Hellfire

the fire's biting sting

"...This really sucks!" they both groan in unison, while I only giggle and shrug.

"...Really?" I interject as they mumble and moan, "I happen to love the rain."

They only stare incredulously in response. "I like the rain," Karen mutters as she turns away and starts to walk home, "But not when I'm in it."

"Same." They both start to run, but wave their goodbyes at me before they dash to their homes. I chuckle some more and begin my tread all the way home, when I notice that I am passing by the dumpster and where Seth likes to hang out.

I can't help but feel a smile overcome me when I see that his eyes are closed, his head tilted and leaning on the metal. There is a cigarette in his hands that are grazing the floor, no smoke coming from the blunt because of the rain. I wonder how on Earth he could have fallen asleep on the ground, by the malodorous dumpster nonetheless but then I remember his blackened eyes and wonder how tired he really is.

He just... looked so peaceful, with his red hair sweeping over his face and his head drooping, his knees to his chest. So preciously adorable for someone with such a bad reputation.

I cannot help myself when I approach him, and crouch down to ruffle his hair. I am not so creepy, however, because after that I pull up his hood to cover himself so that he won't be too wet. However, I am quite soaked myself and probably ruined his clothing.

I flinch when he stirs and draw away when he blinks for a while, my touch having woken him up. Oh, goodness...

He will probably try to berate me or go off on me. This shall be interesting.

His dark eyes flicker some more until he looks up and mumbles something incoherent to my ears. "...Hello there," I manage cheekily, wondering when exactly he'll bite my head off.

"Your fingers are soft," he says sleepily, and I notice that his eyes are still drooping... Oh, he must still be lethargic and drowsy from his little nap, thank goodness. I giggle and because he's in such a state, I humor him and reach out to stroke his hair again.

"...And wet," he murmurs when a raindrop falls into his eye, and he rubs it vigorously. I then notice that the area he is in actually has a little bit of a roof covering him, and feel kind of stupid for putting his hood up when his head would have been fine, but then he does this lazy half-smile that makes me take a deep breath and chant Harry, Harry in my mind.

"The wetter the better."

...Oh my goodness. Did he really just say that?

I blush heavily, and my eyes widen with shock. I almost shriek at his words from the innuendo, recalling my hand to cover my mouth and stifle my scream. However, then he grabs my wrist and his next swift motion surprises me even more, and I am at a loss for words.

He puts my index and middle finger in his mouth and bites hard, and I can feel the blood oozing out of my skin. He lets go and I take it back and stare and his expression has now changed from half-asleep into a full-fledged glare.

I get up and back away and can hear him mumble some more to himself as I finally head my way home.

"Good," he says to no one in particular, and I can hear the rustling of his feet and him brush off his jeans, "Maybe that'll freak her the fuck out so she can stay away."

I am kind of freaked out, yes, but that exchange made me even more curious.

...Why is he trying so hard to separate himself from me?

When I get home, I am absolutely drenched, and I greet Estella at the kitchen and Wally, who is at the kitchen table with a cup of applejuice and a coloring book. He is scribbling out of the lines, even though he was taught how to color inside of them a long time ago, and he waves enthusiastically at me with a baby blue crayon.