Blazing

"If this between us is real, then I'll stay," he whispered, bowing his head low and crowding her.

Someone had swapped the normal blue LED of the streetlight out for a red one, making the entire street look like something out of a nightmare. The animals liked it though, she could tell by the gathering of raccoons at its base and the cats slowly wandering in.

"I will, Zin." He stepped closer and softly grabbed her hips. "I wanna stay. Feels so good to be by you."

It smelled like his detergent.

Zin liked the smell of his detergent. It was like a fresh summer day. It was warm. Soft. It was lying in a field and playing around until her cheeks were sunburnt.

And it was standing in this alley halfway between their houses because she couldn't commit to bringing him home or staying at his anymore. She couldn't stand the way he fell in love with her more each time they fucked. Couldn't stand that stupid, lovesick look he wore when she was at his place.

So she started fucking him in the alley between their homes instead.

He took it without complaint.

"I love you, Zinny. You know that right? Love you so much."

He bowed further, his shadow turning into a black cane as his hands skated up her sides to her neck. His hands were huge and soft, like useless bear paws. Lips interrupted with a smooth silver ring bent low and paused.

"But I won't kiss you until you tell me."

He had such pretty eyes.

They were true grey and swallowed the color in this light, only to spit out a brighter hue. His eyes were always beautiful. Always earnest. Zin was rarely this close to his face. Regret flooded her suddenly as she stared deeply into the man's eyes. It was a shame she did not spend more time looking at him. Looking at those eyes.

He was so sad. The beauty of his eyes softening like this only made it more apparent how much he was suffering. Sick to death with loving her.

"So, is it? Is this real?"

"No, Kenzo."

A nuclear bomb exploded in his soul. There, she could see the flash in his eyes.

"It isn't real?" he whispered.

The shockwave punched through him as he stumbled backward. He looked like a thespian under stage lights, ready to give his final speech.

"No."

There was the fallout. Tears down a good man's face. Agony tightened around his eyes. His chest jittered in a way that betrayed how hard the words hit him. His entire body was curled away from her now.

"Then...I guess I won't stay," he said, pulling himself together. His words were harsh then, cold with hurt, shocking Zin so severely that her hands went numb. "I won't stay, Zin." He paused and turned away. "Goodbye, then."

Somehow the world became frigid.

An Ice Age had frozen her soul.

Kenzo was gone.