Chapter Text
The moon shone full in the sky that night, its soft light pouring through the barren branches of the forest below, reflecting off the soft white snow that had fallen earlier that evening. On any other night, it could be considered serene, tranquil even, the sort of picturesque scenery that would reduce a poet to tears or inspire an artist to pick up their brush. It was unfortunate, then, that the stillness that had settled over the forest was broken by the form of a young girl dashing madly through the snow, heedless of the branches that caught and tore at her robes, her arms, even her face. In every movement there was desperation, her amber eyes flicking back and forth as she sought a path to salvation, bleeding cuts carved into her pale skin as she tore through the underbrush.
Behind her came further disturbances, the echoing sounds of jeering laughter and cracking wood, footsteps crunching in the snow as pursuers gave chase. She dared not look back, lest she become paralyzed by the terror of seeing eyes gleaming in the forest’s shadows, the dark shapes that followed her as she fled into the dimly-lit night. It was fortunate that she’d had a significant lead on those things that pursued her; they were quick and strong, tearing through the forest with greater ease than her.
She was almost yanked off her feet as her robe caught fast on a stubborn branch, panicked cries and desperate sobs escaping her lips as she fought to tear free. Her fingers tore desperately at the obi on her waist, releasing a relieved gasp as it loosened, freeing her of the intricately-patterned robe that had trapped her. As her arms slipped free from the wide sleeves, a clawed hand burst forth from behind her, narrowly missing her waist as it instead grabbed at the layer of cloth she’d shed. The near-miss manage to steal a startled cry from the girl, but she didn’t hesitate to take advantage of the momentary confusion it had caused to change the direction of her flight.
The rapid pounding of footsteps tearing through the snow alerted her to another coming at her from her right and she quickly threw herself leftwards as a pair of arms cleaved the air where she’d stood. They’d managed to grasp nothing but a few strands of her pale green hair; she didn’t give them a chance to rectify their mistake, throwing herself forward and finding herself tumbling head over heels down a snow-crusted incline. She gasped in pain as her right leg caught against a rock hidden beneath the snow, the pain nearly overwhelming her and casting her into the mercy of unconsciousness.
But she couldn’t black out here. Not yet. As she came to a stop at the bottom of the incline, she gingerly rose to her feet, wincing as she realized she could not afford to put weight on her injured leg. Even worse, as she hobbled forward to put further distance between her and her pursuers, she found that there was no path left to take. A rushing river roared below where she stood, perched at the edge of a cliff high enough that the sight of the ground below made her head spin.
For the first time since she had begun her desperate flight, she hesitated. But the crashing of bodies in the undergrowth and that ever-present jeering laughter turned her fear and desperation into grim determination. Whatever happened to her from here, it would be a far kinder fate than what awaited her if she were caught, if she were dragged back against her will. If she were to return to that prison she had been forced to call home.
And so, gathering the last of her courage, she leapt into the moonlit night.
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In a small cabin, in a forest on the outskirts of a sleepy village, a girl awoke as the piercing rays of sunlight shone through an open window. She groaned, blinking blearily as she sought to burrow herself deeper into the comfort of her warm blanket, turning her face away from the unwanted light. This proved to be an ultimately fruitless effort as her safe haven was torn away from her, laughter evident in the stern but warm voice that scolded her into wakefulness.
“Mija, it’s time to get up! We have a lot to do today and you can’t get any of it done by sleeping the day away.”
The girl groaned, but against her will her eyes opened to meet those of her mother’s and despite herself a small smile crept onto her lips. “Yes, mami.”
And thus that morning began as it usually did for Luz Noceda and her mother Camila.
Moments later, having dressed in a warm kimono and a modest breakfast comfortably resting in her stomach, Luz set off with a basket of clothes in hand for the nearby river. She hummed a soft tune to herself, basking in the sun even as she enjoyed the serenity of the snow-covered forest that surrounded her home. Once she was done with her morning chores, she was looking forward to exploring the forest as she usually did, or maybe even heading into the village if Camila needed her to deliver medicines, hopefully picking up any interesting news along the way. Not that there was usually much, or anything that would affect the modest life they and their neighbors lived at least.
Nothing that interesting ever happened in this village anyways.
But as Luz neared the river, she spied an unfamiliar form leaning against one of the trees lining the riverbank. As she got closer, she saw it was a girl about her age, her hair a soft green, though her forehead was crowned with brown roots. And she was sitting very, very still, almost deathly so.
Her pace quickened into a flat run, concern weighing in her gut as she dropped the basket to kneel down next to her. This close, she could see the girl’s hair was practically frozen, and she could see a short trail leading through the snow from the river to the tree she lay against. Hesitantly, she pressed a hand to the girl’s face, gasping at just how cold she felt. Was she already too late? How long had this girl been here? Her hand moved from her cheek to her mouth, and she felt a flicker of hope as a faint but steady current of air met her palm. Carefully, Luz leaned forward and pressed her ear to the girl’s chest, her hope rising as she heard a weak but persistent heartbeat.
“Mami can help you, if anyone can save you she can,” Luz murmured, scooping the girl up in her arms and making a mad dash back to her home. As she slid the door open, calling for her mother and quickly explaining the situation, a small voice in the back of her head noted that perhaps things were getting just a little bit more exciting after all.
It would end up being three days before the girl showed signs of stirring.
As it so happened, Luz was tending to her injuries, changing her bandages as she slowly returned to the land of the living, her eyes flickering open weakly. The first sounds the girl could make out as she slowly awoke were a gasp and a young voice calling out for someone. Before the darkness of sleep claimed her once more, the last thing the girl saw was kind, warm brown eyes gazing at her with concern, tousled dark brown hair, and a red sun hanging beneath each ear.
It would be another day before she became fully aware of just how painful her body felt. But the realization of her pain jolted her into full wakefulness as a singular thought swiftly roared through her mind. I’m alive!
A surge of emotions accompanied this realization, euphoria chief among them. She wanted to laugh. She wanted to cry. But she did neither as she tried to sit up, lift her body from where she lay, only to collapse before raising even a single inch. It wasn’t just the thick, warm blankets that constricted her movement; it felt as though her entire body were made of lead, her muscles protesting against any sort of attempt at movement. She opened her mouth, her throat feeling dry as she attempted to call for help; all that came out was a half-hearted gurgle of air and she grimaced.
Despite her less-than-stellar attempt, it seemed to have gotten someone’s attention anyways as she heard the sound of a door sliding open and closed, followed by footsteps on tatami . Her eyes drifted over to the figure that knelt by her, seeing a woman with the same hair and eye color as the girl she remembered seeing in her last brief bout of consciousness. But her hair was neater, her eyes wiser, and there were no suns hanging beneath her ears. “You’re finally awake. How are you feeling?”
The girl did her best to formulate a response, but all that came out was a low groan. The woman smiled kindly down at her. “Buenos dias, I’m Camila. You were in bad shape when my daughter found you. I managed to patch up most of your injuries, but you nearly froze to death out there. It’s going to be a while before you fully recover.” She paused, allowing her words to sink in before continuing, still smiling that kind smile. “And you’re welcome to stay as long as you need. So just focus on getting better, okay?”
Receiving a tiny nod, she gently patted the blanket covering the girl. “You’re probably hungry. I can’t recommend you eat anything too heavy yet, so for now I hope you don’t mind just having some miso soup for now.” Camila turned, putting a hand to her mouth as she called out, “Mija!”
“Already on it, mami,” came a reply immediately after, a familiar voice using a playful tone. The girl swept her eyes past Camila towards the source, getting a better look at the girl from before. Like her mother she had tanned skin and the hair and eye colors she so vividly remembered. She was a bit lanky and on the thin side, and there was a bright, friendly smile on her face that in the girl’s mind left no doubt that the two were mother and daughter. She noted with slight disappointment that the girl’s earrings weren’t actual suns like she had thought in her exhausted state of mind, but like a pair of hanafuda cards instead. The only other detail that stood out to her was the scar on the left side of her forehead, like it had been kissed by a tongue of flame; it didn’t look new, but it stood out against the darker color of her skin.
The smell of something delicious attracted her attention, and her eyes were drawn to the steaming bowl in the girl’s hands. The girl knelt next to her opposite of her mother, who proceeded to slowly and gently lift their patient into sitting in an upright position, and beamed brightly at her. “Hi, I’m Luz. I’m, uh… I’m glad you’re doing better, kinda had us worried for a while there,” she added with a small sigh before a smile overtook her face again. “But that’s all in the past! Like mami said, just focus on getting better and we’ll take care of everything else.”
Gently, Luz spooned mouthfuls of the warmest, most delicious miso soup the girl had ever had into her mouth, waiting a few seconds after she’d swallowed to offer another spoonful. Slowly but surely, the bowl emptied out, and Camila lay her back down. She was feeling oddly comfy at this point, her eyelids growing heavy as her exhausted body was lulled by the warm blankets, warm food, and warm care that surrounded her. She heard Luz shuffle where she knelt, felt her breath tickle her ear as she asked one last question before the girl drifted back off to sleep.
“What’s your name?”
The girl moved her lips, her voice coming out as a soft, hoarse whisper. “My… I'm... Amity… Amity Blight.”
“Nice to meet you, Amity,” Luz said with another bright, sweet smile that etched itself into Amity’s memory as she fell into a comfortable, dreamless slumber.
It would be a week until Amity regained the energy to hold extended conversations, to raise her voice above the soft whisper that had been all she could manage in her brief moments of wakefulness. It had been a shock when Luz, having finished helping Amity eat her meal, heard a soft but distinct “Thank you” as she was taking the tray of dishes out to be washed. Her shock must’ve been evident on her face when she whirled around to stare at the injured girl, as something about her expression managed to elicit a quiet giggle from her. A goofy grin stretched across Luz’s face and she bashfully looked away, rubbing the back of her head before giving her a small nod and continuing on her way.
That laugh was like the light tinkle of wind chimes and it brought a spring to her step to think that she had brought it out of her.
It would take another three days until Amity had the strength to sit up on her own. By then Camila was slowly transitioning her to more solid foods and steadily larger portions. The good doctor didn't fail to notice Luz's increasingly unsubtle attempts to cheer up the poor girl, and while she had to discourage some of her... rowdier attempts (she did not think Luz needed actual live snakes to tell Amity the legend of Susano'o's battle with Orochi, for one) she approved of the sentiment. While Amity was becoming more vocal as her strength recovered, she was still very quiet and reserved, and often on edge. It tore at her heart every time the girl flinched at a sudden movement or unexpected noise, how late at night she would sometimes hear Amity wake with a muffled cry before trying to go back to sleep without making a disturbance.
There had been one night where Luz had been awake to witness this, and the look she'd given Camila had brought a warm feeling of pride for the person her daughter was certain to grow up to be and most certainly already was.
After another week, Amity was strong enough to get up and walk around, albeit on crutches and only for short periods of time. But she had insisted on helping out around the house and Camila didn't have the heart to refuse her, even if she did have to set limits for the sake of her health. And often she would return home to find Luz regaling Amity with a story of one of her misadventures or a tale she'd been told growing up, the smiles on the girls' faces enough to blunt the coldest winter nights.
Eventually an entire month passed since they had brought Amity into their home, and by then her leg had healed to the point she was able to walk freely and without assistance. When Camila had finished her examination, telling Amity with a smile that she was now more or less fully recovered, a pensive look shadowed the girl's face. Camila had placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, getting her attention as she smiled down at her.
"I told you before, and I'll say it again. You're welcome to stay as long as you need."
She unconsciously held her breath as Amity looked up at her with a guarded expression, her eyes boring into hers as though searching for... something. Some sign, perhaps, that she wasn't being entirely honest, or that she was holding something back that would shatter the growing hope shining in the girl's teary eyes. Not for the first time, she wondered what sort of life Amity had led, her heart aching with every hint she found about the sort of treatment she must have received.
Finally, Amity simply nodded, and like the breaking of a dam her tears flowed in full force. Her small frame shuddered with sobs, her fingers wrapped in the folds of Camila's kimono as she clung to her. Camila whispered soft reassurances to the girl, rubbing circles into her back with one hand as she used her other arm to hold her in a comforting embrace. She was reminded of long ago, not long after her husband had passed and Luz was still grieving.
Luz, bless her heart, returned home at that moment from delivering medicines for Camila to the village. The moment she saw Amity crying in Camila's arms, she jumped in to help, adding her embrace to the warmth enveloping the girl. She didn't speak, choosing to silently hold her even as Amity's grip unsteadily shifted over from clinging to Camila to wrapping her arms around Luz. Exchanging looks, Camila gently extracted herself from the group hug, allowing Luz to pull Amity into a more secure embrace while she left to prepare dinner.
When she returned, it was to find Luz doing her best to remain still and unmoving, Amity having cried herself to sleep in her arms. Stifling a laugh, she decided to take pity on her daughter and laid out a futon for Amity before helping her gently tuck her in for the night. Luz sat there for a moment, pensively observing the sleeping girl with a sad look in her eyes, before quietly speaking.
"Amity's been through a lot, hasn't she? Even before she... before we found her."
"She probably has, mija," Camila said in agreement, just as softly, "but until she's ready to tell us, if she ever is, all we can do is give her a place she can feel happy and safe. Just give her time and let her know we care. That's all we can do for now."
Another month passed, and Amity could not remember a time she felt so welcome, so loved. Camila was so gentle, so understanding, even in those rare moments where she needed to put her foot down or scold the girl. Despite the fleeting moments of terror Amity felt when she saw her eyes become stern, she never became afraid of Camila herself. Perhaps it was the woman's patience in making sure Amity understood her concerns, perhaps it was that there was an unspoken line she never crossed, or even that Camila simply respected the girl as a human being, with her own thoughts and feelings to be considered.
Then there was Luz. Sweet, wonderful, intoxicatingly warm Luz. At first Amity had wondered if she had pitied her, helped take care of her out of some misguided notion that she was responsible for her, having been the one to find her half-frozen that morning by the river. But that resentment melted away bit by bit with every interaction as she realized just how genuine Luz was. She wore her heart openly, for good or ill, all sunshine and smiles as she tried her hardest to bring a smile to Amity's face with every interaction, always trying to pull a laugh out of her.
She'd be lying if she said Luz didn't somehow manage that almost every time.
Today, they were relaxing under the kotatsu in the center of the room, the warmth of the brassier beneath the table and covers seeping deep into their bones, and Luz was performing for Amity a dramatic retelling of another of her favorite stories from her childhood. Being inside the house, she couldn't use her favorite prop (a simple stick) for fear of a lengthy scolding, but made up for it by enthusiastically waving around an empty hand as though she did have one, a silly gesture that couldn't help but draw a smile from Amity as she listened attentively.
"And then our mighty hero found himself before the king of demons, his faithful companions behind him. 'Foolish human, you may have bested my army, but to me you are a mere tiger, roaring his defiance at a mighty storm!' To that, Momotaro laughed and readied his blade. 'If you are a storm, then I am the sun, come to scatter you to the winds and dispel your darkness with my light!'" With that, Luz immediately launched into a dramatic mock battle, waving her arms around and voicing the appropriate sound effects, all while sitting down and refusing to get out from under the kotatsu . Her antics elicited a giggle from her audience, Luz's own grin widening at the sound.
"With a final clash of their blades, Momotaro shattered the demon's sword and brought him to his knees. 'You have bested me, human. Do with me as you will.' Momotaro, being awesome and honorable and kind, told him, 'Free your prisoners and never do evil again. Swear to this and I will spare your life.' Receiving the demon's oath, Momotaro, his companions, and the people they freed returned with a boat full of gold and treasures and lived happily ever after." Ending her story with a flourish, arms outstretched with a silent "Tah-dah!", Luz grinned at Amity's applause.
Eventually the applause petered out and left behind a comfortable silence, Luz lying back and enjoying the warmth of both the kotatsu and another successful attempt at entertaining Amity. A pensive, uncertain expression crept over the other girl’s face as she looked at Luz, biting her lip anxiously. When Luz sat back up and met Amity’s gaze, the green-haired girl looked away, causing Luz to frown in concern.
“Hey, Amity... is everything okay?”
Tension filled the silence that followed her question, finally breaking when Amity returned her gaze, her amber eyes boring into her. “Luz... do you think... do demons exist?”
There was something in her eyes as she asked her question, a shadow of fear that Luz recognized. It was like the unmistakable look of terror Amity had had in the early days of her stay, when even the flicker of a shadow could elicit fear from the injured girl. Luz didn't know what to make of the question, but she did know that she wanted to reassure her.
"I don't know. I've never seen a demon before. Some of the older adults say there are, but a lot also say they're not real." Something changed in Amity's expression, a shadow that seemed to come over her until Luz continued on. "But if they are or aren't, I'll protect you, Amity."
Amity's eyes widened at that statement and Luz, sporting a lopsided grin, jumped to her feet, raising a hand above her head as she kept her eyes locked with Amity's. "I won't let anyone hurt you again, I promise. I'll be your fearless champion!" She smiled confidently at the other girl, warmth bubbling within her as Amity's eyes widened, her gaze becoming watery.
"You... you dummy," Amity said, letting out a half-sob, half-laugh as a smile returned to her face. She let out a startled squeak as Luz plopped herself down right next to her, so close their shoulders touched, and pulled her into a hug. At first Amity sat there stiffly, stunned by the sudden affection, but after a few seconds she leaned into the embrace, resting her head in the crook of Luz's neck.
"You're safe here, Amity," Luz said softly, reassuringly. "I won't let you get hurt," she repeated.
Amity felt herself relax further in Luz's arms, allowing Luz's reassurances to soothe her fear. At the same time, she could feel herself become increasingly aware of just how warm she felt, the feel of Luz's touch through their robes, the sound of Luz's breath in her ear. She could feel her heart beat quicken, thought it strange that Luz didn't seem to hear how loudly it was beating. As she chanced a look up, her amber eyes meeting Luz's brown ones, as she felt the heat spread across her face, down her neck, and reach even her ear, a thought occurred to her. Or perhaps it was more of a realization.
But that could wait for another time.
A month passed since that day, Amity standing pensively by the door as Luz hefted a basket full of medicines on her back, a list of names in hand as she prepared to set off. Camila was in a back room, taking stock of her remaining medicinal supplies and ingredients, so Amity was the only one there to see her off. Luz seemed to notice her friend's anxiety, as she shot her a reassuring smile.
"It's just a quick delivery trip, I'll be back. I always am."
"I know," Amity said, letting out a nervous breath. "I'm sorry, I can't help it. Ever since..."
The memory of a girl in the freezing cold, sitting deathly still, flashed through Luz's mind and she grabbed Amity's hands, her smile widening at Amity's surprised blush. "Hey, don't worry. Mami is here too, you'll be okay."
"It's not me I'm worried about," Amity mumbled, but she seemed to be pacified by Luz's words, the tension in her posture visibly fading even as her grip on Luz's hands tightened slightly. "Just don't take too long, I don't want you to get caught in a blizzard or something. And..." She trailed off, her eyes avoiding Luz's own as her blush deepened.
"And...?" Luz prodded, unconsciously feeling her breath hitch in her throat at Amity's expression, seeing something in Amity's amber eyes as their gazes finally met that made her heart skip a beat.
"A-And, well... stay safe," Amity finished lamely, a hint of uncertainty creeping into her tone. Luz felt a twinge of disappointment, for some reason she didn't know, quickly shoving that feeling aside as Amity continued, "You're my fearless champion, after all."
Luz smiled at that reminder of her promise, reluctantly letting go of Amity's hands as she turned to leave. "Well, I'm off. I'll see you later, Amity."
"Yeah, see you..."
As Luz made her way down the path, she had only gone a few feet when Amity worked up the nerve to call out to her one more time. "Luz! When you get back... I-I have... I need to talk to you about something. Something important." Looking back over her shoulder, Luz waved in acknowledgement, and kept waving until the house and Amity were no longer in sight. Her heart thudded in her chest at the thought of what Amity might want to talk to her about and she resolved to finish the deliveries faster than she ever had before, quickening her pace and hurrying down the path.
Despite her impatience, it still took a few hours to reach the village. As she arrived she could see it was bustling with activity as its inhabitants went about their day, selling and buying goods, slipping into the local tavern for a bottle to drink or a bite to eat, children playing and making mischief. Luz even passed by a few others making deliveries of their own, handing off this and that.
As she made her way through the village, consulting the list in her hand to figure out who needed what and where, Luz found her mind increasingly occupied by the girl who had by now become a third member of her little family. Amity had been slowly opening up, becoming steadily less reserved around her and Camila, and Luz liked to think that maybe she'd played a significant part in that. Once again, she felt her heart beat faster as she wondered what Amity wanted to talk about.
"Something important"... what did she mean?
A memory came to mind, of amber eyes shadowed by fear, of a single, hesitant question.
"Do demons exist?"
The subject had never come up again since then. But somehow those words stuck with Luz and despite her wanting to ask what Amity had meant that day, why she had asked, it felt like she would be crossing some kind of line. Like there was something too personal, too private.
She shook her head and cleared her thoughts, bringing her hands up to clap her cheeks. She needed to concentrate and finish up as quickly as she could. There was plenty of time to get to the point where Amity would be comfortable enough to talk about it more. There was no need to rush things. Luz smiled at the thought of Amity waiting for her to return, maybe learning from Camila how to mix medicines or helping with dinner, taking brief moments to peer outside and see if Luz was on her way back...
Wait no, focus! Focus!
The sun was setting by the time she was done, but the wind was growing stronger, the sky growing dark far too quickly as heavy clouds gathered in the sky. Luz frowned at the falling snow, wondering if she should risk it. On the one hand, she really wanted to get back home; she didn't want to worry her mother or Amity and they likely would if she took too long, especially if a blizzard did blow through. On the other, they would definitely worry if a blizzard caught her out on the open and she didn't fancy her chances.
"Luz!"
Hearing her name, Luz turned to see an old man waving at her from an open window, his eyebrows so thick and fuzzy his eyes were hidden beneath them; he was the local apothecary and the main source of the ingredients for her mother's medicines. She jogged up to him, flashing a smile. "Heya Gramps, what's up?"
"You weren't plannin' on heading out with a storm blowin' in were ya?" Her embarrassed grin was all the answer he needed as he shook his head at the foolishness of the young. "Stay the night, I have a spare futon I can lay out fer ya."
"No no, I couldn't possibly--"
He shot her a glare with a raised eyebrow, pinning her to the spot. "Oh no you don't, not if I don't want yer mother comin' after me fer lettin' ya do somethin' so stupid. Besides, it's almost nightfall anyway." A dark look passed over his features as he squinted at the forest, muttering, "You don't want to run into any demons out there."
A chill ran down Luz's spine at his words, reminded ominously of her thoughts from earlier. "...Okay, yeah, I'll take you up on that then. T-Thanks."
The look on his face vanished, replaced by a kindly smile. "Of course, yer family's always welcome here, Luz." He disappeared from the window, Luz looking back at the road leading to the forest with a pensive frown before stepping into the shop. As she slid the door closed behind her, she could hear the howling winds as they picked up speed, feel the chill as the blizzard settled over the village in earnest.
They'll be fine, there's nothing to fear. There's no such thing as demons.
But still... Amity's face back then...
"Luz... do you think..."
What was she scared of?
"Do demons exist?"