Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Luz dug around in her pocket, pulling out her keys and sticking the correct one in the doors lock. She pushed it open, smiling when the smell of her girlfriend’s lavender candles hit her nose as she walked inside.

After kicking her sneakers off by the door, Luz yawned and shuffled into the guestroom where she kept her desk for work. She dropped her bag into the chair and threw her red beanie on top of it.

While she was chugging a glass of water in the kitchen, Luz heard her scroll chime and fell into a brief coughing fit.

Ami <3 (5:24 pm): are you home yet?

Luz (5:24 pm): yes and I’m sooo lonely without you…

Ami <3 (5:25 pm): I told you to text me when you were home safe, Noceda

Luz (5:25 pm): I just got here! I was literally seconds away from texting you!

Ami <3 (5:26 pm): mhm, sure you were

A dopey smile covered the human’s face while she continued to text her girlfriend, absently walking into their bedroom so she could change her clothes. Maybe she would try to cook something for Amity to come home to once she got out of her last class of the day.

She stripped off her flannel and hung it on the back of the door, tripping on a stray cat toy when she headed toward the closet.

“Mierda…” Luz kicked the toy away and shrugged off her jeans, left in her shirt and boxers.

The shirt was the next to go and Luz tossed it on Amity’s side of the bed, knowing the witch would steal it when she got home.

Luz turned to the full-length mirror in the corner of the room, taking in her appearance. She ran a hand over her black binder, softly inhaling as recurring thoughts flooded her mind.

Her eyes flicked back where her scroll was on the bed, buzzing with another text from Amity. She turned to the mirror again and pressed her hands against her chest, pushing down and imagining how she would feel if the area was flat.

Guilt flashed across her features when her scroll buzzed once more, her hands falling back to her sides for a moment. She knew it was time to take off her binder, but she didn’t want to—at all. If only…

She sighed in annoyance, finally starting to work off her binder so she could breathe better. Amity would be upset if she knew Luz kept it on for too long, more worried about her health than Luz was.

But that was okay, Amity just didn’t want her to feel any type of pain or shortness of breath. She cared about Luz in such a genuine way, it was all the human could’ve ever asked for in a partner.

Now freed from the confines of her binder, Luz steeled herself and looked in the mirror again, eyes raking over her chest and body. She winced and spun away, not liking everything she saw.

A sinking feeling settled in the pit of her stomach, and she stomped over to the dresser for a new shirt. One solitary tear slipped from the corner of her eye and she quickly swiped it away, anger bubbling up and fueling her discomfort.

She caught another glimpse of her chest in Amity’s makeup mirror and snapped, throwing her binder across the room in frustration.

Luz urgently dug through the clothes in the drawer and grabbed a purple shirt, pulling it over her head in a hurry. Exhaling in relief at the coverage, she tried to ignore the feeling of the fabric brushing against her.

“Get off!” Luz pawed at the shirt, desperately trying to keep it from hugging her chest.

While yanking at the material, Luz slammed her hip into the corner of the dresser, grunting at the bruising contact. She turned and kicked the laundry bin in her agitation, flipping it and watching all the clothes spill out.

Falling to her knees, Luz blinked away a few more exasperated tears and began cleaning up the mess, disappointed in herself for getting so upset over something out of her control.

Thoughts clouded Luz’s mind as she picked up the clothes, wondering what things would be like if she were just a bit different.

Amity shouldered the front door open, pausing so Ghost could run into the apartment ahead of her.

“I’m here, lovey!”

“I’m in the kitchen!” Luz called out.

“I know, dork. I can see you.” Amity giggled, only standing ten feet away from Luz.

“Just let me live out my domestic fantasy.” Luz complained as she closed the distance between them to squeeze Amity in a tight hug, lifting her up until only her toes touched the ground.

“How are you?”

Luz hesitated, lowering Amity back down and pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Good, I just missed you…”

“I missed you too, sweetheart.” Amity returned the affection, kissing the tip of her human’s nose. “What’s that smell?”

“I made dinner!”

“Uh-oh…”

“No, it’s gonna be great this time!” Luz led Amity to the table and pulled out a chair for her to sit in. “You stay here, and I’ll bring it over.”

Amity settled into the chair, her eyes tracking Luz as she moved around and fumbled with the drawer to get two forks. “What did you make?”

“Give me a second, damn.” Luz stole a glance over her shoulder and winked at her girlfriend, grinning when she fondly rolled her eyes. “Close those gorgeous golds for me, please. If you’re done rolling them, that is.”

After a small giggle, Amity closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of Luz scrambling around the kitchen. Her ear twitched when she heard the clink of something being set down in front of her, but she didn’t dare open her eyes without permission. She had learned that lesson long ago.

Gentle fingers threaded through lavender and carefully removed the hair tie that held up Amity’s ponytail, allowing her hair to cascade down around her face. Luz smiled at the smell of vanilla that wafted up and dropped a tender kiss into auburn roots, shifting her hands to begin lightly massaging Amity’s shoulders.

Tension was expertly ebbed out of the witch, who groaned and leaned back into the contact, her eyes still shut. A low purr rumbled out of Amity as the massage continued, doubling in volume when Luz bent down to kiss her ear.

“You can open your eyes now, mi amor.”

She blinked them open, slowly bringing herself out of the comforting atmosphere Luz had created. A bowl of noodles, a fork, and a mug of tea sat in front of Amity, and she felt a smile overtake her face.

Luz plopped into her own chair, pushing her feet out to touch Amity’s and fixing her with a huge smile. “I cooked!”

The witch raised an eyebrow at her girlfriend, whose grin wavered. “Uh-huh…”

“What is it, Ami bear?”

“You made this?”

“Uh, yeah…”

“I see,” Amity nodded, taking her first bite. “Are you sure you didn’t just make cup noodles then pour them into a bowl?”

“Honestly? I can’t even remember. I slaved over making you dinner and that’s all that matters.” Luz averted her gaze, staring down into her bowl to avoid Amity’s knowing eyes.

“Thank you for making me dinner, my love.”

“It was easy.” Luz grinned as they fell into a fit of laughter together. “Do you wanna watch a movie tonight?”

“Yes, that sounds like a perfect way to unwind. This week was so long and I just wanna spend time with you and not have to think.”

“I can help with that. I usually only think about one thing anyway. And she’s pretty great.” Luz casually shrugged and kept eating her noodles, pausing to sip her water.

“Aren’t you smooth?”

“Not always. I can be rough too, but you already knew that, didn’t you?” Luz continued to eat, giggling when Amity turned her face away to shield a burning blush.

“Perhaps o-on occasion.” Amity’s flush got darker at the memory. “Let me eat in peace for once!”

“Fine, but only because I worked so hard on this five-star meal and I want you to enjoy it.”

“Thank you again for your efforts, this was very sweet of you.”

“Anything for my Ami.” Luz ignored the lingering frustration she had felt with herself earlier, choosing instead to focus on her girlfriend sitting across the table.

After throwing the dishes in the sink, Luz joined Amity on the couch and started to prepare a movie on the crystal ball.

She selected their favorite genre, fantasy, and then leaned back to wrap an arm around Amity’s shoulders, tugging her close against her side.

“Remember that time you fell asleep while we were watching a movie?”

Amity blinked. “Which time?”

“Every time.” Luz giggled, digging her fingers into Amity’s ribs and drawing a fit of laughter out of the witch.

“I only fall asleep when it’s boring! Which is more often than not.” Amity batted away the tickling fingers and threw her legs across Luz’s lap. “And I only stay awake when someone is begging for a little personal attention.”

“Hmm, who could that be?”

“Some goofy human. Maybe you’ve seen her around.”

“Maybe…” Luz grabbed one of Amity’s hands and played with her fingers, feeling some of her stress fade away as she toyed with her golden ring.

The sound of the movie starting came from the crystal ball and Amity turned to watch. But Luz didn’t, her eyes focused on the cold hand she was holding. She trailed a fingertip along Amity’s palm and traced the outline of her fingers, distracted and lost in her own head.

Luz lifted the hand up and pressed her lips against Amity’s knuckles, holding the contact before setting it down again, keeping it tightly clasped in her own.

Curious gold eyes shifted to look at the human, noticing how quiet she had become. Amity wrapped her hand around two of Luz’s fingers and squeezed, hoping to reassure her without words.

They stayed in silence and watched the film together, each of them settling more comfortably into the couch cushions.

About halfway through the movie, Amity sat up and pulled her legs off Luz’s lap, choosing instead to lean against her and set a hand on her thigh.

Luz sighed at the touch, making sure Amity was still covered by their shared blanket. She tried to ignore the way her shirt moved against her chest when she shifted, biting her cheek to keep from getting frustrated again.

Warmth spread between them from the closer proximity, most of it coming from Luz despite the fact she was wearing less clothing. The human fought off her lingering thoughts and looped an arm around Amity’s shoulders again, tugging her in to kiss her temple.

A soft purr trickled past Amity’s lips and she turned to kiss an eyebrow scar, relieving some of the affection built up in her chest.

Caramel eyes slipped shut at the feeling of gentle lips pressed to her face, Luz loving the reciprocated attention and absently pushing into the contact with a quiet groan.

Something about the small noise spurred on Amity, who took it as a signal to climb into Luz’s lap. With her back to the crystal ball, the witch held Luz’s face in her hands and tipped her head up to carefully connect their lips.

The movie was all but forgotten as Luz’s hands settled into their rightful place on her girlfriend’s hips, urging her forward to increase the pressure of the kiss.

Amity purred against Luz’s lips and then broke away to nuzzle their noses together, one of her hands tangled in dark brown curls. The human’s hands roamed around Amity’s body, currently rubbing up and down her thighs to draw out another resounding purr.

This is just what Luz needed to feel better, to feel distracted from the turmoil inside her head. She kissed Amity’s top lip then the bottom, gently sucking on it then letting it go to mold their mouths together again.

Blunt nails dragged along Amity’s thighs and she repositioned herself in her girlfriend’s lap, now straddling her hips. Luz hummed at the movement, raising Amity up and setting her down again, their bodies now completely flush.

Amity smiled against her human’s lips, understanding the nonverbal signal. Her hands fell away from wild curls, dropping down to grip the hemline of Luz’s shirt.

Just as she went to lift up the loose t-shirt, Luz’s hands gently grabbed her wrists, halting the motion.

The kiss broke when Amity leaned back to look into caramel eyes. “You wanna keep this on?”

“Yes—please.” Luz nodded urgently, trying to keep her voice from cracking. “If that’s okay…”

“Of course it’s okay, darling.” Amity offered up a patient smile, brushing one of her thumbs across Luz’s cheek.

The smile was returned in an instant, showing the human’s relief. She darted forward and brought her lips to Amity’s neck, littering the area with insistent, open-mouthed kisses.

Amity giggled when Luz’s nose grazed the edge of her jawline, enamored with the display of appreciation from her girlfriend. Her hands came to rest on Luz’s shoulders, gingerly pushing her to the side until she was lying on the couch.

Out of caution, Amity avoided slipping her hands under Luz’s shirt to feel her stomach, choosing instead to support her weight above the human then pausing to admire her.

A sly smirk that conveyed confidence she wasn’t currently feeling settled on Luz’s lips as she opted to tease the witch looming over her, darkened eyes twinkling. “We’re missing the movie~”

“Ask me if I care.”

“Do you car—"

Luz was silenced when Amity crashed their lips together once more, pouring her devotion into the union.

After letting out a squeak of surprise, Luz brought both her hands up to rub and tug at two pointed ears. She parted her lips to welcome Amity’s tongue into her mouth, swirling it with her own as a purr vibrated between them.

Amity dropped more of her weight onto Luz, feeling a shiver run down her spine when the human exhaled into her mouth. She sank her fangs into Luz’s lip and pulled at the sensitive skin, then broke away to nuzzle her nose against her neck.

The smell of pine flooded Amity’s senses when she burrowed her face further into Luz’s neck, layering kisses everywhere she could reach.

Dropping lower once more, Amity laid completely on top of Luz, their chests now pressed together while she continued to shower the human with affection.

The weight of her girlfriend on her chest made Luz squirm, not loving the pressure but also not wanting to stop what was happening. She tried to hold still, angling her head to expose more of her neck to Amity, who had begun sucking scattered marks along her pulse point.

Tan hands fisted into balls while Luz desperately tried to block out the feeling of her chest being laid on, something that rarely bothered her. But today had been such a dysphoric day already and she was quickly approaching a tipping point that was out of her control.

Hoping to go unnoticed, Luz wriggled again to try and create space between their chests. The movement caught Amity’s attention and the witch stopped teasing her fangs along the skin of Luz’s neck to fix her with another questioning look.

“What’s wrong, baby?”

“Nothing—I’m fine.”

“Luz.”

“It’s just…the pressure,” Luz admitted, shifting again.

Amity’s eyebrows furrowed in temporary confusion and she glanced down, noticing that their chests were pressed together. She instantly sprang away from Luz, understanding what the problem must be.

“I’m sorry, love. I didn’t realize…” Amity sat back on her heels to minimize the contact between their bodies.

“No, it’s okay!” Luz was quick to reassure, also sitting up to be on the same level. “You didn’t know.”

The witch chewed her bottom lip, her distress apparent. “Are you having a bad day?”

Luz knew she was referring to her body image issues and tried to keep her expression neutral, leaning back against the arm of the couch. “I told you, Ami. I’m fine, please. I wanna keep going.”

“Are you sure? You know I don’t mind stopping.”

“Positive.” Luz captured one of Amity’s hands and kissed her palm, exhaling when it shifted to cradle her cheek. “Please.”

After a few seconds of hesitation, Amity pecked her girlfriend’s eyebrow scar then rejoined their lips in a sweet kiss. Luz eagerly met the contact, tugging Amity further into her lap again with a hand on her lower back.

A quiet hum vibrated against the human’s lips, and she let herself get lost in the feeling. There was still a mild trace of honey lip gloss on Amity’s lips that she was able to taste, making her heart pound twice as hard.

Luz poked her tongue out and ran it across Amity’s bottom lip, chasing the flavor. Her legs pressed tightly together when the witch’s black nails dug into the back of her neck, locking her in another heated kiss.

The movie ended without acknowledgement as Luz broke away to drag her lips along Amity’s jawline and up to her ear, nipping at its shell.

The pointed ear fluttered at the sensation, turning from pink to red under the attention. Amity wrapped her arms around Luz’s neck and pulled her closer, wanting more.

After attacking Amity’s ear with a flurry of kisses, Luz shifted lower and pushed her face into her girlfriend’s neck, rubbing her nose around before dropping soft kisses on the flushed skin there.

The kisses soon turned into careful licks, which turned into gentle sucking as Luz left a trail of red splotches behind on her witch’s neck and the slope of her shoulder.

“Luuuz…” Amity’s head fell back to expose more of her neck, feeling her body’s temperature start to rise again.

There was intention behind Amity’s actions, purposely keeping her hands on or above her girlfriend’s shoulders. At that moment, they urged Luz closer and breached the curls at the base of her head, passionately pulling on them.

Despite all of her conscious efforts, she couldn’t stop herself from arching forward once Luz sucked a darker bruise into her neck. Amity had accidentally brushed their chests together, only realizing her mistake when she felt Luz tense up from the friction.

“I’m so sor—” Amity began but stopped short.

Luz jolted from the contact to her chest, the sensitivity and dysphoria she had already been feeling suddenly cranked to the max. She quickly but gently moved Amity off her lap, standing up so she could pace the floor.

“I didn’t mean to, I swear.” Amity stayed where she was, not wanting to overwhelm Luz any further.

The human tried to give her an understanding smile even though her hands had reached up to yank on her curls, still pacing. “I know. It’s not your fault, Am. It’s mine. I ruined it.”

“You didn’t ruin anything, please don’t say that.” Amity turned to follow Luz with her eyes, watching as her girlfriend migrated around the apartment. “Talk to me, sweetheart.”

“It’s in the way!”

“What is?”

“My—my chest!” Hot tears brimmed in Luz’s eyes and spilled down her cheeks seconds later. She tugged on her shirt to keep it from touching her chest, utterly overcome by the feel of it against her skin.

“Shh, I’m here.” Amity finally stood, slowly approaching her girlfriend while she wrestled with her shirt. “Why don’t we get you changed into something else?”

That caught Luz’s attention and she froze, looking down at Amity. “Huh?”

“Come on, let’s change.” Amity gingerly wiped away Luz’s tears with her thumbs, cupping her face afterward. She went on her toes and kissed two damp cheeks in turn.

Luz sighed and leaned into the loving touch, her hands absently releasing the fabric of her shirt. “I…okay.”

After tightly intertwining their hands, Amity led Luz to their bedroom and right up to the dresser. She hummed and went to one of her drawers, an idea coming to mind. “I think I have a really, really big shirt in here that I stole from Hunty a few years ago…”

“Right…” Luz waited patiently, trying not to fidget in her spot. Her darting, restless eyes landed on Amity and her gaze softened, taking in the sharpness of the witch’s side profile.

“Here it is,” Amity pulled the shirt from the drawer and set it on the edge of the bed. “Will you put your arms up, lovey?”

“Mhm…” She lifted her arms and held her breath, afraid of being set off again.

“Close your eyes so you don’t see them,” Amity suggested.

Caramel eyes slipped shut, eased by the sound of Amity’s voice. Luz held still while her girlfriend gradually worked her t-shirt up and over her head, leaving her completely exposed to the air in the room. “Please don’t look—not right now.”

“I’m not looking, darling.”

“Thank you…”

“Of course. I want you to be comfortable. Especially on your bad days.”

“How did you know?” Luz questioned, believing she had hidden her distress well.

“Because I know you. I know how you work. I know when something is bothering you.” Amity discarded the shirt and avoided looking at Luz’s chest, following her request.

Before helping Luz into the new shirt, Amity took advantage of her eyes still being closed and moved away from the dresser. She wrapped Luz in a hug from behind, her hands coming to rest on a tan stomach while she squeezed her girlfriend tight.

Luz pressed back into the embrace, pleased that her chest was being avoided. She settled her hands on top of the witch’s and warmed them up, barely able to keep herself from jerking at their chill.

A pale nose came into contact with the back of Luz’s neck and she shivered, still maintaining the hug. “Amiii, your nose is freezing.”

“You love it.”

“I do. And I love you.”

“I love you too.”

They stood in silence for a moment after that, each of them relaxing into the intimacy of their embrace. Luz’s eyes stayed shut the entire time, keeping Amity’s arms wrapped around her abdomen.

“Maybe I should just put my binder back on…” Luz gave it a try even though she already knew what the answer would be.

“I don’t think so, you had it on most of the day.”

“You’re right…”

A soft whine came from the human when Amity withdrew her arms, grabbing the bigger shirt and preparing it for Luz. “Arms out.”

Once she did just that, Amity looped her arms into the shirt, pulling it up and over Luz’s head until it was on all the way.

Luz sighed at the feeling of her chest being covered again, her eyes finally peering open to see Amity looking up at her. “Hey.”

“Hi.”

“You’re my best friend.”

“You are mine too.” Amity smiled up at her girlfriend, lightly giggling when Luz held her chin and peppered kisses all over her face.

Their lips connected in a brief but warm kiss. Luz was desperate to show her gratitude in a more tangible way. “Thank you again, Ami.”

“You’re welcome, my love. How do you feel now?”

“Better.” It was true. She felt a little weight lift off her shoulders, aided by the devoted concern shining in Amity’s eyes. “How are you?”

“I’m better because you’re better.” Amity kissed the hollow of her human’s neck. “You look tired, Luz.”

“I am…can we go to bed?”

“Yes.”

“Will you be the big spoon?”

“Yes.”

That night Amity slept coiled around Luz from behind, extremely cautious to avoid touching her chest in any way. It wasn’t the first time this had happened, but the witch never minded. Her top priority was Luz and her comfort level. Nothing mattered more.

When Luz woke up the next morning, Amity had already left for her classes. The human could almost feel the ghost of the kiss Amity had left on her eyebrow scar before leaving and rubbed the spot, thinking about the previous night.

She slipped out of bed and stretched, yawning as she trudged to the bathroom. Next, she went to the kitchen and started making her daily coffee, wishing she was able to spend time with Amity before she had to go.

There was a quickly scribbled note on the fridge reminding Luz to eat and she smiled at the doodle of the two of them holding hands in the corner of the paper.

It was her off day and she considered what to do, ultimately deciding to visit her brother at the Owl House. She knew he also wasn’t working and would probably be available for a much-needed talk. If anyone had an idea of how she was feeling, it was Hunter.

All that she had to do before leaving was get dressed…but she was feeling okay about it since now she could put her binder back on, which is exactly what she did.

The compression to her chest comforted Luz, and she threw a long-sleeved shirt over the top of her binder, pleased that she couldn’t feel the fabric brushing directly against her.

About a ten-minute walk later, Luz pushed through the front door of the Owl House, able to keep her greetings with Hooty relatively brief. She hadn’t even texted her brother that she was coming, but then she rarely did. Luz liked to keep him on his toes.

She took the stairs two at a time and strolled through Hunter’s bedroom door, grinning when she saw him sewing at his desk. “Hey bro.”

“Oh, hey. I didn’t know you were coming over. Mom is at the market.”

“I wanted to talk to you.” Luz sat on the edge of the bed, tapping her feet on the ground.

“What’s up?”

“I’ve been…struggling with my body, specifically my chest and how it’s always…there. But I’m trying to push the feelings down and I don’t know what to do!”

“First of all, take a breath.”

Luz inhaled deeply and let it out right after. “Why is this getting harder and harder to ignore?”

“The older you get, the more you grow into yourself. You figure out who you are with each passing day. You are someone who’s dissatisfied with having a chest. That’s not a bad thing, but that is the truth. Don’t feel guilty about it.”

“It’s bothering me so much lately…it’s affecting my confidence a-and my mood. It frustrates me, Hunt. Now it’s even affecting me when I try to be intimate with Ami.”

“Luz, you’re my sister and I love you. But I did not need to know that last part.”

“My bad, bro.” Luz chuckled wetly and then sighed. “The main problem is that I can’t wear my binder all the time. I wish I could, even if it hurts and I can’t breathe. But I don’t care about that. I just want to feel flat. I want to feel comfortable in my skin, like you do. I know how much better you feel, how much happier you are now.”

“That’s true,” Hunter agreed, opting to mostly listen at this point.

“The thing is…I feel like a girl, but I don’t feel like me.” She gestured to her chest. “This isn’t me. At all. I want to feel like myself and this isn’t part of it.”

“I didn’t think so. You’ve worn your binder for years and I’ve wondered before if us having this conversation was just a matter of time.” Hunter accidentally poked himself with the needle, distracted by the serious conversation.

“You have?”

He nodded.

“So you think I should do something about it? Get surgery?” Luz nervously played with her fingers, already thinking about all the benefits she could experience if she followed through with one of her greatest desires.

“I do, but that’s your choice. I want you to feel like yourself, just like you said.”

“It’s honestly something I’ve wanted for a while now, but I didn’t let myself believe it could happen…”

“Why not?”

“Ami.”

“…What about her?”

“I’m—I’m scared she won’t love me the same.” Luz rushed out the sentence.

Hunter blinked. “Luz, that girl loves you more than anything. Why would you think that?”

“Because my body will look different and I’ll be less feminine…”

Hunter scrunched his eyebrows, genuinely confused. “Don’t think of it as being less feminine, think of it as being more yourself. Yes, your body will look different, but it will also look the way you’ve wanted it to look all along.”

Luz groaned and flopped back on the bed, waiting for him to continue.

“Ams doesn’t love you because you have a chest, and she won’t love you less if you don’t. She loves you for you, and I know for a fact that she wants what’s best for you. Why don’t you try and talk to her about this?” Hunter finally turned away from his desk to completely face his sister.

“I really should…it’s become unbearable these past few months,” she rubbed her eyes.

“I’m glad you came here to talk with me. It means a lot that you trust me like this.” Hunter set down the fabric he was working on, standing up to nudge Luz’s leg. “Let’s go get lunch downtown. It’s on me.”

“Okay. Will you help me figure out what to say to Ami?”

“Of course.”

Luz walked back to her apartment after getting lunch with her brother, wanting to get her thoughts in order while she navigated through the woods on a familiar path.

She knew Amity would be home from class by now and was hoping to talk with her straight away. Luz didn’t want this long-overdue conversation to weigh her down any longer.

Once she reached their place, she slid the key into the lock, knowing how paranoid Amity was about someone just walking in unannounced. Luz kicked off her sneakers when she was inside, sliding across the floor in her Freddy Fazbear socks.

“Ami bear?” She headed toward their bedroom, walking through the door just in time to see Amity resettling on the bed. “What are you up to?”

“Reading my textbook, that’s all.”

“Uh-huh…” Luz glanced to the left. “Then why is my Switch halfway under the pillow?”

“I d-didn’t—that wasn’t me!” Amity panicked, pushing it completely out of sight.

Luz laughed at her girlfriend’s awful lying. “I told you it was okay if you wanted to play with it. Don’t be shy.”

Only a few grumbles came from the witch, whose hands were on her cheeks to hide her embarrassed flush.

“You look beautiful.” Luz sat down next to Amity and tucked an auburn strand of hair behind her lowered ear, watching her flush deepen for a different reason. “Can we talk?”

Amity pulled Luz’s face closer to her own and pressed a kiss to her jaw, a light red blush slowly spreading over the human’s cheeks at the simple touch. “Always. What’s on your mind, sweet?”

Battling through her anxious feelings, Luz began the conversation she had rehearsed with Hunter. “O-Okay so um, I know last night probably didn’t go the way you wanted it to…”

“There was nothing wrong with what happened last night,” Amity assured.

“But still…”

“It’s okay, Luz. You know I don’t mind helping you on bad days.”

“That’s the problem,” Luz mumbled.

“Hmm?”

“The problem is that there’s too many bad days!”

Amity kept her voice soft, setting a hand on her girlfriend’s leg to soothe her. “That doesn’t bother me.”

“It should! It bothers the fuck out of me, that’s for sure!” Luz couldn’t make eye contact, disappointed in herself for getting so emotional so quickly.

There was a pause from Amity, who knew that Luz was just frustrated at herself and letting off some steam. “Is there anything I can do to help more when you have bad feelings about your chest?”

“You shouldn’t have to be doing anything, I ask too much of you already.” Luz’s breathing got faster, showing her distress. “I don’t d-deserve it…”

“Hey, I’m here for you. I always will be—”

“Why?!”

“Because I’m in love with you.”

Luz froze at that for a few seconds before threading her fingers into her hair and pulling on it, her chest pounding. “I know, I know, I know.”

“It’s okay, baby. Just breathe for me.”

“I-I can’t—” Luz began heaving for air until it turned to rapid hyperventilating, her eyes going wide in panic.

“You can, I know you can.” Amity kept her voice calm despite her level of concern.

“H-H-Help…”

“Do it with me, lovey. Please look at me.”

Luz turned her head to stare into gold, desperately trying to match Amity’s breathing.

“In through the nose, out through the mouth. Deep and slow. Do it with me, Luz.”

It took several long moments before Amity was able to get Luz to steady her breathing, squeezing her leg all the while to show that she was right there.

“Are you any better?”

“Mhm…” Luz leaned against her girlfriend’s shoulder, hiding her face.

“Is that what you wanted to talk about?”

“Uh, kinda.”

A gentle kiss landed on Luz’s forehead, indicating Amity’s patience. “I’m listening.”

“So…I went to see Hunter today to try and sort through some of my feelings about myself and my body.”

Amity hummed to assure Luz that she had her complete attention, dropping another kiss on the human’s ear.

Tears gathered in Luz’s eyes again, but she fought through them, keeping her voice even. “I can’t do this anymore. I don’t want to have this part of me that feels so wrong on my body, it’s not me. It makes me feel bad and when I try to ignore it—o-or keep my binder on longer than I should—it hurts. Both physically and mentally.”

“How can we make this better for you?” Amity soothingly rubbed her girlfriend’s back, encouraging her.

“I’ve been trying to fix it all along a-and I didn’t wanna worry you, but I can’t keep feeling like this, Ami.”

“Are you talking about getting top surgery?”

“M-Maybe…” Luz finally looked at Amity, her eyes shining. “Not without your approval of course.”

“Sweetheart, this is about you, not me. Why would you need my approval?”

“Because you’re my girlfriend and this affects you too.”

Amity automatically kissed the corner of Luz’s mouth then took a deep breath. “All I want is for you to feel comfortable in your body. Whether you have a chest or not makes no difference to me. As long as you’re happy, I’m happy. I need you to feel better and this seems like the right choice to make that happen. I see how much this bothers you, and you know I worry about it. I think a more permanent solution is a great idea and you have my unwavering support. I’ll be here through it all because my place is by your side. I promise that I will love you the same as I do right now, the same way I always have and always will.”

Nothing happened for a few seconds while Luz processed her girlfriend’s sincere words, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. “You mean it?”

“Yes, I mean it. I’m on board with whatever you want to do, darling.”

“I…I want this, Am. The surgery. I need it.”

“Okay.” Amity smiled, fondly watching as Luz did the same. “Will you tell me about this whole process?”

The human launched herself forward into Amity’s arms, squeezing her tightly as if she had no intention of ever letting go. After several minutes of that, Luz pulled back just enough to connect their lips in a firm, meaningful kiss.

“Thank you, mi amor.” Luz nuzzled their noses together briefly then stole another quick kiss. “I would love to tell you all about it.”

They spent the rest of the day in each other’s company, Luz excitedly describing all the steps that would need to be taken for her to finally get what she had wanted for years.

Chapter Text

Luz whistled as she rode her bike through the streets of Gravesfield, fresh out of her therapy session.

After arriving in the human realm early that same morning, she had gone out to her favorite diner with Amity, eager to show her the best breakfast food they had to offer.

Once they finished eating, they went back to the Noceda house so Luz could change out of her pants, which were covered in coffee that Amity spilled all over her. Not the first time.

She took one final turn onto the street she grew up on, excited to tell Amity how her session had gone. Maybe her girlfriend was taking a nap, sometimes she got sleepy after eating a lot of food.

But when Luz got to the house, ran inside, and pushed into her childhood bedroom, Amity was wide awake. Her lavender hair was in her face, the witch more focused on the notepads in front of her. A laptop sat off to the side, about a dozen open tabs on display.

“Luz!” Gold eyes flashed to the human, lighting up at the sight of her.

“Hey, amor. What uh, what are you doing?”

“Listen.” A familiar intensity blanketed Amity’s features. “I’ve been researching ways to help make you more comfortable after the procedure. Camila got called in for an emergency surgery but she left me this machine so I could look into everything. I’ve made a few checklists as well, there’s things I’ll need to get for you of course…”

“Okay big planner, why don’t you take a break?”

Amity pouted and played with the hem of her stolen shirt. “But I’m not done.”

“You don’t have to do everything in one morning, Ami. It’s alright. We have plenty of time.”

“But—”

“No more buts. The only butt I wanna see is yours walking through the portal door. You have class soon, Blight.”

“Loveyyy…”

“You’re fine.” Luz started grabbing the items they had brought and stuffed them into her bag. “Let’s go, corazón.”

“Can I bring this?” Amity held up the laptop with a hopeful smile.

“I think you’ve had enough screentime today. Come on.” Luz held out her hand and wiggled her fingers, chuckling when Amity stood up with a low growl. “Don’t forget your notes.”

Amity scooped up her research, holding all of it in one arm while she reached out to tangle their fingers together with her other hand. “Will you tell me how therapy went?”

“I would love to.”

The portal door flashed into existence, and they stepped through together, already discussing what they had done while they had been apart.

The wind tousled wild brown curls as Luz wove through the crowds of people at the market, making her way toward Eda’s potions stand.

She could see it from afar but still had to walk a moment longer, giggling as she watched Hunter trying to negotiate with a customer.

Right when Luz arrived at her family’s stand, the customer scoffed and left empty-handed, disappearing into the crowd. Luz turned to her brother to gauge his reaction, giggling again when he stuck his tongue out at her.

“Can’t win them all, golden boy.”

“Don’t tell Mom—” Hunter stopped speaking when Eda emerged from the tent with a yawn.

“Those afternoon naps hit harder than they used to…hey!” Eda smiled widely, catching Luz when the human jumped into her arms. “What’s up, kid?”

Luz squeezed Eda in a tight hug, forever wishing it could last longer. “What do you mean? We had plans to meet! You’re losing your touch, Owl Lady.”

“Nah, I’m just kidding. Of course I remember! Just keeping you on your toes.” Eda ruffled Luz’s curls, intentionally making them messier than they already were.

“Yeah, yeah.”

Eda turned to her son, who was now studiously counting the snails from the day’s sales. “You all set here?”

“I’ve got it covered, no worries.” Hunter offered up a toothy grin and returned to his task.

“Alright, I’ll see you at home later. Stay safe.”

“I know,” Hunter grumbled through his pink cheeks.

“Let’s go!” Luz grabbed Eda’s hand and started leading her in the direction of the Owl House. She was buzzing with anxious energy but still felt good, excited to be spending time with her mom.

They walked and talked, mostly discussing the recent business at the potions stand and which potions were currently in high demand. When they were about halfway through the walk, Luz felt ready to approach the topic she wanted to tell Eda about.

“So, this morning I went to the human realm with Ami…”

“I’d bet my apple blood stash that you dragged her to that run-down diner.” Eda knocked their hips together as they moved down the path.

“Well, yeah,” Luz giggled. “But that wasn’t why we went…I’m actually gonna be going there more often in the next few weeks.”

Eda hummed, watching as Luz picked up a leaf and began meticulously ripping it to shreds. “Is your job asking you to work more shifts there?”

Another innocent leaf fell victim to Luz’s touch, raining to the ground in pieces. “No, that’s not why. I’m going there more because I’m taking the steps to get…to get top surgery.”

There was a long pause and then Eda stopped walking altogether, turning to look Luz in the eye. “I’m so proud of you, kid.”

“You are?”

Eda reached up to brush a few stray curls out of caramel eyes. “Of course I am. This must have been hard for you. I know how much you used to beat yourself up and dismiss your own feelings. I’m proud you’re doing something for yourself—for your happiness.”

“Thank you, that means so much coming from you. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I’ve been crazy busy and Ami has finals coming up too. Also my alarm didn’t even go off yesterday, the only reason I woke up was because Ghost stepped on my throat.”

“It’s alright, Luz.” Eda had a soft expression on her face, used to her daughter’s rambling. They finally reached the Owl House and passed by a napping Hooty, sitting together on the couch. “So what does Boots have to say about all of this?”

“Oh she’s been amazing, Mom. She keeps researching and preparing, even though she has all her projects and exams in a few weeks. I can’t even get her to sleep unless I lay on top of her.” Luz didn’t notice the dopey smile that rose on her lips at the thought of her girlfriend.

Eda chucked and lifted her legs onto the couch to stretch them out. “Titan, that girl is gonna burnout again if she keeps that up.”

“That’s what I said!”

“But I’m glad she’s supporting you.”

“Yeah, she is. She has really helped me lately, with everything. Her support makes me more confident about this, it makes me stronger.”

“Good partners make each other better,” Eda nodded.

“I remember, you tell me all the time.”

“Don’t forget it. And don’t ever forget how loved you are.” Eda placed her hand on the middle of the human’s chest to emphasize her words.

The only response was a weak smile from Luz, who brought her feet up onto the couch and tilted sideways so she could snuggle into Eda’s shoulder, letting out a sigh of relief.

Long, nimble fingers carded through dark curls to organize the mess. Eda pressed a tender kiss to the top of her daughter’s head, feeling her heart swell with love.

A couple hours later, Luz blinked her eyes open and squinted at her surroundings. She had taken an accidental nap with Eda, who was still fast asleep and now hanging halfway off the couch.

Luz checked her black watch and carefully stood up, preparing to leave. She grabbed the blanket off the recliner and placed it over her mom, pulling it up to her chin.

Their conversation brought peace to Luz, she had been meaning to talk with Eda for a while now and was happy she had found a good time to bring up her impending surgery.

Knowing she had even more support, especially from Eda, made Luz’s face break out in a wide smile. She scribbled a quick note thanking Eda for everything and left it on the coffee table before tiptoeing out the front door.

While she walked, Luz put a hand on her chest, taking in a deep lungful of air. Soon she wouldn’t have to worry about this anymore, wouldn’t struggle to breathe, wouldn’t struggle with her confidence.

Nothing would be in her way after the surgery and after she healed.

The thing in her way at the moment was a fallen tree, which she promptly leapt over without missing a step.

Amity should be home by now, and Luz picked up her pace at just the idea of the kisses her girlfriend would give her once they were together.

Soon she wouldn’t be hindered by the welcome confines of her binder, she would be able to breathe freely and deeply. Luz could wear tighter shirts if she wanted to, shirts that could show off her flat chest. Yes, that sounded nice. She had become accustomed to the loose shirts she had worn for years and years, satisfied with the way they helped disguise the contours of her chest.

Loose shirts would still be a mainstay, but it would be very appreciated to have the option of other things now. Her suits would be even flatter, and she would no longer have to worry about saying no to Amity when she asked if she could take her shirt off.

Not that it was ever an issue when she did say no, Amity would just continue on without even pausing. But Luz still felt bad whenever her response wasn’t an enthusiastic affirmative, she just wanted to make Amity happy. Now she realized that the first step to making Amity happy was to make herself happy first.

That much was clear. Over the course of the last few days, she had several extensive talks with Amity about the full extent of her body dysphoria and other negative feelings about herself.

Luz had been comforted, reassured, and listened to with rapt attention, which was all she could’ve ever hoped for in a partner.

They were having a date night, which was the fancy way of saying they were rewatching the movie that they never actually watched the previous week. But there would be snacks and there would be Amity, and that was all Luz ever needed.

Her first therapy session had gone well and kept crossing her thoughts as the day progressed. It was so refreshing for Luz to be taking the steps she needed to get the surgery she had been desperate for since her body first started developing its shape.

All her difficult mental moments were eased by the company and soft words of her girlfriend, who was always there for her through the good and the bad times.

Luz sighed, relaxed by the prospect of going home to Amity for a nice night with just the two of them. There was so much happening all at once that it was harder for them to find time to spend together for very long. Amity had three different study groups for three different classes and met with them regularly, on top of her actual class time.

Then Luz had work, which was usually at odd times of the day. Luckily, she had already requested the appropriate time off for her surgery and recovery, so that was one less thing to worry about for now.

The relief she felt at having spoken to Eda about her situation was immense, and Luz was lighter on her feet as she went home.

Maybe everything would be okay after all. Just a few more weeks and she would finally be comfortable in her body.

It was the day before her third therapy session that Luz found herself at a café in downtown Bonesborough, drinking her second latte while she quietly listened to Amity and Emira talk about their dad.

Luz was busy tapping out an erratic rhythm on her girlfriend’s thigh with one hand, and breaking chunks off her third chocolate chip muffin with the other.

She swallowed the last piece and scanned her eyes over the room, unable to get up and wander around because she was on the inside of the booth and didn’t want to interrupt the two sisters.

Her dancing fingers were silently captured by Amity, who didn’t miss a beat in the conversation as she began the trace patterns into Luz’s palm to soothe her.

The human relaxed back in the booth and pressed her knee against Amity’s while she gazed at her side profile, watching how she animatedly spoke to Emira. The white noise of the restaurant was merely buzzing in Luz’s ears as she stared at her girlfriend, entranced by her deliberate mannerisms.

Out of habit, Luz leaned over and pressed a kiss against Amity’s temple, causing the witch the sputter through the rest of her sentence. Luz grinned and slotted her fingers between Amity’s, squeezing her hand tight.

Caramel eyes fell on the half-eaten scone sitting in front of Amity, who only occasionally picked at it. Luz looked with sorrow at the wrappers of all her muffins, sipping at her latte again. Maybe she could get an omelet to hold her over, Emira had gotten one earlier and it looked good…

The scone was suddenly slid in front of Luz without a word, Amity once again staying expertly engaged in the conversation with her sister.

Luz lifted the hand she was still holding and layered kisses across pale knuckles to show her appreciation before she made quick work of the remainder of the scone.

“Sweetheart?”

“Hmm?” Luz tore her attention away from picking up each individual crumb and looked into golden eyes.

“Em asked you a question.”

“Huh?”

Emira patiently repeated herself. “I asked if you were nervous. For the surgery.”

There was a pause as Luz waited for Amity to finish brushing the crumbs off the corners of her mouth.

“Yeah, I am a bit nervous. But I know that I have an amazing support system.” Luz gave Emira a big smile while Amity busied herself fixing the human’s flannel collar.

“That’s true,” Em agreed. “I’m sure Mittens will be more than happy to cater to your needs. She's used to that after all.”

“Hey!” Amity protested.

“True.”

“Luz!”

“What?” Luz giggled when Amity grumbled and swatted her shoulder. “Are you not planning to take care of me, princesa?”

“Of course I am!”

“Then what’s the issue?”

Amity huffed at the corner she got backed into, deciding to squeeze Luz’s hand a little extra hard underneath the table.

“¡Ay!” Luz winced.

“Basta ya.”

“Estoy bromeando, mi vida.”

“No debes bromear con la persona que te va a limpiar.”

“Lo siento…” Their hands were still tightly clasped.

“Está bien.” Amity kissed Luz’s cheek and leaned her head on the human’s shoulder. “You’re fine, baby. I’m right here.”

“I know.”

Emira chose that moment to ask another question, pushing her teacup to the side of the table. “So, Mittens told me you have to prepare for before and after the surgery. Are you done preparing?”

“Yeah, pretty much! I have my last therapy session tomorrow, and I already got my physical health checked. I would say I’m all set.” Luz grinned again, pleased with her readiness.

“Ha! No, darling. We’re not done preparing yet.” Amity chuckled, pecking the side of her girlfriend’s neck while she continued giggling.

“We aren’t?”

“No. I need to go shopping again. There’s still a lot I have to get for you.”

“Like what?” Em questioned, her curiosity peaked.

“I need to get Luz a new blanket, a special pillow, lotion, chapstick—”

“—Grape flavored?”

“Grape flavored chapstick, bandages—”

“Wait, cherry!”

“Cherry flavored chapstick, a tray table so she can eat comfortably in bed, some extra books to read, new pencils for drawing, slippers—”

“I’ll just wear your slippers, Ami bear.”

“Your feet don’t fit in my slippers, lovey love. I thought the last three pairs you stretched out made that clear.”

Luz sat back and opted to listen, worried she had interrupted too many times. That worry quickly dissipated when Amity lifted her hand up and kissed the inside of her wrist, reassuring the antsy human.

“And she needs some new clothes,” Amity finally finished.

“Apparently I need some new clothes!” Luz smiled, wrapping one of her ankles around Amity’s leg.

“I was planning for us to go shopping after this actually. Do you wanna join us, Em?”

“Of course! I’m free for a bit and something tells me this will be very entertaining.”

“This is serious!” Amity snapped.

Luz rubbed her girlfriend’s back. “Ami…don’t stress yourself out. There’s no rush, we have time to get this stuff.”

“Your last therapy session is tomorrow! There is no time.”

“The most important thing is that we’re safe and together. Everything else comes after that. Even the slippers.” Luz wrapped her arm around Amity’s shoulders, pulling her in to pepper the side of her face with kisses. “Why don’t we go see what we can find?”

“Okay,” Amity took a deep breath. “Em?”

“I’m still coming, Mittens. Someone has to help Luz when you have a meltdown over the texture of the blankets to choose from.”

“I am not going to have a meltdown!”

“That’s exactly what someone who’s prone to meltdowns would say.”

“I would totally storm away right now if you hadn’t paid for our food.” Amity crossed her arms, slightly pacified by Luz’s hand settling on her thigh.

The sisters sat still in a brief stare down, staying that way until Luz restlessly squirmed around. “Can we go?”

“Yeah, let’s go. Emira’s jokes are making the air in here rather stale.”

Em rolled her eyes at her sister’s attempt at a comeback. “Please, Mittens. You just rattled off a long list of items that I’m sure Luz hasn’t even considered getting for herself.”

“She doesn’t have to consider the small stuff! That’s my job! All she needs to do is go to her last therapy session and get her letter so she can finally have her surgery.” Amity indignantly stood up from the table, looming over her older sister, who calmly looked up at her. “It’s my responsibility to take care of her to the best of my ability. And that includes getting things to make her life easier and more comfortable after her surgery.”

Luz listened to her girlfriend’s dramatic speech with wide, shining eyes, unable to look anywhere else.

There were a few seconds of silence until Emira stood as well, pinching Amity’s cheek until she was smacked away. “I knew you still had that fight in you, Mittens. That protective instinct I always see flash in your eyes when it comes to Luz. I was just checking to make sure it was still there. You are Luz’s biggest advocate, and you’ll need that attitude throughout this whole process. Remember that.”

With those final words, Emira strolled out of the café and turned in the direction of the shops, not even waiting for the couple to follow.

“What just happened?”

Luz whistled. “I’m not sure, but I think Ems just did some crazy mind-fuck on you. I haven’t seen you get that riled up in months.”

“I am riled…” Amity scuffed her foot, sighing when Luz stood and dropped a kiss in the middle of her forehead.

“You’re also really hot when you stand up for me.” Luz giggled at the burning blush that painted her girlfriend’s cheeks.

“Just—go.”

The human laughed again when Amity pushed her toward the front door, shielding her dark flush from the other customers by hiding behind Luz’s broad shoulders.

A rock skidded down the street when Luz kicked it for the fourth time, accidentally knocking it too far away to kick again.

She had a few shopping bags in her right hand, but her left hand was intertwined with Amity’s, the witch excitedly pointing out other possible stores to go into.

“Luz! The sock store, the sock store!” Amity bounced on her toes, already dragging her girlfriend in the right direction. The sock store was a small shop that sold exclusively socks, all kinds of socks. They had been there numerous times in the past and Amity thought they were overdue for another visit.

“For titan’s sake…” Emira followed them, growing a bit tired from all the walking they had done so far.

The couple separated once they were inside, doing their usual routine of each picking out a pair of silly socks for the other.

Emira impatiently stood by the door while she waited, texting Viney to pass the time. She looked up just in time to see Luz fly by in a blur, several pairs of socks clutched in her hands. “Why is this so important?” The question was lost in the air, unheard by Luz since she was so fixated on her task.

Eventually Luz and Amity met up in the middle of the store, hiding their selections behind their backs.

“You first, Ami.”

“Okay, here!” The witch’s excitement was palpable as she basically flung the socks at Luz, who caught them and held them up.

“Are these DJ snakes? Snakes that are DJ’s?!” The huge smile on Luz’s face was all Amity needed to see to know she had succeeded in her choice.

“Yes, sweet. DJ snakes. My turn now!” Amity pawed and scratched at the arm Luz was still holding out of sight.

“Fine, fine! Take them, silly witch.”

Amity snatched the socks out of her girlfriend’s hand, examining them with a practiced eye. “Cats dressed as tacos!” She jumped around, unable to contain her delight or slow the fluttering of her ears.

They began jumping together, Luz never letting Amity’s bursts of excitement go unmatched. “This was a great idea!”

“I know!” Amity finally lost steam and wrapped her arms around Luz in a tight hug. “Here, give me yours and I’ll go buy these, then we can keep shopping.”

“More shopping?” Luz whined.

Amity raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms.

“More shopping!” Luz cheered, pressing a kiss to her girlfriend’s forehead.

“Better.”

Caramel eyes watched Amity go to pay for the socks until tearing away from her to look at the other Blight sister. Luz walked over to Em and stood across from her, pushing her sneaker forward so it touched the witch’s sandal. “Hey.”

“Hey, lovey love,” Em teased, booping Luz on the nose.

“What did you say?!” Amity stormed over with a small bag, causing the other two to jump in surprise.

“Nothing, Mittens. Why, what’s up?”

Amity growled and grabbed Luz’s hand, tugging her out of the store. “You’re beginning to piss me off just so you know. I’m starting to think you came just to mess with me.”

“Perhaps,” Em followed the couple with a grin.

“Let’s all get along, huh?” Luz suggested, sending a reassuring pulse to Amity’s hand.

“Maybe if she acted her age.” Amity turned her head to give her sister a dark glare. “But I’m fine, totally unbothered.”

“Please, Mittens. You literally just said you were getting pissed off.” Em sped up and twirled a strand of lavender hair around her finger until Amity elbowed her away. “I thought you’d be in a better mood since this is about Luz.”

“I was in a good mood!” Amity snapped, pressing against Luz’s side as they walked. But Luz suddenly stopped moving, thoughtfully staring at a quaint shop up ahead of them.

The sisters continued to bicker back and forth while Luz rolled a thought around in her head, keeping Amity’s hand clasped tightly in her own. She reflexively pulled Amity back to her side when she tried to break away to scrabble with Emira, her attention still split by the new shop she had never seen before. Something was magnetizing her to the store but—

“Luz, tell your girlfriend to stop killing the vibe.”

“You killed the vibe!” Amity swung her shopping bag at Emira, glancing it off her shoulder.

The human tore her gaze away from the storefront and back to the sisters. “Huh?”

Amity turned to Luz and looked up at her with pleading, golden eyes, silently asking Luz to take her side.

“Damn, my latte from earlier was really good,” Luz met the gentle eye contact, speaking softly. “How was your tea, Ami bear?”

“Ooo, it was so good. It had the perfect amount of honey.” A dreamy expression took over Amity’s face and she swayed slightly at the reminder of her tea.

“That’s right, honey for my honey lips.” Luz bent down and drew Amity into a chaste kiss, humming as she pulled away to admire pale cheeks turning pink.

“Right…” Amity dopily smiled up at her girlfriend, having completely forgotten about arguing with Emira. “Oh, I have to pee.”

“That’s okay,” Luz rubbed her back. “Here, I’ll take the bags and you can go quick. There’s a bathroom just over there.”

“I’ll be right back, love,” she promised, going on her toes to peck the human’s cheek.

Luz watched her leave, touching the spot on her cheek that had been kissed. Someone cleared their throat next to her and brought her out of the stupor.

“Nice trick. You’ll have to teach me that one,” Emira grinned, brushing a few curls out of Luz’s eyes.

“It wasn’t a trick, Ems. Just a bit of redirection.” Now they had matching grins, laughing while they waited for Amity to return.

“I saw you, by the way.”

“Saw what?”

“I saw you gawking at that new jewelry store up the street. Mittens was too distracted trying to scratch me, but I totally saw you staring. Got something in mind?”

“Me? Jewelry what? No, nope, not me. Not sure what you’re talking about, Ems.” There was no eye contact being made as Luz looked at a spot over Emira’s shoulder.

The oldest Blight absorbed all the human’s nervous mannerisms but decided to drop the subject. “Oh, must’ve been my mistake then…”

“No worries!” Luz scuffed her foot and clasped her hands behind her back. “Man, I wonder when Ami’s coming back.”

“I’m right here, sweetheart.” Amity tugged on her girlfriend’s sleeve. “What’s wrong? Was Em annoying you?”

“No, of course not! I just missed you is all.” Luz sprinkled kisses across Amity’s cheeks, girly giggles flooding out from the witch.

“Luuuz…not in front of Em.”

“Fine, fine.” Luz stole another kiss then linked their hands. “Where to?”

“Let’s go get you some clothes, you need a new button-up or two.” Amity led the way, scanning her eyes over the long list she had pulled out of her pocket.

Amity Blight was exhausted. The only sleep she had been able to get lately was minimal and dreamless. Her mind was filled with thoughts and checklists and ideas and questions and equations and abomination formulas. There was no room for anything else.

Sleep eluded her for the most part, and the only time she could actually relax enough to doze off was when Luz held her, when Luz kept her warm, when Luz whispered gentle, reassuring words in her ear.

Her muscles were coiled in a perpetual state of tension, that tension never lessened unless her girlfriend was nearby. Soft kisses against her pulse point were one of the few ways that Luz was able to pull Amity out of her own head and into the present.

It would be better for Amity once Luz got her surgery and could start to feel comfortable in her own skin. The witch was constantly worrying about Luz, noticing when she would squirm around, or try and take a deep breath of air when her binder was on. Soon things would be easier.

Luz had been begging Amity to focus more on her upcoming schoolwork, but that was nearly impossible for her to do. She needed to be there for her girlfriend during this time, in every way.

So her focus was split, and it would remain like that until Luz’s mental well-being improved as a result of her impending surgery. Luz was more important than her classes anyway, she could always retake a course or two, it wasn’t a big deal when compared to her human’s health and wellness.

Right now, Amity was taking a fitful nap. She was nestled in a blanket nest on their couch, utterly tangled in the material from her tossing and turning. Luz had tenderly coaxed her to sleep before leaving for her final therapy session, and Amity was still napping when she returned from the human realm.

A smitten Luz crouched down next to the couch, watching as a pale nose twitched and scrunched in Amity’s sleep.

“Mi amor…” As much as Luz wanted to let her sleep, she was too excited to tell Amity her good news.

After a bit of careful jostling, Amity finally blinked her eyes open, seeing Luz towering over and wiggling in her spot. “Luz? You’re gonna be late for your appointment.”

“I just came back from my appointment, cutie.”

“You…huh? What time is it?”

“It doesn’t matter, Ami! I got my letter!”

That woke her up. “What?!”

“I got it, I got it, I got it!” Luz picked her girlfriend up off the couch and twirled her around in circles, needing an outlet for her excess energy.

Amity’s arms and legs habitually wrapped around Luz as they spun, giggling into the side of her human’s neck and kissing whatever skin she could find.

Once Luz ran out of steam, she carried Amity into their bedroom and tossed her on the bed. “Can you believe it, Am? It’s actually gonna happen. We just need to schedule it now.”

“I’m so happy for you, darling.” Amity reached her arms out and wiggled her fingers, politely demanding Luz to come closer.

Luz only made her wait a couple seconds before flopping down on top of Amity, burying her face in lavender and letting the smell of vanilla wash over her.

“Have you told anyone else yet?” Amity asked, pressing two kisses against a round ear.

“I told my beautiful, supportive girlfriend.”

“Wow, she must be really special if you told her before me.”

“Very funny,” Luz cupped Amity’s cheeks and brought their lips together in a long kiss.

They each savored the contact, melting into the other. Amity grazed her tongue across Luz’s bottom lip in a tease, laughing when the human broke away to gasp.

“Someone’s feeling brave.”

“I’m just feeding off your infectious energy, baby.”

“What energy do you have? I just found you knocked out on the couch in the exact same position I left you in.”

“I have enough energy for lots of things actually, thank you for asking.”

Luz smiled and pushed her nose into her girlfriend’s cheek. “So if I challenged you to a race right now, what would you say?”

“Depends on what kind of race. Although you do typically beat me to the finish line.” Amity dropped a line of kisses along the edge of Luz’s jaw.

“I’m willing to test that theory if you are.”

“Okay, but then we need to celebrate after.”

They rested their foreheads together until Luz spoke again. “I think I’ll be celebrating during and after.”

“Just kiss me already, dork.”

Before she did, Luz hid her face in Amity’s neck, smiling against her pale skin while she let the feeling of euphoric anticipation finally hit her for the first time.

Chapter Text

“How do you feel?”

“I’m hungry.”

“I mean about getting your surgery in the morning.”

“I feel hungry.” Luz giggled when Amity pouted, then hummed and gave her a better answer. “I feel okay, I’m excited to get on the other side of this. I want to start healing and moving forward.”

“Right, right. That’s good, lovey. Let’s talk about the plan for the morning.”

“What plan?” Luz ran her hand up and down her girlfriend’s leg, which was thrown across her lap.

“The pre-plan.”

“What’s the pre-plan?”

Amity took a deep breath, preparing to divulge the intricacies of her plan. She paused when Luz reached over to tuck a strand of lavender behind her rapidly reddening ear, cupping the witch’s cheek afterward. “I’m listening, corazón.”

“Huh? Oh—wait. What was I…” Her nose scrunched up in confusion, trying to remember her train of thought. “The plan, right.”

“Mhm…” Luz’s features softened as she watched Amity’s fluster grow.

“Darling, please don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

Amity pulled Luz’s hand away from her cheek and layered kisses across her knuckles, moving to tangle their fingers together before she tried to speak again. “Like you’re in love with me, you’re making it hard to focus on my plan…”

“I can’t help it,” Luz whined, her free hand still rubbing her girlfriend’s leg. “Fine, I can close my eyes while you lay out your cute little plan. I would hate to be a distraction.”

“Thank you, my love.” Another soft kiss landed on the back of Luz’s hand. “Okay, so here’s what I was thinking. We should wake up at about seven, then you’ll need to shower since you won’t be able to for a while. Remember you can’t eat before it either, so we don’t need to set aside time for that. I already have an outfit picked for you, so that’s fine too…I think I just need to pack some stuff for you and then we’re all set.”

“Ooo, what are we packing?”

“I will be packing extra boxers and socks, among other things.”

“Can we pack that picture of you wearing your goggles for the first time? So I can remember your face once I wake up from anesthesia. It’s my favorite picture.”

“But I’ll be right there with you. There’s no need for a picture of me, sweetheart.”

“Ugh, fine. Just forget it…I suppose I’ll have to settle for the real deal.” Luz sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

“Settle?!”

“Yes, that’s what I said—Ami!” Luz cried out when Amity sat up and dug her fingers into the human’s ribs, wiggling them around as she climbed onto Luz. “What did I d-do?!”

The tickle attack continued while Luz fought for relief, hopelessly squirming around beneath her girlfriend, who kept her pinned to the couch using her weight. Aided by the way she had caught Luz off guard, Amity danced her fingers over sensitive spots that only she knew about, giggling as Luz gasped and wheezed for air.

“How’s that for settling, Noceda?” Amity finally relented, resting comfortably in Luz’s lap while they both caught their breath.

“The only settling going on around here is you settling in my lap.” Luz looped her arms around Amity’s waist and pulled her closer, nestling her face into her neck.

Soft, tender kisses were scattered along the side of Amity’s neck as Luz squeezed her tight, never wanting to let go. Of course she would have to eventually, but she was hoping to extend it as long as possible.

“You smell good, mi amor.”

“I thought you would be used to it by now.” Amity trailed her fingers through dark brown curls, twirling them while she purred.

“No, I can never get enough actually.”

“That’s nice, baby.” Amity tucked her face into Luz’s neck, the volume of her purrs increasing as her girlfriend’s warmth transferred over to her. “You need to sleep soon.”

“I will, but only if you’re there too.”

“I’m here…” A cold nose pressed into Luz’s throat, tangibly proving the claim.

“Barely.” Luz giggled, hearing the familiar whistling exhales that meant her girlfriend fell asleep in her arms. She scooted to the edge of the couch, securing Amity against her body before carefully standing up to carry her into their bedroom.

After gently laying Amity on her side of the bed, Luz pulled a blanket up to her chin, smiling when the witch absently kissed the knuckle of her thumb.

Luz bent down and returned the affection, kissing her temple right before Amity covered her own face with the blanket. She stood still for another few seconds, watching Amity’s hand snake out of her cocoon and reach over to the human’s side of the bed, searching for her warmth. Finding nothing, Amity whined in her sleep and kept her arm outstretched in the middle of the bed.

Once she changed into her loosest sleepshirt, Luz laid a hand on her chest and took a deep breath. It was her last night feeling like this, her last night of having this part of her that didn’t belong. She sat on the edge of the bed and sighed, letting the anticipation for the next morning wash over her.

Amity would be there with her, which brought immense comfort and security to Luz. She wasn’t alone, she didn’t have to go through this alone. The support she was getting from her family raised her up and doubled her confidence.

This was the right choice.

After finally climbing into bed with her girlfriend, Luz had tugged Amity close and tangled their legs together, sharing the warmth she knew was sorely needed. A pale arm had coiled around her waist and held strong, leaving no room between them.

It was hours later that Amity woke up cold, her arm again reaching out to touch Luz and finding nothing. She sat up with a grunt, annoyed at the absence of her personal heat source. Pointed ears twitched at a distant sound, prompting Amity to slip out of bed to investigate the noise.

The bedroom door was ajar as Amity walked through it, squinting her eyes to see in the darkness. There was a tall shape balancing on the kitchen counter, reaching up into the highest cabinet.

“Luz!”

A bag of chips fell from the cabinet and hit the floor with a smack. “Ami! Why are you—”

“What do you think you’re doing? You aren’t allowed to eat before surgery.” Amity marched over and yanked at Luz’s boxers, staring up at her with a disapproving expression.

“I wasn’t! I’m just checking to make sure everything is where it’s supposed to be…” Luz dropped back to the ground.

“In the middle of the night?” Amity folded her arms, knowing that Luz would try to grab her hand and distract her. “I hid those chips for this exact reason. I know how you work.”

“You admit you hid them!”

“You admit you were trying to eat them!”

“I said no such thing!” Luz crossed her arms in return, matching Amity’s stubbornness.

“Goofy human…you better get back in bed right now.”

Luz shrugged noncommittally, then darted forward to steal a kiss before running back to the bedroom.

“That’s what I thought!” Amity shouted at her girlfriend’s retreat, following after her with a pink blush on her cheeks.

When she got in their room again, Amity scoffed at seeing Luz on her side of the bed, clearly hoping to be forgiven for her midnight detour. “You must be lost.”

“I’m right where I should be actually. Since you starve me, I think you owe me some cuddles. Please address my needs, Warden Blight.”

“Knock it off, dork. We both know this is what happens before surgery, you’re so dramatic.”

“Please address my needs,” Luz repeated, lying flat with her arms outstretched.

Amity grumbled and got into the bed again, climbing to lay down directly on top of Luz. The human’s arms reflexively locked around her back in a tight embrace, holding Amity flush to her own body.

“That’s better,” Luz sighed. “About time you paid attention to me.”

“Titan help me.” Amity snuggled closer, sprinkling countless kisses on the side of her girlfriend’s smiling face. “Please sleep now, love.”

“I know, I will. I’m sorry for trying to eat the chips, Ami bear.”

“It’s okay, I’m not mad. Plus it was funny seeing you up on the counter like that. Talk about desperate.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Luz giggled at the feathery kisses now being layered across her jawline.

They fell asleep a few moments later, wrapped up in each other.

The next morning came quickly, and when Luz woke up it was with a noticeable absence in weight on top of her body. Amity had already been awake for almost an hour, eating a small breakfast and packing the bag for their trip to the human realm.

Luz slumped out of bed, seeing where her girlfriend had placed an outfit for her on the dresser. She smiled, Amity knew it was easier for Luz to just focus on the surgery and her mental preparation without having to worry about the little things like what to wear.

Her stomach rumbled while she stretched out her back, and she was hit with another pang of hunger. It was okay, though. Being hungry was more than worth it since it meant that her surgery was now only a few short hours away.

After years of waiting, she would happily deal with an empty stomach. Luz left the bedroom and found Amity sitting at the table going over a few of her checklists.

“Hey princesa.” Luz dropped a kiss among auburn roots and sat down across from her girlfriend.

“Hey, how are you?” Amity beamed at Luz, her fangs catching the light.

“I’m good, I’m ready.” Luz glanced at the plethora of notepads strewn on the table. “Are you scared, Ami?”

“No. Are you scared?”

“No, I’m excited. Are you?”

“Me? Of course I’m excited. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Are you sure you aren’t scared?” Luz linked their hands across the table, sensing Amity’s anxious energy. “I’m right here.”

“I know, I’m okay.”

A warm kiss was pressed to the inside of Amity’s wrist, then Luz stood up again. “Alright, I trust you. I’m gonna shower and get it out of the way.”

Amity held tight to Luz’s hand to stop her from walking away. “Wait, I think I’ll join you. For…recreational purposes.”

“And to save water, I’m sure,” Luz grinned.

“…And to save water, yes.”

A while later, Luz was towel drying her hair in the bedroom, preparing to get dressed. She hung the towel up on its hook, ignoring the movement of her chest as she pulled on a pair of black joggers. The look was completely when she tugged a purple and white striped t-shirt over her head.

“Almost there,” she told herself in the mirror while she tousled her hair into place. Luz could hear Amity scrambling around the apartment, putting the finishing touches on the tote bag she was meticulously packing.

Luz hummed as she slipped on a pair of slides. She wished Eda could come with them to the human realm for her surgery, but she was busy. That didn’t mean Luz couldn’t call her now and get some reassurance from her before they left.

“Ami! I’m gonna make a quick call!”

“Try to make it quick, lovey!”

“You got it boss!” Luz picked up her scroll from the nightstand and called Eda, admittedly desperate for her to answer.

“Luz?” Eda’s voice rang out.

“Hey Mom! I’m about to leave to get my surgery and wanted to talk for a sec.”

“I’m glad you called, are you all set to go?”

“Yeah, we just showered…I mean I just showered! Alone!”

“Sure, kid. Nice save,” Eda’s signature cackle filled the air. “So are you excited?”

“Absolutely. But also nervous, I know Ami will be stressed the whole time…” Luz scuffed her foot into the carpet, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“Ah, Boots will be okay. You’re both strong, we all know that.”

“Yeah, I just wish she could calm down for her own good. I don’t want her to get worked up when I’m not there to help. I promised her that I’ll be fine, but she still worries.”

“I think she just wants to get on the other side of this. For her, the surgery is the scariest part since she can’t be right next to you during it.” Eda soothed her daughter, saying the exact words she needed to hear. “I know we don’t have much time, but I’m so happy for you, Luz. Go get your procedure so you can look and feel like you’ve always wanted. Gotta stay handsome for your girlfriend, don’t you?”

Luz giggled, feeling some excess weight lift off her shoulders. “Right, of course. Thank you, Mom. I love you.”

“I love you too, kiddo. I’ll see you soon. I’m so proud of you.”

Luz set her scroll down just in time to see Amity burst into the room. “Hey—”

“Are you ready?” Amity straightened out her girlfriend’s outfit then reached up to organize her wild curls.

“Please take it easy, Am. I don’t want you to stress out.”

“I’m fine!” Amity hurriedly put her hair in a messy ponytail, all while marching around the room to make sure she wasn’t forgetting anything.

Luz hummed, watching her witch haphazardly start making the bed. “Can you help me?”

“What do you need?” Amity flew to Luz, resting both hands on her thighs and standing between the human’s legs to look into her caramel eyes.

“I need you to relax and breathe with me. Clearly what happened in the shower only provided temporary stress relief.”

The red flush that danced across Amity’s cheeks made Luz smile widely. She gently guided Amity even closer and slipped both hands beneath her shirt to rub circles into her back.

Amity took a deep breath at the affectionate contact, tilting forward to touch her forehead to Luz’s while she continued to breathe. They matched the rhythm of their breathing as Luz whispered quiet words of comfort to her girlfriend.

After a few minutes of this, Luz moved to the side so she could press soft kisses to Amity’s pointed ear. “You have to cover your ears before we leave, amor.”

“I know…” Amity set her hand on Luz’s chest to feel her heartbeat. “How are you so calm?”

“I think because I’ve been looking forward to this for so long. Plus I’m gonna look how I’ve always wanted to in just a few hours. There’s nothing for me to worry about except you.”

“I’m okay though, darling. Focus on yourself, please.”

“But I can’t do that, it’s impossible for me to tear my attention away from you and those beautiful golden eyes.”

“You’re flirting with me~” Amity grinned, nuzzling their noses together.

“I can’t help it. You know that’s my default setting.”

“You flirt with me because you looove me~”

Luz stole a kiss then peppered more pecks across pink cheeks. “I do, you caught me.”

“There’s no time for kissing, sweetheart. We have to leave, I don’t wanna be late.”

“I think there’s always time for kissing. I’m shocked you disagree.” Luz nestled her face into Amity’s neck, dropping more feathery kisses on the skin there.

“Y-You’re just trying to distract me…”

“Is it working?”

“Mhm, yeah.”

“Good to know.” All the kisses stopped as Luz stood up and stretched. “Let’s go then.”

“Hey wait!” Amity crossed her arms at the sudden cease in affection. “Come back down here, I’m not done.”

“As you wish.” Luz bent down as requested, groaning when Amity sucked a dark bruise into the side of her neck. “Did you just mark me?”

“I did.” Amity wiped the corner of her mouth, turning to leave the bedroom. “You grab the portal key and I’ll grab the bag. Meet me at the front door.”

“O-Okay,” Luz croaked out, fighting off the blush on her face while she stared after her girlfriend.

Amity stopped pacing for a few seconds, pressing her lips to Luz’s forehead to check her temperature.

“I told you I’m fine, Ami bear.” Luz smiled at her girlfriend, who had resumed pacing the room.

“When are they coming back to take you?”

“Any minute now, I’m sure.” Luz watched as Amity consulted one of the checklists stuffed into her pocket. “Will you come hold my hand in the meantime?”

“Of course.” Amity rushed over and slotted their fingers together, immediately squeezing Luz’s hand in a vice grip. The human sat up slightly in the hospital bed, doing her best to soothe Amity.

“I’m right here, Am.”

“I know. Sorry for being so crazy today…and the last few weeks as well.”

“You know I don’t mind. I know what I signed up for with you, mi vida.” Luz used both of her hands to hold Amity’s even tighter, reassuring her with the pressure.

Amity let a soft purr slip past her lips, fighting against climbing into Luz’s small bed. “Is it okay that I’m the only one here? I know everyone else was busy, but still—”

“You are more than enough for me. I can do anything when I have you by my side.” Luz pressed a tender kiss to the back of Amity’s hand.

Golden eyes slipped shut at the affection, staying that way even when a nurse came in to finish prepping Luz for her procedure.

Having meticulously studied everything that would happen on this day, Amity knew that Luz must be about to get her IV placed. She wasn’t sure if she could watch that happening, always uncomfortable with even the idea of Luz feeling pain.

“Keep your eyes closed, Ami. Please don’t look,” Luz whispered, clutching her hand tightly.

That’s exactly what Amity did, holding Luz’s hand up to her lips while she waited an impossibly long time.

“It’s okay, Am. All done.”

Amity blinked her eyes open, pausing as they adjusted to the light. She went to look at the IV but stopped when she heard Luz’s voice.

“Eyes on me, Blight.” Luz knew Amity might spiral again if she saw the IV and got scared.

“Does it hurt?”

Carefully, Luz reached up and rubbed away the crease between her girlfriend’s eyebrows. “I’m fine, please don’t worry.”

“I love you.” Amity set her free hand on Luz’s head, gently caressing her dark hair.

“I love you too.”

“I’ll be right here when they bring you back to me. I’m gonna take care of you, baby. I promise.”

Luz smiled dopily at the whispered words, letting them calm her nerves. Amity always knew just what to say right when Luz needed to hear it most. “I know, thank you.”

“Anything for you, anything.” Amity drew Luz in for a long kiss, pouring her emotion into the connection.

Once they finally wheeled Luz away, Amity sat numbly in her chair, lost in her thoughts. She would’ve been nervously wringing her hands except for the fact that she had Luz’s striped shirt held against her face, breathing in her girlfriend’s smell.

A few hours later, Luz Noceda was taken back to her private room, still asleep from the anesthesia.

Amity loomed over her sleeping girlfriend, carefully sweeping stray curls off her face. “She’s so adorable…”

“She looks exhausted to me. Did she get any sleep last night?”

“Yeah some, but not as much as I wanted her to get. I did catch her trying to eat those crunchy chips she always stockpiles.”

A dry chuckle. “That sounds about right.”

Amity gently pressed two fingers against Luz’s pulse point and consulted the watch on her wrist, counting each beat for a silent thirty seconds. “Okay, her heartrate is normal.”

“When did you get a watch?”

“It’s one of Luz’s, I borrowed it for this exact reason.”

Eda stifled a laugh. “They have machines for that here, ya know.”

“I trust myself more than these noisy machines.” Amity side-eyed the monitors in the room and returned her attention to Luz, softly kissing her forehead to check her temperature. “She’s a bit cold…”

“I got it.” Eda grabbed the blanket at the base of the bed and pulled it up to cover her daughter.

It was her idea to surprise Luz when she woke up, allowing her to think she was too busy to come before. Amity had picked up Eda in the demon realm about a half hour after Luz was taken off to surgery, relieved that she wouldn’t have to worry alone. Except that isn’t what happened. Eda had just sat calmly in a chair stationed in the corner of the room, curiously watching as Amity paced around and mumbled to herself.

“Here, take a picture of us.” Eda handed her scroll to Amity and posed next to Luz, who was now sleeping with her mouth hanging open. Eda smiled goofily and did a thumbs-up, pressing her cheek into the side of Luz’s head.

“Okay, got it,” Amity giggled. “Wait, I want one too.”

They swapped places and Amity got into position, holding up a peace sign and doing duck lips. She asked for a second picture, this time taking a strand of her hair to give Luz a lavender mustache. Amity held her lips to Luz’s eyebrow scar and waited for the click of the camera, giggling again when she heard Eda snickering.

“Amiii…”

“Oh shit.” Amity almost fell on top of Luz but steadied herself on the edge of the bed. “I’m right here, lovey love.”

“¿Dónde está Ghostie?”

“Ghost is back at home, probably sleeping in that messy pile of clothes you left on your side of the room.” Amity cradled her girlfriend’s face and dragged a thumb across her cheek. “How do you feel?”

“Sleepy…” Luz still hadn’t even opened her eyes, used to having quiet conversations with Amity every time she woke up.

“Are you in any pain?”

“Me encanta tu voz…” A sleepy smile danced on Luz’s lips as she pushed her face into the hand resting on her cheek.

The tips of Amity’s ears turned red and she stole a glance over her shoulder, seeing Eda with a shit-eating grin on her face. “Th-Thank you, sweetheart.”

Caramel eyes peered open at long last, staring up into gold. “¿Qué hora es?”

“It’s early afternoon.”

Luz blinked slowly, her eyes adjusting to the light. “Who’s that old lady behind you?”

“What did you say?!” Eda crossed her arms, moving to stand next to Amity. “I’m gonna wipe that smirk off your face when you feel better, kid!”

“Buena suerte con eso, abuela.” Luz’s smirk doubled in size, looking up into her mom’s mismatched eyes.

“Ah, I’m just kidding. I’ll let it slide this time.” Eda set her hand on Luz’s knee, leaning in to check her face for any signs of distress. “I wanted to see you after surgery, kiddo.”

“I see you,” Luz squinted, still smiling.

“Luz…what’s on your neck?” Eda paused in her examination, turning to Amity. “Or should I ask you that, Blight?”

Amity’s eyes flicked over to look at the hickey on Luz’s neck, her blood running cold. “I don’t—I mean wow! What could that be?! Must be a smudge or something!”

“Save it.”

“Okay.” Amity gripped her hemline, both ears flat against her head.

“That looks pretty fresh to me. Did you suck on my daughter’s neck the morning of her procedure?” Eda pretended to be serious, she always enjoyed making Amity squirm.

“Um, so actually what happened was—”

The one-sided conversation was interrupted by Luz, who was still fighting against falling back asleep. “What are we talking about?”

“We’re talking about how…how handsome you look!” Amity covered, giving Luz all her attention and hoping Eda would drop the subject.

“Really?” Luz beamed, her crinkled eyes slipping shut when Amity dropped a kiss on her nose.

“Really.” Amity indiscreetly shifted the blanket to shield the bruise on her girlfriend’s neck. “Are you warm or cold?”

“I’m cooold…”

“Do you want me to try and cuddle you?”

“No way, you’ll just make me colder.”

Eda started wheezing, bending over to slap her knee while Amity indignantly folded her arms. “Boots seems to think you need to be treated like a baby, Luz. What do you think?”

“I’m Ami’s baby, yeah. She calls me that.”

Another rush of heat flooded Amity’s face and she purposely avoided eye contact with Eda, instead focusing on straightening Luz’s blankets.

“I see.” Eda clicked her tongue, barely able to conceal a massive grin. “And what else does she call you?”

“Necesito pensar…” Luz stared at the ceiling, not noticing when Amity gave her a panicked look. “Some stuff is supposed to be a secret, I think. Like when we have special alone time, Ami calls me lover gi—”

“Anyway! Luz, you must be exhausted by now,” Amity interrupted.

“That’s what she said.”

“Titan help me.”

Eda cut in again, realizing they might go around in circles otherwise. “Why don’t you get some sleep, kid? We’ll be here when you wake up.”

“Oh, she’s already asleep,” Amity whispered. “And her head is on my hand, fuck.”

“Just move your hand.”

“It’s not that simple. Whenever she’s asleep and feels me pull away, she’ll reflexively grab me and squeeze me against her chest.” Amity ignored the prickly feeling in her hand. “We can’t let her do that, she just had surgery and shouldn’t lift her arms. Also as much as it pains me to say it, I definitely shouldn’t be on top of her right now…I mean for cuddles! For cuddles!”

“Relax or you’ll wake up the baby,” Eda teased.

Before either of them could come up with a solution, Luz groaned in her sleep and turned her head on her own, freeing Amity’s hand.

“Oh. Well that was easier than usual.”

Eda quieted her giggles while she watched Amity stare down at Luz, reaching out to tenderly tuck some curls behind her ear. The older witch’s gaze softened at the devotion laced within the gentle touch. She stepped around to the other side of the bed, bending to kiss Luz’s temple before gesturing for Amity to follow her out of the room.

They stood just outside the door so they could talk at a normal volume. Amity frequently looked through the small window to make sure Luz was okay while she slept.

“So how are you doing?” Eda asked.

“It’s not about me right now, it’s about my Luz.”

Eda blinked once then repeated herself. “So how are you doing?”

“I’m…fine. A little tired, that’s all.” Amity spun the gold ring on her middle finger. “But the big part is over, now she just needs to rest and heal.”

“Are you gonna take care of her?” Eda knew the answer but chose to ask anyway.

“Of course I am!”

“Do you realize you need to take care of yourself before you even think about taking care of Luz?”

“Y-Yes, I can do it.”

“That’s my kid in there,” Eda jerked a thumb toward the door. “I need to know that she’ll be taken care of when I’m not around.”

Amity straightened her back, tangling her fingers in her hemline while she spoke firmly. “I love her more than anything. I’m going to take care of her to the best of my ability. I promise, Eda. She’s safe with me.”

“Good.” Eda’s features relaxed at the earnest assurance from her daughter’s girlfriend. “Now I think you should nap while Luz is sleeping. You need rest too, I can tell.”

Amity went to argue but stopped when Eda held up a patient hand, setting it on her shoulder. “I’ll watch over her, Boots, and you too.”

“Thank you. That makes me feel a lot better.”

“Don’t worry, you aren’t alone in this.”

Luz exhaled as she reclined back into the stack of pillows on her own bed, in her own apartment. They had returned to the demon realm an hour ago, and Eda had just left for the day but promised to visit again tomorrow to see how Luz was doing. Ghost slept by her feet, their white head resting on Luz's ankle.

There were a few quiet moments of peace before Amity came sweeping into the room again, this time holding a glass of water and a blanket that was tucked under her arm.

“Are you still cold, baby?”

“Yeah, kinda.”

“It’s okay, I have your new blanket here.” Amity set the water down then shook out the blanket, throwing it over Luz and covering her with it. “Look, there are little fairies on it.”

“What did you call me?” Luz grinned.

“Very funny, goofball.” Amity fondly rolled her eyes, sitting next to Luz on the bed. She reached out to play with her girlfriend’s curls, humming as she did.

“That feels good…”

“You need a haircut, my love. I should have trimmed it before your surgery.”

“It’s alright, Am. It doesn’t bother me.” Luz leaned into the hand now cupping her cheek.

“It bothers me, though. I like it better when you can see.”

“I know. Don’t worry about it right now.” The human turned her head, kissing the palm of Amity’s hand. “There’s something we need to talk about.”

“What’s up?”

Luz crossed her legs at the ankles once Ghost stretched out, smiling when Amity began tracing gentle circles on the inside of her wrist. “So listen. You can’t touch or spoon me while we’re sleeping.”

“What?!” Amity’s eyes blew wide, she hadn’t thought of that but knew it was painfully true. “I don’t know if I can help it…”

“It’s okay, I already thought of a solution. I’ll show you later.”

“Hmm, alright. But I’m not sleeping on the couch if that’s your plan.”

“Of course not, we both know you can’t stay away from me.” Luz giggled, watching Amity’s features scrunch up.

“Ugh, I can’t even tickle you!” Amity exclaimed, grumbling to herself.

“You mean torture.”

“I mean tickle.”

“Whatever I’m not even ticklish anyway. You’re the giggle monster in this relationship.” Luz rested her head in the pillows and peacefully closed her eyes.

“Wait, Luz. Don’t fall asleep yet.” Amity set a hand on her girlfriend’s leg and lightly jostled her. “I have a present for you. To celebrate getting your surgery.”

Caramel eyes sprang open again, a goofy grin spreading across Luz’s face. “Present for me?”

“Yes. A present for you, pretty girl. Because I love you that much.”

“I love you too, Ami bear. So much.” Luz smiled again when Amity booped her nose then opened up the nightstand drawer to pull something out. “Here, it’s yours.”

Luz carefully accepted the gift, slightly sitting up while she tugged off the wrapping paper. She now held a small jewelry box, which she cracked open to reveal a new black ring with a chain inside of it.

“Em helped me pick it out. The chain inside actually spins, so you can play with it when you get bored or restless. I thought it would be helpful because of how fidgety you can get, and since you can’t really move around easily right now. Just something to keep you occupied.” Amity smiled as Luz began playing with the ring, a concentrated look on her face.

“It spins, Ami!” Luz beamed at her girlfriend.

“I know, lovey.” Amity took the ring from Luz and slid it onto the human’s middle finger, exhaling at the perfect fit.

Luz immediately returned her attention to the ring now on her finger, spinning the chain and smiling at the quiet sound it made. She didn’t even notice when Amity stood up and dropped a kiss into her wild curls.

“Are you in any pain?”

“Okay,” Luz replied distractedly, eyes glued to her hand. "Thank you so much. I love this."

Amity looked over her human’s bandages and drains, her heart clenching at the thought of Luz feeling pain. She took her chance to go organize the medicine and other supplies that the surgeon had given them before they had left, her ears perked in case Luz called out.

Now the healing process had begun, and their main goal was a clean and safe recovery.

Chapter Text

Amity rolled over in her sleep, bumping into something firm. She habitually threw her leg over whatever it was, a soft grumble interrupting her airy exhales.

Scattered giggles came from in front of her, and Amity unknowingly nestled her face into Luz’s shoulder with another drawn-out groan. The human giggled again, reaching her hand down to rub the leg that had been thrown across her hips.

“Love…”

“Hmm?” Luz encouraged Amity’s sleepy mumbles, grinning at her girlfriend.

“Love you…”

“Love you too, Am.”

“Mmm…” Amity purred at the feeling of fingers trailing through her hair, finally starting to wake up. “Luuuz…”

“Me.”

“Luz!” Amity’s eyes flew open, meeting amused caramel irises. She went to get up but was restrained by the blanket wrapped around her upper body, her arms pinned tightly to her sides. “I can’t—fuck!”

“Yes you can, I’ve seen it…and felt it.” Luz grinned, reaching over to help a writhing Amity untangle herself from the blanket.

The solution to keep Amity from touching Luz’s chest while sleeping was to have the witch roll herself up in a blanket burrito. That way, her arms were trapped and couldn’t come into contact with Luz by accident during the night. The most Amity could do was tangle their legs together or push her face into her girlfriend’s shoulder. Nothing more until Luz was healed.

Once Amity was freed from the blanket, she sat up and scanned her eyes over Luz’s face to check for any signs of distress. “Your drains!”

“I already emptied them, Ami bear.”

“Oh—good. Did you record the amount of fluid?” Amity kissed Luz’s forehead to check her temperature.

“Yes, I remembered.”

“How is your pain level, one to ten?”

“Eh, a five.”

“When did you wake up?” Amity yawned with a squeak, tiredly rubbing her eyes.

“Like twenty minutes ago.”

“Why didn’t you wake me up to help?”

Luz folded both hands on her stomach. “I was listening to your grumbles.”

“I do not grumble,” Amity defended, standing up to fold her blanket.

“You do. It was mostly my name, but you also made a few romantic sounds too. Very interesting, made me wonder what you were dreaming about.”

A red flush tinted Amity’s cheeks as she refolded the blanket. “I wasn’t dreaming! It was a dreamless night for me actually.”

“Mhm, right,” Luz smiled, watching Amity start to wrestle a pair of socks onto her feet. “You still blush around me even though I’m all icky sticky from surgery and stuff~”

“You’re not icky sticky, sweetheart—” Amity gasped when Luz pulled her foot away before she put the other sock on. “Give me your foot!”

“Not until you give me a kiss!”

“I just woke up! Let me put the fucking sock on you!”

“Ghostie save me!” Luz tucked her foot under her other leg to escape Amity’s grabbing hands.

The palisman lifted her head up to watch the scene unfolding on the bed and then went back to sleep with a quiet meow, used to their antics.

“Ha! Even Ghost knows you need socks on your feet.”

“An unforgivable betrayal!” Luz dramatically threw an arm across her eyes and relented, sticking her foot back out so Amity could put on the second sock.

“There.” Amity tugged the sock on then rubbed both of her girlfriend’s feet to warm them up. “I’m gonna go to the bathroom quick. I’ll be back in a few minutes with some food and your medications.”

“Fine.”

“Are you pouting, lovey?”

“No…”

“That cute little pout on your face says otherwise.”

Luz huffed, turning her head to the side. “Ghostie’s treachery has pierced me through the heart.”

“I see.” Amity hid a grin, lifting Luz’s hand to layer kisses across her knuckles. “Well let’s see if a bit of food can heal your broken heart.”

“I guess it’s worth a try,” Luz shrugged.

“Are you two okay being in the same room?” Amity glanced over at Ghost, who had just gotten out of her bed and was now stretching her back.

“It’s whatever.” Luz shrugged again, ignoring the rumbling in her stomach.

Amity pecked the human’s eyebrow scar. “I’ll be right back, darling.”

It was about twenty minutes later when Amity returned, carefully balancing a tray table so that Luz could have breakfast in bed. She pushed through the ajar door and set the table down on the dresser, then went over to help Luz sit up and recline against the pillows.

“Breakfast is eggs, slightly burned toast, and your favorite juice.” Amity stopped next to the bed, smiling as she crossed her arms. “So you forgave her?”

Luz was resting comfortably with Ghost curled around the top of her head, their cheeks pressed together. “Yeah, I did. She brought me a spider as an apology.”

“That’s nice, baby.” Amity began to stack the pillows until Luz’s words registered in her head. “Wait—a what?! Where is it?!”

“Relax, Ami. It’s right here.” Luz held a closed fist up to her girlfriend.

“Luz Noceda, I do not want a spider in our bed—give it to me right now.”

“I don’t want you to kill it…”

“I’m not gonna kill it. I just don’t want to wake up with it crawling across my forehead. Give it here.”

Luz started to open her fist, but Amity jumped back at the last second. “Wait, not in my hand! Dear titan you two are aging me…”

Caramel eyes watched as Amity had a full body shiver then marched out of the room, returning shortly with a cup and a piece of paper in her hands.

“I wanna keep it…” Luz pleaded.

“Luz,” Amity warned. “Put it in the cup.”

“Fine…”

As she gently dropped the spider into the cup, Ghost curiously stuck her nose in after it, sniffing like it was a new discovery.

“Ghost, don’t touch the damn spider again, so help me titan.” Amity pulled the glass away and slapped the paper over the top, quickly moving to the balcony to release it.

Once she was done, Amity went back to the bed to finally help Luz sit up for her breakfast, mumbling to herself that the food better not have gotten cold while she was messing around with a titan-forsaken spider. Ghost moved out of the way and cuddled up against Luz’s hip before peacefully resuming her nap.

“Thank you for breakfast.” Luz smiled when the tray table was set down in front of her.

“Don’t touch it yet.” Amity grabbed a cleansing wipe from the package on the nightstand and used it to clean both of her girlfriend’s hands, shaking her head the whole time. “Alright now you can eat. Goofy human.”

The medications that Luz needed to take were set out in a neat line on her napkin, and she swallowed each of them down under Amity’s watchful eye. The witch sat next to her legs, absently rubbing them with one hand and petting Ghost’s head with the other.

“We need to keep you hydrated.”

“I know, mi amor. Don’t worry,” Luz continued to eat.

Amity chewed her lip, mind swimming with ideas and plans and things to remember.

The second that Luz was finished eating, Amity tugged off her blankets then took the tray table and put it back on the dresser. She grabbed her lavender scented lotion and reclaimed her spot next to Luz, pumping some into her hand and rubbing them together to begin moisturizing her girlfriend’s arms and legs.

“I feel like you’re indirectly scent-marking me.” Luz joked, her eyes slipping shut at the feeling of Amity’s hands massaging her body.

“You wish.” Amity shifted focus, now rubbing lotion into both of Luz’s hands after taking off her chain ring.

“That smells good, it smells like you.”

“It does.” Amity smiled warmly at her love, leaning forward to give her a soft kiss.

“You really made me wait for that kiss, Blight.”

“Sorry about that, I was trying not to get kicked in the stomach before.”

“Fair enough.”

They giggled together for a moment before Amity stole another kiss, unable to help herself. It had been difficult for her to get through the night without being latched onto Luz like normal, but she wasn’t about to admit that and make her feel bad. It wasn’t anybody’s fault, Amity knew that.

She was mindful to avoid Luz’s drains with her hand, briefly brushing their noses together before pulling away. “Pain level?”

“Mmm, three.”

“Okay, that’s good.” Amity linked their hands and reached up to card her fingers through dark brown curls. “Wanna get dressed, pretty girl?”

“Yes,” Luz smiled.

Once Amity helped her girlfriend stretch her legs and stand up, she went over to the dresser and rifled through the top drawer. “Red or green?”

“Red.”

“You got it.” Amity took the red boxers from the drawer and walked back to Luz, tugging the gray pair she had slept in down her legs and replacing them with the fresh pair. “Anything else?”

Luz spun the chain in her ring, humming in thought. “Are there any clean sweatpants?”

“Yes, I did laundry the other day…” Amity dug through another drawer, repeating the process and tugging them up Luz’s legs. “How’s that?”

“Good,” Luz beamed. “Can I wear that navy button-up you just bought for me?”

“Of course.” Amity was already zooming over to the closet, pulling the shirt off the hanger then returning to Luz’s side. She carefully guided the shirt up and over the human’s shoulders and fixed the collar, making sure Luz was comfortable.

Amity moved the button-up to the side and checked Luz’s drains, noting that they didn’t need to be emptied again quite yet. She looked further down, watching Ghost wrap her tail around Luz’s leg with a purr. “You two are inseparable.”

“True.” Luz giggled, pecking Amity’s forehead. “Can we go play cards at the table?”

“Of course.”

Later that day, the couple sat peacefully on the couch together, facing each other while Amity painted her girlfriend’s nails a familiar shade of black.

“Thank you for doing this, Ami. I feel so pampered.” The hand that had already been painted and dried was rubbing Ghost’s head, the palisman settled comfortably in Luz’s lap.

“Just how you deserve to feel, my love. I need all the contact I can get.”

They sat so close that their knees pressed together, but it still wasn’t really enough for Amity. She would take what she could get, savoring the warmth of the hand she was delicately holding with her own.

Precise brushstrokes swiped across Luz’s thumbnail, but the only place she could look was at the witch across from her. Caramel eyes studied sharp features, lingering on the slope of Amity’s nose, a slope Luz had memorized the shape of due to the number of times it had been firmly pressed into the side of her neck. It was a feeling she was beginning to miss…

“Remind me to put more lotion on your hands, they’re all rough and calloused.”

“Not my fault I’m always doing the heavy lifting around here.”

“And what are you allegedly lifting?”

Luz paused to think, scratching behind Ghost’s ears. “Most notably—you. But I’ve also been known to lift spirits, and even lift weights with Willow on occasion.”

“What spirits? Like a phantom?”

“No—”

“Like Eda’s spiked apple blood?”

“Well yes, but that’s not what I’m referring to right now.”

Before Amity could ask for further clarification, a knock on the front door boomed throughout the apartment. Their heads snapped toward the door then back to each other, knowing they weren’t expecting anyone.

“I’ll get it.” Amity capped the nail polish, having just finished Luz’s other hand.

“But what if it’s a monster?”

“Then I’ll set it on fire.”

“Speaking of fire, I could go for some chips.”

Amity giggled, standing up from the couch and straightening out her linen shorts. “There is no correlation between fire and chips, goofball.”

“The correlation is that you just used them in the same sentence.”

“Good try, but no. I’m keeping you on a better diet while you’re recovering.”

Another harsh knock sounded out.

“I’m coming!”

“Jeez, Ami. Don’t say it like that.”

“For titan’s sake…” Amity rubbed her temples but couldn’t keep a few giggles from trickling out as she walked to the door. Luz and Ghost peeked their eyes over the back of the couch, curious about who had come to visit.

Amity pulled the door open to reveal Hunter, whose hand was poised to knock once again.

“Hey Ams!”

The unimpressed witch crossed her arms, annoyed at the lack of a heads-up.

“What? I have to announce myself ahead of time whenever I want to visit my sisters?”

“Yes. Luz could have been taking a nap and you would have woken her up with your obnoxious hammering on the door!” Amity swiped his hair strand so it swung back and forth a few times.

“It’s okay though, Hunt. I’m awake!” Luz beamed from her spot on the couch, Ghost moving to climb across her shoulders.

“This time.” Amity grumbled, stepping aside so Hunter could come in.

Hunter strode past her and plopped down next to his sister on the couch. “What’s got her ponytail in a knot?”

“Ami’s just being protective. She knows it’s a huge turn-on for me.”

“Luz!” Amity turned red in an instant.

“I’m obviously kidding!”

“Ew.” Hunter blinked, fully taking in his sister’s appearance. “You look tired.”

“Thank you for noticing.”

“Ha-ha. Are you drinking enough?”

“Of course she is!” Amity stood behind Luz, her fingers soothingly lacing through her wild curls. She tilted her head to the side, gesturing to the half-full jug of water on the coffee table. “As if I would allow anything otherwise.”

“Excuse me for asking an innocent question.”

“No worries.” Luz tried to keep the peace, smiling at her brother while Amity’s hand reached around to check the temperature of her forehead. “How come you visited?”

“To see how you’re doing, of course.”

“Actually this came at a good time,” Amity cut in. “I need to get some more groceries, could you stay and help Luz with anything she needs?”

“Duh, I came here to help.”

“Oh really? I thought you came over to eat all our food,” Amity retorted.

“Well it sounds like you don’t even have any!”

Luz stiffened, feeling Amity’s hand unconsciously grip her curls. “Uh, yay! Sibling bonding time while Ami buys more snackies.”

The distraction worked as the other two shifted their attention to Luz. Amity bent down to drop a kiss on the top of her girlfriend’s head. “Anything specific you want, love?”

“You know what I like.”

“Alright, I got it.” Amity gave Luz a quick kiss before she went by the door to put her shoes on. “Do you want me to leave Ghost with you?”

“Yes, please.”

“That’s fine, sweetheart. I might take a little longer, that’s all.”

“We will find some way to survive in your absence,” Hunter joked.

Amity shot him a deadly glare then turned back to her girlfriend. “Pain level?”

“Three.”

“Okay, good. I’ll try to be back in about an hour.” She met Hunter’s eyes again. “Please help her if she needs it.”

“I will.”

“Be careful, Ami bear.” Luz gave Amity a reassuring smile.

“I know. Text me if you need anything, lovey.” With that, Amity finally departed, leaving the siblings alone.

Ghost walked along the back of the couch then jumped into Luz’s lap again, quickly falling asleep when the human began rubbing behind her ears.

“Why are you wearing two different socks?”

“I don’t know, Ami put them on for me.”

“One has snakes and the other has cats.”

“Oh, that’s so cute! One for each of us, she’s probably matching.” Luz smiled, slightly shifting in her position and careful not to jostle Ghost. “Can you pass me the water, please?”

“You got it.” Hunter passed his sister the massive water jug and watched her take a few long sips before handing it back to him. “I actually wanted to talk to you, like for real.”

“What’s up, bro?”

Hunter’s eyes glanced over Luz again, taking in her drains and the connected tubing that disappeared into a place he couldn’t see because of her shirt. “I just wanted to say that you’ve always been there for me, so now it’s time for me to be here for you. Is everything healing well? I know it can get messy, but I believe you’re doing great. Please be honest, it’s just me.”

“Oh…it is going well so far, thank you. I would say it’s harder for me to do a lot of things at the moment, but it won’t be for long. I know I can do it.”

“I know you can too.” Hunter offered up a toothy smile, reassured by his sister’s confidence and commitment to recovery. “I’ve always looked up to you quite a bit.”

“Nah…”

“Seriously.”

“Then thank you.” Luz smiled, absently fiddling with her ring. “Do you wanna play Mario Kart on my Switch?”

“Always.” Hunter stood to begin setting it up for them. “I call Luigi!”

“Nobody is taking Luigi from you, bro. Go right ahead, I’m just gonna text Ami quick.” Luz pulled out her scroll from where she kept it stuffed between the cushions.

Luz (2:24 pm): will you please grab some apple blood?

Ami <3 (2:25 pm): yeah, what kind?

Luz (2:25 pm): the strong stuff >:3

Ami <3 (2:26 pm): then no, I just told you that we’re keeping you on a good diet right now

Luz (2:26 pm): but I said please :’(

Ami <3 (2:27 pm): and I’m saying no

Luz (2:27 pm): it’s not for me, it’s for Hunt. but don’t text him to check that or anything, he’s busy…

Ami <3 (2:28 pm): I think if anyone needs the spiked apple blood, it’s me

A loud noise drew Luz’s attention away from her scroll. She looked up just in time to see Hunter knock her water jug off the table, watching it hit the floor so hard that the cap popped off and started dumping water all over the floor.

Hunter panicked, frozen as the water kept spilling out. “I got it! Don’t move!”

The disturbance startled Ghost, who leapt off Luz and disappeared into the bedroom.

“Ghostie!” Luz called after her.

“Give me that!” Hunter had righted the jug to stop the flow of water and was now tugging at Luz’s blanket to help soak it up.

“Hands off my fairy blanket! Just use your shirt!”

“I’m not ripping off my new shirt over some water!”

“That’s more than some! It’s like a half-gallon.” Luz got caught up in arguing with her brother, not noticing when Ghost returned and started lapping at the spilled water. “You better hope this is cleaned up before Ami gets back or she’s gonna scratch your precious shirt to shreds.”

“Why would she do that?” Hunter had grabbed some dishcloths from the kitchen and uselessly tried to soak up the water.

“Because this is a stressful situation and I’m supposed to be avoiding those while I heal.” Luz recited her girlfriend’s words, watching Hunter scramble to the bathroom for towels.

“Are you even stressed?!”

“No, but you are. That’s enough of a reason for her.”

“I just wanted to be Luigi!” Hunter wailed, the knees of his pants absorbing the water that he was now drenched in.

“Soo, I hate to leave you like this…but I think I’m gonna go lay down while you finish cleaning that up. Come get me when you’re done and we can play.” Luz carefully scooted to the edge of the couch and stood, looking down at her brother. “I’m sorry, I would help but I can’t really move my arms around much…”

“I know, it’s okay. You go rest. I’ll bring you more water in a few minutes, you need to stay hydrated.”

They shared a brief, understanding smile and Luz tugged the fairy blanket around her shoulders, leaving for the bedroom with Ghost close behind.

When Hunter brought a glass of water into the bedroom for his sister, he found her fast asleep. Ghost lay curled around the top of Luz’s head, apparently realizing she couldn’t sleep on the human’s chest for the time being.

He quietly set the glass down on the nightstand next to Luz, making brief eye contact with Ghost before he left the room again. They could play games another time, he knew she needed to rest for now.

The mess of water was almost cleaned up by now, at least enough. Hunter laid down on the couch, content to wait for Luz to wake up.

Fifteen minutes later, Amity pushed through the front door with her hands full. She set the groceries down on the kitchen counter, her heartbeat picking up when she didn’t immediately see Luz.

She found Hunter fast asleep on the couch and rolled her eyes, walking to the bedroom and lightly pushing the door open. “…Luz?”

The only answer was soft breathing. Amity stayed in the doorway to quickly check on her girlfriend, seeing Ghost loosely draped across her neck. She sighed at the sight of Luz taking a nap and left her alone to go question Hunter.

“Wake up.” Amity roughly jostled his shoulder, unimpressed that he had fallen asleep while he was supposed to be helping Luz.

“Five more minutes…”

“I said wake up.” Amity sat on his stomach, Hunter’s eyes flying open at the pressure.

“What the fuck!” he wheezed for air as she stood again.

Amity didn’t have much patience at this point, crossing her arms while Hunter sat up. “What did I miss?”

“Ugh, not much. She’s been sleeping most of the time you were gone.” Hunter glanced at the time on his scroll.

“Looks like you were too.”

“I didn’t mean to…ah shit! I should’ve gone in the guest room, you two have totally done it on the couch.”

A dark blush flooded Amity’s cheeks as she tried to keep a stern look on her face. “Th-That’s not important right now! Did Luz say anything about being in pain?”

“No, she seemed fine to me.”

Amity exhaled in relief. “And what happened here?” she pointed to the pile of soaked towels on the floor.

“Oh, uh. Luz accidentally knocked her water over and I had to clean it up. But don’t worry, I got her more.”

“I’ll finish taking care of it.” It wasn’t the first or last spill that had happened in their apartment.

“Okay, thanks. I should go, she needs to rest. I’ll come back tomorrow, maybe we can all eat lunch together.”

“Again with the food, I knew it.” Amity gave him a knowing smile.

“Whatever, Blight.”

They shared a tight hug then Hunter left, quietly closing the door behind himself.

Over the course of the next half hour, Amity put away the groceries and picked up the wet towels, cramming them in the laundry. She grumbled as she worked, having a sneaking suspicion that Luz hadn’t been the one who spilled the water.

Afterwards, she went to check on Luz again, gently pushing the door open. Luz had woken up and was slowly typing on her scroll, tired eyes squinted in concentration.

With a soft smile on her lips, Amity walked into the room and wandered around in mock confusion. She looked behind the mirror in the corner then crouched down to check under the bed.

The movement caught Luz’s attention and she watched her girlfriend continue to look around, now checking inside the closet.

“Where’s my handsome Luz? I can’t find them anywhere…” Amity glanced out onto the balcony, hands on her hips.

“Amiii, I’m right here.” Caramel eyes lit up when Amity finally looked directly into them, a sleepy smile growing bigger as the witch came closer.

“Ah, there you are.” Amity pecked an eyebrow scar, brushing her thumb across Luz’s cheek. “Who are you texting, cutie?”

“Gus. He’s asking how I’m doing again.”

“That’s sweet of him. We’ll have to invite him over soon.” Amity gave Luz a tender kiss, humming as she pulled away. “Pain level?”

“I would say about a two—” Luz paused as Amity began applying chapstick to her lips in the middle of speaking. “I’m really just sleepy.”

“A two?” Amity worriedly chewed her lip, not totally convinced. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“How’s your temperature?” The witch kept fidgeting, now rubbing lotion into Luz’s hands one at a time.

“I’m a bit warm actually…”

Amity immediately stood and pulled the blanket aside, revealing a curled-up Ghost, who hissed at the flood of light. She was quickly relocated by Amity before she began dragging her girlfriend’s sweatpants off her legs then pristinely folding them back into the drawer. Luz could read Amity’s anxious energy easily, understanding that she constantly needed to feel useful. It had been this way since they returned from the human realm.

“Hey Ami? Will you help me empty my drains?”

“Of course!” Amity sped to get the measuring cup and the drain log to record the amount of fluid. “Can you sit up for me, baby?”

“Mhm…” Luz slowly did just that, knowing there was no hurry.

“No hurry.” It was a quiet reminder as Amity supportively rubbed her leg.

“I know, corazón. Thank you.”

As soon as she was comfortable against the pillows, Amity took the first drain, stripped the tubing, then emptied it out into the cup. Her tongue poked out while she worked, repeating the process on the other drain, squeezing it before she put the stopper back in.

“I know I’ve said it in the past, but you would have been an amazing healer.”

“Says you.”

“I happen to have a lot of authority on the subject. You heal me every day with the power of love.”

A delicate blush danced across Amity’s features, growing when she saw the way Luz was looking at her. But something bubbled deep within the witch, threatening to boil over. She couldn’t keep…pretending to be okay. It was eating her up inside.

A nagging feeling yanked at her thoughts, begging to be addressed. The more she focused on Luz and ignored the feeling, the more it festered into something bigger than before. It was jarring, disorienting, piercing, like it started in the back of her head and sliced its way down her spine, cutting her open and screaming at her to stop ignoring it.

Her oldest, most constant companion—debilitating anxiety.

The familiar pulse of a headache pounded behind Amity’s eyes, and she tried to blink it away as she helped Luz settle down into the blankets again.

Several things had aided her in fighting off her anxiety over the years, most notably Luz. A simple touch or reassuring whisper from her girlfriend and Amity felt that burden on her shoulders lessen, no longer threatening to push her to the limit of what she could handle.

Nothing ever helped more than the pressure her human could provide, whether it be wrapping her in a tight hug, sleeping on top of her, or even just attacking Amity’s body in a flurry of kisses. Luz knew that Amity’s anxiety coiled itself tightly inside of her, but she did everything she could to loosen the knot.

The minimal contact between them itched at Amity, especially during the night. She needed more, forever more. Small things had helped, like laying across Luz’s legs while they each read a book. But it wasn’t enough. Not enough contact, not enough, not—

“Te amo.” Luz lifted Amity’s hand to her face and kissed each knuckle.

Broken out of her spiraling thoughts, Amity refocused on Luz’s sleepy features. “Te amo, darling. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“Te ves preciosa…” Luz mumbled right as her eyes slipped shut.

Amity sat on the edge of the bed for the next ten minutes, alternating between adjusting blankets and gently playing with Luz’s curls. Just making sure her girlfriend was sleeping soundly while she ignored the roar of anxiety in her ears and creeping up her arms. It was becoming acutely unbearable.

She tore her eyes away from Luz’s face, letting them drift over the medications strewn on the nightstand, then back to her human’s compression binder. Following the tubing down to the drains, Amity felt her heart clench.

It was hard for her to believe Luz when she gave her pain level. It seemed too low. Amity thought it would be more. Everything certainly looked painful, but Luz seemed to be alright. Or at least she was pretending to be in order to give Amity some peace of mind.

There was no way for her to know. Amity liked knowing things, she made it her mission to learn everything she could about the ins and outs of top surgery. But what she would never know is how it actually felt. She had to rely on what Luz told her for that part.

Hunter had told her that it wasn’t as big a deal as she was making it out to be. Amity didn’t put much stock in his words, he had a tendency to downplay things as well. If her girlfriend was in any kind of pain she needed to know and be able to help her feel better.

It was too, too much. No…she needed a minute. Her thoughts were too tumultuous, and she couldn’t push them away any longer. They crawled up her back and down her legs, leaving her chilled and disquieted.

Luz is in pain and she’s not telling me. I can’t be there for her because she won’t let me help with this. She probably thinks I won’t understand, that must be it…

Hands that weren’t there pulled at her, and Amity urgently tried to brush them off. Coldness spread through her body, making her skin tingle in the worst way. She sprang up from the bed, rushing to the closet and grabbed one of Luz’s hoodies.

Not wanting to disturb her girlfriend, Amity left the bedroom and closed the door, gasping for a breath of air. She yanked the dark green hoodie over her head and threaded her trembling arms through the sleeves, desperate for warmth she couldn’t create by herself.

Long dormant tears finally brimmed in her eyes, wasting little time as they started streaming down her cheeks. Amity didn’t go far, wanting to be nearby in case Luz needed her. She sank to the floor next to the bedroom door, pulling her knees up to her chest as she cried from the overflow of emotions racking her frame.

Her hot tears splashed against the floor while she tried to hug herself, hoping to imitate some of the pressure she had been devoid of for days. Black fingernails dug into her palms as she aimlessly attempted to ground herself and stay in the present.

Blood rushed in her ears due to the hammering of her heart, a loud sob ripping itself from her throat. She kept any other noises from escaping, burrowing her fangs into her hand to silence herself.

Back in the bedroom, Ghost lifted her head up at the sudden sound, looking around for Amity. The palisman could hear the muffled cries of her owner and fought her way out from under the blanket.

Ghost went up to Luz’s face and began kneading her cheek, pushing harder when Luz just giggled in her sleep. A few licks were mixed in, as well as insistent meows while Ghost tried to wake up the human. She nudged her head against Luz, pawing at her nose and mouth.

“Not now, Ghostie…” Luz turned her head away, leaving Ghost no choice but to step on her throat and purr loudly. Luz wheezed at the pressure. “Wh-What is it? I’m sleeping. Wait…is Ami home?”

Now settled on Luz’s stomach, Ghost jerked her head toward the door, lightly scratching the human’s skin to hurry her along.

“Fine, okay. I’m up.”

Luz slowly sat up and swung her legs off the bed, shuffling to the door to find her girlfriend.

As soon as she walked into the hallway, Amity jumped up from the floor and quickly swiped the tears off her face. “Are you okay, my love? Why are you awake?”

“Because you need me right now.”

“I’m alright, let’s get you back to bed…”

Luz stopped her from leaving, cupping Amity’s cheeks with her hands and leaning down to kiss her forehead. She brushed their noses together and kissed away her remaining tears. “What’s wrong?”

“N-Nothing…”

“Please, Ami.” Luz rested their foreheads together, feeling her hands take some of the cold out of Amity’s cheeks.

“I’m just…overwhelmed a-and worried that you aren’t as okay as you tell me you are.” Amity balled her fists in the hoodie sleeves that were too long for her, closing her eyes to try and match her girlfriend’s breathing.

“I could say the same thing about you. It doesn’t seem like you’re okay either. Are you trying to be tough for me?”

“M-Maybe…” More tears threatened to spill.

“Hey, shh. Eyes on me. Let me see the goldens.” Luz patiently waited until she saw her favorite shade of gold, smiling softly when she met the gaze. “You don’t have to hold yourself together for me. I thought we agreed that it’s better when you feel things, not shove the feelings down and ignore them to the point you can’t take it anymore.”

“I know, I’m trying but it isn’t working.” Amity squeezed Luz’s wrists, never wanted her to pull away again.

“I’m proud of you for trying, I know it’s tough.” Two tan thumbs rubbed circles into Amity’s cheeks, soothing her further. “I promise that I’m okay. The pain really isn’t bad, Am. The meds help a lot.”

“If you say so…”

Luz smiled to encourage her girlfriend, realizing there must be something more to elicit such a raw, emotional response to her anxious feelings. “What else is wrong? I’m here to help.”

“I miss…touching you. I c-can’t hug you the same, or even kiss you the same while you’re healing. We can’t snuggle or spoon when we’re sleeping because I’m afraid of accidentally hurting you. I miss the contact, the intimacy…”

“So do I.”

“You do?”

“Of course I do. Ami-cuddles are the only thing that have kept me sane over the years, it’s not easy for me to make the adjustment either.” Luz nuzzled their noses together again. “But I will say that seeing you all wrapped up in that blanket is pretty funny. Your little face peeking out of the top makes my day every time. Plus your legs sticking out of the bottom are always locked around my hips like a wrestling move.”

A wet chuckle came from Amity, feeling a familiar affection for Luz build up in her chest. She kissed her girlfriend’s chin then pecked her lips, trying to draw some warmth into herself. “I’m so cold.”

“I can tell. Let’s go to bed and I’ll warm you up.”

“But we can’t hug like normal, you have to stay on your back…” Her ears pressed back against her head.

“Don’t worry, I have an idea.” Luz smiled, linking their hands to lead Amity into their bedroom again.

Once Luz had grabbed her laptop, she got into bed and sat between Amity’s legs. Two pale arms quickly wrapped around her waist, pulling their bodies flush. She leaned back against Amity’s chest and felt a low purr rumble out from the contact.

“You just relax now, Ami. We’re both okay and safe and together, right?”

“Right…” Amity pressed her nose below the human’s ear and inhaled before leaving a few kisses behind.

“I’ll read to you, just focus on my voice.”

“What are you gonna read?”

Luz opened her laptop and clicked around a few times. “A fanfic that I wrote.”

“Fanfic of what?”

“Us.”

“Huh? Us?”

“I’m your fan.”

Amity opened her mouth to ask another question then thought better of it, choosing instead to squeeze Luz tighter and trace circles into her stomach.

There were a couple seconds of silence until Luz began reading in a calm and gentle tone. They sat comfortably together, with Amity reclining against a stack of pillows, and Luz reclining against Amity.

Before long, Amity started showering her girlfriend’s neck in attention, drawing the soft skin between her lips and just holding it there. She repeated the process again and again, shifting to a new spot each time after licking over the previous one to soothe the area.

Deep purrs filled the quiet air in the room and when they got especially loud, Luz had to fight to be heard over them.

The human had a smile on her face while she read, somehow able to keep speaking despite the nips, nibbles, licks, and kisses littering the side of her neck. She wasn’t a stranger to Amity’s overflowing affection, deciding to just soak it up and think of ways to give some back to her.

Luz basked in her girlfriend’s attention, wishing she had noticed Amity’s anxiety sooner. Maybe she could have helped her before it got so bad, but she felt better that Amity seemed to be feeling better. At least if the constant kisses and purrs were anything to go by.

“How are you feeling, sweetheart?” Amity spoke directly against Luz’s ear, kissing it right after and sending a shiver down her back.

“Loved-up.”

“Good. I uh, really needed this…”

“You can always ask for contact when you need it. I know it’s harder right now but there are ways to make it work.”

Amity brought one hand up and gently turned Luz’s head, connecting their lips in a long kiss. “Being able to hold you like this helps, a lot actually.”

“I’m glad. Have you warmed up at all?”

“Yes.” Amity purred, dragging her nose along Luz’s jawline. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Ami bear.”

Luz set aside her laptop, finished with reading for now. “I know you make it your mission to be here for me, for everything. But you need to let me be here for you too.”

“I know, I’ll do better with that. I’m just trying to help you feel loved during your healing and—”

“—You don’t have to ‘do better.’ Just try to remember you’re not alone in this. I’m still right here. I’m with you, amor.”

“Thank you. I need…I needed to hear that, I think.”

“Please, just rest for now. Please.” Luz laid her hands over Amity’s, which were still on her stomach, and tangled their fingers together.

Amity fell asleep in that same position, her mind finally at ease with her girlfriend held tightly in her arms.

Chapter Text

After filling the glass of water to the top, Eda set it back in front of her daughter. Luz sat across from her at the table, light caramel eyes sweeping over the cards in her hand.

“Thanks, Mom.” She reached out and took a long sip of water, absently clattering it back to the table while she waited for Eda to make her move.

Eda slapped down the winning card, grinning at the sound of Luz’s defeated grumbling.

“I don’t even know why I bother trying,” Luz complained.

The older witch laughed and started cleaning up the cards, shuffling them as she went. “It’s fun to watch you try, though.”

Luz dramatically put her head down on the table, grumbling more protests.

“Alright, sore loser.” Eda nudged Luz’s foot to get her attention again. “I brought you something to celebrate getting your drains out the other day.”

“Ooo, gimme gimme.” Luz wiggled her fingers around.

Eda laughed and handed over a tall bag, watching Luz tear the tissue paper to shreds as she pursued the gift.

“This is great!” Luz beamed, holding up a large bottle of sparkling apple blood. “It’s spiked?”

A nod and  grin were her answer.

“I know just where to put it…” Luz dragged her chair over to the refrigerator and stashed the bottle on top of it, laying it horizontally so it was completely out of sight.

“Why are you hiding it?” Eda asked.

“Because if I don’t then Ami will confiscate it from me since I’m supposed to be healthy while I’m healing. And by confiscate it I mean she’ll keep it in her sock drawer, then drink the entire bottle one night when she gets an A- on a project. I’ll discover her passed out on the couch after I get back from work and carry her to bed until I wake up to the sound of her puking in the bathroom. I’ll find her with her face in the toilet, then I’ll wait for her to finish before I lift her onto the counter and clean her up while she pouts and whines and curses. After that I’ll carry her back to bed where she’ll lay on top of me, whispering garbled apologies in my ear until she dozes off again.”

“Sounds like that’s happened before.”

“Once or twice.” Luz smiled at the memories of her drunken girlfriend.

“Can I hear about your appointment?”

“My post-op? Yeah, of course. I didn’t know you wanted to hear.”

“I would like to be kept up to date on my daughter’s health, is that so hard to believe?”

“No, not at all.” Luz held up her hands up in surrender, shooting her mom a grin. “Well, as you know they took my drains out.”

“Did it hurt?”

“Not really, it was just kinda weird. If anything hurt it was my hand, Ami had it in a vice grip the whole time they took my dressings off. Made my fingers numb.”

“Something tells me you’re used to getting roughed up by your girlfriend.”

“I—” Luz sputtered, a severe blush painting her cheeks. “No I’m not!”

“Yeah, sure.” Eda chuckled.

“Anyway, I finally got to see my new chest for the first time. It was…indescribable.”

“Just like you imagined?”

“Even better,” Luz sighed. “I was so happy that I teared up a bit. Which meant Ami started crying too, although that was more like sobbing with relief.”

“I bet she did, that girl’s been wound tighter than a drum for the past month.”

“Very true.” Luz agreed, remembering Amity’s anxiety attack. “She’s feeling much better now. I finally got her to give focus back to her classes instead of me. I’m still getting a lot of attention, don’t get me wrong, but I want her studies to come first.”

“But she wants you to come first and you know it.”

“I do, yes.” Luz trailed her fingers across her compression binder, thoughts circling in her head. The soft feeling of Ghost’s tail wrapping around her leg brought her back to the present. “Thank you for coming to see me, Mom. I haven’t been able to muster much energy to leave the apartment aside from my daily walks.”

“No worries, kiddo. I’m happy to visit and check on you, gives my old bones something to do.” Eda could see her daughter’s eyes beginning to droop and knew she would need to lay down for a nap sooner than later. “I did have one more thing for you…”

“Hmm?”

Eda reached into her hair and pulled out a small, round jar. “It’s just some cream for your scars, should help keep them moisturized and hydrated once you’re healed enough.”

“Is this an old Clawthorne secret formula? A special remedy that could give me superpowers?”

“Trust me when I say that you definitely don’t wanna know the ingredients. But it’ll get the job done, that’s for sure.”

“How much do I owe you?”

“It’s free, kid. I wouldn’t charge my only daughter for a single thing.” Eda stood up and stretched, preparing herself to leave.

Luz rose from her chair, carefully looping her arms around Eda in a gentle hug. “Thank you for this, and well, everything else.”

“Anytime, kid.” Eda ruffled Luz’s curls and pressed a firm kiss to her forehead. “Before I let you rest, how do you feel?”

“I feel like me,” Luz smiled.

“That’s what I like to hear.” Eda returned the smile, squeezing Luz’s shoulders. “I’ll go so you can get some sleep. Take care of yourself, okay?”

“Okay. See you soon, love you.”

“Love you too, Luz.”

Ghost stuck close by Luz, walking in tight circles around her feet. She was picked up a moment later, purring when Luz dropped a kiss between her eyes and carried her toward the bedroom for their afternoon nap.

“Nap time, Ghostie. I call Ami’s side of the bed.”

A meow of protest and a paw pushed into Luz’s cheek was the response, the human laughing as they got settled into the blankets.

“Scoot over, I’m being so serious. You’re the worst at sharing.” Luz fought her way over to Amity’s side of the bed, ignoring Ghost’s swatting paws. “No biting or I’m telling Ami.”

Ghost grunted and relented, curling up into the side of Luz’s neck once she laid down flat on her back.

It was only a few minutes later that they fell into a deep sleep together, the two of them hoping Amity would be home by the time they woke up.

Amity laughed at her older sister’s joke as she unlocked the door to her apartment, walking inside with Emira and hanging her bag on the hook next to the door.

“Just be quiet for a sec, Luz might be sleeping.” Amity gestured for Emira to sit at the table while she waited. “I’ll check on her quick, be right back.”

She slowly walked to their ajar bedroom door and looked inside. Luz was asleep on her back, lips parted and one hand settled on Ghost’s head.

Amity glanced back at Em once then snuck into the room, sitting on the edge of the bed next to her girlfriend. “I’m home, lovey.”

Gentle fingers carded through Luz’s curls for a couple minutes before her caramel eyes peered open, roused from her sleep. “Hey Ami…”

“Are you being sleepy?”

“Yeah…” Luz smiled when Amity pressed a soft kiss against her eyebrow scar. She turned on her side so she faced Amity better, hugging the pillow into her cheek. “Me and Ghostie fought over your pillow because it smells like you and we missed you.”

“I see that.” Amity trailed her eyes over a few scratches on Luz’s arms. “Who won this fight?”

“Me, duh.”

Ghost stood up from her spot with a small noise, using Amity’s shoulder to stretch out. Amity kept her eyes on Luz’s face but ran her hand down Ghost’s back to soothe her. “Are you hungry, darling?”

“Yeah, a little.”

“You didn’t go out to lunch with Eda?”

“No. I wasn’t feeling up for it, so we just had coffee here while we talked.”

“Oh, that’s fine.” Amity bent down to briefly join their lips, pecking Luz’s chin as she pulled away. “I’ll go make something for you.”

“Really?”

“Of course, goof. Em is here by the way, is that alright?”

“Mhm…I’ll sleep a little more then come out to eat if that’s okay.”

Amity touched her lips to Luz’s forehead to check her temperature, pleased with what she found. “Whenever you’re ready, sleep as long as you need.”

“Thank you, corazón. I’ll join you two soon.”

The blanket was pulled up over Luz’s shoulders by Amity, who then stood up and left the room with a recipe already in mind.

Amity stood at the stove, mixing together the ingredients for Spanish rice and adding spices as she went. Emira was still at the table, flipping through one of Amity’s notebooks from her abomination composition class.

“I don’t know how you can decipher this stuff. It seems so boring to me.”

“Everyone has their own interests.” Amity replied through gritted teeth, annoyed that her sister took it upon herself to pilfer through her schoolbag. “You don’t see me questioning your decision to pursue healing.”

“Maybe you just wanted to have something to talk about with Dad.”

“Maybe you should back off,” Amity snapped.

“Easy, Mittens. Don’t want your forehead vein to make a reappearance. It might become permanent one of these days.”

Amity spun back to the rice on the stove, electing to ignore Emira before she got too riled up. “Wow, I’m so glad I invited you over to see Luz. What a delight to have you here.”

“I know.” Em finally closed the notebook. “When is she gonna come out?”

“Whenever she wants, her sleep is important for healing. Plus I’m sure she needs to mentally prepare to interact with you.”

“Aren’t you a comedian?”

Amity stayed facing away from Emira, smiling at her own cleverness. She added some garlic to the Spanish rice, stirring it all the while. “Tell me how Viney is, I’m sure you’re just dying to talk about her.”

“Well, since you asked…”

Emira launched into a long retelling of everything she and Viney had done together over the past week, sparing no detail. Amity listened with an attentive ear, knowing that Emira liked to talk about her long-term girlfriend more than anything else.

Eventually Amity finished cooking, leaving the rice on the stove so it would stay warm for her Luz. She sat across from Emira after getting each of them a drink from the fridge, settling down while her sister began to gush about her job healing the beasts that Viney looked after.

They fell out of their usual teasing and into a more subdued conversation, switching topics to discuss their father’s health, both of them always concerned with whether he was eating enough.

About an hour after Amity had come home, Luz emerged from the bedroom. The human groggily shuffled across the floor in her new slippers, a blanket draped around her shoulders. Ghost stayed a step ahead, her white head proudly held high as she escorted Luz to her seat at the table.

After giving Emira a nod of acknowledgment, Luz pulled her chair so it was right next to Amity. Luz plopped down and pressed their thighs together, giving Amity a quick kiss when the witch turned to beam at her.

“Hey sweetheart, how are you?”

Luz stifled a yawn and dropped another kiss on Amity’s shoulder. “Estoy bien pero te extrañé, amor.”

“I missed you too, cutie.” Amity giggled when Luz dragged her nose across her jawline. “There’s dinner on the stove for you when you’re ready.”

“I know, it smells amazing.” Luz moved so she could whisper directly into a pink, wiggling ear. “Are you for dessert?”

“Luz!”

“What did she say?” Em grinned as her sister’s face flushed a deep red.

“Nothing!”

“I just asked if—”

“Ready to eat? I’ll get it!” Amity interrupted, hurrying away to grab a plate from the cupboard.

Em raked her eyes over Luz’s face, recognizing her exhaustion. She nudged the human’s foot under the table. “You okay?”

“Yeah, of course.” Luz offered up a bright smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You know I like to get Ami’s blood pumping.”

“Me too, although in a notably different way.” They giggled together, then started laughing when Amity grumbled loudly.

A hot plate of food was soon set down in front of Luz, who took a deep inhale and looked up at her girlfriend adoringly. “You are officially keeping me alive.”

“Just returning the favor.” Amity returned to her seat, blushing again when Luz scattered kisses on her cheek and ear. “Don’t eat that yet, it’s too hot.”

“I’ve eaten hot stuff plenty of times. Remember, princesa?” Luz bumped their knees together.

“…Yes.”

“Get a room, you two.” Em sat back in her chair and crossed her arms.

“What did I do?!” Amity protested.

“Your face is redder than a bard uniform! What a dirty mind you have, baby sis.”

“My mind is innocent!”

“Ami bear, please don’t yell at our guest.” Luz reached out to soothingly rub Amity’s thigh.

“Me?!”

“Yes, you. Chef Ami the Bold.” Luz punctuated the nickname with a kiss on the tip of her girlfriend’s scrunched nose.

“That should be your new pensta username, Mittens.”

“And yours should be ‘Miss Overstays her Welcome.’”

“And mine will be ‘Bad Boy with a Sleep Disorder.’”

“Oh, I told you that your sleepwalking doesn’t bother me, love.” Amity squeezed Luz’s hand, forgetting about her bickering with Em in an instant.

Luz smiled softly, pleased she had diverted the sisters’ arguing with a single sentence. “I know, thank you.”

“Can I have some food too, Mittens?” Em asked, loving the smell coming from Luz’s plate.

“Yeah, you can get it yourself though.”

“What Ami means is please help yourself.” Luz remedied, taking her first bite after blowing on the rice.

Amity shrugged in agreement and tucked a few curls behind her girlfriend’s ear. She had felt so much better over the course of the last week. Once she finally confessed to Luz about the source of her anxious feelings it felt like a massive weight slipped off her shoulders.

Since that day, they had continued sleeping in the same position. Amity wrapped around Luz like a vine, and Luz held in the comfort of Amity’s arms, more than happy to share every last bit of her own warmth.

Soon they would be completely back to their usual routine. Whether that meant simply spooning or something more intimate, Amity was excited to be as physically close to Luz as possible in their bed. No precautions or restrictions.

“Am?” Luz accidentally sliced through Amity’s internal reflections.

“Huh?”

“You’re squeezing my hand really hard. Is everything alright?”

“Oh, yes. I’m sorry, baby.” A kiss landed on each of Luz’s knuckles.

“It’s okay. I like it when you squeeze me.”

Em sat back down at the table with her own plate of food, which was about half the size of Luz’s. “You guys actually have a pretty nice apartment.”

“Why the tone of surprise?” Amity retorted.

“No surprise, just admiration.”

“Thanks, Ems!” Luz beamed as she wrapped her leg around Amity’s. “It’ll look even better in here when we hang up some of Ami’s paintings and a few of my drawings. More homey. Maybe put a bookshelf out here too. Or a chandelier.”

“I told you there’s no room for a chandelier, my love.”

“We won’t know until we try,” Luz replied with a nod.

Amity fondly rolled her eyes, knowing Luz would forget about the chandelier idea altogether in a day or two.

“You need to eat too, corazón.” Luz reminded her girlfriend.

“I guess I could have some…”

“I’ll get it for you, stay here.”

Amity watched as Luz went and got a new plate, filling it with food while she hummed a familiar tune. She could see a difference in her favorite person ever since the surgery. Luz carried herself with much more confidence and self-assurance than before, a fact which did not escape Amity’s notice.

The change to Luz’s body seemed to be changing her feelings about herself as well. Amity hadn’t noticed Luz trying to make herself smaller in more than a month now. She didn’t hide herself, cover herself, or dislike herself anymore. Her body was now the way she had always wanted it to be, her physical appearance matching itself to her most distant dreams.

Amity was so relieved at the new confidence in Luz. She could feel safe in the knowledge that Luz was safe. She didn’t have to worry about her girlfriend wearing her binder too long, or that she wasn’t getting enough air, or that she was going to hurt herself because of it. There was no longer an obstacle to Luz’s self-acceptance, something that Amity would always be grateful for.

The light in Luz was shining brighter than ever before, and Amity was happy to be blinded.

“I’ve had enough of this.”

“I told you it’s fine, though. I’m not bothered by it.”

“That can’t be true. It’s in your eyes unless I move it, you can’t even see.” Amity went to rifle through one of the kitchen drawers. A few strands of lavender broke loose from her ponytail and framed her face, swiped away only to fall right back into place. “Please pull your chair out.”

Emira leaned close to Luz so she could whisper in private. “Just let her do it. Mittens needs to feel like she has control over something—anything.”

“Oh, you’re probably right…” Luz looked down at her hands and spun the chain in her ring, feeling guilty that she hadn’t come to the same conclusion as Emira. “Thank you.”

Em gave a smile in response, then sat back to watch Luz pull her chair away from the table.

As soon as she sat down again, Amity draped a smock around Luz’s shoulders and fastened it. Slender fingers were trailing through Luz’s curls before she even registered Amity had moved to stand in front of her.

“Hold still for me, lovey.”

“I’ll try.” Luz smiled when a quick kiss was pressed to her eyebrow scar. She continued to play with her ring out of sight. It helped her keep from squirming around as she normally did when Amity gave her a haircut.

“Gotta look good for all your post-surgery appearances, huh Noceda?”

“You know it.” Luz shot Emira a toothy grin while Amity circled around her and gently tugged on stray curls here and there.

“And what appearances would you be referring to, hm?” Amity asked, expertly spraying water on Luz’s hair.

“All of them.”

“Please elaborate for me, darling.”

“Well, obviously we’ll go visit our friends, and my family. Go get breakfast at our favorite diner…we can visit Ems and Viney, too!” Luz beamed again when Emira winked at her. “Plus we have to go to the beach, for obvious reasons. Then maybe we can go clothes shopping for me? If you want to join, that is…”

“Of course I’ll join you, goof.” Amity worked on trimming the hair on the back of Luz’s head, keeping it short.

“Good because I would be lost without you. Like an explorer without a compass.”

“I’m your compass?”

“Most of the time, yes. But you’re also an explorer too.”

“The only thing I explore is you.”

Emira groaned from her spot at the table, her plate of food now empty. “Titan help me, you two are relentless.”

There were a few more snips from the scissors as Amity moved to the side of Luz’s head, already measuring the hair using her fingers. “Says you. I’ve seen you grab Viney’s ass before—in public.”

“And what about it?”

“I’m just saying you have no room to judge us. Besides, we’re just innocently flirting right now. In the privacy of our own apartment, mind you.”

Dark curls rained down to the floor around Luz, who stopped kicking her legs out once Amity laid a patient hand on her knee.

“You don’t have to be jealous of our flirting skills, Em. We can give you tips if you wanna use some on Viney. Who do you think taught Hunter how to flirt?” Luz flashed a proud smile. She stole a kiss from Amity when she bent down to make sure the sides were even, a light blush soon tinting the witch’s cheeks.

“Hunter?” Em laughed and slapped the table. “He’s never even been in a relationship!”

“Not for lack of trying!” Luz defended her brother.

“Sit still, sweetheart. I don’t want you to get hurt.” Amity breathed a sigh of relief when Luz sat back in the chair and allowed her to finish the haircut.

It was a minute later that Amity removed the smock, shaking it out before grabbing a broom to sweep up the loose hair on the ground. Luz put her chair back at the table then began pacing the room to expend some of her mounting energy.

“Honestly Em makes a good point. I should give Hunt some more flirting lessons. What do you think, Ami?”

“That’s a nice idea, love. Just make sure he actually wants your help with it.”

“Why wouldn’t he?” Luz spun to face her girlfriend.

“I think he’d be crazy to refuse your help, but just check, okay?”

“Okay, you’re right.” Luz’s gaze softened as she looked at Amity, quickly walking back over to help her clean up.

A chime rang out near Emira, and she conjured her scroll a second later. “I gotta go, work emergency.”

“Oh good. I was just about to ask you to leave anyway.”

“Blunt as always, baby sis. Never change.”

“Well what do you want me to say? I have to help Luz shower. Unless you wanna stay here and do the dishes, then be my guest.”

“Ugh, whatever! I have to go.” Em gathered up her things.

Luz stood up to open the front door, waiting there while Emira hugged Amity and pecked her cheek right before giving it a pinch.

“See ya, Mittens. Take good care of Luz.”

Em shouldered her bag and went to the door, going on her toes to peck Luz’s cheek. “I’ll see you soon. Take good care of Mittens, she’s needy.”

“Thank you for coming to visit me. It was great to see you, Ems.”

A gentle squeeze to Luz’s arm and Emira left, already preparing her staff for flight. Luz waved bye and locked the door, turning back to her girlfriend. “You said something about a shower?”

“Yes, to rinse away your loose hair and get you all cleaned up. Come on,” Amity stuck her hand out.

Now in the bathroom, Luz unbuttoned her shirt and placed it on the counter next to the sink. She looked over to watch Amity struggling to get the exact temperature she wanted for the shower, swearing under her breath. “Need help?”

“I got it.”

“Not too hot, Ami.”

“But you know I like hot showers.”

“No, you like boiling showers. I’d like to still have skin on my body after this, you know.”

“Fine…” Amity turned the knob so the water wasn’t as hot, testing the temperature before pulling the curtain closed. “Let me unzip your compression binder.”

Luz turned around, feeling a soft kiss pressed to her shoulder as Amity removed the last layer between her chest and the open air. “There you go.”

“Ami…my chest is flat.” A huge grin covered Luz’s face as she spun to her girlfriend.

“I know, lovey love. I’m so happy for you.” Amity kissed Luz’s collarbone and carefully drifted her hand over the human’s ribcage, right beneath her healing scars.

“Thank you for supporting me.”

“And thank you for trusting me enough to tell me how bad you were feeling. It’s all I ask.”

The sound of the water still running brought Luz out of her daze. “So, you said something about joining me in the shower, Blight?”

“I did.”

“I think you just wanted an excuse to touch me,” Luz teased.

“You caught me…”

“I knew it.” Luz bent down to press their foreheads together, kissing a pale nose as she did.

“Whatever, dork. Just get in there before it gets even colder. I’ll join in a sec.”

But Luz didn’t move yet, instead bringing her hand around Amity’s head to begin gently removing the scrunchie from her ponytail, freeing the lavender locks that were being held back. “Gorgeous…”

Amity couldn’t handle the searing eye contact, breaking it to peel her socks off. A blush burned her ears as she tried to appear busy, keeping her head down while Luz let her shorts fall to the ground and finally stepped into the shower.

“Keep your back to the water!” Amity reminded, shrugging off her own clothes.

“I remember!”

Once she was undressed, Amity went to the shower and climbed in at the other end. “Hey.”

“Titan.” Luz let her gaze drop from Amity’s face, quickly scanning her body before settling on a certain spot.

Amity fondly rolled her eyes when she realized where Luz was staring. “You didn’t like yours, but you always seem happy to see mine.”

“I just have an appreciation for anatomy, you know that.”

“Appreciation for my anatomy, yes.”

“Think of it more like a passion.”

“Oh, is that right?”

“It certainly isn’t wrong.” Luz grinned, stepping closer and resting her hands on pale hips. Her thumb traced teasing circles around Amity’s tattoo.

“Aren’t you a little flirt?”

“You knew that when you agreed to be my roommate.”

“Roommates who shower together, huh?”

“Yeah, roommates with a deep, deep appreciation and passion for each other.” They were smiling at each other, almost forgetting where they were standing.

“Perhaps there’s a bit of admiration mixed in too.”

“Agreed. Admiring you is actually one of my specialties.”

“I noticed.” Amity giggled, watching Luz’s eyes flicker down again. “Alright time to focus, goofball. Let me get behind you.”

“How romantic.” Luz moved to the side so Amity could stand in the water, getting wet before she got started on cleaning the human’s hair. “Makes me all tingly knowing you’re right behind me.”

“I’m sure,” Amity laughed. “Tilt your head back, Noceda.”

Luz let her head fall back into the stream of water, sighing when Amity’s fingers began carding through her curls.

“Your hair is getting all over me,” Amity complained.

“Well you’re the one who cut it, mi vida.”

“Fair point. Which shampoo do you want?”

“Yours.”

Amity blinked, nudging Luz forward so she was out of the water’s path. “The vanilla?”

“Yeah, I wanna smell like you.”

“Okay, as you wish.” Amity pumped some vanilla shampoo into her hands, rubbing them together before reaching up to begin working it into Luz’s hair. “You should feel better after this.”

“I already do.”

They fell into a peaceful silence while Amity left the shampoo to soak, shifting her attention to washing Luz’s back. After a moment she went to rinse the shampoo, reaching up to help work it out of Luz’s curls.

“My arms are getting tired. Can you squat a little?”

“If you want me on my knees just say the word.”

“Titan, just bend down.” Amity felt a blush warming her cheeks but ignored it while she finished rinsing away the shampoo.

“Can I help with your hair next?”

“Not this time. I’m sorry, baby. You can’t be in the water for too long. I’m almost done washing you and then you can get out and dry off while I do my hair.”

Luz groaned, knowing it was the truth. She just wanted to feel useful, but knew there would be other, easier chances. “Then how am I supposed to repay the favor?”

“What favor?”

“You helping me shower and clean up.”

“It’s not a favor, darling. You know I’m happy to do this for you.”

“Why are you soooo…”

“So…?”

“Amazing.” Luz turned around to face Amity, tugging her out of the water to press a firm kiss to her lips. She pulled away and watched Amity chase the contact, her silent request for more.

Luz obliged and joined their lips in another chaste kiss, humming against Amity’s mouth for a few seconds. “I really appreciate everything you’re doing for me.”

“I know.” Amity held Luz’s face in her hands, rubbing her cheeks with both thumbs. “Get yourself dried off. I’ll be out in a minute if you need help, my love.”

Luz sat comfortably with her legs crossed on the couch, patiently waiting for Amity to return from the bathroom. Ghost ran back over to her and dropped a ball in the human’s hand, ready for her to throw it again.

There was a clay face mask settling on Luz’s features, growing harder by the minute. Amity had insisted that they needed some extra skincare after the shower, wanting to make sure Luz was moisturized to the extreme. Of course, they had to match, so Amity was currently putting the finishing touches on her own face mask in the bathroom mirror.

A smile grew on Luz’s face as she watched Ghost scramble after the ball again, the palisman leaping over the coffee table in her pursuit.

Suddenly Amity rushed out of the bathroom holding a hand towel. Ghost ran across her foot, tripping Amity, who caught her balance using the back of the armchair. “Damn it, Ghost!”

“Don’t yell at her, she doesn’t know any better!” Luz opened her arms for Ghost to jump into her lap. “It was an accident. We were playing fetch.”

“Ugh, I can’t see a fucking thing with this mask on!” Amity groaned and plopped down next to Luz on the couch.

“But there’s nothing even covering your eyes!” Luz doubled over with laughter.

“Stop laughing or you’ll crease the mask!”

“Fine, fine.” Luz’s laughter petered out into small giggles. She pulled her fairy blanket tighter around her shoulders, then reached out and rubbed Amity’s thigh in an effort to pacify her. “It’s okay, Ami bear.”

“I just want a nice, peaceful spa night for us.”

“I am at peace.” Luz assured her, now tapping a rhythm on her girlfriend’s knee. “I’m not stirred up or anything.”

“True…” Amity let a small smile play on her lips and covered Luz’s hand with her own, lifting it up to kiss her knuckles.

Luz smiled back, then poked her tongue out and pretended to lick her lips. “What flavor is this mask again?”

“Cucumber and pink salt. But that’s not a flavor, it’s the ingredients.”

“Well it tastes pretty good anyway.” Luz licked her lips again, flashing a bright grin at her girlfriend.

“Luz! You’re not supposed to eat it!”

“It’s fiiine…now let me try yours.” Luz lunged at Amity with her tongue sticking out.

Amity caught the human by the shoulders and tried to battle her away. “But it’s the same thing!”

“I just want a taste!”

“Get off, dork! You’re gonna mess up our masks!”

“Who cares? I wanna kiss my girlfriend.” Luz was able to quickly peck Amity’s lips, pulling away with a self-satisfied grin. “Gotcha, Blight.”

A pretty flush rose on Amity’s cheeks, utterly out of her control. “Fine, but that’s all you’re getting. These masks need to dry, which means no speaking or kissing for the next ten minutes.”

“Ugh…” Luz threw herself into the cushions, soon spotting Ghost slowly approaching Amity on the back of the couch. “But I think Ghostie wants a taste too.”

This time Amity dodged Ghost’s lunge right as she dove, but the palisman was still able to get one small lick of the mask off Amity’s cheek.

“Damn it, Ghost! That’s not good for you.” Amity tiredly closed her eyes, wishing she could rub her temples.

“Shh, Ami. No talking.” Luz raised a finger to her lips and shook her head disapprovingly. “So much for all your library experience.”

Amity playfully rolled her eyes, not even dignifying that with a response as she crossed her arms instead. Luz mirrored the action, folding her own arms and initiating a staring contest.

The staring lasted about thirty seconds before Luz got bored, dropping her eyes to play with the chain in her ring. Amity let a triumphant puff of air out through her nose, pleased with winning the unspoken competition.

“Hmm…” Luz hummed through her lips, eyes flicking back up to meet gold. She raised her hands and wiggled her fingers, diving forward to climb on top of Amity and envelop her in a hug.

Girlish giggles pushed past Amity’s lips as she writhed beneath Luz, uselessly kicking her legs out in a quest for freedom. “Luz!” she hissed.

Deeper giggles came from Luz, who finally relented and stood up to wander toward the kitchen. It was difficult not to smile and crack her mask, spending time with Amity was one of her favorite things in the world. Her heart was pleasantly heavy in her chest, filled with love and adoration for her girlfriend.

Luz busied herself by wiping down the kitchen counters, knowing that if she stayed too close to Amity, she wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation to talk…or kiss.

It wasn’t long before two slender arms wrapped around her waist from behind, tugging her back into a tight hug.

Even without words, the message was clear. Luz turned around and slung her arm across Amity’s shoulders, already guiding her to the bathroom where they would scrub away their face masks.

Luz went first, bending over the sink to wash her face. Amity waited her turn, never far away as she traced circles into Luz’s lower back.

Once she finished, Luz stepped aside to dab her face dry. She watched as Amity repeated the same process she had done, her caramel eyes curiously drifting lower when Amity leaned down to the faucet.

“This was a good idea, Am.”

“Mhm…” Amity scrubbed her face, temporarily freezing when she felt Luz move to stand directly behind her. She bumped her head on the faucet and blushed, feeling two hands settle on the curves of her hips.

One warm kiss landed on her shoulder, another at the base of her neck. Luz pressed herself against her girlfriend, letting one of her hands drift beneath the front of Amity’s shirt and slowly inch upward.

Luz attached her lips to the side of her neck, smirking when Amity’s head immediately tilted to expose more surface area. Her fingers splayed across Amity’s midriff, right below her chest, keeping her close as Luz took her time kissing the soft skin of her neck.

“That feels really good, lovey…”

“You feel so nice.” Luz glided her nose along Amity’s jawline, dragging her lips as she went.

“So do you.” Amity pushed herself back against Luz’s front, chasing her warmth and wanting more pressure. “H-How does your face feel?”

“Hmm, smooth and moisturized. But I’m more interested in your face.”

“M-Mine?”

Fingers lightly scratched over the goosebumps littered across Amity’s abdomen. Luz’s other hand reached up to gently wrap around her throat, their eyes meeting in the mirror. “Yes, yours.”

Amity grabbed Luz’s face and connected their lips, unable to wait any longer. Without missing a beat, Luz lifted Amity onto the counter and fit herself between her legs, never breaking the kiss.

Pale ankles locked together behind Luz as Amity let her head fall back, those same warm lips connecting to her neck once again.

“You took care of me all day, I think it’s my turn now,” Luz rasped.

Amity squeaked, her wiggling ears glowing red.

“Bedtime, yes or no?”

“Yes…” Amity whispered.

“Hm?”

“Yes!”

“Okay.” Luz smiled against Amity’s cheek and picked her up off the counter. “Let’s go then, princesa.”