Falling Can Feel Like Floating
"Hey, Luz?" Luz looked up from her homework to find Vee standing in her basilisk form in her doorway, fiddling with her hands and looking for all the world, scales and all, like a nervous teenager. "Can I, uh, talk to you about something?"
"Sure, hermanita," Luz chirped, taking the welcome break and moving to sit on her bed, patting the place beside her. "I've always wanted sister-talk. Never thought I'd get the chance." Ever since Luz had returned home from the demon realm with dozens of friends in tow, the human and basilisk had settled neatly into a sibling bond, made even stronger by Camila legally adopting Vee. They had unanimously decided that Luz was the elder sibling and Vee the younger, even if their personalities may seem otherwise at times.
"Heh, yeah," Vee said as she slithered closer and up onto the comforter. She wrapped her arms around her tail like most people would their knees and smiled uncomfortably. "I thought about asking Mom about this, but I figured you'd know more about it."
"Aw, do I smell a crush on my little sister?" Luz asked, an eyebrow arched and grinning like a cheshire cat. "Did you finally tell Masha you liked them?"
"We talked about it, yeah," Vee said, smiling softly. "They brought up that my crush may have come from them being one of the first people to treat me well since, well, ever." Both sisters smiled tightly at the reminder. "We talked it out and decided it's best to be friends at the moment." Vee's smile wavered. "And afterward I realized I have another crush."
Luz gasped, eyes shining and she grabbed Vee gently by the shoulders to look her square in the eyes. "Who? Do I know them?"
"Yeah, you do," Vee said wryly, slowly blushing. She sighed. "Maybe I should start from the beginning."
Vee was in the living room in her new human shape — a perfect meddling of her basilisk form and Noceda family features, with her own eyes with white sclera, hair that resemble her untransformed ear-fins, and skin that was lighter than Luz or Camila's but dark enough to pass for family — when she sniffed at the air and her eyes widened.
"Is something burning?" she called, snapping her book shut and making for the kitchen.
"Everything's under control!" came a male voice from the kitchen, in a near-panicked tone that did not ease Vee's worries.
She rounded into the kitchen to find smoke pouring from the oven and Gus Porter whirling the nozzle of a fire extinguisher around like a fan. Vee snapped into motion and gracefully snatched the fire extinguisher away to use it properly, spraying the gasses inside to smother whatever was smoldering in the oven and turning it off for good measure. She kept spraying in bursts until smoke stopped coming out, then set the extinguisher aside and opened a window to funnel out the smoke, idly wondering why the smoke alarms hadn't-
She flinched as the devices started howling, glad that Camila, Luz and Amity were out grocery shopping while Willow and Hunter were in the garden. She smiled a little at the thought that those two would be so deep in their own world that they probably wouldn't hear the alarm.
"What is that?" Gus shouted, covering his ears. Vee chose not to answer until after she'd removed the batteries. She'd put them back when the smoke was clear.
"That was the smoke alarm," Vee explained, pocketing the batteries as she got down from a chair. True, she technically could have shifted into the form of a taller person, but she'd rather not waste the magic when a chair would do just as well. "Humans set them up to warn them about possible house fires at night."
"That sounds a lot like a blaze glasses," Gus said, eyes sparkling. "They're mirrors that do the same thing back home." His eyes dimmed as he looked over Vee's shoulder and she turned to find the oven still open and whatever Gus had been … cooking? … sitting inside with a rather sad air.
"What were you trying to do?" Vee asked.
"I wanted to make something for everyone," Gus said morosely. "Try my hand at human cooking." He scoffed to himself. "I'm not great in the demon kitchen. Why'd I think I'd figure out human kitchens right off the bat?"
Vee thought back to when she was first starting out helping Camila cook and smiled faintly. She pulled out Gus's failed dish and was pleasantly surprised to find he'd used a disposable aluminum pan instead of Camila's cookware.
"Why don't we try again?" she offered.
"We?" Gus asked.
"Yeah," Vee confirmed, smile growing and she winked at him. "It's what friends are for, right?" Granted, she might not call Luz's Hexsquad outright friends quite yet — she'd known them less than a week. But they were clearly dear to Luz and so Vee decided that she was determined to befriend them too. That's what sisters did, after all.
It took them a few hours to clean up the rest of the mess, reset the cooking supplies, and actually bake something, but all of the rest came home to the delicious smell of an apple cobbler.
"After that, Gus asked me later to teach him about human stuff," Vee explained. Granted, that wasn't a huge surprise to anyone, but the way she said it was soft and full of caring. "He thought that learning from me might help, since I was a demon who learned first. I could offer that more unique perspective."
"That's really smart," Luz noted, tapping her chin with a finger in thought. "Can't say I'm surprised, though. Gus skipped two grades for a reason." Then she smiled. "And you guys did get a lot closer really fast after that."
"Yeah, but friendly-close," Vee admitted, fiddling with the webs between her fingers. "Platonic. And we were both fine with that. Or, at least, I was."
"So what changed?" Luz asked, eyes bright with shipper fire. Vee sighed and fondly rolled her eyes.
"It was a few weeks after that. We were walking around Gravesfield so I could field his questions-"
"-So an automated system in town turns the streetlights on and off without someone having to do it by hand," Vee was finishing up, disguised in her human form and dressed in an orange sweater with a pumpkin on it, jeans ripped at the knees, and sturdy boots.
"That's really cool," Gus said, smiling widely like he always did when discussing human stuff. He was dressed for the coming autumn chill in a navy turtleneck and jeans of his own, his mirror pendant hanging from a short chain around his neck. "So is it timed like you said some machines can be? Or does it measure how dark it is? Because I think you said some machines can tell that, too."
"Oh! Um-" Vee thought about it. "I actually don't know. Maybe we can-?"
"Run!"
"We can run?" Gus asked, then blinked. "Wait, who just-?"
"Run away, kid!" shouted a guy across the street. The guy ran across, dodging around an incoming car. Vee's breath caught in her throat when she realized that it was Jacob Hopkins. Jacob grabbed Gus and forced him behind him, backing away with a glare at Vee. "She's a monster, kid!"
"She's-? Dude, she's my friend!" Gus protested, trying to step back around him while Jacob blocked him.
"She's a demon!" Jacob snapped. "Sent from Mars to collect human teeth as a power source."
"Oh, so you're that guy Luz told us about," Gus drolled, finally stepping around Jacob to rejoin Vee.
"That guy who's gonna save your life, kid," Jacob snapped, his eyes almost manic. "That thing," he pointed accusingly at Vee, and she curled in on herself, "is a monster!"
It was quiet for a long moment before Gus spoke.
"I know what you did to her," Gus said, his voice deceptively calm, and very clearly holding back a lot of anger. His stance was rigid and solid, as if he would hold back a landslide to keep it from harming Vee. "More importantly, I know her." He held up a hand and pointed at Jacob, inches from his nose. "I know that Vee Noceda is more human than you could ever hope to be, you psycho."
Jacob was silent for a moment, his eyes wide, then he seemed to buckle down. "So she's brainwashed you, too, huh? I guess-"
"Is there a problem here, sir?"
Everyone looked to find a pair of police officers glowering at Jacob, one with his arms crossed and the other holding her billy club.
"Yes there is, officer!" Jacob said. "This demon has ensnared a poor boy into her clutches to try and steal his teeth!"
The officers glanced over Jacob's shoulder before glancing at each other and then looking back at him. "What demon and what boy?" the lady officer asked blaisely.
Jacob looked back to find empty air. He blinked and began to panic. "They were just here! I swear, officers, I-!" He looked back at them and found only clearing blue mist where the police had been not a moment before.
"What the-?"
A few blocks away, Vee was laughing harder than she could remember as Gus did the same. "If it were anyone else," Vee cackled, holding her stomach as they slowed to a walk, "I'd say that was mean!"
"He deserved it," Gus chortled, wiping a tear from his eye. Then his expression turned grimmer. "No one's gonna hurt someone I care about if I can stop it."
Vee's laughter cut off as she thought back to Gus defending her. He'd looked … confident. Fearless. Like he could take on the world, and would.
For you, a small voice whispered in the back of her mind, and that made her heart warm up and her belly flop a little.
'No. For any of his friends,' Vee silently decided, calming herself down.
"Still wanna show me that coffee shop?" Gus asked. "I know getting screamed at by that jerk would ruin my appetite. Or, y'know," he shrugged with a faint blush, "whatever the appetite for drinks is."
"I'm in," Vee said, deciding she wouldn't miss it for the world.
"Cool!" Gus said brightly, taking her hand. "Let's go!" As they raced down the street, Vee's cheeks were burning at the contact … but she didn't once try to let go.
"After that, it was like a switch was flipped in my brain," Vee said, having long since moved to hugging herself. "I saw everything Gus did differently. Not just his enthusiasm — that reminds me so much of you, by the way — but his cleverness, his eagerness to help, his … His heart."
"Aww," Luz cooed, her hands on her cheeks. "I remember when that happened with me over Amity."
Vee let the comment pass, having long since learned that Luz could talk for literal hours about her girlfriend if given the chance.
"The hardest part has been how touchy-feely Gus can be," Vee said, though she smiled. "I've never really been that way," — Unbeknownst to her, Luz was silently commenting that being a Noceda was very slowly changing that and she was more touchy-feely than she realized — "but every time Gus grabbed my hand, or held my shoulder, or just up and hugged me …. I liked it." She blushed more prominently. "In a way I've never really felt before, even with you and Camila."
"So what changed?" Luz asked, her tone more serious than before.
"Huh?" Vee asked, blinking sideways. "I just told you about Jacob."
"Not like that," Luz said, waving that topic away. "I mean what made you realize how you felt. You know," she gestured to herself, "enough that you came to me for help."
"Oh," Vee said, wrapping her tail around herself. Luz couldn't help but think that Vee was slowly turning herself into an adorable snakey funnel cake. "It was that movie night last weekend."
As it turned out, Hunter had adopted Camila's adoration for animal documentaries, particularly those about wolves. To celebrate such a "monumental adoption of Noceda tradition" in Luz's words, the Hexsquad and Nocedas had opted for a movie night to watch one.
Popcorn was popped, pillows and blankets were spread out, and seating arrangements were decided in the moment — Huntlow on the ground before the television, holding hands while Hunter whispered commentary to Willow, Luz sitting between Camila and Amity on the couch, and Gus reserving the spot next to his tutor on the loveseat — and everyone was ready.
Except that Vee could barely bring herself to focus on the documentary. Gus had taken her hand in excitement and was watching with laser-focus, but all she could do was marvel at him. His wonder at anything to do with Vee's new home made butterflies flit in her belly. He had taken her hand without a shred of hesitation even in her true basilisk form, which warmed her heart. She had mindlessly wrapped the end of her tail around his ankle and he'd looked away from the film long enough to laugh with her about it, dispelling her mortification.
Vee had slowly relaxed as the documentary went on, Gus's warmth soothing her and making her sleepy — a little quirk of being coldblooded. She'd felt her head fall on something firm as she curled into that warmth, only later realizing that she'd fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder.
The next morning, Vee had awoken in her bed, wrapped in her comforter burrito-style like she preferred, and had felt more rested than ever before. Luz would casually mention that Gus had carried her up the stairs himself, even with his "weak nerd arms," and had wrapped her in the comforter, too.
That had been the clencher.
She was officially crushing hard on Gus Porter.
"Oooh, Vee," Luz squealed, vibrating in place from sheer excitement at such a cute story. "So why haven't you said anything?"
"I don't want to put Gus in that kind of situation," Vee said calmly.
Luz's vibrating ceased entirely and she looked very carefully at her little sister. Turning her head to regard Vee from the corner of her eye, she gently asked, "What situation?"
Vee's ear-fins lowered as she looked down from Luz's gaze and she hugged herself even tighter. "Having to reject me," she said quietly.
"Reject you?" Luz asked, tone even.
"What else would happen?" Vee asked, her voice strained. "And please don't tell me he'll suddenly realize he's in love with me and sweep me off my tail like in the stuff you write, Luz. It's not gonna happen."
"Why not?" Luz asked, throwing her hands up. "You're awesome, Vee!"
"Luz, I'm a monster," Vee said miserably. "I'm the monster in the woods that everyone on the Boiling Isles is scared of. You and your friends dealt with one of my kind that attacked your school!"
"We moved past that, Vee," Luz rebutted. "You're my sister. You're their friend!"
"It doesn't matter," Vee said miserably. "He couldn't like me. I'm not a witch. I'm not even human. I'm-" She gestured up and down at herself. "I'm a reptilian beast demon." She unfurled herself and shifted into her human form. "Even if he could like me for this-" she gestured at her face, then shifted back, "-how could he like this?"
"It's not hard at all."
Both girls turned to the door to find Gus leaning against the doorframe, his gaze steady. He was dressed in a shirt that Eda had made, one that depicted a half of the skull of the Titan beside half of Earth on a black background. Torn jeans, loafers, and his mirror pendant now an earring made him look … older.
"What?" Vee asked softly, eyes wide. "Gus, how much did you-?"
"I dunno," he shrugged, hefting off the doorframe and padding closer. "I thought I'd surprise you and Camila said you two were up here." He blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I heard my name and got curious and after that, well … it was hard to walk away."
"Gus, I'm sorry," Vee said, holding her hands to her mouth as her eyes welled with tears. "I didn't mean to-"
In a burst of smoke, Gus was no longer there. Or rather, Gus the witch was no longer there. In his place stood a basilisk with slate-grey skin and fair hair that fell in tight curls down the sides of his head. He smiled and wrapped the end of his tail around the tip of Vee's. "Do you like me any less when I look like this?" he asked.
Vee stared at him with wide eyes, cheeks reddening, and shook her head.
The illusion dropped and Gus, their familiar Gus, was back. "Vee, I think you're beautiful in whichever form you choose. I'm an illusionist; appearances don't matter to me." His blush intensified. "And maybe you're right and I wouldn't suddenly realize how much I like you." Vee turned her head away, but he gently turned her back to face him with a touch on her cheek.
"I realized it a long time ago," he added with a faint grin. "I've, um- I've been meaning to ask if you wanted to go out somewhere as … more than friends. I just wasn't sure if you'd want to date a guy younger than you."
"You … like me?" Vee asked, as if wrapping her mind around it.
"Why would I not?" Gus asked easily. "You're really smart, you're funny, you're as fascinated with this place as I am." He took her hand in his. "You're one of the kindest people I've ever met, Vee." His grin turned teasing. "And since that list includes Luz and Willow, it's even more impressive than it sounds."
Tears fell from Vee's eyes, even as she smiled so hard it hurt. She cupped Gus's cheek right back and they leaned their foreheads together, their joined hands shifting to weave their fingers.
A loud snort interrupted the moment and they both looked over at Luz, who was crying as hard as Vee. "Eso es tan dulce," Luz squealed. She jumped to her feet and backed out of the room. "I'm gonna go before I ruin the moment anymore. Love ya, hermanita! Love ya, Gus!" She closed the door and they heard her running away.
Vee and Gus glanced at each other before cracking up into laughter.
"She's my big sister. What're you gonna do?" Vee asked.
"I'm gonna appreciate the moment," Gus answered, cheeks red. He let her go and stepped back a little, then held out his hand for her in the most deliberate way he could. Vee smiled and just as deliberately took his hand in hers, her blush mirroring his. They held hands and leaned against one another.
"So dinner?" Gus asked. "I know a great place on Bonesborough."
"That sounds amazing," Vee sighed.
"Hola, mija," Camila sounded from folding laundry in the living room as Luz tromped down the steps. "Gus came by. Did he find you and Vee?"
"Oh, he found us," Luz grinned. "And you're never gonna guess what just happened, Mama!"
"Who confessed first?" Camila asked with a warm smile. "Was it Gus or Vee?"
"Vee actually said it first," Luz replied without thinking about it, "but Gus overheard and he was the one to actually say it to her face- Wait a minute!" Luz's brain had a record scratch as her mother's question fully registered. "You knew about all this? Both of them?"
"Gus is about as subtle with his feelings as a neon sign," Camila said fondly. "And as for Vee, I am her mother, Luz." She giggled. "I realized the truth about you and Amity before she first walked into this house. You, mija, are about as subtle as Gus." She blinked and glanced up the stairs, pursing her lips a little. "Luz, where are Vee and Gus now?"
"Oh, they're in our room," Luz said brightly.
"Alone?" Camila asked tonelessly.
Luz's smile slowly faded and was replaced by faint horror. "Vee! Gus!" she shouted, running back up the stairs. "Don't do anything I would do!"
Camila laughed to herself as she got back to her task. "Ah, the small joys of parenthood," she mused.
One of my biggest regrets in how the "Ash & Ebony" saga played out was how little chance I took to feature Camila and Vee. This is partly a way to explore them, and just because I like writing them. Not to mention I very much ship Gus and Vee. As always, requests for this collection are open. Leave an idea if you like!
*As this takes place in the Ash & Ebony 'verse, the Hexsquad was never trapped in the human realm. They have, however, visited as often as they can to get to know Camila, the mother that Luz worked so hard to reunite with, and Vee. Gus, of course, has taken the opportunity to learn as much as he can about human culture firsthand.
*Vee and Gus's first meaningful interaction was obviously based on the intro to "Thanks To Them" with the fire extinguisher. I think it's just a wonderful comparison between Gus and Vee and I wanted to preserve that - not to mention it's just hilarious to me!
*I've already written a Gus/Vee story from Gus's POV – that is not a part of this continuity, I might add – and thought it would be fun to try the flipside.
*Gus's comment about streetlights is based on a question I had years ago. I'm still not sure of the answer – never took the time to look it up until just now. Turns out, a component on streetlights reacts to how bright it is, not a timer.
*Hermanita means little sister, while mija is a contraction of "mi hija," meaning "my daughter." Eso es tan dulce means "That's so sweet," according to Google Translate.
As always, thanks for reading! Leave a review if you like! And may your own works be fun to read and to write!