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It is really freaking cold out.
Like she lost all feeling in her face about twenty minutes ago. Yeah, that kind of cold. She seriously thinks she's about to lose her nose to frostbite if she's not let back into her apartment soon.
Look, she knows it's her own fault, that she doesn't have anyone to blame but herself for the situation she's in right now. Who forgets to grab a damn coat when leaving their apartment after the fire alarm goes off at three in the morning? Sylvie Brett does, that's who.
It's December. In Chicago. The temperature is literally freezing!
It could be worse. Sylvie looks down at her feet. At least she remembered to put on shoes.
Sylvie watches the firefighters as they walk in and out of her apartment building. They don't appear to be in some urgent rush. It seems like it was just a false alarm, probably a kid in the building playing a prank or something. She can't see any smoke, and nothing appears to be on fire.
Honestly, there was a split second when she realized she forgot to grab her coat, where she thought she should have just stayed in her apartment where it's warm.
But no, Sylvie's a stickler for the rules. There's no way she would ever ignore something so serious as the fire alarm, even if it didn't appear that anything was on fire.
Sylvie bounces on her feet, cups her hands over her mouth, and breathes into them to try and warm her palms and her face up a little. It works, but only slightly.
Sylvie glances at the groups of people from her apartment building standing around. She recognizes a few of them. She doesn't know any of her neighbors well enough to start a conversation with them, let alone ask if they happen to have a spare jacket or something to keep her warm.
She doesn't think she knows any of their names. She understands how horrible this is, and she would be mortified if any of her neighbors ever found out, but Sylvie and her roommate, Emily, exclusively refer to the other occupants of the building by their apartment numbers.
Said roommate is spending the night at her girlfriend's place, which means Sylvie is out here alone with no coat and no one to talk to. So Sylvie settles for people watching to pass the time until she's allowed back into her apartment. She does this little dance, shifting from one foot to the other to keep warm. She's not sure how much it's actually helping, but it beats standing still.
She can't believe she left her apartment without grabbing her coat.
There's the young couple from 4A, a few feet to her left. They fight more than they get along these days. Sylvie knows this because the shared walls in their apartment are thin. Sylvie and Emily hear more of their arguments and their makeups than they ever care to. They all know the sound travels, and Sylvie and Emily are courteous of their neighbors and try and keep the noise to a minimum. The couple next to her doesn't appear to share the same thoughts on the subject. It's a little awkward when they pass each other in the hall. So she's not going to try and strike up a conversation with them.
Sylvie recognizes the older woman who lives directly across from her in 4C off to her right. She's talking to her friend who lives in 5A. They are lovely, and Sylvie usually makes the time to have a quick chat with them. But they love to gossip, and those two know everything about everyone in the building. It's late - or early - whatever, and Sylvie has to be at work in less than five hours. And now, thanks to this, she's running on hardly any sleep. She just doesn't have the energy for the two of them right now.
Suddenly, Sylvie remembers that the engine company that responded to the fire alarm should have blankets on the rig for precisely this situation. Okay, really, it's for the victims that might need to be kept warm during a rescue, but it's fine. No one is hurt. It's not like she'd be taking it from someone who actually needs it.
She doesn't know anyone from this particular company, but she's a paramedic with the CFD. She's sure if she explains herself, they'll be happy to help her out.
She takes a step toward the engine, then stops when she sees the cute guy who lives a couple of floors below her talking to the engine lieutenant.
Sylvie's had a little bit of a crush on this guy since he moved into the building. It's not really a crush. She just finds the guy ridiculously attractive, and her roommate tells her to just jump him already. And maybe she spends a little too much time imagining what that might be like, but she doesn't even know his name and knows practically nothing about him.
Okay, it's definitely a crush.
He moved into the building about a year and a half ago. Now, Sylvie is aware that she shouldn't get her information like this, but she heard from 4C that he was going through a divorce at the time, and that was just not something she wanted to involve herself in, not when she is two failed engagements deep. Even if she does find him insanely attractive.
Sylvie doesn't think she even knows the guy's name. She sees him around the building fairly regularly. She figures they must work similar hours because she sees him when she's coming and going far too often for it to just be a coincidence. They exchange pleasantries if they're alone in the elevator. He'll ask how she's doing to be polite, then make a comment about the weather, and they'll nod hello if they pass each other at the entrance of the building. But that has been the extent of their interactions.
She knows more about him than she probably should, considering. When she really thinks about it, what she knows is almost nothing at all. But the more she hears, it only adds sparks to this little crush she has on him.
Of course, Sylvie's heard everything she knows second hand from 4C. She's sure the older woman has some ulterior motive, that it's all part of some setup. It's ridiculous, really, just how often she finds a way to bring up the lovely young man from 2C. Sylvie doesn't like to think about what she must be telling 2C about her because it's all a little mortifying.
She's perfectly capable of finding her own dates if she wants them, thank you very much.
She knows he's a kind person. She learned that fact all on her own, just from watching how he interacted with the other residents of the building. Sylvie didn't need 4C to tell her that, though she has, multiple times. She also knows that he's handy, that he probably does some sort of construction for a living. He's always helping out 4C around her apartment, fixing anything that's broken.
It's not lost on her that his trips to the apartment across the hall are becoming more frequent lately, and Sylvie suspects 4C is intentionally breaking things to have an excuse to call him. She suspects he knows it too, but he always shows up.
She should definitely add patient to the list of things she knows about him.
Sylvie has always thought there was something familiar about him, more than just the familiarity of someone who lives in her building. She's never been able to quite put her finger on it. Though, seeing him across the way, talking with the engine lieutenant, it hits her, then, where she's seen him before.
He also works for the CFD. She can't believe she didn't put this together before now. He's an officer for a truck company; she's almost sure of that. She doesn't remember which firehouse he's at, but they're in the same district, and she knows their houses are far enough apart that their paths don't often cross.
She realizes she's been staring at him for an uncomfortable amount of time now. He's no longer talking to the other firefighter. He's looking back at her, and he's smiling.
She feels the flush rise on her cheeks, but she doesn't look away from him. She just can't bring herself to do it. He claps the firefighter on the back before he starts in her direction.
Oh crap.
Sylvie looks down at the ground then, shuffles her feet a little, and tries to make herself as small as possible. Maybe he won't see her. Maybe he won't think she was staring at him. It's entirely plausible she was looking past him at all the commotion going on out the front of their apartment building.
She snorts a laugh. Yeah, right, that's not at all believable. She's pretty sure she was almost drooling.
"See something you like?" The way that question is asked sounds more confident than a single person has any business being.
No. Sylvie's head snaps up at the familiar voice, and she finds herself looking into the friendly blue eyes she's found herself daydreaming about far too often for it to be healthy.
He totally knows she was staring at him.
There's this ridiculously boyish grin on his face, and honestly, if she wasn't so against violence, she would want to slap the smirk off his face. Not that she doesn't find it hot or whatever. It's just the principle of the thing, you know?
She notices, then, that he's got a gray CFD blanket that every rig keeps on board, wrapped around his shoulders. Well, at least she can use that in her favor.
"I was staring at the blanket," she says matter of factly. Sylvie cups her hands over her mouth again, blows her breath into her hands, and rubs them together. "It's cold."
The corners of his mouth tick up even further, and he looks at her like he does not believe her at all. And fair enough, she wouldn't either if their roles were reversed.
He turns his head, looks back toward the engine. Sylvie thinks his gaze lingers just a little too long, then he looks back at her. "Well, unfortunately, I grabbed the last one," he says with a smile. He opens the blanket, holds one arm out by his side, and waggles his eyebrows at her. "But it's big enough for two."
Sylvie raises one eyebrow at him. She might be crazy. Like, it's entirely possible she just lost her damn mind, but she thinks he might be flirting with her.
No.
That is not at all what's happening here.
"I don't even know your name," is what she ends up saying.
That was a stupid thing to say, but also not wrong.
He laughs loudly, his head tipping back a bit. Then, he sticks out his hand to her and says, "Matt Casey, 2C."
She takes his hand. "Sylvie Brett, 4B," she answers. Well, at least she knows his name now.
"So," he draws out, holding his arm out by his side again. "Did you want to share my blanket or not? It's a limited time offer," Matt says, and there's a smug smirk on his face as he looks down at her. Which almost makes her want to say no. He drops his voice low and leans in a little closer to her. "Like you said, it's cold, and I'm pretty sure 4C would be more than happy to share with me." He nods over his shoulder in the direction of 4C and 5A.
Sylvie follows his gaze and rolls her eyes. Of course, they are watching the two of them like hawks. Sylvie's sure she and Matt will be all they talk about for days, and nothing's even happened.
Well, she may as well let them think there's something to talk about. Sylvie takes the offered half of the blanket, wraps it around herself, and steps a little closer to his side. Matt lifts his arm and hesitates for a second, almost as if he's thinking too hard about something, then he rests his arm around her shoulders.
She'll allow it because it feels pretty great, actually. She lets herself melt into him a little, and she hopes he doesn't notice.
"Thank you," she says after a moment. And she's grateful, honestly, now that her face doesn't feel like it's about to fall off. "So you forgot a coat too, huh?" she asks, teasing, and Matt shakes his head.
"Yeah, it's not my finest moment. But, I'm going to blame it on the fact that I was half asleep."
Sylvie bites her lips between her teeth to stop herself from smiling. "Well, that sounds like a plan."
Sylvie thinks it feels more comfortable than it should - standing here, practically wrapped in the arms of a man she barely knows.
But it's fine. It's just for warmth, she reminds herself.
Matt looks down at her, his expression thoughtful. Something like recognition settles on his face. He tilts his head, his eyes narrowing at her slightly. "You're a paramedic, right?"
Sylvie grins a little and nods. "Yes. I'm the PIC over on ambulance twenty."
She's not feeling quite so stupid for her little crush anymore. Maybe it isn't as one sided as she initially assumed because he's obviously noticed her as well. Either that or 4C's been talking about her to him. She doesn't want to think about that too much.
"You're a firefighter?"
"Captain of truck eighty-one." He returns her smile.
It's quiet then, and Sylvie doesn't want the silence between them to become awkward, so she asks Matt if he has any holiday plans. It's December, so the holidays are usually at the forefront of everyone's mind this time of year. And she already knows he won't be working. Now that it's confirmed, they both work second shift. They have Christmas day off this year.
Though as soon as the words leave Sylvie's mouth, he looks a little uncomfortable, and she regrets asking him that question. She feels her face scrunch up. Why did she ask that? He clearly doesn't want to talk about it. "I'm sorry," she says quickly. "I shouldn't have asked. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"No, it's fine." Matt shakes his head. "I don't really have any plans. I'll probably spend some time with my friend and his fiancée."
"No family?" she asks him because she's curious and to keep the conversation going. She knows there was a wife at one point, but she didn't hear that from him. She's not supposed to know that piece of information. She assumes he has family somewhere, that he's not entirely alone.
"No. I mean, I have a sister and a niece, but we aren't all that close. But that's a conversation for a different time." He chuckles quietly, then there's a pause. "What about you?"
Sylvie thinks he's asking just to be polite because she asked first, that she's put her foot in it by asking too many questions, and he just can't wait to get away from her. But she looks up at him, and his eyes are shining like he's genuinely interested in what she has to say.
"I don't have any big plans this year either. It will just be my roommate and me." Before he can ask about her family, she continues, "My parents are going to visit my brother this year. He lives in Madison, and it's too far for me to make the trip to join them when I have to be back at work on the twenty-seventh."
He nods like he gets it, and she smiles back at him.
Then finally, the engine company clears the scene and announces they can return to their apartments. Sylvie takes a step away from Matt, the blanket falling from her shoulders, and she immediately misses the feel of his warmth.
"Thanks for not letting me freeze to death," she tells him. "See you 'round, Matt Casey." She turns and starts to head toward the building. A part of her hopes he'll stop her, ask for her number at the very least. That maybe this wasn't all just friendly conversation to pass the time while they waited to be let back into their apartments.
"Sylvie, wait!" Matt calls. He reaches for her, grabs her hand. She stops, and her heart is beating fast as she turns back to him. He talks quickly when he says, "I have a confession to make. I didn't take the last blanket. There were others. I just wanted an excuse to talk to you." He cringes, runs his hand down the front of his face. He almost looks like he can't believe he just said that out loud. And okay, she thinks that's really freaking adorable, but she's not going to touch on that just yet.
Sylvie looks around them, takes in the sight of the other residents slowly making their way back into the building. She should have known better. He's the only one she's seen with the gray blanket. She doesn't know much about the setup of an engine rig. That's just not her department. But she knows for a fact they carry more than one blanket on board. She overlooked that odd piece of information, quite possibly because she also wanted to be close to him.
She let her guard down and got herself too wrapped up in being near this guy, goddamn literally.
Sylvie quirks a brow at him and crosses her arms over her chest. "You know, bringing me a blanket after you've noticed I don't have a coat is a perfectly acceptable conversation starter," she says, a teasing lilt to her tone as she smirks at him.
Matt pushes his fingers through his hair. She thinks this disheveled look works well for him. He should do that more often. Maybe one day she'll get the chance to tell him that.
"I'm realizing that now, as you say it. But that also wouldn't have let me get this close to you," he says lowly. Matt moves so he's close to her again. He reaches out and rests his hand on her hip. Sylvie sucks in a breath. "Would it be too forward to ask if you'd like to get dinner with me sometime? And just so we're clear, I definitely mean like a date."
Sylvie's heart starts to race. She looks down, picks at some lint on her shirt before she looks back up at him again. She tries really hard to keep her voice even - so she doesn't sound too eager - when she says, "That might be nice."
Matt beams down at her. "Can I get your number?" he asks her.
Sylvie shakes her head. "No," she refuses, though it's playful.
"No?" Matt just looks at her like he doesn't understand in the slightest what she just said.
Sylvie laughs loudly as he just blinks back at her dumbly. From the corner of her eye, she can see that 4C and 5A haven't moved to go back inside yet. In fact, they are still standing in the exact same spot as before, watching Matt and herself.
She feels bold tonight and a little flirty. She normally wouldn't do something like this, but she just really wants to. So she steps forward, places her hand at the back of Matt's neck, and leans up to press her lips against his. The hand on her hip moves to flatten against her back, and she kind of likes that. She likes that a lot.
This surprised sound passes his lips as she presses her tongue into his mouth like it was a completely unexpected act or something. And that seriously makes her feel a little too accomplished with herself.
When she steps back, she's breathing hard, and she covers her mouth with her hand, then she lets out a quiet laugh. She usually never that forward, but that kiss will really give those old gossips something to talk about.
Matt's eyes are still closed. "Shit," he breathes, then his eyes fly open, and she doesn't think he meant to say that out loud. But she feels exactly the same way.
She hasn't had a first kiss that amazing in a good long while, quite possibly ever, and definitely not with someone who is practically a stranger.
She seriously wants to invite him back to her apartment because she thinks he could make her feel really, really good. But she's not that kind of girl. He'll have to, at the very least, take her on a date first before he gets the privilege of taking her to bed.
Besides, she has to be up in a few hours for work. She knows he does too.
She smiles at him then, all coy, and says, "You'll figure it out."
Sylvie darts away before he can reach for her again, and he does try to, but she's faster and has the element of doing something he doesn't expect on her side.
It's not like she's that hard for him to find anyway.
He knows where she lives, and now he knows where she works as well. After he confessed to deceiving her about the blanket as an excuse to get close to her, she considers it payback for his lie.
She thinks she's going to make him work for it a little.
If he really wants her, he knows where to find her.