A/N: *kicks down the door, coffee in hand, glaring* I'm here to rectify a mistake.

Look, season 3 started, and that's great. My reaction is a lot more… mixed than others, in that the one thing I really, really wanted didn't happen. That thing being Luz not spending the entire first special regressing as a character and blaming herself while keeping secrets. A plot that had been used twice in 2B alone, and I was already tired of it then.

You know that SpongeBob meme? "How many times do we have to teach you this lesson, old man?!" That one? That is how I feel about Luz's character development so far this season.

But that isn't what I'm here to fix. Sure, I could wish all I want that Luz would have grown from the last two, three times she's gone through this rigmarole, and we got a moment where she just opened up to her friends on her own instead of having a reveal that she's keeping secrets, but you're not here to hear me rant about that. You've seen the tags, this is a Vee story!

The second biggest mistake of the season, was taking Vee's friend out behind the shed and putting them down, and not having their really give a damn. Like, this is a group she spent more time with over her summer than Luz did with Amity, Gus and Willow. They shared a cabin, where Luz and co spent their time in separate houses, and didn't see each other every day. These were the only people in Vee's life, the only thing she had, that wasn't originally Luz's, and that should be treated as worth more than gold to her. Vee even had someone she was crushing on, Masha as we now know them. Yet neither Vee, nor Vee's friends, seem to miss each other all that much now that Luz has returned. I will fix this utter injustice!

Please also let it be known, none of these complaints are things I blame Dana or the Owl House team for. I absolutely blame Disney, and think all of my issues with the episode come entirely from ten episodes or so being crushed down into 44 minutes. We absolutely could have explored Vee's situation with her friends if there was more time to do so, and I have no doubt in my mind that was the intention when they were introduced, but they had to have their screen time cut and scenes rewritten. What we got was amazing for how much likely ended up being cut.

Overly Dramatic Rant over. This fic takes place immediately after the events of "Thanks to Them." Tom and Sam are names I've used for Vee's two other friends, Tom being the tall one, Sam being the one with glasses. They both don't have canon names yet, and likely won't ever at this point unless it's announced outside of the show.

Thanks ahead of time for reading. Love you.


It had been a long night for Vee. After the fight against Belos and everyone but her going through the portal, she had discovered that Camila had forgotten to hand over her car keys. That meant that Vee had to head back home on foot, grab the spares, and then walk all the way back, in the dead of night. That at least gave her time to call the Vet Clinic to let them know, using Camila's voice, that she was going to be away for the foreseeable future. Calling the school about Luz being absent would have to wait until morning, though.

Driving the car had been fun at least. Camila had shown her how, in case of an emergency. She only had words of praise for Vee's driving skills, being very excited for the basilisk to get her license in two years or so. Honestly, the permanence that Camila spoke of filled Vee with more joy than anything else. Camila wanted her to be there two years from now. She wanted Vee to stay.

Upon pulling into the driveway, Vee heaved a sigh and stepped out of the vehicle. All the trick or treaters seemed to have gone home for the night if the empty streets said anything. That made sense, seeing as it had to be past eleven by now. Vee scooped up the bowl of candy Camila had left on the porch before they had left, giving it a shake and seeing a few tasty, lingering pieces inside that made her mouth water. A treat to help herself to before bed, she supposed. Camila wasn't there to scold her about cavities, and it was Halloween after all.

After locking the door behind her, she shifted back down to her base form, slithering across the floor and over to the sofa, intending to feast while the feasting was good. She'd hardly settled in for the night, candy half unwrapped in her claws and a nature documentary on the television, when the doorbell rang, forcing her to pause the show. The basilisk pursed her lips. Trick or treaters maybe? Out this late?

Well, it was her first Halloween, so she supposed she couldn't assume it was too late. Maybe there were some stragglers still wanting a treat. And she still did have candy, as loathed as she was to part with it. As quickly as she'd turned scaly, she shifted her form back into flesh, assuming the body and identity she'd created for herself, then unlocked and opened the door, expecting a cry of "trick or treat!"

Instead she was met with the wide eyes of Masha, her old Cabin Seven friend from the first half of summer. Vee's mouth gaped, and she involuntarily swallowed, taking in the witchy outfit the enby was wearing.

Masha smirked, and waggled their eyebrows playfully, "You'll catch flies like that, Vee, was it? What are you doing here? Isn't this the Noceda residence?"

Vee coughed, clearing her throat, "Uh, yes, yes it is. They… aren't here right now. Family emergency, I'm house sitting for them. Can I help you with anything?" She grimaced and forced a smile to her lips.

Masha however, just sighed, looking frustrated and more than a little upset with that news. "Figures. Luz hasn't talked to me in weeks, why would she be here now? Thanks anyway, though. Have a happy Halloween."

The witch dressed teenager swiftly turned to leave, with Vee standing in the doorway, feeling like an idiot. She kept her eyes downcast, biting her lip, knowing exactly why Luz hadn't spoken to any of her supposed friends. Because Luz didn't know any of them, didn't have any history with them, and frankly, hadn't been in any mood to try to get to know them. She just had too much weighing her down these past few weeks. But in that time, Masha had clearly been hurt by Luz's inaction, as well as Vee's own.

"Masha, wait!" Vee called out, and the other teen stopped in their tracks. Vee wrung her hands nervously, then jerked a thumb over her shoulder, "I, uh, have some leftover candy, if you'd like to come inside and talk about it?"

Masha frowned, eying Vee up and down, "I'm sorry, but we've met, like, once? And you want me to spill my guts about someone you're house sitting for in exchange for candy?"

"Y-yes?" Vee answered, feeling stupid and clenching the candy bowl tightly against herself.

A chortle escaped Masha's lips, and they took a step forward, "You're gutsier than you look. Fine, but I get anything with peanut butter in it. You're lucky you remind me of someone I used to know. Or, thought I did, anyway."

Vee sidestepped, allowing her former friend entry into the house. The place wasn't exactly the cleanest, having recently housed a good four extra children than it was ever meant to. Vee, in a self conscious fit, began to tidy up a few things as they made their way to the sofa, where Masha plopped down, gesturing upward for the candy bowl still held in Vee's hands. "None of that, the place looks fine. Besides, it's not your mess to clean, is it?"

"What do you mean?" Vee asked, ears perking up beneath her hair as she passed the treats.

"Well, you're just house sitting. You don't need to clean up after the people who live here, you know." Masha rolled their eyes good naturedly, then patted the spot beside them. "Come on, sit, you'll make me antsy if you keep cleaning."

Vee did as was asked, sitting down and curling her legs up on the sofa. She couldn't exactly argue that she did live here, and so it was her responsibility to keep it tidy after using her cover story. The two sat in awkward silence for a moment, Vee not sure where to begin. Masha had… certainly changed a lot since the last time they'd had any meaningful conversation. Vee had changed a lot as well. Things were very different now.

The two ate from the bowl of candy, Masha making good on their claim to anything loaded with peanut butter, smacking Vee's hands away from a Reeses a little harder than what could be considered playful anytime she came near to snagging one. Popping a Hershey's kiss into her mouth, Vee finally found her courage to try and break the ice, "So, uh, you said you were looking for Luz?"

Masha frowned, as if realizing that they'd agreed to talk about this. "Yeah. She's a friend. Or I thought she was…"

Vee's eyes fell, unable to meet Masha's. The enby swallowed the candy currently in their mouth, "Look, I don't know how well you know her, but she is- was one of my best friends. Then she ditched me, and doesn't talk to me at school anymore. It- it was like there was a flip of a switch, and she was this completely different person overnight, you know?"

Vee made a guttural noise of discomfort, but nodded. She understood all too perfectly. Masha continued, "And, I tried to help. I really did. But she wouldn't let me in. She looked at me like I was a stranger, and that… that really hurt. Eventually, I just gave up."

Heaving a sigh, Masha took off their witches hat and tossed it aside, onto the coffee table. "I get that she's going through some stuff or something, but there was only so much I could put up with. And then, tonight, for the first time in forever, I saw her outside of school."

Vee blinked. That was news to her. "You did? How did that happen?"

Masha leaned back in their seat, shrugging their shoulders, "I don't think she intended to bump into me. You know I'm working at the Gravesfield Historical Society, and one of my duties as a part timer is helping out with the haunted hay rides. She came on with a gaggle of other costumed teens. I didn't even recognize her at first, and… and I don't even think she noticed me."

The enby ran a frustrated hand their their hair, groaning, "Ugh, and she was with this girl, and the two of them were doing this adorable couples costume together based off those dumb Azura books and movies. And they just sat there, being cute together, and it sucked."

Folding her arms over her chest, Vee wanted to defend her friends who had just wanted to do something fun together, all while she herself tried not to appear flustered to hear the unsubtle twinge of jealousy in Masha's voice, "I- I mean, why would that bother you? I get that she didn't say hi, and that was- that was really rude of her, but, I mean, you were just friends, right?"

Masha didn't look amused by this line of questioning, at least for a moment, before sinking deeper into their sofa cushion, "I know, you're this total stranger, but I gotta tell you something. Luz… Luz got me, you know? Like, Goddess, she understood me! All my weird little eccentricities, all my talk about pagan witchy-ness and tarot card readings, and there was never the least a bit of judgement in her eyes."

The teen turned to face Vee, then smirked, "Sorta like you're doing right now. She'd just listen, and watch me, and I knew she was hearing what I was saying, instead of just being polite and putting up with me."

Vee's face burned crimson at that comment, and she forced her eyes away, earning a small cackle from the human in the witch costume. "Sorry."

"You're fine. I meant what I said. You're actually listening to me," Masha nudged Vee's leg as they smiled, though it didn't last long, their eyes casting downward. "Things changed when Luz did. Suddenly, this… this beautiful person in my life won't even look my way. I'll admit, I hadn't realized I'd been… crushing, maybe a little. I liked having those eyes on me. Liked having them looking just at me. And now… those aren't her eyes anymore, and they're certainly not looking my way."

Vee held her breath, biting her upper lip so hard she thought she was going to bleed, even with the dull human teeth she used in this disguise. Masha had been crushing on her? Her? That didn't seem at all possible. And it felt wrong to hear it now, while her friend was ignorant to who she really was.

"I mean, I'm not the only one she ignored, either. Tom and Sam gave up on trying to get through to Luz weeks ago. But I didn't. Not really, until I saw her there with that new girl…" Masha sighed, pouting, then reached for another candy in the bowl, not caring what landed in their grip, just that it was something they could stuff into their mouth.

Vee felt horrible. Truly, she did. She had loved her friends from Cabin Seven. She had spent every waking moment with them at camp, and every sleeping moment in the cabin in bunks beside them. She had cared for each of them as dearly as Luz did for Gus, Willow and Hunter. She cared a lot for Masha in a similar way to how Luz cared about Amity. But… she couldn't just go on living Luz's life for her, selfishly hoarding it for herself, either. So, when the time came, she had to give her friends up, no matter how much it had hurt. At least they would have the real Luz, but it seemed, that they hadn't.

Before she could utter another useless apology for her actions, Masha stood from the couch, and began to rant, "And you know what the worst part is? I don't know if she left us because of something I did. She won't talk to me, won't look at me… Sh- she stopped talking to me right after I changed my pronouns, too, and I wonder… Did she hate me for that? I always thought she was a lot more open minded than that, but-"

An indescribably amount of hurt came across Masha's face, "But does she hate me for being myself? I- I thought she'd be happy for me. I wanted her support, but she wasn't there, and that- that hurt the most."

"No, no!" Vee cried, standing up and holding Masha by the shoulders, "Luz isn't like that! She- She's the most accepting, loving person I've ever met. And…"

Masha sniffled, wiping at their face with their sleeve and smeared their Halloween makeup in the process. Even still, Vee thought they looked breathtaking. "Then why won't she talk to me? I came here tonight to ask her myself, but she's run off again. It's so obvious, she hates me, but I just wanted to hear it from her mouth myself. I wanted closure, or- or something, but now I can't even get that!"

"Hey," Vee spoke soothingly as she shook her head, carefully taking the end of her own sweater sleeve to wipe her friend's face herself, "I told you, she doesn't hate you. You meant the world to her, really."

"You'll have to forgive me if I don't trust the word of some girl I don't even know," Masha muttered bitterly, embarrassed to have cried in front of a near perfect stranger.

Vee breathed in, and out, licking her lips, then carefully spoke, "I mean it. I- I know just how important your friendship was to her. She told me. Y-you were the first person in this whole world that wanted to be her friend. She wa- was just this weirdo at camp, who didn't understand half of what was going on despite it being common knowledge, but you never judged her for that. You helped her out as best you could."

Masha was staring at Vee with wide eyes as the basilisk spoke, and it took everything inside of the basilisk to not break that contact, even as her cheeks warmed. "You talked about how you felt she heard you when you spoke, and the truth is, she felt the same way. She wasn't ever afraid to ask you questions, because she knew you'd never mock her for not knowing the answer. You made her feel seen in a world that confused and overlooked her. She could never hate you, or ever be ashamed of you. She is so, so proud of you. Of who you are, and that you've embraced what others find difficult and wear it openly."

Vee didn't know when her own eyes had gotten wet, nor when her hands had drifted from holding Masha's shoulders to cupping her face in her hands. Masha's own eyes were leaking, tears flowing down their cheek, brushed aside by Vee's fingers. The enby reached up, tracing their fingers across the back of Vee's hands as they held them, slowly shaking their head, "Why do you feel so familiar? How could you possibly know any of this? Who are you, really?"

Vee's lip quivered, and she clenched her eyes closed, "Luz avoided you, because- because she was keeping something from you. She thought you'd hate her if you ever found out, and maybe it was easier just leaving than ever telling you, of ever facing the fact that you and the others would choose to leave her. At least she could tell herself that you were all still friends-"

"Vee," Masha's voice cracked as they shook the basilisk, "I- I could never hate Luz. I was just so frustrated with her, but I don't hate her, so please, tell me what's bothering her. Or- or talk to her, I just want my friend back. Ev-even if I… Even if she's seeing someone else…"

Vee refused to open her eyes, not wanting to see the look in the other teen's expression for this next part. "I- She… she was afraid to tell you, that she was never Luz in the first place. That she was just some monster that took her place without permission, and had to give it back."

The basilisk swallowed, shifting her form with what should have been practiced ease into the form of Luz that Masha knew so well. Instead, it was one of the single hardest transformations she'd ever undergone. Vee could feel the teen stiffen under her fingertips, nearly leaping backwards and out of Vee's reach. Vee kept her eyes shut, not wanting to see the look of shock and disgust on their face as she continued to speak, and when she did it came out as Luz's voice, instead of her own, "I- I had to give Luz her life back. She deserved it, after everything she went through. I'm so, so sorry, I never meant to hurt you, or the others when I left,"

Finally, she dropped the disguises altogether, standing out in the living room in nothing but her scales, tail curled around herself as her body shook from the sheer anxiety she was experiencing in that moment. "I never wanted you to know this was what I actually was. Just some… sick experiment, brought back from extinction and raised in a cage. But here I am. A monster. A demon from another world. I'm sorry I've disappointed you, and- and I understand if you hate me…" Her ears drooped, and she sniffled, clawing at her face as the tears leaked from her eyes even as they were clenched tightly shut.

Masha didn't leave, didn't storm out, didn't yell in anger or in fright. Instead, steady hands grasped either side of Vee's face, gently forcing her to look up and away from the ground. With shaky breath, Vee cracked open her eyes, expecting to see a scornful, angry person replacing their friend, but was instead met by sad, curious eyes, examining her every feature.

They stared into Vee's eyes, and a thumb brushed against her cheek, Masha shook their head, wordlessly denying Vee's claims of being a monster, their lips forming into the smallest of smiles, "You still have the same eyes as you always have."

Vee rested her claws around Masha's wrists, shaking her head in denial, "Nuh-uh, they're- they're not even close to Luz's… They're not even the same color, or shape." She sounded childish protesting this, she knew, but a bit of her was still grasping onto the fact that they were still here.

A chuckle formed in Masha's throat, "No, they're exactly how I remember them. Full of kindness, caring, and love. Just like they always are. No wonder you seemed so familiar. I should have known the moment you looked at me."

"You're really not scared?" Vee's voice was pitifully low, hardly an audible squeak.

"I'll admit, it's… going to take some getting used to," Masha said truthfully, sounding a bit overwhelmed by everything going on in front of them. "I mean, wow! I always believed in stuff like this, but to have real live proof in front of me… I'm still trying to grasp that this isn't all some elaborate Halloween prank and you're just wearing a rubber mask." Masha squeezed Vee's cheeks in their hands, as if checking for elasticity.

"I swear, it's not rubber. One hundred percent genuine scales," Vee smiled, placing one of her claws over Masha's as it rested on her cheek. Both teens seemed to realize what position they were in, Masha's face turning bright red as everything they had said came rushing back to them.

"Oh- Oh my Goddess, I- I can't believe that you heard all of that," The enby looked a bit mortified, "I spilled my guts about you, to you! I got all mushy about my feelings and- you know what, just- just forget about it!"

Vee deflated a little, taking a hard blow to her self esteem, "It's what I am, isn't it? You- it's fine if you aren't into that, I understand, I can change back into a more human form if you'd-"

"No, no!" Masha cut her off, making an x motion with their hands, "You look fine! You're beautiful, really, in a really unique, if incredibly unconventional, way. Goddess, that sounds bad… I just, I always had something planned out, back when I thought you were Luz… And then I just kind of dumped all of that on you and-"

They seemed to short circuit, eyes going wide as they looked at Vee, who was nervously clenching her hands together, "Di- did you always feel the same way, or am I just…?"

Vee gave a small nod of her head, taking the teen's hands in her claws, "You're… amazing, Masha. I meant every word earlier, about how proud I am of you. I always thought you were this amazing friend, but after being away from you for so long, then seeing you again at the Historical Society, with your new hair, your entire new look, I was… kinda blown away, really. It looks really good on you, by the way."

Masha flushed bashfully, making a little meep in response. Vee smiled, a bright, genuine smile at that noise. "You practically leapt over the counter and put your face right up against mine, and I just knew that what I was feeling back then, and now, was… deeper. I… understand if I'm not exactly what you thought I'd be, though. I'm fine if you just want to be friends-"

Masha put a finger to her lips, shushing the basilisk, "I'm just gonna say this once, because it's super embarrassing to admit, but now that the shock has worn off, your true form, it's kinda doing it for me."

Now it was the basilisk's turn to meep and turn red, earning a snicker from the enby, "I may have started feeling attracted to you while you ran around with Luz's face, but… I like who you are, no matter the form. Like I told you, you're beautiful, even now. I mean it. This isn't exactly how I saw this going at all, but… I'm glad to see you, the real you."

A soft kiss was placed on Vee's scaly cheek, her entire face turning cherry red, with not a hint of green left to be seen. She buried her face in her hands in an attempt to hide her flustered state, an act that only caused Masha to giggle wildly.

The clock in the hall chimed twelve, and both teens came crashing to a halt. Masha sighed heavily, stomping a foot down on the carpeted floor, "Ugh, I was supposed to be home an hour ago. I'll just tell my parents the hayrides lasted longer than I thought. Before I go, though? I think… and I don't want to pressure you on this, that we should tell Tom and Sam about who you really are."

Vee anxiously tapped her index fingers together at the idea of her other friends seeing her like this, but Masha settled her down with a stable hand on her shoulder, "They miss you as much as I do, Vee. They can keep a secret, and there is no way they'll hate you, I promise."

"I know," Vee answered softly, "I- I'll do it. In a day or two. This was all a bit much tonight, and I don't know if I'm ready to jump right into things."

"I understand completely," Masha nodded, "This isn't something you're used to sharing lightly. But I can be there with you when you tell them, if you'd like."

It was Vee's turn to nod her head, "Yes, please. I- I miss them so much. Can you tell them I said that? That I didn't mean to leave them in the dark, and that I'll explain everything in a few days?"

"Of course," Masha assured, pulling Vee into a tight hug. "You're very brave. And for the record, I'm very proud of you too for telling me who you are. When you're ready, let me know, and I'll bring them over. Or, if you ever want to hang out, maybe… get some coffee together? That's on the table too."

Vee nodded stiffly at the offer of a casual date, "Absolutely, I love coffee!" She spat out a little too enthusiastically.

"I'll text you my work hours, then," Masha winked, then sauntered to the door, giving Vee a backwards glance, "I wasn't lying, babe, you look good in scales."

Vee gulped, and gave a small, pitiful wave goodbye, not trusting herself to speak.


A/N: The hardest part of this was not writing Dahlia every time I needed to write Masha. That's what I get for writing a 400k fic that used one of the fandom names before canon was established.

Okay, so, speaking of the name Dahlia, I have a question for those who have read my previous fic, A Blight on Bonesborough. In that fic, Masha, or Dahlia as she's known there, is written as a girl. However, I have been recently updating the finished fic, and have been prepared to change the names of the Cabin 7 trio for some time, just biding my time until they all got canon names.

Unfortunately, only Masha got a canon name, which was a bit disappointing. They also got new pronouns. I wanted to see what everyone else thought, if I should change the name in that fic to match canon, as well as make some edits to include Masha/Dahlia's new pronouns. There is a spot towards the back end of the fic that has a time jump comparable to season 3s, which would be perfect to reintroduce Masha as coming out as non-binary with a few changes to what's already there. I've asked two people so far, and got two very different answers. One saying I should change it, as it better reflects canon, and another saying I should keep the name Dahlia and the pronouns female, since this is an AU, and a completed story, so there isn't a need to change it. But ultimately, I wanted to see what you guys thought as a whole.

Let me know what you thought of this incredibly self-indulgent story, and how I should handle Masha in my older fic in the comments. If you spot anywhere I accidentally misgendered them, let me know that as well so I can fix it.