Ablaze

Eighteen

I'm going to her place a little later at 8, because we both had some things to do beforehand.

**Later that night**

"Hey, I have a question."

"What's up?" I ask as I eat my sushi.

"Well, you know how fire can be different colors based on like the properties and temperature? Can you change the color of yours?"

"Nah, the only color I can use except for regular orange is blue. Blue is obviously the hottest, so it doesn't come out very often, only in certain situations. I've barely used it, because it's so dangerous, but yeah. Pretty cool, huh?"

"Totally. I love learning about people's affinities and the science behind them, if there is any. So, do you just not got hot either? Like when it's summer and it's really hot out, do you just not sweat?"

"It's weird to explain, but yes and no. When I get angry, I can feel my body heat up and feel my blood boil, but it's not like I'm sweating. And I can't get sunburned. Then there are times where my affinity is repressed, that I'll feel heat like someone else. Or, when my face blushes, I can feel that, too."

"Aww, did you just admit that you blush? That's so cute."

"Seriously?"

"Look, it's happening right now!"

Dammit, Ash. Just looking at her half the time makes me blush, and now she has to go pointing it out and calling it cute?

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. So now, tell me more about your affinities."

"Okay, what do you wanna know?"

"How does siren exactly work? Like, I get the idea of it, but..."

"Well, technically, it's a form of manipulation, which I hate that it's called that. But, I have to be in physical contact with a person for a certain amount of time in order to activate it. Back when I had mastered it, I could do it just by looking into a person's eyes. Once I'm able to get inside their mind and see their thoughts, I can create the illusion based on that. I can also create them freely, based on my own mind. But, it doesn't hypnotize anyone that way and they're able to tell it's fake. My eyes also turn purple, and usually the person that's hypnotized is unable to resist me."

"Woah, that's pretty cool. Not that I needed your eyes to be glowing purple for you to hypnotize me, you're able to do that just by me looking at your beautiful ass self." She blushes, "How long does it last for?"

"It all depends on my strength, and the other person's strength." She sighs, "When my father was training me, I became really strong— and by the time I was 14, I was stronger than even most adults were. That's when everything happened though, so I stopped using it. And as a result, it got weak, which is how you were able to reject it so easily. But, you're also really strong, so that's part of the reason as well."

I flex my arms, "Oh, so you think I'm strong?"

She laughs and slaps my arm,"Well, duh."

"So, what about flight?"

"What about it? It's pretty self explanatory— I grow wings and can fly."

"I figured that much. I mean, how much weaker are your wings now? And what did they look like?"

"Oh... I don't know, honestly. The last time I had them out was when I was doing physical therapy after the incident, and that was years ago. I haven't seen them since, so I don't know how strong they are or even what they look like now. But before, they were so beautiful. They looked exactly like how fairies wings do— they were translucent, but had a purple hue to them with reflects of green and blue. They were sparkly if I was happy... they were breathtaking... and I used to be able to fly really fast, too. I would fly my friends all around the city, and we'd get the most gorgeous views that you could never get anywhere else. Being able to fly through the air like that... it was the most freedom I've ever felt in my life."

Her eyes lit up while she spoke about them. She looked so happy, and was smiling the whole time. But my heart breaks for her, because all of those happy memories were taken away from her.

"All this time has gone by... and I still don't trust anyone around them. I'm so scared that someone will do the same thing my father did... or even worse."

"What about just around yourself? You still don't take them out?"

"No. Every time I do, it's just another painful reminder of what happened... and I feel so ashamed."

"Ashamed? Why would you feel ashamed?"

"Because... there are people out there who don't have an affinity, like my mom, and I'm here with two... and I don't even use them."

"Ash... you can't hold yourself accountable for what happened. You have fucking PTSD from it— nobody's expecting you to just use them again."

"I guess. But still... I wish I wasn't such a fucking useless coward."

That's it— I can't stand to see her talk about herself like this anymore. She deserves to be able to trust people again. And she deserves to feel free again.

"Okay, stand up."

"Why?"

"Just stand up."

She does as I say, "What's this about?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Kaen—"

"Do. You. Trust me?"

"Of course, but—"

"Then show me your wings."