“Be nice, Hunter.” Marina said with a chuckle. “It almost sounds like you’re jealous.” She teased, giving Philippa a smile.
“Please,” Hunter said, shaking his head. “What is there to be jealous of?” He asked, shaking his head. “And Marina, I would watch what you say around me. I know…things. Things you really wouldn’t want Kyle to know.” He said, raising an eyebrow and laughing before going back to his food.
“Sorry.” Marina replied quietly. Kyle looked up with a flustered look on his face. It seemed like a natural expression for him.
“Wait! What things? Why don’t I know?” He said frantically. Marina and Hunter laughed a little and went back to their food. Due to the hilarity that generally ensued when Kyle felt out of the loop, Hunter and Marina would purposely freak him out from time to time. “No! What-“
“So, what was it that you were excited about?” Will said to Marina, completely ignoring Kyle’s objections. “I’m a little worked up to be honest.” He said with a chuckle. He took a drink and nudged Penny a little who looked up and smiled at him. Hunter smiled a little and looked at Marina who finally stopped Kyle’s babbling with a kiss on the cheek. He immediately stopped and put an arm around her, a goofy smile on his face. Marina giggled and leaned into him, lightly putting her head on his chest. Hunter sighed and looked over at Philippa who contently at her food. She looked at him and smiled before going back to her food. Copying Will he nudged her a little.
“What?” She said with raised eyebrows. He smiled and stared for a second before letting his smile drop.
“Oh uh…nothing. I thought I saw something, but I..I was wrong. Sorry.” He said, clearing his throat. Copying Kyle this time, he put his arm around her and she squeaked a little before laughing.
“Your arm weighs like, a thousand pounds.” She said with a groan before shrugging it off of her shoulders. Hunter sighed and forced a small laugh.
“Sorry. Haha. I can’t help my arms being so burly.” He said awkwardly before looking down at his food. He lost his appetite and scratched his head a moment. “I’m going to go read or something for a while. Stables tomorrow, right?” He asked, standing up from the group and grabbing his tray. “I’ll see you guys at campfire. Bye, Philippa.” He said with a small smile.
“Bye, Hunter!” She replied, putting a hand on his foot and waving. She smiled at him for a moment before going back to her food. Hunter locked eyes with Marina for a moment and brought his food inside the mess hall. He had known Marina long enough that he could tell when she could tell that something was wrong. He sighed and walked back out, towards somewhere else.
When he had first gotten together with Philippa, he knew that she was going to have to adjust to some things. He also knew that he was going to have to do the same. She was his best friend. He was her best friend. There were several moments in Olympus that were…emotional. Deep converstations. Times when Hunter felt like he had never laughed that hard. There was even a time when Philippa was having a really rough time and she had fallen asleep in his arms in the library in Olympus. It seemed like so long ago that he was that happy. Now it seemed the only time he was that happy was when he was talking with anyone, but Philippa. Arabella had been blessing for him trying to figure this whole relationship thing out. He couldn’t have asked for a better friend.
He walked through camp a little aimlessly before ending up in the arts and Crafts building. “Hey, Vera. Hey, Rory.” He said with a wave at the only people he really knew in the building.
“Hey, Hunter. Come on. We’re making bracelets.” Rory said with a smile as he patted the spot next to him. Hunter nodded and sat down next to him. As soon as he picked up the beads, it was like he didn’t exist for them. They were talking about their own things and laughing at inside jokes. It was almost like a different language.
“Why can’t I just use a spell to make the bracelet make itself?” Vera shouted in frustration before throwing the beads down on the table and standing up. Rory laughed and pulled her back down.
“Because that takes all the fun out of it.” He said with a chuckle. She sighed and picked up the beads again. Rory laughed and rested a hand on her shoulder. “Just don’t fireball it, okay?” He said with a smile.
Vera thought for a moment and sighed. “No promises.” She said before going back to working on the bracelet. Hunter groaned. A little unintentionally. How could they not see the feelings that they had for each other? The chemistry was palpable. Not only that, but everywhere he turned was another happy couple. Why couldn’t he be in a happy couple? Was it too difficult to find someone who wouldn’t go completely backwards all of a sudden?
“You okay, Hunter?” Rory asked with a raised eyebrow. Hunter seemed to flail slightly as he stood up.
“Just grand.” He said quietly as he walked out. He was so sick of everything that seemed to go wrong. He eventually found himself in the arena. The one place he felt okay. Philippa quickly found some of his favorite spots in the woods, so he couldn’t go there. Apparently, it was make Hunter feel alone forever day and so he couldn’t go other places in camp, so he found the arena. He summoned his enormous bow and placed a finger on his quiver. “Explosive.” He whispered as he drew an arrow. He aimed at a dummy at the other end of the arena and fired. With a loud boom the dummy exploded in a flurry of wood splinters and hay. Hunter was already starting to feel better.