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It was finally Grom night, Hunter's first at Hexide.
Willow suggested they go together as friends, and meet Luz and the others there. Hunter, of course, was thrilled by the idea. alone time? With his crush? Why would he ever say no to that? And so, here he is. Having just rung the doorbell, wearing the closet thing to formal attire he could find. Sure he stitched it up as best he could, but hunter wasn't quite known for his sewing skills... yet.
Soon enough, the door opens.
"Hi, Willow! thanks for... uhhh... you're not Willow?"
To Hunter's surprise, the person who answered the door turned out to be one of Willows Dads, who laughs, and then says, "no, I most certainly am not. You must be Hunter! Willows friend, We've heard a lot about you! Come on in, she'll be ready soon."
"Thanks."
Hunter replies, awkwardly. Stepping into their living room. Which is, for lack of a better word, nice. Plants and flowers are everywhere, hung from the ceiling, in pots on the ground and table, even on their bookshelf, and it all reminded him of Willow. "Well, I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything."
Willows Dad called out, as he was slowly making his way out of the room. "Feel free to sit down as well."
Hunter did not sit down. He stood, awkwardly, the whole time, waiting for Willow to come down the stairs. Thinking of ways to seem cool and collected, the two things he was painfully aware he wasn't. That's when he heard her voice. "Okay! I'm ready!"
you've got this Hunter, just breath, she's your friend, sure she's really pretty, and cool, and nice, and everything you could ever want in a partner and-
This was not helping. Hunter took a deep breath, as he felt some if the warmth leave his face.
Well, that's a good sign.
Alright, he could do this! He can go to Grom with his crush, without-
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Fuck
That's when Willow walked down the stairs. Successfully shattering any ounce of a hope that he could seem calm or collected.
She was wearing a yellow dress, the color of gold, it was knee length and flowey, flower designs stitched into the fabric and sleeves. She looked like a ray of sunshine.
Fuck.
Hunter thought again, as he could feel the warmth creeping back into his face and ears.
"Hunter! You're already here!"
Willow exclaimed, walking over to get a better look at him, and his absolute mess of an outfit. He felt his body tense as her eyes landed on his clothes. She smiled, "you look nice!"
In response, a nervous giggle escaped Hunter's mouth, which he quickly covered, mortified. he just hopes she didn't hear him.
"Was that you?"
Willow questioned
"Was what me? I didn't hear anything! Must have been the wind! Or your imagination! Or... uh..."
"Hunter, relax."
Willow interjected his rambling
"Is everything okay? You're acting kinda weird right now."
"Me? Yeah, I'm fineeee, never been better!"
Hunter was lying of course, they both knew that, he wasn't usually THIS much of a dork around her, she just looked so pretty right now, and it certainly didn't help that they were usually together In group settings. And this was... definitely not that. He had a right to feel overwhelmed!
OK, ok, there's still time to turn this around!! I've just gotta-
Suddenly, Willow yanked his head down to examine him closer. He let out a small "eek" of surprise, his face was burning from the fact that she was so close to him.
"Your face is very red right now Hunter, are you sure you're feeling alright?"
A choked "Mhm!" Was all Hunter could manage in response.
Willow, unconvinced, takes her hand, and presses it to his chest. "Your heart is beating really fast, are you sure you're not sick?"
"Psh! Me? Sick? Never!"
Willow removes her hands from his face and chest, and he lets out a sigh of relief, though he has to admit he does crave physical closeness, ESPECIALLY from her. If only he had enough courage to confess.
That's when Hunter sees the glint in her eye. The one that ALWAYS appears when she's figured something out.
"Then, is there something you want to tell me?"
She asks playfully.
"We should probably go and meet the others now!"
Hunter half yells, as he quickly turns around and pretty much sprints towards the door. But of course, the universe was hell bent on making sure he didn't get his way. So instead, he tripped on the rug, and face planted onto the hardwood floor.
"Hunter!"
Willow screamed, worried, as she rushed over to him.
Hunter's body hurt from the shock of the fall as he sat up, he felt dizzy, his eyes watery.
"Oh my Titan, Hunter, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen."
Willows voice was frantic with worry. She took a deep breath, and offered her hand. "Come on, I'll take you to the couch, you should sit down."
Hunter takes her hand, and she pulls him up. "No, I'm fine, really we should get going! We don't want to keep the others waiting!"
He was shocked by how shakey his voice sounded. "Hunter, you're not fine. You're clearly overwhelmed right now."
She said, trying to reason with him.
"And what makes you think that!?"
Hunter exclaimed, voice still wavering. Then, Willow smiled, softly and sadly, she reached for his face and brushed her thumb against his cheek. It felt good. "Hunter,"
She says again.
"You're crying."
His eyes widened, he reaches his hand up to his face, and, sure enough, he felt them, tears.
Oh no, oh no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no
He could feel his breathing start to get faster as his throat let out choked sobs, he's nervous and confused and he's probably ruined his chance of ever dating Willow, not that he ever had a chance to begin with but-
"HUNTER!"
Willow yelled, he looked at her, nervous."Breath."
She held up her fingers and started the breathing exercise, Inhale 1 2 3 4. Exhale 1 2 3 4. Inhale 1 2 3 4. Exhale 1 2 3 4. In and out, in and out. And Hunter calmed down. "How about we sit down, and you can tell me how you're feeling, okay?"
Willow spoke softly. Hunter didn't object.
They sat on the couch for a while, next to each other, as Hunter regained some sense of emotional stability. The silence was awkward, but nice, though Hunter still had something he wanted to say. "There is, uh, something I should probably tell you."
Willow smiled again, softly. That glint in her eye returning."Yes?"
Hunter took a deep breath, and blurted out "Can you do that thing again? Where you hold my face with your hands?"
He tensed, preparing for the worst.
But, to his surprise, the worst didn't come, and she cupped his head in her hands. A slight blush dusted across her cheeks. Hunter's face flushed, his heart racing, but he wouldn't let his fear overtake the overwhelming euphoria he felt right now. He leaned into her hands with a sigh of contentment as He stared adoringly into her olive green eyes. Willow chuckled. "That's not what you wanted to tell me though, is it?"
Hunter averts his gase.
"You're right. The truth is, I..."
He trails off, not sure how to say it.
"Do I really have to say this now?"
He questioned
"This isn't exactly how I wanted it to go."
Willow laughs,
"You can't keep waiting for a perfect moment that will never arrive, now's as good a time as any."
Hunter took a deep breath.
"Okay then, Willow, the reason I've been acting off today is because, well, I like you. As more then a friend, and I guess I just got overwhelmed because you're just so beautiful and I thought, yknow, someone like you could never like a person like me, and-"
"Hunter, you're rambling."
She said, and he chuckled, leaning further into her hands, using the warmth of the physical contact to ground himself from his everlasting spiraling. It's quiet for a moment. "So, what about you? How do you feel about me?"
The question felt stupid to ask, but he genuinely wanted to know. Willow smiled, "I like you too, Hunter, romantically."
Hunter's face went red, he was stunned. "Wait, really? You're not tricking me, are you?"
Willow sighs, "of course not you dork!"
Then, she leaned in and kissed him on the forehead. If Hunter's face wasn't red before, it definitely was now. He didn't know what to say, he just sat there, drifting amid the euphoria and staring at his new girlfriend he could barely believe he had.
Willow giggles, "come on, let's not keep the others waiting any longer, we're already late."
And so, their hands entwined with each other, they leave to meet the others at grom. Not as friends, but as lovers.