Beyond the Shadow of a Doubt: Hunter x OC

School

Hunter winced, one hand on his shoulder as he moved his arm in a circle, trying to work out the sore spot from the morning's wrestle with an angry bruallki that had apparently only feigned death from his shot. He'd had time to hunt, spend a few hours in his shop, and get cleaned up before heading up the hill to Omega's school. It was a plain rectangular building on top of a grassy plain that housed students from the youngest grade levels up to young adults within its brick walls, but the island wasn't too populated so the classes usually consisted of about 10 to 15 students each. He opened the door to the office, shifting his bag on his other shoulder as the attendance clerk looked up at him brightly.

After checking in, Hunter was free to walk the halls in search of Omega, who was late in meeting him at their usual spot in front of the school. It wasn't unheard of — she was usually either caught up in conversation with one of the staff members she'd taken a liking to or lost in thought from diving into one of her assignments as soon as she could. True to form, Hunter soon found her in the back of the administrative wing, in a little corner office that was full of dark wooden furniture. There were a few small, warm lamps, and there was Omega, relaxing in a cozy chair in front of a plain desk with a chiseled nameplate sitting on its corner: Lyra Vetana, Records Clerk.

The woman behind the desk looked to be a bit older than him, or what Hunter assumed it looked like for nat-borns, with long brown hair that was mostly straight, a somewhat angular jaw, and smile lines around her mouth and eyes. She was currently nodding slowly at whatever Omega was sharing, and as Hunter approached, he caught her attention, her gaze soon followed by Omega's, who piped up immediately.

"Oh hey Hunter! Sorry I'm late. Lyra was just sharing about what past students have done during their apprenticeship year. She's got a bunch of great ideas!"

"Yeah?" Hunter answered, shifting his focus to Lyra, who shook her head with a small smile.

"Just what the kids have come up with," she corrected, straightening a random pile of papers off to the side. "But I apologize for holding you up." Her voice was smooth, with just a little bit of husky texture that made it imperfectly pleasant, and it matched her humble and unassuming demeanor. Hunter could see why Omega appreciated her company; she had a steady, soothing presence, although it seemed somewhat flat.

"It's alright, just got some work to do before dinner," Omega reassured her, rising to her feet and pulling her backpack out of the chair beside her. "Which I bet is steak again, right?" She aimed the question at Hunter, who exhaled through his nose as he tilted his head at her.

"Look, you should be happy that I can cook anything at all, you know..."

"I'm just kidding," Omega said, patting his shoulder as though she were the parent. "You're doing great, and you've come so far!" Hunter resisted the urge to roll his eyes, although her words carried some weight, and he caught what looked like a condescending smile on Lyra's face.

"I make salad too..." he grumbled, and Lyra turned a laugh into a cough so quickly it made him second guess what he'd heard, squinting at her as she turned to move that same stack of papers all of a sudden.

"Shoot! I need my interview journal; I left it in my locker. Be right back, and then we can go!" Omega announced, trotting out the door to leave Hunter standing awkwardly in front of where Lyra was seated at her desk. But then he realized a potential solution to an argument he'd had that morning with Omega.

"Hey, quick question..." he began, looking over his shoulder before dropping into one of the chairs in front of Lyra's desk. "I... ah... Omega's very special, and... I know it's real safe here and all, but... We're still new, and I just want to make sure... she's alright... you know. And I know she comes to talk to you often, and you have been here at the school for a while..." He rummaged in his small sling bag for a moment, finding it hard to meet Lyra's curious gaze.