Finding out the truth
________

(Amity's pov)

Hugging luz once she returns from the doctors office she smiles brightly at me the practice in our team going to a halt, Luz buries her neck into my shoulder her voice coming out as laughing

"You were right- I completely flipped out on the doctor after thirty minutes of slow jogging"

She whispers softly parting from me, patting her back I smile and hold out my arm

"How about we run? You look like you need it"

Luz steals the ball from me and runs down the field, breaking out into a run I yell

"Oh you're no fun! C'mon guys let's tackle her!"

Raven smirks widely and runs after luz, tackling luz down they laugh loudly. Jess and me join raven tickling her sides, luz tries squirming out of our grip tears forming as she laughs

"Come on girls! It's practice time not see how many can get into a dogpile time!"

Jumping up luz grits her teeth though her lips are in a smile, tackling me to the ground once the coach turns away she makes it seem like she's burying her face in my Jersey but us two know her lips and my skin are making contact. Pushing her off to make it seem like we were having an argument I stand up and point at her

" you better watch it wildcat- I won't hesitate-"

She winks at me and raises her hands defensively, I hear bri ask to raven

"Why'd amity call her wildcat..??"

Raven leans in and says nonchalantly

"They're dating- it's not that obvious but at the same time it is obvious.. wildcat is luzes main pet name but I've heard several others... they're cutely themed luz- cat, amity- flowers"

Jerking my whold body to raven me and luz say simultaneously

"You better watch it raven"

Raven gives a bit of a squeak seeing we've caught them, they back up from bri. Sitting on the grass fifteen minutes after practice I sigh heavily my breath coming out in sheets of white vapor to the cooling air. Luz joins me and slips her sweater onto me over my dress shirt, smiling at her I go to lean in to kiss her but naomi jumps in at the wrong moment

"Hey guuyyyysss I sure hope I'm not.. interrupting anything~"

Looking up at the three friends (naomi, raven, and vee) Standing above us they sit in front of us, raven leans over to study my ears

"Cool ears you got amity-"

Hiding my ears I look down and mumble

"Just a surgery I got- it seemed cool at the time"

Raven snickers slightly and pulls my hands down, a smile on her face. I feel scared

"Dude I already know you aren't human... I can tell those are bat scars... the only one here human is luz and I think she knows about witches after a whole year of hexside...- I know that much.. with naomi's help"

Naomi raises her hand and coughs 'I'm a quarter human' causing raven to laugh, raising an eyebrow to her I look around at the small group.

"You already know about me amity but I believe you don't about raven and naomi"

I nod slowly so damn confused until raven's skin covers in iridescent black feathers at the neck and arms, her eyes reminding me of harpy eda. All naomi had to do was lift an illusion spell and she got all these cat features- kitten nose though still however human, her ears turn witch-like and out pop purple toned cat ears above them, there is a tail but it's almost as if it's cropped it's half the normal size. Naomi looks at me and luz nervously

"What's up naomi..? You seem kinda..scared"

My eyes flash to hers and I immediately recognize the chocolate brown color

"It's nothing really... I just.. I'm from a different kinda- timeline? Than you.. where YOU TWO- are my.. parents"

everyone not even joking everyone looks at naomi shocked, looking at luz then naomi I say slowly

"I knew I recognized those chocolate brown eyes... but where did the uh- cat stuff come from..?"

Naomi immediately points at luz then pulls out a Polaroid, handing it to me I see naomi at roughly thirteen being hugged by a no appearances changed older me, then I'm being hugged by the easily raven sized luz her cat ears cocked in a way that shows her messy adorable personality. It forces me to smile naomi looks at luz who quite obviously likes the idea of being a neko with more cat features,

"You miss them don't you..?"

She looks down and nods, raven rubs her shoulder gently causing luz to trap naomi in a hug

"Hey think about it.. we're basically your parents in a different dimension- you don't have to feel so lost.. we can find a way with the wittibane diary!"

Naomi's eyes water as luz hugs her tighter, she then says shakily

"Thats exactly something mama would say to me..."

Raven joins the growing group hug as do, I say quietly

"I'm sorry you got forced out of your dimension... I know we can't replace them but we can try"

Naomi looks up at me and luz and for the first time I realize how small she is.. her eyes sparkle at us like she's looking at- only I can assume alternate universe us- her parents, and I get hit with a small fit of chuckles. Raven snickers slightly and remarks

"Welcome to "we're physically family but from a completely different dimension.. we've only known for two minutes and we're already a family again" you may enter and exit anytime"

All five of us start laughing together standing up I wave towards me

"C'mon let's go convince amber to bring out her xbox so we can play minecraft and teather our phones to the game I bet we all have cool ass skins"

Naomi, raven, and vee change back to their human forms and we all run through the halls to our common room, raven tackle hugs amber and asks slyly

"Hey bird lover~ can we borrow your xbox..?? It'll be in my room I promise-"

Amber looks up at raven startled, they reply with soft birdlike coos making amber blush heavily

"Ven- please- uh..- calm down you got feathers showing"

Raven looks at their arm and shakes it, the feathers shedding off. They look down at amber seeing it's just the six of us

"Well sorry I'm shedding my top feathers babe- wait I mean... fuck I'm being kicked to my dorm- aren't I..?"

Amber nods slowly forcing raven to do a full turn to stomp on the ground and silently yell

"GODDAMNIT!"

Looking at them my eyes widen at raven's childish reaction which still continues with muffled angered raven caws into a pillow her harpy forn revealing itself but all her feathers are completely fluffed up in anger, laughing loudly I hug luz and bury my face into her shirt the room filling with the sounds of a duck choking. Amber stands up looking worried at her partners reaction, when suddenly raven disappears and what left is a tiny raven whose eyes are so filled with tears I feel my heart crack. Looking at amber I see she's heartbroken over their crying little however oversized bird face too.

"Raven... no c'mon- please don't give me the chickadee eyes.."

Amber picks up raven and looks at us her eyes saying a silent sorry

"It'll be a minute guys- this happens when I have to kick them out.. I hate it but I've been getting in trouble with the feathers-"

Hugging bird raven close she whispers softly to them

"Fine.. just for tonight- but just tonight"

And just like that raven turns back to their human form, they look down at the cushions and mutter

"Sorry.."

Amber chuckles lovingly at her partner and says quietly

"It's ok...and yes you can borrow my xbox.. I'll be joining you because I'm bored as hell."

Joining the minecraft server I immediately recognize luzes "luzura" skin also named ever so generically luzura, I see my skin of me in my normal punk style street clothes and hair style on the tv. Raven joins and their skin is immediately equipped with elytra to complete their skin of harpy them. Vee's skin is her half basilisk, amber already joined is just her in mom clothes with bird raven in a baby harness made with a special skin maker that gave her more pixels, and ebic reveal (drumroll) .. naomi is her in neko form with luzes old cat hoodie on and luzes old retired carhartt maroon beanie...
I smile and go to destroying trees for lumber. Someone leans on me gently, turning to see who it is I snicker happily when I see naomi completely passed out and luz on her other side, tapping luzes arm I mouth

"I'm gonna take her to her dorm"

Luz nods gently her eyes sparkling at me, pulling naomi towards me she wraps her arms around my neck her voice returning in purrs

"C'mon naomi.. let's get you to your bed"

Seeing she's not waking anytime soon I lift her up her legs immediately wrapping around my waist, walking down the hall I hear footsteps following behind me. Turning around I see luz, she lightly scruffs up naomi's hair causing her to paw at luzes hand and mutter completely asleep

"No...don't do that dad.."

Suppressing a laugh I open her dorm room, setting her on her bed she resists letting my neck go.

"Naomi- you have to sleep.. it's midnight"

She let's go slowly letting me atleast pull her blanket to her elbow before she traps the blanket under her arm, putting her phone on the charger I walk out of her room and head to raven's room again with luz. Sitting down I regain my phone and set it down seconds after

"So how much trouble did the kid give you??"

Raven teases me and luz I shrug but say softly

"She didn't want to let go at first but I told her it's midnight and she let go.. she's really small for being fifteen and being biologically related to someone taller than raven"

Amber raises an eyebrow and looks at them for hopefully an explanation, raven catches her eye and sighs

"We not including you hun... just found out naomi is basically illumity's biological daughter from a different dimension... so they're really close now- and I mean.. I don't blame nao.. she misses her parents and right in a different dimension.. they're in front of her but exactly one year older than her"

Amber stakes up the opportunity to clap and say

"Another school grandchild! But also.. that's.. really sad- you two must feel so responsible for her now that the cat's out of the bag- literally.."

Me and luz lock eyes and I shake my head

" I do feel responsible for her a bit YES- but I also have to realize I'm not her true mom.. we are friends and I'm aware I can't replace other me- so I'll just fill in some of the blanks by being her best friend.. and helping her get home.."

Luz nods to me pulling me into a side hug, but only interrupted when she clenches her chest tightly. Looking at her I feel like I'm giving her an extremely concerned expression, she tries waving it off but I immediately stop her not taking any bullshit

"What is going on luz..?-"

She looks at me startled at my firm voice and tries to get words to come up, looking at me she swiftly looks down

"Just my rib am-"
"Luz you and I know it's not a pinched fucking rib"

She looks at me even more worried and I cross my arms telling her I know it's way bigger than that, she looks into my eyes then looks down and back into my eyes. I continue solid worried eye contact with her to which she locks eyes with me her expression suddenly hardening.

"We need to talk.."

_____________________________

Telling her the truth
_____
(Luzes pov)

looking at amity my face unintentionally firm she looks at me afraid as does everyone else in the room, she shakily nods standing up. Taking her hand lovingly her expression immediately relaxes knowing I didn't mean 'we're breaking up'. Walking to my dorm room I open the door shakily letting amity sit down on my bed, closing the door behind me I feel my tears form in my eyes, pressing myself harshly against the door I slide down to sit on the carpet and begin crying as my heart takes a painful jerk. Amity joins me placing my face in her..ever so comfortingly soft hands

"Luz.. what's wrong..?"

Swallowing the lump in my throat I say quietly

"I have degenerative heart disease amity and... I don't have long- I know I don't.. though I don't expect you to understand the human term to it-"

Amity makes me look at her causing me to only cry more,

"Luz.. I know what it means.. in the boiling isles it's called heart and gland failure or H.G.F... but I dreaded the day you'd tell me this... I've known for a long while.. a very... long... while- every time I rested my head on your chest I'd listen to your heart skip beats.. and listen to you refusing to sleep- talking to me... just in case.. you might never wake up- I just.. hadn't realized that it meant you weren't going to stay here long."

Pulling her close to me I kiss the top of her head as she begins to cry, wrapping my arms around her I say starting to choke on my words

"And today.. I found out my insurance denied paying for a heart transplant.. and the bank denied a loan despite mom's insisting. So there's no hope for me.. but I'll just keep on going till I can't.. even if it'll hurt you.."

Wiping away my tears I breathe in deeply, lifting up amity I take her to the bed and lay us both down. The door slides open revealing four eavesdropping faces...

"G-guys.. what are you doing..?"

Sitting up I halfheartedly.. if I even have half at this point- wipe my tears away, vee looks completely distraught.. seeing me as a sister for two nearly three years and.. her last year.. naomi looks the most hurt out of all four

"Eavesdropping like cowards luz..."

Raven admits looking at the ground to hide their tears, angrily wiping their tears away with a saddened raven coo their feathers flattening to their skin I feel amity hug my waist. Looking down at her I frown my heart tearing in two thankfully not literally.. running my fingers through her hair I feel my heart choking me again

"It's alright guys... it'll be okay.. I won't be completely gone.. there's... pictures on a wall... selfies on a phone... memories I've given- I'll be in your hearts and heads as long- a-as you do-..n't forget me"

Breaking down I stop from talking and sob into my shaking hands, feeling multiple embraces surround me I lean into the one I know is amity's not wanting to leave her touch one bit.

"I'm so sorry I was the candidate life decided to fuck up..."

I say in a wavering almost unreadable tone, amity kisses my neck trying to reassure me that it'll be alright

"We'll find a way luz... please don't give up just yet- "

Amity whispers softly her voice just as unsure as my mindset, I suddenly feel my heart slow then steady it causes me to yawn and feel suddenly exhausted. Resting on the nearest shoulder I nod and say quietly

"I'm not going to give up... I'm strong enough.. even as I'm going I'll be fighting to get that second chance- time comes and goes, my time may be long or short- but all of you are the best thing that's ever happened to me- hell even dean made my life weirder.. but that's what I wanted- weird to the end"

Raven and amity chuckle, am's grip tightens around me every time she kisses my neck reassuringly I feel my tears dry more and more,

"You're wild luz... I'm glad that makes you- you.

Amber remarks a laugh tracing her tone, amity silently agrees with amber her face now buried in my shoulder. My body unwillingly forces out another yawn causing amber to pull back and I guess she's the one I'd used as a headrest as I look up dazed and tired after my head gets jerked down, she studies my face slightly and pulls raven away.

"Guys... let's leave luz and amity alone I think we eroded too much heat- luz Is keeping herself on the tips of her toes to stay awake.."

Naomi and vee pull off me forcing me to press into amity, she chuckles lovingly. Looking up I wave kinda childishly,

"I promise I'll be here in the morning guys- get some sleep.."

The door shuts behind raven leaving me and amity alone my eyelids threatening to close, she pulls me down to lay comfortably on the bed. Feeling the covers being pulled onto me I mumble

" you seem to be real concentrated on my heart... is it alright..?"

She nods against my chest forcing me to sigh relieved, she taps my heartbeat onto my collarbone as I can't hear it beating out of my ears.
Adjusting myself to hold her close, she looks at me her eyes dry and slightly red.

"I'm going to find a way luz- I promise you..you WILL see to eighty two and more.."

She heavily promises to me every word in her tone says it completely serious, I run my fingers through her hair hoping I do

"Heh...eighty two does sound nice sunflower-"

I say wholeheartedly to her a smile finally reaching my lips, she rests her hand on my cheek and almost immediately I pull back

"Holy shit how are your hands still cold after that dogpile?

She giggles quietly at me her vibrant gold eyes shining like 24 karat- no... brighter than platinum they shine.
Pulling amity close to me I kiss her forehead causing her to giggle more, smiling brightly I whisper

"There's my giggly girl... I've missed you..."

She presses into me her arms wrapping gingerly around my neck, a smile plastered on her face.. I'll miss these days seeing her smile after a sobfest.. but it'll be alright I'll find a way-    Intertwining our fingers I pull her to stand up on the floor

"Care to dance? It's been awhile since I've been to grom.. I wanna know what I missed"

She nods gently her arms wrapping around my neck, placing my hands on her waist she begins the slow dance edging the little space in this tiny ass room. Spinning her around in a circle I pull her back in, she suddenly stops and whines

"Oh no fucking fair... I'm taller than you now-"

I suddenly realize I have to slightly look up to look into her eyes, giggling softly I remark

"By an inch am.. I might end up being the tallest one"

Running my fingers over the scar on her ear I suddenly wonder what happened

"So raven said these were bat scars- what did they mean by that..?"

She snorts quietly and rests her forehead on my collarbone to suppress her giggles

"It was back in 2019 luz- the time you almost killed my siblings on the knee, remember when ed yelled out he caught a bat? Yeah he let it go and so his mate and him grabbed my ears to lift me up off the ground, I was too heavy so their claws ripped my ears to quite literally to shreds- and yadda yadda mom got mad- dad got mad- went to the hospital and got SURGERY yaayyy! And that's the story"

I snicker slightly at her sarcastic ending to her explanation, kissing her I laugh lovingly against her lips. She guides me back to the bed and sits down taking me with her, hugging her I roll onto my back my face beaming at her

"It'll be nice to see you in varsity attire again am~ I miss seeing your grudgby jacket"

She smiles pressing herself against me to hug me, looking at her as she pulls away she whispers

"You will too wildcat- I might have a heart attack if I see you all decked up in a Letterman several letters plastered on the front"

Looking at her lovingly I see nothing can steer her wrong from finding a way to get me those eighty two years. Sliding my hands to just above her hips I explore til I reach her spine, my fingertips meeting and intertwining. She smiles gently and rests her head onto my chest her breath beating onto my collarbone, closing her eyes gently she falls asleep ontop of me despite how uncomfortable her position is. Gently adjusting so I'm not hanging over the edge I run my fingers through her hair, my head cocked to the side to see her gently sleeping face smiling just slightly.
It comforts me...
_____

Waking up slowly to a very lit up room I look at my clock...thank god.. it's just 6:48..   then to amity still completely out ontop me, slowly sitting up I take her with me. Gently shaking her shoulder I whisper lovingly

"Hey buttercup... it's time to wake up.."

Her eyes open to look at me every bit of her expression tired, she hugs me tightly and I pull her off me teasing quietly

"Oh no you don't am- c'mon it's nearly seven"

Groaning slightly she stands up and stretches, pulling on her sweater vest she looks at the tie and just goes to buttoning up her shirt the rest of the way. Hugging her from behind I rest my head on her shoulder

"Goodmorning by the way sunflower..."

I mutter sweetly to her, she looks at me and smiles brightly her eyes holding a permanent glitter. Kissing her cheek I pull away to slip on my sweater the cool fabric making me shiver, picking up my sidebag under the bed I hold my hand out inviting amity's- she accepts it gratefully. Heading downstairs and out into the corridor raven and naomi flank us

"You're really good on your promises luz- glad to see you're looking great this morning"

I smile heading up the stairs to our homeroom, the teacher looking at us four then back at her teachers guide.
Letting amity go to her seat I take mine next to this bitch named adriana- hated me from the beginning.. sucks I'm her desk partner.   Pulling out my computer I open a tab to all sorts of galaxy cat pics, downloading an obviously bisexual themed one I set it as my computer's wallpaper. Going to a school game site I play a stupid ass game where all you do is park then to a school regular of a motorcycle stunt type game, getting bored so fast I tap amity's shoulder and give her the link to a "banana bread" server it's a fighting game- specifically named weird so school faculty doesn't ban it, muting our computers we play on the game til she sends a message at the bottom

'Mittens143: Will class ever start..?'
'HumanW1tchy: Ikr!! I'm bored out of my mind!'

Then I shut my computer off resting my head on my arms I shut my eyes tightly closed hoping to make time go by even the slightest bit faster, looking up I see there's still fifteen minutes and set my head- right the hell back down. Sighing I feel myself fall asleep when the bell loudly rings, the teacher claps her hands loudly forcing me to jump awake

"Alright students! Class is in session!"

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When I started this chapter I decided I'd make something That'd try to pull at your heart like the last chapter of "ghost of you" by rainbowjeff on Archive of Our Own. but I am such a puss I started crying WHILE I was writing it out at midnight like usual. But other than that! I believe I did really well having spent the time to put 4000 words in one part without writers block kicking me in the ass.

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