cornerofmadness

Not a lot of that today after the storm last night. It didn't rain and it DID cool down so that was welcome. Today was mostly working on syllabi and editing. My Mall story is ready to go. Thanks to all who helped make that happen.

I did write the most tangential story for today's prompt of yellow roses. I had another idea for hyacinth that didn't get written (yet) I mean Yellow roses were mention like in two lines but here you go. You can read it here on AO3

Title: Catching Up
author: < lj user="cornerofmadness">
Summary: Luz has returned to the Boiling Isles for a special event but before that, she needs to catch up with everyone. Besides, they might help get her writing project unstuck
Rating: teen
Notes: Written for Spikesgirl58’s six words challenge. The six words were Courageous, Uttermost, Underwear, Guarded, Conquer, & Relation and also written for evil_little_dog in comment_fic for the prompt of Any, F+F, The Bangles. Additionally written for the allbingo prompt of candlelight dinner and the sunshine_challenge of yellow roses.

“I’m trying my uttermost to finish this project on time.” Luz kicked her feet up on Amity’s couch. The whole team was back together for an important event and Luz couldn’t be happier. Scratch that, she could if glyphs worked again. She stroked Stringbean’s back, taking in the lush appointments of Amity’s dad’s living room. She had never had the opportunity to spend much time in Amity’s home. “But…”

Amity squeezed in between Luz’s feet and the arm of the couch. “But what? You’ve been updating us on the story. It sounds good.”

“I love that it’s fiction in your world and biographical in ours,” Gus said where he was camped out on the floor with Hunter and Edric next to Willow’s chair. Emira looked on from the window seat, more interested in her Pentsagram than Luz’s vacation in the Boiling Isles.

“Thanks, but, I can’t find the ending. It keeps coming out all ‘the courageous witch-in-training, Luz set out to stop Belos’s genocidal plans never thinking she might conquer the heart of a cotton candy haired goddess in the process.”

“You write that, I will tell King and let him retch on your paper.” Hunter smirked and Willow flicked the tip of his ear. He lazily batted at her hand.

“Listen here, Mr. Rulerz Reach Fan, you do that and you will not like how you show up in this story.” Luz narrowed her eyes at him.

“I already don’t,” he muttered, dropping his head against the arm of Willow’s chair.

“It’s fine. You have the best redemption arc.” Willow trailed her fingers through his hair and he leaned into her touch. “Luz will work it in eventually.”

He’d left his hair long on top but buzz cut the sides. Luz wondered when he’d done that but suspected it was at three in the morning in a dysphoric fit of anxiety after a nightmare about Belos and Caleb again.

“Willow’s right. One day, probably in college, I’ll write the whole thing as a series of books,” she said. “But for now, it’s a short story in want of an ending.”

“And I like that the Golden Guard is quite guarded in this part of the story,” Willow said. “Maybe work more of that into the ending.”

“That’s not how I’d have put it,” he grumbled.

“You threatened my girlfriend and left all my friends to Kikimora’s tender mercies.” Luz sniffed. “You’re lucky you aren’t a complete dick in this story.”

“None of which would have happened if they hadn’t taken me prisoner first,” Hunter protested.

“He has a point.” Amity tickled her fingers up Luz’s leg. “And why don’t you end it with your best friends nursed you back to health while your awesome girlfriend brought you back something to help you get home. Oh, and the Gold Guard slinks back to the castle in defeat.”

“Hey! I didn’t…okay I did kinda slink back but I had the key so not in defeat.”

“I guess that’s better than me trying to overstuff this short story. Thanks guys.”

“Though I did notice Amity really shines in this and the others are …less shiny,” Edric teased.

Luz flapped a hand at him. “They’re fine though sometimes it’s hard to keep the over the top heroism when all you can do is picture them as your besties. Once you see someone in their underwear the shiny wears off a little.” She flushed. “I mean…it’s a figure of speech!”

Gus elbowed Hunter. “What did you do on your last visit?”

Hunter reddened. “Nothing! I don’t want to know what Luz was doing if she caught sight of me in my underpants. Though, it was hot enough that all I wanted to do was lie around in them, sweating.”

Luz flung a couch pillow at him. “I wasn’t doing anything! Figure of speech! I swear it! Who knows what you’d have been doing lying around in your underpants.”

“I have a fair idea.” Amity rolled her eyes.

“Amity!” Hunter’s blush deepened as his friends laughed.

“What? I have a brother the same age as you. I know what you get up to.”

“Just expose me,” Edric groaned at the same time Emira said, “Right?”

“I was not doing anything like that in Camilla’s house.” Hunter threw the pillow back at Luz. She tried to catch it but it hit her square in the face.

“Don’t look at me,” Amity said. “You’re the one who claimed him as a relation, Luz. I could have told you brothers are more trouble than they’re worth.”

“Hurtful.” Edric pouted.

“And now we’re stuck with another one. I thought Darius and Hunter would move out of our house but that never happened. What did happen is so much worse.” Emira shook her head and shuddered.

“Darius is dating Alador? Hunter told me but I didn’t believe him.” Luz swept her feet off the couch and sat up. She tugged Amity into a hug.

“He didn’t lie. It has been…an adjustment.” Amity squeezed Luz back. “They are in turns super cute and super annoying.”

“They’re loud, that’s what they are,” Hunter said, and all the Blight siblings shivered in concert.

“So loud,” Amity groaned.

“So traumatizing. It’s like thanks for something else I have to tell my therapist.” Hunter caught Willow’s hand and rested his scarred cheek against it.

Luz shuddered along with Amity. “That’s not going into the story. Okay, so story unstuck, now we can concentrate on what I really came back for, Grom night!”

“Ed actually found a date this time.” Emira laughed. “I have two.”

“Add that one to your trauma bag, Hunter.” Luz laughed.

“I’m good with that. I can’t wait to see what Willow’s wearing. She won’t tell me other than it’s green. I almost have my suit jacket done,” Hunter replied.

“It’s adorable. He has flowers and stars on it,” Willow said.

“Can’t wait to see it.”

“And I have yellow roses for all of us to wear, hair barrette or corsage, your choice.” Willow beamed.

“Hair barrette! That will be so pretty, Willow. Thank you! So, Gus you’re still willing to escort Vee, right?” Luz asked.

“If she doesn’t mind that I’ll be emceeing the event.”

“That’s fine. I was thinking a nice romantic candlelight dinner ahead of time for me and you, Amity.” Luz kissed her cheek. “And a certain someone might want to put some thought into that.”

Hunter held up a hand. “Way ahead of you. I have the Top of the Tower already booked.”

“Ooo, that’s so fancy.” Willow bounced on her seat.

“I knew all the places my uncle squirreled away plenty of snails.” Hunter waggled his eyebrows. “But I was wondering if I could crash at your place afterwards, Gus. Or maybe at Eda’s.”

“She’d probably make you sleep out on the roof.” Luz laughed.

“I’m totally fine with sleeping on the roof or up in that tower of hers,” Hunter empathetically reassured her.

Gus cocked his head to the side. “I’ll check with Dad but why?”

“Because I heard Darius telling Eber that since we were all out of the house that night, he had big plans for Alador and I do not want to stumble into any of what that might be.” Hunter made a face.

“Take me with you,” Edric begged. “I will sleep on the roof right next to you.”

“Want to make it a girl’s night at Eda’s place, Luz?” Emira shot her a pleading look.

“How about a slumber party?” Luz clapped her hands together. “All of us. Eda might go for it. Or maybe she has tents we can use and we can watch the stars and the sea from there.”

“You know, if Grom doesn’t get us first.” Gus snorted.

“I like that idea,” Amity said. “I’m not coming back here either. And a big yes to the candlelit dinner. Go beat some snails out of Hunter and we can have fine dining too.”

Hunter scowled. “Your dad is rich, go rob him.”

“He has a point. Come with me.” Luz jumped to her feet and tugged Amity after her. She led her girlfriend to another room. “Sorry, didn’t want to do this in front of others.”

“Oh?” Amity arched her brow.

“Just thought it would be cool if we had a couple’s accent for our outfits.” Luz pulled two golden bangles out of her pocket. They had crystal stars, moons, and suns on them. “In the human realm, bracelets don’t mean…they’re not like exchanging jewelry here…it’s not like I’m asking….”

Amity stopped her with a kiss. “Of course, you’re not. We’re still barely fifteen. It’s just a gift from my awesome girlfriend and it’s beautiful.”

Luz slipped over Amity’s hand and let her pose with it a few times. Amity studied it more closely as Luz put hers on too. They held hands, the bangles jangling together. “It’s not so scary anymore, is it?” Luz said, thinking of the first time they held hands.

“Not at all.” Amity reeled her in for another kiss. “I’m showing mine off. It’ll look gorgeous with my outfit. Thank you, Luz.”

Luz gave Amity’s hand a squeeze. “You’re welcome.”

Still holding hands, they walked back into the living room where their friends were chatting about their various plans for Grom Night.

It suddenly hit Luz she’d forgotten something rather important. She slapped her forehead with her free hand. “I can’t believe I forgot to ask. Who’s the Grom royalty this year?”

“Hunter,” Willow said. She and Gus both nervously looked at Hunter who was shockingly calm.

Luz swallowed hard. She could only imagine what horrors Grom would take after reading Hunter’s mind. “I like that you think we’ll live to make it to a slumber party after that.”

“I’ve got it,” Hunter said, sounding more like the Golden Guard than he had in a long time.

“Titan, I sure hope so.” Gus rubbed his arms.

“Why do I think we should be hiding weapons in our fancy dress?” Luz mumbled.

“Because you’re smart,” Amity whispered in her ear.

“Do you honestly think Grom could do worse to me than Belos?” Hunter widened his eyes at them.

Luz made a finger gun at him, her bangle spinning on her wrist. “Fair point.” A sad point, but a fair one, though she didn’t like thinking about it. “Okay, so let’s talk party strategies.”

As the conversation turned lively again, Luz felt a pang in her gut. She missed this. She missed this place. She couldn’t steal more time away to be here but she would take what she could get. And if Hunter faltered facing Grom, he had the best back up team ever.

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