Hunter|the Golden Guard x reader Oneshots

*~Don't Cry~*

Requested by WinterBlue_Angel22

[Hunter x shy!fem!human!reader]

TW for Hollow Mind panic attack

"Don't crowd them," Eda said to King and Hooty, looking at the two teens who had just returned from the emperor's mind. She knew that they must have seen terrible things in there. "Are you two okay?"

Hunter was sat on the ground with a blank look on his face. Flapjack chirped, nudging Hunter with his black, scarred face.

Hunter gasped, "He knows. He... he knows we were in there. I can't... I can't go back!" He began to hyperventilate. Understandably, Eda was concerned for the boy.

"Kid, breathe." She offered a hand to him, but he quickly stood and backed up. He ripped off his cloak by the neck, as if it were choking him, and discarded it on the floor. He slowly stepped backwards towards the staircase, before turning and running upstairs. There was only one place he knew he could go. One place that he could possibly find comfort in. Or rather, more accurately, the only person.

Running upstairs, he couldn't even process where he was, where his legs were taking him. He ran into a door, shaky hands attempting to open your door twice before finally succeeding. When he finally opened the door, he stood in the doorway, breathing heavily.

"Hunter?"

You looked at the boy stood in your doorway. You had been pacing for a while, worried about him after Eda told you he and Luz were trapped in the emperor's mind.

His normally bright, if tired, eyes were wide and brimming with tears, holding a scared and traumatised expression on his face. His chest and shoulder rose and fell rapidly with each uneven breath he took. It was heartbreaking. The sight in itself made tears prick at your eyes.

He took a shaky step towards you, followed by another unbalanced one. His feet picked up the pace until he basically threw himself at you, holding you tightly, as if he was frightened you would abandon him if he didn't. He cried into your neck. You didn't hesitate to wrap your arms around him in reciprocation. You felt tears threatening to fall, but you forced yourself to keep it together. For him. He needed you to be strong.
He practically collapsed in your arms, just barely being able to hold his own balance.

"Hey-y, hey, don't cry. It's okay. C'mon, come sit under the blanket with me," you said softly, guiding him over to your bed. You sat down, he followed suit, never letting go, and neither did you. You gently placed the blanket around the two of you, tightly so he would feel secure, and safe.

"Everything hurts," he said into your shoulder. His gloved hands gripped tightly to the back of your shirt. You felt his tears through your shirt. "Being with you is the only good thing in the world anymore, y/n. Please, just... Just stay a little longer. Please, y/n."

"Hey, d-don't worry. I'm not gonna leave you. I will never leave you. You're here, you're okay. You're safe. I will never let anyone hurt you again."

You held him tightly, firmly, so he knew that what you said was true. You would never leave him. You would never abandon him. He looked up at you with glazed dark magenta eyes, trembling. You pulled him closer. You kissed his tear-stained cheeks, before resting your head on his as he continued to cry into your neck.

Tears began to roll down your face; you couldn't keep it in any longer. One of your hands was behind his head, and the other rubbed circles into his back reassuringly.

"I will never leave you," you said again, your wavering voice barely above a whisper but loud enough so he could hear. "I promise."

(619 words)