#Reddo

[aliusfrater]

supernatural, sincere espresso

[marbarmars-arts]

and now an art trade with @alienbeeans :)

had the motivation to do this last night :D

[nobilisseoblige]

Don't think she hasn't clocked the matching outfits immediately. She knows an intentional choice by the costume designer when she sees one.

Grinning, she slides into the seat next to Ferdinand, offering him a glass of water as she does. It's important in weather like this to stay hydrated, especially with all the other drink options around! And it gives him something to distract himself with if he needs to.

"So, do I need to rearrange some seats in my classroom?" She teases, laughing as she sips her own drink. "Am I putting you and Dorothea right next to each other, or on complete other sides of the room?"

It's not a real threat. For one thing, she's never had a seating arrangement, and for another, she doesn't expect them to follow it even if she did. She bumps his shoulder with hers lightly. "You look good though. It's a nice colour on you, very handsome!"

"closer, if you please!"

"she is a quick teach, as you may have already learned for yourself, so Dorothea is rival all the same! oh, wait! the latter also sounds rather promising, if you would perhaps consider an open seminar? I would certainly not mind a good debate! it would be undoubtedly fruitful if you were to put the desks in a circle and leave some space for some speeches."

if there was intention behind Professor Yunaka's words, Ferdinand completely missed the mark. he was already humoring the idea of a full-on philosophical discussion. ha! how amusing! surely Dorothea would think the same! (he had no way of knowing what she thought on this matter.)

she assessed his appearance now, and he frankly felt prepared for any such praise to come his way. after all, they—that is: he, Dorothea, and Bernadetta—had all but deliberated on outfits for sometime. they had managed to salvage some of the heavily plated dresses from the shops up in town, as well.

"thank you so kindly, professor. I will be earnest. Dorothea, Bernadetta and I really poured our sweat and tears into these looks."

"and my! it would be a waste not to rejoice in yours as well." surely, it would! for she was beautiful. there was something about the... grungier fashion that had its sharp edges. he, at first, had no real eye for it, when Professor Byleth had arrived with a similar kind of fashion, but there was no mistaking it. it was a style suitable for the sharpest knives in the academy. and such expressions were admirable. at least in his mind. for being all parts beautiful and equally as dangerous meant she could make it through the world just fine. she had the experience to teach such lessons to students as well.

"you are beautiful, professor. I hope the clouds part when you walk by." like a blade through running water.

[grayrazor]

Hoping beyond hope that in some small way “The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World” will fill the Bravern-shaped hole in my heart. 💔

[hermidetta]

"Bernie!" Only some few minutes after their return to reality, and after she's said her small piece to Pasithee, Maria runs back to her friend and sweeps her into a hug; she would spin her around, if she wasn't far too tiny to do so. As it is she sways back and forth a bit, practically buzzing with joy. "Oh, Bernie, she was! Mairenn was Pasithee -- you were right!"

When she settles, she gives the brilliant violet a small squeeze before stepping back, hands still gently lingering on the other girl's arms. Something tremendous shimmers in her eyes and quavers in her chest, a joy she hadn't ever expected to have and now struggles simply to hold... But she's grinning; even if there's something tender and fragile behind the narrow of her smile, she's grinning.

"...Thank you, Bernie. I brought you somewhere scary, but you always cared about me. About both of us." Linhardt -- she should check on him herself, after this. "About the hope I was chasing." Grin mellows to a smile, a soft-stitched arc with affection still bursting at its seams. "It means the world to me."

And then she giggles; and then she releases Bernie and throws out her arms; and then she steps back yet again and she spins, and she laughs, and when that grand bubble of joy pops she throws a wink and a playful grin over her shoulder.

"So, won't you please tell me what your favorite dessert is? Maybe your favorite tea? Hee hee! I already have more and more hopes! I hope that's okay!" Like how I hope to see you smile -- yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

"ah! maria!"  bernadetta's not all that strong, or tall, but when maria hugs her they both fit into each other's embrace just right. her cheer is just as infectious as her hope. before bernadetta realizes it she is swaying, too, a breathless little giggle on her lips as thin arms return maria's squeeze.

it was scary, wasn't it? something sheepish surfaces to the curl of her lips. if bernadetta had been tasked to name any of her own merits, she would not have passed as easily as she did on the feast. but maria thanks her. points out how she has cared—why else would she bawl over linhardt? and bernadetta had not been able to recognize any of it at all. to her it had been as easy as breathing, natural, and painfully unremarkable.

(yet maria thanks her for it. for being herself, somehow.)

it had been striking to bernadetta, the memory of maria in these same ruins some time ago, the way her eyes glimmered as she spoke almost breathlessly: i want to go. i want to find her.

how could anyone have denied her then? bernadetta could not dream of it even as they jumped into another one of pasithee's own making, could not dream of it even as maria held bernadetta through the village that terrified her senseless. (she had been so convinced that they were the feast.)

"no! i mean, um—thank you. i was just a big fat chicken."  her cheeks flush at the admission. hearing it aloud makes her feel even sillier.  "i didn't even know her name. or what she did. just that we were looking for an angry girl."

bernadetta hadn't even understood half the things written by that book. apparently she was a projectionist, and apparently she was friends with mairenn. apparently she was responsible for the distress call and apparently there was some villain named melanie(?) who was responsible for the chaos, instead of count varley who bernadetta had initially suspected of foul play. none of it made sense, and almost all of bernadetta didn't want it to. all she wanted was to crawl back under her rock and not have to know.

"and that you were there, and that i didn't want either of you to get hurt or go alone. so... e-even if you go somewhere scary again, i'll go with you! if we really have to."

but her hands mirror maria's in their gentle lingering. it's strange to bernadetta how hope could be this beautiful. to rob maria of it would be to extinguish the sun itself. when maria lets go, twirling and laughing, bernadetta nearly wants to join her. bernadetta wants to laugh, too. the wink catches her off guard, and she flushes with a stammer.

"m-my, my fav— peach sorbet?"  bernadetta blurts, stumbling after maria.  "and sweet bun trio. and albinean berry blend! wait, you have to tell me yours, too!"

one after another, these questions and hopes. they bloom and flourish and blossom all over again—yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

[little-paper-man]

Rythulian Train! Now in ~Color~!

Finally got around to coloring that doodle from a while back :]

also click for better quality it's gonna be scrunched otherwise /D

[cotharach]

"Flayn!" Having been found by Forde so quickly, the little princess had given, as she always does, to hope. And short is the wait for her reward: she finds the girl quickly, wasting no time in running up to her.

"I'm glad you're alright," she says first, because she is, even if alright is only relative. In spite of the gloom, affection and admiration sparkle in her eyes. There are many things she could say second, but what she lands on is--

"--I have a brother, too." She laughs, half for fondness and half for the statement itself. "And a sister! But she isn't nearly as silly as he is." Hands clasp, fingers laced together. "What I mean to say is, I can help you look for him! I want to -- if you want to." He must be worried -- as if that was ever in doubt. Maria smiles instead.

"He must love you very much."

"Oh, there you are! Thank goodness—I had just been searching for you, Maria. I am grateful to see you alive!"

Flayn delights to see her here, ever-bright and shining like a polished gem. It is all too easy to perish during times like these, especially for young girls of their stature. She shares the twinkle in Maria's eye, feeling thankful for the ease that washes over her. The mention of Seteth, however, causes something in her stomach to twist.

"Do you truly mean that? Yes, I would sincerely appreciate your help in locating him," her expression turns somber, and her eyes momentarily flick towards the wall to her side, as though picturing the monastery in some distant horizon, "I... want him to know that I am well. I feel as though he is in some awful state of panic right now."

She is all too familiar with how he can get when worrying over her, but this situation is far graver than a handful of rowdy monastery boys or a particularly taxing chore. Once again, Seteth does not even know if she still lives. Oh, Goddess forgive her! She never means to break his heart, but somehow, she always manages to do it. Perhaps this was part of the woes of being someone's dearly fragile daughter.

Flayn wraps her arms around her chest, feeling that sharp squeeze of half-healed wounds being pressed. She sighs.

"He does..." The saint wistfully affirms, once more looking to that distant, unseeable monastery, "Very much so. I feel it even in his absence: one might even say that is where I feel it most. Ah, but that is the nature of family, is it not? To love each other so terribly that distance cannot stop you from thinking of them?"

It is why, during times of despair, she always seeks out Seteth first. It is why Maria had mentioned her siblings at the onset of their conversation. Love—this terrible, terrible love—it keeps them together while simultaneously threatening to take them apart.

"Oh, that does remind me: I hope you do not mind my asking, but... do you know of your siblings' whereabouts? Perhaps we may search for them as well, that we may relieve them of their worries. If my brother cares for me, then your two siblings must feel the same—doubly so!"

[peerlessscowl]

"Aha!"

It's a triumphant proclamation, if softer than one would expect, the brightness of her voice tempered to something rounder; his has always been a milder presence, after all. Not quite quiet, not wholly apart, but... either way, even in her jubilation, Maria smooths the brasher edges of her voice.

"There you are!" She still grins, though; of course she does, fingers wiggled all a-merrily in greeting as she trots up to him. As she walks she begins to fiddle with the pearl clasped at her wrist, rolling it in her palm by the time she's made her way up to him and holding it out in offering even as she continues to speak. "Hee hee... I win this year!"

One corner of her mouth pulls upward in lopsided mirth, the narrow of her eyes fond and playful. It was never a competition, of course, but she'd also be lying to say she isn't pleased to have found him first regardless. Always, he worries about Chad -- and how could she fail to appreciate that? -- but it is a very silly trick she has pulled on him, for now he cannot fail to know he was looked for.

Her head tilts slightly as she regards him -- and then she giggles again for the familiarity. They're sort of alike, aren't they?

"Chad's not here this time," Maria explains without being prompted. Maybe he already knows? Still the pearl rests in outstretched hand. "He seemed tired. Maybe he'll show up later, but I'll be just as glad if he gets a really good nap!"

He seems brighter, somehow. Her smile widens.

"But I'm glad to see you! And if I see any yummy-looking food, I'll get some for you, okay? Heeheehee!"

"Here I am."

Somehow, perhaps without meaning to, she always found a way to slip under his guard, to arrive as a gentle presence nudging at the rear of his periphery, to announce herself when she was ready and not a moment before.

He couldn't help it when the lines of his face, the creases of his eyes and the firm line of his lips, softened just at the warmth of her. "So you do."

It wasn't a competition. He was content to allow her the victory regardless.

Pearl swapped for pearl - her spoils, to take one of his, to allow him to wear hers in turn - Raven could not help but be thankful, to feel the gentle ease of weight in his chest at the reassurance. A dip of his chin in acknowledgement.

"Glad to hear it. They...need the rest. They've been going a...a long time. I suppose," a sigh, gentle, almost staged as he propped his hands on hips, "that means we'll have to enjoy the party on their behalf. Perhaps the spaghetti and meatball will be better this year."

It was odd, how naturally this ease came to him around her, around Chad, around those little presences that had become so consistent in his life in this place that he might almost have called them integral, enough that one might warn another of an absence, or that another might tease about a shared meal, a joke. How odd it was to joke, but that, too, felt natural, just as much as the palm that rose and pressed against the crown of her head.

"You'll have to save a dance for me, then. In their stead. Find me, when you're ready."

She always knew how to.

[reddowind]

What if Shokichi really got a girlfriend? What's your headcanon regarding that?

Once again, I doubt if he will really have a girlfriend due to fact that he only loves 2d characters 😭. But, this is interesting so let's go with it.

Despite he already has a girlfriend, that doesn't mean he will abandon his waifus 😭

But no worries, because "No matter how beautiful my waifus are, you're still no.1 in my eyes uwu"

He will love his girlfriend really much, such as "I wish I'm your favorite food so I can be eaten by you" :")

He will do PDA almost everytime whenever he's going on a date with his girlfriend, proving that his girlfriend belonged to him only

He will be really protective to his girlfriend, if there's someone who dares to bully her, he will search their social media accounts and hacked their account, email, even their phone ((c'mon. He's a genius))

Anon : "I like you" ((to Shokichi's gf)), Sho : "F*ck off, she's mine"

He will really clingy to his girlfriend, and wants to be pampered all the time

His rude side still remains, but less rude. Nevertheless, he loves his girlfriend really much

He's a perverted boyfriend, if he marry his girlfriend ((soon to be wife)). He will be horknee, often if I can be blunt here

That's all, yeah maybe in a few aspects he can be really creepy I guess 🫠🫠

[aliusfrater]

supernatural, playthings [2.11]

[warpaway]

Oh, there is no mistaking the twinkle in Maria’s eyes as she trots up. The gentle billow, the patterning at the hip — “Linhardt, you’re so pretty!” She giggles as she approaches, smile stretching from one cheek and reaching all the way to the other. ��Hee hee… and your dress! Bright colors really suit you!”

And what with all their dark uniforms it truly is a lovely surprise. Would they ever consider allowing uniforms in a lighter color? (She doesn’t know.)

What she does know is that she’s delighted to see them again, reaching for her bracelet and unclasping a pearl as a matter of fact. Without comment she holds it out as if to place it in their palm, her chin perched on the faintly curled fingertips of her other hand.

“Hey, Linhardt… do you like coffee better? Or tea?” Lips part to reveal a crescent smile, a genuine curiosity glittering in her eyes. The question itself could be anything; what she wants to learn is something silly, something small, something about them outside of the fall. “Hee hee… I can smell allll the drinks from over here! Do you want to go try them out? Or I could bring something back for you!”

linhardt hadn't expected maria to be approaching them, nor be at this party at all, but he is happy to see her.  he smiles even before she compliments him, and then his heart swells as she does.  somehow, it feels more genuine from a person like her.

honestly, they're just as happy to be in a color they like as well.  as easy as it is to put on a uniform every day and not think of what looks nice, it is a little bland.  this may be the first time some one with a relationship akin to maria's to linhardt even knows their favorite color!  that's just not good for the mind.

without comment, maria offers her charm in trade and linhardt obliges.  her pearl for his turtle - she certainly got the better of this deal, for sure.

“we can go together,” they reply to her question, already gathering their skirts to begin the walk.  “as for my preference…  i can't stand the smell of coffee, so i've never touched it.  i like tea, but black tea gives me the shakes.  i'm very particular.  for a party, i doubt they've got a blend to my tastes.  i much prefer a nice cup of tea and then slipping into a nap.”

[laslow]

He’s probably smiling, Maria thinks when she catches sight of the back of his head. She’s been with him in a dire situation before — perhaps not this dire, but enough to have glimpsed the kind of person he is. He’s probably smiling, and that’s a good thing, and that’s a sad thing.

“Hi, Professor!” And she’s surely smiling when she taps gently on his arm, looking up at him with clear eyes. “I’m glad to see you! Are you doing okay?”

Her chin rises as she peers around him, falling back into places as she settles back onto her heels, satisfied.

“I think I heard that we’ll start looking for supplies soon! So don’t give too much, okay?” She pulls on the edge of her singed over shirt with a giggle (tattered but not torn!), but her expression is warm. “There’ll be enough for you, too!”

He's cheering up some of the students when a light tap on his arm interrupts him. "Excuse me," he says, then turns to find the culprit.

"Can I--Maria!" Grinning widely, Laslow takes her in, glad to find no life-threatening injuries marring her small frame. "What a delight to see you again, my darling! Well as I can underground like this," he replies with a shrug. These gloomy surroundings remind him quite a lot of Castle Krakenburg, without all the luxury.

He tilts his head, brows knitting in confusion, before it clicks. He laughs softly and tugs at his own ripped shirt. "A bit late for that, alas. Some injuries we suffered before arriving here could not wait."

He smile fades a touch. What did Maria face, during the battle? Did she lose people she cares for as well, in the chaos? "How are you this fine...day? Evening? Are you holding up alright?"

[the-cosmicbeans]

New Project Announcement!

"Diamonds in the Dark" has been a huge comfort story for me. It has been going since I was 16 years old. I remember how much I felt bad for Fawful, and how I wanted to alter his story in Bowser's Inside Story. I also accidentally started shipping him with my alien OC, which went from being a silly joke to a ship that has been one of my biggest special interests of all time.

But the thing is... the more time has passed, more ambitious ideas have been popping in my head. I've been getting ideas to extend upon Vaphorians, give my OCs more depth etc.

And all of that made me realize how this story was growing beyond what Bowser's Inside Story originally was. So today, I'm here to announce a brand new project I've been working on through those past months...

And it's called "The Fawful Elite: Guiding Stars"! As you can tell, it has remained as a M&L story about Fawful and those other three folks.

Somwhere after BIS, Fawful finds himself in a different place called "the Sol Kingdom". While he didn't experience a complete memory loss, Fawful is unable to remember most things that happened in BIS. And on a top of that, he's constantly getting nightmares about scary dark spiders! Since nothing was helping, Fawful decides to set on a journey to find a garden with a very rare plant called "the Cosmic Plant". Its fruit is capable of healing any illnesses and curses, which our beanish man believed to have. During that long journey, Fawful meets new and familiar faces...

Now for some short character summaries!

1. Fawful

Most of us already know Fawful. He's an evil scientist, planning to conquer over the world! ... or does he? He would probably say that if he remembered what happened to him in the first place.

Fawful is an energetic beanish man with a huge self-confidence. Which could also lead him into potential dangerous situations. He loves to taunt and torment his enemies, but can get easily furious if something goes slightly wrong.

Despite everything he says, Fawful is actually pretty anxious about this situation. And all of that makes him feel a llittle lonely... but no, he's perfectly fine on his own! ... right?

2. Norin

A sassy Vaphorian with powerful magical abilities, who's also looking for the Cosmic Plant in order to heal his own "curse". Aside from their plans to travel through universe after obtaining the fruit, they don't like explaining why they need it. Would those plans change after meeting a strange beanish man?

And while she wasn't so fond of Fawful at first, the more the two spoke, the more Norin started to geniuinely like him and see him as a friend. But who knows if it won't blossom into something more?

Norin is usually pretty chill compared to Fawful. He enjoys pranking other people and, just like his beanish companion, loves to taunt them. This Vaphorian has a softer side to her though... and I'm not talking about her cat-like behavior she tries to hide almost everytime. They're very compassionate towards people they deeply trust.

Norin is a huge bot maniac, and loves seafood more than anything. His magic powers allow him to control any type of liquid, and ice.

3. Merry

A short beanish woman who rivals with Fawful. They go way back... the two, along with Favalis, knew each other for a good while. They even worked underneath Cackletta. However, Merry got upset by how Fawful began to act more bossy and surperior towards her and Favalis, which caused the other two to go their own ways... for a few years.

During the story, the two are also looking for the Cosmic Plant. Because of a childhood accident, Merry didn't know who her biological family was. She wants to obtain the fruit so that she could remember who they were... and yet strangely, Fawful looks a lot like her...

Merry can be pretty chaotic, even more so than Fawful sometimes. It's not like she can't be pretty serious at times, however. She's not afraid to state her opinions on the matter, and is overprotective towards Favalis.

Merry enjoys playing baseball and video games. She uses her bat to throw bombs more easily, and possesses great strength for her height.

4. Favalis

A beanish of a few words. They come from Cackletta's family (their mother is Cackletta's younger sister), and she was also the one to teach them a lot of stuff about magic. They're usually seen accompanying Merry, and is responsible for telling Fawful a lot about ancient artifacts... and Vaphorians. Unlike Merry though, Favalis doesn't appear to be so upset with Fawful.

Favalis doesn't usually like talking about themself, which makes them appear more mysterious. They tend to avoid most people, and are usually pretty cold towards anyone they don't trust. On the other side, they're pretty talkative when they're around around their friends, enjoying exchanging some information about their interests.

However, Favalis almost doesn't think about themself... sure, they might have some goals. But for them, they're not as important as taking care of their friends...

Favalis is capable of using dark magic. They enjoy reading various books about its' history, or ancient artifacts. Favalis also enjoys drawing in the meantime.

So, here it is! There's a lot more stuff happening in the story, but I don't wanna go deep into that yet because I don't wanna spoil the entire thing in one post... and I'd definitely run out of space if anything lol. If you read the entire thing, thank you for reading my silly rambles about my story.

[frauleindermorgen]

@princessmacedon sent:

[ Forestberry Jamwich ] "Oh, Micaiah!" It has been such a long time since they last spoke, but Maria's eyes light up in an instant at the sight of her. A walk hastens into a trot, and she lands at her side soon after, separating the cleanly cut halves of her snack. A few new bracelets dangle from her wrist as she shifts one half up for Micaiah to take, if she wishes. "Do you want to split this with me? Hee hee, I'm getting a little full... but I really wanted to try it!" Raising her half of her sandwich to her mouth, she takes a small bite, her gaze turning toward her wrist as she chews. A beat passes, and then she gently taps one of the bracelets with her fingertip.

"I got this one for Aphie," she explains with a smile soft upon her face. I bet she'd be causing so much trouble. I wish I could have given her a crepe. I think she'd have really liked it here. -- all thoughts she leaves unspoken; the ball is meant to be enjoyed, and she still has mischief to get into on someone's behalf. "It's pretty, isn't it? Hee hee... and the sandwich -- oh, jamwich! -- is tasty too!"

Maria's confident steps reminds her of the first time they met, before that mission. They have not spoken of it since, and she has not at all spoken of her second meeting with Aphea — and she thinks for the first time, perhaps she can share in Maria's bravery and do so, one day.

Today and in the now she takes the half of the sandwich offered to her, saying she would of course love to; deftly, she splits it in two and offers it back to Maria; "oh," she says covering her mouth, "it is quite good isn't it! I wonder what is in the jam. Perhaps I can try and make my own?"

Maria's pure thoughts of Aphie chorus around her even without words, and Micaiah takes a moment to really examine the bracelet the princess has indicated. "I think... that's a wonderful idea." She looks at her own accessories - just the standard brooches given out to and for others at the ball but her eyes stay on the black and a white feather, and she thinks of all the other plumage of birds. The animals the Aphie in the desert, and Aphie in the cave never got to see.

"I think I will make her something too. A bracelet of feathers. There are so many pretty birds around here; after all, and I am always finding fallen ones on my walks. Would you like to come with me on one Maria? We can eat jam sandwiches and search for feathers together."

[fluxrspar]

"... ...Professor Selena." The greeting comes with an understated dip of the head, and perhaps a beat too long of hesitance (the consequence of locking the address 'Dame' behind her teeth). Another empty beat passes as the Altean tries to gauge whether her appearance is tolerable, at the least; thinking that maybe it is, her posture eases slightly.

Fidgeting uselessly with her hands, she eventually turns up her brooch, the shape and sound of a bell: pure and gentle, and entirely unsuited to her. Earlier the mage had thought for a fleeting moment to bring her a glass of water, or perhaps even something to eat as a gesture of amicability in earnest, but given how they met... needless to say, she quickly reconsidered.

"If... if you're collecting these, too..." Her throat feels dry. "W, would you like to trade...?" A trade. The first she has asked for this night, rather than simply giving pieces of her away. Perhaps it is selfish of her, to ask for some sort of amicability, failing the courage to ask for friendship.

Selena remembers the girl who hid herself in shadows, who spoke quiet—like whispers—and who fought and outlived the Fluorspar (so she recalls, at least). Months ago, they had met in unreality, and they had not spoken again since.

“Yes, Katarina?”

All the same, they cross paths again, here in the monastery’s ballroom. There is no illusion, no deceit, no sacrifice or ultimatum. There is just people—including them—at a gathering, all with the intention of enjoying themselves.

The other has something to say, she can tell, and she waits patiently for her words (she remembers Andrei, how Katarina had backed down). With patience, the girl presents her bell, asking for a trade, and Selena smiles.

“Of course,”—and here, she accepts the bell, then taking her own string of pearls and placing it gently into the student’s hand. Selena has no way of knowing every thought in the other’s head, but as much as she is able, she would like to make things good for her; easier, at least. Her smile, though soft, is genuine.

“Thank you, Katarina.” I am wishing you the best.

[hermidetta]

It's a bit harder to pick a gift when you want to know someone, but don't know them so well yet -- a problem she looks forward to solving in the future! Today, however, she knocks gently on Bernadetta's door, grinning on the other side of it.

"Hi, Bernie!" Maria greets, her voice in the shape of a smile. "I have a present for you!"

It's a bouquet of flowers in a white, thin-necked vase, naturally. But the choice of flowers itself is not as classic: yellow tulips and white heather stretch tall enough that Maria peeks from the side and not over the array, not too unlike the hidden, true star of the present: a long-limbed little teddy bear, purple in hue but with sunflowers embroidered on his tummy. In fact, he even seems to have little flowers on his crown as well... He wraps his arms around the neck of the vase like a squishy soft ribbon, paws discreetly held together by means of beans made of button and loop.

"Happy birthday! Hee hee... here, these are for you!" Gingerly, she passes the present over. "I know they're supposed to be red, but--" A laugh bubbles up. "I really wanted to give you these instead!" Well wishes, as ever, and sunshine in her smile. All the lovely things Maria thinks of her. Her eyes crinkle at their corners, sparkling as she lifts a conspiratorial finger to her lips. "And I'll make you some sweet buns later, if you want them! Look forward to it, okay? Heeheehee!"

⠀ ⚘ birthdaydetta 2k24 ♡ ⠀

even the shrinking violet, who loves the shade, turns its head toward dappling sunlight. maria's voice calls bernadetta through the door, and the latter's nose pops out from a rather familiar book. she slips a pressed flower on her current page, shuts it, and bounces off of her bed to gravitate to the front entrance. the door shies open, more than a mere crack, but just enough for the entirety of her figure to fit through it—curved petals of a bud mid-bloom.

"oh, maria! h-hi..."  her gaze falls to the vase.

well wishes. good luck. friendship, new beginnings. her ashen eyes widen at the bright arrangement, a bundle of joy cinched by a bear and bottleneck.

and maybe it is all coincidence—maybe there is no particular message behind the charming stalks of yellow tulips and white heather beyond 'happy birthday', but even that much is enough to melt hearts on the spot. sunflowers, too, from a sunflower herself.

"for me?"  bernadetta chirps, albeit with lingering sheepishness, the uncertainty she can never seem to truly shed. hands accept the gift without protest, though, her delight made evident through the faint flush in cheeks and gentle twitch of a touched smile.  "thank you! i like flowers. any color, as long as they're not poisonous! well—poisonous ones are neat, too, just not up close."

oops, she's rambling. there's a tiny yelp of realization before her lips pinch together, but luckily maria doesn't seem to mind. somehow, despite being in bernadetta's company, she never seems to mind. she even promises sweet buns, and the way bernadetta's face brightens is more than enough answer to that.

"r-really? yay! i will!"  she can't help but blurt, hugging her adorable bear and vase—mindful of the flowers, of course, though the tips of the petals tickle her chin. it widens her grin.  "maria, you're always so nice to me. um, if you want... only if you want. we can share the sweet buns together. a-and talk more about books?"