a gilded cage swings open.

a pale winter moon, pitying a lonely doll, lent it a shadow.

[exceptone]

#PIPER : BEING COMPARED IS BORING / I JUST DON’T WANNA BE A GROWN - UP / MY HEART IS BEATEN, BATTERED, GET AWAY!

an independent & low - activity roleplay blog for an original character of twisted wonderland, written by rain ( they / she / he  ).  headcanon - based, not spoiler free.  sideblog to @blotspare​.  RULES & ABOUT.

#BLOGROLL : blotspare, uniquemagics, exceptone, sunhalf, earngalar, cosmirror, badnikbreaker, anamolost, ahlite, devolusion.

[exceptone]

hi

[soracities]

Tishani Doshi, from “Love Poem”, Everything Begins Elsewhere

[Text ID: “– what will we call it, / when it’s no longer love?”]

[exceptone]

@savanaclawed​ : piper's putting on sunscreen before magift practice so she doesn't burn in the sun, and leona doesn't say anything as he walks by, dips a finger into some of the sunscreen in their hand, and then draws a line of white down their nose — all without missing a beat while walking by. cat behavior.

The last time Piper forgot sunscreen was about fours years ago, they think, in the hazy way that nearly their entire life before this school (  and before jean ——  ) is hazy.  (  they told pietro once that they couldn’t remember a childhood and his expression went sick and empathetic in equal measure.  they stopped talking about it after that.  )  They were young, and they’d been out playing with Jean and returned with bright red cheeks — not devoted enough to their appearance to be consistent with a skincare routine, even something as simple as sunscreen.  The burns were tender to the touch, ached even when her hair brushed against them.

She was to meet one of her parent’s potential partners for her the very next day.  They hadn’t quite given up on marrying her off yet, and she was too old for the burns to be charming.  Piper cried when Mother forced makeup on her despite the way it made her burned skin ache and, when the tears started messing up her foundation, Mother said that it would be another two weeks in her room if she didn’t stop.  That she was lucky she wasn’t already facing that, burning her skin, all you are is beautiful, you stupid girl, don’t ruin that if you’ve got to ruin everything else.

She ended up wiping it off at the little meeting anyway.  She got three weeks in her room and most of her books confiscated.

Suffice to say, Piper hasn’t forgotten sunscreen since.  Not enough to matter, at least — a few slips they could hide from their parents, but nothing extreme.  No real burns.  The stress they’d felt the first time they’d caught red shoulders upon coming to NRC had been all - encompassing, at least until they reminded themself that it didn’t matter here.

So here they are, dutiful daughter, rubbing sunscreen onto their arms and humming beneath their breath and thinking about Mother and beauty.  (  they suppose getting burned on purpose for the sake of rebellion would be stupid, but it’s not as if they’re ever anything else.  )  Ruggie makes some crack about being so pale, to which Piper replies with a sharp smirk, and continues their dutiful work.  It’s when Leona approaches that they — oh!!

Their cheeks go red, like they really are sunburned, and darken when they hear Merry laughing.  And yet, a beat later, their eyes round and lips part in a soft O, and it’s surprising because they hadn’t ——

Usually, they think of Mom (  not dad, dad almost never saw them enough to grab them  ), when people’s hands get close to their face or grab at their arms.  It’s not fear, exactly, it’s not like that — no flinching or panic.  It’s just a memory, or the idea of a memory, moments of — just moments.

But they...didn’t.  Leona’s hand on her face, with sunscreen no less / a thing so tied to that fuzzy memory / and she hadn’t thought of anything but him, and how annoying he was, and how she is gonna kick his ass for this.  They realize suddenly that they’ve never thought of their parents when Leona has touched their face, even in the play - rough way they can be with each other, grabbing chins and cheeks.

Special.  The word comes to their mind suddenly.  Leona is special.

——— She’s still gonna kick his ass for this.  

“You asshole!” she shouts, and he doesn’t turn around but he does stop and his tail flicks in that way she KNOWS means he’s smirking and, “That’s for my body, you bitch!  It’s not supposed to go on your face!  This is gonna fuck up my skin!”

He turns over his shoulder and he is smirking, but it’s beat too late — Piper’s already closed the difference and by the time he sees that, their poor Captain has no time to dodge; when they slam into his body and send him tumbling to the ground, he at least takes her with him, and she lands on his chest when he lands on his back.  It takes her no time at all to get busy rubbing her face over his, transferring as much of the sunscreen as possible.

“Now —— !!” She shouts, defiant, pausing to grunt and cling harder as he tries to force her off, deftly dodging a hand aiming at grabbing her jaw and she doesn’t think of her mom, she just thinks about how the smile on her face is so wide and delighted it almost hurts, “it’s gonna fuck up BOTH our skin!!”

[exceptone]

god u are so cute

[greenmossloveisreal1998iloveyou]

please stop setting yourself on fire

Grow up

[exceptone]

wanna write...piper sleeping curse aftermath

[exceptone]

“Don’t let people push you around, dumbass.”  The delinquent — they have to stop getting into fights or they’re gonna get expelled, and that means they die — shakes out their hands.  Throwing punches again.  And sloppy punches at that.  Still, break one nose, and they all go running.  They look back to the one they’d rescued.  “You okay?”

[facinaoris]

Letters from Medea, Salma Deera.

[artandchocolate]

“Letters from Medea”- Salma Deera

[exceptone]

ofwaking​:

     he stuck out like a sore thumb, still in his uniform ( or, parts of it, with his jacket unbuttoned, his sash left in his dorm & his pants not uniform at all ) but on the night raven campus. riku would be busy for several more hours––––  clubs, tutoring, he was working awfully hard–––– & kairi was going through enough without him adding her concern for him into the mix, but the snide comments that was coming from some of his schoolmates had made him want to seek refuge somewhere else.

      & so, he had tucked himself away into a quiet corner of night raven, arms resting on his knees & back up against the wall. despite his boredom, he was content to wait there until riku was free, but riku wasn’t the one who found him first.

     ❝ i know, i know, i’m not s’posed to be here. i’m just waiting for my friend to be free. ❞

     he glanced up, trying to put a face to the person who’s shadow was cast over where he sat–––– suddenly, he was feeling a bit afraid.

     ❝ you’re…not gonna kick me out or something, are you? ❞

                                                                                    ( starter call! | @exceptone​ )

Oh, don’t worry, kiddo.  This one isn’t going to kick you out.  After all, you’re prime entertainment material, and Piper is so bored they might just die.  (  boring, boring day.  nobody wants to play with them, which makes sense, given their horrible personality.  but still.  )  So when they see not only a student they don’t know, but CLEARLY an RSA prep?  It’s like a prayer’s been answered.

They grin down at the other, head shaking, though there’s nothing particularly kind in the movement.  They just wanna have fun, though — that’s all.  At worst, annoying or embarrassing or hurtful, but nothing to be really SCARED OF.  (  not unless he gives them reason, of course.  )

“Now, now, is that any way to greet somebody older than you?”  They’re guessing, based on his height and...general vibes.  “I’m not exactly your upperclassman, Preppy, but still somebody you ought’a be nice t’, y’know?”

Then, they simply take a seat beside him.  “I’m Pearce, and no, I’m not gonna kick you out.  You’re the most interesting thing that’s happened on campus all day.”  They rest their head on their knee.  “Love to know your name, and why you’re risking getting your ass kicked by somebody who takes our little rivalry more seriously than me just to visit a buddy.”

[igniida]

@exceptone​ requested: “Don’t be an ass.”

4 Word Prompts // No Longer Accepting

“I’ll stop when you stop.” Idia snickers, using his shoulder to push at Piper in an attempt to distract her from the game they were playing together. A very unprofessional move for a real gamer. If he were playing the game competitively he’d never do something so under handed. But considering they were just goofing around, wasting time after classes, he allowed himself a bit of mischief. Moments he’d only before shared with his brother. At this point trying to distract one another from finishing the race had become as much part of the game as actually beating it.

In what would be considered a highly uncouth move in the gaming circles Idia leans his whole body in front of Piper blocking their gaze from the screen as he tries to speed ahead of them with his shy guy. A laugh that would be considered creepy by most escapes when he picks up an upgrade. Even when he leans too far to make him lose his balance and fall over in front of them he doesn’t stop laughing or smiling, actually enjoying his time. “Ha, gotcha! Now there’s no way you’ll catch up to me!” That’s a bluff, it’d be fairly easy for them to catch him. But what’s gaming without some well earned taunting?

[exceptone]

fluminas​:

“ are you sure i can be — ” too late for protest, it seems, with piper lightly tugging her hand down the winding hallways of diasomnia. 

it’s — inappropriate, probably. not that she’s never been here before, but barbara most certainly is not mean to be traipsing through the common areas like this. what if someone comes by and asks what she’s doing there ?? piper’s own room is fair game, of course, seeing as it’s their space, and even being accompanied by them is fine, but what if someone questions what a professor’s stepdaughter is doing in their dormitory during school hours ?? particularly a professor’s human stepdaughter ?? the thought of someone accusing her of trespassing is … even with piper by her side, barbara hardly thinks she would be able to take it. 

piper stops suddenly, leaving barbara to stumble slightly against her metal ankle — getting a sore there would be just her luck, wouldn’t it ?? — as she takes in her surroundings. “ this isn’t your dorm room, ” barbara says, perhaps redundantly, but then they’re fiddling with a key and —

— and it’s a little room. a single bed with a soft, dark - colored comforter, an overly ornate chest of drawers, and a sturdy black desk. no personal affects on the walls or shelves, no shoes next to the door; it must be one of diasomnia’s spare first-year dorms, but why would the bed be made it no one lives there ?? 

“ piper ?? ” barbara’s voice is intentionally light; she will not allow her hopes to flourish only for them to wilt once more. they’re looking at her expectantly, but she can hardly tell what they want her to say. “ is this … are you moving here ?? do you need my help with it ?? ”

She’s so excited it’s hard to keep it together — bouncing on her heels, grinning like a little kid.  Piper doesn’t do things like this; nice things, kind things, just - for - love’s - sake - things.  She’s giddy, now, at the chance to be loving, to see Barbara smile.  She’s not smiling, though, and while Piper feels their heart skip (  a familiar, worried wonder, did i mess up again?  ) the smile doesn’t fall, joy and fun continuing to be louder than fear.

“No, it’s yours!  It’s for you, Baba - chan!” It’s been a while since Piper’s used that particular endearment, but this seems a good time for it — to prove they’re serious.  Piper steps into the room, spinning on their heel once they reach the middle, arms thrown out.  “I wanted you to have a place that was better than an attic, and there was this empty room not super far from mine, so — I figured I’d make it up for you!  I got some help and we got all the furniture and stuff in here and everything cleaned up, so...”  Barbara hasn’t said anything yet.  Don’t get nervous, don’t get nervous.  (  it’s hard, when it’s so easy to overstep with barbara and so hard to be good for people.  )

“We, uh — left the decor pretty basic,” her voice is starting to falter, and she looks away, towards the desk.  “I thought you might want to decorate it yourself!  We can go shopping for stuff if you want, I can pay, it’s ——”

They dare a glance at her, nervousness finally making its way onto their face, the way their hands tuck behind their back.  “Are you — do you like it?  It’s okay if you don’t!  I just — wanted you to...have a better place, I guess.  If this was overstepping, or — or anything, we can pretend it never happened, okay?”

[exceptone]

savanaclawed​:

GOOD NEWS FOR piper: she doesn’t even need to call leona over. he comes into the room and he’s making a line for the bed, as usual, the only real sign that their calling him over had any effect being a little curious sound he makes. he lays on his side beside her, a hand finding their red hair to idly run his fingers through as he faces them.

BAD NEWS FOR leona: literally everything that comes out of piper’s mouth and everything on the laptop display. “ a fuckin’ what?? ” he asks, but with the page being up it’s a pointless question of shock more than genuine misunderstanding. ugh. bunch of weirdos. but it comes with being a prince and therefore in the public eye at all despite his best efforts. he closes his eyes as he rests his head on a pillow, groaning in annoyance even as piper shakes with laughter beside him, hand withdrawing from her hair to lightly flick her ear. “ ‘m blaming you till you give me a reason not to, princess. ” this sounds too much like the shit she’d pull and they both know it. “ and laughing’s not helpin’ your case. ”

Piper only giggles more when he flicks their ear, as though the accusation is funny — it is!  While Piper thinks this whole bullshit is hysterical, she is familiar with objectification from weirdoes (  though never directed at their feet, thank god  ) and respects Leona too much to do pass that on.  SO, NO, JUST THIS ONCE, IT WASN’T HER.  Though they feel like they’re going to run into a ‘little girl who cried wolf’ problem once they try to say that.

“It wasn’t me!  Promise!”  She laughs, turning towards and into him, getting closer as if that might save them.  “I want your little feet aaalll to myself.”  She blanches barely a beat after getting the words out.  “Hated saying that.  But, no, not me.  I’m gonna ask Idia if he can get it taken down.  I’m not good enough with tech stuff to do it myself, or I would, but I HAD to show you first.  Funny as it is, this is a flavor of shitty I don’t touch.”

[makovu]

@exceptone​ asked: “Babe, babe, hey — look at this.” Piper is laying on his bed when he walks in, laptop on her stomach, head propped up on a pillow to see. It’s not a flattering pose, something she’d worried about at the beginning, but they’re far past that. They wave him over without so much as a hi, turning the laptop to show him and beginning to dissolve into laughter — “somebody — hah — somebody made a wikifeet article about you.” IT WASN’T EVEN THEM.

GOOD NEWS FOR piper: she doesn’t even need to call leona over. he comes into the room and he’s making a line for the bed, as usual, the only real sign that their calling him over had any effect being a little curious sound he makes. he lays on his side beside her, a hand finding their red hair to idly run his fingers through as he faces them.

BAD NEWS FOR leona: literally everything that comes out of piper’s mouth and everything on the laptop display. “ a fuckin’ what?? ” he asks, but with the page being up it’s a pointless question of shock more than genuine misunderstanding. ugh. bunch of weirdos. but it comes with being a prince and therefore in the public eye at all despite his best efforts. he closes his eyes as he rests his head on a pillow, groaning in annoyance even as piper shakes with laughter beside him, hand withdrawing from her hair to lightly flick her ear. “ ‘m blaming you till you give me a reason not to, princess. ” this sounds too much like the shit she’d pull and they both know it. “ and laughing’s not helpin’ your case. ”

[exceptone]

igniida​:

Idia has no response to that. All he can do is look to Piper’s hands and bite back the guilt that reminds him they’re right. He can’t take care of himself. He can’t even leave his room without getting hurt or something awful happening to him. Then when it happens he can’t take care of himself much less take care of anyone else. Especially if they get hurt while he’s supposed to be taking care of them. Which only makes the guilt that he can’t help Piper’s feel worse. They got hurt because they were helping him, if he hadn’t been in danger they’d be just fine. When he should be taking care of them all he was doing was getting them hurt. Maybe all he could do was drag Piper down. Their reminder of their promise makes him close his eyes tightly. He hated how familiar this was. He didn’t want anyone hurt cause of him anymore! Why’d he agree to such a stupid promise?!

“Nothing!” He snaps suddenly physically pushing them away. His hands are shaking with the rest of him as he becomes incredibly aware of how cold he is with his damp clothing and how fast his heart is pounding. Still he shoves his hands into his damp pockets hand running over his tablet to make sure it turns on. It had a waterproof case but he still had to make sure it was okay and it was something better to focus his hands on then picking at his clothes or skin. "I…. I… Not hurt. Worry not about yourself sometime, dumb ass.”

Split knuckles are nothing — Piper’s hands are far - passed the point where that can worry them.  (  she remembers pietro’s fear that her hands might not be salvageable after the mangling she’d done to them.  the fact that they’re still functional at all is fine.  )  Her gaze on Idia is confused, almost - shocked; not at the rudeness, but at hw much she seems to care about this.  They stumble back when he shoves them, head glancing between their hands and the other.  Their expression shifts, slowly, into something fearful.  Did they do something wrong?

——— No.  If they did, it wouldn’t matter.  Her hand reaches out as though to tug one of theirs out of their pockets, but then draw back.  “What’ve I got to worry about?  Oh, no, my hand’s a little bruised ‘cause I got over - enthusiastic about throwing punches.  This isn’t anything, Idia - senpai.  I’m fine.”  A beat.  “Okay.  You’re not hurt.  Let’s get you outta your soaked clothes before you get sick or your tech fries, at least.” 

[exceptone]

shadows all around you as you surface from the dark emerging from the gentle grip of night's unfolding arms