It Started With a Spinny

First Love

Vee frowns at him: "Why?" She stares, "Sorry, I mean, isn't his main characteristic that he dies!"

Hunter nods, "True, but he dies for his friends! The ring brings out the worst in him: his uncle's indoctrination that he should serve without question, betray people and do evil things in the name of a greater good! But in the end, he overcomes it and chooses his friends, and that," he smiles sadly, "that means something."

Luz frowns, "Wait, wasn't Denethor his father, not his uncle?"

Hunter looks down, "Um, yeah, sorry."

Vee let's go of Luz with one hand, reaching out to gently touch Hunter's shoulder. He looks up in surprise, Vee smiling reassuringly, "Hunter, you don't need to die to be forgiven."

His eyes widen, before he looks down, smiling awkwardly, "I know that, really. Maybe just grievously injured then?"

"Hunter."

"Sorry, bad joke."

Vee swallows, "If, you... Miriam's very good."

He frowns, "Miriam? Your mental squire?"

She smiles, "I think she prefers 'child psychologist who specialises in trauma.' And she already knows the truth about me, and about the Boiling Isles, and she already knows a fair bit about... him."

Hunter's eyes widen.

"And she's really good to talk to! I think, I think maybe she could really help you too, like she's helping me!"

"And me!" Luz adds, "Like she did help me I mean."

Hunter looks down, "I... thank you for the thought, but I, I don't..." he breathes out, "I don't know if I could ask Mrs. Noceda to-"

"Messaging her now," Camilla states from the doorway.

Hunter stares, then looks down with a guilty smile. "I, I thank you Mrs. Noceda."

"You can thank me by calling me Camila, like I've asked."

"I, I'll try Mrs... Camila. And I'll finish the kitchen for you!"

"Just finished dear, but you can help me with dinner if you'd like?"

"At once!" Hunter leaps up, hesitates, then apologetically passes Luz back the slightly ruffled paper. Then he turns and marches happily back to the kitchen along with a tenderly smiling Camilla.

Vee's smiling too, but more painfully, her voice low as she says: "I hope he can talk to her."

"I'm sure he will," Luz squeezes the hand she's still holding. "You already did the hard part of convincing her the Demon Realm exists."

Vee laughs, "I'm still surprised she didn't scream!"

Luz takes her other hand too, "I think she saw a girl in need, and that's what she cared about."

"Thanks. But isn't she expensive though?"

Luz looks down, "Yeah I tried not to worry about that too when I was, when she... but maybe she'll give a group discount?"

Vee laughs, "Amity could certainly use help after her parents."

Luz nods wide eyed, "And Willow after Amity."

"And Gus after Hexside."

"Maybe we should get into crime."

"Luz!"

"Sorry bad joke, I just... I worry. About mami."

Vee looks down. "Me too."

There's a long moment, before Luz shakes her head, "So," she asks with only slightly forced excitement, "what about you?"