Don't touch them.

Chapter 11

   I sigh, setting my coffee down.
   "I was... Hurt. She lost her temper earlier in the day. I was asleep, she was drunk, so Dad went to get the groceries. She sobered faster than he thought she would. He helped me clean up and get to bed, and they had another fight. Mom- or, whoever, set the fire. I was told Dad got out. She was screaming at me that he was out. Then she ran. My door was locked, and she forgot to unlock it. The fire spread fast. I was still weak, and slow.
   Aspen tried to help. He can't unlock doors. He lost some of his power permanently when his master died. But he tried to break it down. He did, but the house was so damaged by then that when he busted the door, the frame and a support beam also fell.
   It fell on his leg. I tried to pull it off, and another one fell. The house was collapsing and full of smoke. I pulled it off of him, but his leg was... This." I motion to Aspens back leg. "I collapsed. He managed to get up and drag me out, and my eye was like this when I woke up." I whisper, brushing my hair away from my face. I let them study the redish tinted, wrinkled, leathery skin covering my cloudy, blind eye.
   "I'm so sorry..." Eve whispers. I just shrug and grab my coffee again..
   "Not your fault." I tense a little as Sam wraps his arms around me, burying his face in my neck, inhaling my scent. I put my arm around his shoulders to calm him.
   "I made french toast for breakfast if anyone's hungry." Sandra says softly. I nod and she gets up to leave, followed by Heather, who smiles encouragingly. Ace and Eve look like they want to say something but I just shake my head as I turn to better face Sam. I brush my hair back over my eye. He's whimpering.
   "What's the matter?" I whisper. Amanda and Jermy take Del and follow Heather and Sandra. Anna stands in the corner awkwardly, knowing better than to take her parents seats. Last time she got sat on.
   "I just... You've been through so much. And when we found you in that tree, and we accidentaly scared you... And you just seem so sad all the time. I can't help you..." He cries into my shirt. I wrap my arms around him and pull him closer. He freezes, Anna gasps, and Ace and Eve look confused. It's the only time I've done this sice we watched that scary movie, but even then I let go after he settled. Not this time.
   "This is the happiest I've been in a long, long time. I promise." I nuzzle the crook of his neck and he shivers. I snort, inhaling his clean, savory scent.
   "This is awkward." He mumbles.
   "Why is it awkward?" I ask. He shrugs, then tilts his head in the direction of my... Kin. "Don't worry about it." I whisper, tightening my grip.
   "You're not gonna leave me, right? Now that you've found your family?" He asks softly. I can feel my eyes widen.
   "You are my family, and my saviour, and my mate. And I will never leave you." I whisper.
   "Here's toast!" Sandra warns. A moment later she shuffles in with plates on her arms, and Heather also has two.
   "Thank you." I take two and hand one to Sam, who wipes his eyes with the back of my hand. Aspen looks at us expectantly. Sandra just rolls her eyes and sets a plate in the floor for him.
   "Is it safe for him to have french toast?" Eve asks nervously.
   "Of course. He's not actually a dog. He's a familiar." Heather says.
   "He's the one you and Dad found?" Ace asks.
   "He told you about that?"
   "He told us a lot of things." Eve picks at her toast. Ace takes a bite and nearly moans.
   "This is amazing." He says.
   "Thanks. I like to make extra rich foods, which works out because then everyone can taste it." Sandra raises her mug, as if toasting herself. I just shake my head.
   "So, um, how's school?" Ace asks.
   "Schools fine. Same as always." I shrug.
   "And by always," Anna says, now sitting in floor next to Del, "he means he generally ingores people like an antisocial pessimist."
   "If they want to be jerks, I'm not gonna go out of my way to socialize." I shrug again.
   "Um... We heard you started working!" Eve tries to change the subject.
   "I work at the resteraunt Wednesday's, Thursdays, Friday's, and Saturdays." I tell them.
   "Oh, so you work tonight then!" I nod. I need to shower this afternoon... We eat the rest of breakfast in silence. Soon, Sandra gets up, gathering the dishes. She goes to the kitchen to put them up before declaring loudly that she's going to go shower and get ready for work, since she leaves before Sam and I.
   "Um, I'm going to go make the bed. You guys can watch a movie or whatever." Heather grins and follows Sandra to their bedroom. I quickly finish my coffee and take my mug to the kitchen. Ace and Eve are still awkwardly sitting on the couch. Anna is playing on her phone, and Sam is contently petting Aspen. Amanda and Jermy, who is holding Del, declare that they had plans to go to the zoo today. Del cheers as they say goodbye.
   "Bye Tector!" Del says happily.
   "By Del." I go to switch the laundry. I can hear soft laughter as Ace asks why Del calls me that, and Sam explains why the little one has declared me such. Not leaving out the part where I nearly broke Jermy's arm.
   I walk in with the basket of laundry and set it on the couch before tossing the remote to Anna. Anna, who of course turns on a horror movie. She's just like her Mom.
   Ace and Eve can't seem to stop grinning now. After the little story the twins told them, I apparently don't seem so intimidating. I sort and fold the laundry as we watch the movie. I put the clothes in the respective rooms, leaving Heather and Sandra's outside their door in the basket before going to sit with Sam again, who nervously traces little circles on my back as we watch the movie. I have a family.