Pyro

“Another fire and no leads! This is madness!”
Marco exclaimed as he walked inside, taking off his coat.

Giov was silent as he handed me a cup of hot chocolate.

We were in the next month, and it was now the seventh fire.
A house was the victim this time.

“…I’m still not making any accusations.”

Marco gave him a look of disbelief.

“Oh, so what do you think is going on, Giov? Maybe, this town is on top of some mysterious underground volcano, erupting small amounts of lava under different buildings and houses and setting them on fire! Because that makes so much more sense than the accusation of arson!”

“I’d rather believe that than accusing our fellow townspeople of such a horrid crime.”

“So naïve…Do you know what the police found this time? A match. Pietra doesn’t own any matches. She’s not a smoker, nor does she own candles, yet her house went up in flames from that match!”

Giov didn’t respond.
Marco sighed and placed a hand on Giov’s shoulder.

“I know you still want to have faith in our town and our people, Giovanni. I respect you for that. However, this is a serious matter that the town is faced with and I want whoever is responsible to be brought to justice, and I know I’m not the only one.”

Giov still kept quiet.

I sat in silence as well, finishing my drink.

“You’ve been very quiet over there, Alessandro.”
I shrugged my shoulders as a response and took one last sip.

“I still don’t have much of an opinion. Not everyone is wound up about this as much as you are, Marco.”

He scoffed.

“Tell that to Pietra and the burnt remains of her house.”

I nodded and stood up from my seat.

“Thanks for the drink, Giov. You two have a nice day.”
Giov waved while Marco scoffed again, and I was out the door.

//πυρ//

“Hey, Pyro. Can I ask you something?”
“What is it?”

I swung my dangling legs back and forth, watching him strike the match on the box – I recently noticed that it had script in Russian on the cover –, bringing the flame to the cigarette between his lips.

“About the fires that have been happening lately…What do you think…?”
“What made you ask me that?”

He put the box of matches back into his pocket, his hand trembling slightly.

“Giov and Marco were discussing the cause of them again. Marco thinks it’s arson. Giov doesn’t.”
“What do you think, Alessandro?”

He placed his hand on top of mine, intertwining our fingers.

“I don’t know what to think…I don’t have an opinion on if it was arson or not. I just feel that the flames bring color and change into the town, but sadly, it also brings destruction.”

He chuckled and pressed his lips against mine, blowing the smoke into my lungs.

“You really are interesting.”
I blushed and exhaled the smoke without coughing.

“What do you think…?”
He brought the cigarette to his lips one last time before snuffing it out in the grass.

“Marco was always quick to accuse. He’s an impatient and untrustworthy man in my opinion. I wouldn’t take what he says to heart. As for the fires…”

He kissed me again, slipping a hand under my sweater.

“…I feel that they’re doing the town a favor.”

Once again, I didn’t question what he said.
It’s almost as if he has some sort of hypnotizing effect on me.

His lips on mine. The feel of his fingertips brushing my skin. Our body temperatures contrasting with the air around us.

“Let’s go.”

It was demanding, yet lustful and needy, and I complied.

We were home, clothes discarded and our bodies positioned on my bed without any more questions.

I still don’t know much about Pyro, but I cannot deny how he makes me feel.

He has a firm grip on my hips. His lips are pressed against my stomach.
And soon, I lose my train of though.