Villainous Thing | The Golden Guard | The Owl House

Suddenly You're Very Near

During Hunter's next visit to The Owl House, he can practically feel Luz's gaze on the ring of bruises around his neck.

He ignores it for the first hour. He didn't come here for her, he didn't, and he certainly didn't come here to bear her judgement. He wishes she'd just go ahead and say it, whatever it is that she's thinking.

He can't focus on the tome in his hands, the words blurring together as his skin prickles under Luz's eyes. He breathes in slowly, trying to focus on the feeling of Rascal asleep under his knee and the steady warmth of King curled up next to his thigh. He never meant to be an over-glorified heated pillow, but he supposes that's what he is right now.

As well as Luz's current fixation, apparently.

Hunter is able to ignore it for approximately fifteen more seconds before he's slamming his book closed, "What?" He snaps, and Luz startles, as if she thought she was being too subtle for him to catch on. He refrains from scowling at the thought.

"What?" She repeats back, like she doesn't know what he's talking about.

This time, he lets the scowl show on his face, "Why are you staring at me?"

She flushes, her eyes snapping away in apparent embarrassment, "I'm sorry, I'm just—worried." She sounds genuinely upset, and that quickly makes much of Hunter's animosity splutter out.

"There's nothing to be worried about." He says firmly, refraining from rubbing at his sore throat. It's been a few days since that night, but Hunter can still feel his breath catch when he talks sometimes. His words clumping in his throat and sending him into a coughing fit. It's humiliating.

Luz's face tightens, her expression almost pained, and it makes him realize that she's been off all evening. Hunter isn't good at reading people, but even he can notice when someone as cheerful as Luz begins to grow quiet and upset. It's not like her, he knows that much.

"I think you should be more worried about yourself." He says, but he doesn't say it meanly. He says it more like it's a fact. She should be more worried about herself, her family, not some kid from the Emperor's palace. He's still aware of the fact that they are on opposite sides, no matter how much The Owl House seems to try and forget that fact. They're enemies, but enemies that Hunter can use to his benefit.

Belos will understand, surely.

But you're just trying to be useful, is that it?

Hunter bites harshly at his bottom lip, trying to push that thought out of his mind. He doesn't want to think about that.

"Then who worries about you?" Luz retorts, and there's something heavy in her voice. Her eyes are almost glassy and Hunter doesn't know why.

"I'm not a child, human—"

"But you are!" She cries, "You—you should have someone at home who's worried about you, even if it hurts to think about. Someone who takes care of you and wants you there, you know?"

She's fiddling with her fingers in her lap, and Hunter has a feeling that she's thinking of someone else, her eyes trailing to Hunter's face and then the floor.

"It's not fair." She says quietly, and Hunter's not quite sure what she's referring to.

It's a ridiculous thought, but Hunter considers her words. He thinks of the Emperor anxiously awaiting his return, of hugging him and greeting him when he comes home. He thinks of him worrying over Hunter's safety because he cares about whether or not he gets hurt. He thinks of a world where Belos is not the one who hurts him, leaving him to scurry away until he can hide and fix himself.