(Quick chapter before I pack for the beach tomorrow and leave early Saturday morning✌️️)
You and Vincent have known each other for a couple months now, the amount of dates have grown to a whopping amount as well. He still has yet to pop the question so your relationship isn't set in stone just yet.
Smoke.
Heat.
Crackling.
Screaming.
That was what awoke you from your comatose state minutes before. At first it seemed to be nothing but a dream, a silly illusion due to the many dates you'd been on lately with Vincent. However, this dream was alot more surreal, and there was a severe lack of Vincent.
"What!" You screamed, sitting upright in your oddly lit up apartment, senses on high alert. Thick smoke invaded your lungs at a severely worrisome rate, eliciting hacks and coughs from your throat, eyes burning from not only the choking, but the heat. It felt as if someone lit a fire right below your floor and added gasoline to the mix, turning your cozy bed into a steamer.
Not until the sound of firetrucks honking and shrill alarms went off did you realize the trouble you were in, along with the severe need to pee. "Fire!" Someone screamed from the floor below, their horrid yells carrying up from a nearby staircase and straight to your nerves.
The covers around your body were ripped away and thrown across the room in a flurry of quick arm movements and desperate panic, more smoke entering your lungs. The floor below your bare feet was scalding, causing you to desperately shove them into a pair of nearby slippers, eyes blown wide in a vain attempt of finding an exit.
"Help!" You yelled, coughing into the crook of your bare arm once your breathing picked up along with your heart rate. Looking down, you noticed the tanktop you wore was covered in ash along with your spandex sleeping shorts, white and gray splotches that showed quite clearly in the dark room.
It seemed as if the fire was coming from a lower floor, furious stomping and screaming still carrying through the paper thin walls as people desperately ran down the fire exits. Without a second thought, you ran across the room and made a beeline for your apartment's door, yanking it open with brute force. Seething heat washed over your entire body along with even more smoke, burning wood filling up every sense you owned.
Your only way of exit was blocked by a large column that was originally inside one of the walls, you could possible crawl underneath it but fire had engulfed the object and it seemed to be on the verge of collapse. "Shit" You hissed, falling backwards violently as a nearby support beam fell over, crackling into a pile of ash just like everything else.
An idea sparked, quickly slamming the small wooden barrier that separated you from inevitable death, sprinting across the room towards the only window in your apartment. It was a small glass structure that you could only fit your head and arms out of, but it was only able to open a small amount in order to let in a draft of air.
Desperate eyes glanced around for something heavy enough for your next action, catching sight of a meat tenderizer in the kitchen. Before you could sprint across the room to grab it, the wall behind said kitchen crumbled, roaring flames licking the interior of your home.
You took a deep breath, backing up slightly in order to get some momentum, resting all your weight on one leg as the other swung out harshly towards the small glass. The feeling of your ankle jarring made you scream, hearing glass shatter and the whooshing of flames just at your back, growing ever closer. Breaking the window seemed to be a lost cause, your weight crumpling to the ground as your injured leg gave out, leaving you a wheezing mess.
Smoke inhalation began to take hold, your vision going hazy and limbs becoming flax in the humid room, slipping out of conscious. "Y/N!" A voice called, making you groggily look up, catching sight of a silhouette in the burning flames just at your side. Desperately, you tried to let out a scream or something to alert your presence, but all that came out was a wheeze.
The figure rushed around fallen debris and collapsed flooring, getting closer by the second. Suddenly they jumped into the room, hitting the ground heavily and jarringly into a roll, landing just at your nearby couch. Purple hair that you knew well refracted orange light as white eyes desperately looked about, they were blown wide and damp with tears, "Y/N!! Shit..". Shifty eyes finally landed on your collapsed figure, shooting up to a standing position as his hat fell off and into a dark corner. "Oh god..." Vincent breathed, landing on his knees just at your side as strong arms picked you up gently and frantically, slinging you over his shoulder.
Vaguely you could make out the sight of your savior's back, yellowish suit smeared with ash and burnt material, heavy boots stomping over burning objects. The feeling of strong hands grasping your hip and calf muscle was a comfort in the burning building, listening to heavy breathing instead of collapsing structure.
As quick as the ordeal started, you were struck with cold air, the sight of an emergency exit door quickly falling in the distance. Collective chatter and running vehicles filled the silence of night, people clustered in groups as they checked on each other, hugging and crying happening as well. The hand on your calf suddenly pulled down, one of the legs you were watching falling onto its knee on the black pavement. Gently, you were placed on the ground, tiny rocks digging into your back along with biting cold, coughing violently once the smoke was finally gone.
Vincent's worried face came into view above you, his cheeks and forehead smeared with black along with part of his nose. Giddily, you reached up, hand wiping off some of the ash with a big smile, "You got something right here". The worried look from before morphed into a fold smile, laughing as the memory from your first date came back, him wiping the ice cream off your cheek with those same words.
Those worried eyes quickly came back once you merely hacked at the action, lungs contracting painfully at the toxic substance it was exposed to. "Are you okay? I thought you had died in there" Vincent breathed, hand coming up to run though messy hair, jaw clenching at the burning building ahead.
The comfort you gave him was gently caressed along the man's forearm, successfully drawing back the other's attention. An intense look was drawn onto his features as he stared, crouched just above your body with one arm beside your head. Steadily, the other came down as well, landing just on the other side of your aching head, "Tell me if this is not okay". A look of confusion crossed your features, until Vincent leaned down, placing a lingering kiss onto your lips, the taste of fire and burnt wood heavy. As quick as it started it ended, leaving you staring up at the stars that were originally blocked by Vincent, but were now shining brightly above.
Just like that, you were filled up with warmth once again, not a literal warmth but more of a metaphorical one. It spread from your lips all the way to your toes, making them curl in your slippers at the blush forming on your face. It shouldn't be allowed for a fireman to take someone's breath away and light a fire deep within their heart, then again, Vincent wasn't like the others. After all, you two did meet at an ice cream parlor, the complete opposite of where you'd think to find a fireman in the first place.
"Hey, let me save you once in a while" You mused, looking out the corner of your eye as Vincent looked down at you from his position on the back of a firetruck. The snort in response wasn't a yes, but it also wasn't a no.
This chapter idea came from an amazing reader (and follower) of mine MythicalMeowz Seriously, they are amazing and comment frequently, one of my very dedicated readers that I adore deeply.
Another person I want to send a thanks to is KendallRed87 who always makes sure to comment nice things on my chapters, THANK YOU FAM!!❤️