Steam

Chapter 18: Darkness that Lurks

Another week passed and River's bruises were gone. She sat with Blaze resting her head on his shoulder. River didn't want to go home but she thought of the promise she had to Cyrus. In her heart, she knew if she stayed Blaze would never leave her. The chances of him ending it were slim. River leaned up to him and kissed him, distracting him from resting his eyes. She felt his arms wrap around her, River could feel him getting lost in this moment with her. Savoring it was difficult but she knew it would be the last time. Her hand slowly moved down his chest grabbing the waist of his pants. Moving her hand close to the buttons of his pants she wondered when he would stop her. If he would stop her at all. River moved slowly unbuttoning each button. Her mind was screaming for him to stop her but she had unbuttoned all the buttons. Moving her hand into his pants she felt his hand grab her wrist. Her entire being was equally disappointed but relieved.

"I'm sorry River. I just.."

"Need more time? How much more time do you need?" Blaze found her tone offputting like she was making a business discussion. 

"I..."

"It's the bruises, isn't it?"

"No! River I..."

"Stop lying! I am not a precious thing, you treat me like I'm made of glass!"

Blaze was confused he had never seen this side of River. "I know you're not fragile. I..."

"If you don't want to be with me just say so."

" I want to be with..."

River's eyes grew dull like she had removed her soul from her body. "Or were my brothers right?"

Blaze got a little upset, "River how could you say that?! What is wrong with you?!"

River laughed which unsettled him, "Everything is wrong with me. I'm willing to risk everything for you. But you don't see me as worth it!"

Blaze remembered Kai's words, how he was putting River at risk.
"You are worth it!"

"Am I?" She got up trying to create distance. But Blaze followed close trying to reach out. River didn't want to but she slapped his hand away.

"River, what was that?!"

"What's always been here!"

"This isn't who you are!"

River gave him an unsettling grin, " It is. You know that rumor. I did break a kid's arm! I loved the sound of her arm snapping. Her scream was so satisfying." 

Blaze didn't want to hear those things from her mouth."River stop!"

"The fear in her eyes was the best part. You don't believe me?"

"No, I don't. You're obviously..."

River got a look in her eye that scared Blaze. He watched as she lifted her hand, horrified as all her fingers bend backward in unnatural positions. The sounds they made as they moved back haunted his ears. River pushed them back into position and healed them. She didn't even react to pushing them back and that scared Blaze even more. He didn't like the look on her face, how plain her expression was. It seemed to him that breaking her fingers was like casual conversation or going to the store. 

"The fear in your eyes is especially nice. All these years later and I still enjoy it. I am a monster and that's what I'll always be. You were just too stupid to see it. It's just too bad I couldn't get you to fuck me before you realized it."
The words left her mouth like she was being possessed. They weren't her words, they came from the depths of the darkness.

"River, I.."

She gave him a moment to finish but his words never came, "What?! Spit it out!"