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drabbles-of-writing · 1 year ago

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A Little Kindness: Chapter 12

AO3

Explanation of AU

Previous Chapter

Summary: In which Raine meets Hunter years before canon, and decides that a kid like him could use all the help he could get with an uncle like Belos. Even if they couldn’t go much, they could try something, couldn’t they? Years down the line, Raine is exposed as a traitor to the Emperor’s Coven, and they are bound by the brand on their own wrist. Hunter notices. And as to be expected, he has more than a few complaints. It’s not a big surprise on who he goes to for help.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“That is the Golden Guard.”

“I am aware of this.”

“He is in Edalyn’s house.”

“You know she only ever goes by Eda, and yes.”

“He is… not trying to kill any of you.”

“As if he could.” Amber snorted quietly, and Katya flicked her forehead.

To be entirely honest, Hunter almost wished he’d left that meeting and gone straight to his room. Almost wished he’d landed face-down on the bed and never moved for the rest of the week. He wished that many times in his life, and right now, it was especially potent.

Darius and Eberwolf, per the anxiety of everyone in the House, remained perched on the open windowsill Raine was previously seated next to. Everyone else was scattered across the living room, Willow sitting halfway down the stairs, just as a precaution.

Hunter kept himself well away from the side Darius and Eberwolf were on, leaning against the wall right next to the opening to the kitchen. He hoped he looked a lot more confident and ticked off than he actually was, arms crossed against his chest.

He would’ve been even further away, but Raine was seated on the couch, on the end closest to the Head Witches, and he’d be damned if he left them. No matter how closely Derwin was pressed to their side on the couch, and everyone's eyes trained right on the newcomers.

Raine was probably the whole reason he hadn’t ditched and run back before Darius and Eberwolf could realize what the hell he was doing. He’d even considered just hiding. But Raine was already talking when he had the thought, and then Darius was shoving his head in through the window before Hooty could even think about hissing, staring directly down at Hunter, who was peering back with his eyes between his fingers.

Later, he’d find Darius’ purely aghast expression absolutely hilarious. He looked practically affronted, as if Hunter dared to be in the Owl House and wasn’t there through a series of unfortunate circumstances he deeply wished never happened.

In the moment, all he could muster was an anxious, lopsided smile and a jerky nod, as if he were greeting him in the hallway and not within the home of a traitor.

It was more stressful than anything, really, when the chaos of that whole debacle settled enough for an actual conversation to be had. Hunter was offered to leave, he staunchly refused, Raine warned the Head Witches to stay out of the house, and Hooty remained in the background glaring holes into their heads.

And Darius was still staring at him. At least he looked less like he’d had paint dumped on him and more like he’d realized someone filled the vending machine with roaches as a prank. Again.

In Hunter’s defense, he’d only done it the first time. He still had no idea who was responsible for the second catastrophe. Or the third.

“Well, obviously I have little belief that this scrawny thing could maim someone,” Darius huffed, throwing out an accusing hand Hunter’s way, “but that certainly hasn’t stopped him before.”

“You do not want to see my reports from five months ago if you believe that.” Hunter muttered, brows furrowed in a permanent scowl since the whole disaster settled down.

“It’s not as impressive as you think it is to boast about seriously injuring people.” Darius grumbled, and Hunter rolled his eyes. Mostly so he didn’t have to look at the worried expressions the others shared. “And whatever you do with that scam of a staff doesn’t count—”

“Scam?”

“—and considering the fact you’re supposedly on our side,” Darius continued despite the outcry, “that’s even more concerning to hear. But we have much more important things to worry about.”

“I am not on your side.” Hunter growled, grip on his arms tightening as he curled a lip. “I am the second-hand to the Emperor, and that is final. I’m only here for them.” He insisted, jerking his head in Raine’s direction.

“How’d that happen, anyway?” Darius asked, much too casually for Hunter’s liking, waving a hand in his direction while raising a brow towards Raine. “Still not following on however you domesticated this kid.”

Eberwolf snorted his own agreement, ear flicking.

“Please do not call it that—”

“Welcome to the club, pal.” Katya snorted from where she was sitting on the floor, leaning against the couch. “He hasn’t answered that question, and Raine’s been too out of it for us to bother trying.”

“Which is a discussion we will have later.” Raine stressed, and Hunter hadn’t realized he’d tensed up until those words made him relax a margin.

“Or never, preferably.” Hunter added. “I owe them one hell of a favor, that’s more than enough of a reason.”

“A favor—?” Raine echoed, head jerking to him with…an oddly alarmed expression before they shook their head and wiped it off. Well, he should keep an eye on whatever that entailed. “Never mind, the point is that Hunter is helping me, and is not going to rat anyone out to the Coven.”

“Right?” Amber jabbed, a few feet on the floor away from Katya, turning the ire of her gaze towards Hunter.

It was a damn lie, but one he was happy to play into. Oh, sure, for the moment he wouldn’t be saying anything, he wasn’t stupid, but once Raine was gone, all bets were off. Belos can replace a powerful Bard, probably, but he can’t replace three Coven Heads with the Day of Unity so close.

Belos could probably still use unwilling participants, right? He’d seen the graph for how the Day of Unity would more-or-less play out. It might work. Just stand in a circle, and bam, portal opened. That’s what he was told would happen, at least.

He’d figure it out later.

“Yeah, yeah, no ratting to the Coven, I’m not a moron.” Hunter scoffed, waving a hand. “Though I do question our employing tactics if rebellious ideas have managed to seep their way into the minds of three highly powerful witches.” He muttered, pressing two of his fingers to the side of his head and slumping into it. “We really need to do more thorough background checks.”

“Good luck,” Darius snorted, Eberwolf chuffing their agreement, “it takes half a decade for advice like that to be considered in the Coven. I know you’re much too young to realize such a thing, but I speak from experience.”

“Patronize me again and I’ll do worse than swing this into your thick skull.” He growled, ears flattening as he uncrossed his arms to reach into his cloak, halfway withdrawing his retracted staff.

“Terrifying, truly. You take after your Emperor. Was it a product of licking his boots every hour of the day?” Darius drawled, Eberwolf snickering along. “Finally got sick of the taste, did you?”

“Okay, both of you, quit it.” Raine snipped, and Hunter straightened where he was on the wall and moved his staff to his belt, clipping it in-sight rather than stashed away. “I am not in the right state to tell you how to behave.”

“I am behaving.” Darius scoffed. “I’d think you know I’m being exceptionally polite, given the circumstances. I deserve a little mockery after what this Prince put me through.”

“Prince—?”

“Nick. Name.” Hunter gritted out only moments before voices rose up. “Don’t ask me, he feels better about himself by being condescending, or something.”

He supposed he couldn’t be too annoyed by the immediate assumption. The first time Darius had called him Prince, two years before he was even the Golden Guard, he’d panicked so badly over the idea that Darius knew he was Belos’ nephew that he’d made a spreadsheet for a plan of escape when his uncle inevitably became furious. After two weeks, he realized Darius was just dangerously close to the truth with his bothersome nicknames.

By the time those rumors actually started spreading, they were already in far too deep.

“Mm, no, I think it fits you rather well, Coven Head.”

“And as Coven Head, I’m ordering you to know your place—”

Something small hit his head.

Hunter blinked, staring off for a moment in surprise more than anything before whirling his head around.

Willow, stood at the doorway leading to the stairs, held what looked to be old shriveled garlic that hung around the entryway. Most of one, at least. A piece of it was missing.

“Are we done?” Willow deadpanned, a brow raised. “Can we be done?”

Hunter stared at her for a moment, baffled, and maybe a bit aghast. He blinked, slowly.

“You wanna try that again?” He challenged, expression not changing.

“Do you?” Willow replied, entirely unbothered.

Hunter opened his mouth. Paused. Closed it.

Now, he didn’t know much about Willow. She was Luz’s friend, she was formerly in the Abomination Track, currently practicing in Plant magic, and had also saved Raine’s life. Via a spell that Snapdragon had said would be difficult to undo herself. Which was not something she said lightly.

“...you have a warning.” He decided on.

“Appreciate it.” Willow drawled. Unimpressed.

“Thank you, Willow.” Raine sighed, leaning back on the couch, Derwin’s arm snaking around them. Hunter felt a little shittier, the vines retracted back to a simple, loose wrap around Willow’s arm, when he saw just how tired they looked.

Which, obviously, they’d barely been awake for over twenty-four-hours, maybe not even then. No wonder they were exhausted, running around everywhere and dealing with this whole mess at…whatever time it was. Afternoon?

Eberwolf snuffed, shaking out their fur and nudging Darius’s side when he cautiously approached again. Overall, despite the annoyances, he had honestly taken the whole thing decently well. Moderately well. Better than Hunter himself had. Though he swore he could hear a “duh” in the back of his mind that sounded suspiciously like Luz.

His eyes darted up to the ceiling, then back down. Nobody had told Darius and Eberwolf that Luz was in the house, and sick. He imagined they wouldn’t try now.

“Do we have any questions about the present scene, then?” Raine tried, running a hand over their face as they slumped back.

“Is he here often?” Darius asked immediately, thumb pointing in Hunter’s direction.

“Can we stop making a big deal out of this for two seconds, maybe?” Hunter shot back.

“Forgive me for being curious about the details of the Emperor’s loyalist soldier going renegade.” Darius drawled, unphased.

“I am not going renegade—”

“Yeah, he’s here often.” Derwin cut in before more bickering could start. “Mostly scowls and complains a lot.”

“Have I ever complimented you before?” Hunter narrowed his eyes.

“Well, I mean—”

“If I have, disregard all of it. It’s null and void now.”

“Good to know.” Darius nodded sagely. “Moving away from that, can we set up another meeting?” He asked Raine. “Would love to stay and chat, truly, but I have a feeling the tensions are a bit too high for that. And we didn’t happen to inform anyone we’d left. Actually,” he turned back to Hunter, “did you tell anyone you left?”

Eberwolf snarfed, puffing the fur on his back to shake it out. Hunter wasn’t as good at reading Eberwolf as Darius was, but he imagined they were saying something much more crude.

“You are not freeloading off of me.” Hunter pointed a finger in their direction, to which he used as movement to step away from the wall. It especially wouldn’t work out, considering he was going to get the scolding of the year when Belos realized he’d left again. “Which reminds me that we do, in fact, still have two unconscious scouts outside.”

“The ratworms are handling them.” Darius scoffed.

“I do not care whatevers ‘handling’ them, there are still scouts outside.” Hunter stressed. “And the Coven is expecting a report from them sometime soon. You need to get them out.”

“Ungrateful.” Darius muttered without an ounce of bite to it.

“Alright, alright, yes,” Raine nodded, who honestly looked like they’d processed maybe half of the words going on around them, “set up another meeting, remove the Coven scouts, all of that—”

“Would the weekend work?” Darius questioned. “Can’t say the exact time I’ll manage to wiggle away, but Eber is good at causing a scene.” He said, to which Eberwolf in question puffed up with pride.

“Scouts.”

“I heard you, Prince.” Darius said calmly, giving Hunter a woefully undeserved blasé expression.

“Then move.”

“Whenever, yes, weekend.” Raine mumbled, pressing a hand to their face, Derwin leaning closer to their side. “That–that works.”

“Then we’re done here.” Hunter said, hesitating half a second before striding across the room.

“What, are you spontaneously moving in here?” Darius huffed, Eberwolf scoffing something as well.

“I’m making sure these idiots don’t make all this effort pointless.” Hunter sniffed, coming around to Raine’s other side, which was unfortunately closer to the window, and sending a glare. “Now are you leaving, or not?”

“Maybe I should have tried to attack him.” Darius hummed, sharing a look with Eberwolf that had him snickering.

“Do not.” Raine muttered, to which Darius finally stepped back.

“Yes, yes, whatever, don’t die.” Darius waved a hand, stepping further away as Eberwolf snarfed, glanced back in, then hopped off the windowsill. “And tell Eda I’m not breaking her out if she gets caught again, I worry significantly less about her escaping abilities.”

“You don’t worry about her at all.” Raine muttered, which Darius could in no way hear, but from Eberwolf’s light yip, they definitely did.

“I should—” Hunter paused, hands twitching, head raising to look towards the window, “I should make sure they leave—”

“Hooty’s still out there.” Katya pointed out, even as Hunter leaned back a bit to look out the open window to where Darius and Eberwolf were heading back to where the scouts were dragged off.

Reasonably, he should follow them. Tail them back to the Emperor’s Coven just…in case. Obviously, they can’t be lying, but the point still stands that they don’t get along. And Hunter isn’t even really working with them, anyway, and Darius is naturally a very suspicious person.

And he’s the Golden Guard, so of course—

He paused.

Hunter then quickly went to the window, threw caution to the wind, and hissed in a whisper-yell; “you required my presence for watching the scouts, got it?”

Eberwolf turned first, because obviously, they had the best ears. They turned and tapped Darius’s ankle, who also frowned as though he might not be hearing it right.

“Pardon?” He slowly blinked.

“The guards are under the impression I’m on scout watch while they patrol.” Hunter clarified, still hissing, and decided to allow Darius a few steps closer to hear him better. “Technically speaking, I’m supposed to be doing work within the castle,” he continued, because saying ‘put on house arrest’ is just humiliating, “and Emperor Belos is bound to hear I’ve left. When he asks, you were the ones who insisted upon it, and asked for my, I don’t know, advice.” Hunter waved a dismissive hand. “You were not made aware I was to be kept within the castle, and I’m expected to help Coven Heads, so it’s easier if I went against a small order. It’ll save us both some trouble.”

It was very much a lie. Belos was more vigilant of his Coven Heads after Raine, but two Heads briefly leaving before reappearing again wasn’t out of the ordinary, especially considering how much loyalty the two of them have convinced Belos of in the last few weeks.

They were covering for him. That’s all it was, and Hunter ignored the little cardinal in his head calling him a hypocrite. He was more important than both of them for this mission, anyway.

And he was not looking forward to them trying to drag Raine back into the rebellion business.

“You want us to be an excuse.” Darius deadpanned. Because of course he wasn’t that stupid.

“I am the entire reason this rescue mission succeeded.” Hunter narrowed his eyes. “If I am put under surveillance, nobody is going to get far. I have plans to keep Raine out of trouble, plans which it’s clear you have never conceived of. You’ll barely get a slap on the wrist.” He brushed off.

“Because we want a slap on the wrist.” Darius muttered, already turning away. “You better have as good a plan as you claim.”

“And as your superior—wait, what?”

Hunter balked at Darius’s back as he walked back to wherever the scouts had been dragged off to. Eberwolf noticed, smirking at him before turning to trot after, nose high. Bastard.

“Don’t make our jobs twice as difficult!” Darius called over his shoulder. Hunter was too stunned to bother snipping at him.

He heard a snicker behind him, jerking him out of his staring to send a glare. Apparently, it was Katya, who just waved a hand and walked elsewhere when he turned.

“Well,” Raine sighed, leaning far back enough that their head was over the top of the couch, face upturned to the ceiling, “let’s hope that doesn’t go poorly.”

“I think it’s required.” Hunter muttered, glancing out the window once more before reaching out and pulling it shut. “Titan’s sake,” He ran a hand over his face, “is there any other need-to-know-event that I have to deal with?”

“I don’t think you need to deal with any of this.” The short kid piped up. “Technically speaking.”

“And who are you supposed to be?” He sighed.

“Oh—” The kid blinked, pointing to himself, “I’m–I’m Gus.”

“He’s a close friend.” Willow said, weaving the garlic back onto the vines. “And was supposed to help make sure Luz stayed stable while the others were out.”

“Speaking of which,” Gus looked up to the ceiling, “we should probably check on her.”

As if on cue, a resounding thud shook throughout the upper floor. Everyone winced with the sound, followed by faint mutterings from above.

“I’m it.” Willow said immediately, raising a hand and turning on her heel. “Amber, come help.”

“Fine,” Amber sighed, getting off the floor, “I’m not holding her down.”

Hunter had a moment of wanting to follow, just to check-in. After all, Luz was human, and if this was something that could actually keep her down for the count, then it succeeded where a highly secure prison could not.

Then again, he wouldn’t be much help. And might piss off Amber again.

And that left option B, which was feeling a little less ideal.

Gus was still perched by the window, Derwin at Raine’s side, and Katya, who seemed to also be unsure as to what to do, elected to meander her way to the kitchen. Hunter began to follow before he could think twice about it.

Not that he didn’t want to be with Raine, he did… it was just too messy of a situation, is all. And he wasn’t particularly looking forward to everyone staring at him as though they'd understand whatever hole he’d dug himself into, with Raine holding the other shovel.

Not like he could answer half of it.

Katya, he found, had migrated to the fridge. He watched from the doorway as she, without missing a beat, proceeded to pull herself up onto the counter, then on top of the fridge.

“What in the Titan’s name are you doing?” He balked.

“It’s not illegal.” Katya called over her shoulder, turning away and reaching behind the fridge.

“That—that’s not what I was even—“

Katya sat back with a bag of some kind of snack in her hand, grinning victoriously. Hunter squinted as Katya crossed her legs overtop the fridge, popping open the bag.

“We’ve learned that Eda stashes things around like a squirrel.” She said simply, plopping what looked like some chip-gummies into her mouth. Hunter didn’t want to imagine how disgusting it was.

“This place is like a sentient squirrel lived here.” He muttered, and Katya snorted.

“Pretty easy to get used to once you hang around for a while.” Katya shrugged, movement so casual Hunter wondered if she’d meant it as a jab. “But also, just to get this straight, you said you tried to smack a Head Witch in the face?” She asked, looking up.

“We already explained the basics,” Hunter waved a hand, “I see no reason to repeat—“

“No, no, I’m just impressed.” Katya flashed a smile, and Hunter squinted. “Y’know, since you’d probably be fucked if Deamonne and Huntsman weren’t also rebels.”

Hunter stared for a few moments.

“I had a backup plan.” He settled on.

“Did you, now?”

“I am not a moron.” He hissed, already turning away. “There was a plan. There is a very specific way in which this can work out for everyone, and there are some bumps, I admit, but so far, if we all listen, it should—“

Something soft thwacked his head. He startled, jerking around to see the chip-gummy falling to the floor, heard a snicker, and glared back up at the witch.

“You ever gonna tell us why you're doing all this for Raine?” Katya asked, just a tiny bit softer, not pleading in the slightest, sounding open, and it made Hunter suspicious. “I mean, I get it, I’d probably turn traitor for Raine, too, but you're still a surprise.”

Hunter’s eyes darted to the kitchen opening. Where Raine had their head resting in one propped arm, nothing short of exhausted, and Derwin murmuring to them. Gus was somewhere at the edge of his vision, probably just as lost on what to do as he was.

Even through the fading light in the window, dusk falling upon the forest, he could still see the twisting scars across their body, the bags under their eyes, and the wrinkles that didn’t just come from getting older.

He turned away, quickly, as though that’d make a difference.

“They’ve done me a great service,” He dared give up, staring at Katya’s feet hanging off the fridge, “numerous times, and all without a single request. It would be beyond dishonorable to leave a debt like that unpaid.”

“You’re really set on that debt thing, aren’t you?” Katya snorted, one ear lazily flicking. “If I knew you abided by the honor code, I would’ve staged saving your life way before I even got to the BATs.”

“It is not an honor code.” Hunter glared, stepping a bit further away, turned to the side, still facing her. “It’s far more complicated than a simple favor, one that I do not have the time, nor patience, to explain to you.”

“Starting to think you never had patience in the first place.”

“Hey, Hunter?”

Hunter quickly turned his head back through the kitchen opening, straightening up. He heard Katya snort, and he resisted the urge to glare at her.

It was Derwin, one hand clinging to the doorway, leaning heavily to the side, lazy. He raised a slightly amused brow Hunter’s way, to which he did glare at him.

“How long are you staying, anyway?” He asked, head heavily tilted to the side. “Just so we can plan accordingly, cause it’s late, and Eda should be back soon.”

“However long I deem fit.” Hunter muttered, ear flicking. “Which won’t be long, so long nothing tremendously troublesome happens.”

“Dude, if that’s what your criteria is,” Katya snorted, “you’re gonna be here for the rest of your life.”

“Looks like Hunter’s moving in!” Derwin called over his shoulder.

“I am not!” Hunter squawked, Derwin already snickering and ducking out of immediate swiping range. “That is untrue, it is a blatant lie!”

“Do we have to yell at this hour?” Raine sighed, head tipped far over the back of the couch, but Hunter swore he could see them smiling.

“Oh, uh, right,” Hunter immediately lowered his voice, almost a whisper, “er, sorry.”

“Seriously, Raine, did you train him, or something—?”

“I will turn you in!” Hunter hissed, sending a glare Derwin’s way, only barely remembering to try and keep his voice down.

Derwin just cackled, perching himself by the window, where the boy, Gus, startled and looked between the two of them like he wasn’t entirely sure how he was supposed to react. But he seemed to decide Derwin’s was the most trustworthy, because he started to smile, too.

Hunter just prayed he wasn’t flushed up to his ears.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t.” Raine chuckled, to which Hunter just drew his arms back in closer to himself, head ducked, ears pressed flat. “Just to avoid the hassle.”

“I don’t make promises.” Hunter grumbled, and Derwin’s grin just widened. For some reason.

“Hey, guys?” Gus tapped Derwin’s shoulder, peering around him outside the window. “Someone just showed up.”

“Scouts?” Hunter straightened, resting his hand over the staff clipped to his belt. He could see Raine raising out of the corner of his eye, tense, and he could hear Katya stumbling off the fridge.

“Uh, don’t think so?” Gus raised a hand as he looked out the window, Derwin following suit. “Looks a little too…wingy?”

“Okay, so, either a griffin, or Eda.” Derwin decided, straining his eyes, then leaning back. “But the owl beast form is the only time she’d have wings, right?”

“Did,” Raine jerked up, eyes a little wide, “did something happen?”

“Are we causing problems down there?” Willow’s voice drifted, somewhere up the stairs. Hunter flicked an ear, and heard something like voices mingling together in strained worry. Looks like Luz was up.

“Uh, maybe the other way around?” Katya called back, appearing in the doorway to the kitchen, hand twitching like she was itching to draw a spell circle. “Maybe keep Luz up there for a minute—”

The door, promptly, burst open.

Hunter noticed a few things. First of all, that Katya jumped and startled like how he imagined a cat would. Second of all, that Derwin sprung off the windowsill, but Gus stayed on and hunched down. Third of all, that Raine sat up even quicker, not standing up, but clearly prepared and ready to do so if needed.

Hunter, for his part, stayed right in place, only his head jerking back to the door. His hands itched over his staff.

Oh, and, fourth of all, he noticed the fumble of feathers and claws trying (and failing) to force herself through the front door.

“This is such— oh,” Paused the Harpy, blinking at all the stares around the room, “hey, was there…a party happening, or something?”

“Or something.” Derwin relaxed instantly, and Hunter took a slightly wary step back as Eda resumed trying to shove herself through the front door. “Where’s—?”

“Today blowed!” Came a familiar shout, and King promptly rushed in between Eda’s legs and into the room. “There were so many Coven guards all over the— when’d Hunter get here?” He stopped, eyes locking in on the boy in question.

“When’d you leave?” Hunter shot back, catching some flashes of purple behind Eda’s massive wings. “Owl Lady, I feel as though it’d be easier if you weren’t—”

“Yeah, see, I would,” Eda gruffed, giving him an exasperated look, “but I can’t at the moment.”

“Ah,” Came the slightly strangled voice of Raine, and Hunter worriedly glanced over to find them staring at Eda, who was now getting shoved from the outside of what Hunter could glimpse from what was definitely someone new. Their eyes were a little blown out.

Hunter slipped himself over to the couch, standing in front of the other cushion next to Raine. He was a Guard, after all. He could do that. He could do his job. Part of it, at least.

“Hunter’s here?” Came an unfamiliar voice from outside—right before Eda popped through the door.

She collapsed to the floor in a pile of feathers and disarray, groaning in what appeared to be mostly dramatic annoyance. Raine snorted, that moment of shocked silence slowly being taken by a more relaxed amusement when Hunter spared another look their way.

And in popped the head of…honestly he wasn’t sure. No one else seemed to really react to her, so he didn’t believe it was an issue. She was clearly Luz’s age, and her eyes were moving about the room and glancing at Eda with something like an uncertain, mild disgust, which, fair, Eda was a jumbled mess. And that was putting it lightly.

He swore her face was familiar. The purple hair was throwing him, though. Like a wall over the answer on the tip of his tongue.

Then, she saw him.

A moment of tense silence.

“Is that supposed to be the Golden Guard, or…?” She started, pointing a finger at him, doubt in her tone.

“Wh—?” Hunter fumbled, then flattened his ears, “the hell you mean, is that supposed to be—?”

“Amity!”

Hunter reared back slightly, the back of his knees bumping against the couch cushions as a blur ran past from the stairs—Luz, that was Luz.

The girl, Amity, looked just as surprised before getting unceremoniously tackled into a hug. Hunter blinked bewilderedly, for a number of reasons, but mostly because no one else seemed very surprised by this. They just looked at them, and a few smiled, then Gus and Katya moved over to help Eda back up to her feet.

Raine started to reach out, and without really thinking about it, Hunter held out a hand in front of them, eyes going back to surveying the room, where Willow and Amber were descending the stairs at a slower pace. This started as an instinct, then morphed into him not daring to see Raine’s expression as they lowered their hand, and he did the same.

Realistically, he was making perfect sense, honestly. Raine was clearly worn out, tired from both the side effects and the disaster this day had brought, and they’d be of no use trying to help Eda. Even if she wasn’t significantly taller, sharper, and heavier in her harpy form.

Therefore, he should not be feeling… weird. He blamed the house for this. Who knows what kind of disease it has in the air? It was messing with his insides. He should probably leave.

“I’m so glad,” He heard Luz muffle into Amity’s shoulder, and he swore he recognized that name, “my awesome girlfriend is okay.”

Amity paused, blinking like this news surprised her. Then, she smiled, a very sickeningly soft thing, and hugged Luz back.

Alright, so that was two things for him to check off. The more unimportant one being that, watching them, he noticed some drying mushrooms clinging to Luz’s hair. Common mold, right, they said she had that. A part of him was saying it was good to know they were honest about that—and surprised himself, when he found he hadn’t doubted that claim at all. Or properly verified it beyond a quick glance.

That was worrying.

The second thing was that this was the supposed girlfriend. The purple hair he expected. Not that he was really giving it much thought, he could honestly have cared so less it was in the negatives, but if he had expectations, they weren’t…a fancy, pristine coat, trimmed earmuffs, and fuzzy very well-made boots.

Amity was still ringing a bell for him. It was in the back of his mind, he knew it from somewhere. Which was mildly alarming, because almost all the names he heard of were in the Emperor’s Coven, or otherwise related to the Coven. If this was a double-spy situation going on, he was royally fucked.

If this was Luz somehow finding another traitorous witch in the ranks, he was just going to give up and implore his uncle to fire everyone and start from scratch.

He came out of his cataloging trance to Luz swooping down to grab King, happily prancing up and squeezing him like a doll. King was protesting loudly to this, much to everyone else's amusement, and Hunter almost snorted. Almost.

“How did it go?” Raine asked, and he quickly jerked his head back to them, where they were still watching Eda.

“Horrible,” Eda muttered, brushing herself off and nearly smacking Gus and Katya in the head with her wings as she moved to shut them, “they had nothing left, nothing but a bunch of scouts. Almost woulda thought we’d been had if we hadn’t come up with the idea to leave this morning.” She snorted, as if it were a joke, monstrous eyes flicking his way.

“I’d doom myself if I did that, and unlike most of you, I’m not an idiot.” Hunter snarked, crossing his arms. “Where the hell were you?” He hissed, narrowing his eyes in accusation. “You have multiple escaped prisoners in your very house, a sick apprentice, and the Golden Guard who can just waltz into your home, and you go on some stroll?”

“She had good reason, Hunter.” Raine said gently, raising a hand to his shoulder. He stepped (not a flinch) away as smoothly as he could, brushing it off as some sort of weird pacing.

“Like what?” He threw up a hand, gesturing to the room gathering about each other, talking over one another and no doubt sharing what idiocy they’d done for that day.

“We—” Eda paused. A hesitation. Which was not a good thing to see on an impulsive wildcard.

Hunter’s eyes narrowed further, hand tightening over his arm. His eyes shifted to Raine, who was giving Eda a perplexed, slightly pleading, look. Which was doubly surprising.

“Oh, Hunter!”

He jerked his head away, barely managing to duck out of the way of Luz’s hand aiming to grab him. He hissed in the back of his throat on instinct, found it wasn’t as genuine as he thought, and he was annoyed that, from Luz’s mildly exasperated expression, she damn well knew that.

“Why does no one tell me when you show up?” She puffed, hands on her hip. “When’d you get here?”

“While you were sick off your rocker.” He drawled, squinting at her head before reaching out. “You still have mushrooms on you.”

“But they’re cool!” Luz whined, ducking away.

“Cool—they’re mushrooms.” He scoffed, bewildered, and snagged her sleeve before all but shoving his hand into her hair. “You’re going to grow actual mold!”

“That's my sacrifice to make!” Luz protested, batting at him as her head was awkwardly jerked to the side. He was not gentle with his shoving, and he had no care to be.

“You’re disgusting.” He sneered, giving a push to her head that sent her stumbling a step before drawing back. “Have I mentioned I feel bad for your girlfriend?”

“Hey!” Puffed the girlfriend in question, of which Hunter immediately narrowed his eyes on when she popped out from talking with Willow and Gus. “Luz is a wonderful girlfriend to have, and I am lucky to have such an awesome—”

“Oh, Titan,” Hunter groaned, turning his head away and giving Luz a pained look, “she’s a sap? Of course she's a sap.” He scrunched up his face like he ate something sour. “No wonder she can stand you.”

“Hey, she—”

“I happen to love Luz’s company—”

“Don’t care.” Hunter raised a hand, turning right on his heel—and only then remembered that Raine and Eda were still right there. Watching the entire thing. With highly amused expressions.

Eda was full-on snickering quietly, fangs revealed in the upwards curl of her mouth. Because she was the Owl Lady, and a gremlin at heart. At least she was consistent.

Raine was, despite not actively snickering, somehow doubly humiliating. Their eyes were alight, fully smiling, leaned forward with one elbow braced on their knee, hand only partially covering their mouth. Entertained.

Hunter bristled, ears pressing back. He could hear Luz and Amity still protesting their sappiness behind him, and he cared so astronomically little it was beyond the negatives.

“What?” He snapped, glowering.

“You’re a fun kid, blondie.” Eda grinned, and—

He wasn’t sure how to describe that, actually. He didn’t like it, was sure he was supposed to be feeling dislike . It was an odd way to feel dislike. It felt kind of like floundering, and another twist in the gut. Seriously, what kind of diseases were in this place? He was probably catching mold.

“Nothing,” Raine said a moment later, waving it off, not even bothering to sound honest, “nothing at all.”

It clung to his mind like a burr. No matter how much he tugged, he couldn’t get it to cooperate, and go into its proper file to be inspected later.

“Whatever,” He muttered instead, glaring about the room, where Luz was now saying something mushy to Amity he very much didn’t care about, and the BATs were talking up a storm to Willow and Gus, “the mission you were apparently on.” He drew his eyes back. “What was so important, exactly, that Raine here could’ve very nearly been dragged back to the Coven?”

“Excuse—” Eda started, then the feathers all along her fluffed up. He tensed on instinct, because that was very much a predator growing agitated. “What happened?”

“We’ll explain everything, I promise.” Raine soothed, reaching out a hand and gently laying it on Eda’s arm. Almost instantly, some of those feathers lay flat again, and Eda looked down to watch their hand.

More credence to the long time friends who aren’t going to make Hunter’s life any easier theory.

“But,” Raine glanced to Hunter, then to Eda again, that pleading remaining. Eda gave a thin-lipped, tense smile, and looked almost a little guilty as her eyes fell away. Apparently, that was the answer, because then Raine fully turned their head to Hunter, “they were looking for Titan’s blood.”

The information hit him like a freight train, and he wondered if anyone could tell how fast he was filing everything away into its own neat little corners. Because that just made an already complicated situation into five different wires all knotted together and tied tight.

Nothing left, and crawling with scouts. They were at the veins. It was reasonable to assume there was nothing left at the Titan’s veins. This either meant the Coven got it before them, or it was all gone. Considering how stubborn all of these people were, he suspected the latter. Which was, decidedly, very fucking bad news.

And also, you know, sworn enemies of the castle were looking for Titan’s blood. That was bad. That was very bad, and knowing these people, that meant they’d been looking for two reasons. The first option was that they wanted to hoard it all to stop the Day of Unity. The other…

“You’re…making a portal?” He tried, tilting his head slightly.

“Trying to get the kid home.” Eda said, head turning back to him, something a little complicated and nearly sad in there. Luz said something rather loud in the background, and he wasn’t sure what.

Luz was human.

Humans weren’t from the Boiling Isles.

“And there was no blood.” Hunter finished, slowly. “So, no portal.”

“Yeah, uh,” Eda scrunched up her face, “we’re…yeah, we’re gonna see if, I dunno, anything else—”

“Oh!” Luz perked up suddenly, heads turning to her as she broke away from Amity for a second, who was starting to mess with the buttons on her heavy coat, and he caught sight of some weird rope, like a necklace around her neck, before his focus went back to Luz. “Oh, actually, the–the echo mouse,” She pointed vaguely upstairs. “It's in the—”

Like a mouse to a cat, Luz’s eyes snapped directly towards Hunter.

Hesitation.

Hunter stared right back. Didn’t narrow his eyes, didn’t flick an ear, nothing. He’d been told he was more unnerving that way. Staring without blinking, without losing eye contact, no matter how much it stung at his eyes. Unnatural.

Luz’s eyes darted away. That was her admission.

“Some other place.” Luz finished lamely, voice more mumbly, and that split second of pause was gone. “I don’t think it was actually written down where it was.” She continued, and he had to give her credit, she was pretty good at lying when it mattered. “But they said it wouldn’t be in the veins. Dried up a while ago.”

Liar, he wanted to hiss, just to see what would happen. See what it’d stir up. How quickly he’d get everyone baring fangs at him.

He found himself impressed, in a bitter sort of way. Luz, to him, felt like a rather open book. Heart on her sleeve, and all that. Has to help and befriend everyone. Trusted him, for some reason, that he was now her friend forever after one incident with the palismen.

And here was a lie, right in front of his face. For something they both very desperately needed.

Then again, that bitterness was wholly unwarranted. First of all, they weren’t friends, she was just…she was okay. She was a decent person, he guessed, who was still a pain in his ass, and he was still on the opposite side of her. She was just good at breaking people out.

Second of all, why should he be surprised? She trusted him once, and he still leveled a staff at her. Sure, she got away, but he still hissed and snipped. He had proven himself untrustworthy, and so she didn’t trust him. It was simple, it was smart, and he was glad she was learning. Really, he was.

No, that's why his hackles felt like raising. Because he needed that information, that was it. He could be glad she was learning and upset that it was inconvenient. Actually, no, why should he be glad? She’s not on his side, she’s not, he shouldn’t be glad, for Titan’s—

“We’ll have to look some other time, then.” Raine said, easily enough. “In the meantime, we had…a bit of a surprise while you were gone.” They chuckled, easing back slightly.

“Raine sucks at finding rebels!” Amber called. Raine’s face almost immediately fell to mild annoyance.

“Right, well,” Hunter took a step back, darted his eyes to Luz, who was talking in hushed whispers with a rather perplexed Amity, and decided that, you know, they probably didn’t need him anymore, and they sure as hell weren’t going to spill anything tonight, “you lot do that.” He waved a dismissive hand, taking more steps away from the couch, not looking at Raine when they noticed first and furrowed their brow. “I am going to start looking suspicious if I’m not back soon.”

“But didn’t they say they’d cover—”

“There is only so much covering,” Hunter narrowed his eyes Gus’ way, who thinned his mouth and didn’t continue, “that I’m sure they will be willing to do.” He cast his glower back to the front door. “And I have a palisman who's going to be very upset with me. So, have fun.” He offered a lax wave, beelining it for the door.

“You coming back sometime soon?” Derwin asked after him, voice drifting from elsewhere.

“Classified.” He lazily said over his shoulder, reaching for the handle and thoroughly ignoring King skittering away from his feet, seeming much more grateful that he wasn’t being smothered anymore. “Can’t have that information leaking. You’ll find out when I show up.” He said simply.

“See you tomorrow, then!” Luz called, chipper as ever. Hunter clenched the door handle a little tighter than necessary and swallowed back the liar still bubbling in his throat. Tonight was just a lot. That’s why he was bitter. Maybe it was the confusion over the bitterness that was making him worse.

“Hunter, hey—”

“I won’t be gone long.” He said instantly, head turning right to Raine as they started. “I’ll—” He darted his eyes away, then back again. “It won’t be long.” He instead repeated.

“Yes, well,” Raine frowned, though it was softer. He wasn’t sure why they had the hint of a smile. “Do be careful, please?” They turned their head to the side a bit. “Someday I’d like to have a normal conversation.” They chuckled.

Hunter stared, only for a few seconds. Or maybe it felt like seconds in his head. It was probably only a fifth of a second in reality. Everything felt much slower in his head.

“Right,” He echoed, then made himself pull the door open, “course, I’d, um,” He glanced at them for a moment, then looked out the door, to the surrounding night, “I’d like that, too.”

With that, he unclipped the staff from his belt, and forced himself out of that disease-ridden house.

“Please tell me you can teach me how to do that,” He immediately heard Amber start, “because that would save so much trouble—”

He promptly slammed the door shut. Much to Hooty’s very loud, very annoying, protests.

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