Blood & Chlorophyll Ch. 08 - Reflection

So, you may be shocked to hear this, but I actually released two chapters last Friday! I have a sneaking suspicion that this chapter got a little overshadowed by the huge, bombastic finale of SaS Book Two, but I really don't mind. I like sticking to a schedule, and I didn't want to delay B&C just because I was hastening the last few chapters of SaS.

This Chapter is really special, though. I got to share a lot of really cool pieces, and I think something cool happens at the end ;)

It starts nice and small, with Alicia picking an outfit. This is a scene that really made me giggle, as it let me have some fun with her ability to grow her own clothes. It's another fun quirk about the setting that always makes me smile, and I always love a chance to juxtapose fantasy and mundanity.

She also appears to have bought something? Eh, probably nothing important.

I got to spend a lot of time just showing small, cute conversation between Katrina and Alicia this chapter, and I'm really happy with how everything turned out. Sure, I sneak in some worldbuilding about Mage Knights and stuff, but I just like showing the two of them together. I also got to sneak in what is, quite possibly, the silliest thing I will ever write. I have no shame about naming a Guild Delvin' Doggos, it's funny and I love it. Plus, as I've mentioned before, I think the BM setting has a wonderful silver lining of whimsy, and it's always fun to include things like that.

Also, special shoutout to one of my favorite exchanges from this chapter!

“Well, yeah, but what if I end up loving it? Plus, I’ve got to give you a reason to keep hanging out with me, don’t I?”

“Please, you’re all the reason I need.”

I squealed when I wrote this. It's so off-the-cuff, so accidental, but it's so evocative. I love my smol little disaster lesbians. I wonder why the waiter thought they were dating...

Then we get to meet Tabitha! I've been really excited to bring her into the story, especially in this context. Cards on the table? I hadn't initially planned her to be this forward. She came off a little more intense than I'd initially pictured, but it felt so right, and I was thrilled to lean into it once I discovered it. She's such a different character than our resident Dryad/Vampire power duo, and I think she's going to be a great addition to the roster.

Not sure why Tabitha thought they were dating, though...

Anyways, we finally get a new party member, and it's time to head home. That means I get to write more cute dialogue! Woo! This time, however, there's far less worldbuilding that needs to happen. I teased Alicia's prom earlier in the chapter, and that was setup for her detailing what happened here to Katrina.

I feel like we've spent so much time with Kat and Alicia, yet their histories are still somewhat vague. Sometimes I do this on purpose, when I want to focus on a forward-moving storyline, but I think it's important for us to know where these girls came from. It's also my golden opportunity to show that, yes, Alicia has always been a clueless disaster lesbian. But also, hypothetically, this conversation might indicate to anyone listening that Alicia is into girls. Y'know, in case anyone had doubts.

But! It's time to reveal that gift I teased earlier! This was a moment I was really excited for, and I wrestled about when it should happen in the story. As I was writing this chapter, though, it just felt right.

Alicia got Kat a new guitar!

Of course, predictably, our Vampire has some conflicting thoughts about this. However, for the first time, we see Alicia get a little worked up over this. Is it dramatic? Is it romantic? Am I a sucker for cute love stories? C'mon, you know the answer to that.

Instead of answering Alicia's questions, Kat instead asks for a kiss. I LOVE how dramatically this reshapes the scene. it was already cute, yes, but Alicia was ready to have a serious conversation about self-worth and stuff. With one question, suddenly they're both free to throw their hesitations aside and kiss. I cried writing it, so hopefully that means it was solid payoff to the last eight chapters.

I also get to reveal the truth about the girl in Katrina's lock screen! I'm pretty sure everyone knew it was Kat, but that wasn't the point of the mystery. It was mostly there to give Alicia just a tiny bit of hesitation in making a move on Kat, and I think it did its job well.

I'm so happy I can finally write the two of them being openly romantic and touchy feely. It was such a breath of fresh air to have them kissing, holding each other, cradling each other's faces... Have I mentioned I'm gay yet? Girls are pretty great, and, as a writer, I can create as many lesbians as I want! I have so much power!!

Then, at long last, it's finally time to answer the question that's been on everyone's mind since Chapter one. What happened to Kat in Year One? Fair warning, it's not a very happy story. Next chapter is going to be pretty heavy, but I think it'll go a long way in explaining Kat's demeanor.

Nyx <3