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Chapter Text

"OW!"

Luz said as she was attempting to untie the tight pony tail her friend Gus had given her before the play.

It was closing night, which meant that this was the last night that Luz and her other theatre classmates had to perform their play, 'The Wizard Of Oz.'

Luz had played the tin Man as a tin woman, and was shimmering in grey glitter and sparkles with her light grey diy dress she had made two weeks ago. She personally thinks it came out amazing. "Jeez Luz, don't force it to untie. Take your time." Willow responded to Luz's scream in the backstage dressing room. Willow came up behind Luz to help her untie her hair instead. Willow Park, aka one of Luz's best friends since freshman year. She was always making sure that Luz would stay out of trouble. Willow and Luz became close friends due to their similar interests in theatre. They were in the same play once and ever since they couldn't be separated. They even tried dating once in sophomore year but decided they're better off as friends. If they'd stayed together Willow jokes about how she would have grey hair by the time she was 19.

Willow had also gotten a part in the same play Luz was in, she was the good witch, also known as Glinda, and got to wear a big poofy pink dress with a big crown on stage, not to mention also heels. Willow keeps on reassuring Luz that she's fine but Luz simply can't imagine going on stage in heels people can't even see for most of the play, PLUS a long dress she could trip on PLUS a big,annoying, irritating, head aching, migrating, crown.

"Gus has already head home. Said his head was hurting because of that big dumb wig. Being Zeke isn't a simple task to say the least," Willow added while she was slightly struggling with Luz's hair.

"Makes sense, as much as I love theatre I'm glad this is our last performance of the year. I don't know how many more scripts I can fit in my little head."

"How much more Luz, not 'how many more,'" Willow corrected, "and yeah, sometimes it can be stressful but I'll definitely miss this place and look forward to it next year, September feels so far away.." Willow responded, finally untying Luz's Silver bow for Luz's slightly dark brown hair to finally fall to her shoulders.

"Thanks Willow, I'll be able to do the rest myself" Luz smiled at her then looked back at the mirror. Willow nodded then grabbed her things and left the dressing room.

There were still 15 more girls in there so Luz didn't have to worry about being the last one, though it was quite noisy to say the least with all of the excitement of finally finishing the last play of the year.

Then suddenly Luz saw someone coming forwards her at the corner of her eye. She just ignored it though, since she was right by the door she assumed the person was heading out and not heading torwards her.

She was wrong.

"Uhm, Impressive performance Luz, congrats."

Luz swatted her head around wondering who on Earth could possibly be talking to her since Willow was already gone. But standing before her was Lettuce hair.

I mean. Amity.

Luz knows it's not okay to silently dislike someone but it's hard not to when they get everything you want. And she isn't talking about grades or money or a nice house, although Amity has all of those things Luz could care less. She's referring to roles. Every time Luz wants a main role in a play, Amity would want it too. With Amity being good grades little miss goody two shoes, the casting people always chooses her, it's been going on since sixth grade.

Frozen, The Addams Family, Romeo and Juliet, Annie, you name it. The role Luz wanted, even if it wasn't even the main character role, Amity would somehow want it too.

Luz was still in shock the the green haired Dorothy was standing in front of her just.. Spoke to her? I mean she doesn't have anything immensely personal against Amity but she would never expect goody two shoes lettuce hair Amity to talk to her.

Dorothy talking to the tin man.

Tin woman

"Oh! Uhm tha-" Luz started, but the green haired Dorothy in two braided pig tails walked out of the dressing room door beside Luz faster than Luz was even able to finish the word. Thanks.

What was that about... Luz wondered, she also couldn't wait to tell Willow just to see her reaction. Like, seriously what would a top student want to do with Luz. She's already taken Luz's dream roles, what more could she possibly want.

★★★

Luz headed out of the dressing room after 15 minutes of struggling out of her tin woman costume and then having to put her normal clothes on. She now had on a green hoodie, and long black pants, with a beanie topping it off.

"Luz what took so long? If you needed help changing you could have told me." Willow said spotting Luz after waiting outside. Willow was driving Luz home today not because there's anything wrong with her car but it's a Willow and Luz tradition to have car bonding time after a performance.

"Sorry Willow! I was just. Sitting in shock and confusion for... Five minutes."

"FIVE-.... Five minutes...? What could have possibly happened? Jesus himself better have come back for you to have been sitting in silence for five minutes." Willow responded as they were walking in the dark, almost empty parking lot.

"Oh Willow," Luz grinned something even better, more surprising, unnatural, and super natural than Jesus' coming happened in that changing room."

"And what's that."

"Two words, 'Lettuce Dorothy.'"

Willow stopped and turned to look at the girl beside her, who still had a little glitter on her face. "What..? Luz did that glitter get up your brain what are you talking about." Willow said entering the car.

"Okay so," Luz said entering the car "Amity Lettuce hair, walked up to me in the dressing room and told me.. 'ImpRessive pErfoRmance luZ' and then had the gods to walk out before I even said thanks.

Willow sat silently and scratched her head. Then saying " yeah Jesus Christ coming back is more believable than that." Luz giggled "Willow I'm so serious I thought maybe I was seeing things or that the glitter really went up my head but now, lettuce hair really came up to me after taking the dream role of Dorothy and playing her on the same stage as me, multiple times, to tell me I had a good performance. I mean thanks I guess but what do you think she wants from me?"

"What do I think?" Willow half laughed, "Luz I'm still, trying to believe the fact she talked to you, the only time she talks to someone her age that isn't skara, boscha, or a relative of hers is whenever she's forced too. Personally if I were you I'd run away as far as I can Luz."

"Pft yeah I'll think of that thanks." Luz responded laughing then looking out the car's window. "Maybe she was trying to talk to me because we're neighbors..?"

That's right, Luz and Amity were practically next door neighbours ever since Luz moved into Amitys neighborhood in freshman year. Amity doesn't know that Luz lives in the house across from her but Luz found that out in sophomore year and decided to keep it a secret for fun, she doesn't even think Amity knows a human being lives in that house, it's a bit rusty.

"Amity doesn't even KNOW she's your neighbor, and even if she did and she wanted to say hello, she would have done that about 3 years ago." Willow responded pulling into Luz's neighborhood.

"Well speak of the devil there I am, my house is the rEally preTty oNe on thE rigHt." Luz said mocking the Blights and their house. Sometimes she assumes that they moved into such a humble neighborhood so their house can look bigger and superior to the others.

Willow giggles as she pulls into her best friends house. "Noceda get you and your big green hoodie out of my car." "Yeah as green as Amitys hair pft." Luz shot her hands up in surrender playing along. She kissed Willow goodbye on the cheek and got out of the car.

When she was up by her doorstep before walking into the house she yelled "MISS YOU ALREADY~!!" Willow honked the car in response then drove off in the rain. Finally she opened the door to see her dog run up to her barking.

"Aw I missed you too king," Luz said closing the door shut. Luz's relationship with King was amazing to say the least, she loves him so much and he's always there to comfort her when needed. Especially whenever it gets lonely in the house since her mom has to travel out of state for work time to time, King really helps when she misses her. Luz makes sure to call her every day, she's also a wonderful part of Luz's life and she couldn't ask for a better mom.

King continues to bark and she notices this is irregular, since King is a rather quiet dog and only barks sometimes when someone comes home. But never this much.. Never this continuously. "Hey.. Hey what's wrong buddy?" Luz asked worringly while petting King who only responded by whimpering. Luz stood up slowly and cautiously. "Did a deer break in again...?" She asked herself silently. She grabbed her bat from the pantry that she used playing baseball earlier in the year.

"Here.. Deer deer deer, or rabbit, raccoon? Oh my god." At this point Luz is practically talking to herself. Outside of dnd she's no hero, at least that's what she thinks.

Then she hears a noise of books falling down the hall.

"My room.." Luz whispers to herself.

"Uhm. King eh stay here." She says leaving kind behind to check if the coast is clear or if there really is a raccoon... Deer.. Rabbit.. Serial killer.

That last part doesn't help her want to go to her room. But she just tries to tell herself she's over reacting.

She enters her room to emptiness and she let's out a heavy sigh of relief.

She then throws her bat inside of her closet.

"OWIE=€¢{#+#"

oh.

Luz almost forgot the only place she keeps books.. is in her closet.

The voice was almost.. too familiar also.

Luz swatted her head around and ran up to her closet and turned on the light. Only to see the one and only-

Lettuce hair.

Role stealer

Green head Dorothy

Lettuce Dorothy

Amity fucking Blight.

".. Hi." The ugly species in front of Luz said to break the silence. Luz only responded in the most responsible, normal, thoughtful way.

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!??? #)$;$;#-"

♤♤♤

"GOD AMITY your Dorothy performance was SO fetch." Boscha screamed in Amitys ears. They were in the changing room and if Amity had to be honest she wasn't in the mood for Boschas misshapen excuse for congratulating, especially after all of those performances as a character with the most lines. "Boscha stop trying to make fetch happen... It's not going to happen." Amity responded "What the hell is a fetch." Skara asked Boscha a bit annoyed too. Boscha backed down "It's.. a slang. From you know, England." "No I wouldn't know because look around burgundy, we're not in England." "Back off Skara." "BOTH of you back off I'm trying to get this eyeliner off... Make up wipes my fucking elbow- Skara where did you even get these make up wipes from.

" I don't know I just grabbed them, if you're going to be picky you should buy your own make up wipes... Uhm. Yourself."

"I'm going to punt you to mars."

"Anyways.. " Boscha interrupted, "Skara and I are having a movie night and are inviting Kat and Ivy along with us in celebration for our finale closing night as juniors, and I'm asking you to come."

Amity put all of her things down, frowned and looked at Boscha with an unimpressed face that said.. No. "Okay whatever..." Boscha continued "Why did I even ask when I know damn well you have your weirdo strict parent over your shoulders like... "

"God Boscha shut up, not everything is about her parents." Skara snapped at her. Boscha stood up from her seat grabbing her things to leave "might as well be, she's always at home with that same excuse, it's pathetic, come on Skara we don't need to keep Kat waiting Jesus." "Yeah one second." Skara responded as Boscha left the room. "Hey. Are you okay? It's totally fine you're not coming." Skara said to Amity who was looking to far into the mirror for Skara to see her face.

Amity had did this on purpose because just the mention of her parents is enough to get her face red puffy and her eyes watery. Having to miss on everything in childhood because your parents think anything that's not studying or helping your future. "Uhm yeah it's. It's fine I'm gonna finish up in here you can go." Amity responded with a shaky voice.

Skara had packed her things and left to give Amity space, which didn't do much cause there were still about 14 loud girls left in the dorm. Amity just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. She had already been in her normal clothes now but she still had some make up on that she'd just deal with at home.

She got up and looked at the door and to the left of the door? was the one and only Luz Noceda. Amity only knew her as the dnd nerd who plays baseball and is friends with one of Amity's old friends.

Amity remembers performing in the Wizard of Oz this last week including today. Her acting made her felt like she was really in the land of oz it was phenomenal in her opinion. "Should I tell her good job..? Give her a high five..? Call her stellar?" Amity thought to herself. Either way she was way too good on stage for her to just say nothing.

Finally she pulled herself together and walked over to the girl with.. An AMAZING costume for a tin man.

I mean. Woman.

"Uhm, Impressive performance Luz, congrats." Amity said firmly. Standing there like an emoji. Like a mannequin without a pose.

And Luz. She just froze there. Like ice or something. Or how she did when she was Anna and Amity was Elsa when they performed Frozen in sixth grade.

They have a lot of theatre history, it's the only reason Amity even knows her name.

"Oh my god.. I made her uncomfortable she still hasn't responded." Amity had thought inside of her head. So Amity dashed out of the room only to hear Luz say,

"Oh! Uhm-"

And nothing else.

Amity had pulled out her phone to check the time only to see that it was

10:01PM

Luz immediately became the least of her worries. Amity has a curfew of 10pm. "Oh my god." She thought to herself and immediately ran out to the parking lot.

♫♫♫

Next thing she knew she was outside of the Blight house. In the rain. She knew that if she walked in that door, Odalia would give her a punishment she couldn't imagine.

Amity would rather sleep outside then walk through that door. She actually considered it. If she found a tent she would rather sleep there then have to hear the rath of her mom again. She couldn't go to her siblings because they had moved out to the other side of the town.

Ever since edric and Emira left that had left Amity alone for no one to stand up for her when Odalia would go mad over the tiniest mistakes Amity made. It was really hard. She had felt so alone but was too scared to ask for help. Like a house without someone living inside.

A house without someone.. Living inside...

The house across from her was empty last time she checked, which is.. Never. But the light is never on so she assumed no one lives there.

She ran across the street all soggy and wet to the next door house and opened the door.

"The door is unlocked it has to be an empty house." She told herself. But then she turned on the lights. The lights work. Someone's paying the bills. There's furniture. Someone lives here..

She only hoped they were on vacation noticing how the light is never on anyway and how if someone was here the door would be locked.

She gave herself a little house tour then entered the room across the hallway. She looked at the room and she absolutely loved it.

It was small with a bed in the corner but it had the most gorgeous bed sheets and curtains on the window right next to the bed. There was a teddy bear on the bead and bear slippers by the bed. There were photographs on the door of the closet so she decided to look at them and have an idea of who lived here.

And oh my god.

It was an image of the one an only.

DND nerd.

Theatre history.

Tin man.

... I mean. Tin woman.

Luz Noceda.

"OH MY GOD?!" she yelled before she even got to think about it. Then she heard a dog barking. She turned around to see a white and black dog barking at her with a red collar that had the initial "K" on it.

"OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD SHUT UP SHUT UP." The dog barked back even louder. "GOD I'VE GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE. okay uhm UHM. THINK AMITY UHM. "

Then the dog runs out and the door of the room slams. Amity immediately pushes it as hard as she can.. It's locked... And now she's banging

"YOU STUPID LOOKING DOG. OPEN THE DOOR."

Amity heard a voice out the window. She hoped it was the grim reaper taking her away from this nightmare. But it was even worse.

"MISS YOU ALREADY!!" is what she heard.

Oh my god. Amity thought

"It's dnd nerd... " she thought to herself as she ran into the closet and sat down slumping. "This is why cats are better than dogs.." She whispered to herself praying that maybe Luz wouldn't come inside of her own house while it's raining outside.

The chances were pretty slim.

She heard the door open. She was doomed. All she could hear is that dumb K dog barking like crazy. Then she heard footsteps coming towards her.

Amity had backed up only for books from the top shelf of the closet to fall on her head. She had to hold every bone she had not to scream. God why does someone have such heavy fucking books. But she knew she wasn't the one to talk.

After the books fell the steps grew closer. Amity grabbed clothes off the hangers to put on herself so the person couldn't see her.

Finally the door creaked open.

She was so silent. She could hear nothing. Except for... Luz. She thinks. Sighing... And then..
A BAT GOT THROWN AT HER??

After the books falling on her head, she couldn't keep in her pain anymore. Tonight was a nightmare.

"OWIE=€¢{#+#" Amity screamed.

Oh shit. She thought to her self

The door swung open faster than light only for the clothes Amity put on her head to hide herself to fall off.

Luz was looking at her. And the only thing she could think was..

-she still has glitter on her face...-

"... hi." Amity finally said.

4 whole seconds finally passed before Luz screamed,

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!??? #)$;$;#-"

Chapter Text

"So to make sure I understand you, you barged into my house.. to hide from, your mom?" Luz asked after she finally stopped pacing in her living room.

After the closet incident, Luz had put King to sleep, and instead of immediately sending the green-haired out to die in the rain, Luz wanted her to explain herself. They were both in Luz's living room and Amity was sitting on the couch with a towel around her shoulders. Luz saw how her being wet from the rain was really soaking up the couch but she decided not to mention it.

"Yes, and I was so sure that this house was completely empty," Amity responded "but then I started to see furniture and then a dog, and that ugly dog locked me in a room and i was just-"

"Woah. Only I can call my dog ugly." Luz interrupted. "Okay, do your parents even know where you are you stray cat." Luz was tired and it was almost midnight. She had thought that she would be sleeping on the couch after watching a good avengers movie by the time it was 11:30. Instead of doing that she has a dream-taker standing before her inside of her own house.

"Did you not hear a word I just said, Luz. I'm HIDING from my mom, my PARENTS." Amity responded but now she's using her hands to talk hoping that Luz would understand her better. "You came into my house so you wouldn't get your phone taken away. So you could keep your gaming station.." Luz sounded unimpressed; by the looks of it, she may have considered leaving Amity out in the rain.

"No Luz you don't understand, if I was getting my phone taken away it would have been fine. It's worse than that." Amity said finally making eye contact with Luz. Luz could see something in Amity's eyes this time. Not only was she extremely tired, but she looked a bit scared.

"One night is all I need right now, one night and I'll get out of your hair. You won't have to worry about me again, and we can go our separate ways." Amity offered Luz. Amity would rather stay the night at someone's house, even if they hate her, than go back home, and that's for sure.

Every bone in Luz wanted to say no and let her be out in the rain like a sopping wet cat, but Amity really needed somewhere to stay. Luz didn't want to be a dick so...

"Okay Uhm," Luz finally said after a few seconds of silence. "Lettuce I'll see if I have spare pajamas for you because I'm not going to let you continue to dirty the floor with your wet Dorothy costume. Also, you don't know where that rain came from so I'm going to need you to take a shower. There's a bathroom across from my room and by the guest room, which is where you'll be sleeping. Is that okay?"

Amity stood up and looked at the girl in absolute shock, "Are. Are you serious?? That's more than enough Luz oh my god, thank you so so much." She was about to come into a hug but then remembered Luz might hate her and the fact she's in really wet clothes. Well, that's awkward. Luz just stared at her with emotion on her face that Amity couldn't read.

"Uhm, I'll go get to shower, I mean get to the shower, to start- showering." Amity finally said before speed walking to the shower. Luz watched as she shut the bathroom door pretty loudly. Then she plumped on the couch like a potato. "This has to be some type of dream.." Luz hoped to herself.

➷➹➷➹

Amity walks into the guest room with a robe on only to see pajamas placed on the bed. A smile curled on Amitys lips just thinking of the nerds hospitality torwards her. She has no idea what mess she would have been in if Luz hadn't been so kind.

When she finished getting changed she looked at herself in the mirror. Luz had given her a white tank top underneath a white hoodie and pajama shorts. The hoodie was a bit big but Amity knew she had no room to complain.

Amity head out of the hallway into the living room and kitchen to find Luz sleeping on the couch.

"Pft, dork." Amity whispered out loud to herself. She looked over to the time on the microwave to see it was already one am. She yawned as she realized how tired she was. The green haired girl who was no longer in two pigtail braids, but in her casual half up half down hair do, lazily made her way back to the guest room she planned to sleep in.

Amity flopped on the bed and got into the covers and just as she was about to doze off she heard a knock on her door.

"Hmmfp. Who is it?"

"There's only one other human being inside of here dumbass."Luz said as she slowly opened the door, one of her hands were behind her back.

What is she hiding behind there?

Amity smirked as she sat up to face Luz "I thought maybe you had another secret dog that was planning to lock me in this room too."

Luz sat on the edge of the bed and set something on the floor. Amity had assumed that what she set on the floor was the same thing she was hiding behind her back.

"Okay so what are you doing up sleepy head." Amity finally asked. She made sure to make Luz think she was teasing but she was actually kind of curious on what could have gotten Luz off that couch.

"Uhm, Amity look, " Luz started. Amity had to hold herself from jumping at the mention of her name. That was one of the first times Luz used her actual name in a genuine sounding voice.

"If whatever's going on in your house is enough for you to break into my house," They both chuckled at the last part, "then I know it must be a bit scary so.." Luz reached down to grab what she had put on the floor.

What is she going to take out? A sign that says get out? My ip address? A middle finger? Many things ran through her head before Amity saw a big plush of some type of bird in front of her.

"It's a shoebill! Sleeping with stuffed animals usually makes me feel more at ease and plus, these guys are one of my favorite animals." Luz said as she handed the big plush to Amity. Amity had felt her eyes filling up with tears, Luz was so nice to her for no needed reason. Yes she called her.. "Lettuce hair" and "dumbass" and Amity assumed Luz had many more nicknames for her but those were deserved. Amity wasn't the nicest at school, but even Boscha and Skara don't treat her this well, much less her parents.

The last time someone treated her this well was when she was 13 after her mom called her the most dissapointing child she'd ever raised. Her older siblings Edric and Emira had came in and told her that everything their mother said was bull and did everything in their power to cheer her up. Amity knows that her siblings could be annoying but they could be so good to her at times.

Amity quickly snapped out of the memory and became more focused on blinking the tears out of her eyes. The last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of someone who might hate her.

"Thank you Luz, so much. I can't even express how thankful I am for all of the things you're doing for me tonight." Amity finally responded. Luz gave her a bright smile that said "You're welcome."

Luz broke eye contact with Amity and looked over at the window that had bright stars on the other side of it. "You know we've known each other for a long time, we may not be friends exactly but, I wouldn't let someone who I've known for that long soak in the rain. Although if I have to be honest I thought about it a bit.." Luz confessed laughing a little. Amity didn't laugh with her.

"Remember back in seventh grade when we played 'Remi and Julie' and it was this messed up kid version of 'Romeo and Juliet.'" Luz continued, "You were Julie because of course, you always get the main female roles, and I had to be Remi because we didn't have many boys in drama class that year."

Amity widened her eyes at the memory "Oh my god yes, Mrs. Jill would not leave me alone about reminding me that our relationship was fictional, she was so homophobic it was crazy." Both Luz and Amity laughed at the small memory. "Anyways can I tell you a secret?" Luz asked.

Amity leaned in which gave Luz the signal of "Yes please."

"Remember how you lost your red bow as Julie.. well.." Luz got up from the bed and walked over to the other room, Luz's room. Amity's eyes tried to follow the other girl while she was still sitting on the bed, wondering what she could be grabbing.

Luz walked back into the room with a red bow in her hand. "Ta-da!" Luz smiled.

"Luz! You were the one that stole it?? I was looking forward to wearing it on stage!" Amity yelled as she snatched it from Luz's hand. She wasn't actually mad, in fact she found it a bit funny.

"Sorry but 12 year old me did not like you one tiny bit," Luz laughed. "I still don't like you but when I was twelve it was bad."

When Amity heard the last words come out of Luz's mouth her stomach sank. What was she thinking. That Luz and her could suddenly just be friends all of the sudden? Pathetic. Amity questioned why her stomach sank, as if she was looking forward to being friends with Luz..She needs to snap out of it.

"Uhm, we should probably get to sleep. It's rounding near two am and we're giggling about years ago." Amity finally said. Luz set the bow on the desk beside the bed. "Okayyy, I just almost forgot to bring to your attention that we have venomous bed bugs in this house, they're most common in the guest room."

"WHAT!?" Amity replied with widened as her pupils shrunk. Before Luz responded she hopped out of the bed with a big trouble making smile plastered on her face. "Goodnight Dorothy!!" Luz said while walking out of the room. "Goodnight tin man.." Amity responded still wondering about the bed bug comment. Then she heard the sound of Luz's footsteps stop. "Tin WOMAN I meant, jeez." Amity yelled torwards the hallway. "I think bed bugs have a thing for bright green colors Blight!" Luz screamed back before closing the door to her room. Amity rolled her eyes realizing the bed bug thing was a joke and finally went under the cover to get a well needed rest. ◄▪▻