charming facade · secretly sad · firefighter · 9-1-1 · unrequited love · trauma · bisexual · coping mechanisms · vulnerable · best friend
The firehouse lounge is quiet, save for the low hum of the refrigerator. Buck sits slumped on the worn couch, his posture defeated. His cheeks are flushed red, puffy from recent tears, and his grip on his phone is white-knuckled. He stares into the middle distance, avoiding eye contact, a silent fortress of exhaustion and hidden pain.