The Elementals

Switch It Up

"No, stop it!"

I blink awake to the urgent exclamation. I must have fallen asleep, and in that process my head is now on Coal's lap. It wouldn't be bad, but he's muttering in his sleep again. I look up at him and see his face, eyebrows furrowed, mouth in a frown that's mad and scared at the same time.

"No, no, I don't mean it - this isn't - I'm not trying to!" His body is getting warmer with every word.

There was a sleep talker in my orphanage once. We were strictly told not to wake her up if she spoke out for some reason. I sit up, not sure what to do with Coal, because it seems like he's in pain.

"Tide," he says my name and I jump. "You have to believe me I'm not going to hurt you!" His hand reaches out limply.

I take his arm and lower it back down, then slide my hand down and take his. It's hot, but not unbearable. "I believe you Coal," I whisper. Maybe it'll make a difference. "It's okay, I'm fine."

"No..."

I grab his shoulder as he twitches and flinches, pulling him closer. It might cool him down. I know he's fire and all that, but it still feels weird to have someone so warm.

"Coal," I hope he can hear me. "It's okay, I'm right her-"

"No, no, no! I would never - not on purpose! Just stay away! Stay away and you'll be safe." Coal jumps forward, breathing in sharply. I yank him back, but then I see that he's awake. I don't drop my arms though, because I can feel him trembling. He's breathing hard, face pale and scared.

"Coal?" I ask, because he's scaring me now. "Are you okay?"

He whips his head over to me, real fear in his eyes. He blinks rapidly. "Yes...no - I mean yeah, yeah I'm fine." He goes to lift his hands to his temples, but then stops as he feels my hand intertwined in his. I suck in a breath, cheeks heating, but he says nothing and just breathes out long and slow. I notice he doesn't drop my hand, and neither do I.

"What were you dreaming?" I ask.

"Nightmare," he corrects automatically. "And nothing." It comes out like a question.

"Coal," I make him look at me. "You were freaking out. What happened?"

He avoids my gaze. "I forget."

"Coal!" I snap sharply.

He looks back at me like a scared animal. His eyes are wide and dark. "You..." He seems about to stop, so I squeeze his hand reassuringly before I know what I'm doing. Coal blinks in surprise, and is shocked into continuing. "Died. In a fire." He scrutinizes the ground. "Because of me."

"Oh." That is pretty much my vocabulary in situations like this. Then I frown. "So why are you upset? It was just a dream."

Coal gives me a look that speaks volumes. I'm taken aback by the fear present. In fact, I've never seen him so scared before. But it tells me that he's afraid it's not just a dream, and it will happen.

"You would never do that." I say definitively. "I know you wouldn't."

"Not on purpose."

"You won't do it."

"How can you be sure?"

"Because I trust you." I say, and then before I lose my nerve I lean forward and kiss him on the cheek again, resting my head on his shoulder. "Got it?"

"Sure..." Coal trails off, at a loss for words. "I mean, yeah, I got it."

I smile. He still hasn't let go off my hand.