How are the days going so fast
Jul. 10th, 2023 08:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cornerofmadnesswith me getting so little done? I have no idea but here we are. At least I got a teeny tiny bit done for work. I also sent the solarpunk story off for consideration. If there was anything good that came out of nearly destroying my knee, it's my determination to go down swinging. I've submitted more stories in the last two years than in the last ten. Will they take it? Who knows? Probably not being a pro-rate magazine but hey I'm not a bad author.
Unlike the irises and gladiolas I've never planted bluebells. These are from Lake Katherine from a few years back, 2019. I have so many pictures of them (but not with me on this computer). They're thick there, beautiful. I love them very much and I want to hike back out to see them but they are in a tough spot for me to get to on my own post-injury. Maybe next spring.
And this time I DO have a story written for bluebells (and since AO3 was taken out today I'm actually going to do what I keep saying I'm going to do, I'm posting it here)
Title: By the Light of the Moon
Summary: Everything changes after Belos but Luz has hope, however slim. In the meantime, her friends want to celebrate the first anniversary of their moon conjuring.
Notes: Written for templefugte for the prompt Any, any, "Unless..." and also written for the allbingo prompt of luniversary. (No real content warnings, about the most questionable thing is teenagers tasting alcohol)
Willow strengthened the patch of bluebells near the Owl House, her hand moving listlessly over them. Luz couldn’t be more aware that her friend’s depressed mood had to do with her. As if rebuilding the Boiling Isles wasn’t hard enough, her friends trying to deal with her loss of magic was hard. The truth was she wouldn’t be able to stay at Hexside. She couldn’t study magic. Yes, she could fly with Stringbean and access the palisman’s magic but it wasn’t hers. The best thing to do was to go back to the Human Realm. She’d still see her friends but it wasn’t the same. It didn’t help they were all very tired and their moods rock bottom.
“Bluebells don’t ring in the human realm,” Willow said, tapping a bright blue blossom. It let out a delicate tinkle. “I missed hearing them.”
Luz managed a thin smile. “No, sorry, we don’t have musical flowers that I’m aware of.”
Willow stood and hugged Luz suddenly. “I hate that you have to go.”
“I hate that I have to go.” She would miss Willow and Gus. Was she up to having a long distance relationship with Amity? And what about Hunter, who had become a brother to her and a son to her Mami? He would stay here in the Demon Realm right? He had gained magic as she’d lost hers. Luz worried about him and his broken heart but she assumed Willow might have something to say about that. She’d caught the little looks between them.
Willow stared up at the eye-like window in the Owl’s second story. Behind it loomed Dell’s tower, something Luz hadn’t really had time to explore as much as she’d like. With a sigh she headed inside to where Amity was trying to wrestle something away from Hunter while Gus watched wide-eyed, an arm around King’s shoulders.
“Come on, Amity, haven’t you ever wondered what it’s like? Raine has Eda out for the night. It’s our chance,” Hunter argued.
“It’s your death warrant,” King snorted.
“You’re the law-abiding one. Has Luz worn off on you?” Amity asked, giving the jug another tug, using abomination hands.
“Hey!” Luz protested. “What are you two doing?”
“I just want to try a little of Eda’s hard apple blood, see what it’s like compared to the stuff they give us,” Hunter said, pulling back again.
“King’s right. Eda will kill you.” Luz patted his shoulder. “If you manage to wrestle it away from Amity, let me have a taste. We just can’t take enough that Eda will notice it’s gone.”
“Luz.” Amity rolled her eyes and let go. Hunter nearly ended up on his backside.
He uncapped the jug and took a sip. “Hey, that’s not bad.” Wiping the mouth, he handed the jug to Luz.
She wrinkled her nose. “That stuff stinks.” She tasted a sip. “Nope, gross. It’s yours.”
Hunter offered it to Willow and Amity who both held up their hands. Gus took a sip and made a face. Shrugging, Hunter went into the kitchen and came back with a mug of it. “What are the plans for tonight?”
“You know what night this is,” Gus said. “It’s our luniversary.”
As if everything wasn’t depressing enough, Luz didn’t need that reminder. She glanced out the window. “The moon is beginning to rise but I can’t help with the moon conjuring, not this time.”
“You don’t know that,” Amity slipped a hand around Luz’s waist.
“Unless….” Willow shot Amity a look.
Amity kissed Luz’s cheek. “You might not have magic but with Stringbean’s help maybe you can be part of the conjuring circle.”
“Eda wanted to be part of it this time,” Luz said. “I wonder why she left.”
“Raine is good talker. They can talk you into anything.” Hunter shrugged. “Or maybe they wanted you to have your luniversary with your friends.”
“This time, try not to animate the house.” King said.
“Hooty’s off with Lilith so maybe that’s off the table,” Luz said. “All right. We can try it.”
“And if it isn’t working, you can always let go of our hands,” Gus said. “And you’re part of this circle too, Hunter, so finish up your being bad escapade while there’s no adult supervision and help us find something to animate.”
“Not that little buff boy doll!” Willow added hurriedly. “Let’s actually do something beautiful this time.”
“Like what?” Hunter took a deep swallow of the apple blood. Luz worried about it. Turning to alcoholic drinks was too easy in depression. She’d talk to him another night. Hopefully, he was just being a teenager with this bit of rebellion.
“I know!” Willow raced upstairs and then back down them before darting outside.
“I think your girlfriend’s brain broke.” Luz nudged Hunter. He went red to the tips of his ears and downed his appleblood without a word. “That wasn’t a denial.”
“It wasn’t an affirmation either.” He leaned close and whispered, “But maybe.”
Was that Willow was his girlfriend now or her brain broke Luz didn’t get a chance to ask. Willow returned with Hunter’s frog plushie with some bluebells wrapped around its arms. He flushed. He’d been embarrassed to have them see the toy he’d slept with when they found the ruins of his room in the half-destroyed castle but he hadn’t left it behind either. It was probably the only comfort he’d ever known in his life there and how sad was that?
“We can use the moon magic to animate this!” Willow declared.
“I still can’t believe you three animated the whole house last time when Boscha, Skarra and I couldn’t animate anything,” Amity grumbled and everyone avoided the topic of how much Amity had hated Luz then.
“Like King said, let’s try not to repeat that,” Luz said. “Let’s get in the circle. We don’t want to miss our once a year chance.”
Willow set the bluebell decorated plushie down and sat between Hunter and Gus. Luz took her seat on the floor between King and Amity. Everyone joined hands. Stringbean stirred around Luz’s neck. She mimicked the plushie and sat on Luz’s shoulder. Luz felt the tingle of magic passing through her, she’d swear to it. As the moon rose into position, the plushie rose up. Amity, Willow, and Gus took turns breaking the circle to take shots and videos with their pentsagrams. Luz needed to get herself one. They might not be able to reach between realms but they should work there. She would love to show this to her mom.
“It’s not the end, Luz,” Amity said softly. “It’s just a new beginning.”
“For us all.” Hunter pressed a hand to his chest, doubtless thinking about Flapjack.
Luz stifled a sniffle. “I know. It’s scary, like most new beginnings too.”
And it was all that, new scary, uncertain but Luz had an advantage. She knew she could do anything if she put her mind to it. Her self-doubt had been burned away with everything with Belos. She might have to relearn how to do magic. She might have to go to a human school but her future was here. She knew it. She’d just have to find her way back to it somehow.
I keep forgetting this
I got this for my story A Heart Afraid of Breaking.![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
unconventionalcourtship is a fun community (once a year ficathon, check it out)
Also since it's music monday and this post is The Owl House heavy have three fan songs written by Oh Geez. I think they're very good.
Unlike the irises and gladiolas I've never planted bluebells. These are from Lake Katherine from a few years back, 2019. I have so many pictures of them (but not with me on this computer). They're thick there, beautiful. I love them very much and I want to hike back out to see them but they are in a tough spot for me to get to on my own post-injury. Maybe next spring.
And this time I DO have a story written for bluebells (and since AO3 was taken out today I'm actually going to do what I keep saying I'm going to do, I'm posting it here)
Title: By the Light of the Moon
Summary: Everything changes after Belos but Luz has hope, however slim. In the meantime, her friends want to celebrate the first anniversary of their moon conjuring.
Notes: Written for templefugte for the prompt Any, any, "Unless..." and also written for the allbingo prompt of luniversary. (No real content warnings, about the most questionable thing is teenagers tasting alcohol)
Willow strengthened the patch of bluebells near the Owl House, her hand moving listlessly over them. Luz couldn’t be more aware that her friend’s depressed mood had to do with her. As if rebuilding the Boiling Isles wasn’t hard enough, her friends trying to deal with her loss of magic was hard. The truth was she wouldn’t be able to stay at Hexside. She couldn’t study magic. Yes, she could fly with Stringbean and access the palisman’s magic but it wasn’t hers. The best thing to do was to go back to the Human Realm. She’d still see her friends but it wasn’t the same. It didn’t help they were all very tired and their moods rock bottom.
“Bluebells don’t ring in the human realm,” Willow said, tapping a bright blue blossom. It let out a delicate tinkle. “I missed hearing them.”
Luz managed a thin smile. “No, sorry, we don’t have musical flowers that I’m aware of.”
Willow stood and hugged Luz suddenly. “I hate that you have to go.”
“I hate that I have to go.” She would miss Willow and Gus. Was she up to having a long distance relationship with Amity? And what about Hunter, who had become a brother to her and a son to her Mami? He would stay here in the Demon Realm right? He had gained magic as she’d lost hers. Luz worried about him and his broken heart but she assumed Willow might have something to say about that. She’d caught the little looks between them.
Willow stared up at the eye-like window in the Owl’s second story. Behind it loomed Dell’s tower, something Luz hadn’t really had time to explore as much as she’d like. With a sigh she headed inside to where Amity was trying to wrestle something away from Hunter while Gus watched wide-eyed, an arm around King’s shoulders.
“Come on, Amity, haven’t you ever wondered what it’s like? Raine has Eda out for the night. It’s our chance,” Hunter argued.
“It’s your death warrant,” King snorted.
“You’re the law-abiding one. Has Luz worn off on you?” Amity asked, giving the jug another tug, using abomination hands.
“Hey!” Luz protested. “What are you two doing?”
“I just want to try a little of Eda’s hard apple blood, see what it’s like compared to the stuff they give us,” Hunter said, pulling back again.
“King’s right. Eda will kill you.” Luz patted his shoulder. “If you manage to wrestle it away from Amity, let me have a taste. We just can’t take enough that Eda will notice it’s gone.”
“Luz.” Amity rolled her eyes and let go. Hunter nearly ended up on his backside.
He uncapped the jug and took a sip. “Hey, that’s not bad.” Wiping the mouth, he handed the jug to Luz.
She wrinkled her nose. “That stuff stinks.” She tasted a sip. “Nope, gross. It’s yours.”
Hunter offered it to Willow and Amity who both held up their hands. Gus took a sip and made a face. Shrugging, Hunter went into the kitchen and came back with a mug of it. “What are the plans for tonight?”
“You know what night this is,” Gus said. “It’s our luniversary.”
As if everything wasn’t depressing enough, Luz didn’t need that reminder. She glanced out the window. “The moon is beginning to rise but I can’t help with the moon conjuring, not this time.”
“You don’t know that,” Amity slipped a hand around Luz’s waist.
“Unless….” Willow shot Amity a look.
Amity kissed Luz’s cheek. “You might not have magic but with Stringbean’s help maybe you can be part of the conjuring circle.”
“Eda wanted to be part of it this time,” Luz said. “I wonder why she left.”
“Raine is good talker. They can talk you into anything.” Hunter shrugged. “Or maybe they wanted you to have your luniversary with your friends.”
“This time, try not to animate the house.” King said.
“Hooty’s off with Lilith so maybe that’s off the table,” Luz said. “All right. We can try it.”
“And if it isn’t working, you can always let go of our hands,” Gus said. “And you’re part of this circle too, Hunter, so finish up your being bad escapade while there’s no adult supervision and help us find something to animate.”
“Not that little buff boy doll!” Willow added hurriedly. “Let’s actually do something beautiful this time.”
“Like what?” Hunter took a deep swallow of the apple blood. Luz worried about it. Turning to alcoholic drinks was too easy in depression. She’d talk to him another night. Hopefully, he was just being a teenager with this bit of rebellion.
“I know!” Willow raced upstairs and then back down them before darting outside.
“I think your girlfriend’s brain broke.” Luz nudged Hunter. He went red to the tips of his ears and downed his appleblood without a word. “That wasn’t a denial.”
“It wasn’t an affirmation either.” He leaned close and whispered, “But maybe.”
Was that Willow was his girlfriend now or her brain broke Luz didn’t get a chance to ask. Willow returned with Hunter’s frog plushie with some bluebells wrapped around its arms. He flushed. He’d been embarrassed to have them see the toy he’d slept with when they found the ruins of his room in the half-destroyed castle but he hadn’t left it behind either. It was probably the only comfort he’d ever known in his life there and how sad was that?
“We can use the moon magic to animate this!” Willow declared.
“I still can’t believe you three animated the whole house last time when Boscha, Skarra and I couldn’t animate anything,” Amity grumbled and everyone avoided the topic of how much Amity had hated Luz then.
“Like King said, let’s try not to repeat that,” Luz said. “Let’s get in the circle. We don’t want to miss our once a year chance.”
Willow set the bluebell decorated plushie down and sat between Hunter and Gus. Luz took her seat on the floor between King and Amity. Everyone joined hands. Stringbean stirred around Luz’s neck. She mimicked the plushie and sat on Luz’s shoulder. Luz felt the tingle of magic passing through her, she’d swear to it. As the moon rose into position, the plushie rose up. Amity, Willow, and Gus took turns breaking the circle to take shots and videos with their pentsagrams. Luz needed to get herself one. They might not be able to reach between realms but they should work there. She would love to show this to her mom.
“It’s not the end, Luz,” Amity said softly. “It’s just a new beginning.”
“For us all.” Hunter pressed a hand to his chest, doubtless thinking about Flapjack.
Luz stifled a sniffle. “I know. It’s scary, like most new beginnings too.”
And it was all that, new scary, uncertain but Luz had an advantage. She knew she could do anything if she put her mind to it. Her self-doubt had been burned away with everything with Belos. She might have to relearn how to do magic. She might have to go to a human school but her future was here. She knew it. She’d just have to find her way back to it somehow.
I keep forgetting this
I got this for my story A Heart Afraid of Breaking.
unconventionalcourtship is a fun community (once a year ficathon, check it out)Also since it's music monday and this post is The Owl House heavy have three fan songs written by Oh Geez. I think they're very good.
Thoughts
Date: 2023-07-11 05:17 am (UTC)Nailed it.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2023-07-11 07:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-07-11 09:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-07-11 07:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-07-11 03:31 pm (UTC)The photo was so pretty. I hope you're able to rediscover the bluebell patch. I know the feels of post-injury life and new limitations all too well.
no subject
Date: 2023-07-11 07:29 pm (UTC)Yeah, you definitely get the post-injury limits
no subject
Date: 2023-07-18 04:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-07-18 08:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-07-19 12:21 am (UTC)In all seriousness, I get SO worried about archiving shows. Even the big hits like Stranger Things aren't being released on BluRay anymore. And The Owl House is especially worth preserving!
no subject
Date: 2023-07-19 02:41 am (UTC)