#mcytyuriweek 2023

[nightraiderwrites]

Pearl is dressed in her midnight blue suit, her silver rapier at her side. She swings Gem around the dance floor, the string quartet playing a jaunty tune.

She looks beautiful tonight. The royal seamstress did a good job on her dress, which fans around in a whirlpool of green.

They step in time, Gem's heels clicking on the floor.

Pearl's pulse is racing. Her heart thuds in her ears, eyes scanning the ballroom for any threats. She's certain Gem can feel her hands sweat, as they grasp light together.

The ballroom is full of masked people, gossiping about, no doubt, the Queen and the Advisor dancing together. They do not understand. She needs to stay close.

"Relax," the Queen murmurs to Pearl. "You're too tense. They'll notice." She swallows, and nods imperceptibly.

They twirl across the floor, Pearl focusing on the way Gem's hair bounces in the chandelier's light. Her antlers are adorned with little flecks of gold, and Pearl imagines them tonight, when this is over, curled up in bed. Her head will be on Gem’s chest, and she’ll be able to hear the soft thump of her heart.

Gem spins them off to the side, walking with Pearl’s arm in hers, making her way to the throne. The crowds part before her ornate green mask, detailed in gold. It is quite intimidating, Pearl thinks. It's fierce, gold shaped in such a way it looks like teeth.

"Stay close," Gem murmurs. Pearl thinks the mask brings out the sharp emerald of her eyes. "We don't know what he's planning."

Pearl would really like this night to be over actually. Or she'd like to go back to dancing.

She breathes in, spotting Impulse by the throne. He's dressed in  his deep black armor, outlined in jagged gold. His axe is on his back too, sharpened to perfection.

The Executioner nods as he scans the room as well, searching each face for threats.

Gold, Pearl thinks, is a very big symbol in their kingdom. Her own suit is adorned in gold stitching, leaves twirling around her wrists and neck. Impulse's own armor has gold up and down his arms and legs, with an "i" carved above his heart.

The Queen has claimed them, is what Pearl thinks. She's taken them and she's laid her claim on their souls.

They reach the throne. As she sits, Gem motions for Pearl to lean in close. “I see them,” she whispers. “Don’t look. Back left of the room, next to the drinks.” The Queen smiles, and presses a chaste kiss to the edge of Pearl’s lip. 

“Let Impulse know,” she whispers, as gasps erupt from around the room. “Get them out of my kingdom.”

Pearl takes a step back, and bows. “As you wish, my Queen,” she replies.

She does not look back as nods at Impulse and draws her silver rapier.

~

Day one of @mcyt-yuri-week ! This is from an au that I have yet to release, but I figured I'd give y'all a sneak peak.

#nightraider writes #mcytyuriweek 2023 #pearlescentmoon #geminitay #soup group #TEE HEE #I REALLY LIKE THIS AU #ITS COOKING #IM COOKING IT #fic: my queen my axe my hand

[nightraiderwrites]

Cleo opens their eyes blearily. The roof needs another layer of paint.

Detective Pearl Moon rests her head on their chest. She can feel her little breaths on her bare skin, and the warmth of her skin as they curl around her stomach.

Last night was… something. Cleo yawns as she snuggles under the covers and closer to Pearl.

"Mrph," says Pearl, her face tiredly looming up. "Morning already?" Cleo presses a kiss to her forehead. "You don't have to go home straight away, do you?"

"Nah," she replies sleepily. "BigB can handle it without me, and I think Grian is getting the hang of running the bakery on his own." Cleo laughs, and wraps her arms Pearl. They nuzzle into her neck. 

"Stay for breakfast," she murmurs.  Pearl laughs, and Cleo can feel the thunderstorm in her veins. "Okay," she replies. 

There are days when the haze over her face gets worse, where Cleo can't look her in the eyes because of the dripping water color, but Cleo thinks they'll always love her the same.

Cleo traces the scars on Pearl’s face. “I’m sorry,” she says quietly. She seems to wake up a little more. “Sorry for what?” she asks. “It wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault.” Cleo sniffles, tears springing to their eyes. “Still,” they say. “I’m sorry.”

Pearl smirks, but softens into a smile as she caresses Cleo’s cheek. “I thought you weren’t the kind of person to say sorry,” she says. “I’m not,” they reply. “But when the rose crumbled, and I thought you had died…” They swallow, and melt into Pearl’s arms a little more. “I regretted yelling at you the night you left. I regretted telling you. If I hadn’t done that, maybe we would be here sooner.”

“And maybe we wouldn’t have this,” Pearl replies. “Everything would be different, but I’d still have you.”

Cleo exhales. The watercolor drips. Pearl snuggles in closer.

“Let’s go back to sleep,” she murmurs. “Okay,” Cleo replies. They pull the covers up more. “Okay.”

~

Day two of @mcyt-yuri-week ! Because I'm on an au kick apparently, this is both AU and post-canon from my mcytblr aufest fic They say All the World's a Stage . I had a chapter where I accidentally wrote them gay, and I thought I would expand on it a bit more.

#nightraider writes #fic: atwas #pearlescentmoon #zombie cleo #mcytyuriweek 2023 #me smiling sweetly: i told you there would be more right? #pearleo #moonrot

[nightraiderwrites]

Pearl lays in bed, her suit torn to shreds. Queen Gem is sitting in a chair next to her, carefully peeling the remains of the beautiful midnight blue cloth.

Everything hurts. The explosion had ripped through the wall, and Pearl had vaulted over people to the Queen. She remembers wrapping her arms around Gem as the heat had torn through her. Then… nothing.

"You're such an idiot," Gem mutters as she inspects the skin. It's red and blistered, and the skin around the left side of her face is full of pain.

She coughs. "Well," she replies weakly. "I couldn't let the Queen die. You're too important to Eden."

"There's a reason Eden chose me to be her Queen," Gem replies, applying a salve. Her hands glow faintly green, as she moves them down Pearl's body. "She won't let me die so easily. You, on the other hand…"

Gem hesitates, before applying the salve to her eye. "You don't know that, Gem," Pearl says. "You don't know when the blessing of Eden will run out." Her hand is cool against Pearl's eyelid. She doesn't think she'll be able to see Gen's beautiful face with it ever again.

A knock on the door sounds. "It's me," comes Impulse’s soft voice. "Come in," the Queen orders.

The door opens silently, revealing a short man dressed in beaten up armor. "Hey Pearlie," he says. "I brought you soup."

"Thanks Impy," Pearl replies. She pauses. "Why're you still in your armor?" He chuckles, placing the steaming bowl on her bedside table. "Paranoia," he says. "They might launch a counter attack. And with you bedridden…"

Gem grumbles from where she's wrapping the last of Pearl’s wounds. "You're both idiots," she grouches. She sniffles suddenly. "I can't run this kingdom without both of you." 

Impulse exchanges a quick look of panic with Pearl, who tries to sit up. Her ribs scream, but she moves to sit at the edge of her bed. Impulse moves to stand on Gem's right.

Pearl takes her hands. There are little flecks of gold in her antlers. She thinks about Eden, and magic, and claims. "I swore I'd always stay by your side," she says. Her soft hands are cold in Pearl’s. She brings them up to kiss it softly. "I do not intend to leave."

Impulse kneels. "I swore I'd always be here too, my Queen," he says. Gold still gleams above his heart. “My axe will always be there for you.” Pearl nods, "You'll have us until we die," she adds.

Her emerald eyes stare at Pearl darkly. “Impulse,” the Queen says. “You can go to bed. Or check the guards stationed around the palace.” He starts to protest, but gives up as soon as he sees her focus is all on Pearl. Good luck, he mouths as he exits the room.

“Pearl,” she says. Pearl thinks about gold and magic and claims. “You can’t do that again. You can’t keep throwing yourself in danger for me.” Her antlers are flecked with gold, just like the necklace burnt into Pearl’s neck. “Eden’s blessing will keep me safe,” she continues. “But you-!”

She cuts herself off as Pearl surges forward in a kiss. Her lips are dry and cracked, Pearl notices. Gem tastes like wine. Pearl kisses deeper, moving to sit on Gem's lap and wrapping her arms around her neck.

Pearl thinks of gold and magic and claims. Gem tastes like wine and hope and love. 

They part, and Pearl presses her forehead to Gem's, as they both gasp for breath.

"I can't lose you," she whispers. Gem's eyes are emerald green, flecked with little slivers of gold. Droplets of tears color the corners blue."I love you," she murmurs, rough and real and desperate. "I love you, and I can't lose you."

"I can't lose you either," Gem replies, voice low and raspy. "I- I don't want to see you go." She wraps her arms around Pearl’s waist, moving her head to rest on her shoulder. Pearl clutches the base of her neck, terrified to let her go.

“I don’t want to die,” Pearl says. “But I would do it if it meant you would be safe.” She watches as Gem gasps for breath, gulping the air like a fish gulps water, and feels her earthquake under her fingertips.

Gem's dress is streaked with soot. "I can't lose you," she repeats. "You've all I've got left." Pearl shakes her head, ignoring the way it makes her ribs feel like they're being torn apart. "You've got Impulse," she says. "You have the rest of the Court."

"But it won't be you," Gem says. Her lip quivers. "I won't have you." 

Pearl thinks again of gold and magic and claims. Have Gem says. Like she’s something to put a claim on. She's got her wrapped tightly in her fist.

She thinks as she hugs Gem again, that she's gotten herself into a half dug grave.

~

Day 3 for @mcyt-yuri-week ! This is once again from the soup group au, because I have been hooked and brain rotting about it deeply.

It is later today, because I had a horrible exam, but thankfully I made it through to write women kissing.

#nightraider writes #pearlescentmoon #geminitay #whats the ship name for these two #idk #mcytyuriweek 2023 #fic: my queen my axe my hand