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July is Flash Fiction Month! I’ll be sharing short short stories here through the month of July. More notes at the end of the story.
“Where have you been lately?” Violet asked. She and Dain were at their usual place, the rooftop of a closed tailor shop. It wasn’t uncommon to see people on rooftops, given that almost every Sylph had the ability to fly.
“Working,” he replied with a shrug.
“Uh-huh.” Violet cocked her head. “For who? Because I know it ain’t for Jax anymore.”
“For myself.”
Violet crossed her arms. “Really? After all we’ve gone through, you’re gonna lie to me now?” She pulled a slightly crumpled joint out of her pocket and stuck it between her lips.
“Yep.” A tiny smile came over Dain’s face. Irritated seemed to be Violet’s default state. It was always fun to add to it. “I’m taking a break. I’ll get back to it soon.”
Violet’s dark eyes widened. “Shit, Dain. Someone’s got something on you.”
“No one’s got anything on me,” Dain snapped back, though the blue-gray feathers on his wings started to fluff up. “It’s just something I have to do.”
“Forgive me if I don’t believe you,” Violet huffed, then stood up. “I’m off. Can’t risk being seen with you.”
Dain started after her. “Relax. It’s not like that, okay?” He couldn’t have his oldest friend leave him now. And especially couldn’t have her talking to his old crew that he was on someone else’s payroll. Jax might have tolerated Dain going solo for a time, but if he knew the truth, Dain was dead where he stood.
“Then what is it like?” Violet propped her hand on her hip. Her sparrow wings were already spread, ready to take off.
I’m working with the cops was the worst thing that Dain could say, but the partial truth he went with wasn’t that much better. “It’s a girl.”
That might have appeased anyone else, but he and Violet had done a little more than fly and smoke together multiple times in the past. No attachment beyond friendship, they’d said. But there were times when both of them hadn’t been good about following that rule.
Violet folded her wings. “What’s her name?”
“It’s no one you know,” Dain replied.
“Is she pretty?” Violet asked, walking back towards Dain.
“Why do you want to know?” He frowned.
“Just wondering who’s good looking enough to make you give up your livelihood.”
She wasn’t jealous, Dain realized. Or, if she was, it was taking a backseat to Violet’s curiosity. She was still searching for information. “She’s pretty, she drives me crazy, I’m taking a break because it would be best for both of us. Happy?”
“No.” Violet went back to the edge of the roof. “You’re throwing away everything for a girl? We’ve both done stupid things, but that might be the dumbest one I’ve ever heard.”
Violet turned away before Dain could get a proper look at her face, but he heard it in her voice. “You’ve got talent, talent that people would kill for.”
“Oh, they’ve tried,” Dain said.
“But a pair of big blue eyes comes along and–”
“They’re yellow.” The words were out before he could stop himself.
Violet spun on her heels. “She’s real?”
Dain’s heart fluttered in his chest. Cordelia was very real. And her eyes were big.
And she did, in fact, make him crazy. Not in the puppy love kind of way, but in an infuriating, self-righteous kind of way. Like how she just knew what he’d been through, and how he should have chosen another path.
But she had listened when he set the record straight. And apologized. Cops didn’t apologize for anything, but she did.
It didn’t change the fact that she was always pushing him to do what she wanted, and she didn’t tolerate any bullshit from him and…
…and he kind of liked that he challenged her.
But Dain especially couldn’t stand how she acted so tough with her magic powers and all, but was afraid of flying in open air. So he held her hand when they flew long distance sometimes, and it was nice that he could help her.
“She’s not just real,” Violet said, her jaw dropping open slightly. “You’re in love.”
“I’m not in love,” Dain shot back.
“Now you’re lying to me.” Violet smirked.
“Absolutely not. She’s pretty, sure, but she’s infuriating and she cares about everything so much and…”
And they did kiss once. Just once. But it was after the fire and their adrenaline was pumping and it was making them do crazy things.
It had been a very good kiss, though.
“There it is.” Violet grinned as the realization washed over Dain’s face.
Dain forced his expression into a grimace. “Get outta here.”
Yes, he was in love with Cordelia. But that didn’t mean he was happy about it.
Today’s story was inspired by this prompt from bunnythewriter: Yes I’m in love with her, but I’m not HAPPY about it!
See, Mom, I can write straight romance, too!
Dain and Cordelia are characters from a novel I’m taking a break on (read: it’s such a mess I can’t bear to look at). As you might have guessed, they have something of a rivalmance. Dain also made an appearance in my 2023 FFM.
I would really love to finish their story one day, but it needs a serious overhaul.
Overlooked Books 