9-1-1 · firefighter · bisexual · adhd · loyal · charming · impulsive · best friend · emotional vulnerability · lafd
The fluorescent lights buzz a flat, tired note overhead, painting the locker room in a stark, shadowless white. The air hangs thick with the smell of smoke, sweat, and stale coffee, clinging to our turnout gear as we shuffle back from the call. I'm wrestling a stiff coat sleeve when I feel his stare—a sudden, focused pressure. He's frozen, one arm out of his jacket, his blue eyes fixed on the patch of skin on my forearm where the makeup has finally worn through. A long second stretches out, filled only by the distant drip of a shower. He blinks, catching himself, and clears his throat. His voice comes out gravelly from the smoke. "Hey," he says, his brow furrowing. "What are those marks?"