A Burning Heart

Chapter 05

Rhys, stuck in the soul-crushing monotony of desk duty alongside the perpetually unimpressed Dr. Warren, was jolted from his paperwork. The station doors burst open, and Eli stumbled in, his hand a gruesome testament to a recent encounter a crimson stain blooming across his palm. Before Rhys could even register the sight, the practiced efficiency of the paramedic first responders kicked in. They were on him in an instant, grabbing their kit from the van parked outside. Amidst the flurry of activity, Eli, pale and wincing, managed a mumbled explanation

"I... I want to cook Travis a meal. I cut myself." Eli said

Rhys, already simmering with a frustration born of tedious paperwork and simmering resentment, felt a surge of annoyance. Eli's clumsy attempts at romantic gestures were legendary. This was just the latest in a long line of ill conceived, injury-prone attempts at wooing Travis. Before he could fully process his irritation, a shockingly blunt sentence escaped his lips:

"You should two break up."rhys said

Eli stared, his mouth agape, the words hanging in the air like a dropped bomb.

"Wait, what?!" he sputtered, his eyes wide with disbelief and a dawning sense of hurt.

The paramedic, mid-bandaging, paused, momentarily distracted by the unexpected drama unfolding before them.

"This is ridiculous! Talking to you, this sucks" Rhys said and rush to the van to grab the cleaning some wound.

While stood there in the desk seeing his best friend leaving.

The paramedic, a seasoned veteran of countless emergencies, sighed inwardly. This was definitely not on their training manual. After quickly finishing bandaging Eli's hand, they offered professional yet slightly weary,

Then Rhys, Rhys return said this part of protocol.

"Sir, I suggest you seek further medical attention for that cut, and perhaps some relationship counseling." Rhys said to eli

They subtly gestured towards Rhys and Eli with a knowing look.

Eli touched Rhys' hand for a gesture that something was wrong between them, but Rhys awkwardly said, "Don't worry sir, we are keeping in touch with you if you are scared to go."

Before Rhys leaves Eli alone at the desk, Eli speaks up: "What's happening to you, Ren?" Why are you formally in front of me?"

"It's nothing. I'm only on duty, Eli. It's normal for me to see a friend coming here with injuries, "he said.

"Wow, that's supposed to come down,"Eli said sarcastically

And then Rhys, momentarily stunned by his own outburst, felt a pang of guilt. His words had been harsh, fueled by his own frustrations and perhaps a touch of jealousy.

He watched as Eli, his face a mixture of shock and hurt, stared at him, the unspoken question hanging heavy in the air.

The romantic gesture, however disastrous, had been heartfelt. And Rhys's blunt assessment, while perhaps accurate in its assessment of their tumultuous relationship, was undeniably cruel.

Eli, still reeling from the unexpected advice, mumbled something about needing to get to the grocery store for ingredients, his voice barely a whisper.

He clutched his bandaged hand, the crimson stain a stark reminder of his latest culinary mishap. As he stumbled out of the station, the silence left behind felt heavier than the paperwork Rhys had been avoiding just moments before.

Dr. Warren, who had observed the entire scene with detached amusement, simply raised an eyebrow and returned to her crossword puzzle. Rhys, left alone with his thoughts and a mountain of paperwork, knew he had a lot more to process than just Eli's latest misadventure.

Eli began his conversation with Rhys, so he added an annoyed smile so that Rhys began to speak. Eli doesn't care if this is cold or not. He wanted only to hear his best friend's words one last time before he dubbed Travis later.

"Look, I know you loved him, and I love him too, but it's time to go far because I still love him," Eli began, his voice tight with a mixture of vulnerability and defensiveness.

But don't hide the fact that he chose me. I'm sorry," he added, the last part a mumbled afterthought.

Eli added this word because he wanted to annoy his friend Travis. He was in love with I have to pretend, I said to my mind.

Then, Rhys jolted, his chair scraping against the floor. The casual admission, the almost boastful declaration of victory, shattered the fragile calm.

"Huh? Please drop the act," Rhys retorted, his voice dangerously low. "You thought I didn't see you that day, huh?" The accusation hung in the air, sharp and accusatory.

Dr. Warren, engrossed in her paperwork, remained blissfully unaware of the simmering tension, the unspoken history fueling the sudden confrontation.

Eli's eyes widened, his carefully constructed facade crumbling. "What are you saying?" he stammered, his voice laced with confusion and a hint of fear.

The escalating tension didn't go unnoticed. The rhythmic clatter of paperwork ceased as other firefighters, drawn by the raised voices, began to filter into the room. The sudden influx of colleagues provided a welcome distraction, a buffer against the raw emotion simmering between Rhys and Eli.

Annoyed and needing a moment to compose himself, Rhys excused himself, heading towards the kitchen to fetch some water.

The others followed, their curiosity piqued. Harera, Bishop, and Sullivan found themselves in the kitchen, a silent audience to Rhys's quiet turmoil.

Meanwhile, the rest of the crew, sensing the end of their shift, began the ritualistic clean-up, tidying their uniforms, polishing boots, and preparing for the journey home.

The firetruck, usually a chaotic symphony of activity, was now strangely quiet, the unspoken drama in the kitchen a stark contrast to the orderly calm of the main station.

Eli, refusing to back down, followed Rhys into the kitchen, determination etched across his face. He stepped forward, his voice steady despite the tension crackling in the air.

"What do you mean by that, Rhys? You can't just throw out accusations like that and expect me to stand by while you act like I’m the bad guy here."

Rhys turned, his anger boiling just beneath the surface.

"You think this is about you being the bad guy? You're flaunting your relationship with Travis right in my face? I saw the way you two were together. You think I didn’t notice the looks you exchanged? The way he smiles at you?"

Eli took a breath, trying to steady his emotions.

"Those looks don’t mean what you think they do. Travis and I have our own struggles, and just because we’re together doesn’t mean I don’t care about you. But you need to be honest about your feelings instead of hiding behind this anger."

Rhys's frustration surged, and he pointed an accusing finger at Eli.

"Honest? You want me to be honest? Fine! It hurts to see you with him. It hurts to know that you’re the one he chose. So forgive me if I’m not exactly thrilled about your smug little victory dance."

The tension in the kitchen thickened, the air heavy with unspoken emotions and unresolved conflicts. The other firefighters, still in the background, exchanged glances, sensing the intensity of the confrontation but unsure of how to intervene.

Eli stood firm, his gaze unwavering. "I’m not trying to rub anything in your face, ren. But you need to stop pretending that this doesn’t affect you. We all care about Travis, and it’s tearing us apart."

Rhys's expression softened for just a moment, caught between anger and the vulnerability of his true feelings.

"Maybe I don’t know how to deal with it, Eli. But don’t act like you have all the answers. This is hard for me too."