𝓛𝓮𝓸𝓷 𝓚𝓮𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓭𝔂| ɪᴍᴀɢɪɴᴇꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ 4

Flames of Attraction| Firefighter AU| Part Two

"Well that's really kind, I'm grateful. Really." I say, then in a moment of madness I pull out my phone and a pen, taking the card from him I write down my number, hoping I'm not making a fool of myself. "Now you've got my number, you know, if you want to talk or whatever." I blush once more, but luckily Leon just chuckles as he nods and takes the card from me once more. 

"I definetly do. Actually, do you want to grab dinner some time? It's fine if you don't want to-"

"I'd love to!" I cheerfully say, grinning as his eyes crinkle. We have another moment until out of the blue a loud siren fills the station. There's a fire that needs attending to. Leon sighs, giving me a look as we rush out of the office and into the wide open space. People race about, getting dressed and climbing into the fire truck, and Leon soon joins them, giving me one last wave before disappearing once more, but this time there's hope that I'll see him again...

A few days after visiting Leon, I find myself sat at home thinking about him. We haven't yet set up a date, and I'm not sure whether to wait for Leon to text me or to make the first move. I sigh, staring at my phone until the warmth of his smile and the kindness in his words give me enough courage to text him and ask when he's free. It isn't until an hour later that I receive a reply, telling me he's free Saturday. We quickly arrange a time and place for our dinner, then I tell Leon to be careful before heading to bed. My heart races as I toss and turn, worry gnawing at me at the thought of Leon's job and whether he'll even make it to our date, but then I curse myself for being stupid, Leon seems good at his job- he literally saved me- but still, the unexpected is always around the corner, ready to bite you in the ass when you don't anticipate it. 

Saturday night arrives soon enough, I'm waiting outside my apartment when Leon pulls up on a motorcycle, the roar of the engine loud in contrast to the peaceful street. My heart flips as he takes off his helmet, runs a hand through his dirty blonde hair, then swaggers towards me with a grin that could make the dead feel alive. I smile, wringing my hands together from nervousness, but Leon's quick to put an end to it when he opens his arms and pulls me in for a hug. It's forward and strangely intimate and lingering, but I welcome it regardless as I bury my face deeper into the crook of his neck, getting a good whiff of his cologne, it's a contrast to the faint smell of smoke and plastic that used to linger around him. "Hey." Leon finally murmurs roughly, not sounding like his usual cheerful self. I swallow, melting into his strong embrace as I squeeze him tighter, something silently tells me he needs it. 

"Hey," I softly reply, "Are you okay? Has something happened?" I add, pulling back a little as his shoulders stiffen, Leon releases a ragged breath, eyes losing their twinkle as he nods and swallows deeply. He tries to hold back, hesitating before speaking, but I'm grateful when he opens up. 

"Last night was...there was a really bad job. A house fire. We...we couldn't save everyone." His voice cracks, and my heart breaks for how much care he has for complete strangers. I pull him back for another tight hug, glad that he snuggles into it and allows me to take control as he rests his chin on my shoulder. The distant sounds of the city fade away as we hold each other, it's almost healing as we just be there for each other. 

"I'm so sorry." I whisper, my mind can't help but to flash back to my own experience with fire and how I almost died if it wasn't for Leon coming to my rescue. The moment feels thick and heavy, so raw I feel tears spring to my eyes. Leon must sense it too, because he pulls back and clears his throat, forcing a smile as he nudges me with his elbow gently. 

"Let's not talk about that anymore, tonight is about a pretty someone going on a date. Oh, and I guess you're here too." He grins teasingly as I gape and laugh at him, whacking his arm as he guides me to the bike. "I'm kidding! You're really beautiful, I'm actually kind of nervous." He admits, sheepishly smiling as he grabs a helmet and places it over my head, testing it a few times as he makes me feel comfortable. The whole ride to the restaurant is filled with reassuring touches and banter, both of us playfully joking around which makes up for the earlier weight of emotion. The actual date isn't much different, Leon's a total gentleman as he pulls out a chair for me and pours our wine, he doesn't tell me what to eat or recommend anything, and he's the one to suggest dessert after our stomachs ache from laughing and receiving side-eyes from the other customers. It's cosy and romantic, we've completely melted the ice and now we're swimming perfectly towards a successful date and relationship. I'm sad when we leave the restaurant, both of us linger outside in the night as we give each other dopey smiles and shuffle our feet. 2