The Guardian's Flame

Choices

You jolted upward with a small scream. Tears blurred your vision while you gasped for air.

The nightmare was still fresh in your mind. You were still attempting to convince your senses that was all it had been. A nightmare, nothing more.
Your mind whirled until your door flung open with a loud bang as it slammed against the nearby wall.

Red Son stood in the doorway with his hair down wearing a black turtleneck tank top. From his pose he had clearly kicked in the door. He rushed in and looked around.

"What happened?! Why did you scream?"

Guilt pricked your heart and you turned away, when his eyes landed on you. You pulled up your hood so he would not see the tears streaming down your cheeks.

"Just a nightmare. Nothing to worry about."

Red Son huffed but his eyes remained on you with calculating thought.

You on the other hand couldn't help but examine him a bit. The turtle neck revealed his arms which were much thicker than you had initially thought. And something about his crimson hair cascading around his shoulders made your heart race.

"Are you crying?"

You sucked in a breath and looked away.

"No."

Red Son sighed.

"If you're going to lie peasant girl, atleast make it convincing." You didn't answer him as you reached for the papers on your desk.

"I did what you asked."

Red son perked at this information offering his hand to take the papers.

You handed them over, grateful his attention was occupied as you wiped at the tears on your cheeks with your sleeves.

"This is... Adequate." He rose his eyebrows at the page before lowering them from his view. He studied you for a moment. "Are you sure you want to come?"

You glanced at him.

Red son seemed mildly concerned, laced with frustration.

"I'm coming." You replied grabbing your backpack. "You're not going to ditch me here. Besides, what if your parents come back?"

Red son tensed at the notion then folded his arms turning away.

"Fine. We leave in an hour, for now you need to eat."

You rose an eyebrow as a smile tugged at your lips.

"What worried about my health?"

Red son growled his hair tips flicking into mini flames.

"I am only ensuring this mission isn't 'different'." His tone turned mocking while he drew invisible quotation marks in the air with his hands.

You felt like punching him for mocking you. Your nightmare had apparently put you in a sour mood. Suddenly, an idea flickered to the forefront of your mind. You took on a smirk folding your arms smugly.

"You're bringing me, and you're going to stop complaining. That's an order."

Red Son's jaw fell slightly and his eyes and hair ignited.

"How dare you! You little- ugh!" He shouted turning and stomping from the room.

You grinned victoriously and followed suit, recalling his warning from the previous night. Red Son seemed to ignore you as he walked stepping around certainly tiles and turning down different corridors.

He didn't seem to have to think about where he was stepping and you tried to keep up, but keeping track of his movements were difficult when they were so swiftly fleeting.