with his jacket collar as she leaned forward, her chest pressing against him suggestively, “It seems now that you’re the one wearing too many layers.”

His irises were practically non-existent, pupils blown wide with lust. They were fixated on her, affectionate yet stern, a look Toni knew all too well. “Then you should take care of the issue.”

It wasn’t a playful suggestion. It was a command.

Immediately, she went to work. Her digits curled around the fabric tucked in the buckle of his belt, tugging at the material and sliding it through the brass buckle until the entire belt fell away from him. She batted her eyes up at him before toying with the bottom button of the jacket, causing it to break away from the hole. Every move was deliberately measured, formulated to get him more hot and bothered than he already was. She could tell that much from his gaze and the growing bulge in his slacks, which she would brush against nonchalantly every so often.

He rolled his head side to side in aggravation. “Fucking hell, doll. What’re you doing to me?”

��Language, Cap,” she chided as she worked on the next button up. “Good things come to those who wait.”

“You and I both wrote the book on waiting, Toni.”

“And look what came of it,” she countered, flashing her left hand at him before starting on the next button. “Patience is a virtue, and you, my dear...sweet...loving husband, are supposed to be the very definition of the word.”

His chest shook once with a sarcastic snort. “I won’t be very virtuous with you tonight, I guarantee it.”

The connotation in his warning only added fuel to her internal fire. She finished the last button on the jacket and pushed the offensive layer over his shoulders, folding it neatly in her arms before tossing it gently onto a nearby chair. When she focused back on the captain, he already had his tie loosened, and the first button undone of his undershirt. “Feeling a little pent up, are we?”

He swooped down and captured her lips with his own hungrily, fidgeting with some of his buttons while she worked on the others. “I...want...to...claim...my...wife,” he uttered out between fervent lip locks. “You’ve been...a little minx...long enough.” He yanked the golden tie over his head as she jerked away the fabric of the undershirt, his rippling muscles exposed to the air. Her fingers tugged at the waistline of his dress slacks as she aimed to give his expanding tent some relief. He caught her wrist, the satin of the tie still in his grasp dusting over her.

“Turn.”

She didn’t hesitate in obeying, pivoting on her heel until her back was to him. Her hands clasped behind her expectantly, but he surprised her when the fabric settled over her eyes instead. Her vision blackened, she could only feel Steve’s arm extend in front of her.

“How many fingers do you see?”

It was a bit of a trick question. The correct answer was “none,” because he should have her blinded properly. If she answered anything else, he would spank her. Well, since she had been a temptress all day…

“Three.”

She could hear the aggravated exhale of her husband as he retracted his limb. There was a minuscule rush of air that fanned her ass before the crack of skin-on-skin contact echoed through the room and her ears. She yelped softly as pain radiated through her right cheek. When she was about to reach back to alleviate the pain, the captain fired two more swats in quick succession, his lips grazing the shell of her ear.

“You wanna try that again, doll?”

Her fingers went to reach back again, but he flicked her hand away with his own. She wouldn’t be getting any comfort without giving him an answer, and she was nothing if not consistent. “I saw three,” she reiterated.

Another irritated huff before he smacked her thrice more in the same place. Her pearly whites sunk into her lower lip as she whimpered.

“You know I can do this all damn night, Natasha.”

Oh, her full first name. She must have really ruffled his feathers. Deciding to give a little bit in their game, she whispered, “Nothing. I saw nothing, and I still see nothing.”

“So you lied to me?”

Oh, fuck.

SLAP!

“Fuuuuuck, Steve!” she hissed, craning her head toward the man behind her. “Seriously?!”

A strong arm wrapped around her shoulders and applied a bit of pressure, signaling for her to face him completely. His hand cupped her chin, keeping her face in place as he closed the distance between them. “You’re damn right, ‘seriously.’ I told you I was anxious to marry you, hungry to make you my wife and claim you as truly mine. I thought you were anxious too, but you’ve done nothing but torment me all day.”

She chuckled and rolled her shoulders in a shrug. “What can I say? It’s one of the reasons why you fell in love with me.” Hopeful that she was being charming enough to get her out of any trouble, she arched on her tiptoes and pursed her lips, waiting for him to close the inch of space between them with a smooch.

She could feel his face moving closer. He was just about to close the gap completely when he clicked his tongue disapprovingly, his nose brushing against hers affectionately. “Huh uh,” he taunted, “Good girls get rewards. Bad girls get punishments. Get on the bed and scoot up until you get to the headboard and hold onto it.”

A rush of air flirted with her ass again. He was ready to swat at her. Instinctively, she flinched. He instead clapped a hand on the tender area, moving to the left and right in a rough rubbing motion.

“Don’t you dare even think about making me wait long, either.”

With the weight of his warning, she didn’t want to. She knew what happened when she pushed Steve’s buttons just enough, and that gravel in his voice told her he was right on that cusp. Plus, she was actually aching to see what he had in store for her. That ache is what propelled her to clamber onto the plush mattress and fumble her way to the headboard. Her hands found the metal bar instantly, digits curling around the cool brass as she flipped herself to sit reclined against the pillows, facing him. From across the room where their luggage was, she could hear the zip of one of their suitcases. She only hoped it was the suitcase she was thinking of, the thought of its contents making her body tremble in anticipation.

There was a sudden warmth on her left side, and she knew her lover had returned. The weight of the bed shifted as he braced a knee against the mattress, hovering over her. Something coarse wound around the skin of her wrists, and instantly she knew it was one of the rope coils she packed.He was meticulous, wrapping the coil around either wrist and crossing it at the middle before wrapping the coil around the bronze bar of the headboard. He repeated the process three times before knotting the cord. There was a slight tug at the knot, and then his fingers slipped under the rope between it and her wrists, making sure it was loose enough for her to wiggle or twist without worry of burns or cuts. Her joints rolled in demonstration to him, showing that she was restrained securely yet safely. A brush of his thumb over her knuckles was a loving gesture and a silent thank you for the confirmation.

There was an emptiness then beside her then, and she realized he must have retreated from the mattress. Two soft metallic thunks echoed through her ears, the bed shifting from something tugging on the frame. He was securing different coils at the foot of the bed. Her suspicions were confirmed when his hand plucked her left ankle and spread her leg as far as would be comfortable for her, the rope winding around the area soon after. He repeated the process with her right leg before slipping his fingers between her and the rope once more. She again rolled her joints. Instead of his fingers giving her loving acknowledgement, however, his lips found purchase with the top of her right foot, then her left.

She sighed contently and arched in the air as he kissed trails up either side of her legs. A kiss to the shin...right below the knee...to the inside of her knees...above the knee on her thigh. Her chest rose with a sharp intake of air as he made his way up towards that sweet spot she yearned for him to touch, the fire insider her raging hotter than ever. “Steve…”

Against the inside of her thigh, she could feel a sly smirk pull at his lips. Without acknowledging her, his tongue slipped past his lips and lapped affectionately against the sensitive flesh of her thigh, leaving a minor stripe in its wake. He pulled back just enough to purse his lips and blow against the wet area, causing an intense tingling sensation to shoot straight to her core. Her body jerked a bit in response.

“Oh, fuck, Stevie,” she keened, hips pushing off on the mattress. She could only hope she was thrusting closer towards his mouth.

His palms braced against her hips and jostled softly, keeping her in place as he nipped at the area he had just licked in warning. “That’s Captain to you, Mrs. Stark-Rogers.”

A fervent nod of her head was her answer as she wiggled under his grasp. He applied the same ministrations to the inside of her other thigh, this time dangerously close to her center. She could feel the heat of his head right there, so tantalizingly close yet so dreadfully far in the same distance.

“Captain, Captain, Captain, Captain…”

The title was a mantra off her lips. She could feel her arousal pooling between her legs, and she bent her limbs just the smallest amount to edge him closer toward the grand prize.

Her attempts didn’t go unnoticed as his fingers dipped from her hips down through the valley of her pelvic frame conjoining her torso with her legs, tickling her and brushing just the very edge of her core. The movements caused her to mewl desperately, hips thrusting up once more.

The super soldier let out a seductive chuckle as he rested his head on her thigh. His breath washed over her sex, causing her to huff and writhe against her bonds.

“Oh, my darling, beautiful wife,” he cooed. “I told you...only good girls get rewards. Besides, aren’t you the one who said that good things come to those who wait?”

Behind the silk of the tie, her eyes widened at his implication. She had to maintain her poker face, though, so she offered him a cool smile. “Oh please, Captain. You told me you couldn’t wait to get me back here. Do you honestly expect me to believe you’re doing all this just to leave me hanging?”

He hummed in response. “I’m not going to completely leave you hanging.”

Her head cocked to the side, and she felt the mattress shift under his weight again as he moved to grab something he must have put off to the side. When he returned, his calloused fingers ran over the top of her pelvis, thumb hooking into the top right edge of her thong. He pulled the fabric aside, and she shivered as the breezy air feathered over her slickness. He didn’t give her long to adjust before a conical silicone item pressed against her glistening center. With a little extra push and help from how soaked she was, the toy slid into her easily, filling her just enough. Part of the toy curled against the bundle of nerves just above that area, rubbing against it in the most delicious way. She couldn’t help but moan at the feeling, shifting to adjust herself.

A small click from the foot of the bed, and a low, pulsating vibration shook the toy. The billionaire tossed her head back, keening in pleasure. The bed shifted again before Steve’s presence was on her left side again, hand caressing her cheek.

“I’m not going to completely leave you hanging,” he repeated. “No. Instead, I’m going to drive you to the brink and back...again...and again...and again. You won’t get to cum unless I give you permission. Meanwhile...I believe the Patriots just started their first quarter. I think I’m going to catch a little football while you think about what you did to me today.”

She huffed in aggravation, body twisting as the toy vibrated against her insides and her clit.

The captain swooped down and locked her lips with his own, their teeth and tongues clashing in a lust-laden kiss. “Maybe if you’re a good girl for me and serve out your punishment until halftime, you might just get a reward,” he offered.

“F-First quarter…?! Halftime...ugh, Captain!” she whimpered. “What are you doing to me?”

“Doing my beautiful bride in Vegas,” he snickered. “That is what you wanted, after all.”

[machaaoo-blog]

Most likely to become an AO3 if it is as liked as I hope it to be.

Multi-chapter

Bad Lemons (Rated M) - Drugs, violence, language, etc.

It will have very touchy subjects that relate to very serious problems such as addiction and mental health -- if you can't handle it please don't read! (It'll come up in future chapters if I continue)

Description: Living it rough can really change a person, for better or worse. She became strong, bold and unbothered. Nothing could shake her back into a world full of untrue realities.

Fallin' Out

Chp 1 - Walk

"Where is Mina?" She hated waiting, she hated the train station even more. It's loud and obnoxious, which regularly interrupts her sleeping schedule. She would usually settle for a nice bench in the park or even the sidewalks that lead through a deserted alleyway; sadly both were taken by others who had her current living situation or rats. She'd rather her chances living amongst the rodents, maybe even be blessed with their sickness for the rest of her sad life than go back to a broke home. Of course she had other ways or options to get out of this predicament, she's full filled them, yet she never got the pay she deserved. Her welfare officer had an utmost disdain for her existence. He had and would go to lengths to make her life harder, and therefore couldn't be trusted. Then again her worse enemy yet had to be the people who she lived with: a drunk for a step father and a whore of a step mother, not to mention her elder step brother who doesn't pay a lick of rent allong with his crack sniffing wife. The female laid her head back abit and let out a single, "Fuck." How could she get adopted into their family, where the hell was child protective services when you needed them?!

She rubbef her bruised up limbs and does her best not flinch, and doesn't even bother to spare a glance at her wounds. She doesn't have enough bandages for that mess. Placed her pink fingertips on her cheek which was a mix of green and purple. She paid it no mind though. Not that she ever cared too much, but she why stress the luxury of caring about your appearance? Initially, even as a child, she always presumed that what truly mattered more than anything else about a person is personality. Hypocritically, however, she couldn't care less about either. Right now all that seemed to be on her mind was getting through her problems, with or without help.

You could say this makes Uraraka Ochako a rebellious teen. But yet that's not the case. She'll go wherever as she pleases, but she evades at all costs in the name of self-preservation. Put yourself in her shoes. How can someone last a day with her mentally unstable home? Truthfully when she was adopted into it, everything was dandy, until they went into a debt things just seemed to get out of hand. So she left and decided to break free, they never look for her, so who cared?

Ochako glanced up the clock. Though her chance to escape this time would depend on Mina's miraculous connections and genius planning, her fate rested in her best friends hands.

With a sharp inhale she slaps a bandaid on quickly and smooths it out tightly on the bridge of her nose. Placing her hand on the edge of the sink she looks up at her reflection. Curvaceous, petite, ghostly pale skin with contrasting pink cheeks with cuts and bruises scattered all over. She rolled her eyes and became resolute. Opening the door, then spamming it closed, she made her way out the bathroom she walks towards the bench, but is immediately halted when she sees a guy sitting in it. Her eyes narrow. A tall guy at that. Broad-backed with weird sand-blonde hair, why is it so...spiky? She stuffs her hands into her pockets and sits opposite the bench on the far side of the station waiting for him to leave. She wants to dictate it as a personal problem, but if he's depressed...well then she supposes he won't he moving a muscle any time soon meaning won't be getting her bed back for a long time.

20 minutes had passed and it was already 8:30am and he finally left his seat when a certain green haired boy hoisted Sparky off his heavy ass. They were total opposites and Ochako choked on her spit when the blond suddenly bitch smacked the other boy while both boarded the train.

"Ochako, it's me~!" Mina shouted, waving her small pink hands side to side.

"A private school...U.A? Mina, I know you see me as some Fallen Angel who could possibly be saved but they would never let me step foot on their grounds." Ochako placed her hand on her chest and gave a sly smile, "Look at me, all bruised up because some punk wouldn't lend me a light and look at him now." She pointed at the park bench across from them, "Knocked his ass out straight and now I'm stuck with his lighter that doesn't even work."

"I'm just trying to help you and give you a better life, Ochako. As your only friend take my offer. You know there's nothing for you here and you also know you have allot of pent up pride- let it go, and just come with me to U.A."

Ochako tilted her head to the side, her expression softened by the smile of Mina, her best friend.

°°°

"Ochako." She states. The receptionist looks up at her through her glasses with a look that says a first name like that wouldn't even slightly cut it at such a high-class school. The woman does some typing, and looks at the computer with no change of expression. This school held some of the finest and wealthiest, Ochako was out of her eliminate.

"Come with me."

Ochako followed behind the lady, her eyes looking out the school widows once in awhile to spot preppy teens. Even amongst the worst schools she's attended the students stuck out and looked different, they dressed and did as they pleased. Though her past schools were practically full of fights and no learning, gosh how she missed those days where her small gang ran amuck, when she felt empowered and dominating. She let of a tsk, it still felt that way, but those people she once addressed as family were quick to turn their backs. Clearly everything here is different from what she is used to. Designer brand bags, diamond watches and shoes she couldn't touch with her commoner hands. These damned rich kids all looked alike, she couldn't tell any apart, they all owned the same type of fashion and don't get her started on all the goop plastered on the female students faces. "Yuck." She stuck her tongue out at the window before entering another room with the serious, quiet receptionist.

°°°

Katsuki growled. "Aren't you supposed to be helping out the teachers or some shit?" She laughs as he intercepts her lips and responds immediately in the most favorable way. He pushes her against kitchen table, and slowly presses onto her receiving a deep moan in the process. She looked up at him with a gaze full of lust and want. "Who cares, someone else is can take care if it for me." She whined, pulling out out a condom with a smirk.

°°°

Ochako stared at her I.D with a look of disgust. Mina on the other hand slapped her knee and held her stomach, laughing like her life depended on it. "You look so ugly! EWW!" Mina pointed at the picture, "You flenched and your eyes are barely open!" She cackled. Ochako slammed open the window and held her arm back, "To hell with that." But before she could launch her arm and send that I.D flying Mina grabbed her arm. "Calm down, we got things to do, We gotta get you to your room."

"Well then take me to my room, please."

"But wait we gotta capture this moment!" Mina pulled out her phone and jumped back, getting on her knees and began to tap, flashes going off blinding the poor Brunette who stood before her.

"M-Mina please, my eyes-" Ochako placed her hands out covering the camera which signaled to her friend to stop; which, she did. "I wish you wore something cuter though." Mina pouted as she went through her photos, "You always wear the same thing Ochako."

And she wasn't wrong, her wardrobe was small, she never owned anything more than a phew shirts, jeans and underwear. Why by hundreds of dollars of clothes when she just needed seven pairs to last her throughout the week.

"What's wrong with how I look?"

"Well," Mina coughed, as they began to walk, "For starters...."

Ochako had wore the basics: A red baseball cap, a grey top and loose jeans that bagged from her waist abit to reveal her boyish underwear. Don't even get Mina started on the belly button piercing and tattoo. (which is located on her right arm, a whole sleeve so she constantly wears long sleeves when needed.)

"Alright but Mina remember you wanted to get these body modifications with me? And remember what you did? You chickened out because of your dad." Ochako placed her hand on her school dorms door, "You can't criticize what I wear either because you know I'm poor as shit." She unlocked the door and Mina stood behind her, a constant sorry escaping the pinkettes mouth, she opens the door, and stops in her tracks.

The sweaty bodies laid on the kitchen table, the blonde held a tiny naked waist with one hand whilst tugging at her short blonde hair. Ochako rose an eyebrow at the scene, this timing was horrible because those two were at mid-climax.

"Ah, yes! Katsuki-"

The blondes head falls in between the crook of the males neck. Her feet had become weightless.

"Ochako? Can we go in alrea-" Mina stops as she makes her way to the entrance. Ochako held her arm out from keeping Mina from entering any further. It finally took a few seconds for the two sexually tensed weirdos to notice the presence of two others.

"W-what are you doing here? Mina?!"

"What do you mean, what am I doing here, Toga?!" She shouted and covered her face, seeing a half naked Bakugou made the poor pinkettes hurl.

"Who the hel-" Toga was cut off.

Ochako walked into the room, unphased to see a naked man and woman, she lived in the streets and has seen this and much worse multiple times. Everyone in the situation just seemed to watch. As Ochako picked up their clothes she walked back to the nearest window opening it,

"This is my place, so get out."

Ochako threw their belongings out the window, their clothes slowly fluttering onto the schools dorm field. Toga and Katsuki grimaced, Mina slammed her forehead on the door and as for Ochako... well, she took a seat on the couch and flipped on the TV and began to watch animal planet.

[geek-gem]

Edit shit I seriously can't put a title. But basically please be warned this is my extremely stupid take on why SU Criticals want Steven to kill the Diamonds. It's very stupid but I try to make sense of it. Please correct me on stuff please.

This is something I've been thinking about. Especially I wanted to write it at first. But I decided just in case even though I was inspired to make this but wanted to look at @ankle-beez his tagged stuff of anti su critical. Seriously man you are awesome and hope you don't mind the mention because this is something I think I've pieced together.

Including this is kind of related to the joke of Michael Bay if he was in charge of Steven Universe. I've pieced together something remembering the idea of if Steven were to literally kill the Diamonds then home world would basically be in a way dead. Especially chaos would ensure if he decided to do such extreme things.

The take here is this.

Basically SU Criticals the ones I keep hearing about basically want in a way a Michael Bay version of Steven Universe.

How does that make sense you ask? I'll explain including this will help if you have seen mainly the first four Bayformers films I haven't seen the fifth and I'm not gonna. Yet it's basically the sequels that have the most of this thing I'm talking about.

In a weird way these criticals literally want Steven to turn into Optimus Prime as he was becoming in the later sequels.

With the character of Optimus Prime being this peace keeper who would go into combat unless it was absolutely necessary. I'm being honest I'm a ex Transformers fan but let me explain. Optimus Prime I almost all of his versions is someone who would fight but he would try to find a peaceful rather then straight up to combat. Especially being a soft and understanding guy and all that shit.

Optimus Prime especially later in Revenge Of The Fallen, Dark Of The Moon, and the most infamous one Age Of Extinction. He is literally the opposite of that. It's Age Of Extinction where it's most prominent. While yes he's being hunted down by humans, his Autobot friends are being killed.

His actions and words and do much else seriously.

It's scenes like where he says shit like threatening Grimlock by saying, "Help defend my family or die" before that he smacked the shit out of Grimlock to get his point across. Including during that Dinobot charge he is literally saying shit like, "I'LL KILL YOU!".

Including even in scenes in Revenge Of The Fallen, he literally rips the face off of the Fallen or something saying, "Give me your face", and literally ripping his heart out.

Then we have Dark Of The Moon he's becoming more done with this shit, where even when Megatron saved his life from Sentinel Prime, even if Megatron might of attacked him, he fucking kills him by ripping off his head and spine. Especially after that he literally kills Sentinel who is so weak after being attacked by Megatron, especially shooting him with Megatron's own gun.

I'm sorry I'm getting off topic. This is me talking too much about Bayformers. Now let's get back to Steven Universe and why criticals keep thinking of Steven killing the diamonds.

They basically want Steven to become like the Bayformers version of Optimus Prime.

I've been wanting to write these seriously. They literally and I thought of this shit and this is perfect in line up with new episodes coming up. Basically and I imagined this scenario is what they want.

Steven after, "Together Alone" is done with this shit. He's fucking done or whatever remember this is all imaginary but it could be anytime. Some how Steven brings back the corrupted Gems. Especially brings back Jasper who is still corrupted. He asks for their help also he got a new sword from some where. Jasper won't listen, he beats the shit out of her, threatens to shatter her. Then he and the corrupted Gems with any other gems joining them do a literal charge against home world.

They and Steven are literally shattering, murdering any Gem on home world that goes against them, Steven is straight up saying, "I'LL KILL YOU!" a loud for everyone to hear. Doing these God damn battle cries and yelling, "CHARGE!"

Especially adding to this Aquamarine is around that little bitch, despite she's so powerful, Steven literally over powers her because he's all raged up, he says to her, "Give me your gem" and stabs Aquamarine's gem and takes right through her head.

Next he's some how fighting the Diamonds, even White, really Gems are made of light just thinking of those moments from those Bayformers films. Basically he fucking murders them. Especially add the Diamonds how about both Blue and Yellow asking her mercy, and Steven literally tells them they did this to themselves. Maybe White I don't know wait no she is the one that's killed first by having her gem ripped off of head by an axe some how.

There you have it, Steven snapped basically, he just killed the Diamonds. What do criticals expect? A celebration but no it ends up worse and this is what people talked about. Remember Jasper and how she was emotional about Pink's shattering. You see how she turned up, now while it's maybe under different circumstances but imagine many Gems who have been taught their way of life was normal....imagine their reactions, how scarring would that be. How much imbalance and chaos their would be. Everything is out of control you might of started another war you have maybe some Gems invading my Earth now.

You know why because their were actually people thinking and what I think and I'm being extreme but certain criticals want this kid.

To probably become this.

Listen this is a very stupid take. Especially the Bayformers version of Optimus is a different take. But still considering the consistency of Optimus as a character. It's just bothersome. I feel other Transformers fans can explain this better since again I'm an ex fan.

Including if this was a Michael Bay Steven Universe thing you have explosions everywhere, sexualized Gems everywhere, lots of stupid jokes and some racist jokes to have a added bonus, the action is just insane, shit is getting fucked up like buildings and so much more.

But just seriously I understand the Diamonds and people's thoughts on how the fucking hell is this gonna end up, because again the Diamonds have done some fucking awful shit, and even possibly White like seriously. Yet do you seriously think Steven is gonna just drop all of morals because you keep thinking he's a Nazi now which is absolute bullshit. Seriously he and the Gems can't take the Diamonds head on they can kick their asses easily. Especially Steven is a kid who doesn't even wanna do violence and he wants this to be good for everyone. He's trying to get to heal all of the corrupted Gems.

Listen I may be a psychopath and I like violent shit I like slashers and other shit like Doom, Mortal Kombat, and so much other shit. But Steven Universe isn't the place where we have that. Unless it's necessary or whatever. Is that seriously the message even if have problems myself, murder the enemy until theirs nothing left. Even if their are some Gems that are having a secret relationship or something like the new fusion we saw in, "Together Alone"

Especially long ago I thought SU Criticals want Steven to become Doomguy and I have this image in my head of his face he made in, "Together Breakfast" on Doomguy's head in the Doom 2016 cover. The idea he should go all Doomguy on home world I even thought they want that but this makes sense.

Including the Bayformers is a whole different I'm talking about characters. Including both franchises are different I'm sorry.

Decided to put the tags now and I'll put the title after this again this is my very stupid take on this idea of what they want.

[tumblunni]

Ehh i think i finally summed up why all of this steven universe diamonds stuff has been so underwhelming.

YES you can redeem a villain

but you have to

actually

TRY

Yes you can write a story about the world’s most fuckin horrible person being really actually sad at heart

Yes you can write a story about an abusive parent actually being able to change

Yes you can write a story about some wild genocidal alien civilization of asshole space rocks actually only doing it because something something societal pressure DESPITE BEING THE ONES IN CHARGE WHO SET THE DAMN RULES I GUESS

But fucking hell its not gonna be EASY and you shouldn’t treat it that way.

All of this shit was SO fucking quick?? And everything else WASNT!

You spent SO long hyping up these guys you spent SO long convincing us that they WERE evil and that they had entirey different motives for what they were doing and EVEN WITHIN THIS FUCKING EPISODE you spent more time showing us White Diamond being absolutely ridiculously existentially horrifyingly awful and refusing every offer everyone gave her to help and refusing every chance and fucking fucking goddamn violating people’s entire minds and just.. fuck.

After all that you cant just fuckin have steven walk up to blue and yellow and say “hey everything you did was bad” and them go “GEE WE NEVER KNEW!” for some reason this time they’re convinced in a single sentence despite it being the same sentence steven said before in every damn episode and pink said to them years before and every person they abused and enslaved and mutilated and KILLED said while they were DYING

And you can’t fucking have white diamond never redeem herself and never change and never admit she’s wrong and steven SOLVE IT WITH FUCKING FIGHTING WHILE SAYING HE DOESNT WANT TO, WHILE THE ENTIRE SHOW TRIES TO CLAIM THE REASON THEY ARE DOING IT THIS WAY IS BECAUSE OF PACIFISM

because seriously he?? just defeated her?? and this made her?? change???

redeeming a villain shouldn’t be easy. redeeming a villain has to have the villain TRY. white diamond has done nothing to prove she really has a heart, prove that she really did all this for sympathetic reasons, prove that she’s able to change, AND ESPECIALLY NOTHING TO MAKE IT UP TO ANY OF THE PEOPLE SHE’S HURT

she just got defeated and basically admitted she’s wrong cos she has no other choice. and i guess her blushing because steven issued a SICK BURN to her is meant to be enough proof that her entire motivation so far has been because of self confidence issues forcing her to put up a false front aka her entire personality we saw so far. If you wanna tell me she’s entirely different to what we saw so far then please could you please give it more screentime than twelve goddamn seconds.

This is like how yellow and blue just suddenly were accepted as part of the family and steven agreed to go with them to homeworld literally just because they realized he “is really pink diamond”. Like they never fucking repented or actually learned to empathise with humans or ever explained why they dont empathise with humans no nope the only answer we got is that they were sad about their sister/daughter/friend dying even though they were already doing all the same evil stuff before that and its what caused her to leave in the first place. no we’re gonna just completely trust them instantly and not even continue making an effort to convince them? we’re gonna trust them so much we’re gonna trust that white diamond will also change just cos we beat her up? COS SERIOUSLY STEVEN FUCKIN DEFEATED BLUE AND YELLOW IN A FIGHT AND THATS THE END OF THEIR ARC, HOW IS THIS PROVING THE POWER OF PACIFISM!! beating everyone up and then saying the same singular sentence again and somehow now it works!! or saying “my mum was pink diamond” and it doesnt convince them but hey if we say it again with magical proof its true then i guess it works now. wow that sure does argue the power of words i guess

everything EVERYTHING they did was just a fuckin misunderstanding cos they dont UNDERSTAND they were doing bad and thus they dont have to face any form of consequences beyond being mildly embarassed i suppose.

if you wanna make that the ending then you need to work to disprove all the hours you spent implying that.. yknow.. they were doing things because they were evil

and even if theyre sympathetic they still did evil things and they still need to work to prove that theyve changed

and ESPECIALLY if you’re making a show very heavy on subjects like LGBT discrimination it shouldnt be FUCKIN WOW UNEXPECTED that the audience would see this plot as a metaphor for stuff like homophobia and abusive parents and.. yknow.. societal oppression in a law system that forces you to live in the closet in constant fear of being discovered and killed. and all the other apparantly accidental undertones of racism and extermination of indigenous people in stolen land which YOU REALLY SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED PEOPLE TO SEE WHEN THE PLOT IS LITERALLY EXTERMINATING PEOPLE TO STEAL THEIR LAND

all of that means you need to do MORE work to prove that that isnt actually what the plot is supposed to be, and more work to redeem villains who are very heavily goddamn triggering to a large part of the vunerable audience YOU SPECIFICALLY MARKETED YOURSELF TOWARDS

this was just so fucking overwhelming and somehow rushed despite being an hour long episode, and i hate it because the show spent so much effort on so much other stuff yet decided to half ass it at the really important part that NEEDED to have thought and time put into it if it was gonna nail the landing

especially after ALL THAT FUCKIN TIME AND EFFORT INTO THINGS THAT ONLY AMPED UP THE VILLAINY AND TENSION OF THESE GUYS AND MADE IT SO MUCH WORSE

like fucking hell how can you be so tone deaf??? this has been in the planning for so damn long and theyve been working on it forever and THIS is what they chose to rush over? this is the priorities they thought were important? even just within this episode if youre struggling to fit it all in then like seriously cut out some of the stuff like the montage of unseen fusion forms that did basiclaly nothing but a few jokes, and the equally as rushed bad lars and sadie romance resolution. Which is another thing that needed a lot of work to fix when the introduction we got to these two was a really unhealthy relationship and a dude who refuses to change despite being given twelve chances but suddenly changes COMPLETELY on the thirteenth one and i guess cos he died that proves he’s all good now. Except he acts all weird and creepy in the very next episode and endangers his new friends by acting all possessive over sadie again and getting angry that she has other friends????

i hate it because ive had to deal with the fandom telling all the people who were rightfully uncomfortable with how these subjects were handled that oh we’re just overreacting and oh wait and see cos they totally have a big plan for the ending or something that’ll make it all make sense. And comparing people being triggered by child abuse and racism to “huhu those dumb su criticals who hate the art style” or whatever...

god, man, its just a deflection of what the issue really is

“oh youre saying NO VILLAINS can EVER be redeemed and NOBODY can EVER talk about dark stuff in shows without being SECRETLY BAD AND SUPPORTING IT IN REAL LIFE?”

no im not saying that im just saying the subjects are fucking depressing to people who’ve suffered from the real life stuff and the villain redemption should be GOOD and should THINK ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE if it wants to make up for it

like fucking hell look at how much zuko from avatar went through before his redemption. look at how long he struggled with his morality and how long it took him to realise he was wrong. look at how much detail they showed us on all the people who negatively influenced him into making the bad choices he did. look at how much he went through to make up for what he did and apologise to everyone he hurt. look at how everyone he hurt didnt believe him at first and it took a while for everything to work out. look at how sometimes he messed up and took steps backward before getting to where he needed to be. and look at how he actually changed as a person and continued learning and growing and trying to be a good person even far into the future after the story ended.

hell, fuckin look at PERIDOT! peridot had a full goddamn zuko arc! peridot had more screentime than all of the diamonds combined, and it was way better utilized! she had a full process from being introduced as a scary villain BECAUSE OF MISUNDERSTANDING WHO SHE REALLY WAS, then being revealed as having a fully rounded personality, flaws and redeemable traits while still being a villain. and moments of her proving that she did indeed only become a villain because she didnt understand what she was doing was wrong, and a personality that matched with that reveal rather than having NO INDICATION she was like that until it suddenly happened only after she was defeated. and her redemption came slowly through friendship with steven and it had moments of the other characters not instantly trusting her and also of her making mistakes and struggling with believing steven’s philosophy when it went against everything she knew about life. and speaking of which it was established that she had a very different life which had negative influences pushing these ideas upon her, and tough stuff that made her scared and pressured. Not just being in a high position of ruling over a planet in the lap of luxury and ONLY AFTER BEING DEFEATED do we learn that they feel pressured by the societal expectation to be perfect and they actually would have agreed all along with dismantling the system but they were just too afraid to be honest. Or whatever the fuck that rushed ending was trying to go for! And man even after peridot joins the team she’s NOT redeemed yet, she’s initially only halfway doubting herself and only teaming up with steven because they’re both afraid of the cluster. And she messes up and says horrible shit to her new friends and feels the consequences of her actions and chooses to change. And her ultimate choice to switch sides is REALLY hard, she gets so close to going back to the diamonds and its a great personal sacrifice on her part when she chooses to give it all up and make an enemy of the person she was so scared of!

and GAHHH that good redemption is one in a million episodes that really set up the diamonds Being Bad and should have been a goddamn tally in the “effort required in the fuckin ending” chart!

could we not have even just had one ten minute episode of blue and yellow going around earth and experiencing human life and realizing there’s things worth protecting? or a few damn scenes foreshadowing white being actually insecure and lying to protect herself, rather than GENUINELY ABUSIVE BECAUSE SHE’S BAD?

and seriously even if you hurt people because you hate yourself YOU STILL HURT THEM

a sympathetic backstory should be a reason why they COULD be redeemed, not proof that they already are redeemed just because the backstory was stated in words and nothing else has fuckin changed.

imagine if zuko just lost one fight to aang and said “yes but my dad abused me” and aang was like “oh no now lets team up with zuko to beat up his dad” and none of the bad things zuko did were ever mentioned again and also he keeps his season 1 personality throughout the entire series

imagine if peridot fuckin.. just changed sides cos she’s funny and we like her. people wantedher to change sides as soon as she acted funny and likeable but they still made the effort to actually prove she had changed! the diamonds didnt act remotely harmless or remotely good until they just suddenly are in the very last episode.

hoo

fucking

ray

also why are we constantly just ignoring all these dark things about homeworld? like the episode with holly blue agate and the famethyst slave caste and all the creepy ways the entire place operated. i totally thought thatd.. yknow.. EVER BE REFERENCED AGAIN?? its never even mentioned that anyone even WANTS to go back and save them?? and the human zoo were outright stated to be like.. unsaveable. “oh theyve never known real human life and theyre happy in their slavery so itd be cruel to take them away from it” One off episode, forgotten about. And the creepy as fuck scenes of gems being BUILT INTO THE WALLS AND DOORS AS SECURITY SYSTEMS and the confirmation that more lapis situations are constantly going on yet somehow that singing hairbrush person doesnt get all the sympathy that she did. And steven going daww at the pebbles instead of being horrified that theyre born to work as servants and forced to live in the walls because the noblewomen dont want to look at them? and he asks them to make him a new outfit?? and theres no plot anything involving them except them puttering around in the background outfitting?? like was none of this meant to be seen as PROOF THAT THE DIAMONDS WERE EVIL and PEOPLE WHO NEEDED TO BE SAVED????

goddddd

please say they were rushed or something please say this is all the faultof being given less time than they expected please say there were other plans for other episodes we didnt see that would have given at least slightly more substance to any of this

also why wasnt this even advertised as the last episode if its the last fuckin episode

hhhh well at least obsidian was a great character design and so were the other fusions and new outfits even if they only appeared for twelve seconds. and white’s whole scary evil mind invasion stuff was really good even if it actually hurt the episode by being good, kinda

man im not even mad or anything i just feel mehh and bored and like im actually glad its over. i never wanted to feel that way about a show that used to be so good. i kinda wish the earliest episodes werent so good if the answers to all those well set up mysteries were gonna have so much less effort than the setup itself

...man i should make a whole post about all the mistaken ways i THOUGHT the show was gonna go that actually would have been way more interesting than the real answer.

i’m just super glad that my last theory was wrong cos wow that would have been the only thing worse than this ending! when white pearl first appeared before we’d actually seen white diamond, and it had all this thing that white diamond hadnt been seen in ages.. well i was worried it was setting up some sort of reverse twist where actually white pearl is bodysnatching white diamond instead of vice versa. So the whole evil empire would actually be run by a member of the slave class that its oppressing, and the diamonds/representative of the upper class would actually be poor victims all along. dear god i am so glad i got that wrong! tho im weirded out by how evil white/pink pearl looked in that first hint that she was originally pink pearl??

anyway basicallly im just so fuckin tired

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

Yotsuiro Biyori 1 | Kakuriyo 2 | Lupin 3 Pt 5 2 | Saredo 2 | BnHA 40 | Boueibu HK 2 | Mahou Shoujo Ore 3 | Golden Kamuy 2

Yotsuiro Biyori 1

I memorised this show’s name as being “Rokuhoudou”, so I almost didn’t recognise it at first when CR got it! I’m only taking it on because of the SoL aspect, which I’m normally not too sold on. However, there was a lot of slice of life this past winter, so I can see this being moved to the on hold pile already…

Mitarashi (dango).

Why do I get the feeling there was something fishy (time travel, a death or something) that happened to make the Rokuhoudou the way it is? I say “time travel” because of what I read about this show on ANN.

Is it just me, or does the background around this woman look kind of flat? The bins seem pretty flat, at the very least…

I can see what the woman means when she goes “This is a café?” It sure don’t look like one, it’s more like a temple or something.

I almost expected the woman to mangle the name of the café and go “Shika-kaede-tou” or something. How do the Japanese manage to get all these kanji combo pronunciations right???

“Don’t dodge my question, you king of BS.” – Just another quotable, alongside “Just Google it, asshole.” (Boueibu HK)

I thought the latte art was a dog at first, but yeah, if I look at it differently, it’s a bunny!

Kusamochi. By the way, I was thinking this show is really charming. Sure, I had more than enough Cute Boys Doing Cute Things in the winter, but these guys have quite the rapport. Now if only I could figure out what their names are (properly)…

Wait, so did that board/sheet/whatever inside that inspired Redhead refer to Kinako (cat) or kinako?

Lemme get this straight – black hair is Tokitaka, brown hair (latte) is Gure, desserts boy is…shoot, I don’t know…Update: Gure has black hair, not brown. It’s just shorter than Tokitaka’s.

I got no Google hits for Koubai pink, but Yurushiiro pink I did…so here you go. Yurushiiro pink was a pink that wasn’t banned by the emperor of Japan back in the day where he had more power. It seems to be a shade somewhat similar to cherry blossoms.

Tokiiro pink = rose gold and Yoshino cherry white = a pinkish-white.

Nerikiri is a type of wagashi.

Some of the subs got cut off! Grr, CR! So, here’s my attempt to translate what they have on that board of Redhead’s: after “butterflies”, there’s “plum” (ume), “bamboo shoots” (take no ko) and “new leaves” (wakaba). CR definitely used a longer word combo in place of “new leaves” though, so I could be wrong. That writing’s pretty scribbly, after all.

Redhead is Tsubaki (see? I have a horrendous memory when it comes to learning things for the first time)…so who am I missing?

Sakuramochi. It’s that grainy sort of pink, leaf-bound mochi you often see in shows like this.

Gure seems to like his Italian, doesn’t he? Is he half-foreign or is this just being a fan of the language of pasta?

“…think about the spring sunshine.” – So why the cat background?

Okay, I’ve found whose name I’ve forgotten. Sui (brunette).

Tokishirazu salmon. LOL, that salmon’s perfect for Tokitaka!

I don’t think they showed the chopstick holder earlier, but it’s a heart. It really is cute!

Interestingly, this woman brings to mind the idea of meiwaku when she says that it was her fault.

Oh, they weren’t heart shaped, they were cherry blossom shaped! That makes a lot more sense! (The shapes are similar though…)

Makunouchi bento…that sounds familiar, for some reason.

Hanami dango. I’m sure you know them, even if you’re not familiar with the name...so long as you’ve watched enough anime to see them at least once.

Ah, I bet Gure is a happy drunk, LOL.

Hah? There’s Sui (when he was younger)? Not in this episode, no…There was also a Tsubasa Fujita who was voiced by Hibiku Yamamura. I assume that’s the woman we were following today, but it might’ve been her friend or someone in a later episode…

Manjyu chazuke. I had to use the Japanese words to get some hits (as opposed to the romaji I just used), but whoever said that thing about Ougai seems to be correct.

Omusubi seems to be another name for onigiri.

Sencha.

That seems like less of a drop than I first thought...it’s going to be tough to cut down on all these shows. I’m clearly being affected by how much I opened up my watchlist, because remember those days where I’d only take on two shows a season?

Kakuriyo 2

Wow, the oni really has it in for her now...or is it really that hard to get a true read of him?

I somehow wagered the tengu was going to remind Aoi of her old man a few seconds before she did just that. That’s a bad sign...

Would a tengu have been too heavy to fly if it were drowning?

Seriously, this tengu never thinks of flying. I’m laughing, but I’ve realised this show’s strength seems to be its humour more than anything.

The airship has the kanji for “Ten” (from Tenjinya).

The pace of this show goes like molasses, so I think I’ll put it on hold here.

Lupin III Pt V 2

“Did you finally start caring about the environment?”

Holy helicopters, Batman! The AW609...exists!

“...Lupin used to escape!”

They’re being chased and yet still have time for hotpot, LOL. Never change, Lupin. Never change.

I never thought I’d see the day where a situation like the one Ami’s in could ever be talked out of in anime. Normally a scenario like that one is played for drama...

I guess even Lupin has a moe instinct, LOL.

That social media service looks a lot like Twitter, eh?

Apparently Shinpei Mayama is new this episode...Keep watching.

The Flea? He looks more like a hikikomori monster to me, LOL. (Boueibu reference, don’t mind me...)

I get the feeling I should know these people that are all showing up, but I feel like I don’t need to know about their backstories to appreciate them going forward. Thus, I will keep this show. Once again though, it’s a tentative keeper.

Saredo 2

I’m zoning out...I need to drop this show, don’t I?...

Soleil? Is that Gayus’s surname? (Basically, I got roped back into watching it with one reveal, LOL. I’m such a finicky person.)

One Hundred Ways to Train Your Dragon, more like it, LOL.

Oh great. Every time they have a religious figure, the show always seems to go downhill...(thinks back to Vatican Miracle Examiner)

Wow, “pessimistically optimistic”€. That’s quite the paradox!

The power of politics is to back up one voice with lots of voices, so...uh...about that, Cardinal Mouldeen...

“Come on, you slaves of authority.” - LOL. What a name.

“[Gigina’s] a sword dancer...” - Oh, so that’s why sinners dance with the dragons! A “dancer” is a magician in this world.

Okay, seriously. How did I not see how bad this show was in the first episode? If your side characters are more developed than your main ones, you’ve got a problem.

I’ve never seen a man more dedicated to fantasy-style IKEA than Gigina, LOL. At least that’s fresh.

I don’t think I even want to document this for later, but who the heck is Diorg?

I completely regret praising the rapport between Gayus and Gigina now. You can have some great convos when one member of the convo’s drunk, but this is a bit of a mess of a convo, tbh.

Even without the big names, I suspected the woman was connected to the black dragon...

This is a show where property damage counts, right? Gayus’ll throw a fit later, eh?

Okay, I think I’ve complained about this show way too much. Once I start seeing something in a negative light I start to sound really critical, and a lot of the time it’s actually not as rewarding as hatewatches should be, which is why I haven’t tackled anything for hatewatch purposes yet. It’s just a fun-sucker, if that’s the case, and that was definitely the case with this show.

BnHA 40

Wait, why is the camera-oh, it’s just Mineta. Get off the audience’s case, Mineta.

Is it just me, or is it that every time I read “Wild, Wild Pussycats” I get this song in my head?

I love how the Pussycats are basically magical girls with those poses!

How did they not censor Dragon Quest??? (LOL)

Aizawa likes cats? That’s new, but it’s also very in line with what we know of him already.

Oh, I see. She’s a Christmas cake!

What does GG stand for in that context, huh? “you GG bastard”, hmm...

Between BnHA and Tiramisu, you’re definitely in luck if you like muscular boys!

I feel like Kota’s a hypocrite. After all, he’s at his aunt’s and his aunt is a rescue hero...

Kota is very much like Midoriya in a few ways, don’tcha think?

Kota’s name has a lot of water in it, doesn’t it? (Both kanji in his name have water radicals.)

Boueibu HK 2

For some reason, Wakura actually seems happy about his outfit...even though he criticises it.

I’m kind of confused about that “hammer and pigeon”€ thing myself, although hato = pigeon which you can vaguely hear in Furanui’s sentence.

I love Wakura’s serious face...seriously, I need to figure out who best boy is soon, eh?

LOL, I said platypus was kamonohashi, yeah? Kamo can mean duck and it can be short for “maybe” (kamoshirenai).

Wahey, Binanshi Contest! Was it no. 1704 last ep as well?

Well, spoilers beat me on this one, but Tawarayama was a principal after the other guy...but then what are the HK DC gonna do about an advisor?

Ehhhhhhh? This I didn’t see! Shuzenji calls Ata by that name!

The student council room hasn’t changed at all, I see.

“Get fat!” - Wow...(LOL)

Calling it now - Unazuki is a yes man. Very Arima-like...

Strangely, Maasa’s sentence doesn’t specify Furanui is “shrimpy” at all. He just calls Furanui “this thing”€ (konna).

Does this mean Maasa has a thing for cool belly dancer guys? Hmm? Or is it just the magic he’s impressed with?

That board on the wall of the student council room hasn’t changed at all, which is what tipped me off to my earlier comment.

Ritter = knight. So our ES are Diamond, Rose Quartz and Amethyst. There’s not as much of a pattern going through these guys as there was with the CA, but it’ll have to do.

Oh wow, that summary took almost half an episode! No wonder the DC ran off!

The massage thing really calls to mind the manga...

108 is a Buddhist number. I wonder if there’s any significance to that...

July 18th? Boy, another July baby (thnks back to En)...

Getanha are cakes from Kagoshima, where the Kirishima onsen is.

Lorbeerprinz says ”druck” is pressure...but...well, I never thought I’d see the day I regretted not learning German, that’s all. Sorry. I got nothing on this.

This shabu shabu stuff reminds me of the chikuwabu talk in LOVE! s1 ep 1. (nostalgia washes over everyone)

They definitely upped their 4th walling this season, eh? First the layout artist thing, now this “cut off by the frameâ” thing.

The river I’d assume is the Sanzu (river you have to cross before you die) and I guess the flowerbed has to do with that. Kyotaro is Fiore Kiss though...which seems somewhat ironic.

At least they’re fully clothed prior to this transformation...but I didn’t mind seeing them transform from their birthday suits last episode, either...

What is that? *squints* It appears to be Taiju’s phone. Atsushi’s last season was green so I can see why this one’s plum.

Applying self destruct boosters is a lot easier than it looks. (thinks to Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, where cake makes a character explode)

There’s a list of ground rules, including “let’s protect morals and manner”...whatever “manner” is. I guess the Furanui Knights, who aren’t actually on the ground, wouldn’t be subjected to “ground rules”, eh?

This one was clearly a case of “didn’t think of something for himself”, huh...

Do they have hot baths in Honyara Land???

Kamopapa’s VA was someone with the surname “Nishimura”...gotta look this guy up later, I guess. Seeing the actual visuals of the ED for once is so exciting, though!

The statement on the scroll in the back means “scholarship and the martial arts”, which is just another way of saying Ata’s a perfect student and is continually striving to be one.

Maasa’s hair antenna is a heart in the ED. That’ll get him charm points for sure.

Lookit them badass swords! They even have corresponding gems on them!

A-ha! I thought the final defeat song was Happy Ready. These marketing guys are too predictable...

For some reason, this ED is a lot more Detective Conan than the last one. I can’t quite put my finger on why though...

This next ep preview’s the best! I wanna quote it! “You know how there are things you see every day, but you don’t actually know what they’re called, so you just say “the thing” or “the whatever-it-is”? The next episode’s about that sort of stuff.” Update: It really is about that sort of stuff, this preview’s just uber-vague...

Mahou Shoujo Ore 3

Wow, they’re really leaning on the 4th wall this week, aren’t they?

The lyrics by and large really don’t make sense, so I feel quite thankful I’m not listening to the audio track right now, LOL.

(at “This way, squirrel!”€) What in animals’ name is this Pokemon? (LOL)

Hey, uh...is it just me or did both magical boy shows opt for the flashbacks this week, too?

What’s the age difference between Sakuyo and Mohiro? Kid!Mohiro doesn’t look older than 12 here.

“Thus concludes Sakuyo’s Thrilling First Love.€”

One thing I’ve noticed with lots of magical girls is that they have earrings. Arima (Boueibu) had them, but these guys do too.

“...looks so much like Mohiro-chan...”€ - Now that I look at Sakuyo’s magical boy form, he does kinda look like Mohiro eyes-wise...

God of Conquests? That refers to the main character of The World ____ Only ______, right?...Yup, I think so!

Have we been watching the same fight scene for almost an episode? Geez, flashbacks.

Can I like Mohiro-chan too? Because this eyecatch completely sold me!

The pixelation’s probably going to give me motion sickness one of these days (exaggerating), but if they overuse it, I’m definitely gonna go on about it.

Max Heart? I wonder if Astral’ll get it? I sure do, but I don’t know if he will.

I think I spotted a chick design on Mohiro’s jumper...?

Wow! Self-deprecation, much? (somewhat sarcastic) (The magazine this series ran in deals with BL, according to the blog header here. Mahou Shoujo Ore flip flops over that boundary, so you can see how it got into it...)

”Wherever there’s a magical girl, that’s where you’ll find me!”€ (Or should that be plural?)

Oh no, don’t even try going there, Sakuyo (laughing as I type this)...thank goodness they didn’t compare their...uh, hand grip. Yeah, the strength of their hand grip! (sweat sweat)

What was Saki drinking, wine? (somewhat sarcastic, somewhat skeptical)

Asano Shinbun is a parody of the Asahi Shinbun, one of the 5 biggest publications in Japan in regards to newspapers.

If you don’t remember from Mob Psycho 100, “mob” in this case means “just another face in the crowd”. Like the name ”Jane Doe”€ in English. The henohenomoheji style is a distinctive touch, though.

They’re being serious about the TV appearance thing? Never would’ve thought that, considering how that was a parody of Superman changing outfits in a telephone booth. Either that or some other superhero...

Golden Kamuy 2

Those pinecones sure look like prawns to me...

Ooh! OP! much hype, such wow. Also, a Man With a Mission OP is definitely something to keep an ear out for.

(in the OP) The letterboxing effect is cool here.

Sugimoto’s asking about tattoos because people with tatts wouldn’t be allowed into baths. At least, that’s the rule nowadays...

Karafuto.

This guy reminds me of Kaiji...or Akagi...or whatever the guy’s name is.

Gah, enough with the fire! This isn’t Blingee, for gold diggers’ sake!

Well, at least Sugimoto and Asirpa can take the skin nowâ...

The Ainu cooking show strikes again. Not that I’m complaining about it, it’s strangely interesting in an odd way. Not to mention the action mitigates any weirdness these parts might give the show.

Squirrel brain. Never in my life would I have dared to type that…until now. (Or eat it, but please don’t make me harm cute squirrels...)

I think Iâ’ve seen so many Shokugeki no Souma parodies/variations, I kind of expect every (pseudo-?)cooking show to do something like it. The fact Golden Kamuy didn’t do it surprised me in that way.

This guy! He did a Valentine’s promo for the show! His nameâ’s Shiraishi!

What a regular Houdini, eh?

This show is so comical in such a way you’d never see in another show. I love it.

Shiraishi with a raccoon on his head, LOL.

[lalka-laski]

Have you ever hugged someone for over a minute? Oh yes, especially in Glenn’s family. Those hugs last for eternity!

Would you ever get a tattoo on your collar bone? No way. My collar bones are my favorite body part so I want them to stay front and center. 

Would you take the 3 minute beatdown to be in a gang? Uh no Do you check your texts right away when you receive them? Most of the time. Although that doesn’t mean I reply right away...

Has the last person you texted ever been mad at you before? She’s my sister so I mean, of course. 

Have you ever searched for your house on Google Earth? Mhm! I don’t know why that’s so fun for some reason 

How old do you look? Definitely much younger than I am. Maybe early 20′s tops.

Do you like movie nights? Love them! Just this past weekend Kathleen, Allie & I watched all three Hallowteen movies (accompanied by loads of snacks) and it was a blast! 

Is there a trampoline in your backyard? Nope

Does the thought of having children scare you? Well, sure. I worry about the potential complications and of course, all the hardships of pregnancy, delivery and parenting. But the prospect excites me just the same! 

Are you nice to everyone? I think so. I’ve been told that even when I try to be mean, I’m nice. 

Would you rather date someone older than you or younger? Well Glenn is 12 years older than me, so...

Are you excited for anything happening in the next week? Quite a lot! We have a fun-filled week. Tonight we have a bonfire with Glenn’s cousin, tomorrow we have dinner with his two friends, Thursday we have dinner with my sister, her new boyfriend & my parents, and then Saturday we’re attending his sister’s gig! Busy bees! 

What will you be doing in the next 2 hours? I’ll be here at work for the next 9ish hours. I foresee a LOT of surveys in my future...

Who did you talk to on the phone last? A client 

Does it make you uncomfortable when you receive a compliment? I thrive on compliments. Just one “small” compliment can have me beaming for the rest of the day. 

When you are home alone at night and hear strange noises, are you afraid someone is going to break in? UH YES. 

Do you wake up cranky? Almost always, yep. I just love my sleep! 

What is on your wrists right now? Nothing.

Are you a beach, country, or city person? Hmm.. I guess I’m more suited for city living but I still love me a good day at the beach! The country is not quite my cup of tea though. 

Are you an official couple with the last person you kissed? We are an ENGAGED couple, in fact :) 

Looking back, did you ever think you would be where you are now? Never ever. I never thought I’d have this kind of love and I certainly never thought I’d have this ring on my finger! But here we are. 

Do you like someone? Ha, you might say that :P 

Are you happier now or three months ago? NOW! 

What’s the greatest thing that happened to you today? Well, it’s only 7:23 am and all I’ve done today is get up and come to work. Not much “greatness” happening here.

How old do you think you will be when you finally have kids? Well, I’m going to be 30-31 when I get married & I anticipate kids a couple years after that. 

Are you waiting for something? I want to say I’m waiting for this day to be over but it’s way too early to even mention that. Sigh... 

If you could change your eye color would you? I love my eye color, actually. It’s one of the few features on myself that I *wouldn’t* change. 

What was the weather like today? So far it’s a crisp, fall day. My ideal weather! 

Do you think you’ll be married in ten years? I can confidently say I WILL be. 

Does your ex still love/like you? I know one of them has feelings for me but that’s not my problem. 

Are you stubborn? Just the opposite, actually. I’m too easily swayed. 

Do you tend to hold a grudge? Now that I can do! 

Where were you at 9am this morning? It’s only 7:30 now, so yes I will be. 

How has the week been? Pretty damn wonderful! Well, aside from my digestive issues and the puking I did last night and this morning. 

Did you go out or stay in last night? We went out for Moe’s and then spent the rest of the night cozy at home. 

Something you do a lot? Worry

How many states have you lived in? Just one

Can you commit to one person? I am currently, and will be for the rest of my life 

Who was the last person to hold your hand? Glenn

How many chances do you tend to give people before enough is enough? Probably way too many. I can be a bit of a pushover and a self-blamer.  Do you think you and your best friend will be friends in 10 years? I know so 

What do you miss most about your ex? Not one single thing. Funnily enough, I just had a convo with Glenn last night about how I don’t understand what the appeal of my last relationship was. Nothing about it was good. 

Are you attracted to the last person that kissed you? I sure am! 

What’s a fact about the last person you kissed? He’s an extremely skilled musician, martial artist and acupuncturist. Yeah, I got me a well-rounded man!

Something you really want right now? I wouldn’t mind being home and back in bed

How long have you liked the person you like? About 3 years, give or take! 

Does any part of your body hurt right now? My tummy, slightly 

Did anyone see you kiss the last person you kissed? Nope

Can you recall the last time you liked someone? Right now 

Are you happy with the way things are going? ABSOLUTELY 

Do you think you will be in a relationship 3 months from now? Of course. After all, we are engaged. Have I mentioned that?? I will never stop mentioning that! 

What plans do you have for tomorrow? I have the day off from work so I’m hoping to do a little laundry and cleaning, then Glenn and I have dinner with some friends. 

Has a friendship ended recently that you wish hadn’t? Not recently 

Have you ever given your ALL to someone who walked away? Mhm. But now I see that it all served a greater purpose.

Have you ever kissed the last person you texted? Not a KISS kiss

Do you and your last ex hate each other? I don’t care for him but I don’t think I’d say I HATE him. Although I’d be entirely justified if I did.

When was the last time you were sick? Well I puked a little bit this morning so uh.. does that count? 

Are you one of those people who are always cold? I’m always overheated 

Do you tend to waste a lot of money? Nah, I’m pretty good with my money

Have you ever regretted kissing someone? Ohhhh yes

When was the last time you got a haircut? A few months ago. I’m overdue! 

Did you sing at all today? Not as of yet.

Would you rather be able to control the weather or control traffic? The weather 

Do you own any articles of clothing with skulls on it? Nope, that’s not really my style. 

Are you faster at text messaging or typing on the computer? I’m freakishly fast at both 

If you won a trip to a nude beach would you go or give the trip away? I’d go just for the experience! Besides, I’m comfortable with nudity.

Tongue piercings - cute or trashy? They’re not my style but I don’t think they’re trashy. They can look cool on the right person. 

When it comes to jeans: skinny, flared or boot cut? Skinny jeans/jeggings ONLY

Would you rather be a star ballerina or a star break dancer? I don’t have the figure to be a ballerina so I guess I’d choose break dancer? Ha, could you imagine! 

When it comes to Baseball would you rather be on the field or in the stands? In the stands, no doubt. Baseball games are actually quite fun! 

I’ve got to know, who do you prefer: Mario or Luigi? No preference 

Have you ever changed clothes in a public area (not a dressing room)? Many a time

How many months apart is your birthday from your best friends? I have several best friends. And actually, a few of them have birthdays very close to mine. 

Yes or no: Techno music? Nah

Yes or no: pigtails? On a little kid? Sure. But on myself? Creepy 

They say diamonds are a girls best friend; what do you say? This pink sapphire and diamond band on my finger are my new best friends! 

Has anybody ever told somebody one of your secrets? Mhm 

Have you ever kissed anybody who had a mustache? I do daily

If you were famous do you think you could handle the popularity? No way. I could never handle the scrutiny, the criticism and the lack of privacy. 

Have you ever kissed someone whose name started with a letter P? I don’t think so actually

Did you talk to one of your best friends today? What did you talk about? I’m talking to my sister right now 

Do you get on better with funny or serious people? Eh, that’s hard to say

Do you have mood swings around the time of the month? I have them even when it’s not the time of the month

Have your friends met the last person you kissed? A lot of them have but there’s still several who have yet to meet him. We’re hoping to have an engagement party so everyone can do so there! 

What if you saw your best friend holding hands with your ex? None of my friends would ever 

Your last relationship, who dumped who? He dumped me. But it turned out to be a great blessing! 

How old were you when you had your first boyfriend/girlfriend? I was 17 when I had my first actual relationship 

Is your hometown nice? I think so. It’s considered one of the “shoddier” suburbs of my city but I love it and much prefer it to the wealthier suburb that I moved to as a teen. 

What if you got stuck in a lift with the last person who Facebook messaged you? He’s my fiance so I’d be more than ok with that. (I’d need him there to keep me calm, actually) 

When/where did your last hug take place? Yesterday in my bedroom 

Do you consider yourself mature enough to make your own decisions? You would think at my age I would be buuuut, it’s questionable

Have your parents ever told you about their love lives, and any previous relationships they had before they met? I actually don’t know as much about their lives before us as I’d like to. They’re both kind of reserved with that information. 

You get a text from someone saying that they want to hang out - who would you most like it to be from? Kathleen, I’m sure 

Do you and your friends have any inside jokes? Way too many 

Do you think someone has feelings for you? Are these feelings returned? I have a pretty good feeling Glenn does ;)

What if the last person you texted were to ask you out? That would be disturbing on multiple levels

Do you believe in love at first sight? Explain. I believe in fate so I do think you can feel a life-changing connection with someone just from locking eyes for the first time. But that’s just me. 

Would you prefer to be somewhere else right now? If so, where? And why would you prefer to be there? I’d like to be in bed. But when don’t I? 

Can you remember what you dreamt about last night? I remember some snippets of it

What’s one thing about today that you didn’t like? I don’t like waking up this early and I certainly don’t like vomiting on my way into work. 

Who is the last person that you said i love you to, besides family members? Glenn 

Are you mad at anyone right now? Nope

Is there one thing all of your ex’s had in common? Not really. I’ve dated quite a range of dudes and have never had a particular “type” 

What’s a compliment you receive often? That I’m sweet and kind 

Have you ever had a friend that got a bf/gf, and then completely ignored you? When we were young and didn’t know how to balance relationships and friendships

Would you ever go back to any of your past relationships? NOT A CHANCE

Who was the last person to comfort you when you were upset or crying? Glenn. I had a panic attack last Saturday and he was so gentle and reassuring. He gives me all the time and space I need to feel better.  Do you prefer to text or talk on the phone? Texting all day 

Do you know anyone that’s gotten an abortion before? Uh huh

Do you think you could forgive someone for cheating on you? I stupidly have before. I’d like to go back in time and smack my younger self upside the head!

Have you ever been arrested? Nope

Who’s the last person that gave you roses? I actually don’t think I’ve ever received roses. 

Do you still talk to the first person you kissed? No way What if you had a baby with the last person you kissed? Well we plan to in a few years time

Do you have a picture of you kissing someone? Mhm

Who was the last person to comment one of your pictures? Who knows. We got a flood of comments on our engagement posts/pics. 

Have you learned from your past mistakes? Hardly ever. But wouldn’t it be great if I did? 

Who’s the last guy you texted? Glenn 

What about the last girl? Kathleen 

Who was the last person to make you cry? Glenn, although they of course were happy tears

What is one quality that you really appreciate in a person? Compassion

When was your first real relationship? Didn’t I just answer this? 

Have you ever cried over an ex? That’s pretty much all I do when I’m going through a breakup 

Do you ever think about your ex and cry? Not anymore. I look back with gratitude (and some confusion). 

Is there anyone in your life who you won’t ever want to lose? All of my loved ones  Have you ever snuck out of your house? Yep 

Have you ever snuck someone into your house? Sort of 

Have you ever kissed someone of the same sex? Yep 

How many people have you kissed? I’ve never counted 

What’s the craziest thing you’ve done on a dare? I almost always choose “truth.” Not that I have played Truth or Dare recently by any means 

Have you ever cussed someone out? Yep 

Have you ever had a friend-with-benefits? Yep Have you ever spread a nasty rumor about someone? No, but I have been on the receiving end of that

Have you ever broken someone’s heart? So I’ve been told 

Have you ever been physically abused? Arguably 

Is there something really bad that you’ve done, that only YOU know about? Hm, there’s at least one other person who knows about all the bad shit I’ve done 

Does it take a lot to make you feel guilty? Not at all 

Have you ever broken a really important promise? Yes

Have you ever gone out with a best friend’s ex? No way

Have you ever made out with someone who was just a friend? Yes 

Have you ever cheated on a test? Yes, these questions are boring me 

Have you ever told someone’s deep, dark secret? I don’t think so. I HOPE not. 

Do you ever lie to make yourself sound better? I guess we all have at some point

Have you ever made up a false rumor to get back at someone? Nope 

Have you ever gotten in a fist fight? Nope

Have you ever purposely hurt yourself? Yeah 

Have you ever caused someone major embarrassment? I’m sure I have 

Have you ever pushed someone into a pool? I don’t think so. Maybe as a kid 

Have you ever got in a fight with someone and never made up? I don’t think I have any lingering bad blood with anyone. But who knows

Have you ever copied someone else’s homework? I’m sure at some point

Have you ever skipped school to do something more fun? I wouldn’t say “fun” but I’ve skipped school to stay in bed

Have you ever skipped school to get out of a test? Nope 

Have you ever kissed someone the same day you met them? Yes

What’s under your bed? We have drawers full of clothes and blankets

What’s on that way top shelf or in the very far back of your closet? There’s an assortment of stuff in boxes: mostly seasonal clothes, purses and jewelery that I don’t wear 

Do you have a super-secret hiding place and what’s in it? I do not 

Have you done something recently you hope no one finds out about? Uhh kinda 

What is your last thought before you fall asleep? ANXIETY 

Have you ever you shop lifted? Sort of

[myloveofwords]

Do You Believe?

Original Imagine: hi! I love your writing! it’s absolutely amazing! I was wondering if I could have a one shot request where the reader gets critically injured bc Barry wasn’t fast enough to save her. super angsty and sad? thank you! @zbvbble (Sorry it took so long Sweetie! hope you enjoy, cuz it almost killed me!)

Reader Gender: Female

Word Count: 2,000

Warnings: ANGST. SO MUCH ANGST. UH. OH MY GOD. I’M SO SORRY.

Author: Contrygal7

                                                     * * * * *

If I didn’t believe in you.

The words cut deep into your head, the first thought of the day and recalling fights hurt. This isn’t the first time you’ve heard those words, though. Of course the first time wasn’t nearly as depressing.

No.

The first time it was warm. A fuzzy kinda warm that slowly seeps its way into your bones almost as if its igniting your entire body in a tantalizingly slow burn. The early morning sunshine, the whole world cascaded in a pink tint, as it fell lazily over the small bedroom in your even smaller studio apartment that you currently shared with your full time boyfriend part time superhero, Barry Allen.

The whole day seemed to reflect your mood, everything a stupid, can’t possibly be real kinda happy. Then you heard it, you’d heard it before of course, but singing in the shower was one thing… This was something different all together.

♪ If I didn’t believe in you♪

♪We’d never have gotten this far. ♪

♪If I didn’t believe in you♪

♪And all of the ten thousand women you are. ♪

He was actually singing. Like he sounded like he knew what the hell he was doing, now your boyfriend was many things. Goofy. Cute. Adorable. A super dork. Charismatic as hell when he wanted to be. But a singer? It just didn’t seem like it was actually him.

… Until he accidentally dropped this solid one liner into the air in front of him.

“Maybe I should just ask her… Nah. No. It’s too soon. Yeah. It’s wayyyyyyy to soon. But is it? Seven months? Maybe. I mean, ugh. I don’t know. I mean I know it’s what I want. But is it what she wants?”

Elevated heart rate, which Barry can hear, or sense or whatever the fuck he does. He turns around faster than your eyes can see, but living with a speedster you we’re used to it.

His deep blue eyes seemed to mirror your own terror as the two of you stood in the bright sunny kitchen, the tension palpable. You could feel his anxiety from across the small room as he too loudly asked “Coffee? You need coffee. I need coffee. I think we both need coffee. I’ll…”

Barry was gone and back in seconds two coffee cups from CC Jitters. You smile sweetly at his terror filled face as a single hand cups his cheek “Thank you sweetheart. Did you have something you wanted to ask me?”

His eyes screamed yes, but somehow he kept his dorkiness to a minimum as he, as slowly as a speedster can, dropped down on one knee. His big puppy dog eyes are what sealed the deal, he opened the small black velvet box in his hands. You looked down, catching glimpse of the shiny red bone shaped dog tag nestled inside.

BUT back to present day … Barry had left this morning with out a single noise.

You woke to a dark room and cold sheets. Glancing quickly at the alarm the 5:13 there glared at you with bright green neon. The world around you seemed to darken, you didn’t like fighting with Barry but sometimes he was just so stubborn.

The fight seemed to cycle and cycle thought your head. You overthought everything said and remembered everything. It was torture, sitting alone in a bed meant for two. Cold and alone. A single tear fell from your cheek as the words said came into razor focus:

“WEll, I’m sorry Barry! I’m sorry I can’t be everything that you want me to be! I’m sorry I’m not a doctor like Caitlin, or a superstar reporter like Iris! Shit Barry.“

"Who said anything about Caitlin or Iris?”

“And you’re never home! You’re always with everyone else but me. You leave me for days, sometimes weeks at a time with no explanation.”

“I have responsibilities (Y/N)! I can’t be here every time you have a feeling!”

“Like you’d know anything about me feelings, Barry. You’re never home. You’re always gallivanting around the city, fighting bad guys and ignoring ME!”

“I do NOT ignore you (Y/N).”

“Well you certainly don’t pay attention.“

"And when am I suppose to do that (Y/N)? The three hours I get to sleep at night? Or maybe you’d like the thirty minutes before hand when I eat before I pass out. Oh! Or maybe you’d like the eight hours when I’M AT WORK EVERYDAY.”

“OR you could come home before the goddamn crack of dawn. Or when you do come home, you always find some kind of excuse to leave yet again!“

The click of paws on the floor snapped you from your memory so you figured Flash, the lovable dalmatian that you and Barry adopted together, needed to go outside.

Without hesitation you stumbled your way through the dark gathering Flash’s leash and your shoes before hustling him outside.

The air was cold and wet. The rain fell around you, chilling you to the bone. You didn’t see anything until it was too late. The sweet smell filled your nostrils and the last thing you remember is the cool sensation against your face as you feel into the darkness.

                                           * Barry’s P.O.V *

I should have went back this morning. I should have went home and crawled into bed, held her close and never left. My neck is sore from sleeping on the couch at the lab, my body aches from lack of sleep, and my head is spinning in regrets.

I should just go home now. Call the captain, tell him I need a personal day. Pick up some flowers and some pizza from that place in Gotham she loves so much. Meet her back at the apartment and lay in bed all day.

Hell, she’s never going to say yes to marrying me if I keep treating her like this. My hand instantly goes to cup the diamond ring in my coat pocket. I shake my head as I realize that I’d been carrying it around since the second month we’d started dating.

She is my everything. I have to make this up to her.

I take out my phone and begin to execute my brilliant plan, until my phone lights up and Cisco’s name pops up. Damn it.

”Cisco, whatever it is let Wally handle it. I can–“

"Barry. It’s (Y/N).”

I was in Star Labs before the call ended.

“What’s happening Cisco?”

“The Meta-finder got something. It’s him Barry. And he’s got (Y/N).”

“How long?”

“I don’t know. Neighbors place her walking Flash at 5, and he just popped up on my radar. We have no account of his whereabouts for in between.”

“That’s 3 hours Cisco.”

“Yeah, man. It’s bad. Want me to call Oliver?”

“No.”

I didn’t finish my sentence. I left her alone. Scared. In the middle of a fight. And now I may never get to see her smile again. I suited up and headed face first into a hurricane.  

                                                 * * * * *

You woke with a throbbing in the back of your head. Your stomach growled causing you to slump forward, you realized your hands were bound behind you. You shuffled forward trying to regain some kind of bearing, and that’s when you heard him.

“Comfy?”

“What the fuck do you want?”

“Oh I think we both know the answer to that question.”

“Well your not going to get it. He’s not coming.”

“Oh but he is.”

“Oh, but he’s not. Asshole.”

“Uh oh. Trouble in paradise?”

You tilted away from him, hoping to terminate any and all conversation which worked. For a whole half a second.

“It doesn’t matter anyway. He won’t get here in time.”

“I’m not taking the bait, asshole.”

“What is it with you and that word?”

“OH I’m sorry. Douche bag. There’s another word for ya.”

“What does Mr. Allen see in you anyway?”

Your eyes widened and you were thankful you’d turned your body away. How in the hell did he know? Your head began to throb again and you cried out.

The last thing you remember is Barry’s face as the darkness slowly took over. You stumbled over the words as they left your mouth. You didn’t know if he could hear them or not, but they needed to be said.

“I believe in you, Barry Allen.”

Your eyes closed slowly and your breathing soon followed. Everything blurred together. Then black.

                                        * Barry’s P.O.V *

I saw the light leave her eyes and I cried out. I don’t remember much after that. Caitlin says it could have been that my body was moving faster than my brain could keep up with. Wells says it could have been too traumatic and I’ve blocked it out. I don’t know. I don’t really care.

All I know is she’s in a hospital bed, on life support and I’m still breathing. I haven’t figured out the how or the why yet.

Another tear falls down my face. It seems like that’s all I do now. Cry.

I feel nothing, I feel empty. I don’t eat. I don’t sleep. I just sit here and stare down at the love of my life. And pray that she will wake up.

Her last words bring a sharp pain to my chest.

I believe in you, Barry Allen.

Why? Her last words, she had to have known they were going to be, yet… She didn’t cry out for help. She didn’t try and plead for her life. She didn’t scream at the top of her lungs…

She told me exactly what I needed to hear. A single phrase and I felt I could take on the world. A conclusion of words that made me feel invisible. A solid string of syllables that connected the two of us in a way I didn’t even realize she was capable of.

A single memory came into mind. One with white curtains and yellow sunshine. Dirty dishes and happy times.

♪ If I didn’t believe in you. ♪

♪ We’d never have gotten this far. ♪

I took her hand into my own, feeling the warmth and smiling down at her.

♪ If I didn’t believe in you. ♪

♪ And all of the ten thousand women you are. ♪

I laughed slightly remembering how she hated when I sang that part to her. Part of me hoped it would piss her off enough she’d wake up.

♪ If I didn’t think you could do ♪

♪ Anything you ever wanted to ♪

♪ If I wasn’t certain that you’d come through somehow ♪

♪ The fact of the matter is, (Y/N). ♪

♪ I wouldn’t be sitting here now. ♪

She never once moved. I watched as the machine assisted her with each and every breath. The rise and fall of her chest and the sudden stillness of her seemed to be too much all at once.

I raised my hand to my face, feeling the sobs begin to tear through my body. I walked over to the machine and with a trembling hand, flipped all the necessary switches.

I watched though tear filled eyes as the machine took her final breath for her. Her eyes never once opening.

21:17

The clock taunted me beside me. I swear I could feel my soul leave my body.

I listened to the tantalizing beeping of the heart rate monitor.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

I listened closer as it begin to flat line signaling the end of her life.

BEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPPPPP.

Silence. It filled the room. Filled my head, my heart. Everything. There is no moving on from this kind of pain.

This is it.

The end.

Beep.

.  .  .  .  . Then again… Maybe not.

[y00sungshairpin-blog]

OOKAY, I have a request! Maybe something super fluffy; it's MC's birthday and she keeps asking for a handmade gift. RFA+V, maybe? If you feel comfortable writing him. (I also don't mind if you want include Saeran or Vanderwood I LOVE THEM ALL. Up to you!) +_+ ♡

Hi! I love this concept so much and I’m so excited to write it! As always I hope it meets your expectations, if not I am always open to constructive criticism!

Yoosung:- OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD- when you first asked him he immediately said yes and he was so excited about it- but there he was, the day before your birthday, panicking because he had no idea what to make and how to make it - then it hit him- origamis!!- he looked up the most romantic ones and came across origami roses- he went crazy and made about 20 and glued them to a box- then he made an origami heart and attached it to the lid- after that he printed a picture of the two of you and placed it on the bottom of the box before covering it with cookies he’d just made- just in time for you to come back home and smell the cookies- “What no it’s just a new air freshener I bought”- as soon as the clock hit midnight he pulled out the box and gave it to you- your eyes widened as you observed the neatly folded paper all around it and you carefully opened it, making sure not to ruin it- when you saw the cookies you went nuts- you ended up finishing them together in less than one hour- and when you got to the bottom you picked up the picture- behind it was a lovely message written in his messy handwriting- needless to say that night was full of hugs and tears because this boy is so cute

Zen

- he would do anything for his princess- so of course when you hinted at the fact that you wanted a handmade gift he was happy to oblige- he had actually been thinking about it for a while, since he, too, had always wanted a handmade gift from you- his present was ready way before your birthday- which sucked because he now had to wait a whole week before giving it to you and seeing your reaction- so he started giving you hints on what it could be- you didn’t get it though- so when he finally gave you a small box sealed with a cute ribbon you had no idea what to expect- he looked at you excitedly as you opened the box and the look on your face changed- you took out a glass jar with a pink candle inside- “Zen did you actually make this?”- “Smell it”- you opened the jar and were invested with a sweet flowery scent- when you gave it a better look you noticed that the candle had small pieces of what looked like roses inside of it- you hugged Zen tightly and he smiled, proud of himself- how the hell did Hyun Ryu make a candle- you didn’t know but you absolutely loved it- but how the hell did Hyun Ryu make a candle

Jaehee- her time to shine- she was good at basically everything so it wasn’t hard for her to find something to make- you had been working together at the cafe for quite a while now and she knew that you were in need of a new apron- so she decide to make one for you herself- she made it very basic at the beginning but then started knitting pretty patterns on it and wrote “World’s Best Cook”, then crossed the last word and replaced it with Girlfriend- you were closing up the coffee shop after a particularly busy day and you suddenly heard the bells strike midnight, so she ran to the back and brought you your present- you immediately tried it on and twirled for her as she clapped excitedly- she was so glad it was the right size- you paused- “Does that mean I’m not world’s best cook?”- “Sorry sweetheart, I beat you on that”- you stuck your tongue out at her playfully before giving her a big hug and a kiss to show how grateful you were for her heartfelt gift - you couldn’t wait to show it off to the other rfa members and make them jealous- which they definitely were

Jumin- when he asked you what you wanted for your birthday he already had his wallet in hand, so after you asked him for a handcrafted gift he was very surprised- but he was not going to say no to his beautiful girlfriend - so he called Jaehee for help- because poor boy had never made something himself- luckily his assistant was very helpful - he got to work immediately, after being provided with all the necessary materials- Jaehee had told him to just make a necklace- but we all know our Jumin is EXTRA™- so he made a complete set- a wire necklace (with a liiiiittle tiny diamond in the middle because he’s still Jumin Han)- a bracelet made out of beads- a metal ring with a button on top- earrings with wire hooks and cute thread decorations - and a keychain with a complicated thread pattern because why not- so much for someone who had never crafted anything in his life- he put everything inside little boxes and placed them inside a designer handbag- he had to buy something he just couldn’t resist- he handed it to you and told you to look inside before you could even react- he wouldn’t admit it but he was actually proud of his creations- you almost cried when you opened the boxes - he had put so much effort into each jewel and they looked so well made- proud MC- you immediately wore all of them - proud Jumin- he genuinely looked so proud of himself- hiS LITTLE SMILE- after seeing him like this you would never even consider taking them off- until he forced you to do it because he was afraid the necklace would choke you in your sleep or something - dAD

707- he had initially thought it would be nice to make you another robot- but nevermind it would just be repetitive - sO- he got to work right away- it took him like three days but when he finally finished it he was satisfied with the result- one day before your birthday he handed it to you- “It’s already your birthday somewhere in the world”- really he was just impatient and wanted to see your reaction - it was a little book that was kind of falling apart but that’s alright- you opened it and there were like 200 pages, each one containing a quote from either you or him, that only the two of you knew about- basically all of your inside jokes were in there- this was the most heartfelt and personal gift you had ever gotten- also how come he remembered all of these? You had forgotten about half of them already- some made you laugh, some made you cringe until you got to the last page-there stood, word for word, everything he said when he first confessed his feelings for you-needless to say that was a very emotional night

V-photo album!!!-despite not being able to see very well, he meticulously put together a lovely book and sticked over two hundred photos to it-on your birthday he woke you up with some breakfast in bed and some cuddles before sliding under the covers next to you, wrapping his arm around your shoulders and placing the album on your lap-you started looking through it, careful not to accidentally tear the thin paper-some pictures were of the two of you during your various trips together, home for the holidays or with the other members of rfa-but half of them were pictures of you that you’d never seen before-you napping on his lap or on his shoulder, you looking somewhere in the distance, you laughing at who knows what-how was he so talented-“These pictures are really pretty”-“That’s how I see you”-“I think your version of me is a little bit more blurry”-that earned you a playful punch on the shoulder-(which turned into a tickle fight)

Saeran-“NO WAY I’m putting effort into something silly like that”-he was actually dying to do it-he felt like he had the best idea ever and he knew it would make you happy-so he bought everything he needed and got to work-not even hacking had ever been this tiring-and after stinging himself with a needle a couple of (hundreds of) times it was finally ready-he wrapped it up nicely and topped it off with a cute bow-when he gave it to you his cheeks were R E D-as soon as you unwrapped it your eyes widened and you were brought to tears by the sight of a little teddy bear holding a stuffed heart-you could see stitchings all around it but that’s what made it look so genuine and cute-you hugged it close and taking another look at it you noticed that “Saeran” was written in small letters on its back-“You said you weren’t gonna give me anything handcrafted?”-“Do you like it?”-you hugged him and kissed him in response-HE’S BLUSHING AGAIN THERE HE GOES-“I’ll take that as a yes”

Vanderwood-“oh man this woman is demanding” was the first thing that crossed his mind-he kept sighing and pondering for an entire day before deciding-it wasn’t much but you had asked for it so you were gonna take it-he got a block of wood and a sharp pocket knife and got to work-and of course being as talented and skilled as he was he got the job done in no time-when the day finally came he put the present in a bag and handed it to you-so much for presentation -you took the statuette and examined it for a while-it was you!-so he knew how to carve too-and it was really realistic as well-was there anything this man couldn’t do?-“Thank you so much! It’s beautiful!”-“For my next birthday you’d better repay my efforts” he responded, giving you a loud smooch on the forehead

[kaitoujokerscans]

Reminiscence Diamond Memory CH3

<3> Prism Island

Prism Island is a theme park that takes up the entirety of an uninhabited ocean isle. In the past, a man who drifted to this island after being stranded discovered a beautiful rainbow that formed at the spring in the middle of the isle. He was taken by its splendor and visited the island on occasion even after having been rescued, eventually moving there permanently with his family. In time, the island was developed, then bought by a certain affluent individual who turned it into a theme park, with the rainbow over the island serving as its main attraction. The theme park was dubbed "Prism Island", and for a time it was a popular destination for visitors from all over the world. However, there was no route to Prism Island other than the exclusive ferry from a nearby wharf, which could only carry so many guests. The number of visitors thus decreased due to the inconvenience, and it eventually joined the ranks of other discredited amusement parks. Even when the park changed hands to the present owner some years ago, there was still only a thin stream. In the daytime, that is...

About one week after the party at Nabakov's manor, Queen stood on the deck of the "Rainbow #3" ferry to Prism Island disguised in a pale green dress. "Now which ride should I start from?" She cheerily examined the spread-open pamphlet. Beside her was Roko, who was for some reason bedecked in frilly clothes.

"We're not here for fun. Our target is 'Beyond Twilight'."

"I know. But can't I play around just a little?"

The ship's speaker relayed details about Prism Island. The ferry now only operated for two round trips twice per day, morning and night. The running information that played during transit was intended to promote the park's attractions. However, the guests were as few as usual, with barely any groups beside Queen and Roko on board. Queen hummed as she gazed out over the calm ocean.

"This costume really is embarrassing, though..." Roko tugged at his clothes with his ears. The cutesy clothes made it hard to believe that he was a super dog.

"Ho ho, they look great. Our current facade is the daughter of a rich man going on her first thrilling adventure with just herself and her dog, after all." Queen suddenly adopted a polite manner of speech and feigned a chuckle. The wind blew, swaying Queen's blond hair under her straw hat. Her trademark twintails were loose. In this costume, Queen appeared to be a normal girl.

"I don't think a well-off girl would drop by a deserted theme park."

"Whatever."

Roko sighed just as an announcement came over the speakers. "Land ho, folks!"

Looking over the railing, Queen and Roko could see a small island in the boat's path. In the center of the island was a rocky mountain surrounded by a forest. That alone would have marked it as an ordinary island, but what made it notable was the medieval castle-like building beside it. "There are three main draws at Prism Island. The Attraction area includes numerous rides, including a merry-go-round, ferris wheel, coffee cups, and roller coasters. The Show Stage area puts on American westerns, space operas, and even Japanese period dramas to entertain visitors. The very centerpiece is the Prism Cableway that covers the circumference of the island. If you go around the park via the clear glass cable cars, you'll feel like you're walking on air! Please live it up and enjoy youself! The ship will reach shore soon. See you later, and have a blast!" The announcement said as the boat gently glided to the pier. A old yet still prominent violet-colored gate with "Prism Island" written on it stood at the end of the port. Beside the gate were people in hippo costumes waving towards the dock. These seemed to be the Island's original mascot characters.

Approaching the island, even Roko began to get excited. "It would have been nice if Master could have come with us."

"Grandpa really would enjoy this even more than us." Just imagining Silver Heart boisterously acting much younger than his age amused Queen.

"Where is Master right now?"

"He's at a reunion of his old thief friends. He's probably drinking alcohol and telling tales of his exploits." Heiress-styled Queen strained a smile and hung her head. The ship docked and the guests on the deck poured out toward the entrance. "Well then, let's get to the Underground Casino's entrance... or so I'd like to say. Word is that the mechanism to enter the Underground Casino is by one of the attractions, right?"

"Yes, but it seems very dodgy. It could be in any area."

"So that means we have to go around the entire place! Ah, what a predicament~ I wonder if we can ride every single ride in all the areas in just one day~♪" Queen skipped jauntily, not even hiding her enthusiasm.

"For goodness' sake..." Roko followed after Queen, his frilly clothes rustling as they headed toward the wharf.

§ § §

Around the same time, a boy was being berated by a burly man backstage at the Show Stage area. "C'mon, kid! What are you dallying around for! Get that moved quickly before the show starts already!"

"I-I'm sorry..." The boy apologized and picked up the show props that had fallen off the pushcart. The burly man went away clicking his tongue, and the boy bit his lip as he pushed the cart. "For crying out loud... why do I have to do this grunt work..." came Spade's voice as he talked to himself. Clad in plain overalled work clothes and his trademark crest of hair hidden with a hat, no traces of his usual intrepid self could be seen.

Why was Spade doing this? Of course, it was all for "Beyond Twilight". Spade's plan was to enter Prism Island's inner workings and sneak into the Underground Casino from there. To that end, he and Dark Eye had tried to enter Prism Island as workers, but Spade had gotten a fever during the critical interview process. Frail though he was, he was assigned to transport various items from storage. He had planned to make full use of his handsome features to investigate the park as a guide, but had instead landed a position where he would have no contact with visitors. On the other hand, Dark Eye's disguise was well-received, and they were now playing a stage part as a mysterious masked performer.

Cheers came from the stage. The hero show must have started.

"Kyokyokyo! I have arrived! This Prism Island place is quite the wonderful amusement park~!" Dark Eye's apparently well-practiced lines came from the stage.

"Well, I guess I'll look for things on my own..." Spade cautiously perused the backstage as he pushed the cart. He had memorized the park map on his first day of work as well as the emergency exits and staff passages. He already knew the shortest routes for transporting props. Thanks to that, he had time to look for the entrance to the Underground Casino. "I haven't investigated this building yet..." Spade approached a backstage shed. It was built to not stand out and wasn't on the map. Unless someone was extremely vigilant, they wouldn't even notice it. He tried to turn the knob on its only door, but his hand was stopped by a firm sensation. What's behind here...? Spade pressed his ear against the door to listen.

"Just what are you doing there~?" came a voice from his back.

Spade turned around to see a slim, pretty-looking woman atop an electric scooter. She was attractive enough to be mistaken for a model or actress. She wore a light pink suit fitted to her body with a park employee badge on her collar. The electric scooter was one specially provided for upper management to roam the park with.

"If it isn't Ms. Flamingo. I seem to have mistaken where the storeroom was." Spade answered coolly.

The beautiful woman called Flamingo said with a smile, "New boy, you've got quite the poker face... just what I like♪ But you'd be better off not being in this area." Miss Flamingo was the head of security at the park. She was also rumored to be a direct subordinate of the owner. In other words, she would know about the Underground Casino. Spade had made it one of his objectives to get close to Flamingo.

"Huh? Why would that be?" Spade played dumb, tilting his head.

"Ho ho ho. The owner's told me to strengthen security. He says notices have come from phantom thieves," Flamingo said as she glanced around.

"I see. That sounds problematic." Spade feigned ignorance, his confidence growing. There really is something inside this shed...

"Boy. I've been watching you work, and you have some promise. How about it -- would you like to work under me?" Flamingo gently smiled at Spade.

This was the chance he had waited for. If he worked under Flamingo, he would have more opportunities to approach the Underground Casino. The moment Spade was about to accept, Dark Eye's voice came from the stage. "Kyokyokyo! What are you doing!" The audience was screaming.

"...!?" Spade's eyes instantly contracted. Dark Eye's words were no act. That was the voice of someone in real trouble. Spade ran to the stage without a moment's hesitation. Flamingo shouted something behind him, but he didn't hear her words.

§ § §

"Okay, let's go in here next!"

Around the same time, Queen was at "Psycho Apartment" in the Attractions area. Located slightly further from the extravagant central plaza, it looked like an archetypal haunted house. Whether or not it was unpopular was impossible to tell, but nonetheless there was nobody around it. Passing through the eerie, decrepit, rusting indigo entrance, they found a round coaster car screeching on the rails at the end of a dim passage. The car was meant for them to ride in as they looked around. As Queen jumped into the car, a safety bar suddenly came down over her head, confining her body. Queen let out a small shriek.

"What's the matter?" came Roko's voice from inside the rectangular basket set beside her. As pets were forbidden inside the park, Roko had entered in hiding.

"Nothing."

"Queen, are you scared?"

"Wha- No! I was just a little surprised. Now let's have some fun!"

"Hey, should we really be doing this? We'd better hurry up and find the entrance to the Underground Casino..."

"Just a little is fine. The casino won't open until night anyway."

They heard a clanking sound, and the car began to move. The ride course exhibited several different settings, including a graveyard and a haunted mansion. However, possibly due to patchy maintenance, there were exposed mechanisms all over and the lighting didn't hit the right places; it was hardly a good ride.

"No wonder they have so few visitors..." Queen mused. The next moment, the car rocked with a clanking sound. The rails ahead split into two paths, and Queen's car alone slid down a separate route. "What's happening!?"

"Something's off. Be careful!" Roko jumped out of the basket and surveyed their surroundings. Queen placed her hand over the handle of her sword hidden under her skirt. The car continued down the tunneling path, when suddenly the light of the torches on either side were silently extinguished. "...!" The place went completely dark, making it impossible to tell left from right. The safety bar stiffened and the car sped up. Queen was held down in her seat, trapped. "W-What is this!"

"Ho ho ho..." came a voice from the car's speakers. It was an eerie muttering voice, indistinguishable as male or female. "Phantom Thief Queen, so good of you to come. I am Owl. I welcome you." The moment Owl spoke, the car stopped with a thud.

"Aaaaah!" Right after, Roko yelled out, his cry becoming more and more distant.

"Roko!?" Queen shouted, her hair brushing against her mouth. How...? Could it be... I'm stopped upside-down?

"Ho ho ho... how does it feel to be alone in the darkness, unable to tell up from down?" The voice issued from the speaker yet again.

"..." Queen silenced herself and concentrated on the voice. Nobody seemed to be nearby. "Where are you? Show yourself!" Queen strained her eyes desperately looking about, but her surroundings were so pitch black that she couldn't even tell what direction she was facing.

"I'm already right in front of you."

"!" The voice had come not from the speaker, but in person, close by. "Grr...!" Queen tried to take out her sword, but she was confined by the safety bar and couldn't move.

The voice came even closer. "Phantom Thief Queen, in the darkness, you quite literally cannot move..."

Right after Owl spoke, a sharp pain ran through Queen's body. In the darkness, her consciousness drifted away.

§ § §

Still in his work clothes, Spade arrived at the Show Stage and jumped onto the stage proper. "What's wrong, Dark Eye!?" he shouted.

"Master Spade...!"

At the bottom of the open-air, semicircle-shaped amphitheater was a blue concrete platform. It was a simple stage with an overhanging ceiling and speakers on either side. Several dozen scattered visitors watched from the seats.

He could tell that they had been in the middle of a hero show, but the heroes had all been defeated. Dark Eye, who had been playing the villain, was wrapped up in the middle of the stage. Standing beside Dark Eye was Shadow.

"Shadow Joker...!" Spade exclaimed in surprise.

The tip of his umbrella trained on Dark Eye, Shadow began to speak. "Heh, I knew you'd be close by if this bandage fiend was here, but... I don't need a flunky like you. Isn't Joker here yet?"

"..." Hard eyes fixed on Shadow, Spade cast off his hat and work clothes. Spade in his white coat appeared from within. A pattering of applause came from the sparse crowd. They still seemed to think that this was part of the show. Spade spoke quietly. "I do have a name. It's Spade. Can you at least remember that?"

"I don't need to. I only think of you as the pretentious guy hanging at Joker's heels."

"Aren't you the one scampering at Joker's feet?"

"What'd you say...?" Shadow raised his umbrella.

"Do you want to fight me?"

"You sure about this? This bandage fiend can't move."

"Let Dark Eye go right now!" Spade drew his gun from the holder at his hip and pointed it at Shadow.

"Ice Shot!"

"Bloody Rain!"

The two beams met, then reflected off each other. Loud cheers came from the audience. The next moment, Spade and Shadow jumped in the same direction. Spade's trademark Ice Shot was capable of condensing cold air to the max, then firing it into a beam that could chemically react with the surrounding air to instantly freeze anything. By limiting the intensity, the amount

of cold air could be changed to just enough to cool down a heat source. Ice Shot kept freezing Shadow's grounding and the walls behind him. On the other hand, Shadow's Bloody Rain kept crumbling Spade's footing, meticulously limiting where he could attack from. As the two of them dodged each other's attacks, the distance between them shortened. However, not only did both of them have precise aim, they could both predict the other's movements and kept barely evading attacks. The two of them surged with more drive than usual -- possibly because each saw the silhouette of Joker in the other. Spade and Shadow maintained their distance as they leapt, keeping eye contact between them.

"Not bad..."

"You too..."

At that moment, something rushed above their heads. "...!" They simultaneously looked up. One of the giant cages kept above the set meant to be used for the hero show was falling towards the stage. The pair scrambled out of the way.

A high-pitched voice rang out. "So you were Phantom Thief Spade, boy! Give it up!" Above the cage was Flamingo riding her electric scooter. The scooter had been customized to hover in the air with jet propulsion. Her dramatic, hero-like arrival had the audience in an uproar once again. Fitting her position as security boss, Flamingo brandished a long whip and snapped it against the ground. An electric current ran through the whip and sent a shock into the floor.

"Blast, this is obnoxious!" Shadow hissed, right before countless cages began to descend from above. "Hmph, I'm pulling out for now!" Shadow jumped to the side and ascended into the skies with his spinning umbrella. Spade was about to escape as well... before catching sight of Dark Eye, still bound and unable to move.

At this rate, Dark Eye's going to be caught in a cage... In no time at all, Spade ran up to Dark Eye.

"Kyo kyo! You can't, Spade-sama!" A cage hurtled towards them from above. Judging that both of them would be caught if nothing was done, Spade attached Balloon Gum to Dark Eye's body and pushed them away. "Spade-sama!"

"Get away, Dark Eye!" The cage sped past Dark Eye and fell over Spade. He was trapped with nowhere to go. "Ghh..."

"Ho ho ho, I've caught myself a darling boy!" Flamingo smirked on her scooter above the cage with Spade inside.

Dark Eye was rising high into the sky thanks to the Balloon Gum. "Kyo kyo, Spade-samaaaa!" Dark Eye's cry rang through the air.

"Now then, the show's over. I've captured the phantom thief!" Flamingo announced, eliciting a loud round of applause from the audience. The clapping persisted, drowning out Dark Eye's desperate yell.

§ § §

A piercing steam whistle blew as the night ferry departed the shore. Its visitors gone, Prism Island ceased to operate as a theme park, the little gaiety left soon turning to silence. Yet once the ferry went back with the evening guests aboard, a new side of Prism Island was revealed. The castle in the middle of the island was illuminated with red lights, and like a metropolis after dark, the attractions lit up with the same colors of neon lights as they were during the day. However, the phenomenal sight was only displayed to the Underground Casino's guests. Of course, as the casino shifted big money around, it was also outfitted with flawless security.

In a large room at the top floor of the castle, a roulette spun steadily. A small white ball skid around the roulette wheel, its rattle echoing off the walls.

"Owner. Both Queen and Spade have been caught," came Owl's voice from beyond a dark curtain.

"Just so..." the man referred to as 'Owner' responded as he watched the spinning roulette. He set fire to two notices with a lighter. Spade and Queen's advance notices slowly turned to ash. "Owl, has a notice arrived from Joker?"

"No."

"I see how it is... I suppose he really has no intention of coming..."

"What shall we do with the captured two?"

"Let's use them for a wager sometime. Well then... if he won't come, I'll have to make the first move..." The roulette's ball clattered into the spot marked with a 0. "Dealer takes all." The man's eyes glinted from beneath his mask.