Work Text:
Beta
Luz Noceda walked with confidence, and a determined look, easily side-stepping any small demons who got in her way. A new visitor to the horrifying place called the Boiling Isles, the somewhat-cynical girl was mentoring under a cranky old woman by the name of Eda, and was slowly but surely getting used to this place, where you could die of almost anything at any possible moment. A rucksack was hoisted over her shoulder as she looked around the market for the things she needed. Eda had sent her out here, claiming that she’d teach her a new spell after she got the ingredients for some potion that Eda needed.
Unfortunately, she didn’t seem to be having much luck.
“Ugh…. some fucking market they got here,” the brunette grumbled, after passing yet another stall where they were selling mock-up items from something called the “Emperor’s Coven.” She tugged on one of the long pieces of hair that framed her face. “How are people supposed to do anything if all they can find is stupid little trinkets?”
Not watching where she was going for a moment as she scoured through the crowd for a useful stall, she bumped into some random witch and fell down on her butt from the impact.
That “random witch” whirled around, enraged.
“WATCH WHERE YOU’RE FUCKING GOING, YOU-“ she stopped her tirade as she looked at the frowning girl on the ground, and raised her eyebrows in a maliciously teasing manner. “Oh. Noceda. What brings you here, human?”
Well at least she makes an exceptional greeting for me. Luz thought bitterly. Ever since she had run into the girl a week ago after getting stuck in some kind of vicious, man-eating tree, she had disliked her. She hadn’t even helped her get down, just laughed at her. Jerk.
Luz grumbled and got off the ground, dusting herself up and readjusting her bag. “Supplies, Blight. Not that you would ever stoop to my level since you’re so high and mighty, and so fucking rich that you can’t bother to be in a marketplace for anything else other than tormenting the locals.”
Amity Blight scoffed at Luz’s comment, turning her head to the side in distaste. She had a mane of dyed green hair, and a frilly pink dress that was contrasted by the black choker and thick punk brackets with spikes on them adorned on her pale wrist.
Luz herself started to walk the other way after Amity’s silent reply, checking to see if her beanie was still there, and adjusting her jacket. She wore scuffed blue jeans as well, and her hair was cut short, except for two parts on either side of her face that went down to her shoulders. Her classmates had criticized her for it back when she was still in the human world, but no one seemed to mind her, among the teeth on top of people’s heads and extra eyes, which she liked.
She felt herself being jerked back by the collar of her jacket. “Not so fast, Noceda.”
Luz spun around and knocked Amity’s hand away, growling. “I need to find supplies. Leave me alone. I don’t have time for this.”
“Oh, but you seem to be having trouble~” Amity purred mockingly. “You’re in the middle of the scammers section! You’re not going to find anything here! If I’m really so high and mighty, how come I know Bonesborughs markets better than you do?”
Luz said nothing, seeing reluctantly that Amity had a point, and just decided to glare at her, glad that her dark skin prevented Amity from seeing that she was blushing in angry embarrasment. She’s so infuriating… is she required to act like she’s better than me all the time or is she just an asshole? Like always?
“Well… I’m new here,” Luz said, pointing to her round ears by way of example. “And I’ll learn by trial and error. Goodbye.”
Just as she was going to go again, Amity stopped her by putting her hand on her shoulder, digging into her skin ever so slightly. The height difference made her determined scowl at Luz a bit funny.
“I’ll show you around, okay? I don’t want you stumbling around here like an idiot. You’ll be a bad example,” Amity explained, her usual smirk faltering slightly as she stumbled over her words. She steeled herself. “...to someone.”
Now it was Luz’s time to smirk. She’s just denying to herself that she actually wants to help me. Ha.
“Well then Blight,” she said coyly, gingerly taking Amity’s hand off her shoulder. “Lead the way.”
Pilot/Concept
Luz nervously gripped onto the strap around her shoulder as she walked up the steps of the Bonesborugh library. She was determined to stay there for a couple hours, hoping to find anything that would help her.
Since she had arrived, she had no progress in learning magic. She was slightly disappointed at the concept, and Eda had given her a sympathetic pat on the back after her 500th try of doing spell circles, but she hadn’t given up yet.
Because if there were any resources for how a human could learn magic, it had to be in a library, right?
Luz stepped inside, and felt the chilled air and dusty smell refresh her senses. She liked libraries. They were nice, and quiet, sort of like her, although she would speak her mind when needed. And by the looks of it, this one was huge. She would no doubt get what she needed.
However her concentration in finding a book titled “magic 101 for humans” or something along those lines, was interrupted by her seeing a lone girl at a large table, bent over a old book.
She had green hair.
That’s Amity, Luz realized, quietly tip-toeing closer to where she was sitting. She didn’t know the girl well, but she had bumped into her a couple times, and she seemed well-known, seemingly because of her family name. She seems kinda lonely, studying by herself. I hope she doesn’t get mad at me if I interrupt her to offer some company.
“Amity?” She whispered.
“AAH!” The pale, green-haired girl shot up in her seat, looking frantically around her. She was wearing a black dress with sleeves down to the elbows, and as she was startled from her usual position, the cold started to affect her, and she started shivering, wrapping her arms around herself. “Who’s there?”
“Uhm… it’s just me,” Luz said, stepping out from behind the collum where she had been hiding. “Luz. Sorry.”
“Oh. Hello,” Amity said softly, watching Luz with a confused expression on her face. “Sorry I got startled.”
“It’s okay,” Luz said quietly, padding over to where she was sitting. “Do you mind if I take a seat next to you?”
“Uhm… no. Go right ahead,” she said, moving over a little so that Luz could sit next to her.
The two stayed in an akward silence for a couple seconds, before Luz broke it, her calm voice dispelling the tension.
“So… I was looking for a book so that I could learn magic. Magic for humans. Do you know of anything?”
Amity shook her head. Luz saw a visible shiver wrack her body, and she tightened her hug around herself, shaking. It didn’t seem that cold to Luz, with her purple and white t-shirt and beanie, but she supposed that maybe witches had a lower tolerance for cold temperatures.
Either way, if she could, she was going to help.
“You look like you’re freezing,” she said, opening her arms. “Do you want a hug so that we can share body heat?”
“n-no!! I’m good, Luz,” Amity chattered, shying away slightly. Luz put down her arms and thought for a moment.
“Do you… want me to warm up your hands then?” She held out her own, making sure they were actually warm first. She usually had a high body temperature, so most of the time it wasn’t a problem. “My Mamí used to do this all the time for me when I came out of the snow.”
Amity gave a slightly fearful look at Luz’s outstretched hands and then looked to the side, avoiding the brunette’s gaze. “I… don’t really like being t-touched. I’m not comfortable with it. Also I don’t k-know what snow is.”
Oh.
“Ahhh I’m sorry!” Luz yelped, putting her hands down and smiling nervously. Keep that fact in the back of your mind for later, Noceda. “I won’t make any more attempts to do any of that stuff then.”
Amity seemed pleasantly surprised for a second, a light blush coming to her face.
“Okay… thanks,” she whispered. “Also, it’s o-okay, you don’t have to h-h-help me.” By this point her teeth were chattering far past the end of her sentence, some science thing about the muscles doing that to try and warm up the body going through Luz’s head, and she looked off into the distance of the dark library with a determined gaze.
“Wait, there’s one last thing,” she said, reaching into the confines of her bag at her hip. “You’re a nice person, you don’t deserve to be cold.”
Luz kept searching for a couple seconds, before finally pulling out what she needed with a flourish. “Aha!”
Amity was snapped out of her trance of she said I was nice person?? I don’t deserve to be cold? I barely know her why is she- with the sudden movement and stared at the black piece of clothing held aloft majestically, confused.
“A Hexside cowl?...” Luz nodded proudly, and gently tried to hand it to her. Amity shied away from the piece of clothing, still shivering violently, and asked in a panicky voice, “Wait is that y-yours? You don’t h-have to-“
“It’s brand new!! My friend Gus gave it to me. It hasn’t been used yet,” she explained. “It’s okay, you can take it. I don’t think I’ll be going to Hexside anytime soon.”
Amity gulped and took it, hands shaking and heart beating weirdly fast. The fabric slipped over her head, and warmth slowly started to envelop her again.
“Thanks…” she whispered shyly. Luz smiled, her mission having suceeeded. It was a good feeling.
“Anytime!! By the way, what are you working on?”
Amity turned to the book, and began to explain, softly grinning.
Current
A brown bird tube snaked up from where his usual resting place was (the front door of the house that he happened to be) and up to the second floor. A girl stood outside the building, waiting patiently, and to avoid further reprercusuons from not listening to her, he followed her request and went to go alert the girl she had a crush on of her presence.
“Luz~! Your special friend who beat me up is here!~”
Hooty’s annoying high-pitches voice came from outside of Luz’s window, startling her, and then causing her to jump to her feet excitedly at the news. She exactly knew who he was referring to.
“Ahhh!! Thanks Hooty!!” She yelled as she ran out her door and out to the front of the house, almost tripping over her feet in the process.
Outside, bashfully waiting for her, stood Amity Blight, dyed green hair and all. Her face lit up at the sight of her crush coming out the front door, running to meet her.
“AMITY!” Luz came full-sipped towards her, but tried to stop herself, skidding on the ground , before she unceremoniously crashed straight into Amity from her momentum. They fell down into the grass together, and Luz nervously picked herself off of Amity into a plank position, hands on the ground on either side of the golden-eyed girl’s head. “Hello…”
“Hello Luz!” Amity replied, voice full of held-back laughter. She grinned and looked into the other girls eyes for a second, admiring how they shone, and the awkwardness of the situation, before she pushed Luz to the side and sat up. Luz grumbled, giggling, before pushing herself onto her elbows, and looked at Amity that way. “Quite the greeting that was,” Amity teased. “Happy to see me?”
“Heck yeah I am!!” Luz exclaimed, jumping to her feet and extending a hand for the other girl to take. Amity took ti gingerly, and pulled herself up. Luz’s heart was filled with warmth at the sight of Amity’s smile. “Do you know where we’re going today?”
“To the market to get some things, and then to the library maybe?” Amity suggested. Luz hopped on the balls of her feet in excitement, flapping her hands.
“That sounds good! Wait- Azura Book Club?”
Amity nodded, and Luz’s heart soared. She loved Azura Book Club meetings. Her and Amity got to spend some quiet alone time together, with no one to disturb them. It was nice! Sometimes they ended up witting fanfiction instead of actually reading the books, but that was cool too!! Expanding the universe!
“Yay!” Luz started off in the direction of the market, and Amity followed. While walking and talking about various things, a thought occurred to Luz.
In whatever circumstance… I hope we meet again in another life. She’s just that awesome.
Luz smiled fondly to herself.