Logs:Fight Your Good Fight

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Cast

Lux and Teagan

Setting

Rooftop, near Club Vertigo

Log

It's not that hard to find Teagan if you can't find them anywhere else and know anything about their habits: go to the rooftops near Club Vertigo and Rainbow Road, somewhere around closing time, and wait. If Teagan isn't visible, and they want to talk to you, they'll be visible soon enough.

At the moment, they're not bothering to hide, though: lurking above Club Vertigo like some sort of erstwhile Batqueer, Teagan is sitting on the edge of the rooftop, one foot dangling down a bit, planted like Spider-Man about to walk down the face of the building. Best not to think about the spider they probably ate a bit ago. They don't. Instead, they drink one of the beers they brought -- Yuengling, of course, their local shitty beer of choice -- and watch the comings and goings below.

It's not hard to notice Lux coming. They're not Light-Shyed, and they're running at full speed across the rooftops. Jumping from building to building, vaulting over the edge of roofs, grabbing window sills and drain pipes to haul themself up and over obstacles. They leave streaks of neon light behind them, and soon enough they launch themself across a gap of a building and tuck and roll onto the rooftop Teagan is crouched on.

They let themself roll back onto their ass, breathing heavily, skin covered with a thin sheen of sweat. They don't look surprised to see Teagan, but they don't immediately greet them, watching with glowing eyes.

Waiting to see how the mirrorskin reacts to the stink of lies around them.

They watch the Bright One coming, leaned back on their hands, and the second that Lux lands...

... nothing happens.

Surely Teagan knows and can smell the stink of lies on them? They don't move, though. They just lean forward, looking down at the street below, and then sit up, take the last swallow of their beer, and set the empty bottle aside. Then, and only then, do they swing their gaze to look at Lux, reflecting bits and pieces of neon in those shattered mirrors their Keeper used to replace their eyes.

"The fuck did you do." Well hello to you too, Teagan.

Lux doesn't bother trying to look past the surface. This time they don't want to see the truth. Seeing that reflected in a mirror is just too much.

Their shoulders lift, taking a few deep breaths before they reply. "Broke a Sealing." They're not nonchalant about it--hardly that, but they've reached the point of acceptance rather than just brooding. Yeah, they know they fucked up.

They click their tongue against the roof of their mouth. "That fucking sucks," Teagan replies, and reaches to the other side of themself to pick up a beer, turning to hand it over to Lux. "I'm glad you weren't, like, coming to turn yourself in after breaking the Freehold Oath or some shit. I mean I would have taken you in and all, but fuck, that would have sucked more."

Their shoulders roll lazily. "What do I need to know about it? Or is this some personal shit that's just reflecting badly on you?" That's probably not even a joke.

Lux rolls up to their feet and walks over, accepting the beer. "Oh... naw. I'm so not noble enough for that shit. You think I'd be seen anywhere near this city if I broke the Freehold Oath?" They plop down beside them. "...Not that I'm gonna, I mean..." They pop open the beer and take a sip. "It's personal shit. I made a stupid promise--which turned out I was unable to keep." The Bright One looks down over the street rather than at Teagan, lips pursing, shoulders low.

Their laughter is not the bright, brilliant thing that it normally is, but a low, rolling chuckle, wry. "I mean, I dunno. Depends on why you broke it and what you'd get out of turning yourself in, I guess. But ... I guess not." They shift their weight a little, absently checking the side of their hip where their machete is concealed, making sure it is, in fact, concealed. "That fucking sucks. You're gonna fix it?"

"Don't worry," they reply after a sip of beer. "If I wanted you to wrestle me into handcuffs, I'd just ask." The flirting isn't as bright as it usually is, but--trying to lighten the mood a bit.

They sigh, flopping backwards to stretch out on their back. "Yeah. I'm working on it. Turns out people don't forgive you easily when you fuck up this bad, though."

Now that brings one of their brighter laughs, though Teagan isn't exactly throwing back their head in amusement. "And me without my handcuffs on hand," the Mirrorskin sighs. They reach to grab another beer for themself, twist it open. "Yeaaaah," they sigh. "This is why I know how to turn back time. Saves people from breaking promises. Well. It doesn't. But it makes it not happen and gives them a chance to not do it."

There's surely a story there, but Teagan doesn't offer it. "Working on it's good, though. 's'all you can do when you fuck up."

"Know what the stupidest thing is? I can do that." Their expression sours, staring at the bottle a moment before taking a longer gulp. "Wish I had. Just ended up sitting in shock when I realized what I'd done, like a fucking idiot, until it was too late."

"What's done is done, though. No where to go but forward. Maybe I'll learn to be less impulsive."

And there, Teagan just winces. "I mean, I imagine it's probably easier when it's someone else doing the promise-breaking, and you're just reacting, like 'oh fuck no, don't do that'." They take in a long breath, let it out slowly. "But yeah, there's not much time to react, so... "

"Hmmph," they grunt. "Well, if it's any consolation, if someone else had saved you, you'd still have to deal with it. Because it would have happened to them, even if they saved you from walking around like... this." A vague gesture. "Not that this isn't, you know, generally hot as fuck, but." But the whole Oathbreaker thing. Yeah.

"Anyway, what the fuck else is new?"

"Hmm. Yeah, probably." They frown. "Don't gotta bullshit me, Teagan. I know this isn't a cute look," they mutter.

They don't bother sitting up to drink--just do the awkward head tilt and tip the bottle enough to pour the beer into their mouth, then licks their lips. "Ehh. Dealing with life in general. Got a job painting a mural? Looking into starting a street artist collective, too. Which is... fuckin' weird. Usually I'm allergic to responsibility."

"Oathbreaker is not a good look, but you, generally, hot as fuck. Important distinction, but yes, that part is a shitty look." Their shoulders rise and fall lazily, and they look aside at Lux as the Bright One talks.

"No shit? Cool. Murals are rad as fuck. This city actually having some is ... " Teagan pauses. "It was way less of a Thing when I first came back. Now they're everywhere. I could do without the one lionizing the dead cops on North Broad, but most of 'em are really cool. Where's yours gonna go?" A swallow of beer. "And like, getting paid to do that? Fuck yeah."

Their eyebrows rise. "I'm all about collectives for a purpose. What brought that about?"

"...Well, thanks. Good to know I'm not completely repulsive, I guess?" Their legs cross over each other, otherwise still laying on their back.

"Uuuugh, I fucking hate that mural. ...I should go spray over it or something. Anyway. It's going to be in an art gallery. In their front lobby. Which... usually, is so not my thing. But they're letting me do whatever I want, so figure I'll use it as an opportunity to shove the classist bullshit people would be coming there for in their faces. Still trying to figure out what I wanna do, though. All this recent bullshit has zapped all my creative energy."

"Honestly? Cause this rich bitch is offering to fund it. Which, on one hand, I'm cautious about. On the other hand, I'll take rich shits' money if it helps artists who otherwise get shit on. I'll see how sincere they are soon enough."

"Lux, that's not fair," the Mirrorskin chides gently. "You can't get on my shit for saying you're hot, and then get on my shit for saying 'yeah, it kind of sucks that you're oathbroken.' Pick a side and stick with it, or I'm gonna stop trying to compliment you, or be honest with you." Their head tips to the side, and they rest their weight back on one hand and rest their cheek against their shoulder.

"I mean, I'm not an artist, but, like, usually when I'm going through some shit, I try to turn that energy into whatever I'm working on, you know? I dunno. Maybe all that -- upset -- can get shoved into your art. Talk about like the broken fucking promises of the ruling class or some shit." A vague shrug. "I'm not an artist," they reiterate.

"Shit, yeah. Take the money where you can get it. Maybe you can foist the responsibility off on someone else and fucking leg it ASAP."

Lux's nose wrinkles for a moment into a sulking bratty look when chided--but then it smooths out and they shrug. "Fair. Didn't mean to be shitty--just, I know it's hard to be around me. I get it. Don't hold it against anyone and I'm not trying to piss on you for being honest. But. I'll definitely take the compliments, if I gotta choose."

They huff out a soft sigh, looking up at the dark sky above. "...Hm. That's not a bad idea, actually... Might... work on that idea. Not bad, Teagan." They're quiet a moment. "Weird thing is, I kinda wanna see it through? Ugh. It's like I'm growing up and maturing and shit. Lotta bullshit."

They offer a lopsided little smile to Lux, there, and point out mildly, "I've been with Glitch for three years. I have dealt with my share of bratty contradictory behavior. And pouting. It ain't no thing. And I get it. It kind of sucks to be -- aware -- that you fucked up. But, like, people do that. And if you tell me that it's a personal thing and you're working on it, well. That's good. Whatever it is, trust me, I've seen worse." There's affection in their voice, there, and they lean lazily on one hand still. "Well, there you go. You picked."

"Really? Fucking rad." The Mirrorskin chuckles, low in their throat. "Well, look at me. Maybe I could be an artist too." A pause. "Nah, closest I get to that is painting with arterial spray."

The last bit? They laugh again. "Oh no. You're getting domesticated." There's a wry twist to those words. They know how that goes.

Lux stares up at them a moment, then rolls onto their stomach, propped up on their elbows. "Still need to meet Glitch sometime. But... yeah. It fucking sucks. Like... fuck. I've always been a fuck up. Just good at hiding it from most people. In a way it's kinda like..." Their lips purse, fidgeting with the beer bottle.

They don't finish that thought, moving on with a shrug. "Anyone can be an artist. It's not..." They trail off again, but this time it's to pout, giving Teagan a betrayed puppy-eyed expression. "I'm not domesticated..."

"You do. I think the two of you will like each other. Either that or you'll hiss and spit at each other." Teagan sets their beer down and looks out across the city with that same sort of thoughtful expression. "In a way it's kinda like?" They prompt, one corner of their mouth curling up just so.

The pout? That makes Teagan grin, their broken-mirror eyes glittering, catching Lux's many neon lights and casting them back to the Bright One. "Then what would you call it, hmm, if not domesticated?"

They look back out over the city. "It has its perks, domestication. But it's not an easy process."

Lux snorts softly. "What, you think me and him will get into a bitch off with each other? That can still be fun, sometimes." They sit up, brushing grit off their sleeves and stomach from laying down.

"...In a really fucked up way it's kind of a relief. Like I can stop pretending to be a good person all the time. Part of me wonders if it'd be less... tiring to stay like this, you know?" They sigh heavily. "But the person I hurt... they're worth it. Worth trying to really become a better person for, you know?"

The overly dramatic pout has faded, and now they just sigh softly. "I dunno. Maybe I want people to remember me for more reasons than just... being pretty."

"Might could." Their shoulders rise and fall inside that briarwolf-leather coat of theirs. "He's my little emo brat for a reason." Which does not bother them in the least: in fact, they seem kinda delighted by that. The affection is real. One hand reaches out to brush off a little bit of dust on the bottom of Lux's forearms that they missed.

They screw up their face thoughtfully. "I mean, I never really pretended to be a good person, but... I get what you mean. It was sure a whole lot easier when I was just being like 'well, fuck it, I'm gonna go out in a glorious blaze shortly, gonna die like a Summer should, so it doesn't matter, let's just do whatever.' I guess that's got the same kind of emotional energy." Teagan scratches the back of their head, and looks aside at Lux, then. "Hunh." They pause. "Yeah, I can kinda guess who it might be, or at least narrow it down. And for you, yeah, I mean. If I'd hurt Sig or June or Glitch or ... I'd want to be better, too."

"Well, you are pretty. But you're also fast and nimble and you try real hard to be free as fuck, so far as I can tell. You think a lot more about things than you let on. And I don't even know you that well."

"Hmm. Maybe you have a thing for brats?" They arch a brow, flashing a sly grin. It dims relatively quickly though, looking away to the street below. "Mm. Yeah. Not too hard to guess who it is..."

Teagan's assessment of them makes them pause, head tilting. Not quite looking back at them, but glancing over out of the corner of their eyes. "...You're sweet, Teagan. I'm... sorry I always end up getting all depressing on you lately."

Snort. "Oh, I definitely do," Teagan answers. "No matter how big they are." They snicker, picking up their beer, and take a swallow of it. "That's not even news." They tap their bottle against the concrete thoughtfully, and roll it around on the top of the building. Tink, tink, and then a crunching sound. "Nope, it's not. I mean, I can get it down to two, anyway." Shrug. "If you wanted me to know, you'd say."

They puff out their cheeks, and offer Lux a wry smile aside. "Damn right I am. And don't worry about it. You've got shit going on. And everybody tells their sad secrets to the Mirror. It's how it works." One of their broken-mirror eyes goes dark, then starts catching light again. "Do you feel better after you talk to me?"

"Hmm. Now I'm curious." They squint at them, then let out a soft amused huff. But they don't press. They do scoot over, and if allowed let their chin rest on Teagan's shoulder lightly. "A little, yeah. You're nice to talk to. Still, I don't like being a bummer." A beat pause. "...That how it works, huh? Sounds... exhausting."

They don't move away from the chin on their shoulder, and in fact, lean their head against Lux's, comfortably. "I'm pretty sure that it's easy to figure out," they answer wryly. "If you feel better after you talk to me, then that's what I need to hear. That makes it not bad for me." The rise and fall of their shoulders is minute but shifts Lux's head just a little. "I mean, I have a big web of support, but... it's actually not, for me? Most of the time, anyway. There are a couple people who, when their shit gets wrecked, it really wrecks me. But like... " They pause.

"You know how some people get, like, fueled by being different than what their Keeper made them to be? A sort of spite fuel?"

Lux doesn't move, and in fact leans in more until they're nuzzling in against Teagan's neck and jaw, their side pressed against the Mirrorskin's. They listen quietly, staring at how their eye lights reflect off of the mirrored skin. "Yeah," they reply, waiting for them to continue.

Their skin shimmers silver, and that silver picks up more of Lux's neon colors, however briefly. The corner of their eye nearest to Lux picks up a glittering of neon as well, the closest thing to being able to see where Teagan's looking that their eyes can do, and the corners of their mouth pull up a bit. The press into them, the nuzzling, is met with a return of same, their face turning toward the Bright One's. "My Keeper breaks people's lives. The Fetches he leaves, when he does? They ruin lives. Destroy families. He made me an assassin, because I was already a killer." A small breath in. "When I take care of people, when I protect them, whether that's by talking or by killing what would hurt them, I defy The General. I defy the orders he gave me for a hundred years. And that feels good."

Lux smiles as Teagan turns silver, but they focus more on their words than their body--which truly is a sign of their respect for the Mirrorskin, because they are narcissistic as fuck and can stare at their reflection all night if allowed.

"That... makes sense." Their arms wrap around Teagan's waist to squeeze--a genuine hug rather than trying to cop a feel or tease. A gesture of gratitude and affection. "Then I'll try not to worry about it too much. Thanks for giving a shit. Even while I'm... like this."

They turn their head slightly into Lux's, and set their beer down when Lux wraps their arms around their middle. The briarwolf coat is stiff, and creaks under the squeeze -- that thing was made to protect all of Teagan's soft squishy insides, and it's damn good at it -- and they wrap their arms over top of Lux's.

A low, content sound. "It's good to be able to take care of people. For a long time, I couldn't." A soft puff of breath out. "Don't worry about it too much. If I ever can't deal with it? I'll tell you I can't deal with it." Their face turns toward the Bright One, then, their smile wry. "You're welcome. It'll get better. And until it does, you have people to help."

Lux considers that for a moment, then lets out a soft chuff. "Is it silly that I wanna be like you when I grow up? Just, you know, shinier and with skimpier clothes. ...And less murder."

"Maybe I can learn to take care of people as good as you do. Instead of... just... hurting everyone."

"That's not silly at all. I'm pretty awesome," Teagan relates, and they nudge at Lux's cheek with their nose, the corners of their mouth twisting wryly. "And I can wear skimpy clothes, I just... generally don't. You can't hide a machete in a g-string." Their broken-mirror eyes glitter again, quite sharply.

"It's a skill. You can learn it. I used to fuck shit up a lot. You just have to practice."

"...Fuck, I wanna see you in skimpy clothes..." They blink, eyes going wide. Then they grin and grab Teagan by the cheek to pull in so they can give a big smooch to the opposite side of their face. "That sounds like work," they whine, but it's with a playful grin now.

Laughter rolls out of them, that light-on-broken-glass scattering of sound, brilliant and cast across the street, bouncing off brick and asphalt like prismatic light. "Damn right you do. I have fantastic tattoos and an ass for days." Their face gets turned and their cheek gets smooched and the Mirrorskin mirrors that gesture, planting a noisy kiss in return on Lux's cheek. "It's the best work there is," they assure. "Plus, you get laid a lot."

Lux huffs in delight when Teagan returns the smooch, leaning back then with a grin. "Hmm. Some day, maybe." Their legs stretch out in front of them, nose wrinkling. "Fuck, I wish I was getting laid more. But... hopefully things will get better. I mean... not just for the sex, of course..."

"You'll make mistakes and you'll get better and you'll make more mistakes and you'll get better, and even when you're as cool as me, you'll still make mistakes, but you'll look cooler doing it," comes the Mirrorskin's ... sort of... reassurance. "Just, like, keep making new mistakes. Not the same ones over and over."

Their laughter this time is wry, low, a throaty chuckle. "Not just for the sex, but the sex is nice?"

"The sex is very nice." Lux looks wistful for a moment, then lets out a heavy sigh. "But tonight I'm runnin' solo. So. Gonna go find something to keep me entertained before I rip your clothes off." They push up to their feet, stretching their arms above their head a moment before they drop. "I'm glad I ran into you. Let me know if I can ever return the favor, okay?"

Their broken-mirror eyes glitter. "Now there's a goal for you," the Mirrorskin answers, letting Lux slip away, though the twist of their mouth's corner is somewhat regretful. "Come find me on a night when fewer things are falling apart, and I don't feel like the sex might be a band-aid for the other shit going on that's hurting you, and I'll let you, gorgeous." They flash a grin at them, then. "Of course. I'm glad you ran into me, too."

Lux lets out a heavy sigh. "Unfortunately... I'm not sure sex is gonna be a thing between us. At least not for a while. Not that it wouldn't be amazing, but." They hesitate a moment, frowning. "...Mearcstapa got upset when I mentioned us almost banging, last time. Not that he has anything against you at all--kinda the opposite. He thinks you're, like, perfect and shit. He was convinced I was gonna fall in love with you and I'd leave him and Jack to join your polycule. And... Well." They look off to the side. "I can't risk making things worse with him right now. Sorry."

They lean back on both their hands when the next response to them starts with a heavy sigh, and their eyebrows climb up their forehead. They sit very still, their expression kind of frozen, until Lux gets further on into it. And when they finally stop? Teagan raises their index finger, wagging it in the air. "That... is officially the strangest compliment I have ever been paid. But I get it, and I respect it. Even if my dick is real sad about it." Because of course Teagan was going to turn that into a sex joke at the end.

"My everything is real sad about it," Lux replies, again with that overly dramatic whine. "But it's not gonna stop me from teasing you, because dammit the thirst is real."

They run a hand over their hair, lifting a shoulder. "I get it too, though. Our polycule is shaky and new and none of us are experienced with relationships at all, while Direct Action is like--well, you're just you." They don't seem to have any other way to put it into words. "Hell, I don't even know if we are going to hold ourselves together."

"...But it won't be for lack of trying, and fighting, on my part." Their lips purse tightly for a moment before flashing Teagan a tired smile. "I need to run or the feelings are gonna catch up. I'll see you around?"

They flash Lux a winning smile when they say that the thirst is real. That smile should have a sound effect. It should catch the light. That smile should go 'ting!'

It's like that. "Damn right," Teagan answers, the words carrying a low, rumbling laugh.

"I get it. We were like that. And we're not perfect. We just know how to show the public our best sides and close ranks." A beat. "You didn't think the 'shield wall' was just something Sigrun does in battle, did you?" The vaguest of shrugs.

"Good. Fight your good fight. I'm going to stagger home and wake someone up for a pre-dawn fuck. Go home." They roll to their feet, scooping up the remaining beers, and disappear, like Teagans do.

They wiggle fingers in the direction they disappeared. "Goodnight, sexy." Then they're off, leaping off the roof with a running jump.