Yumeko has enjoyed all of the perks of being an elite - the gambling scene is amazing, and there are gambles they make in their everyday life - but there's always been one thing that's rubbed her the wrong way since she got here. The castes are rather like the academy's, after all, but far more... rigorous. Strict. The concept of pets isn't a foreign thing to her, as she's been on both sides of it, but. She looks at Mary's hair, and what is expected of her as a mongrel, and takes a gamble, for the both of them. After all, friends look out for each other, don't they?
She knows Mary hates it. She made that clear back home, before they found themselves residing in Tanagura. But they're going to fight, and win, just like they did before. Together!
Especially since she takes her in as her pet, but treats her the same as always behind closed doors. Deception is a key element to gambling, so they'll use it here. And she figures she can find a way to make it a little more enjoyable for her. ]
Mary-san, Mary-san~! [ She carries her box with her, excited. ]
[ in mary's less than humble opinion, the world of amoi sucks.
being talked down to so much has given her a whole host of unpleasant memories, from her brief stint as a pet at the academy to nearly being swindled into it her first day. both of those times, she fought her way out of it (a little less than) fair and square, earned her rightful place back as a self proclaimed ojou. a powerhouse gambler as pretty as she is smart, mary tends to be the type to scream fuck the system and turn it over on its head versus just meekly do what she's told.
of all people, yumeko should know that. mary's followed every one of her crazy endeavors and joined her on several occasions, to the point of risking it all to save her life. yumeko is ridiculous in a thousand different ways, too talented, too clingy, too wild, too smart, and it's... well, it's kind of intriguing. of all the people to be stuck in this hellhole with, having yumeko at her side means the cards are never stacked against them.
according to the rules of this place, mongrels are allowed into the tower with an escort, and only for a certain amount of time. that's if you're not a pet, which, although mary would love to say she wasn't, is a situation she's currently dealing with. it's fake, she tells herself, and makes no issue in telling yumeko the same thing. don't get any weird ideas. i'm as human as you are.
so, she's here, sprawled across yumeko's massive bed with her palm reader over her head, playing a mahjong game against the computer, which is too easy and too boring. she's just starting to wonder (not miss) where yumeko might have gone to, and the familiar, chirpy voice makes her sit up on the bed, raising her eyebrow. ]
What. [ she even half picks up her foot, fully ready to push it in her face if she comes over here asking for a goddamn cuddle. her thought process? oh, this should be good.]
[ Wisely, Yumeko pulls up just short before she dives in to cuddle her. In this particular instance, she wants to get on Mary's good side, first, before she proposes a cuddle (or more). (She wants more.) This has to be on equal footing, a suggestion that Mary agrees to, much like the bets they place when they gamble. If she doesn't, then Yumeko will table it for another day, further down the line, and leave it alone until maybe her friend is more agreeable. After all, she is human! And she has a choice!
Admittedly it's illegal for an elite to touch their pet, but she figures the cuddling probably doesn't count. They probably mean more along the lines of sex, and that's fine, at first.
She'd been serious when she said those boys weren't her type, as she looks at Mary with her pretty blonde hair and her big, almost golden eyes. Everything about her is dainty and cute and beautiful all at once, and she sidles up to the bed where she's sprawled, depositing the large box down on the edge of it. ] Well, a lot of somethings! It's okay if you don't want them, Mary-san, I just thought I'd get them and see what you thought.
[ it's definitely not weird for yumeko to bring home weird shit from the shops in the city. there's no closet, but there are random trinkets from apathia scattered around her apartment, from sexual things to just weird knickknacks to games, stuff that caught her eye. mary has long given up trying to understand the way yumeko's mind works--as long as they get each other when they're paired up at a table, that's really all that matters--and so, she's started by writing this off as just another Weird Yumeko thing.
she sits up, golden blonde pigtails unspooling from where they were sprawled all over the bed, dropping her palm reader and giving yumeko a look. ] Okay.
[ it sounds disbelieving, an "okay then" more than anything else, but mary shifts to sit crosslegged and goes to open the box. it's daintily wrapped in gift paper, pretty pink with a big bow, and a part of her appreciates it as she undoes the bow and tugs the top off of it with fairly delicate fingers.
however, that appreciative look on her face rapidly fades as her cheeks start to color bright red, and she gets out a choked-- ] Yumeko--
[ you know what, no, maybe it's not as weird as it looks. maybe all the stuff in here is fine. maybe it's for yumeko, which mary probably wouldn't totally be against... ]
[ Sitting in a neat seiza on the floor, and fixing her skirt as she does, Yumeko waits patiently for Mary to unwrap her little (large) present, smiling up at her. There's no demand for their dynamic to adhere to what Amoi expects, and there never will be, as she settles in. She knows that she has a... varied taste, as the equally varied collection shows. Things here are interesting, and strange, and very perverted - a nasty, irritated part of her mind figures that Ikishima would enjoy this place far more than any one person should be allowed, and she promptly ignores it any time it pops up - but she adjusts as best she can.
After all, once you've nearly died, you sort of just roll with the punches. Especially when one of the people that helped to save your life is counting on you to keep them alive, now.
As Mary turns colors, Yumeko beams up at her, pleased with herself. Mary is so cute when she blushes like that, and it's kind of funny when she reacts so viscerally. ]
I tried it on, it's actually really comfortable! But if you don't want to wear it, I can - or if you don't want to keep it at all, there's a refund policy for elites, so long as it's not worn. I just thought... [ She fiddles with the hem of her skirt with her long fingers, her head tilting and her smile staying intact. ] That, maybe, we could do something with this whole "pet" thing. You're not below me, of course, Mary-san! You're my very good friend, I'd never think that.
[ Yumeko lifts her hands, scooting forward on her knees, so that she can perch them on the bed, her chin atop them. ] So that's why you can choose what you want, and what you want me to wear or use, or if you don't want anything at all. There's a lot of options!
[ mary's fully ready to bite her head off when yumeko even says the word pet, but she opens her mouth and closes it, working her jaw as she stares into the box, her cheeks still a brilliant shade of red. stupid yumeko. she has to go and say it like that.
after all, she was someone who took advantage of being a pet back home. she used it as her trump card, always six steps ahead of anyone around her, something mary found at least a quarter frustrating and three quarters admirable. mary's own pride was too great to do anything with her stupid, brief stint as a pet, and if it wasn't for yumeko, she may have still been in it--not that she'd ever admit that. she knows that she knows what she's doing. that much is for sure.
(and there's a part of mary that misses it, being able to lord it over her--"fetch me some water, would you? ♥"--and her easy compliance to do so, like serving someone was no struggle at all. mary couldn't imagine being like that, and in life's greatest irony, here she is.)
she gives yumeko a Look. her expression is mostly flat, the i literally can't believe you written all over her face now that some of her embarrassment has calmed down at least a little, and she gingerly picks through the box. mary uses that to mull over even saying anything, before she finally decides, a little mulishly: ] ...What did you have in mind?
[ Deep, dark eyes attentively focused on Mary, Yumeko waits her out. While she loves the thrill of the gamble, feels exhilaration that even gets her wet with some of the most daring risks she takes, she can play the long game, and this is one version of it. Amoi itself is one. She curls her fingers against the duvet of her bed, tracking each shift of Mary's body attentively as she goes through the box. There's a considerable number of things in there - lingerie for both of them, matching and in different colors alike; the collar and leash; a few varieties of kitty ears and tails, although in this instance the tails also double as vibrators; crowns, of all things - nevermind what she already has in her collection.
Some of it she's accumulated out of curiosity and amusement. Others, she's actually been thinking on how to use them.
Approaching Mary headon is easy enough for some things. This, not so much. Not for everything.
So she simply looks back at her, the corners of her mouth curling up, cheeks a pleasant flush of pink already. Whatever innocence she wears on the regular wears thin, replaced by something a little more devious, a little more heated. ]
The rules here are so strict, don't you think? We should exploit them a little, just like we do at the tables.
[ of all the things that will inevitably drag mary along with this, the one that will work the most is that look on yumeko's face. mary knows that face. it's usually preluded with doing something incredibly dumb for the risk of the game, something will end up working perfectly in yumeko's favor at some point. it screams danger, screams a cat playing with a little mouse. in a way, 'mittens' had suited her, if only because under that happy-go-lucky softness, there were claws ready to come out.
god. mary keeps her attention focused on the box for now, mostly because there are a million things to look at. she doesn't want to know where she even got half of this stuff, though it's really one of the delicate, pretty crowns that (of course) catches her attention.
she pauses with her hands on it when yumeko speaks, that devious tone striking a familiar chord. mary slants her eyes over to look at her, assessing, still pink-cheeked. ] And by we, you mean, you're going to ask me to do something.
[ she sighs. it's a little, put off noise as she rolls her eyes and resumes digging through the box. definitely not a no.
(she wants to know what's going through her head. maybe mary can blame amoi for that, for the faint tickle of heated interest that curls in her gut.) ] Exploit them, huh.
[ her tone stays even, flat. betraying any interest--though yumeko, at this point, can probably read her like a book. ]
[ Playing your opponents into what you want them to do is something that Yumeko gets a thrill out of, as much as gambling does. It's just another facet of it, although in this case... Mary hasn't been her opponent in quite some time now. They've worked together far too much for that, and she's excited to continue working with her, to reach their goals together, no matter what they wind up being. So long as she gets to keep gambling, she doesn't really care what it is.
A seat at the top of the world - this one, or theirs, back at the academy - will just mean that there'll be more avenues for her to take. If Mary wants to go there, then they'll go there.
For now, it's this. The cat lying in wait at the bottom of the aviary, purring, focused, ready for the moment to strike. She watches Mary still, and giggles a little with the sigh and the observation. She's been caught, in a way. ] You don't have to do it, you know! You can always say no!
[ Agree to the terms, or renegotiate, or simply refuse. They both have the power that many others before them haven't - the strength and the guts to even say no, despite whatever position they might be in. But they also have the guts to fight for what they want. Even when Yumeko was a pet that wasn't something she was going to let go of, no matter the risks she took in standing up to the rest of the school, to the student council.
She tilts her head, cheek resting on top of her hands now. ]
Pets don't get a choice here, just like back home. And they're not supposed to touch or have sex with their "owners." They don't really have any rights at all, unless they're given them, but... you've always had those rights, Mary-san. They can't see us here, where we can raise the stakes and play the long game, where you can make your choice.
[ yeah right she can say no. of course she can, and yumeko will even back off of her for it, but she's really got mary right where she wants her, because mary would probably actually rather die than decline a challenge from jabami yumeko. she likes working together with her, but this whole thing did start because yumeko beat her, a fact that mary hasn't really and truly forgotten.
she purses her lips as she finishes sorting through the box. what yumeko's suggesting...it's probably odd that she isn't doing anything like that at the moment, something keeping her bank account kind of sad looking. would it change things between them at all? ...does she want to do it? her heart thumps against her ribcage for a moment, as she feels yumeko's steady gaze on her, as her fingers brush lace and leather when she pulls back just a little from the box.
exploiting them by getting off with yumeko? you've got to be kidding. mary feels her cheeks redden just a little further as she stays quiet, as if she's thinking.
but, her hand clutches around a set of underwear (how did yumeko know her bra size--you know, she doesn't want to know the answer to that) and she picks it up, not even looking at her as she rears back and rolls her shoulders, nose going high up in the air. ] Pick whatever you want out of it, I don't care. I'm going to change.
[ and she'll take her brief reprieve to stalk off to the bathroom. if she could slam the door shut behind her to separate herself from her feelings, she sure as hell would.
it won't take her long to change, either. she chose something dark red, offsetting the pretty gold color of her eyes and her pale skin. she ties the bow maybe just a little tighter than she should to push her cleavage together better, and fumbles with it with embarrassed fingers, entire thought process along the lines of what the fuck is happening.
it shouldn't take her long to change, though, and she comes back out when she's done, flustered, but owning it with all the confidence she can when she steps back into the room. ]
[ Everything is a challenge, if you spin it the right way. Yumeko's figured that one out over the course of her life, and after having pinned down the type of person she is. In contrast to someone like Ikishima, Mary is the kind of person she likes, the same as she does Suzui and Itsuki. They're her people. But Mary is the rational, if still fierce, other half that balances her out. That comes to her rescue. That will scheme with her just as much as she'll temper her.
In this particular case, she wants to see if she'll scheme with her. If she'll go along with the idea, the gamble that she's placing on their shared table. Their bank accounts could look better, if they had sex - and she doesn't think that the authorities here can tell if you're fucking your pet or not, just know that you're having sex, somehow - but at least the casinos keep it just cushioned enough that they're not in danger of being kicked out of the tower, or losing the pet contract.
Which is what got them in this position, in the first place. Yumeko had overheard people talking about their contracts, elites that were native to this place, and it'd been... educational.
But that thought leaves her head when Mary agrees, and.
She perks and claps her hands together in front of her, smile beatific as Mary marches off to the bathroom like the ojou she's been working to make herself into. But, she also needs to change - after all, her underwear is lacy and cute, but it's certainly not what she would consider sexy. Besides, they should both change, so that it's fair!
So Yumeko unfolds from where she's seated, leaning in to dig through the box until she finds her own lingerie to put on. It's not that hard to differentiate, given that she's so much bigger than Mary, but regardless. She strips nice and easy while Mary changes in the bathroom, humming to herself. There's a lot of stark, dramatic colors for choices, but red suits both of them - pale skinned, a compliment to their figures, drawing out the colors of their eyes.
She snaps a strap into place, and looks down at the garterbelts with a little frown, a tiny uuu leaving her, before she unattaches them from the panties. There's no time to get stockings or garters to attach them to!
Later, maybe.
But she looks up again when Mary comes out, and her expression breaks out into that of pure sunshine. ] Mary-san, you look so beautiful! I knew that would be a good choice! [ And without any hesitation, she scoops up something from the bed and skips up to her. They're of a height, so all she has to do is tip forward to kiss her, chastely, on the tip of her nose, as she goes to put a glistening crown atop her head. ]
[ jesus. that pure expression coupled with the less than pure situation is going to give mary whiplash at this point. she grumbles a little at the compliment, not quite pouting but not gushing under it either, still nice and red. yumeko even gets a wide eyed, surprised look at the sweet little kiss on her nose for just a second before she shakes it off.
as usual, she's being accosted, but mary's at least kind of used to it at this point, even if her first instinct is to still put her hand directly on her face and shove her away for getting so touchy. that's the point of all of this, isn't it? to touch each other?
...jesus.
either way, she does duck her head for the crown (and does not look at yumeko's cleavage, even if the temptation is real.) once it's settled into place, she reaches up to touch it, the pretty diamonds on the tiara twinkling in the low light of yumeko's bedroom.
and...yeah. that'll suit her just fine. she huffs, adjusting it carefully between her pigtails, and leans back a little, her hands on her just slightly wider hips. yumeko's a fucking knockout, of course, something mary is definitely not jealous of, not even a tiny little bit, and it makes some of that familiar heat stir up a little further in her stomach.
(they haven't even started yet. get it together, mary.) ] Yeah, yeah. Of course it is, I look good in anything.
[ finally letting her gaze fall back on her, she reaches over and tugs a little bit at one of her bra straps. ] You look good.
[ It could always be worse. It could always have been more than that, could've been the typical level of contact - Yumeko has tried to kiss Mary's cheek before, has wrapped her up, has curved her hand against the delicate swell of her chest from behind as she hugged her. No, this is small and innocent, in complete contrast from what she's proposed they do.
Challenged that they do.
Yumeko clasps her hands in front of her after the crown is on Mary's head, delighted with the fit of everything. Her cheeks are a little flushed still, largely from delight, but there's a little bit of warmth from the heat that's building up from her gut and into her chest. She's giddy with it, the same desire that comes from sitting at the table when the cards have been dealt and the bets have gone down. That's where they are, standing at the edge with the promise of a drop no matter how things go.
This is a good gamble. ] You do, though, it's true.
[ Her eyelashes flutter a little with the tug, like she's about to blink in surprise, but all she does is look down at where the strap is being tugged. It jostles her chest a bit in the process, unsurprisingly, but she just looks up and smiles at her. The gentleness is there still, but it's less beatific now, less sweet and simple. A little more knowing. ] Thank you. I was hoping you'd like it.
[ another thing about yumeko--she's really very honest when she wants to be. i was hoping you'd like it she says, as easily as breathing, as if there's nothing totally weird about this situation. just two girls standing in a room in sexy underwear with a box of what are basically toys in between them. the whole thing is so utterly ridiculous it makes mary want to bury her face in her hands.
she doesn't, though. she just regards yumeko as coolly as she can in this situation, watching her expression as any good gambler might do. there's nothing but honesty in it--although mary's no fool, she's sure she has a hundred tricks up her sleeve.
...not that she's wearing sleeves.
god. okay. with a little huff, mary tosses her head a bit so her pigtails flip back over her shoulders and out of the way, puffing up just a little bit. she's not shy, not really, but it feels like they're standing on the edge of a now what, waiting for the dealer to pull the next card, to give the result. ]
How long have you been thinking about this? [ it's not accusatory, but she does want to know--and mary's awfully good at getting directly to the point when necessary. she's gotten pretty decent at reading yumeko since their very first match together, after all, and she's way more than that pretty, pretty face.
...not that mary thinks it's that pretty, or anything!!! ]
[ Yumeko does blink, then, with the question, a quick and innocent one-two-three of a thing. As if there's nothing to her motives, no wish to put all of her chips in, no desire to reach out and touch Mary, if only because she can despite the fact that she's not allowed to. Nothing has stopped her in the past, between Mary's rough exterior and just who they are. Two girls aren't supposed to want to touch each other like this, right?
She doesn't care. She can like the idea of it, like touching another girl, if she wants to. Nothing is going to stop here, and there's rarely anything that can get in her way in the first place. After all, she had to be poisoned to really be taken down a peg - even being made into a pet didn't stand in her way. ]
A while. [ The answer is simple, and comes easily. Her hands drop down, and she tilts her head a little again, unintentionally coquettish in the process as she puckers her lips that tiny bit. ] Probably when we first signed the contract.
[ All of those rules and rules and rules. Don't sleep with your pet, don't touch your pet, your pet can't do this, shouldn't do that, can be punished for this and that and anything. Yumeko reaches out, taking the hand that her ring is on, her own thumb tracing the edge of the cool, black surface thoughtfully. The gesture is tiny, but it feels intimate, especially when they're both practically laid bare like this. ] It was when I started considering all of the rules and laws in place, and what that could mean for us.
[ yeah, that's about what she expected. still, it's not like it's not startling--mary can say she's never--
well...
okay, maybe that's not the point. the point is that mary has spent so much time despising her time as a pet here in tanagura that she hasn't really thought about much else, even when they are constantly surrounded by embarrassing, horrible things. she's pretty sure suzui or itsuki would have died by now just trying to play in the casino, where the androids touch her shoulders and her hair and strip poker is practically the most popular game at the tables. sex was (always) on the table, and mary's bet it once or twice too, if only because she knew she wouldn't lose.
but this isn't like that. this is a different gamble entirely, taking one on with the girl who destroyed her and then helped build her right back up, who continues to amaze (and often horrify) mary at every other turn. it figures, yumeko would be into this just because she hates the rules.
her nose wrinkles as she reaches out and takes her hand. the thumb ring is cool and familiar, and she had snarled if you ever use this thing on me i'll make you regret it for the rest of your life when they first got it, but now it just gives her goosebumps, to have such a thoughtful, gentle touch. it's absurd for her to be feeling like a giddy little schoolgirl, and she swallows back any of her nerves to try and act as cool as possible, tilting her head up to look down her nose at her. ]
What it means for us is that I'm not anyone's damn pet. [ she practically spits the word out--it's a title, a name only, a name she hateshateshates, and she'll make it clear at every turn, even when they're deeply considering breaking the rules.
in fact,that's why she brings it up. ] If I can make this more of a sham than it already is, then it's fine.
Of course you're not. [ It comes out chirped, but immediate. ] No matter what anyone here says, Mary-san is hers and no one else's.
[ Because Yumeko has thought that, of her own situation, of Mary's, or Tsubomi's. Of any pet's. They're only a pet if they've resigned themselves to that fate, and Jabami Yumeko has never had any interest in being anyone's anything - she is her own, and she will stay that way, no matter the situation, no matter the person in question. Every choice she makes is for herself, and for her people, as few as they are at Hyakkaou. Here, in Amoi - in Tanagura - it's her and Mary, and the people they've made acquaintances with.
But they can only count on them.
Her eyes stay on Mary's face, and she continues to hold her hand, watching her even as she looks down her nose at her. Not that she isn't used to that, either. She just lets it roll off her back like water off a duck, corners of her mouth curling up sweetly, her head still tilted to the side, thoughtful. And then her expression breaks out into a smile, and while it's delighted, it's... darker. Without hesitating, she takes a step closer to Mary. ]
Don't worry, we'll show them what it means to challenge us like this. [ There's no hesitation when she leans in to kiss her properly, either, soft lips pressed to soft lips, her eyelashes fluttering again as she closes her eyes. ]
[ a part of her wants to say something rational about this--somehow she's become yumeko's conscience, which is bizarre, but what kind of challenge is this supposed to be! she doesn't get much of a chance to protest or comment, because the next thing she knows, yumeko's gone right ahead into the deep end and kissed her.
a lady never tells how many people she's kissed, but mary's number is at a neat, round zero, so it's a little surprising in more ways than one. she makes a little noise, an mmpht noise as her thought process fizzles off like a sparkler in a wet puddle, hard to focus on literally anything but yumeko is kissing me right now.
jesus christ. she has a reputation to uphold here, and she can't just turn into some dumb blushing maiden pet, especially in this situation. though she doesn't physically square her shoulders, mary does perhaps mentally do so as she lets her eyes shut too and takes control of the kiss, pushing forward a little bit and tilting her head properly to the left to make up for the room for another person. she doesn't exactly know what she's doing, but hey--if her time at hyakkaou is any indication, mary is a very fast learner.
besides, what fun is a gamble if you don't up the stakes? if her perceptions about yumeko are at all right (they are), then mary knows if nothing else, a little pushback will just make her get into it more.
[ There's something rational about all of this, to Yumeko. In her own head, maybe, but if she were to explain it, it'd probably make more sense. The challenge, here, is that they've put them in these roles. Mary is every bit the ojou that she's been working to shape herself into, and that's the position she belongs in, not a pet. Yumeko... she doesn't really care what position she's in, so long as she can use it to her advantage.
And she's using her standing as an elite to her advantage. In this case, she figures that if they do this, it's only the foundation of something greater. A stepping stone, as it were. Breaking this rule is only the first rule they'll bend to their will.
Which is interesting, in a way - she hasn't kissed anyone before, either. But she decides, as Mary pushes forward, that she likes it. She likes the softness of Mary's mouth, the press of control from her friend. So she brings her other hand up, still holding to Mary's with the other, and touches her face, gentle and delicate at first. It's easy to fall into this, though, especially with the stakes being raised.
Responding is just a one-two step that follows: she parts her lips a little bit, tongue just barely teasing out. That's something people do when they kiss, right?
Either way, they'll figure it out. Yumeko is all about exploring every possibility. Gamble or not. ]
[ mary's definitely decided that she likes it too. she hasn't ever really cared that much about boys, too concerned with building up her image--and, well, taking the boys out at any number of games of her choosing, and sometimes of theirs--to want to chase. besides, none of the boys at hyakkou are even interesting. not even suzui, who is really too much of a wallflower for mary's taste.
but this, this is different. this is good. yumeko's always been intriguing, if frustrating, amazing if airheaded, and there's a brief, slightly hysterical thought that passes over mary's head that's something along the lines of oh my god, i think i'm a lesbian, but she shakes it off to continue to go right ahead and pursue the goal.
being called a 'pet' just makes her want to take control more than ever. if the tables will get turned--if yumeko inevitably pulls out a trump card--there's not a chance in hell that mary's going down without a fight. she opens her mouth into the kiss the moment yumeko does, her hands reaching out to her waist just for something to grab onto as she delves into her mouth, cheeks flushing a little with the exertion of it. they're just standing here--she should probably be cold, but mary's dizzily sure she's never been hotter in her life. ]
[ With her responsibility to her family - or what remains of it - and her addiction, Yumeko has never pursued anyone, herself. She's been pursued, surely, but she hasn't done it herself, and has had no interest in it. Those boys that'd tried to pressure her into stripping, she'd meant it when she said they weren't her type, but at the time... maybe she wasn't sure what that actually meant.
Now, though. Now she's got it figured, because she likes this. Likes the touch of Mary's fingers against her waist, and each brush of lips as they kiss. She likes the warmth that rolls off her body with the two of them so close.
When Mary's tongue brushes hers, a hot, wet slide, Yumeko makes a soft noise in the back of her throat. It's a little surprised, but not in a bad way. She just presses closer in response, lips parting further as she meets her every step of the way, now chest-to-chest. There'll be a trump card, eventually, but for now... now, she's just along for the ride, figuring out the rules of this particular gamble until she twists them to her own use. ]
[ yumeko's awfully soft. it's probably a weird thing to be thinking right now, but that's what crosses mary's mind as she presses up against her. she's all soft skin and fucking perfect curves, and if mary was the type to feel inadequate in the looks department, this would definitely be where it came into play. there's only a little give from their chests pressed together, and though mary's brow furrows inscrutably, she'll just take that as incentive to take another step forward in this.
if yumeko's going to let her take the lead, good. mary's just fine with that.
still, she doesn't really want to stop kissing her. her hands move up from her waist to her upper arms as the kiss gets more and more intense, all hot and wet and messy, making the curl of heat in mary's gut intensify a little. she takes the distraction when she gets it, and uses her newly moved hands to give yumeko a shove down, throwing one of her thighs over her lap and then the other, until she can get settled there.
it causes a break in the kisses and mary takes a second to assess, quick golden eyes narrowed, thinking, before she tosses one of her pigtails back over her shoulder and dives back in, this time with a sharp little nip to her lower lip before her tongue touches the spot. ]
[ Maybe Mary is smaller than her, at least when it comes to her chest, but that doesn't change anything. Her hips are fuller, her fingers clever but small, and everything about her remains soft, something she wants to wrap herself up in and press ever closer to. A thought occurs to her, when she feels a brush of her hair against her hand, but Mary moves before she can act on it out of curiosity.
Not that she's complaining. She makes an actually surprised sound, tiny and at the back of her throat, when they're moved, but she has no complaints. Instead, her thighs spread, giving Mary more support as she blinks up at her. Her near-red eyes simply focus on her gold, patient but intent, focused, waiting on the very edge for the next card to be dealt.
They close after, with the nip, and her hands both come up to cup Mary's face as she chases after the touch of her tongue. A little, catlike brush of them together, before she goes to kiss her properly again. ]
[ hmm... that little noise was pretty cute. for what it's worth, yumeko is cute, sometimes, when she's not being annoying. mary's definitely at least thought it in passing up to this point, though if she had to pick--not that anyone's asking--her favorite would be the yumeko she sees in control during a game, unflappable and brilliant. she's still a mystery sometimes, but mary's sure that anyone with eyes would like that yumeko the best.
...maybe. maybe she's a little biased, having been both pinned under that gaze and a part of it. maybe that's the reason they're friends, because mary gets just as intense when she's playing, becomes the ojou she's always wanted to be when her cards are just right.
it was good to jump back into the kiss--didn't really leave any time for her to get embarrassed--and mary settles in her new spot fairly comfortably, legs spread across her thighs, knees touching the bed on either side. here, she can feel the warm heat of yumeko's body, the scratch of some of the lace on her underwear, and it's definitely an improvement over standing. the angle makes it easier to kiss her too, and she ends up tilting yumeko's head back just a little to kiss her properly. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
KNOCKS POTS AND PANS ON THE GROUND
Yumeko has enjoyed all of the perks of being an elite - the gambling scene is amazing, and there are gambles they make in their everyday life - but there's always been one thing that's rubbed her the wrong way since she got here. The castes are rather like the academy's, after all, but far more... rigorous. Strict. The concept of pets isn't a foreign thing to her, as she's been on both sides of it, but. She looks at Mary's hair, and what is expected of her as a mongrel, and takes a gamble, for the both of them. After all, friends look out for each other, don't they?
She knows Mary hates it. She made that clear back home, before they found themselves residing in Tanagura. But they're going to fight, and win, just like they did before. Together!
Especially since she takes her in as her pet, but treats her the same as always behind closed doors. Deception is a key element to gambling, so they'll use it here. And she figures she can find a way to make it a little more enjoyable for her. ]
Mary-san, Mary-san~! [ She carries her box with her, excited. ]
hell is REAL
being talked down to so much has given her a whole host of unpleasant memories, from her brief stint as a pet at the academy to nearly being swindled into it her first day. both of those times, she fought her way out of it (a little less than) fair and square, earned her rightful place back as a self proclaimed ojou. a powerhouse gambler as pretty as she is smart, mary tends to be the type to scream fuck the system and turn it over on its head versus just meekly do what she's told.
of all people, yumeko should know that. mary's followed every one of her crazy endeavors and joined her on several occasions, to the point of risking it all to save her life. yumeko is ridiculous in a thousand different ways, too talented, too clingy, too wild, too smart, and it's... well, it's kind of intriguing. of all the people to be stuck in this hellhole with, having yumeko at her side means the cards are never stacked against them.
according to the rules of this place, mongrels are allowed into the tower with an escort, and only for a certain amount of time. that's if you're not a pet, which, although mary would love to say she wasn't, is a situation she's currently dealing with. it's fake, she tells herself, and makes no issue in telling yumeko the same thing. don't get any weird ideas. i'm as human as you are.
so, she's here, sprawled across yumeko's massive bed with her palm reader over her head, playing a mahjong game against the computer, which is too easy and too boring. she's just starting to wonder (not miss) where yumeko might have gone to, and the familiar, chirpy voice makes her sit up on the bed, raising her eyebrow. ]
What. [ she even half picks up her foot, fully ready to push it in her face if she comes over here asking for a goddamn cuddle. her thought process? oh, this should be good.]
and I am on fire
[ Wisely, Yumeko pulls up just short before she dives in to cuddle her. In this particular instance, she wants to get on Mary's good side, first, before she proposes a cuddle (or more). (She wants more.) This has to be on equal footing, a suggestion that Mary agrees to, much like the bets they place when they gamble. If she doesn't, then Yumeko will table it for another day, further down the line, and leave it alone until maybe her friend is more agreeable. After all, she is human! And she has a choice!
Admittedly it's illegal for an elite to touch their pet, but she figures the cuddling probably doesn't count. They probably mean more along the lines of sex, and that's fine, at first.
She'd been serious when she said those boys weren't her type, as she looks at Mary with her pretty blonde hair and her big, almost golden eyes. Everything about her is dainty and cute and beautiful all at once, and she sidles up to the bed where she's sprawled, depositing the large box down on the edge of it. ] Well, a lot of somethings! It's okay if you don't want them, Mary-san, I just thought I'd get them and see what you thought.
[ c: ]
SAME, also 1/2
she sits up, golden blonde pigtails unspooling from where they were sprawled all over the bed, dropping her palm reader and giving yumeko a look. ] Okay.
[ it sounds disbelieving, an "okay then" more than anything else, but mary shifts to sit crosslegged and goes to open the box. it's daintily wrapped in gift paper, pretty pink with a big bow, and a part of her appreciates it as she undoes the bow and tugs the top off of it with fairly delicate fingers.
however, that appreciative look on her face rapidly fades as her cheeks start to color bright red, and she gets out a choked-- ] Yumeko--
[ you know what, no, maybe it's not as weird as it looks. maybe all the stuff in here is fine. maybe it's for yumeko, which mary probably wouldn't totally be against... ]
no subject
Yumeko, what the fuck?!
[ smh ]
no subject
After all, once you've nearly died, you sort of just roll with the punches. Especially when one of the people that helped to save your life is counting on you to keep them alive, now.
As Mary turns colors, Yumeko beams up at her, pleased with herself. Mary is so cute when she blushes like that, and it's kind of funny when she reacts so viscerally. ]
I tried it on, it's actually really comfortable! But if you don't want to wear it, I can - or if you don't want to keep it at all, there's a refund policy for elites, so long as it's not worn. I just thought... [ She fiddles with the hem of her skirt with her long fingers, her head tilting and her smile staying intact. ] That, maybe, we could do something with this whole "pet" thing. You're not below me, of course, Mary-san! You're my very good friend, I'd never think that.
[ Yumeko lifts her hands, scooting forward on her knees, so that she can perch them on the bed, her chin atop them. ] So that's why you can choose what you want, and what you want me to wear or use, or if you don't want anything at all. There's a lot of options!
no subject
after all, she was someone who took advantage of being a pet back home. she used it as her trump card, always six steps ahead of anyone around her, something mary found at least a quarter frustrating and three quarters admirable. mary's own pride was too great to do anything with her stupid, brief stint as a pet, and if it wasn't for yumeko, she may have still been in it--not that she'd ever admit that. she knows that she knows what she's doing. that much is for sure.
(and there's a part of mary that misses it, being able to lord it over her--"fetch me some water, would you? ♥"--and her easy compliance to do so, like serving someone was no struggle at all. mary couldn't imagine being like that, and in life's greatest irony, here she is.)
she gives yumeko a Look. her expression is mostly flat, the i literally can't believe you written all over her face now that some of her embarrassment has calmed down at least a little, and she gingerly picks through the box. mary uses that to mull over even saying anything, before she finally decides, a little mulishly: ] ...What did you have in mind?
[ ...some of the underwear is pretty cute... ]
no subject
Some of it she's accumulated out of curiosity and amusement. Others, she's actually been thinking on how to use them.
Approaching Mary headon is easy enough for some things. This, not so much. Not for everything.
So she simply looks back at her, the corners of her mouth curling up, cheeks a pleasant flush of pink already. Whatever innocence she wears on the regular wears thin, replaced by something a little more devious, a little more heated. ]
The rules here are so strict, don't you think? We should exploit them a little, just like we do at the tables.
no subject
god. mary keeps her attention focused on the box for now, mostly because there are a million things to look at. she doesn't want to know where she even got half of this stuff, though it's really one of the delicate, pretty crowns that (of course) catches her attention.
she pauses with her hands on it when yumeko speaks, that devious tone striking a familiar chord. mary slants her eyes over to look at her, assessing, still pink-cheeked. ] And by we, you mean, you're going to ask me to do something.
[ she sighs. it's a little, put off noise as she rolls her eyes and resumes digging through the box. definitely not a no.
(she wants to know what's going through her head. maybe mary can blame amoi for that, for the faint tickle of heated interest that curls in her gut.) ] Exploit them, huh.
[ her tone stays even, flat. betraying any interest--though yumeko, at this point, can probably read her like a book. ]
no subject
A seat at the top of the world - this one, or theirs, back at the academy - will just mean that there'll be more avenues for her to take. If Mary wants to go there, then they'll go there.
For now, it's this. The cat lying in wait at the bottom of the aviary, purring, focused, ready for the moment to strike. She watches Mary still, and giggles a little with the sigh and the observation. She's been caught, in a way. ] You don't have to do it, you know! You can always say no!
[ Agree to the terms, or renegotiate, or simply refuse. They both have the power that many others before them haven't - the strength and the guts to even say no, despite whatever position they might be in. But they also have the guts to fight for what they want. Even when Yumeko was a pet that wasn't something she was going to let go of, no matter the risks she took in standing up to the rest of the school, to the student council.
She tilts her head, cheek resting on top of her hands now. ]
Pets don't get a choice here, just like back home. And they're not supposed to touch or have sex with their "owners." They don't really have any rights at all, unless they're given them, but... you've always had those rights, Mary-san. They can't see us here, where we can raise the stakes and play the long game, where you can make your choice.
no subject
she purses her lips as she finishes sorting through the box. what yumeko's suggesting...it's probably odd that she isn't doing anything like that at the moment, something keeping her bank account kind of sad looking. would it change things between them at all? ...does she want to do it? her heart thumps against her ribcage for a moment, as she feels yumeko's steady gaze on her, as her fingers brush lace and leather when she pulls back just a little from the box.
exploiting them by getting off with yumeko? you've got to be kidding. mary feels her cheeks redden just a little further as she stays quiet, as if she's thinking.
but, her hand clutches around a set of underwear (how did yumeko know her bra size--you know, she doesn't want to know the answer to that) and she picks it up, not even looking at her as she rears back and rolls her shoulders, nose going high up in the air. ] Pick whatever you want out of it, I don't care. I'm going to change.
[ and she'll take her brief reprieve to stalk off to the bathroom. if she could slam the door shut behind her to separate herself from her feelings, she sure as hell would.
it won't take her long to change, either. she chose something dark red, offsetting the pretty gold color of her eyes and her pale skin. she ties the bow maybe just a little tighter than she should to push her cleavage together better, and fumbles with it with embarrassed fingers, entire thought process along the lines of what the fuck is happening.
it shouldn't take her long to change, though, and she comes back out when she's done, flustered, but owning it with all the confidence she can when she steps back into the room. ]
no subject
In this particular case, she wants to see if she'll scheme with her. If she'll go along with the idea, the gamble that she's placing on their shared table. Their bank accounts could look better, if they had sex - and she doesn't think that the authorities here can tell if you're fucking your pet or not, just know that you're having sex, somehow - but at least the casinos keep it just cushioned enough that they're not in danger of being kicked out of the tower, or losing the pet contract.
Which is what got them in this position, in the first place. Yumeko had overheard people talking about their contracts, elites that were native to this place, and it'd been... educational.
But that thought leaves her head when Mary agrees, and.
She perks and claps her hands together in front of her, smile beatific as Mary marches off to the bathroom like the ojou she's been working to make herself into. But, she also needs to change - after all, her underwear is lacy and cute, but it's certainly not what she would consider sexy. Besides, they should both change, so that it's fair!
So Yumeko unfolds from where she's seated, leaning in to dig through the box until she finds her own lingerie to put on. It's not that hard to differentiate, given that she's so much bigger than Mary, but regardless. She strips nice and easy while Mary changes in the bathroom, humming to herself. There's a lot of stark, dramatic colors for choices, but red suits both of them - pale skinned, a compliment to their figures, drawing out the colors of their eyes.
She snaps a strap into place, and looks down at the garterbelts with a little frown, a tiny uuu leaving her, before she unattaches them from the panties. There's no time to get stockings or garters to attach them to!
Later, maybe.
But she looks up again when Mary comes out, and her expression breaks out into that of pure sunshine. ] Mary-san, you look so beautiful! I knew that would be a good choice! [ And without any hesitation, she scoops up something from the bed and skips up to her. They're of a height, so all she has to do is tip forward to kiss her, chastely, on the tip of her nose, as she goes to put a glistening crown atop her head. ]
no subject
as usual, she's being accosted, but mary's at least kind of used to it at this point, even if her first instinct is to still put her hand directly on her face and shove her away for getting so touchy. that's the point of all of this, isn't it? to touch each other?
...jesus.
either way, she does duck her head for the crown (and does not look at yumeko's cleavage, even if the temptation is real.) once it's settled into place, she reaches up to touch it, the pretty diamonds on the tiara twinkling in the low light of yumeko's bedroom.
and...yeah. that'll suit her just fine. she huffs, adjusting it carefully between her pigtails, and leans back a little, her hands on her just slightly wider hips. yumeko's a fucking knockout, of course, something mary is definitely not jealous of, not even a tiny little bit, and it makes some of that familiar heat stir up a little further in her stomach.
(they haven't even started yet. get it together, mary.) ] Yeah, yeah. Of course it is, I look good in anything.
[ finally letting her gaze fall back on her, she reaches over and tugs a little bit at one of her bra straps. ] You look good.
[ nice ]
no subject
Challenged that they do.
Yumeko clasps her hands in front of her after the crown is on Mary's head, delighted with the fit of everything. Her cheeks are a little flushed still, largely from delight, but there's a little bit of warmth from the heat that's building up from her gut and into her chest. She's giddy with it, the same desire that comes from sitting at the table when the cards have been dealt and the bets have gone down. That's where they are, standing at the edge with the promise of a drop no matter how things go.
This is a good gamble. ] You do, though, it's true.
[ Her eyelashes flutter a little with the tug, like she's about to blink in surprise, but all she does is look down at where the strap is being tugged. It jostles her chest a bit in the process, unsurprisingly, but she just looks up and smiles at her. The gentleness is there still, but it's less beatific now, less sweet and simple. A little more knowing. ] Thank you. I was hoping you'd like it.
no subject
she doesn't, though. she just regards yumeko as coolly as she can in this situation, watching her expression as any good gambler might do. there's nothing but honesty in it--although mary's no fool, she's sure she has a hundred tricks up her sleeve.
...not that she's wearing sleeves.
god. okay. with a little huff, mary tosses her head a bit so her pigtails flip back over her shoulders and out of the way, puffing up just a little bit. she's not shy, not really, but it feels like they're standing on the edge of a now what, waiting for the dealer to pull the next card, to give the result. ]
How long have you been thinking about this? [ it's not accusatory, but she does want to know--and mary's awfully good at getting directly to the point when necessary. she's gotten pretty decent at reading yumeko since their very first match together, after all, and she's way more than that pretty, pretty face.
...not that mary thinks it's that pretty, or anything!!! ]
no subject
She doesn't care. She can like the idea of it, like touching another girl, if she wants to. Nothing is going to stop here, and there's rarely anything that can get in her way in the first place. After all, she had to be poisoned to really be taken down a peg - even being made into a pet didn't stand in her way. ]
A while. [ The answer is simple, and comes easily. Her hands drop down, and she tilts her head a little again, unintentionally coquettish in the process as she puckers her lips that tiny bit. ] Probably when we first signed the contract.
[ All of those rules and rules and rules. Don't sleep with your pet, don't touch your pet, your pet can't do this, shouldn't do that, can be punished for this and that and anything. Yumeko reaches out, taking the hand that her ring is on, her own thumb tracing the edge of the cool, black surface thoughtfully. The gesture is tiny, but it feels intimate, especially when they're both practically laid bare like this. ] It was when I started considering all of the rules and laws in place, and what that could mean for us.
no subject
well...
okay, maybe that's not the point. the point is that mary has spent so much time despising her time as a pet here in tanagura that she hasn't really thought about much else, even when they are constantly surrounded by embarrassing, horrible things. she's pretty sure suzui or itsuki would have died by now just trying to play in the casino, where the androids touch her shoulders and her hair and strip poker is practically the most popular game at the tables. sex was (always) on the table, and mary's bet it once or twice too, if only because she knew she wouldn't lose.
but this isn't like that. this is a different gamble entirely, taking one on with the girl who destroyed her and then helped build her right back up, who continues to amaze (and often horrify) mary at every other turn. it figures, yumeko would be into this just because she hates the rules.
her nose wrinkles as she reaches out and takes her hand. the thumb ring is cool and familiar, and she had snarled if you ever use this thing on me i'll make you regret it for the rest of your life when they first got it, but now it just gives her goosebumps, to have such a thoughtful, gentle touch. it's absurd for her to be feeling like a giddy little schoolgirl, and she swallows back any of her nerves to try and act as cool as possible, tilting her head up to look down her nose at her. ]
What it means for us is that I'm not anyone's damn pet. [ she practically spits the word out--it's a title, a name only, a name she hateshateshates, and she'll make it clear at every turn, even when they're deeply considering breaking the rules.
in fact,that's why she brings it up. ] If I can make this more of a sham than it already is, then it's fine.
no subject
[ Because Yumeko has thought that, of her own situation, of Mary's, or Tsubomi's. Of any pet's. They're only a pet if they've resigned themselves to that fate, and Jabami Yumeko has never had any interest in being anyone's anything - she is her own, and she will stay that way, no matter the situation, no matter the person in question. Every choice she makes is for herself, and for her people, as few as they are at Hyakkaou. Here, in Amoi - in Tanagura - it's her and Mary, and the people they've made acquaintances with.
But they can only count on them.
Her eyes stay on Mary's face, and she continues to hold her hand, watching her even as she looks down her nose at her. Not that she isn't used to that, either. She just lets it roll off her back like water off a duck, corners of her mouth curling up sweetly, her head still tilted to the side, thoughtful. And then her expression breaks out into a smile, and while it's delighted, it's... darker. Without hesitating, she takes a step closer to Mary. ]
Don't worry, we'll show them what it means to challenge us like this. [ There's no hesitation when she leans in to kiss her properly, either, soft lips pressed to soft lips, her eyelashes fluttering again as she closes her eyes. ]
no subject
a lady never tells how many people she's kissed, but mary's number is at a neat, round zero, so it's a little surprising in more ways than one. she makes a little noise, an mmpht noise as her thought process fizzles off like a sparkler in a wet puddle, hard to focus on literally anything but yumeko is kissing me right now.
jesus christ. she has a reputation to uphold here, and she can't just turn into some dumb blushing maiden pet, especially in this situation. though she doesn't physically square her shoulders, mary does perhaps mentally do so as she lets her eyes shut too and takes control of the kiss, pushing forward a little bit and tilting her head properly to the left to make up for the room for another person. she doesn't exactly know what she's doing, but hey--if her time at hyakkaou is any indication, mary is a very fast learner.
besides, what fun is a gamble if you don't up the stakes? if her perceptions about yumeko are at all right (they are), then mary knows if nothing else, a little pushback will just make her get into it more.
just as planned. (probably.) ]
no subject
And she's using her standing as an elite to her advantage. In this case, she figures that if they do this, it's only the foundation of something greater. A stepping stone, as it were. Breaking this rule is only the first rule they'll bend to their will.
Which is interesting, in a way - she hasn't kissed anyone before, either. But she decides, as Mary pushes forward, that she likes it. She likes the softness of Mary's mouth, the press of control from her friend. So she brings her other hand up, still holding to Mary's with the other, and touches her face, gentle and delicate at first. It's easy to fall into this, though, especially with the stakes being raised.
Responding is just a one-two step that follows: she parts her lips a little bit, tongue just barely teasing out. That's something people do when they kiss, right?
Either way, they'll figure it out. Yumeko is all about exploring every possibility. Gamble or not. ]
no subject
but this, this is different. this is good. yumeko's always been intriguing, if frustrating, amazing if airheaded, and there's a brief, slightly hysterical thought that passes over mary's head that's something along the lines of oh my god, i think i'm a lesbian, but she shakes it off to continue to go right ahead and pursue the goal.
being called a 'pet' just makes her want to take control more than ever. if the tables will get turned--if yumeko inevitably pulls out a trump card--there's not a chance in hell that mary's going down without a fight. she opens her mouth into the kiss the moment yumeko does, her hands reaching out to her waist just for something to grab onto as she delves into her mouth, cheeks flushing a little with the exertion of it. they're just standing here--she should probably be cold, but mary's dizzily sure she's never been hotter in her life. ]
no subject
Now, though. Now she's got it figured, because she likes this. Likes the touch of Mary's fingers against her waist, and each brush of lips as they kiss. She likes the warmth that rolls off her body with the two of them so close.
When Mary's tongue brushes hers, a hot, wet slide, Yumeko makes a soft noise in the back of her throat. It's a little surprised, but not in a bad way. She just presses closer in response, lips parting further as she meets her every step of the way, now chest-to-chest. There'll be a trump card, eventually, but for now... now, she's just along for the ride, figuring out the rules of this particular gamble until she twists them to her own use. ]
no subject
if yumeko's going to let her take the lead, good. mary's just fine with that.
still, she doesn't really want to stop kissing her. her hands move up from her waist to her upper arms as the kiss gets more and more intense, all hot and wet and messy, making the curl of heat in mary's gut intensify a little. she takes the distraction when she gets it, and uses her newly moved hands to give yumeko a shove down, throwing one of her thighs over her lap and then the other, until she can get settled there.
it causes a break in the kisses and mary takes a second to assess, quick golden eyes narrowed, thinking, before she tosses one of her pigtails back over her shoulder and dives back in, this time with a sharp little nip to her lower lip before her tongue touches the spot. ]
no subject
Not that she's complaining. She makes an actually surprised sound, tiny and at the back of her throat, when they're moved, but she has no complaints. Instead, her thighs spread, giving Mary more support as she blinks up at her. Her near-red eyes simply focus on her gold, patient but intent, focused, waiting on the very edge for the next card to be dealt.
They close after, with the nip, and her hands both come up to cup Mary's face as she chases after the touch of her tongue. A little, catlike brush of them together, before she goes to kiss her properly again. ]
no subject
...maybe. maybe she's a little biased, having been both pinned under that gaze and a part of it. maybe that's the reason they're friends, because mary gets just as intense when she's playing, becomes the ojou she's always wanted to be when her cards are just right.
it was good to jump back into the kiss--didn't really leave any time for her to get embarrassed--and mary settles in her new spot fairly comfortably, legs spread across her thighs, knees touching the bed on either side. here, she can feel the warm heat of yumeko's body, the scratch of some of the lace on her underwear, and it's definitely an improvement over standing. the angle makes it easier to kiss her too, and she ends up tilting yumeko's head back just a little to kiss her properly. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
look at all these icons i have to tag you with
a beautiful princess
uvu*
love that useless lesbian
smh
little sparkle
;3; <3
♥ BIGGER SPARKLE