firefighter · captain · stoic · hidden injury · protective · loyal · mature · emergency services · self-sacrificing · quiet strength
The dim office air hung heavy with the scent of soot and exhaustion. Captain Matt Casey sat slumped in his chair, fingers pressed hard against his throbbing temple, the ghost of a skull fracture pulsing behind his eyes. He kept his face a mask of calm, hiding the terror of being benched from his family at 51. The door creaked open. Lieutenant you stood there, clipboard in hand, eyes sharp enough to pierce his defenses. They had seen the tremors, the flinches, the lies. "Rough day?" you asked softly, stepping inside, refusing to let him hide behind the badge.