The cool, autumn air danced around Vic, gently tussling his hair and shoving past the warm colored leaves descending from their year long homes. Reds with burnt sienna edges and yellows with fading emerald green stems tried to act as obstacles, falling in front of Vic's feet as he walked the concrete path. The atmosphere, calm and relaxed, reminded him of the autumns he'd seen with his other half.
He remembered the walks they'd take under the color shifting trees, breathing in the scented air that always smelled of cinnamon and pumpkin from local stores bringing in new fall flavors. "I want a pumpkin pie now." Vic would laugh when he'd catch the scent swarming the air. "Same here." Kellin would chuckle. Vic caught himself smiling at the memory as he walked. His nostrils picked up the distant smell of cinnamon. His heart kicked in his chest and fell, bringing his mood down with it.
He wrapped his scarf around the lower half of his face, making sure to cover his nose, and shoved his hands in his jacket pockets once more. Vic payed no attention to the stores across the street, nor to the famous fall scents they emanated from their constant opening and closing doors. Vic focused his eyes on the ground as he walked, flicking his eyes to fallen leaves time to time because of their new shade.
He felt his heart ache a little when he looked up from the ground to see the bench they'd used to sit on. Occupied, he glanced at the wooden bench so he wouldn't appear as a stalker staring at the people on the seat. Vic remembered sitting on the chilled wood, head rested on the wool covered shoulder of Kellin and a sigh of content escaping in a small, faint fog. "It's so perfect out here." Vic would say. It would be a thought spoken mindlessly out loud to which Kellin would reply "Not as perfect as you." Vic would roll his eyes and smile at the clichè compliment, but really he loved that Kellin thought of him that way.
He felt his heart race when his body walked into someone else, due to him not paying attention to what was in front of him. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking." He quickly apologized. Vic felt his blood stop and his body tense when he saw who he bumped into.
Kellin.
"No, it's fine, really." Kellin smiled, adjusting his scarf to tuck into his jacket. Silence fell between them as they both drank in the sight of each other. A year and nothing changed about them, physically at least. Kellin still had his long hair that curled loosely at the ends, the same bright smile Vic adored and the same beautiful shimmering blue eyes he longed to see. Vic studied him a bit longer until he finally spoke to break the silence. "You remember me, right?" He said. He's not sure why he asked that. He knew Kellin would remember him, but something in him had an overwhelming sense of doubt that he had to ask.
"Of course I do!" Kellin beamed. Vic felt his heart fluttered at the enthusiasm radiating from the man standing before him and he smiled. "Really?" Vic asked, still smiling. Kellin nodded. "Yes! You're Vince!"
So he didn't remember.
Vic's smiled faltered until it disappeared. His heart, and he wasn't exaggerating, felt as though it broke a little. The burning in his throat creeped up again, scratching and leaving a sparking trail until it reached the back of his eyes. "N-no, my name's not Vince. It's Vic." Kellin dimmed his smile a bit and blinked in realization. "Oh, right. Sorry, I'm bad at keeping names." 'Obviously', Vic wanted to say but he held his tongue. Vic swallowed the tightness in his throat and opened his mouth to speak. "Listen Vic, I liked bumping into you and talking for a bit, but I gotta go." Kellin said, gesturing behind Vic. He turned around to see a brown haired woman smoothing the fabric of her coat over her round stomach. "Oh. No, no I understand." Vic turned back to face Kellin. "I'll see ya around, Kellin."
"You remember my name?" Kellin said, shocked that Vic could remember his name but not his "Of course. You were really important to me." "Aw, that's so sweet." Kellin smiled. He gave a quick pat on Vic's shoulder and walked past him to meet his waiting lady.
"I'll always remember." He said quietly and resumed his walk.
