It Started With a Spinny

No Noise

The microwave lights up the dim kitchen, the two mugs slowly orbiting each other within.

Amity laughs quietly. "And humans don't believe in magic, yet here they are using what certainly looks like a heating spell."

Vee giggles, opening the microwave just before the timer would have beeped. "They call it science here: electricity and radiation. I'm still learning about it."

She carries the warm mugs to the table, placing one in front of Amity before sitting across from her. Amity takes the mug before seeing the contents. "Oh, sorry, I'm still working up to trying cow's milk."

"This is soy!" Vee happily sips the drink, letting the creamy, ever so nutty drink warm her, soothing her tender throat and the dull ache below.

Amity blinks, "Soy, what kind of demon is that?"

Vee laughs, "It's a bean. A plant! It just tastes like dairy-bear milk."

"Huh," Amity takes the mug, sniffs it, then takes a long sip. She smiles: "It really does!" She grimaces again, saying much more quietly: "Sorry, quiet voices."

Vee nods, sipping her own mug, trying to pretend that everything is normal, that the dull ache in her abdomen isn't killing her and that her hearts aren't about to explode with anxiety!

She told Amity she liked her!

She told Luz she loved her!

What now?!

"I wanted to apologise," Amity puts her mug down, "for two things actually."

Vee carefully puts her mug down too, staring morosely at it. "Me too."

Amity raises an eyebrow, "Haven't you already apologised? A lot?"

Vee hunches inwards, "Yeah but I, I wanted to apologise for apologising too much. And that sounds silly now I say it, but I don't want to be manipulative and make you look after me when I've hurt you. You have every right to h - to be mad at me! I just... I wanted you to know that."

"Vee," Amity says with that patient kindness Vee likes so much, "you are really gonna have to stop doing that."

Vee looks down further: "I know. I'm sorry. I mean-"

"No," Amity chuckles, "no I mean you need to stop assuming the worst of yourself! You're a lot like Luz in that way."

Vee blinks: "Really?"

Amity nods, "She still worries she's as bad as Belos."

Vee blinks again. "How?!" Then grimaces, looking to the stairs, saying quieter: "How?"

Amity sighs, "She thinks that him wanting to save humanity is the same as her wanting to save the Boiling Isles. She tries to see the best in a monster like that, all while seeing only the worst in herself. And it's destroying her."

Vee gasps: "I, I'm so sorry! If I hadn't gotten in the way and you'd been able to talk-"

"And you also need to stop assuming everything is your fault Vee, also like Luz." Amity's smiling, but it fades as she looks down, "Luz hadn't told anyone, not Mrs. Noceda, not her friends, not even me. She wanted to so much it was tearing her apart, but she didn't, couldn't. And," Amity smiles, "in a round about way, you helped her tell me. Especially tonight, you helped me say the right things to make it easier for her to finally tell me. And I'm really grateful for that."

Vee rubs the back of her neck, "It was nothing."

"It was something." Amity insists, "So thank you." She gives Vee a moment to blush as Amity takes another sip of her warm milk, cooing through a smile. "This really does taste like home. Thank you for that too."

Vee looks down. "You're, you're welcome."

Amity puts down her mug again, "So I wanted to apologise for how I reacted to you and Luz just now."

Vee flinches, "Me and Luz?"

"Yeah you, uh, kissing her forehead?"

Vee gasps: "I'm sorry, I knew at the time I-"

"It's okay," Amity stops her, "just, please let me explain?"

Vee pointedly shuts her mouth.

Amity smiles, "Thank you. I, well - ho Titan this is not gonna be fun!" She takes a deep breath, "I didn't inherit the best model of uh, healthy relationships, from my parents. Odelia hated my father, and they'd both have been so much happier with other partners. But instead she just disdained anyone who tried to court her, while seeing my dad even talking to other people as a personal attack on her self worth! And it was only when people around me started dating that I realised just how messed up that all was!"

Vee blinks: "But-" then immediately stops talking.

Amity smiles kindly, "It's okay, you can talk Vee, just so long as it isn't to apologise again."

Vee nods, "Okay, sorry. I mean-" Amity laughs, and it puts Vee at ease like it always does. She smiles to herself, stifles it as she asks: "But isn't that, kind of normal though? Your mom and your dad?"

Amity blinks, "No, it isn't! Vee-" Amity sighs, "You don't have much experience with relationships, do you?"

Vee laughs: "Have you seen me?"

Amity looks pained, but continues, "And you and Mrs. Noceda watch those tela novella things together, on the teevee? Is that, is that your only experience with relationships?"

Vee shrugs: "Pretty much."

Amity shakes her head, "Vee you know those aren't real right? I mean, you know they're not showing normal, healthy relationships, right?"

Vee blinks: "You mean you can't get double amnesia from accidentally sleeping with the pool boy?"