Chapter Text
Eda turns to the direction of the frustrated noises. She tilts her head, silently watching her kid mutter something in her human language. She flips the page in her Magic Today magazine, but keeps her vision partially settled on Luz.
The teenager is sitting criss-crossed, looking much more lively in her oversized shirt and baggy pajama bottoms. A swiveling table is pulled over her lap and Cyprus is sitting beside her, patiently assessing the young girl.
Evident to her mumbles of frustration, it can’t be going all too smoothly. The healer purses his lips in sympathy and devoted attention to the tremors in her hand. He nods, silently encouraging her every time the small wooden blocks slip like water from her fingertips. Eda winces sympathetically.
With five days past her initial injury, Cyprus allowed for the sling to be removed, leaving the white bandage to be wrapped around her arm. Luz had been excited at the chance for a bit more mobility, but the adults were all too skeptical at the prospect of having a typical working hand.
Their worries seemed to be more true each time Luz struggled to move the items in front of her.
Eda quietly presses the pages of the magazine together. She can see the growing tension in her kid’s hunched shoulders. Surely they’re only a few more failed attempts away from a proper meltdown.
With the sensitive waters Luz has been treading in lately, they’ve had to dance around using too dire-sounding words while simultaneously trying not to coddle too much. Eda and Lilith are well exhausted trying to keep the usually bright teen in a good headspace, which is a new battle for them. Luz is typically skilled at picking herself up from harrowing experiences.
Near death experiences turn out not to be very uplifting, though. Surprise.
“Very good, Luz. We’ve done enough for today. Thank you for all your effort,” Cyprus smiles gently. He collects the blocks with a flick of his finger and tucks the clipboard into the flap of his jacket.
Luz slumps back into her pillows. The healer gives her a supportive shoulder pat. “You are healing along quite well, but all major injuries take time to completely recover from. With continued practice I’m positive you will regain more strength in your hand.”
“Thank you,” she mumbles half heartedly. Her eyes flicker to her hand. Shifting her forearm, she struggles to lift it but a few inches from her lap. Luz makes a breath of annoyment. Or exhaustion. Eda can’t quite tell.
Cyprus moves his attention to the Clawthorne in the room, “Eda, moving forward I suggest you stay a few more days longer. It will allow me to work directly with her and do some strengthening here, as well as continue to run some tests to ensure she stays as healthy as she can be.”
“Of course. Is everything else good, too?”
“Yes. Over your time here I’ll teach you, and likely your sister, the exercises I’m doing so you can do them with your talented young witch as well. Consistently strengthening the arm and hand will improve her fine motors quite nicely.”
Eda nods. She mentally tucks the information away. “I understand. Is there anything else I should know?”
Titan, she’s starting to sound more and more parent-ish by the day. Not that she’s entirely upset about that. It’s almost nice if she thinks about it long enough. But Eda quickly shakes away those thoughts.
“Patience for physical injuries should extend to the mental ones just as much,” he reminds. Cyprus side eyes the teen with a knowing look. Luz squirms in his line of vision. “This is a reminder for both of you. And Luz, see that you take it easy. For the sake of your mentor, too. I’m not overly anxious that this will inhibit your cunning abilities, but you should think more carefully about yourself. Your health is fragile as of now.”
“I’ll try,” Luz offers.
He nods. He won’t get much of a different answer anyways, so Cyprus leaves the room with a short wave.
Eda tucks the magazine back into her hair. She fixes her gaze on her kid. Luz resumes back to staring at her hand. She gently turns her wrist. With every movement, the girl’s hand trembles and she winces at the sight.
“Doing okay, kid?”
Luz merely flicks her gaze to her mentor. She shrugs wordlessly. The older witch gives her a sympathetic smile. She digs into her hair and pulls out a small object. She tosses it into the bed towards Luz. The little yellow cat device makes the teen widen her eyes.
“You found it?” Luz asks excitedly. Momentarily, her frustration is forgotten.
“In the mess of stuff Owlbert brought me. Text your girlfriend, I’m sure she’s still anxious,” Eda encourages.
The girl nods rapidly and pushes out her chest as she fumbles with the device to type out a message. She manages decently with one hand, but the right hand shakes as she excitedly punches in the little characters. Eda tries not to settle her attention on it. Her ward is already uncomfortable as it is and having prying eyes isn’t going to help.
Eda lies back in her chair. She stares up at the ceiling with a stressed frown. They’ve been trying to keep their attention on Luz’s health. Getting her to a good place, physically and emotionally, is their main priority. But Eda can’t help but constantly think about the onslaught of information Luz revealed to her.
Not only is she largely consumed with worry about their safety, the growing feeling of doom is quickly feeling more and more apparent. Their situation feels much more dire than before. Eda always knew the coven system seemed untrustworthy, and she always suspected the emperor of some unjustness, but this is way out of her field.
Eda is magicless, Luz is just beginning a tough recovery and poor Blondie is still out there in his own mixture of trouble.
The witch glances over to her kid, who is happily tapping away on her device. She rubs her fingers against her forehead in gloomy thought. There isn’t much she has left to protect her. Luz will tell her she doesn’t need it—something Eda might’ve taken into thoughtful consideration a few days ago—but they’re both vulnerable now.
More vulnerable than they’ve ever been.
Eda draws herself out of thought when Luz calls her name. She shifts her eyes to the teenager and tilts her head up to show she’s listening. Luz rubs her arm and stares down at the cat device peeking at her from her palm.
“Eda,” Luz begins slowly, “what are we going to do?”
The wild witch pulls on her lip with her gold fang. She crosses her arms and glances at her folded hands. “What do you mean, kid?”
“I mean..we can’t go back to the owl house, right? It’s not safe there anymore and surely Belos is after us. Cyprus says we can stay here a little longer, but…”
“That’s for me to worry about right now, okay? You just focus on getting better. Me and Lily will take care of everything else,” Eda assures, though she can’t trust her own words. She’s been spitting up worry since she flew into the healing office. And despite her sister’s solid, supportive energy, she knows Lilith is consumed with thoughts about the future.
Luz sighs. “I’m not a little kid. I know we’re in danger. I have to protect everyone else, too.”
“Kid, you could barely stand yesterday.”
“ My friends, Eda. How do I know they’ll be okay?”
“We’ll figure it out,” the older woman murmurs. She moves to the bed and sits beside her mentee. Eda wraps one arm around the girl and tugs her near. Luz whimpers a little. Eda pretends not to hear it.
“And if we don’t?” Luz questions softly, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
“Come on, kid. Since when do you start thinking like that?” Eda says lightly. She nudges Luz’s shoulder. “I know your little brain likes to make you think this is all your responsibility, but believe it or not— it’s not. You take care of yourself. I will figure out the rest.”
“But I don’t want you to figure out the rest, Eda. I’m the whole reason—“
“Hey!” Eda cuts her off sharply. She lays her hand on the top of Luz’s head and makes her look at her. She levels with her eyes and frowns. Eda pokes her finger on Luz’s forehead with narrowed eyes. “Stop talking about yourself like that, we talked about this, remember? Nothing is your fault. Everyone was tricked. And it’s not your entire duty to figure out how to solve it, am I clear?”
“But—“
“Luz.”
“Fine,” Luz grumbles, “But I’m helping.”
“Fine. But no matter what, you cannot push yourself. You’re injured, Luz. That’s not something you can brush off unless you want to end up with a severed arm instead of severed nerves.”
Luz snorts. “Wow, you’re comforting.”
“My speciality,” Eda grins, but it quickly fades, “seriously though, kid. No more running head first into fixing things. We discuss things first. If not, I'll tie you to Hooty.”
The girl shivers. She nods as a promise. “Okay.”
“To be clear, your helping is still a minimum,” Eda says strictly. She shifts to meet her mentee’s eyes completely. Luz fights the urge to look elsewhere but Eda’a firm gaze. “I’m not— I refuse to let you get hurt again. This was too close of a call.”
The teenager shuffles to put a little bit more space between them. She wraps her good arm around herself. Eda watches the flicker of determination light up in her kid’s warm brown eyes. She frowns.
Eda sighs. She gets to her feet and paces in the open space. Luz curls her knees up. She lifts her head and gives Eda a look that has a shadow of understanding. But if the wild witch knows one thing, it’s that her kids are reckless and stupid in the name of heroism when they choose to be.
“Luz,” Eda finally says after a while. She finds herself mirroring her mother as she sits back down on the bed to rest her hand on the girl’s knee. “You almost died. I know you’re brave. I think you’re the bravest kid I know. But that doesn’t make you invincible. I don’t know what I would’ve done with myself had you not made it.”
Eda glances away to the walls. She takes a deep breath. “I don’t want you to be everyone’s hero, okay? You’re a kid. And I don’t want to have to tell your mom that I couldn’t get you home.”
Luz finally looks to her mentor. Eda has never been so upfront with her before. Even when she had her doubts about how much Luz could handle, she wasn’t so serious. Now Iuz is looking at Eda and there isn’t an ounce of leniency or playfulness in her hardened, but caring stare.
The fourteen year old is the first to tear her eyes away. She doesn’t respond. Eda reaches out to touch her kid’s shoulder, but knocking and the door opening a handful of seconds later is what makes her drawback.
Lilith enters with a relaxed face. She’s holding a new bag of things. She hums, greeting her sister and Luz with a soft hello. She sets the things on a chair before she even gets a proper look at what’s going on.
The sight is unfamiliar. Eda has always been the more jocular of the two. But the younger sister is sitting in the bed with a clenched jaw and a frustrated, terribly hidden scowl. Luz doesn’t look much better either.
Awkwardly, Lilith peers at them with worrisome interest. “Is everything..alright?” She has to cringe at herself. The boiling tension in the small room could rival the sea.
Eda glances back at Luz one more time, but she’s refusing to look at the older witch. It’s clear to Eda what the kid’s stance on the idea of being more cautious is. It takes everything in her not to grab the girl by her shoulders and make her understand. She just wants to keep her safe.
Thinking too much about how lifeless the child felt makes Eda feel nauseous.
“I’m going for a quick fly,” Eda announces. She grabs her staff sharply. Lilith stares wide eyed at her. “I’ll stay high up and I won’t go near any buildings. Just a breather, kay Lil?”
The navy-haired witch frowns but nods. It seems her younger sister is not in the mood to hear any refutes to getting out of the stuffy room. Instead, she shuffles aside to allow Eda to briskly walk past. The cursed witch's temperament isn’t something to be playful with. Lilith has seen her younger sister when she is angry beyond relief. That’s a fire she needs to put out on her own.
The door closes behind Eda with a slam the slightest bit louder than usual. Whether that was intentional or not, Lilith doesn’t know. She isn’t keen on running after her sister to find out.
The room returns to a quiet state. The injured teenager curls in on herself and stares down at her hands. She squeezes her fingers into a shaky fist. They move uneasily and the girl huffs at the sight.
Lilith peers at her. She’s never been skilled at diffusing frustrated teenagers. When working with the youngest Blight, Amity reserved her anger for the privacy of her room. Lilith was often just as jaded when it came to training students. They never saw her nerdy, easily embarrassed side. Regrettably, she wonders if that’s why they never went to her with their concerns.
But considering Luz’s slight anger puffed up in her blushed cheeks, Lilith takes it within her stride. This moment is as good as any to start polishing her communication skills. She might not be as smooth or sweetly-maternal as her sister, but she can certainly try.
Besides, it’s better than trying to ignore how hot with frustration the room feels. Lilith tugs at her collar. It’s starting to make her sweat. This mother-daughter tension isn’t something she signed up for when reconciling with her sister.
But she shouldn’t be surprised. Eda and her kids are a package deal now.
“I don’t suppose my timing was perfect,” Lilith begins. She cocks her head to the side. The fourteen-year-old shifts a little, relaxing her hand against her stomach. Her foot fidgets on the sheet.
“I’m a little unsure what’s happened, but I am curious. Edalyn is hardly that angry these days, now that our heated rivalry has relaxed. You know, I’ve read that teenage hormones are—“
“Lilith!”
Luz squeaks and flips to eye the woman with a wide, baffled stare. It’s only a couple seconds after that she winces from jerking her still sensitive body so harshly. Lilith gives her an apologetic smile, though it teeters more on a sly smirk.
“We’re fine— she’s fine. ” Luz clarifies. She twiddles her fingers and presses the yellow cat device in her good palm anxiously. Her tone isn’t very convincing, so Lilith sits down at a chair. Her heterochromatic gaze focuses on the teenager. From living with the little family for a while, Lilith has grown accustomed to the characteristics of the inhibitors of the home. Becoming a professional people-watcher has made her skilled in that department.
Luz can be secretive when she desires. But with some subtle pushing she can also be just as slippery with her inner thoughts.
“Uh-huh,” Lilith mumbles. Her palisman flies into her lap and she runs her fingers down his scruffy feathers. He nestles against her warm hand.
“It’s nothing,” Luz insists once more. She bats her eyes in furious determination to prove so. But the older witch can’t be convinced. The flame growing steadily in Eda’s narrowed eyes as she nearly threw herself out the door isn’t exactly supportive evidence.
“I’d be more likely to believe you if it weren’t for how insistent you’re being. An honest person has nothing to prove,” the witch finally looks up, meeting Luz’s brown eyes, “You don’t have to explain yourself to me if you don’t wish to. Edalyn can be insolent at best, but she is also wildly caring to those she loves. Which is few and far between, by the way.”
“I know that,” Luz huffs. Her tone is wavering on sass. Lilith has to reel back her expression. It’s natural for people in the same home to adopt one another’s traits, but she’s starting to see more and more of her audacious sister’s traits come alive in the teenager. It’d almost be impressive if it didn’t remind her terribly of Eda’s reign of annoyance in their childhood.
Lilith shrugs.
“It’s just..”
The older witch pauses, lifting one eyebrow in patient curiosity.
“She won’t let me help now. I know I’m injured and I know that I’m in more danger, but I want to help. I need to help. Eda doesn’t get that. It’s my fault this is happening. I have to make it better. I can protect myself.”
Luz rubs the blanket between her fingers. Her voice melts into a note of melancholy as she shifts uneasily. “I don’t want her to get hurt protecting me.”
A few beats of silence pass. The palisman flutters onto Lilith’s shoulder as she sits up properly. Luz refuses to make any motion that she’s aware of her pseudo-aunt’s presence.
Slowly, Lilith begins. “You are very studious. Or at least Edalyn has told me such. Perhaps it will make more sense to you if we discuss this factually and with some structural components.”
The fourteen-year-old ever so slightly looks her way. Lilith grapples onto this and continues. “For one, you are injured. Your arm is, at the moment, damaged and will need plenty of time before it will function at the rate it was before. Secondly, Eda is magicless and I nearly am, therefore we have no proper way of protecting ourselves. Thirdly, we are wanted criminals, therefore any brash plans will send us spiraling into death.”
Luz flinches at the last line. It’s a bit harsh, but Lilith makes no effort to hide her candid thoughts.
“I think we’ve made enough brushes with death lately. I think it’s best to face your dilemma with some bluntness. Luz, while I admire your tenacity and loyalty, you are not in the best shape this head on. You have people who care about you very much. This is not just about you. This is a problem bigger than us.”
The girl nibbles on her fingernails as Lilith sighs. “And fourthly..”
She lingers on the last one. Luz finally looks her way, tilting her head. She frowns. “Fourthly what?”
“ Fourthly, Eda cares much more about you than she does about most things or people. You and King..well I don’t think I’ve ever quite seen her so loving towards other witches or demons before. Maybe with a certain bard witch, but that was long ago. I think losing either of you two would destroy her. She wants to protect you. Let her do that.”
Lilith shakes her head. “My sister is a lot of things, but maternal is one I thought she’d never be. You two are insufferable. It’s sickly sweet how you are both desperate to protect one another. But in the end, you are just a child, Luz. And that is a fact. You’ve got more than one mom counting on you staying safe.”
Luz finally sighs. Her body sags with unspoken emotion. She groans, rubbing at her face. Lilith smiles. Her words are kicking in.
“And what if she gets hurt? What if I can’t protect her? Or King? Or my friends?”
“Well you helped her not turn into stone. And you’ve helped your friends this far. I don’t think it’s unrealistic to believe you can do it again. But you must be more cautious and collaborate.”
Finally the girl nods in agreement. Triumphantly, Lilith tilts her chin up. She’s going to add ‘teenage argument diffuser’ into her resume.
-
A while later, the door opens. Lilith looks up from a book she’s buried her nose in and Luz flickers her eyes up from the show on the crystal ball.
Immediately, the air grows a little tighter. Eda looks significantly less stressed, but it’s evident that what’s leftover from her and the kid’s earlier conversion is still stinging.
“Hey, Eda,” Luz begins shortly. She grips her shirt with her good hand. “How was your fly?”
“Good,” Eda replies, “how are you feeling?”
Luz flinches at how soft her voice is. Even in her anger, the witch is kind with her. The teenager gives her the biggest smile she can muster, which isn’t much by Luz standards. She settles with a shaky thumbs up.
Eda opens her mouth and sighs. “Look, Luz—“
“EdaImsosorrypleaseforgivemeIdidntmeanto—“
“Titan, Luz! Slow down, kiddo. I can’t understand a word you’re saying,” the older witch frowns. Owlbert flutters onto Luz’s shoulder and nuzzles her. The girl pats him gratefully. Eda perches herself on the edge of the bed and pats her mentee’s knee. “Say that one more time. At normal speed, thanks.”
Luz bites her lip. She reverts her eyes to her hands. “I’m sorry. I know you’re trying to look out for me and you’re right. I just can’t stop helping. I love a lot of people here and it doesn’t feel right not to. I'll listen to you more, I promise. I’m not good at this ,” she motions her bandages and pain managing potions, “but I’m going to get better and I’m going to be more careful. I’m really sorry, I know you’re just— oof .”
Luz blinks rapidly when she is taken into a gentle but firm hug. She reacts stiffly at first but then settles into it. Her head rests into the crook of Eda’s neck.
“It’s okay,” Eda says tenderly. She pulls back and holds the girl’s shoulders. “I know you want to do as much as you can. You’re just a goober,” Eda ruffles her hair playfully and Luz swats her hand away.
“who sometimes doesn’t think about herself first. From now on, we’re on the same page, okay? You’re going to be safe because,” Eda pinches her nose, “I need you to be.”
“I need you too,” Luz admits shyly.
“And I will. Together, okay? I don’t know what we’re going to do. But just let me take care of that. I’m the adult. You getting better will help us.”
She nods. Eda grins. She flicks her kid’s nose. That earns a scrunch of annoyance. But the teenager doesn’t shy away from her strange forms of affection. Infact, she looks much lighter. A bit of the shine in her eyes that Eda’s been desperately missing is returning.
A bit of dramatics makes this all worth it.
“Good. Now what finally put some sense into your little noggin?”
“Aunt Lilith.”
“ Lilith? ” Eda squawks. She turns to her sister in utter shock. The elder sister simply shrugs and goes back to reading as if she hasn’t been tuning into the conversation the entire time. Eda rubs her face in disbelief. “Everything must really becoming to an end if Lily is making sense.”
Lilith rolls her eyes and Luz laughs. “It’s not my fault I’m far superior to you in conversation.”
“ Seriously, Lils. What in the Titan did you say to her?”
“As if I’d tell you ,” the older witch sneers, looking mildly proud of herself.
That is until Eda is pouncing on her like they’re witchlets again and Luz is grinning and giggling from her bed and clapping her mentor on like it’s a grudgby match. But with the two, it practically is.
(Cyprus returns to check on them to find the oldest sister trying to push the other one off. It’s then he promptly turns on his heels and exits faster than one can say ‘ Clawthorne’)