bloom. : a fireafy fic

Chapter Sixteen

He sniffed and wiped his eyes again, trying to hide his tears, but more kept coming.

Firey scowled. He hated crying. He wanted to stop crying, but every time he thought his his feelings were finally under control, he would remind himself of Leafy and start choking on his tears all over again.

He had been wandering the streets for some time now. He didn't know how long it had been, but the amount of people on the street with him had been steadily decreasing until now. Now he was alone.

The feelings of guilt were way passed intense. He felt so angry with himself, so hateful, and so alone.

How could he do this to Leafy? The person who stuck by him for everything, through limerence and through love. The person who waited for him, still loved him, even while he went off and ruined her reputation. The person who was willing to forgive and let him back in despite the fact he left her, betrayed her, and dated someone else.

He should be thankful for her. She didn't owe him anything, and he owed her the universe. He was so, so angry at himself.

It was too cold to think properly. He shivered and heard his teeth chatter. It was supposed to be spring, how was it so cold?

He felt like a lost soul now. Without Leafy, he had no tether. He was free to be aimless without purpose, but it made him unhappy. He wanted a purpose, he wanted a life, and he wanted to settle down.

A shadow bolted out in front of him and he stopped dead in his tracks.

Who just ran past him?

The shadow stretched out across the pavement and Firey could make out the form of an elongated cat. Was a black cat really crossing his path? He had to most amazing luck, he thought sarcastically as he looked up.

The cat was not black. It was a flame colored orange, bright and obnoxious against the darkness of the gloomy night.

It was none other than Smokey.

"Damn cat!" Firey called out to the feline. "Come here!"

Smokey made eye contact with him and he could swear the cat deadpanned. He felt as if he was being judged. How did Leafy love this cat unconditionally? This cat seemed to be the most judgemental, untrusting cat in existence.

Smokey flicked his tail and bounded off in the other direction.

"That's the exact opposite of what I wanted you to do!" Firey was instantly livid. He sprinted after the cat at top speed.

When the cat turned a corner, Firey was catching up. His lungs felt like exploding under his ribs. He was incredibly out of shape. He made a mental note to start working out again.

However, when he got to the corner, the cat was nowhere to be seen. He looked around, and there was no movement around him, no sign of any other life form.

Panic set in. He checked behind houses, around street lamps, and under cars. No Smokey. He called out for the damn cat again.

Naturally, the cat did not answer, because he could not speak. Cats are not dogs either, and they don't come when called. Idiot.

"No!" The ginger sank to his knees and pounded his fist against the pavement. Too hard. He winced and cradled his hand, regretting the instinctive catharsis. That hand was going to bruise tomorrow.

He put his head in his hands. If only he caught the damn cat, he might have had a chance to make something right with Leafy. A chance to pay one debt when thousands were due.

And his chance slipped past him faster than he could blink.

A rustling sound made him look up and he saw the damn cat rolling around in some white flowers.

Maybe the cat was a dog. He couldn't really tell anymore.

The cat was watching him through narrowed eyes. It scared him. It's impossible to really tell what animals are thinking.

Tentatively, he stepped closer, and when Smokey didn't bolt, let out a sigh of relief.

"What are you doing in those flowers, dude?" Firey asked the cat. He always felt stupid talking to the cat, because the cat somehow made him feel stupid. The cat was in no way smarter than him, though. It couldn't be possible. Cats can't really do anything. Cats don't even have opposable thumbs.

Smokey looked at him for a second before rolling in the flower bed once again.

Firey looked at the cat, and then at the flowers, and something seemed off.

It was dark outside, and the flowers were blooming.

"What kind of flowers are these?" He asked no one in particular. Maybe he asked the cat. He stooped down to take a better look, and indeed, the flowers were in bloom.

Firey squinted and pulled out his phone to do a quick Google search. He wasn't one to be fascinated by flowers, but the night does things to a person.

Moonflowers.

Even though it's night, they still bloom.

Firey paused and looked at Smokey. The cat probably didn't know this, but he was helping.

Even when Leafy is lost in her depression, her character still blooms. She tries her best. She expresses herself.

Even when their relationship is in the darkest hour, their love for each other still blooms.

All he did, however, was avoid her. Ignore her. Assume she would react a certain way when he may have been incorrect on his deductions.

He had to get back.

"Come here," he mumbled as he grabbed the orange rascal. Smokey didn't even fight. He just let himself be picked up. Firey looked at the cat. He actually was pretty cute.

"Let's get back to Leafy," he said with newfound determination. "But first, we need to do something."