Fireflies

Wesley watched with fascination as Piper focused, watching the flames grow and grow until they completely engulfed her arm. It was an impressive power, and he was surprised she hadn’t used it more. If he had something that powerful, he was sure he’d use it far too much. He nodded his head, eyes flashing bright blue. His entire form flickered, rippling as the effects of his powers spread. He hovered a few inches off of the ground and his form was barely visible, only a slight distortion of the objects behind him and a faint outline made him visible. “Go for it,” he said with confidence. He was sure he’d feel the heat from the flames, just as he did the flame from the lighter. And while it might not be comfortable, it wouldn’t leave him burned. Not unless he suddenly lost his intangibility, but that hadn’t happened for years now. 

She closed her eyes, remembering the books she’d read on her powers and how to use them to their full potential. She continued imagining all the burning thoughts and shoved her hands forward, yelling as she felt a force try to push the flames back, but she pushed them forward, shooting a giant ball of fire directly at him. As she opened her eyes the flame flew around his faded form for a moment, almost engulfing him and then disappeared when she told it to. She calmed herself down by thinking of Carter, imagining him holding her, calming her, and then flames on her arm died down to. “Holy shit.” She said, her eyes bulging out of her head. She felt a new power, a new confidence she’d never known before, it made her feel a darker feeling than usual, but one she sort of liked. “Are you ok?” She asked, realizing how inconsiderate she was being.

Cinder gave a laugh though it didn’t quite reach her eyes and the sound was more remorseful than it was entertained. Piper had some sort of fantasy that she was a wonderful person and though she wanted to keep the other interested, win her over or whatever, she couldn’t lie about who she was. Cinder was evil, was a bitch, it was just her personality and she was fine with that. Usually. To say she didn’t get lonely at times would be an understatement but as long as she distracted herself she was alright. She had to be alright. Her reputation relied on it. “Queen of sass.“ Cinder repeated emotionlessly, looking down at her feet. The girl nearly jumped out of her skin when Piper’s hand took hers and everything inside her wanted to melt. She wanted to reciprocate but if she did… Cinder knew herself and she wasn’t going to fall for someone unattainable. That just wasn’t her thing. So she looked up, golden eyes narrowed slightly. “You say that now. You will… one day.” Her gaze then lifted to the moon and she shook her head before mumbling some things she should have held back. She should’ve been stronger than to succumb to the beauty beside her. “My own parents didn’t want me. You know they say that happy people are the ones to be admired but my real folks? They don’t deserve an ounce of recognition. Giving a child away just because she’s different? Not loving her just because she isn’t like you? I don’t even remember them. My parents - my adoptive ones - took me in without a second thought and have let me be exactly who I’m supposed to be and people criticize them. They say I turned out an awful human being because of my mom and dads but, really, they were just letting me be myself. So many people give my parents shit and I get so fucking tired of it. Just because they aren’t perfect and cheerful and established doesn’t mean they weren’t amazing parents.”

Piper felt a cold stir through her, striking her in the heart. How could Cinder just doubt her? Piper hadn’t done anything to loose her trust, if anything she did things to build it. She felt a burn on her ears, she wanted to prove herself, that she wasn’t like other people cause they always left her. She knew the pain, she wouldn’t give it to anyone else. “I get that, I do.. they didn’t deserve a daughter like you, you’re birth parents are trash humans and don’t deserve anything from this life.” She listened intently, feeling a better warmth through her, feeling at least a little more trusted, “They sound wonderful, I mean they raised you to be the spectacular, stunning and sassy human you are that I love and so many other people love. Your past made you who you are,” Piper said grabbing Cinder’s hands, catching her eyes again, “Never be ashamed for the perfect human you are and the wonderful way you were raised, and drown out anyone who believes otherwise.”

Holden broke into a wide smile, beaming at Piper excitedly. “I’m glad you approve!” he chirped. He chuckled at her suggestion to be a writer. “I’ve considered it once or twice,” he replied, pretending to be nonchalant. 

She felt more relaxed as the conversation extended. She had known him from their quarrels over paper airplanes in class, but now, holding a more civil conversation, she realized she had made a friend, hopefully. “Once or twice? I’ve seen your papers before, you have exquisite writing styles I would kill for.”

Holden stuck out his lower lip in a pathetic pout, trying to figure out a creative nickname for Piper. He leaned back on his hands, deep in thought. He began to ramble, spewing out his thought process. “Piper…Pips? Pippi? Pi… Not like the dessert, the mathematical formula. Would you beat me up if I called you Pipsqueak? Or uh… You’re spunky and strong, what about Pepper?”

She smiled, a creative nickname that fit her personality, that she quite honestly liked, “You, and only you can call me Pepper, but yes.. I like it.” She said with a smirk, “You’re clever and quick, ever consider being a writer? But you’re write Goldie, I fit the bill for Pepper pretty well, it’s like my spirit seasoning.”

“Indulge? Such a strong word. Didn’t know that was in your vernacular. Then again you’re just full of surprises aren’t you?” Cinder knew she couldn’t play the distraction game for much longer. It irked her that someone actually wanted to know her, wanted to get inside her head. No one had ever prodded so incessantly and it made the girl fall for Piper that much more though she knew it was ridiculous. She was her friend and never would be more. “Yes. I feel things. Surprise… I’m not the heartless bitch everyone thinks I am. I’m just a bitch who’s very good at hiding her feelings and theres a reason for that.” Cinder stepped back shaking her head, “I don’t do this okay? I don’t open up. I don’t… become attached. If I– If I tell you these things I can’t promise that I’ll be strong enough to stay away from you Piper.”

“I guess you could say so.” She replied, her cheeks feeling a bit warmer than usual. She never considered herself to be one to surprise anyone, she just seemed to know how to bother people, and how to make them want to leave, but Cinder was different. Usually Piper would let people leave, knowing there was nothing she could do, with Cinder, she was ready to hold on for dear life, and she wasn’t sure why. “You’re not a heartless bitch at all, you’re not really even a bitch, you’re a queen of sass if anything.” She said, the corners of her mouth lifting to show comfort. As she listened to Cinder she felt her heart drop to her stomach, those were things Piper would have said to anyone else, those were feelings and fears within Piper’s heart, too. “I don’t want you to stay away from me, Cinder. I want to be here for you when you need someone to talk to, bottling it up wont ever help you, I would know.” She took Cinder’s hand out of instincts and looked at her, they were close, very close, and she just wanted to feel like she was finally trusted, “I won’t leave you, and I don’t want you to leave.”

“Should I reciprocate with a nickname? I’m sure many people call you Pipes. Perhaps Pip? Nicknames aren’t really my forte…”

“You’re right, they clearly aren’t.” She said with a proud smirk, “Everyone else always calls me those names, think outside of the box.. I mean we have all day.” She said motioning to the area around them.

“Practice with something that can’t burn?” he suggested. A moment later, Wesley had an idea. “Perhaps something that heat and fire would pass right through?” A moment later, his hand turned turned almost completely transparent. He walked over to his desk and pulled out a lighter, flicked the flame on and held it in the middle of his intangible palm. The flame passed right through, and while Wesley was vaguely aware of the heat, when he removed his hand and let its form return to normal, there was no burn. 

She focused on him as he spoke, trying to read his idea, and follow along. As his hand changed to transparent she suddenly understood what he was trying to do. As she watched the fire pass through his hand, and then remain without a burn. She only then realized her mouth was gaping open in amazement and excitement. “It’s worth a shot.” She replied with a shrug, not sure how she felt about showing Wesley her powers, she’d never really conjured big flames on purpose, now she felt the pressure. She lifted her right hand and closed her eyes, focusing on the things that made her fire burn, Carter, she thought of first, she followed that path and felt a spark ignite. She opened her eyes and saw a fire building in her palm, forming and dancing, but it slowly began to die out, she frowned, realizing she needed something stronger. A negative burn. She closed her eyes again and thought long and hard of what there was to set a fire that she could keep going and burn through Wesley. Her first thoughts were home, her parents dying, because of her. Then Reese, their shitty relationship, that was all her fault, and then she thought of Michele, and how she could have helped her, but ignored the signs and ignored the pain, leaving Michele helpless it seemed. When she opened her eyes she hadn’t even felt the burn of the fire, but it was completely engulfing her right arm, a strong flame. She looked up at Wesley and smiled, “You ready?” She asked, waiting for his approval before moving the flame around him and trying to control it.

Willa looked up at Piper and gave a minuscule nod. “B-but Michele’s off with her boyfriend a-and I don’t know where Reese is and Ethan isn’t here a-and I’m sure you have other places you’d like to be.”

She shrugged, “That doesn’t mean we aren’t here for you or each other, Willa.” She brushed some hair out of the girls face, trying to help her find a piece of comfort, “I mean I’d like to be at a McDonald’s to get a smoothie and salad, but it looks like we’re gonna be in this gym for awhile..” She made sure Willa’s eyes were locked with hers, she focused on how brightly the girl had grown since they were little and realized she’d ignored it, “So being with you sounds like a perfect way to spend my time.”

“This is a technical question.. right now I have a limbo boyfriend.. so if you mean now, no, because I don’t cheat, even if it’s not completely official, but it kinda is, you follow? But that’s not to say I wouldn’t ever if I happened to be single again one day cause she’s gorgeous and wonderful, but right now? No. I wouldn’t.”

I never was mad.. I mean I threw the first punch and egged her on, I don’t have a right to be mad..