fire in my soul

“… There was a practice? Today? I mean… Yes, I’m here for it.”

“That’s great and all, but do you see anyone else here? You all must have got sucked into a black hole. Do you care about this team, Norwood?”

“The shock on my face. Unless it was his corpse that texted me this morning, no. He’s gaying it up in Ethiopia.”

“It could have been. There is such thing as necromancy so a corpse could have actually been texting you. Not that I’d want our brother who clearly has a death wish to die.”

“Haven’t you? You two seemed to get along splendidly over break, I figured you were besties now.”

“Yeah, I tried to do the brotherly bonding thing. It took way too much willpower to do it so I haven’t talked to him for a couple of weeks. He hasn’t died yet, right?”

“Trees.”

“Cool. How’s your best friend? Actually, never mind. You talk to Sebastian lately?”

“Uh huh.”

“Whatever. What are you drawing?”

“But you’re becoming a Paladin anyway, so, I’m not sure how one more year of you really matters.”

“Don’t be an asshole about it.”

“Alright, whatever.”

“You don’t want me to be a Paladin anyway. I’m technically giving you one more year of me. Aren’t you happy? I am a now drama-free Alistair Kane.”

“Whatever, it’s still stupid.”

“It’s not stupid. It’s...sentimental or whatever.”

“Too late, I’m already judging you.”

“Yeah, but I’m still not saying it so...”

“But it’s stupid.”

“I have my reasons. And I’m not going to say them ‘cause I don’t want to see that little judgy look in your eyes.”

“I know we’re privileged and all, but seriously.” She rolled her eyes. “But why would you do that after Mom’s rant that one time about security guards? That makes no sense.”

“The crypt keeper will be fine. It’s just a year.”

“I hate to break it to you, but it’s not a privilege if you’re granting it to yourself,” she said with an eye roll. She arched an eyebrow at his next statement. She was glad he wasn’t leaving right away, but she wasn’t great at showing it. “And you aren’t just leaving right away because?”

“It’s still a privilege.” He let his one hand run through his hair and then let it settle on the bench. “I’m just not leaving right away. I’ll get to it next year.”

“Why do people take the earphones as an invitation to talk to someone?” She sighed. “If you’re going to sit here, give me my pencil back.”

“It was my invitation to talk to you. I don’t know about everyone else, but I’ve got special privileges that I’ve granted to myself.” He handed her the pencil and then looked down at her sketchbook. Then he looked at her. “I’m thinking about working here for a year after I graduate before I go off to being a Paladin. Security guard work, no prerequisites needed.”

One moment she was working on a branch, the next she had no pencil. She looked up to see Al with the pencil in her hand. “What the fuck?” she growled as she shot a fireball at Al’s shoe. 

“I was just trying to get your attention,” he said as he swiftly stepped backwards from he fireball that was aimed at his shoe. “So violent.” Al made his way to the bench she was sitting on and sat down next to her.