Beyond the Shadow of a Doubt: Hunter x OC

Wedding, Part 2

Dishes clinked and people laughed, passing bottles of champagne and Corellian wine beneath the twinkling glow of the lights strung across the Town Square. Night had fallen, offering a cool respite from the heat of day, and Luci rested a hand on Hunter's thigh from her seat beside him, offering an apologetic smile as she caught the slight cringe of overstimulation on his face. He softened as he met her gaze, reaching up to loosen his collar a bit.

"It's not pasta, but this is pretty delicious," she quipped, stabbing a plump bite of fish from her plate and popping it into her mouth. "Sorry if it's all a bit much for you, babe. We can jet after the toasts if you want."

"When is that?" he asked, finishing his glass of water and scanning the table for another pitcher.

"Well, the brides will give their speeches, then some special dances, then some group dances, then the family members each offer a toast, then the rest of the night is just party time."

"So like three hours from now?"

"No," she laughed, wrapping her fingers around his chin affectionately. It rubbed him the wrong way. "Don't be such a grump. We can still have fun without going overboard. I'm not trying to sneak one past you."

He hummed in response, again forcing the smile across his face as his eyes scanned the crowd. Keeping alert for any possible threats (at least that was how he justified it) and simply observing the attendees. Luci slipped into a conversation with the girl beside her, but her hand remained on his thigh, and despite her seeming to be entirely distracted, it slowly slid upward and inward.

There she was. Lyra was at a table across the Square with a few other school employees and some individuals he didn't recognize. She looked small in her seat, hands in her lap as she waited for her dinner plate to arrive. The servers hadn't gotten to those tables yet, and Hunter watched as she smiled and nodded when the discussion roped her in, and yet the facade would fade just as quickly once the focus had moved away from her. He felt a pang, wishing things were different, wishing she hadn't lied to him. There had been a serenity he hadn't known to be possible when they were curled up together on her couch or sitting idly in the forest, gazing at the sun filtering through the leaves in perfect contentment. But it all felt like a lie now, which left a bitter taste in his mouth as well as a yearning in his chest.

Hunter suddenly scrambled to his feet, banging his knee on the table as he sprang up, loud and clumsy. Luci's hand had continued moving up his thigh, dangerously close to his zipper, and he cleared his throat as many pairs of inquisitive eyes fixed on him. Luci grinned at him with lifted eyebrows, and his gaze flitted across the table before landing on the empty water pitcher.

"Refill," he muttered, leaning over to pick it up before walking quickly away. Fortunately, the attention was shifted away from him as the brides began their speeches, thanking the guests and sharing the story of their love. Once he got to the edge of the group, he searched the area for any of the wait staff, instead spotting a long table in front of a restaurant that was covered with various service items. He swapped his empty pitcher for a full one, then turned to face the crowd again.

A small alley caught his eye, branching off from the main street nearby, and he took a few steps toward it, propelled by some unseen force. He stepped into the narrow space, tall buildings rising protectively on either side of him, and felt his shoulders relax a little as the noise quieted. A long, deep breath brought some refreshment, at least physically if not mentally, and he leaned against the wall, resting his head backward on the cool stone. Smooth clouds obscured any stars that may have been visible in the velvet sky, and their painted edges were aglow from the soft light of the moons. He found himself wishing he were up there.