75DISCLAIMER: I don't own Sky High, and I don't profit from this story.
A/N: Hello, lovelies. Adulting sucks. Thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to read and send me love. It means a lot to me as an author.
This chapter is dedicated to my oldest friend in the world. Spookysparklez1988 here's to over 20 years of friendship. Thank you for being the sister that I always wanted, blood doesn't make family. I love you. Without you, there would be no Kat; there would also be no one to write this story for anyone.
Enough rambling from me, on with the show!
-CloakedAuthor21
15. Shenanigans With Kat
"You hold yourself back, Warren." I mused as we were falling asleep.
"I don't want to pressure you, Arabella." Warren replied quietly.
"There's no pressure." I assured him. "The last thing you've ever made me feel was pressured."
"I run too hot to use protection. Condoms are only rated up to 100 degrees."
"You run about 120." I told him.
"Yeah, I do. How did you know?"
"I run about 60 degrees, unless you're in close proximity. At least we don't have to worry about you burning me. We don't have to worry about protection, though. That only applies to girls with functioning reproductive systems, not frozen organs."
I started drifting off to sleep, Warren's heartbeat a lullaby.
"I'm sorry, Arabella."
"I'm not the first infertile woman, Warren. It's not the end of the world." My quiet voice held a tone of finality.
Warren kissed the top of my head as I drifted from consciousness.
xXxXx
I flipped open the sketchpad that was the sole item in the security deposit box. I read the inscription on the inside of the front cover.
Bella,
Chase your dreams. Follow your heart. I love you.
-Mom
The entire book was full of sketches of me as a child. The final three pages were designs for a Super Suit.
As I studied the designs, I realized that the notes indicated features for my powers. I still wasn't sure if I was going to join the League, but I'd use these designs if I did. I smiled at the last gift my mom had given me.
"That's a nice design." Warren's voice sounded behind me.
"GAH!" I screeched as I jumped. "How is someone as big as you so sneaky?" I playfully punched his shoulder.
"Walk softly and carry a big stick." he chuckled, rubbing his shoulder.
"Okay, Teddy Roosevelt." I laughed.
"Seriously, that's a nice design. You'd look good in that." Warren sat down in my desk chair and pulled it up to the chest where I was sitting.
"If I decide I need it." I said absently, flipping back through the other sketches.
"You're not going to join the League?"
There was something in his voice that made my eyes flick up to his. He was looking at me strangely. I held his gaze for a moment, before I lowered my eyes back to the book.
"I'm not sure what I want to do, yet. I don't know if I want the responsibility to put villains behind bars. Citizens can be just as evil, yet no one protects us from them." I said quietly, keeping my eyes downcast.
"Arabella-"
"I just can't help but wonder how many other kids like us are treated the way I was, for being different. Who's looking out for those kids? I had people looking out for me, but what if they don't? I would've fallen a long time ago if it wasn't for people caring if I was alive. Don't we have enough heroes? I want to make a real difference." I said slamming the sketchpad shut, with tears in my eyes.
Warren pulled me into an embrace, holding me tightly to him. I let a few exasperated tears fall, taking some strength from him.
"Maybe you should look into social work?" Warren suggested. "Start a branch that specializes in super powered children. Then you can make a difference and help people that suffer like you did."
I considered his words. He had a point.
"You might be on to something." I said giving him a smile. "That is an idea worth looking into."
Warren grinned and kissed my cheek. I cupped the side of his face for a moment, content with the ease of just being with him.
"I love you." I said softly, lost in his brown eyes.
"I always have." he responded, gently kissing me.
xXxXx
"So, how did Alec get placed in the hero class if he time travels?" Stronghold asked the next day at lunch. "Isn't that something that would normally be placed in the hero support class?"
"I told Boomer that if he separated me from Kat and Bella, I would tell him how and when he's going to die."
"Yo, dawg, you got that kinda knowledge?" Zach asked as all the freshmen gaped at the perfectly timed arrival of Kat and Alec.
"The future isn't set in stone. It's in a constant shift because of the influence of choices. The Chaos Theory is real. If I did know anything of importance, I wouldn't tell you." Alec said, effectively ending the conversation.
"Intimidating Boomer was good for that decision, but what about when you graduate? What are you going to do?" Ethan asked, earnestly curious.
"I've got a job waiting for me at NASA. In the research department." Alec replied nonchalantly.
"What are you gonna do, Kat?" Magenta asked. "Are you going to join the League?"
"I think I might do an apprenticeship while I go to college. I'm not completely committed to joining the League." Kat said shrugging.
"Her dream is to be an artist." I said smirking.
"She's really good at it." Alec chimed in.
"Oh! You could always go into fashion design. Start your own clothing line or something." Layla offered up, in her normal cheery fashion.
"You could always design super suits." I said simply.
The freshmen then decided to start talking about their ambitions for the future. Warren placed a hand on my knee while he was reading his book. I knew he was paying attention to every part of the conversation, despite reading. I laid my hand over his and gave it a gentle squeeze; he squeezed my knee lightly in return.
xXxXx
One day, Kat pulled me into the bathroom on the way to lunch.
"So, Warren's Birthday is coming up." she said after checking to make sure we were alone.
"Oh, damn. You're right. It's the day before Thanksgiving." I said with wide eyes.
"I doubt he wants a party or anything."
"Oh no. That would be torture for him." I chuckled. "Don't let the sidekicks know! Layla would plan some ridiculous party, knowing her."
"So, uh, are you and Warren going to have a private party?" Kat winked at me in the mirror, checking her makeup.
"I'm not sure. I don't know what his family does for Thanksgiving. I don't know if we'll be alone." I said as we walked out.
Warren was waiting outside the cafeteria with a tray for me in his hand. He always packed his lunch, burning through calories with his high temperature. The two of us walked outside as Kat entered the cafeteria to get her own lunch. We sat down under the tree; my favorite spot.
"Would you want to go to my family's cabin for Thanksgiving break?" Warren asked, trying to act casual by pretending to read. "My mom will be busy working that whole week. The hospital gets crazy during the holidays."
"It could be nice to get away for a few days." I said as a plan started to form in my head.
I noticed he let out the breath he was holding as he nodded.
"I was thinking we could go up after school that Tuesday. It's a half day and we'll have to get some groceries before we head up there. We can come back Saturday afternoon."
"That sounds good, Warren." I gave him a small smile.
xXxXx
I invited Kat over after Warren went to work. Alec dropped her off for what I referred to as 'girl time'.
"So, what's up?" Kat asked as we made ourselves comfortable in my room. She was feigning nonchalance, but she had a knowing gleam in her eyes.
"Warren asked me if I wanted to go out of town for Thanksgiving." I said in a rush as my cheeks slightly warmed in a blush.
"Just the two of you?" she asked with a smirk.
"Yeah, just the two of us. Alone in a cabin." I couldn't hide the grin that slipped onto my face.
"That's so romantic." She would force me to spell it out for her.
"I wanna give myself to him for his birthday." I said as the blush returned at my boldness.
"Really?" Kat's features were radiating amusement. "Are you thinking lingerie?"
"He seemed to really like what I wore on Halloween. So he says, at any rate. I still don't really remember."
"I guess we need to go shopping." Kat said smirking with an evil glint in her eye.
"Does it hurt that bad the first time?" I asked in a small voice. I had heard conflicting stories from any number of girls at school.
"If you relax and he's not excessively rough, it's not so bad. It's only at first. I promise it does start to feel good. Don't expect him to last long, though. Guys usually don't the first few times. Foreplay is key. Are you absolutely sure you're ready?" There was a look of concern on her face as she asked the question.
"Kat. There's no one else I'd rather do this with. I've never been more sure of anything in my life."
"Well, let's go see if we can find you something sexy to wear."
Kat grabbed me hand and almost dragged me from my room. She was, in a way, more excited about this than I was. My stomach was churning with nerves, too.
xXxXx
Confident in my purchase, I hid the box at the bottom of my duffel bag. Kat's input had been graciously accepted. I did, however, walk away from her when she tried to interest me in a body suit made of hundreds of tiny gold chains.
I was likewise confident in my decision, and not altogether unsure of how to get the ball rolling. I was excited to take this new step of intimacy.
Every night after my shopping venture, my dreams were filled with a very naked Warren that would ravish me until I woke up in a sweat and panting. The anticipation was starting to get to me. I just couldn't stop it from taking over my thoughts.
"Bella, if you don't calm down, you're going to explode." Kat told me a week before the trip. "Just relax. It's just Warren. Don't put any pressure on yourself. It's not like he's going to pressure you."
"But what if I do something wrong or I'm bad at sex? What if we enjoy it so much we become sex addicts? What if-"
"What if neither of you have done this before, therefore you don't have anything to compare it to." Kat said cutting off my hysterical rambling.
"Kat, what if things get awkward afterward?" I asked in a small voice with wide eyes.
"Considering the closeness that came with the two of you becoming intimate, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Besides, you've got the whole weekend to keep trying so you can figure out exactly how each other likes it."
I blushed slightly, having considered the point already.
"I plan to make the most of it, that's for sure." I said donning a smirk.
Kat and I lasted about 3 seconds before we burst into laughter. I could feel the weight I'd been forcing onto my shoulders ease as the tension left me. I could always count on Kat to boost my confidence whenever I started to doubt myself. Kat and Alec were the siblings I never had. They always had my back, and I theirs.
"Everyone knows we're having sex next week, don't they?" I said after the last of the giggles passed.
"You and Warren are going to a cabin, alone, for an extended weekend. Yeah, Alec and the freshmen all know. They suspect, at least. Everyone but Warren, actually. How have you kept him in the dark? Especially with all the bad jokes and puns Stronghold and Glowstick use?" Kat replied with a small smile.
"Oh, he thinks they're stupid. In general. He doesn't take it seriously. It's not like he and I discussed it and planned it out. I do think he knows it could happen. He's going to want it on paper and chiseled into a stone before he'll make a move, though.
He won't show anyone, but me, the majority of his emotions. I think he's afraid that I'll reject him if he gets his hopes up. I'd feel pretty bad if he told me no, even if I know that he only wants me. Either that or he's still scared he's going to somehow hurt me. I think we're both going to see how things go. Start naturally, then let things progress on their own." I said thinking my words over as I spoke.
"Just remember to relax. Especially at the beginning. The pain will pass quickly. Warren will want you to enjoy it anyway. I can't see him being selfish and only caring about his needs."
"He definitely does not only care about his needs." I said with a wicked smirk.
xXxXx
"Are you sure you wanna do this, Arabella?" Warren asked for the millionth time, his forehead wrinkled in concern.
"I've never been more ready." I said with a firm resolve.
Warren nodded as he brushed my hair behind my ear. He returned my smile as he helped me get on top of the table.
"You know this is gonna hurt, right?" he asked again.
"What is pain?" I asked him, making him incline his head in agreement.
"It's comparable to a cat scratch on sunburn, Warren. Stop trying to scare away my new client." the slight Chinese girl, Persephone, said closing the privacy curtain in the doorway. "Besides, your little girlfriend is cute. I might steal her away if you're not careful." She gave me a playful wink as she pulled her gloves on.
"The calf isn't as painful as your forearms for your first tattoo." she continued, throwing Warren a look and earning a chuckle is return. "I'll keep you talking to help distract you from it, Bella."
Persephone regaled me with tales of Warren's tattoo experience; while explaining that she had trained Warren at the restaurant before shaming her whole family for turning her back on the family business. She had dreams of being a tattoo artist, not being particularly fond of the food of her heritage.
"Are you ready to see your new artwork?" Persephone asked a while later.
I eagerly eased myself to the floor before looking in the mirror. I all but fell into the small woman's arms when I saw the beautiful blonde mermaid tattoo for my mom.
"It's so perfect! Thank you so much." I said through tears as I hugged her fiercely. "I couldn't picture it any better than it is."
"That's what every tattoo artist wants to hear when they're finished with a special and meaningful piece." she chuckled as she grabbed a paper with aftercare instructions.
After explaining how to clean my new tattoo and the proper way to moisturize it without it getting infected, she sent us on our merry way.
"Thank you for hooking me up with your amazing artist, Warren." I was so happy and was glad to have something to memorialize my mom.
"Like I would trust you in anyone else's hands." he scoffed. "Seph is the best."
xXxXx
The night before our trip, I was packing my bag as Kat kept me company.
"Shower when you get there. Don't forget to shave." Kat winked at me, causing us to giggle.
"I'm going to lose my virginity. To Warren Peace. Can you believe it?" I asked with a Cheshire Cat worth grin.
"Check out what I found." Kat pulled an old folded paper out of her pocket.
Taking the sheet of paper, I carefully unfolded it. I was greeted by my own handwriting. I started laughing as I read the note from our freshman year.
Sept 3
Kat,
Remember tall, handsome, broody Warren Peace from Powers Placement? He's my lab partner in Mad Science. He's so hot (figuratively and literally) that I'm even affected by it. One day, I'm going to date him, Kat. He's my opposite, but we have a lot in common judging by the book he's reading. I swear that I'm going to marry him. We'll be each other's first and only. Gotta go, it's almost lunch time.
:) Bella
"Wow. I didn't realize I had it THAT bad from day 1." I chuckled in embarrassment.
"When you know, you know." Kat shrugged. "I'm just so happy that things are looking up for you, Bella. I'm happy that you're happy." Kat started to look sad.
"Hey, don't cry for me. Everything I've lived through has made me who I am today. It all happens for a reason. You couldn't have done anything. Even if you had, chances are that I could've wound up on the other side of the country and alone." I said, making my point clear. "I'm okay, but more importantly, I'm happy and I'm loved."
I let Kat pull me into a hug, glad to have her as my chosen sister.
"Warren and I are meant to be together, but you're my spirit animal and my soulmate."
"Alec often refers to you as my soulmate. The three of us have always been there for each other, not realizing that we were missing a member to our group. Having Warren around is good for all of us. Plus the bromance between Alec and Warren is just too cute."
The two of us fell into a fit of laughter again at that sentiment.
"Have fun and have a safe trip. Won't be the same without you, but I'm sure you'll be in good hands." Kat said as she started to gather her things together so she could go home.
I walked her to the door, giving her a hug and waving to Alec waiting in the car. Warren pulled into the driveway as Alec was pulling away from the curb. I watched Warren as he parked his bike and couldn't help the flutter in my stomach as he walked toward me with a smirk on his face.
"You packed and ready to leave after school tomorrow?" he asked after kissing the top of my head.
"Yep. Packed earlier." I said grinning up at him.
"Good girl." he growled in my ear as he swatted my butt.
I fought a shiver, not wanting to let him take control before I had my fun with him.
xXxXx
I know it's been like a year and a half. I'm sorry. This story is going to get finished. Eventually. Even if it kills me. I love you readers so much. Happy holidays and Happy New Year! Please leave me some love in the review box *shameless begging* please let me know this story is still being read. I am your humble servant!
Peace & Love,
-CloakedAuthor21
