Work Text:
“We are one of the biggest corporations on the planet,” Odalia shouted into her phone, her typically pristine mint-green bun getting messy as she paced around. She threw a newspaper down on the table, the headline celebrating The Owl Lady's Magical Machinations with a picture of an older, tall, gray-haired woman hugging a younger woman in a green jacket and a red beanie. “How are we being outsold by some run-of-the-mill peasant?!”
As the other end of the phone stayed silent, she snarled. “Figure this out, or you're fired!”
She slammed the phone down, plopping back into her chair with a huff as she glared at the paper. She pursed her lips as she examined the picture, eyes lingering on the younger of the pair before an idea dawned on her. With a sly grin, she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and called her youngest daughter.
“Yes, Amity, dear?” She said as she picked the paper up, looking at it with malicious delight. “I have a job for you.”
—
“I’m heading out!” Luz shouted into her house as she grabbed her red beanie, pulling it over her shaggy brown hair. The weather was finally getting cooler, with the leaves starting to change, coloring Bonesborough in delightful hues of reds, oranges, and yellows.
She had walked this path hundreds of times, yet it never got old. Despite having lived here for a few years, everything still felt fresh and new. The only thing she missed from back in Connecticut was her mom, but she visited often enough that Luz wasn’t too hung up about it.
She stopped at a crosswalk and checked her phone, quickly messaging her friends about some plans they had later in the week before crossing the street and making her way into the park. She took a deep breath of the autumn air and let out a contented sigh as she made her way to a familiar bench. She pulled out her notebook, pulling a pencil out from behind her ear as she started to sketch.
She had moved here after meeting Edalyn Clawthorne, ‘The Owl Lady’, at an engineering convention where the older woman had said very bluntly, “You’re too good to be rotting away up here, kid. Come work with me and we’ll make your wildest dreams come true.”
She had lived up to her word, with Luz moving out the next week. Working under Eda had been… Interesting, to say the least. The woman was eclectic, with blueprints stashed all over her house, along with some of the more interesting creations that she had deemed ‘not ready for the general public’ just yet. Though the company was small, once they’d started on some of Luz’s designs, things had exploded- both in sales and quite literally.
Now, with the fall sun warming her from above, her pencil moved across paper, the calming atmosphere making it much easier to come up with designs. Hours flew before Luz knew it, and soon her stomach was screaming at her to get something to eat. She checked her phone, startled slightly at how long she had been here, and packed her stuff. She stood up, stretching and popping her back as she looked around the evening park. The sound of kids playing in the background filled the air as she rolled her shoulders and picked up her bag.
There was a nearby food vendor who always set up his stall around this time, and Luz had become a regular customer of his. Shrugging her bag onto her shoulder, she started to make her way toward the sweet aroma that drifted over the breeze-
And ran right into someone.
“Oh my gosh,” Luz exclaimed, panicking slightly. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you! I was lost in thought, and-”
She had held out her hand to help the stranger up, but her mouth went dry as the girl looked up at her. She was around her age, with dyed green hair and beautiful amber eyes. The other woman waved it off, taking Luz’s hand.
“It’s nothing, I wasn’t paying attention either. Are you alright?”
Luz swallowed to keep herself from stammering.
It didn’t work.
“I-I’m fine, yeah. More than fine, even,” Luz added mentally chastising herself.
This girl was pretty. Too pretty. And Luz would never forgive herself if she didn’t at least try to get her number. The only issue was her poor little bi heart beating too fast and her brain couldn’t get past the whole ‘pretty’ thing, so she had no idea what to say.
Despite being an avid romance novel reader, romance had never been her strong suit.
“Oh, are you an artist?”
Luz silently thanked the pencil tucked behind her ear, as well as this beautiful stranger, for giving her something to focus on.
“I’m a product designer, actually.”
“Oh, wow, no way!” The girl’s face brightened in a smile and a part of Luz’s brain started writing her vows. “What kind of things do you design?”
“Oh, um, a little bit of everything, actually,” Luz admitted. “The company I work for is a bit… Eclectic.”
“Sounds interesting,” the other girl chuckled and Luz swore her heart was going to jump out of her chest and tap dance. “Well, I don’t want to keep you from work,” the girl said, tucking a stray strand of green hair behind her ear.
Luz froze, not wanting the conversation with the girl to end, her brain refusing to supply anything useful beyond “pretty girl please don’t go.” Luckily, her stomach decided to help her out, by growling loud enough that there was no way the other girl hadn’t heard it. With a burst of courage, a bit of embarrassed adrenaline, and a deep breath, Luz swallowed nervously.
“Actually,” she said, motioning in the direction she had been walking. “I was just about to grab something to eat. Would you want to come with? My treat. You know, for knocking you over and stuff.”
The girl smiled, looking at Luz with curiosity in her eyes. “Well, there’s no way I could turn down such a generous offer.” She looped her arm around Luz’s, making the taller girl’s heart leap into her throat. “Lead the way.”
The two walked to the food stand where Luz always ate, with Luz trying to relax the whole time. But the warmth radiating from her arm where this mysterious stranger leaned into her had taken over her brain, and she decided at that moment she might just give everything up if it meant never having to feel cold again.
The stand wasn’t far, so the walk felt more peaceful than awkward, and as they got closer the smell became more pronounced, prompting the other girl to hum appreciatively.
“This smells amazing.”
“Yeah,” Luz replied with a smile. “Miguel always sets up around this time. He makes the best empanadas. Outside of my mami, of course.”
As they stepped up to order, Luz froze, realizing that not only was the menu entirely in Spanish, but Miguel also didn’t speak the best English. It normally wasn’t a problem, given the area she lived in, but now, no matter how beautiful this porcelain goddess was, she screamed “grew up in a gentrified neighborhood.”
Maybe this was an opportunity, though. Girls thought Spanish was hot, right? Luz nodded to herself, opening her mouth to order, but was cut off by the other girl’s voice.
“¿Me podría dar tres empanadas, por favor?,” the girl said, perfectly fluent. “Y lo que sea que la chica linda pide siempre”
Luz blinked a few times as she stared at the girl in awe. “I think I want to marry you.”
The girl laughed, making Luz wince as she realized she had said that out loud, but before she could curl into a black hole and disappear forever, she turned that smile that made Luz’s knees shake back on her.
“I think I’d prefer to get through dinner first if that’s alright. Besides, I don’t even know your name yet.”
Luz laughed, her cheeks tinting red as they stepped to the side. “Right, right. I’m Luz.”
“Well, Luz,” the girl said, holding her hand out for Luz to shake. “It’s wonderful to meet you. I’m Amity.”
“Pretty name…” Luz muttered, blushing as she realized she had once again said that out loud. She cleared her throat loudly, squaring her shoulders as she smiled down at Amity in what she hoped was a charming manner. “The pleasure is all mine.”
Miguel saved Luz from herself by calling out her name and letting her and Amity pick up their food and sit on a nearby bench. Luz set her bag to the side, catching Amity’s eye as they started to eat.
“Is that a Good Witch Azura bag?”
Luz blushed, moving her leg to cover the iconic symbol on her bag. “Y-yeah, it is. I’ve had the bag for a long time…”
“I’ve never met another fan of the series!”
If Luz hadn’t wanted to marry Amity before, she definitely did now.
“What’s your favorite scene?” Amity asked, unaware of the internal turmoil Luz was going through as she came up with thirteen different proposals.
“Oh, it has to be Hecate’s confession to Azura,” Luz answered, her brain latching onto the familiar topic. “The revelation that all she had ever wanted was for Azura to know how she felt, but every step she took led her down a different path until finally, she had nothing left to lose but to tell her just resonated with my hopeless romantic heart.”
Amity smiled. “I love that scene too. Hecate is my favorite character across any media. Her tragic story leading her back to Azura’s light was such a great payoff. She’s way more complex than people give her credit for.”
The two talked for hours, sitting on the bench and enjoying their food. It wasn’t until Amity’s phone started to buzz that they realized how late it was. She silenced her phone, looking at Luz with a reluctant smile.
“It’s getting pretty late…”
“Yeah,” Luz replied, stretching as she looked around, not really wanting the night to end. “I guess we should be going.”
The two sat there for a moment, unsure what to say when finally Amity broke the silence.
“Could I maybe get your number? I, um, really hope I’m not misreading things, but I really enjoyed tonight.”
“YES!” Luz shouted, making both Amity and herself jump. Her face erupted into a furious crimson as she cleared her throat. “I mean, um, I also really had fun tonight and I’d really like if it wasn’t a one time thing, so, uhhhh…”
She held out her phone, already open for a new contact. Amity took it with a smile, tapping her number in before handing it back to Luz. Luz looked down excitedly, her heart beating a little harder at the heart Amity had left beside her name.
“Text me later?”
“Uh-huh,” Luz replied eloquently.
“Thanks for tonight, Luz,” Amity said, leaning over and kissing the brown-haired girl’s cheek. “I really enjoyed it.”
Luz watched as Amity stood up and walked away, her hand going up to touch the warmth left behind by Amity’s lips.
She would have walked home then, but her knees were too weak to carry her.
—
Luz had been texting Amity almost constantly since that night. She just couldn't help it! After the initial nerves trying to get over what to say had settled, their conversation had flowed so smoothly. She couldn't remember a time she had been able to talk to someone so freely about anything and everything.
Not only that, but they had another date planned! Luz was practically swooning as she spent the day getting ready, butterflies fluttering in her stomach every time she thought about it. Amity had told her to meet her at her place and to come wearing her nicest clothes. It felt a little cliche, but Luz was nothing if not a little cliche, especially when it came to romance.
Which was how she found herself on Amity’s doorstep, black slacks, a deep purple shirt, with a black coat to help stave off the cold, flowers in hand as she rang the doorbell and double-checked her hair. A few agonizing moments went by before the door opened, and Luz’s brain stalled.
Amity's outfit was gorgeous. The various shades of purple and pink of her skirt stood out from the black top she was wearing, almost making it look like they had coordinated. Luz's heart skipped a beat as she stared at this beautiful girl, who, for some reason, wanted to go on a date with her.
“Pretty…” Luz mumbled before turning a bright red. She cleared her throat, rubbing the back of her neck with her free hand nervously. “Uh, I mean- you look amazing, Amity,” she said with only a slight waver to her voice. She held out the flowers, her blush getting deeper. “These are for you. Pretty flowers for a pretty lady.”
Amity's cheeks pinked slightly as she took them. It was a gorgeous arrangement, and she couldn't help but inhale deeply as she hid her smile behind the bouquet. “Thank you, Luz… No one has ever gotten me flowers before.”
“Really?!” Luz asked, her eyes going wide. “But you're so amazing!”
Amity chuckled, waving Luz inside so she could put the flowers in a vase before leaving. “I'm glad you think so, but I haven't had much time for romance. Work usually takes up all my time.”
“Oh,” Luz replied with a frown. Then her smile returned tenfold. “Then that makes tonight extra special. Thank you for taking the time just for me.”
“It's my pleasure, Luz, honestly,” Amity replied with a smile as she set the flowers into their vase. “Now, shall we?”
She led Luz outside and the two started to make their way towards the surprise restaurant Amity had chosen. Luz looked at Amity out of the corner of her eyes, still awestruck by how beautiful she was. She shook her head, instead focusing on learning more about Amity.
“Soooo, what is it you do for work?”
“Oh,” Amity hummed, wrapping her arm around Luz’s and leaning close to her. “I'm actually a product designer too.”
“Oh my gosh, no way!” Luz balked, blinking at Amity with wide, impressed eyes. “Where?!”
“Blight Industries,” Amity replied, looking at Luz with a playful smirk. “Did I not tell you my last name was Blight?”
Luz’s mouth formed a small ‘o’ as she took this information in. Alarms went off in her head that this might be a bad idea, but those alarms got snuffed out by the fire that blazed when Amity turned her amber eyes back on the tall girl.
“I guess it never came up,” Luz laughed. “That's cool, though. It's almost like we're rivals!”
Amity giggled in response. “Let's not talk about work, though. I get enough of that from my family. Besides, we're here.”
Luz looked up at the building they were standing beside, needing a moment to take in her surroundings. The entire walk here had faded past her memory, her whole world being encompassed by Amity, and she blushed as she realized how enamored by the other girl she was.
The restaurant screamed fancy as they stepped inside, with polished floors, marble sculptures, and gold inlay on the walls. Faint piano music filled the air, and Luz looked at Amity with a hint of concern.
“Amity, I got us street food, you didn't have to go all out like this!”
Amity shrugged, standing on her toes to peck Luz on the cheek. “You're worth the effort,” she replied with an easy smile that made Luz's heart do the samba.
The two got seated quickly, and Luz couldn't help the awe on her face. It was, by far, the nicest restaurant she had ever been in. It didn't take long for her and Amity to get drawn back into conversation, talking about anything and everything as they ordered their food.
The entire ordeal may have been one of the fanciest but best times Luz had ever had. While the meal and service were good, she knew the real reason she was enjoying this was sitting across the table from her. Everything about Amity just felt perfect to her. While the other night it had started more superficially (Amity was pretty, darn it, it’s not Luz’s fault), everything she learned about the other girl just drew her in deeper.
About halfway through dinner, she made a decision. By the time their dessert was set down, she was certain about what she wanted to do, though that didn’t help the nerves that were fluttering in her stomach. As Amity laughed, though, the sound brought light to Luz’s world and settled things for her.
Amity paid for dinner, despite Luz’s protests (“ I asked you out, I will get the bill. ”), and the two started to walk back to Amity’s place. The night air bit at them as they stepped out of the restaurant, and Luz didn’t think twice before placing her jacket around Amity’s shoulders. The mint-haired girl froze for a moment before a small blush appeared on her cheeks that had nothing to do with the cold. She pulled the jacket close and leaned into Luz, who placed her arm around Amity’s shoulders with a smile.
The walk back was peaceful, the town quiet with stars twinkling up in the sky, creating a relaxed atmosphere that just felt perfect after such a wonderful date. Way too fast for Luz, though, they were standing outside of Amity’s door, shuffling from foot to foot as they tried to prolong the goodbyes as much as possible.
“Well, this is me…” Amity said with a reluctant smile.
“This is you,” Luz echoed, looking at the house while pursing her lips. She turned back to Amity, a gentle smile on her lips. “I had a really good time, tonight, Amity. Thank you. This was the best date I’ve ever been on.”
“I’m glad,” Amity replied, pulling Luz’s jacket tight over her shoulders again. She was about to say more but the look on Luz’s face told her she wasn’t quite done.
“I was kind of hoping it wouldn’t be the last, though,” Luz went on, looking at Amity’s eyes as her nerves started to betray her. “Date, that is. With you.”
Amity hid a smile behind her hand, nodding at Luz to go on.
“So, um, I was wondering, if, I don’t know, maybe you’d wanttobemygirlfriend?”
The last string of words came out all jumbled together as Luz’s nerves spiked, and the mirth in Amity’s eyes made her stomach flip. She was starting to worry as an entire eternity passed (though it was actually just seconds) before Amity leaned up and kissed her.
Warmth shot through Luz’s body as her lips tingled, her entire world centering around Amity for a few brief moments before the mint-haired girl pulled away. Luz’s hand unconsciously rose to her lips as she looked at Amity in pure awe.
“I’d love to be your girlfriend, Luz.” As Luz’s mouth flapped open and closed, unable to come up with words, Amity giggled. “Goodnight, Luz.”
Luz blinked, watching as Amity opened her door. “Goodnight, Amity.”
The door shut, and Luz took a few steps away before letting out a loud cheer, breaking the stillness of the night. She twirled on her feet, unaware of Amity watching her from the window, a dopey grin on her face.
“Girlfriends,” she said with reverence as she made her way back home.
When she got home, she opened the door and walked in, still in a dopey trance as she replayed the night’s events in her mind.
“Have a good date, kid?”
Luz turned to see Eda watching her with a grin, but before she could say anything, the older woman cackled.
“I guess so!” She laughed as she pointed to her lips.
Luz blushed, looking in the mirror they had in the living room, her cheeks darkening as she saw very obvious lipstick marks on her face. Despite the small amount of embarrassment burning in her stomach, she turned back to Eda with a smile.
“It was amazing.”
—
The next few weeks, Luz let all her hopeless romantic tendencies be turned into actual romantic tendencies. Anytime she went out with Amity, she showed up with something she thought the other girl would love. Chocolates, plushies, a signed copy of the newest Azura book- if Luz thought of Amity when she saw it, she bought it for her.
They went on walks, went to the movies, and had countless dinners, including some made by Luz in Amity's kitchen (which she was distraught to learn hadn't seen much use until the brown-haired girl arrived). All in all, Luz was head over heels infatuated with this girl, and every new thing she learned about Amity pulled her deeper.
A knock on the door to Eda’s place made Luz perk up. She was still getting ready, but Amity had said she was going to come over and pick her up before they headed out to the museum. She ran to the door and flung it open, a huge smile growing on her face as she saw Amity standing on the other side.
“Amity!” Luz shouted, pulling her girlfriend in for a kiss.
Amity smiled into it, hugging Luz back with a laugh. “Almost ready?”
“Almost! Here, come on in!” Luz stepped to the side, inviting Amity into the bizarre place.
Odd knickknacks covered the walls and the furniture was old but looked cozy. It was a kind of cacophonous clash of the senses that somehow made the place feel homey, and from what Luz had told Amity of Eda, it matched the woman perfectly.
“Here, let me show you my room,” Luz said, leading Amity up the steps. “Eda keeps telling me that she pays me enough and I should get a place to myself, but she's just too good for bouncing ideas off of that I can't imagine just being alone all the time,” Luz commented with a laugh as she opened her door.
The room inside made Amity smile. Good Witch Azura posters covered the walls alongside a few of Luz's favorite bands, her bed was an absolute mess, filled with plushies, and a desk sat in the far corner of the room with all sorts of sketches on it.
“I'll be right back, make yourself at home!”
Luz disappeared around the corner to finish getting ready and Amity walked around the room, stopping in front of the desk. She glanced around to make sure she was alone before pulling out her phone and taking a few pictures of the designs that were sprawled out. She got as many details as she could before stuffing her phone in her pocket and making herself look busy elsewhere in the room before Luz came back in with a huge grin.
“Alright, let's go see some dinosaurs!”
—
“Very good work, Amity, dear.”
Odalia Blight paced behind her desk, looking at the pictures Amity had taken, while the girl herself stood on the other side, eyes cast down toward the floor.
“You've done a great deed for Blight Industries today,” Odalia hummed triumphantly before sending the photos to her husband to begin prototyping. “How are things going on your little mission?”
“Fine,” Amity replied, refusing to look her mother in the eyes as a lead ball settled in her stomach. “I spend a lot of time with Luz. She's nice-”
“I'm not asking you to make a friend here, Amity,” Odalia cut her off with a tired sigh. “Do your job, and don't get distracted.”
The lead ball in Amity's stomach got heavier.
“Yes, mother.”
—
Eda folded the newspaper up with a grimace.
Blight Industries unveils a new prototype.
Music was coming from the living room and she walked in to see Luz twirling around with a dopey grin.
“Hey, kid,” Eda said, catching Luz's attention. “I take it things are going well with that Blight girl, huh?”
“More than wonderful, Eda!” Luz squealed with a giddy grin. “It's like we're Romeo and Juliet! We work for opposing factions, but our love binds us together above everything.”
Eda hummed. “Kid, you realize they both died at the end, right?”
Luz just glared in reply.
Eda sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Just… be careful, kid. I don't want you to get hurt. What if she's just using you?”
“You don't get it, Eda,” Luz sighed, falling to the couch with a lovesick grin. “I can feel it. We don't even talk about work!”
Eda frowned, glancing back at the newspaper on the table behind her.
She hoped against hope that the kid was right.
—
CRASH!
Amity screamed into her pillow as she collapsed on the bed, the shattered picture of her mother lying face down on the ground on the other side of the room. Tears streaked down her face as she wailed, squeezing the pillow close as pressure shrank in from all around her.
This was supposed to have just been another dumb job for her mom. Get close, steal designs, get out.
How was she supposed to know she would fall in love?
Another sob wracked her body as she curled into a ball. She was torn- her mother controlled everything in her life. Amity hadn’t had any say in anything growing up, she just did as she was told. She got good grades, made the friends she was supposed to make, graduated in what she was supposed to do, and did the work she was told to. Her mother paid for it all, even the house she was in now. That was how it had been, how it was always supposed to be.
Now, though, her stomach churned with the feeling of betrayal at handing over Luz’s designs. Luz, the ball of sunshine that lit up Amity’s world. The only girl who had ever made the weight of her mother’s expectations lessen when she was around. Luz would hold her hand, and while they were together, it would feel like everything was going to be okay.
Nowhere felt safer than her arms.
Yet here she was, ruining that girl’s life.
She sobbed into her pillow, her body shaking violently.
She didn’t know what to do.
—
A few days later, Amity knocked on the door to Eda’s place. She had plans with Luz and was surprised when Eda answered the door instead of her girlfriend.
“Oh, uh, hi, Miss Eda,” Amity stammered out nervously.
Eda shook in disgust. “Never call me that again, kid. Just Eda is fine,” She replied as she let Amity in, but before the girl could head upstairs to see what Luz was doing, Eda grabbed her wrist and led her into the kitchen. “Another thing that would be just fine,” Eda said with a slight barb, eyes narrowing at Amity. “Is if you could explain this.”
She motioned to the newspaper from a couple of days ago, unveiling the new design that she had stolen from Luz. Her eyes went wide, as she glanced up at Eda, who watched her carefully.
“What is one of my kid’s designs doing under a headline for Blight Industries?”
“Well- I- But- And-”
Eda rolled her eyes at the nervous stammering and held up her hand. “Are you only dating Luz to steal her designs?”
“No!” Amity replied earnestly. “No, or, well…” She sighed, looking down at the ground as the pressure she had been feeling the last few weeks started pressing back in on her. “Not anymore,” she admitted. “I really really like her. She’s the one good thing in my life, and I don’t want to mess that up. I mean, I can’t believe I have something so good, and it all started because my mom wanted me to get close to her.”
“What?”
A shocked voice interrupted the conversation, and before Amity could continue explaining, she turned to see Luz looking at her, heartbroken.
Amity stood up, heart pounding in her ears. “No, Luz, it’s not what it sounds like, I-
“I can’t believe I thought someone finally liked me for me,” Luz interrupted, tears springing to her eyes. Her shoulders started to shake as she turned to look away from Amity, still not quite believing what she had just heard. “Just… Leave. Please.”
Amity held up a hand, wanting nothing more than to reach out, to explain. “Luz, I-”
“GET OUT!”
Luz’s shout echoed off the walls, surprising even herself before she steeled her face into a glare. Amity’s mouth clamped shut as she took a deep, shaky breath. Tears started to well up in her eyes as she turned on her heel, walking out of the door, and out of Luz’s life.
—
Days later, Amity was lying in bed, crying to herself. She had been texting Luz, asking her to come visit, to call- anything to let her explain herself and tell Luz how she truly feels, but her messages were left unread.
She had barely eaten over the last few days and hadn’t left her house since she got home.
All she could see was the heartbreak on Luz’s face.
She never wanted to see that look ever again. The betrayal, the hurt… She sobbed, burying her face in her pillow.
It was all her fault. She wanted to make it right, but how could she? Luz wouldn’t talk to her, and she couldn’t even blame her.
An idea occurred to her, stilling her tears. Eda had seemed willing to hear her out before- maybe she could help? It would give Amity someone to admit everything to, at the very least.
And that’s how she found herself knocking on the door to Luz’s place, shifting nervously from side to side. She had no makeup on, her eyes were still puffy from crying, and she was carrying tissues with her because she knew it was bound to happen again, but this was the only chance she could see at figuring this whole thing out.
The door opened, and the cold look Eda gave her sent a shiver of fear down her spine.
“You hurt my business,” the older woman started, frown deepening. “Worse than that, you hurt my kid.” She crossed her arms, glaring down at the young Blight. “Give me one reason I shouldn’t hurt you back.”
“Please,” Amity croaked out, her voice hoarse from crying and disuse. “I just want to explain.”
Eda narrowed her eyes, inspecting Amity for a moment before letting out a huff and stepping to the side. Amity followed her inside, where Eda pointed at a chair and crossed her arms.
“You want to explain? Then explain.”
Amity swallowed nervously under the dark glare, trying to collect herself before she started.
“I-it started because my mom wanted me to get close to Luz because your business was outperforming Blight Industries,” Amity started, earning a hum from Eda. “B-but as I spent more time with her, the more I-”
Her breath hitched, and she swallowed. If she wanted any help here, she would have to admit this out loud, even if she hadn’t said it to herself yet.
“The more I loved her,” she finally got out, tears threatening to well up in her eyes. “She puts so much love and energy into everything, she’s smart, talented, and we share so many interests, I just-” A sob shook her body, and she lifted a tissue up to wipe away the tears that were starting to fall. “I didn’t want it to happen like this…”
Eda let out a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose before she sat down across from Amity.
“She really loves you, you know,” Eda said, shaking her head with a grimace. “Hasn’t left her room since that afternoon. And while she’s been pumping out designs for the craziest shit I’ve ever seen, it’s not healthy for her.” She sat back, looking at Amity with a frown. “If you want to show her you really want this, you’re going to have to do something big.”
“I’ll do anything.”
Eda looked Amity up and down before nodding. “I believe you, kid. So, what are you going to do?”
Amity looked down at the table, where Eda still had the newspaper from before out.
“I think I have an idea.”
—
A few days later, Eda lowered a newspaper to look at Amity with sheer wonder.
Blight heiress exposes unlawful business practices, bankrupts company. CEO Odalia Blight Jailed.
“Well damn, kid, you don’t mess around,” Eda managed to get out as she read the article.
“If you want a real quality product, buy from Eda’s Magical Mechanations. Their chief engineer is really something special.”
Eda nodded at the stairs, handing the paper over to Amity. “Good luck.”
Amity went up the stairs, knocking on Luz’s door. She heard some movement inside, but no response. She waited for a few moments before calling out.
“Luz? It’s me.”
When met with silence, she just sighed, sliding the paper under the door.
“Luz, I love you,” Amity admitted out loud for the second time. “No company or anything could stop that. I… I just did what I was told for so long, that I forgot what it was like to care for someone.” She hugged herself, Luz’s jacket from one of their first dates wrapped around her to help her be brave. “What it was like to be cared for.
“I messed up,” she admitted, sighing and leaning her forehead against the door. “I messed up and nothing can ever undo the hurt I caused you. You have no reason to talk to me, and I wouldn’t blame you if you never did, but I promise if you open this door, I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”
She stood there for a few more moments, letting out a sigh when there was no reply. She stood up straight, wiped the tears that were starting to form at the silent rejection, and started to turn when the door opened.
Luz stood there, her blanket draped around her shoulders, hair a mess, and eyes puffy, as she held up the newspaper Amity had slid under the door.
“Did you really do this for me?”
“Yes,” Amity replied, kicking herself for how much pain she had put Luz through. “I never meant to hurt you, Luz, I was trying to figure out how to tell you and how to fix things when-”
Warmth enveloped her as Luz wrapped her arms around her, and Amity’s words died on her tongue. She sank into the embrace, the heavy lead in her stomach lightening as Luz leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
“I love you too, Amity.”
—
A few days later, Amity woke up, curling into the warmth beside her without opening her eyes. Work could wait. She needed this.
Luz chuckled, wrapping an arm around Amity and kissing her forehead.
“We gotta get up, sleepyhead. It’s your first day.”
Amity’s eyes burst open at that. In a flurry of movement, she was running around the small room to get ready. In the wake of Blight Industries’ collapse, her house had been taken, along with most of her possessions. Most of which she didn’t care for anyway, they had been bought with and by her mother. The few things she treasured she managed to keep, but with nowhere to go, she had been lucky to get invited to stay with Luz.
And luckier still when she showed Eda her portfolio and the older woman hired her on the spot.
“Just because you two saps have made up doesn’t mean Mama’s not still hurting,” Eda said with a teasing grin. “Gotta pay off that money you lost me, got it, Blight?”
Amity was not going to disappoint her.
“I can’t wait to show you the labs,” Luz said, watching her girlfriend run around with a smile. “With you on our team, we’ll be unstoppable!”
Amity stopped applying her lipstick for a moment, turning to smile at Luz. “I’m on your team, Batata. Always.” She stepped over, giving her girlfriend a quick kiss before nudging the bed. “Now get up, or we’re going to be late!”