deercountry | faceless man counting crumpled bills // OPEN

And Rose should know that intimately. So many pretty Society women, so many reasons to tear each other down. Whether it was who was prettier than someone else, made a match better than someone else, or had a more expensive dress than someone else. And Rose had heard that this dratted month was based on hope. So what hope was there in stealing what little she had left?

And regret wasn't a strong enough word. If more of the lifeboats had returned, if Thomas Andrews hadn't been overruled when he tried to add a second row of lifeboats, if the men in the crow's nest had spotted the iceberg just ten minutes earlier. Too many ifs. Too few answers.

Though, that echos between between them told them that Luz knew the feeling of too many ifs.

I did. But more than me should have lived. Jack should have lived. Countless others should have too. They locked the gates between Steerage and the rest of the ship after the iceberg struck.

Luz was still just getting pieces when it came to mind reading, but she was also listened to Rose when she spoke. She couldn't help but think of Amity and all of the stuff she must have grown up with, the ways she had to both navigate herself and a be a part of that world.

I wish I could help her. She shouldn't have to deal with all of that stuff.

But once she got the impressions Rose had, she was seeing exactly what the butterflies would target. There was truth in what Rose said, but the ultimate goal of this was to make her feel despair. Luz felt raw about all of this, but it wouldn't help them if she dwelled in that space right now.

You're right. It's hard, when people die because other people didn't care enough. It's a hard thing to think about. You're not just some society person who doesn't care about other people's lives. You...you have to hold onto the pain those types are incapable of feeling.

You couldn't do anything. It's not your fault.

Edited 2022-04-13 03:48 (UTC)

It's a hard subject for her to approach. She didn't like the notion of being "better" than anyone else based on a simple birth into good fortune. And she'd never really felt like she'd belonged in that world, anyway.

Perhaps she shouldn't, but she did. She remembered the woman holding her little boy, trying to reassure him that it would all be over soon. By their dress, she assumed they were Steerage passengers who'd finally made it past the gates. Too late to help most of them. And no child should ever know that death was coming for them.

Sometimes I forget for a minute, then I feel badly for having done so.

But I knew that if something bad happened, there wasn't room for everyone in the lifeboats. People kept claiming that the Titanic was unsinkable.

Luz lightly tapped her forehead to Rose's back. It was a gesture to let her know that yes, she heard her, and that she shared the pain that Rose was feeling. Even if Luz hadn't been there, it was still seeing people die that would stay in Rose's head forever.

Luz knew what that was, in a sense. Perhaps she hadn't seen innocents die, which was still awful, but knowing what death was, smelling it in the air, having it feel like it was infecting your lungs, your whole being? Luz was disturbingly familiar with that notion.

You're allowed to live after all of that. No one could predict what would have happened that night. You lived, Rose, and that doesn't make you better or worse. It just means you'll appreciate living a little more, since you're able to.

And hopefully Rose might not have felt those tinges of regret Luz felt in the bottom of her heart. Right now, this was about Rose, and making sure those butterflies didn't feed off her.

She vaguely felt Luz do so. She thought dimly that perhaps that should scare her, but she was still having a difficult time wresting herself free of the butterfly's influence.

Rose would wish that Luz hadn't had to know that feeling. That no one should, that people should go quietly in their sleep, leaving behind a lifetime of memories behind for those who loved them. That was how she wanted to go, that was the way Jack promised her she would.

I'm trying. I want to live, to keep going the way I promised I would. But I don't know how to feel better after something like that. Maybe we should sing karaoke again?

It was said half in jest, half serious. But the notion made her pull away from the butterflies, just a bit, further than she'd come before. Something to look towards?

Edited 2022-04-13 17:36 (UTC)

Rose was slowly coming into her power, and Luz wondered if she wasn't starting to do some of that herself. For right now, maybe that was a good thing: at least Luz could try to wrest free control from the butterflies with her own impressions.

It'll take time. Believe me, I know. But there are good things here, even with the craziness. Every time I wake up, I'm in my own room in a house I share with people I care deeply about. I can fly. I can turn into a bird, just go with it. You'll find things that you can do here too, and gradually, you'll be able to make your peace. It's ok if it doesn't happen right now.

For Luz, she knew it had taken time, but eventually, she'd be able to make peace with what had happened. It certainly still haunted her at times, but she was starting to learn to cope.

There's plenty we can see out in Trench! You can pick what we do next time!

It was slow going. It wasn't like her era didn't have those who claimed they had a sixth sense, if anything it was full to bursting with them. But the differences between them and her were twofold: 1) she wasn't fleecing rich clients out of every penny they had and 2) her powers were real. Demonstratively real. And that scared the daylights out of her because she didn't know what to do with those powers yet.

Good things like friends. You, Dean, Michael, Luca. You're my friends. And the house I live in is good enough, but I'd like to find something smaller and cuter. With a garden, so I can learn to garden. And you can, you're capable of amazing things no one would have dreamed as truly possible back home.

I know it will. Eventually. It's simply that the time between now and eventually seems like a million years.

Again, she knew Jack wanted her to go on. Wanted her to live her life and be happy. But she hadn't just lost Jack, she'd been surrounded on all sides by the screams of the desperate and the dying, something she'd never even imagined before.

Are there restaurants? Good ones which don't serve mushrooms as the main and only course? She's feeling a little better. Better enough to joke about mushrooms, at least.

Edited (gets html into a chokehold) 2022-04-13 23:07 (UTC)

Luz wouldn't have known about fleecing people (or at least that word anyway: Eda would have informed her about it though), but she could at least relate to having powers that were unfamiliar and scary at first. Trench was a crash course in that.

Yeah, that's right! You have friends, and we're finding you that cottage! Also, I can definitely help you get started on that gardening stuff. Plant glyphs, you know.

You'd be surprised how quickly you get used to that.

Luz tended to feel like they were slightly out of time anyway.

Ugh, but her memories were rough, poor Rose. She hoped she'd be able to find her some peace soon enough.

Sure, there are restaurants! Um, there should be? I've never heard of a restaurant that had mushrooms as a main dish. Unless it was for Hobbits, maybe.

Easy on the nerd jokes, Luz.

She still needed to ask for help. She didn't want to accidentally read the wrong information from the wrong person's mind. Rose imagined that would be humiliating, both for her and for the person whose mind she'd read. So ask for help, she would.

I love little English cottages. Really, I don't need all that much space. But your help with the plant glyphs would be wonderful. I've never actually tried to garden before.

I do hope it's quickly.

All Rose could think about was time. Time between when she lived and when everyone else did. Time between everyone else and Trench. She had a burning need to find out as much as she could about both time periods, she couldn't help herself.

It's like a scabbed over wound. Seems stable enough, but the wrong move could make it tear open again.

What's a Hobbit?

Guess who needs to read more modern works of fiction, rather than history and psychology?

Luz knew that need, or at least understood that Rose needed to develop strength in her magic so she could use it more efficiently. She'd needed that herself when she weas starting out on the Isles, it was why Eda had enrolled her into Hexside. She would always be grateful to her for that, amongst other things.

I know what you mean. But we can work on that together. I know it'll take some time, but if I can help you make an ideal place in Trench, I'll do it, ok?

I think we all might want that.

Luz knew it was something that was pretty daunting. After all, being a kid of the internet and media, she knew that there was still a lot that she needed to find out herself. She wasn't arrogant enough to think she knew about everything, and was still learning about growing up with every person she met.

Mythical creature in a pretty great book series. A little after your time, but if you get old in your world, you'll be able to read about it then. Bet you can find it here though!

Oh, Luz is the perfect person to ask about that kind of thing!

Gaining strength in what she could do would help her a great deal. Despite her karate training, she still felt terribly inadequate in comparison to everyone else. Which she knew intellectually was ridiculous, this was only her second full month here, she couldn't be expected to pick up on everything immediately. But the feeling of helplessness still gnawed at her belly.

I know you will. I trust you completely.

Rose had been expected to be a Society woman, a wife. No matter what she'd wished for herself, those were the targets she was aimed for. And it was like being in one of those rumored vaults where the walls would close in on someone until they figured out the trick or died. That was how her life had felt until Jack.

I'll try to find it here, first. I'm in no hurry to grow old back home, not when I have an entire life ahead of me with so much to explore.

She dreamed of seeing the world, experiencing as much of it as she possibly could. Then and only then would she entertain the idea of a potential long-term relationship and marriage. Another thing which made her strange back home, but it was hard to make herself care.

Luz knew that feeling. Anytime she had no access to her magic, or she was kidnapped and sequestered against her will, she would feel pretty helpless herself. That was the rough truth: even having the ability to fight or do magic didn't mean you were completely safe.

I appreciate that. I'll make sure to do my best to steer you in the right direction!

She could gather that it had been a hard life for Rose. Wealth in those days were really more advantageous if you were a man: it meant something different if you were a woman and taught to maintain your connections and keep a straight face.

And of course it reminded her all too much of a certain someone.

Exactly! So why don't you come with me, so I can make you some tea and we can talk some more?

Hopefully that would at least ease her away from those awful butterflies.

Rose had been relatively safe in her old life, but it would have come at the cost of her own soul and so, she couldn't allow it. She wanted to become strong, though, both physically and with her powers. She was sure she wouldn't be satisfied with anything less, she'd use her gifts to take care of those she cared for.

I know you will. I do.

She didn't envy Cal's eventual wife. She would be expected to maintain her connections and keep a straight face, no matter how boorish her husband could be. She had her chance to step forward and admit that she'd lived that day when Cal came to the Steerage deck on the Carpathia, apparently looking for her, but she'd chosen to remain hidden, even though that meant she had no real idea of how she'd survive in the ordinary world.

She wasn't sure who that someone was.

Tea...tea would be nice. And scones?

Whomever came up with the idea to combine chocolate and raspberries together in a scone was a genius.

Luz knew that Rose was a good person and would strive to use her powers to help. Luz wanted to make sure that she had that chance too, because so much could go wrong if Rose didn't have the proper guidance, or was too scared to even try.

I'm glad!

And she was too- Luz was not about to let anyone get to Rose while she was still learning how to gather up her strength and get better physically and mentally. She'd been through so much already, Luz wanted to make sure that she'd be able to deal with it all on her own soon!

And from what she'd seen of Rose's courage, she wasn't too far off. She reminded her of OTHER Rose, the one that was courageous and brave despite not having magic or strength at her side.

That's a great combination! All right, let's do that!

She wanted to, anyway. Things like mind reading, dream walking, precognition were all powerful skills on their own. Add them all together and it was a cocktail for worry as Rose had never known anyone who could summon even one of those skills, much less all at once. She wanted to do good.

So am I. You're my best friend here. You should know that.

In just a short amount of time with Luz, she'd found more in common and more to care about than she had with years in finishing school. Maybe because Luz had no patience with the sort of snooty, full of itself attitudes she'd found herself bound to for so long. Whatever the cause, Rose wasn't going to question it too strongly, she cared about the other young woman too much.

And she needed to be able to deal with it on her own soon. Every day, she feared her powers controlling her rather than her controlling her powers. Sensei-Lawrence helped, he really did, he grounded her in the here and now rather than in the distant past. And he believed in her, despite her past as a fragile, fainting-couch lady.

Perhaps there was something about the name "Rose." To be beautiful, yes, but also to be filled with thorns for those who underestimated them.

Tea and scones. Yes, please! and Rose found herself coming back into herself.

Luz was sure that Rose would be all right once they sorted everything out. Obviously things weren't going to go right quickly, she'd have to train herself. But Luz had faith she'd get through it in the end.

I am? Really? Aw! I'm super honored!

Luz had a lot of friends, but Rose had certainly become one she'd made fast friends with. It felt good, to have someone call her a best friend. She missed having those, and Rose was someone she trusted to have her back. It helped that she had more in common with Rose than she'd ever expected.

As far as what lay ahead, Luz was determined to make sure that Rose had any help that she could offer, and if she could help her with magic, she would. In time, she was sure that the two of them would be able to help each other out a lot.

Oh, I am super making sure-

"Rose? You all right?"

She needed to, or else the cost may be her own sanity. She'd struggled for so long to prove that her interest in learning wasn't a sign of some unladylike neurosis that she'd be damned if she let it get the better of her here. If for no reason other than this place taught women who wanted to learn the same as men who did. There was an equality there.

My first best friend. I swear it.

She can't possibly count the girls in finishing school or the young women around her age on the Titanic. But that still didn't mean that she didn't want that sort of tie with someone else. She imagined that even with Jack's love, it would have eventually been dissatisfying had she not made a female friend. No one could understand a woman other than another woman.

Magic would come to her eventually. Sooner rather than later if she could help it. She needed to control it, or else she couldn't control herself. But Rose wasn't well-acquainted with making friends. Pulling rank, yes. Acting as though things didn't bother her even when they were, yes. Fighting to stay in control of her own emotions and mien, certainly.

And Rose came out of her trance..."I'm all right. I swear. Let's...get some lunch?"

If there was anyone here that was going to make sure that Rose was able to access all of the information she needed, magic or otherwise, that was Luz. She recalled being in the Boiling Isles as the only human, and how the idea of a human doing magic had been thought to be impossible.

Yet it had happened, and it had given Luz hope she hadn't really had on Earth.

You don't have to swear it, Rose. I believe you!

And she meant that too. Luz was sure she couldn't begin to describe how important relationships were to Luz: she'd gone from having no friends on Earth to having more than her fair share on the Boiling Isles and then Deerington, now here. Loyalty and friendship meant a lot to Luz, and even more, anyone who actually wanted her to be their best friend.

It looked, at least, that she had shaken off the butterfly trance, and Luz put her arm around Rose and pulled her into a hug. She was really, REALLY happy those things hadn't taken her friends' joy.

"I'm glad to hear it. Sure! I'll even buy!"

Scones and all!

Rose needed reassurance most of all. That no, she wasn't going mad and yes, many people had the same powers as she had. That they were nothing to be afraid of. Not embraced, not exactly, but accepted as much as part of herself as her curly red hair.

She'd had no real hope on Earth, not until Jack Dawson had entered her life.

I know. But I wanted to say it, just the same.

The birth of relationships was also terribly important to Rose. She'd gone from having only one real relationship where someone cared about her and her feelings to having several. It seemed impossible and wonderful at the same time and Rose was reluctant to call attention to it for fear that the--the beings who ruled this world would destroy them for fun. Well, she wouldn't allow it. As much as she could, at least.

And Rose returned the hug, tears welling in her eyes. She felt hope again. Hope for herself and her future, hope for herself and her friends, hope that this place, as strange and capricious as it could be would be better than remaining the arm candy of Cal.

"N--nonsense. I'm the one who was in trouble and you saved me. Therefore, I should pick up the bill for us both."

Yay, scones!

They were going to be useful, Luz thought that much, in Rose's case. She had a very good head on her shoulders, and she just wanted the chance to use her magic correctly, preferably to no one else's detriment.

Luz was sure that could be managed!

Well, I appreciate it. I'm sure we'll learn a lot from each other!

Luz was making a lot of friendships here, and they all reminded her why she chose to come here in the first place. She couldn't just say goodby and go back: these people from Deerington meant a lot, and she hoped she would be happy in this world for right now.

Even if it did mean she was somehow a squid person.

She certainly shared Rose's trepidation about the Pthumerians, and hoped they had the best intentions for everyone. That didn't mean she wouldn't try to help others in her own way, with her own strengths.

The hug was sincere too: Luz was glad that someone as smart and as imbued with confidence as Rose would find a good life for herself here too. She wouldn't be limited to just being some rich man's arm candy. She could have her own life!

"I mean. I just thought I might have more to trade, and that way we could get more, if you wanted."

Maybe some beverages with it too!

The last thing she'd want is to use her powers against someone else. Granted, it seemed as though what she did have was best for defense, but she'd gotten entirely too annoyed with those who had her "best interests" in mind interfering with her life.

I'm sure we will, too.

Rose wasn't entirely sure she wanted to go back. Here, her lack of cash was no real problem and she could spend her days in lectures or in the archives, studying to her heart's content. Now all she needed to do was befriend one of the horses so she could (in theory) ride it in the surf. She thought that Jack would be happy she was happy here.

Thank God she'd never liked calimari. Yechh!

As long as they were using their powers for...not for good, not exactly, but limiting their interference in everyone's lives except for the occasional bit of nonsense, it was somehow all right. But Rose wanted to help people, too. She knew that other than her Paleblood powers and rudimentary mmartial arts, she was relatively helpless. That didn't mean she didn't want to try.

She could! And again, it make her reluctant to leave. There were so many kind people here, she wanted to enjoy her time with them as much as possible.

"All right, that sounds like a plan. So, shall we?"

One of Dean's beers would be nice.

Luz had no doubt that Rose was going to be careful with her powers once she started to gain an idea on how to use it. After all, she was pretty sure that there were going to be reasons for her to need it when Trench started messing with them, as it tended to do.

That would be all the better too though. There was too much that you could get caught up in when it came to thinking about your own world and everything that was needed to make you seem like a functioning person. Personally, Luz had not been able to match the way the world needed her to be, and she wound up stumbling into the demon realm at a time she truly needed it.

To each their own, Rose. Luz happened to like calamari...as well as way more squirmy things one had to eat in the Boiling Isles.

Oh, and Luz knew a thing or two about being helpless, thanks to Deerington and her first time at the Boiling Isles. She'd had Eda looking after her in the isles, but in Deerington, she'd had a few friends looking after her to help that made things so much easier, so she didn't absolutely lose it afterward.

Yes, that was a thing. She'd seen it with other people.

"We shall! You can pick the place!"

The butterflies seemed almost too easy in retrospect. There had to be at least one additional catch somewhere along the line. Maybe it was the thing where they seemed to eat hope, though that sounded like a terribly odd thing to her. Unless their own minds were open to them, no matter what?

She's doing her best to adapt to life as a normal young woman here in Trench. Snow White had taught her how to cook so at least now she didn't scald canned soup. She'd even let herself buy a salmon fillet and did her best to cook it on the stove. It was awfully plain because she didn't have the spices necessary to make it good, but at least it worked? But the very notion of a demon realm sounded horrifying.

Nope, no way, she'd eaten it a time or two as tapas because Cal liked it, but it always seemed like chewing on rubber bands to her.

And she could count on Rose being one of those friends. No way would Luz come to any real harm if Rose had anything to say about it. And she was going to do her best to make sure she did have a say.

Here, she could wear pants. Not just pants, jeans, unthinkable back home. And the people here seemed far less interested in their stations as much as what it was they could do.

"Let's go to Rocky's. I wasn't sure what I thought about IPAs at first, but I decided I liked them. Then arcade games until closing time."

Luz was just happy to get her out of that trap. She'd had far too many situations where she found herself losing hope, and for someone who tried to stay energetic and peppy, that was saying something. Still, she'd learned enough to steer clear of any Trench attacks once she had it happen to her, so that would go double for a friend she saw experiencing the same thing.

As for salmon, Luz would definitely know how to get down on that. She'd cooked fish so much at this point she could practically do it in her sleep. Deboning and descaling were still her least favorite part though.

Frying things almost always made them better.

Rose could certainly wear pants if she liked! Luz would stick with her leggings (weather permitting) and shorts, but she liked the freedom of choosing whatever she wanted to do if she so pleased.

"Ooh, speaking my language! Lead the way, m'lady."

Hope was vitally important to Rose. She'd lost it once, as she'd boarded the Titanic, bound for New York, then to Philadelphia for the Engagement Gala, but Jack had saved her in every possible way. Now she didn't know what she'd do without hope, that maybe if all else failed, she could build a happy life here.

She'd appreciate any and all help. And she may have turned in a particularly interesting piece of driftwood in addition to the usual trade in exchange for having the fish deboned and descaled for her.

As she'd realized after dropping a banana in pan she'd used to make "made from scratch taste!" pancakes. And could report back that the the pancake mix did not/i> taste like they'd been made from scratch. But the fried banana was a pleasant surprise?

Jeans were nice. Maybe she'd even try on the overalls and keep them for nice weather. Or a medium-length dress? Or a short dress? And doing what she pleased was a pleasant reality.

"I will! On to--well, not adventure, but to fun," Rose said, grinning at Luz.

faceless man counting crumpled bills // OPEN

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salmon is the best fish btw

and now I want some. also, wrap here?

Indeed! Let's get together again soon!

Preferably before the premonition of death, otherwise she'd want to just. sit there.

Oh yeah! If no one hits it, would you mind if I hit your last prompt?

Go for it! And, when do you want the premonition had?

Will do! I think toward the end of the month. Think that's when X will attack.