[COMPLETE] [[**Sequel, The Hybrid Harold, is up!**]]
The first generation past the war has settled and the result is something no one from the past would recognize. In the United Human Alliance, the human run country that takes up much of the land m...
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I didn't want to go down the hall, much less knock on the door, but Christine and Margie had been adamant that it was the right thing to do. They were right, of course, so I found myself walking down what was, arguably, the most dangerous hallway in the school. As I knocked on the door of the two people in school I would love nothing more than to avoid, I couldn't help but feel grateful that my mother had ordered me the uniform sweater vests that covered my wings. If I was going to see them again, I would at least feel comfortable with how I presented myself.
"Alenia?" Wes was surprised to see me, and I felt a tightness in my chest reminding me why I was avoiding him. Seeing Wes brought a bunch of emotions I didn't want to confront. "What do you want?"
After he kissed me, Wes had dropped his fear and gone back to looking down on me. It was crushing, and thankfully (unlike with Michael) my friends were more than willing to play interference. He gave a winning smile, knowing what he was doing and gaining strength from it. God- fuck him!
"Is Michael here?" I asked, doing my best to cover up what he did to me. He was clearly surprised and didn't answer. I cocked up an eyebrow, "Yes? No?"
"Why do you want to see Michael?" Wes asked, jealousy clearly rushing over him. It made anger push past my discomfort, allowing me to regain my composure. Who was he to be jealous? He wanted nothing to do with me anymore- he couldn't have my loyalty and give me none in return. I wasn't his. Not anymore.
"None of your business," I answered, surprising him with my anger.
"None of my-"
"Yeah- Wes, none of your business," I didn't let him finish, recognizing the growth of flame inside me. Anger was good, I could latch onto that. "Now, where is Michael?"
"He's not here," Wes answered, not providing any more information.
"He's not?" I asked, doubtful. I'd already looked in Lore, the library, and the cafeteria.
"Why do you want to see Michael?" Wes asked again, not willing to drop it. I groaned, wishing he would. I didn't have an answer for him, and the reality of the question asked questions I'd been stubbornly ignoring.
"Because I want to fuck him on your bed, Wes," I snapped, glaring at him. "Now, really, is he here?"
"You've turned into a bitch since you joined Lore, you know that?" Wes asked, opening the door wider and walking in. I could see Michael on the top bunk of Wes' bed, and reaching my goal reminded me that Wes was merely the first of many obstacles.
"Yeah, well, blame Michael then," I said, "He convinced me to join."
I watched Wes snap his head to Michael and Michael look back at him and couldn't help grinning a little. Tom, from his bed beside them, sent me an un-angry but exasperated look. It was clear that relations in the dorm were getting tense. Good, I thought, happy that Michael and Wes were suffering.
"What-"
Michael ignored Wes, slipping off of the top bunk and sending me an annoyed glare. "You needed me?"
"Privately," I answered, not wanting to talk to him with an audience.
"Ah," Michael said, sending Tom and Wes a meaningful look.
"What- no-" Wes said, no doubt remembering what happened when Tom and Michael gave us privacy.
"Come on," Tom said, pushing out Wes before him. The two left without more argument, though Wes was clearly upset, and left me alone with Michael.
"So?" Michael asked, "What's so important that you've decided to stop ignoring me?"
"I haven't-" His knowing glance stopped me, "Fine, I have, but this is just- I'm still adjusting though, okay?" I said, he didn't argue so I continued. "I talked to Naomi- my trainer lady- and she told me some stuff about the prophecy that you need to know."
His face instantly grew more serious, and he sat down on the couch (they had replaced the one I burned). I joined him before continuing, not liking what I had to say,
"So, for starters, if we don't save the world, our kid doesn't die," I said, giving him the worse news first, ripping the band-aid off. "The kid will just, um, well they'll instead be the ones who have to end the war."
His jaw clenched, and I knew he felt the same way that I did. Somehow we'd both become attached to a kid not near creation yet, and the idea that our child would be forced to fight the battles we failed was terrible. It was worse than simple death- because their life would be a suffering we'd forced on them, the greatest parental failure.
"And um, it's not just love either," I said, looking at my hands and feeling awkward. My body heated, hating to share something like this with him, but I had to. He had a right to know. "Um, dragons, we have this mating thing, like soul mates, love at first sight." I watched him connect the awful dots while I continued, hating to be the bearer of bad news. "Um, I can't do it until my wings come out, but if I don't..."
"If you don't magically fall in love with me at first sight then our kid will fight our war, without us?" Michael asked, his voice deep and gravely.
I nodded, tears dropping from my eyes onto my hands. "And, um, and don't tell anyone this part-"
"Alenia-" He said, calling my attention. I looked up at him, my teary eyes locking with his. They were intense, looking at me with a strength of emotion I barely understood. It reminded me of the other day when he'd promised me he would never hurt me like my father had. "I would never betray you."
"I-" I didn't have a response, I looked back at my hands. My chest was hot and stuck in turmoil, "I- so apparently dragons wings come when they start puberty, or whatever, and they don't have their flame until they have their wings, but I already have my flame..." I choked out the last bit, the sob breaking through my words. "She didn't tell me this- but, what if I can't even mate? And- and-"
The couch lit in flames, the fire bursting from me violently at the admission of my greatest fear. What if I was broken, and our child, because of me, would be forced into war, alone?
Michael jumped off of the couch, worried about the flames. Instead of yelling at me, he pulled me away from it and into his arms. His touch put the fire out instantly, my body no longer lit. Even the flame on the couch went out. I sobbed on his shoulder, gripping his shirt tight and completely forgetting any of my reservations about him. I knew I was hot, I knew it must hurt to hold me as the floor beneath my feet blackened, but he didn't let go, supporting me when I was beyond control.
I pulled away when I thought I couldn't, forcing myself to stop hurting him. "I just- I thought you should know," I said, ignoring the worry in his face. "I'll go now."
"Alenia-"
"Sorry about, um, the couch," I said, my face unable to get more red as I avoided the sight of a now smoking couch. I ignored his outstretched hand, walking out of the room. Tom and Wes were a few doors down, sitting in a common area. Wes saw me before Tom, rushing forward and getting to me before I'd really noticed him.
"You can't just use him as rebound," Wes said, glaring at me harshly, obvious pain fueling his anger.
God, I couldn't take this right now. I wasn't to the point in my post-breakup-rebuilding process that I could take Wes looking at me like I'd honestly hurt him. Seeing him so hurt made me want to pull him into a hug and apologize over and over. What was I doing, running to Michael in front of him, it was cruel.
"She's not," Michael said, stepping out of their dorm and glaring at Wes. I shared a moment with Tom- hoping he could see the apology written on my face. He nodded and I left, knowing that I couldn't help, knowing that I'd be crying in a moment if I stayed.
