Up In Flames
Summary: One miscommunication between Bloom and Riven extinguished the spark that could have lit the universe on fire. Could the flames ever catch again?
Disclaimer: I do not own Winx Club.
Author's Note: Set during season one, The Day of the Rose. The dialogue in the beginning is transcribed exactly from the 4kids version. Prince Sky and Brandon are still switching identities at this point (so Sky is brunette and Brandon is blonde).
Playing Hard to Get
"I'll be rooting for you, Brandon," Bloom said shyly.
"So who's going to be rooting for you, Riven?" Sky asked with a smirk. "Bloom's rooting for Brandon, Stella's rooting for me. Where's your cheerleader?"
Riven spun on the brunette prince. "I don't need one, dude, unlike you."
"Relax, Riven," Brandon piped up.
But Riven didn't relax. "Trust me, if I actually wanted one of these Alfea pixies, I could have my pick of the whole litter and both of you know it!" he boasted forcefully.
The blonde squire sighed. "This is dumb."
"In fact, a certain someone's been giving me the eye," he went on, a mischievous sneer on his face. "Isn't that right, Bloom?"
The fairy looked mortified, and snapped back quickly. "What?! The only 'eye' I'd give you is I don't think so."
"Right."
"What is with you?" she demanded. "Hey, I think I know who I like, and trust me, I don't go for the whole jerk thing. I still can't figure out why Musa's got a crush on you. You're a totally conceited, totally cocky, totally boring waste of good oxygen. I'm sorry, but guys like you give guys a bad name, Riven."
The boy turned her face up to his with a finger under her chin. "You are really cute when you're angry, you know that?"
Brandon made a noise like and angry dog.
"I dig girls that play hard-to-get."
Bloom's hands curled into fists and she pushed out of his grasp. He liked playing hard to get, did he? "Don't you touch me!" she shouted. "You know what, you need to just cool down, Riven." In a remarkably adept display of her fledgling powers, Bloom levitated a vase of roses and dumped icy water on the specialist's head.
"Looks like someone wet his pants," Sky said as Stella shrieked with laughter.
"Still think I'm cute when I'm angry?" Bloom teased.
"I'm so gonna make you pay for that, Bloom," Riven spat vengefully.
She looked sheepish, glancing over her shoulder at the laughing faces of her friends. "We were just kidding, weren't we? Riven, I thought—"
"Get away!" he snapped.
Brandon ran forward, putting a hand on Riven's shoulder. "Come on, she—"
"Hands off, Brandon! I'm getting out of here." He stormed away, his magenta hair askew.
Bloom stared bleakly after him, looking horrified at herself.
"Puh-lease," Stella remarked unsympathetically. "He had it coming."
Things only went from bad to worse. The witches had gotten involved. Bloom's apology looked like sabotage. Only Darcy's manipulative plan had saved Riven from getting seriously hurt when he crashed. Now he was following her around like a lovestruck puppy, and if he never spoke to the red-headed girl again, it would be too soon.
"It isn't fair, Stell," she groaned, flopping beside the princess on her big, orange bed. "I didn't mean a word I said earlier. I was just trying to be, I don't know, cool. It's just like he said, I was playing hard to get."
Stella sat up dramatically. "So you were flirting? Bloom, you have got to be the worst flirt I have ever met. You came off mega-harsh. And with Riven? Ugh. I thought you liked Brandon! You hardly took your eyes off of him all day."
"I do like Brandon," she admitted. "A lot, actually. He's so sweet, and he's such a good guy! Sincere and honest and everything I could ask for in a guy. But Riven is so mysterious. I know there's something special behind that tough mask of his. He's the typical bad boy that all the girls want, you know what I mean?"
"No, not at all."
"Must be an Earth thing," Bloom conceded. Silence fell, and she wailed into Stella's pillow. "He'll never speak to me again!"
The blonde tossed her head. "Who cares? You said it yourself, he's a jerk. You're probably just feeling guilty because you're kinda responsible for his crash. Give it a few days, it'll pass. Besides, Brandon likes you, so go for it! You don't want to miss an opportunity like that."
Bloom nodded, if a bit forlornly.
"Just promise me, promise me, you won't play hard to get with Brandon. Promise me, Bloom."
The red-head giggled. "I promise."
Riven was hogging the bathroom, shaving in the mirror before his date with Darcy. Sky leaned against the door, trying to reason with him. "She really didn't mean it, dude! She was just joking – honestly, she felt awful when she realized you took it personally. And the helmet was from the witches – from Darcy! The race officials found traces of witch magic on it. Don't be a jack—"
"Shut it!" Riven barked. "First of all, stop trying to blame Darcy for everything! It wasn't her fault. Why would bother to save me if she was the one who sabotaged me? Second, it wasn't witch magic, it was dark magic. Dark magic left behind by a dark spell that any magical creature could have cast. I can take a hint, Sky. As if what she said wasn't enough of one, the whole trying-to-kill-me thing made it abundantly clear that she hates my guts."
"If you would just talk to her..." the prince insisted.
"I'll leave her alone, thanks. My pride doesn't need another public beating. Besides, I don't even care. I love Darcy!"
Riven shouldered Sky out of the door and left the room. He passed Brandon, who was on his way in. "She's all yours," he spat, and stormed out.
Sky look at his blond squire. "Drama queen," he said, rolling his eyes.
To be continued...
