Work Text:
A shrill beeping cuts through the silence in Luz’s bedroom. Amity shuts it off on the first ring. The stillness makes it feel as if no sound at all had passed the room. Her eyelids feel heavy and sore, so she lets herself sit in bed for a minute.
It’s autumn now, and mornings are suitably bleak and frigid. Camila was able to find them all warm blankets to cope with the cold nights, and Amity finds herself so snug under the covers that it actually makes early mornings like this all the more difficult. Difficult as it is, however, it’s no match for the discipline that comes with the family name. So, Amity gets up, pays no mind to the chill air pricking at her skin.
She glances at Willow splayed out on her cot; mouth wide open without a care in the world. Amity almost snorts at her, but she doesn’t want to wake anyone. She puts on a fleece jacket and approaches Luz’s sleeping form on her way out. She always checks on her, just to be sure. It worries Amity that Luz can look so stricken with grief, even in her unconscious state. Her forehead is creased, her eyelashes twitch, again and again. The cover she has crumpled in her fist is pulled down, leaving her shoulders out in the cold. It’s difficult to wake her like this, and when she does, Luz can’t always just fall back asleep. Amity tucks her in neatly, gently, covers over her shoulders and neck. She kisses her temple, to which Luz stiffens at first, but the grip on her blanket becomes slack and Amity knows that it’s all she can do without waking her.
She closes the door gently behind her and pads her way down the stairs.
Camila is already in the kitchen, as per usual, and they greet each other quietly. Today's menu: blueberry pancakes, presumably to cheer up Luz. Practice has made Amity pretty confident around the kitchen; she brings eggs and milk to Camila, who is measuring flour in a glass bowl. Next is the sugar and blueberries, and Amity does great work with mixing the batter, but she leaves the stove action for Camila. She’s eager to avoid a repeat of Hunter’s incident from last week.
Mornings have been like this. Well, the early mornings have, at least, since the rest of hexsquad and Vee don’t usually get up for breakfast before ten, especially in this cold. Amity comes down, helps Camila, and they keep each other company until Camila has to leave for work. It has been a nice way to get to know Luz’s mom, even if it was a bit awkward, at first. Or perhaps it was just Amity who had felt awkward, because Camila was always her warm self. She tells Amity about her job, the different pets she treats, and even shares work gossip, if Amity is interested, which she always is.
Today there is a short lull in the conversation, but when Amity crouches to reach the lower cupboard shelves for a tupperware, Camila speaks up again.
"Luz told me she went to your school." Amity looks up at her. Memories from not so long ago flood her mind at the subject. The boring lectures and the endless extra credit work she’d do, yes, but that’s irrelevant compared to Luz's infectious cheer filling the hallways, every time. The little notes they would pass in class. Meeting Amity at her locker before heading to the cafeteria. The library study dates.
"Yes, she did."
"Were you in the same class?" Amity's cheeks warm at this. Talking to her own mother about school had always been a not-so-subtle way to test Amity. Was this Camila trying to learn more about their relationship? Whether Amity was good enough for her daughter?
She turns back to the cupboard to retrieve the box. It gives her some time to think of a response, but the hesitation in her voice is still there.
"Uhm, we shared some classes. Luz was studying every track, so we didn't see each other much outside of recess." She sees how Camila’s eyes widen subtly at this. Amity puts the box down on the counter, but she doesn’t let go for fear of having nothing for her hands to fiddle with. "Don’t worry, I didn't distract her! We even studied together after school, and she was doing well. Really."
Camila turns to the stove to flip the first pancakes onto a plate. She doesn’t seem angry. "It must have been hard for her."
Amity considers this. "It was tiring, but she made it look so easy." Camila pours more batter in the pan, and the kitchen warms up with the delicious scent. She smiles pleasantly at Amity, “Can you tell me more?”
So she does. Amity retrieves a hefty box of leftovers and fills the empty tupperware. She tells Camila briefly about the different tracks. How for decades a student could only pick one until the day came that Luz arrived and decided to turn the whole system on its head. She cuts two slices of bread, equal widths, then spreads peanut butter on one and strawberry jam on the other. She omits the basilisk and the near-death experiences from that day. But she does talk about Luz picking every single track, how excited she was about school, how amazing she was with discovering and combining glyphs, how nothing seemed to stop her, ever. The sandwich is now wrapped neatly in foil, so she fetches two cereal bars from the cupboard. Camila does ask questions, but mostly she lets Amity speak. It becomes clear that this wasn’t a test at all, maybe Camila just wanted to chat, and this happened to be the subject. The ice melts and the conversation flows effortlessly, and Amity finds herself smiling genuinely, not just out of politeness.
The pancakes are nearly ready, and Amity is almost done packing the lunch bag. Arroz con pollo, a peanut butter and jam sandwich, two chocolate and oat cereal bars, a large orange and a banana. Luz is not going hungry on her watch.
Camila nods appreciatively at her work. “That looks great Amity, thank you.” Amity shrugs modestly, an "It’s nothing.” slipping through her lips. Camila is still looking at her, and Amity can tell there’s something else on her mind, she just needs to find the words.
“Thank you as well, for looking after Luz. When I saw her through the portal she made, I could tell she was thrilled to be there.” She says. “I’m glad to hear she enjoyed school in the Boiling Isles. I think it’s hard for her to come back to it, here in the ‘Human Realm’, I mean.” She pauses, adds another pancake to the plate. “She wasn’t very happy even though she tried, and I know she did try her best.”
“She always does. I think it’s the only way she knows how to do things.” The weight on Camila’s shoulders lifts with the corners of her lips. She pours the last of the batter on the pan, it sizzles pleasantly, she turns off the heat.
“Would you mind waking her up for me? I think she’d find it easier to get out of bed if her girlfriend asked her to.” Amity nods and leaves, flustered and eager in equal measure.
---
The door creaks gently as she walks in. It’s just as quiet as when she left for the kitchen maybe half an hour ago. She pads over to Luz’s bed and sits down on the edge of it, which creaks under her weight. Amity can feel the heat radiating from the covers, where Luz’s folded legs are touching her own. Her girlfriend's curls are sticking out at odd angles where her hand lays over her head. Her long dark lashes twitch, but her brow is relaxed. She seems much more at peace now, which makes this exceedingly difficult, but Amity places a hand on her shoulder nonetheless. She nudges her gently.
“Batata,” Luz stirs only very lightly. “Your mom made pancakes for you. Blueberry.” Luz gives an appreciative hum, voice still raspy from sleep.
“My mom made them?” There’s a tilt to her words that Amity complies to sweetly, “Maybe I helped too.” They smile at each other, though it seems like Luz can't quite open her eyes yet. She turns over to lie on her back. A sigh.
Luz flings an arm over her face.
"I don't think I can do it..."
Amity’s face warms, no matter how many times her girlfriend pulls this move.
"...without a kiss?"
Luz clutches her hands over her chest, closes her eyes and proceeds to pucker up in the most obnoxious way possible.
Luz has to know how cute she is.
But, for once, Amity stays strong.
"You know, those pancakes are really calling for me." Luz's eyes snap open. "I guess if you don't want them, I can have yours?" Amity makes a move to leave but Luz grabs her arm in a flash, hoists herself up to sit on the bed.
"Sweet potato?!" Amity snickers at her crestfallen face and decides that was mean enough of her. She pecks her pout away, and when Luz reaches forward for another kiss, she gives it to her gladly. Luz is impossibly warm, impossibly soft. She smells like fresh laundry and the raspberry soap they have in the upstairs shower. Her ruffled hair tickles Amity’s cheeks, and Amity leans back, combs the stray curls away from Luz's face. She’s glad Willow and Vee are asleep, she’s not sure her own goofy smile would go without a comment from either of them.
"Do you want me to pass you your clothes?"
"Yes, please."
Amity goes back downstairs to see Camila finish setting the table for breakfast. Amity walks around the kitchen island and reaches for a pen and paper for the last step of her morning routine.
Luz comes down, now fully dressed and the three have breakfast together. Luz’s cheery energy is refilled with every pancake she eats. They chat about what they have planned for their day and soon Camila is leaving for work. She gives them both a hug, kisses Luz's hair.
"Have a nice day, mijas. I'll pick you up from school later, Luz."
Luz and Amity watch the car leave the driveway from the living room window. They put the dishes in the sink to soak, Amity will deal with them later. It's still early, so the school bus won't be here for another twenty minutes or so.
They drop to the couch, hands linked, and Amity leans her head on Luz's shoulder. Luz puts an arm around her.
Luz’s cheer seems to drain with each passing minute. Amity kisses her cheek, holds her closer.
“I hope you have a nice day today.” she says.
Luz hums noncommittally, kisses her lips. “It’ll be a nice day when I get to see you again.” Her eyes twinkle faintly.
“I’ll be waiting for you.”
Amity caresses her cheek with the back of her hand. Luz closes her eyes with a sigh, but Amity can tell there’s a storm running through her, dragging her under.
“Hey.”
Their eyes meet. She looks exhausted.
“Have I told you about my girlfriend?” Luz puffs air through her nose, then plays along.
“You have a girlfriend? Now I’m jealous.”
“You should be, she’s great.” Luz turns away only for Amity to cup her face. She turns her head back to face her again. Luz looks ashamed, she needs to hear this. “She has a terrible sense of humor; it makes all the terrible things feel more bearable. She’s stubborn to a fault and doesn’t know when to quit. I don’t know how I ever thought I could get rid of her. She's a magnet, she pulls you in. And you’re all the better for it.” Luz snaps her eyes shut; her lashes stick to each other wetly. She’s trembling under her hands. Amity ploughs through. “I know I am.”
“She has an incredible heart. She has gone through so much and she still only seems to think of others.” Amity feels her voice falter. But she needs to hear this. “She sees the best in people. I wish she looked at herself like she looked at me, at my worst. You know, I really look up to her.” Luz’s head is down, Amity brings it to rest on her chest, and Luz folds in on herself, helplessly. Amity sucks in a breath, chuckles to herself. “She’s stunning, have I mentioned that?” Luz let’s out a wet laugh.
“Her hair is growing out and it looks so good. Her eyes are big, round and bright, the prettiest hazel brown. And her skin is always warm. Always!” Amity runs a hand through her curls, the other caresses her back. “She’s beautiful, handsome, endlessly charming.”
Luz shifts, wipes her eyes with her jacket sleeve. She can finally look at Amity in the eye now, and while her gaze is still fragile, she’s actually smiling.
"Someone's biased."
Amity smiles too. She says in mock confusion, "I thought you said I was lesbian?"
It's bad, it’s really bad, but Luz snorts so it does the trick. Amity is pulled closer, arms circling her neck, and Amity holds her girlfriend’s waist, immediately, without a second thought.
"Miss Amity Blight, making a pun? Maybe I've taught you something after all.”
Amity doesn’t say anything, she just wipes the tear trails off of Luz’s cheeks. She looks at her face, her every detail, and Luz doesn’t look away. Amity kisses one cheek then the other. Then her nose, her forehead, her temple. Luz laughs. Amity kisses her lips.
Water condenses on the cold glass of the windows. The house is quiet, their morning coffee cools on the kitchen table. Luz’s hands leave her hair. Amity huffs, tries not to let it show how much more air she really needs in her lungs. Luz pecks her sweetly, apologetically, and rises from the sofa.
“I hate to be the voice of reason, but I think the bus is about to arrive.”
Luz gets her bag, and Amity puts her lunch in it. Luz thanks her, they hug, one last kiss, and she’s off. Amity sees her leave from the house, loses track of her when the bus reaches the end of the street.
She sighs and makes her way back upstairs. There’s still a couple of hours to go before Willow or Vee wake up so she might as well join them.
---
The cafeteria is packed. Morning classes were alright, all things considered, but nevertheless dull and draining. That sandwich was definitely the highlight of it all. She needs to tell Amity her snack making skills are no joke.
Luz finds a spot next to some kids she shares classes with, she’s not sure which. It doesn’t matter anyway. She doesn’t know what to talk to them about and they’re well into their chatter, so they probably won’t have noticed her. Only four more hours to get through until her mom picks her up.
She gets her lunch bag out. Arroz con pollo and a big orange. She rummages the bag for her cutlery and a napkin, which she takes out. A note falls on her lap.
<3 U Luz! - Amity
A smile makes its way to her face. She tucks the note into the inner pocket on her jacket, close to her chest.
Today would be a nice day.