22:45h.


A slim college student stumbled drunk from the metro, taking in the stench of urine and the dismal faces. A bitter smirk shot from a broken lip and an angry madness burnt in his eyes. His fiery chestnut hair seemed to flame down to his shoulders, leaving nothing but a gaunt frame encased in black, fouled clothing. His garb was a shroud about thin shoulders, hanging loosely from glittering, smeared flesh.

Another, cleanly dressed student stepped briskly from within the shadows of the dingy platform, his movements smooth as if he glided upon ice. He wore white over pale blue slacks, untouched by the filth encrusted in the filthy cave. His face was slightly rounded, plump with youthful Asian beauty to match any girl's vanity. His eyes stared brightly at the onlookers, glancing them over with an azure gaze before focusing on the child before him. He approached, and startled the drunken teenager, who lurched to dash away from him, but only fell to his knees. The darkly clothed youth glared blankly at the roughness upon which he had fallen.

The impeccable student stalked swiftly beside the kneeling boy, and dropped to a crouch as the russet hair concealed glimmering eyes and foul retching from his gaze, the downed youth turning as if the sight of such would tarnish the other's perfection. The cement colored red and iron, then the scrawny boy stumbled upright, recoiling sharply from his companion.

A scowl graced the features of the blue-eyed student, flooding his countenance to take quick residence upon his brow. The other staggered, and wiped his mouth crudely. Light eyes peered with panic from within kohl-smeared eyelids, sparkling as if flames danced upon the delicate flesh of his cheeks and lips. The drunken boy paused, selecting a choice curse, and spat the foul flame of the damnation into the air before he stilled, wavering as if a sullen candle before the darker youth.

The lightly clad student paused close to the infuriated teenager, his expression liquefying into gentle concern. He brushed a knuckle softly over his companion's bruised cheekbone, frowning sadly as the other grimaced, flinching away. Pain washed through his piercing azure eyes, and the smaller student glanced down and away from him, hair swinging in greasy strands about his neck and over his forehead.

The white clad student closed his eyes briefly, then spoke, his voice soothing and deep.

"Did you find what you searched for?"

He was returned a short, solemn shake of the head.






Return to Fire and Water: A Story Arc



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