Nightmares of a Beast

Uh.....Can I go home now?

Callum

So........I've been here for about three days now. The Bandanna dude's name turned out to be Seithen, and I still can't get my phone down from where he hung it on the ceiling with string. Great, amirite? No. Because I've missed three days of school (not that I'm complaining) all I've had for food is from food trucks and gas stations other than ramen :3 'Can't this guy cook??'  Speak of the devil. 

"Hey kid"

have I mentioned his annoying habit of calling me kid? "I'm not a kid, Seithen. You're like two years  older than me. Plus, we've had to eat is street food and gas station sandwiches. don't you know how to cook?" 

"If you want food that bad, make it yourself" He pointed over his shoulder to the little kitchenette and full sized fridge. "I'm too lazy to cook, so that's why we've been getting stuff from out there" 'I'm too lazy too' huffing, I turn back around.

I've noticed Seithen wears that white bandanna over his face even when we're here in the flat,  when we're outside too. What's the big deal? I see him come in and move around the room from the edge of my vision. He tosses something at me, and it lands in my lap. "What?" he nods "Your phone" I look down and it is indeed my cell phone "Thanks" I mutter. He doesn't say anything and turns around to the kitchen. Bored, I open flappy bird and lean back on the couch tapping the screen. "Ahhhh!" I put my arms up in the air and drop back down to the couch. Looking over the back of the sofa, I see Seithen looking at me with a weird look on his face and a white kitchen towel over his shoulder. Curious, I pad over to the kitchen and stand on my toes to peek past his shoulder. He's chopping vegetables on the cutting board "Whatcha making Seithen?" He pauses his chopping for a bit and answers "Don't call me Seithen, and I'm making a stew. That good with you?" Lifting the lid off a pot, I take a sniff and look back to him "Yea! I didn't think you knew how to cook."

"Hmm, if you want call me Seith, Seth, Sai Sai, or just Sai is  good, and yes I CAN cook"

"Pffft""Sai Sai?? What kind of name is that? Short version if your name instead of your full one? what about I give you a nickname instead?" Seithen continues dutifully chopping vegestables and points to the fridge, "Get the beef Kiddo" I cock an eye brow at him and he just keeps eye contact, the knife laid against the cutting board. I break the silence by turning to the fridge and rummage around. Two cases of beer on the middle shelf, a ton of vegetables and other stuff filling the other shelves. In the door, I see sets of professional grade test tubes. Each one filled with a strange peanut colored liquid. "Hey Theian, what's up with all the scientific baubles in your fridge door?" He doesn't seem to be bothered by the fact I called him Theian, more like he's bothered that I discovered his secret stash of whatever in the fridge. "Just get the beef Callum" His tone's serious with an edge on it. What's so special about some watery peanut butter? Instead of pushing further, I move some things and pull out a slab if beef. I'm unwrapping it at the sink when I notice the price listed on the sticker. "What the fuck?" Theian glances at me questioningly, I'm whipping my outstretched palm from the meat to him and back. "Fifty fucking bucks!?" "Are you crazy rich or something? Some rich woman's baby daddy or illegitimate heir to some old rich guy who's dying or something!!?" He looks astounded or a second and then recovers. He bends over theatrically slow and then starts uncontrollably shaking. Little gasping sounds and loud rumbles quaking his body. It takes a minute for me to process that he's laughing. Laughing so hard he has to hold his stomach and cackle? Did I say anything funny? Theian finally stops laughing and leans one arm on the counter "I knew you were spunky and  kind of a wack with some bad ass skills against your foes, but seriously dude. When are you gonna quit the whole I'm getting used to you little by little because I'm shy act?" It's my turn to be shocked "You k-knew I was acting the whole time. And you didn't say anything?"

"Food's ready" he laughed again

"Seithen"

"The potatoes aren't too soft, hope that's fine with you"

"Seithen"

"The beef's good, it'll be a good hangove-" He continued

"Seithen!!"

He puts the ladle down and wipes his hands on his apron takes it off and balls it up. Seithen takes his sweet ole time to turn around and face me. He's looking a bit dejected, and breathes deeply before finally lifting his head.

"Yea?"

"You knew the whole time?"

"I thought you were pretending on purpose"

"I was-I am! You could've at least told me you knew or kicked me out or something!!"

Seithen dropped his arms,  Stern and he looked like he wasn't going to back down.

"Why didn't you tell me. Why couldn't you just say you knew I was faking"

"You would've done something unnecessary and could've gotten hurt.  I didn't want a fight, as long as you were out of trouble and healthy I was going to keep you here till your welcome was molded. "

"So you were never going to say anything. This is useless, so Uhhhhh Can I Go Home Now?!"

The look on his face wasn't like anything I expected. The look in those eyes wern't anger or annoyance, it was pain, regret and guilt; like his girlfriend twisted his heart after sinking her claws in. It was the look of suffering or a deep sadness. The wrinkles created all over his face proved that. Did I say too much? A sudden prick in my chest makes me flinch. Seithen looks sad and takes a step towards me. I grip my shirt over my heart and step back, right into the pot on the stove. My arm screams in agony and the heat crawls in tendrils across my back. The movement causing the pot to fall. I crash to the ground and grunt when my injured arm hits the floor, I grimace and wait for the burning pain of the pot and stew. I open my eyes when nothing happens and nearly cry with shock. Seithen had used his body to block mine from the spill, his muscular form covering most of my own. 

What the hell was he thinking?!