Prologue | Fire and Ice
"Are you quite sure you're ready for this?"
The blonde looked on at the boy before him. He had dark hair; the colour of the sky in the dead of night, when it's so dark it almost has an inky blue tint to it. His eyes were a light, contrasting blue; icy was the way to describe them. They were certainly piercing and the blonde couldn't help but feel uncomfortable as they bore into his own bright amber pair.
"Of course," said the boy with the blue eyes. "Now, why don't you tell me what I have to do before I change my mind and walk out of that door this instant?" He spoke with an air of confidence and superiority and gesticulated vaguely in the direction of the door of the little café.
The blonde grinned wickedly. As his beautiful face was contorted by the action, the other boy's cool facade disappeared and he found himself slightly scared by what he was getting into. He ran a hand through his dark hair and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The café was noisy as usual but suddenly, everything around the pair seemed to slow down and become muted as the blonde leaned forward in his seat conspiratorially. He folded his hands before him and began to talk.
The explanation was brief and to the point. Every aspect of the proposed plan was covered so there would be no need for questions at the end. The blonde had finished his coffee, though the other boy's drink had been left untouched, and he wanted to leave before the rain fell. As the blonde spoke, the other boy nodded and watched carefully as he committed everything that was said to memory.
"That is all. I do not expect to hear from you until our next meeting. Do you understand?" The blonde finished. The blue eyed boy shifted in his seat again but his facial composure remained controlled. He nodded briefly before standing and throwing a five pound note onto the linoleum covered table. He always paid for the drinks. The fair haired boy quickly stood.
They were an odd looking pair. Of course, their hair and eye colours were completely opposite but their builds were also completely different. Although both were tall, the blonde was slightly taller. But what the dark haired boy lacked in height, he made up for in muscle mass. With broad shoulders and well toned and defined muscles, he appeared to have the build of a rugby player whereas one would see the blonde as more of a cricketer or a basketball player. He was also fit but his muscles were not as built up as the other boy's. This, coupled with his height, made him appear lanky.
Together, they walked from their table and through the door of the café into the breezy spring evening. Instead of leaving straight away, they both stood just to the side of door. Blonde hunched over a little and placed his fisted hands deep into the pockets of his jeans, which hung loose on his lean body. He kept his head down and ignored the other boy who stood next to him with a straight back, his thumbs laced through his belt loops in his skin tight jeans and his head held high. They were waiting for someone. They were meeting someone.
After a short wait, they heard the familiar sound of heels clacking on the concrete of the pavement. The blonde looked up quickly, his face considerably happier looking than before. The dark haired boy's poker face remained, but he too turned his head to look at the woman approaching them. She was tall, around five feet ten inches, and her long legs were flattered by the high-waisted, wide legged khaki trousers she wore with a tight, scoop-necked cream three quarter length sleeved top.
Her face was partially hidden behind huge, white rimmed sunglasses. However, with her waist length, pin straight black hair, there was no denying that she was a beautiful woman.
"Hello, my boys," she said as she got close enough for them to hear her. Once she reached the pair she pulled in the blonde and kissed him briefly on the lips and then did the same to the dark haired boy. To observers, the act would have seemed a little strange as she seemed to be intimate with both of them but to the three of them, the greeting was completely normal.
The fair haired boy revelled in the attention and affection whereas the other boy's expression changed to a disgruntled one. The woman merely ignored them both and started walking between them. They moved as she did, flanking her almost as if they were protectors of some kind.
"I think you should be the first to know," she said, addressing both of the boys. "He's awake." The dark haired boy's heart must have skipped a beat as his hand flew to his chest in shock. The blonde shot the woman a brilliant grin and she took his hand in hers and laced her fingers through his. She did the same to the other boy who tried to smile in return at her.
"Things are going to be a lot better from here on out, I think," the woman said, giving the boys hands a squeeze. The dark haired boy grimaced.
When he returned home later that evening, all he could do was ponder when life, death and all that came between, for that matter, had become so complicated.
