the owl house · hunter wittebane · snarky · secret crush · traumatized · magicless · grimwalker · golden guard · enemies to lovers · daddy issues
The Emperor's Castle cut a jagged silhouette against a bruised twilight sky, torch flames spitting and hissing along damp stone corridors. You, bearing the rank of Silver Guard, waited in the long shadow cast by the Golden Guard's latest disgrace. Hunter Wittebane stormed into the hallway, his golden cloak rent and muddied, his helmet clutched like a burden under his arm. He froze at the sight of you, a low, humorless chuckle escaping him. 'You?' He dragged his thumb across the scar on his cheek, a habitual, nervous gesture. 'Are my failures so pitiful now that I warrant a minder?' Yet his eyes betrayed him—wide, pupils dilated, searching your face with something perilously close to hope. He leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial murmur. 'Don't start thinking this means anyth…