What?! (Arsen and Char)

Arsen was always interested in somethings history so to brush up on the schools he headed straight for the trophy room. The room that housed all students achievements and accomplishments. He glanced at the nearest case of trophies and smiled Longbottom? What kind of last name was that? He sniggered to himself before moving onto the next trophy.

One day he'd have his own trophy in this room. He didn't know what it would be for but he'd get one sooner or late.

Charlotte had been wondering for some time now about what Cobalt had said to her, she didn't want to pay much attention to it but still she found her brain ticking it over in her head. Could he be? If he was, why didn't he tell her? Maybe it's the thing he wanted to...

Still pretty confused Charlotte let herself follow her feet where ever they were taking her and she kept her gaze fixed on the floor as she let her thoughts drift off again to Arsen and how he may or may not be what she thought.

With a soft sigh Charlotte looked up to see that she was standing infront of the trophy room, a room in which she had spent very little time. And there. Right in the middle was the boy she had just been thinking about.

Arsen.

"Hey there!" Charlotte called to him stepping towards him and standing next to him by the cabinates.

He turned at the sound of feet and immediately smiled. "Char! Hey i was just checking out the trophies people have earned over the years. This guy here earned this one for saving someone from the giant squid." He laughed pointing out the trophy.

"And that one over their was won by someone called Longbottom. Longbottom? What kind of name is that." He smirked moving to look at the next one. "OMG Aspen." He smiled looking at the next trophy with his uncles names on it. He never thought he'd see his uncles name on anything that showed he'd done good in his life.

Charlotte looked at the trophy that Arsen pointed out to her and she giggled a little, true it was a brave thing to do but she had heard all you had to do was tickle the tentacles and it would just let go of you and slope off into the distance.

"I'd quite like an award...fancy going for a walk by the lake Arsen."

With a grin Charlotte pulled tongues at Arsen obviously she would never push him into the lake, she wasn't that mean, but it would be funny to see someone get shoved in.

"Longbottom? I recognise that name you know, but you're right it is a bit funny nobody would take you seriously would they?"

Even as she said that Charlotte gave a little chuckle, honestly? What a cruel last name to give a child, he must have got bullied something chronic, moving with Arsen to look at the trophy with his uncles name on it Charlotte bit her lip and decided to just ask the thing she had been wanting to. But subtly.

"Arsen, do you have anything you want to tell me?"

He chuckled. "Nice try but i wont be going anywhere near that lake any time soon." He smiled sticking his tongue out at her. "I know im going to get one before i leave and its going to be placed right there." He said pointing to an empty spot. "Maybe we could both get one then you can have yours there next to mine." He smiled pointing to her spot, it would be great for them to share something like that.

"You do?" He asked hoping he hadn't insulted the name of someone she knew because that would just be the kind of thing he did. He always put his foot in it. He smiled. "No they wouldn't i think i'd crack up everything the name was mentioned. So who's this then? Mr Longbottom sir." He laughed to himself moving on to the next trophy.

He froze and stood up straight his eyes still glued onto the trophy. "No, why should i?" He asked hoping that it was something silly like how he used bones to make his furniture. There's no way she could know could she? There was only three people in this world that knew what he was and he knew one of them would never tell his secret so that left only two other people.

Charlotte pretended to look hurt as Arsen didn't want to go for a walk by the lake, maybe he didn't want to get wet or something or maybe lakes just weren't his thing. Hoping that they could do something else together Charlotte shook it off.

"What are you going to get yours for? Maybe I could get mine for academic achievement or something because I'm not brave..."

Moving over to look at the two empty spaces Charlotte smiled softly at them, just imagining by the time they leave school that their names would be there, for other people to see centuries later!

"Um...okay then Arsen."

With a slight sigh Charlotte let her shoulders slump, she had hoped that he would just tell her what she needed to know. But nooooooooo. Now she was going to have to do it the hard way and he may get upset.

"Well I wanted to ask something, it sounds stupid, and I know you would have told me if it was true, but are you a demon?"

He smiled. "We can go walk by the lake if you want but im not going anywhere near the edge." He smirked. "Besides i prefer to be outside in the fresh air." He smiled, he had always been locked indoors at one point he'd began to forget what the outside looked like because he couldn't bare to look out the window and see everything he was missing.

"Hmm well i'd like to get a services to the school award but i doubt that is going to happen and there's no way im getting an academic achievement like you so ill just have to see what else there is." He shrugged.

He frowned watching her reflection in the glass and stood up straight to look at her. "Where did you get that from?" He asked surely she wouldn't have thought of it on her own because he'd gotten quite good at hiding what he was so someone had to of spilled. "No... but my father is." He frowned his hands balling into fists. He'd kill whoever it was that give him away, he wanted to tell her in his own time. Maybe when he understood this a little better himself.

Charlotte had not thought that would be the response from Arsen and she wondered why then he was so aversed against water? Sighing softly she thought about going for a walk with him and how nice it would be for both of them to just have some semblance of normality for a while, and forget both of their pasts while they are together.

"Why dont you want to go any where near the edge? Afraid I'll splash you?"

Cheekily Charlotte pulled her tongue out at Arsen and poked him playfully in the arm, out of the two of them she was certain that Arsen would be the one to get an award and she wanted him to get one too, maybe it would make him see he wasn't as bad a guy that he thought he was.

"I think that you'll be able to get an award. Maybe they'll invent one just for you, you never know, it could happen. It could be the special 'Arsen' award and it only gets awarded to awesome people called Arsen."

When Arsen stood up straight to look at her Charlotte gasped softly and wondered if she had upset him by asking such a question, it was only as he answered it for himself that she began to calm down a little, maybe he was just upset that someone had told her his secret when it was obvious he didn't want it to be found out.

"Cobalt told me...I'm sorry that I found out before you wanted me to. But I don't think it's that big a problem Arsen, I'm just glad that I know now, I can understand you better and from that we can become better friends."

She smiled softly and placed a hand on his own to reassure him.

He laughed. "Maybe, I'm kinda allergic to water, irritates my skin which is not a good feeling to be honest and it takes a while to get rid of." He shuddered at the thought of water touching him. It didn't hurt him for too long unless he was on fire but it did irritate him for a while. When in contact with the water it would feel like a million needles digging into his skin but once it was out it was more like frostbite which heating himself up only made worse.

He laughed. "I hope so but i highly doubt it. Im no way near popular enough for that to happen unless the award for most freakiest or most secretive student of the year then id win hands down." He smirked it was sure he'd seen the looks he got when walking around all sat in class, everyone wanted to know the reason behind his eyes but he'd rather not let them all know because it would do one of two things. Either they would all flock to him for protection or to get themselves noticed with the schools demon or everyone will be repulsed by him and eventually the parents would complain and he'd get kicked out of school. The latter being the one he thought most likely.

"So an award for me then. No one gets called Arsen its what you call people that set things on fire. The muggles couldn't help but laugh when someone mentioned my name." He said gritting his teeth. He happened to like his name it fit more than most names did. Some names were just ridiculous especially if the persons name meant strong and they turned out to be weak mentally and physically. He gritted his teeth and punched the glass through on the nearest cabinet. "He had no right." He growled pacing up and down to calm himself down, why did other people alway have to interfere in his business.

"How could i tell you something i don't understand? There is no one out there like me for me to ask what i can do." He frowned looking down at his bloody hand then to Char before deciding to heal it. His hand erupted into flames and then seconds later when they had clear his hand was healed without a scratch or burn mark in sight. "How many people do you know that can do that? I don't even need a wand. I'm fire proof." He frowned.

Charlotte looked at Arsen when he said that he was allergic to water and she raised her eyebrow she didn't know how someone could be allergic to water and if they were what would happen when they tried to take a bath or something? Smiling a little at him Charlotte leant forward and pretended to wrinkle her nose in disgust:

"Sheesh I can tell you need a bath!"

Pulling her tongue out at him she listened to what he was saying and shook her head, she didn't think that he was any of those things and if there was that award they were surely both up for nomination. Charlotte moved a little closer to Arsen and placed a hand on his cheek smiling lightly.

"I dont think that you are any of those things and people these days have the right to be sercretive, and everyone has secrets Arsen, so you shouldn't put yourself down just because yours are a bit more serious than other peoples."

With a slump of her shoulders Charlotte realised that she was never going to get through to Arsen about just how nice a person he was when she didn't even really like his name, letting her smile form again on her face Charlotte shrugged.

"Well what do muggles know? And if they did laugh, they'd be illterate, it's arson not Arsen for fire attacks."

Gasping as she saw Arsen plunge his hand into the cabinets glass Charlotte bit her lip and tried to take it into her own to look at the damage but Arsen moved away too quickly for that and she looked at the floor humbly waiting for him to calm down a little bit.

"Please Arsen, I know you couldn't explain it to me, but now at least I know...and aren't you happy that I know and I'm still here? It's not scaring me away Arsen I'm still your friend."

Charlotte smiled and took Arsens newly healed hand in her own and kissed it softly before letting it drop.

He laughed. "There are ways to stay clean with out water." He smirked sticking his tongue back at her. "There was several actually." He smiled he liked some more than others. He nodded, he knew what she meant but he couldn't help but think bad of himself because he'd killed people and actually enjoyed it. He craved to kill more but he stopped himself each time he'd wanted to, it had become an addiction and he hated himself for it.

"I know but they can't spell anyway, so it makes no difference to them if its pronounced the same it means the same. Believe me i've explained that to them but they just laughed anyway. In the end i just left them too it." He shrugged, what did it matter what muggles thought of him? He'd never see them again if he didn't want to.

He nodded why was she still here? "I'm the son of a monster, i am a monster how can you want to be around me knowing that?" He asked he didn't understand he was used to people running from him or throwing curses at him telling him to go back to hell where he belonged but never had someone accepted him. But the truth was he was glad she knew, it was like a huge weight had been lifter from his shoulders, he no longer had to hide from her. But he wouldn't tell Professor Smith that because he had no right sharing his business.

He smiled. "What did i do to deserve you?" He asked he obviously wasn't that damned if they had allowed Char to enter his life.

Charlotte put her hand up in the air and she did her best Cobalt impression, tapping her nose and looking mischeviously at Arsen:

"The nose knows Arsen, the nose knows."

Her voice turning back to normal Charlotte smiled and shrugged her shoulders at what Arsen said, to her, he shouldn't pay attention to what a group of petty bullies said to him about his name, which she thought was always kind of cool because of that relation to fire. It fitted him better than she thought it would.

"That sounds like the best plan Arsen, after all, who cares what some dimwits have to say about you? I think you name is cool, much cooler than my name."

Charlotte bit her lip and moved closer to Arsen daring to wrap her arms around his neck and hug him properly, he seemed like he was struggling with why she was here, why she wasn't running away like everyone else.

"So what? I don't care if your a demon or not, you've never hurt me and you never will, at least not on purpose and thats good enough for me."

With a little smiled Charlotte let her arms go from around him and she looked happily up at Arsen:

"For what you've been through, it sounds like you need one good friend."

He raised an eyebrow. "The nose know? What is that meant to mean." He asked slightly confused. "You mean he has a good sense of smell?" He asked because he really couldn't think of what else she could have meant.

"Charlotte Matthews how dare you mimic me." He smirked doing his own Cobie impression. "Seems we both have that gift." He smirked. "Is that part of the metamorph thing or did you learn that on the side like me?" He asked he'd never met anyone who could do that as good as him.

"I love your name, i can always call you Bella if it makes you feel better." He smirked giving her a little wink. He frowned as she wrapped her arms around his neck, he never allowed anyone to get this close to him because he couldn't always keep his temperature down. After a few seconds of making sure he was cool enough not to burn her he wrapped his arms around her for the first hug of his life. He actually liked it surprisingly.

"I don't always have the choice Char, when im angry my body just seems to act on its own. What if one day i get so angry i end up hurting you? Or worse. What if i end up killing you?" He whispered keeping his voice low now that they were so close together. "I couldn't live with myself if i hurt you." He frowned.

He nodded, he needed her more than ever which made it more dangerous for her. "Just promise me one thing. If i ever get angry at you or anyone whilst you are around, promise me you'll go. Just leave me to vent and cool down. Please just promise me that." He begged hoping she did and she kept her word, it would help him rest easier.

Charlotte nodded, Cobalt indeed did have an unrivalled sense of smell and she presumed that was how he was able to tell that Arsen was a demon because she sure couldn't.

"Yes he really does have a great sense of smell...I probably shouldn't say any more I'll get into trouble with him."

Giggling when Arsen began to mimick Cobalt as well she listened to him, he was quite flawless in his speech and she wondered how he had been able to learn to do that, after all, he abilities gave her some qualities to their speech she just had to perfect them.

"I get some talents in mimicking voices but I have to adapt myself a little for each person, unlike you who can just amazingly do it on your own."

With a little bit of hesitation Arsen returned her hug which made Charlotte smile into his chest and she felt a lot more at ease now, she wanted him to be able to get to feel a little more human around her, and this hug was step one on the way.

"Then that wouldn't be very nice for me, but you're my friend Arsen, and real friends dont back away from their friends, no matter what their problem might be."

Biting her lip Charlotte eventually nodded and she let her chin rest on Arsens chest so she could look up at him.

"I promise."

"Pfft so its okay for him to share my secrets but if someone tells his you'll get into trouble?" He asked annoyed at who this guy thought he was. "I might just go around telling everyone his secrets see how he likes it. I swear if he tells anyone else what i am, i'll show him exactly what my demon side can do." He growled gritting his teeth.

He smiled. "Years and years of listening and practicing. It wasn't easy but i got there eventually." He said shoving his hands into his pockets. "There's not a lot else you can do when you're locked in your room alone, it was the only source of entertainment i had." He shrugged.

"Please, if your were my real friend you'd leave when you first notice signs of my temper. You getting hurt would destroy me. If you can't do it for yourself then do it for me. I could never live with myself if i hurt you, it would always be there at the back of my mind reminding me constantly that im the monster that did that to you." He frowned closing his eyes, he would not hurt her, he couldn't.

"Thank you." He said giving her a small smile, that did make him feel slightly better, he just hoped she kept her promises.

Charlotte could see that Arsen was getting angry and she wondered if she should go like he told her too but he seemed to be calming down a little bit so she stayed there so that he could talk to her about how he was feeling. Maybe thats what was making him better.

"I don't think that would be a very wise move...after all you might get into more trouble that you can handle and I dont want to see you hurt Arsen."

Speaking from the heart Charlotte clasped her hands in front of her and squeezed them tight together, so that she could regain her composure, the thought of loosing Arsen making her a little upset.

"That makes sense I guess, and it's a great party trick too!"

Now knowing that Arsen was truly serious about this Charlotte had no other choice but to agree with him, after all, there would be no other way that would upset her more, than to see Arsen hurting because of her.

"I promise Arsen, I promise I will leave. And when you're calm you come and find me okay, maybe we should make a point where we should meet?"

He sighed. "Him hurting me would be worth it if my father got revenge for me. Id love to see that smile being wiped off his face when he realises he can't win." He smirked imagining the fight between them both he would love to see that. "Besides i wouldn't go down without a fight, if im going down im going to cause as much damage to him as i can."

He smiled. "I won't start anything then, but you've got to know that i live with pain everyday. You can't be me without it, but thats okay because it fuels me." He explained. "I find myself wanting it more and more each day. What kind of person does that?" He frowned rubbing his forehead. "I'm changing Char and its not for the better, i'm angry all the time, human food doesn't satisfy me anymore and im addicted to hurting people. Each day i crave to feel someones life slipping through my fingers." He took a deep breath and moved to sit on a bench in the corner.

"Since my father appeared the demon in me has gotten stronger and i don't think i can stop him anymore." He said clasping his hands together to rest his chin on them.

He smiled. "It really is, its great for scaring people as well just wait for them to turn their back and speak in a voice that would scare them, like their boss if they are slacking on the job." He smirked.

He nodded. "Lets use the tree by the lake. Its quiet and it seems to calm me for some reason." He shrugged, maybe the water threatened his demon side and so made it hide away. He didn't know but he knew it helped.

Charlotte wasn't sure that she liked this kind of talk any more, she liked Cobalt and she wanted to be able to make sure that he could teach her what she wanted to know, and to do that, he kind of needed to be alive. Besides, she found that she quite liked the man.

"Arsen, please, I don't like it when you talk this way, especially about Cobalt because I like him, he's helping me and doing me a favour for free."

It wasn't expected, this confession from Arsen and to be honest Charlotte didn't really know what to make of it. She wanted to say that it was normal, and maybe it was for what Arsen was, but she had never had to deal with anything like this before. The only murderer she'd been around was her father, and he enjoyed it.

"Well, maybe you should try and do something else to take your mind off it, what calms you down? Maybe go and do some kick boxing to vent your anger at a tree? If you want me to, I'll try and stop you before you hurt anyone."

Although the change in subject was welcome, Charlotte was still in shock a little bit and she wondered what she was going to do with Arsen, he was her friend, her best friend, and it would be wonderful if she could help him with this.

"The tree by the lake?" she whispered "Okay then we'll meet there."

He sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, i can't help myself. Its getting stronger Char and each day it gets more and more harder to contain it." He admitted opening his eyes. "I don't think i will be around for much longer if i carry on this way, it will kill me if i don't submit to its desires i can feel it already crushing my organs." He frowned he had no idea what to do, as far as he was concerned he had two options one carry on fighting the demon and end up dead by the end of the year or submit to the demon and let him have control so he can live. Both had their appeals.

He shook his head. "I've tried all that nothing works... except when im around you. My temper doesn't seem as bad and its easier to clm down around you." He said but he couldn't follow her around all day in the hope he'd stay calmer because that would annoy anyone and he didn't want to annoy her.

"No! I don't care about them, only you. You promised to leave before i could hurt you, please don't go back on your word." He begged, he couldn't bring himself to think what he'd do if he hurt her.

He smiled a little. "Thanks and if you find im still not calm just push me in the lake." He said that would irritate his skin enough to make him forget about his anger.

Charlotte had no idea what to do. She could give advice as much as she liked but she didn't know if any of it would actually help Arsen, maybe it would only make him worse? Then it would be all her fault that something happened to him! And she couldn't live with that fact in her mind if it came true.

"Well...I don't know, have you tried trying to make a deal with it? Maybe if you let it out every other night it will give you the rest of the time to be yourself? I'm sorry I don't know how to help..."

When Arsen said that she help Charlotte felt a little glow of pride, she could help him, simply by being around him, and that was what was so nice about it, it helped Arsen by her just being herself.

"Then I think we should make it a point to meet everyday. Maybe twice a day! Whenever you need to calm down come and find me, and if it gets too dangerous I'll leave and we'll meet up by the lake?" she suggested

Charlotte nodded and swept Arsen up into another hug, blushing even before she did it Charlotte tilted her head up and kissed him softly on the cheek.

"I will keep my promise Arsen don't worry."