Chapter Text
As much as Human Rain was better than Boiling Rain, Gus realized that it wasn’t just not boiling, it was cold. Even as they stepped into Mrs. Noceda’s living room, he was still shivering. The only warmth he felt, if it could be called that, was Hunter’s hand on his shoulder.
Mrs. Noceda ushered them inside, instructing Vee to fetch the towels. Mrs. Noceda was all over them, trying to do too many things at the same time. Disinfecting scratches, asking questions, rushing to turn off the fire before it burned the food in the kitchen. They were instructed to sit and wait. To shower and eat dinner. To get some rest.
Gus was only half listening to all the commotion.
What was going to happen back home? How was his dad? How were they getting back? Tears prickled at his eyes again. He didn’t want to be thinking these things, but there was this overwhelming sense of doom. Like it was all over. Like there might be nothing to go back to. Like home was gone.
“Hey,” Hunter shook his shoulder. Gus looked up from his hands, where his nails had been digging into his thighs. “You’re getting that look.”
Gus frowned at that, but Hunter just held up a finger, breathing in and counting up. Gus followed his lead as they let out a breath and Hunter’s fingers counted back again.
“Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it,” Hunter said with a reassuring squeeze. “I think it’s your turn to shower.”
Willow was walking down the hall, looking a lot better than before. She smiled at Gus and nodded toward the bathroom.
The warmth of the shower seeped into his bones, his cold skin contrasting sharply with the humidity around him. There, his tears mixed with the water, so he couldn’t feel them. But he knew they were there. His chest hiccupped as he leaned against the cold tiles. He wasn’t sure how long he stood there, letting the water warm his body and wash away the horrible feeling that had nestled in his chest.
He felt a little better after the shower, but just barely.
The food in the Human Realm was…odd. Some of the flavors made his mouth water, somehow different from the food at home. It wasn’t terrible, but the meat didn’t sit well in his stomach.
The table was mostly quiet, even Mrs. Noceda had run out of things to say.
“Why don't you girls head up to Luz’s room? Get some rest. I’ll make up the couch for the boys.”
“Do we have enough air mattresses?” Luz asked. “The couch isn’t big enough for them.”
“You can share,” Mrs. Noceda said, not noticing how red Amity’s face got. It almost made Gus smile. Almost. “We can make do for now.”
“Right,” Luz said at her plate, trying to hide her blush.
“Tomorrow will look better,” Mrs. Noceda said, reaching out to hold her daughter’s hand. The sight tugged at Gus’s heart. He really wanted to hug his dad right now.
He didn’t think he’d be getting a good night’s sleep anytime soon.
Gus woke up in his bed. His bed.
Home.
Everything was in order. His scroll on his nightstand, his treasures were in their place on his dresser, Emmiline was in her staff form leaning against his bedframe, the sun was shining. He was home.
Gus rushed to his window, leaning on the ledge—that his hands went through. He fell forward, losing his balance, but caught himself.
It was an illusion.
He heard a distant scream, like it was coming from above.
“Luz! ¡Luz, mija! What is all this!?”
It was Mrs. Noceda.
Gus had to calm down, he didn’t want to scare the human to death. Luz would never forgive him.
Hunter stood beside him, Gus hadn’t heard his steps coming. He was looking out the illusion’s window, his expression unreadable.
Hunter sighed. “Looks pretty ding-dang convincing.” He nudged Gus with his elbow, a small smile on his lips.
“Thanks,” Gus said, his tone somehow defeated. “I need to dispel it.”
“Could you, um, leave it a few more minutes?”
“Yeah…okay. Just a few more.”
“Thanks.”
Life in the Human Realm, he began to realize, was really fast paced. The first days were general chaos in the Noceda house, too many people suddenly together in a small space. Then, as they learned to live around each other, the days just started speeding by.
Hunter seemed more reserved than usual, Amity was a ball of nerves, and Willow…Willow seemed her usual self. Luz acted different under her mother’s watch, acted like she wasn’t eager to get back home—to the Demon Realm. Every time Mrs. Noceda left for work, Luz would hurry to her room and pull out all her research from under her bed. Sightings of Eda in Gravesfield, newspaper clippings, old books from the library, anything that had any connection to magic. Gus didn’t think Luz was getting any sleep either.
It was driving everyone a little crazy, being cooped up in the same rooms for days on end.
“Okay!” Willow announced one day, barging into Luz’s room, scaring her half to death. “We’re getting out of here today.”
“I think that’s what we’ve been trying to do all this time,” Gus said from Luz’s bed. He’d been reading a report on how Eda had gotten banned from a French restaurant.
“No, I mean out of the house,” Willow said, stepping over Luz to sit on her bed.
“What are we supposed to do?”
“Get some fresh air?” Willow suggested. “We’re in the Human Realm, Gus. Live a little.”
The Human Realm. She was right! This was supposed to be exciting. Gus had always wanted to come here. But it didn’t feel right.
It felt like they were suffocating without the guarantee of magic. It was scary. It was like breathing without air. He had no idea how they were still doing it, but each breath felt like their last.
He never thought he’d be scared of the Human Realm, of getting stuck there. He thought of how Luz had decided to stay in the Demon Realm. She never seemed scared, but she always had the option to go back home. But that was before the portal had been destroyed. She was frantic to find a way over the moment her safety net had been removed.
It was a matter of security. And Gus got it. He really wanted to feel that security right now.
“Hey,” Willow nudged him out of his thoughts. “We could try to find some giraffes.”
Gus immediately lit up at that. “Titan, you’re right! Luz! Where can we find them?”
Luz rubbed at her eye, leaning her head back against the side of her bed. “The zoo, probably.”
“Can we go? Please?”
Luz checked the time on her phone. “They’re closing soon. We could go with Mami tomorrow. I’ll ask tonight.”
It was a little disappointing, but it was something. Gus thought that this was probably the first time he’d smiled since they got stranded in the Human Realm.
Tomorrow. Yeah, okay. That worked.