9. Hiding in your Hands

                                    

                                          
[slight TW: this chapter contains depictions of mild injury]
Hunter POV:
Hunter winced as sharp, cold water bathed his hands in the bathroom sink. It was the middle of the night, everyone was asleep, except for him. 
He had to do this every now and again, as his hands got sore when he wore his scratchy gloves on them for too long, and since he never really takes them off (aside for sleeping) it was extra painful.
Suddenly, the light turned on in the dark bathroom.
"Hunter?"
Hunter whipped around to see Willow standing in the doorframe, one hand on the light switch and the other one clasping a glass cup. 
"C-Captain!" Hunter whisper-shouted, hastily hiding his hands behind his back. "Wh-what are you doing here?"
"Getting a drink of water," Willow said, leaning against the doorframe and looking at him with furrowed brows. "But I could ask you the same question, Hunter."
"Oh, well, I just... I was just going to the bathroom and just washing my hands so.. I'll be going now haha, see you in the morning, Captain!"
But as he was beginning to walk past her, Willow grabbed his hand and Hunter winced at the contact - both of the pain of her touching his slightly sore hand, and the goosebumps that suddenly erupted on his neck at the touch.
"Something's bothering you, Hunter, I can tell. I know you too..." she glanced down at his hand and trailed off. "...well..."
On his hand there were numerous scars, long and thin, stretching across his plams and fingers. She let go of him. They stood there in silence for a few moments. "What happened to them Hunter? If you're comfortable answering."
Hunter hesitated. He sat down on the floor of the bathroom and Willow followed suit, both of them sitting cross-legged and opposite each other.
"It happened a few years ago..." Hunter began. "I was a young soldier, still under the Emperor's Coven's rule. Me and my team had a mission where we had to go up into the snowy mountains. We trekked for days, and at one point I got abandoned in a cabin, but that's a story for another day... anyway. We had arrived at our destination, but we were greeted with a rockfall that landed on my crewmates. I spent hours digging them out, until my hands were bleeding and scarred.
"In the end, we failed the mission because my crew were too injured to carry on. I carry these scars now as a sign of failiure, and always keep them hidden. It's what I deserve."
A few moments of silence ensued, and Willow said "Is that what Belos told you? That you deserve them?"
"Yeah, but he was right about this one," Hunter replied bitterly. "I was the cause of their injuries, I could have saved them, it was my fault."
"Yeah, I'm 98.9% sure it was the rockfall's fault, not yours, and I wasn't even there," Willow said, smiling slightly.
Hunter looked up.
"You may have a different definition of 'failiure' than me, Hunter," Willow said. "A true failiure would have given up then and there. But you persevered and got your team to safety, even being injured yourself in the process. I can't think of a nobler thing you could have done."
She stood up. "We'll talk more in the morning. You need to go to bed." She smiled.
"Okay. Goodnight, Captain."
"Goodnight," Willow said as she began to exit the room. She stopped suddenly and turned her head to face him. "And Hunter?"
"Yeah?"
"Never be ashamed of your scars. It simply means that you've come out stronger than whatever tried to hurt you. They're a sign of bravery, not cowardice."
And with that, she left.
-
"Hunter!" Camila yelled from the kitchen. It was the morning, and Hunter was reading a book in his room. "Could you come and help me and Luz with breakfast?"
"Sure thing!" Hunter yelled back. He stood up and reached for his gloves on the bedside cabinet as he did every morning. But this time he hesitated his hand hovering over them. 
"Huuuunterrrr!" Luz shouted. "These eggs aren't going to fry themselves! C'mere before I fry your head instead!"
"Coming!" Hunter laughed to himself. He left the room, with his gloves still on the cabinet.
No more hiding.
- 
Yooooo 2 uploads in 2 days, lezgooooo on the Huntlow grind
Side note: This chapter was heavily inspired by MorningMark's comic, he did a fantastic job on it, go check it out: https://www.reddit.com/r/TheOwlHouse/comments/vc44vr/scars/
See yaaaaa
-mayz