Chapter 21
Luz’s face turned to the window. Her face was framed in light. Amity thought she should always look like this. Except for one thing- she was frowning.
Why was she frowning? Was something wrong?
“The sun is setting.”
“Yes?” What was wrong with that?
“You guys have to leave soon.” That was good Luz wasn’t frowning because anything was wrong. She was frowning because they had to leave. That was also good except for another thing- soon Luz would be alone with the guard.
“Why do we have to leave soon?”
“It’s getting late and recently King has been protesting at bedtime. You guys should probably head out.”
Hunter and Willow put away the money. Gus put the pegs away and the board. Amity absentmindedly put the cards away as Luz ran the paint upstairs. After she returned she put the boxes back where they came.
“Before you leave, do you guys want to tell me about your days other than Hunter.” For a second Amity thought she saw Luz look at Hunter but she might have been imagining it.
Willow and Gus happily told Luz about their days. When Luz looked at Amity she gave a couple of details. Gus explained a big thing that had happened and soon they were in the dark, only the moon coming from the window.
Luz walked them to the door. Gus left first then Willow both happily told her they’d see her tomorrow. Amity hesitated before she flew off.
“You’re going to be safe right?” she whispered the question because it looked like the guard might be listening in.
“I’ll be just as safe today as I am any other day. I’m in no danger.” She kissed Amity on the cheek. “King had to go to sleep soon. Wish me luck on that.”
Amity squeezed her girlfriend’s hand. “good luck.” She wished her on everything.
Amity stared at Luz as she walked inside and closed the door. The last thing Amity saw was a pair of pale eyes narrowed at her.
Ghost mewed sympathetically at Amity and butted against her leg. Amity smiled at her friend’s sympathy
“Thanks, Ghost ready to go?” Ghost transformed at Amity’s words.
Luz
Hunter was standing there awkwardly. He seemed to have no idea what to do with the silence.
“So is there anything-”
“NO-”
At the scream, Hunter slid into position one foot in front of the other and an arm in front of Luz. Luz jumped a little too but she realized what it was
“It’s just king-”
“Why is he screaming?”
“He’s avoiding bedtime-”
His forehead creased and then it was smooth again. “I heard you mention that. Why does he need a bedtime?”
“Oh,” Luz laughed, “he’s eight.”
Hunter looked shocked. “He’s eight?”
“Yep, he acts like he’s older but don’t let him fool you he’s just a little kid.”
“I need to go help Eda get him to bed so you can head back and grab your puzzles.”
“Are you sure you don’t need help?”
Luz smiles at him. She’s happy her older brother cares about helping her younger brother. I’ll be okay. I’ll be back in a few. She heads off to see Eda.
Hunter knows she said he could go back to the room but he was unsure if that was truly okay, instead he walked into the living room. He heard a noise coming from deeper in the house and it took all of his energy to not run and find Luz.
His instincts screamed that something was wrong but Luz was strong, and due to the attempted petrification Luz could probably beat the owl lady- maybe- hopefully. He was about ready to go and save Luz when he spotted a blur of motion.
His reaction time was helpful. He grabbed the small blur of red on the blur of black and grey.
“Unhand me foul creature”. Hunter brought the king - no just king up to eye level. Luz had said the little demon was also a little kid. He remembered his thought from when he caught him years ago; he was still oddly endearing.
“I have to escape!”
The strange demon’s words put him on edge.
“Why?” he lowered him to the ground but didn’t let go of his collar. “Eda is trying to torture me” Sparks of triumph and horror shot through him at once.
He had been right. It was his job to take care of civilians, even ones associating with criminals but he couldn’t leave Luz!
He would teleport to a safe place and then get back and save Luz! The owl lady entered the doorway and he squared off against her. He would protect the young demon.
Luz butted in front of the owl lady and his pulse spiked. The owl lady was going to blast her she was going to-
“King is lying hunter.” His pulse went down a bit.
“What?” Why would he lie? The little being didn’t look like he’d lie maliciously.
“It’s King’s bedtime and he doesn’t want to go to sleep. It’s good you got him before he got out the door or it might have gotten to stay up later just like he wanted.”
“He said the owl lady was going to torture him” The Owl Lady laughed Luz rolled her eyes. “He didn’t mean it.” He refuses bedtime because he thinks he’s too old for it. I guess lying might be an exaggeration he think of it as torture.”
Luz wouldn’t lie to him but what if the owl lady had given her an ultimatum? The criminal could have been lying about the truce or maybe this was normal.
"King" Luz said strictly “come on you need to go to bed.”
“King, “ the owl lady said strictly.
Hunter held his ground.
“If he doesn’t get to bed now he’ll be grumpy tomorrow” Luz told him seriously.
Hunter shot an anxious glance at the Owl Lady and Luz softened. “Give him to me”
The demon glared at Hunter when he went to pick him up and Luz sighed. “Will you move slightly?” He nodded and moved out of the way. King squirmed when Luz went to pick him up and he whined “Luz do I have to?”
“Sorry buddy but it’s bedtime.”
He sagged and she scooped him up and carried him away. She turned over her shoulder “I’ll be back in a couple” she shouted.
"So" The owl lady said, propping a hip against the doorframe “Being the guard consists of more than capturing helpless demons going on errands and being the emperor’s lapdog.”
He keeps Flapjack ready to attack. “Be more clear owl lady.”
“You have a thing about protecting people, not just attacking them.”
He looks at her icily. “My job partially consists of protecting the citizens of the boiling isles. Even if they associate with criminals. Especially if they’re young.”
“So Luz told you about King’s age and that’s why you helped him?”
“I helped him because there was a potential threat. I will continue to do so if necessarily”
The owl lady laughs loudly. “You’re incredibly tense kid. Aren't you?”
“Only because it’s necessary” was the owl lady trying to get info out of him?
“Geeze kid we can talk about something else” he bristled she was being rude.
He opened his mouth to combat her statement when he heard Luz’s voice.
“I’m coming back. You have about 3 seconds to stop fighting.” Guilt flooded him. He had decided to form a truce so Luz wouldn’t be sad. She was joking about the fighting but they were already fighting even if it hadn’t gotten physical.
He called back (quietly so he wouldn’t disturb the small demon) “No need we aren’t fighting”
Luz reentered the room (she passed very near the owl lady as she walked in but nothing happened.)
"It might be king’s bedtime but we can still be up for a while unless you want to sleep now?”
He could tell Luz didn’t like that idea. “Is there anything you have to do?” We could head back to the room we were in earlier.”
“That sounds okay.”
…
He did a couple of puzzles when Luz suddenly jumped up; he stared at her sudden movement. “I forgot I have a puzzle” She ran over to where the games had been.
“I’m already doing a puzzle.”
Not like this one. She ran over to him and shoved it in his face.
He pushed her hand away. “What?”
She opened the box and poured out a bunch of small strangely shaped pieces on the table
“Here you look at the box and use the pieces to create the picture on the box.”
“How?”
Each one of these has a piece that fits perfectly with another. Usually, you start with the edge pieces and work your way in. The edge pieces look like this” She held up a piece that was flat on one side.
He got stuck on one thing. “Wouldn’t looking at how it’s supposed to turn out make it too easy?”
She hesitated “Some people don’t but usually only if the puzzle is easy. This one has a lot of pieces so it won’t be that easy.”
“Still it would make it far easier.” She was giving him her Hunte is being difficult again look but it was alright- unless. “Will we get in trouble for doing this to the table?”
“Nah we're good.”
Hunter started separating the pieces into two piles. He got together most of the edge pieces pretty quickly and separated the pile of non-edge pieces into piles due to what kind of piece they were. (how many divots and poking out pieces they had etc.)
He had the entire frame and a couple of other pieces and he was about to start sorting the pieces into rounded and pointed corners when he heard Luz yawn.
She saw he had noticed and stretched. “It’s getting pretty late you can stay up if you want-”
“No heading to sleep sounds fine”
“We need to find you a room”
He was about to explain that he didn’t need a room- he had survived far worse when he was on missions when Luz bounded away. He would be getting a room then.
…
Eda opened a door. She was yawning. He hoped Luz hadn’t woken the Owl Lady but he wouldn’t put it past her.
The door opened to a nightmare of highly piled boxes and while they were looking, one fell with a muffled bang.
The owl lady looked at him- “how does the couch sound?“ He only had a second to consider how to answer her question before Luz was bounding towards the living room.
...
He looked around. It was a bit too close to the door for comfort but it was mostly good. He was pretty sure the window wasn't see-through and the couch was a good size.
Luz was smiling at him a tad nervously “Is this okay?”
“It's more than adequate” Flapjack chirped in happy agreement and settled down.
The owl lady walked in with bedding in her arms.
“I can’t take this”
“Sure you can,” both Luz and the owl lady said at once
“Luz’s mom brought us a lot of stuff when Luz first started living here part-time. We have more than enough of this. Anyway, I imagine you’ll be even more cranky than usual if you get a bad night’s sleep.”
He glared at her slightly and she laughed.
“The room was just messy because no one ever cleans around here”
Luz sticks her tongue out at the owl lady playfully “That's just as much your fault as it is ours.”
“Sure, sure “ she rolled her eyes
“Goodnight Hunter.” Luz smiled and waved at him as she left the room. The owl lady left a moment later. A couple of minutes later he sat up and got off the couch. He had work to do.
Luz had almost certainly spilled some of that lavender paint she had. The owl lady wanted the house clean, and he needed to plan.
He walked into the kitchen to grab what he needed to make a cleaning aid. He hoped the owl lady didn’t miss the supplies- if it seemed like she did he would make sure to tell her it was his fault and not Luz’s or the cap- Willow’s or any of their friends.
He hoped he could get at least a couple of hours of sleep- he knew he’d get less than usual. After all, he was in enemy territory with an ally. He needed all the help he could get.
Luz
Hunter was smiling. That was good but he was smiling strangely. She was fairly sure that was bad.” Hunter?”
“Hello Luz” his tone was strange- well strange in a way different than how it was usually strange.
“What’s going on?”
He didn’t answer her. Not even to say he couldn’t answer. He continued to act strangely icy. He hadn’t even been this way before. She really knew him. He had been stiff and strange back then but nothing like this.
She reached to touch his arm. “Why are you acting like this?”
He pulled away and his face twisted in fury. "Why am I acting like this? You want to know why? I was trying to remain civil but I guess you won’t let me, will you? It’s your fault. Everything you did you ruined everything he grew larger and larger and louder and louder." His scars started spreading
"I should have never trusted you or better yet not met you. It was ridiculous of me to ever meet with you in the first place. You don’t deserve even a fraction of my loyalty. Everything you did made things worse.
“You said you didn’t blame me!”
I lied, why shouldn’t I? You lied. You’re a traitor. I should have never given you amnesty. I should have just let you get into trouble. My life would have been far simpler without you and it will be now that I won’t see you anymore.
“Hunter please- please don’t do this we can help you”
“You’re too weak to help me. All you did was force me to be around people. I didn’t want to be around. I had to help you because of my principles but don’t worry I don’t feel the same anymore”
I’m lucky you didn’t ruin everything, just some things. Do you know how many times Flapjack almost got caught, how many times Belos was angry at me because of you? How much easier my life would be without you? Imagine how many more scars I’d get if I kept hanging out with you. It's probably less than I'll get staying with Belos.”
“I know it’s dangerous and that I’m selfish but don’t go back.” Luz pleaded
"But I have to Luz it’s my job." He had his golden guard staff when had he gotten that? "My duty. My responsibility. Just like you’re not my responsibility anymore."
The scars made it over his eyes. One was closed over. One was milky.
“I’m heading back now. I’ll be in a bit of trouble with Belos but it’ll be alright. Nothing compared to the trouble I would have if I stayed with you.
In the distance, a dark force appeared and he walked towards it. Luz tried to grab Hunter but scarring and burns appeared wherever she grabbed him. He kept walking.
She yelled for him but he didn’t look back until he was a step in front of the mass. "Don’t worry Luz I’ll make sure everyone isn’t in danger because of you they’ll all know what you did. They’ll all know this is a because of you" And with that, he fell backward into the mass with an expression of terror and a scream.
She woke up gasping and panting. Her clock read 2 am. Luckily she hadn’t screamed or she would have woken everyone. It wasn’t real. Was it?
It could be real. maybe he’d change his mind. He’d met Willow because of this. That was good. Right? He hadn’t wanted that. She had convinced him of it being a good thing.
It was because of her that he’d made a promise he’d likely regret. It was because of her he was in pain. She just had to make this good enough that he wouldn't regret leaving. Surround him with so much care that he was happy.
She had to get this right but first, she had to see that he wasn’t gone. She knew he wouldn’t break a promise but she was still scared.
She dragged her blankets as she went to go see him. Part of her thought he wouldn’t be there when she got to the living room but he was. He was safe and sound and looked mostly peaceful.
Should she camp out here so she knew he wouldn’t leave? Or should she not? As devastated as it made her and as scared as she was about what she’d be sending him back to, he had a right to leave.
“Luz.”
Luz jolted and almost tripped over her blankets. He had woken up. She was pretty sure she hadn’t been that noisy. Maybe her thoughts were simply loud enough to wake someone sleeping.
“Luz, what are you doing?”
“I’m so sorry hunter. I just had a nightmare-”
“If you had a nightmare why did you come to me?”
He read it on her face. "It was about me. What did I do?”
She teared up “I know you said you forgave me for kidnapping but in my nightmare you said you hated me and then you went back and got hurt and it was all my fault. Most of the terrible stuff previously was my fault too.”
The confusion on his face was the best thing for the situation.
“Luz I-”
“I know you said you didn’t and you don’t lie but you were just lying to spare my feelings of it and then you just got tired of it. It became too much work to lie to me. I was too- too”
She was trying hard not to sob.
“I don’t hate you, Luz. I promise and I won’t hate you- I promised you a day.
“Do you want to stay here?” He made a move to get off the couch and Luz giggled.
"Going to sleep next to someone after having nightmares is such a little kid thing to do."
He blinked. "Why is that? It seems logical a way to ground yourself and remember the dream does not align with your reality”
That honestly made her feel a lot better but when he continued to move from the couch she stilled him-
“No don’t get up”
“I can sleep on the floor”
“No, you can’t. You're a guest that's the rule”
He furrowed a brow and seemed to take her seriously “Is it really?”
“More or less”
He looked skeptical
“On the side of more”
She ran back to her room- as quickly as she could while still being quiet. She grabbed her sleeping pallet and a pillow and ran back.
She arranged her stuff properly and smiled at Hunter “See? All good.”
He gave her arrangement a critical eye before seeming to determine it adequate.
Luz felt another twinge of guilt she had woken him and he was still being thoughtful. “Now we should both try to get to sleep”
She snuck a few glances at him mildly annoyed like usual but not at all hating her and then she overlayed those images over the nightmare. The nightmare still might happen but she would make sure it wouldn’t. Okay dreams this time give me a good plan.
Hunter had just laid down when he heard Luz. He was worried about her nightmare. For one he didn’t know how to deal with those, for another dreams were subconscious manifestations so she thought he could turn on her.
He supposed it was a good thing. He had already laid down 2 times before and both times he had gotten up again. He supposed this meant he’d have to sleep.
He didn’t think this would be easy. It was enemy territory and Luz was sleeping but surprisingly that was what made it easy. He looked at her peaceful face and heard her breathing. It had never been reassuring before but this was.
First of all, there was the logic of it. Steady repetitive sounds were soothing. On top of that Luz’s steady breathing told him she felt safe and tricked him into feeling safe too. Luz was okay and it seemed like she’d stay that way for a while. He could get a few hours of sleep. Couldn’t he?
When he opened his eyes next a disturbing amount of light was seeping through the windows
He felt far more refreshed than he should.
"Good morning sleepyhead". Luz chirped.
"It’s kind of late so which cereal do you want?" Something had gone very wrong, hadn’t it?
…
He had eaten his cereal and done some of his daily exercise before Luz told him what time it was.
"9:30” He shouted. “Luz you should be at school.”
“No, I got part of the day off. I also have people who I can get notes from so I can spend some time with you."
He was ready to yell at Luz before he saw the hope on her face he couldn’t be angry. “You will go to school this afternoon.”
She opened her mouth to argue but he stopped her with a glare.
She slumped "I thought you might make me so I planned for that."
Chapter 21
Luz’s face turned to the window. Her face was framed in light. Amity thought she should always look like this. Except for one thing- she was frowning.
Why was frowning? Was something wrong?
“The sun is setting.”
“Yes?” what was wrong with that?
“You guys have to leave soon.” That was good Luz wasn’t frowning because anything was wrong. She was frowning because they had to leave. That was also good except for another thing- soon Luz would be alone with the guard.
“Why do we have to leave soon?”
“It’s getting late and recently King has been protesting at bedtime. You guys should probably head out.”
Hunter and Willow put away the money. Gus put the pegs away and the board. Amity absentmindedly put the cards away as Luz ran the paint upstairs. After she returned she put the boxes back where they came.
“Before you leave do you guys want to tell me about your days other than Hunter.” For a second Amity thought she saw Luz look at Hunter but she might have been imagining it.
Willow and Gus happily told Luz about their days. When Luz looked at Amity she gave a couple of details. Gus explained a big thing that had happened and soon they were in the dark, only the moon coming from the window.
Luz walked them to the door. Gus left first then Willow both happily told her they’d see her tomorrow. Amity hesitated before she flew off.
“You’re going to be safe right?” She whispered the question because it looked like the guard might be listening in.
“I’ll be just as safe today as I am any other day. I’m in no danger.” She kissed Amity on the cheek. “King had to go to sleep soon. Wish me luck on that.”
Amity squeezed her girlfriend’s hand. “Good luck.” she wished Luz looking into her eyes before looking away.
Amity stared at Luz as she walked inside and closed the door. The last thing Amity saw was a pair of pale eyes narrowed at her.
Ghost mewed sympathetically at Amity and butted against her leg. Amity smiled at her friend’s sympathy
“Thanks, Ghost ready to go?” Ghost transformed at Amity’s words.
Luz
Hunter was standing there awkwardly. He seemed to have no idea what to do with the silence.
“So is there anything-”
“NO-”
At the scream, Hunter slid into position one foot in front of the other and an arm in front of Luz. Luz jumped a little too but she realized what it was
“It’s just King-”
“Why is he screaming?”
“He’s avoiding bedtime-”
His forehead creased and then it was smooth again. “I heard you mention that. Why does he need a bedtime?”
“Oh,” Luz laughed “he’s eight.”
Hunter looked shocked. “He’s eight?”
“Yep, he acts like he’s older but don’t let him fool you he’s just a little kid.”
“I need to go help Eda get him to bed you can head back and grab your puzzles.”
“Are you sure you don’t need help?”
Luz smiles at him. She’s happy her older brother cares about helping her younger brother. I’ll be okay. I’ll be back in a few. She heads off to see Eda.
Hunter
Hunter knows she said he could go back to the room but he was unsure if that was truly okay, instead, he walked into the living room. He heard a noise coming from deeper in the house and it took all of his energy to not run and find Luz.
His instincts screamed that something was wrong but Luz was strong, and due to the attempted petrification Luz could probably beat the owl lady- maybe- hopefully. He was about ready to go and save Luz when he spotted a blur of motion.
His reaction time was helpful. He grabbed the small blur of red on the blur of black and grey.
“Unhand me, foul creature”. Hunter brought the king - no just King up to eye level. Luz had said the little demon was also a little kid. He remembered his thought from when he caught him years ago he was still oddly endearing.
“I have to escape!”
The strange demon’s words put him on edge.
“Why?” he lowered him to the ground but didn’t let go of his collar. “Eda is trying to torture me” Sparks of triumph and horror shot through him at once.
He had been right. it was his job to take care of civilians even ones associating with criminals but he couldn’t leave Luz!
He would teleport to a safe place and then get back and save Luz! The owl lady entered the doorway and he squared off against her. He would protect the young demon.
Luz butted in front of the owl lady and his pulse spiked. The owl lady was going to blast her she was going to
“King is lying Hunter.” His pulse went down a bit.
“What?” why would he lie? The little being didn’t look like he’d lie maliciously.
“It’s King’s bedtime and he doesn’t want to go to sleep. It’s good you got him before he got out the door or it might have gotten to stay up later just like he wanted.”
“He said the owl lady was going to torture him” The Owl Lady laughed Luz rolled her eyes. “He didn’t mean it.” He refuses bedtime because he thinks he’s too old for it. I guess lying might be an exaggeration he thinks of it as torture.”
Luz wouldn’t lie to him but what if the owl lady had given her an ultimatum? The criminal could have been lying about the truce or maybe this was normal.
"King" Luz told him “come on you need to go to bed.”
“King, “ the owl lady said strictly.
Hunter held his ground.
“If he doesn’t get to bed now he’ll be grumpy tomorrow,” Luz told him seriously.
Hunter shot an anxious glance at the Owl Lady and Luz softened. “Give him to me”
The demon glared at Hunter when he went to pick him up and Luz sighed. “Will you move slightly?” He nodded and moved out of the way.
King squirmed when Luz went to pick him up and he whined “Luz do I have to?”
“Sorry buddy but it’s bedtime.”
He sagged and she scooped him up and carried him away. She turned over her shoulder “I’ll be back in a couple” she shouted.
"So," The owl lady said propping a hip against the doorframe “Being the guard consists of more than capturing helpless demons going on errands and being the emperor’s lapdog.”
He keeps Flapjack ready to attack. “Be more clear owl lady.”
“You have a thing about protecting people not just attacking them.”
He looks at her icily. “My job partially consists of protecting the citizens of the boiling isles. Even if they associate with criminals. Especially if they’re young.”
“So Luz told you about King's age and that’s why you helped him?”
“I helped him because there was a potential threat. I will continue to do so if necessarily”
The owl lady laughs loudly. “You’re incredibly tense kid. Aren't you?”
“Only because it’s necessary” Was the owl lady trying to get info out of him?
“Geeze kid we can talk about something else” he bristled she was being rude.
He opened his mouth to combat her statement when he heard Luz’s voice.
“I’m coming back. You have about 3 seconds to stop fighting.” Guilt flooded him. He had decided to form a truce so Luz wouldn’t be upset. She was joking about the fighting but they were already fighting even if it hadn’t gotten physical.
He called back (quietly so he wouldn’t disturb the small demon) “No need we aren’t fighting”
Luz reentered the room (she passed very near the owl lady as she walked in but nothing happened.)
"It might be King’s bedtime but we can still be up for a while. Unless you want to sleep now?”
He could tell Luz didn’t like that idea. “Is there anything you have to do?” We could head back to the room we were in earlier.”
“That sounds okay.”
…
He did a couple of puzzles when Luz suddenly jumped up; he stared at her sudden movement. “I forgot I have a puzzle” She ran over to where the games had been.
“I’m already doing a puzzle.”
Not like this one. She ran over to him and shoved it in his face.
He pushed her hand away. “What?”
She opened the box and poured out a bunch of small strangely shaped pieces on the table
“Here you look at the box and use the pieces to create the picture on the box.”
“How?”
Each one of these has a piece that fits perfectly with another. Usually, you start with the edge pieces and work your way in. The edge pieces look like this” She held up a piece that was flat on one side.
He got stuck on one thing. “Wouldn’t looking at how it’s supposed to turn out make it too easy?”
She hesitated “Some people don’t but usually only if the puzzle is easy. This one has a lot of pieces so it won’t be that easy.”
“Still it would make it far easier.” She was giving him her Hunter is being difficult again look but it was alright- unless. “Will we get in trouble for doing this to the table?”
“Nah we're good.”
Hunter started separating the pieces into two piles. He got together most of the edge pieces pretty quickly and separated the pile of non-edge pieces into piles due to what kind of piece they were. (how many divots and poking out pieces they had etc.)
He had the entire frame and a couple of other pieces and he was about to start sorting the pieces into rounded and pointed corners when he heard Luz yawn.
She saw he had noticed and stretched. “It’s getting pretty late you can stay up if you want-”
“No heading to sleep sounds fine”
“We need to find you a room”
He was about to explain that he didn’t need a room- he had survived far worse when he was on missions when Luz bounded away. He would be getting a room then.
…
Eda opened a door. She was yawning he hoped Luz hadn’t woken the Owl Lady but he wouldn’t put it past her.
The door opened to a nightmare of highly piled boxes and while they were looking, one fell with a muffled bang.
The owl lady looked at him- “how does the couch sound?“ He only had a second to consider how to answer her question before Luz was darting towards the living room.
...
He looked around. It was a bit too close to the door for comfort but it was mostly good. He was pretty sure the window wasn't see-through and the couch was a good size.
Luz was smiling at him a tad nervously “Is this okay?”
“It's more than adequate” Flapjack chirped in happy agreement and settled down.
The owl lady walked in with bedding in her arms.
“I can’t take this”
“Sure you can,” both Luz and the owl lady simultaneously
“Luz’s mom brought us a lot of stuff when Luz first started living here part-time. We have more than enough of this. Anyway, I imagine you’ll be even more cranky than usual if you get a bad night’s sleep.”
He glared at her slightly and the owl lady didn't bother to cover her laugh.
“The room was just messy because no one ever cleans around here”
Luz sticks her tongue out at the owl lady playfully “That's just as much your fault as it is ours.”
“Sure, sure “ she rolled her eyes
“Goodnight Hunter.” Luz smiled and waved at him as she left the room. The owl lady left a moment later. A couple of minutes later he sat up and got off the couch. He had work to do.
Luz had almost certainly spilled some of that lavender paint she had. The owl lady wanted the house clean, and he needed to plan.
He walked into the kitchen to grab what he needed to make a cleaning aid. He hoped the owl lady didn’t miss the supplies- if it seemed like she did he would make sure to tell her it was his fault and not Luz’s or the cap- Willow’s or any of their friends.
He hoped he could get at least a couple of hours of sleep- he knew he’d get less than usual. After all, he was in enemy territory with an ally. He needed all the help he could get.
Luz
Hunter was smiling. That was good but he was smiling strangely. She was fairly sure that was bad.” Hunter?”
“Hello Luz” his tone was strange- well strange in a way different than how it was usually strange.
“What’s going on?”
He didn’t answer her. Not even to say he couldn’t answer. He continued to act strangely icy. He hadn’t even been this way before. She really knew him. He had been stiff and strange back then but nothing like this.
She reached to touch his arm. “Why are you acting like this?”
He pulled away and his face twisted in fury. "Why am I acting like this? You want to know why? I was trying to remain civil but I guess you won’t let me, will you? It’s your fault. Everything you did you ruined everything he grew larger and larger and louder and louder." His scars started spreading
"I should have never trusted you or better yet not met you. It was ridiculous of me to ever meet with you in the first place. You don’t deserve even a fraction of my loyalty. Everything you did made things worse.
“You said you didn’t blame me!”
I lied. Why shouldn’t I? You lied. You’re a traitor. I should have never given you amnesty. I should have just let you get into trouble. My life would have been far simpler without you and it will be now that I won’t see you anymore.
“Hunter please- please don’t do this. We can help you”
“You’re too weak to help me all you did was force me to be around people I didn’t want to be around. I had to help you because of my principles but don’t worry I don’t feel the same anymore.”
I’m lucky you didn’t ruin everything just some things. Do you know how many times Flapjack almost got caught, how many times Belos was angry at me because of you? How much easier my life would be without you? Imagine how many more scars I’d get if I kept hanging out with you. It's probably less than I'll get staying with Belos.”
“I know it’s dangerous and that I’m selfish but don’t go back.” Luz pleaded
"But I have to Luz it’s my job." He had his golden guard staff when had he gotten that? "My duty. My responsibility. Just like you’re not my responsibility anymore."
The scars made it over his eyes. One was closed over. One was milky.
“I’m heading back now. I’ll be in a bit of trouble with Belos but it’ll be alright. Nothing compared to the trouble I would have if I stayed with you.
In the distance, a dark force appeared and he walked towards it. Luz tried to grab Hunter but scaring appeared wherever she grabbed him. He kept walking.
She yelled for him but he didn’t look back until he was a step in front of the mass. "Don’t worry Luz. I’ll make sure everyone isn’t in danger because of you. They’ll all know what you did. They’ll all know this is because of you" And with that, she fell backward into the mass with eyes wide, mouth open in a scream.
She woke up gasping and panting. Her clock read 2 am. Luckily she hadn’t screamed or she would have woken everyone. It wasn’t real. Was it?
It could be real. Maybe he’d change his mind. He’d met Willow because of this. That was good. Right? He hadn’t wanted that she had convinced him of it being a good thing.
It was because of her that he’d made a promise he’d likely regret. It was because of her he was in pain. She just had to make this good enough that he wouldn't regret leaving. Surround him with so much care that he was happy.
She had to get this right but first, she had to see that he wasn’t gone. She knew he wouldn’t break a promise but she was still scared.
She dragged her blankets as she went to see him. Part of her thought he wouldn’t be there when she got to the living room but he was. He was safe and sound and looking mostly peaceful.
Should she camp out here so she knew he wouldn’t leave? Or should she not? As devastated as it made her and as scared as she was about what she’d be sending him back to, he had a right to leave.
“Luz.”
Luz jolted and almost tripped over her blankets. He had woken up. She was pretty sure she hadn’t been that noisy. Maybe her thoughts were simply loud enough to wake someone sleeping.
“Luz, what are you doing?”
“I’m so sorry Hunter. I just had a nightmare-”
“If you had a nightmare why did you come to me?”
He read it on her face. "It was about me. What did I do?”
She teared up “I know you said you forgave me for kidnapping but in my nightmare you said you hated me and then you went back and got hurt and it was all my fault. Most of the terrible stuff previously was my fault too.”
The confusion on his face was the best thing for the situation.
“Luz I-”
“I know you said you didn’t and you don’t lie but you were just lying to spare my feelings of it and then you just got tired of it. It became too much work to lie to me. I was too- too”
She was trying hard not to sob.
“I don’t hate you, Luz. I promise and I won’t hate you- I promised you a day.
“Do you want to stay here?” He made a move to get off the couch and Luz giggled.
"Going to sleep next to someone after having nightmares is such a little kid thing to do."
He blinked. "Why is that? It's a good way to ground yourself. It shows you your dream isn't the same as your reality.
That honestly made her feel a lot better but when he continued to move from the couch she stilled him-
“No don’t get up”
“I can sleep on the floor”
“No, you can’t. You're a guest that's the rule”
He furrowed a brow and seemed to take her seriously “Is it really?”
“More or less”
He looked skeptical
“On the side of more”
She ran back to her room- as quickly as she could while still being quiet. She grabbed her sleeping pallet and a pillow and ran back.
She arranged her stuff properly and smiled at Hunter “See? All good.”
He gave her arrangement a critical eye before seeming to determine it adequate.
Luz felt another twinge of guilt she had woken him and he was still being thoughtful. “Now we should both try to get to sleep”
She snuck a few glances at him. He looked mildly annoyed like usual but not at all like he was hating her. She overlayed those images over the nightmare. The nightmare still might happen but she would make sure it wouldn’t. Okay. Luz hoped this time her dreams would give her a plan instead of you know nightmares.
Hunter
Hunter had just laid down when he heard Luz. He was worried about her nightmare. For one he didn’t know how to deal with those, for another dreams were subconscious manifestations so she thought he could turn on her.
He supposed it was a good thing. He had already laid down 2 times before and both times he had gotten up again. He supposed this meant he’d have to sleep.
He didn’t think this would be easy. It was enemy territory and Luz was sleeping but surprisingly that was what made it easy. He looked at her peaceful face and heard her breathing. It had never been reassuring before but this was.
First of all, there was the logic to it. Steady repetitive sounds were soothing. On top of that Luz’s steady breathing told him she felt safe and it tricked him into feeling safe too. It was probably a biological thing or something. Luz was okay and it seemed like she’d stay that way for a while. He could get a few hours sleep couldn’t he?
When he opened his eyes next a disturbing amount of light was seeping through the windows
He felt far more refreshed than he should.
"Good morning sleepyhead". Luz chirped.
"It’s kind of late so which cereal do you want?" Something had gone very wrong, hadn’t it?
…
He had eaten his cereal and done some of his daily exercises before Luz told him what time it was.
"9:30” He shouted. “Luz you should be at school.”
“No, I got part of the day off. I also have people who I can get notes from so I can spend some time with you."
He was ready to yell at Luz before he saw the hope on her face he couldn’t be angry. “You will go to school this afternoon.”
She opened her mouth to argue but he stopped her with a glare.
She slumped "I thought you might make me so I planned for that."
“What do you want to do?” she asked
He wasn’t going to let her waste her time “What do you want to do”?
“I would be happy to spend some time in the puzzle room with you” That was a fabrication. He glared at her.
She stared back and then brightened "Why don’t we go to the basement? There is some of Eda’s old stuff as well as the stuff of the previous residents of the house. There's almost definitely something in there that you’ll think is cool."
"Like I said I want to do what you think is good. not something you’re doing for me."
Mischief appeared on her face "When I said 'you’ll' I meant you and Flapjack. Isn’t it worth it if you find cool stuff for Flapjack?"
She was right it would be worth it if they found something for flapjack. He nodded grudgingly
"Now to the bowls of the house."
She grabbed his wrist and dragged him away.