Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Luz changed the group name to fruit saladians.

Luz: Hey guys!^_^

Amity: Luz? whats this?

Luz: a group chat! its where people get other people and all of them can talk at once!

amity is typing...

Amity: Who is in this group chat?

Luz: Oh! Let me think...

Luz: Hunter,The twins, Augustus, willow, me and you! and maybe Eda... :]

Hunter: WHAT IS THIS?

Amity: Why does he have to be here??

Luz: Because he's my new brother! •0•

Hunter: New brother? wait, I didn't sign up for this.

Gus: I keep getting sounds from this. Hello!

Hunter: Gus?

Gus: Hunter! I haven't seen you in forever-

Luz: Hey gus! :D

Gus: Hey! so uh, where is everyone else-

Amity: Its three in the morning, I doubt anyone else is up.

Luz: Very true Ami! I didn't even think you guys would be up.

Hunter: I don't sleep, idiot.

Luz: Oh come on, don't gotta be so rude, brotha.

Hunter: IM NOT YOUR BROTHER >:(

Willow: What is this? I can't sleep because of it.

SILENCE...

Willow: Hello?-

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Last text: Willow: Hello?-

Luz: Edric? can you see this?

Edric: Yep, what is a group chat?

Luz: No time for that right now, hunters having a bad dream again.

Emira: Wait edric? you know hunter?

Emira: Edric?

Emira: And he's already outside...great.

Luz: Already? Dang :0

Emira: Why is edric going to see hunter anyway? Doesn't everyone have bad dreams?

Luz: well uh, I cant answer that first one, but, yes, everyone has bad dreams, but hunter wakes up crying, along with a panic attack.

Emira: Sheesh, that bad?

Luz: Oh! Edric just got here! hang on.

Amity: Wheres Edric?

Emira: Seeing hunter.

Amity: oh, bad dream again?

Emira: WHY DOES EVERYONE KNOW BUT ME 😭

Amity: Not sure, Maybe pay attention?

Luz: Im back, edric's in hunters room rn.

Amity: Is hunter okay, I know I hate him but, nevermind.

Luz: Not really, Hunter was crying again.

Gus: Hunter was crying? again?

Willow: Hunter crys?!

Luz: Yes and yes! 0'0

Gus: I feel so bad! is edric over there?

Luz: Yep. I think he fell asleep, the crying stopped.

Emira: WHAT IS THIS? AND WHY DO I NOT KNOW ABOUT IT ☹️☹️☹️

Luz: Not sure emi.

Edric: Hunters asleep. pretty bad panic attack.

Luz: awe, poor hunter, is he okay?

Edric: I think he is now.

Emira: okay seriously, whats going on edric??

Edric: ...

Emira: Hello?

Edric: Uh.

Emira: Wait

Edric: 🧍🏻♀️

Emira: Are you and hunter dating?!

Edric: ...

Luz: Wait what?

Amity: WHAT!

Gus: They totally are.

Edric: GUS YOU LITTLE BETRAYING BIT-

Amity: WHATTTT!!!!!!

Luz: OH EM GEE REALLY????

Emira: ...

Gus: 😹🙌

Edric: Im gonna FUGGIN KILL YOU!

Amity: This is gold. Hunter dating you? how much did you pay him?

Edric: He asked me out actually. 🤪

Amity: THAT SON OF A BITC-

Luz: NO CUSSING!  >:(

Amity: ...

Emira: Why are we called the fruit saladians?

Luz: ...

Amity: ...Dont worry about it. 😑

Gus: wait, are you guys actually dating?!

Gus: ...guys?

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Amity: Luz, is edric still at your house?

Luz: Yeah, why hermosa? :}

Amity: well uh..no reason, just wondering.

Emira: Are they making out?

Hunter: No.

Luz: HUNTER! ARE YOU OKAY? WAS IT ABOUT BELOS AGAIN?

Hunter: Im fine, I guess. and yes, it was.

Amity: Why is he so serious?

Hunter: Thats just how I am, I guess.

Edric: Not around me! he turns as red as you mittens!

Amity: LOL

Hunter: ...

Edric: come on hunter, its not that bad, ba- OH SHI-

Luz: EDRIC??? WAIT WHAT HAPPENED??

Luz: EDRIC? EDRIC???

Amity: WAIT WHAT? I JUST WENT TO GET A SNACK-

Willow: WHAT HAPPENED?

Luz: IM CHECKING RIGHT NOW 0.0

Luz: HUNTERS TICKLING HIM

Amity: WHAT 😧

Willow: PFT-

Edric: LUZ HELP-

Luz: ... Nah.

Edric: NO-

Willow: ...

Amity: IM CRYING THIS IS SO FUNNY

Amity: THATS WHAT YOU GET FOR STEALING MY SANDWICH EDRIC!

luz: Im definitely not helping him then.

Hunter: Who knew he was ticklish.

Luz: you.

Hunter: What?

Luz: You literally spy on edric. every DAM night.

Hunter: What happened to no cussing.

Amity: WAIT...WHAT?

Hunter: LUZ

Luz: 🥱

Edric: You spy on me?

Hunter: NO...

Edric: I LOVE YOU TOO 🤗🤗

Luz: EDRIC YOU KILLED HUNTER

Edric: I KILLED THE LOVE OF MY LIFE

Luz: SORRY AMI BRB

Willow: What the fuck?

Amity: Wtf just happened.

Gus: what happened to hunter?

Luz: He's a tomato edric you KILLED HIM

Edric: I DIDN'T MEAN TOO.

Hunter: crying

Edric: NO DON'T CRY MY LOVE-

Luz: YOU MADE HIM CRY THANKS A LOT

Edric: I ONCE AGAIN, DIDN'T MEAN TOO.

Willow: Amity get the popcorn.

Amity: On it!

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Hunter: EDRIC!

Amity: Oh shit....

Edric: Yessss?

Hunter: WHERE THE FLIPPITY FLAPPITY FUCK IS FLAPJACK?????

Edric: ...

Emira: Edric stole him! 🥱

Edric: EMIRA WE HAD A DEAL!

Hunter: EDRIC GIVE ME BACK FLAPJACK

Luz: WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT SWEARING???>:(

Hunter: I DON'T GIVE TWO SHITS ANYMORE EDRIC STOLE FLAPJACK!!!

Luz: ...

Luz: EDRIC

Edric: Yes?

Luz: GIVE BACK FLAPJACK

Edric: But-

Luz: 🤨

Amity: Just give it back edric.

Hunter: FLAPJACK IS NOT AN IT

Amity: WELL IT IS NOW BITCH

Hunter: ...

Amity: 😟

Luz: Amity... Just don't move....

Luz: Im coming to get you...

Hunter: ...

Edric: 😧

Gus: This is why you don't mess with flapjack. he's coming for your palismens...

Amity: LUZ HELP!

Luz: I cant help you now. You've gone too deep...

Amity: HELP

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Luz: Hey guys! :3

Amity: Hey luz. ❤️

Hunter: Lol simp

Amity: ...

Edric: ...

Amity: ...

Hunter: Guys?

Willow: wtf

Luz: NO CUSSING

Amity: ..heh..

Hunter: LUZ IM SCARED

Hunter: GET YOUR GIRLFRIEND!

Luz: No saving you now buddy.

Amity: ...

Amity: At least i'm not the one constantly flirting around with my brother, blushing non stop, meeting up in places with said brother to most likely make out, seeing him every day through the window, gave away your title for EDRIC and act like the biggest nerd when he's around.

Hunter: ...

Edric: .

Luz: PFFFT

Gus: WHAT

Willow: Wait what?

Edric and Hunter have left the group chat.

Luz: WAIT NO-

Luz added Edric and Hunter to the group chat.

Amity: Did I mention edric has pictures of hunter on his scroll?

Hunter: What.

Edric: ...

Willow: Wait.

Luz: Im dying XD

Amity: Hunter also calls edric every night. Who's the simp now?

Hunter: Maybe I should've killed you at eclipse lake.

Amity: Great

Hunter: Great

Willow: ...

Gus: What happened? I got me an eye scream.

Luz: A lot buddy, A lot.

Hunter: Amity, You cannot being talking.

Luz: Oh Great....

Amity: What do you mean dear golden guard?

Hunter: ...

Luz: Oh shit...

Hunter: What I mean is, Didn't you dance together at grom? didn't you absolutely simp hardly for luz all throughout school? Bullied her and her friends? I also recall you calling every single night, In which you both also run off to make out in the woods, Yes I spied on you. didn't you two get together during the time Eda became a harpy? That was sad, really. Lets talk about eclipse lake shall we? your such a simp you gave up the key so I wouldn't hurt her, ps, I was bluffing. You guys run off into the owl house so loud while i'm asleep, All I hear is giggling and smooching, which is far more unpleasant then being abused by the emperor, which is super sad if i'm being honest. Didn't you also lose your library card because of you being such a simp? kissing her when she got it back for you? Embarrassing.

Amity: What the fuck.

Gus: LOL

Willow: WAIT, WHAT

Luz: ...

Emira: MITTENS GOT PUNCHED DOWN BY HER ENEMY? SICK CONFIDENCE GOLDIE

Edric: oh god.

Gus: Wait. Luz CUSSED??

Luz: Um no.

Amity: Stop changing the subject, lets talk about how edric said he's gonna marry you...

Gus: ...Their together?

Willow: GUS WHAT THE FUCK!

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Hunter: hey guys.

Luz: whats up hunter? cant you talk to me in person?

Hunter: I know, just...not feeling up to it.

Luz: I'm sorry hunter, we will find a way home soon!

Hunter: I guess so..

Gus: hey you guys! I just found some new cool human stuff...

Hunter: hey gus.

Gus: Hey hunter! whats wrong?

Luz: nothing, gus. i think we should sleep, its been a long night.

Hunter: alright, goodnight.

Hunter shut off his scroll. he layed back with a sigh. would they ever get back home? of course they would... he tried to reassure himself. tears stained his face as he tried to weep silently. missing the boiling isles, and...Edric. he tried to wipe his tears, but nothing could stop it. flapjack chirped sadly, nuzzling his shoulder.

Hunter fell asleep after that.

Luz walked down to the basement where gus and hunter slept, she silently walked over to hunter, his sleeping eyes puffy and face red. she frowned, not angrily, but guiltily. Oh hunter...
Luz knew what to do, and there was one thing she would do. get hunter home, and the rest of her friends

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Hunter sighed, getting "attacked" from the group ever since he cried that night.  but edric and home wasn't the only thing he cried about. his body felt...out of place that night, every night. he went to the mirror multiple times to look at himself, cutting his hair and even thinking about belos's words that had been said to him. it made his heart churn.

PHONE CALL

Hunter: H-hey luz..

Luz: Hey hunt- whats wrong?

Hunter: Could you come down here p-please?

Luz nodded, shutting off her phone and setting it on her night table, silently walking around the others to make sure she didn't wake them up. she then quickly ran down the basement stairs. she reached hunter, who was curled up into a ball, crying.

Luz ran to him, knowing already what was wrong, it was sibling instinct, ya know? He also spent a lot of his time crying in the bathroom. "hey hunter.." she said, adjusting her fallen off beanie as she slid down the wall next to him.

"h-hey luz." he said quietly, making sure his tears and tone were invisible. "I-Im sorry." he said shakily. his hair was cut unevenly, looking like someone had came up and cut his hair with their eyes closed. "Its okay hunter. its no big deal." Luz said, reassuring him.

Hunter hid his chest. he never wanted them to begin with. his binder always hurt, as he wore them for hours- even days. it wasn't healthy. hours went by, and he fell asleep next to luz. who sat there with her thoughts.
I wish I could help them.

It was just a matter of time.

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Tonight was one of the very few nights hunter didn't cry.
Well, almost.
he teared up a bit when he looked at the messages he had sent to edric 3 months ago, and it completely broke him. Sometimes he texted edric to get some kind of relief, or comfort.

This was one of those nights.

EDDIE BOY (Ed)

Hunter: Love you. (last sent:  2 weeks ago)

Hunter: Hi, ed. Love you. we will get you out of there as soon as the portal works!

He turned off his scroll, laying his head down on the kitchen table. He obviously didn't expect an answer, but just something to get his hopes up.

...

Not until his scroll buzzed.

He stared at it. hopefulness filled his mind until he denied it just as quick, Edric was most likely dead. He picked it up shakily, opening it to - probably - find luz texting him. they often did that when they couldn't sleep.

EDDIE BOY (Ed)

Hunter: Hi, ed. Love you. we will get you out of there as soon as the portal works!

Edric: Omg hunter! you're alive?! thank titan you're okay.

Hunter stared at it, mouth gaped. he quickly put a hand over his mouth, texting a sloppy response that he could've sworn was made by a child.

EDDIE BOY (Ed)

Hunter: Edrc? o my ttan I thoght you were ded!

Edric: Alive and well, goldie!

He blushed at the nickname, typing his next response.

Hunter: Are you safe?! I miss you so much. ❤️

Edric: Yeah, we're hiding out at hexside. Miss ya too!

Hunter: We'll get back to you as soon as possible, Wait for me, i'll be back!

Edric: Okay, huntie. see ya' soon! everyone else is safe, except for some of the coven scouts. they aren't dead. Just... stressed.

Hunter: okay, thank you, ed. noted.

He stared at the text, his ears fluttering.

Edric was safe.

A crimson red flooded across his face and to his ears, a tear forming on his already stained face. he layed his scroll to the side while his heart beat rapidly.
edric was safe. He would remind himself as many times as he needed.
He finally got up, scroll in hand; walking back to the basement to sleep the few hours he had. (it was only 2:00, but he was used to waking up at 4:30)

•••

Luz yawned. It was finally Saturday, which meant no school and more time to rebuild the portal!

She ran down the steps, quietly; she was good at being quiet. (she was not quiet, but she wasn't quite convinced when the others told her she was loud.)
She most definitely wasn't surprised when hunter lay at the kitchen table. he was usually the first awake, then luz; than the others.  She could see by the way he was vibrating in his seat and how he rocked back n' forth that he was happy.
She walked over, hands in her pajama pockets. hunter noticed quickly. "Um, hi luz!" He was blushing, a lot.
"What happened, hunter?" she asked, not expecting the answer that quickly came out of his mouth. "The others are alive, and so is edric!"
Luz froze, What?! She zipped around, mouth open. "Wait, really?!"
He nodded. A smile was planted on his face, and she gave hunter that oh-you-have-a-boyfriend smirk. "Ohh, I see...Edric." she chuckled, and hunter squinted. "Shut up, idiot." She took the chair next to hunter, leaning back on it with an exhausted sigh."Wanna try to reopen the portal again? it's the weekend so I won't have to go to school." she breathed, huffing. "Sure." He said plainly.

Maybe this time it won't turn out so bad.

•••

Hunter fucked up. bad.
New scars were planted on his skin, heart thumping loudly. he couldn't breathe. it was really, really hard to breathe.
Belos had opened a new portal, which they took a day to finally get through out of curiosity and weariness.

When they walked in, edric was- in fact- not waiting for him. what was waiting for him was a home he did not recognize.

It was...Different. In a bad way, maybe.
Life was overgrown, along with new..puppets? dolls? whatever they were. They hadn't seen anyone until they found hexside. Only Mattholomule and Boscha were there along with a few other kids that he didn't recognize. his anxiety pricked and stung to his scars. everyone was staring, and it made him feel so hopeless and small.

It was humiliating.

His mind was screaming to run and never come back, chest tightening. He hand't seen edric yet and it made him feel worthless, like he was too little for edric to care.
He wanted to break down and never wake up, sleeping for eternity. that would make him feel less like an ant on this stupid ground.
He only realized he was shaking until luz put an arm on his shoulder. "You 'kay, hunter? you're shaking." she said, a hint of worry in her eyes, her very brown eyes. He nodded.
Anything for a distration.

He wasn't up for talking.
They were talking to the coven scouts about ways to defeat the collector and belos, which only made him more nervous and uneasy.

His breathing turned irregular, gasping silently for air, any air. everyone was staring and staring and staring. Tears pricked at his eyes, trying to ignore the roaming eyes turning to him when he realized how loudly he was breathing.

Gus held out a hand, "You alright, hunter? you seem a bit...shaken."
He ignored the hand, feeling like his vision had turned to complete darkness.

The coven heads noticed too. now everyone was staring, and he caused it.
It was always always always always his fault.
He grabbed his hair and groaned, thoughts to big and fast to focus on. "Leave 'e alon-" he tried to speak, but, of course, instead of doing something logical, he ran off into the shadowy halls of the school.

He wished he didn't do that. now he was stuck in a corner, crying and screaming. everyone was just so loud, but so quiet. His skin was crawling and burning.
Edric or luz weren't there. he was completely hopeless and too embarrassed to find them, or- luz. Edric still hadn't shown up like he said.

He calmed down just a bit, ears flattened like a scared cat. All he wanted was comfort. instead he lost his best friend and got a few too many scars that would stick with him for his remaining years of this fucked up life. He rubbed his head, it being some kind of stim, as luz called it.
A voice was heard down the hallway, the only words he could make out were, "Going by- self! stay!" He was sure it was luz. it was always her.

He felt terrible.

"Hunter!" She yelled. He felt like throwing up. She glanced at him, a breath escaping her throat. "Oh, hunter! I'm so glad you're okay." she said, wheezing.
he knew she hadn't ran that fast in a long time. "I-i'm sorr-" he choked on his own saliva. he couldn't get words out even if he tried. Luz rubbed his shoulder comfortingly. weirdly making him calm.
He soon stopped crying, getting up to meet the others. much to his embarrassment.

•••

They all had met up at the owl house. Raine, darius and lilith were there, too. Luz said more were coming, but didn't give any details.

Oh how he hoped he cleaned up a little. His hair was still messy and tear marks still covered his face, not as harshly though.

bang bang!

Everyone turned to the door, narrowing their eyes. Luz gleamed, opening the door without hesitation. Before anyone could protest, they looked in the door way. Two teens stood there.

Green haired teens stood there. Hunter blushed.

It was Edric and Emira. Emira look happy, running after her sister who smiled.

Edric, however, was covered in bandages and casts. Luz stared, "what the heck happened edric?" he shifted a bit, letting out a barely noticeable hiss. "I fell in a well!" he said, still smiling. his hair had grown out, and he wasn't wearing his concealment stone.
It made hunter blush even more. Hunter was trying hard to not go and hug him right now, to never let go, but he was hurt and he didn't want to make it worse.
Instead, he smiled and rocked on his heels. he did that a lot, especially when he was the golden guard and missions were just to boring.
Luz put a hand on his shoulder, giving him that Go-and-do-it-but-be-careful Look.

He spoke uneasily, "I don't want to hurt him." Luz rolled her eyes, letting out a giggle. "That dude has gotten his foot stuck in toilets a bajillion times, he will be fine."
Hunter chuckled, along with a shiver. "Do not remind me." Amity and Edric were talking, some of his cast broken from trying to hug his sister.
He felt awkward, especially when the healing coven head was standing right there healing edric of his bruises and cuts. Him and his boyfriend were staring at each other a lot, and Raine became suspicious. Hunter could tell by the way they squinted their eyes at them, probably expecting a fight or something along the lines.

Little did they know the two were stopping themselves from crying and running at each other.

"Woah, thanks dude!" he called when most of his bruises and cuts had been healed, stretching. "I feel great, now..." he trailed off, looking at hunter with a smirk. that smirk. He winced, "Oh titan edric don-" He was cut off by a tight hug, picking him off the ground with a squeak. "Edric no put me-" edric squeezed tighter, "No thanks!" Luz smirked. "Told you! should've went." He rolled his eyes, a faint blush arising. "Just because he's gotten his foot stuck in toilets doesn't mean i'll hug him when he's critically injured!" he snapped back, ears fluttering.

"Wow, goldie, didn't know you cared for me." he said dramatically, letting hunter on the ground so he could fall back. Hunter caught him, sighing.  "I hate you." he let go of edric, making a thump as he hit the ground.

"Damn." Luz chuckled.

Oh my fucking god this took so long. 1788 words is the longest chapter i've ever written, and i've made dozens of fics.

Edric getting his foot stuck in toilets is a reference to one of my favorite group chats btw.

Pls give praise this took a week 💔🙏

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Can I even continue this after seeing alador and darius being a bit fruity at the end of the episode???

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Im so incredibly sorry for not updating in like 2 months, Ive had writers block for such a long time 😭 I promise i’ll get on it tho!!