He is oblivious to the small scatter of flame pelting towards him, lost in the wonder and heat of the lava he ineptly commands. Oblivious to the wicked delight of the three girls as they seek to torment him before realizing his own power. It isn’t even until the youthfully girlish ’Hey!’ rings out that he realizes he is no longer alone.
His head snaps around to find them topping the slight crest from where they had been largely concealed in a shallow dip. Slowly, he shifts to face them with cautious curiosity. His social experiences had thus far been limited, and if they were anything to go by, he is not entirely optimistic.
As though responding to his hesitation, the lava begins to curve slowly across the ground, curling in an arch around where he stands, burning hapless foliage as it does. But as the second girl speaks, addressing him now instead of her sister, it creeps to a halt even as his eyes widen briefly in surprise. He’s quite certain he had not said anything aloud, but she responds to him as though he has.
Just as quickly as it had come, however, the surprise is replaced by a taunting curiosity. Perhaps that isn’t quite what he had anticipated when he imagined there was power here, but he recognizes it for what it is. And a deeply rooted part of him finds the prospect… tantalizing. A call to some primordial hunger residing deep inside his soul.
But rather than give in to the awe as another youth might, he draws on an impish skepticism that seems to come as easily as breathing. “Is that all?” he asks quietly, his mouth dipping in a moue of disappointment. “I’m certain I felt something more. Are you sure it was you?”
It’s a bit foolish to openly bait them perhaps, but if curiosity happens to kill the cat... well, satisfaction would most certainly bring it back.
erupt
you've got fire up and down your cheeks
@[Skylight] @[Sunlight] @[jenger]