The sun shone brilliantly, casting its golden rays upon the perfect morning. Not a single cloud was in sight, a picture of stress-free purity. Camila had planned to spend the day at home with Vee, and it should have been perfect. But for Vee, it was nothing but a maelstrom of worry and stress. The entire previous night had been spent in a fitful toss and turn as her mind tormented her with endless scenarios of disaster. So it was a worried and tired Vee that stared out the window, her mind consumed with dread.
"I can't believe she's doing this," Vee muttered, her tail twitching nervously as she watched Luz board the bus that would take her to the mall to meet Vee's friends. No matter what she did, Vee couldn't stop her heart from sinking as the bus slowly trundled away. "If she says anything wrong they'll work everything out and Luz will hate me."
"It'll be fine," Camila's voice rang out from the kitchen, a reassuring melody amidst the clinking of dishes. Vee had noticed that Camila had been spending more time than ever tending to the housework, a task made all the more challenging with five more people living under the same roof. "Stop fretting and come join us," she urged.
Vee's gaze followed the bus until it was out of sight, a wave of dread washing over her. She stood still for a moment, eyes closed and taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. Then, with a determined step, she headed to the kitchen. Thankfully, only Amity and Hunter were there, the other two had already headed off to the abandoned house. She knew the four visitors from the Boiling Isles had plans to spend the day cleaning up the shack to try and make some sort of base of operations, and she couldn't help but worry that they would try and convince her to join them. She would prefer to take a long nap than deal with the chance of them opening up a demonic portal to a realm that hated her.
"Do you need any help, Camila?" Vee asked cautiously.
"Go join Hunter and Amity, your hot chocolate is waiting," Camila replied, waving away her offer of help. There were quite a few plates and mugs already stacked up waiting to be cleaned. "I'll be over there after I finish this plate, the rest can wait."
"So, what's your plans for today?" Vee asked cautiously as she took a seat beside them, her eyes fixed on the hot chocolate in front of her. Though it looked perfect, she couldn't bring herself to enjoy it as she nervously twisted her tail around her waist. She tried to push the awkward limb back down, but the stress made it impossible. Her movements didn't go unnoticed by the others.
"You don't need to look so worried, Luz spent ages last night learning what to say around them," Amity reassured her, putting down her own drink and reaching out a hand to Vee.
"That wasn't all she did last night," Vee muttered to herself, wishing that Luz and Amity could get their own room at some point. It was hard enough for her to fall asleep without hearing those two endlessly giggling about something for half the night.
"Vee!" Amity whispered back harshly, tilting her head pointedly in Camila's direction. Vee rolled her eyes but dropped the topic at hand.
Hunter interjected, "I'm sure Luz will try her best," his voice heavy with fatigue. Vee had tried to pry into his affairs, yet he had managed to evade her inquiries at every turn.
"I know she will," Vee relented as she carefully picked up her favourite, hot chocolate. In the Boiling Isles she never really got to try much of the food there, so the chance to actually enjoy her meal was a welcome one. "Anyway, stop dodging the question, what are you up to today?"
"We're going to clean up the abandoned house," Amity responded with an eye roll, "but you knew that already. I suspect that I'm not the one dodging the question. Why are you so worried?"
"I'm not too worried," Vee lied, her words ringing false in her own ears. In all honesty, even if she wanted to confide in Amity, she would never be able to truly convey her feelings. Vee had no idea how to put into words the deep, all-consuming fear that gripped her heart whenever she imagined her friends spending time with the real Luz instead of her, a fear rooted in the belief that they would inevitably choose Luz over her, a fear that she knew was all but certain to come true. "Just, you know, the normal amount of concern for Luz."
"Sure," Amity replied, her scepticism clear in her tone.
"Let her worry if she wants to," Hunter interjected, coming to Vee's defence.
"She shouldn't have to worry," Amity retorted, "I've seen how well Luz can handle a sword. Talking to a few humans should be a breeze compared to taking on an abomination."
"A sword?" Camila inquired, joining them with her own cup of tea and sitting down beside Vee. She sighed, "Maybe I shouldn't ask."
"It was for a competition," Amity tried to explain, her words falling short as she realised that perhaps it wasn't wise to delve into the many dangerous scenarios Luz had faced in the Boiling Isles. Camila had not appreciated hearing about the detention pit. Hastily changing the topic, she continued, "Anyway, I think it's probably time for Hunter and me to go check on the others at the abandoned house. I assume you're not joining us, Vee?"
Vee feigned a nonchalant shrug as she tried to hold back a yawn. "Maybe some other time. I'm planning on spending the day with Camila catching up on the housework."
With Amity and Hunter's departure, Camila and Vee were left alone to conquer the never-ending mountain of housework, starting with the towering stack of dirty dishes. Vee took the sponge and attacked the plates with a vengeance, the sound of dishes clinking and cleaning supplies scrubbing filling the air, but it did little to mask the growing tension in the room that Vee could feel. Vee yearned to connect with Camila, but it felt like an impenetrable wall had erected between them. Part of her wanted to abandon the cleaning and instead pull Camila into a comforting embrace, to pretend that someone truly cared for her, but she kept her eyes fixed on her task. She knew better than to forget that Camila was Luz's mother, not her own.
"Oh, thank you, mija," Camila said sweetly as she dried the last of the mugs. "It's always good to have an extra hand in the house, especially with so many here."
"It's fine, I owe you everything," Vee responded with a quiet sigh, drying her own hands.
"You don't owe me anything, mija," Camila told her gently, reaching out an arm towards Vee, who quickly stepped away. "Vee? Is something wrong?"
"I just keep forgetting...," Vee muttered in response, leaving the 'my place' part unspoken between them. She felt hollow as she looked up at Camila's concerned expression. "It's fine. I'm fine."
"Vee, please. You know you can talk to me," Camila implored, though she didn't make any more attempts to make physical contact, much to Vee's relief. "Please don't shut me out, I'm here for you."
"I'm not trying to shut you out," Vee responded with a forced smile, longing to confide in Camila but too scared of the consequences. "I know you're always here to help, Camila. I just didn't want to talk about it yet. I promise, when I'm ready to tell you, I will." She could feel her eyes growing damp and turned away, but a gentle hand stopped her.
"Hey, you don't have to pretend for me," Camila told her gently, a soft smile on her face that faded slightly as she continued. "It's not healthy to hold all your fears inside, you need to let others share the burden with you."
Vee tried to dismiss Camila's concerns, not wanting to dwell on her own fears. "I appreciate your concern, Camila, but I'm fine. Really." She forced a smile, hoping that Camila would take the hint and drop the subject.
"Alright, I won't force the issue," Camila relented, though not before giving Vee a quick one armed hug.
"So, do we need to do the laundry next?" Vee asked, desperately grasping for something, anything, to distract her from the overwhelming emotions she felt. "I can do it if you want. I'm sure you have a few telenovelas that you want to catch up on."
"The laundry can wait," Camila said, her arm still around Vee's back as she led her towards the living room and the waiting television. "Why don't you join me for a few episodes? I know you want to know if they will ever discover the secret evil twin."
"I'm not sure I want to hear about evil twins at the moment," Vee sighed, pulling away from Camila. The idea of sitting down and watching a show that hit so close to home was unbearable. Vee had already checked the plot synopsis of the next few episodes and knew she couldn't put herself through that.
"Vee, what's wr-" Camila paused as she realized the root of Vee's distress. "Hey, Vee, mi hija. You know that I don't see you as some sort of evil twin of Luz or anything, right?"
"You mightn't, but I do," Vee muttered under her breath, but Camila's sharp intake of breath proved that she had been heard. "I mean-" Vee was silenced by Camila's hand on her shoulder as she turned Vee to face her.
"You're not Luz and you're not pretending to be her," Camila told her firmly, "You're not here to be a second Luz. You're here to be Vee. Please never forget that."
"Just knowing that doesn't make it any easier to believe," Vee blurted out before slapping a hand over her mouth. However, before she could try to leave the room and escape the embarrassment, Camila pulled her into a hug.
"Well then, I'll just have to keep reminding you until you do," Camila told her as she pulled Vee in closer. For a brief instant, Vee wanted to pull away, but she pushed through it and instead leaned into the embrace, relishing the warmth against her scaled body. "Why don't we watch something else together, does that sound like a good idea? Or maybe catch up on some sleep?"
Vee clung to Camila's embrace, refusing to let go. Camila carefully guided her into the living room, where Vee reluctantly released her hold, only to curl up next to Camila once again. Camila's hand rested on Vee's hair, her gentle strokes a soothing comfort. Though it may have been mortifying for anyone else to see her in such a vulnerable state, Vee couldn't bring herself to care.
Vee relished these moments with Camila, feeling the warmth of a familial bond envelope her. Despite the knowledge that this type of physical affection was usually reserved for close family and friends, Vee couldn't bring herself to care. She was too consumed with enjoying the feeling, regardless of its authenticity.
Vee did wonder to herself why Camila was so willing to show her this level of physical affection in her basilisk form, yet refused to do so when she was in Luz's form. Even before Camila knew Vee's true identity, she had always shown a different type of affection towards Luz. But Vee was too desperate to hold on to these moments to even consider questioning Camila's actions, she didn't care why Camila was letting her cuddle all she cared about was making sure that Camila kept on allowing her to do it.
For the next two hours Vee stayed curled up next to Camila listening to the quiet sounds of whatever show Camila was watching, it was bliss.
Vee jolted awake to the sound of the front door being flung open, her heart pounding with fear. She quickly scanned the room, her disappointment palpable as she noticed that Camila was gone and she was alone. The television had been turned off and it was clear that time had passed since she had fallen asleep, and a sense of annoyance mixed with relief washed over her as she realised Camila had not woken her up. Despite the much-needed rest, the weight of the previous night's worries still hung heavily over her. She stumbled off the couch and cautiously made her way down the hallway, her pulse racing as she peeked around the corner to see who had entered the house.
To her relief, it was only Luz, currently struggling to remove her shoes in the entryway. "Hey Luz, how did things go?" Vee asked, her voice trembling with nervousness.
But Luz's smile faded quickly as she looked up at Vee. "It was fun, but I think we need to talk about your friends," she said gravely.
Vee's heart skipped a beat. "What's wrong? Did they suspect something?" she asked, unconsciously gnawing at her lip in fear.
"They did not, probably," Luz responded, her tone serious. "It's not that. It's more Masha. Are you aware of what is going on there?"
Vee's eyes widened in poorly concealed worry. "They are basically my best friend?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she hoped that Luz wouldn't talk about them.
"Just a friend?" Luz asked pointedly, her gaze intense.
"Yes. Why do you ask?" Vee asked, her heart pounding in her chest as she felt a sense of worry and fear beginning to build. She loved spending time with Masha, but she also knew that it could never go beyond that as the Luz they liked didn't exist.
"I'm not so sure that they're just a friend," Luz admitted, wringing their hands with awkwardness. "I have a feeling that they're more than just a little interested in you, if you know what I mean."
"Seriously?" Vee faked a gasp, pretending to be offended at the mere suggestion that Masha liked her. "Not this again. Camila already hinted at the same thing. I thought you would have more sense than to jump to conclusions."
"Are you sure?" Luz asked nervously, looking slightly embarrassed. "I may have encouraged it, and they might have shown a slight interest in return. But just a little."
"Luz!" Vee exclaimed, horrified as she realised exactly what Luz had done. "This is going to be a complete disaster. What were you thinking, toying with Masha's feelings like this? Why would you even consider that as a viable option?"
"I wasn't!" Luz exclaimed defensively, "I was just trying to work out what was between you two. You asked me to do this!"
"You cannot go around making out with others when you already have a girlfriend!" Vee retorted, her anger rising.
"I didn't go that far. I was only indulging in some harmless flirting," Luz attempted to justify her actions. "I thought you'd be impressed I was able to even manage that."
"Are you taking this seriously in the least?" Vee inquired, infuriated that Luz would mess around with the relationships that Vee had put so much time into building.
"Of course I am, but I believe you are overlooking the essential detail here. Masha likes you." Luz tried to emphasise her point.
"I am aware that they do!" Vee exclaimed, "I was also interested in them, but I had also realised that they like me when I look like you. So I was smart enough to not do anything about it. I certainly didn't think that you would try something like this the first day you saw her. I told you to make my friends into your friends, not mess with the one that has a crush on me."
"Wait, what?" Luz stammered in disbelief, looking at Vee in surprise. "You knew they were interested and did nothing? You just let it be?"
"I couldn't do anything!" Vee roared at Luz, not caring that she was shouting in her face. "Do you not understand? I can't step into your shoes any more! How do you expect this to work? I'm giving you everything I've worked hard to achieve these past months. You have my test scores, my schedule, my social life, and even my friends. I built this life from the ashes of the ruined social life you left me with, and now you're just shrugging it off!"
"Vee, I'm taking this seriously!" Luz tried to interject, but Vee's angry glare silenced her.
"No, you're not!" Vee shouted in frustration. "You're impossible." Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Vee continued in a colder tone. "Do you realise what I'm giving up for you? This was the closest I ever had to a life, and now it's gone. I don't have anything to fall back on. This form was it for me, and now it's gone. Yet, I try to pretend that everything's okay, but you're just ready to stop all over everything without a thought."
"I thought this was a good thing. I didn't want to make things worse," Luz tried to backtrack.
"Clearly," Vee's voice cracked as she spoke and her eyes filled with tears. Vee knew that this mess was not Luz's fault, Vee had been the one who had tried to make friends without thinking about how stupid the idea was. She was losing everything, but it was not Luz's fault. It was Vee's own fault for tying everything to Luz's identity. These were just the inevitable consequences of her own short sighted actions. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Luz standing there, her expression one of understanding and compassion.
"I don't want to take everything away from you," Luz spoke softly, placing a comforting hand on Vee's shoulder. "Maybe we should take a step back, let you continue spending time with them as me while we come up with a solution. I don't want to just rip your friends away from you."
"It's not just my friends," Vee muttered, moving past Luz and checking if Camila was nearby. She let out a relieved sigh when she realised the house was empty. Luz followed her into the kitchen. "I shouldn't be putting all of this on you, it's more my fault than anyone else's. I made the choice to make my life revolve around your form, I just didn't expect it to hurt this much when I had to let it go."
"You don't have to let everything go," Luz reassured her, trying to ease her distress. "Mom will always be there for you, and now you have me and the others too."
"Camila is here for you, not for me," Vee spat out as she sat down heavily at the table, covering her face in her hands as she struggled to hide how wet her cheeks had become. But the battle was lost, and she couldn't hold back the tears any longer.
Luz tried to assure her, "Vee, you're as much a part of this family as I am," but her words were lost as Vee's tears continued to fall.
"I am not, Luz," Vee proclaimed, her voice trembling with emotion. She knew she was making a mistake by burdening Luz with this, but she couldn't help herself. "Camila is your mother, not mine. I can slip into your form, and she'll pretend, but we both know it's not real. I am not her daughter, that's you. I hate it, but I accept it."
"She cares for you," Luz persisted.
"No, she feels sorry for me," Vee corrected, her eyes fixed on the surface of the table, unable to meet Luz's gaze. "Camila is the kindest person I've ever met, caring for animals in a way I've never seen before. It's a welcome change to have someone look after me without wanting anything in return, but I know that what I have with her isn't what you and she have. I'm just another stray she's taken in, another animal she wants to save."
"Vee, she sees you as more than just an animal," Luz countered, sitting down beside Vee and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "If anything, I think you're closer to her now than I am."
"Camila liked it better when I was in your form, but my basilisk one makes her uneasy," Vee retorted, trying to sound indignant despite the tears streaming down her face. "I want it to be more, but I know it won't. It doesn't work that way. I'm not like you, I'm not human."
"No, you're not," Luz sighed, her voice trembling with the weight of her emotions. "But I know that Camila loves you, Vee. Why do you think that would matter to her?"
"Why would it?" Vee retorted, her voice filled with bitterness, "everyone who knows what I truly am doesn't really like me. I'm a magic stealing basilisk who borrows your face whenever I go outside, remember? Not exactly something that Camila wants in her family. I'm here because she would feel guilty kicking me out, not because any of you actually want me here."
"You're wrong," Luz fired back, her voice rising with frustration. "Vee, she sees you as her daughter as well, she's said as much to us."
"No, she hasn't," Vee replied, her voice sharp. "I would've noticed if she did. I'm not stupid, Luz."
"She has, Vee," Luz exclaimed passionately. "Did you not hear what she said to us about you hanging out with your friends yesterday morning?"
"You mean when she switched to a language only you two know to say something nice to you?" Vee retorted, her annoyance palpable. "I'm sure she said something wonderful to you, or maybe she was calling me an idiot. I don't know, I barely know how to say Hola and …grace?"
"Gracias," Luz interjected before she could help herself.
"...gracias, see I don't know what you two are talking about." Vee finished through gritted teeth, "You say she wants me here, but then you two switch to another language and I keep getting reminded that I am a world away from you both."
"Do you at least remember what she said, though?" Luz asked with a hint of urgency in her voice.
"What does it matter?" Vee replied, her tone filled with bitterness and resentment. "She said something like 'amba de missed mara mija' or something?
"She said, 'ambas de mis maravillosas hijas', right?" Luz pressed, her eyes fixed on Vee's face.
"Yeah, I guess it did sound like that," Vee shrugged, trying to hide the fear and uncertainty growing within her.
"It wasn't just about me," Luz revealed, her hands moving quickly as she typed the phrase into her phone. She slid the device towards Vee, the translate button highlighted and waiting to be tapped. "Why don't you find out exactly what she was trying to tell us?"
Vee's hands trembled as she picked up the phone, her heart racing with anticipation. She read the string, her mind filled with a mix of fear and hope. What if the translation drove another wedge between her and Camila? Luz's hand reached over and tapped the translate button, giving Vee no time to think or back out. Time seemed to slow as she waited for the truth to be revealed. The loading spinner spun, taunting her with every rotation. And then, finally, the translated string appeared on the screen, and Vee gasped in disbelief at what she saw.
"She said, 'both of my wonderful daughters'," Luz proclaimed, carefully taking her phone back out of Vee's shaking hands. "Our mother has a tendency to switch to Spanish when she's overcome with emotion."
"I noticed," Vee whispered, her voice trailing off as she struggled to grasp the reality of the situation.
"She's been referring to you as 'mi hija', meaning 'my daughter', since I came back at least," Luz revealed with a sly grin, her amusement fading as she saw the distress etched on Vee's face. "Are you okay?"
"Never better," Vee replied, a hint of sarcasm in her voice as she struggled to catch her breath and make sense of the barrage of thoughts swirling in her head. Finally, the pieces were starting to fall into place. Vee felt as though she had just been plunged into a sea of confusion, and her limited Spanish knowledge should have tipped her off earlier. She had known what hija meant, and yet, she had refused to believe it.
"Vee?" Luz asked, but Vee wasn't listening
"Does she really see me as her daughter?" Vee asked, her voice a desperate whisper as she tried to keep herself together. She gestured at her scaled form, "She knows what I am, how can she be okay with this?"
"Why wouldn't she look past that and see you?" Luz asked, her voice full of emotion as she took Vee's hand in her own, but it did little to stop them from trembling.
"I know that she could, I just didn't think she actually would," Vee spluttered out, pulling her hand away so she could rub her face in an attempt to focus. Everything felt so distant and strange, like the world was barely there in that moment. "She doesn't actually think that, right?"
"She did," Luz said firmly, her gaze intense as Vee tried to deny it. Her words seemed to echo in the air, and Vee felt her heart swell with a mixture of hope and disbelief.
"Maybe she said it accidentally, that could be it, right?" Vee felt a desperate need to keep questioning it, as if she couldn't bring herself to believe it. She knew that everything pointed towards it being true, and yet that still wasn't enough for her. "Maybe she thought I was just you again, maybe she was talking about Amity? It couldn't be me."
"It doesn't add up," Vee exclaimed, her voice rising in frustration. "Why would she accept a basilisk? Maybe she thought I was just you, or maybe Amity? It couldn't be me." A new, more ominous thought crossed Vee's mind. "Maybe she only wants me for what I can do, not who I am." Vee turned to Luz, her frown deepening. "I think we're both just seeing what we want to see. Camila doesn't want me in the family, she wants another you."
"She doesn't need another me when I'm already here," Luz countered, her eyes rolling. "You have to believe me, she wants you too."
"We all know you want to live in the demon realm, Luz," Vee retorted, her anger growing. "Camila knows that, I know that, and I bet even you know it." Vee felt foolish for being so easily fooled. "Camila probably just wants to keep backup Luz around in case you run off to another realm."
"Okay, what if I prove it to you?" Luz challenged. "What if I can get Mom to say she loves you for you, in your real form?"
"She'll still see my basilisk form as just another way to get her daughter back," Vee replied, her voice full of bitterness.
"Then take on another form, make it clear that you're not a replacement for me," Luz argued. "Show her that you're going to be your own person, even when transformed. I bet if you took on a new form, you wouldn't be able to count to ten before she gave you a hug."
"I can't take that risk," Vee whispered, tears starting to form in her eyes. "If she doesn't, I don't know what comes next. I need this to be true"
"I promise you, this will work out," Luz said, taking Vee's hand in hers. "I have a plan."
The next day, with a determination that was palpable, Luz convinced Camila to take all six of them on a shopping spree for new clothes. Despite Vee's protests, Luz refused to reveal her plan, only offering the cryptic promise that it would solve their problems. Vee trusted Luz, but that did little to calm her nerves. With her hair slicked back, Vee hoped to at least slightly change her appearance, making it easier for her to adopt Luz's form. But the awkwardness of sitting beside Amity and the curious stares from strangers was almost unbearable.
Every step into the mall was like a blow to Vee's already shattered nerves. Every new person that crossed her path was a potential threat, a chance for someone to realise that there were two Luz's and lock her away. But her fears of being discovered paled in comparison to the dread she felt about the outcome of Luz's plan. She couldn't bear the thought of Camila being disappointed in losing her backup daughter, and the fear that this could be the final straw for Camila to abandon her was all-consuming. With a heavy heart and reluctant steps, Vee trailed after the others, regretting not having declined Luz's idea.
"You don't need to worry, twins do exist in our world." Camila reminded Vee, unaware of the true cause of her anxiety.
"I'm fine," Vee lied, trying to deflect Camila's attention to the others. Sensing her distress, Luz quickly rallied the others to try on outfits, taking the focus off Vee and giving her a moment to catch her breath.
To be fair to Luz, it worked like a charm. She was in awe at the adorable sight of Hunter dressed as his palisman, and even more so at the dark, alluring beauty of Amity in her purple ensemble. Vee couldn't help but understand Luz's interest in her. Though, Gus and Willow had at least chosen more practical outfits that could be worn outside. Unfortunately with all of them now showing off their new clothes, Camila was now looking at her expecting that she try on something as well.
"I can just shapeshift to change my clothes," Vee shrugged, regretting her words even as they left her lips. She frowned, realising that she had yet again called attention to her ability to pretend to be Luz.
But just as Vee was starting to worry, Luz suddenly seized her by the arm and pulled her away from the others. "I've got an idea for Vee's new look," she declared, leaving Vee no choice but to follow, hoping and praying that Luz knew what she was doing.
"I hope this plan of yours doesn't backfire," Vee muttered, her worries gnawing at her as she envisioned all the ways this could go wrong.
"Our goal is to prove that Camila likes you for who you truly are, right?" Luz asked with a sense of urgency, giving Vee no chance to respond. "So we just need to have you transform into a human form that is entirely you. I'll make it crystal clear that this is the real you. That way, if Camila says she likes you, we'll know it's because of who you are, not just your appearance. Right?"
"It sounds right." Vee muttered not entirely convinced, however her mood was still lifted slightly at the prospect of success. "But, I've never really made my own form."
Luz nodded, a spark of excitement in her eyes. "That's why I'm here," she declared with confidence. "I told the others I'd help you create a new look, and that's exactly what we're going to do."
Vee took a deep breath and thought for a moment. "So, what's the first step?" She asked, her voice full of anticipation.
"I have no idea," Luz replied with a shrug, Vee felt her own frown return. "Do you have a form you want to take on? You can take on any form you want, right?"
"I can morph into anything if I just envision it," Vee declared, a hint of sadness creeping into her voice. "But I've never really given it much thought. I either stayed as a basilisk or took on someone else's form."
"Well, why don't we start with your basilisk form and make it a bit more human-like?" Luz suggested, her tone hesitant.
"Why would I want to look like that?" Vee sighed, her eyes drooping. "No one likes my basilisk form. I highly doubt even Camila would want to see that hideous thing. Maybe I could just base my form off of yours and change my hair a little?"
"No way," Luz interjected firmly. "We're trying to show Camila the real you, not a copy of me. Besides, I'm positive that Camila doesn't find your basilisk form ugly. She thinks it's adorable."
"Right, and I'm sure you both find snakes and slugs cute as well," Vee replied sarcastically, her eyes rolling. It was clear she didn't believe Luz's words.
"She's not the only one, Vee," Luz exclaimed, her voice teeming with excitement. "We all find your basilisk form absolutely adorable!"
Vee felt a flush of embarrassment tinge her cheeks, overwhelmed by Luz's candid words. The basilisk form had always been a source of insecurity for her, but Luz's genuine admiration was like a ray of light in the darkness.
"You all think I'm cute?" she asked incredulously, as if trying to grasp the reality of the situation.
"Absolutely!" Luz confirmed with a broad smile.
Vee carefully let her Luz disguise fade away and allowed her true form to re-emerge. She glanced over at Luz who had just tried to stifle a squeal of delight at seeing Vee's true form again, confirming that Luz wasn't lying about her thinking that the basilisk was adorable.
"I might have a few ideas," Vee admitted sheepishly before taking a deep calming breath and turning her focus to her form. The transformation started slowly as Vee felt out things, carefully shifting from her basilisk form to a more human one while trying to keep as much of her true identity as possible. Unlike the usual transformations that felt like putting on a ski suit, this felt like slipping into a summer dress. It was strangely liberating.
"So, what do you think?" Vee asked nervously as her transformation finally settled. She had still taken some amount of inspiration from both Camila and Luz's forms, but this human form felt uniquely hers.
"I like how you kept your real ears," Luz exclaimed, playfully reaching out to touch them before Vee swatted her hand away. "It's an unusual colour, but a lot of us dye our hair. I like it."
"Yeah, I figured it would be nice to hear properly for a change," Vee responded, her hand subconsciously reaching up to rub one of her ears. "Will they stand out too much?"
"I think you're good, they totally hide themselves in your hair," Luz nodded in confirmation. "And I'm liking the yellow in your eyes."
"I know that yellow isn't common, but I kind of want to keep my real pupils as well," Vee declared, her voice taking on a determined edge. She was tired of having to push away so much of herself, even if it was a risk.
"I doubt anyone would realise," Luz shrugged, not all that concerned. "If someone really cares you can just pretend that they are contacts, I guess."
"Do you think this pumpkin sweater is too much?" Vee asked, her voice laced with uncertainty as she tugged at the garment, trying to make it sit comfortably on her newly-formed shoulders.
"It's suitably adorable," Luz declared with conviction, her eyes alight with excitement. "This is your new form, Vee. I'm sure of it."
"It's comforting to have a form so closely resembling my basilisk one," Vee concurred, though a hint of hesitation still lingered in her voice. "But are you truly certain that mo-Camila will like this form?"
"She will be enamoured with it. And Vee, there's no need to keep referring to her as Camila," Luz reminded, a gentle smile playing on her lips. "You can call her Mom if you'd like."
"I-I can't do that," Vee admitted with a slight stutter, unsure how to properly tell Luz why it wasn't something she felt so uncomfortable doing. "Maybe in the future, but not yet."
Luz let out an exasperated sigh, but didn't argue. "Alright, let's focus on showing off your new form to the others."
Moments later, Vee was anxiously waiting in Luz's form, surrounded by a rack of clothes while Luz went to fetch the others for the big reveal. Despite her reservations, Vee had been swept up in Luz's excitement and went along with the plan. She tried to push away her fears about being rejected by her friends for her new form, but the stress still lingered.
Thankfully, it didn't take long for Luz to return with the others, and with a deep breath, Vee transformed into her new form. Before she could even pose dramatically, Camila had already wrapped her in a tight embrace. Vee eagerly returned the hug, pressing her face into Camila's neck and feeling her worries melt away in the warmth of the embrace.
"Thank you, Mom," Vee whispered gratefully.