Golden Hour [Hunter x Reader]

17: It May Be Stupid But Nobody Can Call Me A Wuss

"You're walking away? What a pathetic little bitch." Hunter called out.

I whipped my head to look at him, jaw dropping, eyes popping moment. I watched as he used his staff to change into his Golden Guard uniform, then proceeded to point it at me.

"Oh I'm soooo scared." I scoffed, pulling out my own staff. A witch face off in the middle of the Boiling Isles, again. It was so boring, the usual. 

"You know what..." I look at him, a small smirk tugging at my lips, "What if we fought without magic. You would finally have an advantage." I teased, my nose scrunching as I sneered.

"Are other weapons allowed?" He asked with no emotion. 

"Surprise me." 

We circled each other warily, my friends being so confused and advising me to not be stupid. But I already had been, for catching feelings. Man I am salty today, but this fight could be good for me... for us. 

"I will bring you to the emperor" Hunter snarled, and in the middle of the last word he pounced, readying his fist to meet my face. But after all that running I was a little faster. Where the boy had struck was only empty air, I was now behind him with his back clearly exposed to me.

My motion to strike him was slowly timed, beautifully fluid, but I hesitated, I didn't want to actually hurt him, I never had. My hesitation gave Hunter the margin to twist away, backing, and turning to the right.

Again  Hunter went for the attack, magenta eyes glassy and glaring. 

And again I slipped away to return hesitative on the attack, over and over again.

Each time, I couldn't perform and follow through with the counter attack.

The two of us returned to circling one another, I observed as the boy in front of me pulled out a blade no bigger than his hand. My eyes widened slightly as I looked him in the eye, was he actually going to hurt me?

Once again, Hunter pounced, but this time he moved to the right where I had been dodging. Instead of faking or backing out, I met his knife hand on the point of my own.

Earlier on when I started staying at the Owl House, Eda and King had gifted me with a human thing they had found. Luz later said it was a switch blade, which they described as a pocket knife where the blade of which is held by a spring and can be released suddenly, as by pressing a button. They gifted it to me in case I was in a situation without my staff as defence. Thank Titan I kept it on me.

Hunter jerked back, I didn't actually mean to get him. I held my breath as I stared at his hand. Blood dripped from the injury; Hunter's own eyes were wide, studying me with a new wariness.

"Hunter I-"

I could see the shadow of desperation in the boy's face. Now is when he is the most dangerous. Now he is hurt and desperate and can do anything. Amity was right, he is a fighting machine  born and trained to it from infancy. Now my own act of betrayal has taken its toll.

Hunter began to circle me again, forcing movement from me. My mind was still racing and his emotionless face was not helping my panic. My mental state had led me to lack in capabilities, ultimately resulting in bad foot work and me tripping over. great.

Except, Hunter shifted his own knife in a blurred motion, stepped sideways and thrusted upwards where my stomach was descending-then away to watch me fall like a limp rag, face down. I was like that for a long moment, Hunter was insulting me but I couldn't hear him, he legitimately just fucking stabbed me. 

I took a deep breath and stood up, doing everything I could to not cry in pain. As I stood in front of the Golden Guard, with out looking away from him I grabbed the blade, pulled it out, and handed it back to him covered in my blood. 

"You dropped this."