Like Real People Do (GOLDRIC)

2

Hunter furiously taps his staff against the cold floor , glaring past the people in the market. The day- and the week really- was not shaping out to be a good one.

Admittedly, he hasn't been able to focus since his nightmare.

Well, he wasn't entirely sure if that's what it really was anymore. Before, he'd been certain nothing good could come out of that beach dream, but then it changed. Every time he blinks or tries to sleep, he sees a mess of seasick green hair and eyes that seem to contain the sunset itself in them. Maybe he was still living his worst nightmare.

He wants answers. He needs to know how that boy managed to invade his head, how he managed to drive the water away, and why he's still thinking of him .

Unsurprisingly, his superiors grew annoyed of his spacing out and assigned him to a lesser job, a weak one.

" I'll look for you ," The boy had said. "If you'll look for me."

Hunter drove his hand against his mask. Titan, why was he so stupid . He should've never spoken to him, he should've let the boy drown like the dream is supposed to go, he should've let his curiosity drop dead the second he saw him standing in the water.

What he never wanted to admit was the tingling of fear and panic that swept through his nerves when the boy's sunny eyes met his own, when their hands locked and when he smiled. He didn't want to admit he was afraid of the boy named Edric, the boy he was never supposed to meet.

Hes afraid of a lot of things, really. He fears being replaced, and being weak, he fears his uncle, who so happens to be the Emperor, he fears the things that will happen to him if he steps out of line. He should not fear a boy.

Darius was the first to catch on to Hunter's behavior, oftentimes he was the one to look after Hunter as his uncle could never act as a real parent with the amount of work he does. Darius assigned him to patrol the night market for a few nights, "to remind the people down there that the Emperor's coven is always watching". A patrolling job is far beneath Hunter's duties, but he did not have the audacity to object, so he went along, as humiliating as it was.

Tonight was equally boring, there was already tons of illegal activity going on around him, but he just couldn't bring himself to do anything about it when he could not give a shit. It was all minor anyways, the only thing he really was looking out for were plots against the Emperor coven and of Belos.

He leans his back against the wall, letting out a sigh.

There's a twitching in his side and the little red palisman bird grapples onto his sleeve, chirping up at him.

Hunter quickly pulls his cloak over to hide him. "You can't be here! What would someone do if they saw me with a palisman?" He whisper-shouts.

The bird just happily chirps, not quite understanding Hunter's words.

"Come back here, kid!" A man's voice splits the air, a flurry of a black cloak races by, disappearing into a nearby alleyway, followed closely by the man. For a moment he swore he saw a lock of green hair.

Without thinking, he pushes the palisman back into his coat and follows them into the alleyway, peaking around the corner to view the scene, wondering if it's worthy of his attention.

The man tackles someone to the ground, a boy, a teenager, and with a circle of his fingers, thick, spindeling vines wrap and close around the kid's torso, not budging as he thrashes.

"Now, where's my money kid?" The man demands, his foot pressed flat against the boy's chest, pressing into his neck.

"Heyy, come on, I thought we had a deal?" The boy says, forcing a nervous laugh. Hunter blinks in shock, recognizing the voice instantly.