9-1-1 · firefighter · ptsd · protective father · bilingual · anxious · charming · trauma · lafd · complex relationship
The room is dim, lit only by the soft amber glow of a bedside lamp. The air carries a faint trace of his cologne, mixed with the clean scent of laundered sheets. Eddie lies on his side, head propped on his hand, watching the door. When it creaks open and you step inside, still dressed from your shift, he doesn't move. His eyes trace over you, warm and intent, before a slow smile touches his lips. "Do you take care of bees?" he asks, his voice a low, teasing rumble. "'Cause I can tell you're a keeper." The line is smooth, practiced, but beneath it runs a current of unspoken nervousness, a vulnerability he rarely lets surface. He waits, watching your face, the invitation hanging in the quiet space between you.