deercountry | magic, madness, heaven, sin

magic, madness, heaven, sin

JULY 2022 EVENT

IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: A statue of Lady Justice with her sword against a man's throat. ]
[Image Two: A pair of hands covered in blood. ]

Prompt Two
[Image One: Two people trying to reach one another being pulled back by multiple, disembodied hands. ]
[Image Two: A feminine figure lying on a boardwalk above the ocean. ]

Prompt Three
[Image One: A pair of black scales held by a statue. ]
[Image Two: A single hand reaching up from the water, implying drowning. ]

[NAVIGATION]

Prompt 1 • Prompt 2 • Prompt 3 • Plotting • Newsletter

[JUMP TO COMMENTS]

GOOD AND EVIL

WHEN: July
WHERE: All over
CONTENT WARNINGS: Violence, revenge, possible torture, possible death, mental manipulation

An excerpt from the book Thus Comes the Reckoning:

Are we inherently good or evil? Are we hard-wired for empathy? Or is violent behavior our innate reaction when the world has done us wrong? This is something that has been debated for centuries, even in the times Before Sodder. Have we evolved since the Dreamless World? Since the Nightmare? Have the Pthumerians and their blessings made us more peaceful and understanding?

While it is true that our world is more generous and caring than the ones we have read about in the Dreamless World, where in spite of our shortages, we want for nothing that we truly need, the very existence of corruption and beasthood should speak of our true natures and of the true natures of Sleepers. There is no time that this is more prominent in our world than in the month of July, when the Reckoning holds sway.

It is unclear if it is the unbearable heat, the Pthumerian's influence, or perhaps just our true selves coming forth, but each July is the prelude to chaos. The pleasantries die off, the generosity wanes, and we forget the lessons of our more kind and gentle benefactors. Fist fights over minor disagreements, people attacking one another with weapons when they don't get their way or wait too long in line, and murders over the loss of a game. Does the summer make monsters of us all? Or does the Beast Moon simply encourage what is already inside of us?

Sleepers will find themselves encouraged towards violence. Many will be drawn to do evil. They will feel a pull to hurt others, particularly those who have hurt them first. Anger will seem like a natural state and many will find that they have lost all ability to reason when they become even minorly frustrated. Vigilante justice will seem like a great idea. Did someone hurt your loved one? Then tear them apart! Did a person borrow something from you and never return it? End them. Criminal activity will skyrocket, particularly violent criminal activity, throughout the month of July. People will feel more inclined to steal, to damage property, to kill, and to get revenge. Torturing others will seem like a perfectly reasonable idea. It is the month to do so and it might even feel good to hurt other people.

Sleepers will also feel violently protective of those they love. They will want to make sure that the violent crimes happening to other people doesn't happen to their people and they might go to such extremes as locking their loved ones up so that nothing can get to them. It's an obsessive need to protect and not let go. Someone might even feel so inclined as to kill their friends just to make sure that no one else can hurt them.

On the flip side, those who manage to resist the violent urges will be more inclined to help those who are violent. Even if you are someone who has never wanted to help another person, you will be drawn to do good. It's not impossible to talk others down, to sway them to being better people and to remembering who they are. It's just a lot of work. But still, those who are impacted by the good will feel that same need to protect others; only for them, it doesn't have to necessarily be someone they know. They want to do the right thing, to protect people from themselves. Unlike the evil, they will know there are limits, and they will not hurt others in their attempt to protect them. But they may end up being willing to, possibly uncharacteristically, sacrifice themselves to do so.

QUICK FACTS: 1. You can only be impacted by The Good or The Evil at one time. Someone who is Good can be corrupted into becoming Evil. If someone is talked down from being Evil, they can either go back to being their normal selves, or they can become impacted by The Good instead. This can happen as many times in the month as possible, but they can only be Good or Evil at one time. You can not be both at once.

2. Characters who can usually heal demons/possessions/etc. can cure Evil in people. Their powers will work the same as they would in their canon/from their blood powers. Game based items that would normally cure corruption however will NOT work to cure Evil. They will still work to cure corruption/beasthood.

3. The Reckoning can still punish you. Just because you're being influenced by outside forces won't matter to her. If she catches you doing something bad and it isn't for revenge purposes, she will punish you as she sees fit. This is left up to player interpretation.

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FORTUNE'S FOOL

WHEN: July
WHERE: All over
CONTENT WARNINGS: Star-Crossed lovers, encouraged suicidal ideation, possible death

Love. A complicated feeling that puts people into complicated circumstances. And yet, people will find themselves focused on this emotion more so than usual this month. For someone who is already in love, the emotions will become even stronger, almost overwhelming, wanting to burst out of them like a song. For those who were not in love before, they may find themselves suddenly easily falling for others. Maybe they will love multiple people or maybe just one, but love will be an all consuming emotion to those who fall victim to it.

The only problem is that love isn't always accepted. People who are deeply in love will suddenly start to feel persecuted and judged from those around them. They will feel as though their love is unallowed, that the person that means the most to them is being rejected by their family, their friends, by society itself. It doesn't matter if that's the truth: there's just something inside of people that makes them thoroughly convinced that their love is not meant to be. Star-Crossed. Unattainable.

There will be an increased urge to solidify that love as being real and unbreakable. Maybe this is done through fighting back against those who are saying no. Maybe it comes in the form of secretly saying vows and loved ones spiritually tying themselves together forever. Or maybe in the end, the only true way that lovers feel they can truly be together... is in death. All of these will seem like reasonable options— or maybe even the only option. Love is never ending, after all, even if life is.

QUICK FACTS: 1. Anyone can fall in love with anyone else. It doesn't have to be the character that you're already shipping with if all players agree! You can fall in love with someone you know, someone you've just met, or even a total stranger. Love is a gift to everyone, right??? Who needs pesky things like introductions.

2. You do not have to commit suicide. You can, of course, and many will definitely feel drawn to it with the basis of the prompt, but it is not required. Please make sure to mark all threads accordingly!

3. The persecution against your relationship does not have to be real. You can, however, tie this into the first prompt, and have even the smallest slights be reason to think that your love is persecuted. Similarly, people who are impacted by the first prompt may be more likely to actually shun those who are in love. Feel free to work with it however you see fit!

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OUR OWN PRISONS

WHEN: July
WHERE: All over, but particularly by the ocean.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Self-hatred, judgement, suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, possible drowning.

Everyone has personal flaws. Things about themselves they don't like, reactions they wish they didn't have, habits that they want to break. Sometimes the awareness of flaws can outweigh the awareness of our strengths as well. It's easy to get caught up in the feeling that we're less then perfect, that we'll never be able to fix ourselves no matter what we do.

This month, those feelings seem to be amplified. Sleepers will see flaws everywhere; in the people they love, in the Trenchies, and most heavily in themselves. Feelings of self-hatred and judgement will be amplified and even those who are usually confident in themselves will find that they're suffering from it. Sometimes these feelings may manifest as a simple bout of anger and depression; but for others, it can become more severe quickly.

Those who find themselves suffering heaviest from these feelings will feel called to the ocean. Maybe it's a desire to go back to a squid form, a place that's simpler and more straight forward. Or maybe it's the unbearable heat that's putting these thoughts in someone's head and they'll feel like going for a swim would cure it. But there's something inside everyone that knows that if they go into the ocean, they might not come back out again.

Sleepers will feel like the ultimate judgement is waiting for them out there. If they are seeing flaws more in themselves, being by the ocean will amplify feelings of suicide. If they're seeing flaws in everyone else, they might feel compelled to bring those people down to the ocean to drown them. The ocean, associated so heavily with rebirth, could be the very thing to cleanse people of their imperfections, after all. Maybe it would be a favor to everyone if someone just gave in and tried to fix themselves and others. For the good of Trench.

QUICK FACTS: 1. These feelings can cause people to become more corrupt. The longer they are exposed to these feelings, the closer they will get to high levels of corruption, and eventual beasthood.

2. Because these feelings can cause corruption, they can also be relieved through the same methods as corruption. Talking, touching, Moon Drops, get some therapy, whatever the player chooses.

3. People who do not address their feelings and/or who spend too much time by the ocean will inevitably deal with feelings of suicide and/or homicide. Please be sure to handle these topics appropriately and content warn your threads.

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CODING

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I'll just have to take your word for it then. I'm from a suburb in Connecticut that has its own colorful history. I think it's a little entrenched in magic too, but I can't be a hundred percent on that. All I know is in my school on Earth, I'm not anywhere near where people matter."

And maybe that was for the best. Personally, Luz didn't feel affected by not gaining the love of her peers on Earth, not when she wound up finding it elsewhere! Now it was HERE, with someone that made her comfortable, and there really didn't seem like a reason to want to stray from that.

"That MIGHT sound pretty saucy all on its own! But it's really not: I miss you when you're gone, heh. I am grateful you think of me too, and I'm glad that your awesome pets have taken a liking to me!"

Luz knew that Tempest had sensed Lexi's good nature and was totally fine with her. Delyn and Mila...would have to be convinced, if only because even for her it had taken some time. They had known Darth Maul longer, after all.

But Lexi was certainly right about the two of them being amazing together.

"Aw, thanks! I was actually pretty willing to help see you through with this, but as it happened, I wanted more than to just see you at the bookstore when it opened. I wanted to see the happy look on your face when it first opened, crack jokes with you on your breaks and wow, I am babbling, aren't I?"

And Luz was, of course, still turning red at Lexi's words. She was a dork, and Lexi's dork if she wanted to get technical.

"Why wouldn't they? You're great! But we'll start with my house mates first, since they should get to know you first anyway. I AM Bonded with them, after all."

Argh. It was so hard for Luz to not want to pull Lexi in more, to hold her close and kiss her a little more, but she restrained herself. This. This was just nice.

"What do you mean 'for real?' Only true warriors of the dance can do DDR! And we'll duel until there's a winner!"

In truth, Lexi might take this, but Luz is actually a pretty competent dancer too.

She loved how unconventional they were, how this all crazily fell into place and it just kept happening until Luz found herself head over feet for Lexi.

"No one is getting that close to my bebe"" Luz said defensively, which sounded as intimidating as a kitten, really.

"I don't know, I think we need to get rid of the idea of flyover states and certain states only being worthy 'cause they have x, y, and z major cities. Everywhere's important and there's something to see or do or learn everywhere. I haven't figured out what it is in East Highland yet, but I'll get there."

Because California was Important, except for the parts which weren't. She didn't exactly feel like she fit in or understood where she lived yet. That did make her consider colleges all over the United States in response, but who knew? Maybe she'd go to college in San Francisco, it was only twenty minutes by train.

"I think it's normal to miss each other when we're apart. And who knows, I can always invite you over when it turns out that I've cooked for two again? And Orville loved you from the start, Nosferatmew did, too, really. And she's finicky."

Orville had immediately zoomed in on Luz as soon as they started talking as Friend. Then upgraded it to Girlfriend? after Luz signed on to helping at the bookstore. Now it was Girlfriend! and he couldn't be happier. And Nosferatmew had been very well trained to see everyone else as Not Food. That was the important part.

They were. She'd never felt a connection like this before and hoped she'd get to keep it for a long, long, long time.

"A little bit, but it's cute. Keep going," but she immediately made it so Luz couldn't by giving her a peck on the lips, smiling broadly.

"Yes, definitely them first. They're your most important friends and family, so it really is smart to start with them. I just hope they like me? And that I don't, like, clam up or worse, say the wrong thing." Lexi fretted about those two things constantly.

It was hard for Lexi, too, but she wasn't kidding. She'd never felt so comfortable in her life as she did with Luz. Like she was okay being herself and that Luz accepted her as she was. And even thinking of her was enough to make Lexi smile.

And she laughed, grinning. "You're on! Oh my god, I'm going to make such an idiot of myself!"

She can't dance for real to save her life. At the Winter Formal, she'd basically held down the table while her friends did stuff.

That. Yes, that. She loved how they were quirky in their own ways and how those quirks complimented each other. She also loved how both of them felt free to be quirky and silly and dorky with each other and it only made each other feel more strongly together.

It's the thought which counts? "And no one's getting anywhere near you. I have no idea how I'd make that happen, but I'd try."

"Ah, I hear you. I think we all have a way of glamorizing places that feel like they have more going on than the places we live in. I used to be that way about New York, and then one day I realized there were things about home that would always be really important to me. Of course, now that's a little strange to say out loud when I'm not even there anymore!"

Luz would obviously be very interested, as this was not anywhere near a decision that Luz was close to making. She was just finished her ninth-grade year before being whisked off to the Boiling Isles, and from there it was Deerington and Trench. A formal education seemed weirdly foreign to her now. But she would be listening with rapt attention if Lexi brought it up.

"I think everyone in the house will already know you somehow exist and are making things better for me. Luca and Ahiru are Bonded to me, and Reaper just has a way of finding these things out! The pets are going to be interested, but obviously Owlbert and Tempest are going to take special notice of you!"

Truthfully Luz was the one who worried about Lexi being alone. She was in that house by herself. Didn't she get lonely? Luz wanted to be sure she was doing everything to be sure Lexi was being taken care of.

Luz felt that connection too, and it was like they were already Bonded in a way: she didn't quite know how to describe it, but it was a warm, protecting feeling she had whenever Lexi was near.

But she did know one thing: seeing something she did made Lexi smile had Luz on cloud nine all day. She could get lost in that girl's eyes.

"Nonsense! We'll make idiots of ourselves together! How would it be fun if we didn't?"

Oh boy. Be prepared to be swept off your feet then.

Those things were what brought them together: how was it going to do anything but bring them closer?

"Aside from stuffing me full of garlic, I couldn't tell you," Luz said, making a silly face. "But I can be full of people repellant when I need to be!"

"Yeah. I was like that, too, only it was for L.A. You know, Hollywood, movie stars, those kinds of things. I have...yet to figure out the charm for East Highland, but there's got to be a reason why so many people stay there, marry their high school sweethearts, and start popping out kids. But I don't think that'll be me."

She wanted kids eventually. She had a plan: go to the best college with the best reputation she could afford and do work-study to cut into the amount of loans she'd have to take, have a baby at 30, 32, and 34. that way, in theory, they'd all be off to college when she was 52 and she could focus on her writing and travelling to various places overseas. It seemed sensible enough to her?

"Well, if it's that, I'm glad. That way there won't be too many meeting the Bonded jitters. There still will be some, but I can deal. I hope? And I hope they like me, Owlbert and Tempest. I know Orville likes you, though. The little hedgehog piped up with a Sure do! Thought you two would never figure things out for a while there!

She did get lonely sometimes. It was so weird to not have the sounds of Millionaire Matchmaker or The Bachelor or whatever stupid Kardashian show was going on at the time making noise in the background. Weird to not wake up and see Cassie there directly across from her. Especially since she thought this world would do Cassie a world of good, too. Maddy and Rue, too, for that matter and she figures she'd have to include Jules for Rue's sake.

And it was like she imagined a Bond would be. She felt lighter, happier, calmer in Luz's presence. She just...had a way that made Lexi feel like everything was going to turn out okay, even if hadn't been exactly the way Lexi had pictured it at the time.

And being there for Luz was something she wanted to do all the time. Even if it was when they were in their own houses, she'd leave at any time of the night to go reassure her or help her or simply be there. And she cherished each and every smile Luz gave her, they made her seem to glow from within.

Lexi grinned and started giggling. "Okay, point taken and accepted. We're totally that couple who make goobers of themselves together and don't care what anyone else thinks."

...so her childhood princess fantasy could actually come true? ("I wanna be the princess this time, Cassie!" "Lexi. You can't be the princess." "How come?" "You have brown hair and eyes, Lexi. Princesses are always blonde haired and blue eyed. You know that. You can be my lady in waiting instead." "...okay.")

She wanted that. Not to get crazy co-dependent close, but to feel that there were no barriers or secrets between them.

"Hey, roasted garlic is delicious. You just gotta toothbrush and mouthwash like hell after having some." And she giggled warmly. "So can I. I can defend you, too."

"Oh sure, and the weather's ideal for most people and all, I totally get that! But in reality, those places are pretty expensive so I think people settle for the stuff around it so they can get a taste of that life. Personally, I think it's totally fine that you don't feel the need to shackle yourself there either!"

Luz had her life less figured out in this way. After all, she'd only been in ninth grade and had been an outcast for most of that, so she concentrated on the hobbies she liked: writing, reading, painting. She'd never seriously thought about kids, but figure if that was something she wanted, she'd adopt. After all, why was blood so important? She could give a kid who needed a home, who was looking for acceptance from a family that loved them too.

"They'll love you, I'm sure! I still have to have you meet Zib too though, he's the newest addition to the house! He tends to keep to himself, but I'm sure you two will get along. Uh, the others, I'm sure they like you already! Trust me Lexi you are super lovable girl. I know it was pretty easy to fall for you."

She blushed and protested to Orville. "We were doing our best! I'm just...really glad it didn't drag out. That's the absolute worst trope."

Luz did hate the idea of Lexi being alone in the house and had to remind herself that even if it seemed clingy, she would call and talk to Lexi once a day, just so Lexi didn't feel alone.

She was a little surprised with how much she wanted to give to Lexi, to see her smile, to watch her laugh, small things that seemed so much bigger in her head. She was so sweet and warm and GOOD, Luz wanted to keep making her happy.

Boy, I really am falling, Luz said to herself, gazing happily at her girlfriend.

"If you consent to being my fairy princess, I'll save you from every dragon, climb every high balcony and say whatever long winded speeches princes say. You won't get an argument from ME."

She hoped that was enough of an answer for Lexi.

"Actually, if you roast garlic in the oven, it makes a really nice snack, and it cooks off the more astringent part of the herb!"

Yup, that's Luz, keeping it nice and nerdy.

"Oh, yeah. We can barely afford East Highland and I've seen what they charge for houses around the same size in San Francisco. Even apartments wouldn't be doable. But I've got to admit, it must be kind of exciting to live in a huge, well-known city."

Lexi kind of had her parents serve as examples of what not to do. They'd only gotten married because mom was pregnant with Cassie and her dad had to drop out of college to support them. So her dad was stuck with student debt, a new wife and baby, and a shitty job. And her mom hadn't worked outside the home for years when dad left and she had to hustle and find a job. Both of them seemed to fly by the seats of their pants most of their lives and that just wasn't what Lexi wanted. She'd die of anxiety one year in.

"Well, they have good enough taste to love you, so yeah, I'm hoping that spreads to me. That's fine, too, is he shy? And you're super-lovable, too, I fell for you without realizing what happened until all of a sudden it was 'oh. I have a crush on Luz,' like it was fate or something."

Orville looked amused. You like TV Tropes, too? So does this one.

It wouldn't be clingy at all, she wanted to at least talk to Luz every day. Seeing her would be even better. So if that made them clingy, well, all of this was still new. Weren't they supposed to be clingy for a while?

And she wanted to give Luz reasons to be happy every day, every chance she got. Luz was so cute and smart and she needed to know that Lexi saw her, the real her, and that's who she fell for. That Luz was wonderful and deserved to feel as wonderful as she was. And anyone gave her trouble, well, in comes protective girlfriend to back Luz up.

She felt pretty close to being able to use the L-word. But she wanted to save it for a special occasion, like a dinner or a dance, something like that.

And Luz's response made her grin and blush. "Okay. I'm your fairy princess and you're my prince. It's settled." And it was. Being Luz's princess was the best kind of princess there was.

"Unfortunately, I still smell like garlic for hours afterwards. It sticks to me longer than any perfume I use on purpose. So unfair!"

Granted, she was pretty sure there would be times it would be appropriate to smell like an Italian restaurant, but on a date wouldn't be one of them.

"Hey, when that happens to me, I'll let you know! I'm from a small town in Gravesfield Connecticut. Cities are OK to visit, but I think I might be nicer to stay outside of them and see them from time to time."

It was honestly hard to say that though, when it had been so long since Luz had been on Earth. If Luz knew what Lexi's family life was like, she'd have understood immediately why she wanted to have her life mapped out for herself. It was important to know you had the security to live on your own if all you ever knew in your past was barely making ends meet.

"Aw, come on Lexi, I feed them and take them out and clean them, they have to love me! Zib? Nah, I'd say he's more...reserved than shy. You know, it was just as easy to fall for you, by the way. One look in those eyes and hearing you laugh, and I was already hearing it in my dreams!"

That was unexpected, and even saying it out loud, she hoped she didn't sound creepy. That dream part had been unexpected, even if it had been her first clue what she felt for Lexi was more than just her wanting them to be good buddies.

Luz looked over at Lexi, then Orville, grinning. "Looks like we'll have even more to talk about then!"

She certainly hoped the clinginess was ok. It was still a new feeling for her, and she knew that she'd failed in showing someone she liked them before, where she was the object of ridicule for it. She desperately wanted to make sure she didn't make that same mistake.

It would be hard for Luz to see those things in herself, but she absolutely saw that in Lexi: she was smart, driven, witty and kind, and if she could find a way to foster the things that made her even better and more confident, she'd do everything in her power to make it happen!

When Lexi smiled, it was like the sun coming out. Luz was still struggling with how to say that without sounding super corny.

"Well then, milady, let me make sure I treat you proper and true." Luz gave her a low bow and kissed her hand.

"I don't think any smell could make me sick of you."

Oops. She turned red there, shocked at how easily she'd said that.

"Big towns are...so big. I think I could handle an university town, but not really anything huge. Even though it would probably cut down on gas prices given the whole public transit thing."

It was something she thought and thought over. She knew she wanted to be more than what her mom wound up doing, bookkeeper to a small law office. And she really wanted to be different from how her dad ended up. As a result, she felt like making a plan seemed to be something which would provide a little bit of safety and sanity when everything seemed to be going insane around her.

"Nothing wrong with that. I tend to be kind of reserved with people I don't know well. It's normal. It's human. At least that's what I tell myself. And...really?"

She's never figured she'd find a steady partner, much less one who'd fallen for her so quickly. But she had to admit to herself that she'd fallen for Luz almost as fast, utterly charmed almost from the first. And it didn't sound creepy, it sounded wonderful. Like something out of a book or a movie and completely romantic. She can hardly believe that she inspired such romantic reveries.

And Lexi laughs, giving Orville a fond but exasperated look. "Sure seems that way. My favorites are the ones from teen dramas, they have so many tropes. Which ones do you like the best?"

If anyone got it into their heads that they could mock Luz for any reason, well...they could think again. Such a thing was no longer allowed.

She wished Luz felt...she wasn't sure what the proper word was. More sure of herself, maybe? Because she was amazing on every level and she wanted people to know that. And properly appreciate her.

And Luz make her feel all warm and fuzzy when she smiled at her. Like everything, no matter what it was, would be okay in the end. Like she'd found relief from all of her worries.

Lexi grinned at that. "I don't know, I feel like I should be in a fancier dress for this. But, wait a minute, I can give you something." She untied the blue ribbon from her ponytail and tied it around Luz's bicep. "There. A lady's favor to wear."

And her eyes widened and she smiled. "...really? Good thing I hate anchovies." And she steps just a little closer.

"Oh no, I'm with you there! Give me a university town any day! Sounds way more intimate, and more fun!"

Again, this was something that, when explained to Luz, would definitely make more sense than just thinking that Lexi was being too overzealous. The girl had been dealing with other people's problems for a long time, she deserved the chance to decide what her own future was going to look like.

Luz nodded. "Yeah, no, I get it. It is very normal, and no one should try to tell you it isn't. You're doing your best in a situation that you don't normally feel like you're comfortable with. I get that."

It had been wild, to find someone she could just have nerdy conversations with and laugh with, enough that Luz had looked up Lexi all on her own to talk and listen to her. She kept wondering when she'd finally give Lexi the impression she was tipping her hand, that Lexi would wise up and realize Luz was just some annoying nerd and she could be doing so much better.

But that hadn't happened, and Luz felt like it actually never WOULD now.

Luz petted Orville, because of course she did. "Heh, they really do! I'm more of an Iseki girl myself, anime trope where someone is transported to a new world and they have to make do! You think I'd be sick of it by now, but it hasn't happened yet!"

Again, knowing someone had her back like this, a girlfriend no less, would be a pretty happy thing for Luz to come to terms with.

The funny thing was Lexi gave Luz those EXACT vibes: she was so controlled, so smart and clever and witty that Luz couldn't help but have faith in a girl like this, able to overcome obstacles and be so engaging, and somehow she saw it and loved it more than anyone around her.

Luz blushed, but gave her girl a grin. "Thank you my lady! I'll never take it off now."

She was being serious there. And Luz stepped a little closer, taking Lexi in her arms, looking slightly shocked at her own actions but still pulling off a debonaire look.

"I'll be the judge of that."

And she gave the girl a kiss, doing her best to hide the slight tremble when it happened.

I think so, too. And not a huge university town, like UCLA, but something somewhere in the middle. Where they have used book stores I could get lost for hours in and also sushi delivery at midnight.

She wanted the chance. And who knew, maybe coming here at the time she did was the answer to what she'd been looking for. A chance to figure out who Lexi Howard was so that (hopefully) she'd be better at asserting herself back home? She'd heard that people didn't remember things consciously, but she hoped that there would be at least some change to the subconscious.

"Okay. Okay, good. 'Cause it seems like everyone's so outgoing and I'm just, I don't know. Nerdy little me. And I get how nerdy is an appeal to you and I'm so glad for it, but I wonder if others feel the same."

An annoying nerd? No way in hell. Because if Luz was an annoying nerd, Lexi was as well. They'd annoy everyone with how nerdy they were and if it put anyone off, that was their problem.

It won't happen. She was utterly charmed by Luz.

Orville leaned into the pets and gave a big, hedgehog smile. "Oh, you mean like Fushigi Yuugi, Magic Knight Rayearth, Vision of Escaflowne, stuff like that? Mom, uh. Has all of that on VHS. Though, Miaka gets on my nerves. It's like when will this girl show some basic competence?"

And Lexi felt the same way. She knew she could trust Luz completely and was so very glad for it.

She never wanted to break that faith, that trust. And if it were in her power, she never would. She'd like to think that even with some weirdness preying on her mind due to Trench, she wouldn't go so far as to upset Luz.

And she curtsies as best as she can in a skater skirt. "We are pleased. And you should have a reward," she says breathlessly.

Luz is absolutely pulling off the debonair look. And it's hot.

"I guess you will," she says, smiling brilliantly.

And even more brilliant just before their lips meet, Lexi trembling as well.

"Both of those things sound AMAZING and now I'm super jealous of you! I love the Boiling Isles, but their idea of food can be pretty out there. If there was one good thing about Deerington, it was that I could go back to eating relative food I understood again!"

Luz would look forward to that but have to remind herself she could NOT participate in all of that: some of that had to be felt out and understood by Lexi herself. She just had to be there with open arms and anything the girl needed from her.

"There are plenty of other nerds around here! Even big tough guys have to be nerdy about some things, and just put on the whole belittling thing to try and not feel awkward about what they like. As far as I'm concerned, you're super honest about what you like and what you're about, and I don't think that's something you should change."

That was the best thing ABOUT Lexi, and if people didn't like that, they didn't deserve to know Lexi in the first place.

"Great, me too! I sometimes blame that stuff on guy writers thinking that girls have to be dumb in the most obvious ways so that the guys in the story will be able to save them. It's a bit annoying, really."

Look, Luz loved her old anime more than anyone, but they had a tendency to have BAD writing involving girls.

What Luz wished she could tell Lexi was, in no certain terms, that she was beginning to know the girl more than she knew most, and so if Trench DID do something, she'd know and forgive her, even if it was painful. Lexi was a great person, and Luz wanted to make sure Lexi remembered that.

"That was cute," Luz commented, loving the curtsy AND the skirt!

Yes.

It was a long kiss, and Luz, in a moment of spontaneity, put her hand to Lexi's face and caressed her cheek, taking in a low breath and putting her arms around Lexi.

"Really? What was the food like? Really spicy, something you'd never heard of before, or both?"

She felt like she was in the process of learning. She knew she'd never be like Cassie, and for about the first time she could remember, she was okay with that. Cassie and her were simply different and it went beyond the physical. Cassie seemed to want nothing more than to make some guy happy. Which was fine, if that's what she wanted. Lexi simply wanted more.

And her expression softened. "Well. I'm not gonna dispute such a good source of information. And I try? It's easier here to establish me as me without anyone I know from home trying to put their two cents in."

She could say the exact same thing about Luz. That she was amazing as she was and if people couldn't take it, that was their problem.

"Yeah, and even some female writers do that, too. I swear to god, if I never hear shrieks of 'Tamahome!' 'Miaka!' 'Tamahome!' repeatedly, I'll die happy. It's co-dependent and weird and I get the whole damsel in distress thing, but that's so 20th century. Actually, not even that 'cause Xena and Gabrielle were saving themselves back in the nineties."

They did. It was frustrating, especially when every guy who was within ten feet of the protagonist fell madly in love with her.

And Lexi knew she'd forgive pretty much anything for Luz. She knew that there would be times when Trench would fuck with them, turn them against each other, interfere in their relationship, but even when it did, it would be Trench's fault. She needed to know that Luz understood that, too.

And she couldn't help but have a huge grin at that. "Thank you, I do try!"

And Lexi "mmm"ed happly into the kiss, wrapping her arms around Luz's shoulders and leaned in closer.

"Hmm. Wiggly, a lot of the time. Things are alive, so, ah, there's that. But some things definitely defy some Earth things too. They taste more textured, sometimes a little more robust. I'd have had to say there longer to really get used to it.

Luz would have argued it was totally OK for Lexi and her sister to be different people! They were focused on different things, they were at different stages of their lives! Besides, even if Lexi was the younger sister, that didn't mean her older sister was going to make the better decisions, right? Sometimes kids felt very differently about their social standing and how they wanted to be looked at.

"You think they'd have a different idea about you? Maybe, but who's more of an expert on you than you?"

It was a simple way to think, but Luz still found it mostly effective.

Luz would feel pretty gratified to hear that, of course. It was honestly something she should keep in mind, she forgot sometimes.

"That's true! But then I guess the idea of what ideas they were trying to give to their younger audiences made sense to them at time. I can't say I agree with it too much myself though, and you're right, UGH, that would get so old and trope-y. I hope we're beyond that kind of bland storyline. Also, Xena was an outlier, and one of the first of its time! So it broke down some big barriers then!"

Luz was especially keen on Xena and Gabriel being the first two women on TV to love each other and be able to show that.

That was the thing: Luz knew this place was going to mess with them, like it did with people all the time. Luz knew it would be a call on her patience to endure it, but she had Lexi now. If anything, she'd try even harder!

"And very well!"

It was cute and attractive, and Luz realized wow, I actually feel REALLY attracted to that look, and with Lexi leaning into her, Luz realized that was OK to feel!

"Wiggly? I'm, uh. Pretty sure I couldn't get used to that. I'd be apologizing all the time, I'd never be able to actually eat! Anything like a vegan menu?"

And being Cassie's sister had brought trouble. Like the jerks showing her awful pictures of her sister and teasing her for not "putting out." She'd do that when she was damned good and ready to and right now, she wasn't! Maybe in six months, a year, she could reevaluate and decide, but for now? Second base. Only. And it was still a little too early for herself and Luz, she thought. The last thing she'd want to do is rush things and make them weird.

"Well. Me, I guess? It's just that I'd always let other people define me for most of my life. Now I get to write my own definition, but I'm not sure what that'll be like yet."

Lexi Howard by Lexi Howard. She guessed that would work eventually?

If she ever needed back-up or a reminder, Lexi would have been more than eager to agree.

"I guess so. I'd just like to give younger audiences a little more respect as far as what they can and can't handle. I mean, life itself is hard work and it doesn't care if you're a kid or not. And I might have most of Xena on VHS, too."

Honestly, if her viewing habits were to be judged, she was kind of in shock how anyone figured how she wasn't at least a little pan.

And she felt like, well. Even though she didn't have much experience and certainly would get her ass kicked, she could try to be brave for Luz and for herself.

It's absolutely okay to feel, since Lexi was feeling the same way. Safe. Connected. Close.

"Hmm. Maybe that'll be our biggest contention: the type of food we eat. I don't think I could get along on a vegan menu."

Luz would try anything of course, but stop being a consumer of meat? That was hard. Most of Mami's dishes dealt with beef, pork and chicken. Granted, now Luz had fish more than anything, but still. Dairy, obviously, Luz could do without.

Luz was certainly not going to push Lexi into anything like that! A lot of people her age was starting to make a big deal about how much someone did, but Luz was enjoying the small moment right now: the closeness of skin, an exchange of smiles, even kisses were things that were enough to keep Luz pretty happy. Lexi, after all, was hers. That by itself made another day in Trench strange and fun and mysterious!

"You have plenty of time to think about what you want that to be. For all you know, it might be really different from what you thought. But that'll take time, so I wouldn't sweat it. We're supposed to be finding that out for ourselves now anyway, right?"

Luz would gladly consume that content!

"That's what Pixar is for, no matter what Disney says," Luz said. "Besides, that's what streaming is for: access to things that we would have had to depend on cable television to give to us. Now kids can actually find what makes for a story they want to see!"

Oh, Luz knew right away she was never just liking guys. Why limit yourself to only liking one sex? There were far too many interesting people out in the world, and if she'd done that she might never have realized she liked Lexi that way!

Luz would have Lexi's back in any way she could. She'd never let Lexi get too hurt if she could help it!

Like now. Trench could be falling into a sink pit, and she'd just hold Lexi closer to her.

"You look really nice today," Luz said, with a small smile.

"Well, I said I could do it. Not necessarily that it would be my preference, but if the alternative is wiggly...yeah," she says with a chuckle.

She was still having the occasional misadventure when cooking fish, nothing too bad--mostly stuff sticking to the skillet--but she was bartering a little more for the sushi-grade stuff, telling herself it was sashimi. Nothing wrong with that, right?

Yeah, most girls she knew had "gotten it overwith" sometime in Freshman or Sophomore grades. She...guessed she understood the rush? Because everyone says that everyone's first time is lousy and that it only gets better from there. But, still. She wanted to wait. And the little touches, the clasp of hands, the feeling of each other's warmth, sweet kisses, the comfort of how the other smelled, uniquely her...those were all plenty intimate as far as Lexi was concerned.

"There are some things I don't think will change. I'm still going to be a little awkward with new people. I'll probably still worry too much about what people think of me, even though I'm trying to break that habit. But one thing won't for sure...how glad I am that we met and we're together."

She was still reworking her play--she still wanted to keep it focused on her long-term friendship with Rue, her contentious relationship with Cassie, and her occasional fear that she was the only adult in the room when she was fourteen, but. Some of the stuff about Cassie probably should be deleted or rewritten extensively.

"Oh, Pixar. Do you still sob uncontrollably at the first ten minutes of 'Up,' or is it just me? And during all of 'Toy Story 3?' I don't know if we can still date if you don't," she says with a playful wink.

Lexi had actually known she liked girls way before she knew she liked boys. Boys had stayed in the 'icky' category until 7th grade. So it was sort of like 'okay, fine. Boys, too.' And she was so glad she never thought Kevin Sorbo was cute, given what a douche he turned out to be.

And Lexi would have Luz's, for whatever her aid was worth?

Any natural disaster and that would be Lexi's inclination, too."

"So do you," Lexi replied, smiling gently back.

"I guess you have a point. My tastes on the Isles got very...broad for a time. Kinda had to be if I was going to survive there. Now I think I'd probably kill for a Griffin's egg, but I guess that'll have to be a dream yet unfulfilled!"

Luz was actually pretty good at cooking, from living with her mom to being in a household where she wanted to make sure everyone was fed. Granted, it was Reaper who took care of that these days, but Luz could still take over in a pinch if she needed to and did still provide for Luca when necessary.

Honestly, Luz had been so fixated on wondering if she'd ever even have someone special that beyond that was undiscovered country. If they got there, she figured it would happen organically, and even so? She was pretty happy with kisses and being close with Lexi right now. Luz was a practical girl and felt no need to rush anything right now.

"It's fine to be a little awkward! Honestly, I think there are people who are worse than you in that respect anyway! Besides, you can always lean on me a little bit for anything that makes you feel really anxious, ok? And I agree: I'm glad we managed to strike the right balance of talking and geeking out!"

Luz would, of course, be anxious to read it and give her girlfriend feedback!

"Up? Oh, definitely! The third Toy Story always gets me too! That was a perfect trilogy of movies! No fear, if we watch them together, you'll have to hold me close as I'll be crying like a baby during. Don't say I didn't warn you!"

With Luz, it was more going "ah ha, girls are just as cute as boys, clearly everyone knows this" and then understanding this was NOT the way and keeping her preferences to herself. It would rear its head later when she tried to wow a girl and was publicly rejected, but that was a story for another day.

It was worth a lot, in Luz's eyes!

"Hey, are we going to be one of those couples that sometimes wear the same things and annoy people around them? Because I could possibly be up for that."

A griffin's egg? I don't know if I could do it. I mean, aren't griffins really kind of cool mixtures of eagles and lions? Sorry, it's just. Me and my dorky 'normal' world thing."

Lexi constantly had to remind herself that she was cooking for one now, to not buy enormous quantities of spring greens because she wasn't going to make a salad for an entire household, she was making one for herself.

and Lexi felt the same, that the odds against her finding someone compatible anywhere were somewhere between slim and yeah, right. to actually find Luz and find happiness with her? It seemed like a dream and she often felt the need to pinch herself because she couldn't believe who she'd found and how. and she was plenty happy with kisses and cuddling. anyone who thought that was kid stuff could go to hell.

"I'm glad. I'm so glad I messaged you that day. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't. I wouldn't be half so happy, though, I know that much for sure. You're just--you really are a ray of sunshine, you know that right?"

She hoped it wouldn't suck. With that play, she was really exploring who she was, who she'd wanted to be, and who she might be in the future.

"I think we're both going to be covered in tissues and tears during those movies. But on the bright side, Orville and Nosferatmew are great at cheering people up. Even if Nosferatmew usually wants a nibble later on."

Yeah, Lexi too had realized early on that it wasn't something she should talk about with others. She hadn't even come out to her family and friends, much less be publicly out. She was pretty sure she wasn't ready for that, at least not back home. Here, being somewhere on the LGBTQ+ spectrum seemed like a given.

"Uh-huh, I think we are? At least I could do skirts with leggings underneath. Mom swore that was very cool when she was in high school and I'm kind of inclined to believe her since she has all of her old, cool high school stuff."

"Yup, but they aren't endangered species in the Boiling Isles. I couldn't tell you how hard it is to get them though. Hopefully the people getting them aren't too hurt?

Luz gathered grocery items for the house in general, which had sadly decreased in size these days, but she still wanted to make sure that everyone was taken care of and having what they needed to be fueled for the day!

It was still a lot to take in, how lucky Luz was, that what started out as a fun conversation between two like-minded nerds turned into a full-fledged relationship now. She was still amazed it happened, and that all of the things she used to see in romances and fics she could do with someone she genuinely cared for. It was still a lot take in!

"You think so?" Luz was blushing happily, taking Lexi's hand. "Well, you were someone I never expected to find, and it felt like I was talking to someone I knew online, only you were here, and so funny and smart and pretty! It still shocks me that anyone could look at you and not see how great you are!"

Luz meant that and honestly could NOT stop gushing. She did hope to read Lexi's play though, once she was done with it!

"I've had a vampire full on feed on me, so Nosferatmew will be fine! Besides, it'll take our mind off trying to look tough while crying!"

Luz's mom knew and was honestly fine with it. Her big thing had always been Luz finding
friends, she would have probably been shocked to learn that Luz had found someone she liked all on her own! But luckily, on the Boiling Isles and then Deerington and Trench, it was seen as less of an undesirable thing and more just another aspect of people's preferences.

"OOh nice! Of course, I could always wear one of your outfits too! I'm sure I won't look too strange in a dress!"

"They aren't even a species in mine! They're, like. In video games and movies, but totally CGI. Though...it would be kinda cool to see a real one."

Luz was a good person, taking care of her housemates that way, even despite...everything.

It really, really was! Lexi had pretty much resigned herself to the notion of college being her time, that maybe people there wouldn't overlook her the way kids in high school had. But she wasn't going to do anything dumb like join a sorority, she'd join clubs which were actually based on her interests. And assume that someone would eventually be interested. Not...interested in the here and now and wow it was easy to get overwhelmed with feelings when she thought about Luz.

"I absolutely think so! Like, one hundred percent. And the times you're feeling not so sunny, I'll be there for you anyway," she replied, giving Luz's hand a squeeze. "And I could say the exact same thing about you! About how it felt that we knew each other for years even when we just met and how I can't believe that you like me." And she raised Luz's hand and pressed a kiss against it.

It was going to be good. She thought? She hoped so, anyway.

"Okay, I'm going to hold you to that. Or more accurately, Nosferatmew will. But seriously, it's not even as bad as a standard cat bite, they have some kind of numbing thing when they lick you. It's like going to the dentist, only it's a vampire kitten."

Luz was lucky, then. She knew Suze wouldn't have a problem, but she was a hell of a lot less sure about Cassie. She half-expected Cassie to accuse her of trying to seem cool by being pansexual. But, she'd thought she'd be stuck with her hopeless crush on Rue forever, but being here--and admitting to herself how happy Jules made her--helped a lot. And here she was with Luz and she wouldn't change a thing!

"C'mon, you'll look great! Nothing too short, nothing too low-cut, something cute for a cute girl."

"Oh, they're not in mine either. but I still totally believe in them! Now that I've actually seen them in all their majesty though, I don't think I could ever forget them!"

Luz had been a part of a family dynamic since her days in Deerington: she loved all of her family too much to really stop now. Truthfully though, that had happened long before then.

It was really weird. For Luz, it had been the Boiling Isles that had opened her eyes to the notion that she didn't need to disguise who she was or be someone crazily different from who she was. People would just like her and she could make things different for them!

With Lexi, that had just been something that happened for both of them at the same time, and it felt amazing!

"Ok, then you'll do the same, right? Heck, I'll do that with you needing me to, OK? Uh, please have a little patience with me if there's someone I care about that leaves. I hope it won't happen of course, but you never know, right?"

Aw, she kissed her hand! Luz giggled, siding up closer to Lexi and giving her a hug. Dorky, yes, but very much in heart eyes!

"Like I said, I've had worse bites! I'm sure I won't mind. It won't come close to killing me, that's for sure!"

Unlike that vampire bite. Woof.

Luz would be glad to know that! Lexi's world sounded less gay friendly than she'd like, but she was going to do her best to show her girlfriend they could be in a positive relationship despite all the crazy things happening!

"Look, I'll agree to anything as long as we both look awesome in them. If that means I have to wear something a little more acclimated to your tastes, that just means my girlfriend is amazing enough to get me to try new things, and that she should consider herself pretty awesome and goddess-y that way."

"See, that's the cool thing about places like this. That things which are completely fictional where I'm from are absolutely real in this or other worlds. It's like getting to live out some novel or manga only, you know. Actual danger, not pretend danger?"

Lexi had yet to form a similar family. She had people she liked and who liked her, but she figured she hadn't really reached that level of comfort with anyone other than Luz. She was considering asking for a roommate around the time new people came and figured she'd be a good one since she could cook and clean.

She was more herself here than she felt okay about being back home. She hadn't always been such an internal person, she used to be outgoing and friendly, but junior high and high school really forced her inside. She'd imagine she wasn't herself, she was a character in a TV series and that if she wanted to, she could call cut at any moment.

But she wouldn't change a single thing about her relationship with Luz. She felt so comfortable with her, that she was appreciated for being herself and that she not only didn't have to pretend to be a character, she didn't want to.

"Of course I'll have patience. There's no guarantee that anyone will come back, that we can even know to say good-bye. It's...almost like death. It's that final."

Hey, she could be as romantic and sappy as she wanted to be and she knew Luz would be charmed, not weirded out. And Lexi hugged her back tightly, leaning against Luz's shoulder.

"Yeah, I can safely say that there's zero percent chance of that happening," Lexi said with a giggle. "Nosferatmew is very considerate."

Real vampires could stay away forever, as far as she was concerned.

They need to have a sappy slow-dance at some chance. Or make the chance. And despite being so close to San Francisco, it really wasn't all that gay-friendly, it was true. It was just about the only place around that area which voted Republican. Which was gross, but that was what leaving for college was. Eventually.

And Lexi's grin grew wider and wider. "Goddess-y? No one's called me anything like that before, but I think I could get used to it," and she lifted her head up enough to give Luz a kiss.

Luz let out a bit of a forced laugh here. "Trust me, I've been there. The magic of that lasts fora bit until you realize that some of the scarier things, we think were fantasy could exist too. But I totally get it."

Real danger was honestly a thing that she had to grapple with and realize that yes, that was not only actually real, when you did things that could potentially kill you, it hurt the people around you that cared. That was when you started to realize who that family actually was, the ones that made sure that you took better care of yourself. Luz did hope that Lexi would be able to find people like that for herself.

Luz could relate. There was a time before she got older where she didn't feel so boxed in, that she was freer spirited and carefree. When Papa died, she found that her intensity had increased while her own ability to retain social cues decreased, and this led to problems in school that eventually came to a head where Luz was going to be sent to that camp.

So much had happened since then though, and Luz herself had changed so much. Now she was here, and with someone she was sure her parents would be happy with, someone that accepted her and found just as engaging as she found THEM. Luz could just be her usual, bubbly self and Lexi liked that. It sometimes felt too good to be true.

"I hope its never you," Luz said defensively, kissing her nose. "You should be here, with me, plotting silly romantic schemes and getting spoiled."

And then the hug and Luz ducked her head and laughed, overjoyed her girlfriend was still making her blush just by these small little things.

"Good! Because she's cute enough that I probably would let her put me into torpor, you know."

Luz will never stop being the adorable nerd you know, Lexi.

If Luz had her way, she'd whisk Lexi off to a gay little spot for just the two of them and well, look at that! Now they had one!

"Good, because I don't think I'll stop calling you that anytime soon!"

Luz leaned into the kiss, holding Lexi closer.

[Lexi can hear the forcedness of Luz's voice and decides that that area of conversation is out unless Luz brought it up herself. boundaries. she needed to be respectful of boundaries.

Lexi always had a hard time admitting when she was weak. Ever since she understood that it was her role to keep her mom and her sister on an even path, as much as possible. weakness had to take a back seat to...courage, she guessed? adulthood? whatever it was, it was before she felt she was ready for it, but also something she felt she couldn't shirk.

and it broke Lexi's heart that it had come to that. Cassie needed that kind of camp, to keep her away from whatever it was that was driving her drama this time. not Luz. Luz was a good person.

and she knew Suze would approve of Luz, most likely making jokes about how Lexi was smitten like a kitten and how curfews had to be maintained. a selfie with a camera in shot, sent to Suze as soon as curfew rolled around. honestly, Suze wasn't a bad mother. she was just too occupied with reliving her youth with Cassie's friends sometimes.

and Lexi kisses back] Who says it's me who's supposed to be spoiled? What if I want to spoil you in return, huh? [because Lexi does. she wants to spoil Luz with affection and attention.

and the head duck and blush made Lexi want to kiss her more than ever, but she figured Luz needed time to recover] Yeah, but what if I want to spoil you? I think we both deserve to be spoiled. 'Cause we're both overlooked awesome."

"No, no, no, I'd never let Nosferatmew get to that point. She's a baby, but she knows where her limits are and that I'll correct her if she skids past them."

And Lexi would be an adorable nerd in turn.

A love bungalow! She'd never met Korra or Asami, but she felt she owed the other two girls, big time.

"What if I think you're goddess-y in return? Hmm?"

After the kiss ended, she tucked her head into Luz's shoulder, so close that all Luz could likely see was a mass of wavy brown hair.

[Luz wasn't as adverse to talk about it as one might think, but it was still a lot to take in, and a lot to be wary about.

It did bother her that because of the way Lexi's family acted, she had to force herself to think and act older than she should have when she could have been enjoying herself more. But, she figured, if Lexi hadn't, what would happen to the family? They might implode on themselves, and that would affect Lexi anyway.

Luz had escaped the camp, but in doing so had also launched a scale of events that made it almost impossible to get back home. That was guilt the girl was just going to have to live with.

That would have been funny: Luz could be so wholesome it would be totally unnecessary! That was what Luz thought, anyway].

What, me? How would you do that?

[Seriously, how would you? Luz was curious. Also, please, Luz was never going to say no to more kisses, she liked that weak feeling in her knees and her heart threatening to leap put her chest].

I figured! She seems pretty sweet, just like her owner!

[She really did. The two of them had a great place that they made with their own hands, and Luz knew they'd adored each other].

Me? Ha! More like a chaos demon!

[Ah, Luz's favorite sight to see (and sniff)].

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