Summary – An Owl House fic. Eda learns why Luz does the parallel arm thing. Only, too little too late. found family angst. License taken with the scene from YBOS.
I understand now
Edalyn Clawthorne never could understand why Luz would hold her arms out and put them around her. Often very tightly. Honestly, what was wrong with a pat on the back or a kind word instead? Did the girl have to crush her every time?
Must be a human thing, she thought as she poured her morning mug of apple blood. Though they're weird enough already.
She did make a few observations though. Luz only did the arm thing when she was either really happy or very sad. Or frightened. Either way, it always took Eda by surprise whenever she was held tight by her.
She'd thought she'd be used to it by now, having lived with Luz for so long. But no. That girl was a parallel arm ninja who always attacked when Eda was least expecting it.
Luz would always hold her tight while she tried to get Luz to let her go. Not understanding what she was supposed to do in these situations.
But that was Luz's way, she supposed. Eda's way would of course be different. They were from different worlds, travelled in different packs. Luz with the huggers and Eda with the head-petters and back-slappers.
Small wonder it often felt like they spoke completely different languages.
She'd often seen Luz do the same thing to her witchling friends, and reasoned it had to be important. Even King got the parallel arm thing. And Eda needed to know why this gesture was so important.
"Hey, Luz," she called to her apprentice across the breakfast table. The girl looked up from her spellbook.
"Yeah?"
"I got a question for you."
"Okay," Luz grinned. "Shoot."
"What's the deal with that parallel arm thing you do? Does it mean something, or..."
Luz cocked her head, a puzzled look on her face. "Uhh... you mean, hugs?"
Eda brightened. Oh good, it has a name. "Yeah, those. If that's what they're called."
Luz giggled softly. "Yeah, they're called hugs," she said. "What about em?"
"Well," Eda began, not really sure how to go about asking the question. "Why do you do it? Hug people?"
Luz paused for a moment, her mind trying to work out why Eda would ask such a question.
"Uhh... it's... a show of affection," she began. "It's my way of saying I care about you. It's how most humans show they care about someone."
Eda blinked. Slowly registering Luz's answer. "But couldn't you just... I dunno... say that?"
Luz smiled. "Well, you could, but it's nice to show it sometimes too."
Eda shrugged, still not quite able to grasp the concept. "I guess so. But it just feels kinda arbitrary to me."
Luz's smile faded and she let out a long sigh, laying a hand on Eda's hair as she got up from the table.
"Don't worry, Eda," she said softly, "You'll get it eventually."
Eda smiled back and agreed, though inside, she wasn't so sure she would.
. . .
unfortunately, there wasn't much time to try.
Emperor Belos had captured Luz and forced Eda out to confront her sister to get her human back.
Of course that only ended with Eda becoming the owl beast permanently after using up the last of her magic. The Emperor's guards dragging her into the palace in chains while Luz could only watch.
From within the confines of her prison in the Emperor's palace, Eda sighed heavily. There were so many things she'd left unsaid with Luz. Now it seemed she'd never get the opportunity to.
Her only hope now was that Luz had actually done as she'd said and hightailed it as far away from the Boiling Isles as possible. That she'd dug out the old suitcase and gone through the portal back home...
At least, that's what she'd hoped. Until she heard her Luz calling her name.
"Eda? Eda, it's me! Luz!"
Eda blinked. "What? Luz?" Her heart dropped at the sight of the girl in the cloak she'd made for her earlier. A cloak Eda never got to give her. "Oh no. no, no no no... what are you doing here?!"
"I've come to rescue you!" Luz said proudly, and bent down to cast a glyph on the chains holding her. Hoping to shatter them with a spell.
"Luz, it won't work," Eda said softly after the fifth futile attempt failed. "Your magic isn't strong enough for this."
"But I have to get you out of here!" Luz protested, trying again and again and again to break her mentor free.
"Luz..."
The sounds of approaching guards broke the moment, and they both jolted. Luz out of fear. Eda out of fear for Luz. Owl beast ears twitching.
"Now kid, listen to me," Eda began, her tone urgent now. "I want you to take the suitcase and get as far away from here as you can. Go back home and when you get there, destroy the portal back."
It was hard to miss the expression on Luz's face, or the tears welling up in her eyes at the words. Eda may as well have slapped her in the face for how hurt the girl looked.
"No!" Luz snarled. "I'm not leaving you!"
Eda groaned, half pained half frustrated. "Kid, will you for once just listen to me? I need to know you'll be safe alright. Before they turn me to stone."
Luz swallowed thickly, failing to blink away the tears in her eyes. "But... but we're a family. Us weirdos have to stick together."
Eda shook her head, wanting nothing more than to agree with the sentiment. But it would only put Luz in danger, and she'd never forgive herself if she let Luz get hurt. This girl she loved like a daughter.
"You already have a family," Eda pointed out to her. "Go back to them. They love you. Forget about this place. Forget about me."
Luz let the tears roll down her cheeks now. "How could I ever do that? She asked, sobbing. Arms out parallel again, squeezing Eda tight. "I love you, Eda."
The world seemed to stop for Eda Clawthorne in that moment, as Luz uttered the words and buried her face in owl feathers. The witch's cursed heart ceasing to beat for only a moment.
Oh, she realised. Oh, I understand now, why humans do this.
She closed her eyes and allowed herself a soft smile, a tear rolling down her cheek. Hoping to Titan this wouldn't be the last time she saw the brave human girl she was proud to call her apprentice.
"I love you too, kiddo," she answered softly. Echoing the sentiment with the whole of her being. Though it nearly broke her to speak her next words. "But you really have to go."
Luz nodded and they parted. "I promise," Luz said firmly. "I promise I'll come back for you."