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 Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2020 9:07 pm
There was too much noise right now and the additional sirens weren't making things easier. He was vaguely aware of a police car already here, parked just behind the trucks, but he didn't care about the officers. Not yet, at least. He'd deal with them when he had no other choice.
For now, he just wanted to be here next to these two and take what strength he could from them.
"Yu, they're just things," he said again, even if they weren't. Even if they were the treasures he had surrounded himself with to make his house a home. Yu looked upset already and Priam wasn't going to let him worry about stuff. "I'm glad you're okay. And my dogs are okay, all right? My family's okay. Thank you for trying to get my things."
He squeezed the hand again. "Please try to breathe. This isn't the end of the world."
It kind of was. It was the end of the world he'd envisioned for himself, his charming little fairy tale house. His little library, everything he'd collected.
...But he was alive, and so were they.
"Accidents happen all the time. Don't blame yourself. We'll find out what happened."
Please be an accident. Please be an electrical surge. Please be loose wiring.
Please let this be a freak accident, just bad luck.
Let it be anything other than what he thought it was.
The sensation of eyes on his back wasn't very reassuring.
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Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2020 1:27 pm
Someone cleared their throat, having walked up while they were speaking, watching them before interrupting with the sort of brisk impatience that some people had in uniforms. “Mister Sheeenen?” The pronunciation of Yu’s last name was at best a sideline look at how it was said, and he grimaced at it but didn’t try and correct it, because turning showed a blue uniform and he was not going to start anything. “Yes?” Yu asked cautiously. “We’re actually going to have some more questions, we’d like you to come to the station with us.” He opened his mouth to protest and nothing came out, his shoulders sagged slightly. The look on the man’s face was one he knew too well. “yeah….”
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Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2020 3:25 pm
Sterling swallowed, feeling suddenly at a loss. He had brought Priam here. He had managed to keep Yu from going back into the house. He had done...all that he could. And now he...didn’t know what else to do.
When the officer walked over, badly butchering Yu’s name, the male frowned, his eyebrows pulling together. “The station? Why?” The words were out before he could think about it. “That doesn’t...He shouldn’t have to go anywhere…”
His mouth felt dry, and Sterling tried to force himself to stand taller. He had to continue to be the strong one here. He had to protect the people that he loved. “Shouldn’t you be talking with Priam? It’s his house. I know...I know they can’t know the cause yet but...why are you bothering Yu?”
All caution was abandoned and he frowned, eyebrows creased in concern.
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Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2020 7:16 pm
From the side, a tired looking redhead who didn't seem like he was particularly passionate about being here approached. His uniform was crisp and though he stood tall, he carried some sort of weight with him. "Because he called it in," the officer explained; he'd been a part of the initial questioning and had been straight forward, getting what he could from Yu before moving to talk to the other neighbors who had collected while the firemen worked to put out the flames.
"You're the owner?" he asked, glancing from Sterling to Priam, who looked like he'd stalled in his emotional processing.
"Yes," he said shortly.
The Officer--'Fischer', according to the tag on his uniform, didn't seem intimidated or impressed by the curtness. "We'll have questions for you, too. Standard, but probably won't be able to get into much of anything until the fire's out and the department's done an investigation. I don't suppose you have any idea what started the fire?"
"No," he said again, almost defensively, if only because of how the other officer looked annoyed to still be standing there.
"All right. The investigation will figure it out, most people don't know until then. Have you noticed anything weird, anyone weird, in the neighborhood?"
"I haven't been here," Priam answered, shifting positions just slightly; he tore his gaze from the officer to Yu, to Sterling, to the house; the roof was smoking more and another pang of dread clawed at his stomach when he thought he could see flames on the roof, even through the thick, black smoke.
He looked to Sterling, as if Priam's distraction was evidence enough why now was not a good time to take him in for anything, but glanced back to Yu. "It's standard protocol," he assured. "You made the call, some of the neighbors said they saw something. It's going to be distracting if you stay here, and they're going to put up a barricade to back everyone out soon." There was something unsaid lingering on his words, but he decided not to let it hang and added, "They're worried about the other houses catching fire. They've already called for another truck, and if this thing gets any bigger, they might get a helicopter out here to drop water on it. The less people here, the more chance they have of getting their job done, all right?"
There was sense to his words but it didn't bring Priam any reassurance. Another fire truck. Other houses catching fire. Even out on the road, they were thinking people might be in trouble or in the way.
"It shouldn't take long," the man added. "We'll take the patrol car, I'll get us out of here, and when we're done I can even bring you back here to your car, okay?"
The other officer didn't look nearly as interested in reassuring them that things were going to be okay, and he seemed annoyed that this was taking too long. His eyes lingered on the fire with interest, though, like it was something fun to look at.
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Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2020 7:27 pm
Yu swallowed and nodded. “That… okay. I appreciate it…” He nodded carefully. He glanced back to the house with a growing look of distress feeding off of Priam’s, he half wanted to hide it because it made him feel vulnerable to show that kind of emotion, especially around cops since he had a rocky history with them. “He’s probably right, they might want to see if I remember more.” He offered to reach to bump his knuckles lightly against Priam’s arm, and give Sterling a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “You… you guys should go home, I don’t want you caught up in anything if this gets bad… please?” He asked. “Maybe you can let work know… Just in case.” He offered. He could probably call them himself, probably should, but hearing it from multiple people might not be a bad idea. He just hoped he wouldn’t get fired, no pun or irony intended.
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Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2020 8:46 am
Sterling drew in a breath, trying and only just managing to force his emotions back. “...Do you want us all to come? Or just Yu? I…” He didn’t feel comfortable leaving Yu alone. That much was obvious. He had already been through enough today. Couldn’t he have a break? “I would prefer to stay with him, if that’s all right. We...we can drive to the station behind you.”
It wasn’t how things were done...but Yu shouldn’t be under any sort of suspicion, right?
Sterling had never felt quite so helpless. Though, it was a feeling he was almost growing used to. First Priam in the hospital, and now Priam’s home burning...and Yu being taken in by the police. For no reason.
“We can move the car. We don’t have to stick around.” He didn’t want Priam to watch his whole life going up in smoke for any longer than he had to. He looked to Yu and squeezed his hand. Not knowing when he had reached out for it, but not wanting to let it go now that he had it. “Of course I’ll call your work, but...this…” It wasn’t going to be a big deal. It couldn’t be.
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Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2020 10:50 am
Priam managed the faintest smile, the ghost of acknowledgment at Yu's gesture, but a splintering crack from his house jerked his attention back. He tried to hide the way his breath caught, the strangled inhale.
Officer Fischer's eyes moved to Priam as he considered Sterling's words, and he answered, "Your friend is probably going to want to be here to see how this all works out. He owns the property, they might need him if it comes down to," he gestured towards the flames. "Making decisions. I won't stop you from coming," he said to Sterling, but his eyes went back to Priam for only a split second, like he was silently communicating that Sterling was going to have to choose one or the other.
Priam was in a daze, rooted to the spot as he watched everything burn.
"I can't guarantee we won't have you sit in the waiting room while we go over things with him. Small room gets crowded, distractions slow things down. But," he took one step back, towards the car, clearly intending for Yu to follow; the officer with him seemed ready to flank after them. "Make your choices, we're going to need to get out of here soon."
The sirens in the distance only fueled the need for haste.
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Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2020 11:08 am
“It’s ok… get...Get Priam somewhere safe okay?” He said trying to give them options. “If they need him they can call him in but… maybe at a distance.” He offered, glancing between the cop and his car, and the people he’d much rather go with. “I’ll see you soon okay?” It was a lie, it was -probably- a lie, but it was a lie they all needed he thought. At least one before some a*****e here let slip that he had a record, he didn’t doubt they would. He turned and started following the cop. At least they hadn’t already assumed the absolute worst.
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Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2020 11:12 am
Sterling fell quiet and gave a small, tired nod. “...Yeah. See you soon. We...it’ll be okay.” He gave Yu’s hand a squeeze and moved to wrap his arms around Priam, swallowing hard. “Come on, love. Let’s get back to the car. Yu will be back soon and...we should get a bit further back…”
The flames were hot.
...There was no way that the house was going to survive this. He knew that. He knew that it wouldn’t be okay, no matter his pretty words.
...And he could do nothing about it.
Yu was being led away by the police and Priam’s home was going up in smoke.
Honestly, things couldn’t get much worse.
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