For the first time since the early hours of the morning, Archer got a chance to sit down at his dresser and sort out an appropriate outfit to greet all of his incoming family members in. Although his selection was limited to jeans and sweatshirts, he managed to dig all the way to the back of his closet, where he kept the clothes that his père gave him with hopes that he might develop a sense of fashion overnight. He chose a wine colored button up and a pair of gray pants, resentful of how tightly the shirt squeezed his stomach. Clothes like these reminded him of how chubby he was. But he knew that the embarrassment of a few popped buttons would be the lesser of two evils compared to the pouty face he would get from his père if he tromped upstairs in his usual attire.

Once he was dressed, he clomped up the stairs in a pair of caramel brown shoes that he had only worn once, to the wedding of one of his aunts friends. They pinched his toes, but at least they gave him another inch of height. He walked into the living room, where his grandpa was lounging on one of the recliners, his blank eyes staring at the football players who were running in and out of the camera shot. It was a funny sight, since the only things that TV had ever played were fashion shows and musicals. On the couch, his daddy and uncle sat side by side, gazing down at a fashion magazine that his uncle was holding. He giggled as he turned away, brushing by the unpacked boxes of decorations that sat by the fireplace.

In his home, Christmas was a weeklong celebration, and the only holiday that could bring his entire family together. Every year that they had spent in France, his aunt would come over with boxes of goodies, and a couple of gag gifts, and his grandparents would fly over for a week or two. Sometimes his biological parents would even make a trip out, even if they could only stay for a day or two. This year, they would. His uncles would also make their way over, usually only bringing Dillon and his little sister, but sometimes Beth. Beth wouldnt be coming this time, a fact that Archer regretfully admitted relieved him. He and Beth had never been all too affable with each other.

Heading into the kitchen, where his père and grandma had been gossiping since she and his grandpa had arrived earlier that day, Archer sniffed out the sugar cookies that his père was rolling out onto a sheet of paper. "Archer, I know what you are thinking, but you are not getting a single lick of this cookie dough." Archer smiled at the back of his dark blond head, watching him press down firmly on a round chunk of dough. "You wont believe it, but hes as bad as his dad is when it comes to cookie dough. When he was little, he once ruined a whole batch of cookies because I had left the dough on the counter for only a second. I heard a crash from the kitchen, so I went rushing in, and I found Archer standing on a chair. He had dumped the whole bowl on the floor, but somehow hed managed to grab a fistful of it and smear it all over his face and in his hair. It took two baths to get all of it out before it hardened!"

Archer laughed, wrapping his arms around his père from behind and pecking his cheek. "You make the best cookies, Père."

His père wriggled out of his arms, rolling his eyes at him. "Yes, I do... Theyre sweet, just like you. Flattery will get you no closer to this cookie dough, Archer." He cupped his small face in his soft palms, smearing kisses across his cheeks. "Your outfit will get you extra kisses, though!"

Archer wiped the saliva off of his cheeks, "Theres no mistletoe, Père!" Dipping his finger into the bowl before his père could swat him away, he stuck the mushy treat between his lips. When his père gave him an annoyed look, he retorted with a cheeky grin.

"Thats because Im hiding it from your dad, or else I would never get these cookies done." Looking up at the sound of the door rattling, his père grinned from ear to ear at the sight of his brother and brother-in-law waiting at the window. "Oh, do let them in, Blaine, if only for the presents." He called to his husband, who had stood from his seat, but only to stick his tongue out at them.

"No!"

Shaking his head, his père nudged Archer over to the propped door of the kitchen. "Open the door for them, sweetest... before they freeze." He pinched Archers chin, which was still lowered nearly to his neck. "And close your mouth before you eat any dust. You act surprised that your dad likes kisses."

"Maybe this is why our family only comes over for one week out of the whole year." Archer muttered, leaving the kitchen so he could help his uncles inside. Opening the door, Archer was ambushed by the smell of spicy cologne-the terrible kind that his père had never given up on weaning his brother off of-and a brisk air that made him step back. "Hi, Uncle Finn and Uncle Noah."

His taller uncle thrust a couple of presents at him, which he gladly took with a small smile. "Santas here! I brought the best presents around! Now, who wants the first hug?" Since Archer was closest to him, he became the first victim to be swept off of his feet and crushed to his lean body. "Theres my favorite nephew! But where are the two chefs? Whatever theyre making smells delicious."

"Bakers, not chefs." His père corrected, dawdling out of the kitchen and laughing as his brother darted across the room and picked him up. "Those are cookies youre smelling. And, no, you may not have one yet."

"You look beautiful, little brother." He muttered, bending to kiss his rosy cheek. "Let me know if you need help fixing anything."

"After you caught the microwave on fire while you were making macaroni?" His père scoffed, "I think not."

"That was seventeen years ago."

"Its been forgiven, but not forgotten." His père happily took Archers youngest cousin into his arms, chirping about how pretty she had become, and how she looked just like her dad, Noah.

Seeing that his youngest cousin had come inside, Archer figured that her older brother had to be close behind. He turned back to the door as the rest of the family continued to hug and laugh behind him, and his blue eyes immediately fell onto Dillon, whose heavy, black hair was smothering the tops of his eyes. He stared at Archer from under the thick locks, gripping tighter to the cake that he was clutching as if it was of value. "Hi, Dillon." Archer said politely, receiving only a nod as he passed by. Since they had returned from the time theyd spent in the cabins, and Dillon had immediately spilled all of the details about their trip to his daddy, they had been pleasant to each other, but not overly friendly. Archer realized that there was no way he could have avoided his dad finding out, since they were such a close-knit family, so he was willing to let it go. Every time he approached Dillon about it at school, however, he gave him that same nod and then turned away.

He shut the door behind him, going back to his family just in time for him to hear his youngest cousin blurt that she wanted to stay here over the entire week. Her dad, Finn, made an embarrassed sound as he placed a hand on her shoulder, "No, honey, youre coming home with us at the end of the day. Well be back tomorrow, though. Your uncles only have two spare bedrooms, and Blaines brother and his wife, and Kurts aunt will take them."

"Dont disappoint her, Finny." Her grandma cooed, pulling her closer to herself. "What do you think about sleeping over at your grandparents house tonight? We have plenty of room."

His père leaned over and tenderly rubbed her back, "Sweetie, why dont you dig around in some of those boxes and find things to put around the house... at least until everyone else gets here? My aunt called late last night and told me that her flight was taking off. If Im right, she should be here any hour now."

"Very late." His daddy groaned, rubbing his wrinkled forehead with his palm. "That woman has never figured out the time difference between here and Paris."

"Oh, hush. You slept through the entire conversation." His père elbowed him, "And Im not entirely sure when Cooper and Alicia should get here. They said that theyll be in today... but thats all I know. And Hunter is-"

Dillon, who had sunk onto the couch and was tapping away at his phone, snapped his head up. "Hunter?"

"Hunter will be here any minute." Archer said abruptly.

Shaking his head, Dillon pulled a pair of headphones out of his pocket. "This is so weird." He grumbled, but wasnt able to finish the last word before his dad held his hand out for the headphones, muttering something so quietly that no one else could hear him.

Archer checked the time on his phone, realizing that it was almost the hour that he had told Hunter that it was okay for him to show up. They hadnt spent much time apart since school had let out for winter break. His daddy, who had eased up on how often he saw Hunter, as long as the two of them werent gone for long, had let Hunter take him out on their first date that theyd been on in public. Theyd gone to dinner at a local restaurant, and then headed over to a theatre. When they got back, Hunter had respectfully walked him up to his porch, and, knowing that his daddy was probably watching them, had brushed his lips over his, and then left. When he went inside, his daddy was still waiting up so he could question him, and Archer had claimed that the movie was good, even though he really had no idea.

Because Hunter had to work at the bar to make up for the hours that his dad had missed because he was too sick to go in, he didnt get to see him the following day. A few days ago, however, his père had taken him out shopping for all of the meals they were going to have to serve to hungry mouths, and Hunter had tagged along. He and his père had become even closer, talking easily, about everything and nothing. Hunter had stepped up as the gentleman he knew that Archers parents wanted him to be, and he helped to carry heavy bags, and opened doors, and never let either of them slip on a patch of ice. When they got back in the evening, he stayed in the kitchen with his père, preparing a simple dinner for when his daddy got back from work. After the meal, hed walked with Archer out to the porch, and gave him another soft kiss.

Archers palms sweat as he thought about how, for the next five days, Hunter wouldnt have to leave, and would be subjected to a houseful of Hummels or Andersons, but then he smiled to himself. He wondered if he would ever not be excited to see Hunter. As if he had appeared when he somehow sensed that Archer was thinking about him, someone-Archer assumed that it was Hunter-rapped on the door twice.

Shaken out of his head, Archer padded over to the door, slowly creaking it open. Suddenly, silence fell over the entire room like a blanket, and he knew that all eyes were on Hunter, who Archer widened his own eyes at. He had forgone the soiled tank tops, stained jackets, and ripped jeans for an emerald green button up that was neatly tucked into a pair of dark gray dress pants, except for one corner that stuck out at the hip. His shoes were a pair of auburn loafers. At the collar of his shirt, two of the buttons were undone, revealing a hint of brown skin and lightly dusted, caramel chest hair. A hint of his locket also peeked out at the edge, a flash of silver.

Looking back up at his face, which was clean-shaven, Archer blinked at how much darker his skin was. There had always been a yellowish hue to it from the way that he tanned himself, but now it was just a deep, natural tan, as if he had browned in the sun. He also wasnt wearing his sunglasses, and his yellow contacts were gone. With that layer peeled away, the chocolate brown beneath shown through. Archer hadnt realized how soft his eyes were. His wild hair had also been trimmed, chunks taken off of the long spikes. Because hed been letting his hair grow out to the point that the whitish blond was only at the tips, all of that had been chopped off. Archer wanted to touch those dark brown locks, which were streaked with some reddish blond tones.

"Say something." Hunter suddenly whispered lowly, as if he knew that it was Archer standing in front of him.

Tearing his gaze away from those humored eyes, Archer opened his mouth to tell him to come in, but he couldnt get the words out. Instead, he somehow let himself blurt, "Youre so handsome."

Hunter smirked from ear to ear, bending down so he could speak into his ear, "I stole everything thats on my body right now. I cant see the colors... Im not sure if Im coordinated or not."

Despite his new appearance, it was the same Hunter. Giggling, Archer peered behind him at his family, glad that his père seemed to understand what he wanted, because he tugged on his husbands wrist. With a shake of his head, his daddy turned his back on them, which made Archer smile wider. He stretched up on his toes so he could reach Hunters cheek, and he dotted it with a swift kiss. He wanted to pull his head away so he could present him to his family, but he couldnt move if he tried. "Your skin is so warm." His eyes fluttered shut as Hunters arms wound around him, but were still careful not to draw Archer too close. "Thank you for trying to let my daddy warm up to you. You look like a gentleman, Hunter. I was proud to be with you before, but now I know that you want to try for our relationship. Just... dont change yourself for me-"

"I didnt." Hunter said simply, keeping his voice just as quiet. It was merely a rush of warm air into the shell of Archers ear. "Honey... my blond hair, my contacts, my skin... werent me. And I really hope you dont think that those trashy clothes were me. I think... I want to start accepting myself. I cant even see myself. I at least want to be the man that you need physically. And I think I like my new get-up. I cant see it, but I like how it feels." He chuckled at some thought that Archer knew probably should have stayed in his head, but was voiced, anyway. "Im sure youll like how they feel off of me, though."

Archer kicked at his shin, "My daddys right behind us-"

"Please, dont stop kissing on my account, but Id like to get one, too!" Startling at the loud voice that burst into the tiny bubble that had enveloped them, Archer jumped away from Hunter, and a huge smile cracked onto his face at the sight of his aunt, who was hauling a couple of bags under her arms.

"Aunt Laurice!" Archer bolted away from Hunter and jumped into his great aunts open arms after she dropped all of her bags. Laughing manically as she swung him from side to side, he pulled away, but held onto both of her hands. "I missed you! These last few months havent been the same without you."

His aunt quirked her brows at Hunter, who remained oblivious to the funny face that she was making at him. "Obviously not, young man. I swear, us Hummels cant leave France without finding some man in a small town in Ohio. But well talk about that later, because I still have a nephew to hug, and cookies to eat." Before she went off to her nephew, she whirled around to Hunter, extending her arms toward him. When he didnt inch toward her, she slowly lowered them. "Im Laurice, Archers great aunt. And you are?"

Hunter smiled graciously, which made her ruffle her brows in confusion because he had been so rejecting of her hug, "Hunter... a friend of Archers. Its nice to meet you."

"Aunt Laurice..." His pére glided over to the three of them, arms spread for his aunt. "Its so wonderful to have you here. You must be exhausted after your flight. Lets get you settled into your room, and then you can rest on the couch-"

"Kurt!" Someone called from several feet away, "Dont shut us out!" His pére, with huge eyes, teetered around to the people who were coming up to the door, and he squealed at the sight of his in-laws, Cooper and Alicia. Unceremoniously dropping his bags, Cooper flung his arms open, "Somebody, hug me!"

Archer grinned from ear to ear as his pére scampered outside, clunking into his brother-in-laws chest. Still a few steps behind her husband, a blond girl with hair that spilled to her waist shut the trunk to their car, and she followed her bouncy husband up to the door. "Archer, darling! Youre more beautiful with every time that I see you, sweetheart." Archer stepped outside so he could wrap his arms around his mom, who had become more of an aunt to him. "Youre doing well with him, Kurt."

His pére touched his sister-in-laws hands, drawing her inside of the house, "Please, all of you... come in from out of the cold. We have fresh fruits and vegetables in the kitchen... and the cookies are about to go into the oven. Caroles brought over one of her favorite recipes to make for dinner." He swiveled around to his husband, "Blaine, dear, will you take Cooper and Alicia up to their room? Ill bring my aunt to hers. Archer, sweetheart, take Hunter to your room so he can put his bag down."

"Okay." Archer grabbed Hunters hand, bringing him across the room and to the door of his bedroom. He hadnt been in the room when his daddy had taken Hunter aside and sat him down, explaining that because the extra rooms would be taken and he wouldnt have him sleeping on the couch for an entire week, he would be staying with Archer. He had gone on to talk to him about what Archer assumed was the amount of respect he expected him to have inside of their home, and that, even though he would be in the same bed as Archer, he was not to lay a finger on him. By the way that Hunter had immediately straightened up his act, he assumed hed gotten his warning.

Just as he opened his door, he heard his pére teasingly chide, "Blaine Devon Anderson, get out of my kitchen right now." His pére turned his attention to Archer and Hunter after his husband guiltily slunk out of the kitchen, gnawing on the tips of his gooey fingers. Even though he claimed that he was doing nothing wrong, his pére raised a knowing brow at his wincing face. "Archer, Hunter, be back up soon. Well have the cookies done in a few minutes. Im sure that the family would love to spend some time with you, too."

"Yes, Pére." Archer slipped behind the door, bringing Hunter down the stairs with him. Because hed never been down them before and didnt know how far to step before his foot hit the next one, he watched his feet all the way down. "Im sorry that its cooler down here. I have a heater that I can turn on." Leading Hunter over to the bed, he sat him down. "Um... theres a nightstand just to the right of your legs. My dresser is on the other side of the room. Theres nothing you can trip over. I keep my room organized."

Hunter ran his hands over the bedspread, making Archers cheeks turn a soft pink as he realized that he would be bundled under those blankets with him in a couple of hours. "Why do you stay in the basement? If there are other rooms that are warmer?"

"I dont mind it down here." Archer said, sitting down beside of him. He slowly placed a hand on his thigh, careful to let him know where he was so he didnt startle at the sudden presence. Hunter had trained himself to figure out where most things were with his sensitive hearing, but in this new place, he didnt want to alarm him in case he wasnt paying attention. "This room is bigger than the rest. I like the extra space. With a little decorating, I made it cozier... more like how I wanted it to be. My pére used to stay down here... when he was just a teenager."

"I wish I could see it." Hunter muttered. The corners of his lips curled as he reached out and swept his hand over the top of his nightstand. When his knuckles bumped into a candle, his brows shot up. "This?"

"A candle. I like the natural lighting... and the scent." Archer giggled at how cheesy he sounded, "Theres a lamp beside of it. And... two picture frames."

"Of what?" Hunter pinched the edge of a red, wooden frame. "Your family?"

"Yes." Archers cheeks became even brighter, and he nipped his bottom lip. "Its of me and my parents from years ago... when I was a baby. That little boy is in it, too. And... the other one is of you and me. It was when we first started to fall in love with each other. You were kissing my cheek... and I snuck a picture. It was the happiest Ive looked in a long time."

Hunter shrugged off the bag that hung from his shoulder, and he unzipped the top of it. Clothes popped out of the slit that appeared, but Hunter pushed those aside and dug deeper for three boxes. Silver paper was taped down to the boxes, but had been wrinkled and folded in the wrong spots. Some of the pieces of tape werent holding anything down. Despite how messy the appearance, Archer still smiled when he realized that they were presents. "I cut and taped my fingers trying to wrap these." Hunter chuckled, feeling the sizes of the three boxes and putting two of them down. He held the smallest one out to Archer. "This is for you. I didnt want to give it to you in front of your family... but you cant open it yet." As if he knew that Archer was giving him a skeptical expression, he quickly reassured him, "I didnt steal these. This is why I was working at the bar the other day... so I could make some extra money. I bought your presents... and one for my dad. They arent much. I couldnt afford anything too expensive-"

"These are perfect." Archer placed his fingertips on Hunters cheeks, leaning closer to him to press a kiss to his mouth. "I didnt... expect you to get me or my parents anything."

"Have I ever given you the impression that I wouldnt?" Hunter muttered, making a wide smile spread onto Archers face as he shook his head. "I want to be a good boyfriend to you. Dont think of me any less. If I ever put in any less effort than what I can, you need to leave me. Until I mess up, Im going to spoil you."

"You werent this nice to me when you met me." Archer whispered, flicking his eyes to Hunters lips as he remembered the way he had dragged him down a hallway and shoved him against a wall. "You were mean. I didnt like you."

Smirking, Hunter shaped his hand around Archers round chin. He shifted slightly closer to him, gently rubbing his top lip against Archers. "I havent changed-"

"You have." Archer corrected, "Youre still a sarcastic ass. No one gets on my last nerve like you do. But... something is different about you. Something made me love you."

"Was it my good looks?" Hunter curled up a corner of his mouth, giving Archer a mischievous smile that made him giggle in delight. He raised his hand to smack the back of his head, but instead he tangled his fingers through the short, brown locks that sprouted from his scalp.

"You are very handsome." Archer assured him, his lips falling into a tiny smile. "But I think that I would still love you even if you annoyed me so much that I whacked you on your head and put a dent in it."

"I dont know if I should feel flattered or insulted." Hunters arms slid around his waist, and he pinned him against his side. He brushed his lips from the corner of Archers mouth up to the lobe of his ear, which he flicked with the tip of his tongue. Suddenly, he turned away from Archer and glanced up at the ceiling, where the sound of laughter was seeping through. "I want to go upstairs. I want to meet your family. Im very curious about the people who raised someone like you." He stood, extending one of his arms for Archer to take. "Im sorry... Im useless when Im learning my way around-"

"Its okay." Archer intertwined his fingers with Hunters, guiding him over to the stairway. "I dont mind walking you where you need to go. How do you... you know, do it? Without help, I mean? Howd you get around McKinley without someone taking you around the school?"

Hunter snickered, "I... I didnt. Ive never told anyone else about my blindness. At least... not directly. Some people might have figured it out, but no ones ever brought it up. I spent most of the summer before the year I went into the ninth grade breaking into the school. I... I walked down each hallway ten times. I touched each sign, trying to read the numbers in Braille. I knew I couldnt let anyone figure it out. It took a long time... and a lot of headaches from slamming my head into walls... but I had memorized my entire class schedule before other people even glanced at theirs. I tried to walk through the hallways like I was confident... like I knew what I was doing... but I was always terrified of slipping up. I used my hearing to figure out if people were around me, but there was always that part of me that thought that I could zone out at any second. If I ran straight into someone... people would think that I was either drunk or blind."

Before Archer could speak up, Hunter stopped walking, making both of them pause near the top of the stairs. "There was only one time that I messed up." He shook his head sadly, "Ill never let it happen again. It was my seventh year in school. Part of me... still wanted to be good. I still wanted to be happy. I wanted to be something that my dad could be proud of... smile about. Even though my dad had just beaten the senses out of me the night before... because he didnt want me to go away like I always did around that time of year... I came to school with swollen eyes and a busted lip. For some reason, I felt even more disoriented than usual... and I walked down a completely different hallway than the one my locker was in. I went to someone elses locker. I tried to open it, and that was when some beefy guy who had more problems than I did shoved me away from it. He yelled that I was a thief... a lowlife. He slammed his locker shut, and then he walked away. I thought it was over with... but, after school, I started to leave when these huge guys surrounded me. I couldnt see them. I was panicked. I had only ever taken on Karofsky before, and he wasnt nearly as strong as they were. They pinned me against the wall and beat me until I was bloody and blue. They screamed these awful things... that my dad had never loved me, that I was a freak. I didnt realize anyone hated me that much."

"It took a long time to sink in." He rolled a shoulder, "I tried taking care of my dad... I tried to keep my grades up. But then... I stopped caring when my dad did. I stopped trying when my teachers stopped paying attention to me as I fell asleep in their classes. It hit me really hard when I realized that I didnt have any friends. I was stupid... I started rebelling. I gave in to what the world seemed to expect out of a skinny, blind kid who always reeked of cigarettes and must. I didnt just talk back to people... I became hateful. I was resentful that I had become blind, so if I even thought that someone was looking at me strangely, I hurt them... badly. At the end of each day, I would still come home to my dad and try to be the thing to save him. I couldnt turn my back on him. I always hoped that one day he would open his eyes... and see me. But he didnt... and I didnt see him, either. I took care of him, but I never loved him. It wasnt until Dillon came along that I started to pull myself together. Thats when I started dating around. But I still didnt feel okay... even with the drugs and the sex. I wanted something emotional... to feel connected to someone else. Id never been close to anyone before. And then, one day... everything just stopped. I met someone who made me realize that my vision isnt what determines whether I see the world as bad or good. It made me see that... the world cant be all bad if I have someone like you standing in front of me, Archer."

Shutting his eyes, Archer held onto Hunters hands as he pushed himself one step higher, putting himself at eye level with Hunter. He peppered his lips in small kisses, saying in between each pop of their lips, "Its okay now. Youre loved. I would push worlds aside if you couldnt find your way around them."

"I want to see the boy who had the strength to fall in love with me, and endure all of my flaws." Hunter cracked open the door, but Archer pressed his fingers to the door, keeping it from going any farther.

"Not flaws." He murmured, going up one more step. "Parts of you. The only flaw that you have is that your neck is too wide for me to wrap my hands around. It would be impossible for me to strangle you."

Hunter laughed, placing another kiss on Archers cheek, "Dont worry, kitten. Youll always have that sharp tongue of yours." They returned upstairs with their hands clutched tightly, meeting a room full of enquiring eyes. Unaware that the room was packed from wall to wall with people, Hunter lowered his mouth to his ear, "Can I sit down?"

"Uh huh. Theres a place beside of my-"

His aunt, who was sitting closest to them, suddenly launched herself out of her seat, "I was just getting up. Hunter, take my spot. I needed to stretch my legs, anyway." Her eyes flashed over Archers face, determining something about him, "Archer... would you follow me to my room? I had something I needed to ask you. I wont keep you long. Dinner is almost ready, and your pére will throw a fit if were late to the table."

Archer couldnt have played stupid if he tried. He knew that this would be something about Hunter, whom his aunt had seemed intrigued by since she had walked through the door. "Sure, Aunt Laurice." Moving Hunter like a puppet, he sat him down on the couch cushion, and then bent over his ear. His thick curls draped over the top of his head, giving him a curly wig. "Stay here. Ill be back in a minute. I dont want you moving without me until you know this house inside out." He tucked a strand of hair behind his hair when it tumbled over his nose.

"I know." Hunter patted his knuckles, and then released his hand.

Archer backed away from him, spinning around to his aunt. "Whats going on, Aunt Laurice? Is something the matter?"

Trailing after her quick footsteps, Archer widened his eyes when she yanked him into her bedroom, shutting the door behind them. "Him." She narrowed her eyes at him, "I can tell when youre hiding something from me. Spit it out. Is he romantic to you?"

He raised and dropped his shoulders, "Trying to be. Hes... working things out with my daddy. Is that all you wanted to know?"

His aunt didnt blink for several seconds, staring at him with a pair of huge eyes. "Archer." She finally said slowly, as if unsure about what she was about to ask. "Archer, honey... you know that you can tell me anything. Ive never broken a secret. Is Hunter... Is he blind?"

Archers eyes flew open. That was the one question that nobody ever asked about Hunter, but had to be somewhere in the backs of their heads. Hunter tried to hide it as best he could, but with the way that he usually sported his sunglasses, and sometimes hobbled over things that he should have clearly seen, it was more obvious than he wanted it to be. Stepping back from his aunt, he heard her murmur a soothing word as she came closer, wrapping her arms around him. "You know, its okay to love someone like that. Too many people think that you need to see each other in order to truly know one another. I think the opposite. Hell know your heart more than he does your face. Hell be more modest of a person... if he cant judge others, or compare them to himself-"

His lips wobbled with a tiny smile, "You dont know Hunter. He cant see himself... but hes still so arrogant."

She squeezed him tighter, grinning into his shoulder, "The only boy Ive ever dated was blind. Thats why I noticed it in Hunter." When he gave her a concerned expression, she shook her head as she made a sad sound, "I dont talk about it because its still hard to think about. He was a really good boy to be around. I was only seventeen. He was nineteen. I met him at the park... He told me that he went there every day to feed the birds. I went back as much as I could to see him. I had always thought I was too awkward for a boy to like... I was gangly, and my hair was limp and frizzy. But he didnt mind. He gave me my first kiss soon after we met. We quickly fell in love." She pulled away from him, removing her arms from his back. "I thought he was going to propose... but then... your grandma died. I took on so much responsibility for our family that... I stopped seeing him. We still called, but even the calls got shorter and shorter. I havent spoken to him in years. I dont even have his number anymore. Even if I did, Im sure hes changed it. Besides... Im older now. So is he. Im sure hes married and has children."

"What was his name?"

She chortled softly to herself, shaking her head from side to side, "Émile Aimé."

Archers wide eyes softened, "Hunters middle name is Emile." Embracing his aunt once more, he heard her laugh weepily, so he laughed with her.