For Vee, it all started because of that smile. That Titan-damned smile.
The first time Vee saw Masha smile was back at Reality Check Camp, which felt like a lifetime away now. Counselor Chapman had set up a firepit, and all the campers were gathered around it making smores and telling stories. They were supposed to be scary stories, but given what Vee had been through in the Before Times, she hadn't really found them too frightening. The one she remembered the clearest was Marco's. He recounted a tale of discovering that his mother had been replaced with an alien that was trying to take over Earth. It wasn't real, obviously, but Vee couldn't help but shift nervously from her spot on a log. The story hit a little too close to home. A distinct laugh broke her out of her funk, though. On the other side of the fire, Masha was barely stifling their laughter at the seemingly absurd premise of Marco's story. As the firelight cast their face in an orange glow, Vee felt her cheeks flush. Why do I feel hot? Looking back on it now, Vee was surprised she didn't connect the dots: cute person, they're funny and make me laugh, why do I want to be close to them all of the sudden?
Then there was the incident at the Gravesfield Historical Society. Luz had come back from her excursion in the Isles along with her witch friends, and now Vee had to take on a new face. It was her own face, though, not one she had stolen, which felt euphoric for the basilisk. Vee had prepared to face down the evil that was Jacob Hopkins, but when she had kicked in the door to the museum, she would have never expected to see Masha Pitt stationed at the front desk. Sure, she knew that Mash was a big nerd about the history of Old Gravesfield, but it still caught her off guard. If Vee had thought that Masha was cute back at camp, they had somehow one-upped themselves, having slicked back their hair, save for a few rebellious strands, and had also gained a septum piercing, as evidenced by a silver ring they were trying to lick with their tongue as they had their feet kicked up on the desk. ('The normal amount of face', really? Vee chastised herself.) And then they handed her that flyer with the cockiest, but also cutest, smile Vee had ever seen, and the basilisk froze. Her mind was running a mile a minute, but it was like Masha had cast some spell when they flashed that cheeky grin that rooted Vee in place. Thankfully, Amity had spoken up and pulled the basilisk out of the trance when she asked about the rebus.
And then there was the night of Halloween. After Vee watched her friends and family disappear through the portal, she had to trudge back home in the cold October night. That was, until Masha had driven up to Vee walking along the side of the road and honked their car's horn to get her attention. When Masha had asked where Vee was heading, she gave them the address to the Noceda house before quickly adding that she was just housesitting while the family was out "seeing their abuela." Throughout the car ride, Vee did her best to not freeze up like she had done days prior, shutting down any small talk Masha attempted to make before she could embarrass herself or give away that the Nocedas were actually off fighting Belos and the tiny space god known as The Collector. Once they had pulled up to the driveway, Vee shot out of the car and over to the front door, turning back to see Masha smile and wave goodbye before driving off. Somehow, Vee had survived the car ride without divulging any sensitive information or blushing like a maniac, so she thanked whatever the Human Realm equivalent was to the Titan once she locked the front door and collapsed onto the couch.
As Vee lay prone on the couch, contemplating how she was going to juggle living as Luz, Camila, and herself, a stray thought weaseled itself into her head, and no matter how hard she tried to not think about it, it kept on resurfacing. Letting out a long sigh, Vee accepted the truth.
She loved Masha, and it was all because of that Titan-damned smile.
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