Burning Down the House

Who: Mathias and Caleb
Where: Outside the house they (used to) live in
When: The early hours

Caleb was just having an interesting life, now that he was in Marquette. There was really no other way to put it. It was interesting. Sure, there were a whole damn host of other words that could be added in for a more accurate description, but at the moment, he was going with 'interesting'. It was that or go the way of Dorian, who ran past again muttering something under his breath about...god knew what. Caleb didn't.

The house was on fire. And not just little bitty 'where's the fire extinguisher' on fire. Like flames shooting out of the exploded out windows on fire. Like Caleb could see flames eating their way through the roof on fire. Like he was sitting there, on top of his car by the curb, and he was pretty fucking warm for it being the middle of goddamn winter. He was pretty relaxed, really, considering, feet down on the open passenger's side door since he'd opened the window, forearms resting on top his knees. Maybe he'd start freaking out any minute now, but really he didn't see it.

You could see the flames from across the park as Math drove home. Hell, you could see the glow in the sky from outside Babylon - he just hadn't actually realised it was Dorian's house until he pulled into their street. The outline of that brother in question was visible against the flames as Mathias pulled his car up over the street and pocketed the keys, heading over and, rather than go interrupt Dorian's flailing, hopped up to sit next to his youngest brother on the guy's car. "So - got any marshmallows?" he quipped, looking over at the guy, cool as anything. By the looks of things, there wasn't a hope in hell of saving the house, so why worry about it?

Caleb barely spared Math a glance, eyes more tracking Dorian as he went by again, then settling on the flames once more. "You know, I considered going to get some." he said. "But I passed like three other fires on the way here, and thought other people would probably have beat us to the punch." he commented. "Which is why the fire department hasn't actually showed yet." he added conversationally. "Or, that's my theory. Maybe they just don't like us." he added, quirking the faintest of smirks. Yeah, that whole panic option just didn't feel in the cards for him at the moment. In his opinion, he had bigger shit to worry about.

"Yeah, probably - damn them not giving us advanced warning. Could have gotten in supplies," Mathias agreed, before turning his attention back to Dorian. "Any idea what started it?" he asked Caleb, without looking round. He wasn't too bothered about the loss of the house, all things considered. Clearly they were all fine - the rest was just stuff. And 'stuff' could be replaced.

"Not really." Caleb said. "I tried asking Dor, but he just kind of went off on some tirade that I didn't really get half of what he was saying. Some shit about corporeality and stuff...so I'm guessing spirits. Can't be positive, though." he answered. "I suggest asking Dorian when he's calmer." At least the place was insured. That he knew only because on one of his passes back and forth, Caleb had caught that from the stream of whatever the fuck Dor was talking about.

"Ghosts burned down our house?" Math deadpanned, then rolled his eyes. Who needed a normal life anyhow - they were fucking half-demons. Considering some of their upbringing, this was normal. Most families didn't have a mother who buried her victims in the back yard in the dead of night - and he'd watched his mom do that when he was a teenager. Sat in his bedroom and watched her drag the body across the lawn.

"Yeah, I guess." Caleb said. "...any idea where we're going to go?" he asked. "I think Dor already called mommy dearest." he said. "...and just so we're clear, I'm going abso-fucking-lutely nowhere near those people." Not that he thought Math would want him to. Or try and make him. He just...it wasn't going to happen. He'd disappear first.

"No, you're not," Math said, watching the house burn. He didn't make a point of the three words, they were conversational enough, but they were also final. Mathias would never forgive his mother for what she'd said about Caleb - for actually having the nerve to send through a plane ticket home for her youngest son. For caring that fucking little. He'd never told anyone about it, never said a word to either one of his brothers. He'd simply torn up the ticket and he hadn't spoken to his parents since. He was sure that his mother would have called Dorian, asked the guy what was wrong with her golden boy, but Dorian had never said a word about it, and Mathias wasn't asking. "Guess we'll go to a hotel for tonight, then figure things out from there." He watched the way the fire was raging. "Not gonna be much left though, once that gets through. Hope you didn't have too much you gave a damn about."

Not answering right away, Caleb thought it over. There were a few things. He had his mp3 player on him, it was in his backpack that was in his car. What he couldn't replace was his artwork. That...that was shit you couldn't get anywhere because it was original. His. So, he glanced down, then back at the fire. "Just my artwork." he answered finally, deciding not to give the brushoff answer that he'd initially considered. "Everything else can be replaced, I guess." Though he was also aware that the little poem gift Rose had given him was probably ash by now too. That he didn't like. He kept gifts to him. He never really got any. Most of the others he had on him. On his wrist, his keychain, in his pocket...but that he didn't carry on him. Probably fitting, considering he still got no answer from her and now he was getting a 'number disconnected' message if he attempted to call.

"Sorry about your art," Math said, after a moment or two. He knew he didn't have anything in that house he cared that much about. Weirdly enough, the thing he'd miss the most would be his bag. It was a piece of shit, but it had survived several runs now - more than almost anything else he had had done. Mathias wasn't big on personal possessions. The way he lived, everything he had had to be replaceable.

Caleb nodded, accepting the sentiment. "Where to from here?" he asked. "I think I caught Dor talking about getting the fuck out of here." he added, not sure if Math would take the out the fire provided. Caleb was seventeen. Which meant if he 'ran away' he couldn't be dragged home anymore. Of course it also meant he wasn't a legal adult yet and therefore couldn't really do much on his own. Unless he decided to travel, or...fucked if he knew. He didn't. He should probably be more concerned about that, but he flat out wasn't. He didn't know why, but the whole thing was just striking hollow. Like it didn't matter near as much as it should have.

"I don't think you can really take anything your brother says seriously when he's panicking and flailing like a fucking girl," Mathias said, lightly, striking up a smoke, the flame from his lighter nothing compared to the blaze in front of them. "And I dunno - find somewhere else to live, I guess. house is a house at the end of the day. There's plenty of them around," he shrugged, leaning back on his elbows.

"Yeah, figured that one out all on my own." Caleb said drily. "I meant more if Dorian's serious about being out of here, are you sticking around? I think I would rather." Even if this kind of gave him the idea that he could cut and bail if he wanted to. It didn't occur to him he might not have a choice in the matter.

Mathias looked over at Caleb, wondering if the guy was fishing again, since he didn't get the information he'd been after the other day. He looked back at the fire again. "Yeah, I'll be sticking around," he confirmed.

Caleb watched Dorian pace back and forth in the driveway, on his cell speaking animatedly. Point of fact, he wasn't actually fishing at the moment. Right now it didn't quite matter. "Alright." he said. "..Nic's mom agreed to help." he added. "I'm probably taking Leija in tomorrow morning."

"Good - Lisa's on board. She'll cover whenever she's on shift if she needs to, and she promised to call in a few favours with some of the rest of the staff where she can - your girl should be covered." He paused, taking a drag on his cigarette. "Hope it helps some."

"Thanks." Caleb said, twitching slightly at the term 'your girl' since she wasn't. But, well. Maybe he was her keeper now. Now that he'd decided to take an active hand in something this major. Maybe that made her his girl, whether he wanted it to be that way or not. "I hope it helps too." He wasn't sure it would. Leija would have to want to be helped, but...time would tell. He spent a moment listening for Dorian's end of the conversation again. "I think he's fucking off." he noted. "Which leaves the two of us. Am I going to need to get a job?" he asked. "I could probably work at Nevermore...not sure how the money in and out goes with that place."

Mathias exhaled, sending smoke out into the night, pale against the fiery backdrop. "No, you're not gonna have to get a job. Unless you really want to, course," Mathias told him. Somehow, he didn't really see his youngest brother wanting to work in a bookstore, but it took all sorts.

"I was meant to get a job at a tattoo parlor downtown. But I think it's closed now." Caleb said. He'd been kind of looking forward to that. But yeah, well after the fact and the chick seemed to have vacated the premises. "But alright. Guess we'll figure it out later. Thinking hotel tonight? I mean, I could probably go crash at Nic's, but I don't want to get caught and give her mom reason to go back on the arrangement. I could probably call Dean. I'm sure his house has a couch I could crash on. Actually he's got an extra house now that I'm thinking about it."

Mathias looked over and cocked an eyebrow. "You have a friend with an extra house?" he asked. "Seems a little, well, excessive, doesn't it?" Especially to someone like Mathias who hadn't even really ever owned furniture before, let alone property to put it in. "How's that one work then? And they looking to rent it out or anything?"

"Well, not on his own, but yeah. I've only ever been to that place. Never been to his actual house." Caleb said. "And I don't know. I don't think they're looking to rent it out. It's being converted to their 'in case of apocalypse' place." Which he'd been told last time he was there. "It's kind of out of the way, not in the main city. Small place, out in the middle of the woods type place. Looked sound in case the shit hit the fan but I imagine renting it out would defeat the purpose of having it as a bolt hole."

"Anyone ever told you that you know some weird fucking people?" Mathias asked, conversationally. Not that preparing for the apocalypse was really a bad idea or anything, of course. Seemed downright sensible these days - not that Mathias had any intention of doing anything of the sort. He didn't do long term preparation - he was more the type to ride the wave. "But yeah, hotel," he agreed, going back to the initial comment. He leaned forward, stubbing the end of his cigarette out on the roof of Caleb's car before jumping down to the ground. "I'll go see if I can talk him into coming with us."

"No, but I know I know strange people." Caleb said, quirking a half smirk at his brother. "And good luck." he added. He dug his cell out of his pocket, and set the alarm on it, just so he didn't miss being able to take Leija to the psych ward, and hit up school afterwards. Life was just not getting any more dull. Looking at the flames again he sighed. Nic should have taken that fucking painting when he'd offered it to her. Oh well. Back to the drawing board. ...once he had one again.