I'll Be The One

Chapter 20:

=Normal POV=
[Tuesday, 1/15/2019-8:30 pm]
[Archipelago; Arc Isle]
[Dreki Apartment; A1]

Hunter was glad to be out of work and almost home; he just wanted a hot shower, to get into something comfortable, and then relax for the night with his friends. Hunter knew they were there because he messaged Flynn that he was on his way and running a little behind. Hunter didn't have class until 9 am, so he could stay up a bit, and also; he didn't have any homework. Everything was review in class and studying at home for next Monday, the 21st of January; the start of midterm exam week. At the moment, Hunter was walking home from work; he had decided to walk when the other manager asked if he'd work a few hours. Of course, Hunter didn't mind at all; it was something for the guy's family. How could he say no? Hunter had his headphones in while walking; he knew his bodyguards weren't far if anything happened. Reaching Dreki Apartments, Hunter scanned his keychain card and walked in; then he reached the apartment door and got inside there. Hunter's eyes were closed as he did all this; he had a good sense of direction in a familiar place.

The friends went to greet him, but noticed his headphones were in and he wasn't exactly paying attention. Hunter pulled off his work hat and tie while walking to his room; he had begun to unbutton his shirt. Hunter entered his bedroom, leaving the door open slightly as he kicked off his shoes and set his work items on the edge of the bed while going into the bathroom to shower. Once inside there; he pulled the headphones out, but resumed the song normal while getting the water running. Hunter finished stripping down and stepping inside. Out in the living the room; the friends were just sitting there, blinking in confusion.

"Um…" Roxanne started.

"Did he even notice us?" TJ finished his twin sister's sentence.

"He knew we were here? We told him we'd would be when we were at McViking," Drew said.

"Well, he mentioned having a lot on his mind. Seems like he's taking a shower now; I can hear the water running," Tallon shrugged. "Give him some time to wind down, and I'm sure he'll join us,"

"You're probably right," Trevor stated. The friends shrugged and went back to hanging out while waiting for Hunter.

Twenty minutes passed with them just chatting before Hunter came out wearing sweatpants and a simple red t-shirt. Of course, his headphones were still in as he moseyed past them and into the kitchen. Hunter started grabbing a few things, beginning to get a pot and fill it some of the way with water. Hunter set it to boil, adding salt to speed up the process. Hunter grabbed worked on a few other things until the water got going; he added spaghetti and set the timer for twelve minutes before getting back to the other prep work. Hunter was humming along to whatever he was listening to.

"Surprised he's cooking," Flynn stated.

"Why is that?" Harper inquired.

"Figured he'd just grab something from work," Flynn mentioned.

"He probably gets sick of that after a day or two," Tallon chuckled. "Leave him be; he looks pretty content and happy,"

"Yeah, bet that's a rare feeling for him lately," Seth nodded.

"I feel for him," Elijah said. "Just look at his life; I would have lost my mind a long time ago,"

"Same. I don't know how he does it," Trevor informed. "I'm with Eli; I would have lost it if I had to deal with just a quarter of what he does,"

"Not gonna lie; I think deep down it bothers him a lot and everything we see is just what he wants us to see," Avery remarked calmly. "He only tells us something if it happens to come up. I don't think he ever intended for us to know he was the president's son. Or about his mom dying…Any of it,"

"Where do you get that notion?" Tallon arched a brow.

"I'm going to have to agree with Avery on this one," Madison said.

"Hunter was drunk the night he told us about his mom passing last year," Harper nodded.

"And he told us about being the president's son after we'd seen him get hauled off; there was no getting out of telling us at that point," Drew agreed.

"We learned about Cassandra because she sort of inserted herself when she came over, and the break up happened in front of us," Roxanne stated.

"Oh, my Gods; you guys are examining this way too much," Tallon sighed, shaking his head. "Hunter tells us because he chooses to do so,"

"And you know this for a fact?" Harper crossed her arms over her chest.

"He told us what was bothering him tonight. He told me about being bisexual over a couple beers, well, before we were drunk. If anything, you have it backwards. He chooses to tell us when he could very well tell us to fuck off and it's none of our business," Tallon informed. "Stop making such a big deal out of everything. I'd like to remind you of our objective…"

"We know…." the cops in the room replied, nodding.

"And the day he learns the truth; he's going to hate us…" Seth added in.

"Who is gonna hate who?" Hunter asked, walking over with a bowl in one hand; then a soda in the other.

"Oh, the day it comes out Odin's Dragon's is just a group of undercover cops; all our enemies are gonna hate us more," Tallon laughed a bit. "Here, come sit," he scooted a bit to let Hunter sit in the spot beside him. Hunter smiled and sat down, setting the soda on the side table and crossing his legs while getting his chopsticks and got a bite of his food.

"Is that the plan when all the gangs are taken down?" Hunter inquired.

"Generally, that's the idea, but it's still being debated. We're not sure," Drew said.

"I wouldn't. It's gonna push 'em to use outside contacts to go after you and your families. I'd keep Odin's Dragons on the down low; everyone still knows of them, but the gang activity is obviously, non-existent. Besides, if anyone decided to start up a new gang; your cover is blown and no one would fall for the trick again," Hunter mentioned before taking another bite.

"Huh…He's got a point. We should bring this up with the director during the next meeting, Tal," Elijah suggested.

"I agree," Tallon nodded. "Thanks, Hunter," he smiled.

"No problem," Hunter replied, cracking open his soda for a sip or two, and then continuing eating.

"So how was your night after we left?" Flynn inquired.

"Hit a small rush, but it quieted down. And Tal, can't thank you enough for that Red Bull; it got me through the rest of the shift," Hunter informed.

"Don't even worry about it. You're like me in that regard; I notice the signs of exhaustion and would have wanted an energy drink too. I'm glad you like Red Bull," Tallon said.

"It's the only one I drink. I don't like the others that much," Hunter laughed a little.

"Well, glad I could help then," Tallon replied. Hunter finished his food and relaxed, or tried to, but it seemed he couldn't get entirely comfortable.

"Are you alright?" Flynn asked.

"Eh…Alright is a strong word. Let's go with my body is killing me," Hunter shrugged.

"I've got pain killers?" Avery offered.

"As do I, but they won't do anything. I'm not sore, just…What's the word I'm looking for…?" Hunter paused.

"Locked up?" Tallon wondered.

"Yeah, that's a good word to describe it," Hunter replied.

"Should probably see about a doctor about that," Madison chuckled. "They have professionals to handle that kind of problem,"

"Don't need a doctor; I know how to fix it…I just don't like to. Used to scare the crap outta my mom…She always thought I was going to break or pull something…" Hunter laughed a bit as he stood up and moved away from his spot. Hunter did something to crack his ankles, knees, arms and wrists.

"Dear Odin…That sounds painful!" Harper screeched. "No wonder your mom hated it!"

"Only hurts for a second," Hunter rolled his eyes. "Besides, that was the easy part…" he added as he twists his back one way until it cracked, and then the other direction until he heard the same sound. Hunter bent himself backwards until his body looked like a bridge, but he brought himself back up and shook a little.

"You're incredibly flexible," Avery stated.

"Yeah…Cassandra used to tell me that too," Hunter mumbled a bit as he sat back down on the couch. "And this is the one that usually sucks," Hunter whipped his head left, cracking it; then repeating the same motion only going right. Hunter held his head a bit, jerking it left and then right hard. Hunter rolled his head around before he flopped back. "Much better…"

"You look a lot more comfortable," Tallon remarked with a smile. "And like you could fall asleep,"

"I usually can after that," Hunter nodded.

"If you wanna go to bed; it's cool," Tallon said.

"It's only 9 pm…And I don't have class until 9 am. Go to bed…Pfft, give me a break…You sound like my mom," Hunter muttered.

"It was only a suggestion," Drew chuckled.

"I go to bed now and I'll be up at 3 am…I'm good, thanks," Hunter informed.

"Don't sleep much, do ya?" Tallon laughed.

"Not this time of year, no…" Hunter shook his head. "My mind just doesn't stop,"

"Got a lot going on in there, don't you?" Tallon inquired. Hunter just shrugged, but nodded. "A beer or two usually fixes all that,"

"Tempting, but I don't feel like having a repeat of last time I drank to try and stop thinking about things," Hunter admitted.

"You were alone last time," Flynn reminded.

"Yeah, we got you. Come on…A couple beers with friends? We got your back, and at least you are home. You gotta relax a little too, Hunt," Tallon reminded. "I promise it'll be a fun time, and don't I always come through?"

"Well, I suppose when you put it like that, especially after last time; I can't really say no," Hunter nodded. "Alright…A couple beers, but I don't want to be drunk-drunk…"

"I think a buzz is more than enough to relax you and help you sleep a bit. Sometimes all you need is some friends and a laugh or two," Tallon chuckled as he patted Hunter on the back.

"Uh…Problem. Liquor store is closed and there's no beer in the fridge…" Flynn pointed out.

"I got it," Hunter got up and went to his room. The man returned moments later with a thirty-pack of beer, setting it on the table.

"Do you just keep a stash of alcohol in your bedroom?" Elijah blinked a little.

"Do I always have beer in my room? Yes? Full stash? No. I think I picked this up because it was super cheap, and midterms start next week. I was gonna use it to celebrate surviving that," Hunter laughed a little.

"You were planning to celebrate midterms being over alone?" Seth inquired as Hunter grabbed beers and started passing them out.

"I'm always planning or fully expecting to be alone," Hunter also went to the kitchen and mixed up four sex on the beach drinks before giving them to Harper, Madison, Roxanne, and Avery. "It's an unfortunate truth, but that's kind of how things have always been for me," Finally, Hunter sat down with a beer for himself, opening it up, and taking a drink. "Yeah, there are moments when I'm entirely surrounded out of the blue, but most of the time; it's just me. My uncle, despite his age, is still in the army. The man has been on quite a few tours, and he joined when he was eighteen; the guy is fifty-three years old now. Still; he has all his military work, but I think he transferred out of active duty to something lighter in order to be around for my dad after mom died. Hell, I think he cut his last tour short to come home for dad and me. The deployment he was on was supposed to be until September of last year, when I started my fourth year of college,"

"Dad is the president; he's always busy despite his ripe age of fifty-one. I know he says he always has time for me, but, unfortunately; it's been proven many a times that he can't put islands needs off for my sake. Which is fine, I don't hold it against him. Mom used to work too, until she got sick and that kept her down and tired a lot; she died at forty. You already know the deal with Cassandra, everything with that girl was always fighting with me or sex. Don't get me wrong; I'm not complaining. It's more…Acceptance of the life I was born into. I'm grown accustomed to it just always me doing me, by myself," Hunter explained with a light smile.

"Your parents are ten years apart?" TJ asked.

"Yeah…Mom and Dad met when mom was sixteen and dad, twenty-six. They married two years later when mom was eighteen, and then dad became mayor of Berk at thirty. I was born the same year when mom was twenty," Hunter informed.

"Well, age don't matter as long as everything stays legal," Avery reminded.

"Exactly," Hunter nodded.

"How did your dad meet Greg; you said they've been friends forever, but Gregory is about two years older than him?" Trevor wondered.

"Uncle Greg stayed back, and my dad advanced a grade, so they ended up in the same classes and became the best of friends. But when Greg's parents kicked him out for being gay; my dad and his family took him in. Gregory knew he needed money and a job, so he wouldn't have to live with my grandparents and dad despite their kindness in saying that it was totally fine. Gregory dropped out of school and joined the army; he said that it was something he had to do, to prove his parents wrong about him not going anywhere," Hunter explained.

"So…How did your parents meet, with the whole ten-year thing?" Tallon smiled.

"I think it was through one of my aunts who were her age and having some kind of Halloween or birthday party," Hunter said, taking a drink. "My grandparents were out, but dad was home to supervise. Mom and dad met and just started talking; they had a bunch in common and decided to be friends. A couple dates later; they were in a relationship and that's how it stayed for two years until they got married after mom graduated, but dad proposed to her on her seventeenth birthday,"

"And then you arrived two years later?" Roxanne asked.

"Yep," Hunter nodded, smiling. "Mom tried to have other kids, but just didn't happen. Dad, Greg, and I firmly believe that the cancer had a role to play in her having trouble conceiving or holding a pregnancy to term since it was Ovarian Cancer," Hunter shrugged. "After the stillborn child incident, mom and dad refused to keep trying,"

"I remember you telling me about this," Tallon said softly. "You being their one perfect child,"

"Well, that's after I survived being born two months early at twenty-eight weeks; I only weighed about two pounds, was fourteen and a half inches long. The doctors told my parents not to hold their breaths because I probably wouldn't make it. I was in the NICU for weeks; small, weak, and machines basically keeping me alive until my body was strong enough to do it on its own," Hunter informed. "I was about four months old by the time they could take me home. According to dad; they had to wait for my lungs to fully develop, got sick, had trouble putting on weight…Hell I still have that problem. I'm six-foot-one and a twig; that what Greg calls me," Hunter rolled his eyes a bit.

"Hey, you're pretty good looking for a twig, just saying," Madison laughed some.

"Skinny or not, you're healthy, aren't you?" Elijah mentioned.

"I guess?" Hunter shrugged.

"What do you weigh?" Madison asked.

"Pfft…Hundred and thirty?" Hunter replied.

"Okay, slightly underweight, but only by ten pounds. Normal for your age and height is one-forty to one-eighty. Still, not bad," Madison informed.

"Definitely not weak, though," Tallon chuckled. "We saw you fight people at least twice your size,"

"Picked that up from Greg…" Hunter laughed a bit. "Use their weight against them,"

"Clever, but you still put them on the ground in short, simple moves, Hunter…You might be small, but you're pretty strong," Trevor complimented.

"Yeah, but all those guys are idiots…Bet he couldn't handle one of us," Drew snickered.

"Excuse the fuck out of you…" Hunter's brow twitched.

"Oh-ho…Is that defensiveness I sense?" Seth asked.

"I say we put it to the test," Tallon stated. "How about a friendly arm-wrestling contest?"

"Fine by me," Elijah said as Drew nodded. The friends cleared the center table, which was solid wood.

"I'll go first," TJ offered. Hunter and TJ took their spots on either side the table, and one arm behind their back and one each on the table.

"Ready?" Hunter asked.

"Bring it," TJ grinned as the connected hands.

"On three. One…Two…Three!" Drew announced. TJ tried to bring Hunter's arm down, but Hunter's sort of locked up and TJ couldn't move it.

Hunter laughed a little. "You give?" Hunter inquired.

"No chance!" TJ grunted. Hunter relaxed a bit as TJ started to bring it down, but then Hunter reversed it and brought TJ's to the table in a few seconds. "A lot stronger than he looks…" the man panted, rotating his wrist a bit.

"Alright, my turn," Elijah stepped in, taking TJ's spot. Hunter managed to beat Elijah, Seth, and Drew. Hunter smiled, looking at Tallon now.

"You want to try to? It was your idea," Hunter invited. Tallon shrugged as he took his spot and the two connected hands. After the count; it started. Tallon and Hunter were just about even in attempting to pin each other's hands.

"You're pretty good, Hunter," Tallon stated.

"So are you," Hunter responded as he brought the arm out from behind his back to get his beer and finish it while never moving his arm that Tallon tried to take down. "But something my dad and Godfather will confirm for you is that-," Hunter gripped Tallon's hand tighter and quickly pushed it down. "I'm extremely competitive, and hate losing, so I try to ensure that I don't…" he said, standing up.

"One day we're gonna have to see those fighting skills in a sparring or wrestling match," Seth stated.

"Sure," Hunter nodded. "You alright?" he asked Tallon now.

"Yeah, I'm great. Impressed," Tallon smiled. "You are a man of many talents," he complimented.

"Thank you," Hunter replied while grabbing himself and Tallon another beer; he handed the can to Tallon as both of them sat down next to one another again.

"So, having a good time?" Tallon asked.

"I am," Hunter nodded. "You…Always seem to know what I need," he admitted. "You guys are amazing friends, and I'm glad I met you,"

The others were quite for only a moment. "We're glad we met you too, Hunter," Tallon said as he and Hunter tapped their beer cans together and both took a drink.

. . .

[11:30 pm]

"Huh?" Tallon looked over when something hit his shoulder. Tallon's eyes widened a bit when he saw Hunter's head there, and Hunter was knocked out. "Hunt?" No answer.

"What's up?" Elijah asked.

"I think he passed out," Tallon said. "Not in the drunk sense, but just exhaustion,"

"Well, it's late and probably time to call it a night then," Drew stated. "What should we do with him?" he motioned to Hunter.

"I don't want to move and wake him up," Tallon informed.

"I think he's out, Tal," Avery said.

"Leave him on the couch," Flynn stated.

"He'll kill his neck," Tallon rolled his eyes as he shifted Hunter a bit to lean on the other side and then he got up. Tallon took Hunter's half-finished beer and set it down before carefully picking him up bridal-style. "Get his bedroom door," Seth went over to open it for Tallon, and he carried Hunter into his room and set him down on his bed gently. Tallon covered Hunter up and leaned down to kiss his forehead. Tallon didn't know what possessed him to do it, but he felt like he should, so he did. Tallon saw Hunter snuggle up more in the blanket and smile contently. Tallon backed up and left the room, closing the door.

"That was nice of you," Harper smiled.

"I'm a good friend," Tallon remarked. "Night," he cleaned up his and Hunter's cans, tossing them in the trash; then leaving the apartment to get to his own.

. . .

[11:45 pm]
[Dreki Apartments; A10]

Reaching his apartment, Tallon kicked off his shoes and changed into his sleep pants. Tallon sat on the edge of his bed and took a deep breath, trying to ask himself why he kissed Hunter's forehead. Tallon thought Hunter was a good friend, but he also knew why he was in Hunter's life right now; it wasn't by accident. Tallon sighed, looking up at the ceiling in his dark room. Gods, help me…I think I'm starting to like him… Tallon closed his eyes before turning over and drifting to sleep.