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It had been about a week since the young guard, Hunter, had been staying within the school of Hexside School of Magic and Demonics, with the permission of Principal Bump of course, even with the rather rocky beginnings.
To say he enjoyed his time there was a grand understatement. The young witch adored every second he could get poking his head through mahogany library bookshelves, flipping through books- while disapprovingly shaking his head at the graffiti he found in school textbooks- and of course practical work with mixing potions and finding ingredients was always a pleasure.
But that wasn't all he enjoyed, in fact there was something else he had his eye on, or rather someone else.
Edric Blight, his face wasn't unknown, far from it. The middle child of the noble and well known Blight family and now the only son after they went from having none before his transition.
He was beautiful.
That was just the tip of it, he held that rare shade of forest green hair the Blight lineage was renowned for as it was so uncommon for it to be naturally that shade. Along with that, he had the most entrancing sunlight-shimmer eyes of gold Hunter had ever looked into and he swore that wasn't a hyperbole.
With the frequency of their run-ins, be it sharing a simple "hi" through the hallway, small talk in class, or him bombarding him with questions about the technicalities of his Golden Guard uniform, Hunter had gotten the chance to notice more and more little features of him.
Like the little mole that was always on his right cheek bone, which was Hunter's left when facing him, or the way his eyes lit up when they would speak about beast keeping- a subject Hunter was intrigued to learn more about from him.
As much as he didn't want to admit it at first, it became harder to deny.
Hunter was completely smitten for Edric Blight.
And of course, the people around him took quick notice. It started with Willow and then Gus who caught him blushing red when catching Edric watching his practice sessions. They themselves had experience with witnessing what Hunter was going through, which she and Gus dubbed, "the tomato panic".
Next was Skara who was instantly offering to hook him and the Blight up, along with Viney offering to wingwoman. Both were very persistent and it didn't seem like he had much choice to say no.
Naturally, once word had gotten out from the Emerald Entrails to Luz Noceda that Hunter had the hots for her girlfriend's brother, she was pestering him non-stop about it, squealing and excited to hear more about his crush, as he ran the other direction.
Too bad that other direction was blocked off by Amity Blight, who had a harsh set of words to say to him regarding the subject of shovel talk, with Emira Blight not following too long after.
With all that, Hunter could only sigh and gasp for air.
Having a crush was hard.
_
Shuffling through his books, Hunter rapidly grabbed what he needed- which he would be studying in the room Amity Blight begrudgingly provided for him within her secret room to say in- still cautious of the locker after last week's events of almost ripping his head clean off his body- that is until Edric could interfere and kindly ensure his head stayed attached to his neck.
"Heyyyyy, Hunter! Or should I say Caleb?"
Perking his head up, Hunter turned to the annoyingly familiar voice.
Luz Noceda.
The human.
"What do you want?" He scowled in his rather typical hostile manner towards her, to which she mostly took jokingly.
His familiar palisman- Flapjack- on the other hand chirped happily at her appearance which made Hunter pout and look up at the bird sitting on his head.
"Oh you know," she leaned up on the locker next to his, that most definitely was not hers, of course before quickly backing off as the mouth opened. "AH!"
Hunter rolled his eyes. The two of them both seemed to share a problem that was he would not admit to.
"Um, anyways. I just wanted to know if you had any special plans on Satur-"
"You're trying to get me to go out with the Blight." He sternly responded, giving her a glare.
Ever since she had found out about his crush, she was adamant on helping him, despite his pleas against the very idea. He was not one for taking her of all people's help.
"How did you know that?" They asked awkwardly, rubbing the back of their neck.
"Willow told me you were hooked on scheming a plan to set me up." The boy tightened his grip on his books.
Willow was a lot less forceful than Luz, despite her encouragement she often sat aside, Hunter respected that. Finally, another sane person with the school.
"You make it sound a lot worse." They quirked their brow at him and his rather gloomy descriptions and the little bird twittered in agreement. "I just think you should really put yourself out there and go approach him!" Raising their fists, they gave the witch a wide, enthusiastic grin.
"So I can look like an idiot? Not gonna happen." He deadpanned.
"Why not?!" Luz whined, clearly sick of his defeatist attitude.
"He's a Blight, Luz! Edric Blight, a smart, good-looking witch who's completely out of my league, that is if I even have one!" The witch leaned forward to her, empathizing on his point, before walking around her, heading to the library despite his palisman's twittering and tugging at him
"Oh don't be like that! You're really talented too, Hunter!" Picking up her feet, she chased after him, as he sped up with his hurried speed-walk.
"At what?!" He called behind him, running at this point, as Flapjack flew to catch up with him and his ample legs, clearly uninterested in an answer to his question.
Witches turned to look at the two, clearly showing their confusion, curiosity and concern.
"You're smart! You know so much about wild magic and history, your parkour skills on a staff are the best I've seen! Edric even thinks you're cool!" Luz turned a corner, as they were now outside the school, feet kicking up on sandy, yellow ground.
"That's an oversta- wait Edric thinks I'm cool?" Halting, he blushed slightly, giving Luz the opportunity to catch their breath and curse their "scrawny nerd legs''.
"Uh, YEH! Ed tells me all the time about "how cool Hunter was on his staff today" this or "Hunter's so good at making potions" that!" Raising up their arms, they jogged forward to face him front on, with Flapjack taking their side on their shoulder.
Hunter blushed, pointed ears flopping downwards. "I didn't know that."
"Hunter!"
The pair and the red cardinal turned to the voice that beckoned the blonde's attention, surprised to be met with a very familiar face.
Waving towards them was a very enthusiastic Edric, in his casual outfit of the boysenberry tunic tied with a dark blue belt and his ash blue pants, he beamed brightly to the pair.
"Oh Titan…" Hunter blushed.
"Speak of the devil much." Luz muttered looking over to Hunter. "I think if this isn't a sign, I don't know what is." Nudging him with a wink, she handed him a freshly picked purple snap-lily.
They often grew outside and around the school and Luz admired them so, with their purple, diamond-shaped petals on the outside and lilac ones within.
"I can't do this." Aggressively, he whispered, earning him a tug on the hair from the little rascal of a bird. "Ouch!"
"You can, I know that for a fact." They put their hand on their shoulder reassuring him.
"But how?"
"Just be direct. Let him know what you want."
"Direct…"
Edric tilted his head, looking over at the pair as he kicked his foot and fiddled his hands behind his back, wondering if he should just approach them himself until he saw the blonde witch puffing up his chest with a deep breath and coming towards him with the little bird following along.
"Hey, Hunter!" Cheery, Edric smiled at him wide, showing his sharp fangs. "Hey Flapjack!"
The bird twittered with appreciation.
"Edric." Hunter nodded, returning a small, yet nervous smile. "I didn't expect to see you here..." He scratched the side of his face with one finger.
"Oh uhm, I knew you usually got out of school late so decided to meet you here." Meaninglessly, he looked around. "Soooo, I wanted to ask you something."
Hunter side glanced at Luz, who gave him a thumbs up, then at up at Flapjack on his head who twittered in approval. "Same actually…"
With surprise, Edric's golden eyes lit up. "Well you go first then!"
A sweat formed down Hunter's tan skin, it seemed he was being on the spot by both sides. "I'm sure what you had to say is way more important anyways…"
Edric shook his head in response, "Nah, I want you to go first." He smiled.
Bats…
He was really stuck now, he sucked it up taking in a deep breath in and out- careful not to accidentally whistle, he did not need to embarrass himself like that.
"Edric Blight…"
"Yes?" Edric looked at him with a confused smile.
At rapid speed he dropped down on one knee, presenting the snap-lily with as much direct sense of enthusiasm and energy as he could.
"PLEASE GO ON A ROMANTIC GET-TOGETHER WITH ME!"
"Go Hunter!" Luz cheered a bit louder than she had intended, but it seemed neither boy was going to give her the attention.
Edric blinked, fluttering his pretty eyes, as Hunter kneeled in place stock still with a burning red face reminiscent of the plump bird on his head. They all matched, with their beet-red faces.
"I-" He gasped and Hunter felt a sense of dread wash over him every second Ed went without saying a word.
"I can't believe you just stole my thunder like that!" Giggling, the boy beamed brighter than before.
"What?" Hunter quirked his thick brow.
Gently, he displayed the bunch of purple griffin orchids to the witch.
"Of course he would have griffin orchids over a common snap-lily…" Was where Hunter's mind wandered off to, before the realization of what was happening washed over him.
"Geez, now me asking you out is gonna look so boring in comparison…" With a chuckle Edric took Hunter's flower, trading it with his orchids.
"You were gonna ask me out?" Getting to his feet, Hunter blushed with visible shock.
"A bit late for that isn't it?" The Blight put his free hand on Hunter's shoulder. "Sooo, pick me up at 8 on Friday?"
"Yes! I mean, yeh, I'll do that." Hunter's glover hands rubbed the back of his head, brushing over his undercut.
"Perfect! See you around cutie!" With a wink, the young witch walked away, visibly bustling with excitement.
"Oh wow…"
Dazed was an understatement to the enamored boys' deer-in-the-headlights stare long after Edric had walked away.
With a devilish little grin of both pride and mischief, Luz took the opportunity to sneak up behind him, "Congratulations! You just asked out your first boy!"
Suddenly, he yelped loudly in response, as her small, brown hand patted his head of scruffy, blonde hair and he smacked it away, huffing.
Smirking, she leaned into him, putting a hand to the side of her mouth that did nothing for privacy. "Did you know that if you get down on one knee it means you want to marry him?"
Hunter froze in place before scowling. "SO YOU DIDN'T TELL ME BEFOREHAND?!" His height overtook her, as he attempted to wack her over the head as Luz held him off laughing while Flapjack chirped and flew around the two.
"Hey! Maybe it means nothing in the Boiling Isles!"
The sounds of laughter and screaming were heard outside of Hexside School of Magic and Demonics.