My firefighter

Yae can barely remember the first time she saw her.

She just came back to her rented house after an exhausting day of work at the Yae Publishing House, when she get changed into more comfortable clothes and left her phone charging in the living room without realizing the socket on the wall wasn't working properly.

She then went to the kitchen to brew herself some tea that could help her to relax while watching the TV, when suddenly, a spark was produced setting fire to her phone's charger, then to the socket of the TV next to it. The small fire started quickly spread setting fire to the curtains, then to a box, and just like that to everything that was on its way.

When Yae returned to the living room with her cup of steaming tea in her hands, she couldn't help but yell, letting the cup fall to the floor accidently making the fire turn more aggressive if possible.

Soon, she found herself trapped in a complete cage of fire with no possibility to move neither to run and ask for help.

Tears started to roll down her cheeks as the black smoke filling the air began to invade her nostrils, making her hard to breathe. She began to cough, trying to cover her nose and mouth with the sleeves of her shirt in a futile attempt to not breathe it, but it was impossible.

As minutes went by, the fire around her started to trap her in more, making harder for her to see and breathe.

Yae's vision soon started to blur as she fought for oxygen, her legs bucking and sending her to the floor.

She coughed repeatedly, harder with each second going by as she slowly laid down on the floor, feeling the heat of the fire getting closer to her, almost about to burn her body as her vision kept blurring more and her hearing started to fall silent.

Yae didn't get to hear the sirens blaring outside her house coming in her aid, nor the loud bangs on the front door before it was broken and somebody entered her house in her rescue.

- Fire department! Is anybody at home!?

She could barely hear the firefighters yelling in the distance, repeating their words several times as they walked closer.

- H-here…

She managed to say weakly, coughing as she tried to raise her hand and wave it with all her might hoping they could see her, before she discerned the silhouette of somebody in the middle of the sea of fire.

- Sara, wait!

She heard somebody yelling, before another person crossed the aggressive fire and kneeled beside her.

- Hang on!

They yelled at her through their face mask, but even though Yae was trying to hang on like they told her, it was starting to get harder for her to breathe.

Soon, she saw the firefighter kneeled in front of her taking their mask off to place it on her so she could breathe.

- Sara, don't!

The other firefighter yelled, but it was already late, this woman, this firefighter, Sara, had already given Yae her mask and inhaler, smiling at her reassuringly.

- Don't worry, it'll be okay. We'll get you out of here.

Yae heard her saying in between coughs, and she couldn't help but feel unknowingly safe, trusting in her and her words as golden eyes stared into hers with concern in them, before she felt the firefighter's strong arms taking her to carry her outside.

Yae then noticed the firefighter's short dark purple hair brushing her hand, the determination gleam shinning in her mesmerizing golden eyes as she struggled to take her outside, followed close enough by her comrades.

Yae heard her coughing the entire way out, inhaling the black smoke she just breathed minutes ago, before the cool wind lashed at them.

- Sara!

- Help! Paramedics!

Yae can barely remember the name of her savior being yelled, before she fell to the ground, the arms of the dark purple haired firefighter still holding her tightly as her world slowly turned pitch black with the only thought and hope that Sara was okay.

When she wakes up, the only thing she can feel is a warm hand taking hers, stroking it as a mask provides her of oxygen.

Yae slowly opens her eyes to find amethyst eyes looking right into hers worriedly yet fondly.

- Ma… ko… to? – she asks hoarsely, seeing her nodding as she leans down to leave a kiss on her forehead.

- Don't worry, you're okay now. You're at the hospital – she tells her as she strokes her hand – The doctor said you inhaled too much smoke so you need to rest.

Makoto tells her as she keeps stroking her hand with her thumb in a comforting way, and Yae can only nod, her eyes feeling heavier.

- Rest, okay? Ei and I will be here when you wake up.

Makoto tells her softly, seeing Yae's eyes fluttering close, before she opens them again slowly and heavily.

- Sa… ra?

- Eh? Who is that? – Makoto asks the pink haired woman while blinking confused, seeing her swallowing hard before talking again.

- The fire… fighter.

- Oh, the one who saved you? – Makoto asks aloud surprised that Yae is asking for her.

- Is she… okay?

- I… I don't know, but I'll find out about it and let you know once you wake up after resting, okay?

Makoto tells her, managing to convince Yae to go back to sleep as she leaves another soft kiss on her best friend's forehead.

When Yae wakes up again, Makoto's soft and warm hand is still holding her hand tightly while she's sat by her side reading a book.

Yae can only stare at her for a while, smiling at Makoto's fascinated expression reading her book completely immersed in it, before she squeezes her hand to let her know she's awake.

- Hey, you're awake – Makoto says with a fond smile on her face, seeing her best friend returning it with one on her own, looking better than the previous day – How are you feeling?

- Better *cough* although my lungs and throat still bother.

Yae says as she frowns, and Makoto can only click her tongue, squeezing her hand in return, before she closes the book she was reading until now to leave it on the bed and hand Yae a glass of water.

- Well, you're still going to need some days until they stop bothering and you feel completely recovered, but the doctor said you can leave today – she says cheerfully, before adding – and that reminds me that I have some good news and not so good ones to tell you, so which one do you want to hear first?

Makoto asks her cheerfully, and Yae can't help but chuckle at her best friend's enthusiasm.

- I guess that I prefer to hear the good news first – she answers hesitantly, making Makoto giggle at her skepticism.

- Oh come on, don't be like that – she says amusedly, shoving Yae playfully, eliciting a giggle from her best friend – The good news is that until everything is solved, you're coming home to live with Ei and I.

- And those are the good news? – Yae teases Makoto, earning herself another playful shove.

- Hey! Be nice. I know Ei is a mess, but I'm good, especially at cooking.

Makoto says while giggling, infecting Yae with it.

- I've heard you, Makoto – Ei says as she pouts, entering Yae's examination room to hug her carefully, not wanting to cause her any pain – it's good to see you're okay.

Yae can only smile as she hugs her back.

- You too, Ei – she says, before turning to Makoto – and the not so good news?

- Ah, right. I found out that Sara was also taken to this hospital due to inhaling the smoke, but she was okay so she already left. Sorry, Miko.

- It's okay, Makoto. Thank you.

Yae can only say, sad upon not being able to thank her savior in person, but at least she feels more at peace knowing Sara is okay after all.

- Who's Sara? – Ei asks confused as she and Makoto help Yae to dress up to leave the hospital.

- The firefighter who saved Miko.

- Oh, I see. Well, it's good to know she's okay.

Ei says with a soft smile on her lips as they walk out the hospital and get in the car, making a few stops on their way to get some things for Yae's stay.

- The firefighters and the police are still investigating how the fire started, so you can't go back home to get your things until they say so.

- I see… Do they know anything about it yet though? – Yae asks sad about not being able to return her home.

- Not yet, but everything points that the owner did an illegal electrical wiring, so it could have been because of that – Makoto explains, seeing Yae flinching next to her on the backseat of the car – But don't worry about it, the important thing is that you're okay and safe and that you can stay with us all the time you need. My clothes and Ei's are all yours.

She offers kindly, and Yae can only make a face.

- You mean yours, because Ei has a terrible taste of dressing.

- Hey, be nice! – Ei protests, pouting through the rear-view mirror, making both women at the backseat laugh.

Yae can't help then but smile gratefully at the twins as they enter her new and temporal home, smelling the coziness floating in the air as they lead her to the guest room, lending her some of their clothes, or rather Makoto's clothes.

She sits on the bed letting her new situation sink in, before she goes to help the twins with the house chores, getting slowly used to her new life for the couple of weeks that the investigation lasts, and before she can finally return to what is left of her rented house.

- Are you sure you don't want any of us to go with you?

Makoto asks concerned for what feels the nth time in the morning, making Yae smile, before she leaves a kiss on her cheek in an attempt to calm her down.

- I'm sure, Makoto. Don't worry, I'll be okay – she tries to reassure her while Ei takes her sister's hand to drag her out of the house to go to work.

- Come on Makoto, if she says so, she'll be okay. Now let's get going to work or we'll be late – Ei scolds her sister, keeping dragging her at the same time she throws Yae a set of keys, winking at her – you can take my car, it's quite big in case you can bring all your stuff here.

- Thank you, Ei.

Yae can only thank her, giggling as Makoto pouts at being dragged to work, leaving Yae to go to her burnt rented house by herself to see if there's something she can take with her to the twin's house.

She has just put the last one of her belongings inside Ei's car, happy that most of her stuff was luckily intact by the fire, when she goes back to make sure there's nothing left in the house, finding a grey fur ball hidden under her bed.

- Guuji!? – she exclaims shocked but happy to have found her cat who she already thought was lost somewhere along the streets or at some stranger's house.

The fur ball can look at her with sadness in its eyes, meowing, before starting to run away.

- Guuji wait!

Yae yells, running after the cat around the house, before Guuji jumps and gets out through an open window.

- Guuji, come back! It's just me, there's nothing to be scared of! – Yae yells as she leaves the house and chases the cat to a tree, gazing up to see her perched up on a high branch while trembling scared – Guuji, it's okay. I'm here, everything is okay.

She tries to soothe the cat, opening her arms for her to jump into them, but it's pointless.

- Seriously.

Yae sighs to herself, gazing at the scared cat, then at the tree, before she begins to climb it and reach for the branch where the scared and trembling cat is perched at.

- I'm here Guuji, don't worry. Let's go back home, okay?

She tells her calmly, hearing the cat meowing, before she approaches her tentatively. Yae quickly takes her in her arms, before she hears the branch they're on cracking under her weight.

- Shit.

She curses, closing her eyes waiting for the impact against the ground as she falls, but this never comes. Instead, she feels strong arms catching her securely.

- Seems like this is the second time I save you.

A deep voice says amusedly, prompting Yae to open her eyes in shock, only to blush as she finds herself staring into a collarbone, noticing short dark purple hair falling loosely over it, before she gazes up and her eyes meet a pair of mesmerizing golden eyes and she sees a soft smile on the face of their owner.

- Are you okay? Did you get hurt?

The other woman asks concerned as she puts Yae back on the ground, seeing her shaking her head.

- No, thank you for saving me once again – Yae thanks her softly, hearing the other woman giggling.

- It's always a pleasure.

This comment only makes Yae blush more, before their moment is rudely interrupted by a beeping.

- Ah sorry, it seems like I need to go to work, there's been an emergency and they need me, but it was good to see you're okay.

The dark purple haired woman apologizes as she turns to leave.

- Ah, likewise.

Yae manages to say, before the other woman begins to run.

- Wait! What's your name!? – the pink haired woman yells, seeing the other woman stopping for a moment to turn around smiling at her.

- Sara! Kujou Sara!

- Yae Miko!

Yae yells in return, seeing Sara's smile widening, before she runs to attend to her emergency. The pink haired woman can only stare at her retreating figure in the distance with a smile adorning her lips, hugging Guuji tightly, happy that the cat decided to escape the house and climb the tree so she and Sara could meet again.

She pats the cat on the head, scratching her in between her ears, hearing her meowing happily now, before Yae walks to close and lock the house's front door to then drive back to the twin's house with all her belongings in the car.

- You look happy – Ei comments surprised yet frowning as she chops some vegetables, and Makoto can't help but snort, looking at Miko.

- Well, of course she's happy, she found Guuji – Makoto says with a smile as the cat meows happily – Were all your stuff intact?

She asks, seeing Yae smiling as they make dinner and feed Guuji.

- Except my phone, everything else was mostly intact, yes – Yae says with a smile, seeing both women smiling back – and... I also ran into Sara.

- Wait, your firefighter!? – Makoto asks enthusiastic, making Yae blush yet nod – you have to tell me everything about it!

She exclaims as she begins to drag the pink haired woman towards the living room, leaving a confused Ei by herself at the kitchen.

- Wait, shouldn't we stay and help Ei? We don't want the three of us to become homeless – Yae says half-jokingly, half-seriously, making Ei pout.

- You're right, we don't want to leave Ei cooking by herself. Who knows what could happen...

- Hey! I resent that!

Ei exclaims outraged as the other two women come back giggling, patting her back in a comforting and amusing way.

- But you're telling me everything later.

Makoto ends up saying, not letting Yae get away so easily as well as making her giggle, before they finish making and eating dinner, and Yae tells her everything that happened with Sara that same morning.

- Maybe we could bake her a cake as a way to thank her for saving you – Makoto suggests.

- But I don't know where I could give it to her – Yae says saddened, before Ei joins her and her sister on the couch with her laptop.

- Maybe we could search her name and see if we're lucky to find something about her or the firehouse she works in – she says, before they introduce Sara's complete name in the search engine – Here says that she's part of the Rescue Squad Company 5 at the Firehouse 27.

- Great! Now that we know where to find her, we can start baking her a cake. Sleep on which flavor you want it to be of, and we will bake it tomorrow.

Makoto says enthusiastically, making the three of them giggle together, before they go to sleep to their respective bedrooms and get ready to bake a chocolate cake the following day.

Yae can't be grateful enough that she has some free hours before having to attend to a meeting at the Yae Publishing House to talk about the month's sales and the new launches they will be releasing, to try luck going to the firehouse in which Sara works to give her the cake she baked along with the twins.

- Good luck – Ei says, patting the pink haired woman's back encouragingly, before Makoto wraps her in a tight hug.

- Good luck, and don't worry, I'm sure she'll like the cake.

- But if she doesn't, bring it back here so we can eat it.

Makoto says with a reassuring smile on her face before Ei chimes in playfully, making the pink haired woman feel more relaxed as she sees the twins getting out of the house, leaving her alone and breathing calmly with the cake she baked in her hands.

Yae makes sure she has everything with her, before she also leaves the house towards the firehouse in which Sara is supposed to work.

She intakes a sharp breath of air to calm herself, before she gets out of her car with the cake in hand, walking calmly towards the apparatus bay to see a green haired woman coming to greet her with a soft smile on her face, and she can't help but smile back at her, remembering her vaguely from that day in which she met Sara.

- Can I help you in anything? – the woman asks her kindly, making Yae feel less nervous.

- I'm searching for Kujou Sara, does she happen to work here? – Yae asks hesitantly, sighing in relief as she sees the other woman nodding, opening her mouth to say something, before somebody beats her.

- Oi Sara! You have a hottie asking for you!

A white spiked with red streaks haired man yells, eliciting a groan from the green haired woman in front of Yae.

- Please excuse Itto, he could be a bit... idiot sometimes – she apologizes for her friend, making Yae giggle.

- It's okay, don't worry.

Yae says as a dark purple haired woman appears, hearing Itto whistling teasingly, before he gets a smack on the head.

- Kuki!

- Serves you right, idiot. Learn some manners – Kuki reprimands him, while Sara giggles at her friends' antics, making Yae's heart race at the cute sound.

- Please forgive them – she says with a soft smile on her face – What can I do for you?

- Oh, here. I baked a cake for you in appreciation for saving me. I'm not sure if you like sweets, but I hope you like it – Yae says as she hands Sara the cake she baked, seeing her smiling softly.

- You didn't have to go to the trouble of baking me anything, but thank you. I'm sure I will like it – she says fondly as she takes the cake in her hands.

- It's the least I could do.

Yae says, hearing Sara giggling cutely once again, before the siren goes off.

"House fire at 364 Inazuma Street. Engine 78, Truck 23, Squad 5, Ambulance 49, Battalion 10..."

- Damn – Sara curses under her breath, looking apologetically at Yae as she hands her the cake back – I'm deeply sorry, I have to go, but please, give it to our secretary so when I come back I can make sure that I can still savor your cake without Itto or somebody else eating it first.

She jokes, making Yae giggle as she takes the cake back.

- I will.

- I have to go now, sorry again.

- Don't worry, and... please be careful.

Yae says quietly, blushing lightly, seeing the soft smile on Sara's face widening beamingly.

- I'll be careful, please you too!

Sara exclaims as she runs to the fire engine to put her gear on, before leaving. Yae can only watch the fire engine getting out of the firehouse hoping everything goes well, before she goes inside to go where the secretary is, leaving the cake safe with her as she promised Sara.

She can't help but smile widely as she goes back to her car and starts the engine to drive to her meeting, hoping Sara is safe and they can meet up again soon.

A whole month goes by between moving to her new rented house with the help and occasional whimpering of the twins because she's leaving them alone once again, and meetings with new and famous authors that are eager to be part of the Yae Publishing House, when she sees Sara again by coincidence.

The celebration party she is part of at the bar just ended, when she sees her.

- I'll be leaving too then, do you need a ride back home?

One of her editors offers, causing Yae to smile before shaking her head.

- Not, but thank you Fukumoto. Be careful on your way back home.

She sees Fukumoto nodding, giving her a quick hug, before getting out of the bar, leaving Yae by herself. Yae is also about to leave, when a certain dark purple woman in between the crowd catches her attention, making her feet carry her towards where she is out of curiosity.

- Oh come on, just a drink.

- Thank you, but as I said, I'm okay.

Yae hears saying in the distance as she approaches the other woman, recognizing her deep voice immediately. She feels her heart skipping a beat as she keeps approaching, seeing the firefighter that occupies her mind cornered by two persistent women.

- Just a drink, hottie.

- Listen, I-

- Come on.

Both women keep insisting, getting into the dark purple haired woman's personal space, and Yae can already see the overwhelmed expression on the firefighter's face, feeling bad for her and angry at the persistence of the other two women. So she plasters the best intimidating expression she can muster and makes her way until she's right in front of the firefighter, shielding her with her body from the other two hyenas.

- She said she's not interested, leave her alone – Yae barks politely yet angrily, trying to deliver her message.

- Who are you?

- Get out of our way.

The other two women say, and Yae feels her blood boiling at the way they talk to her, before she feels a hand on her waist drawing her towards another body. She gazes at her side to see Sara giving her a coy smile, almost blushing, and she can't help but feel like she's about to melt right there, yet feeling a burst of courage to face the other women.

- She's my girl, so leave her alone – Yae says threateningly as she glares at the women in front of them who quickly shut up and retreat.

- Huh, whatever.

They murmur as they go to their next prey, and Yae then hears Sara sighing in relief beside her.

- It looks like this time I was the one saving you – Yae says playfully as she turns to look at Sara, giggling together at it.

- It looks like that. Thank you – Sara exhales more relieved now, her hand still placed on Yae's waist, and the pink haired woman can't help but smile as their eyes meet.

- Would you want another drink? – Yae offers Sara, seeing her shaking her head.

- No, thank you. I was actually about to go back home, but I seem to have lost Itto in the middle of the crowd, I think – she says with a heavy sigh, frowning as she brings a hand up to her face to pinch the bridge of her nose – I guess he already left with some random girl without warning me.

Yae can only smile at her softly, before saying something that none of them expect.

- What about a last drink at my house? Don't worry, it can be just tea.

Hesitation dawns on Sara's face, before she actually agrees with her, surprising the both of them with it. Yae can't help but smile widely at it, getting a coy smile in return, before they leave the bar to get in their own car and motorbike respectively and drive towards the pink haired woman's house.

- Well, this is my humble abode – Yae says teasingly as they enter, seeing Sara walking hesitantly through the hallway towards the kitchen, furrowing her brow.

- I guess you moved in here after the fire, right? – Sara points out, seeing Yae nodding – It's good to know you're okay and everything is working out for you.

Sara says honestly, and Yae can't help but blush lightly.

- Thank you, and thank you once again for risking your life to save me back at that day, and then with Guuji.

- Guuji?

- My cat.

- Oh, hehe, you have nothing to thank me for. You also saved me tonight. Trust me, I didn't know what else to do or say to get rid of them.

Saya says as she scratches the back of her neck, making Yae giggle while finding her terribly cute.

Yae then can't help but leave the cups and the tea she just retrieved from the cupboards over the counter to cross the kitchen and grab Sara's face, pulling her into a kiss.

She feels the firefighter's shock and hesitation at first, before she eagerly reciprocates the kiss, pulling her closer by the waist. The kiss soon turns passionate, obliging the both of them to break it to breathe, before they're drawn once again into another passionate and deep kiss, followed by many more.

Yae then feels Sara pushing her until she hits the kitchen's table and the other woman grabs her by the hips to lift her onto it and kiss her better like that. She can only encircle the firefighter's neck with her arms as their kisses become more desperate.

- My bedroom is at the second floor to the right.

Yae pants in between kisses, feeling Sara's mouth already on her neck, before her hands grab the back of her thighs.

She quickly wraps her legs around Sara's waist, before the firefighter's strong arms carry her to her bedroom, lying her down carefully on her bed.

They continue kissing, stripping off their clothes to toss them somewhere around the bedroom with no word exchanged between them, before their moans fill the silence as they pleasure each other.

Yae can't help but admire the content expression of the naked woman laying next to her after they have climaxed. She lets her fingers graze over her half-open mouth as Sara pants heavily, pulling her lips down, before Sara takes her fingers and kisses them one by one, making the pink haired woman blush.

- We should get some sleep – Sara says hoarsely after several rounds of pleasuring each other, seeing Yae nodding – Can you, huh, turn around?

Yae can only frown at her request, before doing what Sara asked her to, turning around to face the wall. Soon, she feels Sara's strong arms wrapping her from behind, pulling her into her embrace.

- Is this... okay?

Sara whispers hesitantly, and Yae can't help but sink more into her embrace, enjoying the feeling of her arms wrapping her so tightly.

- This is okay, Sara. Sleep well – she whispers softly, placing one of her hands over Sara's as a blush slowly dusts her cheeks.

- You too, Yae.

Sara whispers back, tightening her embrace around the pink haired woman, and Yae feels her heart fluttering, loving the feeling of her strong arms making her feel safe and warm. She closes her eyes and snuggles more into Sara's body and embrace, falling asleep with a happy smile on her face trying not to get her hopes up.

However, when she wakes up, the happy smile she sported the whole night, is replaced by a sad one as a tear falls down her face, feeling the cold seeping through her body upon missing Sara's strong and warm body embracing her.

- Of course she was going to be gone – she whispers to herself, wiping her tears away as she looks around the bedroom to see both Sara and her clothes completely gone.

Yae sighs heavily, getting out of bed reluctantly to put her clothes on, before she takes her time going downstairs to the kitchen.

To her surprise, she finds Sara at the kitchen cooking something for breakfast.

- You're still here – Yae lets out quietly, seeing Sara jumping startled, before she turns around with an apologetic smile on her face.

- Ah, sorry, I just thought I could make you something for breakfast before leaving. I hope pancakes are okay.

Yae wants to laugh and cry at the same time at the sweetness of the other woman, crossing the kitchen to pull her into a kiss.

- Pancakes are okay – she whispers against her lips before she buries her head into Sara's chest, clenching her shirt, as she feels her turning around to turn off the burner, before hugging her awkwardly – Do you really have to go though?

She asks quietly, afraid of the firefighter's answer, feeling Sara sighing heavily.

- Yae, I... this was nice but...

- I get it, it was just sex.

Yae finishes for her, pulling away to see Sara's sad expression.

- No, it's just... it's complicated.

Yae can only look at Sara, seeing her bringing a hand up to brush it through her hair, before sighing heavily.

- I'm a firefighter – she says, making Yae snort.

- And I'm an editor-in-chief, what's the problem with that?

- You don't understand it... I... I'm a firefighter, my work is dangerous. I could be here in your arms today, and... be gone tomorrow.

Sara explains, whispering the last part sorrowfully as her voice cracks, before she feels Yae cupping her cheek, caressing it.

- That's why you don't want to get attached? Because you're scared something can go wrong at a fire or any other emergency, and you won't be here anymore? – she asks, seeing the other woman nodding as she leans into her touch, drawing a smile on her lips – You know, something could happen to me too. There could be another fire and I can also be gone tomorrow.

Yae says as she gets closer, pressing a finger against Sara's parting lips cutting whatever she wanted to say off.

- I understand you, your hesitation and how you feel about this Sara, but I'm willing to give it a try if you are too.

Yae says, resting her forehead against Sara's. She feels her letting out a shaky breath, closing her eyes before their lips meet tentatively in a soft kiss.

- I'd really like that. Just... please, don't get your house on fire again so I come in your rescue.

Sara teases Yae, earning herself a playful shove from the other woman that makes her laugh, before their lips meet again in a sweet kiss, sealing the promise of getting to know one another slowly and build a future together.