Chapter Text
It felt weird, going outside after so long. Let alone at such an hour. The neighbors having a bonfire outback were staring at you like you rose up from the dead. To be fair, ever since this whole Dateviator thing's started, you had forgotten the last time you'd left your house yourself. It's not like you were lonely- furthest thing from it. You had friends, you had lovers, you were surrounded by- not people in the traditional sense but people twenty four-seven!
But somedays you had to admit. You missed taking a walk outside with out fear of Valdivian kidnapping your first new friend in AWHILE Bit you came up with a foolproof plan for THAT (thanks Sophia.) Now you're just wandering around taking an hour or two to soak in the crisp evening air air and just soaking in the moonlight. You wonder who the moon IS? Owning the Dateviators put everyday stuff in a whole new perspective. Who is the moon? Who is or are the stars? The sun, the clouds, the trees, the grass, the dirt, the road, your car, the sidewalk, the mailbox!
Who were they? WHAT were they? This is something else you loved. Introspection. With no care, no worry, no-
WEEEEE-WOOOOOO-WEEEEE-
You instinctively jump the suddenly the sound of sirens roared in your ears, as a giant blur of red and yellow ZOOMED past you the wind against your skin, and the bright red lights flashing in your eyes. You turn to see a firetruck speeding down the street. Traffic laws be damned they were heading to their destination and fast. You were tempted to turn around, but then you realized, that was the way you came from- that was- THE WAY TO YOUR HOUSE!
Without a moment to lose you give chase to the firetruck, ever since meeting Duncan, Kristof, and The Hanks, you've gotten fitter than you used to be- but you still couldn't run such a long distance. You stopped for a second, panting like a thirsty dog, only to look up and see the smoke. The smoke coming not far from... no...
No...
NO!
You got up to give chase again, sweat poured through your fantastic red shirt, sticking to your hair and pants, but you didn't care! THAT'S NOT WHAT MATTERED! You finally caught up to the fire truck, quietly praying that this was a dream, that what you think is happening isn't happening!
Then, you saw it.
Your worst nightmare.
Your house, flames pearing out every window, while being being hosed down by firefighters. Massive gushes oc water are being poured from in every window. You run in to check in on everyone but are stopped by a fireman.
"STAY BACK!"
"BUT- MY FRIENDS-! I CAN'T JUST-!"
"WELL GET THEM OUT OF THERE MA'AM AND/OR SIR!"
The firefighter ran off with determined vigor. Raising a hose to the attack the flames with a stream of water. God bless, River she's fighting for everyone's lives in there.
The firefighters held you back stopping you from getting inside, all you could do is merely sit back and watch, watch your house, your friends, your LOVERS, go up in flames.
One hour.
You were only gone for ONE HOUR!
EVERYONE GONE IN ONE HOUR!
The fire is finally extinguished. The firefighters were trying to tell you they found no one un the house, but you merely tuned them out, their voices merely deafening into a soft ringing in your ear.
But as soon as they let go. You bolted.
You swung Dorian open wide and stared on in horror. Black walls, Wyndolyn near melted, Curt and Rod on the floor and singed, Stella with holes in her steps, and Dorian... black, but still holding on.
You look up, at the black sindged smoke alarm... Arma. You look around and a distinct memory plays in your head. Something Arma said, the day you met.
'Take a look around you, at everything you love.'
'Now just think: if you're not careful it could all be gone in an instant, consumed by raging flames,'
You look over at the stares and now only have one thought. You run up the stairs nearly twisting your ankle falling into holes, the creek an uncomfortable creek as you run up, the walls are black, and the flooring was shaky at best, ready to collapse at a moments notice. You run in the attic and before doing anything, frantically start fiddling with the lock. You were suddenly VERY greatful you got a FIREPROOF safe. You frantically put in the wrong code twice before it opens. Inside is perfectly in tact stacks of Monique and... the Dateviators, Skylar.
You scramble to put them on, actually dropping the in your lap in your panic before slapping them on your face, a bright orange tint as a small flash of hearts appear in the damaged room. The hearts come and go just as fast as they always do and the first thing you immediately see are Skylar and Monique, both frazzled and confused, but otherwise physically fine.
"Oh my god! You're back!" Skylar said running up to you relieved. "We heard screaming- and- and water- and Sophia yelled these orders at us and- and not in a sexy way I-"
"Skylar, Skylar! Breathe!" You said. Skylar did as instructed taking a long breath.
"What the hell happened?!" Monique said. Wide eyed.
"A fire happened," Sophia said sternly. She also seemed unharmed, just shaken, her usual confident demeanor wavering.
"Omigod, omigod, omigod, omigod, omigod."
Zoe floated to you as well fanning herself in shock. Just as terrified and frazzled as Sophia.
"It was crazy, there, there was SMOKE, and- and the board games caught fire- and- and- then-"
"The board games?" Sophia said, as yaou all the women came to the same realization.
"PARKER!"
You run over to Parker using the Dateviators on him you get down as he is on the floor... safe to say... he's looked better. A good chunk of his money hair was singed off leaving bald spots in their place, his little backpack of boardgames was barely holding on, his face and body were covered in burns and ash, his hat was gon leaving a large bald spot in it's place, and his eyes were wide as if he had just seen world wars four through twenty thrree. A large cartoonish puff of smoke come out of his mouth, as he starts talking in a burned gravely voice.
"Still... alive!" He said. You wouldn't say triumphantly but in an attempt to be.
"Parker, oh my god..." you said. Just happy he was alive.
"You're okay, it's all gonna be okay."
Parker coughed. "You think this is bad *cough* you should see the other guy."
"Seriously, please do, I think Curt might've straight up died..."
You and the four women's collectively felt your heart rates spike at the mere thought.
Someone dead
Someone you care about dead.
Skylar clapped her hands.
"ALRIGHT! We need to go around the house make sure everyone's still alive, fabrics, wood, paper, cardboard, anyone made of extremely flammable substances are TOP priority!"
"Skylar's right. They probably got it the worse out of all of us. We should split up and cover more ground," Sophua said.
"I-I'll go to Artt, canvases are flammable right? Wait so it's paper- HOLIDAY DECORATION ARE PAPER- OH GOD HOLLY-"
One hour.
You were only gone for ONE hour.