#alternatively: hunter finds out that camila didn't know he was involved (she knew how to recognize kikimora and lilith but not him)

[crimeronan]

all this basilisk talk is just giving me the thought of like: how does hunter, famous for being Completely Ok with people treating him poorly for no reason all the time forever, cope with knowing that camilas only knowledge of him was that he was a cruel unrepentant bastard who let her daughter be tortured, and camila was nice to him. like. always.

GOD.

this is another thing that won't be set in stone until i fic it, if i fic it properly, but:

i think Probably he won't be able to conceptualize it as kindness for the sake of kindness. not at first, anyway. he's like okay, best case scenario, you've been kind to me because it helps you politically and you don't want to alienate luz. WORST case scenario, you thought i was going two for two on torturing your daughters and wanted me to like you so luz wouldn't get hurt.

and also i think there's an element of simply.... why WOULDN'T you hate me. what is wrong with you that you don't hate me. you SHOULD hate me

hunter has already reacted sensitively to vee's existence in the fic canon without even knowing anything about her - first being hurt that luz may have kept An Entire Sister from him (and relieved she didn't), and then being angry with camila for leaving vee behind:

^boys who are sensitive to the plight of the unfavorite child. for some weird reason.

so if and when he comes around to "this kindness wasn't politically motivated," there's about an 85% chance he's just going to be. furious. sure, I'M a monster but YOU don't even Care that i'm a monster. and that makes you WORSE.

while camila is like. how can i Possibly explain to you Just How Young You Are. without sounding condescending.