Burned

[XAVIER KINGDON]

Xavier woke up in a bed in a small office. His head fuzzy and a major head ache already forming. He rubbed his eyes and sat up quickly only making the head ache worse. " oww," he moaned rubbing his eyes trying to adjust to the light. He looked around suddenly confused on where he was. Looking around quickly made his heart start to race. He needed to get out. He twisted his body to get off the bed and almost screamed in pain. His skin felt tight around his shoulder as he started to realize the pain coming in more waves. Bandages covered his shoulder and part of his back. "What the hell! Where am I?" he spoke surprised.



Deciding he couldn't go anywhere with the pain in his shoulder he lied back down slowly and wait silently thinking he could escape later. He noticed two letters next to him on a small table. One was from the sheriff and the other had no address. He started reading the sheriffs' letter but it only left him more confused. How did he burn someone? and what kind of crazy place was he in now? Reaching over to get the other letter, he opened it carefully. It read Congratulations with the signature reading dad. Xavier Crumpled up the piece of paper and threw it across the ground. " Is this a joke," he said to no one in particular, " My Dad is dead."

(240)

[FLINT VOLATICUS]

The Doc walked in calmly, holding a small cup of water and some pain pills. He smiled warmly at Xavier, holding out the pills and water to the boy, figuring he'd be in pain from the burns and potentially a headache. He'd found the boy and brought him to the infirmary, letting him rest while he typed up the medical report. He didn't know the boy's name or origins yet, but he'd ask him later, after he was well rested and adjusted to the school.

After offering the pills and water, Flint held out his hand, eyes full of kindheartedness. "Hello, dear boy. I'm Doc Flint. I brought you here after you passed out near the front entrance. A man, a sheriff I think, left you in my care. Are you feeling alright? Do you need anything; have any questions?"

He didn't mean to babble so much, but he'd just had three cups of coffee, so he was a bit more hyper than usual, to offset the tiredness he'd been feeling this time of the month. He leaned against the wall, to stay out of Xavier's space to make him more comfortable. He took in the boy's bandages and remembered the fierce burns underneath, and wondered just how they happened. He'd refused to read the boy's letters, since it would have been intruding on his privacy, but he was curious nonetheless. He refrained from asking, though, because he didn't want to overwhelm the young man.

He stretched out his side, stiff from spending all day in front of his computer. He pulled his navy button-down shirt down, smoothing it out as he contemplated just how to go about making this boy feel at home, and explaining everything about the school to him. He debated calling the headmistress down, but he'd resort to that only if he had too much trouble handling the situation. He'd just have to see how everything went first.

Words: 322

[XAVIER KINGDON]

Xavier sat up slowly and accepted the water and the pills, but set them down not taking them just yet even though the pain in his shoulder and head was slowly getting stronger the more he woke up. He didn't want the pain meds to be a trick to try and knock him out again. He intended to find out some answers before taking anything. Processing the room again and looked for any exits, should he need one, before he turned and faced the doctor looking him in the eye.

Taking Flint's hand he winced in pain from his injuries but shook it anyway then quickly dropped it. He gave no information about himself, but did answer some questions the doc gave. "Do I look alright, " he rolled his eyes sarcastically" I need to figure out where I am and who sent the second letter because it has to be some cruel joke." Red specks entered his blue eyes as he thought about the crash his parents died in. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, which also made the red specks go away, and asked his last question. "What happened to my shoulder?"

He gripped the bed tightly and closed his eyes trying to fight the oncoming pain. He didn't trust where he was even if the doctor sounded nice. Everyone seemed nice until something happened and Xavier usually disappeared to the next town. He vaguely remembers a fire before waking up in Flint's office but it couldn't be true. He also remembers seeing his old foster dad, but what happened after seemed like a blur.

He needed to get up and move too much was entering his head. Staying still talking to the doctor just put him on edge and he didn't like it. He went to stand up but crashed to the floor immediately afterwards yelling out. He had rushed it and his headache left him dizzy and unstable on his feet. Now everything was just worse and worst of all he didn't think he could get up off the ground.

(339) 

[FLINT VOLATICUS]

(Yuss, my muse is back! You get a full, hopefully well-written, Flint post! *dances* Hehe)

Flint watched the boy's eyes, intrigued when he saw the pinpricks of red. He nodded slowly, pushing himself off of the wall and pacing the room a bit. His eyes flickered to the door after he noticed the boy looking for exits.

"The door's right there, if you want to leave. I'm not trapping you here by any means. The only thing I'm concerned with is the well-being of the young people that come in here. You don't have to be on edge. Out of all the people here, I'm absolutely certain I'm one you can trust." He winked at Xavier and paused in his pacing, facing the boy, eyes dancing. He seemed like a very interesting kid. "Now, about your injuries. As you can see, they're pretty bad, made apparent by the fact that you could barely shake my hand. Sorry about that, by the way. I wasn't thinking. Anyway, they should heal quickly, as I applied a very effective salve to the wounds to heal them with minimal time, and maximum healing capacity. It shouldn't take too long to heal. You're lucky."

He began pacing again, steering clear of the boy's personal space. "You are currently at Xorinthia Academy, a school and safe haven for gifted youngsters such as yourself. No offense intended, of course. I consider many people youngsters, as I'm a teacher, and it's fun to see their reactions. But I digress. Xorinthia has for many years been a place of peace, where troubled teens such as yourself come to find peace and acceptance, and learn to hone and control their individual talents and strengths. As to your injuries, I know almost as much as you, if not less. A sheriff dropped you off, and he explained only that there had been an accident concerning fire, and you'd been right in the middle of it. He told me little else, but judging by his fearful retreat, something tells me you had something to do with that fire."

He paused again, looking Xavier curiously in the eye, then shook his head slightly. "I won't pry, however. It's up to you to talk about it. I'll leave it to the headmistress to drill you. If you'd like to talk, be my guest, but I value student privacy above all else, so no need to worry. I would like a name, however, if you don't mind. I myself am Doctor Flint Volaticus. Nice to meet you."

Flint smiled cheerfully after introducing himself, then leaned back against the wall again, tired of pacing. "Also, those pills aren't sedatives or any secret concoction, I assure you. They're simply pain killers for your burns. And if it gets too bad, I can change the bandages and add more of the soothing salve. Like I said, it should heal rather qui-"

His words cut off in a gasp as the young man attempted to get up and collapsed to the floor. He quickly moved to help him up, and if need be, lift him back onto the cot. "Oh my, are you ok?! It's too early to get up. I said you could leave if you want, but I don't advise it in your current physical state. Please take my advice and rest for a while. If you need anything at all, I'm right next door in my office. Just yell. Really loud."

Flint stood by Xavier's cot and made sure he was safely off the floor. "I'd advise you also to take the medicine and drink the water, it'll only make you better. It's your choice, however. I won't force anything upon you."

With that the Doc backed towards the door, but hesitated in the doorway to make sure Xavier was alright. "Is there anything at all you need? Again, you can trust me."

Words: 649

[XAVIER KINGDON]

Xavier looked over at the door but quickly turned his attention back to Flint. "It doesn't hurt that much,"he lied. "I've taken care of myself for awhile but thanks for the help anyways." He looked over at his shoulder again inspecting still disbelieving that it was actually still there and thinking that maybe the fire was connected to him."Trust is a funny thing Mr. Flint, everyone lies at somepoint." He stopped for a moment,"Wait, Im lucky? I don't think this," Gestured to his shoulder," lucky. "

Hearing the next part he cocked his head to the side partly confused" So, you expect me to believe that the sherif, that keeps finding me somehow, dropped me off at a school of all places and that this school has its own infirmary. But no, to top it off the people here are gifted." he answered in an alomost mocking voice.  He shook his and rolled his eyes,"sorry but most people are only gifted in disapointment and lying." On the same track he also put in," I'm only gifted in bad luck."He looked down at his hands for that memories slowly sneaking back in his head again.

" I know I breifly saw one of my old foster dads and I remember the fire." He started trying to explain at least something to the man,"I felt warm and mad, I guess, right before the fire , but I don't know its just ... fire and thats the last thing i remember." Xavier was more confused more than anything else and only shared for that reason but flint was better than nothing at the moment. Plus he would rather volunterily give a story then it be driven out of him.

He point to the crumbled up piece of paper across the floor with the word Congradulations written on it with it signed by dad at the bottem. "Can you read that for a minute, Its short. "Xavier wouldn't give up much about his past but this seemed like a harmless thing to do. "Oh and uh I guess it's just Xavier nothing more about it." 

After being helped up to the cot again he soflty pushed Flint away liking to space he had away from him. His face clouded when he realized that if he wanted to get out it would have to wait until later. After being reminded of the pills he looked over at the table and thought about for a few seconds. He looked at flint  again and took the risk and quickly grabbed the pills and swolled them with the water. Seeming scared wasn't going to be an option and at least this way he could see if the doctor had lied. If they were pain killers he could really use them but if they weren't he was in trouble. 

" Don't go not yet. " he called back partly because he wanted the doc around if he had lied about the pills, but also because he didn't have anyone else around in a long time and a little kindness felt good coming from someone else even if it was only for a little while. 

(525)

[FLINT VOLATICUS]

"I meant lucky in that it wasn't worse, and that you're able to heal. Most people who go through a fire like the sheriff described don't survive, or get much worse burns than that. Like I said, lucky. And for the record," He said calmly, looking straight into the boy's red-flecked eyes. "I can tell when people are lying. You can trust me in that I don't want to harm you. I know you're in pain. Why are you rejecting me when I'm trying only to help you?"

Doc shook his head in mock-hurt, and winked at the boy. "I respect the caution for whom to trust, but I'm the doctor. You can always trust the doctor."

Smiling, he stood in the doorway, going nowhere as it seemed Xavier wanted to continue talking. He relaxed into the door-frame, crossing his arms over his chest. His eyes were sad, but not pitying. He didn't pity people, because he knew how humiliating pity could be. He did feel for the boy, though.

"I know it's hard to trust people, and it's hard to accept that you could be gifted in a world that only lends itself to shooting you down and throwing shit in your face." He said in a more serious tone, then caught himself. "Ah, sorry for cursing. But it was an accurate representation. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is I understand your viewpoint right now. But I absolutely assure you that I, if not anyone else, am being one hundred percent truthful. Trust me."

With that, the Doc held out his hand, letting a small flame dance on his hand, and Flint blew on it lightly, and it grew, warming the room a bit. His eyes met Xavier's again. "Xavier, trust me. It's possible to be gifted in this world, in ways you didn't think possible. I believe you have a gift very similar to my own. The trick is making sure not to let it burn you."

He paused then, looking at the crumpled paper in Xavier's hand. "May I?" He asked, picking up the paper. He scrutinized it for a moment, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. He looked sad for a moment, then handed the paper back to Xavier, smiling a bit when he saw that the boy had taken the pills. Good, they would help.

"Congratulations for what, I wonder? Figuring out that you're gifted? Do you know anything of your origins? Have you ever met your dad? I'm not trying to pry, just trying to help you figure everything else. I myself have never met my father, who gave me the gifts I possess. The physical gifts, at least. My mother gave me everything else." When he spoke of his mother, his eyes drifted far off, clouded with sadness. But then he quickly blinked back to reality and shook his head, sighing. "Maybe he's just glad you found the school, which is probably the best and safest place you could be right now."

Words: 498

[XAVIER KINGDON]

"It couldn't have been that bad then or maybe the sheriff exaggerated. " He said trying to reason with it in his head. Nothing was making sense, but Flint sounded so sure of himself. "In my experience you show up somewhere new and people want to use you not care for you or tell the truth. "He looked back at Flint finding him more easier to trust but refusing to believe in his instinct.

He glanced at the door. Even though the doc said he wouldn't stop him from leaving he still didn't like being blocked. Xavier fidgeted on the cot carefully switching from position to position, but nothing seemed comfortable or less painful. He wasn't about to try and stand up again but staying still wasn't his forte.

As soon as Flint started talking about being gifted he did his normal thing and tried tone him out. Even going so far to look somewhere else, but even looking away did nothing to his hearing and he heard every word. No one had to tell him he shit thrown in his face he had learned that when his parents had died. " It's hard to believe someone when they are saying the person who is gifted is me. Your reaching just a little too far on that. Gifted is some smart kid who went to college when he was 16. I haven't even seen a school for awhile now," he argued. After being put down for so long no way was he going to feel gifted.

His eyes grew a little redder. " You know nothing of my viewpoint" he says more aggression creeping up on him. He closed his eyes for a moment trying to calm himself but the red in his eyes stayed already thinking about the next thing he asked about. "I don't want to be congratulated but that's not why i asked you to look. My parents are dead. They died in a car crash when I was eight." He looked down at his feet before speaking again, " I don't like to be messed with but I can take most of it but this.. this is just cruel. " He waited for a minute to catch his breath before continuing,"No one was supposed to know that."

He looked back to find a fire flickering in the doctor's hand. He struggled back on the cot, backing up as far as he could. " Oh shit, What did you give me!! No i don't think that I want to light on fire thank you. "Xavier felt the room warm up and involuntarily relaxed some. " I look like my mom but no my dad did not give me that. My dad died with my mom while me and my brothers were home. I don't know what you want with me or what kind of hallucination that pill gave me but this is..." The room started heating up more than it already was, not making himm relaxed anymore. His eyes started filling with more bright red. Everything got caught up in his head. The note, The fire in Flint's hand, bringing up his past, and everything else were swirling in his head making everything worse. 

(532)

[FLINT VOLATICUS]

Crap, I just totally screwed everything up...I need to stop showing off to new students. It freaks them out. The Doc thought, sighing at himself in frustration.

Doc moved away from the door slightly, noticing the boy's unease at him standing in the way of an escape. Understandable. He quickly extinguished his flames and put his hands behind his back, regretting his decision to use his powers so early. He should have known it would freak Xavier out.

"I apologize." The Doc said with genuine sincerity. "Please forgive me. This is all probably so overwhelming, especially since you just arrived here, and by the looks of it, have never witnessed the kinds of gifts I've been describing. I don't mean gifted like some special little smart kid who read too much in school so got sent to classes geared towards creativity and stuff like that. You're interpreting my definition of gifted in a completely wrong light. I mean gifted as in different from everyone else, but not necessarily in a bad way. Gifted in ways normal people wouldn't understand or maybe even accept. This school is a whole new world, so to speak, full of incredibly unique and powerful people. Our job is to help you learn what your skills and powers are pertaining to those gifts. Again, please don't misunderstand me. I'd expand on this more, but I feel as though I'm overwhelming you, so I'll leave it at that for now. I think you need to rest and let this all sink in. I'm babbling way too much as it is..." Flint explained calmly, but a bit rushed.

He hadn't meant to talk so much, but there was just so much he wanted Xavier to understand. His mind was taking a completely skewed approach on the situation; all Doc wanted to do was shed some light on the shadows his mind didn't dare reach for.

He was intrigued by the red color in the boy's eyes, so similar to his own when he felt intense emotion. His heart reached ever so slightly further towards the boy. He desperately wanted Xavier to understand, and realize that everything was going to be ok. His own eyes glowed a slight amber color with a sudden small wave of emotion, lighting up his usually coal-dark eyes.

He was taken aback when the boy said his parents died. It hit him like a small ice-pick, pricking at his heart. His eyes glowed a bit brighter, though they exuded sadness. "My mother died when I was young...we were very close. I never knew my father." He looked up at Xavier, his heart racing as he panicked a bit. He wasn't taking any of this well, and he was really freaking out.

"I haven't given you anything but pain killers. Please, just calm down, and let this all sink in...I'll leave. I don't want to cause you anymore discomfort." He said quickly, with worry and guilt in his voice. He hadn't meant to make all of this worse. What kind of a doctor was he if he just deepened a patient's internal wounds?

He quickly left the room, shutting the door softly behind him before leaning against the wall and putting his face into his hands for a moment, flushed with sudden emotion. Then he took a deep breath, ran his fingers through his hair, and sighed.

"Damn, I may be a good medical doctor, but lord knows I would make a horrible counselor. I can't do anything right..." He muttered, his heart beating quickly. He felt a connection to the boy, which only made his guilt at ruining the situation worse. The fiery-eyed, orphaned boy reminded him of a more hurt, troubled version of his younger self, yearning for hope and help where he can see none at all.

The Doc was determined to show him that help, in whatever ways he could. He just needed to figure out how.

Words: 639

[XAVIER KINGDON]

As soon as Flint left the room Xavier took a breath. He unclenched his hands and started wiggling his fingers to release the tension. "What the hell was the sheriff think he was doing, but more importantly what did Flint just do," he thought.

The red in his eyes lessoned some with no threat in the room, but some Red still did remain. He wasn't in the clear yet, because Flint's words still affected him. Something had to be wrong with the pills. A side affect maybe, but his own skin was skin felt burning hot. Xavier knew something was going on with him but he wasn't about to admit that it might be anything other then side affects.

His wound's pain had dulled into a manigable state, but the bandage rubbed on it every time he moved or flexed making it itchy. Now that no one was in the room he could take a look at it. He slowly pulled back the bandage just enough so he could see, grinding his teeth in pain and to not make noise. When the bandage was pulled down enough for him to see he hissed. It was way worse then he thought it would be. There was no way he could itch that but maybe there was another way. He replaced the tape back up, though it wouldn't stay up all of the way, and leaned back into the wall and moved his body so he could itch it without touching it. It hurt really badly but the itch went away. It felt better but he soon regretted it as he could liquid trailing down his back.

Flint seemed like a nice enough guy but what he made Xavier put his guard up. He wasn't usually like this, he was tough and dealt with things on his own. This time around he needed someone around because he was way out of his element.

"Flint!" He shouted trying to get his attention through the door. Then waited until he got into the room before saying anything. His bandage was slipping off giving evidence that he had looked at it. He held it up with his and left it there to keep it from falling anymore but it made him look awkward. The room was still noticeable warm but Xavier didn't seem to notice . He was sitting down on the back of the cot but he was visually slowing his breathe to stay calm. He had never outright done this before but it was worth a try.

" I need to some things and I want a straight up answer. No going around them or lying to me," He stated in a serious tone while watching Flint's eyes for any lies." what is going on here? is this truly a school? he sighed and added the last part quietly coming into small terms with it " What's wrong with me?"

(485)

[FLINT VOLATICUS]

(I'm so, so sorry for taking so long with this.)

After a while of sitting there feeling sorry for himself, Flint gritted his teeth and got up, brushing off his pants and sighing. What was he doing? He was the best doctor in the world, and he was sitting there feeling sorry for himself and not helping one of his beloved students. What was wrong with him?

He shook his head and walked over to his medicine cabinets, rummaging through them and gathering a bottle, some new bandages, and a couple rags, which he ran under some cool water, much to his chagrin. (He hates water, and it feels weird on his hands.)

Gingerly, the feiry doctor headed back to the room containing the feiry boy. He paused when he heard a faint sound coming from the room, and his eyebrows shot up. Did the boy just call for him? He suppressed a grin, opening the door slowly and peering in to the room. His ghost of a grin faded as he saw the boy's bandages, and his eyes saddened. He placed the medicine, bandages, and rags to the side and hurried to the boy's side, 'tsk'ing.

"Dear boy, I'm sorry to tell you what to do, but you can't scratch on your wounds, which you've obviously done, and your bandages are falling off." He scolded the boy, eyeing the supplies he'd brought and taking pride in the fact that he'd thought ahead and come prepared, thinking he'd change the bandages soon anyways. "Here, let me get these off and switch them out for new bandages. That ok?" He asked, looking into the boy's eyes. "Can you trust me?"

He moved quickly, grabbing his supplies and placing them on the bed ext to Xavier. He'd just reached for a damp rag and prepared to clean Xavier's wounds when his words stopped him. "Pardon?" He asked, tilting his head. "The truth, dear boy, is that there is absolutely nothing "wrong" with you. You have a gift normal humans do not. I believe that you, like me, have the ability to weild fire. You are different than me, however, in that my fire heals, and yours burns. Quite painfully, I'm guessing, since you burnt yourself, which I must say is unique in my experience."

He spoke quickly, trying to get everything in before the boy could butt in and say he was lying. "And yes, this is a school. A safe haven for people like you and I to learn to control our gifts and use them to help others, or simply learn to live with them. We're a community of people who simply want to know what it's like to be accepted in a world where we're so different from what humans call normal." He explained, smiling softly at the boy, then nodding at his wounds. "Now, before you ask more questions and continue to distract me, may I please clean your wounds and change your bandages? I am the school nurse, after all. It's my job. I assure you I'm only doing what's medically best for you. No tricks, I swear."

With that, if the boy allowed him to, the doctor cleaned the boy's wounds with the rag, applied burn-healing medicine from the bottle he'd brought, and re-bandaged the wounds, gathering up what was left and throwing the used bandages and rags into a nearby trash bin. He then picked up the bottle of burn medicine and capped it, then fiddled with it in his hands while he awaited the boy's reaction to what he'd said.

Word Count: 596