insurgents | PSL for radaring

[It's one of those things that are impossible to describe after they happen, because it's so difficult to focus while it is happening, that any and all attempts at recollection are nearly useless.

What Tori knows is this: it was Wednesday, mid-afternoon, and she just got home from her last class of the day. She didn't have to go work in the campus IT center, and since she was actually feeling tired for a change, she decided to take a nap. She stripped down to her panties and a tank top and lay down on the couch, determined to sleep for at least two hours until her roommates came home.

The next thing she remembers is smoke. Thick, cloying smoke, making her eyes sting and her throat tickle; hot, heavy smoke that made her claw at the blanket she'd wrapped around herself. Things happened between waking up and getting outside, but she doesn't really remember them. One moment she's pawing at the floor trying to find her glasses, and then the next she's standing outside on the curb, shivering in the crisp spring air, watching the quaint little duplex she shares with her friends go up in a ball of fire as the screaming wail of the fire department sirens grow louder.]

[Fili can't even sit properly in the truck. When they got the call, it was stated clearly: it is a fire, and a dangerous one at that, it seems. His hand is already on the handle as they approach the scene, ready to open it as soon as they pull to a halt.

He sees the fire first, from far away - it's only when they drive closer to the building, flames bursting wildly from every window, that he looks at the surroundings. There are a few people across the street, though he can't tell if they're tenants or just other neighbors, and then he sees the girl sitting on the curb.]

Is that... [He squints his eyes and leans forward, but before he finishes his thought he's jumping out of the truck, which is still slowing to a halt, stumbling a little before he regains his balance. At first he thought there was no way, what are the odds that it would be Tori on the site of the fire they had been called to? But as he rushes over, it's obvious that he's not mistaken. It is also obvious, by the ash and dirt covering her, that she had been inside when the fire started.]

Tori!! [He all but falls on his knees, putting a hand on her shoulder, the other still carrying his helmet.] Tori, are you alright? Is anyone else inside?!

[She's completely forgotten about her visit to the fire station a week ago, completely forgotten about the cute blond firefighter who took her out to breakfast, completely forgotten about everything. She's cold and shivering and everything she owns in this stupid fucking state is going up in flames and there is nothing she can do about it.

She's shaken out of her reverie by someone kneeling in front of her; when she looks up and recognizes the firefighter who's stopped to talk to her, she can't help the sudden tears that spill down her cheeks.] Fili.

[Still trembling, she tries to focus long enough to be able to respond to his questions.] N-no it's just me upstairs... I don't k-know about d-down... I don't th-think so... [She glances back at the house for a moment before snapping her attention back to him.] Alice! My cat, she's still inside. [Her hands fist the front of his thick jacket, no longer shaking simply by virtue of having something to hold on to. She knows that human lives are more important to them, but her cat is still her cat, and she doesn't want to lose her.] P-please, I think she's still there, I didn't even check...

[Out of the corner of his eye, he spots the rest of the team asking the other tenants about anyone else still being inside. But his attention is on her, especially when she clings to his jacket and mentions her cat.

The brief relief that he had felt when she told him there was no one else is gone quickly, replaced by a serious stare and a curt nod. It could be a mouse, for all he cares. It's her pet and she cares about it, and it's probably scared and trapped up there.]

I'll get her. [He doesn't even ask the floor, which, when he comes to think of it, is a pretty bad thing to forget. He just stands up, puts on his helmet and runs towards the door, the calls of some of his colleagues flying over his head as he steps into the building and disappears right up the stairs.]

[It's a small building, and there's only two units, it shouldn't take him long to figure out where she lives. Or lived, as it were, because she definitely won't be living there any more.

She stands to watch him run inside, her heart lodged in her throat, shivering from a combination of cold and fear. Intellectually she's always known what firefighters do, but it's one thing to see it on TV and something completely different when you're watching someone you know and like go running into a building that's roaring with fire. She can almost feel the heat all the way down by the street, though that might by psychosomatic.

Someone winds up bringing her a blanket to cover herself with; she barely manages to stammer out a thank you, her attention still fixed firmly on the house.]

[It doesn't take him long to figure out, it's true. As soon as he reaches her floor, or as soon as braving through the fire allows him, he walks into what used to be her living room and the several computers, most of them now either burning or melting with the heat, tell him that it has to be her house. The problem, though, is that cats will always hide in the smallest of places, especially if they're scared.

He's just thinking that, wondering how will he find her pet before he gets burned down along with the rest of the building, when he hears a loud meowing. Without thinking he goes towards it, until he spots, on a corner of the kitchen that miraculously is not on fire yet, the tip of a furry little tail poking from behind the fridge. Quickly, and hoping that the cat is too frozen in place from the panic to run from his grasp, he leans over and picks it up, holding it against his chest and shoulder.

It takes him a few seconds longer to get out than it did getting in, the flames rising higher and pieces of burning wood falling in his path, even with the rest of the squad already hosing down the place. He has to jump down half of the stairs, which have crumbled to pieces - he thinks he might have sprained his foot at that, but no matter -, and in a moment he's stepping outside onto the fresh air, kitty still clinging quite violently to his neck.]

[As she's standing there watching, the heat from inside the building builds up enough that all the glass still left in the windows explodes outwards in a shower of glittering shards, and Tori can't help the terrified little cry that escapes. The rest of the squad is hosing the house down, huge jets of water arcing across her front lawn, and she can see one or two of them milling around, making sure that there's nobody inside, but she can't see Fili.

She's just about to grab one of the other firefighters and make them go inside to go find him when movement catches her eye. Finally, stumbling a little, a figure emerges from the billowing smoke in the doorway; it's Fili, with Alice clinging to his shoulder, her beautiful white fur sooty and singed.

Relief makes her knees weak and she almost collapses, but she manages to keep herself upright for just long enough that he can make his way down to the street. She takes a few steps and flings herself at him, the blanket completely forgotten, crying into his shoulder as her cat yowls and twists to cling to her instead.]

[Fili is a mess himself, that quick run into the fire more than enough to cover his clothes and face in soot and ash. But he's smiling anyway, even with the scratches on his chin and neck reddened and bleeding a little, and with his breath short and a little strained.

It's not the first time he's hugged after helping someone, not really, but still it catches him by surprise. He lowers his head nonetheless, chin resting on top of her head, and after the cat is safely clinging to her he uses his now free hand to take off the helmet, then wraps that arm around her, the other seemingly busy holding something else.]

[She doesn't care about the soot on his jacket, or that she's ruining the only clothing she owns right now by hugging him, she's just so grateful that he's okay and he saved her baby, it's all she can do to stay upright.

She thanks him again and again (and again), one arm wrapped around her terrified little cat, the other still wrapped around him, her hand fisted securely in the thick, hot fabric of his jacket. He smells of smoke and chemicals but it's reassuring instead of frightening, and she couldn't really make herself let go if she tried.]

Fili.

[He lets himself close his eyes for a moment, his breath calmer with each inhale, though he'll probably have to get his throat checked out just to make sure the smoke didn't burn him.]

Yes. [He says finally, his mouth too dry and his voice hoarse, so he coughs before he adds a little softer, his arm tightening just a hint around her for a moment.] I'm sorry.

[He tries to take a peek down at her, to see if she's hurt in any way, since their encounter before had been very brief, and hardly enough for him to make sure she was alright.]

[If this were any other situation, she'd probably be mortified that she's standing out here in her underwear and a camisole, but considering all her clothes are burning right now, she's kind of low on options. And anyway, she's just too happy that he's okay and she's okay and her cat is okay. Everything that's really important is okay. Except...]

My computers! [She wails, obviously feeling better if she can focus on her computers instead of herself, and pulls back enough to stare forlornly up at what used to be her bedroom window.] Fuck, all my projects...

[He winces apologetically, letting his arm drop when she pulls back.]

I'm sorry. I couldn't save any of them... [It's genuine too, he had tried but not even the laptop was salvageable anymore.] I did get this, though.

[He pulls back a little more, enough to lift up what he's holding with his other hand and handing it to her. It's an external hard drive, covered in ash but, save for a little scratch, still whole. Not that he has any idea, it simply was the only remotely computer-like thing small enough that he could carry outside along with the cat.] I'm not sure what it is, but it was the only thing I could reach.

[She's grateful that her tears have mostly stopped, which makes it a lot easier to see. When he brandishes what little he managed to save, though, she feels her eyes well up again and her breath hitches.]

Fuck, I could kiss you.

[She doesn't, she just reaches for the drive he's holding with the hand that's not cradling her still-yowling cat, turning the drive this way and that to make sure it's okay. Her knees feel a little weak again, relief making her lightheaded, but she manages to give him a watery smile as she clutches the sooty drive to her chest.]

You just saved my thesis. And my cat. [She lets out a little nearly-hysterical laugh.] You really are my knight in shining armor, aren't you?

[His eyes widen despite himself at the first remark, but he says nothing to it. She probably hardly meant anything by it, and this definitely isn't the time or the place. He simply chuckles in response to her laugh, looking down at himself.]

I think you mean in shining trousers. [He corrects, then quite pointedly looks down at her half-naked figure.] Something that you're not wearing at the moment, by the way.

Close enough.

[She looks down at herself and huffs in annoyance.] I was sleeping. [Which is a rare enough occurrence as it is, she's not thrilled that she's going to be associating sleep with fire for a while now. It's going to make it even harder to go to sleep, especially since her meds are happily melting upstairs along with everything else.]

Someone gave me a blanket but...I lost it.

[He laughs and shakes his head.] It's fine. I've gotten people out of buildings in lesser states of undress.

[It's a good thing she didn't try to get any extra clothes on too, from his experience that never ended very well, and it usually translated into the person not being able to leave the building on their own. He gestures towards one of their trucks, where two other firefighters are assisting the rest of the tenants.] We've got some more here, I'll just get you one until the ambulances arrive.

[He glances briefly at the building, the fire now a little more controlled, just to make sure that his colleagues are handling it well and don't need another pair of hands right away.] I don't think we have any shoes, though.

[She manages a crooked smile and kind of leans into him a little. He's warm, and she's not wearing pants.] What a glamorous life you lead.

[She lets him herd her towards the engine, shuffling a little through the grass and doing her best to hold on to her cat as she does her best to permanently attach herself to Tori's shoulder — she's going to have some pretty deep cuts that will need to be looked after, and she can feel blood on her skin, but she doesn't really care right now because she's alive and Alice is alive and everything else is less important — eventually sitting down on the bumper of the truck.

Suddenly a thought occurs to her and she reaches up to grab his sleeve before he walks away.] Hey, can I use your phone? Mine's in there and I need to call my parents.

Yes, indeed. [He asks one of the firefighters for a blanket - a young one, calls him Ori -, and unfolds it, circling her body with it and setting it on her shoulders. It's big and it's thick, so at least she should be warm. The cat meows at him in what feels like a slightly menacing manner, earning her a raised eyebrow from him.]

Oh, yes. [He pats down his own sides for a moment, before he remembers.] Didn't bring it with me. Never mind, you can use Dwalin's, it's inside. [He opens the door to the truck, but points inside before he gets the phone.] Do you want to wait in there?

[She trails after him like a little kid after a nightmare, wrapped up in a blanket and clutching their toy (in this case, her cat), but the offer to sit inside the truck has her perking up.]

Can I? I'm freezing.

[It's a little difficult to clamber up into the truck while holding on to Alice and her harddrive and the blanket, but she manages, arranging herself comfortably on the seat and coaxing Alice to take her claws out of her skin.] Thank you.

[Luckily, Tori has memorized her house phone number even if all the others she knows are stored in her phone and therefore never merited memorizing; she manages to call her parents without thinking about it, launching into an explanation while trying to convince her mom she doesn't need to drop everything and drive two days to come see her.]

No, mom, I'm fine— Yes, Alice is fine too— Yes, my friend Fili works for the fire department and he got her— No I'm not going to put him on the phone, he's working! [She glances over at him and rolls her eyes, putting her finger to her lips. He doesn't need to deal with her mom right now.] Mom, I'm fine.

[He places a hand on her back to help her up regardless, and waits until the phone call connects to turn a little to the side, giving her some relative privacy while helping Ori with the other neighbors. Most of them were fine, the worst he could see were some scrapes and cuts from when they were running outside, and a few of them covered in soot but nothing else. Tori and Fili himself might be the ones the worse for wear right now.

He glances over when she mentions his name, not hiding the little smirk that forms at the corner of his lips upon hearing even just half of the conversation. He says nothing for now, though, lets her finish that call while cleaning some wounds, occasionally glancing down the street for the ambulances or at the building to check on the progress of the fire.]

[It takes a while to get her off the phone because she then has to repeat the whole tale with her dad, but eventually Tori manages to hang up, after promising to check in soon and, yes, to call her brother and her sister too. She'll do that later, though, because right now she needs to just sit still and let herself relax.

She's shaking a little, trying to remember that deep breathing shit she learned in yoga her freshman year, trying not to let herself freak out. What can she do now? She has nowhere to live, no clothes, no nothing. The only friends she could have stayed with also lost their shit in the fire, and they're going to need somewhere to go too. She doesn't want to go live in a hotel. She can't afford to, not if she's going to do things like buy clothes and a new computer.]

[While she's on the phone he circles the truck and goes check with the rest of the team himself, but he's quickly sent off, as he's told that the fire is under control and that he's risked himself enough for one night. He can tell, by the look on Thorin's face, that he's probably going to get scolded for doing what he did out of the blue, but no matter.

He comes back a while after she's hung up, grabbing a bottle of water and propping himself up on the first step of the truck.] Here, but-- don't gulp it down. Take just one small sip, got it? Just one.

[He hands her the bottle then, the fact that all her things just went up in flames finally hitting him, and that she doesn't even have a single proper change of clothes on her, not even shoes. He's not even sure where to start with the questions, aside from 'are you alright?', and it feels sort of redundant to ask that now.] Do you have anywhere to stay?

[She's a little surprised to see Fili appear again, so lost in her own head that she didn't hear him approach until he was talking to her. The water bottle makes her realize how thirsty she is, how badly her throat hurts, and all she wants is to down the whole thing, but she restrains herself and takes a shallow sip like he instructed.]

N-no, I— [She cuts herself off, frowning, and looks out the window down the street.] I can get a hotel, I guess... The only people I know well enough to stay with are... [She gestures to the burning house, her shoulders slumping. Fuck her life, seriously.]

Your roommates. [He finishes.] Do you know where they are? We'll have to call them about this too.

[He looks at her quietly for a moment, remembering that she said she didn't have a lot of money as a student. He doubts she could afford a hotel for too long, and he's pretty sure insurances don't cover that, even if it's just for a short period of time. If she even has insurance to begin with.] Isn't that a little expensive, though?

They should be in class. I finish early on Wednesdays and I wanted to nap a little before they got home.

[She could probably ask her parents for money, but they don't have a lot to begin with and they helped her and her sister put themselves through college, so they don't have very much left. She'd rather avoid asking them to get her a new place to stay.]

There has to be some place around here that's cheap. [Even if the thought of staying in a dirty little motel makes her skin crawl.] I'll figure something out.

AWW YEAH TIME TO RUIN SOME LIVES

LMFAO YOU'RE TOO EXCITED ABOUT THIS

YES I AM!!!

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