Chapter Text
Darius looked down for a second before sighing.
‘No Hunter is at work.’
Willow felt her heart drop. She had put so much work into this for it all to be useless. She should’ve checked her was free first or-
‘But he finishes in a few minutes so should be back in about half an hour, you can stay here and wait for him if you’d like’
Willow suddenly felt so grateful for Hunter, the old Darius would have rolled his eyes and told her to have arranged something earlier so this wouldn’t have happened. But ever since Hunter had moved in, it was like he had changed for the better, like he wanted to be a good parent. She was lucky he couldn’t read her mind otherwise he wouldve gotten annoyed, Eda has once asked him if he ever planned to adopt Hunter and he went on a long rant about why he would never do that, even though they all knew he thought of Hunter in a son way.
‘Yes please, if that’s ok?’
He opens the door and struts further into his house towards the kitchen, Willow followed in timidly, shutting the door behind her. She entered the kitchen and looked at the gleaming purple counters and decoration some of which had been obviously made by Hunter as it was not purple. There was a large purple fridge in the corner which Darius stood in next to it had photos on of Darius and Alador hugging, some from their time at ‘school’ and there was a little drawing in the centre.
It was of Hunter and Darius but Hunter was in his golden guard costume so obviously this had been drawn by Hunter while he was in the emperors coven. It was cute, both him and Darius had wonky heads or eyes and all the crayon was outside the lines but it obviously meant a lot to Darius if he put it in the middle of the fridge where he can look at it every day.
‘Would you like a tea?’
Willow looks over in surprise at the sudden voice.
‘Umm yes please’
‘You take sugar and milk?’
‘Yes thanks I don’t really like it strong’
Darius nods and pours two teas before properly making hers and passing it over. It was so awkward, her and Darius never really had a proper conversation before. She decided she should be the one to initiate.
‘How have you been after you know, everything that’s happened?’
She smiles at him sweetly and he takes a long sip of his tea.
‘It’s been good’
Her smiles drops a little at the bluntness. Fuck. What was she suppose to say now? And just like an angel coming down to save her from the tenseness of the moment, she heard the jingle of keys and the door opens.
‘Hey Darius I’m hommmeeee, uh hi Willow?’
He looks to Darius the Willow then Darius again like a lost puppy. Suddenly, Darius steps away from the kitchen and into another room which Willows assuming is his lounge.
‘Hi Hunter’
‘Hi Willow’
They both smile at one another, Hunter still looking confused. This was her time, now or never.
‘I know this is really sudden, but well- I was just wondering if you’d perhaps like to go on a walk with me through the forest?’
Hunter lights up and Willows bets that if he had a tail it would be frantically wagging behind him.
‘YES. I mean yeah sure I’d love to wait let me go get out of my work cloth-‘
At the mention of clothes he looks down at her and sees her dress and the makeup on her face. His face gets really red and his ears twitch in embarrassment.
‘Y- you look really pretty today Willow, I-‘
He gets impossible more red before saying he’ll be back nd running off towards his room. She smiles and sips her tea waiting for him to come back. He had said yes!! Now it’s time for the next part of her plan. Before she could think more about what’s gonna happen next, she heard a strong, deep voice beside her. She hadn’t noticed Darius coming back into the room.
‘I know that you going to ask him out. Edas shit at keeping secrets.’
She perks up and looks across at him.
‘I don’t care what you do I just ask a couple things one, don’t be out past later than 11. Two, you keep within his boundaries, he tells you he doesn’t want to do something or go anywhere you don’t. Three..’
He pauses and looks down at her and she swears she sees his lips twitch a little.
‘Take care of my so… Hunter’
She smiles and hugs him. He’s stiff obviously not expecting it.
‘I will always protect him, I promise, thank you for trusting me with your son’
He pulls back away from the hug gives one sharp nod and putting his empty tea cup on the sink and waiting for Hunter to come out.
There’s a quick opening of a door and then the plodding of feet in the hallway before Hunter rejoins them in the kitchen. He was wearing a checkered grandpa jumper with black baggy jeans and black converse. Hunter after quite a while of not having a particularly put together clothing style had finally started wearing stuff he like and it looked good on him.
‘Hey willow I’m ready’
He smiled showing off his tooth gap and waved goodbye to Darius who was watching him leave.
And slowly they made their way to the door together and made down the path Eda and Lilith had suggested for them. She knew that off in the distance her friends were watching to make sure they weren’t disturbed.
‘Hey you know I’m always happy to hang out with you but this was a bit sudden are you all ok?’
She looked over at Hunter who was looking back curiously and almost worried looking.
‘I’m ok I just like spending time with you’
Hunter blushes at this again and continues walking a little faster than before if Willow was being honest it was a bit harder to keep up with him but she could tell he was embarrassed so she didnt mind. As Hunter was moving and apparently not looking where he was going, Willow noticed a root just ahead of him sticking out the ground. She was about to move it out the way but he was already there and tripping over it as she was about to.
Luckily she managed to come to grips just as he was falling and grew the root to catch him.
‘Whoops.. haha guess I missed that’
Willow smiled as he awkwardly chuckled and grabbed his hand to pull him up. Except instead of letting go she felt a burst of confidence and started walking with Hunter holding hands. They both continued walking and Willow could tell Hunter was confused and embarrassed at this sudden show of affection by the fact he had turned his head away. It didn’t do much as she could see his ears turning red and twitching.
After a while of awkward silence they started talking again, about their interests, how hunters job was going, how Willow was doing with derby. And eventually everything felt normal again. Before they even knew it it’s was getting dark the firefaries were out and lighting up the forest like stars and the rib they usually sat on was in vision. Hunters face perked up and he looked to Willow in excitement.
‘We haven’t been here since I was the golden guard!!! Oooh come on Willow!’
With that he grabbed her other hand and pulled her towards the rib. They both giggled the whole way like toddlers and Hunters cold hands became warm in hers.
Suddenly, Hinter did something unexpected, he turned around and hugged her close before teleporting them both to the top of the rib. She blushed as they cuddled closer to each other to keep warm as she noticed he was looking up at the stars.
Comets raced past and the moon was big and bold. The little stars twinkled as a fresh breeze wiped past their faces.
‘This is probably my favourite spot’ he looks down at her red faced ‘with you’.
Willow pulled them apart and the flush on Hunters face disappeared, he looked almost regretful that he’d said that like maybe he was worried he’d made her uncomfortable. She’d put a stop to that as she squeezed his hand tighter and pointed to the picnic blanket and food she’d put out for the two of them. It was all homemade and had taken her almost a full day as cooking was not her specialty and Hunter knew it.
‘Y- you made this all for us, what the reason??’
She nodded to say she’d made all this and pulled him towards the blanket and sat down next to him still holding tight with his hand. She took a deep breath and turned to him. The guys she’s liked for years. Just tell him how you feel Willow, you can do this!
‘Hunter we’ve known each other for a long time and every minute has been so special, I had never thought I would befriend the golden guard but I did and I don’t regret a single moment I have ever spent with you. I want to have a million more moments with you, I want to play grudgby with you, listen to you sing songs in the complete wrong key and I want to be the one to take you to Grom. So, Hunter w-would you like to go out with me like.. like girlfriend and boyfriend?’
Willow felt herself tear up as she looked down at the ground after seeing Hunters surprised face. There was silence. Then more silence. And then even more silence, until Willow felt nervous that Hunter had passed out so she looked up.
His face was red and tears were dripping from his face, his pupils were large as he looked at her.
‘A- am I dreaming?’
He pinches himself in the arm so hard it goes red and Willow grabs his arm so he won’t hurt himself anymore. He looks into her eyes and wraps his hands round her neck and sniffles into her shoulder.
‘Yes Willow park. I would love to go out with you’ he pulls back. ‘More than anything’
They both spend the rest of the night (or until 11 as Willow is true to her words) cuddled in each other arms, hunters hand leant on her shoulder and messily feeding each other the snack. It was everything she had ever dreamed of and now it wasn’t just her.
It was her and Hunter against the world.