Title: Decessus
Author: Firebird
Characters: Alfons
Pairing: None
Word Count: 310
Warning/Notes/Disclaimer: Character is not mine and I am not making any money off this. However, he does belong to Hiromu Arakawa/Square ENIX, MBS, ANX, BONES, FUNimation Productions, Ltd.
The couple in the small house argued.
"Dammit woman! You keep thinking of 'just one last thing we have to take with us'," the man roared.
The woman defended herself. "These are mostly family heirlooms! Passed down for generations!"
"They won't do us any good if we're dead! The evacuation orders were given fifteen minutes ago!" An explosion in the near distance punctuated his statement.
A hand flew to the woman's mouth and she turned to go up the stairs. "I just thought of his--"
"The boy will live without them! We are going now!" He grabbed her wrist and started pulling her towards the front door of the house. The shell that landed on it ensured that they never made it out.
The old man listened to the other man stony-faced.
"There were... bodies in the wreckage. We think they were your son and his wife," the mustached man said hesitantly. "I'm sorry, Herr Heiderich."
Alfons closed his eyes and swallowed, fighting his tears from his listening spot on the other side of the door.
"What was that fool woman doing?" his grandfather muttered. "And why was he letting her get away with it? I've no doubt it was her fault they were still there when the house was destroyed."
This time Alfons couldn't help it and sobbed once before fleeing up the stairs.
The other man looked at the door, startled. "Who..?"
Now the elderly man looked weary. "That would have been my grandson, I imagine. Thankfully, my son insisted on sending him on ahead to me against his wife's protestions; she wanted him to stay with them. Otherwise, he'd also be gone."
"Their car was parked just far enough away that it escaped most of the damage. Should I have someone drive it here since assorted belongings are in it..?" Mustach offered, hands working at the edge of his cap.
"Please."