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THE FIRE BURNED BRIGHT as Adelaine stared at with a blank expression. Constance's favorite silver lighter was slowly scorched by the hot flame, warming up the ginger's cold body. Michael stared at the remains of his grandmother, the orange hue reflected in his icy blue eyes. Adelaine looked up at him, squeezing his hand a bit as a sign of assurance that she was there for him.
"Why are we burning Grandma's stuff?" The blond asked her, tearing his eyes away from the fire. Adelaine blinked as she chewed the inside of her lip.
"It's a way of saying goodbye," She answered, rubbing the outside of his hand, "It's like letting go of them in a way," His gaze was heavy on her when she met his eyes, "You can say anything you want to her."
Michael bit his lip, staring at the flame again, "Will Grandma hear it?"
"Maybe,"
Michael sniffled as he said something to his Grandma, something about her leaving him. Adelaine's heart ached as she watched tears slip out of his blue eyes. His voice broke every now and then, and when he finally turned towards her with tear-streaked cheeks, the ginger immediately engulfed him in a hug. His head immediately rested on the crook of her neck and shoulder as he sobbed over his dead grandmother.
"You'll never leave me, right?" He said after a few minutes, lifting his head up a bit. His arms circled around Adelaine's waist, his warmth making her feel like she was in front of a fireplace.
"Yes," The ginger pushed his blond locks away from his face, "I won't leave you."
The Langdon boy embraced her again, tighter this time. Adelaine stared at the flame slowly dancing, allowing Michael to let his emotions out. If only she could do something to take his pain away, she would. But she can only identify emotions, not manipulate it.
It was now her mission to take care of him until he can get back on his feet.
An hour later, Michael and Adelaine were already in the mall, after they dropped the things they got from Constance's house to her apartment. The blond was feeling a bit better after she promised that she'll get him more ice cream and candy from the store. Adelaine also wanted to get him more clothes that he can go out with since he didn't have much clothes in his old house. Strangely, most of the clothes she found in his room was that of a toddler's and a baby. He only had like five pairs of top and three bottoms, consisting mostly of pajamas and shorts. She wanted to ask him more about it, but decided against it. Adelaine knew that her curiosity was always her bad trait.
Michael's blue eyes cautiously watched the people strolling in the mall, passing by the two of them. He wrapped an arm around the ginger's waist as they walked around the spacious building, not trusting the strangers around them. Adelaine wanted to laugh at the paranoid look on the blond's gorgeous face, like it was his first time being around such crowded area, but she held it in. Not that she can blame him – she loathed crowded places as well. Her empathic ability was a nightmare whenever too much people were around her. but somehow, her companion managed to neutralize her uncontrollable power. As they roamed around, the ginger noticed how the tastes in her tongue weren't too distracting and overwhelming.
