One Shots!!!

Flamerose (again)

Flame sat in the corner of the bar, surrounded by empty shot glasses. The shots, sadly, had no affect on him except make him drowsy. "Sir," the bartender said. "We're going to have to cut you off and call someone to pick you up." Flame sighed. "I don't have any family members. Or any friends," she shrugged. Spider was out with his new wife on their honeymoon. He heard someone beside him speak. "It's alright sir. I've got him," she said. Flame turned around to see a strikingly familiar black haired woman in a leather jacket. "If you're sure you've got it Black," the bartender shrugged and walked away without a reply. The woman looked at Flame on the bar stool. "Been a while Sparky," she smirked. "Hey Ebony," he said with a lazy wave. "Come on Sparky," Black laughed. "You can crash at my place." He nodded and stood up. They drove a while in silence before Black broke it. "You've always been a bit of a drinker Sparky but not that much. What happened?" She asked with concern. Flame sighed. "My girlfriend was cheating on me. Found out when I got home to propose." He fiddled with his hands. "That's awful. She sounds like a bitch," Black said. As usual, her dry humor made him chuckle. "That wasn't a joke Sparky," she smirked, laughing lowly herself. "What about you?" Flame asked, changing the subject. "Where've you been all these years?" A shadow passed across her face as she drove her black slug bug but it left as quickly as it appeared. "Well, I've been fostering kids. I find I have a talent for taking care of people," she shrugged. "I've always known that," Flame smiled playfully. Black didn't look away from the road and stayed silent as she drove up a driveway. "This is it," she sighed as she stepped out. She opened the door and two little kids ran up to her. "Hi guys," she smiled. The smallest one was a girl that looked a bit older than the other and had brown hair. "Who's that?" The other asked, it was a boy with dark, almost blue looking black hair. "Tawny, Night, this is my old friend Flame," she smiled kindly. "He looks drunk," Night said suspiciously. Black laughed. "No Night he's perfectly sober." Flame looked at Black surprised as they walked in. "Does Dad know about him?" Another kid, almost a teenager, said in an almost scared tone. Black stiffened. "He's not you're father Cloud," she said. "And no. I do not have to tell him everything. This is my house." "He's going to be pissed when he sees him," Cloud shrugged. Black narrowed her eyes and pointed to a jar on the counter labeled "The Swear Jar". Cloud, with short white hair and pale skin, trudged over to it and dropped a dollar in. There was a bang and a yell. "Go off to your rooms now," Black whispered and the kids ran off. An other woman with a backwards t-shirt ran out of the house carrying her shoes. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" A brown haired man shouted at Black. "Out," Black narrowed her eyes. The man was large and looked pretty sting. He wasn't as big as Flame but a close second. "DONT GET SMART WITH ME BITCH!" He yelled again. Black stayed calm although her fisted were held so tight her knuckles were red and Flame bet she drew blood. "WHO THE HELL IS THAT?!" The man screamed pointing at Flame. "This is my friend. He'll stay on the couch," Black replied emotionlessly. "Still letting homeless people stay at my house like those little runts huh?!" He shouted. "Those are my kids and this is my house!" Black growled back and the man slapped her, leaving a red handprint. "THOSE ARE NOT YOUR KIDS AND THIS IS NOT YOUR HOUSE AND THAT IS NOT STAYING HERE!" The man screamed. Black closed her eyes. "I'm not having this conversation with you in front of people and where the kids can hear," she said quietly. It took everything Flame had not to strangle the guy. The man scowled and shoved her and Black fell to the ground, hitting her head on the counter. "This ain't over," he growled before storming back to the room he just came from. Black stayed on the ground with her eyes closed and didn't move. He didn't see her face as he bent down beside her and rested a hand on her shoulder. A tea splattered to the ground. "Sorry you had to see that," she laughed weakly, her voice even. The kids ran in. "Mom?" Cloud asked and he had the younger kids by the shoulders. "Are you okay mommy?" Tawny asked. "I'm fine baby," Black said softly and looked up. "Time for bed. Come on," she stood up and visibly flinched. Flame watched sadly until she walked out of view. The man came out again and glared at him. "You stay away from my wife," he growled. "You don't deserve that woman," Flame growled back. The man scowled and punched him in the gut. Flame laughed. "That has no effect on me," he laughed evilly and punched the guy in the face, knocking him out easily. Black came running in looking panicked. She saw the man on the floor bloody and her eyes widened. "What did you do?" She asked her eyes tearing up. "I helped you you're welcome," he said sarcastically. "If I thought that'd help don't you think I'dev already done it?" She asked. Flame thought a moment. "Well-" he cut himself off. "It'll only get worse! He threatened the kids Flame!" She bawled. Flame wrapped his arm around her. "He won't touch them. I promise," he whispered. "You can't promise that!" She cried. "You know how this works!" She caught herself after she said it and looked down. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "You're right," Flame said. "I know how this works." He walked over and called the police. They came by after a while and took the guy away. "Mommy?" Tawny asked as the two little ones came in. "What's going on?" Black bent down toward them. "You won't have to worry about him anymore," she whispered. "Is he dead?" Night asked. "He's not dead, he's going where bad people go." "Hell?" Night asked again. "No Night he's not in Hell. He's going to jail." "Is Flame our new Daddy?" Tawny asked. "No!" Black laughed and blushed. "He's going to stay with us and help us though," she smiled up at him. Cloud came in and looked at Flame. "Don't be an ass," he asked, exasperated and dropped a dollar in the jar. Flame chuckled. "You cuss like I did. Of course I cuss worse now," he smiled an Cloud smiled back. 'I'm going to take care of them like they should've been taken care of in the first place,' Flame smiled to himself.