Chapter Text
It was Wednesday.
Lilith, Eda, King, and Luz had all left the house for a Hexes-Hold-Em match, just as they had many Wednesdays before. Hooty prepared for Duo to come, but he still didn’t know how he could act, what he should say, or if he should even consider bringing up these… newfound realizations about his romantic feelings.
When Duo arrived, everything seemed normal. Hooty’s studious, confident friend certainly didn’t act any different than his typical charming self. However, there were a million things going on in the house demon’s head, which made it rather difficult to focus on his studies. Their study session flew by him, and before he knew it, as if by magic, he was sitting with Duo on the couch.
"How about this one?"
"Huh?" Hooty brought his focus from his thoughts and turned his attention to his green feathered tutor. Now that their studying was done, they had moved on to the next portion of their evening: movie night. Hooty looked to see a movie, 'Jet Fueled Trail,' on the screen. "Oh, yeah, sure. This one looks fine."
Duo nodded, but his eyes showed concern. He seemed to hesitate, opening his beak as if to say something, but instead closed it again and grabbed the remote to hit play on their movie.
The movie opened with a shot of a tired witch trying to get out of bed.
Duo nudged Hooty, "Guess he's a bit jet-lagged, huh?"
"Hm? Oh. Oh, yeah. Ha ha…" Hooty's voice was far away.
The studious green owl kept trying to crack jokes while they watched, but nothing got much of a response. About halfway through the movie, after one more half-hearted laugh, Duo finally looked over at Hooty to say, "Okay, okay. What's wrong?"
"Huh?"
"Something is obviously bothering you. It has been all night. I can tell."
"It's nothing. Seriously, I'm fine. It's just…" Hooty trailed off. He felt ridiculous to be bringing this up. Why couldn't he just let them enjoy their movie night together?
Duo paused the movie and turned to face Hooty directly, making it clear that he had his full attention.
Hooty squirmed a minute, unsure of what to say. "It's just… different."
"Different?"
"Yeah. Now that you've been studying with Luz."
"Oh." Duo nodded, though obviously still confused. "That is something new. I've never gotten to hang around when your whole family was here. It's been kind of fun getting to know them. But… is there something wrong with it changing?"
"Well, no… I guess," The house demon sighed, "I know that you help teach so many people languages, but… I guess I felt like this was all…" He paused again, wanting to delay his next word. "...special."
Duo's eyes widened and, then, softened. With a small smile, he looked at Hooty directly, wanting the truth and importance of his next statement to come through clearly. "It is special."
"Is it?"
"Hoot," Duo began with a short laugh, "do you really think that I spend as much time studying with everyone else as I do you?"
"Well…" That is what Hooty had been thinking, but hearing the way Duo said it, he wasn't so sure.
The green bird started to explain, "Most people just use my website, which has over 500 million registered users. Do you think I can meet each week with that many people?"
"I guess not…"
"And even if I did meet with more people," Duo continued, "I certainly wouldn't be having movie nights with them after."
“It’s just that… you’ve been studying so much with Luz, and maybe,” he admitted, “I was a little jealous that she was getting so much of your attention.”
Duo laughed a little. “Hooty, the reason I insisted on studying with her so much is so that I could have an excuse to see you more often.”
"What? Really?"
"Of course. I'm here because… I really enjoy spending time with you." Duo reached his wing closer, green feathers brushing brown.
Hooty felt himself blush at that. He wanted to repeat the sentiment, tell Duo that he loved every second that they spent together, and wrap his body around the smaller bird into an embrace. But there was something that was holding him back, a sort of doubt. He couldn't help the question that was at the back of his mind from bursting forward and bouncing off the tip of his tongue.
"Why?"
Duo cocked his head to the side (in the way that only an owl can) as he repeated the question back in confusion, "Why?"
"I'm just… I'm just having trouble understanding," Hooty admitted. "I mean, obviously everyone here is like my family, and I know they care about me, but I'm not stupid. I know that they think I'm annoying and only just barely put up with me most of the time, save for Lu-Lu now. But you've kept coming back every week. So why?"
Duo paused, seemingly shocked at Hooty's words. He considered the question for a moment, wanting his answer to be well thought out and delivered with a certainty that would leave no room for doubt about its truth. Finally, he decided to start with, "You're really sweet. And endearing."
Hooty held back a smile, touched by his words but not wanting to get his hopes up too high. His eyes flitted from Duo to the floor back to Duo. "You mean that?" he asked timidly.
"You started learning a language just to make a good first impression on your friend's mom. How many people would be thoughtful like that?" Before Hooty could think of anything to say, Duo continued, "I'll be honest. When you first approached me, I was pretty confused."
"Confused?"
"Well, yeah." Duo shrugged with a humored expression on his face. "You approached me in the forest in the middle of the night asking me about Spanish. Spanish! A human language. And, as I mentioned, most people use my website. People don't generally approach me. So I gave you information about the website, and I left.
"I was surprised when you sought me out again the next night, asking for tutoring. What surprised me even more is that I said yes. Our first Wednesday night session… There was something about you - your energy, your enthusiasm, your… I don't know. But it made me come that first night. And then, well, you know. We started talking. You told me about why you wanted to learn Spanish, which I thought was incredibly sweet, and all about yourself and your family. And after I started getting to know you… it was really a no brainer. How could I not come back? I got excited every week to see you, and when you invited me to stay after to watch a movie? I was ecstatic!"
"I get excited to see you, too, Duo. Really excited. And honestly? I never expected that I would feel this way,” Hooty admitted.
"Well… How is that?"
"Hm?"
"How do you feel?"
"Oh." Hooty felt his face heating up. Why had he said that? "Uh, you know, just… Happy. But also kind of nervous and weird but excited still. I don't- Ahem, I don't know why."
Hooty knew exactly why. And so did Duo. With all the books he had read it was no wonder that he could read Hooty like one that was left wide open.
Duo considered his words. "Hm… Let's see. Have you been studying your Spanish?" Hooty nodded, though he was uncertain of where this was going. They had just finished their tutoring session - surely he knew he had been studying. Duo continued, "Then you should know exactly what I mean when I say, te quiero."
The bird worm processed the phrase, word by word, before realizing not just what it meant, but what it meant. He translated, almost in disbelief but so desperately wanting to believe, "I- I love you."
Duo grinned. "I love you, too."
With these simple words cementing the reality that Hooty's hopes had truly come to be, he finally allowed himself to smile uncontrollably. He let out a giggle and swirled his body around in excitement. Then, he brought himself back to Duo and calmed down as his initial giddiness gave way to a quiet sort of content.
Had he come back closer to Duo than before? Or was he just suddenly much more aware of the small space between them and the way his feathers stood on end? He could see the way Duo's golden eyes shone by the light of the moon, honey hued highlights Hooty had never quite noticed before suddenly mesmerizing him.
Almost as if gravity was drawing them together, Hooty found himself leaning closer. "Can I?" he asked quietly. Duo nodded, and the house demon brought his beak to his face, nuzzling into him as Duo did the same. He was so soft and warm and, somehow, so distinctly Duo. When they parted, they did so slowly, delicately as though not to disturb the air, and their eyes locked on one another's.
"Wow."
"Yeah… Wow."
They stayed there, just as they were -- hearts pounding, minds racing, and an overwhelming sense of euphoria overcoming them -- for an unknowable amount of time. It was in the way only the sudden connection of new love ever could be, making moments seem like eternities and hours pass as quickly as an owl flaps its wings.
Finally, Duo broke the silence by saying, "Considering all of the thousands of languages I know, it's a pretty incredible feat that you've left me speechless."
Hooty laughed. "Have you been waiting to use that line?"
"No… Okay, maybe a little," he admitted. "But you truly do leave me speechless, Hooty."
"Can I leave you speechless again?"
"Una y otra y otra vez."
And for the rest of that night, between hushed laughter and nuzzling together, with a movie that had been long forgotten, two owls loved each other, and they communicated with a language that didn't need words.