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Luz was just sitting in her room afterschool. Her brain roommate (who demands a better name) hates her. Which is weird because thats future me! What did i do wrong?? Everything. Thats stupid, stupid, stupid. And your annoying, annoying, annoying. Why is she here? Neither of us know. All i know, is that she WONT STOP NAGGING ME!!! I dunno what i did wrong, she just keeps saying “you'll see”. She cant even tell me, saying that ”it'll mess up the timeline”, but if it would, theres a chance it could fix the timeline right?? I could fix everything, and then maybe she’d like me. Right?? Its normal to wise up or whatever, but something has to be wrong if you hate your past self. Theres no spark in her eyes. Figuratively because i cant see her. Although, she makes it pretty obvious that if i could see her, she wouldn’t be looking too good. Idiot, you’re going off topic. Are you gonna get to your stupid point, or keep bashing me. I hate myself enough, theres no need for you to add on to it. Sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. Well you did, the same way you hurt the feelings of others in your life.
UGH!! I KNOW!! I RUIN EVERYTHING!! HAPPY NOW?? GO AWAY!! snff.. oh the crybaby is crying, SHOCKER!! whos gonna cheer you up?? Nobody because you love avoiding your problems with “healthy distractions” and thus you wont tell them whats wrong. You would probably even lie about it. Maybe you shouldn’t tell them, they’d probably think you’re crazy! Shut up! Shut up!! Shut up!!! I dont like talking to you anyway. Nobody does. Pitiful. Fuck you. Tuning you out now!! Im late to azura book club!! Ahh, so you left your friends hanging. Wipe your tears before leaving, its a book club, not a pity party. Ignoring the rude stuff that was actually decent advice!! I mean i dont want you to be more of an embarrassment than you already are. You have no clue how many of the things you do keep me up at night with guilt, or with full on embarrassment because what the fuck were you thinking. I was being happy and expressing myself, something you cant seem to do! I throw my bag under my arm. Its time for Azura book club! dont embarrass yourself more. Whatever floats your boat.
Eda gently opens the door, “Hey kid, didn’t expect you to still be in the house, ya late or something?”. “Yeah” Luz admits. “Okay ill make you some griffin eggs real quick, then let you borrow Owlbert! Aw heck ill fly you there, i haven't given you flying lessons yet!” Eda replies, was she always this nice?? You dont deserve it. You don’t deserve any- “Hey, kiddo, you okay? You seem off today..” Eda raises an eyebrow. “Yeah uhh just peachy!! Im doing swell!!” Luz says, awkwardly. “Flowery.. must have gotten it from those azura books” She ruffles Luz’s hair. Wait, she pays attention to the Azura books?? “Wait, you pay attention to the Azura books!?” Luz exclaims. “I mean, you talk about them all the time! I even tried reading them but its just. so. FLOWERY!!!” Eda deadpans. Luz is shocked. “Wait really??” “I mean duuhhh i wanted to see what all the hype was about! You’re obsessed with them! I dunno how you like it, but you do, so it had to be some good right-
Luz pulls her into a hug. Luz squeals, “Awww you care!” “I was wrong, its all corny ‘friendship is magic’ stuff!! What is this?? Let me go!!” Luz lets go, snatches the griffin eggs, and immediately starts tearing into them. Be grateful. She doesn’t have to do any of this and yet she still does. Doesn’t that mean she WANTS to do it?? …uh huh, but who would want to house someone as annoying as you. That pause was because it was a good point, wasn’t it? … Shut up. That doesn’t change anything else about what i say. So. What about your real mom huh. Wouldn’t she be so upset to hear that her daughter ran away from her and essentially replac- SHUT UP!! okay okay i get it!! Please!! Stop!! Fine, i made my point anyway. Once she finishes, she throws her plate in the sink. “Hurry up kiddo! Don’t wanna be latER than you already are.” Eda is already on her staff. Luz hops on, ready to go to the library . “So lunchbox.. check!.. Books.. check! Late.. check! Let’s go.” Eda checks off her list. Eda sets off, speeding up so that Luz is at the bookclub in a flash. “Welp, time for your book club kiddo, get out there and show them who's boss!” She advises. “Okaayyy!!” Luz yells back. Luz runs up the steps, and approaches the library.
I set my bag down. Now just dont say anything weird or annoying. Atleast we can agree on one thing. I think that means you’re already insecure. GIVE ME A BREAK!! Sure, you need to fix your face anyway. Luz scrambles to get her face in order. She wipes away the tear stains she should have realized were there, and tries to remove any trace of lingering stress. It takes quite awhile. Amity shows up. Amity begins. “Hey Luz, you look.. sad-“ DAMMITTT I TRIED SO HARD! Luz thinks to herself.“- Do you still wanna start the club?” She finishes. Luz’s face drops, but she can still lie, right? “Sure, no problemo!” Amitys face hardens, her face rifles through a couple of emotions, confusion, anger, mixed with something soft and caring, before settling on serious, mixed with that same loving -nobody loves Luz-, soft expression. “Aren’t YOU the one who says its okay not to be okay??” She says softly. Luz’s face falls even further, looking more anxious than anything. “C’mere” amity says lovingly, while patting her lap with a slightly flushed expression. Luz definitely doesn’t mind being pitied right now. You shoul- and YOU should shut up. She rests her head on Amity’s lap. She smells like fig leaves-Odd, she notes, and Luz has to blink away sleep. Amity begins, what Luz can only describe as petting her. PETTING HER?? Luz is gonna faint. Or drool.
“So, whats on your mind?” Amity tries, voice laced with fake calm but wavering like she isn’t doing a perfect job at calming Luz down. “Well uhh.. its complicated, and weird” “You’re complicated and weird, and those are things i like about you.-“ Ahh, so this is heaven, Luz thinks this is a wonderful way to go out.”i uh i mean- whatever its out already!! How can i help?” Amity finishes. “… Reassurance.” Luz croaks out. “Well, i dont know what you want to hear, but i think you’re cool. Your smart, you almost always know what to say, and can think fast. You’re braver than i could ever be. You got dropped into a different world and decided to take it on the chin. You remember small details about me-i mean people, you always know how to cheer people up, and you are really emotionally intelligent. You learn from your mistakes, but you also fix them. You are empathetic and considerate, you bring out the best in people, partly because you SEE the best in people but also because of your infectious joy. You never give up, and you would do ANYTHING for your friends- Ive been talking for too long!!” Amity rambles, coming up with things as if shes reading from a memorized list..
Luz doesn’t know what to say, she is honestly speechless. She cant believe that someone could honestly think that about her. That was.. exactly what she needed to hear. Her body gives out. When previously Luz was distributing her body weight as to not lean into Amity, Luz was now almost completely leaning into Amity. Which brings her back to the girl in question who is currently nervously rambling about her previous rambling. Luz sits up, wraps her arms around her in a side hug, and Amity MELTS. “I take that my rambling was actually appreciated then??” She questions. “Yeah, it was exactly what i needed to hear.” Luz affirms. Amity is now purring like a cat. “Thats uhh,, nice to hear..” Luz squeals. “AAAWWWWWHHHHH SOO CUUUUUTTTEE!!” Luz begins stealing every bit of space between them, bringing Amity closer. Amity’s face flushes, “Oh wow.. bookclubs!” Luz almost forgot, “Oh yeah, this is a bookclub.. we should do bookclub things” “Okay okay yeah..” Amity jumps up and grabs a book with a VERY flushed face.
”So you’re SURE you’re ready to start the bookclub?” She asks. Luz earnestly replies, “Sure! Why not!”. “Just making sure.” Amity replies nervously. Amity moves to a free bean bag chair. Luz just lies on top of her. “O-okay so.. i have a few more questions about the bookclub.” Amity starts. “Isn’t this your bookclub?” Luz questions “Yeah but i want your input too, so that we’re on the same page.” She explains.“I mean yeah but it’s your bookclub and I'm used to not getting things that others do.” Luz trails off. Oops, said too much. “Hm?” Amity prompts, upset. “Well uh at my old school in the human realm there were a bunch of social cues you were just expected to know. I didn’t know them.. And just about everyone ignored or bullied me for it.” She says, like it’s something casual. Amity clearly doesn’t think so, because she pulls Luz in for a pretty tight hug, and seems visibly distressed. “Did i say something wrong??” Luz asks “NO!- i mean I'm just mad that people would treat you that way!” Amity replies. “Didn’t you try to dissect me on our first meeting?” Luz says, trying to play it off. “No comment. Also you don’t get to play that off. What else happened in the human realm??”
Amity prompted. Luz continued, “Well i was just generally bullied for my interests as a whole, and also just being weird, on top of the social cues.” Amity looked like she wanted to argue. “ONLY VERBALLY!! Only verbally..! The staff didn’t like me either. When i decided to stay here, it was because my mom was sending me to a ‘think inside the box’ summer camp.” Luz finished “… WHAT?? How could anyone hate you!? For having interests!?? For ‘being weird’?! Even the staff? That.. that makes me SO mad.” Amity practically yells. She is FUMING. “If I'm honest, most people here like me, thats one of the main reasons i like it better than the human realm. The only thing i have there is my mom. Even that relationship is kinda strained” Luz replies. “Look, you being weird is something most of us appreciate about you. You are brave, cool and funny and i- i mean we love that about you. I need you to know that.” She declares. Luz is once again, floored. “T-thanks. I needed that. Again.” Luz offers a small but honest smile. Amity returns it.
“Anytime! S-so, my question was.. can this bookclub be just the two of us, like if we find another fan of Azura we just keep the bookclub to ourselves?” Amity stutters. “I don’t see why not! Okay!” Luz answers. Shoot, its time to go. “Its getting late, I’ll see you at school tomorrow!! Bye!!” Luz declares, before rushing out the room. She comes to the exit of the library and begins walking home. Except Eda and King are already here to pick her up. “C’mon, she CANT like that blight girl, she squashed my cupcake!!” King tries. Like?? Like a friend?? Yeah. “This is another bet you are going to LOSE mr wiggles!” Eda declares. “Dont call me that! I haven’t lost yet!” King yells.
Eda spots Luz, “Oh hey kid, I’m picking you up today, i felt generous!” “Dont fall for it Luz!! She’s giving you 2 times the chores tomorrow!!” King warns. “KING.” Eda deadpans. “I meant that shes giving ME two times the chores tomorrow.. Gotta LOVE cleaning Hooty.” “Not it!” Not it!!” Eda and Luz respectively shout. “I DIDN’T MEAN IT LITERALLY!!” “Oh, but you do now.” Eda chides. “Im not cleaning Hooty again for as long as i can help it!” Luz declares. King shouts, “LETS JUST GO HOME ALREADY.” Luz hops on the staff,“Agreed.” Eda starts flying them all back to the owl house. Her future self, is sufficiently silenced until the next morning.
