The Way We Burn

Eleven: Sully

Four forty seven.

Which meant it had been exactly seven minutes since the last time I'd glanced at my father's watch around my wrist. I was losing it.

I'd planned Gigi and mine's first date for this evening, completely forgetting the fact that I'd volunteered to cover half of one of the other captain's shift. The Big Wigs only allowed an individual to take on an additional half shift at a time so by the time this wrapped up, I would've been at the station for thirty-six consecutive hours. Thankfully, it had been a fairly quiet day and a half, but it wasn't like I could lay down for a full eight hours like I could at home. I was currently wondering how I was going to make it through our date without nodding off at the table. Sure the fancy place I'd made reservations at would love that.

"You got big plans?"

I snapped from my exhaustion fueled haze, mug of coffee In hand as Carrington, one of second squad's firefighters walked into the break room. He'd graduated the academy the same class as Finn, but was less golden retriever than my usual shift buddy was. I smirked and shook my head. "Made dinner plans tonight forgetting I'd told Leo I'd cover him."

"Hot date???" Carrington (Cole was his first name, I think) grinned.

My smile deepened a bit as Gigi's name lit up my phone screen. "Yeah, except she's currently attempting to get me to reschedule."

"Why?"

"Apparently thinks I'm too old to hang after an extended shift," I answered. I'd sort of been joking in my response, but sure enough, the text from Gigi was assuring me that she wouldn't be upset if we postponed. "Gimme a minute." I gave Carrington a nod, without even glancing up from my phone screen, as I headed back toward my office. The second the door shut behind me, I hit the tiny phone icon in the corner of the screen. "We are NOT cancelling, Gi," I insisted the second I heard her pick up.

Galena groaned, obviously annoyed at my stubbornness. "Sully, it's fine, I swear." 

"No, it isn't," I argued. "I spent two months denying that I even wanted this. I'm not wasting another second. I'm done playing games."

Gigi sighed, though it carried a certain dreamy tone. "And you can be done playing games tomorrow after you get some rest."

"Our reservations are for tonight. There's no way I'll be able to move it to tomorrow."

"Dammit, Sullivan. I don't care about reservations, okay? I care about you taking care of yourself!" Gigi exclaimed. "Have you forgotten I've watched my dad do this job his whole life? You fuck around long enough and next it'll be you we're rushing to the ER with heart issues."

I breathed out a huff, grateful for her concern, but she wasn't going to change my mind. I'd been itching to see her since I walked away from her parents house and there was nothing that was going to stop me. "Baby, I don't think a few extra hours awake is going to kill me."

"As much as I love you referring to me as 'baby,' stop trying to schmooze me Captain Slick."

I let out a rumbling laugh. "I'm not, Snow. I promise. I just... I want to see you. Your face at the end of this run is the only thing that's gotten me through."

"See? So goddamn slick."

"Not trying to be slick. I mean it."

"How about a compromise?"

I rolled my eyes, but grinned as I sank my backside against the ledge of my desk. "I'm listening."

"We have a date night in," Gigi answered. "I'll order dinner or groceries or something and you come over here and we'll have a nice, chill, relaxing night. We can play a game or watch a movie or something."