Toxic Mentality~ {TRANS HUNTER AU}

Chapter 27: Chocolate and Books

SORRY THIS CHAPTER IS LATE YALL I LOST TRACK OF TIME BC IVE BEEN CRYING OVER GOOD OMENS 😔

TW: MENTION OF SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND ABUSE
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Hunter's POV:

I woke up later than usual, and noticed that Gus was nowhere to be seen, which made it easier to change into my binder anyways. I stood up, stretched, and cracked almost every part of my body, starting with my back. I yawned. I threw off my shirt, slipped on my binder, and put on a clean shirt I had in a neat stack next to my sleeping bag. I walked upstairs, only to find everyone already in the living room. Luz and Amity were cuddled up together watching something on Luz's phone, Gus was next to them sitting on the arm of the couch, Willow was on the other end of the couch, and Vee was draped over the recliner reading a book.

Everyone looked up at me when the basement door closed a little too loudly, but Vee and Amity just looked back down to what they were doing. Luz, on the other hand, jumped up from her seat, disturbing Amity, and ran up to me. I jumped back out of reflex, but she got uncomfortably close to my face anyways. "Mornin' sleepy head. Guess where we're going today?" I paused to think for a second. "Uhm-"

"Too late, WE'RE GOING TO THE LIBRARYYY!!" She yelled, accentuating the 'y'. My ears flicked downward to block out the sound, and I backed away from her. "Do you really have to yell?" I said in response to her unreasonably loud screaming. "It's not like the library is that exciting." Luz gasped dramatically. "The library is a sacred place full of mystery, drama, fantasy, and history. You will NEVER insult the library in my presence." I side eyed at her as I walked past, sitting next to Willow. She giggled at me and Luz's sibling-like bickering. "Soo, you gonna get any books?"

"Probably, are you?" I responded, catching a glance of her open Penstagram, before she quickly closed it and put her scroll away. "What was that about?" Willow winced, which made me assume she didn't want me to see that. She sighed. "I keep checking Penstagram in hopes that someone will post something so I know that they're okay..." She paused, and I knew in that very moment what she was thinking. "But nothing?" Willow nodded. "It's okay," I didn't believe myself. "they're all really scared. No one's first thought when they're in danger would be to post on Penstagram, and besides, I'm sure we wouldn't know if they did anyway. We're in an entirely different dimension, I doubt any posts would go through here." I didn't believe that either.

"I'm sure everyone is just fine, Willow. Stop being such a worry wart." None of what I said did I believe in the slightest, but I smiled anyway. I flashed my famous tooth gap, causing Willow to smile with me. This time, my smile was genuine. I just wanted to see her happy.

Luz forced us all to pile into the car now that I was awake, and Camila began to drive us to the library. Vee was sat in the front passenger seat, Luz, Gus, and Amity all sat in the middle, leaving me and Willow alone in the back. "Hey, did you ever eat that chocolate?" Willow questioned, most likely thinking about it for the first time in a while. I turned my head, a confused look washing over my face. "What chocolate?" She giggled, finding it funny, or maybe cute that I didn't remember. "You know, the chocolates I brought you and stuck in the freezer for you the day I came over?" I drew a blank. "You brought me chocolate that day?" I tried not to fluster as I thought about it, but to no avail. "You never even knew about them?" I shook my head. Willow sighed. "Aww, I wish I could buy you more." I smiled at the thought that she wants to buy me chocolate. That's sweet. And considering I had never in my life been bought something, it was practically a foreign concept until now. "I mean, if you want we could go shopping or something together sometime." I turned away, slightly flustered.

Willow immediately noticed my blush, and let out a small laugh. "That sounds great." And all of a sudden, we were there. That drive felt fast. I thought to myself as I got out of the car. We walked into the library and were met with shelves and shelves all packed full of books. My jaw dropped in awe when I realized there must have been thousands of books. "Woah." I gasped as I looked around, immediately being pulled in by the sign saying "Non-Fiction". "I'm gonna go find some books. Is that okay?" I asked Camila, who responded with a nod. I then ran off to go find books about history and animals, both of which I was quite interested in. I picked out a book about wolves, a book about Cardinals, and a book about the history of Gravesfield and it's witch hunters. I ran back to Camila, kind of nervous she might not let me get three books, but she said yes anyway. Camila is so much kinder than Belos was. I realized as I walked out to the car with my newly bought books. I got in the car to wait for the others, but I was left alone with my thoughts.

Was Belos really that bad, or is Camila just super nice? I began to think. Belos let me get books, but only one every week. Not like I got a book every week, though, I didn't want to push him. But that means I was scared of him. No shit I was scared if him! I got my ass beat so often I started to consider suicide! But what if I was the problem, not him? Of course I was the problem. I'm always the problem. Sure, Belos has done some bad things, but I'm sure he's been through a lot. Maybe it's a trauma response of some sort? Luz had taught me about trauma and all that shit because she "wanted me to know how to recognize trauma" apparently. But Belos always told me mental health was made up by snowflakes so they can get away with being weak, so now there was a conflict inside my head.

Gus hopped in the car, interrupting the argument he couldn't hear. "Hey Hunter~" He wiggled his eyebrows, I cringed. "Um, what?"

"You know what." He said, smirking at me. I most definitely did not know what. "I heard you and Willow are going on a date?" Gus giggled, making me slightly uncomfortable and quite flustered. A date? I obviously did not know what a date was. "Well, we're going to hang out together, if that's what a date is." I responded factually. Gus' face lit up in realization. "A date is when two people who love each other go out alone together to find out more about each other, and get all romantical." I felt my face get very hot. That really just sounded like hanging out normally, but that word haunted my mind. Romantic. What did that word even mean? I really didn't know. But soon, everyone else piled into the car, including Willow, and we headed home. I didn't talk much during the ride home, desperately trying to hide my flustered face as I thought about what a date would mean for me and Willow. What would that make us?

Romantic?..

1261 words

a liiittle bit of angst in this chapter but what do yall think abt it? you excited to know what happens next? well, you better be. CUZ SHIT IS GONNA GET REAL