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They have all been reunited with their families. Well, except for Hunter. He stood awkwardly next to Luz and her mom. He went to pet flapjack, looking for some form of comfort, he knew flapjack would always provide him with that, but as his hand touched his shoulder he remembered. Flapjack WOULD always provide him comfort, but that was, well that was in the past now. Hunter’s arm remained on his shoulder for a little bit, long enough for Luz to notice it.
“Hey, you alright,” Luz asked, eyebrows scrunched together looking at his shoulder. A huff escaped from Hunter as he plopped his hand to his side. Is he alright? Are any of them alright? Well at least they were with their families now, that counts for something. “Okay, stupid question, I guess, I’m just, are you? How are you holding up?”
“I’m glad that everyone's back with their families, it’ll, it’ll be good for them. Take their minds off of things”
“Okay, woah, dude, first of all, that did not answer my question. Second of all, not everyone, Darius is still on his way. He should be here shortly.”
“I- Darius? He’s coming?”
“Y…yes? Dude have you not been listening?”
“I uh, kind of ya know, zoned out? Listen, Luz, I … wasn’t expecting anyone to come for me, so I didn’t really pay attention”
“Hunter. My dude. My Guy. Eda said that Darius was sleeping since He’s apparently been working his ass off to work on the portal, Eberwolf was making sure he actually slept. They’re on their way.”
“Oh”
“Yeah Oh. Plus I meant what I said earlier, We’re family now, even if Darius wasn’t coming you’d still have us. Me. Mom. Gus. Willow. Even Amity, we’re a part of your family now.” Luz punched Hunter on his arm, getting an annoyed “Hey” out of Hunter. “You never did respond to my question,” Luz went on “How are you holding up?”
“I” Hunter sighs, “I keep going to pet him, give him scritches, I keep wanting to feel his weight on my shoulder. I” Few tears falling down turn into full-on sobs, “I can’t. I can’t do this. Luz. Please I can’t”
Luz pulled him into a hug, Hunter gripping onto Luz’s costume like a lifeline. “Breath Hermano. Breath.”
“No. NO. I can’t I can’t breathe.”
“Yes, yes you can, In. Out. In Out.” Luz kept up the mantra “In. Out.” until she felt Hunter’s breathing even out. “Hunter I know it hurts but” Luz rubbed her hand on Hunter’s back, in an up-and-down soothing motion. “Flapjack he. He did what he felt was necessary. The hurt may never go away but in time, it’ll get better. Trust me.”
“I- okay,” Hunter’s next words was interrupted by a booming “HUNTER”. He whipped his head off of Luz’s shoulder where he spotted Darius, hair half up, pajamas still on, all in all, looking like a mess. Which for Darius to go out looking like a mess was…well… unheard of.
“D. Darius” Hunter stammered out, taking his sleeve and wiping the last of the tears from his eyes, only for tears of relief to follow.
“Hunter” Darius repeated, crouching down in front of him, hands hovering like he wanted to hold him, but if he did he would break. “What. Are you okay? You. Scars. Oh Titan. Hunter.”
“I’m okay,” Hunter responded, Luz gave him a look saying You aren’t fooling anyone. “Okay, well physically” He glared at Luz, “I’m okay physically.”
“Your scars” Darius’ features softened “oh Hunter what happened.”
“B..Belos” Tears streamed down his face “He’s alive” Realizing that Darius never knew he died Hunter went on “We thought, well we thought we saw him die. The collector, did, something. He turned into his goopy, cursed form, splattered on the wall, but some. Some part of him must’ve survived, he. He uh. He.” Hunter looked to luz, eyes saying Please help. I Can’t
“Long story short Hunter got kind of.. Well not kind of he… he got possessed by Belos.” Luz interjected.
“HE WHAT” Darius shouted, “Hunter my titan, what how? Is he gone?”
“No,” Hunter mentioned solemnly, “He uh, he’s very much on the loose right now. In his weird cursed form. We uh, we don’t know where but he’s here. That’s actually, how we got here, he made another portal.”
“Wait. So Belos is here. Like here here, as in in the demon realm?” Hunter could only nod in confirmation. “Oh kid,” Darius widened his arms, and only after a second of confirmation from Hunter, took him into his own, guiding Hunter’s head on top of his shoulders. “Are you crying?”
“Mhmm, I uh, I don’t think I’ve fully stopped crying since I-” Hunter erupted into inconsolable sobs, his whole body shaking.
“Since you what Hunter?”
“Since I killed Flapjack.”
“Woah woah,” Luz interjected. “Hunter, Hermano, you. Did. Not. Kill. Flapjack.
“Luz, you were there,” Hunter ripped himself from Darius, “You saw me do it. I killed Him, I-”
“I was also there, Hunter. That wasn’t you. That was Belos. Belos killed Flapjack. Not you.”
“Wait” Now it was Darius’ turn to interject. “Flapjack is. Gone?”
“Yeah,” Luz answered, seeing Hunter go from It’s my fault, to just defeated in the span of a millisecond. “Belos” Luz made a point to look at Hunter “Belos, killed him when he was possessing Hunter,” Luz took a breath, “and used the last of his Palasmen magic to save Hunter.”
“Oh Hunter, Look at me.” Darius cooed, when Hunter made no movement, he guided hutner with his hand on his jaw, gently moving his head up to make eye contact, decidingly not mentioning the change of eye color nor how he looked so much less than his mentor now. “Little Prince, none of this was your fault.” Hunter opened his mouth to speak but immedirly got cut off “nope, I’m talking now. None, and I mean none of this is your fault. Not the day of unity, not you getting possessed, not flapjack getting killed, none of it. It’s all on Belos.” As Darius said those words he pulled Hunter in, embracing him and him returning the gesture, both as if there lives depended on it. “Just let it out little prince, just let it out.”
Hunter felt something fluffy nudge his leg, he looked down (while still embracing Darius), to see Eberwolf joining the embrace, consoling his cub.
“Wow, Luz, never thought I’d see Dar Dar cry did you?” Eda said, coming up to where she was sitting, a little ways away from the trio.
“Heh, I’m starting to think he’s a softy” Luz replied.
“Nah, only gets this way with Hunter.” Eda pulled out her scroll and snapped a photo, “This one’s going to make great blackmail for Darius.”