Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Welcome home, everyone!" Luz called out to the witches, titan, and grimwalker following behind her. She dashed -- accidentally doing so a lot more literally as she seemed to jolt forward a few feet -- towards her house's front steps.

"Mamà, I'm home! I told you I'd be back as soon as I coul-WA-" Luz was wrapped up in her mother's arms before she could finish speaking.

"Oh, mija, I missed you so much. Tell me, are you okay? And, er, what's with the face paint?"

Oh, yeah, that's a thing, isn't it?

"I, uh, I had to do something really stupid to even be here with you right now... so, well..."

Luz suddenly performed an overly dramatic series of poses, before speaking in a far more childish tone.

"So now you have two kids in one body! I'm The Collector, but you can call me...-" they bowed, before continuing "- Cölestinus!"

"Comò estas, mi mija? Are you feeling well?"

"That'd be... Mi... jo? Mijo, yes. Luz is your mija, I am your mijo."

"Let's get you and your friends inside. Obviously we have a lot of catching up to do..."

"...So then I willingly let myself be possessed so I could have the power to go between the Demon Realm and Human Realm! And that's why I was acting all weird on the doorstep... Sorry, mamà..."

"Mija, you have nothing you need to apologize to me for... well, maybe leaving initially, but that's in the past and you're home now."

"Yeah..."

"And besides, you were safe with... Eda? Am I saying that right?"

"Yeap." The witch in question sipped some tea Vee had made for them.

"Did anything else happen? Besides trying to stop a human-turned-eldritch-being from destroying your world?"

"Well... I got a girlfriend!" Luz pointed over at Amity, who blushed from both embarrassment and appreciation.

"Oh, mija, that's so sweet. And you seem to have brought a few friends along as well."

Gus and Willow poked their heads out from the kitchen.

Gus spoke up, "Um, Ms. Noceda... what does this do?" He revealed a kitchen timer from within his hands.

"It's just a kitchen timer. Lets you know when your food is done cooking."

"Interesting!"

Luz leaned toward her mother, "You're gonna be doing a lot more explaining to Gus than just a kitchen timer. He's a human fanatic. He had a human appreciation society back at Hexside."

"Intriguing. By any chance, is that how you met each other?"

"Sorta..."

"And what about him over there?"

"Who? Oh... Hunter..."

Hunter had been sitting in the corner, petting Flapjack, their beloved cardinal palisman. He was mostly keeping to himself, and wasn't really paying attention to anything other than his little friend. Hearing their name, however, was enough to get them moving.

"Y-yes? Luz, you said my name. Y'need somethin'?"

"No, just introducing everyone to my mom."

"O-oh... Well, hello, Ms. Noceda. I'm Hunter, and I-"

"Goodness, muchacho, tú estás muy pequeño!"

"Wha... what did she say?"

Luz answered with a half-sigh half-giggle, "She said you're very small. I think she means small as in strength, though."

"Oh..." Hunter glared at the floor indignantly, before looking back up and continuing his statement, "I am apparently something called a Grimwalker. I don't know exactly what that means, but what I do know about it is that... well, I'm not a human, and I'm not a witch."

"Honor to meet you, Grimwalker Hunter. Now, if you'd like, there's some fruit in the kitchen if you'd like to feed your little birdie fr-"

"His name is Flapjack, and I'll take you up on that offer."

Hunter made their way to the kitchen, grabbed an apple, cut it in half, and gave one half to Flapjack, and kept one half for himself.

"He's quite a loner, hmm?"

"Hard to trust people when you've been abused and betrayed by the only parental figure in your life."

Chapter Text

"Um... Mija, could you repeat that?" Camila tilted her head.

"... Shoot. I sorta forgot to tell you about that. I brought a lot of my friends here because, well, they definitely needed a better home. Well, except for Gus and Willow. I'm their little transit pathway between here and their homes!"

Camila nodded, and glanced around at everyone in the room, before focusing on King.

"Isn't this critter just a cute little fella-"

(I wasn't sure how to write it in but Camila's reaching her hand out to pet King)

"WEH!?"

Camila jolted her hand back in surprise, "QUÈ!?"

"How dare you attempt to pet me, King Clawthorne!? WEEEEEEEEEEEEEY-" King ran off the couch and towards Eda. He jumped onto her lap and curled up, glaring indignantly at Camila.

"Ms. Clawthorne, why did your dog just berate me for trying to pet him?"

"Well, one, he's a Titan, and two, eh, he does that sometimes. You probably just startled him a little." Eda shrugged, as if she herself was guessing.

"Ah, well, understandable. Though it is strange to hear an animal talk."

"Humans are animals, aren't they?"

Luz shook her head, "Eda, let's not get started with this."

"Why not? I haven't seen or talked to a human in a couple years."

Chapter Text

Hunter didn't feel good. Nobody would, after having a sudden flash of memories from the person you were supposed to be, but that you weren't good enough to be in your lifetime.

Caleb.

That was his name.

The person he was supposed to imitate was named Caleb.

Belos’ deceased brother, Caleb, who the emperor had recognized from seeing Flapjack.

Hunter was spiraling, too worried about himself and who he was and who he was meant to be to notice someone walking into the room behind him.

“Hunter?”

Hunter jumped . He turned to face the intruder, ready to fight them if necessary… only to realize it was just Luz.

“L-Luz! What are you doing here?”

“I needed to check on you. You breathe really loud when you panic.”

“I-I… I don't need to be checked on! I-I'm fine!”

“Hunter… you're in a safe place, remember?”

“I-I don't care!” Luz could hear a quiver in the teen’s voice.

…

Or… was he hiding a noise?

“Are you okay?”

“N- I mean… Yes! I am perfectly fine… so just… leave, please.”

“Hunter, be hones-”

“Why!? Why should I be honest with you!? You’rrrrre the one who brought us here!” Hunter quite literally growled out.

“H-Hunter!?”

“Oh, what now? Are you scared of me or something?”

“No, it's… HU-”

“It's what!? Me being a copy of your nemesis's brother!? Well, I can't change that any more than you can't change your inability to do magic except through dumb pieces of paper! At least I have a palisman!”

Luz stepped back.

“And your magic doesn't work in this realm, does it? That just means I can-”

“Heh…”

Hunter tilted his head.

“Are… are you laughing?”

“Heh.. hehe… hehehehehehe…”

“What is it!?”

“Tail.”

“... What?”

Luz walked behind Hunter and-

“OW HOLY TITAN WHAT DID YOU-”

Hunter turned to see Luz holding a long thin dark green tail with a tufted brown tip…

His tail.

“Oh… oh my god. What the heck!? Why!? Why do I have a tail, I’m not supposed to have a tail-”

“Cool your head, Goldie. It looks cool to me. Also, don't look down, it's worse than the tail.”

“How can anything be worse than having a tAIL-”

Hunter was immediately reminded of the beast his uncle had become… it was like he was simply a smaller version of it. Not necessarily ‘pocket-sized’ as Luz might say, but he wasn't much larger than normal.

“You're actually kinda... cute? In a weird endearing way?”

“I am NOT cute!”

“Nawww, whosagrumpylilgrimwalker?”

“ Not me! ”

“Are you sure ?”

Hunter fought himself on how to react. Eventually, what one may call the ‘furry’ side won.

“F-fine… I’m a grumpy lil’ Grimwalker…”

“Nawww!” Luz had begun to pet him (Titan, could he get some decency sometimes!?) “You're all soft and goopy! Like an abomination… I mean, the magic kind, not an actual abomination!”

“Point taken.”

To be honest with anyone but Luz, he… somewhat enjoyed this? Being treated like the world’s most pampered animal wasn't all that bad. Better than Belos, anyway.

…

…

…

Oh no.

There was one part about being a Grimwalker that Hunter never enjoyed.

Apparently, Grimwalkers could purr.

“Hrrrrmph.”

“Oh?”

“Mmm-mmm.”

“C’mon… I know it's there!”

“...”

“ The faster you do it, the quicker it's over with. ”

“...Rrrrrrrrrrrr…”

Who knew big brothers purred?