The Once and Gifted King [ON HIATUS]

Chapter One: Rhys [2,423 Words :D]

A/N: Thanks for checking out my story! Since this is a NaNo, I don't need detailed critiques. A hinthint here and there is fine if you feel the desire. When I'm done I'll open it up for general editorial suggestions, because that's when I'll start editing. Well, I hope you enjoy my story!

I was laying on the couch inside Threshold, the video game store I worked at. Nine AM didn't bring many customers, especially on school days like today. Sometimes I wondered why we opened so early. The only thing I could fathom was so those on the early shift could have a couple hours alone with the plasma-screen multi-consul. I had already beaten Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess twice and I was working on my third round. Can't get enough of the classics.

The door jingled as someone entered the shop. I would have ignored him until he reached the counter, but the smell of smoke drifted to my nose. I didn't even pause as I told him, "Hey, no smoking in here."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw him turn to me, a surprised look on his face. It seemed he hadn't noticed me until then. He ran to me.

"I need water!" he said. "Please, help me!"

It was then I noticed his hand was on fire.

I jumped off the couch away from him, throwing my controller to the seat. I hurried to the back room, hoping someone left a water bottle in the community fridge.

"Please, you gotta help me! I didn't mean to..."

I returned to see that he had hopped over the counter. Without a word I poured the water over his hand, which stopped burning with a hiss.

That was the only sound for a few seconds. I stared at him, mouth slightly open. His black hair was singed, probably from whatever lit his hand on fire. His blue eyes were troubled, worried, scared, awed. He had to be a couple years older than me, since he wasn't at school; I had graduated early.

A little something in the back of my mind sent a trigger to my stomach, setting off butterflies. Something about his wild appearance made him extremely attractive.

"I should call an ambulance," I said.

"No!"

I took a step back.

"I... I mean..." His eyes broke contact with mine, searching the ground as though the right words were hidden there. "No one can know. I'm fine, see?" He lifted his hand for me to see. There was no evidence that it had ever been on fire seconds ago.

"Wrong hand," I said. He raised his other hand. It was just as bare. Perfectly burn free.

I took another step back. "Yo-you're messing with me. You probably u-used hand sanitizer or whatever. M-my cousins showed me once." My back hit the wall. I felt the blood drain from my face.

He shook his head, looking almost as scared as I was. "Th-that must be it. I must have... touched the fire after using hand sanitizer. I couldn't have started that fire. I... couldn't..."

I pushed out a laugh, though it sounded more like a squeak. "Okay. You've had your fun. You can go home now... Put it on Facebook or whatever."

His breathing grew ragged. He looked at the street through the shop windows. It was almost deserted. One woman jogged on the opposite sidewalk with a stroller. A car zoomed past going the other direction. The boy hid behind the counter as the car slowed at a stop sign.

"K, seriously," I whimpered. "You're freaking me out!" My knees wanted to crumble, but I held my ground; now that the boy was crouching, I had the advantage of height.