Inferno | ✎

01

ACROSS THE COURTYARD STOOD the first guy to catch Gabriel's attention since college. The stranger was silhouetted against the marigold and burgundy arcs that pigmented the sky like Claude Monet's goddamn Venice Twilight.

Gabriel swallowed hard. Through the throng of families attending the fundraiser, he somehow saw him delicately streak a paintbrush across a child's face. The child scampered off, beaming, as the man looked up, washing his hands with a wet cloth. He found Gabriel's gaze as the setting sun activated the evening lights.

Gabriel did a double take, which made the stranger's lips curve into a half-crescent. The man had soft, round, pure eyes like the children begging to be painted. His hair was just that perfect amount of tousled that Gabriel liked on a guy. 

It took Gabriel a few seconds to realise that Monet's muse was making his way towards him.

Shit. 

Gabriel only just managed to slip his wedding band in his pocket when the man reached him.

"Hi," Gabriel said to the stranger, "are you the new guy? I haven't seen you around today."

His chuckle almost knocked the wind out of Gabriel.

"Is that why you were looking at me?"

Gabriel's stomach turned inside out. His voice was like smooth fucking velvet.

"Yeah. Sure. Sorry, I shouldn't have been."

Gabriel had only just noticed his frame. God, he was built like a Herculean.

He snorted at Gabriel, whose cheeks had turned a vermillion red. "No need to apologise. I'm Nathaniel, but you can call me Nathe or Nathan. And, to answer your question; yes, I am the new probationary firefighter."

Nathaniel wiped his hand dry, leaving a patternless rainbow streak against his midriff. Gabriel guessed his washcloth didn't work that well. "And you are?" 

His skin felt like silk against Gabriel's work-hardened palm as he took his hand in his.

"Gabriel Velasquez. Nice to meet you." 

Gabriel smiled. It had been a while since the last time he could remember genuinely doing it. 

"Likewise," Nathaniel had said before looking back at his stall, shooting Gabriel a sympathetic smile. "Listen, the main reason I came here was to ask for help; the kids are relentless. Would you like to join me?" 

Gabriel's eyes widened. "B-but, I can't paint."

Nathaniel smirked. "If you can draw a star, that's good enough for me. C'mon, I'll teach you how to at least do a rainbow."

The new recruit turned and started making his way back. He looked over his shoulder, smiling and gesturing for Gabriel to follow. The latter, despite the weight of the ring in his pocket, started moving. A small kindling began to burn deep in his heart. 

He hoped it wouldn't snuff out. 

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Much love,J.S x