AN: Gasp! Look who did, in fact, survive through Hurricane Rita and is back with more Warren-goodness? This chapter has both fluff and non-fluff and lots of different interpretations as to what can happen, so you'll have to excuse my evil grin.
Enjoy!
Corvaisis
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Chapter Eleven: Best Dream or Worst Nightmare?
"I cannot share your opinion of Pierre, whom I knew as a child. He always seemed to me to have an exceptionally good heart, and that is the quality I value most in people. …But I am still sorry for Pierre. So young and burdened with such wealth! To what temptations will he not be exposed? If I were asked what I desire most on earth, it would be to be poorer than the poorest beggar."
Count Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace, page 130
Dawn awoke with a cough. Not feeling anyone close to her, she was afraid she had dreamt her whole encounter with Warren, but as she opened her eyes and looked around, she was relieved to see he was merely asleep some distance away from her.
"Real smooth, Dawn," she muttered, rubbing her eyes, "You get one chance with the guy of a lifetime, you're in his arms, and you fall asleep. What kind of girl are you?"
After stretching her legs and fully opening her eyes, she took the time to fondly observe Warren. At some point during the night, he had curled up into a small, protective ball and was now out from under the canopy with his knees pulled to his chin. Fortunately, it had stopped hailing, but it appeared that he had been out in the hail sometime, as evidenced by the cuts on his back and shoulders where hail had cut into his skin.
Warren was now racking with choked sobs and was trembling erratically. His brow was furrowed in a most pitiful manner, and his hands were frequently lighting and extinguishing over and over again.
Dawn carefully walked over to the pyrokinetic and ran a hand down his upper arm. His deltoid muscle tensed reflexively under her touch, and his hands stopped igniting.
"Dawn?"
She cringed; she hadn't known he was awake, and now she was caught with her hand on his arm. Hmm.
"Yeah?" Dawn squeaked.
When she wasn't met with a response, she realized he hadn't actually woken up; he was talking in his sleep.
She continued her hand down his arm until she got to his flame tattooed wrist, and she entwined her fingers with his. "I'm here, Warren."
His stiffened body relaxed under her touch, but he created a firm grip on her hand. His breathing came in slow, heavy gasps, as though he had been running for miles and could now rest. Dawn's hand stayed in his, answering his grip with one of her own, but her other hand strayed to his hair, which she affectionately caressed.
"I'm with you, Warren."
"Dawn?"
"I'm right here."
"Did I hurt you? Are you okay?"
Suddenly, the telekinetic realized that Warren had woken up, and she quickly released his hand and stood. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Why?"
He stood up as well, testing his legs and flexing his hands. "When people touch me while I'm sleeping, they usually get hurt. Did I burn you? Hit you?"
Dawn held out her arms for him to examine her. "I'm fine. What…what were you dreaming about?"
"It's not important." Warren growled, now satisfied that he hadn't hurt her, and he turned away. "What time is it?"
Dawn checked her watch. They had only been asleep for a few hours; it was almost six, and she told him so.
Warren retrieved his jacket from where Dawn had discarded it sometime in the night. "I'll walk you home."
"You don't have to do - "
The pyrokinetic turned towards Dawn fiercely and fixed her with a dark, savage gaze. "What have you learned about arguing with me?"
She shrank back visibly and winced. "Never do it?"
"That's right. I'll walk you home."
"Okay then." Dawn was rather subdued now, and she wondered how Warren could afford to change his personality so quickly. First he was romantic, then he was abrupt, then he was angry.
They walked silently down a few blocks until they reached Dawn's house, and she started to walk up the sidewalk.
"Dawn." Warren murmured, barely loud enough for her to hear.
She looked back over her shoulder and saw him smiling very, very slightly. "What is it?" She asked, planting her hands on her hips. "I don't have your jacket this time."
"I know." He whispered, walking up the sidewalk until he could take her hand. Dawn could feel his pulse beating rapidly in his wrist, and she looked up at him hopefully.
"Dawn, I…what I did today was really uncalled for, under the canopy and all. Holding you. I didn't even ask you, you know?"
The telekinetic couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You think I'm mad at you for keeping me warm?"
"I was keeping you warm by holding you; cradling you in my arms. It was completely out of character and uncalled for, and I wanted to say I'm sorry." Warren scuffed a shoe and involuntarily dipped his head closer to Dawn's.
Opportune moment, Dawn. Work up the nerve! Push down your anxiety! You can do this, you can do this, you can do this. Dawn mind was yelling at her to take advantage of the moment before Warren was gone.
I can do this.
She stood on her toes to reach him and pressed her lips to his, slipping one arm around his neck and leaving her other hand captured by his. Her bold action caught him off guard, and he tensed up, pushing her away. Dawn mentally swore; she knew it had been a bad idea!
I can't believe I just did that.
I tried to kiss Warren Peace.
Warren slipped his arm around the small of Dawn's back and pulled her close to him, but he hissed in her ear, "Never do that again; I told you I don't do relationships. When I held you out under the canopy, no matter what you're thinking, I did it to keep you warm. Do you understand me?"
His voice was low and quietly dangerous, but Dawn noticed a tremor in it.
"Yes, sir; I understand." The telekinetic subconsciously used the tone – and the title – she would normally use with her father. She noticed that at her use of the term 'sir', Warren flinched slightly, and he released her.
"There was something else I wanted to say." He muttered, the anger vanishing from his voice, along with the tremor.
There was a fleeting silence that hung thickly in the air before Dawn impatiently gestured for him to go on.
"Personally, I think Homecoming is stupid, but you appear to be just dying to go, so…yeah." Warren dropped his gaze from hers and ran his tongue reflexively over his lips, and Dawn found herself transfixed by that.
"Wait, what?" She blurted, nervously running a hand through her hair.
Warren at last muttered, "I'll go with you if I have to," as though the dance was going to rip all of his strength and dignity from him if he went, but he would make the sacrifice if necessary.
The silent gap that seemed to be so fond of conversations between Warren and Dawn snuck in once more and planted itself immediately after Warren's regretful statement. The two individuals were both quiet for a while, one from nervousness and one from staggered amazement, until Dawn finally broke the silence with her agreement.
"Then it's settled?"
"Sure. But - "
"I know, I know, you're not renting a tux."
Warren gave her a strange glance. "I was going to ask if it was okay if I wore my dad's old tux."
The telekinetic turned bright red and gulped, at last regaining her wits and nodding wordlessly.
"Good. I'll pick you up at six on Friday," Warren gave her the briefest of smiles, "if you and your prom dress can fit on my motorcycle."
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AN: Muahaha. Hope you liked; more updates are on the way!
Ever thine,
Corvaisis
