Flashback
The entire time it happens, Amity is still. She doesn’t acknowledge the way Willow's face wrinkles in confusion after the game; she doesn’t do anything when Willow’s expression ping-pongs-a different emotion each nanosecond- with the arrival of the palisman -no- Flapjack.
Amity doesn’t react when the witch’s expression drops into a blank look, the one akin to horror; she still doesn’t freaking move when Willow is up, and in a few seconds, in front of Amity for what feels like an eternity and at the same time a picosecond.
Willow’s at the door in a few seconds more. Amity is a statue while the witch is disappearing through the doorway. Amity does nothing until Amity’s fr- hexside’s top plant wi-, Willow’s hair is past the doorframe and disappearing into the house.
The entire thing seems to happen in a heartbeat, which seems to contradict her previously calculated estimates
That moment, that unhelpful freaking moment is when instinct kicks in and she is no longer a statue. The full range of movement she had now would have been rather useful several seconds ago.
She has to focus on the situation now. Everyone is staring after Willow. Had anyone caught something Amity hadn’t?
Luz looks like she’s fretting her adorabl- now's not the time focus - face is pinched she doesn’t look like she knows why Willow left. he will start blaming herself in three two on- it appears in her eyes a couple of milliseconds ahead of schedule.
Amity wanted to run to Luz but she had to prioritize. Luz’s self-blame would be here in a couple of minutes if Amity didn’t neutralize the situation. Willow however may not be here in a few minutes. Her heart squeezed. She'd take care of her shining-eyed goddess later
Gus is next on her optical tour. His expression might hurt her more than Luz’s which was hard since Luz being in hurt really freaking bad. His expression was sad and almost accepting. The expression he wore stank of not reluctance but instead acceptance. He looked down for a second before looking up again, seeming to not want anyone to catch him.
She knew what he was feeling. She felt it too. His expression said - I hoped this would never happen again but I’ll deal. He was the one there when Willow was hurting - the way Amity hadn't been the past nine years 7 months and three weeks.
He was there when Amity never stoped Boscha from hurting Willow he was there when Amity hurt Willow herself
His expression was determination and a long friendship. One with them standing together because they couldn't stand alone- even after Luz came along.
She whipped her head next to the shady character in the room Hun- the oth- the guard had a conflicted expression on his face.
Fake worry and confusion on his face. The confusion was a good touch but she knew this was somehow his fault even if she didn't know how.
Willow had been looking in his general direction when it happened. She wouldn’t trust his lies again, especially not with her people - her girlfriend. As she watched the guard mouthed a word she couldn’t make out. She added it to her suspicious-happenings-around-the-boy-Luz-adopted-6-year-too-early-for-Amity-to-stop-her.
They all clambered to their feet.
Willow" Luz, Amity, and Gus all shouted nearly in unison "Miss Hunter muttered half-heartedly standing behind her. That was strange. The word sounded clunky on his tongue- wrong. Still, that didn't matter it went in the potentially suspicious category.
She knew they all wanted to go after her. But they couldn’t. None of them could. The golden boy couldn’t because he would be going after her for most likely nefarious or ingratiating- (if he switched to that tactic) reasons. She shot a glare at him because that felt like a good choice right now and she saw he had one arm strangely outstretched after her. Still weird-
Gus and Luz also couldn’t go after Willow because- since- due to well for reasons Amity would later pinpoint they couldn’t go after her either so that just left Amity.
“I’ll go after her”
They looked at her in doubt; she managed not to flinch. I’ve known her the long- well I think this might be a good time for some girl talk. Luz opened her mouth to volunteer and Luz you need to hold down the fort here. Luz looked worried for a moment then she smiled, she looked at Amity encouragingly. Gus looked resigned that it wouldn’t be him going. Amity left to find Willow. She decided she would make sure not to make it worse.
…
She wandered for a couple of minutes before she heard a sound from the bathroom. She walked down the hall softly. She wasn’t as focused as she had been before but that was probably good, normal interaction didn’t require Amity to act like that. She had gathered as much info as she could. Now she could just lend a listening ear and convince Willow, (once she’d explained what the guard allegedly did,) to take her side in and convince Luz that he wasn’t good news.
She walked towards the bathroom and the sound was small- strongly timed breaths- Was Willow crying? Willow was crying. Amity wanted to go beat the guard up. This was his doing- she turned to do just that but she stopped yes- he had caused this but Willow was crying- that was most important.
She ran towards the door “Willow can you hear me?” that was rather ridiculous of her to ask(she was half shouting) but it seemed good several seconds ago, Willow was crying so the door was likely locked- she didn’t want to invade her privacy but she was crying Amity needed to be there this time.
She positioned herself as she’d seen in one of Eda’s bootleg human movies. She was sure if it would work she wasn’t as big as the guy in the scene but she had sheer determination all at once she heaved she had chosen to turn the door handle at the same time hoping for some effect but she had not expected was for it to turn normally.
It was unlocked. Amity managed to stop her fall she looked up ready to see her friend in tears again but what she saw was different.
There were no tears on her face, and she hadn’t seemed to have time to wipe tears away before Amity had burst in. Willow’s face had no tear tracks. Willow’s hands were up covering her mouth so she didn’t seem to be hiding tears. Another sound escaped her mouth. It was strangely familiar though Amity didn’t know why. Another sound and she moved slightly as it happened a third and it came into focus. One hic- another hic- another hic- Willow was hiccupping- Tiny adorable hiccups
Amity remembered something about that for a second before she was dragged into a memory- this could be so much worse than if she had been crying.
...
Amity spotted the back of Willow’s hair and darted over to meet her the day was super annoying and she was ready to hang with Willow. She had no idea why they were at a ball field (well she did but it was boring grown-up stuff meeting and acting all super polite with powerful people whose children played here. That was gross to Amity. Why should she pretend to like someone and then talk meanly about them behind their backs? It didn’t make sense.)
She nearly tripped over a rock but managed not to. She kept running over to Willow who was hiding behind the bleachers.
“SShhhh" Willow warned as soon as she heard her, the shushing was interrupted, Amity walked over and stood beside Willow to get a look at what Willow was looking at. They would end up doing whatever Willow was doing.
She was wondering if Willow had come up with another game to play. Amity was sure that she’d like playing it too even if it was a bit boring, like when they’d waited to catch a mean bug that was hurting Willow’s plants they’d had to sit pretty still for a while but she’d felt the happiness of catching it right along with Willow.
"Shu- hic" Amity wanted to suggest the cure for hiccups she’d heard about from Eddi and Emmi but she was stopped by words from Willow. "He can’t see us!" Amity was a bit confused I bet whoever you’re talking about could we're only a bit hidden.
“Nooooo-hic,” the other witch said "I mean I don’t wanna let him see me that’s why I’m hiding.” Amity scowled why was she hiding from him? Was he a jerkface too? She’d been getting decent at the magic she’d make him not happy if he’d made Willow not happy.
“Look,” Willow pointed out to the field - she thought she knew who Willow meant. He was tall and he didn’t look around the age of Willow and Amity he was kinda old. Older than Eddi and Emmi- his hair was brown- his eyes sorta looked brown- and he looked like he was probably really sweaty what was she supposed to be looking for?
She looked back at Willow “What?”
"he’s"- hic a blush lit her tiny cheeks- ohhhh she thought he was like her older sister Emmi would say “cuuuute” She tried to say it like Emmi. "Do you think he’s 'cuuuuuute'”
Willow blushed harder. Why did she think he was cute she tried to find him on the field again but she didn’t see him. So the hiccups were because she liked him? Well, she was happy she hadn’t offered the cure. It was likely a trick anyway the twins were kinda mean too she pouted thinking of it.
“What,” Willow asked “Just thinking about Eddi and Emmi” Willow’s eyes widened “What did they do”
“Nothing” she pouted. “they’re just annoying.”
“They are annoying.” Willow nodded in agreement. Amity smiled at her. Her smile faded though when she thought about the boy “So why is he cute” Amity was pretty sure she wasn’t missing anything brown hair, maybe brown eyes, sweaty, tall. He wasn’t super tall probably around Eddi and Emmi’s and Willow didn’t think they were cute.
She stuck out her tongue at that and turned to make Willow pinky swear to never ever ever like her brother or sister but Willow's attention went to the field her eyes grew round because of that- she pointed to a boy- she thought it was the same one- falls in slow motion Amity gasps but Willow doesn’t blink. Nearly all of the people’s eyes were on the boy but two little boys took control of the ball they passed it back and forth between the huge spikes positioned around the field before getting it passed the net mouth which tried to eat the ball and into the net.
After a few minutes of silent watching later the grown-ups stay the game is gone. the team in the colors the boy on the ground is wearing seems to have won. Amity golf claps with her pointer fingers.
“Now do you see” Willow looks up at her now
“No” Amity admits honestly
“Fair- you haven’t seen any other games. He does that every time” Willow’s eyes will Amity to understand
“What?”
“Did you see the goal? That always happens he always pretends to get hurt in different ways at different times and while everyone is distracted before they pause the game someone always scores or comes close.
He gets hurt to help his team and he never tries to say it’s because of him. The boy is limping across the field he smiles at one of the boys and ruffles his hair the boy squirms away and rushes to find his family.
If Amity squints and tilts her head a wholllle lot and pretends he isn’t all sweaty and probably all sweaty boy smelling- she can almost see how Willow thinks he’s cute whether or not he’s cute he does seem super nice she nods to herself.
Willow is hiccuping harder and then she grabs Amity’s arm. He’s walking straight for them. Amity is gonna tell Willow to run away while Amity stops him but he’s waving at them and it doesn’t seem like Willow is budging.
She’s doing her rock thing. It’s like she melds with the ground Amity can’t move her and she can’t make an abomination big enough to move her. The boy crouches down "Hey there kiddos you guys fans of the game?" “You look like you can’t join this year or next year but the year after that would be good. I’ll probably be a coach by then but since I’m working campaigning for a merger of all the teams since only these get much funding maybe I’ll coach you guys soon.”
He smiles at them warmly. Willow is clutching Amity’s arm and shaking it Amity knows Willow is excited but she doesn’t have to do this. Willow smiles and him and takes a step forward nice to meet you she says in a way Amity knows is mimicking her papa. I’m wil-ooh She trips a vine had wound around her ankle she fell right in front of his weird pokey bottom shoes
Willow looks upset. She at least seemed to have stopped hiccuping She stood up smiled shakily and brushed herself off. "It was nice I meet you too little gal. Well bye. Maybe I’ll see you in a couple of years, for the sake of the game, I hope so."
Willow is grinning widely at that she frowns at the grin she was pretty sure he was talking about the plan of joining the teams for the hope so. Suddenly Willow's emotions flip. Tears well up in her eyes she pushes them down. Why did I have to trip? He’ll never take me seriously now so he’ll never like me."
"What? How could he not take you seriously?" Amity was angry at the potential idea he wouldn’t take Willow seriously. No, angry wasn’t good enough. What was that word her father used? Outraged. Yes, Amity was outraged. "Everyone should take you seriously even if you haven’t gotten all your powers yet no one else could wait like forever for a bug to show so they could stop it!"
"You did" Willow reminded her
"yeah, but I’d have never done it on my own."
"Boscha doesn’t take me seriously."
"Whose boscha" She recognized the name.
“she’s a mean-eyed pink-haired triclops. She doesn’t like me. Amity remembered her parents had tried to introduce them but they hadn’t talked.
“What happened?”
“Nothing much,” Willow said looking down. Willow looked sad.
“She sounds mean” Amity declared. Willow smiles.
"Yeah. Someday I’m going to have all the powers and you’re going to have all the powers and life is going to be awesome."
“Yeah,” Amity smiled at her then she frowned slightly “Do you wanna talk about that guy?” She didn’t see what Willow seemed to see but she’d listen.
Willow hummed for a moment "Nah wanna play a game?"
"Sure" Amity smiled and Willow smiled and things were fine.
Then Amity was in the present. And Willow was hiccuping the same way she had for that boy probably the way she’d hiccuped over that girl she had started liking just before- that day.
Probably the way she’d hiccuped over a lot of people she liked and Amity was probably imagining things or misremembering.
Willow’s words stopped her breath. It looked like tears were about to prickle in her eyes “It’s him” a million reasons and things flowed to her mind "You mean the golden guard that you-” Amity couldn’t say like.
Willow looks like she’ll shake her head no but then she stops herself another idea stops her cold “Did he hurt you?” Willow was super muscled but Amity could still see the little kid who didn’t know where her magic laid the girl who missed out on the first few years of her chosen track since she was a transfer. She was the same Willow.
"No- you don’t get it," Willow said again then she started shakily "You remember about six months ago when Gus and Luz were trying to accuse me of having a secret significant other?"
Amity snorted. The idea that she’d have a secret person she was dating was ridiculous. She was the little girl who had tried to introduce herself to her crush if Willow was in love with someone she’d tell everyone. That was just who Willow was.
“They weren’t right” Amity nodded she knew- “but they weren't wrong”
What? Willow scrolled carefully; she seemed to know exactly what she was looking for. She took a few screenshots cropped them and passed it over
The first one was dated about two years ago
8:23 Hello_Willow: hello mysterious internet friend
8:24 Rulersreachfan: I haven’t been mysterious
8:24 Hello_Willow:Yeah sure
8:25 Rulersreachfan: I’m withholding the information because I must
8:26 HelloWillow: Even your name, or occupation, or the reason you live at the castle
8:27 Rulersreachfan: I didn’t mean to tell you I live in the castle.
8:27 Hello_Willow: See, mysterious
8:28 Rulersreachfan: Just cautious and conscious of my station
8:28 Hello_Willow: Sorry I shouldn’t pry
8:28 Rulersreachfan: That’s a relief you won’t I already have one prier
8:29Hello_Willow: You’re lucky I just said I didn’t pry or I’d jump at your mention of this mysterious individual
8:29Rulersreachfan: I’m very lucky
8:30 Hello_Willow: I know I said I wouldn’t pry but I will ask one last time. May I have your name?
8:31 Rulersreachfan: It’s Caleb
8:32 Rulersreachfan: No sorry I lied, my palisman suggested that name I didn’t want to be disappointing.
8:32 Hello_Willow: You’re not disappointing!!! From what I know you're a very pleasant individual
8:33 Hello_Willow: Is there something that you’d like me to call you? Any nickname?
8:34 Rulersreachfan: I don’t like those. Most suck.
8:34 Rulersreachfan: It may be weird but the closest to a nickname I like is my real name
8:37 Hello_Willow: That sounds a little weird but more like a good story than weird
8:38 Rulersreachfan: That sounds like you’re being polite I notice timestamps.
8:38 Hello_Willow: Well can I call you Caleb? Or some other name you come up with?
8:38 Rulersreachfan: Caleb is fine
Hello_Willow: Well, It's nice to meet you, Caleb
Amity flipped to the next picture
6:10 Rulersreachfan: Flap would love that.
6:10 Hello_Willow: Flap?
6:11 Rulersreachfan: He’s my palisman and my friend.
Amity flipped again. It was probably just a coincidence Flap could be short for several things. Thought she could think of any right now.
6:20 Rulersreachfan: He’s a bird. I researched a little and I think he’s a cardinal.
Amity sagged a little it really could be a coincidence Mr. Clawthorne palisman was also a cardinal
6:25 Rulersreachfan: And it’s so hard keeping him hidden. I mean Flap is bright red.
That seemed like less of a coincidence but it could still be one.
6:30 Rulersreachfan: Flapjack(that’s his full name) really is amazing.
Amity’s hand dropped to her side with the phone still in it. “He could have kidnapped Flapjack.”
Willow grabbed her phone and sighed “Amity he came to find Cal-Hunter. How could he have kidnapped him? Flapjack is far too loyal to stay away from Hunter’s side.”
“But” Amity stuttered “if he’s him how could you like him?"
"Amity, I understand you had a bad experience with him and that colored your view of him but that’s not how I see him."
Amity was partly afraid to ask. “How do you see him?”
Willow grinned a bit. “He’s sweet and silly and a tad ridiculous. He’s so smart but also clueless. He’s well-intentioned but also has no idea about what he should do. He’s brainwashed but he cares about the people he cares about so deeply. He’s just Cal- he’s just himself."
"But why- how can you like him? He’s-”
Willow let out a bitter scoff “he’s what Amity? Super smart? Loyal to a fault? Adorably clueless? There are very few reasons that I couldn’t like him. "
“But he’s”
Willow looks mildly desperate. She grabs Amity’s shoulders “he knows so much about plant Amity,” of course, Willow would be able to help liking a guy who knows a lot about plant magic.
That’s not all. He’s never conceited about that knowledge; he doesn't just know a lot about plant magic but a lot about other types too. The way he says everything is so cute. He’s always happy to explain the things he knows or learn new things. And now that I know he’s a protective older brother I like him even more. I need to like him less not more. Willow jumps up suddenly wait you know what? People always make mistakes. I just need to go down there and survive until he does something that makes me stop liking him.
There is a feverish look in Willow's eyes. Amity wants to like the stop-liking-the-dangerous-teen-plan- but it seems like a bad idea.
Amity grabs Willow’s arm- “Willow how long have you liked him?”
“At least a year and a half but probably more.”
Amity gently tugs on Willow’s arm and she sits down next to her.
“Willow you can’t just make a crush disappear by sheer force of will. That's not how feelings work.”
Willow sags. “I know, but I can try.”
“I know why I don’t want you to like him but why don’t you want you to like him?”
“It’s nothing. I just have more important things to focus on. I have you guys and big plans and all sorts of other stuff. A crush takes up time and energy and I need to be stronger. This crush might make me weak and I can't have that. I’ve worked so hard to become strong I don’t need feelings for a friend coming along and making me weak.”
“Feelings don’t make you weak. I’m all for your crush on him disappearing but having a crush won’t make you weak as long as you don’t let it. As long as you crush on him doesn’t make you compromise your principles you’ll be fine. You can keep on being Willow; the strong one. Nothing will make you less tough” Amity knew Willow could take the golden guard in a fight if she needed to.
Willow smiles at Amity. “Thanks, I’m not as worried anymore. All I have to do is make sure the crush doesn’t get the better of me. Who knows maybe now that he’s no longer a person I’ll never meet it will be the opposite of my worries and the crush really will disappear.“
“Are you going to tell him that it’s you?”
“No. I’m still not as strong as I would like to be and I don’t want him to see me weak. I’ll be okay.”
Willow stood up and walked to the door.
“Let's head back to our people.”
.