Arson and Claire - Vamp-peers

Chapter Twelve

Arson's alarm wakes me up and I sit up, reaching over the tangled mass of limbs that Arson has become. I shut the alarm off and stretch, yawning; I can smell eggs being made downstairs, and I furrow my brows. Does Aldon eat human breakfast?

"Claire," I hear him say from downstairs, voice muffled only slightly through the floor. "What do you usually have for breakfast? And do you take a thermos to school?"

"I'll just have a glass of whatever blood you've got, and I can pick a thermos up from my house. Thank you!" I turn my attention to Arson as I run my hands through my hair. He's snoring, and his hair is a wreck - his half-shave is starting to grow out; it might need a trim soon. I nudge his shoulder,

"Hey, c'mon. It's morning, we've got school." Arson lets out a grizzly moan and covers himself with the blanket, almost slamming his hand into my face in the process. I purse my lips, "I've got ways of waking vampires, you know."

"It's too early," Arson groans.

"You're the one who set the alarm." When he doesn't stir, I sigh. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you." All it takes is a jab to his sides and he flails, falling out of bed with a graceless squawk of half laughter, half anger. He lands on the ground with a thud, and when he sits up and throws a pillow at me, I'm so distracted from laughing that it hits me square in the face.

"Everything okay up there?" Aldon calls, and Arson shouts back,

"I hate fullbloods!" It's buffered by the smirk on his lips. He stands and runs a hand through his hair, snagging tangles, then feels the shaved half and frowns. "Aldon, can I borrow your clippers to fix my shave this afternoon?"

"Yes, but you two better hurry before your drinks get cold."

"Here," Arson opens his closet to show me his clothes, "You're welcome to anything you want. I think we wear the same size. I do actually have a few skirts in there, for days I feel more feminine - which, as it turns out, is not very often. I'm gonna go brush my teeth, then you can too; Aldon always keeps extras for other foster vamps." He makes his way down the ladder.

"Okay, thanks." I start to look through the clothes and take out a few contenders - he has a band tee that I actually know, a red one with 'Paramour' on it, and then I find one of the skirts he was talking about, a white plaid skirt with a chain on the side. I pull my hair up in a ponytail, and put on some little no-show socks. I hear the latch click, and the attic door opens. Arson, hair and eyeliner done, steps up into room and gives me an up-down, smiling,

"That doesn't look half bad. You like Paramour?" He starts looking for something for himself to wear.

"Yeah," I smile. "I actually have a few of their CDs I burned in middle school."

"Burned CDs?" Arson grins over his shoulder. "Maybe you are pretty punk."

"Shut up," I snort. "What are you going to wear?"

"Mmmh," Arson runs his hands along his clothes. "Maybe... this shirt," he tosses a Green Day shirt onto the bed, "And my black jeans, with my combat boots."

"You want me to go while you change?"

"Nah, just turn," he pulls his binder out of his drawer and starts to get dressed. I turn around and unlock my phone. Football season started a little while ago, and we're about a week away from October. It's strange to think Arson and I just became friends a little bit more than a month ago; it feels like longer, but also no time at all. I wonder if he has plans for Halloween. All in good time, I suppose.

"Alright, there we go," Arson slips his shoes on and I turn, putting my phone in my pocket. "What do you think?"

I give him my best up-down and a playful critical eye. "Clearance section at Hot Topic." Arson laughs and smacks me lightly,