Disclaimer: I don't own the following characters. For entertainment purposes only.
Epiphany
by Anthy
When an epiphany hits, it doesn't hold back. It doesn't wait, or look for the perfect time to pounce on you. If it hits, it's going to catch you by surprise. And if it doesn't knock you over from the sheer shock of it, well, it wasn't that great of an epiphany to begin with.
This is from experience, as I am recovering from the aftershocks of one. Today wasn't special, just the normal routine. I take that back, there was the trip to the store. Perhaps that was it. The Bradleys were in town and somehow Dustin managed to get me to gather food from the grocer. His annoying talent at being...him, was manipulative enough to get me out of the house. He's far more intelligent than I'll ever give him credit for, Dustin and my cousin both. Either way, Hunter wanted to come along. I had planned to go on my own, Hunter could make a simple trip twice as long and three times distracting, but as Tori noted I still don't have a car of my own.
It is in the trip to the store that I wondered why I put up with him. We had became lovers some time before we lost our powers, and we tended to entertain each other's company when the Hunter was in town. That was it, nothing special. At times, like this particular car trip, it was aggravating. No matter how often I explained to him, Hunter couldn't understand the fact I don't need to talk from point A to point B, nor do I need to know what was playing on every radio station en route to the store. Yet, he always managed to ramble on about nothing important in between bars of songs he's familiar with. At least until boredom or commericals hit, then he's reaching to the scan button for the next station. It's less annoying during a commerical break, but he has a habit of cutting off songs that he knows I like. I'm pretty sure he likes them too, or he wouldn't know the lyrics. Alright, I have no complaints on his voice, only I wished he'd shut up and just pay attention to the road.
We reached the store, thankfully without incident. I almost mentioned Tori's driving style and lack of annoying music when she drives, but that would've prompted another 'discussion' I'd rather not get into again.
You have to give retail stores credit, they love their seasonal items. One holiday almost over, and signs of the holiday to come slowly starts to crop in its place. We walk past the clearance Christmas lights and find ourselves surrounded in...fluff. I know that significance of Valentine's Day colors and all, but I always think of blood and pepto bismo walking through the isles. Not the most romantic images in the world, but oddly fitting with the holiday. Hunter seemed interested by all of the overpriced stuffed animals in shiny ribbons, but I still had a shopping list to complete. He puts on a good show, having no interest in that stuff, but by the sheer amount of complaining I know he's excited.
I start to turn the corner already with a half-hearted promise to come back for him, but I could hear him trying to get my attention behind me. I knew I had to look back or he'd raise his voice or become embarrassing. He's holding up the ugliest bear I have ever seen, brown with tuffs of white cotton that I assumed were meant to be wings. It had a felt bow and arrow glued to its hands and I knew he was going to buy it. I tried my best to discourage him, but that seemed to encourage him more. It was after compromising him down to chocolate that it hit me. I was enjoying myself, not surprising really, especially when he glances over his shoulder at me with that sideways smile of his. . .
That's when it hit me, and after he eventually put the bear in the kiddie seat of the basket I could only smile at him in a way that made him take pause.
"You okay, Cam?"
Other than getting hit by the ugliest cupid in the world, I thought to myself, though I add with a shake of my head. "I'm fine."
The rest of the trip to the store went by in a blur, the whole day did. Only thing that came in full, amplified version was him. I was unprepared and unsure of how to handle myself with the relevation, but somehow I endured.
Hunter crept up behind me once we were in my room for the evening. "Do I get to even guess what's bothering you today?"
"No." I smirk to myself, leaning back against him.
"You hated the bear that much, huh." he commented, hooking his thumbs into the belt loops of my jeans.
"Tear the wings off and you might salvage it."
He laughed and placed a light kiss on my temple. "I'm beat, going to join me?"
"No, want me to tuck you in?" I glanced up at him, and that thought crosses by again. I want ed to say it out loud, if only to confirm my inner suspicions, but my throat blocked up everytime I tried.
"No." He smiled down at me and we kiss. It was slow and lingered more than he probably intended, but it'll do for now. He nuzzled my cheek and I knew for certain that he loved me as much as I loved him, even if I might never be able to admit it. "Good night." He breathed before leaving me alone with my thoughts.