you kept me like a secret [lumity au]

down the stairs (i was there)

'Cause there we are again in the middle of the night,
we're dancing 'round the kitchen in the refrigerator light.
Down the stairs, I was there.

-

The artificial lights in the Walgreens were harsh on Luz's eyes as they walked into the 24-hour store, yellow and grainy from the buildup of dust on the lights. It was the only store still open, though.

It was quickly nearing 11 p.m, and Luz was almost positive that this was an impulsive decision, but she didn't question it. Amity would look amazing with a new hair color.

She'd called Luz abruptly less than an hour earlier, her tone frantic and pleading.

"I need to dye my hair," Amity had claimed, "Like, right now. "

And so, Luz had quickly pulled on something halfway decent and halted her impromptu marathon of the Good Witch Azura movies, showing up fifteen minutes later in front of Amity's large, intimidating house in an old cartoon sweatshirt and Christmas pajama pants.

Amity's hand was warm in her own as they walked through the pharmacy. Even now, Amity looked all too put together, her hair still in its neat, pulled-back half-pony despite the late hour, her clothes still the same from when they'd been in school several hours earlier, the only difference being a large, heavy grudgby letterman jacket.

Luz was thankful that it was a Friday, at least. They wouldn't have to worry about sleep-deprivation in the morning.

The hair dye aisle was pitiful, and the large stack of boxes in the nearby corner reminded her that this Walgreens was usually avoided for a reason. The half-empty shelves left little to pick over.

Amity's eyes latched onto a color, and she dropped Luz's hand, crouching down to better view the lower shelves.

There was a severe lack of any pastel colors, but Amity grabbed the one that was left anyways--a vibrant, light lavender. Then, she grabbed the nearest packs of hair bleach and color remover.

"Alright. This is good." she said, her voice level and even, a stark contrast to the panic from earlier.

Luz nodded, stifling a yawn as she took Amity's hand again, gently swinging it back and forth as they headed to the front, quickly going through the self checkout and back out into the night.

The cold was a constant presence now, with their breaths fogging as they stepped into its embrace. Amity's squeezed Luz's hand three times, and Luz smiled at the action as the two of them made their way across the parking lot to where Luz's car was parked at an awkward angle.

Amity wrapped around to the passenger side as Luz fumbled with her keys, struggling to unlock the door with stiff, frozen fingers. It was a soft, comfortable silence as they both climbed in, following the familiar, mundane routine. The radio spurred to life, still stuck on the same CD that'd been chosen by Amity who knows how many weeks prior. The song was one of the softer, sadder ones of the album, but Luz didn't bother changing it, and Amity never said anything about it.

Sad Beautiful Tragic, it was strangely fitting, in Luz's opinion.

The car engine sputtered as Luz pulled out of the parking space, but she ignored the protesting groans. It drove as well as it always had, pulling out of the parking lot and turning down the quieter side street. It was late, Luz didn't want to deal with the dark expanse of the freeway. The deserted rural roads made it easier to talk to Amity, too. Not having to worry about some speeding jerk cutting her off suddenly, or for any of the fast-pace accidents that occurred on the main roads.