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“Careful, dear, you’ll slip off the staff.”
Eda’s guffaw echoed through the night as she and Raine flew over the outskirts of Bonesborough. The moon shone brightly over them, obscured only by a few stray clouds that ominously announced a future storm. They were celebrating their ten-year anniversary and had done so in style. Despite their stage fright, Raine could really put on a show when it came to the woman of their dreams, which is exactly what they did.
They had gone to the fanciest restaurant they could afford, gone sightseeing around the Left Arm with only a few drinks on them, and had even had time to engage in some less-than-legal activities in the Night Market before calling it a night and heading back home.
Now, a few minutes before midnight, Eda was hanging upside down from Owlbert’s staff while Raine sat in the back, gripping the palisman with all their might.
“Relax, Rainstorm,” Eda said with a snort. “I’ve been doing this for years! I could do this in my sleep.”
Raine shuffled uncomfortably. “I’m afraid you might actually fall asleep in that position with the amount of alcohol you consumed,” they said, unable to keep the fond smile off their face. It seemed, no matter how many years they were married, the Owl Lady would always be a wildcard.
Huffing but obliging her partner, Eda swung back and sat cross-legged on the staff, facing Raine. She leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss – a rare occurrence coming from Eda – on their lips, which made Raine blush madly.
“We’ll be home in no time, and then we can relax with a nice movie,” she said, tilting her head. “I think Cam brought us some more human DVDs last time she was here. Luz told me there’s actually a fifth movie about those dumb sparkling vampires.”
“That woman spoils us too much,” said Raine, chuckling.
Eda shrugged as Owlbert began his descent, having made this trip many times. “We give as much as we take; we’re not beggars,” said Eda wisely, booping her partner’s nose. Then she leaned in and said in a husky tone, “unless you want me to be one.”
It seemed Raine’s face would permanently shine a bright red as they stammered out a response to her words, while Eda simply cackled madly and apologized, though only halfheartedly. Eventually, Raine joined in on the laughter and they were unable to stop until they had touched solid ground a few yards from the Owl House, where Hooty extended his body out to greet them.
“It’s great to have you guys back, hoot hoot,” he said, suddenly forgetting the words ‘personal space’ as he all but shoved his face into Raine’s.
Thankfully, the bard had endless patience for the demon’s antics, so they simply smiled and grabbed Eda’s hand while they walked the rest of the way to the house. “Evening, Hooty,” they said politely. “Had a fun time?”
“I collected lots of leaves and ate three bugs, hoot,” said Hooty. “It’s gonna rain soon, though. I saw a nasty cloud coming from that direction.” He wiggled his body to vaguely point north and Raine nodded.
“Thanks for letting us know.” As Eda and Raine got to the porch, Raine extended their hands and created a large spell circle, glowing golden before expanding into an enormous bubble that grew to cover the entirety of the house before shrinking slightly to more snugly encompass the crevices of the structure.
Eda hummed in approval. “You know, it’s really hot when you do that,” she said with a wink.
Raine, already prepared for another onslaught of possibly inappropriate comments, raised an eyebrow. “Do what?” they said suspiciously.
She opened the door, almost slamming Hooty into the wall, and said, “Just being yourself.”
The couple entered the house with stifled giggles. Just in time, too, as the moment they stepped foot in the living room, a rumbling roar shook the house before they heard the signature sounds of boiling pitter-patter against the magic shield. Finally comfortable in the safety of their home, the pair walked up the stairs to Eda’s nest and changed into their pajamas. Eda snuggled up against Raine, while they chose a movie they could fall asleep to.
It took a while, but the exhaustion of their already hectic day coupled with the eyesteak dinner from that fancy restaurant finally knocked Eda out. Raine, however, was another matter. After their entrapment at the hands of Belos, they were unable to sleep peacefully most nights, especially rainy ones. Sure, they might get the odd nap in or a great night’s sleep after a… strenuous workout with their wife, but most of the time, Raine spent their nights silently lying in Eda’s arms or wandering the house.
Tonight, they felt like doing the latter, so they carefully extricated themselves from the Owl Lady’s strong grip and made their way down to the kitchen. Figuring they’d need some of that delicious human coffee Luz had introduced them to, they began the process of making a cup when they heard the strangest noise.
It wasn’t a growl or a hiss, which would have been perfectly normal on any night in the Boiling Isles. No, this sound came from just outside the door of the house and it was distinctly rhythmic. They waited with bated breath, wondering if they had just imagined it when it came again.
Knock… knock… knock…
Apprehensively, they slowly walked to the front door, one hand holding the coffee mug and the other preparing a spell circle for whoever wished to harm their wife. They could hear Hooty’s loud snores and a distant boom of thunder as they got closer to the door. Slowly, they reached forward and opened it to reveal…
“Amity?” gasped Raine, horrified at what they saw.
On the front porch of the Owl House stood Amity Blight-Noceda, her nightclothes tattered and singed where the rain had hit it and her auburn hair as messy as Raine had ever seen it, sticking out in odd places but thankfully not burned from the rain. What struck them the most, however, was that Amity’s eyes were bloodshot and her cheeks bore the unmistakable signs of recent tears.
“Raine…” said Amity, shivering from the cold and wincing, probably from the acid literally searing her skin just a few moments ago. “Can I come in?”
“Of course!” said Raine, stepping back and letting their guest in. Amity wobbled in and cast a small spell circle to dry her clothes while the bard followed closely behind her. It did not help the burns, but it was enough for her to stop shivering. Raine gestured to the couch for her to sit on, and she nodded.
“Thanks,” she muttered as they took a seat.
Raine placed a hand on her knee. “Would you like some tea, dear?”
The woman shook her head slightly. “No, thank you.”
They both sat in silence for a while, Raine contemplating what to say to the poor witch, Amity’s eyes focused on a single point they couldn’t quite place. Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, Raine cleared their throat.
“What brings you by on such a horrible night, Amity?”
“You’ll think it’s stupid.”
Raine chuckled. “I promise I won’t,” they said.
Amity sighed and glanced back at the teal-haired witch. “What did you think of my parents?”
The question took Raine by surprise. They frowned, trying to discern the memories they had of Odalia and Alador Blight, which were plentiful. After all, Raine and Eda had been in the Blights’ year at Hexside, and let’s just say Eda was not a quiet kind of student, nor the most stable to be around, so they had all unsurprisingly made waves at the magic school.
“If I must be honest, they were terrible people,” said Raine slowly, choosing their words carefully. “The things Odalia did to you and your siblings, Amity, I can’t even fathom. From what I heard, Alador wasn’t as involved, which honestly doesn’t excuse his inaction, but your mother…”
Amity nodded along since she already knew all of this. Luz had done a great job of reminding her wife that she was worth so much more than what her parents expected of her, and after almost twelve years of dating and five of marriage, Amity had begun believing it herself.
“What were they like at school, then?” asked Amity, tilting her head, and Raine was reminded of a child asking their parent for permission… though what Amity was truly asking for was a mystery.
Again, the witch thought about their answer. “Alador was… quite nice back in school before he got involved with Odalia. We didn’t share any classes, of course, but I could tell he wasn’t actively malicious,” they explained. “But your mother… she always looked for an in with people, and when she couldn’t get it, she’d drop them just as fast as you could say Snaggleback. Honestly, she was a piece of work, no offense.”
“None taken,” said Amity, and Raine was relieved to see a smile form on her lips, albeit a small and strained one. “I guess I’m just scared.”
Raine blinked. “Scared about what, Amity?” they asked. Now, fear, that they could relate to…
“Do you think I could turn out like… like my mother?” Amity said, almost forcing the last words out as if it physically pained her to do so.
“Like your… Amity, what a crazy idea,” said Raine, squeezing the woman’s knee. “You’re one of the most kind, thoughtful people I have ever had the pleasure to meet.”
A clap of thunder shook the house and Amity flinched, glancing around as if she expected to be attacked. When no such assault was forthcoming, she frowned down at the floor.
“But what if I start out nice, like my dad, and end up… doing something I might regret,” she said.
Raine made no attempt to touch the woman again, lest they scare her in this vulnerable state. Instead, they chose to lean forward and set the coffee mug on the table, glancing back at Amity.
“Be honest, Amity,” they said slowly, offering the auburn-haired witch a kind smile. “What is this really about?”
Amity stared wordlessly for a moment, blinking slowly, before muttering something under her breath that Raine could not quite hear.
“I’m sorry?”
“I’m scared of becoming a mother and screwing up my children like my parents screwed me and my siblings up,” Amity said in a single breath, turning a light shade of pink as she finished; from embarrassment or lack of air, Raine could not be sure.
They looked down at the woman, nodding for a moment as her words sunk in. Amity seemed determined to look anywhere but at Raine, deciding instead that the empty coffee mug was infinitely more interesting than this conversation.
“I see,” said Raine, clasping their hands together. “And may I ask what brought this line of thinking on?”
“Tonight, after dinner, Luz brought up the idea of children,” explained Amity, her voice frail and distant. “She seemed so excited, so I just nodded along. We always knew we wanted kids; we talked about it before we got married.”
Raine cocked their head. “And you’re having second thoughts about that?” they said slowly.
“No, not really,” Amity said, shrugging. “I do wanna have kids, and I want Luz to be their mother too, but… I guess I’m having second thoughts about myself.”
To Amity’s surprise, Raine let out a soft chuckle, and she turned to see the bard smiling at her. “I know a thing or two about self-doubt, Amity.”
The woman nodded. “I’m scared I’m not good enough to be a mother alongside Luz. She’s literally a ray of sunshine and she dotes on everyone so much, baby or otherwise. She has the patience of a saint and always makes everyone in the room feel welcome by her presence. How can I compete with that?”
“Ah,” said Raine, snapping their fingers. “See, there’s your problem.”
“Which is?”
“Parenting is not a competition, Amity,” said Raine wisely. “You don’t have to be the best at it, or even better than your partner. You only have to show your best, and that will, I believe, be enough. Remember the story of how you decided to befriend Luz that you told at your wedding?”
As Raine had intended, Amity’s face broke into a radiant smile that almost betrayed the anxious demeanor she’d had just moments ago. She nodded.
“You talked about it being… like a leap of faith,” they continued, mimicking the action with their hands. “Parenting is kinda like that. It’s a jump you don’t know you’re ready for until you’ve taken it, but once you do, you won’t trade it for the world.”
“Y’know, you’re pretty eloquent for a person with stage fright,” said Amity, smiling at Raine, who snorted.
“I can handle a one-person audience,” they said defensively, which made both of them chuckle.
“Fair enough.”
“You asked me if you would turn out like your mother once you had children,” said Raine. “I think, and I believe Eda would agree with me, that the fact you’re worrying about this even before your baby is even conceived makes you a far better mother than Odalia could ever dream of being. It shows you care, both about your wife and about your child.”
“I do care,” Amity said, nodding firmly.
“Exactly, and that makes all the difference. Look, I don’t know if you’ll be the greatest mother of all time; no one knows that,” said the bard. “But you won’t be an awful mother by any accounts, alright?”
“Alright,” said the auburn-haired witch, not altogether convinced. Raine shook their head.
“I wanna hear you say it.”
Amity sighed. “I won’t be an awful mother,” she said, smiling at the bard.
“That’s the spirit,” exclaimed Raine, patting the woman on the shoulder.
“Thanks, Raine, for… for listening,” Amity said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her right ear. “I know Luz would have said the same thing, but I’m glad I got some… outside perspective, I guess.”
“Anytime, Amity. You’re welcome to crash on the couch for the night,” they replied. “At least until the rain lets up. I’m guessing Luz doesn’t know you’re here?”
Amity shook her head. “I left after she went to bed; she probably thinks I’m still in our living room reading a book.”
Raine nodded and stood up to grab a small kit they had set up near the couch a few years ago, which contained a few blankets and a pillow, perfect for when one of their many adoptive children – as Eda jokingly called all of Luz’s friends from time to time – needed a place to stay for the night.
“Here,” they said, handing the package to Amity, who took it gratefully. “I’ll text Luz to let her know you’re okay. You get some rest.”
Probably too tired to argue, Amity lay back on the couch and snuggled up into the blanket, sighing contently. Raine pulled out their scroll and shot a quick text to Luz, wondering if the human was sleeping soundly and unaware of her wife’s whereabouts. For her sake, they hoped she wasn’t up sick with worry.
When they heard the woman’s gentle breathing even out as slumber overtook her, Raine decided to go back to their room, glancing back at Amity before turning off the lights.
“Good night, Amity,” they whispered before retreating to Eda’s nest for the night.
Four months later, Raine sat at a loveseat, this time in the Noceda household in the Human Realm, relaxing after the fantastic meal Camila had cooked for them all. Eda was having a conversation with Hunter on the other couch about another one of his new discoveries in the field of wild magic. Luz was at the table chatting excitedly with her mother, Vee, and Vee’s girlfriend Sophia, showing them a small photograph in her hand which showed a rather smudged black-and-white sonogram.
“We still don’t know the sex of the baby, though of course, it doesn’t really matter cause we’ll love them no matter what, I’m so excited, I might just explode,” Luz was saying, her face the epitome of joy as her sister chuckled from the sidelines and her mother nodded along.
“That’s fantastic, mija,” said the Noceda matriarch. “But you still haven’t told me… how can the baby be both of yours?”
As Luz blushed a deep shade of red and began attempting to explain witch baby-making to her veterinarian mother, Raine looked to their left and found Amity sitting on the armrest of the couch, looking fondly at her wife. They nudged her to get her attention.
“So,” said Raine, “you still sure about this, right?”
Amity looked at Raine for a moment then turned to see Luz beaming proudly at her mother as the older latina held the sonogram. Raine could almost see the moment Amity’s heart swelled to three times its size with love as the witch beheld her newfound family, and Amity finally turned back to them.
“Yeah,” she said breathlessly as if she had suddenly forgotten how to breathe for a moment. “I’m sure about this.”