disliking the most common ship

aro/aspec 🤝 mlm/wlw

Okay so while I'm thinkin about TOH I want to talk about something that's been bugging me for a while now. And like I just want to preface this by saying this is my opinion and your opinion can be different this really isn't super deep. 

 TOH SPOILERS 

 so.

 Huntllow

             Hunter x Willow has kinda blown up into a big thing recently and like... I dunno. I don't mind it. I don't think it's bad or anything, in fact it's kind of sweet in it's own way. I'm not one to really care about what other people ship, I'm not even mad about things like fucking Lunter (which I don’t like, but I don’t think it’s as bad as people make it out to be. It’s not lesbian erasure to ship a bisexual girl with a boy just because she’s in a commited relationship with a girl in canon. I’m happy to be getting the wlw representation, but luz would be no less queer for liking a boy and besides... it’s a ship... not canon. As long as people shipping Lunter aren’t being blatantly homophobic I see no problem with it existing.)

               I just... okay so Hunter is really not in a position to be in a romantic relationship with the current state of canon. Obviously you can ship Hunter with people, again I do not care, but I just can't really do that. Not with how he is now and what he's been through. Like Hunter isn't even in a healthy enough place to ask for help from people, he doesn't think he really has friends. When he ran from the coven, everyone in the fandom thought he was either going to end up at Willow's place or run into Darius, but that isn't what happened.  And really? We should have seen that coming. If he'd run into Darius the kid would've spiraled even further into panic because for all he knows Darius works for Belos. He wouldn't want to burden Willow, he CANNOT fathom asking for help from anyone.  

             So what does he do instead? He tries to find a safe place in secret. He knows he'll be somewhat safe at Hexide, but he also doesn't tell anyone he's there. He breaks in in secret and stays hidden. He can't trust anyone. A lot of people have been posting things like "Huntllow canon!!" while presenting screenshots of him blushing around her. I would like to take a moment to remind you that Hunter does not know what being loved and respected feels like.  He also shares a common trauma with Willow, they've both been called the same in universe slur. He relates to Willow and respects her a lot. I'm not sure if he considers Willow a friend yet, but if not her certainly wants to. Whether or not he has a romantic crush, I doubt it would be obvious to him if he did. Hunter likely has trouble understanding any of his feelings for the new and kind people in his life. He's never had people like that before, people who care about him truly.  And sure, he only seems to blush around Willow, maybe he does like her or think she's pretty or cool or whatever, but even still, getting into a romantic relationship right now would be a really bad idea considering he is only just now learning to trust people. If he can't even maintain friendships, a romantic relationship would be exceedingly taxing for him. What Hunter really needs is a solid group of friends to learn how to trust before he gets into anything romantic. 

 Again, if you like Huntllow, more power to you. I'm not trying to put anyone down and invalidate their feelings about a ship, I just wanted to share my 2 cents. My opinion is not the end all be all and I'm sure I'm projecting a bit onto Hunter as well. Had to hold myself back from bringing up the complexities of being under the  ACE/ARO umbrella and how it could also relate to Hunters relationships because at that point it really truly is just my own headcanons and projections. Huntllow is fine, I just personally would rather see Hunter get a healthy support system FIRST.