Chapter Text
They’d always said that there was no way you could put out a Burnish’s flames.
Yet they’d never told the story of how the flames were a part of them, making up their body, mind and soul.
Ice was only a temporary restraint for said fire. The Burnish ran too hot for them to be effective for long - they were taken and locked away, never to see the light of day again. Lio never understood why that was so; he simply accepted that it was necessary, deserved. He wanted to learn about them, learn about their flames and culture. But he couldn't, for they were being taken away.
Some said the Burnish couldn’t feel anything (whether that meant emotions or temperature, Lio would never know); they said that they’d survive in the coldest and warmest places on earth.
It was thoughts like these that kept Lio awake at night. They ravaged his mind like a storm, leaving him chasing desperately after sleep - to no avail, of course. He couldn't understand why the Burnish didn’t just stop. At least then he wouldn’t have to stand aside and observe as they were carted off in the back of Freeze Force trucks.
Lio had never really tried to refute the inhumane treatment they received, though. They had to have done something to deserve this, right? They were referred to as scum for a reason. Besides, Foresight was his hero - the reason he was a firefighter, the reason he was even alive. Lio couldn't go against his views so easily. He felt guilty, but he simply couldn't part with Foresight. If he said it was okay, that it was necessary, then who was Lio to disobey? Foresight knew best, after all. and Lio would trust that man’s judgement until the day he died. Plus, the guilt from what the Burnish brought upon themselves was nowhere near enough to consume his thoughts and trouble him day and night.
Instead, he tried to forget. Block it out, pretend he didn't see what he did. One way of clearing these thoughts was riding out of town - the icy wind whipping his hair and roar of his bike’s engine were enough to drown out his thoughts. Lio drove further away from home, until he reached the frozen lake. A private home away from home, of sorts - a quick way to calm his emotions, and rather pretty, too. Plus, it was quiet. Lio had never liked too much noise.
As he pushed his way through the thick barrage of branches and brambles, Lio was greeted with a stunning sight. He didn’t expect to see someone out on the ice. They were slowly melting through the frozen barrier, their emotions encompassing their whole body. Whoever it might have been was illuminating the night, bright enough to be the sun themselves against the cloudy, moonless sky.
Fire. They were Burnish.
It was almost instinct at this point. Lio barely even recognised what he was doing until the deed had been done. Unclamping his pistol and clambering off his now-silent bike, lio stepped onto the ice. He slipped, readjusted his posture, and repeated this cycle until he got close enough to the Burnish to shoot.
Their cry of pain was loud as ice crawled over their body. Guilt almost immediately surged up in Lio. It worsened when they fell to the ice, yelling pained expletives. God, if that didn't send Lio’s stomach crawling.
“—fuck was that for?! Let me go! What fuckin’ gives, anyway?! I wasn't hurting anyone out here!” Lio was dragged cruelly from his thoughts by the Burnish, thrashing wildly against his restraints with a expression of pure fury.
With a sigh, Lio navigated his way across the ice. Once he reached the burnish, he lifted his foot to place on his shoulder and aimed his pistol at them. There was something familiar about the Burnish’s hair, and voice, but he couldn’t quite place his finger on where he’d seen them before.
“Lio Fotia.” he addressed them, hoping he could sound at least somewhat stern despite all the feelings swirling in his stomach.
“Burning Rescue Squad Three. Remember it. And you are..? Wait... you’re… you’re the flame terrorist, aren’t you? The Leader of Mad Burnish?” Lio stumbled back a little when the realisation clicked. His finger found the trigger on his pistol, preparing to shoot again.
“Don’t try anything. I can hand you over to Freeze Force right now if I wanted to.” Lio felt he was on autopilot - the guilt even worse at the words he heard in his own, trembling voice. The shakiness within it even showed his apprehension to follow through with his own, empty threats. Who had he become? He wasn’t going to hand this person over. That’d just cause an innocent person to be handed over to the cruel custody of the Freeze Force.
No, scratch that. It’d just get Lio in trouble too.
“Aw, save the threats. You’re just a kid! You wouldn’t be able to do shit to me. After all, everyone says i'm the most powerful Burnish around.” they said, smirking with cocky exuberance Lio would kill to have. The Burnish managed to adjust themselves into a sitting position, and, after a moment, melt the bulky ice restraints. He stood up, towering above Lio with a face like thunder and clenched fists to match the stormy intensity that surrounded him.
“The name’s Galo Thymos! You better remember it, firefighter!” this Galo Thymos’ eyes burnt with a fiery passion to match his mutation, and Lio couldn't help but stare back into them.
“Fotia. Lio Fotia.” deadpan, as always, he repeated his name . “I'll remember that, fireball.” A smirk. Seemed that, despite his moral dilemma just moments prior, he was still able to muster up some of his usual cocky attitude. Lio observed Galo with careful eyes as the other sized him up, blazing blue eyes tracing carefully over every curve and jut of his lithe body. with a huff, Galo turned away, stalking back towards the lake’s edge.
Lio noticed the Burnish’s mouth moving. it was only slight, subtle movement, barely a ghost of a whisper escaping galo’s mouth; soon enough, inaudible mumbles could be heard. they grew a little louder, until they could be heard as small, angered shouts.
“Shut the fuck up! I’d drown if I let loose now! Give me a fuckin’ break, will ya?!” In confusion, Lio stumbled to follow after, his curiosity getting the better of his caution.
“Who in the hell are you talking to? I didn't say anything.” he tilted his head, staring up at the taller man. Galo whipped around, an accusatory stare on his face.
“What’s it to you? They just tell me what to do. I don’t listen, though, they’re damn annoying!”
“Voices? You’re crazy.” Lio scoffed. A sigh of relief escaped him when his boots landed in soft snow rather than on slippery ice.
“No ‘m not!” Galo protested, slowing his walk to turn and glare at Lio. “Why the hell do you care so much, anyway, firefighter? Softenin’ me up so you can turn me over to foresight, huh?!” Galo’s angered frown returned, and Lio couldn’t help but think briefly about how such an expression didn’t suit Galo’s face one bit.
“What? No, of course not. I’m curious. It’s not everyday we get to ask a Burnish such questions.” despite the alarm bells ringing in his head, Lio approached Galo tentatively, watching the man tense up reflexively. He supposed that was just the natural reaction to any uniformed figure, though he himself didn’t see how Lio’s short, stick-like stature posed any sort of threat to such a tall, muscular man like Galo.
“I don’t trust that. If you called him right now, the Freeze Force’d be on my ass so goddamn fast, and I’d be carted off and cut up for Foresight’s research. You realise that, right? I ain’t hanging around for much longer if that’s gonna happen.”
“The hell are you talking about? Cut up for what research? Foresight’s a kind man, his research is for the sake of protecting humanity. Not killing it.” Despite the faint, fond shine in his eyes, and a willingness to defend the honour of his idol, Lio paused, an air of haughtiness filling his flushed face. “Though, I wouldn’t expect a Burnish such as yourself to believe that. You commit crimes, so it’s understandable that Foresight calls for your arrest.”
Lio didn’t hesitate, nor stop to think about the next words that left his mouth. “If you ask me, you probably deserve it.” He said with a nonchalant shrug, as unafraid as ever to walk away from a brewing mess.
“We what now?” Galo’s smile was less than sunny now, his expression instantly morphing into one of fury. Flames were practically erupting from the tips of his spiked hair. “We deserve it? We fucking deserve this?!” the hurt in Galo’s voice was apparent, mixing with considerable amounts of bubbling anger to create quite the intimidating figure looming over Lio. As if to complete the look, fluorescent sparks flew from Galo’s clenched fists. Even from a small distance away, Lio could feel the blistering, blazing heat emanating from Galo’s body.
“Huh?” Lio questioned, eyebrow quirked up, before the realisation of what he’d said finally setting in, along with that familiar, creeping guilt. It felt like a tonne of bricks on his conscience.
“What? No, no, shit, I didn’t mean it like that!” a nervous chuckle escaped him as he attempted to back away from Galo’s seething glare, subsequently slipping and falling into an unceremonious heap on the ice. First, there was silence. The painful thud was loud, echoing for miles. But Lio didn’t make a sound.
Galo did.
There was a loud snort, and soon enough the man was doubled over, clutching at his exposed stomach as he laughed his heart out. Lio stared up at him indignantly, an embarrassed blush coating his already flushed cheeks.
“Aw, man! You deserved that!” Galo finally managed to get out between giggles, his breaths heavy, and his laughs slowly growing quieter. Lio only pouted angrily in response.Though, to be fair, he thought, he absolutely did.
Lio also couldn’t help but entertain the thought of how that sunny smile suited Galo much better than his angry scowl. He quickly diminished it, though. He wasn’t supposed to think such things about his mortal enemy.
“Yeah, yeah, wasn’t funny.” Lio pushed himself to his feet with a soft grunt, stumbling towards the safety of solid, snow-sprinkled dirt with a sigh of relief.
“I really didn’t mean what I said like that, though. sorry, Thymos.”
There was a pregnant pause, in which Galo seemed to be lost in thought. After a moment, a large smile graced his face, and Lio let go of a sigh of relief he didn’t know he was holding.
“Eh, it’s no biggie. You seem cool enough. I ain’t one to hold shit against people.” Galo beamed, glancing over Lio one final time.
“Anyway, I better be off. Things to burn, people to save, y’know. The usual. See ya.” with a casual shrug and a friendly wave, Galo turned to depart. Lio didn’t find it unusual that it was easy for Galo to say goodbyes, or that he was prioritising the Burnish over some firefighter who could easily have him arrested. Yet he still didn’t want to let the fiery soul slip away.
“Wait!” Lio found himself shouting, breath clouding in front of his eyes and obscuring the sight of his target.
“Shit, what did I do that for?!” the amount of trouble Lio, and Galo would find themselves in if they were caught would be immense. Lio didn’t want to be responsible for the downfall of an entire minority. Maybe it was curiosity that made him call Galo back. Maybe it was out of boredom.
Lio didn’t know. All he knew was that he resented himself for giving into his own, what he saw as, colluded thoughts about the other man.
“What the hell do ya want now? It’ll be your fault if I end up dead.” but, with an exasperated sigh, Galo relented, and stopped in his tracks.
“Well, this might be the only opportunity I get to talk to a Burnish. I may as well take advantage of the situation. I sincerely doubt anyone will find us all the way out here, Thymos.” Lio folded his arms defiantly across his chest - a sign that he wasn’t letting Galo leave so easily.
Galo rolled his eyes a little, a breathy chuckle escaping him.
“Yeah, sure, whatever. Go ahead. You seem like a good guy.”
With an affirming nod, Lio studied the man, and his shock of azure hair with great inquisitiveness. What did he want to ask? What was there to know that the Governor hadn’t already told him? Lio was sure a man as intelligent as the Governor had taught him all there was to know about the Burnish.
Yet, there was a nagging feeling, deep down, begging him to ask, to ask just something. There was so much he didn’t know, so much the Governor would never know even if he were a Burnish himself. Lio yearned for these answers. He found himself almost craving them. Usually, he was so undeterred in the face of adversity, always able to supply surefire answers, always certain of what to do.
But now, he wasn’t so sure of that?
“Well, uh,” he began, his hesitance plain to see.
Galo raised a dubious eyebrow.
Idiot, he already told you he doesn’t know! He’s useless! You’re useless! Ask a proper question!
“I already told you, firefighter, I dunno! They’re just there, and they talk to me! They’re fucking annoying, too! And loud.” the last part was sort of growled, like it was a targeted dig.
“Like someone else i know, then…” Lio muttered, unsurprised at Galo’s clueless, unsatisfactory answer.
“Hey, shut up! I thought we were friends!” Galo retorted, ungraciously frowning. “They’re the ones who tell me to burn shit, I can tell ya that much. It's like… I just have to give into them eventually. Ain’t like it's my choice to burn shit. Feels good to do it, though.” Galo scratched at his head, trailing off as he became lost in thought.
Lio had seen Galo’s sheer destructive power first-hand. More often than not, he’d been called to the scene of the arsonist’s targeted rages.
Galo always managed to slip away, free of harm, victorious and not facing any consequence.
Lio always managed to extinguish the neon manifestation of Galo’s burning soul.
Yet, leaving the scene never hurt any less for the both of them, no matter how different the circumstances. Especially if loss of life was endgame.
A never ending cycle.
Life goes on.
“Can’t you just stop starting fires? You’d be able to live normally if you didn’t.” Lio wasn’t stupid. His flat, monotone drawl already alluded to what he knew. Maybe this was all just small talk to stop Galo from killing him. Maybe it was so he could continue to fool himself with his own act of naivety.
Either way, Lio wished he would stop asking such ridiculous questions.
“Are you an idiot?” Galo’s loud voice pierced through Lio’s thoughts. “It’s not our choice. It’s like, our fuckin’ destiny to burn, or some kooky crap like that. probably because of the voices, I dunno. We have to, or the fires’ll just be even worse than the ones we start knowingly.
“Besides, Foresight doesn’t care. What’d we do to him?! Nothing! But he’s killing us, cutting us up and using us for research!” the pain, and anguish in Galo's voice was real, gritty and honest. It was easy to believe that he was being truthful about his circumstances. “I hate him. so much. I'm gonna get all the Burnish and take ‘em away from him. They deserve to be safe, so I’m gonna give that to ‘em.”
His determination was truly admirable, Lio observed. Even if it contradicted everything he’d ever been taught. He felt sort of... dizzy learning all of this new information. Like he wasn’t supposed to know it. Like his ideals would come crashing to the ground if it were true. Lio could barely wrap his head around it.
“That’s… noble.” what could he say? To him, no matter everything Galo had displayed, the Burnish were still a threat.
Galo huffed. He said nothing.
Lio cringed a little at the lack of a reaction and reached up to pull his jacket further around his skinny, shivering body.
“...Must be nice being warm all the time, huh?”
Squinting dubiously, Galo took a moment to answer.
“The fuck are you trying to get outta me now?” he tilted his head, obviously more curious than suspicious. Though probably, for his own benefit, he should’ve opted to doubt Lio’s good intentions. The question was followed by a mumbled “Shut the fuck up, I’m talking.”, obviously directed towards the “voices” Galo could hear.
“Jeez, I’m just trying to make conversation…” Lio muttered, his mouth stretched out in an oddly tense frown. “What, you want me to ask you about murder, or something? I can do that if you want.”
“No, no way! We Burnish don’t kill, not ever! We’re rescuers!” Galo was quick to defend the morality of his people, his blue eyes almost immediately igniting with how close he held them to his heart.
“But you’re not shitting me, right? Just a conversation? I dunno if I should trust that you’re not one of Foresight’s lackeys trying to soften me up to arrest me.” he squinted at Lio, eyes focused on the burning rescue insignia emblazoned on the firefighter’s jacket.
“I’m not a part of Freeze Force. In their eyes, us rescuers are seen as lower, softer, whatever they wanna say. Foresight depends on us to put out the fires, and Freeze Force to arrest those responsible for them. He wouldn’t expect me to approach you like this.”
Galo didn’t reply.
“Nor would I bring you to him. I promise, you’re safe with me.” he offered the Burnish a smile, which he was quick to return. It didn’t feel right, though. Going against Foresight like this. But this Burnish was depending on Lio for his survival in this moment.
Who, as a rescuer, was he to deny that right to life?
Lio was now beginning to observe that Galo was awfully trusting. He just hoped that hadn’t gotten him into some dire situations in the past.
“Well, that’s good to know! Freeze Force sure suck, though. Glad you think so, too!”
“I can guarantee they’re more of a threat to you than me, Thymos. but yes. I do agree.” this man was an open book if there ever was one…
“Yeah! I’ll rock their shit any day! Those bastards ain’t got anything on me, Galo Thymos!” bright fire erupted around Galo’s clenched fists, and he began to throw wild, energetic punches into the air. Lio stepped back to avoid being singed by Galo’s explosive flames.
“What’s it like touching fire?” Lio blurted out “Does it not hurt?” ignoring his previous reservations, Lio approached Galo once more, using a gloved hand to poke at his blazing fist. Even with the fire-retardant material, the flame was still burning hot.
“It tickles a bit, I guess? But it feels... right. So much better than just keeping it all—fucking hell, watch yourself, idiot!” Galo pulled away instantly, the flames petering out into something smaller and dimmer than sparks in a heartbeat.
“I’m no idiot! Check yourself before you start throwing that word around, Thymos!”
“You just tried to fucking touch fire! I ain’t being held responsible for you getting burnt!” Galo pouted angrily, looking on the verge of giving a Lio a lecture on the basics of fire safety.
“Just drop it, ‘kay? I’m a firefighter, so I’m safer than most. Is that enough for you?”
“I guess.” seating himself on a rock, Galo gazed out at the frozen expanse in front of him, silent for the first time as he finally began to appreciate the beauty of the idyllic lake in front of him. He sighed, and Lio Noticed how his breath emerged in great, thick plumes, most likely a result of the Burnish’s heightened body temperature. Lio’s own breath came out in white clouds, but was nowhere close to the fuming dragon Galo was beginning to resemble.
“I wonder how far this mutation’s ingrained in you…” Lio mumbled, once again approaching a now-calm Galo. The warm aura surrounding him could be felt from even a few yards away, causing small beads of sweat to gather under his fringe.
“You think I know?” Galo answered, taking Lio's thinking out loud as a targeted question. “Go ask your best friend Foresight - he’s experimented on us enough to know the answer.”
“Galo, I'm not gonna do that. I’m not willing to trust him until I figure out whether he's credible or not. And whether you're credible or not.” there was a clear strain in Lio’s voice - he was still torn on whether to believe Galo, due to what believing would do to his life.
“Fuck you! I'm as honest as they come!” Galo scowled “Open your fucking eyes and stop kissing his ass! He's a murderer!”
Whether it was due to pure exhaustion, or the fact that Lio had no rebuttals left to offer, he stayed silent. Instead, as he inched closer, he shirked off his gloves and shoved them deep into his jacket pocket. Pressing his bare palms against Galo’s muscly bicep, Lio sighed contentedly, relishing in the wonderful heat.
Galo flinched, eye twitching a little as he gaped at Lio in utter stupefaction. He wasn't used to such tender, delicate touch, nor hands as dainty as Lio’s; just rough, uncaring hands that threw punches and manhandled him.
“The fuck are you doing?”
“Are you an idiot? I'm warming myself up.”
Falling quiet, Galo, forced himself into stillness for the sake of Lio.
After a few minutes, Galo spoke up again, his voice quiet, with a softer edge to it.
Hey, Fotia, question,” he began “did you really not know about what Foresight’s doing? ‘Cause I trust you not to lie about this shit.”
Lio desperately wanted to point out how idiotic it was of Galo to have so much faith in him, but he didn't. He still didn't want to believe that what Galo was saying could be true. This guy wasn't a liar. That was obvious just by one look at his dopey smile. But Lio wanted him to be a liar more than anything.
“No, I didn't.” Lio swallowed, his voice unusually shaky.
“I didn't know. No one knows. This is all so hard to process. He’s… kind of a hero to me. Or he was, at the very least. Like I said, it's… it's a lot.”
“Shit, dude. That sucks.” Galo said, with as much empathy as he could muster up. Which, props to him, was much more than expected over a man trying to kill him. “You gonna be alright?”
“Yeah. I appreciate the concern.” Lio said dryly.
“You think people’d try to stop it if they knew?” Galo asked after a moment of contemplation. There was hope in his voice, and his expectant puppy-dog eyes waited, implored for Lio to say yes.
Galo’s optimism was almost contagious. Key word. Almost.
“Hell no.” the Burnish’s face dropped. Lio wanted to laugh at his naïvety. He was supposed to be a leader: so why was his world view so black and white?
“He’s made a name for himself as an honest, truthful man. A people's person. A saviour. We’re all alive because of him. At the very least, people’ll be doubtful. It's highly looked down upon to disrespect Kray. If I spread this shit, I'd be beat.” A visible shiver ran through Galo at the drop of the Governor’s name. A name that had only brought him sadness and suffering.
Lio was slowly warming up to Galo and his hardships.
“He’s a hero-”
“No he's fucking not.” Galo interrupted. Sparks flew from the ends of his hair and his clenched fists. “He’s like, the villain. The villain in my hero story. I’ll defeat him and save everyone!” pushing himself up with a newfound energy so that he could strike a pose, he turned to grin widely at Lio.
“I still gotta come up with a cool line to say when I finally win, but I think my game’s pretty strong!” he wasn't even attempting to hide any part of himself from Lio, no matter how strange or uncouth he seemed.
“He's an enigma.” Lio finalised.
“You? For real?” he snorted, giving Galo an unconvinced, yet teasing smirk. He wanted to rile him up. See how he handled the pressure.
“Huh? Of course it'll be me, dumbass! Me! Galo Thymos! The world’s number one!” he twirled an imaginary weapon in his hand, small snickers escaping him.
“The world’s number one, you say? The world’s number one what? Idiot? Your whole ‘game’ seems kinda sketchy if you ask me.” there was a provoking glint in Lio’s eyes as he spoke.
“Well, I haven't really figured that part out, yet.” Galo admitted with a sheepish smile.
“...You’re funny.” Lio chuckled after a moment. Casting his eyes towards the dimming sky, the firefighter gave Galo a friendly nudge before trekking back up towards his bike.
“Huh? You leaving? I thought you wanted to ask me questions!” Galo looked after him, his expression full of confusion.
“I got the answers I need. Or at least I hope I did. I just… need some time to think it all over, ‘kay? And sleep. I'm tired.”
Galo looked conflicted for a moment. His head was bowed, eyebrows furrowed and mouth twisted into a cute little pout. He fidgeted restlessly, playing with his hands and mumbling to what was probably the “voices” as he tried to make a decision.
“Will I ever see you again?” he blurted out, squeezing his eyes shut and not lifting his head.
“Huh?” Lio paused and tilted his head at Galo.
“I mean, hanging out like this… it was real nice! I don't really get much time to relax back at the settlement - not that I don't mind working, it's all for the Burnish’s survival! But everyone knows I ain't really cut out for this shit, so… it's nice to get away, y'know?”
Lio’s expression softened. It had been therapeutic, he had to admit, being out here with Galo. Albeit, he'd learnt some troubling things, but being with a fiery soul like him had calmed his mind.
“Sure. If you want. You wanna meet when I finish work tomorrow?”
“Sounds neat! Aw, everyone’s gonna be so glad I made a friend!” Galo's smile was as wide as ever as he sprung to his feet, waving goodbye to Lio.
“See ya, Fotia! I’ll wait for you, every day! That's a promise!”
With a shake of his head, Lio kicked a leg over his bike and started up the engine. Over the sudden roar that erupted from the machine, he yelled,
“Call me Lio! And don't you dare get caught, idiot!”
He didn't dare glance back at Galo as he sped off into the night, the Burnish’s shouts eventually quietening. Now, it was just Lio and his bike.
Galo… wanted to see him again. Lio wanted to question his motives, be suspicious, but he couldn't bring himself to.
He wanted to see Galo too.
A friend. That's what the idiot had called him. A six-letter word that had struck deeper with Lio than he’d hoped it would.
At least now he had someone to look forward to seeing. A friend, despite the danger they had plunged themselves into.
Lio hoped that Galo’s charisma would make this risk all worth it in the end.