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It was an odd new sensation Willow wasn’t quite used to, she couldn’t keep calm around Hunter anymore. She was well aware of her new emotions towards him, but why couldn’t she at least pretend to act cool? She would come up with an excuse to leave every time he got too close. And of course, Hunter being Hunter, was starting to grow concerned. He was constantly popping up behind her asking if she felt ill. Willow would stumble over her feet and stutter out her words before vanishing.
This could not stand, why did she have to be so awkward? She found herself smiling at the thought of him. In a daze whenever he’d try to talk to her. It was ruining her once calm mind. Gus caught her screaming into a pillow earlier, he slowly approached her and lighted patted her head. A supporter of her cause, how nice she wasn’t alone in this fight.
“Willow are you, umm ok?” Gus asked, he already knew the answer. It was alright because she appreciated it, nonetheless.
“I can’t stop having these stupid brain malfunctions every time I get too close to Hunter!” She told him, her face still squashed into a pillow.
“Oh! Is that all?” He seemed relieved, how dare he not take her embarrassing situation seriously.
“What do you mean is that all?” Willow grabbed a weapon, which happened to be the pillow she was using to scream into.
“Hey! I’m not your enemy, in fact given the current situation I would say the person you should be pursuing with that pillow is yourself!” Gus stated, he was right, the illusionist had a solid case.
“True,” Willow told him before slamming the pillow back into her face, it felt right.
“Hey come on Willow! It’ll all be ok you’ll see!” Gus told her while attempting to take her deadly weapon away from her.
“Gsahdawv” True literature Gus was missing out on if only the pillow wasn’t muffling her words.
“Willow, give me the pillow,” Gus commanded, gripping both sides of the fluffy shield.
“No.” She wasn’t giving up, this was war.
Once best friends now set up to fight one another, what a tragic unforeseen set of events. Gus got a better grip on Willow’s pillow before pulling with all his might to take it away from her. It didn’t work; they both ended up on the ground tugging and arguing with one another. That was until Luz and Amity ran in to see what in Titan's name was going on.
“What are you guys doing?!” Luz asked.
“Willow’s trying to suffocate herself!” Gus screamed.
“What?!” Amity ran over and started to help Gus in his attempt to free the pillow from Willow’s tight grasp.
“Luz help me!” Willow called out.
“But, what?” Luz was panicking trying to choose her side in this battle.
“Don’t betray me, I need you.” Willow pleaded.
Luz locked eyes with her best friend after seeing her so distressed, there was no question about it. She had to help Willow, so she did. Amity and Gus looked utterly betrayed, a group once so close was now divided how cruel. The ties had been cut, the sides had been picked, and now it was time to fight.
The four teenagers fussed at one another, neither side showing any signs of giving up the fluffy pillow, this was a battle to the death.
“What in titans name is going on?” Hunter stood in the doorway confused, did he want to know what was going on? His friends were all on the floor screaming at one another. Actually, this was normal. He should just take his leave before they pull him into, whatever it was they were doing.
“Hunter! Willow needs your help!” Gus told him.
The captain needed his help. That wasn’t like her at all! He could definitely help her, maybe then he could find out why she was avoiding him. He honestly thought she was just sick.
“Willow, what’s wrong, how can I help?” Hunter immediately came up behind Willow.
“No Hunter, she’s trying to suffocate herself with a pillow, come to our side!” Amity called out, her grip never faltered.
“You know what, no this stops here.” Hunter ran in the middle of the pillow from where it had been stretched between his two pairs of friends. It didn’t work out the way he wanted it to. Hunter ended up tripping and landed square on his face, he was on the ground unmoving.
“Holy titan we killed him,” Gus said while dramatically dropping on top of Hunter, he let out a groan of pain.
“Gus.” The wounded soldier mumbled.
“Yeah?” Gus ever so slightly raised his head.
“Please get off me.” He pleaded.
Gus rolled off of Hunter, he immediately went over to check on how Willow was doing. Her face appeared to be darkening the closer he got.
“Willow, what’s wrong? Why’s your face all red?” He questioned and attempted to hold her face in one of his hands.
“N-nothing! Nothing’s wrong, I just wanted to test the pillow’s strength!” She was slowly backing away from his curious gaze.
“The strength of the pillow?” He was completely and utterly confused.
“You never know what someone's weakness might be! I had to test it!” She explained.
“Oh!” Hunter said but he was still inching closer to Willow. She froze as he placed a hand on her forehead, narrowing his eyes.
“Are you sure you're not sick?” He asked.
Abort! Abort! Abandon ship! Her mind screamed.
“Y-yeah I’m alright!” Willow Stuttered on her words again.
That should have been it, Hunter would back off and she could regain her calm demeanor. All was about to be well again, she had nothing to worry about. But he was so close, why did he have to be so close? This was going to drive her up a wall. A gentle hand made its way down her forehead and to her cheek.
“You should take it easy alright?” Hunter told her, and who gave him the right to smile at her like that?
“I- yeah definitely!” Just be normal Willow, normal people make eye contact!
She was anything but normal right now.
“Hey guys, remember us?” Amity called out, interrupting their moment.
Willow and Hunter both turned their heads over to the doorway, Gus had his camera out, what a traitor. Amity was sharing a bowl of popcorn with Luz. Luz gave Hunter a thumbs up. When did they? They seriously had time to make popcorn. Today was a terrible day for Willow. They took delight in her distress, no more living, laughing, or loving would take place today.
Hunter now realized how close he had been to Willow and quickly sat upright, offering a hand for Willow to take.
“Thanks, pal.” She quickly spat out.
“No problem umm buddy?” He answered awkwardly, shuffling away.
It was silent, no one made a move to say or do anything, except when Amity decided to munch on another handful of popcorn. Willow started at her, She stared back, slowly chewing the popcorn, all without breaking eye contact.
Everyone in this room was against Willow having a peaceful afternoon. They continued to stare at her as if she was an animal in a zoo. She eyed the pillow on the floor again, it was in grabbing distance. Gus, as if he read her mind, launched himself at the pillow as if it was a dangerous bomb. He shook his head at Willow like an upset parent as he descended back into the group. She saw Amity high five Gus in approval, the nerve of her friend group.
“Would someone please explain what's going on?” Hunter said he didn’t sound angry, just tired and defeated.
“Yeah, Willow care to explain?” Gus asked her, a smirk gracing his face.
“I have nothing to explain!” Willow said making sure to push down her emotions as best as she could.
All at once her friends cast their gaze to the Pillow Gus was holding onto, then back to her. They really did care about her, although this was not how she wanted this conversation to go.
“I’ll be fine, I just have some emotions that I need to sort out.” She knew the crazy was escaping through her eyes. All her friends looked scared, huddling together in a protective clump. Gus was also in a defensive stance, holding the pillow out like a threat.
“Are you sure?” Hunter stepped out from the protective shield, walking right up to Willow, and only appeared to be confused when she made three steps back for every one, he took towards her.
“Yup! All good here! Bye forever!” Willow pushed past her friends into the sanctuary that was Luz’s living room.
Meanwhile, the rest of the hexsquad sat in a circle, while Gus was standing up by a whiteboard, where did he get it? No one knows, no one needs to question it.
“So, Hunter, have you noticed how Willow only blushes when she’s near you?” Gus questioned.
“Umm maybe one question, what is a blush ?” Hunter asked.
“Oh, for titan's sake!” Amity screamed, face planting into Luz’s shoulder.
“Gus, maybe we shouldn’t mess with this? Let those two dorks figure it out.” Luz commented.
“I’m right here.” Hunter said, offended and confused.
“I’m well aware.” Luz replied, smirking.
“True but what we could do is just shove them into the basement until one of them confesses.” Gus added as if Hunter wasn’t right in front of him,
“Huh?! Confesses to what? Listen if this is about the mystery of the missing cookie it wasn’t me I swear!” Hunter held his hands up in defeat.
“It was definitely Gus,” Amity commented.
“You can’t prove anything! Where’s your evidence?” Gus curled into himself in a protective manner.
“Could we please get back to getting Willow to confess since Hunter definitely won’t be?” Luz asked.
“My vote is for the basement suggestion!” Amity told the group.
“I mean it is our best bet,” Gus added.
“Ok yeah, that works.” Luz agreed.
“I still have no idea what’s going on, but I’m going to go talk to Willow.” Hunter told them.
He found her again, outside by the flowers humming an unfamiliar tune. It sounded like a lullaby a father would sing to his beloved daughter. Perhaps he could hear the lyrics one day?
“Willow?” He called out, apprehensive if she was sick why was she outside?
“Eeep!” Willow dropped her watering can, once she made eye contact with Hunter, she quickly adjusted her glasses and pulled one of her braids toward the front of her face.
“You shouldn’t be out here if you’re sick, come on let’s head inside,” Hunter suggested. Unaware of Gus, Luz, and Amity who all had their faces pressed against the window.
“Oh, right sick,” Willow told him with a slight chuckle, something in her laugh seemed off.
“Here I’ll help you inside!” Hunter held out a hand towards her enthusiastically, Willow wasn’t sick, but she wasn’t about to tell Hunter that. She felt the heat rise up to her face as she took Hunter’s hand, he gently pulled her up.
“Thanks, Hunter,” Willow told him and gave his hand a soft squeeze before letting go. Willow took delight in seeing his face turn slightly red.
“A-anytime!” Hunter said, stumbling over his words.
“Kiss!” Willow heard Gus's scream from behind the window. They also got to witness Luz dragging Gus down from the windowpane shouting unintelligible words at him as she did.
“So umm we should probably go in to help.” Willow squeaked out trying her best not to make directed eye contact.
“Gus get off the fridge!” They heard Amity shriek.
“Make me Purple hair!” Gus screamed back.
“Amity get the broom!” Luz screamed.
Hunter and Willow made a verbal agreement that it was safer outside.
