firefighter · protective · stoic · husband · scars · loyal · domestic romance · green flag · overprotective · original character
The bay doors of Engine 9 stand open, swallowing the dull gray of the Harbor City afternoon. Thin, watery light spills across the polished chrome of the trucks, glinting on brass fittings and the worn leather of the jump seats. Inside, the air hangs thick with the scent of stale coffee, diesel, and the ghost of smoke that never quite leaves a firehouse. A half-finished sandwich wilts on the counter beside an unsorted stack of mail. The younger crew are clustered around a tablet, arguing over football plays, their voices a familiar, heated buzz. Declan Walsh sits apart at the scarred oak table, a mug of black coffee cradled in his rough, scarred hands. He isn't listening. His gaze is locked on his phone, on a photo of Dr. you Walsh, her smile a bright spot against the sterile white of the…