deercountry | A day where we can shine!

A day where we can shine!

Who: Luz, Lexi and you!
What: The couple are having their blood joining ceremony!
When: The fifteenth of this month!
Where: Darcmoth at the rocks, formerly fort Avatar.
Content Warning: Merrymaking, possible spiking of punch, unnecessary gushing, likely much nerding about.

It had taken some time to personalize some things for this inherited house, but the girls opted to keep it much as Korra and Asami had pooled their strengths to make it their own. The home was still hidden by the cliff face, so Luz had made sure to put some light glyphs up for today, so when people came to the shore of Darcmoth, they'd see the lights and follow then down.

The steps will eventually lead you around the cliff face to the hidden house, and therein the lights lead you to the lowest part of the three levels, where the deck is. It's decorated for the ceremony: purple lights, little glowy stars, and heavy draped curtains with each of Luz's glyphs painted on them. She made a mental note, of course, not to set off any, lest it set off and scare the surrounding people.

At the center of all this is a dais that Luz managed to construct with a little time and care: nothing fancy, just some steps and a canopy over the whole preceding.

Luz is there to greet you, giving a wave if you're not as familiar and a hug if you are! She explains that the whole ceremony will start in about an hour, and you can help yourself to the refreshments further down from the chairs set up down a deck from the podium.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It should. We have a good enough clientele to make up the difference.

[she kisses back happily]

Not really, nah.

Oh, it is. And the readings take hours, so you're sitting there starving even before you get to the fresh parsley dipped in saltwater. Oh, oh, and one of the other exciting events? Horseradish. Not the condiment, an actual piece of horseradish.

Yeah. Not to mention way too dependent on 80s classic rock for his own good.

Just so long as you don't actually die. I don't want to kill you with kindness.

Yeah. I don't want other people to feel like they can control what we do or how we react, even the Pthumerians.

Y-yeah. Yeah! I should just have more confidence in the bookstore!

[Ah, yes. Luz's happy place was kissing Lexi and holding her. No better bliss].

I can handle that.

What? Is this...this sounds like hazing? Are you being hazed?

I mean, look. I don't think I'm going to be the one throwing stones at 80's classic rock. But you definitely shouldn't base that on your life experiences.

I'll take the 'not dying' part easily, whether from kindness or not!

I don't think I see the Pthumerians quite like that, but that's a discussion for another day.

Edited 2023-06-27 20:59 (UTC)

Yes, absolutely! I mean, it's ours, we're both brilliant, so of course it's going to do well.

[it was Lexi's happy place, too. all of her whirling thoughts came to a stop while kissing Luz]

It's Jewish hazing of ourselves. It's to commemorate the plagues of Egypt which was brought on by not freeing the Jewish peoples from slavery. Long, long period of no food, followed by a long, long reading from the Talmud, followed by ritual dishes which make no damn sense if you're not Jewish, then you can eat. And to be fair, everyone usually brings their A-game to the food. Enough brisket for days.

Absolutely not. 'Don't stop believin' is a good enough song, it's got a decent message, but it's not really life philosophy material.

Fine. But I'm still going to spoil you.

Yup! Today is about happy thoughts!

Right! Um, but I think we might need to think of relocating soon.

[She'd heard enough about the propsect of living in a new place without the Pthumerians. That was bound to have an impact on everything they did soon].

Oh. WOW. I didn't know that. Forgive my ignorance! I get it now. You're reenacting some of your hardships so you remember your dedication and strength to your heritage. All right. No wonder it's so important!

I don't know if I've ever had brisket? You'll have to show me how that is.

Right. It's simple in one way, sure, but you probably wouldn't write a Masters thesis on it.

Oh no, anything but that! Obviously joking!

You darn right! I'm going to remember this day forever!

Oh? To where?

[she'd heard of it, too, and was withholding judgement until she knew more of the details]

No, it's okay! Most people who aren't Jews have no idea what Passover really involves. But it's pain. Followed by more pain. Followed by lousy food. Followed by the really good food. Do you have an afternoon and most of an evening? That's how long it takes to cook. Depending on what kind of brine I put on it. But five bucks says that dudebros have tried. So I can spoil you? Me, too. It's...well, it's meant so much to me. I hope it has to you, too.

There's supposed to be some new place we can go, without Pthumerian influence and stuff. A lot of the Sleepers seem to be really into the idea, but I think I'm still waiting to find out more about it. There are some things here I would feel really bad about seeing go away, you know?

I maintain it sounds like hazing, but I think most singular god religions have those kind of sacrifices you make. I know Catholics have Lent and then on Good Friday into Easter Sunday, they're supposed to not watch TV or listen to music. But I think historically, Jewish people have had it much worse, so I at least get how the Plagues would translate to newer offenses they had to deal with.

For you? I have all the time in the world. Also for food.

That is very sad. I feel very sad for them.

Only if I get to spoil you back, hermosa.

We're literally talking into each other's mind right now. Trust me, I'm not forgetting this anytime soon!

Yeah, I know. I mean, I'd miss Argonaut and Dorothea. And this place is just so--so unique. One of a kind. Which I know that means unique, but work with me here. And I'd hate to lose my blood abilities, especially now that I've figured them out.

Lent is way worse than Passover. We only give up food for a day. Followed by nasty food followed by terrific food. A Catholic might have to, I don't know, renounce pizza for a month and some days. And pizza is fucking delicious.

All right. I'll have to see if I can find a recipe for corned beef while I'm at it. Corned beef is also a delicious food to eat. And lox, but that's easy enough to come by here. The cream cheese and the bagels? Not so much.

So do I. I mean, granted, a thesis should be something you're passionate about and I'd imagine there's such a thing as a pop culture major and masters, but you'd have to bullshit your way through the thesis and teachers are good at catching that.

I thought that was part of the bargain?

Me neither! It's a lot easier than I thought it would be.

All of that is true and...to be honest. I do feel something warm for Doorway too. I know she'd pretty much this silent, tragic guardian, but I feel a kinship there. I think I've always had.

Only on Fridays. So I think I'd still say Passover is worse. You could fall into line with Lent and still be kinda a lazy Catholic. And I agree, pizza IS delicious.

Ooh, I agree, and I didn't get to eat it much for breakfast! Heh, back where I'm from Lox is very much a New York staple in some places! Bagels would probably just need to be baked a certain way though, right? Cream cheese...well. I can eat it, but I won't feel great later. A small price to pay though.

I mean. I guess what it really comes down to is how well you know your subject and how you can back up that information. I'm sure you could come up with something good, but you'd really have to have all your information and footnotes at hand.

Sounds perfect.

RIGHT?! Maybe it helps that we're in, say, a really frenzied situation where we're battling a ton of thoughts? I'm sure it'll be a little harder then.

I guess I've never really connected with her. But, if I can ask? Why do you feel kinship with her?

All right, all right, Passover is worse. But I mean it, the food afterwards is amazing. And we have a holiday which kind of boils down to eat a lot of cheesecake and stay up late. As someone very fond of cheesecake, I'm encouraged by having a holiday devoted to it.

Oh, right, right. Lactose intolerance. Hmm. There has to be some kind of vegan version of cream cheese. I can't say it'll be any good, but maybe it will be?

Yeah. And I know kind of what I'm looking forward to, since I want to go for a doctorate, probably in psychology. Tons of studying, tons of paperwork, even more tons of student debt.

Absolutely, mostly because we'll be thinking about not letting the other one get hurt and then we lower our guard and then, uh. Then we put our guards back up 'cause who knows what will happen next!

Well, to start, she'd my patron Pthumerian. But once I realized what she stood for, I found myself drawn to that. This was after Deerington, and I lost a lot of good people by then. At the time, I went to live with Varian and Fern, and the Reaper came to live with us, and then we met Ahiru and Luca. Through that, the people I loved and missed, and choosing to live here, it was pretty clear to me how important bonds are.

Sometimes they hurt, and you might not recover, but in the end? I'm glad about every choice I made, and stand by them, just as Doorway stands by hers.

No, I'm totally envious about that! Also, I don't think you mentioned cheesecake and I am totally game for that. Cheesecake is SO good. Despite how much I can't have it.

Look, I might not feel good, but I am willing to suffer for the pleasure of cheesecake.

Man, that sounds intense. But then, I should probably start figuring out what I want to do too. Granted, we could just become scribes?

I was thinking more that the abject fear will probably cause, like, a swirl of emotions and we'll be trying to sort through that and figure out how to act best. Panic is a really big stumbling block for survival.

Ah. That explains a lot. To have all of them with you in one big--I don't know, found family dorm? It would mean a lot. I can't imagine living so closely with others, except you.

Isn't that the best way to live. As ourselves, with no apologies?

That's Shavuot for you. A minor Jewish holiday given to major partying. And massive, massive amounts of cheesecake. Can you eat an entire cheesecake while you pray? Let's find out! Shh, there have to be kosher non-dairy cheesecake out there somewhere.

Good, because I make an excellent marbled cheesecake. Chocolate and vanilla at the same time!

Yeah. Thank fuck Trench has no student debt. Otherwise, I'd probably be paying off my student loans while I was in my forties.

Uh-huh. I just wish...I wish we knew more. About what might happen. I actually like Trench, I don't want to leave.

It wasn't something that could happen overnight. We just started off as friends, Fern and I, Varian and I, and by some crazy coincidence they wound up falling for each other. Everything after just...kind of fell into place, and when I chose to live with them, I felt just as happy as when I'd been with Eda and Margot, but somehow older, because of everything that happened with us.

I guess that's what happens with bonds: they take time, and they strengthen as you experience more.

I agree with that.

I have no idea, but I don't think I'd be opposed to finding out!

[Luz would not accept a non-dairy cheesecake! She's brave it because that's the kind of girl she is]!

Ooh, marbled! That sounds amazing! I don't think Lysithea even got to teach me that!

I wouldn't ever let you be in debt! Or at least, we'd be in it together? Is that better?

I hate to admit it, but I kind of do too. Maybe there's a way to go back and forth? If there isn't...well. I think I know what I might decide.

No, no, of course not. And I guess I can understand it. It's like, the ideal you know? To be able to live with people who care about you and those who you care about. And if they all care about each other, even better.

Case in point, us.

And that's not even Purim. It's called the Jewish Mardi Gras for a reason. It's to celebrate Queen Esther's courage to stand up for the Jewish people against a king's evil advisor's wishes and that advisor and his people being, well. Killed in retribution. So much booze. So. Much. Booze.

[very brave! but that's because cheesecake isn't cheesecake without the, well. cheese part of the cake]

It's so good! Hard to make but absolutely worth it.

I don't know if that's helpful. With any luck, neither of us will have to find out.

...me too. I don't want to leave you alone.

I didn't have an ideal about it when I lost Eda and Margot. I guess at that point I was just sort of trying to find a reason to keep going, and I did care about people. That whole thing that happened just really surprised me.

Yeah. That was...magic.

Whoa. Has anyone told you that the Jewish traditions can sound kind of...well, hardcore. Wow. By comparison, I feel like the Christian religion had a good person killed and then a bunch of crazy people perverted everything overtime so it became this moral obligation thing that was removed from spirituality.

Then again, religion and spirituality can be at odds a lot of the time depending on who's interpreting the message.

[YES. ALL THE CHEESE. LUZ DOES NOT MIND SUFFERING A LITTLE].

I'll help you with it! You know I've got your back, boo.

Good point.

My love. I would never leave you. I think you know that now.

Well, surprises aren't always bad. Even though it may not be obvious from the start.

You're the one with magic, hon.

Don't worry, they are. And we have a lot of religious holidays and of course we don't get time off of school or probably work for them.

Yeah, that's true. I mean, I'd disagree with an Orthadox Jew about a lot of things, like I figure a Pentecostal and a Catholic would disagree about a lot. That's just how it is when religions split into factions.

[BUT THEN LEXI WILL FEEL GUILTY. 'SHOULDN'T HAVE EATEN SO MUCH CHEESECAKE!' AND SO ON]

I know. One of the many, many things I love about you.

And I'd never leave you. Not if I could help it.

I love surprises! Hit me with one whenever you want!

There are different kinds of magic in the world. Like my own, and the kind you create just by being you.

I can tell. Good. As for that, well. We can just celebrate them instead.

Yeah. Catholics are likely to have disagreements with a LOT of different Christian religions though, on account of Catholics being kinda "Paganism light."

[Luz has no self control. This is not Lexi's fault]!

And I have a textbook of things I love about you.

Good. Wherever we go, we go together.

Okay, but not now. Because it wouldn't be a surprise.

Aww. You're gonna make me blush at this rate.

Yeah, it's been said that most Jewish holidays boil down to 'they tried destroying us, they failed, let's eat!' It's not that far from the truth. And I'd love having a holiday buddy.

Wait, I know that Catholic priests are all about humility, humility, give to the poor while wearing more bling than Kanye before he went nuts, but how are they paganism lite?

[is too, she should stand guard at the cheesecake]

And I have an entire encyclopedia set for how much I love you.

Absolutely. And if anyone tries fucking with that, we both fall on them like a ton of bricks.

Right, of course. No pressure!

I'll take it. I love seeing you blush.

That's a lot to celebrate! I feel like there've been too many times in history, we have to stop human beings from eradicating each other because there are differences they don't like. I would like to hope we can leave behind some positivity and love in this world, not just misunderstandings and fear.

Dude. If you ever been into a Catholic church, that'd be an easy answer. We light incense, we have saints we're supposed to pray to, there's so much majesty and just STUFF in a Catholic church. It's the total opposite of the humbleness Jesus Christ is talking about. I mean, he even says in the Bible that it's easier for a camel to into an eye of a needle than a rich person getting to heaven. That kinda hasn't changed. That hasn't really changed.

[Luz shrugged]. If you believe in all that anyway. That was what I raised to believe. I'm kinda...estranged from that way of thinking, mostly. I choose to hope people are good enough to help each other out, no matter what they believe spiritually.

[No one should guard the cheesecake, it deserves to be free]!

Then I have a...a...jeez, it's hard to beat an encyclopedia set. I'll give you that one.

You got that in one. No one messes with us!

[Is Luz blushing slightly at her girlfriends' curse that totally was her, and a part of her Luz adored? Why yes].

And Jewish people seem to be everyone's favorite topic. Sure, Christian evangelists claim to love us, but that's 'cause 144,000 Jews are supposed to convert to Christianity before the end times. So technically they're trying to destroy us, too.

I've been in one all of once and that was for a wedding. It was like the Hokey-Pokey, sit up, sit down, kneel, sit up, get in line, eat the cracker which makes matzoh really seem like the food of the gods and a thimble of grape Kool-Aid, sit down. Catholicism is weird. And that parable seems to be the one a lot of Christians forgot about

Yeah, same here. I mean, I practice Judaism because hello, people are constantly trying to kill us and it's like. Fuck that. But most people aren't really into the whole organized religion thing anymore. People can be nice without having to worry about angry Santa Claus sending them to lakes of fire or whatever.

[nope. it will require a Mission: Impossible level stunt to get to the cheesecake]

I win! Go me!

Not unless they want to get their asses kicked up and down Trench.

[and Luz is adorable when she blushes. which means that Lexi will have to make her blush more]

Which is just gross. Christianity shouldn't be about how many people you have on your "team." It's supposed to be about helping people and becoming a better person yourself.

Trust me, if you get raised like that, you don't even think about it in those terms. It's just the kind of thing you take in as part of the experience. But mom didn't make me go after an age, and thinking about it I sort of thought it was better to just be a good person on my own terms, even if people could be kinda awful at times.

You practice it also because it spiritually fulfills you, and that's a beautiful thing. I like the feeling of finding a path that works for you. Also, I respect it and get to learn more about it because of you!

[NOO DON'T DO THIS TO HER LEXI SHE TRUSTED YOU].

Heh. Yeah, go you!

You got that right! We'll totally kick their butts!

[Lexi said it way cooler just now, but that was Luz for you: mostly PG.

LOL, Christianity hasn't been about any of that in years. Some denominations are creepier than others, but most of them are still get those converts, get that cash, get that swag as a result of steps one and two. At least that's how it seems on the outside.

I think that's really brave of you, to make that choice for yourself. Most people just follow along with whatever they've been told, but to do what you did? That takes guts. Or as we'd say, chutzpah. And moxie. Both 'cause you're a girl.

It does work for me. Reform Judaism especially is all about justice. LGBTQ+ justice, racial justice, monetary justice, societal justice, ecological justice, basically we're the hippies of Judaism.

[/humms the Mission: Impossible theme where the prize is a marbled cheesecake]

We absolutely will. And be cute while doing it.

[nothing wrong with PG]

See, I've never been really big on that aspect of most monotheist part of religion. All these restrictions on who can get in and who can't, and the awful ways they treat people who aren't following their whims. It's just not something I want.

For me, it's more that even if I don't get that precious alcove of people I want, I can do my thing. I don't have to care about people and love them because I want some reward, or because some being told me it was the right way to be. I want other people to be genuinely nice to each other, and if they're confused by their actions, they learn about them honestly.

And that's beautiful! If they have to label you that way, are they really concerned about justice themselves? Your way of spirituality sounds great, and I've loved what you've taught me about your path so far!

[Ooh. That sounds delicious AND dangerous!]

With you around, how could it not be cute?

And I respect that. Even agree with it on a lot of levels since so many wars are fought over the whole my religion is more right than yours is nyahh, thing. Only instead of nyahhs, it's bombs and IEDs.

Again, something I agree with. People need to be more concerned with how they're treating others instead of, oh will angry Santa Claus get pissed off at me if I don't be nice and, I don't know, put a dollar in the Salvation Army kettle. Which is a fucked up organization and no one should be giving them shit, but that's another story entirely. But if more people focused on treating others well, the world would be a much better place.

We are. I mean, the local synagogue had a float in the Pride parade before I came here with our rabbi front and center. They've done just about every protest and march imaginable with the goals of smashing racism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, just about everything you can think of. It's really cool.

[remember that Mission: Impossible stunt where Tom Cruise had to be lowered in from the ceiling to avoid tripping the laser alarms. that's where the cheesecake will be]

You clearly haven't seen me with a mud mask on. There's nothing cute about that, I look like I have bad Elphaba makeup on.

Yeah. A lot of that, and for what? Because people can't just acknowledge there's more than just one path to enlightenment? What does it say about your god if you have to go out and hurt those who think differently from you?

YEAH! That's what I'm talking about! Good is something that needs to come from you, out of a genuine wish that we can all be better people. But now it's like thinking like that is supposed to be for weak people? Really? And somehow your "god" and beliefs are better than mine?

That does sound cool! With everything the Jewish faith has endured, it would make sense that the next step would be to help fight injustices for other people who have to deal with hate being taught as an institution. When we allow something like that to be tolerated, the more they'll take from us, until we're just living the way they force us to. They win when we hate ourselves if we don't act "normal".

[That is a mistake. Luz has two ways to fly and avoid touching the ground]!

I'll bet even then. You haven't seen ME when I first wake up, all bleary eyed and hardly able to talk.

Yeah, it's especially stupid where it comes to the Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, all of them trace their origins back to Abraham. So can't they focus on the things we all have in common instead of the whole my religion is better than yours is bullshit?

Trust me, your thoughts are just as good as god's. Probably even more so, because it comes purely from yourself and not because angry Santa Claus insists that you feel that way. You and your perception of god is just as good as anyone else's and anyone who tells you otherwise can kiss your ass.

Yeah, we've been on the front line of a lot of societal justice movements, at least in the United States. We marched with Martin Luther King Jr and we march with Black Lives Matter now. It's like--we've been through so much as a people, we don't want anyone else to go through the same thing. And 'normal' is such a weird concept to me, religiously speaking. I only really started getting involved when I was a teenager and mom still puts up a Christmas tree since she says that the Christians stole Christmas from the pagans, so who says Jews can't, too?

[fine. how about breaking into Fort Knox to get the cheesecake?]

I'm the same way in the morning. I can't function until I get at least two cups of coffee.

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