bloom. : a fireafy fic

Chapter Ten

Leafy woke up with a start.

It was strangely quiet again. She sat up in bed instantly, her face flicking to the side to look towards Firey. When she looked over however, she remembered that she kicked Firey to the couch last night.

The door was still closed. It was generally open, but she had closed it last night in her silent hurt and fury.

She twisted her body and stepped out of bed. Her feet hit the cold floor and she winced a little. It seemed like all the kneeling yesterday made her knees and ankles sore.

She limped over to the door and opened it. When her eyes trained on the couch, she saw he wasn't there. She wasn't even surprised. It was Monday, so this time he was most likely at work.

She shrugged. She didn't have work today, so she could just chill. Maybe watch a movie. Maybe play with Smokey.

The girl limped over to the kitchen cabinet and opened a can of cat food. She dumped it into a clean bowl and placed it onto the mat.

"Smokey, breakfast!" she called out to her cat.

After a few beats she grew concerned. "Smokey?"

She looked up to the cat tree. He wasn't there. Her heartbeat grew faster and faster. "Smokey? Where are you?"

She was rushing around the apartment now. He wasn't sunbathing in front of the window. He wasn't on the couch, he wasn't sitting on top of the fridge.

Leafy's heart was racing. She was on the cusp of freaking out.

That's when her eyes caught the door.

Open.

Just a sliver, but open.

Just enough for a certain cat to slip through.

Once the realization hit her, it was as if she lost control of her body. She flung open the door and threw herself across the hall to pound on her neighbor Pin's door.

No response. Leafy was frantic. Where was she? Probably spent the night at Coiny's again.

She didn't even know what to do at this point. She ran to her apartment door, slammed it shut and tried to search for her cat. She sprinted down the hallway, knowing full well it would disrupt everyone, but she didn't care. She only cared about Smokey. She only wanted to find Smokey.

She checked every floor twice, ran down stairs so many times her already sore legs were starting to scream. She asked the lobby attendant if he saw a cat. Twice. He said no both times.

Leafy finally retreated back to her floor and slunk against her door. She was certain she didn't leave it open last night. How could the door have been open?

It suddenly hit her.

Firey left this morning for work. He must have left the door open.

Panicked, she stood up and fumbled at the door. She rushed inside, grabbed her phone, and shakily called Firey. She didn't even know what to say to him.

It rang until it went straight to voicemail.

Her thoughts surged violently. Where was he? He always had his phone, even when he was standing for security! Was he ignoring her? It was urgent!

She called again, and it rang twice before it went back to voicemail.

He was ignoring her. He was actively declining her calls.

She texted him, "pick up," and called again.

Straight to voicemail. She was crying now, uncontrollably crying. She called once more, sobbing and shaking.

Upon hearing it go to voicemail once again, she gave up and collapsed onto the floor.