After Happily Ever After

Luz Noceda

'So how have you been?' Raine asks, sat in their chair with a soft expression on their face. They sit in a cross legged position, a hand to their chin.

I'm currently in their house, sitting on the couch opposite them, King curled up in my lap. He's asleep as I pet him. He is honestly more like a cat than a a sentimental god. I smile down at him. I have really missed him. It makes me mourn for the old days where we would be in the owl house and we would do whatever we wanted because things were less complicated then. Now King is twelve and keeping contact with The Collector, whilst I'm going to University on Monday. The thought is nagging at me. I'm going to University. I'm incredibly nervous. But the little Titan on my lap is at least calming some of my nerves down.  'I'm good.'

'Good?' They ask. 

'Yeah. Good.'

'Come on, Luz. You've got to be a little less vague then that.' Raine chuckles.

I shrug. 'I'm okay I guess. Just a little stressed out.' 

'What's stressing you out?' Their Face morphs into visible concern. 

'Oh you know. Just life in general. I'm starting University Monday and I'm nervous about that.' I began. 

They nod. ' I understand why you are nervous about that. I've never been a people person.' I chuckle with them. They give me a small smile. 'But I know you'll do great. You've already achieved the impossible by learning to do magic despite your lack of abilities and even defeated Belos. You have nothing to worry about.'

'Oh I know that. I'm excited to go there. But my nervousness is just something I have cause I'm doing something new. New school. New people. New place. And of course there's Amity-' I reply.

'What about her?' They interrupt, raising an eyebrow. 

'Her anxiety,' I answer. 'It makes things extremely difficult for the both of us. I'm sure she'll be fine, but I'll be across the Ilses from her. It's a thirty minute flight from the university to the manor. I just don't want to abandon her when she needs me the most.'

'But you already have been there for her when she needed you the most.' Raine says. 

'What?' I ask.

'When you first told her you had died her mental health went right down the drain. She struggled with fatigue, insomnia and an eating disorder. She put all of her needs aside because she became  so obsessed with the idea of protecting you. She had reoccurring nightmares about you dying and never left your side. And when we did manage to separate you she began having panic attacks and she physically couldn't cope without you being in the same room as her. While Alador is the reason that she started to recover in the first place, you are the one who took time out of your way to help her with her anxiety and recover from the trauma she has experienced. You didn't have to do that but you did because you love her. You used to sneak out at night to climb through her window just to assure her that you are alive and to make sure she got some sleep. She might still suffer now but she can  at least exist without you with her constantly. You did that, Luz. You. You're much better than you realise.' They explain.

I blink. 'How do you know all that?'

'I'm your god-parent. I'm supposed to know these things.' They smirk. 

'Fair.' I shrug.

'Besides, you're probably going to be with her all of your time off and probably in the evenings as well.' They add. 

'Yeah, I guess you are right. But I still worry about her sometimes. She still has really bad nightmares and panic attacks. I know she'll have her friends and family with her but I feel bad that I can't reach her so easily. Also my death isn't the only thing that she's worried about. She has convinced herself that I'm going to break up with her to be with some college kid. I just worry about her and her self worth, you know.' I say sadly.