The Arsonist (Warren Peace)

Chapter Nine

I pulled away from Warren, “are you fine with moving in with me because I can go tell him not to put you on the lease.” I sat in a chair further away from his bed he shrugged, “I wouldn’t mind it.” there was a silent but at the end of the sentence, “but you want your own place.” again he shrugged but didn’t say anything, “how about I go raid the junk food section of the convenient store that I saw on the end of the street and we watch a shit ton of movies until we fall asleep.” the corners of his mouth quirked up, “I’ll be back.” I walked out the room giving no room to argue and Clarissa caught me as I was about to leave, “leaving already?” I smiled, “I’ll be right back. I'm going to raid the junk food section of the store.” she smiled nodding, “here take some money.” I went to reject it but she shoved it into my hand, “I insist.” I smiled, “thanks.” I walked to the store with a goofy smile on my face. I grabbed a basket and walked to the candy section. I grabbed a handful of vanilla zingers and a handful of chocolate zingers as well before grabbing a couple bags of sour candy.

I walked to the beverage section grabbing a two liter of coke, regular mountain dew, and pepsi. I grabbed two bags of chips and headed to the check out the girl lifted a brow and I just shrugged, “alright your total is $20.75.” I handed her a twenty and a one and she handed me back a quarter, “here’s your change have a nice day.” I smiled and grabbed the bags struggling to carry everything properly. I opened the door and wobbled up the stairs kicking Warren’s door open and closing it the same way, “geez you went a little overboard.” and I smiled, “most of this is for me.” he looked at me with a disbelieving expression, “I’m grief eating okay leave me alone.” I ripped open one of the vanilla zingers shoving it into my mouth letting out a moan at the taste and he lifted a brow, “wat tha god.” he chuckled at the barely understandable words I swallowed, “now did you pick out movies?” he nodded lifting up Fantastic Four, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Corpse Bride. I handed him his bags of food and grabbed Corpse Bride, “I’ve never seen this.” his mouth dropped, “what?!” I shrugged.

 I slipped the DVD into the DVD player and waited for the main screen and pressed play. I turned off the lights returning to sit on the bed watching the movie before I let out a yawn, “we’re only halfway through the movie how are you already tired?” I looked up at him mumbling, “crying takes a lot out of me and last night wasn’t the best sleep.” I stared up at the ceiling he pulled me into his side, “why did you refuse to talk to Principal Powers until I got there? I didn’t look at him, “why are you so nice to me?” his hand twitched, “because you treat me differently you don’t look at me like I’m one step away from turning into my father.” I huffed, “because you’re not Warren just because your father was a villain don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” he nodded tightening his grip, “get some rest.” I looked at the time, “I’m supposed to meet Will in like three hours.” I looked back at Warren, “I’ll wake you up.” I narrowed my eyes, “I will, I promise.” 

My eyes slide shut and I let myself relax in Warren’s embrace and I was instantly plunged into a nightmare I hadn’t had since I met Warren. Only it was slightly twisted from the last time it occurred.

*Nightmare*

I stood alone in the empty room and screams echoed bouncing off the walls I placed my hands over my ears trying to block the noise out sinking to my knees, “it’s all your fault.” I saw my mom standing there, “if it wasn’t for you I’d still be alive but no I just had to protect you.” I looked at the person that looked like my mother, “you were such a brat god I’m so disappointed I expected so much more from you.” she frowned, “god you’re just like your father only abandoning people when they need you most.” her appearance changed to bruises and cuts then Skye appeared, “why didn’t you get there faster y’know maybe I'd still be alive if I never knew you.” the words stung, “no you don’t mean that.” she curled her lip up in disgust as cuts appeared on her wrists blood dripping onto the floor, “yes I do you’re a selfish bitch that only cares about herself.” tears slid down my face, “it should’ve been you that died, the world would be a better place without you in it.” Warren appeared, “you think I actually cared about you.” he started to laugh, “it was all an act I was using you.” they all started laughing, “you’re just a pathetic little girl who’s too scared to be on her own.” I screamed covering my ear and I was starting to shake, “wake up.” I looked around, “c’mon Blake WAKE UP!”

        *End Of Nightmare*

I jolted awake with a small scream, “hey hey it was only a dream it’s okay.” I looked at Warren with tear filled eyes, “Warren?” he nodded, “it’s me.” he rubbed circles onto my shoulder, “it’s okay I’m right here.” I sobbed into his shoulder balling my fists into his shirt, “it was horrible.” he shushed me, “it’s alright it was only a dream it wasn’t real.” I clung to him tighter letting my wolf instincts take over a little bit that way I could calm down quicker, "I'm right here." I took a deep breath but didn't retract myself from Warren yet but when I did I got off the bed and shifted into my wolf form and looked up at him, "you can come onto the bed." I jumped onto the bed and curled into a ball nuzzling my face into Warren's side taking in his scent which calmed me further. I laid my head on his stomach looking up at him, his smile widened as his hand came down to pet the top of my head, making me let out a low grumble sound that took me by shock as it had never happened before.

I caught myself drifting off again but I forced my eyes open scared that if I fell asleep again that it would be ridden with nightmares again. I sighed relaxing into Warren’s hand, “why do you always shift in situations like this?” he seemed to be talking to himself but I let out a snort and he looked down at me, “you can understand me in this form?” I licked his hand that laid on his stomach and he chuckled. I sighed and jumped off the bed now that I had calmed down a bit going into the wiggling my way into the partially closed bathroom door and changed back into my true form.

“Warren, can I borrow some clothes?” I peaked my head out and he looked at me confused, “my clothes don’t stay on me when I shift so can I have a shirt to cover myself with?” he stood walking to the closet grabbing a shirt then opened a drawer on his dresser grabbing something then walked over covering his eyes, “here ya go.” I smiled at the gesture even though I was technically covered he still was giving me extra privacy, “thanks.” I grabbed the clothes from his hand and closed the door fully slipping on the shirt and a pair of boxer briefs, “thanks again.” I stepped out of the bathroom. He nodded, “no problem.” I smiled.

 “I shift in those situations because it tends to let me get better control of my emotions quicker especially when I’m around people I care about for some reason.” he nodded, “you’re scared you're gonna lose control?” I shrugged, “I mean I’ve learned to control my atmokinesis for the most part but I learned everything by myself I never had anyone there to teach me properly.” he nodded, “I could help you with the pyrokinesis part.” I smiled, “I have that and the hydrokinesis under wraps pretty much. It's the electricity, air, and earth abilities that I’m worried about. I've never had the best control of them other than slowing myself when in the air and falling.”

 I looked at the clock, “I need to head home. I have to meet Will in an hour and I don’t wanna give his mom a bad first impression of me.” he hugged me, “what about his dad.” I snorted, “I couldn’t give a damn what Steve Stronghold thinks about his daughter that he abandoned.” I slipped on a pair of gym shorts that I kept in my bag, “I’ll return these to you later.” he shook his head, “keep it seems like the smell of me calms you.” he smirked as he caught the blush that lit up my cheeks, “shut up.” I mumbled playfully shoving him I walked down the stairs and ran into Clarissa, “hey I’m leaving thanks for having me.” she waved me off, “of course anything for a friend of Warren’s, don’t tell him I said this but I think it’s good that he’s opening up to people.” I smiled, “he’s the first friend I’ve made in a while so I’m glad I can be there for him just as much as he’s here for me.” I gave her a hug, “I’ll see you around.” I started the walk home ignoring the strange looks I received.