Innocent Creatures

Chapter 17 (P.O.V: Red)

Anger consumes my entire body as Fia tells me what Sebastian did to her.

"Did he... touch you?" I ask, holding Fia by the shoulders, narrowing my already almond shaped eyes with intensity.

"No, not like that..." she is clearly uncomfortable, so I let go of her shoulders and pull her into an embrace.

"He will never kiss you again, I promise that"

"Thank you Red..."

"Why did you not run as soon as Sebastian said he loved you?" I ask, saying it with my chin on her head, dreading the answer.

"He told me about his lovers, so I felt obliged to stay"

"Oh... And the kiss just momentarily happened?"

"No, it was longer... I do not want to talk anymore about it"

"Okay little fish"

We are standing in our new living quarters, which Fia, Ariana and I share. It is a quite large circus caravan, with rugs and carpets scattering the floor. At one end of the room is a small, yellow kitchen area, which reminds me of Ezra's house as the colours are the same. There is no seating area tho, but there is a bathtub that has to be filled with water from the rickety pump outside. At the other end of the room sits three single mattress, with blankets and pillows strewn over them.

I pull away from Fia, and notice that her emerald eyes are welling up with fresh tears. "No... do not cry Fia" I hold one of her perfect hands, and look at her beautiful face. She looks up at me, bringing her other hand to her mouth in a child-like fashion. She is so perfect, and beautiful that it makes me shiver. I can not be attracted to her, what would Shelia say?

Oh golly, what WOULD Shelia say? What would Ezra say? But she is just so perfect...

"Red?" Fia asks.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am dandy! Why?"

"You are sweating and you just gripped my hand really hard"

"Oh I am sorry" I let go of her hand, and take a step back.

"Red!" she shouts, but I am already tumbling into the completely full bath. I am engulfed in warm water, up to my neck, and burst into laughter. She laughs too, and says "Your giving me a lopsided grin again!".

"Yeah... " I whisper, then I start to cry, unexpectedly.

"Oh Red, no" She walks over to me, and kneels next to the bath, giving me a look of worry. I continue to cry, thinking that I could be in town right now with Ramen and Ashton, but instead I am at a carnival with a Psycho Pixie, and a Serial Killer. I cry more, and Fia removes my shirt, saying "I will clean your back and chest whilst you are in here".

What do I do? I have so many new problems weighing down on my shoulders and it has just suddenly all become too much to handle.

I let her remove it, and she starts to wash me, gently, however gratefully she does not clean me below my belly button. We had done this countless times before, however this time we are both practically adults, and all the times before this we were younger, in the summer pool. I let her clean me still, as I feel utterly helpless, crying too much to be of any use. I feel sick and empty, crying unlike any man should. My father always told me that men do not cry.
I guess I am not a man then...
I still cry though, letting Fia wash me with a discarded piece of cloth she found next to the basin.
I love her.

If I kissed her know, what would she do? Are bad memories now attached to a kiss? You are stupid Red, she might not even love you. But what if she does? Is it worth the chance? I think it might be...

I leaned forward without anymore thought, and our lips meet. She seemed momentarily stunned, but she nearly immediately melted her lips into mine.
The kiss was full of the emotion I had buried for such a long time. It was full of love. I pull her into the wash basin with me, and her dress gets soaked with water. She climbs on top of me, and whispers "I have loved you for such a long time"
"I love you too" I answer, kissing her again, and what I said was true. I did love her. How did I not see it before? I pulled her closer, and she un-willingly changed into her mermaid form.
Her beautiful mermaid form.
Her tail falls to the left of me, and I slip my tongue into her mouth. Immediately she pulls away, and whispers "Not yet", which I understand.
"Sorry" I laugh, smiling with so much joy that nothing could ruin this moment.
The door immediately flew open, to my surprise, and Sebastian walked in. As soon as he walked in, I could see that he was more than a little drunk. The waft of old beer flew into my nostrils, unwanted.

"Red, my boy!" He said, before making the most disgusting burp I have ever heard. "I see you have kissed Fia over here! Good for you!" He spits in my face, sneering, and I have to rub it off. The ring master stumbles onto the bed, which he lays on, and slurs "I bet you want a bit of this action Fia! I bet you want me, more than him" he groggily points to me. "I love Fia, you know! She is a pretty one is she not? I want to get in her undergarments more than I have wanted anyone ever before!" I feel Fia stiffen next to me, and she whimpers. I hold her hand for comfort, as he says "I loved you from the moment I saw you".

He stumbles up and walks over to us, immediately I stand up, and push his chest. "You are never going to touch her again" I whisper.

"I am your ringmaster, I do whatever I desire" Smiling, he pushes me to the side, causing me to fall into a pile of sauce pans. I try to stand, but I hit my head on a book shelf. Everything turns black...