Reality Check - A Huntric/Goldric Based Fic

Birds Don't Sing (CHP 5)

As far as I'm concerned, we could've had a good time, so if you walk out the door in disgust, I guess there's nothing more to discuss. 

-TV Girl

Camp was going fantastic! 

Kids were well behaved, mostly. 

He had taught a lot of important skills, like finances and friendship bracelet making. 

Even his nose was healing, fairly well.

However, he did have one issues...

Hunter. 

The boy was so confident in his skills and tried to best Edric, no matter what they were doing!

It certainly did not help that his tooth gap made an occasional whistle, which was extremely annoying and distracting.

 Turns out, while he snores, the tooth gap whistles like a Halloween breeze. And as a sensitive sleep, it disrupted Ed way too often. Edric simply could not handle it anymore.

Hunter simply could not handle it anymore. 

Edric always insisted on questioning his skills at the camp and his authority, when he had neither.

 Hunter was the one who had been spent his entire life building this place from the ground up. NOT Edric. 

The mere fact that Edric decided that he was better at any of this hurt Hunter's pride, quire reasonably when it was considered how much he had when it came to this.

Hunter kicked off his slip-on Vans the minute he got inside, leaving them astray in the doorway. Edric followed him in, tripping himself over the shoes. 

"FUCK!" He cursed out in habit, stumbling over the shoes. Despite being hired for a position at what was typically a camp of tweens, he had a really bad habit of cursing... 

"What the hell, Edric? You know I don't mind if you curse in our cabin, but don't yell out it in a camp of MIDDLE. SCHOOLERS." Hunter shouted back.

"I DON'T CARE WHERE WE ARE, YOU NEED TO STOP LEAVING YOUR SHOES IN THE DOORWAY! THEY'RE A TRIPPING HAZARD!"

"THAT IS SOOOOO BESIDES THE POINT! PLUS, YOU NEED TO CARE, YOU'RE A BAD ENOUGH COUNSELOR AS IS!"

"AT LEAST I DON'T WHISTLE WHEN I BREATHE, TOOTH GAP." Edric kicked his shoes out of his way as rain began to pour outside, thunder booming loudly.

 Hunter flushed cherry red and stiffened up, his shoulders rising. 

He didn't say a word, instead put on his shoes and walked out without a proper coat. The wind whipped his face raw, and the rain stained his yellow sweater. He stormed out and away from the cabin as Edric slammed the door behind him. 

Hunter moodily made his way into the forest, too stubborn to turn back. Half-heartedly, he hope a bolt of lightning would come down and strike him just so he'd never have to deal with Edric again.

He refused to cry and sat down on a fallen log angrily, cowering the covers of the trees. 

Until he heard chirping. Panicked chirping, none the less.

 Confused, he followed the noise, navigating his way through the sopping wet forest. 

He found a clearing and in the middle was a pathetic, chirping bird. It was red and brown. A cardinal. Hunter recognized it instantly, even though none lived in that part of Connecticut. He bent down by the wounded creature, his eyes shining. He gently picked it up, and started walking before he knew it. 

Hunter had no idea he loved birds so much.

Edric scowled and laid down. He didn't need that blonde brat and frankly did not care what happened to him. He half-heartedly hoped Hunter would be struck with lightning. 

He scrolled through TikTok, watching and liking reposts from Viney and Emira. He sighed. They were such fantastic friends and were probably having a great time. His self-pity party was concluded when someone knocked at the door. He got up slowly, opening it, shocked to find who was there... and so soon. 

"Hunter?" He gasped.

"Edric, look, I KNOW-" Hunter began, unsure if the boy would even accept the creature.

He was interrupted by Edric beginning to close the door, until Hunter stuck his foot in the crack. "Please. I have a bird." 

The door swung back open, curiousity getting the best of Edric as he peered into the lump of red feathers. 

"Wait here." He left the door open and came back with a towel. He handed it to Hunter, who dried off and set the bird upon it. Edric stared down at the cardinal, daring to gently pet it. The bird shivered, chirping quietly. Edric giggled slightly, entertained by the small animal. 

"Edric, I- I'm sorry. I forget to watch my own mouth sometimes and I can say stupid shit."

Edric laughed, obviously too over-joyed by the bird to care too much about their previous argument.. "Don't worry too much about it, dude. I'm not much better... Truce?"

"Truce."

The bird chirped almost in agreement. The boys smiled at each other, realizing they had a friendship now, not just a partnership. The bird nuzzled closer into the towel.

They have a bird now, too.  Neither could bear to get rid of it, so instead they decided on keeping it and naming him Flapjack. He was very tame, odd for a wild animal. Hunter and Edric both enjoyed playing with him and it was such a fantastic experience. The three got along well, kicking off the summer to a better start. A great, platonic summer with absolutely zero romantic premise.

855 words.