As We Burn

Twenty-Six.

Author's Note: Hi everyone! I just wanted to say thank you for all the love you've shown me for chapter 25 and let you know that once we reach 50K reads, I will be doing a HUGE AWB themed giveaway on theburnseries Instagram! So make sure you share the story as much as possible 🖤

Lastly, I will be going LIVE on my personal Instagram (mvxwells) this Friday at 7PM EST to chat about all things Parker and Crispen and announce some special things. I hope you join!

I must be sleeping. This must be a dream.

Dizziness washes over me as I place my elbows on the dining room table and hold my face in my clammy hands, trying to come to terms with Crispen's revelation.

I'm going to Paris, Parker. And I want you to come with me. The words replay in my mind, until they're interrupted by new ones.

"Park? You okay?"

I look up and see Crispen watching me, waiting for me expectantly, slightly out of focus.

"Yeah, I'm just...so you didn't lose?"

"No, I won! I got the email this morning, and they want me to confirm the dates and the name of my guest soon," he tells me. The hint of a smile on his lips is heartbreakingly adorable. I can tell he's excited, an emotion I rarely get to see from him. "I was thinking of going on my birthday."

His birthday. Today's the first day of November, which means he's leaving for Paris only twenty days from today.

"That-that's great," is all I can think to say. I've never really understood people when they say they're speechless until now. I take a sip of my tea, burning my tongue. I hardly feel it.

"I feel like this is not the reaction I was expecting," Crispen says, folding his arms across his chest. The atmosphere has grown awkward, the sound of the birds chirping outside loud in the silence. Even the eyes of the snake on his arm seem to be judging me. The way his smile fades causes guilt to slowly creep into my heart, I try to think of the best way to explain my reservations, choosing my words carefully.

"I'm really happy for you Crispen, truly I am. It's just...Paris, only the two of us...I mean, we're just getting to know each other, and so much has happened...it's a lot."

I hate the way I'm stuttering, how annoyed by him I sound. I really don't mean to. But the reality is, I'm not sure how I feel, or why I'm reacting this way. Despite the past few weeks, we still haven't officially committed to each other - I'm not even sure what we are at the moment. With Onyxus, the fires, and the disaster that was last night looming overhead, I feel like I'm close to being crushed by the weight of it all.

"Oh, okay. I get it," he mutters coldly. Shit.

"Crispen," I whine. "Obviously I would love to go with you. But can't you agree that-"

"Doesn't seem so obvious to me," he interrupts. "I'm offering to take you to fucking Paris, Parker." Woah. He runs his fingers through his hair and steps away from the counter. It irks me how quickly he ignites, how short his fuse is.

"Can you please just let me explain?" I insist. He's really beginning to get on my nerves.

"You don't need to. I heard you, loud and fucking clear," he growls.

"Please don't swear at me," I tell him. He rolls his eyes, but suddenly it isn't so cute anymore. He grabs his black leather jacket off of the arm of the living room sofa.

"You're leaving, as always," I say. Mostly to myself. I'm not sure if I really care this time; I'm not going to put up with his attitude if he refuses to communicate calmly or respectfully with me. We've already talked about this a thousand times over.