C,E, and O?

The weekend morning started steel grey and cold.

The water still not heated but I was way too grimy and gross from last night.

I could appreciate a glass of blueberry blast, even an icy one across my scalp in hot, deadly simmering summer heat.

But smelling of artificial syrup from head to toe...

Yuck.

I went into a harried rush in and out, leaping about with nothing more to protect me from the chill than a mustard yellow towel and throw over my hair.

The bite of a small portable heater up my second floor bedroom was welcome, creating a pleasant throb on my skin.

Shivering, I let my hair free of the thick wool then moving on to my torso, frantically drying myself. Lucky for me, it was ingrained in scouts to dress swiftly and correctly for morning inspection. Lest the emperor grow angry.

Either way, I was warm in fifteen seconds. No complaints, no contest.

On my shoulder and out of his enclosure was my Palisman. A sizable and ghastly spider with lithe, hairy legs rising and falling in a stretch.

Cerbos.

Shaking his head up against my own face indicating he demanded attention. Namely that of prey.

“Okay okay,” I relented offering my fingers for a friendly nip before the big travelled up my arm.

Finding our way to what served as the kitchen. Not far from the main foyer of the old place. Where we’d once painted the bird tube and done Spanish from scary Dual-Lingo.

Eda in all her ways still didn’t totally understand human pipes and wires. She got me water for the faucet and shower but for the life of her couldn’t fathom a full on fridge. So, she did the next best thing.

A portable mini usually meant to be in an RV and siphon from the gas of the car. This one’s unit was outside.

And it did the job.

Keeping the loaf cold and safe from bugs. Or more namely, a snotty arachnid with a taste for fire beetles. The cold of the machine keeping them stupid and wings fluttering feebly but flaring to life once out.

Even so, I handled them with care, before tossing them around the webs.

Inevitably caught and devoured. Gruesomely and involving bloodied crumbs and odd clear fluid from empty eye sockets for me to clean off the counter.

Cerbos was then content to nap in my hair. Now a festive Jewish hat. I’d have to ask Vee or Camilla what those were called again. I certainly remembered not liking the looks those times some coworkers came by, or patients in the vet’s office, or some of his schoolmates who wore those “religious head coverings.” Hats and also hi-jabs. Only remembering the latter from old movies.

Ones I was warned compulsively by Luz and her mother to not take as fact or use in any normal conversation.

With that done, everything checked, and phone hanging off my fingers…

Damn keys. Key, where—

A dangerous tip caught me off kilter but was quickly fixed. Acutely reminding me why I lived alone.

Much as I loved my friends to death and back, I was not one to be so mercilessly mocked! I mean Willow was one thing, she was Willow, she never meant it to be annoying. Not that— not that such a thing was in her. No, she made people double trip on crossing her. And anyway, when she laughed it was the nicest—

Tossing the phone and letting it slide to better grip, taking the glazed vanilla bread like a book.

Fishing my jangling ring I locked the knob.

Mrs. Noceda sent a couple texts as I made the serene stroll down, whistling a tune to myself.

Shower before morning. O Que te salve Dios de gripa.

Can’t wait to see you mijo.

Mijo. May just be my favorite word.

“Hunter! Huuunter!”

Deftly he swung himself away from a streak in a white shirt, jogger pants, and an unruly blend of yellow and blue hair.

Vee stumbled, flailing arms to catch herself and glared fiercely in my direction as he laughed.

“Ahhh. Hey I tell you not to run patata,” I crooned.

She stuck out her tongue, quickly forgetting her irritation.

This time I let her crush me into a hug.

The delicate way she held my cake, eyes gleaming and already drooling could have been a factor too.

Mrs. Noceda was much the same. Burying me in a hug and even giving Cerbos a pet.

I returned him to staff form and let him lean in the living room next to a window sill.

Lunch was delicious as usual.

We talked and we laughed. We caught up.

I couldn’t waste this chance in teasing Vee when she’d brought up her friend Masha’s name.

“Stooooop,” she whined putting her head down the kitchen table.

“Mija,” Camila soothed with a hand patting her back. “Mija sabes Que no intenta mal.” There was still laughter in her own voice as she said it.

“Ya se Mama,” she conceded. And now had a sly smile on her face. “Y Que es unos rumores entre amigos?”

Vee still had some gestures from Luz. Namely the look she had when planning mischief.

“You know last Willow had called she was pretty disappointed you’d been out with those sweaty guys you hang with. Instead of your lonely little sister,” she pouted impetuously.

For a moment my breath hitched.

I puckered my mouth, refusing to let anything go.

“Hate you.”

Vee gasped. “Whyyyyyy?”

“I love you.”

“Hmmmm?”

“I love you.”

“Sorry still, still can’t hear you over my loving heaaaart.”

“I love you patata!” I finally enunciated fiercely.

Leaping she smothered me again, making me flail once I realized I really couldn’t breathe.

***********************

“So expect Luz to come by for next weekend. Oh you know what we should tag team. Augh but I also really do want her advice. Being in a healthy, romantic relationship.”

“I’m sure the human can take a joke,” I assured.

It was well into the night outside.

Near eight and I suppose the routine of a scout hadn’t wholly left me as I yawned at every other sentence.

For the moment Vee and I had moved for the living room.

Took out a few board games and began to play.

Though for all through it I could sense something was up.

For all she rambled on about her “maybe/maybe not” over Masha, commenting on the witch of Hunter and his status in school, and of course the Isles there was something she hadn’t mentioned. Something nipping at her happy demeanor.

I wanted to know what to do. I should have. We’d gotten way, way closer ever since staying in the human world.

Sometimes we treated each other to a movie or the zoo. We showed each other off to our friends. There was always laughter when we hung out.

We were friends.

I was her older brother.

Seeing that frown while she pondered her checkers pieces, before catching my stare and making a move she shouldn’t have made.

One we both knew she wouldn’t make.

Especially since she taught me the strategy part of dueling.

I placed one of my vital pieces in her black one’s jaws. Boxed in, inevitable to be caught and the game won.

She noted the play with significant confusion.

I was not subtle. I was not gentle and sensitive to others the way my friends were.

“What’s bothering you? It isn’t the girls at your school is it?”

Vee had decided to completely start fresh.

That meant no Gravesfield Junior High where Luz used to go to and “came back” to after camp.

Instead she’d chosen a somewhat more turbulent place. Meadow Lane.

A somewhat farther school with less than stellar records on passing students or graduation. But she said it was fun if not a bit loud and the kids really weren’t all so bad as they were made out to be.

There were even much more Hispanic kids to practice Spanish with. A lot who’d been understanding to their “situation” as not from around.

Still, I couldn’t watch over her the way I could at my school. Protect her with that popular status.

“No— n—n-no. No no it’s not that,” she said whiling away her finger, already beginning to curl on herself. “School is great. It isn’t anything.”

“Vee,” I breathed, “please. Please tell me. I’m your brother.”

“I— she said… she said not to—“

“Who! Who said!” I urged, not liking her voice at all. Someone, something was hurting her! Hurting her deep and often to be like this. On the edge of sheer panic.

“Camila.”

Camila.

“Mrs. Noceda,” I repeated somewhat skeptical. That just didn’t fit. What would she want to— no. No no no no.

Something wasn’t, he was sure now he was absolutely missing something.

Now if only she would—

“Camila said to please not worry,” Vee continued and it did loosen the knot that had constricted his chest just a bit.

She just meant not to keep it in and worry. Of course she was.

“She said it was fine. That we just— we weren’t a bother and she loves us.”

Now if that wasn’t distressing in its own way.

Only that was all I got out of Vee before she started crying.

She threw herself onto me. I couldn’t do much at that point except hold her.

She blubbered something about Camilla seeing her like this. I muffled her cries in my shirt. But that wasn’t the right thing to do.

Though for now, despite the fact that Vee needed what I couldn’t provide, the issue right now was getting her through this moment. So, I did.

Vee breathed, buried in my body. I guided her best as I could.

To calm down and to please, please tell me anything.

Turns out, therapy, family lawyers, special needs toys and anxiety tools weren’t cheap.

“I found the bills one morning Camilla just passed out. Not like passed out out but, she was just so tired.”

She’d said so in a whisper now leading me along.

Slowly tiptoeing so as to not make a fuss, into her own room.

Where she had snatched some of the receipts and letters herself.

I read it, looking up from the numbers, admittedly as torn as she was.

So of course Vee wrung her hands in worry.

“I— I don’t know what I can do. I mean Hunter,” she rasped voice thick with emotion.

I huffed softly. More thinking than anything.

I couldn’t make her do anything. If she wanted me and only me then I would have to respect that. Offer her a stress free place to get away for the weekend if nothing else.

I’d found ways to occupy my time around town without spending money. It was a system that worked.

Then again me? I needed answers.

“Okay look,” and tear-filled eyes gazed up. I kept my cool, “Vee it wasn’t the way to go. You can’t be taking this stuff—“ he treaded very carefully, making sure she realized he wasn’t exactly scolding her.

“I know that,” she defended nervously.

“I know you do but, look, I can stay here with you. I can listen. No,” I corrected, “I will listen. That I can do for you but, I also need to address this. With Mrs. Noceda.”

“Hunter but— she said,” and then her stance hardened. “No. We shouldn’t. I mean it’s fine really.”

“No. No it isn’t,” I insisted. “Look I’m worried okay. And, I know you are too. You don’t have to join me but that’s why I’m saying. If you still need me than fine but, me. I need to address this with Mrs. Noceda. Figure out just what’s up.”

Vee closed her eyes. Straining, struggling with herself fiercely.

Before finally crying out.

Holding my hand and the pair heading together in an urgent gait.

********************

“Children?” Camila asked peeking in from the kitchen. Having finished the dishes and finding quiet. “Vee? Hunter? You two where have you gone… off—?

Odder still when she spotted the abandoned games. Both checkers and some more of those Dueling cards Hunter borrowed from school.

“Here,” Hunter said. Without fanfare, tone trite.

He stood stiff and worse yet expression solemn as when he’d first sought refuge along his friends almost a year ago now.

And Vee was cowering behind. Looking almost ashamed and— almost refusing to meet her eyes.

“Mijos? What— what is. It?”

“Please don’t lie,” he then said struggling to get the words out. “We’re— we’re sorry for peeking.”

Crumpled in his hands were papers she’d never wanted them to see. The last thing they needed right now— was to see the monetary costs imposing on their getting better, getting everything that should have been given them from the start.

Unbidden, her legs nearly fell.

She could tell her expression was falling. Putting a hand to her mouth…

Hunter was so fast in catching her.

“Sit down, please. And please don’t. This isn’t your fault, we— we worry too. And I need to know.”

_________

There’s been no way to know how the conversation would have gone.

I was relieved though, that Camila was scared for us first and foremost.

Money was tight.

She had admitted as much, admitted how important it was that Sasha Waybright be their therapist.

Since she knew the ins and outs of magical worlds.

She promised to elaborate; laughing a little, if not strained.

She kissed Vee and urged her to go to bed for now. She’d be up with some chocolate and the rest could be for the morning.

Still sniffling Vee nodded.

Camila took me through just what the expenses were.

The sheer wear of the financial burden obvious on her face.

“The lawyers promised to let me pay in installments with a bit of grace all things considered. Without certain paperworks…”

“…then I’m not a person here either. I don’t, wouldn’t, have a shot of making something here.”

Camila nodded. “Yes and neither would Vee. Social Services would have come and they protect kids but,” she smiled in a way all too much like her daughter when keeping up the ruse of know-how when in a bind.

Briefly it weighed on me how lucky it was Luz learned from and admired her Mother so much. As Camila had forgiven him almost as easily as Luz.

“It’s create a lot of awkward questions on where I proofed from and if you were maybe lying and holding me prisoner.”

This time both shared a hearty laugh.

“I wanna help.”

“Oh baby,” Camila soothed hand on my head.

“No, Mrs. Mom,” she put a hand to her chest.

I kept my gaze.

It had been a huge step.

Calling her Mom just then.

“Honey I— I appreciate you may feel…”

“L— le- let… let me sp- sp- speak.”

Crap.

It had been so huge.

I’d— I’d never dared overstep the way I had.

Acknowledging Mrs. Noceda as my Mother, my family, dating to believe this could last it shorted out my voice, much less composure completely.

Sure enough I was scorching red and surely making an expression ripe for ridicule and cartoonishly unsightly.

But either way I did speak.

Focusing on the table.

Making rings with my finger as I did.

“I’m not suggesting anything crazy but, well, I cannot stand by whether you want me to or not. It just isn’t my way,” I declared, false ruefulness when I shook my head.

“Well alright I suppose,” she hummed thoughtfully with a pensive hand to her chin, “ah! I could use some help organizing coupons.”

“Send me off with a stack!”

“Hmm your house though, it is very old plus it is a little more humid there.”

“My gym locker is out too then. Not much better after all.”

Camila winced. “Never bring those back if they’ve been with your clothes the whole day.”

“I’m with my clothes the whole day.”

“Now you know what I mean and I know you do,” she teased. Ruffling my hair where her gaze stayed on my face for just a little longer.

She looked away first. “I suppose you will want the Wanteds too. I know half-baked isn’t a word in your vocabulary.”

“No ma’am,” I puffed with considerable pride even if Camila were more exasperated than amazed.

“But,” she affirmed right down to the Mom finger and soul-piercing, pin his butt to a chair stare. “You start small, after all you’re schedule is choked up enough as it is with all those clubs you’re a part of. Not to mention going in all directions for those friends of yours.”

I wanted to look abashed but I couldn’t.

Not my fault people found scars a draw. And not that I had to dole out anything on the how.

Sooo, mysterious bad boy reputation for the foreseeable future.

Very much not sad!

“We are,” she said drawing and feeling it out as she did, “also going to have to dial down your birthday. Now I know, I know I promised and we’d already put plans together…”

Usually I don’t interrupt Camila whenever she speaks.

I was still getting used to being addressed and permitted to answer questions.

Not that she was asking rhetorical, subtly scathing questions any half-wit witch would know to bow their head and wait to be addressed.

Either way I did end up laughing.

The nervous, still somewhat unhinged or derogatory laugh I favored. Or, used to favor more than any.

“I don’t need a birthday. To be honest, I mean never missed out back there so yeah. Besides I never did get the point of that human custom not to mention we don’t know when I and not Caleb was born. Which, would be way… weird…?”

Any playfulness or laugh lines on Camila’s face vanished.

Replaced in tandem with the peaceful, meandering atmosphere into something sharp and dreaded.

“Hunter that isn’t— I, you know Amity celebrated birthdays right? So did Willow and I’m sure Gus.”

I simply blinked.

“Huh.”

“Again—“

“O-okay then scrap that then. Well uhhh then a trip,” I proposed.

“Where to. Keep in mind our options are a bit limited. Though we could do a lunch in the park, the beach.”

“I was sorta hoping, we… visit Luz.” I smiled hoping for approval, “y’know over… there.”

“I— I mean we could but mijo is that— will you be okay?”

I mulled it over. Taking great care and thought. Before overall settling, even with a shaking hand, I was probably ready as I would ever be.

Melancholy had begun to grow.

Maybe not for the sulfurous air of the Isles or rib cage maze of forest and gulch of the Isles itself…

But, for the people there. The energy and feel of his friends when they were completely unbound, unfettered.

Sure magic ran wild in Camila’s house, and he smiled just thinking about it, but it was always with the knowledge to be careful else she’d be the one footing the bill right after hosting.

And that wasn’t fair.

“Yeah! I… wanna see the Boiling Isles again.”

***********************

There was a lot to do before I could even begin talking birthdays or trips touring around Hexside, Glandus, the now Consortium out of the old castle.

And shopping in the renamed Owl House Market Square. Made infamous for the Owl Lady herself making her shop and business there.

As well as obscurely known as the meeting point of teacher and student.

Though at the moment, my mind was more on Wanted ads. Coffee shop. Grocery, mall, barber… Junior teacher?

But… that didn’t seem like me. I would have done anything sure but, BY TITAN! He had no idea what most of those words were.

Sure, he had heard them in passing. He’d watched enough TV.

A good portion of the evening was spent pacing.

I put on my pajamas.

Camila bought all the clothes I had now.

Brushing my teeth while the water ran, in the mirror numbers spread across the glass.

Spitting, I could hardly… I pitched my head down toward the sink.

Crying out in my frustration, feeling as my breathing turned erratic.

Slowly trying to parcel my breath, keeping focus on my chest and the way my lungs tightened and tightened. Further… further…

Dizziness began to run through my nerves, turning my legs against me.

Narrowly did I stop from completely tumbling.

Instead, lurching for the door.

And out of the Whittibane house down each step and out to where a rudimentary metallurgy had been slapped together.

Inside I stepped into an arched back, slowly finding the shining coat of Oxford paint on a two wheel bike.

Made for a tall teenager.

I imitated each click.

Synchronized my steps.

Each in harmony at the cool breeze of a Saturday night.

I took my bike through all the paces.

Grinding on the asphalt, slapping on it, speed growing and the resistance turning almost taut.

Feeling the rush of my body and my other organs left behind.

I kept going, kept pushing, and kept pace as the neighborhood turned to a blur.

Coming to wild turns, several near misses and not for the first time forcing the bike on its side before I was able to re-stabilize myself.

My breath now caught by adrenaline.

Slowly, my problems started becoming small.

I could, think it through.

Camila had promised to talk more tomorrow. Suggested to me that I bring my worries to Ms. Waybright.

Getting a job might require sacrifice and really, I’d probably gotten as good with sewing as I cared to get.

Giving that up, ceding the team to Cedar or at lest put us on equal footing instead of Captain and best player could absolutely happen. The coach had been one of the most attentive to his situations.

Embarrassing, but later quite vital.

When I took to the street again it was at much slower pace.

I was entombed raw, cold to the bone in a two-layer night shirt and loose, wide legged pants.

Still, I felt I had some more in me.

It was probably not too far from midnight by this point.

Slowly, the dark ceded to a strip a bit further by his neck of woods, awash in lights.

Plenty of neon signs for restaurants, the coffee place he picked up late lunches or played hookie a daring two times.

A much more upscale building flashed ads.

A new hotel.

The channel turned to static.

Before blinking back to life just as quickly. Except this time with a person of definitive features, sharp, callous azure eyes, and some skin-tight sleeve and belts deal under some long silver coat.

It did not do that emaciated, starved frame any favors.

I would bet money the guy was short.

Though either way he had my attention.

In the light, the spectacle, and much more in a voice demanding attention, so boisterous it had to compensate for something.

“…To Domino City! Open to all the rabble who figures themselves duelists. A survival of the fittest battle royale, the winner the indisputable King of Games,” he swore, clenching a fist taut and veiny to the screen. Expression cold and eyes empty. Yet with no less grit to his bold declaration.

The guy announcing the event dubbed Battle City was throwing his hand into the gauntlet too.

”Be ready. Only the best will be permitted…”

”Two weeks from today!”