Chapter Sixty

The sinking feeling growing inside Kenshin's chest was getting larger. It was a tangled mass of panic and failure that had already been strengthening for days, and it almost felt like he was drowning as he left Megumi's office. It seemed impossible for that weight to become any heavier, but life had a way of proving that limits simply did not exist. His three hundred and twenty-eight years of life had demonstrated that to him multiple times.

Before he had met Kaoru, before she had stumbled into his life with her unbelievable blue eyes, he had thought himself to be as complete as he could ever be. He had had a life, simple and small as it was, with an apartment of his own and a job he had not hated. Though unexciting when compared to others, building that life had been an achievement for him.

The first fourteen years of his existence had been his best while living with his father. The next fifty had been his worst. Another fifty years had been spent in a war he wished only to forget. Between his first and second century, he had struggled to learn enough control over his immense power for those in higher positions to deem him safe enough to live among the rest of society. Kaoru's own ability to gain such control within two short months was more amazing to him than she would ever realize. Then again, while she hated her power, she would also never know how much he had feared his own.

For the last one hundred years, he had struggled and fought in a different way than his first two hundred. Instead of that frightened and angry boy that had wanted revenge, or that traumatized soul that had lashed out with violence at any human in his proximity, he had wanted only to live quietly. Learning how to interact with others, gaining experience and even faking niceties had helped him to form a layer of contentment around himself. Thin though it might have been. For a time, there had been nothing else that he had wanted, and he had even enjoyed time spent alone in peace and quiet. Monotony without pain or death had been welcome.

Kenshin did not miss that life. Looking back on it now always caused an immense wave of loneliness to drape over his thoughts. Soon after, a touch of fear would inevitably pierce his heart. Finding Kaoru, taking care of her then fragile form, and growing attached to her had opened up an entirely new world to him that he had either forgotten or never known. It was as if his vision had narrowed before meeting her, and saw only his surroundings in dull shades of black and white. Somehow, her intense sapphire irises had burst through the barrier he had erected between himself and others, and had revealed to him just how bright and lively the world actually was. No longer was he content living with just himself. No longer was he satisfied with simply being 'safe' when it came to his control. No longer did he want to settle for fake. A simple life was still all that he wanted, but he wanted it with her. He wanted all of the real emotions that she had uncovered inside of him. In order to do that, he had to be stronger than anyone else to make sure no one, especially not some scheming shadow demon, took that life or her away from him.

It had never occurred to him that his own past, something he had no control over, would end up threatening that life he wanted more than some external threat ever could.

Then again, his past was long and full of horrors, and misfortune never came alone.

In the midst of his attempts at coping with the details he had pieced together of Kaoru's murder, he had been reminded of the death of a man he had both avoided and relied upon. While dealing with that death was not new, knowing that death had affected someone he had been, while not close to but near, had only added to his drowning emotions of dread and agitation. He was spiraling fast, and losing his composure. Nothing about the conversation with Megumi had put him at ease, even if it had ended peacefully. If anything, it had only given him more reasons to despise himself, and to regret his actions.

As a fire demon, his current instability wasn't safe. He saw it much too clearly as he swiped his access badge to Kaoru's host lab and watched his fingers tremble. This was how his core became compromised. This was how he lost control of his fire. Obsessively, he checked and rechecked his internal and external temperatures, but was never quite reassured by their steady and uninterrupted measure. Hundreds of years of experience claimed he could not trust himself, and the bare one year that he had gained full control wasn't enough to contradict his doubt.

The experiment within the host lab had continued despite his and Megumi's absence, but had turned into a three-man karaoke party instead. Kaoru was singing when Kenshin came through the door, but it was clear the trio had taken turns what with the mess. Her current selection was an upbeat love song, and he realized she sang love songs the most. As soon as her bright and playful gaze turned to him, though, the words died and she dropped the microphone she was holding.

"Kenshin!"

The reaction was jarring, and he jerked when the microphone hit the floor with a screech of grating sound. When Tomoe and Akira both stood to come at him from the couch, he automatically backed away in an attempt to retain space. Akira instantly stopped, but Tomoe did not. Kaoru had already reached him, and one strong hand pressed flat against his chest to push him upright.

"What happened? What's wrong?"

Unresponsively, his gaze peered into her own. His vision had begun to tunnel and he felt lightheaded.

Why can't I say anything?

"Calm down, Himura-san. You're hyperventilating." The coal demon's soft voice remained calming, like the doctor that she was, in order to soothe him as well as Kaoru.

Oh. That makes sense.

The sluggish thought drifted across his brain, and the eyes he had only just turned towards Tomoe caught Akira approaching slowly behind her.

No air. No words. No fire.

"Help him sit down."

The moment the words registered, his knees buckled, and he caught himself with one hand on the floor. Kaoru gasped, and dropped down beside him to steady his weight.

"Good enough." There was an encouraging tone to Tomoe's voice despite the less-than-ideal spot he had chosen. "You need to lengthen your spine, and breathe. Big, deep breaths."

"Y-you should…" Akira's voice interjected, and Tomoe scooted over to make room.

"Can you help him?"

The daitengu hesitated, before kneeling and grasping Kenshin's forearm.

"Place your hand over your chest so you can feel yourself breathe."

The lack of air was making it hard for his limbs to move, and his brain fought the clasp of unfamiliar hands on his body.

"It's okay, Kenshin. He's trying to help."

Kaoru's calloused fingers brushed the hair from his face, and his weary gaze steered back her direction.

"Let us help, okay?"

Caught now by her bluer than blue irises, he followed her encouraging movements as she visually demonstrated how to breathe. On his other side, Akira helped him lift his hand to his chest.

"Now breathe nice and slow. In through your nose and out through your mouth." The daitengu spoke like he knew what he was doing.

It took several more seconds before the rhythm stuck, and he finally returned some semblance of balance to his desperate breathing. Halfway out of the woods, Kaoru's features pinched with worry and she tore her eyes from his to glance at Tomoe and Akira.

"What's wrong with him?"

"I think… he's having a panic-attack." Akira's answer was gentle with understanding. When he spoke again, it was directly to Kenshin. "If you feel like you would be more comfortable lying down, then you should."

Once again, his mind latched onto the direction he had been given, and he instantly followed through. The shift of his weight dropped him a little harder onto his elbow than anyone would have liked, and Kaoru made a noise of discomfort in his place. Because he couldn't find the forethought to remove it for balance, his other hand remained plastered to his chest so that he could monitor the deep inhale and exhale of each breath he struggled to perform. Before Kaoru could make room for him, he draped himself across her bent knees and pressed his left cheek to the outer curve of her thigh and hip. His free arm wrapped around her waist to keep her close, and he clung to her like an anchor in a fire storm.

Tentatively, Kaoru's hands lowered onto his back and the curve of his skull. The same lack of oxygen that had caused his vision to narrow had also muted his hearing, but he listened as she exclaimed distress over his temperature.

"He's so cold!"

A hand appeared out of nowhere to touch his forehead, and Tomoe responded to Kaoru's concern with reassurance.

"It's not low enough to worry about yet. He'll warm up once he gets his breathing under control."

"Are you sure? Should we get him a blanket?" Kaoru's alarm was starting to upset him, and the breath he had worked so hard to catch briefly escaped him once again. As if in response to the hitch in his breathing, Akira spoke almost immediately.

"Covering him could make the attack worse. L-let's just give him a moment. In fact…" The rustling of feathers hinted at movement. "We should give him some space. He'll calm down faster the more secure he feels. H-his unstable breathing… is just a side-effect. It's most likely not the cause."

Kaoru, however, was trapped under him and unable to leave.

"B-but… what should I do?"

The squeak in her voice said she was uncertain, and his arm tightened to convey how much he didn't want her to move. Her abandonment was the last thing he wanted.

Warm assurance was offered to her by the coal demon.

"Be patient. He clearly wants you to stay, not us." Her voice lowered, and Kenshin barely heard her over the frantic rush of air sucking into his lungs. "We'll be right in the next room. His breathing is getting better, but we'll stay until it normalizes, okay?"

The door between the rec room and the main room of the lab was partially closed to provide some semblance of privacy while at the same time allowing Tomoe and Akira to listen to Kenshin's breathing. After a time, the hand on his back began to rub gently up and down his spine. Red lashes squeezed shut, and while he fought to regain oxygen levels, he prayed that Kaoru's hesitation wasn't reluctance.

"It's okay, Kenshin. I'll protect you."

Her quiet voice was filled with what could only be described as cute determination, but he knew she was dead serious. Turning his forehead into her thigh, he pulled his chin down towards his collarbone until the twin horns on his head caught on the curve of her leg and stalled him. The air gasping from his open mouth ricocheted off the surface of her thighs and created a pocket of welcome heat.

This is so pathetic.

The self-shaming mixed despair in with his anxiety, and the hand at his chest wrapped around the back of her bent legs where he clasped her opposite, sock-covered foot. Now that he had her fully encased in his arms, he tightened his hold in wordless acceptance. He was so humiliated, but…

But I feel… safe like this.

"I-I've been practicing, you know." Through the pounding of blood in his ears and the slow lessening of his breath, Kaoru's voice sounded flustered. "I can do that thing you do now. T-that one where you make a large bubble with your fire. I mean, no one could get through that with my flames, right?"

The tone of her voice was rising with each sentence, and she cleared her throat when she noticed.

"B-but I probably shouldn't do it now. It would just… make you colder. But I can… you know, do it. So, nothing will touch you with me here. I promise, because…"

The hand on his back stopped its back-and-forth path to instead caress her fingers a little more intimately along his shoulder blade. Her words, as well, turned softer.

"Whatever you're dealing with, I'm dealing with it, too. Because we're dealing with everything together from now on. That's what you said."

The offering of his own words seemed to welcome him out of his confusion. Some of the unease in his chest released, and his hold on her relaxed enough to push his face into the downy material of her pants. The muscles around his lungs, finally, loosened, and the normal foundation of his control automatically resumed. With the passing of the episode, however, he was buried instead under layers of intense shame. He was still a little overwhelmed by everything he knew he must deal with, but was at least not crushed enough to trigger another such episode immediately. For the time being, emotional and physical exhaustion had numbed most of his synapses.

A long period of quiet seemed to stretch over them, and once Kenshin realized it wasn't natural, he felt Kaoru's body wriggle with a nodding motion. The hand on his back briefly disappeared, and it occurred to him that she was silently communicating with someone else in order to not disturb him. Another, shaky breath filled his lungs, but he didn't move to look at the person he was about to address.

"Tomoe-san… may I speak with Miss Kaoru in private?"

Kaoru jumped under him, and a slightly sharp inhale from the doorway announced his input had been unexpected.

"Of course." Quiet acceptance in her lady-like manner agreed to his request. When she continued, she addressed them both. "I turned off the camera Megumi-sensei set up for the experiment, but would you put it away later?" Kaoru nodded again. "We'll be on our way then."

To his credit and relief, his voice had conveyed none of his inner embarrassment. While this was the first time he had ever hyperventilated, Tomoe had seen enough of his pathetic side to last a lifetime, and it only made him uncomfortable to think about how easily she now dealt with it. Acknowledging Akira's presence was almost more than he could bear. He could no longer stand the thought of anyone else seeing him so weak and vulnerable. Kaoru, as he had recently discovered, was the only exception.

The door closed gently, and then the heavier lock of the main door echoed within the small lab. Finally alone, he turned his face towards open air and exhaled slowly. Tentatively, Kaoru's fingers touched the arm he had wrapped around her feet.

"U-um… are you… uncomfortable… like that?"

Red lashes blinked open. Truthfully, Kenshin wasn't uncomfortable at all. If anything, he was enjoying the pillow of her lap. A light frown pulled his brows together as his eyes focused, and his arms loosened in abrupt realization. Somehow, at some point, he had ended up burrowed into the crease between her thighs.

"W-well… it's fine if… if you are, um… you know, comfortable, but… I… haven't… bathed… yet." Her voice trailed off until it was a meek whisper, but Kenshin couldn't figure out why whether she had bathed or not would matter when it was his indecency that was in question. Wrenching himself upwards, he hovered over the curve of her thighs, and breathed out heavily.

"Y-you're certainly not uncomfortable, Miss Kaoru, but… perhaps we could… sit on the couch."

"Y-yeah. Let's do that."

Permanent red had stained her cheeks when he finally had the mental strength to sit up, but it was a secondary concern for her as her eyes fretfully studied his expression once he was upright. His breathing was more even, but there was leftover pain from the attack in his ribs and chest that caused a slight hitch with every inhale. One of her small hands lifted to touch the side of his face, and when he tried to smile, small, fake, and pained as it was, she hugged herself around his neck. It was easy to tell how upset the episode had made her. Fully enfolding the expanse of her back and shoulders with his own embrace, he let his heavy eyes close to accept the relief she provided.

An intrusive image of golden eyes rekindled feelings of heavy guilt, and his embrace tightened almost desperately. His voice caught when he spoke again, and was slightly more tenor than normal.

"I might still want to use your lap… for a little while longer."

Her fingers fisted in his sweater, but the tiniest nod agreed.

"O-okay."

She stood first, and then offered both hands to help him up. Her enthusiastic desire to take care of him was more than adorable, in his eyes, and he allowed her to lead him to the couch. At the far end of one side, Kaoru squeezed herself next to the couch arm as if to make room for multiple others who weren't there. Then a warm smile and a pat on her leg indicated that she was ready for him. Accepting the invitation without pause, he seated himself and kicked up his feet to lay down. The soft cushion of the couch was much more comfortable than the floor, but while her lap was still inviting and warm, it wasn't quite the same as being wrapped around her like before. A nervous flutter tickled his heartstrings as recall birthed some regret at the missed opportunity, but he settled for pushing his right hand up under her knee.

Carefully, Kaoru had taken to saving him from the unruly strands of his hair, and a light hum vibrated her throat as she did so. Even though he did not necessary want her to stop, a soft sigh deflated his lungs.

"You'll put me to sleep, Miss Kaoru."

"Oh… heh, sorry." The humming stopped, but he remained cocooned in the relaxed atmosphere her voice had created.

"Can I have this hand?" Reaching up with his free hand, he asked for her own, and she complied without question. With her left arm half-pinned under his bicep, he pressed her fingers over his chest. Directly over the middle of his sternum. Red lashes closed, and his brows slightly creased. Kaoru's free hand cupped against the crown of his skull, and stroked his hair softly in affection and comfort.

Kenshin still did not know what to do. All of his anger and confusion had only been muddled by learning of Sano's marriage and reliving his death. It had not been the direct cause of his panic-attack, only an added factor that was secondary to Kenshin's desperate rejection of a truth he did not want to acknowledge. There were other factors besides denial, though, or rather other factors that only assisted his denial. Kenshin was lacking something vital that he needed in order to deal with how Kaoru had died. That something, however, was nothing that could be given to him by another, and therein lay the problem. Even if he pressed Kaoru for the truth, it would only be her word against his denial. Kenshin wasn't sure his trust and love in her would win, and it angered him. It disgusted him.

However, repeating the breakdown he had just experienced was not what he would call smart or ideal. Unfortunately, a sick part of him realized what avoiding such an outcome was going to require. He needed to gather proof. Irrefutable proof that would require him to face what he did not want. Even if he convinced Kaoru to let them view her memories again directly, he feared he would only reject it without something else to convince him first. What else was there, however? What else could he do? As he struggled to think, stabs of dread rekindled his fear and anxiety, and his grip tightened around her fingers. A moment later, her chin plopped onto his shoulder, and she grinned at him when his startled eyes glanced her direction.

"I think I… really like cuddling with you. Can we cuddle more often, Kenshin?"

Swallowing roughly, Kenshin tried not to grimace from the pain in his side, and instead concentrated on her face and the warm curve of her body leaning into him. It was confusing to think about Kaoru's death when she was warm and alive with him now. Sapphire irises easily consumed him, and something deeper inside of him kindled still new and demanding flames that were at once unsafe and welcoming at the same time.

"…It might make me greedy, Miss Kaoru." The return of his low voice was not as upsetting as before, but instead sounded slightly restless.

"Greedy for what?"

A heated glance was thrown at her before he could stop himself, and she tensed under him. To deter himself from that line of thinking, he squeezed his lashes together and turned his nose into her leg. He, it seemed, could not catch a break.

"O-oh…" She copied him by pushing her mouth into his shoulder, and her reply was muffled when she finally caught her breath. "I get greedy, too… you know."

"Please don't tempt me, Miss Kaoru." Now his voice was mostly pained, and she sat up to whisper.

"Sorry."

It was the pout in her voice that berated him the most, and another sigh shook from his parted lips before he pushed himself upright. Blue eyes blinked at him in question, but she eagerly complied when he held out his arms to offer her the cuddle she had asked for. The smile on her face was visibly happy, and he held her at the waist as she leaned sideways into his chest from her perch between his legs.

"Yay!" The quiet exclamation pulled an involuntary snort from his nose, and she giggled at him before smacking a kiss to his chin.

"Satisfied?"

"Mmhmm." She appeared to be, until a frown abruptly creased her features. "Oh, but… I should cuddle you instead. You wanted to lay in my lap and I ruined it."

"It's alright. Let's stay like this." Tension from his fingers kept her from moving, and he leaned his temple into the crown of her head. "I also like cuddling you, Miss Kaoru."

"I-it's nice, right?"

"Hmm."

Violet eyes glanced down at her face, but inadvertently strayed lower to her chest. Months prior, before her memories had returned and during the time when the loosening seal in her chest had caused her to experience strange episodes, Kenshin had witnessed with his own eyes the scar that sat directly between her breasts. According to Tomoe, it was much bigger now than it had been then, but he still clearer remembered the way the healed burns had bubbled and puckered her skin. He could still see the puffed-up crescent moon that spanned the small space under her breasts. That crescent moon had been caused by the bottom curve of a katana hilt being pressed into her skin, he was sure of it. At least, that was his theory. If he could see it again, if he could confirm the matching straight scar directly at the center, as Tomoe described, then perhaps that would be a start. Perhaps he could question her about it first instead of pressing her about everything.

Lifting his chin, Kenshin fought his trembling muscles to take a steadying breath. Lightly, the hand he had resting on her thigh lifted to tentatively touch just the tips of his fingers to the space between her breasts. Underneath the layers of clothing that she wore, her extensive burn scar marred her skin in that exact spot. His fingers quivered noticeably, and she darted a look down a little too quickly. Barely a second later, sapphire eyes shot up to catch his intent gaze, and the fear he could read in her was a match for his own.

"Kaoru…"

A sharp rush of air whistled into her mouth, and she interrupted him.

"What happened with Megumi-san?"

A frown and a swallow pinched his features, and the cowardice in him allowed the detour.

"Did she hurt you?" Gentle fingers bracketed his jawline, and her expression turned regretful. "I should have punched her when she slapped you, but I was just so surprised."

A strained laugh came more out of his nose than his mouth, and he leaned his forehead into hers.

"Don't do that. She's… gone through enough."

"Did… something happen between you two?" Though she was trying to be understanding, the note of hurt and slight warning in her words lifted his eyebrows.

"Miss Kaoru, you certainly have nothing to worry about where that is concerned. Nothing has or ever will happen between her and me." Slowly, he clasped her wrist in his hand. "I… knew her husband. We fought together… in the war." Violet eyes dropped to her lap, and it was her turn to gasp in a hard-won breath.

"Oh." Silence buzzed in his ears. "Where… is he?"

"There was an… incident…"

"O-oh."

The word hitched with understanding, but she didn't understand anything. His eyes lifted and were wide, but his pupils were steady.

"I burned him alive."

All ten fingers still touching his chin stroked upward to cup his face in her palms. It was open surprise on her features, but also a mixture of pain, sympathy, and even denial.

"B-but not on purpose." He wasn't sure if she was trying to convince him, or herself. "It was an accident… right?"

Frowning, he studied her expression. While her reaction wasn't necessarily strange, there was something almost… personal about the question. Her childhood had ingrained into her that the killing of anyone, no matter the circumstances, was wrong. She, however, knew that he had killed many, many others. This was not about her lifestyle, but something else.

"I overheated."

"L-like… like last year?"

Keeping his answers short and gentle, Kenshin nodded.

"Yes. But worse. Sano… Megumi's husband, tried to help me." Finally, his eyes looked away as his shame betrayed him. "He saved my life, but paid for it… with his own."

"Oh."

Alarm slammed into his chest, and his eyes darted back to her almost violently. The word had sounded frankly… delighted.

"He was your friend." She smiled, and a single, crystal-clear tear spilled from her lashes. "I bet he was so glad that he was able to help you. If he had failed… he would have regretted it so much."

A hiccup jerked her body, and he automatically pressed her against him.

"Kaoru…"

"I'm so glad you had such a good friend, Kenshin. I'm so glad."

His embrace tightened, and her emotions swept him up with her.

"Do…" A choke killed the question, and he cleared his throat. "Don't you think… he regrets it, though? What about his family? He left them behind just to… help me."

Kaoru's left arm wrapped completely around his neck, and her face buried itself below his ear.

"That's not really comparable, Kenshin. He can regret leaving his family behind, and still be glad that he helped you. Besides, I… I think if he went through that much for you… that means he thought you were his family, too. Right?"

"He said you were going to be his brother, like Sōzō did for him."

"You are… really amazing, Miss Kaoru."

Watery giggles answered him, and she finally sat back to beam up at him.

"You just realized that now?"

Their muted laughter filled the empty room, and Kenshin pulled her a little closer to him for the comfort and cuddles she had claimed she enjoyed. Still a little raw, and still very much vulnerable, Kenshin stared down at her chest and the spot that had been consuming his thoughts and dreams for nearly a week. Slowly, his hand returned to touch one finger to her sternum.

"Do you miss your family, Miss Kaoru?"

Her body had tensed, and when her lungs expanded, the hard bone of her sternum pushed against his fingertip.

"Of course."

Because he could not stop the aggressive trembling of his muscles, his hand fisted to instead press the full breadth of his knuckles against her chest. A tinge of despair heightened his tone.

"Don't you hate the person responsible for taking you away from them?"

"H-how can I hate someone I don't remember?" It was a desperate claim, and she looked terrified when his eyes returned to hers. Just as terrified as he felt. Before he could think it through or stop himself, the words spilled from his mouth like a horrible lie bursting into the light.

"It was a fire demon, wasn't it?" It was not how he had wanted to bring it up, and he hated himself for it, but he couldn't stop. He couldn't help himself from continuing. She, however, started to struggle even as he tried to finish. "A fire demon you knew…"

"Stop it! I said I don't remember!"

The strength of her denial tore her from his grip, and she clung to the arm of the couch for three seconds. After those short three seconds, she glanced at him, as if to judge his reaction to her own unfortunate response. Sapphire eyes widened to see his own expression, and some strange switch flipped in her mind. The tiniest breath gasped into her lungs, and she forced a tremulous and twisted smile onto her face.

"You… you've been acting a little off lately, Kenshin. You probably have a lot on your mind, but you can talk to me whenever you want, okay. I…" She looked down at her hands. "I get it, if you want to think on it some more, but…" The sharp turn of her chin forced her eyes back on him, and they were full of unshed tears. "I love you, Kenshin."

A sinking pit of horror dropped through the floor of his stomach, and her actions seemed to confirm every horrible imagining he had conjured about her death. He still had no proof… but this was nearly worse.

"That means I'm not going anywhere. I'll wait, so… take your time, okay?"

He had known that she was reluctant to talk about it, but had assumed it was only to spare his feelings. How wrong he had been. The moment had traumatized her… and why should it have not? She wasn't ready, but then, he wasn't ready, either. Somehow, he would have to find his proof elsewhere before he attempted to question her again.

Taking her hand in his, he nodded.

"I do… want to talk to you, but… you're right. I need some more time. Will you… listen, when I'm ready?"

She smiled at him, the saddest smile he had ever witnessed, and nodded in turn.

"I will."

X

A/N: You'll have to forgive me. I enjoyed writing this a bit too much, and I ended up taking up so much of the chapter with just them cuddling and being lovey. I want more of this in my story, lol. I mean, I don't want to torture Kenshin with mental breakdowns, but it created a cute moment for them that I liked. (Ugh, I'm so weird.) Strangely, they didn't really end up talking as much as I hinted they would, oof. I resolved nothing in this chapter, but it does matter. Hopefully you enjoyed the fluff!

Now that I know what I'm going for next, I'm excited for some Misao and Aoshi spy moments. With some hints as to why the humans were eradicated. I know I haven't really mention Sojiro much, which worries me for my buildup, but he's plotting and will come back soon. Love the reviews! I shall reward you with more love to read. (;

Just a silly thing I wanted to share. There were a couple of days this last week when the weather in my area was dry enough for them to issue a warning about dry timber. I'm used to this warning as a way to remind everyone of the chance of forest fires, as we had a bad one a few years back. While a forest fire is certainly not a silly thing or anything to laugh about, I was not used to the new way they issue this warning now. I'm not sure how long it has been this way, but I'm assuming it was something decided upon due to the extensive use of smart phones and weather apps. Instead of a long description, they now issue a quick two-word warning that simply states "Fire Weather" with a cute little flame icon next to it, all in red. You will never know the depths of my amusement every time that popped up in the lower corner of my laptop while I typed on this story. OMG XD