“Walking through the stars, Has always been a curious thing, hasn’t it?.” he’d whisper to his boyfriend, Rezz. “Oh Nox, you’ve always loved watching the universe pass us by, So curious, so cute” he’d say, leaning in for a kiss from him. Playfully wrestling each other for their affection. Their tails intertwined, attempting to pin each other down. Eventually, they lay down in the grass, which was slightly uncomfortable since it was the middle of fall. They slowly drifted to sleep, cuddling each other, watching the world rotate. All was calm, All was right. The grass beneath them, the sky above them, and the wilderness surrounding them were beautiful.
Waking up was enjoyable, Being the second awake, Noxillius was startled to see his boyfriend preparing food in the tent they set up, Rezz was always a good cook. Trotting towards the small, propane-fueled camp stove, he smelled what he was cooking: a fried egg seasoned with rosemary, thyme, and oregano. On the side was Bacon, and Freshly baked biscuits with homemade dough. Salivating, he’d eye the food as it neared completion. Rezz would chuckle slightly, “Now there, hold your horses, you're a hasty one. You’ll get food in a bit”
Once Rezz finished the aromatic breakfast, Nox would start to dig into food, Ripping the biscuits in half, and stuffing the egg and bacon between the two biscuit halves. Enjoying the warm breakfast made by his boyfriend was always a treat, Especially on the days they had off together. Rezz worked as a chef at a nearby popular restaurant, whilst Nox was a firefighter. They both fared well in their careers, each enjoying it.
Throughout the day after breakfast, he explored the forest, Categorizing the various oddities he found. As he wandered, he progressively noticed the smell. It was an odd smell, one of burning pine. As the smell became more clear, he realized, The forest was on fire. Scrambling as quickly as he could towards where he was camping, desperately trying to find the location of his husband. It seems the fire started from the tent where Rezz was cooking.
As the inferno suffused, it became clear, that his husband was nowhere to be found amidst the raging tornado of fire. which was troubling, yet relieving because that meant Rezz’s body wasn’t amidst the flames. Having no other choice, he braved the fire, dodging trees and burning vegetation to return to their car. It was an hour's hike, and it was hard to outpace the fire. People often discredit fires, thinking they move slowly, But the reality is they swallow anything and everything in their path of destruction, Faster than you can run sometimes.
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As he approached the vehicle with the inferno at least fifteen minutes behind him, he was glad to see his husband was relatively unscathed, with a few scorch marks, but nothing but first and second-degree burns. With a tinge of fear in his eyes, he skeptically looked around, until he noticed his husband. With a sharp gasp, he rushed towards Nox, glad he wasn’t caught inside the fire. Then he profusely apologized as he started the fire with his cooking equipment.
Noxillius wasn’t at all angry, he was relieved his husband made it out relatively safely. However, now he was the victim in the cruel twist of fate considering his job. He laughed to himself slightly, never seeing himself in this position, he went to the car and grabbed his cell phone which he left, mainly due to wanting to disconnect from the world. He dialed his phone, and the first thing he called was the department. Although it was slightly ironic what he was doing, considering he worked for the department. Either way, it was an emergency and the right thing to do.
Once he dialed in the fire department, there was a brief moment of clarity, Disaster was always a fickle thing. Occurring at the worst moments, but blooming into a beautiful flower of hope later. Often, disaster led to growth, for worse or better. Whether it be a fire that burned down your house or the break up of a toxic relationship, It was a starter for more to come. And the more to come was either expected or unexpected. He could guess that the forest here would soon regrow, allowing for more room and health for the next generation of trees.
That's what relationships are, a constant burning problem, that slowly makes way for the healthier parts of relationships. In a way there is no such thing as a perfect relationship, there are kinks, and flaws in every relationship. Problems, Arguments, Spiffs, it's all a part of it. If somebody views a relationship as perfect and never has problems, there is a high chance that it is toxic. Or each person secretly suppresses their feelings until the relationship ruins itself from secretive behavior.
In a way, he was glad he and his boyfriend had arguments every once in a while, although it was annoying at the moment, in the long term it was normal and healthy. It helped preserve their relationship and bring problems up. This further proved that they were a good couple that matched and covered each other's bases and weaknesses. In retrospect, Nox and Rezz met at a bar, drinking their problems away. To the due fact of their own weakness and problems.
With a sigh, Noxillius fumbled with the car keys he’d hidden in his chest fur, with his fur being so long, he could easily use it as a secondary function for pockets, all he had to do was attach a small amount of velcro to anything, and the item would be fine. Finally finding the hiding place of his keys, he pulled them out. They resonated with a shrill jingle, due to the fact of all the ornamental chains he’s attached to them. Be they gifts, or some of his interests, he collected them.
Unlocking the car, The packed the little of the stuff they had managed to salvage and save from the Grease fire gone rogue. Luckily, it was easy to replace, unlike the value of life. Turning the ignition key, he looked at his boyfriend, sighing and resting his head on his boyfriend's shoulders. They took a few minutes while the car ran. Embracing each other as their individual lives meant something to each other.