Something to Prove (Golden Guard x reader)

9.) Liability

"The Golden Guard has requested your presence. His ship is being docked." Kikimora tells me from the doorway.

"Thanks, Kiki." I sigh and stand up from my desk.

She walks away as I start walking to the doorway leaving space between us. These hallways are terribly boring and having to walk through them every day is worse. I make my way through the castle and then outside to the dock. They're still docking the ship and tying it with ropes but people are exiting.

Some go to the exit and some scouts head back to their rooms. I wait on the side waiting for him to come out. The sun is slightly setting but it's not dark yet. I lean against a wooden pole, still waiting. Until I finally see him walking down the ramp. But by now, no one else is here.

"Guess who just slayed the Selkidomus?" He says cockily.

"Bounty-hunters?" I laugh.

"No! Well, kind of. But still, I get to take credit for it." He smirks. "And what did you do today? Look like a disappointment in comparison to me?"

"Nah, I helped sell some potions in the market. After that, I had some lessons with Belos. He made me read this long book about the Titan and how he became Emperor. Look, quiz me on something." I grin widely.

"What are the Titan's five humors?" He asks and crosses his arms.

"Earth, bone, blood, bile, and breath," I answer and he laughs. "Why did you ask me to come here? Just so you could brag?"

"Yeah." He teases. "But no, I just wanted to show you something."

"What? If this is you trying to kill me-"

"I'm not trying to kill you. Follow me." He smiles and turns to walk along the dock.

The dock goes all the way around the building so we start walking towards the back of the castle. We walk in silence except for the slight creaking of wood under our feet. And of course the water beneath the wood. We turn a corner to see an area of this place that I've never seen before.

There's a shore, unlike the other areas where it's just wood. There's even sand on the shore. And waves, beautiful waves that crash against the shore. A smile creeps along my face when I see it. The water is perfectly blue and isn't steaming. He stays behind as I walk slightly closer to the water.

I kneel a few inches from the water so it won't get on my shoes and put my hand in it. It's not burning my hand off, it's just a little warm. It runs through my fingers perfectly. I stay there and rest my chin on my knee just watching the water as I feel Hunter come up behind me.

"I found this place earlier when I came to get the ship. No one ever comes over here so I thought you might like it." He says sheepishly.

"I do. I mean, I do like it. I love it." I tell him and speak similarly.

"Especially since you said you could never love someone as much as you love the ocean." He laughs.

"Mm, maybe that was a bit dramatic. I could love someone as much as I love the ocean. But that would be saying a lot." I smile, never taking my eyes off of the waves.

"What is it with you and the ocean anyways?" He asks.

"My dad, mostly. Every couple of months, he'd take me to California because that's where he was from. We'd go to the beach and just sit there for hours. Luz would stay with my Mom most of the time. So it was our thing." I explain with a smaller smile than before.

"Was?"

"He died a long time ago. I was seven, Luz was five. But it's fine. Everyone thinks that's why I would act out, maybe it is. I was always closer to him than my mom. He was a firefighter." I tell him while looking down.

"I'm sorry." He says quietly.

"No, no, don't be. It was a long time ago, it doesn't bother me anymore." I shrug.

"I don't know my parents. Belos doesn't talk about them at all. I don't even know their names." He sighs.

"You deserve better than that," I say quietly.

"I do?" He asks, looking over at me.

"I mean, yeah. You don't think so?"

"I guess I've never really thought about it." He shrugs.

"Even if it hurts him to talk about them, you deserve to know." I finally look at him.

"You're weird." He smiles.

"What do you mean?" I laugh.

"You say the strangest things sometimes. It doesn't make sense but it's...I don't know, nice?" He tells me.

"Makes you think?" I ask.

"Yeah. Maybe I don't think enough." He laughs before quickly gasping. "Dance lessons! I forgot!"

"Shit!" I quickly stand up and brush the sand off of my knees.

"I don't even know what a quadrille is." Hunter panics.

"Me either," I say as we start walking.

The class has already begun as we walk in. We try not to make any noise but Terra and Adrian give us dirty looks. The instructor doesn't seem to notice so we just stand side by side with the group.

"So, as I previously mentioned, we will be learning our Waltz today. The bard coven will not be participating in light of Scooter Crane's retirement. Everyone make sure you're with your partners and we can begin." The instructor claps her hands giving everyone a second.

"This is fine," Hunter whispers to himself but I can hear as we turn to face each other.

"Person A, wrap your right arm around person B's waist and hold hands with the other arm." The director instructs.

"I'm sorry," Hunter says as he follows the instructions.

"It's fine," I say awkwardly as we have to get closer.

She explains step by step the dance as we all go through learning it. We all are tired and annoyed at this point. No one wants to be here. Not to mention that I haven't been more than three inches away from Hunter for an hour. Now, she says it's time to do the whole thing with the music.

"Is everyone ready?" She asks and receives nods.

"Try not to step on my feet this time."
I whisper to Hunter whose been stepping on my toes this whole time.

"I'm trying." He whispers angrily.

"Try harder." I let my frustration out.

"And...the music is on! They announce you all, bow with your partner, and go!" She announces.

We do what she says and Hunter wraps his arm around me again. I pull him the slightest bit closer and I feel his foot step on mine again and I want to hit him. We spin in the circle with the other head witches and make our way around. He still manages to step on my toes again and again which makes my blood boil.

"Stop doing that." I groan and he laughs.

"I'm doing it on purpose now." He snickers.

"I'm gonna kill you."