Chapter Text
☆☆☆
Knock knock knock.
Your eyes flew open below you knew exactly why. The ceiling glared down at you, sneering in plank boards. couldn’t help but wonder if it would sink in on itself and suffocate you one day. It was a stupid, creeping feeling. Not a comforting feeling, but…
The room swam around your eyes as you blinked into the darkness, putting up your hands to the air. Fingers reached up to for the ceiling, curious about the wood. It smelled of rot.
Knock knock.
A crick of your neck (ow) and you were gazing out towards the hall. The door was open a smidge- just in case you were needed while you slept. Thought apparently, you were needed at the door. Summoning enough strength, you sank from the bed to wander to the door. Floorboards creaked and groaned as you made your way through your home- so did you. Moving honestly just hurt at this point. Bracing the shotgun by your side, you sidled up to the door, put your eye to the peephole, and focused on the darkness outside.
On the porch stood a little girl. The neighbor's girl. Why was she…?
“Lilia?”
“H-hi,” the voice the came through sounded so tiny. You immediately knew something was wrong. “What happened?”
“M-my da… they k-ki… they killed him, they killed Daddy!”
“Heyheyhey, it's okay,” you tried to soothe her, opening the door. She ran to hug your legs and you discarded the shotgun. Pulling her into your arms, you pressed a kiss to her head.
“Vi-isitors came to our hou-ouse and they-”
You hushed her, holding the little girl tight to your chest. “You're safe. You're safe here.”
“Daddy!”
Your heart ached to hear her sobs, but you knew you had to let her be sad. Your neighbor- dammit. He was a good guy. You hoped that his wife was okay, but seeing as the girl came here alone… you sighed and bolted the door, cradling her while you double-checked the locks, and once satisfied, turned on a heel and started for the living room. Curious eyes towards the doorway, you knew that the others must have heard the commotion. A tall man sat on the couch looked up at you as you walked in, another beside him, bundled up and shivering.
“What’s happenin-n-ng?” Coat guy chittered, peering out through layers. You were stuck a moment- jaw just loose and mouth agape.
“Eh… could you uh, help?” the words struggled to make sense. The tall bar guy frowned at the crying little girl. With a big hand, he patted the spot beside him on the couch.
“Set her down,” he murmured, gaze softening from initial surprise. In relief, you did so. Lilia blinked up at you through tear-filled eyes. Your throat felt tight.
“Thank you- just- I’ll be back, I left my gun.”
Bar guy nodded, but before anything more could be said, you’d retreated back to the hallway. Wall bashed into your side as you stumbled, staring at the ground.
This was a nightmare. This was hor… wait... was that… smoke?
You missed bonfires in the backyard, late nights under a starry expanse, melting marshmallows and sharing a beer or too with your tiny circle of friends. Your neighbor, a homeless drunkard or two, some lost soul who’d wandered a bit too far under the cover of a countryside beyond the city. Breathing the beautiful smell in, fingers grasped for the blinds. Plastic toppled aside.
No.
It was on fire.
The smell choked your lungs- shaking your head, you pushed away towards the front door. The shotgun lay there, forgotten beside the mat. “Welcome Home.”
You managed to snatch it by the barrel before you stumbled against the door, yanking the door open. Fuck it. You were running. All you could do was stare. Bodies decomposed in the tall grass nearby the footpath, crunching mud underfoot.
It was there, burning, licking bright, white flames, searing pain across your vision like a terrible aurora borealis.
And it was burning.
And burning.
And you screamed.
“Howdy!”
That voice was louder, more clear than the crackling fire. Whiplash almost took hold when you spun your head around so fast, heart leaping into your throat. It was impossible not to see him. Pale against the dark of night, a stark figure on a swirling, buzzing backdrop, with fire illuminating his face.
“Don't come any closer!” You shrieked immediately. Legs wouldn't move but you grasped at the ground- fuck, your gun-
The pale man started to take a step forward, putting out a hand.
“Odd to see you out he-” a clod of dirt cut him off when you chucked it at his face, taking him by surprise.
Your throat burned from screaming, bile rising up inside.
“Get away from me!”
He simply blinked, but obeyed. Still.
You booked it, legs like noodles as you stumbled back to the front of your house. Fuck, you should never left, what were you thinking!?
When you jammed the locks shut tight, your hands fumbled with the mechanism. Sweat slicked the metal and you couldn’t stop trembling. “Shitshitshit!”
All you could picture was that thing coming and breaking down your door to kill you, then creeping down the living room to- god, no-
You couldn't keep it down and had to run, grabbing onto the sides of the toilet right before retching. You kneeled there for a while, heaving what felt like your whole stomach. Limbs came back shaking when you tried to rise to your feet- knees immediately buckling. Tears pricked at your eyes and with a thunk, you slumped uselessly against the bowl.
Everything hurt.
You couldn't think.
Couldn't fucking breathe- there was only fire, smoke and death.
“Nrhgvi?”
You instinctively perked up at the familiar foreign tongue despite the pounding of your head. The door creaked behind you as someone tentatively pushed it open. Wireface's concerned gaze met yours, clouded and pained.
“Ziv blf lpzb?”
“It's burning,” you coughed, the taste still overpowering, lungs full of its horrid stench.
"Ls,” the scarred man frowned, approaching to reach a reassuring hand down your head. “Gszg'h mlg tllw. X'nviv, ovg nv svok blf.”
He tutted as he looked around and scanned the bathroom. Suddenly forward, he snatched the cup you had your toothbrush in- he discarded it and filled the cup with tap water. You winced when he put the cup to you, accidentally shoving a bit too hard. Looking apologetic, he let you take it, sipping to swish it around your mouth. Wireface flashed you a thumbs-up as you washed out, then pointed back at the sink.
"Gsviv dv tl, gszg'h yvggvi. Ru blf xzm- ls, fn, nzbyv- sviv, R'oo qfhg tizy blf hgfuu zmw blf qfhg xovzm fk wldm gsviv. Bvzs?"
His words were met with a blank gaze. Wireface let out a sigh.
"... Irtsg. Wznnrg, R drhs blf xlfow fmwvihgzmw nv."
Blank. Tears dribbled down your face and wet your cheeks. The expression of this man was one who'd never seen the Homeowner like this before. The Homeowner. The stubborn, anti-social, blunt hermit- vulnerable?
Wireface didn't know what to do. So he did what he'd do for his dear friend.
"Zoirtsg, xlnv sviv, yfw.”
You could barely register anything, but a few moments by and you realized the man had propped you up with a hand holding your shoulder to keep upright. The strength surprised you, though you did also just feel like a ragdoll right now, your body not listening to you. Wireface tried to keep you steady as he asked you to open wide, making a little “ah” sound. You did and he began to brush your teeth. You winced at the feeling, nobody ever doing it for you (save for your mother when you were little). Gravity was off-centered and you started to lean. It earned a huff from the other man.
"Dv tlggz xovzm rg lfggz blfi nlfgs li gsv gzhgv droo mvevi ovzev. Hglk nlermt-”
Once finished, you took another sip of water to rinse out your mouth, and spat it out like a tired toddler. Wireface was sitting back, waiting. "Blf lpzb mld?”
You grunted. You knew you should thank him for doing all that, but you didn't know if he'd even understand it. He started to help you up and the two of you left the bathroom, footsteps fumbled.
“Xlnv lm, ovg'h tvg blf gl yvw."
Nearing your bedroom, you passed by the living room door and you stopped him, suddenly fearful.
“Wait, Lilia-” you wheezed, “Wha-at about Lilia?”
“Lil… lia?”
You nodded, making gestures- showing that she was short. She had long hair. You pointed at the door. Lilia.
“I have to-” your breath stole itself from you, stuttering. “Her- pro-m-mised I'd ta-ake care of h-her-”
☆☆☆
Lilia lay curled up against the cushions, resting her head on the bar guy’s arm. Coat guy blinked at him. He knew his companion had a bit to drink earlier- been nodding off ever since til the Homeowner had come. And, admittedly, he would normally be jealous of anyone taking up the only warmth on the couch, but this time, it was just a child. He’d stayed awake long enough to speak to the Homeowner and offer comfort to the kid, but now, he was dozing.
“... Y-Yesenin? Are you awak-ke?”
The bar guy’s eyes cracked open.
“Mm.”
“I think everyone's in this room, now.”
Yesenin looked around at that, curious in his drowsy state. Between him and his cold companion was the little girl, but now the Homeowner lay on the opposite side of the couch. Beyond that, the fireplace- long dead and unused, the Firefighter and Wireface sat. The latter watched over the couch-goers while absentmindedly rubbing a finger over his wounds. The Firefighter rested ever-so-slightly against him too, simply leaning his tired head on the man's shoulder. Noticing Yesenin and Coat guy's gazes, Wireface gave them a wave.
Eyes falling back shut, the bar guy let out a hum.
“Does seem that way.”
☆☆☆
Everything was quiet in the house, all its residents eventually asleep in the living room. Down the hall, the shotgun had been completely forgotten, and laid under a slightly ajar door. A chilly breeze blew in through the crack, then a large shadow fell over the floor. It stood there for a moment or two, debating the possibilities, before slowly, gently, a pale hand reached in to grab the handle, and quietly shut the door.
With the mechanisms finally in place, they locked tight and you,
and your people,
and the house
were safe.
☆☆☆