Ila And The Phoenix

Day Six (Wednesday)

Just great!

Tweedle Dum, Tweedle Dee and Co. successfully ruined my perfect moment because of a few stupid bucks which they failed to get anyway.

Bryn's mood soured after the incident. I thought it was solely because of the sudden break-in robbery or the fear that his enemies had found him but it turned out that he just really hated to go afire on people like that. He was not harmful by nature neither were his powers meant to be used to harm but the goons had given him no other choice. He stood quietly by the window, staring into the blizzard and I felt as if I did not exist. Moments like those made me feel that way - like a complete outsider.

Regardless of his claim of dislike toward using his pyro powers, I felt the nagging suspicion that something deeper irked him still. So I went to stand behind him and wrapped my arms around his midsection. He glanced down at me then pulled my hands up to rest on his chest.

"Something else upsets you." I muttered then glanced up at him. "Bryn?"

His head tilted in my direction but his gaze did not waver from the pouring snow.

"Tell me what you're thinking." I pleaded.

He tugged at my arm so that I came to stand in front of him then took my face in his hands.

"I am thinking about many things at once and finding it difficult to put them all in order." He replied then stroked my cheek. "But I'd sure as hell put you at the top."

I smiled at that. But I could tell that he was only trying to put me off from whatever the real issue was.

"Tell me just one then." I suggested. He leaned into me and seductively kissed me.

"I love you." He whispered.

I suddenly forgot about what I had asked when he began to touch me, kissing down my shoulder whilst riding my dress up my thighs. I desperately wanted him to finish what he had started but a part of me also truly wanted to find out why he was upset. He kissed my neck and pulled me into himself. I grabbed at his hair and moaned as he kneaded my bum.

"You're trying to distract me." I managed to mutter.

He chuckled into my skin. "Is it working?"

"Maybe." I replied and gently unglued my body from his then looked into his eyes. "I want to know what's bothering you, Bryn. Please tell me."

He heaved a sigh in defeat and held out an open hand. "Let us talk upstairs."

He locked the front doors and led me up the stairs into our bedroom. I had felt a bit jittery about the whole robbery scenario and a strange dude touching me but right after he put the coats of each goon into the fireplace and burned them to ash, I felt wholly at ease.

As always our bedroom was warm and alluring. He left me on the bed, closed the curtains then put on the dim nightlight. I loved the atmosphere and recognized it all to well. He would cuddle me while we conversed. It was basically pillow talk and I confirmed it when he stripped his shirt off before coming to settle next to me. I quickly noticed the odd way with which his face suddenly creased. He was in pain.

I embraced him. "Bryn, are you alright?"

He looked up at me for a few moments then nodded. But it was obvious he did not want to worry me any further. I cuddled him instead, letting him lie on my bosom with his arms around me and my fingers in his hair. After we got comfortable he proceeded to tell me that he feared he would spiral out of control. According to him, on New Year's Eve of 1875, he struck a contracted deal with a jeweler in London whom he had given brilliant ideas for basic jewelry designs. Three years later, the man, Bartrum Samber, ran off to New York City and sold the same idea to a jeweling company for a whooping sum. The idea, which was in fact just ornamental glass for ladies, skyrocketed the company's sales between the same year and 1933 until later that year, Bryn found out that his idea had been stolen and sold. After approaching the company's board and informing them of Bartrum's breach of contract, they refused to comply and so he set the company building on fire resulting in them going out of business for quite a while as well as many lives being lost. This was the first time he had ever used the phoenix fire since his rebirth.