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Darius insisted that Hunter shouldn't be alone in public. At least for now.
After the safety of the human realm, Hunter forgot how some witches see him as an emperor's pet, created to serve. It was worse now, that everybody knew who he was. What he was. And as much as he made peace with himself, some people will always see him as nothing more than an animal, or worse. A thing.
Some of the witches understood; they were tricked themselves. Also, he kind of helped to stop the day of unity.
Some were scared; of grimwalkers, of dark, wild magic he was made of.
And some of them were angry. Angry for betraying the emperor, angry that he helped him in the first place. Angry for his existence, for having the right to continue this existence. That anger quickly transformed into mockery, and mockery into cruelty.
Darius was quick to extinguish the attempts on his life. He was one of the most powerful magic witches on the Boiling Isles; he was a Coven Head, after all.
He was quick to anger and slow to forgiveness. Especially to the ones who harmed his family. To which Hunter belonged now. In some strange, unbelievable way.
Hunter was experiencing something he never did before; paternal love.
It was a weird feeling, to be loved unconditionally. Felt unreal, most of the time. Because there had to be a catch somewhere. At some point, it had to end. (He wanted to be prepared for when it did. Maybe then he won't feel the enormous disappointment.)
But as for now, everything seemed to be good. Darius hugged him sometimes or wrapped his cape around him. It was weird, seeing this new, soft version of Darius. Weird, and also amazing.
The boy took a sip of his tea. Mornings in the Deamonne's house were rather peaceful.
Darius came into his kitchen. He was dressed rather fancy - fancier than normal, that is.
"Hunter. There you are. We're gonna have a visitor today." He said.
"My... mother will come by. She's not the best person to keep company, I know. But it's not gonna be for long I promise."
Hunter sighed. And there it was, his "peaceful morning". Titan really hated him sometimes.
***
"Good afternoon." He said, staring at the ground, as the old lady stared him down.
He met Mrs. Deamonne before. Darius' mother was a stern woman who with her mannerism reminded him of older Captains in the Emperor's Coven. She didn't seem to like him very much the first time they met.
She was Darius' second mother. She didn't look like him at all.
"Well, look at you. It's surprising for me that he decided to keep you," she exclaimed, amused. "He gets bored quite easily, you know? Darius, that is. I suspected you would be long gone by now."
Hunter gulped.
(That's a lie. Darius wouldn't get rid of Hunter. He just wouldn't.)
"He never was fond of pets. Make too much of a mess for him, I suppose. You can consider yourself special." She teased.
(Don't listen to her. Just don't listen.)
"He's a good man, that son of mine. Must have it after my dear wife,"
(Certainly.)
"But you know, he is going to run out of patience one day. Any day now."
"Oh, of course." He said, not even trying to hide the irony in his voice.
She grabbed his chin and made him look her in the eyes.
"What did you say?" She said in anger that he didn't hear for months. It reminded him of Philip Wittebane's cruel eyes, his touch on Hunter's shoulder.
"You're a sad little creature, aren't you? Not a person nor a demon. I'd consider you an animal at best."
Hunter snorts. Now, that's something new.
"Something's funny?"
"I get that you don't respect me, and all... but how exactly am I an animal? A monster. A thing, maybe. But an animal? This just... doesn't make any sense."
"For someone raised on the Emperor's lap, you don't seem to respect your superiors."
"You're not my superior. You're not Belos. You're my mentor's mother."
Now it is her turn to laugh.
"Mentor? Oh, you poor little thing... you got attached, haven't you? Do you think he cares about you... "
"He does!"
"No, you little monster. You are the dead emperor's failed experiment. Little lapdog that hasn't been disciplined enough to know when to keep its mouth shut."
"You have no idea what I have been through. You wouldn't have survived this."
She slapped him.
He felt treacherous tears tingle in his eyes.
(He was supposed to be safe here.)
"This is nothing... " he said. "... in comparison to what I've been through..."
"Really? Well. After your so-called mentor learns the way you've treated his mother tonight, you can expect a lot worse. "
"Oh, he wouldn't--"
"Wouldn't he? I know Darius. I know how quick he is to anger. I know how powerful he is. Do you think that compared to his mother, he would choose you?"
He felt his legs weaken
"Pl-" he took a deep breath. "Please, don't. Tell him. I-i'll do anything. I-i'm sorry."
"Now we're talking."
***
Hunter gazed into his soup sadly. This day was not good.
It was a fine soup... but he just didn't feel like eating. It's not like he thought it was poisoned, or something. He trusted Darius with his food.
(His mother on the other hand... a completely different thing.)
***
Hunter stood before the door of Darius' bedroom for some time now. He raised his hand.
He hesitated for a moment. Darius cares about his beauty sleep a lot. Won't he be mad if Hunter's going to disturb that?
Won't he-
"Why are you not sleeping?" said the voice behind him.
Hunter jumped and turned around only to find his guardian. The older witch stared at him, puzzled.
"Darius! I--"
"Couldn't sleep?" He finished for him.
Hunter nodded, gaping at the ground.
"Same here, little prince. C'mon. It's cold here, we don't want you getting sick." he said, wrapping an arm around Hunter and leading them into his bedroom.
The room was not as big as one could expect - the bed took up most of the space. It was an old, cozy bed, way too big for one person.
Hunter has been here a couple of times already. It's not a surprise he has a lot of nightmares. Belos-related kind of nightmares.
"Come on, kid. Get in." Darius encouraged him.
He hesitantly lay down next to him, and his guardian covered him with a blanket. It was warm and soft.
Hunter moved closer to Darius, almost lying on the man. He needed that comfort. In his old life, he barely could afford to be this vulnerable. But he wasn't with the Emperor anymore. He was with Darius.
(Dangerous Covenhead. An unpredictable man.)
"You okay, boy?" Asked the dangerous covenhead and unpredictable man in the softest voice Hunter heard him use.
"Not really." He answered.
Darius hummed.
"Will you tell me what happened to your face?"
Hunter shrugged.
"Tomorrow. I promise," he said. Darius snuggled closer and embraced him.
They fell asleep like that.
***
Hunter was awakened by Mrs. Deamonne walking into the room the next morning. He didn't open his eyes, trying to get as much rest as he can. It felt so safe, with Darius sleeping next to him. That is until SHE walked in.
He felt Darius move next to him.
"Mother" he welcomed the woman quietly like he was trying to not wake the boy up. Hunter felt a sting of guilt over it.
"You're letting him sleep on your bed," she stated, quizzed. Hunter could almost see Darius' furious expression. Easy to anger, indeed.
"Letting him? He's not a dog, mother..."
"Of course not, my dear. I'm just simply pointing out your weirdly found affection for the Emperor's lapdog. I bet he didn't spoil him the way you do."
"Don't you dare to talk about him that way! He's a living, breathing child, and I'm willing to keep it that way. He's my child."
Hunter felt tears in his eyes.
His child.
"And for your information, I'm going to spoil him as much as I like. I have too much money anyway."
"Oh, you're impossible."
"I swear to Titan, mother, you say one more word about him--"
"Actually," Hunter said, suddenly sitting on his bed, and startling his... father? "She's done a lot worse."
***
"Why couldn't you just tell me?" Asked Darius, after the whole affair of dealing with his mother.
(Hunter doesn't think either he or Darius is going to see her ever again. The last time he saw Darius this angry, he was dealing with one of the witches that tried to execute him for treason.)
The man was cupping his scarred cheek gently. His other hand held a healing Glymph right to his bruise.
Hunter made it. He and Luz were making a lot of progress lately.
(Why didn't he just think of that sooner? He was an idiot sometimes.)
"I was scared you'll get angry."
"At you? Dear Titan, child. Why would I get mad at you?"
Hunter shrugged.
"Maybe I'm not good at thinking when I'm under pressure..."
Darius frowned and gave him a stern look.
Hunter sighed.
"Alright, alright! I just... she said a couple of things. To me. And... I kinda said a few disrespectful stuff too. And I was scared that if I tell you about this, she'll tell you about that. And you'll kick me out. Or something."
"Kick you out. For disrespecting my mother? That's just stupid--"
"I know that's stupid! But she put me on edge, and called me a dog, and told me you're getting bored of me already and I just wasn't thinking! I'm sorry. I shouldn't have... engage in a conversation."
Darius changed the place of his hand from Hunter's face to his shoulder.
"It's me who is sorry. I failed you. I shouldn't have let her into our home. She always was terrible, but that's just too much."
"Darius, you don't have to cut off your mother for me--"
"Cut off? Child, she's lucky I didn't cut off her head. And stop apologizing. For a person who barely does anything wrong, you say sorry way too often."
Hunter leaned on the older witch, letting Darius embrace him. It felt so good, to be loved. To have a family.
"I was just... scared I was going to lose you..." he whispered, swallowing down tears.
"You're never going to lose me. I'm never going to let anything happen to you. I swear, kid." Darius muttered.
He moved Hunter into his lap. He was almost an adult, but he felt so small in comparison to Darius, sometimes.
"Am I your child now?" He asked.
He felt Darius freeze.
"You heard that, didn't you?" He said, a little embarrassed.
"Does that mean that I get to call you 'father' now?"
"Do you want to?"
"Maybe. Maybe I want to reconsider all of my options."
Darius snorted.
"Sure, kid. Take your time. It's not an easy decision."
Hunter never had a father before. Not really.
It would feel so good to call him that. Awkward and weird... but good. Right.
Maybe one day.