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Who knows why we do the things we do…
In life, there are plenty of instances where a person, be they human, witch or demon, makes choices to do something. That something could be as small and insignificant as picking out their breakfast in the morning, to something big and life changing like switching careers. Despite every single being making those choices being different, they all share one thing in common; and that was that they all had a specific reason for doing them…though sometimes, it’s possible to lose the meaning behind those reasons as time passed by…
…Amity Blight had done just that, and right now as she sat at a table on an old boiling seas barge staring blankly into her barely touched mug of appleblood, trying not to look as upset as she felt, she was beginning to question why she had chosen this life, especially when she had someone at home waiting for her….
Three months ago, Lilith had come to her all excited with a possible BIG lead on some rather important artifacts for the newely constructed museum at the library. The younger witch had actually been really pumped up herself when her old mentor, now business partner came to her and began to tell her about it; she loved heading out for a few days at a time on her airship, setting off on a new adventure to try and track down treasures like she was some pirate from one of those cool movies her girlfriend had shown her when Luz would have her over in the human realm. However, the more Lilith went on about the details, the more she had a feeling that this wasn’t going to be some short 3-4 day trip…and she was right. The possible items that she would be looking for were on the other side of the realm, on another fallen Titan that had recently been discovered by a larger reconnaissance team that had volunteered to head out into the world to see what else their lands had to offer now that Belos had been destroyed and everyone was free. The travel itself to get there would roughly take a few weeks by airship, and then the searching, even if the leads they were given were accurate, could take another few weeks as well…adding the return trip on top of that, and it could potentially be a few months before she returned.
That was…a lot, especially with everything going on in her life at that time. She was still working on reconnecting with her father now that both of them had been freed from the manipulating grip of her mother, had still been helping to restore the cities and villages that had been destroyed when Belos had tried to annihilate everyone, and of course…was finally enjoying every moment she could get with her amazing Luz without the threat of impending doom or guilt behind it. Little trips away were one thing, but several months? She wasn’t really sure if that was something she could do, even if it sounded like quite the exciting adventure and a decent enough reason to go.
It was also tempting because she wanted the snails, as Lilith had once again managed to wrangle up some investors for the excursion who were willing to front a decent amount of funds, and her takeaway from returning with the goods would have been enough for what she had been secretly wanting…enough in the bank to get a place for her and Luz to call home. Her parents’ divorce had taken a good chunk of time to finally go through just over a year ago, and her mother, Odalia, absolutely did not make it easy. She fought tooth and nail at every turn until she walked away with over half of the Blight savings, but at least had absolutely no custody over Amity, who was still under age at the time. That part had been a relief, as none of the remaining Blights wanted anything to do with her, though now they were left with just enough to get by while her father got back on his feet. Even if they still had the same wealth she had growing up, Amity really didn’t want to rely on that to keep her afloat; she was an adult now and had her own life she wanted to live, and she was going to work for it just like anyone else. Those snails…they were definitely another tempting reason, but she still wasn’t sure if it was enough to get her to go.
Of course, Lilith told her to take some time to think about it, as she completely understood why it could feel like it was too much. Amity appreciated that, and told her old mentor that she would definitely think it over…though really, she was leaning towards turning it down because of the timing and just how long she would be away. Luz had only just started at the University for Wild Magic and was staying in the Isles long term for the first time since before the Day of Unity in the dorms. It was a chance for them to finally spend more time together, as her girlfriend wouldn’t have to worry about making it back in time for curfews on school nights or having to wait for a weekend to come out to see each other. It was an important time for them; one to test the waters of them eventually living together, getting to know each other that much better and on a more intimate level…in a few ways, so therein lay a reason for her to stay. Missing out on that time with Luz, she just couldn’t do that, she wouldn’t.
However, when Luz managed to get it out of her one night a few days later as they lay snuggled up in each other’s arms in her tiny single dorm bed, her girlfriend was nothing but in favor of it. Amity was definitely aware of just how well her girlfriend knew her…even in the few years they had been together, Luz knew how to read her pretty damn well and could sense that there was something pulling her towards going, even if her heart wanted to stay there with her. Her girlfriend knew how much helping Lilith meant to her, and that deep down, adventure was calling her name. Amity tried to wave her off when she pointed it out, saying that there would always be other smaller journeys to have that would be just as good…but right away Luz shook her head as she gave her that soft, warm smile as she looked into her eyes and brushed her thumb over Amity’s cheek. Her girlfriend then proceeded to tell her that it was fine if she wanted to go, more than if she was honest, and that taking that time away would be good for her both physically and emotionally. Amity had been through a lot, they all had, and after the Day of Unity shit, things had been a constant go go go. Taking that time away to go on an extended journey would not only be fun, but would also be a good way for Amity to have some time to reconnect and learn more about herself; that was just as important as their getting to know each other.
Luz had leaned in and placed a soft kiss to Amity’s lips then, giggling a little when she felt the young witch smiling dopily into it. When her girlfriend leaned back again to look into her eyes once more, Amity could see all the love in them, and the hint of sadness that was also there. When she pointed that out, Luz grinned. Her girlfriend then told her that of course she was going to be a little sad, because she wasn’t going to see her everyday and that waking up to her bed headed, grumpy, cute face had become something she had loved seeing whenever Amity was able to stay over; that grumpy quip earned her a playful pinch to the arm, followed up by another sweet kiss before she continued. Luz was definitely going to miss her Amity, that was a given, but she also didn’t want her to miss out on important adventures of her own. Besides, she was always going to be there for Amity when she got back, no matter how hard her classes tried to kill her…she would always be there waiting for her, always.
Amity had finally surrendered then, and with her girlfriend’s full support she made the decision to go on that long journey across the realm. She was to tell Lilith that next morning and would set sail a few days later. Luz was excited for her, and did little whoops and cheers as she pulled her in for more snuggles and kisses. As exciting as it was, before Amity could let herself get too carried away with it all, she made sure to promise her girlfriend that she would come back to her, no matter what. Luz had rolled her eyes a little and called her a dork before going in for those sweet lips once more, but thanked her and told her she would hold the young witch to it.
A few days later, Amity was standing next to her airship and a second one that was going to be needed for the trip. Lilith and the investors had seen to all the supplies and also provided a small crew to help out so that Amity wouldn’t be alone on the journey. Steve was there getting a few things organized, Jerbo was checking over the list with Lilith, Boscha was a bit of a surprise but said she was there to put in some work in an attempt to continue bettering herself, and finally Viney, who claimed she was there solely as a healer and to make sure that the others were safe and definitely not there to watch over her girlfriend’s younger sister and make sure she stayed safe and out of trouble…definitely not. They had been just about ready to shove off and begin their journey, Amity of course, saying her goodbyes to Luz. There were a few tears, both of them knew there would be, but they were going to be brave and see this thing through. Though as Amity kissed her girlfriend for the last time before she was about to head onto the ship, she sort of joked about forgetting this whole thing because she’d be missing out on Luz’s birthday. Her girlfriend rolled her eyes and squeezed her hand before sending her that warm smile again.
“I can forgive missing my birthday Ami, so don’t you worry about that…”, Luz replied as she ran her thumbs over the back of Amity’s hand that was still in her own, despite needing to part. She then gave her a bit of a playful look before she went on, “…buuuuut if you aren’t back in these arms of mine by Christmas eve…then I’m gonna be sad. Who else am I gonna get to wear our matching ugly sweaters and look just as cute with?!”
Amity had chuckled then, and remembered looking into her sweet girlfriend’s beautiful brown eyes. Even though Luz had giggled and was playing it up just a bit, she could hear the plea in her words. Christmas was important to her Luz, always had been with her family since she was a kid and even morso once her father had passed away. She was still fairly new to the whole thing herself, but found that she rather enjoyed it since her girlfriend loved it so much; it was hard not to when Luz was all smiles as she was covered in glitter, wrapping gifts and singing those same old songs while winking or making silly faces at her…her girlfriend really brought the best of that human holiday out, and she was starting to look forward to it each year. Which was why she gave her a serious look then, filled with love and promise.
“Make sure Edric stays away from that sweater, that’s mine and I plan on being in it as soon as I get back…”, she chuckled when she saw her girlfriend’s eyes light up and that sweet little grin crossing over her face. Her heart was already missing such a gorgeous girl, how she was going to survive all those weeks away, she didn’t know, but make it back, she most definitely would, “…we’ll get what we need and head back as soon as possible. There’s no way I’d miss Christmas with you now that we have them…Luz, I’ll be there Christmas eve at the latest, and that’s a promise…”
Luz gave the young witch’s hand a final loving squeeze then before she let it slip from her own, smiling wide and winking at her, “I have faith in you Ami, I know you’re gonna find those artifacts so damn fast and be home before I know it! I bet I’ll barely have your gift wrapped before you come walking through my door…”
“…you better have it wrapped because I know where your not-so-secret hiding spot is, Batata…”, Amity smirked as sent a playful, narrowed look in return as she walked backwards up the gangway plank to her airship, “…under the bed is too obvious Luz…the twins taught me that years ago, you need to step up your game while I’m away…”
“Oh, I’ll have plenty of game ready for when you come back, Ami…don’t you worry…”, her girlfriend replied with her own little smirk as she crossed her arms over her chest. After they shared a heated look, her face softened, “…seriously though Amity, be safe and take care of yourself…come back to me in one piece, ok?”
Amity dropped her smirk and smiled warmly back at her Luz as she leaned over the ledge of her ship once she got on, wishing she could kiss her one last time but couldn’t, as they were all about to take off. She sighed in her head as she would just have to settle for replaying the memory of her girlfriend’s lips from moments ago for the entirety of the trip; that, and all the ones they shared before, “…I’ll make it back home to you, Batata…I promise. I love you, and I’ll see you in a few months, STAY OUT OF TROUBLE PLEASE!”
“…I love you too and I can’t really make thaaaaat promise Ami! See you on Christmas eve at the latest! I mean it!”
As Amity’s ship took off then, along with the second one and her team, she waved to her girlfriend with a big smile on her face, excited to get the adventure going so that she could return to her in time just as promised…
…that had been three months ago, and after all those weeks of bad luck and off timing, they had actually managed to find what they were looking for and collected it all up to bring home. It had been a pain however, as the leads were unclear at times and had the team wandering around like idiots for days at a time, but they did it and could finally start the long trek back home; hoping that this time it would be a smoother, faster flight since they knew exactly where it was they were going to now. However, sometimes shit happens…Amity and the crew had been forced to make a landing on a large barge about a day or so out from their home Titan when the signs of a boiling rain storm could be felt and seen. It was rough, as the timing was looking so good for them to actually be arriving back home with more than enough to spare for Amity to walk through the door of the Owl House where Eda would be hosting the new annual get together on Christmas eve…but luck really was just not on her side.
She sighed heavily as she swirled her mug around, not really wanting it but taking it from the barge crew to be a good guest; the young witch really wasn’t in the mood for it. She sighed again, earning a low chuckle from beside her.
“You know, you and Em have the exact same face you make when you’re annoyed…gotta say it’s almost as cute on you Amity, but I miss seeing it on your sister more…”
The young witch rolled her eyes and huffed, keeping her gaze down on her drink, “…thanks Vin…I’m sure she’ll be happy to hear that…if we ever get home…”
The large armed healer crossed them as she leaned back in her chair and tried giving a bit of a grin to her companion, “Don’t go sayin that now Ams, I’m sure we’ll be shoving off again soon here, we aren’t too fa-…”
“…hate to burst your bubble you two, but it’s not lookin great…”
Both witches glanced up then towards the voice that had called out to them and found Boscha heading their way with both Jerbo and Steve in tow; all three didn’t look to be very happy. That probably wasn’t good, and Amity felt her heart sinking ever lower in her stomach in preparation for the news.
“Don’t tell me…” Viney began as she looked from Boscha to Amity, who did not look like she was in a good spot just then. She felt for the poor thing, she really did, as she knew how much getting back to Luz meant to her…especially with what time of year it was. The healer was all too aware of the annual human Christmas thing, she had gone with her girlfriend Emira to the Noceda’s and Eda’s get togethers every year once Belos had been defeated and between knowing it was coming up and Amity going on about it non-stop, adding it into conversation at least 4 times a day about wanting to get back home to Luz as she had apparently promised she would, she knew this was going to sting. The travel back had been alright in the beginning, but they were hit with early signs of a boiling rain storm coming on, and had to find either land or something sturdy to take shelter on before it started up; it was far too risky to continue on, even with shields up, and could be downright dangerous and foolish to try flying through…anyone who attempted it would surely have some sort of death wish, it was just that bad. She groaned in her head, not looking forward to how this news was going to go down, “…we’re gonna be delayed gettin back, aren’t we?”
Steve nodded as he pushed his hand through his hair and sighed, “Gonna be a good bit of a delay as well, at least a few days…”
“A few days?!”
The whole group turned their attention onto Amity now who had froze in place with her eyes going wide. She looked like she was in a panic state as the news hit her. A few hours would have mostly been fine, but a few days? It was already late into the evening on the day before Christmas Eve, if her tracking was correct, even the few hours they had been sitting on the barge already would be pushing it; at this rate, she would be lucky to get home late evening on the eve she had…that she had promised her girlfriend before she left. She couldn’t let her down, not after Luz had given her all that support to go on this journey and to come back to her with Amity telling her that she was going to be there; Luz said she had faith in her, she couldn’t let her down, not now…not when it’s been far too long and when she was so close.
Jerbo was the first to speak up, though he very much didn’t want to be the one to confirm it, not with knowing how much this was going to dampen his friend's spirits; but someone had to, so he bit the bullet, “Unfortunately Amity, yeah…the ship’s oracle did a reading and got the forecast. It looks uhm…it looks like the boiling storm is supposed to last at least two days if not more, I’m so sorry Ams, but we’re gonna be stuck here until it blows over.”
The young witch felt her heart completely break then as a flash of her Luz’s face, after not seeing her for three long months, pushed through her mind. She looked so sad and disappointed, upset, and even though she knew her girlfriend would 100% understand why she wasn’t able to make it once she told her, the very idea of breaking her promise, her vow even, to Luz hurt her so much. Sadness from feeling like she let her down then turned to anger when she remembered that she didn’t even really, really want to go on this Titan forsaken trip anyway. What reason did she have? Money? A sense of adventure? Finding herself? None of that seemed to matter now as she felt that guilt in her stomach growing, consuming her. She shouldn’t have gone, simple as…and now she was going to miss out on one of the most important times of the year for her girlfriend, breaking a promise to boot; what sort of good decision had that been?
“Hey, Amity…it’s gonna be alright…”, Boscha had sat down at the table next to her friend, the one she had changed for the better for in order to get her back into her life in some way, and reached out to gently take her hand for comfort. She gave her a bit of a reassuring grin as she gave it a squeeze, “…I know it’s hard with the way you’ve been excited and talking about it since we left Titan Two and just how much I know you’ve been missing Luz, I know this really sucks. Trust me, if there was a way to get you home now we’d do it, but we can’t. Luz might be a little upset, but she won’t be angry, she’s not like that, we know tha-…”
“I know she won’t be angry, Bosh…I know, it’s not about that…”, Amity replied with a tiny bite to it at first but then immediately apologized when she heard how that sounded, earning an ‘it’s alright’ from her old friend. She then took a deep breath to reign herself back in before continuing, albeit much more somber than seconds ago, “…it’s just, I made her a promise guys…I know she won’t be mad at me, she was the one who got me to go in the first place…but, I know… I know it’s gonna make her so sad when Christmas day comes and I’m still not there like I said I would be…”
Viney sighed deeply as she leaned over, extending her arms out now to offer her girlfriend’s younger sister a hug. She smiled a little when she accepted by leaning sideways into it, once again Amity’s eyes falling to her untouched mug. It was hard to see her like this, but there really wasn’t much that could be done. Even reaching out via scroll to let Luz know they were being held up wouldn’t really do much except make Amity a mess until they actually got back, and that wasn’t going to help anyone. It sucked, it really did, but all she could do for her companion was be there for her and comfort her. She gave the poor thing’s shoulders a squeeze as she pulled her into the hug, rubbing her arm as she did.
“I’m really sorry Ams, believe me when I say that I wish there was something we could do to get you back to her…”, Viney began as she continued to squeeze Amity in. She let out a little huff of a laugh then, “…but it’s not like we can jump onto your airship and head off into the storm, your sister would kill me if we did something stupid like that.”
“…yeah, stupid…shouldn’t do that…”, mumbled Amity as her eyes grew a little wider before they narrowed back down again at her mug.
It was quiet for a moment before Boscha cleared her throat, hoping to get something going to pick up the mood a little, “Welp…since we’re stuck here guys, we may as well get comfy. I’ll go grab some more drinks, why don’t the rest of you head over to the galley and get something to eat. Sound good?”
“Sounds like a plan!” Replied Steve as Jerbo noded next to him.
As those three headed off, Viney got up to follow suit and was three steps away when she noticed that she didn’t hear a second chair push back. When she turned around, she saw Amity still sitting there staring at her mug with that distant, sad look in her eyes. She took a step towards her and was about to say something when she was beaten to it.
“…I’ll be there in a bit Vin, I just want to sit here for a little longer and do some thinking…maybe try and cheer myself up a bit so I don’t worry the others too much…”, Amity looked up from her mug then and sent her good friend a small, half hearted smile, but at least it looked to be genuine, “…be there in a few, ok?”
Her sister’s girlfriend gave her a bit of a worried look and really seemed like she didn’t want to leave her when she was feeling down, but after a few seconds of looking her over, Viney nodded as she smiled back, “Alright, I’ll save you a spot next to me and we can swap girlfriend stories to see who’s dating the bigger disaster…see ya in a few.”
Amity waved her off and watched until the back of Viney’s head went around the corner and into the connecting hall. She then counted down about 30 seconds before letting out a deep breath, then grabbed her mug and brought it up to her lips… downing all it’s contents in one go and slamming it back onto the table before turning heel and heading out the door…
Just over 24 hours later, under the cover of a barrier spell while the boiling rain and harsh winds battered her around, Amity was holding onto the helm of her airship; focused on the dark rain filled sky before her and the sizzling waters about a hundred meters below. She was losing whatever daylight was behind those thick, angry clouds, and was starting to feel the exhaustion from being awake for so long pulling at the back of her eyes. As much as she didn’t want to let that get the best of her, it was becoming harder and harder to keep her eyes open. Maybe Viney had been right…this may have been the slightest bit stupid of her to do, but she was determined to get back home no matter what. Was she going to get an earful from Luz once she found out how reckless she had been just to get back to her? Most definitely, but she would happily take it as long as she was cuddled up in those arms she had been missing so much over these past few months…all she needed to do was get there.
Her barrier had been up the whole time and was in desperate need of another hit of magic to keep it going, but Amity was already at her limit and wasn’t going to be able to produce much with how tired she was. Worry began to sink in, but far off in the distance, surely it wasn’t her eyes playing tricks on her…they weren’t! Off in the distance was the dark outline of the Boiling Isles, home was about an hour or so away if she could just…
The barrier had started to flicker then, and for a second Amity was reminded just how far she still had to go and how screwed she was when a few drops of hot rain landed on the back of her hand…the barrier was failing. She cursed in her head as she manned the helm, holding fast with a tight grip; she was going to make it, she had to. As she pushed on, the barrier continued to flicker out even more and once again, bits of boiling rain came through and singed into the wood of the ship. It wasn’t looking good, Amity was in for a world of pain or worse if she didn’t think fast.
Using what little energy she had left in her tank, the young witch summoned her abomination goo and covered herself in it just as the barrier gave way. Boiling rain came down hard on her then, and she could hear it sizzling all around her…she needed to get to land quickly, to get as close to home as she could, or she would be done for; but she was a stubborn Blight…a stubborn Blight who’s heart belonged to someone so damn special to her, whom she loved deeply, and she wasn’t going to just let it end here.
As she gripped the helm tightly in her abomination covered hands she grit her teeth and focused on that far off land in front of her, slowly coming closer, with the image of Luz playing in her head, “Don’t give up hope Luz, don’t you lose your faith in me…I’ll be home Christmas eve…”
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As much as she didn’t want to admit it because she had been the one to push for it, the last three months had been rough for Luz. At first, she thought not having Amity around was going to be a little off, sure…but as the days went on, the longing to even just hear her voice for a second was becoming too much. She missed her, deeply, and would have given anything as time dragged on by just to hear a cute little tease from her girlfriend or see her roll her eyes at something dumb she had said, calling her a dork before Amity would inevitably smirk as she leaned in to kiss her…kiss her with those soft, perfect lips that always knew how to make Luz feel better with even the lightest of brushes, that tasted like nothing else she had ever had, and which she craved more than anything in the world; she had it bad, and had honestly cursed her prior herself, calling her a fool for thinking not seeing Amity for a week while she was in the human realm at school was too much. That Luz had no idea what too much was…
She of course, tried to get on with her days by distracting herself with her friends and classes, stopping in on Eda in her fancy cool office to hang out, work on new glyphs with King, checking in on her mom, but even though she was having a good time and genuinely enjoyed herself, Luz would always have that yearning for Amity eating at the back of her mind. Even the littlest thing could set her off, making her think about her stunning girlfriend and how much she missed her. Things like how Amity would have made this comment when Hunter did that, how she would have laughed when Willow joked about this, how she’d egg Vee and Gus on like the little gremlin she was sometimes when they got into some sort of predicament…her cute face she’d make as her eyes went wide with wonder when she’d see the leaves change and fall in the human realm, the look in those same eyes she would flick into her own before she’d lean in to kiss her as the cool, crisp air forced them to snuggle closer together. Everything and everyone played a part in reminding Luz just who it was she was missing, and as much as she loved having those memories and thoughts, they also really, really sucked because they reminded her of just how lonely and empty that chunk of her heart that belonged to Amity was.
She wasn’t exactly subtle about it either, though she thought she was doing a decent job in covering up her moopy yearning mood, and everyone was able to see just how bothered she was with her girlfriend’s absence. They knew it was more than just missing Amity…there was the worry as well. These trips, even the shorter ones, always had the potential to be dangerous and without any decent way to really get consistent updates from her girlfriend, she was often left in the dark with what was going on. She believed in her and knew Amity was more than capable enough to take care of herself, so she wasn’t completely worried; but accidents were called so for a reason, and out there in a whole new land on an unfamiliar Titan or the vast boiling sea that separated them, anything could happen. She took comfort in knowing that she had a good team with her, especially Viney with her big arms, beast handling skills and amazing healing abilities…but that wouldn’t stop her from thinking about the worst case scenarios. The others would definitely make sure they did whatever they could to help with talks or little distractions when needed while they hung out, and Luz appreciated them all for it and would thank them with hugs every single time.
Her biggest help over those past three months had been Emira, as she had been just as worried and missed Viney incredibly as well. The older witch would check in with the human every day to see how she was doing, not only as a good friend but also as the caring sister to Amity to make sure her girlfriend was ok and looked after. Luz was grateful for her, and would make sure she gave just as much support and care back, being there for the twin in her time of need when she was having a rough Viney free day. They leaned on each other a lot, and through this whole thing they ended up becoming closer, gaining another sister in each other; which was going to be inevitable anyway, so they may as well get on that now.
The days were tough, but Luz was getting through…however, when that first fall of flurries fell gently over Gravesfield on a cold early December night when Luz was home to visit her mom with Vee and Hunter, she was hit hard with just how long it had been since she had seen her Amity…but was also hit with a surge of excitement. Amity was going to be home soon, she had promised before leaving that no matter what, she was going to be there, back in her arms getting the worlds biggest most satisfying hug as she got herself covered in kisses. It was only a few more short weeks away, and Luz just could not wait. From that moment on, she had become a ball of energy that was all hopped up and going at 100%, doing everything and anything she could to get ready for her girlfriend’s long awaited return. She was determined to make this the best Christmas ever, wanting to welcome Amity home to everything being perfect and give her that warm, loving feeling she had no doubt missed while she was gone as well.
Luz had gotten straight to work gathering everything she needed, and with her friends’ help, she managed to put together an amazingly decorated Owl House for the annual get together, complete with flashy lights, inflatables powered by magic, new snow glyphs at the ready to be activated for the night of the party, a full Santa in a sled on the roof that looked far too much like Eda in a bushy beard, and of course, Hooty had his custom made elf costume with jingly little bells on his hat that Luz knew Amity was just going to love when she’d hear them going all evening. Inside the house was all done up as well with all the traditional Christmas decor, and the food…Luz may have gone a little overboard when making food with her mom and Vee, but she had to because she knew how much her girlfriend loved all the tasty things that were made at Christmas and she wanted to make sure she could have it all; she had been away eating Titan knows what for months, her mother’s homemade pastelitos didn’t stand a chance once Amity set her sights on them. It was all ready to go, and was going to be one of the best Christmases ever because she would finally have her love back home, back in her arms right where she belonged…
…but when the get-together kicked off on Christmas eve at the Owl House, party in full swing with everyone having a good time and enjoying themselves, there was still no Amity to be found. Time was quickly ticking by and the night was getting late, and still Luz found herself without her girlfriend. Worry was beginning to sink in along with disappointment, not that it would be Amity or the team’s fault for not returning, she knew if they could they would…especially Amity. That girl was stubborn and wouldn’t let anything keep her from getting home unless it was absolutely necessary. Still, even with that knowledge, Luz couldn’t help but feel her heart sink and her happiness just sort of falter, even as she watched her family and friends all around her enjoying themselves. Sure, she was glad they were all here and having a good time, she loved seeing it, but it also made her miss Amity that much more; she wanted to be hugging her as they laughed along to King doing the “cool Snoopy dance” that he learned last year and all that…but unfortunately, it was looking more and more like she wouldn’t be getting to do that this year.
When 11:30 came and there was still no sign of Amity, Luz just couldn’t really take the atmosphere anymore and needed to call it a night. While everyone else was still up and having a good time, Luz went over to her mother and Eda and let them know that she wasn’t really feeling it that night and that she was going to head back to their home in the human realm. At first, both older women looked worried and asked if she wanted company, but of course, she waved them off and said that she was fine and just felt tired and should probably get to bed. Camila wasn’t fooled for a second, neither was Eda, but both knew to give the kid her space with this for now and would check in on her later. They then wrapped her up in a big hug and wished her a Merry Christmas very quietly, so as not to draw attention from the others; they most likely knew she wouldn’t want them to worry and ruin their night all because she was feeling down…she definitely didn’t want that, so she was grateful and told them both she loved them before slipping out the door.
It had been a very crisp, cold walk from the portal to her home, and the snow that had fallen on the previous day crunched under her feet; honestly it felt like it should be snowing now but the sky just wasn’t cooperating that night. She had huffed sadly as she opened the door…snow on Christmas eve would have been nice, but without Amity there, it wouldn’t have the same magic as it usually did, so for her there was no point. Luz closed the door and got a little upset with herself for being a bit over dramatic, but she couldn’t help it…love made you a little dramatic when you were hurting.
She was going to go get changed right away, but instead found herself sitting in the quiet dark living room with her head in her hands, still wearing her cute ugly Christmas sweater and santa hat, just staring up from her space on the couch at the nicely lit tree before her. She shouldn’t have looked down at her phone then, as she knew looking at the time was just going to hurt more, but she did it anyway. 11:50, only ten minutes left until Christmas day and there she was, alone…no Amity to ring it in with. She was trying so damn hard not to be upset, as she had been the one to suggest that Amity go and have the adventure she needed, and again, knew that whatever reason she wasn’t back was through no fault of her own, but it was hard. Her girlfriend always kept her promises, always, no matter what, and even though it couldn’t be helped it just felt so rough knowing that this one particular promise was about to be broken…
Just as she closed her eyes, feeling a few tears building at the corners of them, she heard a noise at the front door. Her head shot up as a single drop fell down her cheek, and felt her heart start to race as the hope that maybe Christmas eve with her love could still be a go just yet. She pushed herself up from the couch, glancing down at her phone before she pushed it back into her pocket; 11:55, there was still time! With a huge grin on her face and a few more tears slipping down it, she made her way to the door as fast as she could, feeling that excitement growing with each step. As soon as she got to it, she threw it open…and that wide grin she had fell instantly as her eyes settled on the woman before her.
“Oh uhm…hey, mamà…” she said as she exhaled, and looked down to the ground, wiping at her eyes…her last bit of hope slipping away just like the tear that had dropped from her jaw. That was it, it was too late now; Christmas eve was about to change over and the promise would be broken. She was just going to have to accept that and hope that maybe Amity would make it back in time for the new year…hopefully.
Camila sighed and gave a warm little smile as she reached out to hug her daughter, pulling the poor thing in, “Sorry mija, I know I’m not who you were expecting…I didn’t mean to get your hopes up, I just wanted to come check on you before bed…you ok?”
Luz tightened her hug and shook her head, but still tried her best to keep it all together, “Not really no…I’m sorry, I didn’t want to ruin anyone else’s Christmas with my dumb stuff I just really miss her mamà…”
“I know, Luz, I know…and it’s ok, you aren’t ruining anything…”, Camila replied as she squeezed her before giving a little kiss to her head. She then backed out of the embrace and grinned at Luz, “…your stuff isn’t dumb, it’s perfectly normal to miss the one you love when they aren’t around, especially at Christmas…but, you never know…it is a magical time of the year, who knows what might happen yet. Let me just squeeze in past you, mi querida, it’s getting a bit cold now that it’s started to snow…why don’t you take a look, it’s really beautiful out there…”
Luz sighed once more with her head still hung down but said a quiet “ok” as she moved just enough for her mother to pass by. She felt the cold air hit her as soon as Camila’s body was no longer there to block it, and it caused her to shiver a little, which made her already yearning brain wish that she had one of Amity’s hugs to keep her warm right now; it was going to be one long night, and she wasn’t looking forward to all the lonely thoughts she was about to have. At least a bit of pretty snow falling gently over the street might look nice, that might give her a little something to work with…
The snow must have only just started falling, as she noticed that the foot prints she had left earlier were still completely visible with only a few fresh flakes clinging to the grooves her shoes had made. It was a slow, gentle fall that was only just starting to pick up, and it really did look beautiful. She smiled a little as she watched some nearby flakes slowly flutter their way down in front of her, focusing on two that seemed to move together, as if they were dancing with each other in a slow, intimate rhythm…once again she felt her heart ache as she thought about her Amity, her throat doing that closed up and dry feeling thing as she thought about that smile of hers or the way her nose would scrunch up when a flake would land on it. She wished she could see that now…
Then something caught her eye and brought her focus away from those two flakes…something moved just so out on the front snow covered yard, and when she laid her eyes on it, she felt her stomach drop. Her eyes had to be playing tricks on her, there was no way…unless…
She took a few steps out onto the front porch, eyes still focused on the figure in front of her, still trying to process if what she was seeing was true or if her sad, yearning brain finally snapped and was hallucinating now. Luz definitely had no problem visualizing Amity at all, she was really good at picturing her girlfriend whenever she needed to, especially over the past few months, but even she had to admit that whatever was standing out there in the yard in front of her could not have been thought up in her own head…she looked too real, too perfect…too…
“… Amity…”
It barely came out as a whisper when it finally clicked, as her heart then jumped to her throat before she took off from the front porch, almost slipping in the snow under her feet when she hit the base. Stumbling, she pushed forward, tears streaming down her face as she ran across the front yard, her feet feeling lighter and her stomach just flipping as she heard the sweet sound of her girlfriend’s laughter hitting her ears when she took a few steps towards her with her arms outstretched. Seconds later, after nearly wiping out for a second time, Luz closed the gap by launching herself at Amity, wrapping her arms and legs around her and pushing her backwards from the force of it.
They wobbled for a second, but Amity held strong as she quickly grabbed onto the back of Luz’s legs to hold her up, keeping her safely in her arms as finally, after all those months apart filled with worry and the sadness from missing their girl, they leaned into a sweet, tear filled kiss that had all their love put into it. Immediately, Luz’s hands came up and held Amity’s face on either side so gently as she ran her thumbs over her cheeks, taking in every inch of that familiar feeling of her gorgeous face as she smiled like the biggest idiot into their kiss. Amity was smiling as well, and it made the butterflies she still got inside her just flutter out of whack when she heard her cute little giggle. She was about to make a comment on how much she missed that when she suddenly shrieked, as Amity began to twirl them around just like Luz had done all those years ago when she scaled that vine into her room…it was just as perfect now as it was then, and made her heart feel just as filled with the love and warmth she had so sorely been missing.
Once Amity slowly brought them to a stop, Luz felt her carefully letting the back of her legs go so that she could stand before properly pulling her in close once more for another desperate embrace. Their kiss had broken, and for the time being they stood there in silence, wrapped up into each other, just enjoying the feeling of holding the other so close once again as the light snow continued to fall and cling onto hair and clothes. Luz found herself burying her face into her girlfriend’s neck, loving the warmth from her skin that was poking out just enough, and also inhaling deeply to get as much of that comforting familiar scent of her Amity as she did. She sighed contently then when she felt her Love nuzzle into her hair at the top of her head, definitely doing the exact same thing; both had missed that far too much. It was perfect, and if it wasn’t for the cold slowly making itself known despite how warmly they were with each other, they most likely would have spent the rest of the night out there. Speaking of, out of curiosity Luz squirmed just a little to reach into her pocket to pull out her phone and check the time…
“11:59 on Christmas eve…”, she huffed out a little laugh as her eyes settled on the screen. Luz couldn’t believe it, and shook her head as she started to put her phone away before looking up to her girlfriend , “…and here I thought the twins were the dramatic on-…what happened to your eyebrow?! That looks fresh!”
Amity sheepishly cleared her throat, and tried to play it cool. She wasn’t able to completely cover her face with her abomination goo and had a splash of boiling rain singe it. Not wanting to cause any worry to her Luz right now, she tried down playing it, “…I uhm…wanted to surprise you by matching the one you have?”
Luz rolled her eyes, and huffed, “Ami…”
“…let’s not worry about that now, Batata…it’s not important…”, she leaned down and kissed her shorter Love’s forehead, earning her a bit of a worried sigh. When she leaned back once more, Amity glanced into Luz’s eyes, giving her a reassuring look to let her know that she was fine, more than, and smiled softly at her as she continued, “…what is important is that I’m here now, because I made a promise to be with you, to be home Christmas eve…and I wasn’t about to break something as important as that…no matter what it took…”
As much as Luz wanted to push for more, she knew it could wait for another time; because Amity was right. She may have done something risky, in fact Luz knew her girlfriend had done just that…but that didn’t matter for the time being. What mattered was that they were here together now, as promised, in each other’s arms as the snow fell gently down upon them, and able to spend Christmas together…
She shook her head and chuckled a little as she leaned up to go in for another sweet kiss, smiling as she went in, “You’re lucky I love you so damn much too, Ami…Merry Christmas and welcome home…”
…two days later, Amity would be getting a bit of a talking to from both Luz and Emira, who had called the human up as soon as Viney had informed her on what happened…but it was all worth it as she held Luz in her arms. After all, it had been her choice to take that risk, all to see her Love again…Luz was her reason for doing everything, she knew that; be it cute little date set ups, to earning money for a place of their own…to one day asking her to be her wife…Luz was her reason, and she was so happy to be reminded of that now that she was home.
Happy Holidays!