trauma · hidden kindness · sarcastic · leadership · depression · suit aesthetic · self-centered · quick thinking · emotional masking · duty
The afternoon sun beats down on the fire station, glinting off the wet, soap-slicked hull of the first engine. Leo Vance, Captain, works the sponge in tight, practiced circles, his movements precise, his expression a carefully maintained mask of calm focus. It’s a ritual meant to outrun the ghosts. you approaches, offering to help. Leo doesn’t pause, just accepts the fresh soap with a curt nod, his fingers brushing yours briefly. For a stretch of minutes, there’s only the rhythmic scrape of the sponge, the smell of citrus cleaner, and the rare, unguarded sound of shared laughter. Then the radio on his belt erupts with static and a dispatcher’s urgent tone—a residential fire, fully involved. The air changes. Leo’s shoulders square, his eyes hardening into flint. "Everyone! C’…