The House that Built Me

Owl The Bright Places Pt. 1

Special thanks to @The-Sleepless-Author for help with this chapter!

Summary: After a major fight with Eda over his father, King left to live with him, but soon realized his father was a jerk who never loved him and returns to the Owl House, only to find Eda had committed suicide in his absence. Now, in the wake of Eda's untimely death, the remaining residents of the Owl House and the rest of Eda's family find themselves reeling. They all wish they could go back to change fate's design but no one wishes that more than King. Something happened the night before he left, the last time he saw Eda alive, and he would do anything to take back what he told her.

Angst Warning: ANGSTY

Mature/ Trigger Warning: Suicide, major character death, depression, alcoholism, abandonment, manipulation, survivor's guilt, feelings of worthlessness, self-loathing, hurting a loved one, finding a loved one dead,

King should've never left.

How could he have been so blinded by his father? How could he think his father was anything but a lying jerk who couldn't be bothered to take care of or try to find his son for over eight years? King was trying to remember what he was thinking when he decided to leave with his father. He had been blinded by just the thought of having a father who knew about him and would understand his pains. But why should his father understand any of his pains or King himself for that matter? He hadn't been for eight years. He didn't know that King liked the crusts cut off his sandwich or that he had millions of minion stuffed animals or that he liked to curl into a ball and sleep like a dog. His father knew nothing about him.

But Eda did.

Sweet, ever caring Eda. Eda, who loved him unconditionally. Eda, who took him in when his own father couldn't be bothered. Eda, who made sure he had a safe place and food and water, and anything he could possibly need. Eda, who was the only person he had for the longest time before Luz showed up. Eda, who was always there for him in his hour of need. Eda, who had been completely 100% right about his father being nothing but a jerk that never loved him.

King didn't feel bad for leaving his father behind. His father had been quiet the entire time they were walking until King had enough and asked him where he had been for the past eight years. That's why his father snapped and told him that he didn't actually want King, he just needed someone to be next in line for the throne. It stung and King left before his father could see his real tears. He couldn't believe this demon fooled him into thinking they were family; King already had a family and he might have destroyed whatever he had with one of the members of his real family. He hoped it wasn't too late to apologize to Eda. Eda wasn't one to hold grudges, but King had said some pretty nasty stuff to her. They both had, but King had said much worse than Eda had.

The Owl House finally came into view over the hill as King climbed his way to the top, and beyond, he could see the boiling sea. The sea was hot enough to leave burns, but nothing serious like in some spots on the Isles. King made it to the top of the hill, breathless from the long journey, but that didn't stop him from running down the hill— and almost tripping over his own feet and plummeting down the hill at one point— just so he could get to the front door quicker. He was completely out of breathing and panting by the time he stumbled towards the front door where Hooty was jamming out to music and not even aware of King standing there. King just rolled his eyes and pushed open the front door, still not shaking Hooty out of his dancing state somehow, and looked into the dark living room. "Eda?"

King closed the door behind him as he looked around. It was still early evening, but Eda would normally have a light on by now. Looking around, King realized that Eda wasn't in the living room. Odd, but not unheard of. She could be in the kitchen, or the bathroom, or her bedroom, or just about any of the other rooms in the house. "Eda! I'm back!"