After-Aftershocks (Hunter- TOH Fanfic)

Chapter Nine: Blue Tigers

Beware ⚠️ Homophobia and slurs!

He got dressed in his soccer jersey after school. It was bright blue and had the number 13 on it. Then he put on his cleats and shin guards. 

Camila dropped him off at soccer practice. The coach introduced him to the other boys. Hunter was sure he was just being paranoid but he had a bad feeling about them. They welcomed him warmly. 

After the hour practice the boys hung out in the field. "Good job newbie." 

"Great kicking!" 

"Good game Hunter." Hunter smiled uneasily at the compliments. 

"Let's play a game of truth or dare to get to know Hunter." So they played a few rounds. One round a boy asked "Hunter, truth or dare?" 

Hunter replies "Truth." After having already done a dare. 

"Tell us about everyone you've kissed." Hunter gulped. 

"Well I've kissed my girlfriend Willow," he replied simply but the boys knew he was leaving something out. Hunter felt pressured to say something even though it was uncomfortable, he didn't want to disappoint the team. "I've kissed this guy named Apopis from school."

Instantly he hears an uproar of protests. The boys are disgusted by this. "What are you a faggot?!" 

"Ew, get away from him before he turns us gay!"

Hunter looked shakily at the group before getting up and running away as fast as he could. Once he was far enough away, he curled up on the ground and cried. He cried because he was now alienated from his team, he cried because of their hate for his bisexuality, he cried because he was assaulted by Apopis. 

Eventually he gathered himself enough to call Camila to bring him home. He hid his sadness and what happened from her, she worried enough already. 

... 

The next week he returned to practice. He avoided talking to the boys and they avoided him like he was contagious. After practice while he was waiting for Camila to arrive he saw the boys dumping their water on an ant hill. He rushed over "Stop that! Those ants can't swim." 

The boys just jeered at him. "Oh the sissy likes ants. How are you going to stop us?"  Rage boiled up inside him but he knew he couldn't win this fight. Then he heard Camila calling for him so he turned tail and ran. 

He felt ashamed but what could he have done? He considered telling Camila but Beloses in the reflection of the car windows started shouting at him. Useless! You can't even fight your own battles anymore! And just imagine if those boys saw you in your skirt!

... 

Next week after practice Hunter was sitting alone, facing the parking lot eagerly waiting Camila to come. He didn't hear the boys before it was too late...

Suddenly a giant cooler of ice and Gatoraid was dumped over his head. One of the boys shouted "Go home fag! No one wants you here!" Another boy threw ants on Hunter who went crazy from the sugary drink. They boys ran off to leave Hunter dripping went and covered in ants. He cried out as he was bit repeatedly. 

Then the comforting sound of Camila's voice reached his ears. She ran towards him with a towel. "What happened chico?!" She asked as she wiped him down, trying to get the ants off. He was crying so much it took a minute before he could form words.

"Camila, can we just go home? Please?" He asked desperately. 

"Sure, do you want me to call Eda or Willow? Or do you want Luz to go over to Eda's?" She asked wanting him to have all the support or space he needed. 

"Luz can stay but don't tell the others." After a silent car ride home he went up to the bathroom and bathed. He bathed for hours. His arms itched from the ants and he felt dirty because the boys made him feel wrong.

Once he came out he went straight to bed. When Camila came in to check on him, he pretended to be asleep.

...

That Saturday the Blue Tigers had a soccer match and Hunter was determined to go even after what happened. So Camila took him. She and Luz cheered him on from the sidelines. They kept an eye out for trouble.  

He played his heart out. Maybe if he did well the boys would like him. And he did do well, he scored two goals but the team worked against him, even if it meant sabotaging themselves.

They tripped his and he skinned his knee. They put ants in is water bottle. Camila of course noticed but the ref and the kids parents did nothing. Then when Hunter was given the shot to score the winning goal the boys started shouting slurs at him and he missed. 

They boys parents booed, the boys booed at his loss. They blamed him. Why do they hate me?!

Camila and Luz quickly got Hunter out of there and Camila swore to report these people to the YMCA.

Once they were home Hunter ran down to his room. He cried, he's done a lot of that lately. 

Camila and Luz laid with Hunter comforting him as he told them about soccer the past few weeks. "I want a drink..." 

"Hunter, we're here for you, you don't need that stuff anymore." Camila comforted. But Hunter's mind spiralled down into dark places.

Dark places that maybe he'd never come back out of...