Yunior A. Rivas

A blaze that burns brightly will quickly leave you in the dark.

Yunior Rivas

You didn’t want fire; you wanted fireworks.

For me to consume your nights in a wild, flashing display.

You wanted me radiant, reckless, dangerous,

a flame that promised to ruin you if you got too close.

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I burned brighter than I ever thought I could for you.

Every word you spoke was gasoline,

and you wanted to see how close you could come

before the fire bit back,

melting you into nothing but desire.

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You loved the chaos I brought.

You loved how I killed and thrilled for you,

the rush of knowing you could tame me for a moment,

then leave me smoldering when you had your fill.

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When the blaze softened to embers,

when my heat became steady instead of short-lived,

you grew restless.

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You pulled away,

your skin cooling,

your gaze wandering toward the next match.

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Do they know they’re just another spark in your endless quest for infernos?

Do you make their flame feel infinite too?

Do they know they’ll turn to ashes just the same?

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I see it now.

You don’t crave warmth.

You crave destruction.

You want something that will destroy others and itself for you.

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I can’t burn myself out for you again.

I’ve learned to tend my flame,

to fuel it without your desire.

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One day, you’ll wake up cold.

You’ll ache for the fire then.

Not the kind that explodes and dissipates,

but the kind that lingers and loves.

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I hope you find it.

I hope you find the stillness you’re running from,

the fire that warms you and sustains you.

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Even though you scorched me,

you still deserve to know

what it’s like to feel the quiet, enduring heat

of a fire that doesn’t demand your ruin.

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And I hope that when you find it,

you learn how to keep it alive.