Chapter Text
Luz arrived in front of Amity’s place early evening. With a second helmet.
Her face contorted with a demonic grin as she parked and waited outside the mansion. Big ass mansion, she noted.
When Amity arrived by her side after having passed through the gates, they said their sweet greetings, accompanied by a sweet kisses on their cheeks.
Luz whistled. “This is a nice place.”
“It’s big, and yet sometimes I suffocate.”
“Yo. That was deep, Blight.”
Amity chuckled. “Not hard to feel like you’re suffocating when you’re locked in a room.”
Luz frowned. “Oh, right.”
Then Amity let out a heartwarming smile. “Won’t be having that problem anymore. Ever again.”
Luz’s face lit up. “Yes!! You’re freeeeee!”
“I’m freeeee!”
They laughed lightheartedly together.
“You ready to get on my trusty motorbike?”
Amity pursed her lips. She eyed the bike, then noticed the second helmet Luz was holding.
She fidgeted with her hands. “Yes.”
Luz arched a brow. “Are you scared?”
“Nope!” Amity blurted.
Luz placed a helmet on the seat of the bike so that she had a free hand to put on Amity’s shoulder.
“You know you can drive there if you want, right?”
Amity squinted. “I’m getting on that bike, Noceda.”
Amusement crossed Luz’s face for a moment.
“You sure?”
Amity tightened her fists, determination in her gaze. “Yes.”
“Okay.” Luz grinned. “Put this on.” She handed Amity a helmet.
Amity swallowed. But she was getting on that bike.
She couldn’t lock the helmet on though so Luz had to help her, and after Luz smoothly got on the bike, Amity clumsily swung her leg over the seat until she was properly sat behind Luz.
After putting on the gloves that Luz passed her, she placed her hands on the grab rails behind her, gripping the bars.
Luz chuckled as she saw Amity’s expression in the rearview mirror.
“You know you can hang onto me, right?”
Amity nodded, gripping the bars even tighter.
“Let’s go.”
The engine revved up and Amity immediately unlatched her hands from the bars to bend forward and snake her arms around Luz’s waist, clutching onto her tightly.
Luz laughed. They hadn’t even moved yet.
“Don’t let go,” Luz said.
“I won’t!”
Luz laughed again at how tightly Amity was squeezing her.
“You’re so cute when you’re scared.”
Amity scoffed. “I’m not scared!”
“Riiiiight. Hold on tight, Blight. I’ll go slow. Tell me if you want to stop.”
Amity clutched on even tighter.
Luz slowly started driving, making sure the revving wasn’t too loud so as to not disturb the entire neighborhood, and also to not scare Amity even more.
Once out of the neighborhood, Luz started going quicker, staying at normal speed. Amity hung on for dear life, eyes closed.
“You okay there?” Luz asked at a red light.
Amity opened her eyes. “Yep!”
“Okay, we’re almost there.”
They exited the main roads and started riding toward the outskirts. Amity didn’t know exactly where Luz was taking her, but she became skeptical at seeing they were entering a sort of foresty area, trees all around. Another beautiful nature spot? Crime scene location? She didn’t know, but this was Luz. It could really be anything.
“We’re here,” Luz said as the engine stopped and they were next to a house.
Amity quickly dismounted the motorbike and removed her helmet, clutching her chest, releasing the biggest breath.
When she could finally breathe properly, she really looked around. Trees. A two-story house.
“Where, the fuck, are we?” Amity asked.
Luz wiggled her eyebrows. “A spot.”
“What kind of spot?”
“It’s an abandoned house. Nobody’s lived here for years.”
“What, the fuck, are we doing at an abandoned house?”
Luz, at witnessing Amity’s deep concern splattered on her face, laughed.
“I’ll just show you. Don’t worry, it’s a safe spot. Trust me.”
“Should I really?”
“Yes!” Luz beckoned Amity over to follow her. “Come, come.”
Amity wearily followed her toward the back of the house.
When she arrived, her eyes widened.
The large wall was filled with graffiti; name tags, quick sketches of things, a huge wall filled with color.
But what really caught her attention, which made her jaw slackened, was this big spray-painted drawing, that breathed in the center of the chaotic wall, untouched by the other graffiti, just living there, peacefully on its own.
It was beautiful. It was the sun and the moon interlocked, looking like a yin and yang. The details were impressive, with shadows of grey in the moon, shadows of orange in the sun, making it look not like some random graffiti drawing, but like a piece of art, with meaning, in the middle of the surrounding meaningless paint.
Luz approached the graffiti, ran a hand over the moon.
“Did you paint this?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“You like it?”
“I love it.”
Luz’s face lit up. “Thanks.”
She took a small spray paint can out of her pocket, and with beautiful calligraphy, spray painted “L” in the sun.
“Can you paint an A in the moon?”
Amity gazed at her. Then at the beautiful painting.
She approached the wall.
Luz handed her the black spray paint can.
Amity nodded.
With a small smile, she spray painted an “A” in the moon.
Luz beamed.
“Now we’re locked.”
Amity reached for Luz’s hand.
After a couple of seconds, a sneaky grin grew on Luz’s face.
“I can’t believe I got you to graffiti.”
Amity pursed her lips, stifling a smile. “It’s just one letter.”
“Blight, you engaged in vandalism. You’re now a rebel. Don’t even fight it.”
Amity blinked. It just hit that it was technically vandalism.
Amity quickly took her hand back to cross her arms.
“I am no such thing.”
Luz teased, “You’ve gone… rogue.”
“You tricked me into it.”
“I did no such thing! It was your choice to tag your initial.”
“It seemed cute! You were being cute. How can I resist you being so cute?”
Luz smiled a goofy smile. “I’m a bad influence though, aren’t I?”
“Yes!”
Luz cracked up. “Well deal with it, Blight. Be gay do crime.”
Amity released her own laugh. “It’s one letter.”
“Counts!”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. Call me a rebel. I’ll call you an artist.”
Luz paused. “An artist?”
Amity looked at the graffiti again. Her tone gentled. “You make art, Noceda. This is art.”
Luz’s smile softened. “Thank you. I was just having fun.”
Amity gazed at her, with a smile that said so much.
Luz spoke up again, with a mischievous grin. “Do you want to graffiti something else?”
“Absolutely not.”
Luz laughed. “I figured. Okay, let’s bounce. That’s all I wanted to do with you. Do you regret it?”
“Not a second. But let’s go, now.”
Amity was already speeding toward Luz’s bike. But when seeing the helmets and the gloves on the bike, she gulped.
When they both got geared up, Amity slid behind Luz, and immediately clutched onto her.
Luz’s tone was very much teasing. “You ready?”
“Yep!”
Luz started the engine, and off they went, direction: Luz’s home.
Amity was a bit more relaxed this time, her eyes were open, and she watched parts of the sky turn pink as the sun started setting. Her favorite shade, sunset pink. One of those shades you just had to gaze at when it riddled the sky with its mesmerizing hue.
Since Amity was more relaxed, she clutched Luz a bit less tightly. But she clutched onto Luz nonetheless, because it felt good to feel close to her.
Luz’s mom wasn’t home this time, having already gone to work. It always made Luz sad that she couldn’t spend more time with her, but this time, it wasn’t too bad, because it meant she could prepare exactly what she wanted for Amity.
After unlocking the door, Luz asked Amity to skip the living room and instead mount the stairs to go directly to her room to put down her things. Once there, they dropped their bags and pulled each other in for a quick kiss.
Luz asked, “Are you getting hungry?”
“Kind of. And you?”
“As well, which is perfect. Follow me.”
Luz led them to the kitchen.
“I was thinking, either I could teach you that recipe you said you wanted to learn, or we could order pizza or sushi or something like that.”
Choice between cooking a home made meal with Luz and ordering in? Yeah right.
“No way, I’d love to learn that recipe with you.”
“Omg Domestic Lumity for the win!”
Amity rolled her eyes, with much affection. “Really? Domestic Lumity?”
“Yes. Don’t fight it. Ready to chef?”
“Ready.”
So Luz started explaining what ingredients were needed, opening the cupboards and the fridge and setting the ingredients on the counter. Amity listened intently, absolutely intending on memorizing everything.
Since maduros, fried sweet plantains, were often cooked as a side dish, Luz also suggested they cook another dish. She had first suggested a more date-y dish: spaghetti bolognese.
Amity laughed, Luz could truly be a walking cliché.
Then Luz had suggested a more cultural dish, and that, Amity was most keen on.
They started chopping up the vegetables, Amity paying utmost attention to how she was chopping, Luz being way more nonchalant with how the end result of the cut-up vegetables looked. The contrast was striking, and very much amused Luz, in somewhat awe that Amity managed to do everything perfectly.
Then it was time to put the mixed-up ingredients into the pan and the pot; chicken, beans, with rice cooking on the side.
It took a bit less than an hour, and by the time they were finished, their stomachs were grumbling.
But before moving to the living room to eat, Luz asked Amity to wait a moment.
Amity, curious, waited in the kitchen, accompanied by the savory scent of spices from the food.
After a moment, Luz returned to grab the food and bring it to the living room, still asking Amity to wait in the kitchen.
Then, Luz came back, with both a sneaky smile and soft eyes.
She reached for Amity’s hand. “Come.”
So they made their way to the living room.
The first thing Amity noticed was that the lights were really dim, making it hard to see around the room. But then she noticed the table. Lit candles — illuminating the white table mat and the plates, and the bottle of wine with fancy wine glasses.
It looked, incredibly, romantic.
Amity bit her lip while smiling. Nobody had ever done something so romantic for her before.
She squeezed Luz’s hand softly.
“What do you think?”
“I love it,” Amity gushed.
Luz smiled brightly. “Thanks. Thought I’d prepare something special for you. Come, sit.”
They made their way to their seats, but Luz stood behind Amity’s so that she could pull and push the chair.
Amity teased, “What a gentlewoman,” as Luz made her way to her own seat.
She sat. “Always for you, m’lady. Or Princess. Yeah, Princess.”
Amity rolled her eyes playfully. “Dumbass.”
“You know exactly what I’m about to say.”
“My dumbass.”
“Here!”
They laughed lightheartedly together.
“Dig in, Blight. I hope you like it!”
Amity took a bite. Savored it. Her eyes closed.
“Divine.”
Luz took a bite as well. Savored it. Eyes closed.
“Thank you. I’m so happy with how it turned out. It’s the perfectly chopped vegetables, I swear.”
Amity chuckled. “You give me a mission, I accomplish it.”
“Hell yeah was it accomplished!”
They took more bites.
“Thanks for teaching me. So this is one of the dishes you cook for your mom in the morning?”
“Yeah, it’s one of the longer ones so I don’t do it often, but it’s one of her favorites so it’s so worth it.”
“No wonder! This is amazing.”
“I’m really happy you like it.”
“Knew I would. You made it.”
“Hey, we made it!”
They smiled through a mouthful.
“Do you want some wine?” Luz asked with a bit of mischief.
“This is too romantic of an occasion to decline.”
Luz’s mischief turned proud. She started uncorking the bottle. “Proud to be a walking cliché.”
Amity’s laughter sounded so sweet in Luz’s ears.
She poured the wine into the fancy glasses.
“And it’s not even the cheapest bottle okay I made an effort.”
“How chivalrous of you.”
Luz winked. “Cheers, Blight.”
“Cheers, Noceda.”
They clinked their glasses and took a sip.
“This is a change from tequila shots in kitchens,” Luz remarked, amused.
Amity responded, equally amused, “The change in setting is both jarring and refreshing — I did enjoy our kitchen talks, though.”
“Yeah, they were actually some of the highlights of the night for me, but I’m only saying that now in hindsight. Because damn did I hate running into you at that first party. The second party was a bit more chill, and that third party after the whole ‘Truth’ thing, there, I really enjoyed your presence. I maybe hoped to find you in the kitchen when I’d go to top up.”
Amity raised a brow, and slyly admitted, “Maybe I was searching for you too.”
“Our kitchen conversations are actually so iconic in hindsight. It’s partly how we first started to kind of get to know each other. Trusty tequila shots, who knew they could bond people together. You take them well, Blight. I was impressed.”
“You’re talking, you never flinched once.”
“Your face was the only thing straight about you.”
Amity chuckled. “Little shit. But you’re right. I know how to handle my tequila.”
Then Luz asked, curious, “How, though? I remember you saying ‘practice makes perfect’, and I remember saying that too. Is it because you’d done countless wild parties during the summer?”
The little flames from the candles flickered.
“In part.” Amity glanced away. “But also because I realized that it helped, when I used to get locked in my room. So at one point my sort of survival kit for when that would happen would be water, some snacks, and some alcohol. It kind of helped soothe the pain, when she’d hit me too. So I got used to it, and at some point stopped flinching.”
Luz’s eyebrows lifted. Her lips curled downward. “I’m so sorry. That’s really dark. It now makes sense why, yeah, you can handle it. I’m sorry.”
Amity offered a small smile. “That’s over now. But I do love a glass, it’s not only for sad occasions. I’ve acquired a taste for it. This wine, for example, is a sweet treat, with you, my amazing girlfriend.”
The corners of Luz’s lips lifted. “Well then call me happy because I’m having a great time sipping wine with my amazing girlfriend too. But honestly I understand in a way, using alcohol to, like, cope or something.”
“You said ‘practice makes perfect’ as well. What does that mean for you?”
Luz sighed. “When I have nightmares. They always have something to do with my… dad. Often about me not taking advantage of my time, not having enough fun, not living my life to the fullest. It really gets to me.”
Amity nodded with solemn acknowledgment, knowing the extent to which taking advantage of life was such a critical value for Luz.
“Sometimes I can’t fall back asleep. Drinking helps numb out the thoughts. Sometimes beer isn’t enough, so I go for harder liquors. Sometimes it doesn’t even help. But, yenno, it’s always worth a shot.” Luz winked at the pun, but her face wasn’t that riddled with humor.
“Wow, I’m really sorry about that. I can’t imagine what it’s like to have nightmares like that. Have you had one recently?”
“I’ve been having them much less as time goes by. Only had two since the start of classes. The first time I didn’t even drink, and I was proud of that, but the second, yeah, I really needed to, and I couldn’t even fall back asleep. Every time I take advantage of it by cooking the longer recipes, but that often leads to detentions. One of the reasons why I got so many detentions throughout the years. But this year it’s much better. No detentions yet. So I’m happy about that.”
“I didn’t know it was because you had nightmares that you sometimes woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t fall back asleep. That’s terrible. I’m really happy it’s been happening less.”
“Yeah,” Then her face relaxed a bit at the thought that it indeed had been happening less. “Yeah. It’s been getting better, easier. Helps that I have an awesome girlfriend who’s been making my life even brighter.”
Luz raised her glass, gentle happiness growing on her face. “Fucking cheers to that.”
Amity’s expression mimicked hers. “Cheers to things getting better.”
“For both of us.”
“For both of us.”
The sound of glasses clinking filled the room with hopefulness. The sips tasted sweet on their tongues.
Conversations animated the rest of their dinner and once dinner was over, Luz took the plates back to the kitchen, most grateful that they had a dishwasher.
“I have another idea for how to finish the night.”
“Oh?”
“Yes.” Sneaky grin. “The Good Player Azura movie.”
Amity all but squealed. Embarrassing. But she couldn’t help it. She absolutely adored the movies.
“Yes!!”
Amity’s excitement took Luz aback in the best way. Someone as excited as her when it came to Azura. No complaints.
So they got settled on the couch and started the movie. Their hands very quickly intertwined.
“That should’ve been an offside.”
“Shhhh, we don’t talk about supposed flaws,” Luz argued.
At some point, Luz rested her head on Amity’s shoulder.
“Yeah, that tactic was the best decision.”
Amity agreed, “Really caught those defenders off guard.”
At another point, Luz planted a kiss on Amity’s cheek.
“The rivals are so blasé at that goal.”
Luz snickered. “They knew they had no chance to equalize.”
Amity placed a kiss on Luz’s forehead.
“Hecate’s being so ruthless.”
Amity’s tone revealed her offense. “Warranted.”
Once the movie was over, they ended up giggling like kids, because they found it so fun, watching one of their common favorite movies together. With their commentaries and jokes, because the movie wasn’t the best, but it was fantastic for them. They giggled, because it made them feel even more connected, connected in their shared love of something that meant something to them.
Then they smiled, warmly, at each other, because they just loved spending time together.
“We’re so watching the second movie tomorrow.”
“Please!!” Amity said.
There it was, that excitement again. Simple joy that sparked so much happiness in Luz.
She laughed. “You’re so damn cute.”
Amity squinted, arms crossing.
“Aaaaww Blight, you look even damn cuter.”
“Go off, Noceda.”
Luz giggled. “Come, it’s getting late, let’s go to my room.”
Amity reluctantly followed stupid fucking Noceda up the stairs. She squinted on the way, but there was indeed a small smile that couldn’t be annihilated.
As they entered Luz’s room though, her smile turned devilish.
She immediately grabbed Luz by the waist.
Luz’s eyes widened. She swallowed. Amity’s golden eyes burned a hole in Luz’s heart, hole that was immediately filled with waves of desire.
Her hands instantly cupped Amity’s neck and pulled her in.
Their lips met, with zeal. The tip of Amity’s tongue grazed Luz’s bottom lip, a request. Luz invited her in, brushing her tongue against Amity’s.
The room grew steamy. Their cheeks grew hot with the feeling of need for the other. Desire. Swirling between them, between their lips, between their bodies.
Hot. The room was growing hotter by the second.
Luz only unlocked their lips so she could push Amity onto the bed, where she locked them again, and invited Amity in once more. She was propped on her elbows, straddling Amity, so their bodies weren’t entirely laying flush against each other, because if that were the case, their whole bodies would’ve burned.
Yet Amity’s hands lay on Luz’s waist, feeling the curve of her body.
She squeezed it gently, yet her touch felt so fierce.
Luz’s fingers got lost caressing Amity’s soft hair, then one of her hands moved to caress Amity’s flushed cheek.
They kissed for moments like that, until Amity lightly pushed Luz off. Luz was about to speak, but Amity pushed her on the bed, flipping their positions, so that she could straddle Luz herself.
Luz fell onto her back, hands immediately gripping Amity’s hips. Amity smirked into the kisses. She bit Luz’s bottom lip.
Luz reflexively squeezed Amity’s hips tighter, and Amity melted at the burning touch.
Luz melted when Amity’s lips traveled from her lips to her neck, planting soft yet flaming kisses on her skin. Then she nibbled at her skin for a second, before returning back to Luz’s lips. Luz’s entire body heated up even more. Amity’s as well, when Luz ran her hands up and down her back.
They continued kissing, heatedly, teasing each other with their wandering hands and lips.
They only separated when their lungs couldn’t take it anymore, needing breaths they forgot had to be taken to live. But they had been so lost in each other that nothing else mattered in those moments. But their bodies burned, and they needed to breathe air after breathing in each other.
Amity plopped beside Luz, breathing heavily, like her.
Silence filled the room for a moment, so did lingering passion, and comfort. Comfort in each other’s presence, comfort in each other’s shared desires.
“That was intense,” Luz said, eyes closed, body cooling down a bit.
“Yeah,” Amity replied, eyes closed, chest rising and falling as her body cooled down a bit as well.
Luz turned so that she was facing Amity. Amity did the same.
They gazed into each other’s eyes for a bit, taking in each other, taking in the moment.
Then Luz cupped Amity’s cheek, and gently rubbed it with her thumb.
Amity’s hand landed on Luz’s. She took it, and kissed it.
Luz smiled as that hand searched for Amity’s, who held it, their hands now entwined between them as their gazes stayed met, and loaded with softness.
“Blight?”
“Noceda?”
“Truth.”
Joy at that memory toyed with Amity’s star-kissed lips.
“Truth.”
Luz bit her lip. She closed her eyes for a couple of seconds. “Blight?”
“Noceda?”
“More than Truth.”
Amity couldn’t stifle her Luz-kissed smile.
“More than Truth.”
Then mischief flared in Luz’s eyes.
“Blight?”
Amity arched a brow. “Noceda?”
“Dare.”
Amity didn’t wait a second longer. She leaned in and kissed her, though it was so gentle.
“Woohooooo!”
Amity shook her head. She grinned. “Dumbass.”
“YOUR dumbass!”
Amity released a laugh. Luz laughed as well.
“Let’s get ready for bed?”
Amity nodded, so they stood and got into their pajamas, brushed their teeth — Luz trying to communicate words via a frothy mouth, Amity trying to respond with grace through foam and amusement — then got into bed again, this time under the blanket, comfortable pillows under their heads.
But Amity thought Luz’s shoulder was way more comfortable, so she rested her head on it instead. Luz wholeheartedly let her, and wrapped her arm around Amity’s back, locking her in place.
She kissed Amity’s forehead for a second. Then a second more.
Amity melted a bit inside. Her hand found Luz’s neck to cup it gently, and then it traveled down her shoulder until it rested on Luz’s stomach.
She started tickling it slowly. Luz couldn’t help her tickle-induced laughter.
“Blight, you menace. Quit it!”
Amity, fully satisfied, feeling Luz shaking under her head, stopped the tickling, and rested her hand on Luz’s chest.
She giggled. “Don’t you love having fun?”
Game on. Luz started tickling Amity’s neck.
Amity gasped. She wiggled in Luz’s arms but Luz kept her locked in place with her arm secured around Amity’s back. Amity shook in laughter.
“Fuck off, Noceda, stop!”
Luz grinned, fully satisfied. She stopped the tickling.
Amity released a deep breath.
“Don’t you love having fun?” Luz echoed.
“You can absolutely fuck off. I hate you,” but the massive smile on her face revealed just how much of a lie that was.
“You hate me?”
“Yes!”
“I love you.”
Their eyes shot wide open. Luz’s pulse sped up. Adrenaline spiked in her heart. The words slipped right out of her mouth. Holy fucking shit.
Amity’s heart swelled out of her chest. It raced, felt like it was going to burst. Her thoughts escaped her mouth with the rush of emotions flooding through her.
“I love you too.”
Luz’s heart exploded. She melted inside.
“I love you, Amity Blight.”
Amity squeezed her so tightly. Her smile was so bright. “I love you too, Luz Noceda. I really do.” She lifted her head so that she could kiss Luz on the lips.
Luz returned the kiss, passionately, tenderly, lovingly.
It lasted a sweet moment, a sweet, sweet moment, both smiling into the kiss.
“Holy shit,” Luz said after their lips unlocked. “I can’t believe we just said that.”
Amity mumbled in a tone so endearingly sincere, “I meant it.”
“I meant it too!”
Luz peppered Amity with kisses all across her face. Her forehead, her nose, her cheeks, her chin, her lips.
Amity giggled — Luz’s kisses felt so softly excited. She felt so warm inside.
Luz felt so giddy inside.
Raw joy. In both of their hearts.
Amity nuzzled her face against Luz’s neck. She kissed it softly.
Luz squeezed her gently in her arms.
It was really late by that point and sleep was calling for them.
They both chuckled at hearing each other yawn.
“Sleep?” Luz suggested.
“Sleep.”
Calmed in each other’s arms, they drifted off, the warmest smiles on their faces.