Amity was fed up with staying in bed. She could not move her limbs since she had woken up, and her head had limited ability to turn. She considered it a good thing, considering how often she wanted to throw a massive fireball at the irritating Volunteer assigned to her.
The witch believed her sister did it out of spite. If she needed a Volunteer assigned, why could it not be someone less obnoxious? Yet, here she was. Stuck in bed, forced to stay in the room with a loud, irritating, and rambling Luz Clawthorne.
"Okay, enough!" Amity snapped, fed up with the womanʼs expressive word vomit.
"Oh? Something's wrong, Princess?" Luz teased, sending the witch a mocking smile.
"You…" Amity faced the tan woman with fury. She quickly recomposed herself, not wanting to give the Volunteer the satisfaction, "How can you be this excited about a children's book?"
"Don't tell me you don't like Azura?" Luz said in pretend shock, "I'm appalled!" The witch scoffed at her antics, rolling her eyes.
"Youʼre making me regret that I survived… Whatever happened to me," Amity whispered in a low growl. While Luz did her best to keep a smile on her face, her heart broke a little.
"Keep it cool, she doesn't mean it…" The human thought and heard a quiet hoot of agreement and support.
"Don't let your frustration get the best of you, Blight," Luz finally said with an amused tone, "What would people say when they learned that the Blight Fortune Heiress was being so mean to an innocent Volunteer, taking care of her," She teased and regretted it immediately seeing Amity face her with a pained look.
"Seriously?" The witch hissed in disbelief. Her voice trembled, "You want to remind me now that my parents are dead?!" Luz realized she did not think this through. At the same time, she took note that Amity still kept her emotions under control, "Thatʼs low, even for someone like you," She added and faced the ceiling, resting her head on the pillow.
"I'm sorry, Amity…" The witch let out a growl. She had no strength to correct the other woman about the proper way to address her.
"J-just…" Amityʼs voice shook, "Leave me alone…"
"You know I shouldn't…"
"Please…" Luz was speechless.
It was the first time since Amity woke up that she asked nicely about anything. It gave Luz hope. It also let the human know how she hurt the woman she loved. She nodded slightly and left the witch alone, leaving the room and quietly closing the door behind her.
"Fuck…" They both whispered in a pained voice once they were finally separated.
Luz entered the personnel room. Despite being exhausted, she managed to send a smile while passing every patient or staff member. She closed the door behind her once she made it to the on-call part of the room and plopped onto the provisional cot, making it creek under her weight.
"There you are," Luz heard a familiar voice above her.
"Leave me be, Will," The human groaned into her pillow.
"Oy, if I wanted that attitude, I'd visit Amity," The witch teased, making her friend groan even more. The brunette squashed the pillow onto her face.
"Sorry," Luz said grumpily, finally turning to the side, facing Willow.
The witch looked worried. The human noticed how tired she was and seemed skinnier as if she lost some weight. Luz sat up, reconsidering her behavior. It was easy to forget that other people were worried about Amity, too.
"So, how's your plan working?" The witch asked, sitting beside her friend, leaning on the taller body supportively before straightening back up.
"Well… She said 'please'," Luz whispered, "After I got her so angry, I guess the only thing that saved me from being burned alive was her being paralyzed," She explained sadly, still trying to use humor to help her through the experience before telling Willow what had transpired.
"Are you sure pissing Boots off is clever?" Eda's voice startled them, making Luz jump and squeak.
"AH! My poor human heart! Mom!" The human exclaimed, massaging her chest.
"Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, Kid," Eda said, lifting her hands defensively before taking a seat. The witch pulled the armchair closer to the bed and eyed her daughter, "But back to my question," She added.
"Well, it worked the first time around, right?" Luz explained.
"You definitely pissed me off," Willow teased, "Purposefully pissing Boscha off to get Amity's attention was reckless…"
"You did what?!" Eda exclaimed in shock and shook her head at Luzʼs innocent smile, "Titan, give me strength…"
"What?!" Luz asked in a high-pitched voice, shrugging her shoulders.
"It was a crush from the first sight," Willow added and punched Luz's arm jokingly.
"Nevertheless, you should rest, Kid," Eda said softly, "I know you well enough to know when you're pretending that everything's fine," She explained, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder.
"I knew your parents well enough to know when they were hiding feeling unwell," Luz did not notice when Danielle joined them in the small room, "Especially your dad," She added with a sad smile.
"Okay…" Luz agreed, "Youʼre right. I don't remember when I last slept," She added, and Danielle smiled warmly at her.
"Get some rest, Cariño," The older human said with a warm smile, "I'll wake you up in time to bring Amity her lunch," She added, helping Luz down onto the cot.
"Yeah, that ought to piss her off," Willow whispered with a small smile.
"You should rest too, Park," Eda said sternly, "Go, meet your boyfriend, eat something," She added, pointing toward the door.
Amity fell into a restless slumber the moment she felt that Volunteer actually listened to her plea, broke the rules, and left her alone. The witch squeezed her eyes shut and let out a small tear. She did not notice when she was taken into a nightmare.
She felt weak and scared, running through a forest with tall, wide trees she did not recognize. The thick fog rose from the ground, surrounding her gasping form. She ran as fast as she could. Amity was unsure if she was being chased or if she hurried to get somewhere.
The flash of her motherʼs face haunted her dream. The woman was smiling warmly, lovingly, enticing her with an affectionate gaze. A sudden lightning tore the sky, and Odalia's face changed.
In the light of thunder, her face was twisted in malice, her teeth bloodied, and her eyes filled with disgust. As soon as the flash of lighting disappeared, Odalia's face was again the one of a loving mother Amity longed for.
"M-mother…" The young witch gasped, trying to reach out but could not move.
"Shh, shh, itʼs alright, Mittens," A familiar voice echoed.
"M-mother…" Amity gasped again.
Suddenly, her Mother's furious face with bloodied fangs and multiple cuts and bruises on her face flashed before her eyes. Amity felt a tight hold on her shoulders. She tried to fight it but could not move.
"PATHETIC!" Odalia's growl pulled her out of her dream.
"NO!" Amity screamed in panic, her ears fluttered widely, and her head thrashed against the pillow.
"Shh, Mittens. You're safe…" Amity recognized that voice. She snapped her eyes open, freeing the tears that tried to escape her eyes for some time now, "It's okay, just breathe," Emira asked with a small, comforting smile, placing a hand on her sister's shoulder.
The younger Blight was confused. Her eyes roamed her sister's face and then the room she was in. She frowned, closing her eyes for a moment, and the memory of her motherʼs bloodied face haunted her again.
"What… What happened…?" She finally asked in a shaking voice, and Emira knew she had to give her sister some kind of explanation.
"You were in an accident…" The Healer sat by her sister's side, "You were hit by a powerful spell that caused gaps in memories and temporal paralysis," She said, not even really lying to Amity.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" The Heiress cleared her throat, recomposing herself, chasing the memory of the dream away.
"You were pretty defensive," Emira smirked, "I didn't want to add to your nerves," She explained.
"And I needed to come up with what to tell you," The Healer thought.
"Can you blame me?" Amity spat, "Parents are dead, the company's my responsibility now, and I have no memory of the greater part of… Well, everything!" She exclaimed, the frustration coming back to life like a phoenix.
"Okay, Mittens. Let's take a step back and focus on your health, okay?" Emira smiled, standing up, "I can deal with the paralysis, and the best Mind Healer in the Demon Realm should come from the other Titan tomorrow or the next day," She informed her sister, slowly leaving the room, "In the meantime, you need to eat, so I can get you off the IV and you can start your physical rehabilitation before you lose any more of your muscle mass," She added.
"Seems logical…" Amity muttered, facing the ceiling.
"Oh," Emira paused, "And stop being such a bitch to Luz," She added, stopping on the threshold of Amity's room, "I assigned her to you because she's the best Volunteer in Bonesborough," She said, hoping that would make Luz's job slightly easier. She did not expect to hear her sister scoff.
"Then you must have a real Volunteer deficiency…" Amity growled in reply, and Emira left the room before she could have snapped.
Luz was found in the Clinic's kitchen by the time of Amity's first meal. She wanted it to be perfect. Despite knowing the witch would not appreciate it, she wanted to ensure she would get her favorite Human Realm soup in the hope of triggering her memories.
"Whatʼs all that?" Emira asked when she noticed Luz and Danielle bossing around the kitchen, earning glances of disapproval from the staff members and Chef Jackie.
"Tomato soup on a strong beef bullion and some strawberry jello for dessert," Luz said with a smile.
"Human Realm food…" Emira noted, and Luz nodded with pride.
"That was the first meal we prepared together after the Bond," Luz said, reminiscing about their time spent together, "She had never cooked before, so when she discovered it was not that difficult, she decided she wanted to master this skill. And you know what a perfectionist she is?" The human smiled at the Healer, earning a small scoff, "Since she tried the strawberry jello, she got hooked, despite teasing me about my 'red food is safe food' theory," She chuckled, not noticing how Danielle looked at her with awe mixed with worry.
"And that?" Emira pointed at a small vase.
"Oh, that," Luz retrieved a Plant Glyph and summoned a beautiful, intensely smelling red rose, "That was what she adored during our first date in Gravesfield," She added and put the flower inside the vase.
"Luz?" Danielle placed a warm hand on her ward's shoulder, "Try not to get your hopes up," She asked and shared a quick look with Emira, "This is all very sweet and considerate, but she might not remember you…"
"I know, Danielle," Luz snapped, removing the womanʼs hand from her shoulder and covering the food tray, "It doesn't mean I will give up without even trying," She added and rolled the trolley out of the kitchen and toward Amityʼs room.
"I didn't expect she cared so much…" Emira whispered with awe.
"You should have seen her when Amity went missing…"
"She what?!" The green-haired Healer and kitchen staff exclaimed simultaneously, letting everyone know they were listening in. The human smiled at their reaction.
"Oh, you better clear your schedule because that's gonna take a while to catch you up," Danielle said with a smirk, sitting by a small kitchen table. Witches and demons on the staff gave them some tea. Everyone listened to the human's story carefully, drinking every word Danielle said, "I donʼt know what happened during their first week at the Human Realm, but I met your sister when she was poisoned…"
Luz stopped in front of Amity's room. She straightened herself, corrected the maroon beanie on her head, tugged her bangs nervously, smoothed her flannel, and looked at the tag next to the door.
1208
BLIGHT, A.
DND
"Do not disturb, right… 'Entering may cause harm or death' would be more accurate," Luz thought bitterly.
She felt the looks on her back and was certain some whispers arose. A delicate hoot echoing through her mind reminded her to ignore everyone and focus on the only thing that mattered. Luz entered the room as quietly as possible, closing the doors behind her and sending a warning look toward the Nurses' Station as she did so.
"You again?" Amity growled when she noticed the human enter her room.
"Well, you didn't think you could get rid of me that easily? Huh, Blight?" Luz replied, parking the food trolley, hating the object but ignoring her discomfort.
"Miss Blight…" The witch growled in irritation.
"Tell you what, Princess," Luz uncovered the tray and rolled in the wheelchair to sit by Amity's bed, "You eat everything I have for you, and I'll stop calling you by your surname," She proposed a deal, knowing that was what Odalia loved doing with her daughter.
"I'll do you one better," Amity retorted venomously, "You stop that this instant, and I won't fry your ass once I start moving again," She added, and Luz chuckled at that.
"Very well then," The human took hold of the soup bowl and leaned over Amity, "Patient number twelve-oh-eight will be eating now," She added. Amity faced her in an instant with a fury-filled gaze.
Their eyes met. The liquid gold bore into the hazel brown. The seconds ticked by, and Luz did not move a muscle. A loud growl from Amity's stomach made the human smirk as she raised her brow. The witch hated that playful gaze. That Titan awful smirk.
"Titan, you're stubborn," The witch finally caved.
"You have no idea, Blight," Luz agreed, preparing a little soup on the spoon and offering it to the witch.
"Whatʼs that?"
"Tomato soup. I made it specially for you," Clawthorne said with a smile.
"I never heard of it," Amity was still reluctant.
"Well, if you don't want it," Luz leaned back, putting the spoon into the soup, stirring it again, making the witch's stomach growl.
"Titan, you're impossible…" Amity whispered more to herself, her ears slanting, "Fine, I'll eat that hypothetically not poisoned food you made 'specially' for me," She added, facing Luz, who smiled victoriously, showing off her white-gold fang that the witch did not notice before.
"Thatʼs the spirit!" Clawthorne said, smiling at the witch, making her roll her eyes in annoyance.
"Thatʼs so embarrassing…" Amity growled in embarrassment.
"Then you just have to get better fast. What do you say, Blight?" Luz said with a warm smile, offering the witch a spoonful of reddish soup.
Amity looked at the warm, friendly expression. She could not deny that this annoying woman had a strange ease in talking her into things. She would never admit that she felt strangely comfortable.
"I mean, her logic is strong. I need to get better fast…" The witch thought and accepted the spoon into her mouth.
She did not know what to expect from the unknown dish, but when the liquid touched her tongue, she felt more at home than she had ever been in Blight Manor. Her ears practically fluttered in excitement while her eyes went wide in the realization that she immediately fell in love with this new dish.
Luz smiled widely when she noticed an all too familiar reaction to a food that Amity enjoyed. She could not help but feel that, at that moment, her fiancée was back. Her heart pounded with warmth, and she wanted to compliment the witch.
"HOOT!" The demon yelled at Luz to drag her out of her delusions.
"Yeah, right… She doesn't remember us…"
"This has no right to be so good!" Amity whispered, unaware she said it out loud.
"I'm glad to hear that," Clawthorne replied, helping the witch eat, wiping her chin, and trying to act as naturally as possible.
"What is that?" The golden eyes pointed at the bowl.
"As I mentioned, it's a tomato soup," Luz started explaining, wondering if now was the best moment to tell the witch about her origins, "A tomato is a special kind of fruit from the Human Realm…" Amityʼs expression faded instantly.
"H-Human… R-Realm?" The witch stuttered nervously.
"Yeah," Luz smiled widely, and Amity eyed her teeth. Specifically her natural fang, "I told you, I made it specially for you," She added, offering another spoon.
"W-why? How?" Luz silenced Amity's questions with another mouthful.
"Well, because I'm human…" Suddenly, Amity spit the soup, blinding the Volunteer, gasping in shock, "GAH! My eyes!" Luz exclaimed, dropping the bowl on herself, burning her stomach, standing up in shock, and wiping her eyes frantically. The bowl and spoon clattered on the floor.
"Help! Somebody!" Amity screamed, her voice shaken with fear. Clawthorne was shocked to feel the witchʼs panic, "Don't hurt me!" She added, her lips trembling, golden orbs roaming the human frantically. Luz snapped her eyes open despite the stinging sensation.
"What? Why would I hurt you?" The human asked dumbfoundedly, leaning forward, hoping to calm the witch down, placing hands on her shoulders, "You're safe. Calm do-..."
"Keep your paws off me!" Amity growled, and despite her paralysis, she jerked up with enough strength to dig her fangs deep into Luz's forearm, trying to protect herself.
"AAAAA!" Luz howled in pain animalistically. The warm blood oozed down into the witch's mouth, on her neck, and into her pajamas.
"What the hell is going on here?!" Emira barged into the room with Danielle in tow.
The Healer expected Amity to be difficult for Luz. She predicted the human to stubbornly try to trigger her fiancée's memories. What she did not even dare to dream in her wildest, worst-case scenarios was that her sister would actually attack the other woman.
"Amity, let go!" Luz growled, trying to shove the pain to the back of her head, "Please, I'm not going to hurt you!" She added, softening her tone.
"Amity, that's enough!" Emira approached the two women. The younger Blight unclenched her jaw, letting Luz retrieve her hand immediately.
"Get it out!" Amity squeaked in a quivering voice, spitting the blood from her mouth. Her eyes still roamed the human with panic.
Luz watched the witch's expression with a broken heart. The lavender-haired woman was scared for her life. The pale face was covered in blood, and her slanted ears trembled. It was too much for her human heart. She turned around and stormed off, holding her forearm, trying to stop the bleeding.
"Amity, look at me," Emira hovered above her sister. She realized her sister was scared for her life, "You are safe. Everything is alright," The Healer said and cupped the bloodied face.
"It… It…" Amity stuttered in panic.
"SHE is not going to hurt you, Amity," Emira said in a delicate, comforting voice, caressing the lavender hair before she shared a look with Danielle, who was just as confused.
"Miss Blight," Danielle spoke softly, "Why are you scared of humans?" She asked, and Emira looked back at her sister, whose eyes roamed their faces while her breathing hitched.
Luz rushed through the corridor, holding her arm that painted the floor with her blood, trying to contain the oozing liquid. She had no idea where she was heading. The human was so angry with herself. Her heartbeat deafened her so much that she did not realize someone was calling her name.
"Clawthorne!" She felt a powerful tug on her shoulder.
"What?!" Luz let out a distorted growl, not controlling her behavior.
It took her a moment to understand that Viney held her, watching her reactions closely. The Healer's green eyes inspected her friend worriedly. She ignored Luz's feral appearance, black-golden eyes, and distortion in the human's voice.
"Come with me!" The Healer added and dragged the tall woman behind her.
"Where are…"
"Just… Come…" Viney said, pulling dumbfounded Luz up the stairs.
Clawthorne was too shocked to even question anything. She let the witch drag her into the Intensive Care ward, pushing her into the solitary and following her inside. Luz looked at her friend questioningly.
"It's a magic-restricting room," The Healer explained, "It's covered with the withes' wool. Amity won't feel your Bond here," She added, and Luz understood.
Viney guided the human to sit down on the cushioned floor, and she inspected her forearm. Luz noticed her ears twitching when her brows tied in a concerned frown. She drew a small spell circle to clear out the excess of blood. The human removed her Concealment Stone when she realized the illusion obscured the wound.
"What the hell made her bite you?" Viney asked when she noticed the source of the bleeding, not understanding the situation.
"I…" Luz hesitated, "I told her…" Viney stopped what she was doing and looked at the human supportively, "I told her I'm human… And she panicked," Her breathing hitched, and she looked aside, "I tried to calm her down…" She gasped again. She did not feel any air in her lungs.
"Luz, Luz, calm down. Look at me," Viney tried to get her friend's attention.
"She called me an 'it'..." The tears rolled down the tan cheeks, and she could not stop her wails anymore.
Luz let her head down and sobbed in defeat. The Healer used that moment to heal the bleeding forearm. The small wound closed nicely except for the deep punctures left by Amityʼs fangs.
"It was either too deep or she was too panicked, letting some magic seep out…" Viney thought, analyzing the wound before letting go of the human's hand.
Luz immediately sat back and curled, bringing her legs up, hugging them tightly, and resting her head on her knees in defeat. Viney did not know what she should do. The Healer could never understand Luz's emotions. She was with Emira ever since they first started dating. It was a straightforward relationship with no complications.
Knock, knock, knock!
Viney looked at the door and noticed her wife on the other side. The brunette witch gestured for the green-haired Healer to enter. Emira wasted no time. She approached Luz, who rocked and cried quietly, releasing her emotions.
"Luz?" The green-haired woman whispered, trying to get the human's attention, "Are you okay?" She asked, touching the tan arm and startling the young brunette.
Luz lifted her head and looked at Emira with black-gold, teary eyes. The Healers had no idea how Clawthorne's condition worked. They stiffened, noticing how her natural fang had grown out, her human ears transformed into spiky ones, and her hands were ended with sharp claws.
"What do you think?" Luz growled distortedly, "My fiancée can't remember me. She's scared of my kind and treated me like an animal before attacking me…"
"Luz…" Viney interrupted, earning a furious gaze, "Think. Who else treated you like that?" She asked, and Luz blinked dumbfoundedly.
"W-what do you mean?" The human asked and noticed the quick look the witches exchanged.
"I talked to Amity," Emira said softly, "For some unknown reason, she's scared of humans…"
"But we all know she was fascinated with humans since she was a child," Viney said, interrupting her wife. Luz straightened, listening to the witches before her.
"Consider this wild theory…" Emira proposed, but the human interrupted immediately.
"Odalia put in the spell she cast on Amity, the fear of humans to get rid of me from her life!" Luz exclaimed. Her cries immediately died down. She sighed and lay on the floor, holding her head, "Titan, I'm so stupid!" She whispered, releasing a deep exhale.
"Don't be hard on yourself. This is an exceedingly difficult situation," Emira comforted their friend, who suddenly was surrounded by a bright gold light as she kicked the floor in frustration. Her demonic features slowly faded.
"Luz…" Viney whispered, and Luz sat up abruptly.
"What else did Odalia change? It goes deeper than just blocking access to her memories! It completely changes them! She altered the core of what made Amity herself!" The human yelled in frustration.
"Luz…" Emira's voice was full of pain and hesitation, "Maybe you should take a break for a day or two?" The human shot her an outraged look, "You need to take care of yourself too," She reasoned.
"Amity isn't going anywhere. You have to think about yourself, too…" Viney added.
"But…"
"No buts…" Emira said sternly, "Give her time to think over her behavior, time to miss you…"
Luz nodded, contemplating what the Healers had just told her. She then looked at the new bite mark on her forearm and ran her thumb over it. The human thought over the entire situation. She then remembered when Amity even considered Odalia to have altered her memories.
"O-okay…" Luz finally choked out, giving a slight nod, "I'll… I'll get out of your way then…"
"Luz!" Emira snapped, "Youʼre not in anyone's way! We need to think about you, too. Just like you must think about yourself as well!"
"Yeah!" Viney agreed, "Go home, relax, rest, then come back with new energy…" She added, and Luz could not help but smile at the witches. She decided it would be wise to listen to them.
When Luz returned to the Owl House, she was beaten. She had no idea she needed her space this much until she was finally back home. The human plopped onto her bed in her clothes, still stained with tomato soup. She did not even have it in her to take off her sneakers.
The moment she fell asleep, all she could dream about was Amity. How she could not protect her fiancée in the forest in the Human Realm, or how she could not save her in her Mind Scapes. Odalia's bloodied face woke her up screaming.
"Pathetic!" The elder Blight's voice echoed in her head.
She woke up for a mere moment, but when Luz was sure she was back in her bedroom, her eyes rolled up, and she fell back asleep. Another nightmarish vision haunted her, not really letting her get the rest she needed.
"A-Amity…" Luz mumbled in her sleep.
She was unaware of the fever she was running. She smacked her dry lips and threw her head to the side with a pathetic whimper. Her breathing was rapid and shallow, and her face was covered in cold sweat.
"Please…" The human gasped before clenching her firsts on the sheets.
What Luz did not know was that King and Hooty watched her worriedly. They were aware of everything but did their best to give the young, hurt woman the space she needed. The young Titan called Eda the moment her daughter started running a fever.
After Danielle filled them in on what transpired at the Clinic, she already knew what happened. The two women tried to ensure that Luz was comfortable until she would snap out of her nightmares.
"N-no!" Luz's voice quivered while her forehead ran down with sweat, mixing with her tears.
"Whatʼs wrong with her?" Danielle asked, watching Eda care for her daughter with spells and potions. The young human reluctantly accepted the medicine, spitting it up a bit.
"Boots was freaking out when she bit her…" Eda said calmly, dropping the Healing Spell, "Just like during the Bonding, her emotions seeped into her system… Luckily, there was not much since baby Blight is still drained…"
"So why is she so feverish?"
"Well," Eda looked at the older brunette, "She was hurt, too… Just like you had to get me out of your system… Strong emotions can be just as poisoning…" She added, and Danielle looked away, ashamed that her ex knew how much she cared for her, "Hey, donʼt feel bad. I was the one who messed everything up…"
"You did…" Danielle agreed and sniffled a little, "But you also had a valid reason… Even if you ultimately broke my heart," She added, not even noticing that Eda stopped everything she was doing. The witch looked at the doctor with teary eyes, her pupils were wide, "Let's go and let her rest. I'll prepare the guest room for you," The witch added, and Danielle nodded in agreement.
"Thank you…" López said sheepishly once they were out of Luz's room.
"Huh?"
"For letting me live with you, check in on Luz, stay close to Amity… You didn't have to do it…" Danielle whispered, looking away, too ashamed of her emotions.
"I know… I really wanted to, Dani. I won't let you sleep in the Clinic for who knows how long," Eda towered above the other woman, who gulped heavily.
"Dios Mío, she still uses the same perfumes," The human thought nervously, her eyes roaming the pale face before her.
"Here's your room," Eda opened the door, "Call me if you need anything," She added with a nervous smile. She left before she could do anything else, not trusting herself around the shorter woman.
When Amity woke up, the events following her panic flashed before her eyes. The Volunteer, whom she almost began to trust, was revealed to be a human. Her Mother warned her about the beasts with dull fangs that lurked in the shadows, waiting for the lowest moment to reach their goal.
"Fucking Titan, Amity!" Emira yelled at her sister, fed up with the situation. Danielle left them alone when Amity tried to prove her Mother right, "She's the kindest, warmest person I know. She went out of her way, definitely out of her responsibilities, to get ingredients for that meal, dessert, and even that stupid flower!" The Healer fumed.
"Have I misjudged it?" Amity wondered, recalling her sister's reaction.
"Do you think I would endanger you? Who do you think I am?" Amity had no idea how to behave. She had never seen Emira so disappointed in her, "The woman was nothing but kind to you! She was only responding to your bitchiness, and at the end, you depersonalized her…" Emira was barely holding her last blow.
"You were no better than mother!" The Healer left unsaid.
"Biting my staff will not be accepted, do you understand?" Amity nodded, and Emira stormed off furiously.
"Let's get you cleaned up, Cariño," Nurse López said calmly when she returned to room number twelve-oh-eight.
But Amity felt like an ungrateful brat. She did not deserve the womanʼs kindness to clean her of the blood of the person, yes, the person who was kind to her. For the first time in her life, the Heiress felt honest-to-Titan regret for her actions.
Amity's heart quickened when the door to her room opened again. Her expression faded when she noticed the Nurse she was already familiar with. The witch immediately recomposed her expression, scolding herself internally when she realized she hoped to see someone else.
"I hope you're hungry, Miss Blight," Danielle said with a wide, self-taught smile, "I've got some pancakes… Thatʼs still something from the menu Miss Clawthorne prepared for you, so we don't really know what that is," She lied in the hope of getting the witch interested.
"And Miss Clawthorne?" Amity asked weakly, clearly ashamed of her behavior the day before, "Whereʼs she?" Danielle could not ignore the pained look on the witchʼs face.
"Sheʼs so confused… She longs for Luz, not knowing why, thinking she should hate her…" Danielle thought and decided to keep the most comforting facade possible.
"Sheʼs taking a day off since you'll be meeting a Mind Healer today… And to… Recover…" She added. Amity turned away, facing the wall, trying to hide her shame. Her slanted ears betrayed her.
"Pathetic!" She heard her Mother's voice.
"However, we can't let those cakes go to waste, now can we?" The doctor said. She wore a wide, warm smile as she sat by the witch's bed, "Luckily, Miss Clawthorne left clear instructions on how to eat them, so how about we start with that jam?" She added and prepared the first forkful with the piece of food.
Amity faced the Nurse and felt her stomach rumble. She could not deny that she would love to eat whatever the human had prepared for her. With a silent gaze, the witch let the other woman know she was about to cooperate and eat.
"Mmm… Sour!" Amity exclaimed while her ears fluttered widely, and Danielle chuckled.
"It's supposedly called a black currant," The Nurse said, her warm expression never wavering, "Luz picked it because it contains a lot of vitamins to help you recover," She explained, and Amity's expression faded.
"Did you…" The witch hesitated, "Did you know she's a human?" Danielle scoffed.
"I'm sorry, Miss Blight, but everyone knew," She looked at Amity with slight amusement, "She wasnʼt exactly hiding, you know?" She teased a little bit and offered the witch another bite. She smiled, noting how eagerly Amity was devouring her meal, "Don't worry, I won't tell her you enjoyed the pancakes," She added. She was surprised to see the witch smile at that.
"I donʼt know what you have in mind. These are disgusting," Amity returned a sheepish smile.
"Do you want some more?" Danielle lifted another forkful.
"Yes, please," The witch replied.
She could not believe how comfortable she felt around the Nurse. There was something familiar about the woman that made her trust the woman. Amity immediately decided to never admit it to anyone.
Another day passed, and Luz never felt worse. It looked as if she lost all hope. Eda was worried more than ever. She had never seen her daughter like that. No more joking, teasing, quips. This was not the Kid she adopted.
The young Clawthorne walked down in the morning and entered the kitchen. She ignored Hooty's attempt to cheer her up, stepped to the side, avoiding King's sneak attack, and pretended not to see how her mother looked at her.
Luz entered the kitchen, opened the top cupboard, and pulled out a bottle of Tequila. She scoffed at the irony of fate, thinking about Amity challenging Tommy Bergstein, and returned upstairs with the bottle in hand.
"Dani, I need help," Eda cawed the Clinic, her voice filled with desperation, "I have never seen Luz so… Hopeless," She admitted and told her what had transpired.
Danielle did not want to scare the witch, but she feared for Luz. It started to look awfully similar to the beginning of Camila's sickness. Right after she lost Manuel. If that would be so, she knew she had to act. And fast!
Luz sat in the tub filled with warm water. She finally felt well enough to clean herself from the remains of her blood and the tomato soup still stuck in her hair. She poured herself some Tequila and held the glass with the golden liquid in her hand, admiring how it refracted the light.
"Just a different kind of elixir," Luz thought.
She never was much of a drinking person, but all she wanted was to forget her worries. Just as she was about to take a swig, an all too familiar and loud bird tube entered the bathroom through the window, breaking the glass and scaring the human.
"Hooty! The hell?!" She hollered, watching the demon devour the glass he broke and the Tequila-filled bottle, "We talked about privacy…"
"Privacy is a privilege! Hoot!" He squeaked, frowning brows at her. Luz covered her body with the bath foam, but the demon smashed their faces together, "You can either stay here and soak in your sorrows or do something and help the woman you love! Hoot!"
"She hates me, Hooty!" Luz argued, pushing his face away from hers.
"Everyone hates me, hoot-hoot, and you don't see me giving up!" He looked at her with a gaze so serious she felt like listening to the demon whom she usually ignored.
"But…"
"No buts! Or do you want me to owl-pellet you?" Luz shook her head energetically, eyes wide at the prospect, absolutely confused by the situation, "Good! Hoot! Then get out and go get her! Hoot!"
"O-okay!" Luz ignored the demonʼs presence and quickly stumbled out of the tub, wrapping up her morning toilet routine.
The human quickly changed in her room, getting some clean clothes. She suddenly felt a rush to get out of the house. She stumbled downstairs, sorting out her beanie, and practically ran over Eda.
"Oh, s-sorry, Mom," Luz stuttered dumbfoundedly.
"Don't worry, Kid. I was just about to look for you," The witch replied, getting her daughterʼs attention, "Emira cawed," She added. Luz stood still, waiting for the information, "Amity refused to start her PT… If you're not there…"
"W-what?" Luz squealed, not believing what she was hearing.
"Thatʼs all I know, Kid," Eda shrugged in faux lack of care, "Whatever you did, you must have done something right because she wouldn't let anyone touch her… But you," She explained with a taunting smirk.
Luz stared at her mother, blinking with an empty gaze as if all the words were slowly making space in her head. A few more seconds passed. Suddenly, without any warning or goodbye, Luz darted out of the house toward the Clinic, leaving nothing but dust behind her.
"Good job, Hooty," The witch praised the house demon as they watched the young woman disappear.
Luz walked into the Clinic. As soon as she approached the Nurses' Station, she heard a strange commotion. Loud yells were coming from Amity's room, and she could not help but smirk when she heard what the problem was.
"Don't you dare touch me!" Amity hollered with a low growl. Luz leaned back at the Station counter.
"Oh, thank Titan, you're here!" One of the Nurses exclaimed when they noticed her back, "I promise, I won't laugh at you anymore, just please… Do something about her," She said with a slightly trembling voice.
"What did she do to you?" Luz said tauntingly.
"She knows how to make a person feel worthless…" Clawthorne slightly scoffed at Nurse's expression.
"Don't worry. I'll deal with her," The human reassured and headed toward the room. The yells and screams got louder as she approached the door.
"Keep your hands away, you pathetic, lowly…"
"Well, at least she has hands, huh?" Luz teased the Heiress, leaning on the door frame with hands tied on her chest, watching the witch try to move away from the Nurse.
"Ugh, Luz!" The woman dressed in blue robes exclaimed when she noticed the human, "Finally! Take care of your problem! I have too much self-respect to deal with that brat!" She exclaimed furiously.
"Hey!" Luz's playful expression faded immediately, "You will not talk about Miss Blight like that!" She straightened herself, taking a defensive pose, and the Nurse approached the human on her way out.
"Just because she's the boss's sister, has all the money in the Isles, and lost her memories doesn't give her a free pass to treat people like this!" She growled loud enough for the lavender-haired woman to hear her clearly before whispering as quietly as possible, "Deal with your fiancée and get her out of my floor!" She added and stormed off, leaving the two women alone.
Amity was looking away. She was unsure if she was too ashamed or angry to face the human. When Luz noticed the witch's breathing was quick. She decided to break the awkward silence and ease the atmosphere between them.
"I was told you wouldn't let anyone touch you to help you with your PT… Miss Blight," She said, trying to get on Amity's good side. At least for now.
The witch turned her head and faced the human. Luz stood with her hands still tied on her chest. Amity's eyes roamed the tan body. When she noticed a small scar on her forearm, her ears slanted in shame. The golden orbs traveled up and made contact with the hazel-brown ones.
"Thatʼs not entirely true… Miss Clawthorne…" The witch hesitated and faced the ceiling, "I needed to talk to you. At least once more…" She paused, hesitating momentarily, "It was brought to my attention that I may have misjudged you…"
"Uh-huh?" Luz had strange satisfaction, seeing how difficult it was for Amity to apologize to her. She smiled mischievously.
"I'm sorry for attacking you, Miss Clawthorne," The witch said in a tone so formal she sounded as if she was issuing a statement to the paper, "I was taken by surprise, and I was clearly mistaken to be afraid of your origins," She added, her ears twitched anxiously.
"Did someone note it down for you?" Luz teased, snorting at the witch's behavior, making Amity look at her in outrage.
"How dare you?! I was being sincere, you…"
"Human?" Luz smirked, showing off her fang, making Amity scoff at her with irritation, "Okay, okay, I won't tease. I know it must have cost you a lot to apologize to a lowly subspecies such as myself," She added, and a long, uncomfortable silence filled the room. Finally, Luz sighed heavily and gathered the courage to speak, "Would you mind if I sat by your side?" Amity shook her head, and Clawthorne took a place by the bed, "Would you mind if I touched your right hand?" Another shake of the witch's head made Luz smile delicately, "You promise not to bite me again?"
"I said I was so-..." Amity snapped, facing the human, pausing her yelling when she noticed Clawthorne's playful gaze, "Ugh, you're impossible," She said when she realized Luz was just teasing.
"Hey, you asked for me," Luz said, lifting her hands defensively. Amity did not have it in her to argue with the woman, "Now, if you haven't changed your mind, I will take your hand to see what we're working with and help you with some basic stretching exercises, okay?"
"Okay," Amity whispered sheepishly.
Her ears were slanted in shame and fear. She kept glancing at Luz but was too ashamed to maintain eye contact with the other woman. The witch tried to stay calm, but her heart was racing.
"Remember, you can say you had enough at any time, okay?" Luz reminded in a soft voice, "Iʼm here to help, not hurt you," She added with a smile. The witch nodded hesitantly, "Okay, here we go," She said and grabbed Amity's forearm delicately.
The witch shuddered under her touch. Her eyes shot wide open, and she looked at Luz in shock. Her ears twitched unevenly, and her pink lips parted as if Amity wanted to say something.
"Is everything alright?" The human wanted to make sure.
"Youʼre so… Warm," Amity whispered. Her voice was filled with shock and fascination, making Luz smile at her.
"I'm glad to hear that," Amity shot her a questioning gaze, "That means you have feeling in your hand," She explained before standing up, "Would you mind if I inspect your other hand?" She asked, and the witch shook her head in consent, "Also, humans are naturally warmer," She added while checking the other arm. Luz smiled when the pointy ears twitched in excitement.
"I had no idea," Amity whispered, watching the long, skillful, tan fingers gently go through her limbs, trying to check the state of her paralysis.
A strange electric sensation traveled through the witch's body every time the warm fingers touched her. Amity could not believe how delicate the human touch was. She felt a blush creep on her face when she realized what she was noticing about the other woman.
"I'm taking a wild guess, based on my new scar, there are many things you don't know about humans, huh?" Luz teased, and the witch's blush deepened, "I tell you what," She stopped the inspection and hovered above her patient, "You tell me what you were taught about humans, and I will stop teasing you about the bite… Well, to the best of my ability," She offered a deal with a warm smile.
The witch roamed her face, trying to understand this creature's intentions. She reminded herself that, as Emira pointed out, Luz was nothing but good to her. Even now, after being mistreated and attacked, she has been considerate and kind.
"It sounds like a fair deal," The witch finally choked out, clearing her throat.
"Very well then," Luz replied with a bright smile that was strangely comforting to the witch, "But I need to check your legs in the meantime, okay?" She asked, and the lavender head nodded.
"When I was a child, my mother used to tell me stories about creatures who kidnapped children," Amity started her story.
"I will check your left leg now," Luz informed, never interrupting the witch's story.
"She warned me that if I wouldn't obey, she'd leave me, and the human would come to take me away," Luz carefully listened while she bent the pale leg, "I begged her to never leave me so she gave me a protective necklace, saying that as long as I have it no human would ever harm me," She snorted at her own gullibility, "Of course, I lost it years ago… Or at least I think I did…" She paused, biting her lower lip, realizing how her mother lied to her.
"Moving into the other leg," Luz warned, but her gaze never left the witch's face, which contorted in discomfort for a moment.
"She created this image of an evil creature, lurking in the dark, waiting to snatch me away, and doing unspeakable things to me that it grew in my mind to unrealistic proportions," Amity said. Her eyes blinked rapidly, trying to hide her distress. Luz put the pale leg down and covered the witch's lower body, tucking her in, "Iʼm sorry… My emotions should have never taken the best of me. It was unacceptable, and I apologize for my behavior."
"Stop apologizing, or I'll start teasing you again," Luz said with a smirk.
"But I…"
"Blight?" Luz said semi-sernly. Amityʼs expression changed into one full of irritation. Her dark brows tied on her pale face.
"Are all humans so infuriating, or is it just a you thing?" The witch retorted snarkily.
"And she's back," Luz chuckled, and Amity scoffed, trying to hide her amusement. Her ears betrayed her real emotions, but the human decided to let it slide, "Since you like deals so much, what do you say, for every exercise done right, you can ask me one thing about my kind," Luz offered, knowing she still had to help Amity with her physical therapy.
"What makes you think I would be interested in a…" Luz raised her brow at the defensive behavior, "Ugh, fine!"
"Okay then," Luz hovered above Amity once again, "I will grab your palms now, and I need you to squeeze my fingers as hard as you can, okay?" Amity nodded, "Okay, here I go, and you think of your first question," She added.
The human grabbed the pale, delicate hands. They felt limp in her hold. When there was no reaction, Luz rubbed the witchʼs knuckles with her thumbs, trying to trigger her memories with familiar gestures.
"And squeeze," The human instructed, and Amity did her best to follow the command. The squeeze was nothing more than a delicate twitch of her fingers. But it did not matter, "Very good, just a little more," Luz praised the witch's attempts. She watched Amity carefully, knowing all too well how difficult it was to regain health.
"Thatʼs it," Luz said, letting the witch know she could let go of her fingers. The human grabbed a pad the Nurse left behind and scribbled down her observations before facing Amity again, "Do you have it in you to try again?" She asked. The lavender head nodded, too tired to respond.
They repeated the process. Luz noted how Amityʼs brow furrowed in concentration and frustration while her slanted ears twitched in exhaustion. The human adjusted her thumbs, caressed the pale knuckles again, and smiled, noticing how the grip strengthened with this additional stimulation.
"Very good. Take a break," Luz whispered.
The witch felt absolutely drained of all energy. She breathed heavily while the human added something to her notes before cleaning the cold sweat out of Amity's forehead. The golden eyes rolled under the fluttering eyelids.
"Okay, try to get some sleep now. I will answer your questions during your lunch," Luz said with a smile.
Amity's eyes rolled up immediately, and her head fell to the pillow as she breathed heavily. Luz brushed the lavender hair away and tucked the exhausted woman in before taking her leave.
"Why is she so good… To me?" The witch wondered the moment before everything went dark.
Luz brought her reports to Emira, who was shocked to see the human enter her office. When she was shown Amity's progress report, she scoffed in amusement, hiding her face in her palms, and groaned.
"So youʼre telling me, Odalia put some metaphorically emphasized story of how you saved Amity to make her afraid of you?"
"Yeap," Luz said with a popping 'p' sound.
"And my sister thinks her choker was some sort of talisman to protect her from being taken by evil humans?"
"Indeed," Luz confirmed, rocking in the chair.
"Titan, that's low, even for her," The Healer added bitterly, pouring herself a small glass of Apple Blood.
"Day drinking?" Luz teased with a smirk. She stopped rocking in the chair and stood up.
"It's not day drinking if I'm ending my shift," Emira chuckled, "Want some?"
"Can't. Still human," Luz refused with a chuckle, thinking bitterly about how she should not look for a solution in the bottle of Tequila.
"Thank you, Hooty," The brunette thought.
"Sorry, I keep forgetting," Emira smiled and downed her glass, "Okay, I need sleep. That was a long shift. If anyone wakes me up, I'll burn them alive," She added with a tired sigh.
"Here's the family resemblance you hide so well," Luz said with a wide, teasing grin, making Emira chuckle, "Sleep tight. I gotta bring Amity her lunch anyway," The human said on her way out, waving at the older Blight.
"Rise and shine, Princess," Luz teased. She rolled the food trolley into Amityʼs room, but the witch did not respond, "Blight?" She tried again, blocking the wheels and hovering above the pale woman, "Amity, come on, donʼt scare me…" She caressed the pale face, brushing some wild lavender strands away, noticing auburn roots growing out.
"Even if you don't know me, I will care for you, my Love…" Luz thought and moved away when she noticed a twitch of the pointy ear.
"Mmm…" Amity groaned, tying her brows in a frown. Luz moved away, giving her some space, smiling at how the witch's nose moved, sniffing the food Luz brought. The pale eyelids fluttered, and pointy ears slanted when she focused her gaze, "You again…"
"You have to stop acting so surprised," Luz smirked, "I told you I'm not going anywhere," She added and opened the food tray. The moment the scent of the food erupted from the plate, the witch's stomach growled loudly. Luz decided against commenting on that.
"I hope you'll like what I prepared," The human said softly, "I know how embarrassing it is to be fed… Especially when you're a proud person…" Luz paused momentarily, "I was in your place just a few months ago, so I know how embarrassing it is to be unable to do anything by yourself…"
"What happened?" Amity asked, shocking herself with an honest-to-Titan worry.
"Thatʼs a long story, and I doubt you want to hear some sappy tale of how I practically died," Luz laughed, "Anyway, that's why I never joke or tease during your meals…"
"I noticed, and I wondered about that…"
"Thatʼs also why I made you something more recovery-friendly," The human added and presented a plate filled with bite-sized rolls, "I hope you like it," Luz said with a smile, offering Amity a bite. The witch's ears slanted in hesitation, but she accepted the food.
"Did you cook it yourself?" The bedridden woman asked.
"Of course," Luz smiled with pride, "I need to ensure you have enough strength to get you back on your feet by the end of the week…" Amity scoffed, "Something's wrong?"
"I can't even wiggle my toes! How do you expect me to walk?!" She snapped, glaring into the hazel-brown eyes.
Luz realized how scared the witch was. She was stuck in bed, paralyzed, confused, and alone. At least, in her opinion, she was alone, having no recollection of all the meaningful relationships in her life.
"I believe that your inability to move results from your mental state rather than physical. As we already confirmed, you have feeling in your limbs, and you can slightly lift your upper body…" Luz explained, and Amity was lost in thought, accepting a few more bites, "But hey, don't worry about that now, okay?" She added with a smile, "I promised to answer your questions. Since you completed two exercises, you can ask me two questions about humans," She said, returning the plate to the food tray and getting the strawberry jello Amity had yet to try.
"Um… I was wondering why you insist on feeding me the Human Realm food," Amity admitted, "Is that some kind of ruse? You try to get me over my prejudice or something?" She added and accepted the dessert.
Her ears fluttered widely, and she could not believe how delicious the dessert was. The consistency, the food slowly melting in her mouth, and the sourness complimented the sweetness. It was perfect.
"That was not my intention, although it seems like it's working," Luz chuckled and offered Amity another spoonful, "To be honest, I don't think you need my help to overcome your prejudice. You are a smart, open-minded woman, so I am sure that once you learn the truth for yourself, the prejudice seeded by your mother will be gone," She added and noticed how Amity's expression faded at the mention of Odalia, "Yet, to answer your question, I'm giving you human food because our stomachs are not as strong as yours. Our food is much softer and easier to digest. Even though some foods are exceedingly toxic to witches, most are the safest to eat while recovering. Especially since it has all the same nutrients," Luz explained, and Amity watched her in awe.
"Do all patients have a Human Realm-based diet?"
"No," Luz blushed and chuckled nervously, "I kind of went rogue here, earning a regular scolding from the Chef," She admitted, and an awkward silence arose.
"Why is she so caring? Is she treating all of her patients this way?" The witch could not help but wonder, "She just said she didn't. Is it because I'm Emira's sister?" She worried.
Luz cleaned Amity's face and packed the food trolley. She could feel the witch's gaze on her back but decided against commenting on that. To be perfectly honest, the human was tired of this overconfident, teasing facade. She hoped for the day when Amity would let her in again, letting them talk like they used to. Even if she would never remember who they were to each other.
"I'll come back in the evening," Luz broke the silence, "The Mind Healer should be here shortly. I'll meet you after for your PT," She added. Amity nodded, staying quiet as if she were rethinking her life.
Amity waited for the Healer anxiously. Luz and the rest of the staff left her alone, letting her rest. But her mind was racing mercilessly. She kept thinking about everything people told her since she woke up.
The witch had no idea what happened to her or what kind of accident she had survived. Yet, she felt torn between what she knew and what her guts told her. It was torture to be unable to trust herself.
She knew humans were evil monsters, but she felt safe around Luz. Safer than around anyone else. She could not explain it. The witch's ears slanted as she gritted her teeth in frustration.
"You can't let emotions get the better of you! You're a Blight, for Titan's sake!" She scolded herself, hating the conflict she was experiencing.
Knock, knock!
Amity was so lost in her thoughts that she did not notice the Healer enter her room until they sat comfortably by her bed. The witch finally faced the newcomer and eyed the witch-demon hybrid with bright gray eyes, light azure hair, and short horns sticking out of their head.
"Good afternoon, Miss Blight," She spoke softly, her voice was calming and melodic, "My name is Zariyah, and I'm a Mind Healer," The soft, feminine voice informed her, "Your sister told me you were hurt by a powerful spell that left your memory injured," She said, and Amity hummed in confirmation.
"I donʼt know what happened to me," The witch whispered, looking away from the Healer, "It makes me feel weird," She added, and the Healer nodded.
"It's okay to be scared. Not knowing what happened and not remembering your life is confusing… But you aren't alone, Miss Blight," She added with a smile, "Would you allow me into your mind to diagnose you further?"
"Are you obligated to keep everything that happens here a secret?" Amity asked with a trembling voice, hesitantly facing the half-demon.
"Of course. Nothing leaves this room. Patient-Healer confidentiality. I'm under Everlasting Oath," The Healer confirmed, and Amityʼs eyes instantly teared down.
"I'm scared, Zariyah," The hurt witch admitted. Her voice shook, her ears slanted, and her eyes let out all held-back tears, "It feels like I was a different person before the accident. I can see everybody staring at me. I hear them whispering…" The Healer allowed Amity to let everything out while she eyed her carefully, "Then I feel that the things I know are wrong, and I… I…" She hesitated, hating how she could not even move to express her frustration.
"You get defensive," The Healer finished the sentence, surprising the witch, who nodded in confirmation, "Don't be surprised. I needed to interview people who knew you to understand your situation better," She explained, and Amity looked back at the ceiling.
"You can proceed," Amity whispered plainly, pretending she did not open up about her worries.
"Try to relax and clear your mind of redundant thoughts," Zariyah instructed. She drew a purple-blue spell circle and gave her patient a moment to prepare, "Very good," She praised when she noticed that Amity closed her eyes and tried to calm her breathing.
The witch-demon's eyes glowed brightly, and the spell was cast upon the young Blight. Amity whimpered in discomfort, and the Healer saw a glimpse of her Mind Scapes. Zariyah frowned when she realized something was forbidding her to enter. The flash of Bizarro Amity blinded her. A loud banging sound echoed behind the large, thick vault door.
"Let me out!" A feminine, angry voice echoed from the other side, trying to escape. The banging ceased, and the feral scratching was heard.
"Be a good Blight and stay down!" The green-haired Amity spoke sinisterly, "Oh? Do we have company?" She asked, and the Healer stiffened when she realized the Doppelgänger looked directly at her, smiling maniacally.
"AAAAA!" Amity roared, thrashing in bed, forcing the Healer to drop the spell.
"Amity!" Luz barged into the room and quickly roamed the surroundings.
The lavender-haired witch screamed and thrashed in bed while her breathing was ragged. The Mind Healer sat on the chair, her head thrown to the back. Her eyes shone with purple light, yet she was immobile, frozen.
"Viney! Dani! Help!" Luz called the two women before she darted toward her fiancée, feeling the sense of paralyzing fear and dread spreading through her body, "Amity, I'm here!" She added in panic.
The human did not know what she should do. For a moment, she feared Amity might bite her again, but she thought it was worth the risk. Luz cupped the witch's face and caressed the pale cheeks with her thumbs, hushing the distressed woman, watching the glowing eyes worriedly.
"Shh, shh, you're safe…" The human spoke softly, fighting through the sensation originating in her Bond mark.
In the meantime, Viney and Danielle helped the Mind Healer drop the spell and regain her sense of self. The brunette witch drew a spell circle as Danielle ensured the half-demon was comfortable before they moved her out of the room.
"Will you be okay?" Viney addressed Luz worriedly, facing the human.
"Yes, go. Help her," She answered, not ceasing her facial caresses, noting how they calmed the witch down, "Youʼre doing great, Amity, easy…"
The lavender-haired witch struggled against her mind. Her head tried to toss and turn, but Luz held her safe. The pointy ears twitched while tears wetted the heated cheeks. Her pained moans turned into whimpers, and she finally started to calm down. The spell's glow disappeared. Her breathing evened out, but the witch's eyes were still clenched tightly.
"Thatʼs it. Slowly, very good," Luz whispered, calming the witch. A few more seconds passed, and Amity's frown relaxed. She slowly tried to open her eyes.
It took a few more seconds before the hurt witch regained her sense of self. All the while, the human hushed and cooed, calming the pale woman. Finally, Amity shot her eyes open, focusing on Luz's worried face, making her pupils shrink.
"Sheʼs not pulling away," The human noted, still cupping the pale face, observing the witch carefully.
"Y-you?"
"Me," Luz confirmed with a relieved smile.
"L-Luz… You're Luz… Clawthorne…" The witch stuttered. The golden eyes roamed the tan face.
"Titan, she's so confused… What should I do?" The human panicked but did not let it show, hoping Amity would not be affected by her discomfort.
"What… Where…" The witch scrunched her brows and squeezed her eyes, trying to refocus her mind. Suddenly, her eyes opened with a look that told Luz something had changed, "Why are you touching me, human?"
"Amity!" Luz exclaimed in an equal amount of relief and fear. Amity sent her a deadly glare, "I-I mean… Miss Blight! So good to see you're okay!" She corrected herself, unaware she still cupped the pale cheeks.
"As if you care…" The witch pulled her face away from the touch and looked away.
"Why does she keep her defenses up? It's not like Odalia will punish her…" Luz did not understand the bedridden woman's behavior.
"Luz, we need you!" Viney called for Luz, pulling her out of the stupor.
The human watched the pale woman, who seemed to punish herself for whatever happened. It seemed as if Amity preferred to isolate herself rather than talk to someone and ask for help. Even though she was clearly distressed and trembling under the covers. This was something Luz did not know how to deal with.
"I'll be right back, I promise," The human vowed and left the room hurriedly.
Amity finally let herself cry.
Luz entered Emira's office, where the Mind Healer was given painkillers and a cold compress. The older Blight, Viney, Danielle, Eda, and even Willow sat by the half-demonʼs side. The young Clawthorne could have sworn she felt as if she was called into the Principal's office.
"W-what's going on?" Luz asked, her voice quivering with uncertainty.
"It's okay, Kid. Calm down, you're not in trouble," Eda said, understanding her daughterʼs perspective, "Just sit down. The Healer wants to tell us what she has learned," She added, and Luz sat down without further comment.
"You said you were in her Mind Scapes," Zariyah asked, and the young brunette nodded in confirmation, "You have seen Miss Blight's Doppelgänger," Luz nodded again.
"What is she? She tried to kill me and hurt Amity," The younger human said, feeling anxious that she could not save the woman she loved, "She said she knew she couldn't kill Amity," She added, and everyone looked at the Mind Healer.
"Thatʼs because she's not Amity. The Inner Amity is locked…"
"Then what the hell is she? Who is the woman that looks like my sister?!" Emira exclaimed helplessly.
"The Doppelgänger is the corporeal manifestation of all the emotions loved and nurtured by her Mother… Hate, anger, disgust… All things negative," The Healer said calmly, "But the real Amity is still there…"
"But she broke the memories…" Willow's whisper interrupted.
"Memories can be restored, but we need to focus on helping Amity get out of her prison," Zariyah explained, reassuring everyone that there was still a chance to get her back.
"Okay… Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it. Anything for Amity," Luz said sternly, making the half-witch smile at her devotion.
"The spell modified some of her unlocked memories. She may not seem like herself, but this IS your sister," The Mind Healer addressed Emira, "She is confused. She feels that something is off, and she doesn't know what… But this IS your fiancée," Zariyah addressed Luz, who waited patiently for the answer, "You have to be patient with her. Try triggering her memories with familiar experiences, tastes, or smells," She added. Suddenly, everyone looked at Luz, who had been trying to do precisely that for the past few days, "Just remember, you can't tell her about her past. She needs to remember everything on her own. Even allowing her to read her diary would feel like someone else was telling her about her life. She would imagine her memories, not really unblocking them," She warned everyone, and Luz nodded in understanding.
Silence fell on Emira's office. Everyone was taking in the information they just learned. Eda watched Luz worriedly before exchanging a look with Danielle. Finally, Willow shook her head in disbelief, smiled, and faced her best friend.
"How did you know?" The short witch asked.
"Huh?" Luz was confused.
"You made her favorite soup, got that Human Realm flower… How did you know that was what you were supposed to do?" She explained, and Luz smiled.
"I didn't… I just hoped," The human explained, shrugging her shoulders.
Luz decided against telling them about her date night with Amity in the Human Realm when they watched a movie that made the witch cry her eyes out. The main character was trying to trigger his wife's memory just like she was now.
"Well, you have good instincts," The half-demon complimented with a smile.
"After all, her mother was the Human Realm equivalent of a Healer," Danielle said softly.
"Wasn't she a Beast Keeper?" Eda whispered a question with confusion.
"Is there anything we should be aware of? How often do you want to check in on her progress?" Viney asked serious questions, ignoring the other women's chat about Luz's parents.
"I'll come back in two days. Just remember that she's scared and confused…"
"And very powerful," Eda emphasized, refocusing on the conversation with Zariyah.
"She keeps her emotions in check just like her mother always insisted on," Zariyah explained, "I have reasons to believe she has no idea how powerful she is," She added. Luz tied her brows in a worried frown.
"Something on your mind, Kid?" Eda took note of her daughterʼs expression.
"I just keep thinking… When Amity was still under Odalia's spell, she was so scared to let go, let herself feel…"
"Thatʼs what Odalia did her whole life," Willow butted in. Everyone but Luz looked at her curiously, "She shamed Amity for her emotions, expressiveness… Everything that made her her!" She added angrily.
"She punished Amity for being herself," Emira admitted with shame, "She did the same thing with Ed, my late brother," She explained.
"I see that I will have plenty to work on once I start my sessions with her," Zariyah muttered, eyeing all the information in her pad.
"But that's not what got you thinking, wasn't it, Luz?" Danielle asked, refocusing on her ward.
"No," Luz replied plainly. Suddenly, a wide grin appeared on the tan face.
"Oh, Titan, not this again…" Willow muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes in disbelief.
"Yes, Will. That again," Luz confirmed mischievously before standing up, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a patient waiting for Physical Therapy," She added, confusing everyone before she left the room.
"What the hell does she have in mind?" Emira asked, facing Willow in question for answers. The shorter witch pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance.
"Sheʼs gonna try over," Willow said. Everyone looked at her dumbfoundedly, "She'll try to get Amity to fall for her again."
"Ooooh!" Everyone finally followed.
"But she's never been this defensive!" Emira pointed out.
"Iʼm sure Luz knows it's gonna be hard," Eda noted, knowing her daughter was not the one to give up easily.
"And this time around, Luz is not alone," Danielle pointed out, "We'll get Amity back," She added with a smile.
After the meeting with the Mind Healer, Luz returned to Amity's room to check in on the witch and help her with some stretching exercises. The human was worried, seeing her fiancée so distressed and cut off from reality, dissociated.
The human was not discouraged when she received no response from Amity. Luz promised to return in the morning to help the witch with her first exercises in the Clinic gymnasium. Yet, Clawthorne did not return home. She went straight to the Library and began her research on Physical Therapy, hoping to help her fiancée to the best of her abilities.
The bright morning sun surprised Luz, who had not slept a single minute that night. It did not matter to her. Not as long as she felt more prepared for the upcoming days. She knew it would not be easy, considering Amity's defensiveness.
"Good morning, Princess," Luz greeted the witch, rolling the food trolley into the dimly lit room.
Amity sat in bed. The witch could move slightly more than the previous days. Her face was blank. She kept looking at her blanket-covered feet, sitting like a statue, immobile. Her ears perked up only to slant when she heard Luz's greeting.
"Weʼre back to that? Human?" The witch replied venomously and was even more frustrated when she noticed Luz's wide smile.
"I need to get your blood flowing, don't I?" The human replied and approached the window, "I will open the blinds incrementally. Outside is very bright, and I wouldn't want you to hurt your eyes," She added in an entirely different tone. A soft one, full of care and worry. It made Amity feel strange again.
"O-okay," The witch replied, not knowing what else to say.
"She does that all the time. She teases me just to become serious, nice, and caring… I don't get it…" Amity thought, watching the human opening one-third of the blinds before sitting by the bed.
Luz retrieved the plate with food, and the witch noticed fried griffin eggs and buttered toast. The witch's stomach growled, and she blushed in embarrassment. The human responded with a smile and did not mock the bedridden woman.
Amity was more than grateful that Luz, no matter how rude and obnoxious she was, never mocked her natural reactions. Despite her prejudice and reluctance, it made her feel safe around the brunette woman.
"So… How do you feel about getting out of this bed?" Luz asked once the witch was done with her breakfast.
"W-what?" Amity stuttered in shock.
"Don't tell me you like being cooped up in here all day," Luz added, getting up to open another part of the blinds, "Iʼm sure you'd want to finally get better and move around without my help, huh?" She looked back at Amity. The witch looked as if she was afraid of the idea.
"I mean… I can't even move my limbs. How do you expect me to walk?" The witch asked with a trembling voice.
She tried to hide her fear behind anger, but Luz already knew her better than that. The human approached the bed and smiled widely at the other woman. Amity had no idea if she felt anxious or irritated with the human's expression.
"Let's worry about that once we're there, okay?" Luz asked softly, patiently waiting for the witchʼs reaction.
"O-okay…" The lavender head nodded slightly.
"Amity," Luz sat by the witch's side, and her expression changed. She became serious again. Despite that, Amity growled at her, "Iʼm sorry… Miss Blight," She corrected herself, "Remember that I'm here to merely help you get better. I cannot do that if you don't want to improve yourself," She explained, and their eyes met.
"Listen, I know you donʼt really like me. I'm just a subspecies to you, and you're THE Amity Blight…" Luz paused briefly, "But despite everything, I'm here to help, okay?" She added and sent the witch her most comforting smile.
Amity's eyes ran from one hazel-brown to another, roaming her anxiously. Her pointy ears slanted and perked up again, fluttering in reluctance. She had no idea what to make of this monologue. Was she really that prejudiced against humankind?
"Thank you… " It was all Amity could muster. She did not want to admit to her internal turmoil.
"So, do you want me to help you get better?" Luz asked again, her warm expression never wavering.
"I do…" Amity confirmed, and the human smiled contentedly.
"Would you mind if I help you to the wheelchair so we can get you back to your feet?" Luz asked, happy the witch was fighting for herself.
"No… I won't mind," Amity consented.
"That means I need to touch you, Am-... Miss Blight," Luz clarified, and the witch stiffened momentarily.
"I… I allow that…" The golden gaze diverted the human's cheerful expression.
"Okay, I will inform you about my every move. And remember, you can always tell me to back off. I'll get Emira or that Nurse Danielle," Luz added, and she realized the witch stiffened again, "I noticed you seemed quite fond of her," Luz smirked, "Don't worry. It's part of my job to know what brings you comfort and a sense of safety," She added. Amity's shoulders relaxed again, the tension leaving her body.
"I think I'm ready," The witch whispered.
"Okay," Luz smiled, "I will help you sit up now," She warned Amity, hovering above her, "I'll cradle your back and pull you up," She notified. The lavender-haired woman nodded in agreement, "There we go. How does it feel to sit up for the first time in almost a week?" She asked with a smile. All her teasing and mocking demeanor was gone.
"W-weird…" Amity admitted, looking sheepishly aside.
"Something hurts?" The human noticed a wince on the pale face.
"Everything…" The witch whispered, and Luz tied her brows in a worried frown, "We can continue," She added.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I'm fed up with this bed," Amity confirmed, and Luz's expression relaxed.
"Okay then, I'll help you to the wheelchair," The human confirmed, "Iʼm going to lift you, okay?" Amity nodded and felt the human pull her into a bride-like embrace.
"Titan, something's wrong!" The witch panicked when she felt the citrusy scent surrounding her, dizzying her mind.
Amity could not help but lean on the brunette's chest, feeling the heat of the human body when the taller woman stood up with her in her arms. The pointy ears twitched, and she let out a whimper of discomfort.
Luz took a small step to move the witch, noting how Amity leaned on her chest. A delicate and rhythmic thumping calmed the witch down. The witch would never admit to it, but she decided something was calming about the human's heartbeat.
"Do humans have a bile sac?" Amity asked once Luz delicately helped her take a seat in the wheelchair.
"No, we have no natural magical ability," The brunette replied matter-of-factly. She covered the witch with a blanket to keep her warm, "Why do you ask?"
"Your heart…" Amityʼs ears slanted. She looked away in shame, her face covered in a deep blush when she realized she practically admitted to listening to the human's heart.
"I know, I know… No bile sac, so weird," Luz mocked, not knowing how to behave.
"Maybe weird… But also… C-calming," Amity admitted with a nervous stutter.
The witch looked away, disgusted with herself. She should not take an interest in the anatomy of the subspecies. At this moment, Luz could feel the weight of the world lift off her shoulders. That was exactly what Amity told her so many months ago, making the human hopeful again.
"I'm glad to hear that," The brunette said softly, smiling at her patient, "Are you ready to get your life back?"
"Absolutely not…" Amity paled down a tone.
"Perfect, because I'm not ready to let you go," Luz mocked with a wide smile before leaving the room, "Let's get you moving then," She added and pushed the wheelchair.
Amity felt her heart in her throat. Just sitting upright was painful, but being rolled out of her room was torturous. The witch felt the looks of the staff. It seemed as if everybody knew and hated her. Even the patients.
Luz pushed her wheelchair slowly through the corridor. She was as cheerful as ever, smiling and greeting everyone. Someone asked her to come over after her shift. Another person brought her food, knowing she tended to forget her meal.
"Sheʼs so well-liked and taken care of…" Amity thought, realizing no one minded her origins.
The trip to the gymnasium made the lavender-haired witch realize she seemed to be the only one who made any fuss about Luz being a human. Everyone in the Clinic did not seem to mind. The Healers, Nurses, janitors, patients… They were on genuinely good terms with the Volunteer.
"And here we are," Luz snapped Amity out of her thoughts, applying the brakes to the wheels, kneeling beside the witch.
The pink, thin lips parted in shock when she noticed all the equipment stored in the room. The weights, the bars, the ladders… Everything intimidated her. She felt too weak to do anything.
"L-Luz… I… I can't…" Amity choked, shocking Luz by addressing her by the human's first name.
"Youʼre afraid to fail," The brunette kneeled before the witch, looking at her with a supporting gaze, "It's okay to be scared. It IS scary. But I'll be here every step of the way, okay?" Amity nodded, feeling weaker than ever.
"Just like you were for me," The human thought, recalling her Physical Therapy.
"I can't fail… Blights don't fail…" The Heiress whispered with a trembling voice, tying brows in determination.
"Then let me help you," Luz offered. The witch looked at the human with wide eyes. She could not comprehend the kindness offered to her, "I would like you to give this bar a chance. I know you can physically walk, but something that happened during the accident is blocking you… If that makes any sense," She explained and chuckled grimly.
"It doesn't make any sense…" Amity replied bitterly, looking at the woman kneeling before her, "But I'm willing to try," She added with determination, "I need to get back to my life. I need to deal with everything…" Her breathing hitched.
"Amity," Luz put her hands on the witchʼs shoulders, making her stiffen immediately, "It's not your fault nor your responsibility. Right now, you need to focus on your health… This time, you need to stop thinking about being a Blight, THE Heiress, and you need to think about being just Amity… This one time, you need to be selfish," She added, looking deeply into the gold, frightened eyes.
"I'll try…" The witch vowed, though her expression did not match her tone.
"Then let's get started," Luz said softly, getting up and readying the gym to meet their needs.
Luz prepared the tall, long parallettes to help the witch walk again. Yet, before they could even think about that, the human got Amity ready for more leg and hand workouts. She could feel the golden gaze on her back.
With the awareness of the Bond that the witch lacked, Luz could better understand her fiancée's emotions. Amity was paralyzed with fear. She was afraid to fail, to humiliate herself or her family name. She was anxious people would see her for anything less than perfect.
"How doesn't she worry about that?" Amity wondered, watching Luz with curiosity.
The witch was confused out of her mind by the human's behavior. The brunette was kind, joyful, and always happy to help. At the same time, Luz smirked, teased, and mocked. Amity did not understand it.
Despite knowing she should avoid being seen with a subspecies, the Heiress could not deny that something was pulling her toward the enigmatic woman. She shook her head, realizing how often the same thought haunted her.
"All done! Let's get started," Luz finally informed, pulling the witch out of her thoughts.
Amityʼs ears slanted in uncertainty when she realized it was time to act. The human pushed her chair toward the small workstation, where they started with some stretching exercises. The witch hissed every time her muscles expanded. However, the way Luz was cautious, informing her about every move, was something the Heiress was genuinely grateful for.
"Do you want to give walking a chance?" Luz asked after a couple of hours, and Amity looked at her in a panic.
"N-no…" She replied.
"Will you?" The human arched her scarred brow questioningly.
"Y-yes…" Amity replied, and Luz smiled widely in support.
"Thatʼs the spirit!" The human grinned, showing off her white-gold fang and the witch could not deny that her optimism was infectious.
"L-Luz, that was a bad idea!" Amity exclaimed, feeling her fear of failure getting the best of her.
Luz stood between the bars with the witch in her arms, keeping her close and helping her stand with the forward strap carry hold. Amity felt the human's warm hands on her abdomen, keeping her secure and straight.
"It's okay. I'm not letting you go," Luz assured softly, changing her hold.
The human held Amity from behind with one hand while she used her free one to help move the pale palm toward the bar. Then she did the same on the other side. Yet, the only thing the witch could focus on was the warm hold of tan hands on her much smaller ones. The soft, warm voice made the pointy ears twitch.
"Something's wrong!" Amity panicked internally.
"Now, try to put your weight on your hands," Luz instructed as she kept holding the witch from behind, keeping her secure and making her refocus on the situation at hand.
"I-I can't… I-I'm not strong enough…" Amity panicked, and the human recognized that stutter.
"Shh," Luz cooed, whispering into the lavender hair. The witch's ears twitched again, "Youʼre stronger than you give yourself credit," She continued with a soft voice, feeling Amity slowly regaining her calm, "Let's take the first step together. I'm not going anywhere," She added. Luz used her right leg to help push the witch's leg from behind, helping her move forward.
The human kept encouraging the pale woman. She helped Amity take her next step before the witch adjusted the hold on the bars, and they slowly moved forward. Luz smiled when she realized her fiancée was getting more and more confident with every step they took together.
"Youʼre doing very well. Don't give up," Luz continued the soft praises, and they finally made it to the end of the bar.
The human smiled widely when she noticed the witch slowly turned around to return to her wheelchair, unaware that Luz was not holding her anymore. The brunette could not hide her pride in Amity's strength.
The Heiress corrected her hold on the bars. She was about to start walking back to the wheelchair when she realized Luz was standing in her way, no longer holding her from behind. The golden eyes looked up and locked with hazel-brown ones, sparkling with pride and joy.
"W-what?" Amity squealed in shock, and suddenly, her limbs gave out, making her fall to the floor.
"Wow, wow, I gotcha," Luz caught the witch in time, helping her regain her balance, "Youʼre doing great, just keep going," She added, and the golden orbs roamed the tan face, "Iʼm right here. I'm not gonna let you fall," She whispered reassuringly, watching Amityʼs frightened expression.
The witch looked down at her legs and tried again. She pushed herself and forced her right leg forward. Her foot limply caressed the floor before it was forced to stand. She could feel the pain in her body spreading with every movement. Amity was aware of every nerve in her body.
The weight distributed unevenly between her hands and legs sent jolts of pain, almost paralyzing her. The pointy ears slanted, twitching with every wave of discomfort, the tears unknowingly rolled down her cheeks, and her breathing became short and ragged.
"L-L-Luz…" Amity suddenly stopped, her voice quivered, and her entire body shook, "I… I can't…" She looked up at the human, her whole face tearing down, "H-h-hurts…" She added, noticing the Volunteer before her became blurry.
"It's okay, don't force yourself," Luz replied worriedly, taking hold of the witch who shook her head, trying to get rid of the blurriness, "I gotcha," She added and scooped Amity off her feet to take her back to the wheelchair and back to her room.
Luz took her time doing so, seeing how the witch snuggled close in, placing her head on the human's chest with closed eyes. Her expression relaxed, and her fingers unknowingly tapped while holding the lean shoulder, matching the rhythm of the Clawthorne's heart.
"Let's get you back to your room. You need to rest," Luz whispered when she disconnected the witch from herself, taking note that Amity clenched her fists on the clothes, afraid to let go, "Just hold on a moment," She added when the witch whimpered in discomfort, and they rolled out of the gym.
"Did I push her too far?" The human worried.
Amity couldn't help but loll her head back, worrying Luz when she noticed a cold sweat on her pale forehead. The human abruptly stopped when she felt a sudden jolt of pain in her hands and legs, making her almost fall over.
"Holy Titan, what the hell?" Luz thought, surprised by this sudden surge of electric agony. She pushed it aside, taking a shaking and whimpering Amity back to her room.
They rushed by the Nurses' Station, making them look at Luz with worry as they entered Amity's room. The witch trembled in her seat. Her ears twitched widely, her eyelids fluttered, her eyes rolled up, and her lips parted, letting out weak pants.
"Easy, easy," Luz whispered, approaching Amity, "Iʼm going to place you on the bed now," She warned the other woman tiredly. The witch let out another pained groan when she felt warm hands cradle her carefully.
"H-h-help…" Amity mewled, barely conscious, while her hands tried to clench on Luz's clothes, afraid to let go of the human.
"Shh, shh, you're safe…" The brunette whispered, placing Amity on the bed. She could not say anything else when she felt another jolt of pain paralyzing her.
"Luz, what's wrong? The Nurses called me…"
"Shit!" Luz's panicked exclamation interrupted Viney.
The human left trembling and sweating Amity lying uncovered on the bed. Luz darted toward the adjoined bathroom in panic, smashing the doors behind her. The Healer quickly approached the young Blight to inspect her.
Viney looked down at her wife's sister worriedly and drew a Healing Spell circle. The moment she applied the spell, making Amity squirm and whimper, the Healer heard the human retch in the bathroom.
"Is everything okay?" Danielle entered the room, her voice filled with worry when she noticed the Healer helping Amity, who let out sounds of discomfort.
"No. Amityʼs in unbelievable pain, and Luz got sick," Another set of retching made it to Danielle's ears.
"Do you need me, or are you good?" The human asked, wanting to support her ward.
"Get me Amity's anti-anxiety potion before helping Luz," Viney instructed and refocused on her sister-in-law, "Amity, can you tell me what happened?"
"N-no…" The Heiress squealed, "It… Makes no… N-n-no sense…" She groaned and took in a sharp breath, lifting her chest off the bed in pain, clenching her fists on the bedding as her eyes rolled up.
"It's okay, I'm going to help you," Viney promised, dropping the spell and retrieving a potion from Danielle, who just hurried back in, "Go, help Luz," She whispered to the disguised human before returning to the lavender-haired witch, huffing in pain through clenched teeth.
Knock, knock, knock!
"Luz, Cariño, I'm coming in," Danielle warned and did not wait any second longer before rushing in.
Luz knelt before the toilet with her head lowered into the bowl. She let out the contents of her bowel with struggle. The human gasped unevenly, tired, and panicked. Her hands shook anxiously as she whimpered pathetically, acknowledging her guardian's presence.
"Shh, shh, I'm here," Danielle knelt by Luz's side, caressing her back, soothing tense muscles.
"S-sorry…" Luz whispered weakly before retching again, "She… She made progress…"
Luz spat, clearing her mouth, and grabbed some toilet paper to wipe her face before she flushed the toilet. The young woman sat back on the floor, leaning against the wall, facing Danielle, who could not believe how pale her ward was, covered in a cold sweat.
"Suddenly," Luz gasped heavily, wiping sweat off her face with the flap of her flannel, "It was like that strange paralysis left her body, and everything came rushing back…"
"And you shared her pain…" Danielle guessed, and Luz nodded in agreement, "It's okay, Viney is taking care of her. You should be feeling better soon, too," She added. Her ward nodded again, closing her eyes, trying to calm her racing heart, "Oh, Cariño, you're still burning up," The older brunette touched Luz's forehead.
"I'll be fine… I promise, Dani…" She replied in a weak whisper. A painful shiver passed through her body, "I need to get back…" Luz tried to stand back up, wobbling when the dizziness hit her hard.
"Luz, wait," Danielle opposed, holding the weak woman, "You need to think about yourself too. Just calm down," She said, trying to talk Luz down.
"Hey, Dani. How are you doing?" A voice was heard from the other side of the door.
"Get in here, Viney," Danielle called out, holding Luz tightly.
"Whatʼs going on?" The witch asked, realizing the short human struggled to keep Luz up.
"Luz is just being Luz…"
"How's Amity?" Luz whispered, taking hold of the wall and supporting herself.
Viney eyed the tall human and frowned worriedly. Her tan skin was covered in goosebumps, shivers rummaged through her body, her eyes seemed hazy, and an occasional muscle spasm made her limbs twitch. Yet, what worried the Healer the most were the darkening eyes.
"Sheʼs sleeping, Luz. She's safe," Viney replied, and Luz smirked.
"Good…" The weak human replied, her eyes rolled up, and she fell forward.
"Wow, Luz!" Viney exclaimed when she and Danielle caught her, preventing her from harm, before placing her on the floor, "Did you eat anything today?" She asked, but Luz did not reply. She barely kept in touch with reality, "Ugh," Viney groaned when she drew a spell circle.
"Let's get her to rest somewhere," Danielle offered, and without reply, the witch helped move the young woman to rest.
"She needs an IV, too. Seems like she hasn't eaten or drunk since yesterday," The Healer added, dropping the spell circle.
They shared a frustrated look, understanding why the young human forgot about her needs in favor of helping the woman she loved. They could only imagine how difficult it must have been for Luz.
To be close to her fiancée, aiding her while the lavender-haired witch had no recollection of who the human she seemed to despise was to her, must have been torturous. They admired Luz's resolve and tried to support her.
Willow was visiting the Clinic regularly. She struggled with the whole situation as well. The vacation in the Human Realm made her realize how she missed her childhood friend. The time spent together, happy and hopeful about the future, made this sudden turn of events all the more painful. It made her relive losing Amity all over again.
"Hey, Danielle," The short witch greeted the human, catching her in the Clinic kitchen, "Youʼre still staying with us?" She asked. The brunette looked up with a smile.
"I'm not going anywhere as long as they need me," Danielle replied softly and poured some soup into a small bowl, "Here, try this," She offered. Willow reluctantly accepted the bowl filled with green, thick liquid.
"Whatʼs that?"
"Broccoli soup with the Demon Realm equivalent of the cream cheese," Danielle replied proudly.
"Are you testing it on me before giving it to Amity?" She looked at the woman, squinting her eyes in slight mistrust, making Danielle laugh earnestly.
"Oh, Cariño, I don't need to. A few other witches and demons had already had a portion. I just worry about you, seeing you clearly lost weight," Danielle replied, smiling warmly at the other woman, handing Willow a spoon.
"Oh… Okay… Sorry…" The young witch replied, looking away sheepishly, her ears slanting in shame, "Thank you…"
"It's okay…" Danielle replied before the kitchen doors opened with a loud bang.
"Do I smell López's famous broccoli cream?" Eda practically ran toward the pot with a bowl in her hands, "Gimme, gimme, gimme," She pleaded, bouncing in her feet with a child-like joy.
"I missed your energy," Danielle said, smiling delicately, pouring the soup, which was immediately snatched away.
"Titan, how I missed your cooking!" The Owl Lady devoured her meal, making Willow give her portion a try as well.
"Dang, this is really good!" The Plant witch thought and continued her meal, watching the older women interact.
She smiled widely, watching how Eda looked at the human teasingly, wiggling her brows with a smirk. Willow laughed when Danielle replied something, embarrassing the taller witch so much that Park could have sworn she had never seen Eda blushing so much, drooping her ears.
"Youʼre worse than Luz and Amity," Willow teased the older women, returning the empty bowl, "Thank you for the meal, but since I'd like to keep it in, I'll check in on Luz," She added with a taunting smile.
"Did she really just compare us to my cheesy Kid and Bossy Boots?" A couple of witches working in the kitchen snickered at Owl Lady's question.
"She was the only one who had the guts to do it to your face, Miss Clawthorne," A dark-haired woman with green eyes said with a smile, making everyone, including Danielle, laugh at her confused look.
"And what are you laughing at, Dani?" Eda asked, trying to get everyone's attention away from her, feeling her face burn with blush.
"Nothing, nothing…" Danielle wiped a tear from her eye, turning off the heat under the pot, "I just realized how I missed your obliviousness," She added and prepared the food tray for Amity before leaving dumbfounded Eda with her lips agape and other witches snickering behind Clawthorne's back.
Amity opened her eyes and felt how dehydrated she was. She let out a low growl when she realized everything still hurt. She tried to move, but the pain only worsened. She was about to call for help when she noticed Nurse López enter her room with a food trolley. The tan woman smiled warmly, seeing the witch awake.
"D-D-Dani-..." Amity gasped a stutter, tears swelling in her eyes, and her slanted ears twitching.
"It's okay, Cariño," Danielle cooed in a calm voice. She opened the food trolley and retrieved a potion Viney gave her, "Here, that will help," She added and helped Amity up to let the young witch drink her medicine, "Slowly, you're safe now," She reassured when the witch coughed a little bit, trying to drink too fast.
Amity lay back on her pillow and felt the liquid enter her system, spreading warmth and sourness. She could feel the pain subsiding slowly and regained her calm breathing in a few more moments. Just like that, the agony was gone.
"Better?" The Nurse asked, and Amity nodded hesitantly.
"Th-thank you…"
"It's okay, Miss Blight. We're here for you," Danielle added and sat beside the patient, eyeing her carefully. The human smiled when she noticed the witch lift her hand toward her aching head, "Well, I'll be damned… That's amazing progress, Miss Blight," She praised, which made Amity realize what she just did.
"I'm…" The witch had no words. Her ears twitched anxiously.
Amity let down her hand and lifted the other one. Danielle watched her face contort with discomfort while the hurt woman tested her limbs' mobility. Once done, she lifted herself up on the pillows ever so slightly, relieved she could do it herself, before facing the Nurse who watched her with pride.
"W-where's Luz?" Amity asked hoarsely.
"Missing her already?" Danielle teased and noticed how the witch's expression hardened, "Don't worry. Emira just called her in to report on the incident in the Gym," She added, and Amity's expression softened immediately.
"Sheʼs not in trouble, is she?" The witch asked, and Danielle noticed a hint of an all too familiar expression.
"Thatʼs the Amity we're trying to get back…" The human thought, but Amity's worried expression was gone as soon as she realized she had one.
"No one is in trouble, but everyone is very worried. You may not remember that now, Miss Blight, but you have many people in your life who…"
"I have no one…" Amity whispered venomously, facing the wall, unable to look the woman in the eye. Danielle smiled when she noticed a delicate ear twitch.
"What about your sister? She runs the biggest Healing Clinic in Bonesborough, employing dozens of witches and demons. Yet, between pushing papers and planned operations, she makes sure to check in on you," Amity scoffed.
"She left me alone, cutting ties with everything our family stood for…" The witch argued, not looking back at the Nurse.
"Viney keeps popping here in the middle of the night while being on call, sometimes staying here for hours, ensuring you're comfortable," Danielle continued, "And that's just your closest family. Do you want me to keep going to make a point?" Amity slowly faced the Nurse and observed her carefully.
"I feel… Alone…" The witch admitted hesitantly.
"Now that's the answer I can believe in," Danielle agreed before retrieving the soup from the tray. The smell made Amity's mouth water and ears perk up, "Feeling all alone is not equal to being alone," She offered the witch the first spoonful of soup, which she accepted eagerly, making the human smile, "Is there a moment when you don't feel alone?" She asked, and Amity paused eating, staring at the other woman with wide eyes and roaming the tan face.
Danielle analyzed the witch's expression. She looked like there were hundreds of thoughts rushing through her lavender head. Her ears slanted before perking up, her face paled down before flushing with a deep, crimson blush, and her ears slanted so hard they almost disappeared under the fluffy mane.
"No," Amity finally replied dryly, regaining her composure, and her right ear twitched again ever so slightly, making Danielle smile at that, knowing the witch lied.
"Okay, we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," The Nurse said warmly, offering more food to Amity, who did not want to accept it.
"I think you should go…" The witch tried to push the woman away, ashamed of her thoughts.
"I'll go if that's what you want, but only after you finish your meal," Danielle did not budge, "Luz wouldn't let me live if the meal she worked on for you would go to waste," She added, and Amity's expression softened.
"Luz… Made that?"
"Mhm," Danielle nodded, lying in Luz's favor, happy she knew how to handle the stubborn woman.
"She asked me to cook it, but what the hell…"
"She'd annoy me to death if I refused to eat, right?" Amity asked, hiding her small smile.
"Without a doubt, Miss Blight," The Nurse replied, offering the soup. Her supportive tone made Amity feel safe.
Resting after lunch for a couple of hours made Amity restless. Luz was supposed to meet her for another Physical Therapy session, but the exceedingly annoying human was missing. The witch decided to take her health into her own hands.
She clenched her jaw in discomfort and forced her hands up to the edge of the quilt covering her. Amity huffed in struggle and clenched her fists on the white Clinic material. The pain immediately erupted in her hands, originating in her knuckles, but she did not give up.
"Come on… Come on…" She encouraged herself, trying to uncover herself. She let out a low, pained growl, feeling the strength leaving her body, "Fuck!" She snapped, letting go of the covers.
She laid back down, her ears slanted, and her face contorted in disappointment in herself. Amity tried to remain calm, but despair was looming over her. She hated feeling helpless.
"How am I supposed to get better?! I can't even get out of the covers…" She thought angrily and hit her head against the pillow in frustration.
"You need to be more forgiving, Blight," The witch heard a familiar, annoying voice that made her smirk.
"Youʼre late, human," Amity replied and opened her eyes, glaring at the brunette, who smirked at her.
"Well, forgive me, Princess. My other duties held me back," Luz replied, sitting by the witch's side, "But I'm glad to see you're motivated enough to try to leave the bed without me," She added, and the witch looked away.
"Motivation won't get me anywhere…" The witch groaned bitterly.
"Then let me help," Luz interrupted, smiling comfortingly at Amity, whose expression softened.
The witch still could not figure the human out but could not deny she wanted to feel better. Letting Luz help was the only way to achieve it. She sighed heavily, realizing she was out of options.
"Okay," Amity agreed, and the brunette got up.
"Can I uncover you?" The human waited for explicit consent.
"Yes," The witch replied dryly. Luz slowly removed the quilt, watching Amity, her facial expressions, and her pajama-covered body.
"How's your appetite?" The human asked with brows tied in a concern.
"Fine… I eat everything. Nurse Danielle makes sure of it," The witch replied, studying Clawthorne's face.
"Thatʼs good," Luz replied before looking into the witch's eyes, "Iʼm going to help you to the wheelchair now, okay?" She asked, and Amity nodded in consent.
Luz cradled the witch and noticed she was partially cooperating, making handling her body easier. Amity leaned on the human's chest and did not notice how calm that made her until the warmth of the taller body was taken away.
"You okay there?" The human asked when she noticed how the witch unknowingly tried to remain in contact. The pointy ears twitched, she blushed heavily, and it seemed that Amity realized what she had done, "What do you say we'll do something different today to let you rest after yesterday?" She asked with a smile, and the lavender head nodded sheepishly, "Good, we're gonna have some fun," The human added with a contagious joy that made even someone as closed off as Amity soften her expression.
"Where are you taking me?" The witch asked while Luz helped her into the robe to keep her warm.
"You'll see," The brunette said enigmatically with a mischievous smirk.
"What if I don't like it?" Amity asked, slightly unsure, not knowing where she was being taken.
"Trust me, you will," Luz promised, securing the witch's legs under the blanket, "But if by a slim chance you won't, then we'll come back immediately… Or we'll go somewhere else," She reassured. The witch could not understand how good the human was at her job.
"This is just a job to her…" Amity reminded herself.
"Are you warm and comfy?" Luz ensured, standing behind the wheelchair. The witch nodded, "Then off we go," She said, pushing Amity out of the room and slowly rolling out, ensuring she would not scare her fiancée with the speed.
Amity did not know where the human was taking her. For all she knew, Luz could have taken her to the nearest staircase and thrown her down. Yet, nothing like that happened. The Volunteer greeted the staff members and patients as usual until they finally made it to the separate wing of the Clinic.
Amity noticed it was less dark and gloomy than the part she was kept in. Before she could ask the human where they were, Luz took another turn, and the witch noticed a small room filled with board games, puzzles, and colorful books.
"L-L-Luz…" Amity stuttered nervously when she rolled before the children waiting for her, sitting on the carpeted floor.
"Hi, guys!" Luz greeted them cheerfully, getting the children excited to see her.
"Luz!" Witchlets exclaimed in unison, cheering at the human who knelt beside Amity's, smiling widely, blocking her wheelchair.
"I want you to meet Miss Amity. She's a patient here just like you," Luz said, and the lavender-haired witch stiffened at the attention she received. At least half a dozen enamored eyes watched her with awe, "Iʼm sure she'd be happy to tell you a story today," Luz added, and the witchlings squealed in joy.
"B-but…" Amity looked at Luz with wide eyes.
"Don't worry, Miss Amity, you'll be great," The human said, handing her a rather large book with thick pages.
"How did she know?" The witch wondered, looking down at the Otabin book.
"You need to take care of your mind just as much as you want to take care of your body," Luz explained and placed her hand on the pale, smaller one, pretending she did not see the witch blush at the contact, "I'll help you with the pages, okay?" She asked and watched how the golden eyes roamed the tan face in the mixture of fear, gratitude, shame, longing, and something else she could not figure out.
"Thank you, Luz," Amity finally replied with the kindest tone since she woke up in the Clinic. Her ears twitched when she realized the emotions were getting the best of her.
"It's my pleasure," Luz wiped Amity's tears before they rolled down her cheeks, "I didn't see anything," She added with a smile, knowing the witch was grateful for helping her keep up the facade.
"Hi guys," Amity suddenly addressed the children, putting on a mask of glee and joy. Yet, Luz knew all too well this was no mask. This was genuine happiness, "What do you say I'm gonna read you a story of 'The Bookmaker Otabin'?" She asked.
Her voice was cheerful and soft. It was so unlike the bitter tone in which the Heiress addressed everyone else. The children squealed joyfully, making Amity send her audience a fanged, bright smile. Luz helped the witch grab a book and turn a few pages.
The human noted that the witch did not once look into the book, reciting the story from memory. Amity knew exactly when to turn the page. Around halfway through the story, she did not need the brunette's assistance grabbing the thick pages to turn them.
Luz sat back among the children, who quickly leaned onto her, and she hugged them supportively. The lavender-haired witch kept reciting with a wide, sunny smile, sending the human a look every moment she thought the brunette was not looking.
Amity did not know that Luz noticed every single one of those small glances. These small gestures helped the human become hopeful again, believing her fiancée was lost rather than gone forever.
