From the Ashes

Chapter 3

A/N: (Just so there won't be any confusion about the time skips that are happening from now on: most full-time firefighters work in 24h shifts with two or three days off in between each. My guys work 24h and have a three day leave before going on the next shift, making one "work cycle" last a total of four days.)

Once again, I'm sorry for the time this is taking between chapters. Not only is researching the profession taking longer than necessary (bc honestly, who really cares if I get something a little wrong?), but my fear of just that – getting something wrong – is crippling me. From this chapter forward, I'm gonna try to be a bit more effective and just focus on the story, not the trimmings. Thank you all for being incredibly patient in the meantime, I really do appreciate it beyond words <3

And before you all start grabbing pitchforks and shit, I thought that Tyler deserved a say - so here he is ;)

-

"No luck this weekend, huh?"

Tyler looked up from where he was pouring milk over his bowl of frosted flakes, glancing at RJ as the taller man opened the fridge next to him and pulled out the orange juice.

"Hm?" Tyler replied as eloquently as anyone would that early in the day. He watched RJ pour himself a glass of the cold juice and lift it to his lips, gulping down half its contents before lowering it to top it up again. "What makes you say that?"

Along with Sawyer, Marcus and a couple others, RJ was one of the few members of Tyler's shift that he actually sort of, maybe not liked, but at least didn't despise. One could carry a conversation with him without wanting to barf or sit and rock back and forth in a dark corner somewhere. He had this way of exuding a sense of calm and security with his mere presence, as if he'd always have your back, no matter what the situation. Like one of those natural father figures, RJ was someone that people simply trusted instinctively, and rightly so.

His lips lifted into a small smile and gestured towards the bench in front of Tyler. "The breakfast of champions you've got there."

Tyler frowned and looked down at his cereal again, which were slowly turning soggier by the second. "What?" Tyler repeated, not at all following what RJ was getting at.

RJ gave a deep chuckle, shaking his head. "Whenever you've scored over the last few days, you'll go all 'fitness freak' and eat your greens like a good boy. This clearly wasn't a good weekend."

Tyler tightened his jaw and glared. So what if the last three days had been a bit slow? Everyone had their up's and down's, and even Tyler appreciated a little me-time every now and then. Just because he didn't have any eggs that weekend didn't mean the chicken was dead... or something like that.

Scowling at RJ and the man's amusement at his eating habits, Tyler dug into his sugary breakfast with a bit more emphasis than strictly necessary and demonstratively shoved a large spoonful into his mouth, ignoring the little dribble of milk that rolled from one corner of his lips as he chewed.

"Your point being?" he mumbled around his mouthful, thoroughly enjoying the way RJ wrinkled his nose while he wiped his chin.

"That you're easy to read, Oakley," RJ said while leaning in conspiratorially. Tyler snorted. "And that both you and your waistline could probably do with something a little more substantial than those constant one-night-stand's of yours."

Tyler rolled his eyes and swallowed, spying Will entering the kitchen behind RJ. "Oh, like you and the missus, you mean?" Tyler fluttered his eyelashes as Will wrapped his arms around RJ's waist and rested his chin on a broad shoulder.

"Perhaps not an engagement right away, but yeah, something like that," RJ said before turning his head to peck his fiancé on the cheek. Will winked at him just as Tyler pretended to gag.