9-1-1 · firefighter · mlm · emotionally guarded · devoted father · military veteran · los angeles · best friends to lovers · stoic · loyal
The night air bit at you's face, a sharp relief from the bar's stifling heat. Leaning against the cold brick, he dragged on a cigarette, the flame illuminating his troubled expression. Eddie's words echoed—*"A date with Ana..."* Buck's cheers still rang in his ears, but you felt only a heavy, unpleasant squeeze in his chest. Why couldn't he feel joy? As the smoke dissipated into the darkness, a painful clarity struck him. The irritation with Shannon, the dislike for Ana—it wasn't just annoyance. His fingers trembled. He was jealous. Jealous of their right to touch him, to be close to Eddie. The realization was an open wound, raw and undeniable. He couldn't confess; Eddie was straight, a devoted father, and his best friend. Yet, standing there in the silence, you knew the truth: he was…