hi and thank you for the question 👉👈

leona and lizzie first meet when lizzie skips school for the very first time. she's been a model student before that and is beyond afraid of being a disappointment but ends up skipping and heading to the garden anyway, where she meets leona.

leona feels a little disturbed by someone else wandering around as he's not used to it during this time, and thinks she behaves suspiciously. he smells a mixture of fear, blood and laundry detergent that bothers him. so since they're alone and he can't sleep like this anyway, he decides to give talking to her a shot. maybe she'll leave him alone, maybe he can soothe her a bit. so he strikes a conversation and ends up getting tangled up in lizzie's gardening duties.

from that day on, lizzie keeps skipping class. her and leona meet in the garden almost every day, sometimes they talk, sometimes they revel in the quietness of the garden. they get used to being around each other and get some sort of understanding for the other. leona appreciates the effort she puts into her favourite things, and feels her dedication remind him a little of ruggie. he also learns of the reason she's started skipping class, that is essentially not wanting to see her boyfriend.

ruggie catches the two a few times when bringing leona his lunch, so leona invites lizzie to eat with them. lizzie starts watching spelldrive practice whenever she can and brings towels and drinks where she meets epel and melts further into leona's social circle.

leona almost forgets about the weird smell.

// draft

in a very early roleplay version i did with my partner, lizzie asked leona to watch the queen of the night (cactus that blooms only one night a year) bloom after she was particularly cold and dismissive when they met skipping class that day. in that draft lizzie got overly excited and invited leona but didn't tell him it would take hours. so she sheepishly admits that to leona once they meet at night and offers he can leave if it's too much to ask. but he decides to stay and pries a bit to get to the bottom of why she was being so weird.

unfortunately i'm not sure i can use this scene anymore since it would have to play out a few weeks after the school year starts, but the cactus blooms in june/july. i'll try to find a work around since the entire scenario makes for the perfect environment for the boyfriend bubble to burst.

in the draft lizzie finally admits out loud she thinks it's unfair the way her boyfriend is treating her and leona advises her to ditch the guy. having major abandonment issues, lizzie refuses, not wanting to make her childhood friend turned boyfriend leave, but leona insists on it and reminds her she's got actual friends now. lizzie makes leona promise to go watch the cactus together again next year, and leona agrees.

i like that part because it takes tension off of lizzie, and gives leona something to look forward to.

the next day lizzie goes through with the breakup, and goes back to spend time with leona again. they pretty much only grow closer following that.

// end

sorry for the lengthy ramble haha, i was sorta waiting for an opportunity to spill some (leo)lizzie lore. i'm unsure how to convey her lore in a way that is easily comprehensible, but i suppose i'll just have to write it down sometime in case anyone is interested.

thank you for asking, anon, it means a lot :D