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It never really was easy to keep track of the time from within Luz and Amity's hideout in the Bonesborough Library. There was a clock on the wall, but neither of the girls paid it any mind very often and tended to forget it was there. This was both a blessing and a curse. While it meant that neither of them ever worried about the time, it also meant that it was also easy for them to lose track of it.
Case in point:
Like they had done so many times before, Luz and Amity were talking at length about pretty much anything and everything related to The Good Witch Azura-hot takes, potential AU ideas, things they loved about the books, the works. At the moment, they were having a debate over whether the made for TV movies, all of which Luz had brought with her to the Demon Realm and previously shown to Amity, should be considered canon or not.
"Did the makers ever say whether the movies should be considered canon or not," Amity asked. Only having the books and the movies to base an argument on, she felt as though she had a disadvantage. However, before Hexside's speech and debate team was shut down-which did not have anything to do with her attacking a Glandus student for trying to argue that Abomination matter is a type of non-edible gravy, thank you very much-she was its captain and regarded as its strongest member.
"They never said whether they should or shouldn't," Luz answered, "so I think it should be based on what's actually in the movies."
"Then, in that case, why shouldn't they be canon?"
"Because they contradict it directly! Look at how Villainous Lucy is written in the second movie, for example. In the books, she does what she does not because she wants to, a few scenes show that she really doesn't, but because she thinks she has to. The movie version may as well be Kylo Ren if he was a goth girl!"
"I don't know who Kylo Ren is, but I don't think a difference in characterization counts as a lore contradiction so much as it is just lazy writing."
"Fair, but that's not the only case. How about in the third one, where Mazzan'korr just looks like a low budget orc, even though the books describe him as a dark elf?" In all honesty, Amity didn't have a response to that. However, she did have a joke.
"Maybe he has a skin condition or something?"
Luz was, put flatly, stumped, and her expression showed it. Amity tried to hold back her laughter, in turn causing Luz to hold back hers and ultimately making both of them fail, the pair laughing until their sides hurt and there were tears in their eyes.
"A skin condition?! The Lord of Darkness Divine has a skin condition?!"
"I mean, he looks like that and the books never mentioned him using lotion, you never know!"
Once the two started running out of breath, they were, thankfully, able to calm down before the laughed themselves to asphyxiation. One of the many things the two loved about each other, albeit both of them were still currently hesitant to say the Great L Word out loud, was how easy it was for them to make moments like this happen. Neither one needed to hide anything most would consider embarrassing about themselves from the other, because chances were, that was also true of the other, and even if it wasn't, they were still accepting and never judged. Luz knew what it was like to be constantly judged and Amity knew what it was like to be constantly judging, and it gave them both a hatred for judgement for surprisingly similar reasons.
"I just realized, how long have we been here for," Luz asked once she'd caught her breath
"You know, I'm not really sure," Amity answered, "It feels like it's been a while, though. We should probably head out." The clock remained forgotten.
"Yeah, you're probably right. Are you free tomorrow, same time?"
"I should be."
The two stood and exited the hideout, and when the turned the corner to head towards the front entrance, they noticed two things. The first was that they could a starry night sky out of the windows, which was less than optimal. The second was Eda approaching them with a large sack.
"Eda," Luz asked, "What're you doing here? And how did you get in here?"
"One, if you think I don't know how to break into every public facility in Bonesborough, you're dead wrong," the Owl Lady answered, "Two, I noticed how late it was and I wasn't sure how comfortable I'd be with either of you heading home on your own in the dark, but I know how much you like spending time with Boots, so I figured I'd bring you two some supplies and you could spend the night here."
"Well, thank you for that, but why not just bring us both home? And won't Malphas get angry at us?"
"Firstly, I'm not a taxi. Secondly, your little study's a cozy little spot. Thirdly, Malphas owes me favor and I called it in before I came here."
"How do you know about my study," Amity asked.
"Back when Lilith and I went to Hexside, that study was hers, but she let me and my partner use it pretty often."
"Hold on," Luz nearly exclaimed, "you had a high school sweetheart? Tell me all about them!"
"Yes, but that's another story for another time, kiddo. For now, you two need sleep. Boots, I contacted your siblings and they said they'd cover for you, so you should be good." Eda unslung her sack and handed it to Luz, then turned and began walking towards the entrance. "G'night Luz. G'night Boots."
"Buenas noches, Eda. And thank you!"
"Don't mention it."
The two girls returned to their hideout, sack in tow, and made ready for sleep. Of course, they didn't have anywhere convenient to change into pajamas or brush their teeth, so they planned on simply sleeping in their clothes for the night. Inside the sack, they found a pair of blankets, pillows, and sleeping mats, plus Francois. Normally, King wouldn't send his favorite subject away so willingly, but given that he was also his most loyal and trusted subject, he trusted him to defend Luz while she was gone. Luz and Amity set up their beds, turned out the lights, bid each other good night, and laid down to sleep.
Roughly two hours later, while Amity had fallen asleep, Luz still found herself unable to. When that happened, she'd scroll through her phone mindlessly for a little while to tire herself out, then try again and fail again, and so it had gone for the past two hours. It was nothing short of a vicious cycle. Sometimes, when she wasn't on her phone, she liked to look over to Amity and just admire her, looking so peaceful.
Now, however, when she looked over, Amity didn't look peaceful. She looked... distressed. And every now and then, she'd mumble something Luz couldn't quite make out and her head would move this way or that.
She was having a nightmare.
Luz reached over and shook her girlfriend ever so lightly, enough so that she could feel it but not enough to startle her. "Amity, hey," she whispered, "You're having a nightmare. You need to wake up, okay? Wake up!" Amity's eyes flew open and she practically bolted upright, gasping like she'd just been underwater for a bit too long and had just been pulled out. "Woah, woah, hey batata, hey, it's okay. It's just me. You're safe." Amity was able to slow her breathing and the two laid back down, now looking to each other. "Mind if I ask what your dream was about?"
"It's... it's really selfish," Amity replied, "I shouldn't say."
"Amity, I promise, no matter what you say, I will not get upset."
"Thank you. It's just... something's been bothering me: When you go back to the Human Realm... you'll come back here, too, right? I don't want to lose you."
"Of course I'll come back! C'mere."
Luz held out her arms, inviting Amity inside. Amity wasn't really familiar with the idea, but she trusted Luz, so she scooched over until she was right up next to her, her head resting on her chest while Luz's arms wrapped around her. She stiffened initially, but then relaxed. She'd never felt this way before, but it felt good. Really good.
"You're one of the best things that's ever happened to me," Luz cooed, "you know that? I would never want to lose you. You're smart and kind and absolutely beautiful."
Amity looked up, now looking Luz directly in the eye, and to Luz, she looked like she'd just given her the night sky and all the stars in it. "You think I'm beautiful," Amity asked. Amity had never exactly been deprived of compliments, but the ones she did receive were either modest or for her works. To make matters worse, most of them came from Odalia, and the best she could ever get from her was "good enough" or some variation. So to Amity, being called "beautiful" really did feel like being given the night sky and all the stars in it. Anything could be pretty or good-looking, but to be "beautiful" was a badge of honor, a great reward with nary an equal.
"Of course I do. You are so, so beautiful, and I..." Luz tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but to no avail. "Oh Titan, I'm really about to say it. Amity Blight, I... I love you."
Amity gasped and took a moment to process Luz's words. Then, all the emotions that had been building up inside her were released and she grabbed onto Luz like some monstrous force was trying to rip her away, buried her head in the crook of her neck, and began to sob. Luz simply kept holding onto her, occasionally rubbing her back and shushing her. Once she had calmed down a little, she was able to choke out, "I love you, too. So much."
After Amity's crying had stopped, she looked to Luz again and the human wiped her tears away and planted a kiss on her forehead. The two smiled at each other and Luz squeezed Amity just a little bit tighter, just to make absolutely certain that she felt safe and secure. Amity sighed as she moved her head back to Luz's chest, listening to her heart beat, a comforting reminder that she was still here. "We really should get some sleep," Luz said softly, "But, you'll need a good dream to sleep well. Back home, whenever I had a bad dream, my mamá would make a new one for me. Trust me on this. Could you close your eyes for me, please?" Amity was hesitant for a moment, not entirely sure what Luz meant, but then nodded and shut her eyes.
"Thank you. Imagine that we're in a forest-doesn't matter if we're in a particular forest or not, just a forest. It's a nice, sunny day that's not very hot and not very cold. There's a breeze, but it's very gentle and it feels nice. We enter the forest, and all around us, we see tall trees that block some of the sunlight. On the ground, we occasionally hear some twigs snapping, and all around us, we can hear all the little forest critters doing all their little forest critter things, living their little forest critter lives. Also nearby, we hear some running water. We head towards the source of the noise, and we find a nice little creek. The water is clear and it flows very calmly. It looks like it'd feel great to dip your feet in. Do you think we should?"
Luz received no response, and when she looked down, she was surprised to find that Amity was already asleep. "I guess I'll have to ask about it in the morning," she cooed, planting another kiss to the top of Amity's head. "Buenas noches, querida. Te amo."