Crimson and Silver

The Man With no Heart

"Another one, DeWitt? Should I cut you off again?" The bartender grunted. I looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. The small bar had only a few people in there now. Time passed by quickly in here, but I didn't care. Today hadn't been the best day. "Why're worrying? You my mother?" The bartender rolled his eyes, handing me another glass of whiskey. I smirked, taking the glass in my hands. Being here wasn't unusual for me, but on weekdays it was a little odd.

"How's workin' for them been lately?"

"Same as always."

The bartender nodded, leaning against the counter. His dark eyes gazed at me, making me uncomfortable. Looking away, I listened to the faintness of the radio at the end of the counter. I could barely hear the voice over the four men playing poker at the table not far from me. If it were any other night, I'd be playing with them, but tonight was a different night. Unable to relax anymore, I slowly stood up from the seat and handed the bartender my fee.

"Woah. You're paying me. Today must be a lucky day!" The bartender said with a cheeky grin. I chuckled, rolling my eyes. "Don't make me regret it." He nodded to me, waving as I left. I'd been there so many times, we were almost friends. The only people I could call that were those who were useful to me. That bar was the only place I wasn't bothered. Home was a different story. I chuckled to myself, thinking about just a few short hours later.

"Hope she ain't still mad at me." The argument forced me out the door, but I knew I'd come back. I always came back. Where else did I have to go? She was my only home. The thought of her brought a smile to my face. "She better feel lucky," I mumbled, laughing to myself. She wasn't the lucky one, though. I definitely was. She found a way to become the most important thing to me. Losing that was not an option. That woman was my future, and was carrying my child.

I walked up to the apartment, sliding in the key. The first odd thing was that the door was unlocked. The second... was the silence. She wasn't even speaking or moving around. Everything was quiet. I opened the door, shutting it behind me. At first I thought she was asleep, until I heard the crash. I ran to the back room where the sound had came from. That was when I saw it. The creature standing up from something. Its back was to me, but I could see a flash of blue and red.

I didn't have time to react before the woman ran to the window, chuckling softly. The chuckle rumbled through me, any fueling my anger more. She disappeared from the window in a flash. "Damn it," I cursed. Clenching my jaw, I looked around the room to make sure nothing was taken. But then, I saw her lying on the ground. Everything crumbled then. I may be strong, but that destroyed every wall around me. That world I had built around was now gone. She was gone, and so was my child.

"Hello! Booker, are you even listening?" The shrill voice pierced through my thoughts. I blinked, slowly recovering my sight again. I cleared my throat, looking over at the woman in front of me. "Sorry, Rayna. It's been a long day," I mumbled. Rayna rolled her eyes, but chuckled softly. "You're always off in your thoughts. You have a cute look when you're thinking about something." I shrugged, not remembering what I was even thinking about. Rayna smiled, her blue eyes skimming the small diner.

I leaned back in my seat, sighing. It was nice to be away from work. Even though I hadn't known Rayna for that long, she was good company. "How has work been treating you?" She asked. "Fine. The job is pretty quiet most of the time." She nodded, sipping her coffee. "I can imagine. Tell me again why you decided to become a private investigator?" I chuckled, watching her stir the drink in her hands. Her hands were small and fragile. It didn't match her tough attitude that she always wore on her sleeve.

"Why'd you become a prostitute?"

"Fair enough."

I chuckled again, sipping my whiskey. Rayna shook her head, setting down her cup. She stared out the window, sighing softly. I'd met her in a weird situation, but we hit it off better than I expected. I still remember seeing her on the corner with that idiot boy. Smirking slightly, I followed her gaze. "See that?" She pointed to a couple strolling down the street, "I want that so bad. But no one ever falls for the woman who gives her body for money." I raised an eyebrow. "Since when are you interested in love?" She eyed me, narrowing her eyes. The look on her face made me chuckle.