Storm

It must have been around 10 in the evening. Jack didn't really know, didn't really care. His white hair almost reflected the moonlight, thus why he had his hood on. The light only falling on some stray locks.
After he had spend some time in Cerynia, under constant surveilance by the guards, Jack had had enough. He had played it smart, if he had to say so himself. The man had layed low the first few months. Hoping to trick the guards into paying less attention.

Maybe he succeeded, maybe they stopped caring. Maybe they where so good that they still where here somewhere, just out of Jack's sight. Either way, he was fine with it.
Opaline beach had really drawn him towards this area at least every week. In Nevairos they didn't have beaches. Jack knew what it was ofcourse, but never had seen it himself. Let alone feel the sand under his feet - which was much more enjoyable in summer, he figured out later.

Time kept ticking on as she strayed along the beach, playing cat and mouse with the waves - his fire affinity screaming within him to not touch them. His own curiousity almost defying that. Almost. He suddenly became aware of another person in the corner of his eye. For a moment he froze, as the figure stood right before the sand started, dark hair, dark clothes.
Mental images of his father flashed before his eyes - looking quite similar to the figure from the cornes of his eye. Before he could reason with himself that it wasn't possible, embers where drawn from his fingers already.
"Shit!" he scolded quietly, waving his hands in a similar motion as if you where trying to dry off your hands after washing them. Fuck, fuck Ofcourse the shaking didn't quite help the situation, it only caused small embers to be thrown around a bit, luckily for him, landing in the wet sand as they smoldered there.

As he heared the figure's voice, reason fell over him, calming. Causing him to be able to draw back the embers, in control again.
"Yeah," Jack started, voice calm again. "Sorry, I stumbled and my lighter dropped against a rock or something." He casually explained what could have caused the fire sparks. As he made a way towards the figure, he slightly thought he was familiar.
"Haven't I seen you at the university?" casually trying to direct the situation and possible conversation away from the embers.

As the man explained that Jack could have recognised him from the univerity, Jack was relieved for a second that the conversation was going on that path. Until he looked at the man's expression and felt defeat clouding over him.
Shit.
'Can I perhaps borrow your lighter for a second?' Shit, shit. Could he know? Was that possible? With racing thoughts, jack stared at the stretched out hand of the man. Jack felt the embers simmering deep within him, and quickly crossed his arms, curling his hands into fists, hoping that that would help.
Only to realise just in time that he was about to burn his coat of this way.
Fists firmly pressed together, he answered the man. "It fell. I lost it." Trying to keep his voice calm and steady, feeling the embers on the inside of his hand. Good thing that didn't hurt him for a short period of time.

Even besides the fact that he had fysically slowed down the embers, inside his body, Jack could feel the fire growing. Wanting to get out, his body begging for relief, of the heat and stress. Jack carefully focussed on his breathing to not let it slip out. He had done this for years, he could do it some more.

As the other asked him what he did here, in the middle of the night, in the cold, by the beach, Jack felt some relief that the topic had shifted.
"Oh," he started. "I like to come here, but when it's quieted down. Back at home we don't have any beaches. It is quite calming, I think." Just listening to the waves, watching them go back and forth, it really calmed the white heared boy.
Slowly he felt more calm inside. Calm enough to let his hands slide next to his body and stand in a more relaxed way.
"What about you?"

There was something in the man's answer that made Jack look at him with a raised eyebrow. Not as safe? Well, you probably shouldn't go swimming right now, but Jack guessed that most people didn't. Not with these temperatures. In summer more people would probably go her for a swim, but Jack assumed there would be guards around at that time. Beaches had opening hours for reasons, he had learned.

When Jacked had asked him what he was doing here, the man answered that he wasn't sure.
Okay? Perhaps Jack wasn't the only one with stories to share. But if he really believed it wasn't safe, then why...?
"Why are you here, late at night, alone, in a place you believe is dangerous?" It wasn't making sense.

The man seemed to get a little agitated at Jack's earlier words, as she clearly articulated each word in his next sentence. Jack let out a silent shrug and he pressed his fists firmer. The next words however, seemed to hit the white haired boy in a way he did not expect.
Don't act like I did not warn you, how often had he heared that out of his fathers mouth? Whenever he refused to do something. Anything that made a connection the crown, or was meant to prepare him. Despite the fact that Jack had always kept up a playfull, rebellious demeanor, it was much different on the inside.

As of for now, water was not the element he was to be worried about. The memory had sparked the stress inside him again, causing the firey feeling inside him to lit up again. Fuck, he had to get out of here.
"I'll take your words for it then," Jack answered, wanting to add a careless laugh, but it came out with a hint of worry. He didn't even knew why he still said something, why not just turn around and be sure he was alone?
With that thought Jack did exactly that, and just as he turned his back to the man, embers shot out of his fingers again.

Oh for fuck's sake.

Did you drop your lighter again?
Jack felt himself tense up, the ember shooting up a bit more. Gods please, could this man just leave? Jack couldn't, finding comfort by the idea of the water that could simmer his flames down.

"No, it's coming straight out of my hands, okay?" Jack added a sarcastic undertone, there was no way this man would believe him anyway, right? His heart pounded in his chest as he tried to calm himself down, force the flames back inside. Only to fail.
The man that stood there was no longer safe.
"You should leave." He had given Jack a vague warning, so Jack figured he could give a vague warning back. Only this danger was really here. In his hands.

Jack's head went up with a swing as he heared the words. 'And you should try to relax.'
The white haired boy hoped he was wrong with all his heart, because this really sounded like the man knew what was going on. But that couldn't be, right? Or, was it perhaps possible that affinities where not only present in Nevairos?

Jack noticed that the man had taken a few steps back now. Which made him a bit calmer, just not enough. Not enough for the fire that was burning from the tips of his fingers.
'Think of something else, something - something nice.' Jack felt an emotion cloud over him, he couldn't even recognise it.
"And then what? A little fairy will appear, sprinkle me with pixie dust and I will fly?" Jack bit to the man, not being able to reason right now. "I am not Peter Pan!" But Jack knew the man was right. He should shift his thoughts, think of something else.
Jack focussed his gaze on the sea once again, trying to focus on the coming and going of the waves.