Caught Fire


"So, how was the dancing?" AJ smiled, sitting on a coffee break with Renee the next afternoon at work.

"Oh it was so much fun." Renee smiled, "I have so much fun when I'm with him." She shook her head as AJ smiled.

"That's a good thing." AJ nodded positively.

"Well yeah but we still haven't went on a proper date or anything. He hasn't asked. It's always spontaneous. Or he sees me in Kat's and invites me over for a drink. I wish he'd ask to take me out or something." Renee nodded.

"He will eventually. I'm sure of it." AJ said.

"How was your night walking home with…" Renee paused.

"Phil?" AJ looked at her.

"Phil." Renee nodded, "I couldn't remember his name." She shook her head.

"It was fine." AJ shrugged.

"You still find him disrespectful?" Renee asked, peeling her orange.

"Yes… and no." AJ shook her head, "I don't know it's not like he's being weird or persistent. He's not doing anything wrong. I think I might be making more of the situation." AJ realised.

"What do you mean?" Renee asked.

"I don't know. Was I mad that he was looking at me all night? Or am I more mad that he was looking at me all night and… I liked it." AJ shrugged as Renee looked at her.

"AJ." Renee said with surprise.

"It's just stupid." AJ shook her head, "He's a nice guy and their stories were great. But I was… I was glad to get home and see Jason." She smiled, lying of course. She'd practically gone straight to bed.

"You're only human. He's a nice guy and… also nice to look at." Renee shrugged, "Don't give yourself a hard time."

"I'm trying. This has just never happened before." AJ said as Renee nodded, "And I think it's maybe came at a bad time when me and Jason aren't on the best term." She said.

"Yeah, that's true." Renee nodded.

"So I've decided I'm going to cook us a nice dinner and put on a nice dress, talk it out." AJ nodded to herself, "Cause there's no point in going on like this."

"That's a good idea." Renee nodded, "You could just go straight for the lingerie set like I said, though."

"Well… I'll put that on underneath." AJ shrugged.

"Double points." Renee nodded as AJ chuckled.

She barely slept all night, not because she was worrying about the situation with her fiancé, but thinking about Phil. It had completely floored her. Feelings she never thought she could have for another man whilst being engaged to who she believed was the love of her life. Her soulmate. She just wanted to shake them off and move forward. It all just sounded so high school in her head. These feelings would for sure pass. She'd make sure of it.


AJ made sure to get off work right on schedule, not hanging around for anyone to grab her for help. She shot off and headed home to prepare dinner and get herself ready. It wasn't something she felt like she needed to do, it was something she wanted to do.

She lit a few candles on the table once coming downstairs from showering and doing her hair, putting on a dress she knew her fiancé loved with some surprises underneath. She just wanted to be back on the same page with him.

She heard the door opening and closing, excitedly waiting as Jason walked into the kitchen. She relaxed when she saw the smile appear on his face.

"What's this?" Jason asked softly.

"I just thought we could have a quiet night in." AJ shrugged as he looked over at her.

"You look…" He looked over at her as she smiled, "This is… really great." He nodded as she smiled.

"I just figured we've been both been super busy recently and… I guess we can butt heads when that happens." She nodded, "So I just want a night where I can sit and stare at my fiancé, no distractions." She said as he smiled.

"You… are the best." Jason smiled, walking over to her and cupping her face, kissing her as she kissed back, "And you're the most beautiful woman in the world." He said as she smiled, looking up at him. And just like that… Phil wasn't even close to being on her mind.

"So I'm no chef but I think I cooked everything pretty well." AJ nodded as he smiled, sitting down at the table, "I mean I listened to everything Renee told me and she's pretty good with this stuff."

"I'm sure it's great." Jason smiled.

"And I've officially secured my day off for next week. I told my attending I really can't be paged in, she wasn't happy but she listened. So we can definitely look at venues then." AJ smiled, sitting down at the table whilst the dinner cooked on.

"That's great." Jason nodded.

"And… I suppose I can check out those boutiques that my mom wants me to look at. It won't hurt." AJ nodded.

"She'll be stoked about that." Jason said.

"She'll be even more stoked when we can tell her a date." AJ said as Jason nodded.

"Are you ever upset that your dad won't be there?" Jason asked curiously as she looked over at him.

"No. Why would you ask that?" AJ shook her head.

"Just… girls and their dads on their wedding day." Jason shrugged.

"Well our relationship was complicated." AJ said, "And he's dead, so… what does it matter?" AJ shrugged.

"It doesn't. I'm just asking if it's upset you a little-"

"No, I'm fine with it." AJ assured him, "The only thing I'm concerned about our wedding is getting marry you. Nothing else matters." She said as he smiled.


They had dinner which AJ had cooked, falling into their usual chatter that AJ had really missed, feeling like this had really broke the ice between them. She was so glad they seemed to be back on the same page, and figured couples really did just have small bumps on the road.

"You're an angel for that. It was so good." Jason smiled.

"It was." AJ said proudly as he chuckled, "I know you're not a dessert man but I think I might have something you'll enjoy." She nodded to him, pushing her dress down just a little to show off her red lacy bra. She liked to tease and be sweet. She didn't do it for him, she did it for herself because it made her feel good.

"I think you do." Jason nodded, watching as she stood up, pushing her panties down as they dropped to her ankles, leaving her nude under her dress.

She watched him smile, then get distracted as his phone began to ring on the table.

"I know you're gonna ignore that." AJ nodded as Jason looked at the caller ID.

"Shit… babe, I gotta take this. Just… pause everything for a second." He told her as she put her hands on her hips, watching him stand up and answer the phone.

She watched him have a five minute conversation and going by the things he was saying, she realised he was taking off to go deal with some work business.

"I'm sorry, I really gotta go sort this out." Jason nodded, "I'll be super quick, I promise." He said as AJ sat down at the table, not uttering a word, "I'll make it up to you when I get back." He said, leaning over and kissing her cheek as AJ watched him leave the kitchen.

Her shoulders sank down as if someone had sucked the air from her, sighing to herself at the disappointing end to their night. She figured this was probably how he felt when she cancelled plans on him, but the fact she was trying to initiate some physical romance, and that wasn't enough for him to ditch his work, made her feel pretty low on confidence.

She sat for a while on her own in the kitchen, wondering if he really would come back quickly or if he was just saying that. She began to start clearing the table, not noticing one of the kitchen towels catching fire to one of the candles.

She had her back turned whilst doing the dishes, not noticing the fire until she saw the flames in the reflection, gasping with fright as she saw the table cloth going up in flames.

"Oh, for crying out loud." AJ shook her head at the ridiculousness of it.

She reached over for her phone immediately, calling the fire brigade who promised they would be with her extremely fast.

She didn't anticipate just how fast. It had to have only been a few minutes before she heard the sirens and then a knock at her door.

She ran out of the kitchen, opening the door and groaning. Of course it was him. Out of all the guys, it had to be him.

"It's in the kitchen." AJ pointed, too frantic to think about him being here again.

"Ok." Punk nodded, walking through to assess the situation, feeling her creep up behind him.

"Should I open a window or… throw some water on it?" AJ asked.

"Never open a window when there's a fire in a small space." Punk said, "What I need is for you to go stand outside." He told her.

She nodded, doing as she was told and waiting outside whilst Punk dealt with the fire, putting it out and throwing some white power over the table. Once it was safe for AJ to come back inside, she walked on through to the kitchen where Punk was holding the candles.

"Did you leave these unattended?" He asked her.

"No." AJ scoffed, "I was literally in the kitchen." She said.

"Well… you're lucky. Doesn't seem to be any sort of major damage." Punk assured her as she nodded, watching him clear up the mess. It was hard not to swoon watching him take control of a dangerous situation. She hated herself for yet again being in a position where she was lusting after him whilst her fiancé was elsewhere. It ashamed her.

"Well thank you." AJ sighed.

"What was this? Romantic dinner for one?" Punk looked over at her, taking his helmet off, "Kinda sad."

"My fiancé was here, obviously." AJ said, "He… had a work thing." She nodded.

He was looking around the table, wondering if it was still in standing condition when he spotted a pair of panties on the floor. He grinned immediately, turning away and desperately stopping himself from saying anything.

"The table should be fine." Punk said as AJ looked at him.

"Why are you smiling?" AJ shook her head, "I could have… I could have perished." She nodded as he smiled.

"Well you didn't." Punk nodded, "This was a free school day for me. Amateur hour. You could have put it out yourself." He said. Teasing her was just too fun.

"Oh, really?" AJ laughed a little, "I could have really perished then." She nodded.

"Well, considering you wanted to open the window, maybe it's best I got here in time." He said as she nodded.

"Well it's how you eat and sleep. I'm paying your bills right now." She nodded as he chuckled.

"You are." Punk agreed, walking towards her as she looked at him, "At least your panties didn't catch fire." He smiled as she gulped, looking down at the ground and noticing her panties, closing her eyes with embarrassment.

"This is the worst night ever." She whispered to herself as he chuckled.

"If I was your fiancé, I would have just quit my job." He nodded to her as she looked up at him, gulping.

"To do what?" She whispered, looking up at him as he just smiled, not saying anything, only giving her his smile. She knew what he was insinuating. She knew.

"You're all good here." He nodded, breaking their stare and picking his helmet up, "Just be careful with the candles." He said, brushing by her as she watched him, "Have a good night." He said whilst exiting the kitchen and leaving the house.

AJ gasped a little once he was gone, not realising just how fast her heart had been beating with him looking at her the way he was. It was more than just a feeling.