Beasts

53: A New Family

  When you stay in the shower a little longer because you don't want to step out to the cold of life. I closed my eyes and let the water splash down my back. I never wanted to leave. "Kitten!? Did you drown!?" Phoenix called through the door. I sighed and opened my eyes.

"No...!" I called back and closed the water. As soon as I stepped out, I was cold already. "Why's it so damn cold!" I said and grabbed my towel.

"You're always cold!"

"Am not!" I said and looked at my arm in the mirror. It was hard to look at without turning away. I can only explain it as scars, both scratches and burns, and then gashes that were slowly, slowly, healing. I slowly raised my fingers to it and winced as soon as I touched it. "Bad idea, bad idea." I mumbled and grabbed the roll of bandage from the sink. Carefully, I wrapped it around my arm. Making sure it wasn't to tight or loose. Compared to how Iridescent, Charlie, and Lacey do it, I suck big time. They do it so quick and perfectly while I'm slow and clumsy.

  I finished wrapping my bandages then put on my clothes. Today, I go home. I sighed then opened the door to see Phoenix laying on his stomach and kicking his feet in the air. He glanced up at me then went back to my phone. "Took you long enough." He said.

"Hey, you try dealing with an arm that looks like it faced World War." I pointed at him and he just went back to staring at my phone. "What are you even doing?" I asked and draped myself over his back so we made a cross.

"Guess what 'milquetoast' means." He said and turned his head to me.

"Milk toast?" I raised an eyebrow.

"No, milquetoast. M-I-L-Q-U-E-toast." He spelled out.

"Um... I don't know."

"A very timid, unassertive, spineless person."

"Whoa. I never would of guessed that."

"How about 'yestreen'?"

"Where are you getting these words from!?"

"Dictionary.com. Why?"

"Because these words aren't even English."

"No, 'yestreen' means during yesterday evening."

"...Okay, Phoenix. I think you might need some more sleep."

"Hey, don't make me defenestrate you."

"Which would be...?"

"Throwing you out a window."

"That's it. I'm defenestrating you." I got up on my knees and tried lifting off the bed. "Why are you so fat!?"

"I'm fairly thin, actually. You're just weak." He flipped over and pulled me down to tickle me.

"Stop!" I laughed as his fingers tortured me.

"Never!"

"Mercy!"

"Sorry, I'm not God." Now, it was getting to the point where it started to hurt.

"Phoenix." I grabbed his wrist and pulled him down for a kiss. He stopped tickling me which gave me a chance to spill from under him. "Sucka!" I smirked and danced out with all of our stuff.

  I breathed int he fresh air as Phoenix caught up to me. He grabbed his backpack form my hand and linked our arms together. "You sneaky, sneaky, girl." He said and shook his head.

"Excuse me? I'm a woman. Ever since June."

"In that case, I've been a man for over a year."

"Please, we both know that you're still a kid."