||DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Owl House and its characters! All of that belongs to Dana Terrace, her team, and Disney||
||NOTE: This is one of the Before chapters I mentioned in my A/N & Bio. This will be about Y/N's and Luz's lives before they came to the Boiling Isles. You don't have to read these chapters and can skip to A Lying Witch and a Warden. I just felt that this story needed something like this. If you do read this, I appreciate it. Enjoy!||
||This story will have He/Him pronouns (and anything related to that, which you can change the pronouns for yourself), cursing, and movie/TV/videogame references. It will not, however, have NSFW. If you don't agree with any of this, you have the option to leave||
||SUMMARY: You waste your time at the hellhole that was your school, hoping that you had anything better to do to at least pass the time. However, the only thing you looked forward to was the sleepover that you planned with Luz a few days prior||
Published: ~December 18th, 2022~
-6th Grade-
⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝⨝
You walked through the hallways of your school in a bored manner. All of your classes had nothing to even be excited about. In social studies, you were talking about government, which nobody cared for. You learned about Shakespeare in language arts, which you surely didn't care about either. And in math, you simply solved problems that you would never use again in your life.
Science was just another story.
You couldn't stand the teacher in that class. Most of the time, he was strict as some teachers would be. Whenever it was the end of the week, however, he would be the happiest man in the world. This came as no surprise to you and your classmates. The dude sounded like he got laid. Or that he was going to get laid.
Speaking of science, you had that for your final class of the day. You had filled your stomach with some pizza from Papa John's. Your school still served those square cheese pizzas whereas a couple of weird kids dreamed about that kind of pizza. If they were being honest, they were actually hungry from the boring day that was spent at school. Others didn't really agree and would rather go hungry than eat some of the school lunch.
You sat at your usual spot in the front of the class. You would often pull your hood up and sink down into the seat after you got out your stuff. All the tables in the room had exactly two seats and fortunately, Luz sat next to you. As for her, she just entered the classroom and found you. When she got her things, she came over to you.
"You look emo." Luz remarked.
"No, I don't." You disagreed.
"Hm, yes, you do." Luz said as she pulled out her phone. She snapped a picture of you and gave her phone to you. "Look."
You squinted your eyes at the screen to see that your hair was messy with the hood you had up. You were also scowling deeply with a face that said, "why in the hell do I have to be here?"
"Holy shit, I do look emo..." You breathed.
"See?" Luz giggled.
"Put that phone away!"
Your head perks up at the voice, that of which belonged to Jordan Williams, who had also stood in front of you. He had a smirk plastered on his face.
"Don't make me snitch on your ass to Mr. Arnold!" Jordan uttered in a deep, mocking tone. He then loosens his voice. "Alright, dap me up."
You rolled your eyes before giving Luz her phone. You then did your secret handshake with Jordan. "What's good?"
"Yo, it's Friday. I'm finna go home and chill, maybe play some games on my Xbox." Jordan replied. "Then on Saturday, I'm gonna have the greatest party of the year!"
People in the classroom cheered for Jordan. He was just that one popular kid that everyone was impressed with. He was also the star player on the football and basketball teams. He even made the tryouts for track and field and helped win many state championships for Gravesfield. He was only a 6th grader, and not many schools allowed that. But this athletic kid was an exception.
While many people practically worshipped this man, others were pretty jealous and tried their best to sabotage several of his games. They all end up failing though. Out of all the 6th graders that were very overlooked and picked on by 8th graders, Jordan was a remarkable person for everyone.
"Well, that's until the next one I have, which will be even bigger!" Jordan yelled out, allowing everyone to cheer for him again. Jordan then turns to your brunette friend and waved. "Hey, Luz."
"Jordan." She nodded.
You saw that Luz had her arms crossed, meaning that she wasn't very comfortable at the moment, remembering the small rivalry that the two frenemies had. Considering that you were often quiet, you were mostly observant as well. You had always studied a person's body language when talking to them.
Since you were deemed to be a weirdo with pointy ears, everyone would try their best to stay away from you. You almost pulled some people attractively with your seemingly extraordinary eyes, though a relationship would never start because the other person is told about how awfully strange you were.
"But in the end, I gotta check up on my homie. What's got you so down in the dumps?" Jordan questioned.
"I honestly don't know. I guess I just feel more depressed than usual." You shrugged.
"Fake it till you make it." Jordan replied. "That's what I always do."
"That's easy for you to say." You rolled your eyes. "You're one of, if not, the most popular person in this school. How can you possibly be depressed?"
"Oh, yeah. He's being emo, for real." Jordan pointed at you with his thumb.
"Exactly!" Luz agreed.
Right, frenemies...
Before Jordan could talk to you anymore, Mr. Arnold came into the room with a grin on his face. He strolled to his rolling office chair and spun around in delight.
"Look at this nutjob." Jordan whispered while gently nudging you. You just chuckled. "Hey, teach! There's no way you can be this happy, dealing with how utterly evil you are most of the time."
The class murmurs in agreement.
"Well, that's because I won't have to deal with you damned heathens for the glorious weekend." Mr. Arnold calmly replied.
The class quickly goes silent in bewilderment. Mr. Arnold smirks and goes to the projector.
"For today, we will watch this video as a review for your test today." He mentioned. The class grumbles, making him grimace. "Shut up! Just be glad I'm being nice."
"And when are you ever nice?" You rhetorically asked.
The class giggles at your sarcastic comment. You glance at Luz, who simply gives a thumbs up at you. You passed a smile back.
"Stop trying to be cool, Y/N!" Josh told.
The class bursts into laughter, causing you to sadly sink down into your seat more. Jordan rubs your shoulder in comfort and shifted his attention to Josh.
"Said the one who tries to make himself look cooler in front of everyone, especially the girls, who pretty much don't give a shit about you. To me, that just sounds like you're desperate for attention." Jordan shrugged. He then scoffed. "At least, my relationships last."
The class oohed at Jordan's insult, only letting Josh roll his eyes profoundly.
"Keep rolling your eyes, maybe you'll find your brain back there." Jordan smirked.
Everyone oohed again even louder. Josh had his mouth wide open but only huffed in annoyance. You look at your friend in bewilderment as he turns to you.
"I got you, bro." Jordan mouthed. You smiled in reply.
"Now, now, let's stop this before it gets any further and hurts people's feelings." Mr. Arnold urged. "Ugh... what am I saying? I don't care about you brats."
Mr. Arnold puts the video on, turns the lights off, and goes back to his desk, doing God knows what. Throughout the video, you had several pieces of balled paper spat at you. It was only enough before you eventually raged out. You spun your head around, only for your forehead to get hit by a bigger spitball.
"Who the hell keeps doing that!?" You grimaced.
"I was trying to get you to move your big head out of the way." Josh sneered. He then sees your ears block his vision a little. "Oh, no, the Elf strikes back!"
You growled angrily and tried to get out of your seat to punch Josh but feel Luz grabbing your wrist. She shook her head, signaling you to calm down and not wake your sleeping teacher. You sigh and sink into your seat from sadness once more. Luz intertwines her hand with yours and squeezes it in comfort, resting it on her thigh. You were given a warm smile by her, allowing you to flicker a half-smile.
"Dude, why are you holding-"
Josh was interrupted by Jordan cracking his knuckles beside him. The latter gives him a sharp, fierce glare, causing him to stay quiet. Josh lightly gulps and pays attention to the screen.
"I was... t-talking about the v-video." He pointed while lightly shaking.
"That's what I thought." Jordan muttered.
You glance at the clock and see that it was "2:30". Time was really going slow for you. You had been watching some scientists on a talk show do an experiment about elephant toothpaste. You glanced to your side and found Luz to be mesmerized by the many deep shades of colors exploding everywhere. You chuckle and softly smile at your friend's adorable face. You look forward and watch the video once again, further enveloping yourself in your own curiosity.
◐◈◑
Later, you were at home and glared intensely at your TV screen. You were playing a game of Rocket League to pass the time. Although, there always has to be a person trying to be that one tryhard and boast about themselves to everyone else. The person also sounded female.
"You're trash, man. Just delete your game." She told. You score a goal, proving her wrong.
"How's that for trash?" You smirked.
"Puh-lease. That was pure luck." The person scoffed.
The match became tight between the two of you. The game was also tied and the clock ran on its last few minutes. You came close to scoring another goal until your door opened, surprising you. You lost control of the ball, allowing the female gamer to take it and get it to the opposite side of the field. You tried your best to speed your way over but it was too late. The game had ended with your opponent cackling loud into her microphone.
"Are ya winning, son?" F/N asked.
"Seriously, Dad!? I was this close to winning the game!" You shouted.
"Ha! Loser." The girl mocked.
"Princess, come and get your cookies from out of the kitchen."
"Mom! Don't call me that!" The girl yelled.
"Ah, wanna break bread with them cookies, Princess?" You smirked.
"Fuck you." The girl muttered into the mic before signing off.
"Well, too bad! I got to leave town soon so get ready for your sleepover with Luz!" F/N rushed you. He then clapped his hands hurriedly. "C'mon, time is money!"
You had gotten ready and went out the door. You got in the passenger seat of your father's car with an ill-tempered expression. F/N notices this.
"You alright, champ?" He asked.
"No, I totally didn't lose to some tryhard online and get my ass laughed at." You sarcastically replied.
"It's just a game." F/N waved off.
"Oh, so like how you raged when the Eagles lost the super bowl?" You angrily raised your eyebrow.
"Touché. That was not a great moment." F/N said. You hummed in confirmation. "Look, I know how important your multiplayer games are to you. Just... tell me whenever you're playing online so we can avoid instances like that back there."
You lightly nodded and shifted your attention to your phone. "Where's Damian, anyway?"
"Oh, your mother let him hang out with his friends. They're both at Dave's and Busters." F/N answered.
You nodded again and pulled up YouTube to fulfill the silence in the car. It was only a matter of time before you arrived at the Noceda residence. You raised your head and smiled. You grabbed your stuff and rushed out with F/N chuckling at your excitement.
When you reached the door, you knocked on the door and waited for a few minutes. When you tried to knock again, the door swung open with a certain brown-skinned, middle-aged woman appearing in front of you.
"Y/N, F/N, hi." Camila smiled.
"Hello, Ms. Noceda!" You greeted.
"Now, please, call me Camila. Being called Ms. Noceda makes me feel old." Camila admitted.
"No problem, Camila." F/N said. Camila lets the both of you inside.
"Mija, your friend and his father are here!" She shouted out.
The sound of a few things dropping on the floor rang out from the hallway. Some glass also shatters with Luz sliding on the wooden floors. When she saw you, she hugged you in joy, allowing you to happily hug her back.
"Hi, guys!" Luz beamed.
"Hi, Luz."
"What was that sound?" Camila asked.
"What sound?" Luz replied, trying to play dumb.
"I heard glass shattering from the hallway. You didn't break one of my angels, did you?" Camila squinted her eyes in suspicion.
"No..." Luz silently gulped. Camila eventually stops and sighs.
"Feel free to get ready for your sleepover, querido." Camila said to you. You nodded with a smile and walk with Luz to her room.
"Thanks for letting them have their sleepover." F/N expressed his gratitude.
"It's not problem at all! Again, I'm just happy to see Luz has a friend that cares about her." Camila smiled. "If you don't mind me asking, where are you going?"
"Oh, it's just a business trip to Los Angeles. I would take Y/N with me, but my boss refused about taking our families so..." F/N shrugged.
"That does sound strange." Camila agreed. "Well, I don't want to slow you down. I hope you enjoy your time there."
"Have a good night, Camila- oh! Also, if Y/N doesn't act right, you know what to do." F/N mentioned.
"Got it. Although, he seems to be a good kid so I don't think anything will happen." Camila replied.
"Okay then. Bye, Camila." F/N granted his farewell.
"Bye, F/N." Camila waved before shutting the door.
◐◈◑
You and Luz did anything that would come to your minds. Played with Azura dolls, did Truth or Dare, put makeup on each other, built pillow forts, had a pillow fight, and even had a singing party for the hell of it.
Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you
After that, you had some marathons ranging from Azura to many Marvel movies. You wanted to see some DC movies of your choice. Luz booed you, making you roll your eyes while smiling. Although, you still watched them, especially the movie Shazam!, which was luckily on HBO Max.
(A/N: God, I love that movie)
And yet, you found something else. Something unusual.
You were watching on your Dad's account and of course, he's been watching shows from the Adult Swim catalog. You scrolled down and found a dark-skinned boy with a deep scowl formed on his face. His large afro covered most of the picture with two white words directly on it.
"The Boondocks." You read. A smirk then found its way onto your face. "Let's watch this."
"I don't know, it says TV-MA. We shouldn't do this." Luz voiced her concern.
"C'mon, Luz! Live once in a while. I heard some people at school talk about it anyway." You slung your arm around Luz's.
"Okay then..." Luz twiddled her fingers.
◐◈◑
You binged the first nine episodes that night, indulging yourself in a show you didn't have any business watching. The witty behavior seized your attention in a comfortable, yet addictive manner. It was also tempting to imitate the characters on the show as well. You laid on your stomach with your head on your arms while Luz held a plushie in her arms. You were currently on the tenth episode and trying to stifle your laughs the best way you could.
(A/N: Funniest shit ever)
You and Luz quickly burst into laughter at Riley's choice of words. You even played it back for a few extra giggles. It didn't seem right to be trying to hide and watch something as inappropriate as this but laughing about it felt good to you.
"Oh, God, my stomach..." You chuckled.
"That was so funny. I don't know what I was so worried about." Luz wiped her eyes as she sighed. "Mom probably would've pulled her hair out if she found us watching this."
"Yeah, Camila's a scary woman." You agreed.
"Well, you're gonna find out how much scarier I am."
Your eyes broadened along with Luz's. Your skin began to crawl as you slowly turned to the door. At the door was an angry Camila, who also held a navy blue flip-flop in her right hand. Even when the room was dark, you could still see the deep, frightening grimace on her face.
"La chancla..." You gasped. Luz glances at you in worry.
"Don't look at Y/N. Y/N ain't gonna help you." Camila told.
You and Luz could only gulp in pure fear. It was no doubt you were in some deep shit now. You started to breathe anxiously and stood up with the brunette. You rubbed your neck with shaking hands as Luz rubbed her arm.
"Now, who was the one that came up with this wonderful idea?" Camila coldly asked.
Luz tried to step forward but you held your hand out. You shook your head and motioned for her to get back. Luz complies as you walked in front of her. Instead of lying and getting away with your actions, you were going to own up to the truth and take the fall.
Like a true friend would.
"Ms. Noceda, please don't punish Luz. I was the one who wanted to watch it. Yes, she laughed along with me, but she still expressed her doubts. And I still pressured her. So if you're gonna punish anyone, let it be me."
Camila raised her eyebrow in a perplexed expression. Things like this had never happened during your sleepovers with Luz. You proved to be a good and disciplined child but there was a reason F/N had always given Camila the clear to whoop you.
In a way, the older woman had respected you for telling the truth and for also calling her by Ms. Noceda, even if she didn't like it. It showed that whenever you misbehaved, you could still have a good amount of innocence underneath that bold and defiant spirit of yours.
"¡Ay, no es de extrañar que me advirtiera! I'm very disappointed in you, Y/N." Camila sighed.
Your eyes widened. Getting yelled at by a parent was one thing, but being told that you disappointed them really hit hard. Camila was like a second mother to you. Under the loving and affectionate aura that she'd always light the room with covered a stern Dominican parent who would stop at nothing to do what was best for the kids she cared for. Even if that meant beating them as a punishment for their wrongdoings.
"However, I'm glad that you took the fall instead of blaming Luz." Camila continued, gaining your attention. "It really shows that you would protect my daughter no matter what the situation is. That's the kind of friend I want for her."
You took a moment to take Camila's words in and lightly smiled at her before turning to Luz, who smiled more than you.
"Buuut, I still gotta use this." Camila motioned to her flip-flop. "You're still getting punished."
"Tough but fair, Ma'am." You nervously smiled.
It had been a while since you had gotten spanked and/or whooped. Your father was fond of the idea but your mother didn't agree and worried for your well-being. And so, F/N stopped corporal punishment. Although, he took away your electronics and toys as a punishment, leaving you nothing but your schoolbooks or homework, which you certainly didn't want to do.
You walked with fearful steps into the other room with Camila following close behind. Luz could only pray for the best to come. That was when she heard the piercing screams and powerful beatings echo throughout the house, only making her wince each and every time.
Luckily, you came back into the living room, rubbing your butt cheek in pain along with a few sore groans. You even shed a few salty tears. You then uncomfortably sat beside Luz on the couch.
"You okay, N/N?" Luz asked, patting your shoulder in comfort.
"Yeah..." You moaned in reply. Luz couldn't help but snicker and cover her mouth. "Hey, it's not funny!"
"Aw, someone's getting a little cranky." Luz teased.
"Shut up." You muttered, crossing your arms.
"Want a hug?" Luz opened her arms.
You glance at the brunette with an ill-tempered expression. Luz gives you a look, making you eventually loosen your scowl and sigh. You wrap your arms around the girl and nestle your head in the crook of her neck.
"Yes, please..."
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||And that's my first Before chapter! Sorry for making you guys wait for so long and believe me, I was really trying to get this out. But I was busy and I strayed away from Wattpad for a few hours. I hope I can get the Christmas Special out by next week. If I also don't publish it early, Lost in Language may come out in the New Year. Anyways, I hope you guys have a nice night (or day)||
||BYEEE 👋||
☪️💫◒◈THE OWL HOUSE◈◓💫☪️
-|Your favorite LGBTQ+ show with a weekly dose of magic, peril, and teenage love (and angst)|-
◊◊⫸Created by Dana Terrace⫷◊◊
⪦◉Fanfiction by SunnyJay9◉⪧
◈CAST◈
(Anybody) as Y/N L/N
Sarah-Nicole Robles as Luz Noceda
Tyrel Jackson Williams as Jordan Williams
Elizabeth Grullon as Camila Noceda
Ryan Reynolds as F/N L/N
Walker Scobell as Josh Huxington
-Additional Voices-
Regina King as Huey & Riley Freeman
John Witherspoon as Robert "Grandad" Freeman
Tyler James Williams as Jordan Williams (Deep-Voiced)
Troy Bond as Mr. Arnold
Eden Riegel as Gamer Girl & Classmates
Dana Terrace as Gamer Girl's Mom