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The pitter-patter of the rain was white noise to her ears, the droplets feeling like nothing as they passed through her light form. Luz knew she wasn't really here in thisher realm, but even then she can still imagine the water hitting her hands and face. They would feel cold, she knew. Remembered. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice that Vee slithered away and into the house as she crunched on the hexene hold'em cards. Shaking her head as if to shake off the thoughts, she looked up with a smile.
"Mom, you were awesome back there!" Rubbing the back of her head, Luz looked down before continuing with a nervous grin. "Thanks for being.. cool, about everything." But when her mami turned to face her, her lips quickly turned downward into a frown. Tears welled up in her mami's eyes, the brown depths shining with overwhelming sadness.
"I'm tr-trying t-t-to hold sniff it together. I r-really am, but I have never been this s-s-scared before." Clasping her hands together as if it would help block all the tears from flowing, Luz watched on with a concerned face and wide eyes. "The Demon Realm? Magic? How are you gonna get back here? I-is this the only way I can touch you?" Both mother and daughter reached their hands out, the woman's palm passing right through Luz's fingers. Her voice cracking, Luz tried to reassure her mami.
"I--I need a little more time, but if I keep working my hardest.. I-I will make a working portal, I promise." Clenching her hands into fists, her chest warmed a little when her mami smiled through her tears.
"As scary as this is, it really does seem like you've matured."
That warmth grew, her smile beaming as she thought about how much her mami would be proud of all she had accomplished. The friends she had made and the family she was a part of at the Owl House. Can't wait until she meets Amity... She'll love her, I know it. "Yes! I've learned so much." Looking down with fond eyes, she said out loud the thing she knew all along. "Staying here was the best decision I ever made." When she looked up, Luz wished she didn't when she saw her mami's face. "Y-you chose to stay.. there?" Her eyes shrunk once the words caught up to her, the warmth she had in her chest quickly diminishing as ice began to creep along her heart and then freeze her lungs. The next words just about shattered her into a million pieces, her light form flickering a little like it could of sensed her emotions.
"Were y-you trying to.. to, live out some witch fantasy?" Camila sucked in a shaky breath before turning away with closed eyes, the tears hanging on her lower eyelashes as rain hit her face and flowed down like part of her tears escaped. "Did you--" tilting her head toward Luz, she looked at her with brown eyes gleaming with hurt and misplaced guilt. "Did you hate living with me that, much?" With slight panic, Luz rushed out--
"Mama, No!--" Suddenly the human witch felt the rope tighten around her waist, another bout of panic leaking in and overwhelming her with its intensity. Grabbing onto the rope with both hands, Luz begged Eda with desperate eyes.
"No! Not yet! Not yet!" Reaching out to her mother, she tried to explain quickly. "Mom, I'm being pulled back!" Camila's eyes widened before she tried to grab onto her daughter, pleading that she stay here, just stay here.
"When you come home, promise you'll stay here? I didn't mean to push you away and I swear things will be different!" Luz shook her head and her eyes gleamed with sadness and heartache as her form suspended in midair, being pulled back, no nonono, no! I don't want to go back! Not yet, please not yet!
"Mom, it's not you. It never was." But it didn't seem to register in Camila, still asking Luz to-- "Promise me, Luz. Please." Rain continued to pour down harder, pelting against cold and light skin as Luz closed her eyes and made the hardest decision in her life so far.
"O-okay, Mom. Prometo." With that, the force that seemed to keep her in the realm finally gave way and her form faded away. The In-Between was almost surreal as her body was pulled through, tears falling down like raindrops as she went through the space between realms.
Ñ̶̨̡̮͛̚o̴̟̐̕c̴̜͒̽͌e̛ ̷̢̝̅͛͗̄͛ď̠͝ ả̷ ̷̳͐̎͛̒ ͂̾̇̆́ ̫͍͙ ͛̄̒̔ ͔ͅ ̫͍͓̙ ͇͔͒̋ͅ ̣ ̊
̑̈̾̈́̀́̕̕ ̄ ̿̊̅̾͌ ̐̆ ̌̌́́́ ̋͑͊̓̒ ̎̒̊͒ ͌
̄͐͑͠ ͌͑̈́͂͠͠͝ S̨̹t̷̸̢̨̢͖ȧ̠͘͝y̸̵̧̧͊͘͝h̵̳͈̀ȩ̸̵̡̛̿r̵̢̟é̛̹!̶̸̡̺̑
͔̥̤͚͔̎͜͜ ̭̥͈̱͎̠ ̪̙̣̪͖͓͚̬̓̚ ̼̞̲͇̗ ͎ͅͅ ̣̻̝͓̼̘̀ ̠͚͎̠͎ ̣̤̲̯͙
̦̜͈̜̏̅͒̋̇̋͝ ̱͓̲̩̅̒̃̃͑̍̔͑̃̐ ͑͒͌ ̐ ͍͖͎̹͔͚͐̈͑͌̐͛́͋̎̊͑̌̃̃
͗̔͠ ̈̀ ͆͝ ͔͝ ̕ Ś̵̛̳ẗ͇̒á̸̸̫y̴̷̛̬̌͐h̘e̴̷̙͑r͇̖͐ę̶̴͆́͒̄́͘͠
͙ͅ ̨̫͈͚̙͍̥͇͍̋̌͂̌̈͒̅̈̿́́̏̏̄͛̀́̊̅͆͜͝ͅ ̗̯̝̞̳̩͖̝͕̼̐͐̍̈̂͗̎͠͝ ̲̰̞̱͍͝ ̣͈͎̳̦͖͈̿̎̂̓ ̩̣̾̈̄̅͗́̄ ̵̨̧̫̞̜͑Ș̫͔͜ẗ̶̡̹̤̩́á̶̡ ̦̹̘̥̤͇̠͇̜ y̴ ͓̞̼̹̰̎ ̵̧̧ ḧ̸̬̮̠̋ ̤͓̮̩̟̗̲̳͎̗̳ ̵̡e̘̹̞̠͓̲ ̵r̬̞̺̻̭̱͙ ̀͘e̵ ̗͒ ̳͔͓̘̲!̸̡ ̶̢̧̢̣͗
Cheater!
Luz woke up with a loud gasp and a raspy scream, cold sweat dotting her forehead and her upper body lurching forward before trying to get to her feet. Tripping over her sleeping bag, she fell flat on her face onto the cold floor. Groaning and panting, she rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling with a numbness that has come to be the norm for her. Afternoon light filtered through the window, a haze blanketing her like it usually did during the mornings. Brown locks fell into her eyes and obscured her vision, the dreammemory still fresh in her mind. Groaning again and draping an arm over her eyes, Luz wondered if she should just lay here for the rest of the day... like she's been doing for months. When did I even shower last? Wrinkling her nose at the thought, the human witch stretched out her tired limbs and cracked her jaws in a huge yawn. Her eyes felt wet. Must've cried in my sleep again. Putting on a fake smile, she sprung to her feet and padded out of her room, and hopped down the stairs.
"--demand that you give me waffles!"
"It's 2:30! Too late for breakfast, you missed your chance bone boy!"
"Weh! Don't you dare use that name!"
Luz chuckled softly as she leaned against the door frame leading into the kitchen, watching with bright eyes as Eda stirred her staff into a pot with King stamping his foot as he stood tall on the table. Suddenly King happened to look her way and saw Luz, his dark grey and light-tipped tail wagging as he jumped down and scampered over. She held out her arms and caught King when he leaped into her arms, climbing onto her shoulder. Eda flicked a pointy ear in acknowledgment of her presence, scooping a small spoonful of soup and sipping it. She jerked her head back and stuck her tongue out with one eye closed in a grimace. "Needs more human salt." She mumbled under her breath, going through the cluttered cabinets as Luz took a seat at the table and scratched under King's chin. Three months have passed since Luz went through the In-Between, three months since she saw Vee.. her mother. Thorny vines squeezed her heart in a vice grip like they always did when she thought of her. I promised mami I will come back and stay, with maybe Vee heading back to the Demon Realm as I leave everything--everyone--behind. That thought was always there, hidden in her brain but not afraid to come out from that corner when she was at her most vulnerable. Small tears pricked her eyes, unaware of the concerned golden irises and King looking upon her now slumped form. When Eda gave up on finding the salt, the witch got some plastic bowls and filled them with the soup that was still steaming.
"Hey, kid. Stop moping around and eat, school is out but that doesn't mean you get to laze around." Eda's voice was stern but soft as she took her own seat at the table and took a small bite. Luz blinked hazily before shifting her body so she was sitting up, King lunging off of her shoulder and onto the kitchen tile. When the demon was out of the kitchen and into the living room, Luz stirred her soup with the spoon before huffing out a breath in slight frustration. The Owl Lady smirked when a thought came to her in how to get the kid to perk up, tapping her fingers against the wood.
"Boots came by this morning, said something about 'Luz needs to meet me at our tree'-- whatever that means." The human witch widened her brown eyes before quickly scooting the chair back and hopping up onto her socked feet, sliding across the floor as she started running to the stairs.
"No! I totally forgot about Amity! I'm the worst girlfriend. Please still be at the Grom Tree!" She cried out, speeding past her room before forcing herself to skid to a stop and heading back. Changing into her cat hoodie and leggings with her shorts, she pleaded in her head for Amity to still be there at their tree and maybe for her forgiveness. Can't believe I forgot! Again! ooh, she'll be mad. I just know it. Skipping the steps two at a time, Luz kissed King on the forehead when she spotted him snoring on the couch and called out a fast 'goodbye!' before heading out the door. With a small acknowledgment to Hooty's greeting and farewell, she took off to where the Grom Tree rested. Where Amity was waiting. Just hang on, Ami. I'll be there, I promise.
It was comforting, really, that the Grom Tree never really changed. The leaves were always that light soft pink, full of life as the wind moved along the branches and curled around the trunk of the tree. The grass that lay beneath it was also always that light blue as if the magic of the tree that brought it to being was sharing its power with the foliage that was in its vicinity. Amity's form was curled in the corner of an arched root, feeling the grass under her hands with a light and thoughtful touch. The blades of grass tickled her palm, calming her in a strange way. She's been out here since morning, waiting silently and patiently for her girlfriend to finally arrive. The quiet let her think about the past months, a particular memory surfacing and playing in her mind's eye.
"You heard a-a voice? In the In-Between?" She asked skeptically, but secretly enjoying the closeness of Luz's side pressed against her. Playing with her pale fingers against her own, Luz glanced away as if to collect her thoughts.
"I-I really didn't notice it.. at first. I was only able to when I had the--" she cut herself off like she almost said something she wasn't supposed to, biting her lip when she looked at Amity with nervousness and a little bit of fear clouding her bright brown eyes that confused Amity.
"When you what, Luz? Y-you know you can... talk to me, right?" She questioned quietly, taking ahold of Luz's hands to still them and soothingly rubbing a thumb against the back of them. The human witch smiled faintly with the fear fading away slightly, but the nervousness digging itself into her being and not letting go. Amity's heart grew warm when Luz nodded her head, breathing in as if to steel herself.
"I had a.. a nightmare, last night. I dont'--I don't know why, but the voice was there. Almost louder than-" she suddenly stopped, Amity's pale gold eyes gazing at her as Luz's body began to tremble. The purple-haired witch cupped her cheek with a hand, the human sighing as she nuzzled against the contact.
"It was just.. loud. I couldn't make out all the words, the whispers. All I could hear was... cheater." Amity was taken aback at the last word, a little offended on her girlfriend's behalf that someone would ever accuse Luz of cheating at-well, anything. But that's what you did, so you can't really talk. Amity growled internally at the voice, which gladly only came up once or twice now. But Amity believed that she would never fully forgive herself for how she treated Luz. It might not sting as much as it did before, but it'll never go away either. And she was ok with that, she was surprised when she first thought that. Amity's glad she can put it behind her, even if just temporarily. A sudden weight on her shoulder brought her back to the here and now, glancing to the side to see that Luz had perched her chin on top of it. Amity smiled sweetly before wrapping an arm around Luz's own shoulder, flicking some strands of hair from her eyes and drawing intricate patterns across her cheek. Luz giggled and nuzzled her nose into the crook of Amity's neck, the two girls enjoying the company as the conversation was a phantom thought in both their heads. Ignoring its existence. Even if for a little while. The sound of waves crashing against the rocky cliff almost lulled Amity into a light sleep, her fingers dancing along Luz's shoulder and down her arm as the human witch hummed with contempt. As Amity started to purr--that still made her blush because of Luz's sly side-eyed gaze whenever it occurred--her mind wandered back to the conversation that they had not only moments ago. She doesn't remember what she was doing during that time when Luz was in the In-Between, but she was almost glad she wasn't there because knowing that Luz heard a voice whisper to her made a shiver crawl down her spine.
"Hey, Ami?"
Amity jumped a little before relaxing her muscles, looking down at Luz with a fond gaze and humming in query.
"I-if I go.. back." Luz squeezed her eyes shut, as if afraid of what she would see on Amity's face. "If I go back, permanently... w-w-would you try, j-just try your hardest to get me back... here."
Amity's ears twitched and folded back at the question, confused and honestly... afraid of what that could mean. What her girlfriend means by that. Even though she had an inkling feeling that she knew. She chewed on the words thoughtfully, wondering why she was even thinking when she already knew the answer. Shaking her head, Amity opened her mouth with the answer--
"AMITY!!!"
The purple-haired witch let out a yelp as a shadow fell over her before a crushing weight bowled into her, sending her body onto the grass with a thud and the breath knocked out of her. Luz quickly placed her hands on either side of Amity's head, the human smiling with a guilty expression that honestly had no reason to be cute and made her heart almost speed out of her chest.
"Ams! I'm so, so sososososo sorry! I had a nightmare again and nobody woke me up, which honestly is Eda's fault because apparently she knew about today and didn't bother to tell--"
Amity rolled her eyes before grabbing her girlfriends face between her hands and bringing it down to her own, capturing her lips in a fierce kiss. Luz blinked in slight surprise before humming and kissing back with closed eyes, gasping a little when Amity carded her fingers in Luz's hair.
It felt like an eternity before Amity pulled back from the kiss, cheeks, and pointed ears flushed a warm pink as Luz gazed at her with glazed eyes. Giggling when her human tried to get another kiss, she dodged her lips before pecking her on the nose and pushing against Luz's shoulders gently. Luz let out a resigned sigh before letting Amity up, taking her spot from earlier. Amity snuggled into her side, their legs tangled together and clasping each other's hands. Laying them on their laps, Luz took her perch on her shoulder and smiled softly as every five seconds Amity pressed a kiss to her forehead. And yes, Amity has counted. Luz had also counted, she was sure. With the familiar sound of waves crashing and wind whistling through the cluster of pink leaves on the ever-standing Grom Tree, Amity enjoyed the presence of her girlfriend whom she could never live without.
Wait--
"Luz! What took you so long?! I was waiting for you for hours!" Amity scolded, half-jokingly. Luz's expression became sheepish, placing a kiss on her neck as if to placate her girlfriend. Amity raised an eyebrow despite her heart fluttering at the gesture, poking her chest with a finger. "If you keep this up, I would've thought you were trying to avoid me." Luz quickly shook her head so fast that Amity feared she would get whiplash, pressing her forehead against Amity's.
"I would never avoid you. You're my awesome Novia, Ami. Te mereces el mundo." She whispered, eyes brimming with an emotion that has become clearer and clearer to decipher almost every day. She knew they loved each other, and she swore she caught Luz telling it to her softly every time she slept over at the Owl House and was the first one to fall asleep. She didn't really understand why they hadn't said it to each other, but Amity did not want to rush into anything just yet. Even though three months have passed since the journey to Eclipse Lake and the In-Between, Amity still did not know what she was doing half the time. Luz and she have been stumbling blindly, having awkward conversations and moments that were just cringe-worthy now that she looked back on it. They have gotten better slowly and a little more comfortable with each other, their dates few and far between but cherished all the same deep in their hearts. Kissing on the lips was a very recent thing as well. They only had their first kiss two weeks ago for Titan's sake! It was a day that was awkward and almost laughable, but Amity would always remember it as the best day of her-no-their lives. She just wished she would be able to say the words without messing it up because losing Luz... it was a thought that scared her more than she could ever say.