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Eda could hear Luz. She could hear her. But she couldn’t see her anywhere.
“Eda! Eda! Where are you?!” A distressed voice called.
No. Not this nightmare again.
Eda kept running, not stopping once.
“Luz?! I’m here, kid!” She practically screamed.
Please, no…
Where the hell was she?!
Then, there the girl was, her back turned to the witch. Frozen.
“Ah! There you are. Come on, kiddo, we gotta go back home. Food’s waiting.” Eda said, relieved. She reached out to touch Luz’s shoulder. “You had me worried–”
Only for the kid to suddenly disappear, dust in the wind taking her place.
But…Eda could still hear her yelling out. Crying.
“EDA! WHERE ARE YOU?!”
“HELP ME!”
I’m so sorry, Luz…King…
The witch couldn’t help but fall to the ground crying herself. Her child was gone. One of her babies was dead, the other with a childlike god, and there was nothing she could do. Nothing.
The Owl Lady screamed.
The universe took them from her. Like everything else.
Failure.
She did nothing as the dirt swallowed her.
That was usually when she woke up.
~
And now, Eda couldn’t believe her eyes. She blinked several times, waiting for the sight to go away.
The human, taller and looking exhausted , couldn’t be real .
The human she’d been worried sick about for months…
No more excited rambling, no more mushy pep talks, no more tight hugs, no more of the fuzzy feeling when the bouncy girl came home from school…
“Hi, Eda, I’m…I’m home.” The girl smiled sweetly, arms trembling.
“L…” a small sound made its way out of the witch’s mouth. “Luz?”
It seemed the kid was just as shocked. Her eyes got shiny. A painfully familiar sight. The witch would feel her own tears forming, which she desperately tried to hold back.
I can’t show weak eyes.
“Eda?” A voice called out weakly.
She took a step forward. Eda did the same, as if on instinct.
“EDA!” The kid cried out, and started bolting towards her, causing the hat to fall off. “Eda, oh-oh my god!”
Her chest tightened. It’s gotta be her.
“LUZ!” Eda shouted and ran forward as well, putting aside her fears that this was yet another nightmare.
Fuck the tears.
They were only six feet apart, and yet every step felt longer.
Halfway there, Luz tripped over her feet, but picked up the pace right as she reached the Owl Lady, who collided into her with an ‘oof!’
With all her strength, Eda threw her one arm around the girl, gripping her close, ignoring her own leaking tears. Luz returned the embrace with a looser grip, although the force was enough to make the girl bend her knees and slide backwards on her feet.
The human suddenly started sobbing.
“Edaaaa…”
“I’m here, kid, I’m here.” Eda cried as well. Old instincts screamed at her to comfort and protect.
(Amazing how she could call those instincts “old” now…)
Keep her safe, keep her safe, the voice in the back of her head whispered. Owlet’s home now.
She gripped the back of Eda’s cloak as the woman put her hand in her kid’s much longer hair, which was left bare (and messy) by her fallen hat.
How much did I fucking miss?
“Eda…” Luz wailed into her shoulder. “I missed you…”
Oh, Titan… She's really here. She’s really here! Eda repeated that in her head like a mantra.
Reluctantly, Eda pulled back, though she didn’t dare let go of the kid’s shoulder.
“Oh, kid ,” Eda laughed. “You– you’re real, right?” She held Luz’s flushed face. “This…this ain’t a dream ?”
“Are you real?” Luz piped up. She couldn’t even bother to wipe away her tears. It had been so long.
“Hahaha! As real as can be!” Eda snorted. Then she raised an eyebrow. “But– how—“
“Human realm. Long story.” Luz simply said. Eda jaw dropped. “I-it doesn’t matter, I’m just… sooo happy to see you alive!” Then she burst into poorly suppressed sobs.
“Oh, kiddo, me too…” With that, Eda tugged her in for another hug. “Me too.”
I’m never letting go.
The pair stayed on the ground, taking in each other’s presence.
Simply put, neither could believe they were really there.
Luz’s heart was beating so hard, she couldn’t tell if it was from happiness or fear. She thought this would never happen— that Eda, her second mom somebody she deeply cared about, was gone.
But now, of course, it’s happened. She’s back, here in the woman’s arms again, oblivious to the chaos happening in the world, at least for now.
Do I even deserve this…?
Luz missed Eda’s sense of humor, the way she pretended not to care when she so obviously did. She missed Eda’s bony hands playing with her hair, missed her pep talks and staff rides.
She missed the sweet and silly ways Eda would comfort her when she was hurting. And oh, how badly she hurt all those months. Luz never let it show, but…she had a feeling everyone could tell.
Luz thought all of that would be gone forever.
Eda, of course, was just as shaken.
She thought she’d never see this funny little girl again.
Oh, who was she kidding ? The Luz before her was not like the one in her nightmares. Here, she was warm, she was wearing what she would assume to be an Azura costume. Her hair was different. This was no longer the Luz that stumbled into her life all those months ago. But she was still Luz.
Eda pulled back and settled more comfortably on the ground, pulling her child with her.
“Oi, Luz, lemme get a better look at ‘ya,” the witch laughed, moving her hand to hold one of Luz’s arms, who couldn’t help but laugh at the coddling. It was, admittedly, missed.
Looking at Luz properly now, it was more noticeable. She was…taller. Her hair really was longer, curlier. Felt thicker whenever Eda ran a shaky hand through it. The way it stood up when combed back was too familiar as well.
“Someday my hair is gonna be big enough to do that too!”
“Heh,” Eda playfully ruffled Luz’s head gently, like she used to. “You tryin’ to steal my look, kiddo?”
Luz giggled tiredly, raising a hand to fluff up the ends of it.
“You like it?”
“It suits you.” Especially now that her own hair is chopped short, again.
It really does suit her.
Eda’s eyes moved to the colorful outfit. The colors were familiar, reminiscent of the old cat hoodie, and if the hat on the ground was anything to go by, she had a feeling what this was supposed to be.
“I wanna stay and become a witch like you! And Azura!” Luz declared happily, holding up her book.
“Hah, wearing witchy getup again, huh?” Eda teased, though it came out more fond than anything.
Luz blushed, looking down at the sleeves, as if she just noticed she was wearing it.
“Well, uh… there was a human event happening earlier, and, well, we had to dress for it!” Luz explained while fiddling with her fingers. “I know it’s weird, but—“
Eda plucked the hat from the ground and placed it on the girl’s head, interrupting her ramble. Luz looked up owlishly.
“It suits you.” Eda repeated, as if it was the simplest thing in the world. “It reminds me of the first morning you spent here.”
In a way, it was pretty poetic…
Luz’s eyes widened and she gasped when she caught sight of the witch’s missing limb.
Oh. Oh.
“Eda, your–!”
The witch followed Luz’s eyesight and squeezed her shoulder.
“Oh… lost it during the Day of Unity. I had to, and Raine …in order to save my life…” Eda said solemnly. It sucked that she couldn’t hug her child with both arms right now. “Maybe I can get a new one after…”
Unfortunately, Luz didn’t hear most of that. All she could do was be reminded of why she opened that stupid laptop.
‘ This is your fault. Again. She wouldn’t be missing an arm if you hadn’t made things harder for her by being here.’
This is why you should’ve stayed in the human realm.
As if reading her mind, Eda used her remaining hand to lightly shake her.
“Hey, kiddo? You there, honey?” Eda coaxed. “You almost stopped breathin’ there.” She sounded worried. The girl forced herself to look up, and to her surprise and confusion, Eda was smiling.
“Eda, I’m–”
She was cut off by a boop on her nose.
“Hey. I know what you’re thinking. You don’t need to apologize for this. At all.” Eda tilted her chin up. “It was outta your control, ‘kay?”
“B-But—!”
“But nothing . You’ve seen me take off my own limbs. Sure, I wish I could hold ya with both my arms, but… I’m just so happy you’re alive.”
For some reason, Luz didn’t look convinced.
“You…you look good.” Luz conceded with a very forced smile. It seemed all the talking took something out of her.
“Luz…” Eda uttered.
The kid really did look exhausted. Her eyes were tired, and there were actual dark circles underneath. Like she hadn’t been sleeping .
Eda couldn’t help but worry what the hell happened in all those months. Was she finally eating better food? Sleeping in a more comfy bed?
Is this how Luz’s mother felt? Wow.
The witch gave in to those thoughts by tugging Luz into an embrace once more, tucking the girl’s head against her chest, close to her heart.
Comfort will be provided, itchy ground be damned.
Luz didn’t hug back, only taking her hat off and leaning her head into the witch’s chest.
“Are you okay?” She offered while laying her chin on the kid’s crown.
“It’s cold…” she mumbled, shivering.
Eda sighed. “Don’t change the subject now, kid…”
She heard a low, weak laugh that broke her damn heart.
“You know, it’s funny… I’m surprised you’re still happy to see me, after everything,”
“What?”
Luz looked up with a doleful face. “I know what you’re really going to say. I shouldn’t be here, because it’s too dangerous. And I agree. I won’t argue.
“Whoa, now–”
“After you and King are safe, and the Collector is defeated, I’m… I’m going back.”
“Wait, what? What do you mean?” Eda asked incredulously, pulling Luz away. “I mean, it’s your choice, but you’re gonna visit, right?” She didn’t like the way the kid was saying this.
Luz shrugged. “I’m…not sure anymore.” She looked away shamefully. “I just think it’s for the best if I don’t–”
“ Don’t finish that sentence.” Eda interjected sternly. “Do I think it’d be a lot better if you weren’t involved in this mess? Absolutely. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want you here!”
She despised how Luz sounded accepting of this outcome, like it was so simple.
No, no, I can’t lose her again–
Luz started cracking again. “I-I just can’t help but feel it’d be better if you didn’t know me, just–just forget about–”
Eda cupped her cheek and wiped away the tears.
“How could I forget you?” She insisted. “How could anyone forget you?”
It broke her heart how genuinely surprised Luz looked. Eda wished she could find whatever created those doubts and smush it. No doubt everyone else would, too.
Luz sniffled into her mentor’s shoulder. “I messed up so many times!” She cried.
Eda stroked her hair like she used to. “I don’t care, kiddo. I don’t care how many times you messed up.” She pressed her child close. “Jeez, I shoulda told ya this before we got separated…”
“Huh?”
Eda curled her body a little more around the girl.
“You are so important to me, to everyone around you, and you should know that. You’re so, so precious to me, and if it weren’t for you… I wouldn’t be standing here.”
Luz shook her head weakly. “N-no, I’m sure you–”
“You know I hate hearing you talk like that. You’re so mean to yourself,” she lamented.
“...Mama and Amity say the same thing…”
“And we’re right.” Eda affirmed. Then, she could swear she heard footsteps in the distance, and her hold tightened instinctively. She even felt a few feathers pop out.
“You wanna know somethin’, I-I’m proud of you. Everyone is. Even Lily ‘n Raine told me. You– you mean a lot.” Eda pressed a kiss to Luz’s temple. “I love you, Luz.”
Luz took a deep breath and finally hugged back. “I love you too,” she sobbed. “I’ve just been so scared for you, an-and–”
“Hey, deep breaths, you’re here now, yeah?” She began to rock back and forth. Holding protectively.
“I missed you, Eda,” Luz cried into the witch’s shoulder. She still didn’t feel convinced, but for now, the woman’s embrace felt safe.
“Not as much as I missed you.” Eda muttered lovingly.
So please, don't go.
Both of them were barely aware of another woman approaching them.
Camila eyed her small, crying daughter, and the way this old woman was holding her close and safe. Her chest felt warm, and she smiled as she got closer.
Her bebe had found another adult that loved and cared for her and her spark. Said spark was dim now, but it would ignite again in time.
Eda looked up just a tad to see the other woman, and gave a tiny smile in return. A silent agreement.
Carefully, Camila knelt down and wrapped her arms around the two of them, making sure to pet her daughter’s hair.
Eda leaned in close once more and whispered.
“Wanna get out of here?”