Burn for You

38

Grayson
I rubbed my eyes as I closed the door behind me, Doug sitting at the table.

"Good morning sunshine." He smiled, a sandwich pressed to his lips. "You slept for a while."

"Thirty minutes isn't a while Doug." I pulled open the fridge and pulled out a bottle of sprite hoping that was good enough to count as a meal despite knowing it wasn't.

"It sure is for you. Ya know Molly is thinking about forcing you to take a leave, you better take care of yourself. Them leaves could turn into fires and not the kind we fight." He chuckled at his joke that I was too tired to find funny.

"I'm ok, Doug. I'll let Molly know I'm ok too. I don't need a leave..." I yawned slightly, instantly pausing when the loud siren went off.

I rushed off to change, my vision slightly blurring as I moved. I felt off-balanced and lost like I was in a dream. Despite my slow movements, my heart was beating fast and in strange waves.

I finished changing as we rushed toward the trucks. My mind wandered slightly as Greg and Molly tried to explain the situation. I heard them speaking but all I could do was blink, their eyes filled with slight fear and determination.

"...Serena..."

"What?" I mumbled. My blurred vision focuses on Molly's lips.

"I said Serena works at the bar that we are headed to. It's on fire and she is still inside, we were told her friends tried to get her out but she won't listen."

My fists clenched at my side as I thought about her and only her. I know my job is to protect everybody and protect the public but she is all that matters to me. I fucked up but I won't let her die.

When we arrived, we flooded out of the truck. My leatherhead going over my head.

"Grayson, what are you doing?"

"You said she was inside, somebody has to go get her."

"Not yet! We haven't assessed the situation! Grayson!"

I don't know if it was the exhaustion I was feeling or the fact that she is the cause of this exhaustion but I don't care about my job. I don't care about my life right now either, I just need her to be safe.

I entered the badly and rapidly burning building, smoke filling every inch of the place.

"Serena! Where are you?! I'm coming to get you!" I maneuvered through the fallen supports and large flames, my heart rate slowing at the lack of response.

"Serena! Fuck...Flower! Where are you, Serena!?"

I stepped back, a light fixture shattering in front of me.

Sweat beaded up on my forehead as I continued through. "Ser-" I paused at the sight of her on the ground, her face and body covered in soot and a man laying across her.

I picked the man up and held him over my shoulder before bending down and picking Serena up. Her neck and the back of her arm were burnt, it didn't look too bad but I couldn't tell through the smoke.

I choked as I removed my leatherhead and placed it on her head.

My eyes stung and watered as I tried to continue through the flames, my face tingling from the feeling of the heat. I choked as my chest filled with smoke, unable to cover my face as I held Serena in my arms.

I fell to the ground as the cool air hit my face, my lungs trying to make up for the minutes of lack of air. I hacked as Molly rushed toward us.

"Grayson, I should fucking fire you for what you just did."

I continued to gasp as I watched them lift Serena and the random man onto stretchers.

"Fire me, Molly." I swallowed hard, looking up at the gray-haired woman in front of me. "I don't care... just make sure she's ok...She was in there for too long." I stood up slowly, wiping the sweat from my forehead.

"Get to the hospital and don't come back until I say so." She glared at me before rushing off to continue to assist in putting out the growing fire.

Please be ok.

...

I had to stay the night in the hospital, the same one I was in before when Serena bought me my favorite thing. I still haven't slept and they refuse to let me see Serena because of it. I was tired, trust me, I know I'm exhausted but I need her more than I do sleep and I haven't had her for three fucking months.

If I knew in high school that I would be this in love with her, I would've just been with her. Been happy with her then and spent my years blissfully with the person I love...

"Grayson."

My eye twitched slightly at the sound of the sourly sweet voice.

"Hey," she sang lightly as if she was attempting to come off as caring. "What happened, Gray?" She brushed her hand against my sunken cheeks.

I recoiled as her scent let alone her touch made me nauseous.

"Don't be like that, Gray." She pouted, her hand combing through my hair.

"Stop touching me, Emilia." My tone was intentionally harsh and unintentionally hurt.

"I'm your wi-"

"Please, Emilia. Shut the fuck up about it. You're not my wife and you haven't been for almost five years."

A burning ran across my cheek as her palm connected with it. "Don't you ever, say something like that to me again. I love you, Grayson. I am-"

My head turned to look at the petite brunette, her angry eyes turned like a clock as she stared at me. Calculating and plotting. I've been looking at those eyes for so long that I never noticed it. Or maybe I have and I grew numb to it. I used to love those eyes...but they're nothing like my Flower's.

"Emilia. Get the fuck out before I hurt you."

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