[MASK OR MENACE] IC Contact

[stylistic_disloyalty]

"Funny enough I'm not going to lie here-- I definitely saw your call but I'm going to decide whether or not to respond based on how interesting the message is. I'd make it good. Maybe I'll change your contact to 'Yeah, This is Worth Answering'."


( Voice / Text / Action )

Comments

[pummelgranite]

I don't want to.

[ then before she can answer ]

Not- not forever, maybe I just-

[stylistic_disloyalty]

[...oh.]

[Shit. Affirmation in the wrong direction. Hold on, back up--]

Then don't, you're not obligated to be a. A trick pony. A pony who does tricks? Wait, hang on... [Is 'trick pony' even a turn of phrase? She can't be clever right out of sleep.]

You know what I mean. Look, darling, you know me-- if nobody's looking I get twitchy, but that doesn't have to be you. Lovely as you are, turning everyone inside out, don't do it if you don't want to.

[pummelgranite]

[ there's a fond little snort as the breaks squeal for Luci's mental 180 ]

I know- I mean I know I don't have to.

[stylistic_disloyalty]

[She had a good run, but she used all her awareness when they were laying on the floor in Hades. Clearly the proverbial batteries have not recharged, and Luci winces when she hears that snort. Yeah, yeah they both know that was clumsy.]

Do you need somebody to tell you it's okay? [No accusation or indication that Luci thinks that's ridiculous, she'll give it to Laura if she needs it.]

[pummelgranite]

Mm, I dunno. I knew you would if I did.

[ Her enigma-wrapped-in-a-mystery takes mercy for once and rolls over so they can actually look at each other. ]

Do you ever miss being Elanor?

[stylistic_disloyalty]

[That's not the question she was expecting, and her face probably says as much. She's thought about it before, of course, but never out loud.]

[After looking at Laura's lips for a moment, giving it the thought it probably deserves, she finally speaks again.]

You want to know a secret? [She smiles faintly.] I never wanted to be Lucifer. But I didn't want to be Eleanor either. I don't know where that leaves me. At Luci, I guess.

[pummelgranite]

[ it's her turn to smooth her lover's hair back ]

You don't have to either, you know, if you don't want to.

[stylistic_disloyalty]

Mm. [She nuzzles into the touch.] It didn't really seem like an option until recently. I figured I was cast in my role and nothing would change that, even if I tried.

[Her forehead wrinkles as she presses into Laura's hand.] I wish I could call myself something that feels completely right, like you do. I'm not the myth, but I'm not who I was-- for the better, in some cases, but that does leave me in a strange in-between... I have to want something.

[Hell, how does she always manage to make it about her?] ...Do you wish you could go back to before all of this and be that Laura?

[pummelgranite]

I-

[ the question takes some thought. It seems like she should be able to say "of course." That she's coming to love herself besides as a vessel for this power. That she's Learned Her Lesson and is ready to be humble in exchange for some peace. That maybe she wouldn't mind living as Laura instead of dying as Persephone.

But she can't think of it in terms just about herself anymore. ]

Not without you.

[stylistic_disloyalty]

Mm. That's perfect.

[Luci leans in and kisses Laura's forehead.]

Not without you. I would rather die as Lucifer with Laura, than live a life as Eleanor without.

[pummelgranite]

[ her nose scrunches, in the way it does ]

Mm, but I mean it. If you don't wanna be Luci, we can find a way, especially here.

[stylistic_disloyalty]

Shh, Eleanor is a terrible name and I hate everything it stands forrr... [Luci croons against Laura's temple with a silly grin.]

Luci is fine. Luci I at least somewhat chose. What I need to get rid of, really, is this... feeling that I'm saddled with being who Ananke wanted me to be. The eternal scapegoat, dragging every Lucifer with me while I try to live the way I want to.

[pummelgranite]

I didn't mean Eleanor. Feels like there's a nobody came joke just waiting to happen.

[ she hums thoughtfully, petting lazy circles on Luci's collar bone ]

It's different here, right? Where you say "the devil" and it's actually- you know. Literally twelve wings and three million years in hell and all that. But the Performance, that's something no one else can do, not even the real gods.

[stylistic_disloyalty]

What joke? That was my life! [Luci groans in remembered, dramatic despair.] Not even a bullet to keep me warm, what a dark time! Let me tell you all about it in intense, boring detail, Laura! [She laughs and gives Laura a playful, brief squeeze before her hands go right back to Laura's waist. Just talking, with a little terrible behavior.]

You have a point, though. With actual, literal Satan running around, it could be easier. Or more tricky, depending. He did go on a rampage and would have definitely killed you if he'd had the chance, darling. [She takes a deep breath and lets it out.] Well, maybe if you don't want to perform, you can help me rebrand, hm?

[pummelgranite]

I don't think he'd kill me. I think we're friends? Or- we're something.


Rebranding though . . . might be- I dunno, freeing?

[stylistic_disloyalty]

Maybe not now but back when Zygote-Laura showed up to give me and Inanna collective heart-failure? That little incident? Now he just runs around ticking off Cassandra-- which I can't exactly object to.

Maybe. [She shrugs. Either way, it's something for Laura to do instead of worry that she should be performing.] The old story was a good foundation, but if I'm going to stop weighing myself down I have to cut it loose. [Luci snorts.] Is it too meta to rebel against my current rebel-persona?

[pummelgranite]

Oh my god. [ She did. she did forget that incident. it's been quite the summer. ] I thought we weren't talking about that.

I don't think you could be "too" anything. What are you thinking?

[stylistic_disloyalty]

Oh we are talking about that. [She cackles and rocks with Laura in her arms. Yes, she will embarrass Laura if she can.]

I don't know. [She smiles, a little distant, a little thoughtful.] I really don't. I think... people need to hear what I'm saying, but how I'm saying it... I want that to be more mine than Ananke's, now.

[pummelgranite]

Oi. [ she grouses, but also takes this important opportunity to lay directly on top of Luci ]

I think they do too. Especially here.

[stylistic_disloyalty]

[Luci takes this very important development like a champ, only letting out a little 'oof' as Laura rolls onto her. She continues to grin like she did absolutely nothing wrong, and folds her hands over the small of Laura's back.]

No kidding. All of this encouragement to follow the law? Join up or die? [Luci looks at the tattoo that's been on her wrist for over a year now, softly glowing, 'UNSETTLED' as always. It feels a little more relevant now that they're having this conversation.] Big fancy parties if you join, I hear. [She smirks and refolds her hands over Laura.] Bet it would annoy somebody if I held a big fancy party for anybody who wasn't so hot on joining.

[pummelgranite]

[ her beautiful toasty bodypillow ]

Count Dooku tried having a counter-party once. It kinda sucked.