Alright, no spoilers but after 'recent events' in the latest episode of the series "Thanks to Them" and personally a lot of tears from me since I'm always very emotional (DX), this fic is now officially in TOTAL AU territory now. But, that's the beauty of fanfiction! There's a lot of flexibility and freedom to write your story however you like with the characters in a particular series. And especially having more tears upon the realization we won't be getting the last 2 episodes until 2023 and I still want to write to fill the "Owl House shaped void" in my heart, let's go ya'll! First off though, I would like to thank you all for your kind feedback so far on this fic and in showing I am not in the minority when it comes to shipping these two. Speaking of, let's jump back into the fic, shall we? :D This chapter picks up about a half hour after the first chapter when Hunter and Willow went out to the Park's backyard to talk. Why a half hour after you may ask? You'll soon find out! Haha. ;) How will Hunter fare with this chance he's been given to ask Willow to Grom in an attempt to tell her how he feels? Read on to find out and I hope you all enjoy it!

(Hunter's POV)

I just got back home, feeling almost painfully frustrated to the point of feeling almost… numb.

I felt like my mind was still 'processing' as I walked inside and paused at the doorway and despite Flapjack still being in staff form, it's like I could still feel judgment coming from his direction as my stomach continued to knot in frustration as I pursed my lips and scrunched my eyes shut so tight I thought I was going to burst a blood vessel in my brain.

And to me at this point after what happened, that would be the least of my worries honestly after everything… again.

I tried to push myself to go upstairs to my room to try and 'assume normality' until I stopped just short of the stairs.

I continued to stand there until I unconsciously let out a frustrated groan and immediately hit my forehead against the wall in a pathetic attempt to try and alleviate my frustration.

Well, emphasis on 'try', I guess?! I keep getting chance after chance and I keep blowing it!

Just… AGH! WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!

Through my 'self-loathing' over how pathetic and useless I am after everything that happened (or what didn't happen again at this point honestly), I guess I kept hitting my forehead lightly yet repeatedly against the wall next to the stairs as I heard a familiar, "If you wouldn't mind, I would prefer not to have adolescent forehead grease stains or dents plaguing the freshly painted walls of my house. Thank you very much."

Darius.

After getting back to the Demon Realm and having the 'return to normalcy', I obviously didn't have anywhere to go or even had a concrete identity anymore for many different reasons.

Well, technically I did, but considering I realized my whole life up until this point had been a lie created by an insane genocidal murderous witch hunter… needless to say I wanted a 'clean slate' and leave everything behind me.

And I would have lived on my own since I already changed my surname as soon as I was given the opportunity but since I'm only a couple weeks away from turning 17, I just needed a place to crash and call 'home' for a while in some sense.

Well, you know, at least 'home' until I turn 18 and can actually live on my own.

And, shockingly enough still to me, Darius practically stepped up and took me in. Sure I wouldn't call him a 'parent' since that's just not what our 'dynamic' is.

Honestly, I'm just more of a 'ward' to him as my 'legal guardian' to sleep, eat, and reside with while I go to school at Hexside. Mostly I just keep to myself and he to his most of the time aside from quietly sitting at a dinner table together with him asking me about school every now and then.

But, he also shows up to my Flyer Derby matches sometimes to watch, which I still don't understand why he even shows up or seems like he feels 'obligated' to do it or something honestly? It's not like I'm his 'son' or anything?

He was looking down at me with his arms crossed from the top of the stairs, dressed in his night attire and quirking up an eyebrow in almost inquisition at me.

Though, not wanting him to ask any questions or think he agreed to take in a totally erratic freak of coward under his roof, I immediately stopped and looked off to the side, rubbing the back of my neck as I got out, "Sorry…"

I tried to quickly walk past him until I felt my stomach clench and my heart crawl up my throat as he put a hand on my shoulder before letting out a sigh and starting, "Wait… what is going on with you? And don't say 'nothing'. I'd prefer not to be thought of as an 'aloof fool' if you think you can lie to me."

Even though I've only been living with Darius for the past couple months and I know how he is a bit strict and 'set in his ways' with doing things 'properly'... mostly when it comes to cleaning since he was very adamant about how I'm supposed to keep my room clean. But, considering how strict things were for me and the coven scouts under Belos… making sure my clothes were either in a hamper or folded and put away plus having my bed made every morning, that wasn't a problem.

I was used to it.

But, I didn't want to talk about it since the last thing I wanted to do was talk to anyone, much less Darius, about how pathetic I am over something so stupid as I thought out loud, "Don't even ask… It's stupid."

I tried to stride toward my room until all of a sudden I felt my body get contracted.

"HEY!" I got out as I looked down and my eyes went wide when I saw a purple, slimy ring constricting me and keeping my arms tethered to my sides.

Abomination Magic.

Then before I could do anything to react, I was almost catapulted into Darius's study right off the top of the stairs into a chair at the small tea table near the window where he usually sits at with a cup of tea and a book before he goes to bed. I looked over wide eyed and thrown off as I directed, still freaked out and confused, "What the?!... WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"

But, he just ignored me for a moment as he just casually walked into the room and sat across from me as he started, snapping his fingers, "Abomination, serve."

Serve?

Then I just saw one of Darius's smaller abomination creations that he usually uses for helping keep the house clean walk up to the table and set out two cups and saucers before pouring us what looked like some kind of tea.

Even though the coven and sigil systems have since been abolished from society and everyone was now free to practice any variety of magic they wanted, it was kind of shown that a lot of people seemed to keep falling back into 'coven system habits'.

Despite the fact Darius could do things other than abomination magic, he still seems to almost exclusively still do nothing but abomination magic.

Well, sure, he was the coven head for abomination magic so it shouldn't seem too surprising. But still!

I looked over at him already taking his cup and almost simultaneously taking a casual sip as if he didn't just throw me in here against my will. He took notice of me still giving him an expectant 'look' about whatever the heck he was doing, until he shrugged and elaborated off handedly, "What? I was going to have a cup before going to bed anyway."

I was going to continue to question him until he readjusted his chair and gave me a very direct look before saying, "And… because I am not going to be treated like an oblivious idiot in my own house. Now, what has been going on with you these past couple days?"

My stomach seized again and I pursed my lips in frustration on many different levels but mostly toward myself. But, I was determined to not feel more humiliated than I already did as I brushed off again, "Look, I already told you. It's just something stupid that you wouldn't even care about anyway."

I tried to get up only for Darius to put a hand on my shoulder and immediately shove me back into the chair, giving me a very determined glare, before he continued, "Listen, you are not going anywhere until you explain to me what is going on? Because, unbelievable as it sounds, you are aware of the fact that I was your age once, correct? And, believe it or not, I also did some 'stupid things I didn't think any adult would care about or understand'. So… care to tell me now? And just be aware that I will not allow you to leave this room until you tell me about what is going on with you lately to make you insufferably sulk around the house."

My eyes went wide as Darius sat back in his chair with his cup of tea before making an upward motion with his hand and I heard a slight 'squelching' sound as a purplish-pink abomination magic barrier formed in front of the study door before Flapjack could fly in. He chirped behind the barrier as I called out on reflex, "Flapjack!"

I tried to look around for some way to make a glyph to somehow combat this until I realized something that made my stomach sink and also simultaneously clench in frustration at what I realized.

Darius removed any sign of paper or anything considered a 'writing instrument' of any kind from my immediate sight.

I kept looking around for 'some way out' until the reality of the situation finally sunk in as Darius smirked knowingly and almost smugly at me at what he saw I now realized too, considering he knows I can't do 'organic magic' without a staff or using glyphs since I'm incapable of making a spell circle.

I was stuck… and Darius definitely knew it.

Agh… dammit.

30 minutes prior

Okay, breathe Hunter…just… breathe.

I just need to relax and keep myself focused. I came all the way here, nearly dug my own grave at the door, and awkwardly sat for WAY too long in the living room with her parents just to talk to her.

I can do this!

After every other time I flaked out on asking her for the past TWO days, I got this.

I CAN DO THIS!

I was trying to remain calm as I followed Willow out into the small backyard area behind the house and… it was nice. It was almost like I wasn't even thinking as I looked around at all the 'growth' back here as I remarked, "Guessing you got a lot of plant track practice back here?"

She looked back and smiled slightly before letting out a laugh and admitting, "Yeah, you could say that. I keep forgetting you've never been back here before. But… maybe I can make it more 'familiar' for you somehow?"

Familiar?

She stopped short after thinking for a moment and made a spell circle before a vine came shooting out of the ground and wrapped around the limb of a singular but large tree in the middle of the small yard, creating two dangling extensions.

Willow immediately had a seat on one of the U-shaped draping extensions from the tree, making my eyes go wide in recognition as I remembered something.

The swings.

While we were staying in the Human Realm, needless to say I was having 'difficulty sleeping' by that point.

Well, falling asleep was easy, but actually staying asleep was an entirely different story. I'd wake up constantly in these cold sweats and be almost hyperventilating. It still happens sometimes now, but I always have this recurring nightmare that Belos found me.

It never mattered how much I evaded him, he would always catch me. Then immediately as he touched me, I would see my skin and clothes disintegrate from my body until all that was left of me was my Golden Guard mask and my skeleton as I got tossed into the pile of discarded remains of all the other 'traitor grimwalker predecessors' that came before me.

Gus and I shared a room together so he caught me waking up from my 'nightmares' from time to time, but I always just tried to brush it off since I still don't want anyone to know about 'what I really am' and what difference would it make anyway even if I did tell Gus or anyone else I was a Grimwalker? Other than possibly making every friend I made look at me like some kind of 'freakish ritual experimental copy' instead of just 'me'.

It's bad enough that Luz knows and I do not want Gus and Willow to know even now.

Ugh… especially not Willow.

I mean, not that I wouldn't care if Gus found out since he's probably the closest thing I have to a best friend.

And sure Viney, Skara, and even Amity are my friends now which is also something I'm still trying to get used to being a 'normal' teenager with friends.

But Willow's just… different for me.

Anyway, since sleep for me was something that I knew wasn't going to happen like I wanted it to be, I would go to the back stoop and sit outside at Luz's house and just look into the woods out back very early in the morning, trying to find some way to 'realign myself' and surprisingly Willow would always be up pretty early and she'd just sit with me.

At first we wouldn't say anything since I had no idea what to even say anyway.

I had no idea what to even think much less know what to even say. But, as confused as I was, I also couldn't help but just feel calm when she was just 'there'. I'd hear the old screen door creak open and she'd walk up behind me and just say, "Hi." I'd look up only to see her with a small smile on her face before she'd ask me if it was okay if she sat next to me.

And I'd always give her a nod since I never minded her being 'around me'.

Mainly since to me, I pretty much always thought she was really… cool.

When I was at Hexside when I first met her and Gus on my 'mission', I was a little freaked out but also amazed when she used plant magic to practically pull me out of the sky. She's technically a year younger than me and yet she seemed to have so much confidence and power behind her magic as a witch, not to mention her determination and almost fearlessness on the Flyer Derby field.

During a time when I thought I was losing my hold on the title, respect, and position I held closer to me than anything with an iron fisted vice grip, I really did think I was doing the right thing.

You know, 'recruiting' her, Gus, Skara, and Viney into the Emperor's Coven.

Well, until I heard her say something that honestly surprised and confused me when she called herself 'half-a-witch Willow'.

And… I didn't understand what she meant by that?

She was one of the most competent and gifted witches I had ever seen. Granted, I technically hadn't been around witches the same age as me much until then, but I had seen 'new recruits' that got into the Emperor's Coven from Tryouts at their schools and after their graduations. And Willow… she could honestly put most of them to shame from my perspective.

As a witch and just a person she's just brave, cool, confident, powerful… all the things that I always strived for. Or wished I could have strived for as a 'non-magical witch' with a reliance on artificial magic and nothing more than my prowess in agility to give me any sort of edge.

Even when Darius encouraged me to 'make my connections' and I reached out to Willow almost immediately after I created my account on Penstagram, thinking I was 'pushing my luck' after what I did. But, she actually accepted my request and we slowly started messaging… a lot.

Actually I felt like I was pretty much messaging her whenever I had any sort of opportunity away from Belos.

I don't know? Willow was just really easy for me to talk to, and she still is.

I was never used to having someone I could almost 'speak freely' with about stuff. Because I feel like I can talk to Willow about almost anything and not feel like I'm being 'held back' by anything. Which only frustrates me even more about why I can't ask her out to a stupid dance at school?!

Agh… relax Hunter.

But, anyway, even though I felt like I couldn't sleep, it was like I weirdly looked forward to seeing the sunrise in the Human Realm. Because as exhausted as I was, I looked forward to just having it be just us without anyone else there… just calm.

Neither of us talked about the 'day of unity' like Luz, Amity, and even Gus seemed to all the time when it was all of us together. Neither of us really wanted to talk about it on those mornings since there wasn't anything we could do until we found some kind of 'solution'.

And with everything going on in my head that I was trying to ignore for my own sanity, I just wanted anything as a distraction and Willow was fine with talking to me about anything.

She told me what it was like going to school at Hexside since I've only ever been privately tutored in the castle. We talked about Flyer Derby and said she got into because her dads told her about it and that was actually how they met. We talked about books we liked reading for fun since that was something we both had in common, and we eventually started comparing things from the Human and Demon Realms when we eventually decided to go walk around in the woods together.

And the more I actually talked to her in person… I honestly envied her.

Even after she told me why she called herself 'half-a-witch Willow' back in the cell (I was always curious about that ever since I heard her say that about herself in the cell) since that was how her classmates bullied and teased her since she was a 'late bloomer' when it comes to her control and use of magic, I still envied her.

Because she could've fooled me since I thought she was an amazingly talent witch. And she is one!

Even if she told me during our 'sittings' that she still struggles with her confidence and not thinking she's 'good enough' sometimes. Sometimes even feeling 'lost' in some way because of it for a reason she said she didn't even know anymore.

And… that was when Willow and I started 'getting closer', well you know as friends.

Eventually we'd both get off the back steps and take a walk into the woods and we found this old abandoned swing set near this small pond behind the house and the old abandoned cottage in the woods. We'd sit there on the swings and talk about anything.

Then that's when I started realizing how I really felt about her.

I mean, again, not that I've ever liked someone like this until now or have much experience with any of this stuff, but… I'd be lying if I didn't admit to myself how much I like her.

And not just 'looks' or anything I said about her before that drew me to her initially, even though I do think she's, you know… cute... pretty.

Okay, fine, I'm really into her because of that too. Since I definitely won't deny that either to myself that I'm also physically attracted to her.

But, every time I'm around her and even though I feel my face heat up for no reason at all almost every time she looks at me and gives me that cute smile that makes me feel like I'm 'safe' for rare change, I also can't deny how 'comfortable' I am around her.

When I have moments when I feel anything but 'calm', I do that 'breathing technique' that Gus taught me that he learned from Willow. And even without that, it's like she also calms me down despite also making me nervous at the same time.

Just that look she always has when we're hanging out just us or with everyone else.

Just that friendly and calm look in her eyes, her smile… just 'everything' about her just makes me feel at ease somehow when I feel like I'm going to lose my mind.

Even now it was like I couldn't resist when she smiled and nodded her head to the hanging, draped vine next to her.

Almost instinctively I smiled a little back and sat down on the other vine as we both just looked at the last bit of the sun setting as she elaborated, "Before I even got into the plant track at school, I would practice spells back here while my dads were still at work. Even though it was only 3 years ago… it honestly feels more like forever at this point."

It was quiet for a few seconds, me taking in what she said and also thinking about how what she said also applies to A LOT of things we went through in almost the past year.

But, then the situation just came crashing down, as I just said, just barely loud enough for her to hear, "Yeah… I get that."

We both sat in silence for a few moments until I glanced over at her and just saw her looking back at me, her usual calm expression as she got that cute and sweet smile on her face.

I felt my face and ears almost reflexively start burning, making me look in the opposite direction out of awkward embarrassment.

Crap… why does this always happen whenever I'm around her?!

Then the situation started slowly setting into me again about 'why I was here' and 'how nervous I was' and 'how cute she always has to look' that just makes me even more nervous even though I trust her.

Which then makes me question why in the name of Titan I'm scared of telling her how I feel?! That's the whole point of why I want to ask her to go with me to Grom! To make something like 'this' EASIER! SO WHY AM I SO PATHETIC THAT I CAN'T EVEN DO THIS?!

"Hunter?... You okay?"

I whipped my head over to look at Willow just staring at me, looking part weirded out and part concerned.

Although luckily she seemed more concerned than thinking I was losing it so I at least felt slightly more relieved about that. She kept tilting her head at me in confusion and I decided to try and make a distraction for both of us but for different reasons.

I shook my head and started, "Sorry, just got lost in my thoughts for a second. But… Hey! Want a push?"

I didn't even give her time to respond as I ran up behind her and pulled back on the vine she was sitting on, barely brushing my hands against hers which was making my face heat up again for a second as I tried to ignore how warm and soft her hands felt to me, considering there were so many times when we'd sit or go walking in the woods together and I was always so close to trying to hold her hand… but didn't.

But, I let go of her and gave her a push forward to get the momentum going as she looked back at me with an amused smile, making me smile back.

We used to do this all the time on those old swings. I never even used a swing set until I got to the Human Realm.

Honestly… I didn't even know how to use it until Willow showed me. I just remembered sitting there on the swing next to her and she was almost 'playfully challenging' me that she could swing higher… until she realized I didn't know what she was talking about and I slowly felt like more and more of an idiot.

But, rather than make fun of or belittle me like I was so used to from the coven heads and even Belos for most of my life, she just smiled at me and said, "Oh, here, let me give you a push."

At first I thought she meant it 'literally' and was going to push me off the swing, until she went behind me and pushed me so the swing built momentum. Then we took turns pushing each other on the swings after that we would even swing on our own… even if I did still try to push her on the swing just to have any 'pathetic opportunity' to be near her.

Just like I'm doing now… Ugh! Focus!

But, it was like I almost got distracted again as I heard her say, sounding like she was messing around with me a little, "Why? What's the occasion?" I just smirked and shrugged as she looked back at me and passed off, hoping she'd buy it at this point honestly, "Hey, just thought I'd prove that I earned being Alternate Captain fairly."

I gave her another push before she said playfully, looking behind her at me with a quirked up eyebrow as I held the vine, "Earned it? I asked you if you wanted it for a reason, you know?"

After things 'settled out' once we got back to the Demon Realm and I got admitted to Hexside, we got the Flyer Derby team up and running again and since St. Epiderm and Glandus both saw what we were doing, they got their own school teams together and we really had to 'formalize' a team and chain of command on the team.

Which basically boiled down to Willow needing to select a 'second in command' or 'Alternate Captain' for the team… and she asked me.

At first I was confused and I even asked her about why she picked me instead of Gus or just... ANYONE! Especially after I did when I first met her and the team. But, she just smiled and told me that 'it was in the past' and she said she 'needed someone she could trust', meaning that she did trust me now.

That and I guess Gus was allowed to be President of the 'Human Appreciation Club' again and he didn't want to be anything beyond a team member. And from there I think my crush on her somehow got even stronger after that and I was always eager to prove to her that I wouldn't let her down.

Especially since I was now a 'right hand man' again to someone I know I could trust and be in a leadership position for people that actually care about me… unlike before.

Eventually I just smirked again before saying, "Eh, all the more reason. Especially with the St. Epiderm match coming up. I just want to 'reinforce your decision'." She smirked back at me with a laugh before saying in a teasing tone again, "Okay, if you say so?"

We both just laughed as I kept pushing her on the vine-like swing. All I kept doing was pushing her for the next couple moments until she eventually put her feet down to stop herself, catching me off guard when she looked right at me.

She looked almost inquisitive again as she started, getting off the swing now and making direct eye contact with me (looking and sounding concerned), "Hunter, are you sure you're okay? The past couple days, you just seemed… off. I know you came here to ask me about something. But… you know you can tell me if you want to talk about something right?"

Her green eyes just stayed locked on me as she put a hand on my shoulder, my throat almost drying up as I kept getting almost 'sucked in' by her eyes. Everything about the way she was looking at me only reinforces my feelings, just seeing nothing but serious yet genuine concern coming off her.

Ugh… why does she have to do that?

And I know she means it! So then… why?

Oh yeah, because the feeling of possibly being completely rejected by her if I tell her how I really feel about her would probably destroy me because I'm such a damn, pathetic coward.

But, I was not about to let myself 'cave' right now as I said, "Y-yeah. Yes! I-I know that! It's just…"

I froze.

My tongue felt like it was ripped out as I just stood there like an idiot with my mouth open and my words being drowned out in my head, trying to see if I could reach the Grom flier in my pocket.

C'mon… ASK HER!

I kept standing there with my hand in my pocket until she just asked, "Wait… is this about Flyer Derby?"

No…No!... NO… NO!

"Yes." I blurted out subconsciously from my mouth.

WHAT?! NO! NO, YOU MORON! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!

But, then I saw her face almost light up as she quickly pulled up her Penstagram and started, getting into her 'zone' that I knew all too well when it comes to her and Flyer Derby, "Great! Actually I wanted to show you these new formations Skara showed me on the way home from the library and I wanted to ask you about them at some point. Here, if you look closely at…"

She just kept going on and on as I kept standing there smiling, wishing I could listen over my internal reprimanding over how much I managed to ruin my chance to ask her to Grom… again.

Agh… crap.

And THAT is how Hunter somehow managed to let his chance to try and ask Willow to Grom slip through his grasp… yet again. Haha. But, for real, I hope you enjoyed this AU I set up for Willow and Hunter's relationship (friendship/crush/etc). Mainly that I wanted to give a good formula for how these two became closer during their time in the Human Realm. Even though the 'Bathroom Haircut Scene' in "Thanks to Them", no spoilers but that was the cutest DAMN thing I have seen in a VERY long time and only made me even more sad with all the cute moments we could've had if the writer's were give a full 3rd season for time and material, but… it didn't happen and now we just have the final 2 episodes to wait for and fanfiction. So, I am going to continue writing this if you all still want it! I also hope you enjoyed seeing the kind of home life Hunter now has in the Demon Realm with being a ward to Darius of the Abomination Coven. After the select interactions these two have, I kind of saw Darius sort of developing into a mentor figure for Hunter to help him grow as a person to forge his own path and make friends. And as you can see… he isn't done with Hunter yet in terms of trying to help him grow and break out of his usual constraints, even if he doesn't know why yet in the form of Hunter's frustration with messing up asking Willow to Grom. Haha. ;) Speaking of, what will Darius say in response to Hunter's latest 'failure' at honesty with Willow… you know, since Darius literally backed Hunter into a corner to tell him and gave him no choice but to tell. Haha. XD Stay tuned! Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the longer chapter and my take on the alternate chain of events that occurred after the 'Day of Unity'. As always thank you all SO much for taking the time to read and please leave constructive feedback if you'd like and let me know if you'd like to see this continue?

Stay classy and wonderful all!

Dexter1995

P.S. and *Spoilers* In this universe and just for clarification, no one knows yet about Hunter's true nature as a Grimwalker except for Hunter himself and Luz. But… that doesn't mean it will STAY a secret depending? Also, I just can NOT kill off Flapjack in this fic! I seriously can't do it in this fic even though it was such an emotional moment when Flapjack gave his life for Hunter's. MY GOD I CRIED! DX Anyway, just wanted to throw it out there for the plot! Haha.