The Way We Burn

One: Sully

"Cap?"

I barely registered the rapping on my door frame as I was pulled out of my brain's full screensaver mode. It had been a long fucking day.

Hell, a long thirty-six hours, considering I'd had to pick up half of someone else's shift.

"Sorry, Finn," I sighed, shaking off the last of my mind-fog. "What's up?"

"You're still planning on heading to Kindling with us, right?" the young firefighter asked with a wry smile. This kid was trouble. Twenty-five, blond hair, blue eyes and the charisma to make any woman within a forty-five-mile radius weak in the knees. He looked more like a fairy tale prince than a firefighter, but luckily for me, the kid was also damn good at his job.

I scratched my fingers through the shadow that ran the length of my jaw. "I don't know, kid, it's been..."

"A long day," Finn finished. "Yeah. Has been for all of us. Hence the need for a round or two." He just stood there staring at me for a beat, knowing we were at a bit of an impasse. "Besides," he continued. "It's Flanagan's birthday."

Ah, the parting shot. Couldn't back out of plans on someone's birthday now, could I? Kid was fucking clever.

I arched a dark eyebrow as he stared at me with pleading puppy-dog eyes. Shit. No wonder this kid got whatever he wanted. I was twenty years his senior AND a man and it still got me. "Is it, though or are you just saying that to get me to go out with you?"

"I'm telling Flan you forgot his birthday, Finn stated with a scoff of disbelief. "Gonna break the guy's fuckin' heart, Cap."

I groaned and scrubbed both hands over my face. "Fine. Fine. Give me twenty to get cleaned up and I'll head out with you for A drink. One. Not looking to spend my two days off like a fuckin' zombie."

Finn shook his head, his golden blond locks drifting in front of his eyes. "Sometimes I forget how much of an old man you are."

"Watch your mouth or you're running drills when we get back on Thursday."

"How many we talking?"

"All of 'em," I snapped. "Now get the hell outta here so I can change."

"Aye aye, Captain!" Finn exclaimed, giving me a mocking salute before he pulled my office door shut and shouted down the hallway to our brethren that I would, indeed be joining them.

I couldn't help but chuckle as I heard the roaring cheer that followed Finn's announcement, though I definitely rolled my eyes in tandem. You would think these guys hadn't already spent the last twenty-four hours with me. But that was the thing about the family we'd created within the firehouse wall: we were brothers. Sometimes we fought like them, but we were always ready to have some fun too.

Six of us walked into The Kindling about thirty minutes later. There were usually seven of us on shift, but our EMT, Sheppard, had elected to head home to his wife and kids instead of joining the rest of us doofuses at the bar. Some days I wish I still had the wife excuse to get out of being social, but when I remembered what a train wreck my marriage had been, I'd take forced beer outings over it any day.

"I got the first round!" Finn shouted before heading to the counter with resounding applause, but the second he saddled up to the bar, he started flirting with a pretty blonde and everyone groaned, knowing it'd likely be a good thirty minutes before he made it back to the table.

I chuckled and rolled my eyes affectionately. "I got it. By the time he's done, we could be halfway to drunk."

The four remaining at the table cheered as I walked away, immediately bellying up to the far end of the counter and losing myself as I perused the on-tap offerings.