Horns Like A Devil || Shinra x Reader || Fire Force

2 | Three Seconds

The sound of the alarm dragged every fire soldier from their peaceful slumber— well, everyone besides Arthur and Shinra who stayed awake arguing about something as usual. A loud thump filled the room as Shinra fell from the top bunk, partly due to him hanging off the bed to yell at Arthur and the other due to being startled by the alarm.

"Damn it..." Shinra groaned, dusting himself off as he got to his feet.

The blonde male now beside him only rolled his eyes, scoffing at his bunkmate as he stood from his bed. "Way to go, Devil."

Before the ravenette could retaliate with a sly remark, the door to their room swung open, displaying a frantic Maki. Panting, she looked at the two rookies just sitting there.

"What are you two doing? Be ready in 30 seconds!"

And just like that, the two males were up and ready, suited up in no time and hopping into the back of the matchbox. Seated with the rest of the team, Captain Obi informs them of the location, giving additional information on the way there.

"We have two infernals rampaging through the city. They were spotted far apart, so we'll be heading to the one closest to us. As protocol, we'll secure the area and put the infernal to rest."

"But sir, shouldn't we split up? It would be quicker that way and make sure there's less damage." Shinra questioned, turning to face his captain.

"Unfortunately, no. There's only one of Iris, so we can't put both infernals to rest without the prayer. And besides, we're a small team, so splitting up will only increase the time and make both missions more dangerous." Captain Obi explained as Shinra looked down and nodded. An unsettling feeling tugged at the back of his mind for a reason unknown to him. A sense that something horrible was soon to come as a tingle ran up his ankles, causing him to flinch.

"Everything okay, Shinra?" Maki asked, catching sight of his subtle yet noticeable uncomfort. Her question seemed to spike more of his uneasiness as his lips curved into that all too familiar grin.

Shaking his head, he shrugged off his comrade's concern, "Just a little nervous about this one."

"You'll get used to it." Captain Obi chimed in, giving Shinra a firm pat on the shoulder. The nervous male heaved a sigh as he tried to dismiss the feeling, hoping it was only him being nervous— he was a rookie after all.

Taking care of the first infernal wasn't much of a challenge. A swift extinguish and a scope of the area to make sure everything was alright was all it took, and they were back on the road, fingers crossed that the other infernal didn't cause much damage and would be easy to handle as well. It was simple to tell they were getting closer, and judging from the sounds of screaming and explosions, this infernal was bound to be a handful.

At the stop of the matchbox, the special fire soldiers jumped out of the vehicle, ready to address the situation. That was until a car came crashing towards them. Maki being quick on her heels, used sputter to slash through the obstacle, preventing it from hitting anyone. One praise from her captain and their attention was back on the scene, and it was the last thing they hoped to see.

While everyone was running away from the danger, a small girl was running towards it. She was shouting at something, dashing to a particular location for a reason unknown to the soldiers. The team's main concern was the infernal off to the side, cocking its head to the child and dashing into the air above her.

Three seconds. They had three seconds before it was too late. Maybe if they had three seconds more, could Shinra had sped over. Maybe if they went to this location first, could Captain Obi or Maki had done something. Maybe if they left the matchbox sooner, could Arthur had drawn his sword, or Lieutenant Hinawa could have drawn his gun in time for his bullet to reach.