Chapter Text
The last two months of Robin's life have been a mixed bag. The human realm was beautiful and safe, but she could never shake the worry for the people back home. She did have fun though, she let the other kids help her do teenage rebel things. She bought herself new clothes, pocketed jewelry from second-hand stores, got arrested for said shoplifting because she hadn't known about security cameras. Told her friends that she is an undead amalgamation of stolen parts. Fun teenager stuff.
Her hair is longer now, just barely brushing her shoulders. It's long enough to be pulled into a small braid, which Willow takes a heartening amount of joy in. Robin laughs a lot more now. Smiles more too. She's happy. Really happy, even if the nightmares still haunt her. Even if people touching her shoulder sends her spiraling. Even if anything moving towards her face makes her jerk away like she's being burned- just like that abused dog at Camila's work.
Because that's what it was. Robin knows that now, after all those weeks of quiet talks and spiced orange tea. Her uncle abused her. He wasn't ever trying to make her better, he wasn't trying to improve her. He didn't even think she would live to see her seventeenth birthday, killed with everyone else on the Day of Unity.
It's… something to think about. Later, though, because today is the day that they've been working towards for the better part of two months.
They're going home.
All of them, Luz had pleaded her case long ago to return to the Boiling Isles, and after much tearshed and quiet discussions, Camila had acquiesced.
So here they are. Standing in front of a cobbled-together door, hanging onto each other like five connected lifelines.
"You ready?" Amy asks, and Luz breaks away to give her mom one last tearful hug."I'll be back," She says, and she will be. This one is stable. Probably.
Luz returns to the group and ater one final steadying breath, they step through the door together.
The burnt smell of the air tells Robin that it had been raining, and despite how beautiful the rain on Earth had been, she couldn't help but smile. She had missed this. Somehow, she had missed this.
"We need to go find everyone," Willow breathes, and though something twists in Robin's chest at the idea of splitting up, she knows it has to be done. She will not tell them not to rush off to their families as soon as they are able. She is not so callous. Not these days.
They all agree to meet at the Owl House at the end of the day. Luz takes off in the direction of the house, and Robin… doesn't know where to go. She doesn't really have anyone here, sans Darius, but she has no idea where he could be. Or if he'd even want to see her. She isn't stupid, she's pretty sure he was only nice to her because she had information, but that doesn't mean that Robin doesn't still care about him, even if it is one-sided.
Luz skids to a stop, turning back to her.
"Robin?" She asks, frowning. "Are you coming?"
"You-" Her voice breaks and she clears her throat, embarrassed. "You want me to come with you?"
"Of course! If everyone- well, Raine is probably with Eda and they'll know where Darius is!"
Robin's mouth tightens, nervousness curling in her gut. What if he's not even alive . She shakes her head, takes a deep breath, and grabs Luz's hand.
They sprint the whole way to the Owl House, it isn't that far, maybe two miles, but Robin hasn't been doing her usual training regime. She's gained weight and lost muscle. Not that she's complaining, she's pretty sure she was what a doctor would call 'severely malnourished' before she stepped through the door of the Noceda household. Camila would not let that slide. By the time they reach the door to the Owl House, having been mostly restored after the events before the Day of Unity. Robin is relieved to see Hooty absent from his post, though the sight makes Luz worry her lip.
"I'm sure he's fine," Robin says, putting a hand on Luz's arm. "He's got that weird... birdhouse. Thing."
"Right, yeah," Luz says, but she makes no move forward. The two of them just stand at the edge of the woods, leaf mulch crunching under their shifting feet.
"You okay?" Robin asks, voice quiet.
"I'm nervous," Luz says, licking her lips anxiously. "It's been so long... what if they moved on already."
Robin stares at Luz incredulously.
"Luz. It's been like- two months. And Eda adores you, I'm sure she's going to be thrilled to have you back." Robin says, elbowing Luz in the side. Not hard enough to hurt though. Luz nods, takes a deep breath, and steps forward.
The momentum carries her and then she is running through the yard, and Robin is on her heels and Luz is crying already, and Robin would honestly be surprised if she gets through this interaction with dry eyes as well.
Luz bursts through the door, not even bothering to knock. Over the younger girl's shoulder, Robin sees Eda leap up from the kitchen chair she had been sitting in, thundernig into the living room, staff held at the ready to defend against whoever had entered her home. Raine and King are hot on her heels, all looking high strung and ready for a fight.
As soon as Eda sees who it is kicking down her door the staff clatters to the floor. There is a few seconds where Eda just stares at Luz. The silence is broken when Luz reaches her hands out, arms open, waiting for a hug. It’s sickeningly human, and it doesn't make Robin emotional at all.
Eda takes a slow step forward, hands reaching out, like she's not sure they're really there. Then she is running, and Luz is running too. King beats Eda to her, slamming into Luz's legs and sending her to the ground, already sobbing.
Eda falls to her knees and gathers her kids into her arms, leaving them all to settle into a heap on the floor, all tangled limbs and leaky eyes. Raine is standing behind her, looking shocked, but fond. They look up and make eye contact with Robin.
"Hunter!" They greet, and though they mean well, though they don't know, the name still makes something ugly and buried twist in her chest.
"Uh, actually it's- uh, it's Robin now." She says, ears pinning back against her head even though she knows Raine will take it in stride. Raine's face softens, something sweet and nostalgic on their features.
"Robin," They say, testing the name on their tongue. "I'll call Darius. He'll be so glad you're back."
"He will?" Robin asks, perking up a little, and Luz snorts in amusement from where she sits on the floor.
"Of course," Raine says, already dialing. "He's been trying to find a way to get to you. When we couldn't find you after... everything. We thought... well, all we knew is that you were taken to Belos. All of you." Eda's breath shudders. "Once King told us what happened we were actually able to come up with a plan of action but... it looks like you beat us to it."
"Yeah," Robin says wetly, but she's smiling. She's glad to be back, even if she doesn't really have a home in the Isles.
"What do you want?" Darius asks gruffly, voice tinny through the phone, and just the sound of his voice is enough for Robin to reach her hands out desperately. Raine hands her the phone with no argument and she cradles it like it is something precious. To her it is.
"Hello?" Darius says on the other end, sounding confused, a little concerned.
"... Darius?" Robin manages to croak out, even though she knows who it is. Of course she knows.
"Hunter?" He asks, voice raising in shock. Robin cant suppress her wince, both at the sudden noise and at the use of her deadname.
"Uh, kinda, but uh- I'm at the Owl House. If you wanted to come see me, it's okay if you don't. I just wanted to know because I missed you-" Robin babbles, voice getting choked up towards the end of her sentence.
"I'll be there in five minutes," Darius says, and then hangs up the phone. Robin hands the phone back to Raine, who pockets it before sitting down to wrap their arms around Eda and King, both of whom still hold Luz like she's going to crumble into dust if they let go even the slightest bit. Robin will explain her transition when he gets here. It's not like she's nervous or anything. She doesn't get nervous. She's cool. She wears eyeliner.
Robin lowers herself to sit on the floor, knees trembling. Raine sits down too, right beside her, eyes not leaving Eda.
"You look well," Raine says, hushed to make room for the whispered conversation between the owl family.
"Well, you know. Luz's mom wasn't really the type to let us go hungry. Willow grew a lot of the food though, so that helped." Robin says, pulling her knees up to her chin and sighing. "Do you think Darius will be upset?"
"That you're back?"
"That I'm different."
There is a beat.
"Why would he be upset that you're changing? It would be concerning if you stayed the same. No offense."
"None taken," Robin sighs. "It's just- I know how Darius is. He likes fancy stuff, like how it was before, I've got like, a pixie cut-mullet sort of thing going on, my eyeliner is uneven, I don't know how to do my makeup or dress up nice or- or whatever. I don't know- I guess. I don't know."
"I think he'll be happy to see you... more yourself." Raine says.
"Can I- Can I ask you something?" Robin asks, voice quieter now, not wanting the others to hear. Raine hums, tilting their head. "Did Belos ever... say anything to you, about... you know. Your gender. Or- like. Lack of it."
"No," Raine says, frowning. "Not that I can remember. Why?"
"He didn't like when people... you know. Transitioned." Robin explains in murmurs, something like shame curling in her chest. For what she has no idea. Maybe that she's related to him, in some weird, backward way.
"What in the world could he have against that?"
"I don't know. He was a 'puritan' which is- ugh, that'll be too hard to explain. He basically thought that our bodies are a vessel for his god and if we changed them it was going against God's vision. I don't know."
"Like... the Titan?"
"No, he- fuck, he never even believed in the Titan." Robin says, snickering, though it's slightly hysterical. "What the fuck."
"Did he say stuff about that to you?" Raine asks, eyebrows furrowing.
"Yeah," Robin sighs, tugging at a lock of her hair. "I guess that's one of the reasons this took so long. That and- you know, my complete lack of identity with anything that wasn't the Golden Guard."
"Well, you know he's wrong, yeah? We're meant to change. Every day, it's all changing." Raine says.
"I know," Robin breathes. "It's just- it's hard to get his words out of my head."
They are quiet for several seconds.
"Well... I for one am happy for you." Raine says, the pained look on their face tells Robin they are struggling with what to say. "And if you ever need advice, I'm here."
"You're so cheesy," Robin chuckles, though her voice is still thick with tears. Raine laughs too, then pauses, their ear twitching toward the front yard.
"Darius is here."
The door is already open from when Luz had burst in, and no one had thought to close it, so Darius just runs into the front room, grabbing onto the doorframe to stop himself from crashing into furniture. He stands there for a second, panting, eyes darting around the room.
They catch on Robin.
"Hunter," He breathes, stepping forward. Robin flinches, even though she tries not to, and Darius freezes.
'You fucked up now,' Says the voice in Robin's head. She thinks it's the Golden Guard, the buried ghost of the person she used to be. The person she wishes she could forget. 'He came all this way to see you and you flinch just because he used your old name? You didn't tell him. You're being sensitive.'
"She's actually going by Robin now," Luz says from her floor-pile, voice still choked with tears. Darius looks from Luz to her.
"Robin," Darius says, mouth twitching up a little. "So... You've got the whole bird thing going I see?"
Darius is looking at her shirt, and she looks down too, not quite remembering what she's wearing. Printed in white against the red of her shirt reads: 'Birds make me happy. You, not so much.'
She crosses her arms over the text, flushing.
"I like birds." She defends, shrugging. Darius laughs, but it sounds a little like a sob, and reaches a hand out to Robin. She takes it, a little hesitantly, and is pulled to her feet and into a hug.
Two months ago, she might have freaked out, but living with Luz and all her friends and family means that you get used to hugs or die trying.
Then Robin can't fight the tears that rise up, she is hanging onto Darius like he's going to be ripped away from her.
"I missed you," She chokes out into the fabric of Darius's shirt.
"I missed you too kid," Darius says, patting her head awkwardly, though his voice is soft and kind. "We didn't know if you all... made it, when everything had settled a bit."
"Luz's mom took us in," Robin says. "She's nice. She's strong. She punched a museum curator in the face."
Darius pauses.
"For a reason? Or just because?"
"He was trying to break into the house to see if we were magical."
"Ah, okay."
"Also I got arrested. For shoplifting."
Eda snorts from her position on the floor.
"You should take lessons from me, kiddo." She says, standing and wiping her eyes, though her hand never leaves Luz's shoulder. "I know a thing or two about not getting caught."
"Yeah, I'm aware," Robin says, pulling away from Darius and wiping the remainder of her tears from her face. "I was one of the ones trying to catch you."
The Lady scoffs, though the snide effect is ruined by the tears still trailing down her cheeks.
"God I missed you kids." She says, softly. "Where are the others?"
"Seeing their families," Luz says, voice muffled from where she buries her face in King's fur. "They're going to meet us here at the end of the day, I think. They'll probably text me if not."
"I'll get started on dinner then," Raine says, standing from where they had been sitting on the floor. With the owl family distracted and Raine gone, it is only Darius and Robin. She swallows, suddenly and inexplicably nervous. Robin wants to ask how everything turned out, what happened to that child god, but she just... doesn't want to think about it. She's not as tired as she was once, but exhaustion still lives in her, still drags her bones down, willing her to join her predecessors in the ground. She never listens.
"Do you know how to take care of long hair?" Darius asks suddenly. Robin shrugs. "Well, are you going to grow it out? No offense to you little- or uh, Robin, but it looks greasy."
"Says the guy with mud for hair." She says, crossing her arms. Darius freezes, and for a moment Robin is worried she's overstepped, but then he snorts- actually snorts , with laughter, curling in on himself a bit.
"Titan, it looks like hanging out with people your age has helped you out a bit. You're actually acting like a teenager."
For some reason, that makes pride glow in Robin's chest.
"Yeah, I try." She says, shrugging. She does. It isn't easy, to be anything other than a soldier. Sleeping past six in the morning is hard for her, she needs to do chores or she gets restless, she eats her food too quickly (leading to two separate instances of Camila giving her the Heimlich), but she is getting better. She talks back to adults, she doesn't walk with that line of tension that used to guide her movements. She isn't really as quick to follow orders these days. It's different, but it's a good different. She's a good kind of different.
"Are you conditioning your roots?" Darius asks, squinting at her hair. Robin resits the urge to put her hands over her head to block his judgy stare.
"I don't know! I just grab whatever soap is closest!" She snaps, glaring back up at Darius.
"Oh Titan," He says, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm going to have to make you a list."
"Exhilarating." Robin says dryly. Darius reaches out to ruffle her hair. She doesn't flinch, but she does swat his hand away when he messes up her windswept mysterious bad girl look.
"Hey!"
"Oh please, did you even brush it?"
"It's aloof." Robin defends. She's smiling and Darius is too. The air smells like magic in a way it hasn't in a long time.
"It's a rat's nest!"
"You're a rat's nest!" Luz shouts from where she sits with Eda, even though it doesn't make sense. Robin snickers at Darius's stricken expression, no doubt trying to figure out if he should be offended or not.
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They eat dinner with more people than Robin has ever seen in one room at once. Gus's dad is there, Willow's dads too, Lilith, Raine, Darius, Eberwolf, Amity, plus her siblings and father. Robin is not surprised that her mother had not been invited. Robin thought it would be too much, that it would send her to a quiet room to read a book and take deep breaths, but it's fun! She keeps laughing in between bites of her food, and she's talking too much to eat too fast, which is easier on her stomach. She does have one close call when Gus makes her laugh and inhale a piece of her bread, but she manages to dislodge it with some aggressive coughing and a few solid thumps on the back from Willow.
When dinner is over Luz says quick goodbyes and says that she needs to run back to the human realm, just to tell her mom that everything is okay, and she'll be right back. She runs into the woods and Robin is keen to follow her, but Willow puts a hand on her shoulder.
"She'll be fine," She says, smiling, backlit by the setting sun.
"Yeah," Robin says. "She's a strong girl."
Willow steps a little closer, standing by her side as they stare out at the woods together. The plant witch leans her head against Robin's arm, too short to lean it on her shoulder.
"I'm glad I met you," She says, quiet. Vulnerable. Robin's mouth goes dry, a lump forms in her throat. She tries to swallow past it so she can speak, but her voice still comes out cracked, emotional. Somehow Robin can’t find it in her to be that embarrassed by it.
"I'm glad I met you too," Robin says, watching the way the wind whistles through the trees. She'd missed this. As nice as the human realm had been, she had missed her home.
Willow's hand intertwines with hers. Robin squeezes twice. Willow does the same.
They watch the trees until Luz returns, beaming, sprinting through the treeline.