Fires Collided

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"I'm tired Juniper.I'm gonna head to bed."He took his shirt off and got under the quilt."What are you doing?"He opened the other side of the quilt for me."Come."I got in the bed.He pulled me to himself.He cuddled me."What are you doing?"He chuckled."I'm sorry but I thought this was what you wanted."I nodded."I didn't think you would go for it right away.Ok.Come."He came over me."This is nice.You changing overnight.It's definitely hard to process but...nice."We fell asleep.Well...he fell asleep.I missed Baul.I used to see him every night.Now I miss him.He's like a father to me.Talking and taking care of me in his own way.This is such a bummer.I whispered to Hector."What is it?I'm trying to sleep here."I chuckled softly."Come here."He came over."I want to ask you something.""What is it?"I sighed."Why can't I fall asleep?You've watched me over the years I have slept with you in the same room.Why can't I fall asleep?"He landed on the nightstand."The bunny boy.What's his name?""Ralph?What about him?"He sighed."I have never liked him from the begining.But I mainly believe that he helped you fall asleep."I chuckled.I wanted to laugh but Crooks was asleep."Pfft.Are you delusional?The guy hates me.I highly believe that he only came to learn more about me so he can mock me."He came closer."I once heard him.He turned back to his human form after he made sure you were asleep.And he said that he would never hurt you and that he wouldn't let anyone hurt you."

"Th-That's not Ralph.Hector that's not Rlaph."He rolled his eyes."I'm older than you dumbass.I'm older than you but I'm not 100 years old.I know what I hear."I sighed."Why would you think that he has something to do with my sleeping problem?"He crawled around my neck.Because he likes you.And you feel safer around him than you feel with this rapist!"I took him off of my neck."You know why I am like this.Don't.Hector don't start with this.He doesn't.You didn't hear what he said just this morning."I told him how he wouldn't have saved me if he knew it was me."That's just cold!I'm going back to the cage!"He flew away and went back to sleep.I looked down to my hand.I started playing with the ring.And what he said hit me all over again.

I wanted to feel what he was feeling.He was mad.Furious even.He's fighting with his father.I don't know which way.Mental or physical.But I know he's not good.I let it go until I was fine.A long while went by and I touched the ring again.This time it was...yearning.Some kind of...craving.It was mixed with tons of other emotions like sadness and anger.Self-loathing.But then it all faded away.Nothing but utter anger was felt.I chanted that spell and talked to him."It's not your fault your father is a jerk Ralph.None of it is your fault.You might hate me and I might hate you...but I'm honest enough to tell you that I care.I'm begging you calm down."

I said it all inside me in case Crooks is a lightsleeper.Then I went back to trying to sleep.Following day I woke up with Dalinda and Brenton fighting with their parents.I woke Crooks up.And he got off of me."BRENTON!DALINDA!Stop fighting with your parents.What is the problem?"Babette came over."They want to fly.But they can't understand that we're in the mundane realm."I sighed."This is all my fault guys.I'm so sorry.I asked you guys to come here.Because I miss you four.I love all four of you so much I didn't want to spend the summer without you."

"What's that all about?"I turned around."Kids want to fly.But this is the mundane realm.Not Sapienta."He wore his shirt back."I'll leave you to it.I'll see you for breakfast."I nodded and he left."How about this?I disguise you four as birds and I get you guys out today."They agreed and I found the spell in my folder under the name of probably going to become handy part.I disguised them as birds.And got them all in a smaller cage and brought them down to the breakfast with me."Good morning.Hey!You must be Rosalind."His aunt was so lovely.Then a younger girl looking exactly like her greeted me."I'm Jolene.Juniper's cousin."We hugged and I sat down.I placed the cage at the next seat to me."Those are some pretty birds."I chuckled and chanted the spell for them to see as dragons."Those are my dragons."They were shocked."Wow.This is so cool."I chuckled."Thanks Jolene.I love them with my whole heart.They're a big part of my family so I thought I would bring them by."

"I think you should get the girls with us for shopping.Leave the boys with Juniper and my husband."I chuckled and turned to Crooks."Juniper not being able to talk to them will drive him nuts!I'm not letting them go anytime soon."We had breakfast and went out shopping.The streets seemed so familiar.But I dismissed it.We went inside this brand I love and turns out Juniper's aunt was the owner."I have to congratulate you.This is one of my favorite brands.But I never really got to see the store itself because my father was always so busy with his business."She chuckled."Jolene you guys have fun.Everything is on the house.And find some chic gowns for the gala tour I planned."Me and Jolene started going through the store and we found some hot stuff in here.Me and Jolene have so much in common I would love it if we stayed friends after this whole game is over."Ok.So do me a runway.We have five galas.Show me the dresses."I laughed."As you wish my darling Jolene."We laughed and I went into the changing cabin.

(GALA 1)

(GALA 2)

(GALA 3)

(GALA 4)

"Where is the fifth one?I wanna see that one too."I chuckled and refused because it's my favorite.Just when we were heading out of the store when I saw her."Mom?"A tear dropped.