Willow was grounded for the weekend, half as punishment, but the other half as a way to make sure Boscha's lackeys didn't come after her for revenge. What was the most unexpected was a call from Principal Bump letting Willow and her fathers know that she would not be suspended or face disciplinary actions. Willow never felt so relieved in her life.
But, being grounded was still being grounded. Willow spent most of her weekend without her scroll, though she was allowed one hour a night on it so she couldn't message Gus and Amity to let them know how she was. She of course took the time to quickly text Hunter, too, but was careful to not let her fathers see her doing so. They had no idea she was seeing a boy, and didn't want to have that conversation with them just yet. Mostly, she read books, played with Clover, got chores done, and did her homework.
When the sky grew dark, though, and just after she turned her lights off, she heard a knock on her window. Lil' Rascal peered in at her, waiting for her to open the glass. Willow smiled, doing so for the little guy. She expected him to fly off to show her where Hunter was hiding, but instead flew inside her room.
"Rascal!" Willow gave a whisper to him, " Come back out, you will get me in trouble!" Clover buzzed around behind the red-cardinal, trying to help shoo the little tresspasser out. After Lil' Rascal seemed satisfied, he returned to the window, and let out a few chirps into the night. Willow went back over to the opening, looking down at the back-road that laid behind her room, expecting to see Hunter. But in a flash of red-light, she was suddenly face to face with the golden, owl-like mask she had come to know. Willow startled back, putting her hand to her chest as The Golden Guard braced one of his hands against the frame, the other holding his staff, and his boots on the bricks below.
"Heeey~" The Golden Guard said in a hushed whisper.
"H-Hunter, what are you doing?" Willow asked him in a return whisper, moving back to him. " You are going to get me into so much trouble! What if someone sees you?" He gave her a shrug.
"I wanted to see you, what can I say? Besides, it isn't like anyone would believe seeing me here, right?"
Willow looked back at her door, fearful for if her fathers decided to check up on her. But if they did, would even they believe their eyes that The Golden Guard, right-hand man to the Emperor, leader of the Emperor's Coven, and known to be a mysterious figure in the eyes of the public was hanging off her window frame? She looked back to Hunter, who had put away the Golden Staff, and moved his mask to rest on the top of his head.
"How are you doing? Better?" He asked, still whispering to her. He had concern on his face, but Willow was more distracted by how much more...tired he looked.
"Me?" Willow crossed her arms, " I should ask the same, Hunter. You look more tired than usual."
Hunter put his free hand against his chest, faking a hurt expression. " Oh, the thanks I get for checking in!" He smirked over at her, " I take it you don't want these, then?" He reached behind him, pulling out a bag from under his cloak and offering it out to her. Willow quirked her brow, taking the bag as she looked from him, to the cloth, then back at him.
"Don't think you are off the hook just yet." She pointed at his nose, before going and opening the cloth. A batch of pink cookies sat in her hand, they looked soft, and by the smell they were freshly baked. Willow looked back up to Hunter with a big smile, a bit surprised but appreciative all the same.
" That's the smile I came for." Hunter smiled back, looking cocky.
"Let me guess, you got these from the same bakery as the cupcakes?" Willow quirked her brow to him.
"Yup, lucky me they put freshly baked ones out right when I arrived." Hunter replied, looking oooh so proud of himself.
"Funny...since that bakery doesn't actually exist."
Hunter froze, his eyes going wide as she caught his lie. "I-I mean...maybe it was -another- bakery I went to or...u-uhh.." He flicked his ears as he heard what could only be described as a laugh from the two palisman. Willow sat the cookies on her bed, giving a giggle as well before returning to the window.
"Did you bake them, Hunter?" She rested her hands on his one that kept him up. Hunter flicked his ears a few times as a light blush started to appear on his face.
"...maybe I did…" Hunter muttered, forcing himself to look away from her, turning his head to a nearby roof that was oh so interesting. He tried to ignore how hot his face was feeling, but that was brought right back to the front of his mind when he felt a kiss being placed right on his cheek. 'D-did she just?' Hunter looked back over to Willow, a gentle smile on her face with a darkening blush told him yes...he didn't just imagine that.
" Thank you, Hunter." Willow said, her dazzling eyes staring straight into his soul. " It means so much to me that you go out of the way for me like this, you know? You make my life so much better."
Hunter could only stare at her, his heart racing but his mind dumb-founded. He lifted his hand to where she kissed him on the cheek, knowing he was probably looking like a fresh tomato. He gave a few short nods, before just nodding rapidly, he couldn't help but give the biggest smile he ever had at the girl in front of him. Willow covered her own smile, giggling into her hand as she watched him.
The moment was broken when there was a loud knock on Willow's door, " Willow, are you still awake?"
Hunter snapped out of his daze, ducking down low and trying to make sure his fingers were hidden. Lil' Rascal fluttered down to his shoulder as well, while Clover actually went to rest on top of his glove to better hide them. Willow quickly took the cookies and hid them behind a few books on her night-stand, rustled her hair up into a mess, and opened the door slightly.
"Oh, sorry, darling. I just wanted to check up on you." Her father said as he adjusted his own glasses. " And to get your opinion on something as well."
"O-oh yeah..of course, Pappi." Willow opened her door a bit more, giving him a tired smile, though in the back of her mind she kept screaming 'PAPPI, DO NOT LOOK AT THE WINDOW, DO NOT LOOK AT THE WINDOW!'
"How much do you like the frames your friend got you?"
Hunter was paying close attention now. He almost forgot that she would have had to make an excuse on how she obtained her temporary glasses. Did she tell her fathers that one of her other friends, maybe Amity, bought them after the bully destroyed them?
"Oh, these?" Willow adjusted her glasses, smiling to herself. She knew Hunter was probably trying to listen in as much as possible, and she was willing to give him the full truth. " I love them a lot. I think the colors are perfect for me."
'How fast can my heart go? Titan! This girl will really be the death of me!" Hunter thought to himself, holding his free hand to his chest.
" Alrightly, love. We are thinking instead of buying a new frame, we can just have the healing-coven change the lenses. Does that sound good to you? We can pay your friend back the snails for buying the frames."
"That sounds lovely, Pappi. I'll talk to my friend about whether they want to be paid back or not." Willow said with a nod and smile.
'Hell no, I will not see a cent.' Hunter thought to himself.
"Very well. I hope at least you can convince them to come over for dinner sometime so we can properly thank them for replacing your glasses so fast. They really treat you well." Pappi smiled, before offering his arms out for a hug. Willow accepted, nodding into his shoulder.
" I will try my best, don't worry. Get some rest, Pappi." Willow stepped back and smiled up to her father, who smiled back before glancing at the window.
"Clover, be careful resting there! We wouldn't want you being blown away in the wind." He commented, getting a buzz from the bee in return. "Get some rest, honey." He turned his attention back to Willow, giving her a kiss on the forehead before heading down the hall. Willow closed her door with a smile of relief, turning to head back to the window just as Hunter pulled himself back into it.
"Not a snail, I swear." He pointed accusingly at her. " Heck, I'll even pay to have the lenses replaced." Willow giggled, shaking her head at him before smiling again.
" Well...will you come to dinner to meet my fathers, then?" She asked, hoping he would say yes.
"I-I uh…" Hunter flicked his ears. Meeting her parents? Meeting...her...parents? He felt his face going right back into its tomato state. Meeting someone's parents under official dinner circumstances was a HUGE thing, right? But she did just...kiss...him...oh god his face was probably stealing all his blood right now! He sunk down to rest his chin on the window frame, looking away from Willow in thought. "...I-I'll...I'll think about it." He looked back up to her.
"Good." She smiled, such a kind and loving smile. " Well, I should get to bed, and I am sure you have Golden Guard things that need to be done, right?"
Hunter nodded, clearing his throat as he pulled himself back up properly again. He reached up, pulling his mask back down, before regarding Willow, happy his face was now hidden so he could pretend, at least, he wasn't head over heels for her. " Remember, you didn't see me, Citizen." He gave her a finger gun before summoning his staff.
"I don't even know you, Golden Guard...though if you see Hunter, tell him 'Thank you' for me, again, and that I will have something special for him when I see him next in the grove." Willow smiled, a little devilishly, but it was a bright smile nonetheless.
'S-something special?' Hunter thought, before clearing his throat. " Y-yeah, I'll pass on the me-Eassage…" ...damn it he cracked his voice again...in his guard mask. 'Even her charm can penetrate through this...damn.'
"Goodnight, Hunter." Willow said, snapping him back to reality.
"G-goodnight, Willow~" He gave a little wave with his staff before disappearing in a flash of red to a nearby roof, hiding behind a chimney so if Willow decided to look out her window she wouldn't see him collapsing to his butt and grabbing the sides of his mask.
'She kissed me, right?' Hunter thought, feeling his face becoming hotter and hotter. 'She kissed me on the cheek...and she is going to make the glasses I gave her a permanent pair?' His mind was on fire, as well as his heart. He never felt quite like this before...She kissed him and he provided for her! He helped her! She never asked for him to do so, but he helped her, and she was so very appreciative!
He leaned his head back against the brick of the chimney, unable to get his mind off the girl. She changed his life for the better...and even in this high emotional state, he didn't even feel an ounce of his malfunctioning bile-sac reacting. He felt like crying, but not out of sadness. He was really unsure what was going on anymore. But he knew, he loved Willow very much and would do anything for her. He reached up, sliding his mask up to better look at the sky. He swore there were never as many stars.
After Willow closed her window, she turned to sit on her bed. She rubbed at her cheeks as Clover landed on her lap. She really just kissed him on the cheek...Was that a good idea? She had no idea why she did that, but he looked so happy because of it. What if that was a mistake, though? She told herself she wasn't going to be in a relationship with Hunter, not yet, until they figured things out better.
Willow flopped onto her back, sighing as she glanced over to her window. She wondered what Hunter was doing now, she imagined he was also freaking out over the kiss she gave him. She felt a mix of emotions, from happiness and bubbly love, to guilt. Maybe this will prompt them to talk about their relationship? This might be a good thing, then. Willow has been wanting to tell him how she felt, but tell him her worries as well.
She shifted around in her bed, pulling back the covers to snuggle into her blanket and pillow. As she laid there waiting for sleep to come, she couldn't help smiling to herself, remembering Hunter's face after he realized she did kiss him.