#love that the height difference when Marina is standing on a chair is still less than it normally is

[sexynetra]

Day 2 of trying to convince you to ride the DameRina train 🚂

Somehow didn’t get a notification for this but!!!!!! God look at them!!!!! TFW you want to be taller than your gf who’s over a foot taller than you and she indulges you

[punkalope]

Stay for Tonight

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: F/F Fandom: Splatoon Relationships: Pearl/Marina, Inkling/Octoling Characters: Pearl (Splatoon), Marina (Splatoon) Additional Tags: Fluff, Other Additional Tags to Be Added

There was something about keeping secrets that made them so exciting. There was something about this specific secret that, although hard to keep, was especially exciting. When they finally had the courage to grace the world with Off the Hook, things went better as planned. Marina was accepted into society, and they both became popular almost overnight. But the constant dread still clung to them like glue, even if they had no intention of showing it.

Based off of @vanillavagabond ‘s lovely art, which you can see here!

Cross-Posted on AO3. Feedback, kudos and reblogs are appreciated! 

i.

There was something about keeping secrets that made them so exciting.

There was something about this specific secret that, although hard to keep, was especially exciting.

Pearl and Marina have been lovers for a long time, all in secret from the world. No one knew, no matter how tempting it was to tell them, and they managed to keep it hidden very well. Don’t get them wrong, they wanted to be open about their relationship; but there were too many potential consequences.

While it did add to the thrill, there was still fear deep in the back of the girls minds. This fear was similar to the one they had when they first met, when Pearl first found Marina after she ran away from home in a fit and Marina had done the same to escape Octarian society. They were only secret friends then, scared of what would happen to both of them if one were to find out they befriended the enemy. A constant, tugging anxiety that they could be caught any second.

When they finally had the courage to grace the world with Off the Hook, things went better as planned. Marina was accepted into society, and they both became popular almost overnight. But the constant dread still clung to them like glue, even if they had no intention of showing it.

Even if Marina was accepted, tension between Octarians and Inklings still continued, and the disappearance of The Great Zapfish and pop star Callie of the squid sisters only fueled the flame. Rumours started that Marina was a spy, and while she tried to ignore them, she still got questions every day from persistent paparazzi about it (thankfully, every time, Pearl was there to chase them off). Pearl got her fair share of questions, too, often accused of being a traitor, helping the Octarians, or even kidnapping Callie herself. She took this better than Marina did - she didn’t care what they said or thought - but they were still annoying, nonetheless.

Their idol status was no help either. There were no rules or regulations about them dating, it had happened before with previous idols after all. But this still didn’t make them any less nervous. What if they did get into trouble for it? They didn’t care if they lost contracts, but they were worried about the stress potentially tearing them apart. The girls were also two different species. How would the public react, to an Octoling and Inkling in love? Two sworn enemies? Only time could tell, but they were afraid of what they would be told.

Yet, despite this, keeping such a secret was exciting. It felt them with a sense of adventure. The risk filled them with adrenaline, and just made things seem so much more thrilling. That didn’t mean they weren’t careful, though.

So in the end, they still tried to keep quiet. No matter how hard or painful it was.

ii.

The night of a Splatfest concert is always exhilarating. Everyone got competitive when participating, but the concerts always brought everyone together in a magical way. The lights were always beautiful, the music went on for hours, and there were even fireworks. When Inkopolis learned they would be returning, hosted by their new biggest idols, everyone was ecstatic and talking about it for weeks. Everyone knew that these new Splatfests would be different, but had hope it would still keep its extraordinary feeling.

Marina knew nothing about these events, however. She had never even heard of them before Pearl told her the exciting news. This made the Octoling especially nervous - so many things could go wrong. This wouldn’t be their first concert, sure, but it was their first time being part of such a big portion of Inkopolis culture.

She sat in the soft teal chair of her dressing room, staring intently at her mirror. Marina was anxious. Anxious enough to have gotten herself ready hours prior, to leave herself time to get ready emotionally. And here she was, for the past hour, trying to calm herself down. She felt like she was going to explode. She never had this problem with previous concerts, but with the recent news about the missing Zapfish, who could blame her?

She inched close to the mirror, looking herself dead in the eyes. Her eyes were so different - her pupils were sideways. Her mask didn’t stretch across her face, instead they were separated and almost looked like makeup. She was no inkling, she never will be. The octoling’s orbs almost looked like glass. She completely lost focus on her mirror.

Marina felt like there was a rock in her chest. Her mind felt floaty. It was like television static at full volume.

What if everyone decided they hate me?, the nervous voice in her head began to speak.

Will they boo me? Will they cancel the Splatfest last second? Can they even do that? What if Judd and Lil Judd go missing too? What if the zapfish is needed for the concert? What if Pearl hates me now? Oh god, I can’t ruin this for Pearlie. What if she never wants to see me again? What if - What if what if what if what i-

The sound of someone bursting open broke her from her trance. The octoling realized she was no longer looking at the mirror, but her hands. She was trembling. Her breathing was heavy and slow. How long was she sitting like this?

“Marinaaa!” Shouted a sing-song voice, followed by a door closing. “We’re up in 30 minutes - Oh.”

Pearl stood at the door as Marina turned to her, slowly lifting her head. Pearl instantly knew that face. Marina only made that face when she was on the brink of tears. The octoling sat up, attempting to make herself presentable.

“Hey, ‘Rina,” Pearl took a few steps forward. There was a gentleness in her voice, which was rare for her - something no one else but Marina would ever hear. “Marina, are you okay?”

“I-I,” Marina stuttered, “I...I don’t know, Pearlie, I..” The words just couldn’t come out of her mouth. Even if she tried, the waterworks were already starting.

Pearl, now in front of her partner, put a comforting hand on Marina’s shoulder. “Marina,” She stated, pausing to get her attention.

Marina hiccuped and looked Pearl in the eyes.

“Is this about the whole Great Zapfish thing?”

The octoling sniffed and nodded. Pearl took a step back. Marina knew she was in for a pep talk.

“Well, ‘Rina!” The inkling began, “Ya know they don’t really care that much, right?”

“B-But all the news…” Marina quietly said.

“Yeah, that’s just gossip! No one listens to that kinda stuff! No one even noticed until we got news of it. It coulda been gone for days before anyone knew.” The inkling continued. “And even if they did care, you shouldn’t care!”

“Oh, w-well..”

“I know you aren’t bad, I’m not bad, neither of us are bad! So who cares about them?”

Marina smiled, just slightly, just enough for Pearl to notice. Something about her partner’s pep talks always eased her nerves, even if it was only slightly. While she didn’t feel completely great, she felt good enough to go on stage.

“That’s what I was looking for! The prettiest smile in all of Inkopolis AND Octo Valley!” Pearl said, pulling Marina out of her thoughts. Her smile grew, and then felt the Inkling’s arms around her and being pulled close in a comforting embrace.

The world seemed to be at peace for just a moment. The inkling was still standing while she was sitting, giving Pearl the rare height advantage. Not that the octoling minded, because she buried her face in the crook of her partner’s neck. Marina began to steady her breathing, matching it to Pearl’s calm one. She embraced the other’s smell, too. Vanilla with a hint of strawberry. It was welcoming. It made her feel at home.

“Will you be fine out on stage?” Pearl whispered, as gently as she could muster.

Marina inhaled. “Yeah. I think so.” She replied. It was the first sentence she actually spoke since Pearl arrived.

“Do you want me to try and delay it a few more minutes?”

“N..No, I... think I can do this,” Marina pulled back, but Pearl kept a comforting hand on her’s. “Thank you, Pearlie.”

“Anything for you, rockstar.” The inkling said with a wink.

Marina blushed and looked away, just as one of her tentacles wiggled and wrapped around Pearl’s wrist.

The inkling looked down and snickered. “They’re doing it again!”

Marina’s eyes trailed down to Pearl’s wrist and she felt her face heat up even more. Pearl broke into laughter and pulled away.

The octoling covered her face, trying to hold back laughter and ultimately failing. “I can’t help it! They have a mind of their own!”

Marina felt like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders.

iii.

The inkling and octoling couple stepped off the stage with a wave, ready to let the next few bands perform for the Splatfest. Crowds were gathered around the tower, dancing and laughing. Firework were being set up. Everyone was cheerful and having the times of their lives. As soon as they were sure they were out of sight, they were hand-in-hand.

Pearl practically dragged Marina back to her tour bus, albeit a bit sluggishly. The two were clearly tired; their legs were sore, their eyes and throats burned.

Upon entering, Pearl let go of Marina’s hand and threw herself face down onto the closest couch with a loud “WHUMP”, followed by her own “PPBTBTBTBTBHTHTHB”.

“That was really fun, Pearlie! I can’t believe I was so worried before…”

The inkling lifted her head. “What’d I tell ya? Nothing to worry about, ‘Rina,” she replied, then flopped back down.

Marina smiled and sat herself down next to Pearl, carefully moving her legs onto her lap and lounging back. The octoling stared at the ceiling, listening carefully to the distant, muffled beats of the Splatfest concert and the ink-battles happening nearby. Something about them soothed her thoughts, drifting her off to her own little world.

She didn’t realize she was falling asleep until she felt weight being lifted from her lap as Pearl stood from the couch. She sat up and blinked.

Before she could register where Pearl was going, the inkling was leaning towards her. Their faces were so close, Marina could feel her partner’s hot breath on her chin. That was certainly unexpected, but not unwelcome.

“Hi.” Pearl whispered.

“Oh...Hello,”

Pearl held Marina’s zipper, tugging it upwards. “Heeeeeeyyyy,”

“Hey,” The octoling hushed, blushing hard and smiling at the other’s antics.

The two stared into each other’s eyes for what felt like eternity, waiting for the other to move. Marina couldn’t remember if they locked the door or not, but she didn’t care.

The two leaned towards each other at the same time, closing their eyes and kissing each other softly. It was long, but sweet and passionate. They finally pulled apart and there was silence for a few seconds before they broke into a fit of giggles.

“What’s so funny?” Marina snorted.

“I-I don’t know! You’re just…” The inkling puffed her cheeks and pouted. “You’re cute!”

“Aww, Pearlie, you’re cute too!”

“N-No!! I mean, yes! I am! But,” Pearl sputtered, shuffling herself onto Marina’s lap.

The octoling tensed for a second, confused, before relaxing and wrapping her arms around the inkling’s waist and peppering her neck with a few kisses

“But?” she said, burying her face in Pearl’s shoulder.

“...I ‘dunno. It’s just…This is nice.”

Pearl sighed and draped her arms over her girlfriend’s shoulder.

“I kinda don’t want stuff like this to end, I guess,” She continued.

The octoling pulled back and kissed her partner’s forehead. “Me too…”

They sat in silence, simply holding each other and occasionally kissing, for what felt like hours.

Moments like these didn’t happen often between these two much anymore, with their busy schedules and lack of alone time. But when it did, they cherished it, forgetting all the problems in the world. Their burdens were almost nonexistent. They were together, they were happy, and they planned to keep it that way. Marina hummed to the distant music playing over an ink battle, rubbing Pearl’s back and letting her girlfriend melt in her arms.

The sound of someone pounding on the door made them both jump and scramble off of each other. Pearl fell on the ground with a loud ‘THUD’.

“Girls? Is everything alright in there?” shouted a voice on the other side.

Marina held a hand out for the inkling and helped her up just as the door opened (she couldn’t believe she forgot to lock it, oh god, they could’ve been caught-).

“Yep! Everything’s fine and dandy here. Nothin’ to worry about.” Pearl chimed, completely unfazed by the sudden interruption. Marina nervously played with her tentacle, avoiding all eye contact and trying her hardest not to blush.

“Hmph. Well, stage rotation is in 10 minutes, you all better get out there soon.” the man, presumably their manager, grumbled.

“Yes, sir,” the duo said in unison.

As soon as he was gone and out of sight, the two looked at each other and laughed.

“He almost caught us!”

“That would have been so embarrassing! How would we explain ourselves?”

“We would’ve been in so much trouble!”

Their laughter died down and they both began to get ready as fast as they could. While they were a bit shaken, they managed to be as excited and lively as ever.

That was the thing about secrets.

[kamarulhafiz02-blog]

XiaoMi Roborock S50 S55 Marina South Pier Singapore Will Blow You Away

Roborock S5 Robot Vacuum Review: Jack-of-All-Trades, Master of None

In 63.8 decibels, the Roborock S5 was noticeably louder than the Shark Ion R85 (59.2). We were able to have a conversation as the vacuum worked around us, but raised our voices. Much like the app that communicates the Mi Home app, the Eufy Robovac 30C is designed to control home smart devices. While the vacuum part of this program is robust, the layout is not instinctive. We were impressed with how the Roborock S5 approached walls and barriers. The bumper on the Roomba 690 appeared to announce that it struck something with clunk; the S5 was more polite.

The robot slows its own strategy and its brush before gingerly approaching an obstacleonce the S5 decided an item was still approachable, it approached gusto. The S5 pushed on chairs and puppy bowl than the Shark Ion R85 and also the Neato Botvac D7. It was not harmful, but I would not leave a vase on a lightweight plant stand around during a cleanup. The Roborock S5 may also be controlled via Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Don't expect to get some features using Alexa; the only choices are On and Off, which prompts to bot to come back to its base. Google Assistant adds"Return to Dock," which sends the robot house, rather than Cease, which divides the vacuum in its paths. All in all, the Roborock S5 accumulated an average of 86.8% of all test debris on carpet--a performance on a level with all the Neato Botvac D7, but well below the Shark Ion R85's 97.2 percent. The S5's hardwood performance told a similar tale, picking up an average of 83.9 percent of test debris. It was bested by the Botvac D7 by 12 percent. If you guessed that the Go icon could begin a fundamental cleaning cycle, you'd be wrong. Instead, Go directs the S5 into a user-chosen stage on the cleaning map for the bot to perform a place cleaning. By activating the icon, a general vacuuming cycle is initiated. Buried in the Preferences menu are five distinct Cleanup modes: Quiet, Balanced, Turbo, MAX and Mop. The app, and by extension, the vacuum, retains the mode last used. Flip the Roborock S5 above and you'll discover two rubber wheels on both sides, a wheel in front, and a side brush to the leftside. Between the wheels are the mix rubber and bristle roller brush. Though like the brush around the Eufy Robovac 30c, the S5's roller brush stayed free of hair and fuzz. Setup and program  The screen displays the most recent map-cleaning place in yards, cleaning time and also our favorite item of information--remaining battery lifetime. Along the base are icons for Go, Dock, Clean and Zoned Cleanup. What the Roborock S5 lacked in cleaning thoroughness, it made up for with speed, cleaning our hardwood and carpet test area in an average of 15 minutes and 22 seconds, almost a full hour faster than the Roomba 690 and 45 minutes quickly compared to Shark Ion R85. It was as fast as the Neato Botvac D7, which cleaned the evaluation region in an average of 10 minutes. The guide recommends running a regular vacuum cycle over the region at least three times. We did this, but it did not appear to help. The S5 abandoned the mapped area dull and a little tacky. When it was possible to use something along with water in the tank it would have performed better. Layout  According to a Roborock representative, though the Roborock S5 employs exactly the same program produced by Xiaomi as the S55 (Xiaomi is an investor in Roborock), map data is stored locally on the robot, and only enters the Cloud when a user views the map on the smartphone program. As much as 20 maps are saved in the Cloud at any given time and so are automatically deleted after a year. When users delete a map it's also removed in the Cloud. The security firm evaluated four different app-connected robot vacuums' safety, including the Roborock S55 and the iRobot Roomba 980. The Roborock S55 performed the worst; AV-Test said this was"Due partially to gross safety deficiencies in data transmission, the transport of data to third parties, the program's unexplainable thirst for information, as well as a very clear need for progress in the statement on the handling of consumer data." Note that Map Saving Mode is currently in beta and have to be toggled on separately under Vacuum Settings from the program. We spent several test runs re-mapping our floor due to the map not saving mechanically. Both the iRobot Roomba and the D7 are able to save floor plans. Despite its size, the Roborock S5 deftly maneuvered through tight spaces. At 3.8 inches , the S5 sits squarely between the 3.9-inch Botvac D7 and the 3.7-inch Roomba 690. While we do not love the laser cover at the center, the characteristic was less obtrusive than the one on the D7, which has a large overhang and penchant for becoming stuck beneath room chairs. In our laboratory tests, the Roborock S5 performed well, but not outstandingly so. On hardwood and carpet, it picked up an average of 96.2 percent of the Cheerios strewn throughout the test area, which was slightly less than the iRobot Roomba 690 (99.5 percent), the Neato Botvac D7 (99.8) and the Shark Ion R85, which scooped up a perfect 100 percent with this evaluation. At the robot's center is a increased laser cover on the Neato Botvac D7 using a dab of underneath, very similar to the one. Above the cover are bodily buttons for spot cleaning, on/off and recharging. Perhaps due to the white color, the wall detectors on the front and side of the S5 are more conspicuous than on other models, but they do not detract in the bot's understated look. 

The Roborock S5 is primarily controlled through the Mi Home program (Android and iOS). Linking the robot into the app and to our home wi-fi network took 2 tries, mostly because the directions for pairing the bot to the Wi-Fi network weren't too apparent. Abstruse instructions turned into a recurring motif of this S5. "Starting the cleanup," a cheery voice announces from deep inside the Roborock S5. Rather than a string of Morse code-like beeps and chimes utilized by the Neato Botvac D7, the Shark Ion R85 and lots of other appliances, the S5 admits what it's likely to perform in easy-to-understand terminology prompts. Cleaning performance Security concerns You want it to look great -- especially if it's docked on your living room, if you're adding a robot vacuum to your house. The Roborock S5 eschews the black-and-gray color scheme embraced by other vacuums for white, with muted silver trim around the rim. The Roborock S5 steps 13.8 inches in diameter, more than an inch bigger than the Shark Ion R85; it is also bigger than the 13-inch iRobot Roomba 690 and the 13.2-inch Neato Botvac D7. When the Roborock S5 gets its claws, it cleaned areas in a precise, back-and-forth snake pattern. The robot vacuum found its way under our dining room tableweaving its way out of 1 side of the space to the other. We appreciated how closely the S5 hewed to walls and about chair legs;it tackled walls and edges closely as the Neato Botvac D7. The vac was also smart enough to completely avert a thick pile rug that felled other robot vacuums, but its taller height meant it did not fit under one of our seats or our low-clearance sofa. Among our favourite design elements of this Robovac S5 is its"hood." Flip the bit that is thin up and you'll find the ample dustbin concealed in the middle, along with a index light and system reset button. The S5 was the only robot vacuum we reviewed that had an area to maintain the tool for cleaning the brush roll, a means to keep while improving the aesthetic. An section near the back is supposed to hold the microfiber mop module. The black-and-white pier for your Roborock S5 is only slightly taller than the vacuum. A large plastic mat attaches to the pier, but it's only needed if you plan on using the attachment. Mopping performance We were reluctant to provide the S5 free reign to mop in case it decided to test and clean our carpet, therefore we utilized the spot-cleaning manner, which cleans a 1.5- meter (4.9 ft ) area around wherever the S5 is placed. Turns our hesitations were unfounded. The Roborock S5 produced about as much water as a wet Swiffer pad onto the floor. If it had cleaned as well as a Swiffer does. Picking up dog hair on both hardwood and carpet stymied many of the robot vacuums we analyzed, such as the Roborock S5;it picked up only 79.5% of pet hair--10 percent less than the Botvac D7 and 8.5 percent less compared to Ion R85. On the other hand, the S5 did best the Roomba 690's 73.3 percent pet hair pickup speed. We're enthused about zone cleaning on the Roborock S5, as it is a wonderful way to perform a daily cleaning of front hall or kitchen where there's more foot traffic. You can draw boxes around the map areas you want vacuumed. Contrary to the iRobot Roomba i7+ and the Neato Botvac D7, you cannot save or title the zones, which means you need to redraw the place every time that you wish to wash them. Adding to the confusion is an Edit Map button on the primary screen that lets you draw barrier tape and no-go zones. The Roborock S5 distinguishes itself using a mapping quality that's unique among the robot vacuums we analyzed, but unfortunately, its art is much more of a novelty than helpful. A half-inch thin, half-moon-shaped disk with a microfiber pad resides beneath the back of the vacuum. Fill out the dish with water, click it adjust the Cleanup mode and you are ready to wash.