Huntlow One Shots ♡

Phoenix & Tucana

Hunter shifted restlessly, caught in the tangle of his own dreams, his face twisting in distress. For the fifth time that night, he groaned softly, turning over in a desperate attempt to escape the shadows pressing in around him. His lips trembled, his hands clenching the sheets as his closed eyes squeezed shut, as if trying to shield him from the visions behind them.

Then, in an instant, his eyes flew open. He bolted upright, a ragged gasp escaping his lips as his chest heaved, his hand instinctively pressed over his heart. Cold sweat clung to his skin, chilling him as he tried to pull himself back into reality.

The room was dark and silent, save for the rhythmic beat of his heart pounding in his ears, and the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the curtains. He blinked, his breaths shallow and rapid, trying to shake the remnants of the nightmare still clinging to his mind like fog.

"Hunter?" A soft, familiar voice broke through the haze of his fear. It was Willow, the warmth in her tone unmistakable, even in the quiet shadows of the night. Just moments ago, she had been peacefully asleep beside their friend, the faint rise and fall of her breathing blending with the soft snores of the cotton candy-haired witch beside her.

But now she was awake, her voice laced with worry as she leaned closer, her silhouette barely visible in the dim light. The warmth of her hand found his shoulder, gentle and grounding, as if reaching through the darkness to pull him back from the nightmare's edge.

"I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you," Hunter mumbled, rubbing a palm over his forehead, his hand lingering there as if trying to press away the remnants of his nightmare.

Willow shook her head gently, her expression soft with understanding. "Not at all. Were you... having a nightmare?"

"Yeah, I... I was," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking it aloud might bring the nightmare back. Oh yeah. And 'cause he didn't wanna wake anyone else in the room up.

Willow's hand found his shoulder again, her thumb moving in a gentle, comforting circle. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, her tone patient and kind.

Hunter hesitated, then shook his head. "I'd... rather not. I'm sorry."

Her lips curved into a calm, reassuring smile. "That's okay, Hunter. You don't have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable."

A small, grateful grin crept onto his face at her kindness. She always knew exactly how to make him feel safe, no matter what haunted him.

"Do you think you're gonna be able to fall back asleep?" she asked after a moment, concern still lingering in her gaze.

Hunter sighed, shrugging. "I... I don't know. Maybe. Hopefully. I'll just lie here and wait until it happens."

She raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "No, that never helps," she replied with a gentle shake of her head. "Why don't we go get some fresh air instead?"

"Now?" He blinked, confused. "It's three o'clock in the morning."

"Exactly," she replied, a playful glint in her eyes. "The perfect hour for some stargazing, don't you think?"

Stargazing... with Willow? A small spark of excitement flickered in his eyes, and before he could stop himself, his ears perked up slightly. Realizing, he quickly covered them, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but Willow just laughed softly, her gaze as warm as ever. He nodded, his face a little red, but his heart lighter.

They soon found themselves lying on the cool grass outside, side by side, looking up at the sky. Stars sparkled across the dark expanse, casting a faint, silver glow that softened everything around them. Hunter's heart was still racing, but now it had nothing to do with fear. His pulse quickened for a different reason—the girl lying beside him, the one who seemed to make all his fears fade away, if only for a little while.