….suprise!

Look the world has been super ing scary lately. So I said I would do a special quarantine chapter of Fire Escape. Please take the lighthearted parts with a pinch of salt, they’re not intended to offend. Sometimes the only way to continue is to make light of things, humour normalises it.

I couldn’t remember where everyone lived by the end and I have no clue what point in the story this is set but the apartments are now as followed:

Dahmo/Jihyo         Michaeng

Satzu                2yeon/Jae-Yun

Btw my friend recently made a prequel to this based on 2yeon check it out! Will link it once I get the link from him :)

I may go through this fic soon and fix all the typos and stuff in the chapters.

Special: Quarantine

“I’m home!”

Nayeon stepped through the door and kicked her shoes off, arms filled with groceries. She didn’t like going to the store by herself, but right now it was her only option. Corona had gone from a refreshing end of day beverage to one of the scariest things in the world. It was surreal almost, how everyone in the entire world from the rich to the poor, the good and the bad - all were in the exact same situation. Everyone was social distancing…well nearly everyone. s weren’t.

That’s right. Only S don’t social distance.

As much as Nayeon loved being paid to stay home, it was beginning to grate on her a little. Namely having to keep Jae-Yun entertained and doing her homework. For the first time in a long time, Nayeon missed not having a life to look after. It meant she couldn’t enjoy her freedom. She loved Jae-Yun but the girl was hyper as hell. Obviously, these thoughts were only teasing - she wouldn’t trade Jae-Yun for anything. It was just that sometimes she just needed a glass of wine and “Mommy time”.

“WAIT!”

Ah yes….the other issue.

“Okay…” Nayeon replied softly as Jeongyeon appeared holding disinfectant wipes,

The bags were taken from her and placed in the kitchen when Jeongyeon, clad in gloves and a mask, began cleaning the items and putting them away. The virus had cause a very intense negative impact on Jeongyeon’s OCD. Stress made the cleaning more obsessive, to the point where Nayeon would have to disinfect the bottom of her shoes before walking in the house. Nayeon had to stop Jae-Yun from leaving the house because Jeongyeon’s insistence on full body scrubs was excessive.

Their daughter would catch her Umma’s anxiety and would herself start panicking about being infected. So Nayeon was the only one allowed to leave. Jeongyeon was forbidden after the one time she did go to get the mail. When she came back she’d scrubbed her hands so hard they began excessively bleeding. When Nayeon suggested taking her to the doctors for stronger anxiety medication Jeongyeon had an anxiety attack, she was so afraid of the germs that her mental health was severely struggling to cope.

Since then Nayeon had been able to quell most of the behaviours through routine and ensuring Jeongyeon watched her wash her hands. It’s safe to say the Yoo-Im house was a stressful place at the moment.

“Jeong!” Nayeon called, “I’m going to wash my hands and change my clothes, okay?”

“Mhmm.”

Jeongyeon was too busy sanitising a kumquat to focus on what Nayeon was saying. She knew not to take it to heart, she knew her wife couldn’t focus on anything until the little voice in her head was sated. Nayeon was just glad Jeongyeon didn’t insist on her showering and washing her hair whenever she came in from outside. All she had to do was wash her hands and change clothes, then after Jeongyeon had cleaned she would finally get a hug.

By the time she was finished in changing, Jeongyeon had put the last of the groceries away and looked visibly less distressed. Immediately, Nayeon was at the sink and washing her hands. Two renditions of ‘Happy Birthday’ later and finally she got her hug. She wrapped her arms round her wife and sighed in contentment.

“Sorry.” Jeongyeon muttered, tucking Nayeon’s head under her chin,

“It’s alright, are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Jeongyeon sighed, “Much better now I know everything’s clean. Chaeyoung texted that they’re all at the windows if we want to go out.”

“You should have gone!” Nayeon scolded,

“Couldn’t…” Jeongyeon sighed, “I need you to hold my hand or I panic about being outside.”

Nayeon nodded, “It’s just the stress, you know that.”

“Doesn’t make it easier.”

“I know, babe.” Nayeon smiled, “Let’s go then!”

The group obviously hadn’t been able to hang out recently, due to the social distancing. Because they were practising social distancing. Because they weren’t s.

Well…most of the time at least.

Instead they would all go sit on their windows and talk that way. Chaeyoung, Jihyo and Dahyun had been at their windows for the past hour. Chaeyoung and Dahyun had been sliding notes to one another in a roller skate whilst Jihyo just observed. She had tried explaining that it would be easier to text…or just talk, but the duo shushed her. Mina was searching for something and Momo had taken to Zoom calling her classes so that she could keep working.

Sana and Tzuyu were both essential workers and so wouldn’t be home for some time yet. But whenever they got back from their shifts, they’d shower and change their clothes before joining the others out on their windows. Nobody was allowed to go out on the fire escape, it was a silent rule that nobody would put the others in danger. They were just happy they were fortunate enough to be in such close proximity.

Jeongyeon and Nayeon opened the window and began wiping it down with disinfectant wipes. What she was afraid of, Nayeon couldn’t tell you but she still let her scratch the itch in her brain. Above them the self-named Dubchaeng were flicking their notes back and fourth, giggling to themselves as they read the contents. Jihyo still observing the idiots, questioning whether breaking quarantine would be worth it so that she didn’t lose her mind.

Then, as if fate was on Jihyo’s side, Chaeyoung flicked another note - only for it to fall through the grated flooring of the fire escape. Gently tapping Nayeon’s nose as it fell down.

“Hey! Who’s throwing paper!?”

“DON’T READ IT!” Chaeyoung shouted,

“YEAH IT’S PRIVATE!” Dahyun agreed,

“Private my - you’re the idiots that threw it!”

“I didn’t throw it,” Chaeyoung pouted, “Gravity just hates me. Why do you think I’m so short!? It’s all a conspiracy.”

Nayeon rolled her eyes and threw the paper away, not even bothering to see where it went.

“Thank you, Nayeon!” Jihyo declared loudly, “They’ve been throwing that paper back and fourth all day.”

“Well what are we supposed to do now…” Dahyun grumbled, “I’m BOOOOOORED!”

“People are dying…”

“Yeah…me. DYING OF BOREDOM!”

Jeongyeon laughed, “Way too dramatic dude.”

She felt better now that she’d cleaned everything.

“Wait…Dahyun do you have any string?” Chaeyoung suddenly asked,

“I think so.”

“Great!” Chaeyoung was practically vibrating, “You get the string and I’ll dump two cans of spaghetti-os in the sink!”

“Tin can phone!? GENIUS!”

Both girls immediately ran to find their items leaving an exasperated Jihyo to call after them, “YOU HAVE PHONES!”

“Let us live!” Was the reply from Dahyun as she dug through the drawer for some string,

Suddenly, there was shouting from the apartment next door. Even Dahyun heard it, poking her head once more out of the window. After a moment a dejected looking Chaeyoung appeared with Mina looking irritated.

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