A Little Bit of Both (Lumity)

Nineteen

"EDA!" Luz yelled at the top of her lungs, loud enough to make Eda's heart ache at hearing her name. Luz was hoping it would actually impact her mentor in this moment, otherwise, it would all be gone. "P-P... PLEASE!" Luz yelled again as she stood up, wincing from the pain in her back. Eda had taken a good look at her kid, and it tore her what used to be cold heart to bits: she immediately noticed the gash under her chin as well as all of the scratch marks around said chin area and around her face as well. Not only that, but it also speckled of dirt and grass remains, same with her clothes from her fall and she could see blood on the palm of her hand that she held against her wound that trickled down her shirt and onto the ground.

All of that was enough to send Eda on the verge of tears, but it still didn't feel right for her to cry right now even if she desperately wanted to. I have to stay strong, she thought to herself, I have to for... for her!

"I N-NEED YOU, EDA!" Luz yelled once more but this time she yelped in pain as she tried to take a step forward only to fall to her knee as she realized there was a sharp pain that came from her ankle whenever she tried to walk. She must not have noticed it but it was sprained: must've been that non-stop adrenaline pumping through her system.

"L-LUZ!" Eda yelled back as she quickly ran up to her, kneeling down in front of the sobbing girl. She cupped Luz's face while tears kept streaming down her face, checking around for more injuries. After realizing that there was none, she scooped the girl in her arms, careful with the wound on her back, and sat down on the ground criss-cross, Luz cradled in her arms. Luz kept sobbing her heart out while Eda sat there in silence, her grip on the girl getting tighter and tighter whenever Luz would do the same. She whispered sweet nothings into the humans ear as she tried to get her to calm down, Eda fighting back her own tears as her heart slowly broke at the scene before her.

"You're okay, Luz... it's okay... I'm here-"

"M-Mom- I- E-Eda-" Luz stumbled on her own words, catching Eda by surprise as she just called her Mom in such a tender moment. She thinks of me as her... Mom? No, there's no chance, she thought to herself, it's because we're on the human realm... right?

"I-I c-c-can't do this without y-you...!" Luz shook as she pushed those words out through with another sob, hugging Eda even tighter than before. This one pushed Eda over the edge as she felt her tears finally subside and stream down her own face. Hesitant, but still compliant, she nodded down and gave a gentle kiss onto Luz's forehead before putting her forehead against hers.

"It's okay, kid... I'm here... Mama's here for you, okay?" Eda called out to her in a whisper, her voiced sort of breaking as she worded out 'Mama's here' out loud. Luz saw her as another Mom... a Mom nonetheless...! And Eda could not be more happier; it was as if Luz was the child she never had, and to be frank, she is all Eda would ever ask for. Now she felt like an idiot for walking out.

"I'm so, so sorry for walking out on you, kid. I can't imagine how... how bad it must have felt... that thought that a... parent... or mentor walking out of your life at all is just-" Eda started until she was cut off.

"Just awful, yeah, it is..." Luz said in response, finally lifting her face away from Eda's neck.

"Ugh, look at you..." Eda said with remorse as she felt her heart break even a bit more: Luz's face was covered in remnants of blood speckled here and there while her eyes were most definitely puffy from all of the crying, her facing snowing little red steaks where her tears have dropped. Cupping her face yet again, Eda this time wiped Luz's face with her thumbs to clear her face from any sitting tears before taking in a deep breath. "Alright kid," she exhaled, straightening the confused human in her lap. "Sit still for me for a minute, alright? I don't wanna mess this up."