We Had To Make Love In A Dying Dimension To Save Our World

“And… now!” Luz tapped the final rune on the large slate chalkboard. The intersecting glyphs flared to life, casting a warm, golden glow that coalesced into a sphere of light above the students’ heads. It pulsed gently, a tiny, captive sun that bathed the classroom in the soft light of late afternoon. A collective gasp of wonder went through the young witches, their eyes wide and reflecting the miniature star.

“See?” Luz said, a wide, proud grin stretching across her face. “Light magic isn’t just about a single point. It’s about weaving. You weave the symbols together, and you can create something new. Something more.”

A wave of excited chatter filled the room as her students eagerly began scrawling on their own slates, trying to replicate the sequence. The dismissal bell chimed, and Luz watched them go, a familiar warmth spreading through her chest that had nothing to do with magic. It was a deep, settled contentment she’d once thought she’d never feel again.

An hour later, she spotted Amity waiting for her near the Glandus High gargoyle statue in the town square, a meeting spot they’d ironically claimed as their own. Even from a distance, Amity was striking. She wore the deep purple, formal robes of the Abomination Coven Head, her lavender hair pinned up in an elegant twist, though a few rebellious strands had escaped to frame her face. She looked tired, the weight of her responsibilities etched in the faint line between her brows, but her golden eyes lit up the moment she saw Luz.

Luz’s pace quickened, the bustling sounds of the Bonesborough market fading into a dull hum. Nothing else mattered when Amity looked at her like that.

“Hey, you,” Luz murmured, closing the final few feet and wrapping her arms around Amity’s waist, burying her face in the crook of her neck. Amity smelled of old books, lavender, and something uniquely her—a scent that was home.

Amity’s arms came around her, holding her tight. “Hey, yourself,” she whispered, her voice a low, soothing balm on Luz’s frayed nerves. “Long day?”

“The longest. But a good one.” Luz pulled back just enough to meet her gaze, her hands sliding up to cup Amity’s jaw. “You?”

“Endless meetings. Civic infrastructure proposals.” Amity sighed, a small, weary sound. “I swear, if I have to approve one more sewer line extension using Abomination sludge…”

Luz silenced her with a kiss. It was meant to be soft, a simple greeting, but the moment their lips met, a familiar spark ignited. The exhaustion of the day melted away, replaced by a current of need that was always simmering just beneath the surface. Amity’s lips parted for her, and Luz’s tongue swept inside, a slow, deliberate exploration. A soft noise escaped Amity’s throat, and her fingers tightened on Luz’s back, pulling her impossibly closer. Luz could feel the solid warmth of Amity’s body pressed against hers, the slight tremor in her hands. The kiss deepened, growing more demanding, a silent conversation of longing and relief. They broke apart, both breathing a little faster, their foreheads resting together.

“Let’s go home,” Amity breathed, her thumb stroking Luz’s cheek.

Luz’s hand found hers, their fingers lacing together in a perfect, practiced fit. “Yeah,” Luz agreed, her voice thick with emotion. “Let’s go home.”

Their home was filled with a comfortable silence, broken only by the low, bubbling sound of the Abomination goo Amity was manipulating in the center of the living room. She knelt on the floor, her formal robes shed in favor of simple black leggings and a soft tunic. Her brow was deeply furrowed, her golden eyes narrowed in concentration as she gestured with precise, deliberate movements. A complex, lattice-like structure of purple sludge rose from the puddle, wavered, and then collapsed back into an amorphous heap with a wet sigh.

Amity let out a frustrated groan, running a hand through her hair and dislodging the pin that held it back. The lavender locks tumbled around her shoulders. Luz watched her from the kitchen doorway, a soft smile on her lips. She loved seeing Amity like this—so powerful and determined, even when faced with a challenge. The faint purple glow of the magic circle on the floor illuminated the sharp, beautiful lines of her face.

Luz quietly prepared a mug of herbal tea, the steam carrying a faint scent of chamomile and mint. She padded silently across the wooden floor and set the warm ceramic mug down beside Amity, her movements careful so as not to break her girlfriend’s focus.

Amity didn’t look up, her gaze still fixed on the recalcitrant goo. “It’s the tensile strength,” she muttered, more to herself than to Luz. “The core matrix isn’t holding.”

Luz leaned down, her lips finding the soft skin of Amity’s temple. She pressed a gentle, lingering kiss there, her hand coming up to cup the back of Amity’s neck, her thumb stroking the tense muscle. Amity’s breath caught. Her shoulders, which had been rigid with effort, slumped forward just a fraction. The purple glow of the magic circle flickered and died.

“Luz,” Amity breathed, a hint of protest in her tone, but she leaned back into the touch, her eyes fluttering closed.

“You’ve been at this for an hour,” Luz whispered, her lips moving to trail kisses along Amity’s jawline. “You’re thinking too hard.”

“It’s for the new library wing,” Amity murmured, her head tilting to give Luz better access. “It has to be perfect.”

“You’re perfect,” Luz said, her voice turning thick. She knelt behind Amity, wrapping her arms around her waist and pulling her back against her chest. She kissed the sensitive spot just below Amity’s ear, and a shudder ran through Amity’s entire body. Amity’s hands, which had been poised to cast another spell, came up to cover Luz’s.

Luz’s hand slid from Amity’s waist, moving up to her stomach and then higher, her palm flattening over the soft swell of Amity’s breast through her tunic. Amity gasped softly, her back arching into Luz’s touch. The need from the marketplace returned, sharp and immediate. Luz felt the change in Amity’s breathing, the way her heart began to beat faster against her hand. Luz lowered her head, her mouth finding Amity’s, kissing her deeply, a slow, wet kiss that spoke of familiarity and profound love. Amity turned in her embrace, her legs shifting to allow Luz to settle between them on the floor. The kiss became more urgent, Amity’s tongue meeting hers with a desperate energy that mirrored Luz’s own. One of Amity’s hands tangled in Luz’s hair, holding her fast, while the other slid down Luz’s back, her fingers pressing into the dip above her hips. Luz moaned into the kiss, grinding down gently, the friction of their clothed bodies sending a shock of heat straight through her.

Amity’s breath hitched, a soft, pleading sound that vibrated against Luz’s lips. Luz pulled back just enough to see her, to watch the flush spread across Amity’s cheeks and the dazed, heavy-lidded look in her golden eyes. The Abomination goo lay forgotten in its puddle on the floor.

“Maybe the library can wait,” Amity whispered, her voice husky.

Luz’s smile was slow and wicked. “I think the librarians would understand.” She leaned in again, capturing Amity’s mouth in another long, deep kiss. Her hand moved from Amity’s breast, sliding down her ribs and over the curve of her hip. Amity shifted, a silent invitation, her fingers tightening in Luz’s hair. The world narrowed to the warm weight of Amity’s body, the taste of her, the soft sounds she made as Luz’s fingers traced the seam of her leggings. It was a slow, perfect rediscovery, a grounding force that left them both breathless and sated in the quiet of their living room.

---

The weekend brought a brilliant, cloudless sky, and they took the opportunity for a picnic on the grassy plains near the Titan’s skull. King, now a lanky and formidable teenager but still their little guy, was tearing into a griffin-egg sandwich with gusto, occasionally letting out a squeak of delight. Luz lay with her head in Amity’s lap, watching the clouds drift by. Amity’s fingers were gently carding through her hair, the rhythmic motion almost lulling her to sleep. This was it. This was the peace she had fought for, bled for. This simple, perfect quiet.

Then she heard it. A low hum, like a thousand tiny wings beating at once, but with a dissonant, electrical edge that vibrated deep in her bones.

“Do you hear that?” Luz asked, sitting up. The gentle stroking in her hair stopped.

Amity’s brow was furrowed. “I feel it,” she said, her eyes scanning the horizon. “It’s like… static in the air.”

King stopped eating, the last piece of his sandwich falling from his claws. A low growl rumbled in his chest, and the fur along his spine stood on end. “Weh?” he hissed, his gaze fixed on a point in the air about fifty feet away.

Luz followed his stare. The air itself seemed to be glitching. It shimmered, like heat haze on a hot day, but this was different. It was thicker, more substantial. As they watched, the shimmering intensified, coalescing into a vertical tear in the fabric of the sky. It wasn't a clean door like the one she had built. This was a jagged, angry wound, glowing with a sickly, violet-black light. It pulsed, and with each pulse, the humming grew louder, a chaotic frequency that made the hair on Luz’s arms and the back of her neck stand up straight. A wave of cold washed over her, completely at odds with the warm sun on her skin.

The energy radiating from it was wild, untamed. It felt nothing like the stable, familiar magic of the portal she had known. This felt raw, unpredictable, and fundamentally wrong. It was the energy of un-creation, a void that promised only chaos. Amity’s hand shot out and gripped Luz’s, her knuckles white. Her face was a mask of stark terror, the old fear of losing Luz to some otherworldly tear in reality crashing back in an instant. The quiet was broken, shattered by the hum of a new, terrifying unknown.