Elemental

Sebastian and Gabrielle made it to Sebastian’s apartment building. Somehow, Sebastian managed to put one foot in front of the other and support Gabrielle even though inside he was almost shaking with anger.

There was a war coming between the Peacemakers and the Elementals who were still free. The others were either dead, or had been recruited to fight on the wrong side.

Sebastian hadn’t known, it was by luck that he had finally grasped his powers fully, but if he hadn’t then he’d be facing almost certain death. But his Uncle obviously hadn’t thought that it was important that Sebastian know what he was facing, he was more than happy to leave Sebastian in the dark.

His chest felt like it was on fire and the pain pulsed with his heartbeat but he ignored it. He was going to get answers, he wanted to know why his Uncle thought it was alright to not tell Sebastian when there was a war that he would have to fight right in front of his face.

“Go take a shower Light, you should be able to bandage your burns. I have to go and talk with my Uncle” Sebastian’s jaw hurt from clenching his teeth, now that he had full control he still had to be careful. So careful, humans were fragile and he didn’t want to hurt anyone.

“Uncle! Where are you? You and I have something we need to discuss!” Sebastian ran up the stairs to his Uncle’s room and even though he wasn’t supposed to go in there he burst through the door.

His Uncle was seated on his bed. He was calm and the look he gave Sebastian made him feel like a child having a tantrum. He hated that look, it only made him angrier.

“I assume from the damage in your room, that you finally did something with those powers of yours. I knew you could do it boy!” really Uncle, now was not the time to celebrate. Sebastian had full control, and while that might have been important once there were more important things at stake.

“You knew; you knew what Fairless is planning! Why didn’t you tell me?” deep breaths Sebastian. Gabrielle is in the shower; we don’t want to accidentally hurt her while she’s near water. We want to stay in control. If we can.

“Sebastian, I didn’t tell you because as you proved the other day, you are not ready to enter this battle. You haven’t finished your training and you’re not at the skill level of even the weakest of Eric’s men” Daniel was so irritating. He was always telling Sebastian that he was strong, but now that Sebastian actually was. He said he was weak.

“I have way more power now, I could take down anyone! Even Fairless!” Wow, his chest was really starting to bother him, but like he was going to give his Uncle any reason to believe he was in need of rest.

“See, this is how I know you’re not ready. It’s more complicated than just how much power you have!” the ground was starting to rumble and Sebastian was so mad he couldn’t even speak. Instead he turned around and left the room. Making a point of letting a thin stream of water from his Uncle’s bathroom follow him down the hallway.

“Sebastian?” Gabrielle had just come out of the bathroom where she’d taken her first shower since being captured and had tended to her burns. She must have heard Sebastian’s confrontation with his Uncle and come to check on him. Not that she needs to, just because I really care about her doesn’t mean I’m going soft.

Sebastian turned away from Gabrielle, he was still angry that his Uncle knew about the war that would soon break out, fought against Elementals by Elementals. Damn it, why did everything have to be so darn complicated? What was wrong with wanting things to be easy for once?

“Are you ok Sebastian?” there was a gentle touch on his shoulder and he glanced over to see one of Gabrielle’s slender bandaged hands resting on his shoulder. His heart fluttered not since his Mother died had someone shown him such concern. Unbidden anger welled up inside him once more as he thought of his Mother.

“No! I’m not ok! I’ve never been ok!” he roughly knocked her hand off aware that it would hurt her but not willing to care. What was he doing? he knew better then to let anyone sneak into his heart, he would lose them just like he had lost his family.

“I’ve never been ok Gabrielle… Not since that day… Not since my parents… Not since they died” he choked out the last word in a sob as the it crashed down on him yet again that his parents were dead. No matter how many times he said it, he would never get used to it being true.

Once again he felt Gabrielle place her hand on his shoulder but this time he didn’t push it away. He was busy trying not to let her see him cry, what would she think of him if she saw tears running down his face?

“Sebastian, look at me” he didn’t want her to see him like this but her voice had a hint of steel in it that told him if he refused she would make him. So he reluctantly turned his face back towards her.

Despite her ordeal Gabrielle didn’t seem cowed in the slightest, her eyes still held the hardness that he was used to seeing although at the moment they were softened slightly with an expression Sebastian couldn’t pinpoint. All he knew was that it wasn’t disappointment as he had expected.

“You were so brave to come and find me when my father almost killed you” Sebastian winced as the burn on his chest throbbed as if to remind him of his recent injury. Sebastian knew he would always come when Gabrielle needed him, no matter what he had to face to get there.

Is it just me, or is it really warm out here? Sebastian lifted his hand up to wipe the sweat from his forehead but stopped when the action caused sharp pain to dance its way across his chest.

Suddenly unable to see thanks to the black dots in his vision Sebastian sagged forward and reached for something to steady himself on. He felt Gabrielle grab his arm and heard something… Screaming maybe? before he passed out.