Work Text:
Amity Blight knew there was something wrong. Of course, there were obvious things she needed to be caught up on. Seeing Luz’s mentor, Willow, and an entire other confusing mishmash of people standing on the wrong side of Emperor Belos and his coven’s agenda the other day raised enough alarms in her head. She’d spent more than one sleepless night wondering if Luz and the others were okay. But today, she just felt something extra tense in the air of Bonesborough.
With her leg finally recovered, Amity set out to school that morning to figure out what she’d missed. Judging by the fact that Luz’s mentor had escaped the wrath of Belos, she figured that Luz and co were alive at the very least, but that was hardly enough to ease her nerves. Making sure to leave plenty of time before her older siblings would make their way to class, the young witch sighed as she felt hot water droplets begin to fall on her skin. The morning was accompanied by the much more tame version of boiling rain: uncomfortably warm drizzle.
Perfect, she thought to herself. My first time out of the house in days and my clothes are already wet.
Amity magicked herself a small barrier to work as an umbrella to save whatever was still dry of her outfit. She hoped this didn’t bode poorly for the rest of the day. She thought of what Luz would do in this situation. Think positive thoughts, she told herself. At least it wasn’t painful. That was something.
The first few periods of school passed by uneventfully. Amity’s attempts to learn about what happened the last few days went less-than-successfully. Her friends - or Luz’s friends at least, she wasn’t really sure how to define their not-totally-love but not-totally-hate relationship - seemed particularly out of it. Willow, who she met in the hallway, seemed distracted as she tried to question her in the short time they had. The younger boy, Gus, she recalled, seemed like he was just staring right past her when she tried to talk to him.
She was able to pick some pieces of info from them, most importantly the fact that Luz is safe and in school, but it seemed like most of the story she’d have to hear from Luz herself. Luckily, she’d finally get to see her in their next class. While Principal Bump may have decided Luz’s schedule for her, the stars aligned so that her one class in the abomination track she’d be attending with Amity. And so, off to class she walked.
While she didn’t doubt it before, Amity was sure now. Something was definitely, definitely wrong. Sitting down next to Luz as the two had started doing ever since they began taking Intro to Abominations together, she decided to wait until after class had ended to start asking questions. The first thing Amity noticed was the lack of that light, that shine, that honest to God idiotic yet lovable sparkle in Luz’s eyes. A world with magic spells and enchanted artifacts, yet that light in her eyes took Amity’s breath away more than anything else. Yet today, it was gone, replaced with an empty stare. Anyone else could mistake Luz’s staring forward as paying attention to the teacher lecturing in the front of the class, but Amity could tell that wasn’t the case. Her stare was aimless, and her pen hadn’t written a word in minutes. Amity felt her stomach twist inside at the sight. The girl, the oh so charmingly goofy girl sitting next to her looked, for lack of a better term, depressed.
The second thing she noticed was how long she was getting away with staring at Luz. Normally she’d only get away with 20 or so seconds of staring before Luz turned to her and started up a conversation, but now it’d been almost half-an-hour without so much as a glance from the human witch since a token greeting at the beginning of class. Not that Amity had been timing it or anything like that. As happy as she would be to admire Luz all period, though, there was also a downside. After being stuck at home with nothing but her itchy cast and her anxiety over Luz’s wellbeing to keep her company, Amity wanted nothing more than to hear her voice.
Without a word, she slid over a piece of paper.
Can we talk after?
Without moving her head, Luz looked at her from the corner of her eye and nodded.
Seeing the state Luz was it, Amity decided she’d probably have to lead the way. After hearing the school bell scream for their lunch period, she walked over to a small side hallway, leaning against the wall and sliding down to the floor. Luz followed without a word. Amity made a mental note of how similar this situation felt to when they first had an honest conversation that day at the Covention.
“I’ve uh, missed a lot, haven’t I?” Amity struggled to keep herself from stuttering. She could barely keep calm talking to Luz a majority of the time nowadays, but not being able to see her for days struck the young witch differently that moment.
“You could say that…” Luz’s voice gave off the same feeling of gloom that Amity had felt in class. “I’m sorry for not reaching out to you sooner, Amity. Where should I start…?”
Several flashes shone through Amity’s mind. Memories of nights staring at the ceiling, of hours wondering if this human who brought a new light to her life, was safe. She remembered episodes of panic, anxious crazes of wondering if she’d ever even see Luz again. Amity shook her head before she fully relived that thought. Shaken and nervous from her own anxieties, Amity threw all caution and restraint to the wind. Leaning in close, she threw her arms around Luz and pulled her into a tight hug. She wasn’t sure what to think when Luz first explained hugging to her weeks ago. How could the act of placing your arms around someone bring about a sense of calm, affirmation, and affection? Yet, when she actually got around to trying out, Amity understood. Admittedly, it could’ve just been because it was Luz she was hugging, but she understood nonetheless.
“Woah! I know it’s been awhile, but still.” Luz gave a small laugh. The first sign of positivity from this girl that Amity had seen in the hour. “You been holding that in the whole period or something?”
Amity tightened her hug, moreso to keep herself from shaking than anything else. Though, the young witch couldn’t do anything to keep her voice from shaking. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
The two sat together in silence for a moment. Amity’s nerves calmed from the hug, embracing Luz just as much for keeping herself cool as much as it was for Luz’s sake. Eventually, the witch grew nervous in a different way. Amity’s face grew brighter and brighter shades of red as she continued hugging Luz, her mind processing the physical contact. She settled for simply wrapping around Luz’s arm, a much less but still very much so embarrassing option. She leaned on the human girl’s shoulder as they explained the events of the past few days. Eda’s capture and the loss of her magic. Lilith’s betrayal of the coven and reconciliation with her sister. And finally, Luz’s sacrificial destruction of her one way home.
The thought of her mother weighed heavily in her mind. Luz tried not to let show how much pain that part caused her, though Amity could see it clearly. Unlike her own family, she understood the close relationship Luz had with her mother. She knew back from Grom night how much Luz was scared of letting her mom find out about this world, but the possibility of never seeing her again didn’t exactly seem like a solution.
Amity was at a loss for words. Years and years of superficial human connection left her unsure how to comfort Luz, if she even could. Yet she had to try.
Just think. What would Luz do if this situation were swapped?
“Well,” Amity coughed, sitting upright. “I think it’ll all work out.”
“You do?” Luz eyed her curiously.
“O-of course!” Trying her best to appear confident, Amity shot as best a smile as she could at Luz. “Just think about what you’ve been able to accomplish. You’ve discovered a world of magic and curses. You’ve found out a way for humans to do magic. You’ve changed the mind of a who knows how old principal on how to run his school. You’ve faced the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles and come out fine! You faced the Bat Queen, you saved the Owl Lady, you… you saved me from a dark place, Luz. If you ask me, finding out how to get home is just another adventure. And besides, as the Good Witch Azura said to her newfound ally Hecate when they were trapped in the Cavern of Inconvenient Darkness…”
Luz looked at Amity, wide-eyed and excited.
There’s that sparkle I missed.
The two spoke in unison for what followed.
“Fear not! With my staff grasped in one hand and your hand in my other, there is nothing we cannot achieve! Trust me, for the might of two great witches together knows no equal!”
Amity turned to stare at Luz for a moment. Thankfully, Luz started laughing. To her delight, that was the first time she had heard someone other than herself quote the Good Witch Azura. The two girls sat there, laughing together in innocent joy, both for the first time in days. To her surprise, Amity felt Luz jump to her, having decided it was her time to give a hug. While there was still embarrassment, Amity felt comfort like no other being in Luz’s arms at that moment. She took a look at Luz’s face, seeing something she’d been waiting for all day.
Finally, a smile.
“A smile?”
“HUH?” Amity blinked. In that moment, she felt whatever strength she had built up for this conversation become used up. “DID I SAY THAT OUTLOUD.”
“Yep, ya did.” Amity was far too distracted to notice a slight shade of red beginning to appear on Luz’s face. “But thank you, Amity. I don’t know what I’d be doing if it weren’t for you right now.”
“OHIT’SFINEDON’TEVENMENTIONITIT’SWHATFRIENDSDO.”
“I’m serious, Amity.” Luz gave her the most radiant smile the witch had ever seen. One could’ve sworn there was no brighter sight on the Boiling Isles. Or at least, that’s what Amity would’ve sworn. Without warning, Luz leaned in and gave Amity a peck on the cheek. “Thank you for being there for me.”
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.
It took 5 seconds for the brain of Amity Blight to process what had just happened. By the time the young witch realized it, Luz looked sheepish.
“Was that too much?” She rubbed the back of her neck. “Do you guys not do that here?”
Amity mentally slapped herself before responding. “No! I mean, we do. It’s okay, it was just uh, that was uh… unexpected. D-do humans give away kisses that easily?”
“No… well some do. I just wanted to give you a sign of my appreciation.”
“Well, uh message received. But I’d be more careful about it, especially in public. I-if you start kissing whoever you feel grateful for, it might cause people to-”
Amity was interrupted by the peck of lips onto hers.
“Does… does that clear it up for you?” Even Amity could see red on Luz’s face now. “I… I did almost meet my end back then. I’ve been in a lot of rough spots, but between you, and Willow, and Eda, there’s always been someone to help me out. But when I was facing Belos, I really was alone. It felt like I could’ve said my goodbyes right then and there if I wasn’t careful. Or, not said my goodbyes, I guess. I wouldn’t have been able to say goodbye or thank you or whatever else I needed to say to anyone. And to you. So I figure… I should say things while I still can. But I’m not too good with my words when it comes to this stuff so…”
Luz leaned in to give the still motionless Amity a kiss, this time just the tiniest bit longer than a peck.
“Hopefully, that says enough for now.” Luz picked herself up off the ground. “I’ll… have to start getting to class now. My next lesson is all the way in the plant wing across school, so I’ll have to get a headstart. We’ll… we’ll talk later, alright? And thank you, Amity.”
The droplets of the uncomfortably warm drizzle hit a nearby windowsill. Amity stood up and stared blankly outside, seeing the rain still fall over Bonesborough. Luz Noceda was already far out of sight when Amity’s mind had caught up to reality.
“Wait. One second. Hold on. Excuse me. WHAAAAAAAAAT??”
She fell to her knees, holding her head in her hands.
Amity Blight’s face has invented a new shade of red.