FSE

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This story contains M/M romance and fire-fighting!

Flash Fry - Chapter One

Fire was a tool of nature, a universal cleanser. The greatest of all trees, the giant Sequoias, relied upon fires to clear the ground around them of lesser plants so that they could proliferate, and deep in the jungles of the Amazon native tribes burned away small, controlled patches of forest to farm upon the fertile ash left behind. Fire was an integral part of the world, and yet in modern society it so often came as a menace; a great beast to be slain, and battled only by the bravest knights of the realm in which it struck.

Even through the tight seal of his face mask, pumping oxygen into his lungs and keeping the acrid black smoke from singing his fur or stinging at his eyes, Ian was rendered almost entirely blind as he entered the blazing living room in which this suburban house fire had started. He glanced left and right in a slow, scanning arc, ducking down low in a futile attempt to see if there was anyone present; a pair of feet stumbling through the smoke, a slumped, unconscious body, anything or anyone that needed rescuing. The roaring whoosh of flames ahead was momentarily overwritten by the pressurised blast of a hose springing into life from behind him, the surge of water lashing out at the biggest ball of fire within the room, the blazing, smoke belching wreck of a couch. Before long though the blaze was fighting back, snarling and crackling, spitting molten man-made fibres in all directions as the gout of water attempted to cool its endlessly consuming rage.

Once the couch was extinguished for the most part, and the hose had cleared something of a damp path through the centre of the room, Ian pressed on inward, not able to see but aware of his partner behind him. He almost tripped over the charred remains of what he hoped was a stuffed animal, rather than a deceased family pet, and when he arrived at the far end of the smoke filled room some ten seconds later, only the vile plume erupting out of one broken window gave him any indication as to where he was in relation to the rest of the house. Feeling his way to the right, Ian swiftly came upon what he had been informed by the house's owner was the laundry room door. It was closed, thank god, and while it was stained black with heat and ash the fire appeared to have left it untouched, meaning that the room beyond was likely to be clear too.

The next minute's wait was interminable, Ian desperate to throw the door open and look inside to find what he was looking for, the missing member of this unfortunate family. He knew he couldn't though. His fellow fire-officers had to dampen the room and the blaze within to an extent that opening the kitchen door could not cause a raging backdraft as fresh oxygen flowed into the room. He almost cried out in relief when some seconds later a hand tapped him hard on the shoulder, and three fingers appeared in front of his mask. Then two. Then one. A thumbs up cleared him to go, and with all the speed he could muster Ian pulled the door open, and after seeing not a single lick of flame within darted through and sealed it behind him once more.

The laundry room was oddly quiet. It was dark too; the power was out and this room had no windows leading onto the outside, backing onto the garage at one side, the stairs down to the basement at the far end, and two more rooms of the house on the remaining sides. Fumbling for the torch within his thick padded jacket, Ian held it up several moments later and flashed it on. The thick, piercing beam lanced through the room, and a haggard scream followed swiftly in its wake.

"Hey. Hey, it's okay..."

There she was. The little girl, probably not even ten years old, huddled down at the far end of the room with a stuffed otter clutched tight in her arms. Aside from a few darkened patches on her fur and clothes she appeared mostly unharmed, having likely taken shelter here early on in the fire's spread through the house, and her lungs were clearly working all too well. She screamed and screamed, scrabbling and sobbing back against the wall against which she was leaning, terrified by the sight of this masked monster who had emerged, unharmed, through the flaming living room door. Ian glanced back towards the living room door, then towards the screaming child once again. He muttered something under his breath that might have been a curse at his own sentimentality, then dropped gently down to his knees, setting the torch down on the floor and reaching up to the point where his full-facial mask joined his jacket.

"Hold on, let me take this off. I just wanna show you who I am, okay?"

The girl kept on screaming, clearly too traumatised by what she'd been through over the last half an hour to register what the fire-fighter was saying. She only stopped when Ian pulled off his mask and helmet, falling suddenly and completely silent as she witnessed the frightful fire-fiend pulling off his hideous cowl to reveal... a rabbit, sandy furred and with shorter, more pointed ears than were probably common among his kind.

"See? I'm just a guy. I'm here to take you out to see your momma and daddy and brothers. They're all so worried about you."

The child, a red fox, sniffed and shook her head, squirming back even tighter into her safe little corner of the room.

"There's a fire. I... I couldn't get out through the kitchen door, and when I opened that door..."

She pointed at the door through which Ian had entered, and her bottom lip trembled.

"...it burned me."

Showing Ian her hands, the rabbit swore inwardly. She was burned. Only lightly, fur singed off on a few of her fingers and perhaps some first degree wounds on her palms, but that was still more than he'd wish on any child. No wonder she hadn't moved. She must have been so scared.

"Hey, it's okay. More of my friends are out there right now, making the fire go away. We've got big hoses, and two huge fire-trucks outside."

The fox blinked, trying to take in this information through her terror-ridden senses. She shook her head.

"N-no. It's there, I saw it when you came in."

Ian nodded, inching a little closer across the floor.

"Yeah, yeah it was still out there when I came in, but my friends were dealing with it. I only came in here while the fire was still burning because we needed to find you as soon as possible, to make sure that you're okay."

As he spoke those final few words, Ian's eyes widened. He swiftly fumbled at his jacket once again, and a moment later was thumbing at his radio.

"Control control, this is Eight Zero Alpha. Package located and safe. Repeat, package located and safe. Will sit until advised house is clear or told to evac. Over."

Both he and the young girl sat still and silent for a few seconds, listening to the distant crackle of flames, the rush of the hose and the faint voices of other people far, far away. They both jumped when the radio hummed into life, and a gruff voice erupted from within.

"Took your time there didn't you, Eight Zero Alpha. Message received and understood. Good job. We're almost done clearing you a path through the kitchen to the front door. Source of ignition located and confirmed as a faulty electrical appliance; on of those damned multi-sockets behind the couch. Those things, I swear, motherf-..."

Ian frantically stabbed at the talk button to cut his commanding officer off before he said something that would corrupt the young girl he was with. She however seemed more amused than anything by his reaction, and the rabbit couldn't claim he wasn't happy to hear her giggle and see her point at the radio accusingly.

"He was gonna say a bad word. My momma yells at my brothers whenever they say that word. Are you gonna yell at him?"

The rabbit rolled his eyes, grinning.

"Yeah, I think I might. Did you hear what else he said though? They've almost put the fire out, so we'll be able to walk out of here soon."

Both he and the fox glanced down at the cub's feet. She was wearing slippers, white bunny slippers in fact, and that gave Ian reason to smile, but it confirmed in his mind what they were both obviously thinking.

"...but I think it would be best if I carried you out. We don't want your slippers getting all dirty now, do we?"

Shaking her head, the fox smiled back. She shuffled a little way out of her corner, towards Ian, and tilted her head curiously, almost hopefully to one side. The rabbit beamed, and opened his arms to the young girl.

"C'mon, let's not have you hiding away any more. Come and wait here with me."

With a thankful yip of excitement, the girl scrambled to her feet and dashed across the laundry room to where the rabbit was kneeling. She threw herself headlong into his arms, and as he wrapped his arms around her Ian wasn't entirely surprised to hear her happy laughter trailing off, and soft whimpers beginning to escape her lips as she buried her face in his shoulder. The shock of being caught in a fire was enough to reduce anyone to tears, and so it was no doubt that this young child seemed somewhat all over the place in her feelings right now. The important thing however was that she was safe.

For another minute or two the pair waited there in the laundry room with only the torchlight and one another's company to comfort them. The fox sniffled and wept openly, her arms wrapped tight around Ian's neck, and the rabbit hugged her gently, rubbing her back reassuringly over the fabric of the sweater she was wearing.

Soon afterwards the radio crackled into life again, and another voice, Ian's partner, informed him that their evacuation route was clear and safe. The rabbit sighed happily, for his partner was a cautious woman who didn't use the word 'safe' lightly, and pulled his temporary charge a little closer against his thick fireman's jacket.

"Alright..."

He paused, realising with some consternation that he still didn't know this young lady's name.

"...well, where are my manners. What's your name, little one?"

The fox pulled back from her tearful embrace, though her arms remained looped around Ian's neck. She pouted, and huffed.

"My name's Sadie, and I'm not little."

Grinning and bowing his head apologetically, the rabbit rose to his feet, picking up Sadie along for the ride. She squealed and laughed as he lifted her off the ground with ease, and threw herself forward against him once more for support, tightening her grip around his neck again. Slowly and carefully, leaving his torch behind but pointing the way towards the kitchen door, Ian carried the young fox to the doorway and pulled it open with one free hand. The kitchen was clear too, though there were some visible char marks around the doorframes and more than a little bit of smoke lingering in the air, thus Ian rather rapidly padded through this room and into the hallway beyond. Here the fire had reached with almost the same degree of force it had struck at the living room, the door between those two areas having been propped open by a plastic door-stop for easy access. It clearly frightened Sadie a little to see her home in such a state, and by the time they reached the front door and emerged into the cool August evening air she was weeping again, face pressed down against Ian's shoulder.

Her weeping turned to sobbing when her mother and father, seeing their baby emerge in the grip of a fire-fighter, broke down in a mass of happy hysterics and urgent parental instinct. They ran forward, past the barricades which the local police had set up and through their garden gate, to meet Ian half way down the path and scoop Sadie out of his arms. As they fussed and wept over their scared, crying little girl Ian gently guided them back towards the barricades, and only when the whole family was reunited did he turn away from them to glance around in search of his crew.

Those who weren't even now returning inside for a damage inspection and a more in depth structural safety check were leaning against the side of their own engine, chatting with some of the guys who'd come out with the second truck. They all welcomed Ian back with a cheer, and the rabbit's partner, a tall ferret who somehow managed to look unmistakably feminine despite wearing the same gear and an even shorter, more boyish haircut than the rest of the crew, gave him a hug as she congratulated him on another successful, albeit easy, rescue.

After that proceedings pretty much went on as normal. The second truck soon departed for another job, and while most of Ian's crew went to join the efforts in clearing and securing the property he was forced to stay behind for the routine medical check-up which came with having taken off his helmet and mask in an active blaze. At least that meant he got to spend a little more time with the family, who had thankfully calmed down once the paramedics said that Sadie was in the clear, even though she would have to go to hospital for a night of observation and to have her burns more thoroughly treated once they'd given everyone else the basic check-up. The rabbit got a kiss on the cheek from Sadie's mother, and a fierce, almost desperately happy hug from her father, but it was having Sadie wander over to him, brandishing her freshly dressed and bandaged hands, and say a bashful thank you which really made his day.

Once everyone was checked out, the Ambulance left with Sadie and her mother there along for the ride. This left just the father and his two sons, thirteen and nineteen, standing outside the ruins of their home, and it was obviously beginning to hit home to them that while they were all lucky to have gotten out unharmed, Sadie in particular, they were homeless. The dad sat down on his garden wall and just stared off into space while the younger of the two boys talked with some of his friends who had come over from around the local neighbourhood, muttering about how they hoped his PS3 was still working, and saying that wherever they had to stay tonight he better be getting his own room. It was the reaction of the eldest son which surprised the rabbit however, for as he and his crew were packing up and preparing to leave the nineteen year old fox tapped him on the shoulder, and asked if he could have a word in private. Not wanting to do anything to further spoil this family's day Ian obviously agreed, and after excusing himself momentarily from his Chief, he and the fox walked a little way down the street in silence before the vulpine male began to talk.

"Look... I know we've all said thanks already, but... uh, you saved my sister's life today. I don't know how we're supposed to ever repay you for something like that."

Ian's cheeks reddened bashfully, but he shook his head.

"Hey, it's not like that. I don't do this job for a reward. Besides, your sis' was smart as hell to go and hide where she did. Even if I hadn't found her, she'd have been safe in there till we finished putting the fire out."

The fox snorted dryly, his eyes twinkling with mirth.

"Yeah, she's a sharp one. But the way she can already bend us around her little finger, I'm glad I'm not gonna be around when she becomes a teenager."

Ian tilted his head to one side.

"Oh?"

Nodding, the fox continued.

"Yeah, I start college next month. I'm not too far away, just a couple of hours by car, but I got a room in the dorms. I don't think I could stand to live here while I was at college..."

His voice trailed off, and the humour faded from his smile.

"...not that we're gonna be living here anyway, I guess."

The rabbit hated to see anyone brought down by the aftermath of a fire, especially when it was someone with what seemed to be so many possibilities ahead of them. He couldn't think of what else to do though, so he went to the old standby. He placed one hand on the fox's shoulder, and squeezed gently.

"It'll be okay. And hey, think how much you'll be able to help out your parents just by being at college. If they need someone to look after your brother and sister while they go to sort out insurance stuff or whatever, you'll be able to have them over to your dorm room for the day."

The fox groaned, and looked helplessly to the heavens.

"Oh god, my social life is so screwed..."

Ian laughed, and before long so did the fox. They looked at one another. Their eyes met.

A spark flickered.

They both looked away, blushing.

"So, uh... that was it, I just wanted to say... y'know... thanks."

The fox took a step back, then another, and turned away from Ian, still smiling and blushing bashfully. He hadn't made more than a few steps back towards his family however before he heard the rabbit call out after him, and turned back to face Ian, his cheeks reddening even brighter than before.

Again their eyes met. Another spark, stronger this time, surged through them.

"I'm Ian, by the way. I... I don't know why I'm telling you that, but there it is."

The rabbit wanted to bury himself up to his ears in sand as he spoke, mentally punching himself in the ass for being so awkward and retarded. Somehow though the fox didn't turn away from him, scowling and rolling his eyes. He smiled, and responded in kind.

"I'm Curtis. Maybe I'll seeya around, Ian. And thanks... again."

With that, the fox was gone, and Ian was left standing there, staring after him in stunned silence.

What had just happened?

Were they hitting on each other?

Was he actually hitting on the victim of a house-fire?

He shuddered, horrified at the creepiness of that thought, and shook his head.

No. He must have just been reading too much into it. After all, the fox was six years younger than him, and that was only the first of a thousand reasons why they couldn't have been flirting just then.

With one final glance towards Curtis, just before the fox vanished around the end of the fire-truck and returned to his family's side, Ian sighed and turned his attention back towards the matters at hand. His crew were probably waiting for him, and god only knew that if they got back to the station-house in fifteen minutes then chances were they'd be called out again before too long, so any rest time they got was not to be wasted. Thus the rabbit made his way back to the engine, and gave a nod and wave to the vulpine family as he settled himself into his seat and they began to roll off down the road.

The father waved back, and the younger brother gave a thumbs up. Curtis however made no gestures, but he watched the fire-truck drive away right down to the end of the street, and Ian knew that he did, because he was watching the fox in the wing-mirror all the while.

By Jeeves