Hunter keeps trying to convince himself that he only comes here for business purposes. That he's doing everything but fraternizing with the enemy. But that gets harder to convince himself of the more he braces himself at the window to Edric's bedroom. Edric Blight's bedroom.
This was one of the only things in his life that felt good, being near Edric and talking about their lives. Everything else was all high-stakes and dangerous, but the moments of safety he had in one of the Blight Manor Bedrooms was all he had to look forward to.
He was starting to think he might not want to live like that all the time. He noticed how other young people did things that made them feel good.. all the time. And what did he get? Petrifying fear over one night a week stress-free? That didn't feel right. Being with Edric did though.
He started to get an inclination as to why over time, figuring out that he had feelings for Edric that differed from mutual understanding like he had with the human, or the youngest Blight. He wasn't sure what to make of them yet, but he figured he'd deal with them later. Once he managed to escape the castle for good.
Hunter stopped losing himself in his thoughts as he tapped on the stained glass in front of him, gently, so as to not wake any of the others.
He saw a clouded figure come over to the window to open it, the glass lifting to reveal a beaming Edric Blight behind them.
Hunter smiled. It was small, but he smiled.
"Hi," Hunter said meekly, blushing at how hard Edric was grinning at him.
"Why hello there!" Edric cooed as he yanked the other boy in from outside into a crushing hug. Hunter laughed at the aggressiveness Edric was displaying, faking noises of choking and gasping for release.
"Edric I... I'm gone." Hunter sighed out, going limp in Edric's arms. Edric fell to his knees, knocking Hunter's head on the floor.
He shook his fist at the sky and mouthed "Noooooo!" as Hunter stifled a laugh at his friend. He felt himself curl up into an actual hug with Edric, and he held him back as they both finished their giggling.
"Alright. What's the report this week?" Hunter said, standing up as he reached out a hand to Edric. Edric smiled and pulled himself up, putting a hand to his forehead in salute.
"I hung out with Amity's girlfriend and her owners, and made Principal Bump cry for the third time this year sir yes sir!" Edric mocked an authoritative shout-whisper as he puffed his chest out.
Hunter chuckled. "Fantastic. You're dismissed." He smiled at Edric letting out a huff, flopping onto his bed.
"Thank you, I had no idea how long I could hold that in for!" He exclaimed, sprawling out over the sheets. Hunter chuckled, looking fondly down at Edric as he looked up.
Edric met Hunter's eyes, and went red from the soft look on his face, turning away.
"Don't look at me like that!" He huffed into his pillow. Hunter giggled and sat at the foot of the bed. He was about to speak before he was cut off by harsh footsteps approaching Edric's door. Edric's ears perked up, as he jolted out of bed. "In the closet in the closet in the closet!!" He whispered as he pushed Hunter in. "I could have just went out the- window." Hunter retorted as he was shoved into the hangers of clothes.
Through the holes in the wooden doors, he could see Edric fumbling to shut the windows and slam onto his bed, faking sleep just as the door slammed open.
"Edric Blight! Keep it down! It is nearly nightfall and you are causing nothing but a ruckus up here! I'm heading to bed for your father and my big presentation in Latissa tomorrow, and we need our beauty sleep! You have been warned." She spat coldly, slamming the door behind her.
Hunter felt his eyebrows curl together at the harshness of the encounter. It reminded him of the nicer days of Emperor Belos' treatment towards him.
Edric sighed and got up to go back to his closet, opening it for Hunter to come out.
"Sorry Ed, I'll keep it down," Hunter said quietly, sitting at the foot of Edric's bed again.
"It's not your fault, goldie, she's just been extra... interesting regarding her big showcase coming up. At least she'll be out of town for a few days." He smiled sadly at Hunter, laying down on his back.
Hunter went to the other side of where Edric was laying, and settled down next to him.
"Glad you won't have to deal with her for a bit," Hunter said sympathetically as Edric looked back at him.
Edric smiled, genuinely, and snuggled into Hunter's chest abruptly.
"Thanks, goldie." Hunter's face went red down to his collarbones, but he brought his hands to Edric's back to hold him. He realized that this felt nice, hugging onto Edric for a bit. Edric looked up at him.
"Thanks for the consoling, back to shenanigan's!" He exclaimed, booping Hunter on the nose before he jolted up.
Hunter felt himself blush at that, not understanding why this time, and sat up to observe Edric.
"I think I'm gonna dye my hair a different color. My mom's been a total ass lately. She doesn't get to control the pigment of my dead skin cells. Wanna help?" Edric said, turning to Hunter.
Hunter was still a little dazed from the contact a moment earlier, but smiled at his change in attitude.
"Hell yeah."
***
Edric whistled cockily at himself in the mirror, the shiny black hair curling over his forehead.
"Thanks blondie! This whole emo Edric thing is a hot look," Edric said, fake puffing his hair in fake conceit. Hunter huffed at him, looking at him in the mirror.
"She's gonna kill you." "Worth it." Edric replied. Edric got up to go to the bathroom to clean off the dye from his skin, and Hunter settled into Edric's bed by himself as he waited.
He liked the softness of the sheets, the weight of the blankets, and how all of it smelled like Edric. It was so much better than his own, he was sure his mattress was made out of bone or something. He found himself closing his eyes, and he took off his cape and boots so he was just in his pants and shirt, getting comfortable for the night.
Hunter closed his eyes and relaxed, engulfed in the scent of Edric's room and hair dye. He decided not to think about why he wanted to be near the smell of his friend until later.
Just as he might have been getting to sleep, he heard gentle footsteps approaching Edric's room, and he recognized them as Edric's.
Edric opened the door and his heart skipped a beat at the tired image of a comfortable Hunter. Hunter looked up at him through blonde pieces of hair, and rubbed his eyes with a small smile.
"Hey, Ed." He said softly, not moving from where he was. Edric had had this feeling before, this deep and warm feeling of wanting to be closer to Hunter when they were together, but this was different. This wasn't something he wanted, he knew he needed to be as close to him as he could be.
Edric caught himself staring but couldn't bring himself to care. He noticed Hunter's face redden after the silence, and Edric's heart beat loud enough to feel in his bones.
"Ed?" Hunter sighed, wondering why Edric was staring at him like that. It made his stomach squirm to think that maybe... maybe Edric had the same thoughts he just had, and maybe that's why he wasn't moving.
"Edric is something wrong-" Hunter was cut off by Edric walking towards him, placing himself in a plank on top of Hunter.
Hunter felt the skin on his face, neck, and ears sting with blush, Edric's face so close to his own. Edric's pupils were wider than he's ever seen them, engulfing the entirety of his irises.
"Hunter," Edric said lowly, trapping Hunter between him and the bed.
"Edric..." He sighed out, not even sure what he was saying. It took every ounce of control Edric had not to kiss him right then and there.
Edric felt Hunter's breath on his face, hot and heavy on his skin. He slowly moved his face closer to Hunter's, silently warning Hunter of what was to come.
Hunter didn't know what was happening, but he couldn't get enough of the closeness of Edric to him. In a moment, textured but soft lip skin met his, and he felt himself melt into nothing.
Edric pulled back to examine Hunter's response. Maybe he went too far. He came back to himself after finally getting to kiss him, and he looked down at Hunter.
Hunter practically had stars in his eyes. They were wide, cheeks red and lips parted as he stared into Edric's eyes.
"Was that okay?" Edric said lowly, not moving an inch.
Hunter nodded slowly, a smile spreading across his lips.
"Please do that again-" Hunter sighed into Edric's lips as he kissed him again, harder and deeper than before. his eyebrows lifted and came together in bliss as Edric kissed and kissed his mouth. Hunter held onto Edric's waist tentatively, as Edric held his face with both hands.
Hunter moaned lightly into the contact, bringing his body up to be closer to Edric. This was exactly what he wanted. He finally understood what he was feeling, at least more than before.
Edric laid his weight onto Hunter's body so he could run his hands over his chest as they kissed, lips buzzing with noises the two were making.
Hunter pulled away after everything, head spinning with thoughts on what this would mean for them.
"Edric," Hunter sighed. "That was..." "Everything." Edric smiled, caressing the cheekbone of the boy under him with his thumb. Hunter shivered at the gentle affection.
The next words Hunter said felt so automatic to him that he didn't even realize he had said them out loud. He didn't have to think about it.
"I want to leave the Emperor's Coven."