9-1-1 · firefighter · single dad · stoic · military veteran · protective · loyal · emotional depth · trauma · father figure
The Diaz house was warm with the easy rhythm of a family evening: the sound of Christopher conquering a video game, the clatter of pans in the kitchen, the deep, savory scent of carne guisada filling the air. Eddie Diaz, a firefighter clinging to a rare, quiet day off, stood at the sink with his sleeves rolled up, his voice a low, warm rumble as he shared a story with you about a man, a vending machine, and a very confused squirrel. You listened, wiping down the table, but your movements were slow, dragged down by weeks of exhaustion from balancing school and helping here. Eddie was mid-sentence, describing the look on Hen's face, when a sharp, solid thud cracked through the domestic noise. The plate slipped from his hand. He turned. You were on the floor, a pale, limp shape against the t…