He is only ashes, now, facing the same future as the match he holds between his thumb and index fingers. It revolves as he spins it, so whole, so real. He sighs with unknown resolve, realizing inside that once you've involved yourself in fantasy, nothing stays real for long.

Everything turns to ashes, eventually. Everything and everyone.

He burns slowly, the same way he lives. Everything is enunciated clearly, like the soft whisper of flames licking a locked door. Nobody else can hear it, of course. They would open the door, if they could, but instead he is left to be engulfed by the hands of the fading smoke.

The match strikes like lightning, and he holds it in his hand until he can feel the fire grasp for his fingers. The flames are reflected in his sapphire eyes, giving them the proper tint of mad desire. Then he drops it, watching only long enough to watch another reality turn to ashes.

Like most who take joy in setting reality aflame, he stays at the scene of the crime, watching with tired eyes as the blaze swallows the sky neatly. The sound of his fire is never interrupted, just the way he likes it. Now, it's blackened and charred. The same way that his legs, and arms, and face are all singed with the fire he had helped her light. She hadn't let it touch his heart, because that was only hers to set on fire.

He walks with clear, careful steps, as swiftly as always. As unnoticed as the man behind the locked door. If one were to try to open it, they would only get burned.

A match can fall to the ground, and be picked up by an onlooker who cares to do so. But ashes whisper through the air, and slip through fingers. Ashes are between the living and hell. You can't catch them, but you can see them and feel them as their existence runs across your cheek.

He's only ashes. He's only half there.


A/N:
Thanks to hopelily for the beta. The theme and the summary words belong to Something Corporate. This was an Orion Awards Secret Santa for Jangrafess Sorry, it's not great, but I hope you like it :P

Disclaimer: All of it either belongs to Eoin Colfer or Something Corporate. You figure it out.