Storm

When You Are 18/Life In The Old Dog Yet

Iris didn't sleep for the rest of the night, her thoughts straying to the feel of the gypsies body against hers, the heat that radiated off of him. And she could never forget those eyes, so blue it was like the sky free of clouds, just after a hearty rain storm.

That morning, more repairs were to be made, and Iris soundlessly got to work, barely paying attention to he surroundings. She was so mindless, in fat, she ran right into Damian. She made a small grunt of a sound and looked up at him apologetically. "Sorry," she whispered, her throat raw from exhaustion.

Damian smiled reassuringly and placed a hand on her shoulder, the touch was borderline inappropriate, but she didn't mind, it comforted her. "It'll be okay, no one is going to allow the gypsies to get close to the town again."

Iris was about to respond when her father almost magically appeared behind Damian and pushed him away from her. "I thought yer father taught ye better." Keith snapped angrily, glaring at him with almost pure hatred and annoyance.

Damian glared at Keith, the push had sent him sprawling to the ground, scrapping his hands and knees. "I wasn't doin' anything wrong!" He exclaimed, clumsily getting to his feet, almost falling forward once he reached his goal.

"Stay away from my daughter." Keith warned, his voice dark and low, his eyes almost a storm gray.

Iris glared at her father, moving to stand in front of him, her eyes like a blue flame, hot and angry. "How dare ye? He wasn't doin' anything wrong! If he was, I would have dealt with it on my own." She spat angrily, her fists, which were clenched at her sides, were shaking with the need to hit something, or someone.

Keith, who wasn't expecting an outburst from his daughter, let alone for her to defend the young man, took a startled step back. Nothing really surprised the male blond, but if something did, it had to be serious.

"Iris, I-"

"No! It was wrong of ye to push him like that!" She exclaimed angrily, barely herding in her temper. Keith watched her for a moment, before responding. "Ye're to young to understand." He said softly, but this only worked to further infuriate the girl.

"Ye seem to forget that I'm not a little girl anymore, and that I can take care of myself. Without any help from anyone, including ye." Iris pretended not to notice the hurt in her fathers eyes as she helped Damian to his feet and lead him to the edge of the town, close to the Midnight Well, but Damian stopped them before they entered that clearing.

"Ye didn't have to stand up for me," he said softly, looking down at his bare feet.

"The hell I didn't, my father pushed you to the ground!" She practically screamed to the heavens, pulling at her curling blonde locks in frustration.

Damian sighed, plopping down on the ground, looking up at her like a lost puppy in the search of a forever home. "Ye're goin' to get in trouble because of me." He whispered.

"What are ye talking about, Damo?" The two teenagers jumped as they looked up at George, eyes wide and startled, like they were caught doing something bad.

Damian got to his feet as he faced his father, bowing his head to him respectfully. "We were- Iris and I were only talkin', Father." He said slowly, biting his lip as he looked at Iris, almost like he was asking he not to tell him what happened.

Iris wouldn't let that happen.

"That's true, we were talkin' about the wrong of my fathers mistreatin' of him." Iris said boldly, lifting her chin stubbornly. Her spine tingled with the feeling of being watched from behind, but she ignored it.