#side note but Deep Cut pulling off publicity stunts is amazing and I wish they elaborated on that

[colorfuldream]

That's totally what's happening. Marina isn't dense enough to not know that she's going to be dissed. On top of that, it's a publicity stunt/makeshift drama for Deep Cut, OTH is in on it so they must have agreed on what's going to happen. In case it wasn't clear enough, Pearl herself says she'll teach them a lesson and ends up giving Marina the spotlight after her verse.

She knows. She knows what's going on and what makes her part even better is how bitchy her answers are —yet they're worded in such a way that it'll piss Shiver off, prevent her from using her comebacks to diss her, and look like a sweet angel who's being kind!

I mean come on, NOBODY says "I love your vibe, there's so much I can learn from your style" when the person in front of you calls your voice dreadful. Marina never says she likes her style, just that she can learn from it (as in from Shiver's mistakes). The vibe part is condescending. When being called a child and mindless follower (which parallels Frye's earlier diss!), Marina reiterates that she's simply learning from Shiver and being all "aw thank YOU :)". That's the most effective way to shut passive aggressive people down AND be just as condescending. Marina even throws in that the more Shiver keeps trying, the better Marina will get. The last part is her basically bragging that this is nothing and she can keep going for a long time. She doesn't need to say more since she finally got Shiver to break and be direct. That's enough of a win for her. Shiver looks like a bitch while Marina was seemingly kind and oblivious.

Marina is an incredibly smart woman. Her lines reflect that, they're insulting and work on every level. Girlie might be as socially clueless as they come but she knows what's happening. Also out of Japan, Marina was originally characterized as a bit of a mean girl at times. Even though, they've now course-corrected her character, it looks like they've decided to make her a little meaner again for the song —which fits perfectly and is a nice throwback for the OGs. And again, being nice and taking literally is the only way to deal with someone like Shiver.

But anyways, in-universe either the lines are scripted or they at least knew what each duo was going to bring up. We know they were already friends and that Deep Cut has to be careful with associating with people from Inkopolis. If Shiver and Frye were genuinely angry, it'd be an entirely different story. Even in this song, Frye is letting Pearl talk and brag, leading her into hyping up Marina. They're hyping up OTH and low-key opening for them with this! Marina's role in this is to be the bigger, stronger star that's shutting down two Splastlandian gremlins and proceed with her concert. Just like Pearl, she doesn't need to fight, her place is already established. No need to argue when you already have the high ground and the public by your side!

Shiver’s passive-aggressiveness flying right over Marina’s head has gotta be one of my favorite parts of the song ngl.

Shiver is written with the stereotypical Kyoto personality, where they use a lot of backhanded compliments and passive-aggression, which is why that is their style of “dissing”.

Marina, though, is far too earnest to pick up on it, and instead compliments Shiver. Babygirl you are so autistic

[perfectlyrose]

Up In Flames (9/10)

Summary: In the year since they decided to become a team, John Smith and Rose Tyler have made quite the names for themselves as Team TARDIS, bank robbers extraordinaire. Newspapers the world over run headlines about The Doctor and the Bad Wolf and their latest heists. They’re practically unstoppable.

Then their world spins to a halt with a phone call. Jack’s in trouble again and a formidable enemy from John’s past has emerged from the shadows to try and destroy the bank robbing couple once and for all. Will they be able to survive this new threat intact or will the life they’ve been building together go up in flames?

A sequel to Watch it Burn, a Nine/Rose bank robbers AU

Note: just the epilogue left to go! it’s already written and i’ll get it posted in the next few days!

Word Count: 2075

Rating: Teen

Read here: tumblr // ao3 // tsp // ff

By the time they reached Rose’s flat, John felt as though he was moving through molasses. Heightened emotions mixed with a lack of sleep and being on the wrong side of an adrenaline rush conspired with the ache of his injuries to weigh him down.

Nerves buzzed through him, though, keeping him alert. Rose hadn’t said a word since they left the Master’s stronghold and the silence was stretching between them, growing brittle.

Rose locked the door of the flat behind them and leaned back against the door, eyes closed.

She took a deep breath but didn’t open her eyes. “Go put on the kettle,” she said. “I’m going to go dig some paracetamol out of my bag. There should be a bag of frozen peas in the back of the freezer you can use as an icepack.”

“Rose,” he started, not entirely sure what he wanted to say but needing to say something.

She held up a hand and opened her eyes to pin him with an inscrutable look. “Not yet. Let’s get tea and medicine first then we can talk.”

She pushed off the door and made for her bedroom, leaving John standing in the middle of the sitting room staring after her. He swallowed hard then shuffled towards the kitchen to put the kettle on, as directed.

He was in the middle of pouring the boiling water over the teabags when Rose came in. She put the bottle of paracetamol on the counter next to the mugs and stepped around him to rummage in the freezer. She pulled out the bag of frozen peas she’d mentioned and handed it to him.

“Your ribs probably need ice and I don’t have proper ice packs.” Rose’s eyes flickered to his jaw and he figured he probably had a bruise rising there as well.

“Frozen peas are better than any ice pack,” he said. He didn’t question her knowing that his ribs were throbbing, she’d felt him flinch earlier when she’d hugged him. He pressed the bag against his side, wincing at the cold.

“Go sit, I’ll finish the tea.”

“I can help. Not a complete invalid, me.”

“Go, John.” She said. Her hands shook as she took out the teabags. “Please.”

John acquiesced with a nod he wasn’t entirely sure she saw. He took the bottle of paracetamol with him.

He sat on the same end of the sofa he’d occupied while he and Rose had devised a plan he hadn’t followed. He shook a couple of pills into his palm and popped them into his mouth, dryswallowing them. His eyes fell on the detritus of the plan still scattered across the coffee table as he put the bottle down.. He leaned closer, wincing as his ribs protested. This wasn’t the plan as he’d last seen it - it was the plan she’d hatched to save him.

Elements of her original plan had been cannibalized into this one and seeing everything laid out like this took his breath away. It was incredibly complex, contained numerous moving parts and required flawless timing.  It was amazing that she had come up it in so short a time and that it had worked so flawlessly.

“Had to come up with something on the fly since you went off on your own and got captured,” Rose said.

John jumped, not having heard her walk into the room. “It’s a brilliant plan.”

She shrugged and set down the two mugs of tea on top of the paper-laden table. She settled herself on the other end of the sofa from him and picked up her mug.

The two feet of space between them felt like a chasm.

“I’m sorry, Rose,” he said after the silence stretched too far for his frayed nerves. “I wasn’t thinking-”

“But you were thinking, that’s the problem,” Rose cut in, eyes flashing. “You thought up your own plan and didn’t say a word to me.”

“I was wrong,” John said, leaning towards her slightly. “I was scared and it made me stupid. Koschei always liked to destroy things just because someone else liked them and I was terrified that he would get his hands on you.”

“So you tried to cut me out.”

“I tried to keep you safe,” he amended. “I knew you wouldn’t like it and I still did it because I couldn’t handle the thought of you not being safe. Taking him down wasn’t worth it if he hurt you.” He took a deep breath, let it out. “If I could keep you safe, I would let everything else burn to do it.”

“You can’t wrap me up in cotton wool and tuck me away, John. I’m not fragile and you don’t to get to make these decisions for me,” Rose said.

“I know.”

“Do you? Or are you going to do this again if things get sticky? We keep each other safe by staying together, by having each other’s backs.”

“Rose, I am never going to do anything like this ever again,” he swore.

Rose closed her eyes, pressing her lips together as she tried to compose herself. She clutched  her almost empty tea mug tighter and brought her gaze up to meet his. “How can I know that you mean that, John? I didn’t think you would do it this time.”

Her voice wavered and John felt his heart crack.

“Do you know how worried I was when I found your note and realized what you had done? When I realized that the fact that you weren’t already back meant that the Master had you? I wasn’t mad at you, I was terrified that I’d lost you.”

She paused, letting it sink in. “Did you think about how you would feel if you found a note like that from me?”

He shook his head mutely, unable to speak through the lump in his throat. He didn’t have words even if he could speak.

“I didn’t think so.”

“I’m so sorry, Rose,” he rasped out.

“I know you are, but you made me feel like you don’t trust me. I can’t do this again, John. I can’t keep letting you cut me to pieces like this.”

John couldn’t stay apart from her, not when she was hurting and he at least had a hope of making it better. He closed the distance between them and carefully took the tea mug from her hands. He set it on the table and then took her hands in his.

“I do trust you, Rose. I’m sorry I made you feel like I don’t. I know how important trust is to you and I still trampled on it. What can I do to make this up to you?”

“I don’t know. I’m not sure it’s something we can fix right away.”

He squeezed her hands. “I’m willing to put in however much time and effort is required, so long as you let me try. Just let me try to put things to rights with us. Please.”

Rose looked puzzled for a moment, then she smiled at him, a quavering thing packed full of emotions. “You daft man. You think that I’m going to send you packing? I’m not letting you out of my sight after the stunt you pulled.”

“Thank god for that,” he breathed, pulling her into a hug.

They melted into each other. John let out a breath, feeling like a weight had been taken off his chest.

“You know, I thought this conversation would involve a lot more yelling than it has,” he said, nuzzling into the side of her neck.

“I thought it would too,” she admitted, “but I am just so relieved that you’re alright. I was so worried and scared and I don’t think it’s all gone yet. I still feel hollow, somehow.”

“I’m here,” he reassured her. He pulled back so he could cup her face in her hands. “I’m here and you saved me and we’re going to work things out.”

“Best possible outcome,” she said with a smile. “I reserve the right to yell at you later, still, though.”

“You can yell at me all you want,” he promised.

She tilted forward and pressed her lips to his. He welcomed her in, letting her lead the kiss wherever she wanted. For his part, he just tried to pour everything he felt for her into it and hoped she understood.

She deserved more than just his hope, though. They’d had too many miscommunications already, he didn’t want this to be another on the list.

He eased back from the kiss.

“I love you,” he whispered into the small space between their lips.

Rose surged forward and kissed him hard. She pulled back to look at him, eyes shining. “I love you, too. Only took us almost getting ourselves killed to finally say it.”

“It’s a solid motivator,” he said with a grin.

“Let’s not wait for the next near-death experience to say it again.”

“Your wish, my command,” he said, leaning forward to gently brush his lips over hers. “I love you.” He kissed her again, longer this time but still achingly soft. “I love you.”

“I love you so much,” she whispered when she finally could speak again.

“I don’t know how I got so lucky,” he said. “Especially now that you know.”

The spectre of their pasts, dragged into the present by the Master, made her sit back far enough to look at him properly.

“Knowing what made you into who you are doesn’t change who you are,” Rose said. She reached up and cupped his cheek, thumb catching on his stubble as she brushed it across his skin in a soft caress. She was careful to avoid the bruise on his jaw. “And I love who you are. I love all of you, John, not just the good parts.”

He turned his face and pressed a kiss into her palm, too overcome to say anything.

“I’m sorry he dredged all of this up when you weren’t ready,” she said.

“I’m sorry he went digging around in your past too,” John replied, voice rough.

Rose shrugged but the lingering distress in her eyes belied the nonchalant gesture. “He barely scratched the surface of my past. Most of it’s not on any record, public or otherwise, so he wouldn’t be able to find it.”

“Still, it wasn’t his story to tell.”

“No, it wasn’t. But I do want to tell you, John. Just not tonight. I think we’ve had enough of the bad tonight. I vote we leave our pasts buried for just a bit longer.”

“Not too much longer,” John decided. “I think I’m ready to tell you about what I’ve done. No more secrets. They’re not doing us any good.”

“No more secrets,” she agreed. “And no more dishonesty between us.”

“No more.”

They sealed the promise with a kiss.

“Let’s go to bed,” Rose whispered. “I’m not quite tired enough to sleep on this couch but it’s a close thing. I was looking forward to makeup sex but it’s going to have to wait.”

John chuckled. “We’ll finish making up tomorrow and you can yell at me and then we can jump each other.”

“Hey, I’m supposed to be the one with the plans around here,” Rose teased.

“I will defer to any changes you wish to make.”

“Suck up.”

He raised his eyebrows and she flushed.

“I’ll meet you in the bedroom,” he said, standing up. He snagged the half defrosted bag of peas from where they’d ended up on the floor. “Gotta put these away.”

“I want a full account of your injuries and what happened to you later, too,” she said. The last few words she said were obscured by a yawn.

“Bed.”

“Hurry up and put the peas away and join me.”

Rose had already slipped into her pajama shirt when John entered the room. She crawled into bed and wriggled under the covers.

John joined her as soon as he’d stripped down to his pants. He turned off the lamp and curled around her, tucking her into his body.

His heart settled, at peace here in this quiet moment with the woman he loved.

The last thing Rose heard before drifting off to sleep was John quietly telling her again that he loved her.

He was still there when she woke up in the morning, the same words on his lips. She whispered them back before kissing him hello.