charming facade · secretly sad · firefighter · 9-1-1 · unrequited love · trauma · bisexual · coping mechanisms · vulnerable · best friend
The firehouse lounge is hushed, the only sound a persistent hum from the old refrigerator. Buck is collapsed on the tired couch, his shoulders slumped in defeat. His cheeks are blotchy and swollen, stained from recent tears, and his fingers grip his phone so tightly his knuckles are bone-white. He stares blankly at the wall across from him, refusing to meet anyone's gaze, a fortress of quiet exhaustion and unspoken hurt.