you make me wanna be better - (p)

a mouse. it was a mouse, and mauve wasn't even close to being scared at it. yet, flicker still couldn't shake his fear of the little furred creature. he took a few steps away, brows scrunching slightly as he watched the mouse climb up the boy, with a small frown. "a mouse? ah.. ah ha.." he scratched at his wrist, before turning to mauve, with a small shrug. "by now I probably would of just been... doing nothing so anything you need." he grabbed the bottle, pulling away again, with a small hmph. "what do you need? I'm not sure how useful I'll be.. after all I've only ever learned to tell really fucked up jokes, and burn people." he seemed to laugh, as his gaze became colder. more sinister. he blinked and quickly snapped out of his trance, crossing his arms slightly. "it's not hard, is it?" he was all for helping, but it wasn't like he had any talents. really, it wasn't as if the center was very keen on making him feel like he could do anything. he gave up on that a long time ago. he knew they told him such things to keep him from wanting to hurt anyone.. but it only made it worse. he liked hurting others. he enjoyed it. maybe if they treated him better, like mauve always did, then perhaps he wouldn't feel like his only purpose in life was to hurt anyone and everyone he decided to wrong him. it was a long list, that was for sure, and he would never stop until it was all crossed off.

that was it? that's all that mauve wanted? he wanted him to rid the garden of these deadbushes, to keep the decay from spreading? very well then. he could do that. he could really do that. though as he began to survey each bush within the area, his head turned back with a tilt of confusion. no fire was hot enough to burn down his garden? is that what he said? a small grin, almost unnoticeable, appeared on his face, a laugh pushing his way past his lips. that sounded like a challenge. a challenge that flicker would absolutely accept, if he was given the chance to prove his skills. he always had to much to prove. he wanted to be feared, and for everyone to know just how powerful he was. though, that was hilarious considering that not even flicker knew how far his powers went. he didn't understand just how powerful he truly was. not yet, at least. still, the boy rolled his shoulders forward, his head slightly tilting again, the smile on his face seeming to spread wider, just from looking at the green haired boy, though he hadn't even noticed it. "alright, sweetheart, leave it up to me." he seemed to be a lot more relaxed, and pumped up about having to burn something. his fingers snapped as a flame appeared, floating about his scarred up hands, before he just raised a brow. "flames are absolutely my thing. i'll have this done faster than you can say flaming hot, baby." he grinned again before turning back to the bushes, and beginning to start his work. this was gonna be a long day, he could tell, but at least he was being asked to burn things down, and not being forced to sit in an ice bath, or getting poked and prodded with needles filled with medicines that were supposed go harm him, but only made him more upset. this was a hell of a lot better than that, indeed.

as he burned the bushes, his head swileved at the sound of yelling, his body flinching back in response. he may of enjoyed hurting others, but he still didn't like loud noises. even he had his fears. he stopped what he was doing, pulling his hand back and watching the flames for a moment before finding his way back in the house. "you hate it here?" his voice seemed to ring with curiosity, as his head turned to look at the cut upon the boy's soft face. "here, let me help you." flicker didn't even let mauve protest before he looked through the drawers, finding a few bandages and ointments. stuff he was very used to seeing, after all. "why do you hate it here? is it because you can't leave?" he said, gently pressing the ointment against the other's wound, then placing the bandage over it, gently rubbing his finger softly against it, before pulling away with an awkward smile. "are you sure you can't... like.. at all? you.. you helped me so maybe I can try and help you?" he was kind of.. desperate to help. he needed to help.. after all mauve looked pretty sad to be in such a place and for some reason.. it was making him sad too.

flicker hummed quietly with curiosity as the other spoke of his limited time to leave. that wasn't very fun.. now was it? it was almost as if the god thst kept him here was teasing him. he didn't ever get to leave the center. they didn't trust him. they had not thought he would have the self control to not want to burn down the entire city, but they didn't ask. they only said he was dangerous. it was true, now, yes but it hadn't always been. he just felt he had a purpose now. and that was to prove to others just how strong he was. pressing his hand against his own cheek, slightly raising his brow, the boy looked outside of the window, before turning back to mauve. "what if.. I burn it down? i know you dsid that there is no fire hot enough but... my fire is not exactly like normal fire. I can still control normal fire, just as if it were my own, but its.. different. I can't explain it." he rubbed his head nervously, tugging gently at his fingers. another nervous habit. for someone who wanted to be so confident all the time, he sure did have a lot of nervous habits. after all, he really was just a train wreck with emotions, and maybe he should of worked on that. that was besides the point here. he wanted to help mauve. plus, if he helped mauve.. he and the boy could explore together. that's something he'd always wanted to do. just explore without the worry of being judged or being nearly killed for asking.

shit! mauve was starting to cry, which immediately made it super awkward for him. he wasn't good at comfort. he barely knew how to calm himself in events of uncontrollable anger, and rage, in which he decided to hurt others. his head shook ever so slightly, before his orange orbs lit up with an idea. he had seen this in a movie before, on the rare occasions he was allowed to watch them. the guy had done this to the girl in order to stop her from crying, but he could only hope it would work on mauve. after all, he hadn't ever tried it before. straightening his shirt slightly, the boy waited for a somewhat perfect opportunity, before he gently grabbed at the boy's cheeks, pressed his lips against the other's for a moment before pulling back, and aiming to wipe off his tears in the same swoop. "i... saw that in a movie once. it helped the girl stop crying.. so I was hoping it would stop you." he closed his eyes for a moment, before looking back at the green haired boy. "stop saying that. I don't think you are stuck here forever. there is a way out. a loophole. I may not know a lot, but wispie here always tells me that there is always an escape. always." he gestured towards the flame that grew purple, in a way to indicate how flicker was feeling. the little wisp had never been purple before, and flicker sure as hell didn't know what it meant, so he simply ignored it. "if I can burn down this place.. maybe it will break the curse. after all, didn't you say you've tried before? that it can't be burned because of the curse? well, if I could set it aflame.. wouldn't that nullify the curse or something? and... and if it doesn't.. I'll personally kill that god myself. you should be able to live your life, way more than I." he was being honest. he did not believe that he deserved to have such a life, no matter how much he longed for it. plus, he was so stupid. he didn't know how anything out here in the real world worked, he would probably just end up burning down this world without much care. "I don't care about that. doughnuts and stuff. I care about helping you, though, and you should consider yourself lucky. I barely care about anything."

he tilted his head with a look of confusion on his face. why did mauve get so upset about not having... kissed him back? a small hum fell off his tongue, before his head just nodded. if this was the only way that mauve was gonna be able to let him help him.. than flicker would do it. plus, he had to admit that he really did want to kiss him back. he didn't know why, but it was nice. it made his chest feel all warm, and his heart rate was absolutely sped up. "okay, alright. just don't get so upset. it messes with my head." that was his way of saying he did not like seeing the other sad. taking a slight breath in, before leaning back in, pressing their lips together in another soft kiss, though this one seemed to be prolonged and a lot more intimate. he wasn't even sure how long it lasted, either, before he pulled back, panting slightly with a nod. "s-so you'll let me help you now?" he hoped so. this was all he wanted, after all. and for some reason, now, he wanted another kiss. he really hadn't realized just how intimate that kissing was... maybe because he really hadn't been talked about when it came to that stuff. he knew somethings like sex were way intimate, but he didn't think feelings were involved. that was probably really stupid, wasn't it?

flicker stood back up with a nod of his head, rather determined. he didn't know if mauve would watched or not, but it was alright. he didn't need an audience. "come on, willow." he spoke to the wisp, as it bounced up and down excitedly, as his head turned while he walked out of the door and towards the garden. he gently rubbed his head, with a small wince. you'll never be able to do this. he could hear a voice in his head, which made him clench his fists, with an angry huff. "shut up." he growled, at the voice which was one that came around often. the voice of doubt. the voice that wss so very responsible for his self hatred, and need to prove a point. you really think you can burn this place down? you're weak. you are nothing more than a number. a serial number. property to the government. no one will ever care about you. mauve is only using you. he doesn't care. he'll never care. he covered his ears with his head, gritting his teeth and growling slowly as if he was some sort of animal. "shut up! you don't know anything about me! I'm strong! I'm strong! I'll show you! I'll show mauve! I'll fucking show everyone!" he snapped angrily, as flames welled up in his fist, as he grunted, tossing the flame on nearby bush, watching as it caught fire for a moment, before fizzling out. with a tilt of his head, the boy blew his lips, more flames coming out and setting the bush aflame, and going on to the next one, and the next one, until most everything within the garden began to burn, leaving him laughing with a wicked smile on his face. "who's weak now, huh?! ahahaha! I'm not weak! I'm not weak!" he wasn't even talking to anyone but himself at this point, as he grabbed at his head with a whimper. "more flames.. I'll burn this place down if it kills me. mauve has to like me.. he has to. he has to."

as he watched with content as the garden began to burn, plants dying under his flames, his body seemed to perk up with worry. mauve is inside the cabin! his wisp began to speak up, as his head spun around to the burning home. he managed to jump through the small wall of flames, before gasping with relief. mauve was crying.. but he was okay. he was okay. with a wave of his hand, all the flames seems to die down, and disappear into nothing, leaving nothing but black smoke and dead shrubbery. he was quick to bend down to the level of the smaller boy, using his hands to force mauve to look up. he was quick to look over him, making sure he didn't have any wounds on his body, before he stepped back, panting slightly, as he could feel his exhaustion building. he was beginning to feel really cold.. and he didn't know why. usually he didn't feel like that until... he over did it. that's what he did, wasn't it? he was so obsessed with helping the green haired boy, he didn't even care. he slowly lowered his body to the ground, shivering slightly, as his wisp quickly making his way closer to the boy, who just gave a weak, less crazed smile towards the crying boy. "h-hah.. I told you I could... i'd do anything to make you live your dreams. it's the least I could do.. after all you could of very well gave me back to the government." his hand reached to his own cheek where he rubbed where the barcode was. he didn't know what it looked like, even though he knew it was there. "you.. are you okay? I mean I did.. kinda just... burn down your home?" while he was sure he could.. find somewhere else to stay, he didn't know if mauve would want to. this was the only place he knew. sure, he still had his powers, but he didn't exactly have a garden to take care of anymore. all the plants, especially the plants that were keeping him, were gone. burned. ashes. it was his purpose. he was supposed to keep the garden alive. and now that was gone. "I really don't.. know how to comfort you.. so maybe.. maybe we could go to that market? explore or something.. I hope i did the right thing." he seemed to mutter, rubbing his head, as he sneezed, with a groan. he didn't wanna be sick, but there was nothing he could do about that either. he did that to himself.

"well there.. has to be something I can do." he rubbed his head, thinking heavily. there had to be something he could do. a hug.. a kiss.. all things he could do, but would that work? temporarily, maybe, but he wasn't too sure about for long term. looking at the dead garden, he sighed heavily, allowing the other to grab his hand and lead him out. his head lowered to look at the ground, his eyes slowly closing, before he let out a sigh. "oh, we can absolutely go get some food and then we can.. think about what to do to help you. I may have.. done this," he gestured towards the mess that his flames had left behind. "but i said i was going to help you, and I will. I still gotta make sure you're okay." he moved to take his hand back, with a small frown on his face. "I'm okay. i-it's not that bad. the cold." he might of been lying but he didn't care. it wasn't about him. it was only about mauve. he only cared about helping mauve. "hey you know... I've always wanted to own a flower shop. would you believe before I was stolen by the government, I had plans about it? I was only five but... I used to draw silly little pictures of having an amazing little hut surrounded by plants and flowers..." he sighed for a moment. "pretty stupid dream considering i burn everything I touch."

"me? set up a flower shop? yeah, right. I still have soemthing to prove to some very not nice people." he huffed, as willow popped up beside him, squinting his eyes at the boy, who only rolled his. "relax willow. it's not like they don't deserve it." he huffed angrily, crossing his arms, his head lowering before he felt mauve grab his hand, placing it upon his bandaged cheek, causing him to gulp, as his eyes widened. he could feel his cheeks heating up more than usual, his breath catching in his throat. his eyes seemed to soften, as his head tilted with a small smile tugging on his face. before the other could completely let go of his hand, flicker managed to lean in, giving the other a small kiss on his forehead before turning away, shaking his head. "burning most things is enough, flower boy." he continued on, his eyes widening with a hum. "i've never been outside of that center.. at least not that I can remember. I can't remember any before that place." the boy shivered again, rubbing his head before just continuing on. "how long until we get to the town, do you think?"