Chapter Text
The night sky in the human realm seemed calmer somehow, more quiet, more peaceful. Technically, there wasn’t a real difference, and even in the living room of Luz’s home, he could still hear the crickets chirping, and see the trees swaying swiftly in the wind out the window. It was, in a sense, just like home- er, the Emperor's castle, because it was still the same sky (just with non life-threatening weather). But it also seemed different, as if he felt more safe here. Maybe it was because Ms. Noceda seemed kind and welcoming, or because the human realm didn’t really seem all that dangerous. Whatever it was, Hunter could get used to it here, even though he knew he had to go back to the BI eventually.
Once Ms. Noceda figured out about Amity and Luz dating, she wouldn’t let them sleep in the same room, so Gus took the top half of the bunk beds in Luz’s room, while Amity slept on the couch, because you know, she gets extra special privileges from her girlfriend, while him and Willow slept in sleeping bags on air mattresses on the floor. Separate mattresses, obviously. Not that he cares of course. It wouldn’t make a difference to him, right?
Hunter cleared his throat, trying to reorganize his thoughts, but lately that’s been…difficult. Of course with everything going on, and learning that Emperor Belos is actually a huge liar and reallyyyy evil, but also just, well, other thoughts. He wasn’t really sure what the thoughts meant, but he couldn’t stop them. Every time he looked at Willow, or was in the same room as her, he felt warm and fuzzy. Hunter didn’t know what that meant, and it was extremely confusing, and normally when there’s something he doesn’t know or understand, he likes to shut the thoughts down. But this time, he welcomed them. He liked feeling like this. Feeling happier. Willow made him feel happy. And with all that’s happened, it’s been…nice.
But still, he had to stay focused. If Willow knew how much he really liked her, she might think he was weird. And that could not happen. He cared too much about what she thought, for some reason.
“Mmm, Hunter? What are you doing up?” In the darkness, he could see a figure rubbing their eyes. It was Willow. He didn’t have to look to know that. Her sweet, soft, kind, caring voice was recognizable anywhere. He forgot he was sitting up, making it too obvious he was awake, and it was way too late to be up. He didn’t want to worry Willow.
“Oh! I mean, uh, I could ask you the same thing, Captain.” Smooth, Hunter, real smooth.
“Well, if I’m gonna be honest, it’s kind of hard to sleep. I really hope everyone back in the Boiling Isles is okay.” Willow quietly got out of her sleeping bag, to not wake up Amity, and gestured to Hunter to follow her out the back door. And of course, he did. He would follow her anywhere, honestly.
It was slightly chilly outside, but it didn’t matter. Willow’s presence was warm enough. And being out here, with her, in the night sky, seemed magical. He never really cared much for looking at the stars, but the stars just seemed so much more pretty when she was with them.
Hunter cleared his throat again. “Is there a reason we’re out here, Captain?”
“You know you can call me by my name right? I don’t mind,” She laughed. A beautiful sound. Titan, why was everything about her so pretty?
“Oh, I mean, if you want me to, Captain. Er, Willow.” Hunter stared down at his feet, not sure where to look. He noticed all the details in the grass, like the tiny weeds and flowers sprinkled around the yard. Other than that, it was kind of empty. Aside from weird junk which he presumed to be some sort of arts and crafts Luz worked on.
Willow laughed again. “Or you can just call me Captain, if that makes you more comfortable.” It’s not that he had anything against calling her Willow, of course. That’s how he addressed her in his head. But outside of that, saying her name, it felt warm. And he wasn’t sure yet if he wanted to encourage those feelings.
Willow smiled sadly, looking up at the stars. “I don’t know what we’re gonna do. We can’t even go back home.”
Hunter perked up at a chance to comfort her (Not like he knew how, of course, but it’s the thought that counts, right?). “Don’t fear, Captain. We’ll…figure out something. Probably.” Hunter panicked. “But hey! At least uh, well, we have a nice place to stay right? And King has a plan, I think. I mean, he is a little dog thing, and I don’t really know if a creature his size could be of much help but, um,” Hunter trailed off, not quite sure where he was going with his words. “Sorry.”
“Hey, don’t say sorry, you didn’t do any-”
“I don’t want to see you upset, Captain. You, um, mean something to me. You’re a good…friend. Captain.” Hunter turned red. He’s never said anything like that to anyone before. It felt good. The warm and fuzzy feeling came back.
“Aw, Hunter,” she smiled. “You’re a good friend too.”
He cringed, wishing he didn’t phrase it like that. Not that he wanted to be anything more than friends of course, that’d be ridiculous. Honestly, he wasn’t even sure why the term “friends” made him feel so sad.
“But anyways,” Willow carried on, “I don’t want to keep you from sleeping, especially since I get the feeling you really don’t sleep much, but since you’re awake, I wanted to talk.”
“Talk? About what?” Hunter’s heart started racing, for an unexplainable reason.
Willow sat down on the grass, inviting him to join her, so he did. He sat not too close, but not too far, what he thought was the perfect and totally normal distance. Despite that, Willow scooted closer, making his heart beat even faster already.
“I guess, about everything really. Luz told me about what happened in Belos’ mind. I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
Titan, he was gonna kill that human. Willow didn’t need to know about that. That, which was kind of embarrassing, honestly. “Oh yeah, I’m fine, Captain. Don’t worry about me. I mean, I’ve had a lot of time to think about it, you know.” Willow raised an eyebrow. “Really, it’s OK.”
“Hunter, you can talk to me if you want. Or not. Both are totally valid.” Willow’s voice was so reassuring, so comforting, he really wanted to open up. But he just couldn’t bring himself to.
“It’s not that I don’t want to talk to you. I like talking to you. And hearing you talk. So uh, you can, you know, talk, if you want. About whatever you want. I don’t care. Not that I don’t care about you, I mean, I never said that anyway so I don’t know why I’m clarifying. Um, yeah. You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to. But you can if you want to, of course.” Hunter turned his head away from Willow. She probably thought he was really, really weird now.
But Willow didn’t act weirded out. She didn’t make fun of him either. “Hm, well let’s see. I guess there’s a lot.” She paused. “Back when I was younger, I used to get bullied a lot…”
Willow continued talking for awhile, time passed, but Hunter didn’t pay attention to how slow or how fast. All he paid attention to was Willow. Plain and simple.