Reality Check - A Huntric/Goldric Based Fic

For You (CHP 26)

"You mean go to the library? But we planned that for a date-"

"Weee have a daaateee??" Hunter immediately brightened, going to sit up. "Then I gotta get ready!"

Edric sighed, pushing him back down onto the bed, groaning . He could go there alone the first time, show Hunter around the next. "No, not today.. I'll go get you your book, okay?"

Hunter whined but laid back down, nodding to show his understanding of what he said. "Can I get a goodbye ki-"

"No."

Bonesborough library wasn't half as far as Edric thought it was going to be. Was it still a terrifying walk on his own? Oh, absolutely. He couldn't tell if paranoia was getting to him, or what, but he could feel the eyes of the myriad of demons and witches all over him. He was human, after all.

But the library was quite adorable.It was large and certainly had the flavors and details of a typical demon realm building, eyes everywhere, hands and teeth reaching out at people, monsterous filing cabinets... Emira was a huge horror geek, she would have loved all of this.

It was quite the challenge trying to narrow down where the books about palismen, more specifically bird palismen. While a typical human library would have organized it as the common name, palismen or bird palismen, the Boiling Isles decided to use the scientific name, "Aves Telesma", which was supposed to mean 'Bird Talisman'... loose translation supposedly changed it to bird palisman.

The books were hidden in a back aisle, much away from where any demon could see him. Though grateful for being away from public view, Ed felt much more sick thinking about what could be hiding in the shadows.

With caution, he made his way to the back, searching through the dusty books and looking for anything to help Hunter out with learning how to take care of Flapjack. 

Eerie silence filled the space around him, only the noise of his slowed breathing heard. 

Edric felt a hand tap his shoulder and he flinched, turning to find a shadowed figure.

"You look like you could use a change of pace... and I believe I can help." Their voice was raspy, loud in the quiet area.

"N-no thanks.. I don't have any snails and I'm not interested in whatever you're selling." He shook his head, attempting to go back to where he was looking.

"Ah, but that's the thing... it's completely free." As much as Edric didn't want to listen, whatever they began to pull out of their upper sleeve caught his eye.

A velvet loop of string, on the end a tear drop shaped crystal... it was blue, shining clear. If you had inspected it closely enough, your reflection could stare back at you.

"..what is that?" He asked, suddenly curious.

"Ah, I see you are interested now... it's an old illusionist magic to change your appearance, allowing you to become your dream self." They placed it into the palm of Edric's hand, who stared at it blankly for a minute.

"I really don't need i-" He went to return the stone, clearly too valuable and delicate to keep himself. The person who once stood bathed in shadows had dissapeared, leaving him there. He shrugged, slipping it onto his wrist. The weight of it left, basically unable to  be felt. Ed hadn't felt any different and assumed the witch just trying to get rid of some antique junk.

"Oh, hey... this is the book I need!" He grinned, taking one off the shelf and taking it back.

Hunter woke up for the second time that day, sitting up. He had a horrible headache, but he didn't feel that illness induced hihgh anymore. He sat up, placing a hand to his hair. In its place there was an assortment of different mushrooms and fungi, growing from his head. "I wonder if this is permanent-" 

Just then, he could hear the door downstairs open, voices greeting someone.. Edric. Hunter barely remembered sending him to the library, but immediately got up, rushing out of the room. Fungi fell from his head in clumps, aided by his hands occasionally brushing it out. He turned the corner to downstairs, just in time to watch Edric set the book down. 

He paused on the last step for a moment, both boys making eye contact. Than he booked it, running up to his boyfriend and jumping, literally jumping into his arms. Ed spun him around, the pair giggling and being happy to be together again, even if had been  barely a couple hours.

"I'm so glad my awesome boyfriend is okay..." Hunter mumbled, nuzzling his face against Edric's chest

"Me too..." Edric agreed, snuggling him close.

Edric put his hair back with a headband, just so it wasn't absolutely crazy when he woke up. He glanced in the mirror. Ugh, his forehead had way too much acne for his personal standards, he wish it could just... disappear. And it did. His wish came true, the acne slowly leaving his face. His eyes widened- what was that? The realization hit him- that bracelet he was gifted.. it worked.

And he started to appreciate the fact that he kept it,

1366 words.