magic, madness, heaven, sin

[reddosmod]

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.

[JUMP TO TOP] • [JUMP TO COMMENTS]

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!

[JUMP TO TOP] • [JUMP TO COMMENTS]

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.

[JUMP TO TOP]

CODING

Comments

Re: (CW: bullying)

[imaglyphwitch]

"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."

(CW: bullying)

[thisislife]

"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.

[imaglyphwitch]

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.

[thisislife]

[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.

[imaglyphwitch]

[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)].

[thisislife]

[yes. there were emotional boundaries she'd set up that she's only now beginning to lower. thanks to Luz's ability to simply be Luz and to hell with anyone who didn't like her. and thanks to Luz's...care.

that was what she was afraid would happen. Cassie would get into more and more trouble, completely forget about her schoolwork, and their mom would retreat further into a bottle of wine, unable to take care of them or herself, much less get up and ready for work on time.

Cassie needed something, of that Lexi was certain. best case scenario, she'd wash up on shore one of these days. get some distance between her and what was making her act so incredibly weird.

and Lexi grinned] By kissing you silly, that's how.

[and it was with infinite fondness Lexi said that. she was just teasing, but she couldn't help the giddy feeling that Luz's kisses and affection felt]

Nosferatmew is a good kitty. Batcat. Something along those lines.

[adoration. she'd use that word for Luz. she was still nervous about using the l-word, but adoration she could handle]

An adorable chaos demon?

[and all she can see and smell and feel is Luz. like liquid sunshine]

[imaglyphwitch]

[Luz knew what it was like to have to struggle with social anxiety. Luz didn't have it in a bad way, but she did have a fear of rejection that tended to make her struggle a reality in the past. This was not so much an issue now, but that was thanks to the three different realms Luz had found herself in. Obviously for Lexi this would take a longer time, and Luz understood patience.

And those were things that Lexi shouldn't have been forced to worry about. She was as young as she was, yet she had to struggle with keeping things afloat and being good enough to be even a twinkle in people's eyes. It was all so galling it made Luz want to absolutely SMOTHER Lexi with care and good things, so she could continue to define who she was outside of her family.

Luz looked up at Lexi with doe eyes]. Is that a promise, mi amor?

[She was laying it on thick, and really couldn't help it when she looked up at her girlfriend and saw that smile, that mix of sweetness and gentle earnestness Luz wanted to drown in].

Bat cat! I like that! Makes her sound like an adorable super hero!

[Which was worth a hundred points in her book!

Luz would use that word with fondness]!

Heh, I think I can work with that! That means I get to be a bit mischievous, doesn't it?

[And Luz gave her a suggestive wink, just because she couldn't help but like the teasing part of their banter].

[thisislife]

[yeah, another thing she worried about was rejection. it didn't help that her best friend, Rue, seemed to forget she existed 90% of the time. and didn't seem to get all the times Lexi had stood up for her, even when the other girl was nowhere around.

she was woefully used to that being the status quo. that without her, the entire house would fall apart. and that's what she needed desperately, a way to separate herself from her family and learn to be her own person, without the titles of Cassie's Little Sister, or Rue's Best Friend, or the Quiet One. though, she still planned to hide from pictures being taken.

and Lexi can't help but melt] C’est une promesse, mon chéri.

[and there was nothing wrong with laying it on thick. she could get lost in Luz's beautiful dark eyes and brilliant smile]

But which bat cat should she be, Keaton, Bale, or Affleck?

[good. because adorable was less scary than beautiful and therefore, easier to handle]

You sure do. And I figure that I get to be, too!

[Lexi's smile broadened at the wink, the tips of her ears turning pink]

[imaglyphwitch]

[Luz would have been pretty happy to know that she had friends like that in the Boiling Isles that would defend her when she was gone. She didn't like thinking that people would do that to Lexi as if he opinion didn't mind.

Exactly. She wanted Lexi to just be HERSELF, not someone's accessory or someone's sibling, but her own girl and smart and amazing all on her own!

Well. Can't really do anything about that.

Luz couldn't help but smile a little more here]. That sounds so pretty coming from you.

[Oh, she was, and was winning Luz over pretty easily. If she liked Luz's eyes that easily, Luz could thrive on Lexi's smiles, which was like the first rays of sunshine for her].

Oh, Keaton. Classics are the best, and not so, uh, deliberate.

[It really was]!

Oh, I wouldn't have it any other way!

[Look, if they were going to find out exactly how into each other they were, Luz understood that they'd find out together].

[thisislife]

[it sucked, but that's how it usually was. Lexi faded into the background, overshadowed by all of the drama that swirled around the girls Lexi hung out with. she didn't want to have to jump up and down and yell 'notice me' to get others to pay attention.

she was getting there, she really was. she figured she'd been here for...four months? too short for significant change, but long enough for a step forward or two. and her own girl, smart and amazing all on her own? she'd definitely describe Luz as that, that it wasn't that she didn't care what others thought, she just didn't let it get her down too much]

Really? I was afraid I'd lost my accent, going so long without using it in class. [but she beams anyway, pleased to hear that she sounded pretty.

Luz was so open, so expressive, Lexi couldn't help being charmed and inspired by her]

Oooh, back when Burton hadn't gotten too obsessed with his own tropes? Nice. Though, I have to admit, I like Ledger's Joker better than Nicholson's.

Good. Then mischief for us both!

[they would. she already valued Luz beyond words]

[imaglyphwitch]

[Well Lexi wouldn't have to do that with Luz, clearly. She had the fledgling witches' undivided attention!

She figured it would take time. Trench was Lexi's Boiling Isles, her first encounter with magic and strange beings and being able to do things she wouldn't have been able to do back home. In a way, it was actually pretty funny that Luz was the one to show her all of those things, when on the isles SHE was the one who was adjusting and settling!

Then again, she had made a difference to people there too, so maybe that was just something Luz wound up dong wherever she went]?

Oh no, I like it very much! I think French and Spanish really complement each other, don't you?

[And Luz was just happily gazing at her girlfriend].

Definitely! I think I might actually prefer Nicholson. Ledger might be more anarchic, but Nicholson's is a little more disturbing, especially with that permanent smile of his.

Heh, we'll truly be a menace!

[Luz was head over heels, she was just grappling with that being a thing].

[thisislife]

[she'd be grateful to know that. she often wondered if she was good enough, but Luz made her feel like she was just fine.

funny how fate will go sometimes, isn't it? she'd do just about anything to be able to adjust better and let go of most of her trauma from home as there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it from here. unfortunately for her, she's a worrier. maybe she needed to find things in Trench to worry about? other than after Luz's health, happiness, and well-being, those were givens.

Luz was a force for good wherever she was. Lexi was sure of that]

They do. A lot of the time, if you know one, you can puzzle out the other, but not always. And that's when the wild mass guessing comes in.

[and Lexi was gazing happily back]

See, my problem with Nicholson is that he seems to, I don't know, kind of play the same character all the time? And Ledger's Joker just does not give a fuck. He just wants to entertain himself. Which usually means horrific murders.

Yes. Trench, beware! 'Cause we're both very funny girls!

[so was Lexi. and struggling to figure out if she should say anything]

[imaglyphwitch]

[She wanted as much Lexi as she could get, and she had no problem telling her that!

Luz knew there was going to be a lot for Lexi to adjust to, and she was bound to have to worry after worry once she could see what Trench could do when given the chance. She'd have to make sure to help Lexi whenever she could and have her back.

Luz sure tried her best]!

Oh, don't worry, I'll be sure that you learn a bit of Spanish and I'll tell you what I'm saying! We'll get really good at it!

[Darn it, she couldn't help but match her gaze, smiling. She was so amazing].

I think he was pretty nutso and was perfect for the role! He did a lot of murders himself, and he's delightfully insane!

We are! Wait, that's a good thing, right?

[They were cute that way]!

[thisislife]

[that was good, since Lexi wanted as much Luz as she could get. though, Lexi was a little more shy about saying so.

yeah, she was still in the process of adjusting. she was grateful she'd picked out and moved into her own house so quickly, she didn't want to think about what would have happened if she hadn't had her own little sanctuary at times. and now she had an additional helping hand in Luz, who she was so very grateful for]

Sounds like a plan. I probably should have taken Spanish anyway, it's more useful. But I've always wanted to go to Paris and, so, French. And we will, we can teach each other lots of stuff.

[well, that was good, because she loved looking at her girlfriend. it sent a little thrill down her spine every time]

Yeah, and scary as hell. I might have had nightmares about him for a while. [a pause] Okay, I absolutely did.

[and she grins broadly] It's a good thing. We'll make 'em all smile.

[positively adorable!]

[imaglyphwitch]

[Luz was a blushing mess, but shy? Not so much.

Personally, Luz was happy that she had brought Lexi to this place she received from Korra and Asami. Now her girlfriend knew that Luz had a place just for the two of them, a sanctuary only they had access to. Luz was going to make sure that it was perfect for them too: at least, the parts they could add of themselves].

Aw, no dreams of popping over to Puerto Rico or anything? It IS much closer than France, and probably less snooty. Though I won't lie, I've always wanted to see some of the landmarks, and try all the food!

[And lament the ones she couldn't have, of course.

They were lucky no one else could watch them gazing at each other like lovesick pigeons].

That's how you know they're good for their role! They need to be scary!

If they could see that smile of yours, that'll be easy. I'll have to work for it though, with my crazy antics and shenanigans!

[thisislife]

[Lexi was both, if it made Luz feel better? she'd never felt so much towards one person before and it made her feel both giddy and silly at the same time.

and if she'd known Korra or Asami, she'd thank them for this gift. as it was, she worried that her presence would be an intrusion, but she worried about that pretty much 24/7, so that was how things were. she wanted to be more confident and she was, moreso than she was when she first arrived, but she also wanted people she didn't know to like her, too]

I'm pretty sure I could do Puerto Rico. I think I saw a Bar Rescue episode there after the hurricanes, the host really seemed to be devoted to make what he affected succeed. [Suze loves trashy reality TV, but Bar Rescue was one of the few Lexi could tolerate since it seemed to be about building people up, not tearing them down] And I've heard that Puerto Rico is beautiful. Especially when it comes to the landmarks and the food. I love basically anything close to Spanish-style cooking, no matter the country of origin.

[they could stay for weeks. long enough for Luz to try all of the food.

and what was wrong with lovesick pigeons? Lexi thought they were cute]

I keep hearing things about Joaquin Phoenix playing him, but I'm reserving judgement until I see it. He was amazing in Gladiator.

I happen to love your crazy antics and shenanigans. So any and all times you choose to use them, I'll be absolutely enthralled.

[imaglyphwitch]

[Luz was super happy to have Lexi as both. It helped her to try out her flirtatious side as well as be that girl that just adored the more pragmatic and sometimes cruder nature of her girlfriend. They had a foot in each other's world and that? Was something Luz could have never predicted the first time they talked.

Luz would have wanted that too. Korra and Asami were, in her eyes, the perfect couple, and seeing one without the other after seeing them together had been heartbreaking. She at least wished that Korra had known Lexi was someone that was making her happy before she left, so she'd at least have known she was helping another relationship gain its feet.

Clearly, Lexi was not intruding, especially when Luz had been the one to bring her here].

I'd be curious to see it too. Mom says the island has changed, so she prefers staying in America, but I've always wanted to see Puerto Rico myself. But if you want something close to good Spanish cooking, you don't have to day anymore: I'd be glad to
cook for mi hermosa whenever she likes.

[Luz would jump at the chance to be with Lexi anywhere, it was WHY Luz showed her this place amongst other reasons.

Not a thing]!

I kinda wanted to cool my jets on Joker after Dark Knight, when that guy played him in Suicide Squad. There are so many villains you could bring out, why constantly go for Mr. "Over the top" again?

[Luz chuckled]. Lexi, I am absolutely going to hold you to that, so you better be prepared!

[thisislife]

[it helped bring out Lexi's flirtatious side as well, so they were even. better than even, they were great! as long as they flirted with each other, all would be well. and she wanted to think there would be a chance to find Luz in her world. wanted to very much.

she'd never known either girl. but if Luz held them in such high esteem, so would Lexi. she wasn't sure there was such a thing as a perfect couple, but having an example of a mostly perfect couple was reassuring. and Lexi wanted to meet the parents, so to speak.

she always wanted to be a compliment to Luz's experiences, not necessarily the focus]

I'd love to see Puerto Rico someday. Maybe as part of a work-study program in college. But more than that, way more, is so we can be together. And I happen to love authentic Spanish cooking.

[and Lexi wanted Luz to feel happy and confident in Lexi's love and esteem. she wanted to make sure that happened, no matter what]

Oh, god, the less I think of Suicide Squad Joker, the better off I am. I heard that the actor was weird, like way-too-Method weird.

[flirtatiously] Oh, I am. I'm absolutely prepared.

[imaglyphwitch]

[And it was kind of exciting to see that flirtatious side! Luz had always wondered if anyone would ever find her to be attractive enough to flirt with. This was something completely new to her, and honestly? The two of them were pretty in awe of the feelings they inspired in each other.

There would be so much she wanted to tell Lexi about Korra and Asami, especially when Korra had been there for her in so many bad instances. One day Luz would absolutely talk to Lexi about how Korra had helped her be a stronger person.

She absolutely wasn't]!

You and me both! Now granted, Puerto Rico is different from the Dominican Republic, but I'd love to see it with you! And if we do go back home, I'm totally going to cook for you!

[Luz didn't doubt this: she was already pretty happy being around Lexi, and the more she was with her, the happier she was].

I heard that too, ugh. He wasn't even a good Joker, and Harley in that version? BLEH.

Oh, we'll see.

[thisislife]

[Lexi wasn't used to flirting, but she cared for Luz enough to want to be able to flirt, to giggle, to be all girly and make Luz care for her. even though she was sure that Luz already did. but what was flirting except a outward expression of inward feelings? rationalizing it like that it made it easy to flirt.

and when the time came, Lexi would be there with an open heart and open arms]

Both. I want to see both with you. I want to see where you come from, meet your mom and any other family you have, do the whole girlfriend thing right. Including the cooing, I'm sure I'm going to love it. It was only fair. And don't worry, Suze will love you just because you make me happy. Though, she may compare me to a smitten kitten, which. Fair. Have you seen my new batkitten?

[Mewnos: The Paws of Fate deserved her own introduction. and Lexi could easily say the same. the more time spent with Luz, the happier she was. she was overjoyed to find a girlfriend who fit so well into her mind and soul and activities]

God, I know. Margot Robbie did her best, but there's only so much you can do with bad dialogue. I keep thinking about what Harrison Ford said about Star Wars, that you can write that shit, but you can't say it.

Ooooh. Now I'm expecting something interesting.

I had a hard time coming up with the best icon for this with the various Luz emotions!

[imaglyphwitch]

[Flirting was actually spilling out of Luz from nowhere, mostly due to watching anime and some teen interactions from films and sitcoms. It also helped that when it came to Lexi, it just was natural: Luz was pretty sure she had the prettiest girl in all of Trench and had no problem letting her know that.

Luz was sure to do that likely over some hot cider now that they were going into the harvest months].

Oh, Lexi. Mom would totally love you; do you know that? She'd probably give you a look about the swearing, but she'd spoil you, and would be pretty livid about some of your living situation. She's pretty protective when it comes to her kids. I'm sure Eda would have liked you too! Heh, I think our parental figures in general would...would be...

[Oh gosh, she was tearing up. She hadn't seen mom in a long time, and the last time Eda was with her? She was being protective and strong, and she missed her so much. Now she had a lump in her throat she couldn't get down].

Uh, excuse me! Just...I hadn't thought about how I'd feel about them. It's been a little while.

[Luckily, seeing the batcat helped Luz to recover, and now she was very much cooing].

Oh my gosh, look at this sweetie! I want to hug her right now!

She really did. Man, I don't get how you have the job of introducing someone as cool as Harley Quinn and you DON'T start with her being in the signature outfit. It's iconic for a reason!

Me too!

awww, it's a good one!

[thisislife]

[Luz was so darn pretty. even though Luz herself didn't seem to see that about herself. Lexi thought that was really too bad, she had gorgeous hair and eyes and complexion and she looked so cute in her usual outfit of a shirt and shorts with leggings. not many could pull off that look, but Luz did it.

hot cider? sounded intriguing]

Well, I try to keep the swearing down to a minimum. As much as I can, at least. Most people I know back home swear a thousand times more than I do, so I guess I can try to use that as a defense? But, really, I'm really glad you think your mom would like me. If there's one person in your life I definitely want to impress, it's your mom.

[and she can see that Luz was feeling a little down, so she hugged Luz and rested her head on Luz's shoulder]

A long while. It's been too long for you. I know...I know sometimes people go away for a little while. Then come back. I'm--I don't know if that would be good or bad.

[and Mewnos lives up to her name, mewing loudly and insistently for pets]

Isn't she tied for cutest with Nosferatmew? And she likes hugs, so go ahead.

Yeah, but then girls couldn't buy the outfit at Hot Topic and comic book guys couldn't get all hot and bothered.

Bring on all of the antics! I'll love them.

I do my best!

[imaglyphwitch]

[Likewise, Luz could have gone on full descriptions about Lexi's eyebrows, her expressive face, her long hair and full lips and her inquisitive eyes! She could have probably written poems on how pretty Lexi was if she didn't think it would make her girlfriend want to jump into the sun.

And delicious]!

Honestly, between Deerington and Trench, I've kind of heard it all? It's had enough of an effect on me that if I do curse, it's usually in Spanish, and even then not so bad! But yes, mom would definitely like you, and I'm sure Eda would want you to be a bit more of a troublemaker to balance me out!

[Oh that. That felt honestly really good, and so different from just a pep talk from friends, which she appreciated but this? It made her feel warm inside].

Some days are better than others. I just hope it never happens that I forget my life on Earth. My mom gave me so many good memories, and made me who I am today.

[At Mewnos's insistence Luz laughed and picked her up for pettings].

They're both equal in adorableness! I'm really trying to hold myself back a little.

[She was glad that Owlbert was napping right now, she wouldn't want him feeling left out].

Ok, those outfits? Awful. And if the dumb guys can't appreciate OG Harley Quinn's outfit? They have their heads up their butts, its plenty risqué!

Exactly!

[thisislife]

[eeek. eeek! maybe not want to jump into the sun, but that could be something kept for just the two of them, right? because she'd be embarrassed in a good way, not sure she deserved the praise, but willing to accept it since, well, Luz wouldn't lie to her. she knew that much was very true.

she's a California girl, she's never had that before]

Well, I guess I could always go with French swear words, even though I'm pretty sure a lot of people know them from watching tv or movies. And I'm glad to hear your mom would like me. My mom would like you, I'm pretty sure. And I'm also pretty sure she'd tease the daylights outta me because look at me, head over heels. And if Eda would want me to be more of a troublemaker [she grins] I can work with that.

[she wanted to be as affectionate as possible with Luz, hoping she made the other girl feel as warm and safe and accepted as Lexi did]

You won't forget it. Some things might...I don't know. Not seem as vivid? But I'm hoping that applies to bad memories only.

[Mewnos started to purr enthusiastically]

It's kind of impossible to not love them. At least for me. They're both very cuddly batkitties and both want a lot of love.

[poor Owlbert, he was adorable too!]

Yeah, but it doesn't come with booty shorts. [she says, shaking her head no]

[imaglyphwitch]

[Luz certainly wouldn't: when it came to people she cared about, she tried to be as forthright as she could, honest and true, and this went doubt for her girlfriend. She wasn't looking to fall into tropes where she said and did obviously dumb things to put the two of them in jeopardy].

Hey, if you have them, use them! Honestly, this place is going to give you plenty of reasons for it. But yes, Mami would love you, and I'm sure she'd tease ME for how lovesick I look every time I'm looking at you. She'd probably say she'd never seen me like this except for when I was going on an anime tear when I first discovered them.

Oh, Eda would love that! She does say I sometimes act too goody two shoes for my own good!

[Luz wouldn't complain, not even a little bit]!

I hope so too.

[That was all she'd say on that, in case she spoke too soon. She was interrupted by her own sad thoughts by the batcat purring, and she petted her eagerly].

Oh, I agree! And even though Tempest doesn't like me getting too affectionate, she still puts up with it.

[He was, and absolutely knew it].

Heh, true, I guess it does help she can pull them off! Of course, you saying that gives me ideas for a Halloween costume in the future!