Abominable -- Hunter x Willow THE OWL HOUSE

Chapter 1: Day One

Date: Unknown / Day One in the Human Realm

Dust. The human world was dusty, but the air smelled like fresh nothingness which was a step above the perpetual odor of musty carnage that plagued the atmosphere of the Boiling Isles. Although, the fact that it was sustained by the remains of a dead titan might have something to do with that. It seemed all hope was gone. The portal was gone and so was the place I had called home for so long. Not that it ever felt that way.
Dust. That's all I could see through my burning tears as I stared down at the floor of the cabin, clutching a torn Gus between my arms. Luz told us that the rain in the human realm was not lethal as it was in the Boiling Isles. That's not what it felt like as we stumbled out of the cabin, staggering to her house. The water pounded on our backs with the weight of worlds. At least it didn't sear our skin.
Arriving at the doorstep of Camilla Noceda was..jarring to say the least. She looked quite like her daughter, magenta glasses perched upon her nose, and a bush of voluminous hair stretched on to her shoulder tips. Her eyes held worry, concern, terror, and...love. A kind of love I had never seen. A kind of love that was unconditional.
We got settled in her home around the dining table. Amity held Luz in a firm, warm grip and Luz clutched her hand. Gus shuddered, as one would after being in the rain (I wouldn't though: as part of training for the Golden Guard, we would be left on mountains to fend for ourselves. I had gotten accustomed to the cold). Wordlessly, Willow twisted her index and a large green leaf had flowed out of her fingertips, wrapping around Gus' frame. A warmth had involuntarily colored my face. That was exactly it-- Willow warmed me. Her very presence.
Willow. Just her name was was like the tinkling of a windchime or the gentle whistles of a cardinal. I had never in my life experienced feelings like these-- feelings that blossomed out of nowhere and left me dizzy with glee. At first I believed them to be some manifestation of teenage angst. Hormones blurring my vision. And I'm sure that's part of it. But there is no denying that Willow Park had stolen my heart.
There was a seventh figure in the room. Her name was Vee, a basilisk who had been pretending to be Luz while she was at the Boiling Isles. A kind being.
Camila had assigned Gus and I to stay in the basement. Gus muttered groggily, wrapping the leaf around him tightly, "G'night Hunter."
"Wait! Gus." I called out.
"Yeah?"
"There's only one blanket down here. It's going to be cold..."
"You're right, what do we do.."
"Gus, you take the blanket, I'll take the leaf."
"But-"
"It's okay! I'm trained to deal well with cold spaces."
"Alright, but for equality's sake, we'll alternate each night and you are not allowed to refuse."
"Gu-"
"Nope."
"But-"
"No!"
I grabbed the leaf and turned over. "Pf, so much for equality. My freedom of speech has been stripped" I grumbled.
"Sh sh, hush little hunter go to sleep"
"And now you're telling me what to do."
Gus let out a soft, tired, giggle. "Goodnight, Hu-" and he was out. I smiled and dozed off myself clutching the leaf against my chest.