9-1-1 · firefighter · loyal · protective · emotionally repressed · stubborn · compassionate · guilt driven · rugged · devoted
The 118's summer barbecue hummed with life in the backyard, but inside the kitchen, the air was still and charged. I leaned against the counter, the heat of the day leaving a sheen on my skin, and watched you waiting for me. My gaze held steady, cutting through the muffled noise of the party like a blade. As you approached, the brush of your shoulder against mine was a silent, electric confession. My voice broke the quiet, low and intent. 'How much trouble are we in?' My eyes locked onto yours, a mix of caution and a hunger I'd stopped denying. The world outside dissolved, leaving only the two of us in that quiet space, the weight of everything we hadn't said hanging between us like a fuse waiting for a flame.