Title: I'm On Fire

Author: Flashes09

Rating: T

Disclaimer: "Sky High" is owned by Disney, "I'm On Fire" is owned by Bruce Springsteen.

I'm On Fire

Friday night had rolled around, and Warren was doing what he always did on Friday nights: working at the Paper Lantern. Fridays were their busiest nights, and so Warren was working hard. He had multiple tables to wait, not to mention a sick busboy that he had to fill in for. In fact, Warren almost missed seeing Layla walk in.

Her attire was the usual for Friday night; she was dressed in something green, this time a sundress to contend with the August heat. Her hair had been pulled back sometime earlier, but the processes of the day had loosened a few strands, allowing the red tendrils to frame her face.

As she did ever Friday night, she looked around, her face falling slightly when she didn't see who she was looking for. But she kept a smile on, even though it was more forced, and allowed the hostess to seat her at a table.

As on every Friday night, Will Stronghold was late for his date with Layla.

Hey little girl is your daddy home?
Did he go away and leave you all alone?
I got a bad desire.
I'm on fire

Warren watched as Layla opened the menu and browsed, although Warren knew it was an act. Layla knew the menu front to back and it hadn't changed in years, and certainly not since last Friday. Every time the little bell above the door rang Layla lifted her head to look, ever hopeful, but always disappointed.

Warren's hands clenched, wringing water from the wet towel he held. Where the hell was Stronghold? It was just like him to stand Layla up. He was probably off saving the world again with his parents.

Doesn't know what he's missing, Warren thought. Layla was always beautiful to him, but tonight she seemed particularly stunning. Warren decided she would look even better in candlelight and made his way to her table.

Tell me now baby is he good to you?
Can he do to you the things that I do?
I can take you higher.
I'm on fire.

He sat down without invitation, knowing she would say she was saving the seat for Will if he asked. However, Warren noticed that her smile seemed to become a little more genuine as he sat down, lifting just a little higher at the corners.

He snapped his fingers and a small flame ignited at the end of his index finger. He touched it to the wick, successfully lighting the candle, just like the first time Layla and Warren had talked. And just like the first time, she smiled and gave him a little look meant to scold him for using his powers outside of school. But she couldn't hold it and started to laugh.

Warren loved it when she laughed. He just wished she would do it more often. It had become a rare thing recently and he missed it. Before long, Layla was filling him in on her life, everything that had happened since last Friday. Whenever Warren thought the subject was getting a little too close to Stronghold, he steered it in another the direction.

It was turning into a lovely evening. But then Stronghold waltzed in, whistling as if he didn't have a care in the world.

Sometimes it's like someone took a knife baby,
edgy and dull and cut a six-inch valley
through the middle of my soul.

The smile on Layla's face once again became forced, and all of Warren's hard work went down the drain.

"Hey, Layla, Warren, how's it going?" He bent down and kissed Layla on the cheek.

"I've got to get back to work." Warren grumbled, moving out of the booth. Things had been tense between the two ever since Stronghold had become the big hero and decided that his friends just weren't as important. That list of unimportant things included Layla as well.

Warren's hands clenched, and he barely made it into the kitchen before the burst into flames. He quickly thrust them into the dishwater in the sink, putting the flames out. He wanted do go out there and fry Stronghold alive, but he didn't think Layla would appreciate that. She still loved him for some reason that Warren couldn't fathom.

The world didn't stop turning just because he was dealing with some personal issues, so Warren had no choice but to go back out and finish his shift. He worked even harder the rest of the night, cleaning tables, taking orders, even taking extra tables from one of his overworked co-workers. He avoided looking at the booth if at all possible, glad that it wasn't his, otherwise the newest special would be deep fried superhero.

As the work increased the night passed faster, but before long, new customers stopped coming and the ones already there finished their dinners and left. Warren was glad for the extra tables because he made a killing in tips but he was thoroughly exhausted. He finished cleaning off a table and took a seat on the chair.

At night I wake up with the sheets soaking wet
and a freight train running through the
middle of my head.

Big mistake. Now he could see the booth he had been trying to avoid all evening. But before he could even work up anger against Stronghold, he realized Layla was sitting all alone, her hands in her lap, her head hanging low, and an uneaten plate of Chinese food before her.

Warren was up and out of his seat in a flash, making his way to the table. As he drew closer, he realized something was seriously wrong. Layla was crying.

Layla was not a girl to normally cry. If something was wrong, she tried to fix it. Crying was a last resort when she couldn't do anything else. So when Warren saw her crying, he knew it was bad. Layla only cried if she got her heart broken.

He could see her cell phone on the table and at first he thought that someone had died and someone else was inconsiderate enough to tell her over the phone. But Warren realized he knew what it was. He slid into the booth next to her and pulled her into a hug.

Stronghold. That bastard had dumped her. He's never around, he's late to their date, and now he'd broken up with her. If Warren hadn't had a good reason to fry Stronghold before, he had a perfect reason to now.

Warren let Layla cry, and as soon as she had stopped, he got her up and out of the booth. He led her out through the back door of the restaurant, grabbing his jacket on the way and putting it around her shoulders. It wasn't cold enough out, but it was a comforting gesture that Layla appreciated.

Warren kept his arm around her as he walked her to her house. It was easy to identify because it had the most beautiful, flowering garden on the whole block. A little white picket fence opened onto the stones that led up to Layla's front porch. Warren sat her down on the porch swing and took a seat next to her.

"Love sucks." She said after a few minutes of silence.

"Yeah," Warren agreed. "Sorry about you and Will." It killed him to say this, but Warren knew Layla needed it. Or he thought she did, but when she began to laugh, he suspected different.

"I wasn't crying about Will. I've hardly seen him over these last couple of months. Although it hurt when he told me he'd found someone else." A tone of bitterness entered her voice, but it was gone during her next words. "I just wish I hadn't wasted all that time on him."

"I can fry him if you want me too." Warren offered. Layla laughed again.

"Thanks, but its okay." She stood up and moved towards her door. "If he's done with me, then I'm done with him." She fumbled in her purse for her key. "I don't even know what I saw in him. It must have been some stupid teenage girl, hero-worship thing. What was I thinking?" Layla's lower lip was trembling again and she caught it between her teeth.

"You were thinking he loved you back." Warren said. Layla looked up at him, her brown eyes searching for his dark ones. Warren noticed how close she was standing to him, and that she was still wearing his jacket. A small breeze moved her hair slightly and swirled her scent of earth and Chinese food around him. Ever so slowly, he leaned down and brought his lips to Layla's.

She was surprised for a second, but soon melted into his kiss. Her lips were soft on his, her hands warm on his chest. Fire swept through her veins as Warren deepened the kiss, making her feel it from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet.

The two broke apart, slightly breathless. Warren noticed that Layla looked flush, with lips red from their recent activities, and a few more strands of red hair having escaped. He reached behind her and pulled the clip out of her hair, causing the red curls to fall and frame her face.

Warren pulled her to him for another kiss, but Layla stopped him.

"Warren?" She said tentatively.

"Yeah?" He asked softly, fearing that he had overstepped his bounds.

"You are such a better kisser than Will." Warren grinned and pulled Layla's lips to his, more than willing to show how much better he was than Stronghold.

Only you can cool my desire,
I'm on fire.

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