Chapter Text
“Mommy! I’m scared! Mom!” A little boy called out, in a room filled with flames. It was remnants of his room, stuffed animals laid melting on the carpet, heavy dark smoke washed the used-to-be blue ceiling in a black haze. “Mom! Someone! I’m scared!” Crack! “Aaahhh!” A wooden board collapsed 2 feet away from the boy. He started to once again bang on the door despite knowing that no one was home besides him. The boy collapsed backwards, coughing and struggling to breathe. The boy thought it was getting harder and harder to see. “Someone, please,” he whispered one last time.
The door opened with a bang. A blonde man wearing a pitch black uniform rushed in. “Hey, hey, you’re okay now, it’ll be okay.” The red mark above the man’s left eye glared fiercely in the light of the flames. The man scooped the boy into his arms and bounced back into the hallway. “Hey, you’re alright now. You’re so strong and we’re almost out, just hang on okay?” the blond man said in a rush while rushing through the hall. He was running, using his arms to shield the boy from the angry flames that screamed and grabbed at him.
The boy thought that the man should be burning but he wasn’t. Maybe it was his relief, or the smoke getting to his head, or the tears still in his eyes, but he thought that the man was glowing. Before the boy knew it, the scorching red of the boy’s old home disappeared. Instead he was staring at the blanket of the night sky. It should have been a frigid fall night but he was surprised he was still warm.
“See? You’re safe now. I got you,” the blonde man said as paramedics rushed to the boy. The man gently placed him on the gurney. The warmth that the boy felt was instantly gone, replaced by the nipping of the night air. Two paramedics were attaching things onto the boy while shooting questions.
The boy struggled to form coherent thoughts and words, his body taking awhile to process what was happening. After what felt like too long, afraid that the man was gone, the boy finally yelled, “wait! Who are you?”
“I’m Buck,” Buck said, with the widest grin.
Fighting back the flurry of emotions that threatened to spill from the boy’s eyes, he took a deep breath. “Thank you Mr. Buck,” and then started to cry.
*
“Buck! Did you even know you were fireproof before you rushed into that building?” Captain Nash was glaring at Buck, who squirmed under his gaze.
“Well, no. But I kind of assumed? I mean I shoot fire from my hands,” Buck scratched the back of his head. “I don’t see the problem, everything turned out okay and I saved him.”
“That’s not the point. You could have been hurt. The house could have collapsed on you. Something could have fallen. We don’t even know if smoke inhalation affects you.” Captain Nash took a deep breath. “You could have died in there.”
“I know. I know what I signed up for.” Buck felt small, rarely seeing Bobby’s more vulnerable and scared side. Bobby was the man of steel, able to turn his skin into an impenetrable metal. Bobby was a leader who stood in front of his team. Buck looked up at Bobby, who was still looking at Buck with tight lips.
“You did not sign up to die. You signed up to save people.” The air was still and the word you hung heavy in the air. Bobby sighed and left the loft, his skin gradually turning metallic as he walked away. The clank of Bobby’s footsteps faded.
Buck closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands. His inner flame, which was just about to metastasize into an inferno, simmered into a small wick. He knew that the actions he did saved that boy, but he also knew that Bobby was right. And he knew that Bobby’s steel resolve would not budge. Buck sighed again. He knew this wasn’t a fight that anyone really wins anyways.
Pop. “How ya doing?” Chimney said, suddenly appearing in front of Buck.
Buck groaned. “Not now Chim.”
“Boss man was walking down the hall in full metal, you know he only does that when he’s… frustrated.”
“I know, I know. I’ll apologize soon but I’m going to burn you if you don’t leave me alone.”
“Just wanted to make sure you’re okay.” Chim said. He paused, “would you really burn me?”
Buck glared in response. And with a pop Chimney was gone. A few seconds later, a second pop. “He’s in training room 1 by the way.”
“Thanks Chim.”
“Mmmhm. It’s getting warm in here again ain’t it?” Pop.
Buck got up, swore under his breath, and started to walk down the other hall, the one conveniently dodging training room one. He went into training room three, having decided that room two was still too close. He was going to apologize, but first he needed to blow off some steam. The training rooms were designed to help them practice their abilities in a relatively safe environment. From target practice to moving dummies to harsh weather conditions, the training room had most of what they need. Maybe more aptly, more what Buck needed. He switched into his black 118 uniform. It was made from a synthetic material that can brush off the more dangerous aspects of life: such as flames or a bullet. The uniform clung to his skin and Buck knew that his butt popped out in just the right way. There were ridges on the shoulders and a black zipper hid itself under his collar. On his chest, in the similar fashion of a firefighter, gleamed a badge with the numbers 1-1-8. Civilians would think they were cops or maybe firefighters, but law enforcement and rescue knew they were something higher.
Buck rubbed his hands together, feeling the warmth dance from his core and into his hands. Instead he focused on his inner flame, the flame that was now dancing in a frantic and excited way. A dummy in the shape of a man stood in front of him 20 feet away. Chim and Hen watched from the window on the far side, the former leaning against the pane while the latter had her arms crossed. Buck knew they were there. And they knew he knew they were there. They watched as the room’s temperature rose steadily while muttering between themselves.
“Someone should tell him this isn’t healthy,” Hen said.
“He’s young and a hot head. Quite literally.” Chim couldn’t help but chuckle at his own joke. Hen just looked back at him unimpressed.
Buck moved his left leg back, standing firm, staring ahead. He brought his hands up. His fingers loose and yet tense, pointing towards the dummy. Buck took a deep breath. The flames danced in his veins, annoyingly waiting to be let out. For a moment everything else was quiet. And then a stream of flames burst from his hands, flying through the air, lighting the room in a warm orange glow. Gravity wanted the flames to fall to the floor, but Buck pushed the flames forward, and they obeyed and sailed onward. He kept pushing until the flames connected with the dummy, which burst into flames. Buck kept up the stream for a few more seconds, feeling all the excess heat in his body evaporating, leaving him calmer and freer. Just as suddenly as it began, the flames from his fingertips disappeared. All that was left was a burning dummy. Buck felt much better.
A crackle over the intercom, “Buck you’re cleaning that up.”