Running into the Fire

Chapter 18 : Quiet Pull

Ava stood in Ethan’s kitchen, the warmth from the coffee still in her hands.

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The front door had just closed.

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The house felt different now.

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Quieter.

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Still.

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She glanced down at the key in her hand.

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Turned it slightly between her fingers.

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Then set it gently on the counter.

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For a moment, she didn’t move.

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Just stood there.

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Letting it settle.

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This place.

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Him.

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Everything.

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Ava exhaled slowly and pushed herself into motion.

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She rinsed her mug and set it by the sink before heading down the hall.

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Back in her room, she moved quickly.

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Pulled on her work clothes.

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Tied her hair back.

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Grabbed her apron and slipped it into her bag.

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She paused for a second, looking around the room.

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Still unfamiliar.

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But not in a bad way.

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Then she picked up her things and headed back out.

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The diner was across town.

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A longer walk than she was used to.

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But she had time.

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She slipped her shoes on by the door and stepped outside.

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The diner was steady when she got there.

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Familiar.

Predictable.

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Ava tied her apron and stepped behind the counter like nothing had changed.

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Janie noticed her immediately.

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Her eyes softened slightly.

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“You’re here.”

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Ava nodded once.

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Janie stepped closer.

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“I stopped by the motel this morning,” she said quietly. “You didn’t answer.”

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Ava’s chest tightened for a second.

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“I left,” she said.

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Janie studied her.

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Then reached into her bag and held something out.

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Ava blinked.

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Her phone.

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“I think you forgot this,” Janie said.

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Ava took it, relief settling in.

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“I must’ve set it down,” she said.

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She let out a quiet breath.

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“At least it wasn’t in my pocket when I fell in the pool.”

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Janie gave a small smile.

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“Lucky break.”

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Ava nodded.

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“Yeah.”

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Janie’s expression shifted again.

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“Are you okay?” she asked.

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Ava hesitated.

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Then—

“Ethan offered me a room,” she said. “At his place.”

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Janie’s brows lifted slightly.

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“It’ll help save money,” Ava added quickly.

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Janie watched her for a second.

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Then smiled.

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Ava shook her head slightly.

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“It’s not like that,” she said.

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Janie didn’t say anything.

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Ava looked down at her hands.

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“He’s just being nice.”

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Her fingers brushed together without thinking.

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And for a second—

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she remembered.

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The way their fingers had lingered that morning.

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Ava blinked.

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Shook the thought away.

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“Just nice,” she repeated.

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Janie didn’t push.

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But the look she gave her said she didn’t quite believe that.

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The shift picked up faster than usual.

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Orders stacked.

Voices overlapped.

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The steady rhythm turned hectic.

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Ava moved without thinking.

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Refilling drinks.

Taking orders.

Clearing tables.

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Frank glanced at her once from behind the counter.

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“You good?” he asked.

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Ava nodded.

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Then, without really thinking about it—

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“I can stay longer,” she said.

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He hesitated for half a second.

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“You sure?”

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Ava nodded again.

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“I don’t mind.”

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And she didn’t.

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The movement helped.

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Kept her from thinking too much.

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Frank gave a short nod.

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“Alright. I’ll keep you on.”

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And Ava stayed.

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By the time things finally slowed—

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her feet ached.

Her body heavier.

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But her mind—

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quieter.

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By the time she stepped outside again, the sun had started to dip.

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The walk back felt longer.

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Her body heavier now.

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But something inside her still felt—

steady.

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Ethan got home and closed the door behind him.

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The quiet hit immediately.

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Not the usual kind.

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Different.

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Noticeable.

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He set his keys down on the counter, his eyes moving instinctively down the hallway.

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Waiting.

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Expecting.

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Nothing.

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The house felt—

empty.

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His jaw tightened slightly.

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He hadn’t realized how much he already looked forward to her being there.

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Or how quiet the place felt without her.

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He walked past her room.

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Something made him stop.

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He glanced inside.

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Her bag.

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Still on the bed.

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Packed.

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His chest tightened.

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For a second, he thought—

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she left.

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The thought hit harder than it should have.

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Too quick.

Too empty.

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He stepped into the doorway slightly, his eyes lingering on the bag like it might tell him something more.

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Then—

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the sound of the front door opening.

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Ethan stilled.

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And everything in him settled.

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Now—

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he stepped into view from the kitchen.

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“You’re back.”

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Ava nodded.

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“I stayed a little longer.”

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A small pause settled between them.

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Then—

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“I didn’t think about how you’d get to work,” he admitted. “That’s on me.”

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Ava shook her head.

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“It’s fine.”

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“You walked?” he asked.

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She nodded.

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Ethan’s jaw tightened slightly.

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“What’s your schedule?”

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Ava hesitated, then told him.

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“I can drive you,” he said. “It’s on the way. The diner’s close to the station anyway.”

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Ava shifted slightly.

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“You don’t have to—”

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“It’s not a problem.”

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His tone was calm.

Certain.

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Ava looked at him for a second.

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Then nodded.

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“Okay.”

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Dinner was simple.

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Warm.

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Comfortable.

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They sat across from each other.

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For a moment, neither of them spoke.

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Not awkward.

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Just quiet.

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Ethan broke it first.

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“How was work?”

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Ava shrugged slightly.

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“Busy.”

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A small pause.

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“But good.”

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Ethan nodded.

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“You like it there?”

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Ava thought about it for a second.

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“It’s… steady,” she said. “I know what to expect.”

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Her fingers traced lightly along the edge of the table.

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“I guess I like that.”

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Ethan watched her for a moment.

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“Nothing wrong with steady.”

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Ava glanced up at him.

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“No,” she said quietly. “There’s not.”

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A small pause settled between them.

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“What about you?” she asked. “Today.”

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Ethan leaned back slightly in his chair.

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“Nothing crazy,” he said. “Couple calls. Routine stuff.”

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Ava tilted her head slightly.

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“Routine… for you.”

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The corner of his mouth lifted faintly.

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“Yeah.”

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Ava hesitated.

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“Does it ever… get to you?” she asked.

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Ethan’s expression shifted just slightly.

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“Sometimes,” he admitted.

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A pause.

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“But you learn how to handle it.”

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Ava studied him for a second.

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Then nodded.

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“That makes sense.”

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Another quiet beat passed between them.

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Ava shifted slightly in her seat.

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“What made you become a firefighter?” she asked.

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Ethan stilled for a fraction of a second.

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Like he hadn’t expected that.

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He looked down at his hands briefly.

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Then back up.

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“My dad was one,” he said.

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Simple.

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Ava waited.

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Ethan exhaled lightly.

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“I grew up around it,” he added. “Station, calls… all of it.”

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His gaze drifted for a second.

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“Just kind of felt like where I was supposed to be.”

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Ava watched him carefully.

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“You like it?”

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Ethan nodded once.

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“Yeah.”

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A small pause.

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“I do.”

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Ava’s shoulders relaxed slightly.

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“Good,” she said quietly.

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Ethan glanced at her again.

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“Why ‘good’?”

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Ava hesitated.

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Then shrugged lightly.

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“I think people should like the things they give their time to.”

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A small beat.

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“Especially when it takes so much of it.”

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Ethan studied her for a second.

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Then gave a small nod.

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“Yeah,” he said. “That’s fair.”

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Another quiet settled in.

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But this time—

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it felt easier.

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Less guarded.

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Ethan glanced at her for a moment, like he was thinking about something.

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“Do you like working at the diner?” he asked.

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Ava looked up.

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A little surprised.

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“It’s okay,” she said after a second. “It’s steady.”

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Her fingers traced lightly along the edge of the table again.

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“I know what to expect.”

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A small pause.

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Ethan watched her.

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“Is that what you want?” he asked.

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Ava stilled slightly.

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The question caught her off guard.

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“What do you mean?”

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“Long term,” he said. “Is that what you want to do?”

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Ava looked down at her hands.

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For a moment, she didn’t answer.

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“I don’t know,” she admitted quietly.

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Honest.

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“I haven’t really thought that far ahead.”

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A small pause.

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Ethan didn’t push.

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But something about that answer sat wrong with him.

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Not the uncertainty.

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That, he understood.

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It was the way she said it.

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Like the future wasn’t something she was counting on.

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Like she was only thinking in terms of what came next—

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not what could come after.

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A quiet sadness settled in his chest before he could stop it.

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He didn’t show it.

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Didn’t let it reach his expression.

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“Fair,” he said instead.

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Ava glanced up at him again.

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“What about you?” she asked. “You always knew?”

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Ethan gave a slight shake of his head.

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“Not always,” he said. “But once I figured it out… I stuck with it.”

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Ava nodded slowly.

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“I think I just need something that’s… mine,” she said softly.

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Something she didn’t have to explain.

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Or defend.

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Ethan held her gaze for a second.

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“You’ll figure it out,” he said.

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Simple.

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But steady.

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Ava didn’t respond right away.

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But something in her chest settled just a little.

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Ethan put on a movie after.

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Something light.

Funny.

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Ava sat on the couch beside him.

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Not too close.

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But not far either.

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At some point—

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her focus drifted.

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Her body relaxed into the cushions.

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The quiet.

The warmth.

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Safe.

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Her head tipped slightly.

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Then—

rested against his shoulder.

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Ethan stilled.

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Didn’t move.

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He glanced down.

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Ava was asleep.

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Peaceful.

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He let himself look.

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Really look.

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Her face softened.

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All the tension gone.

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Ethan’s gaze lingered.

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He brushed a piece of hair away from her face gently.

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Careful.

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His chest tightened.

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It felt—

right.