Chapter Text
To simply say Ava Silva loved her job would do a disservice to her true feelings on the subject. Being a firefighter for the Golden Fire Department gave Ava a sense of purpose she didn't experience elsewhere.
Ava loved the rush of being the person that ran into danger while everyone ran out. She loved the camaraderie of life at the station. Ava wouldn't even complain when they had those shifts that were just call after call of some elderly citizen who had fallen and couldn't get up by themselves.
But the best part of her job? The showers at Station 3.
Firefighters know the importance of good water pressure. Or, at least, that's what Ava would tell the crew when they asked why she always took a shower at the station.
The water pressure at Ava's apartment was shit, and the station always had hot water. So, every night, every morning, and sometimes, randomly in the middle of the day, Ava would take full advantage of the facilities.
Except that wasn't the whole truth. They really were great showers, sure, but the real reason Ava carefully planned every time she showered was what Ava was doing right now.
Sometimes, if Ava got the timing right and said just the right things, she could convince someone to join her in the shower.
So, tonight, during her second shower of the day, Ava was pressed against and three fingers deep inside one Lieutenant Beatrice Lin-Watson while the rest of their crew was obliviously watching Sharknado: The 4th Awakens across the firehouse.
Here's how Ava managed it.
~
“Ava, if you hit snooze one more time, I swear to god I will leave without you!”
Ava was startled awake by Michael hammering his fist on her bedroom door. Her head was pounding as she quickly rolled over to turn off the alarm that had been blaring for several minutes. “I'm up!” It was earlier than Ava usually woke up for work. She couldn't remember why she set an alarm this early.
“Bullshit!” Michael yelled. “I'm leaving in ten minutes— with or without you!”
It was way too early for Michael to give Ava this much grief about leaving for work. Their shift didn't start until 8:00 AM, and they lived less than ten minutes from the station. “Dude, we don't need to leave for another hour!” Ava groaned as she flopped back onto the bed. She shouldn't have had that fourth beer last night.
The door to Ava's room swung open to reveal Michael already dressed in his uniform— a clean navy t-shirt tucked into a pair of perfectly pressed navy slacks. He crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame as he flicked on the lights.
“Do you not give a fuck about my privacy?” Ava grumbled into the arm she threw over her head to shield her eyes.
“ You don't give a fuck about your privacy,” Michael shot back. “The new probie starts today— and you're supposed to be there early, Lieutenant .”
Ava shot up in the bed. “Fuck.”
“That's what I thought,” Michael smirked as he rolled over his shoulder and backed out of the room. “We're leaving in five!”
“You said ten!” Ava yelled as she scrambled out of bed. She didn't even attempt to close the door again and stripped out of her pajamas.
“Well, now you're up, so we can get coffee on the way!”
“I hate you!”
Michael laughed as Ava heard the distinct sound of Michael gathering his bags by the front door. “I'll be in the car, Silva!”
As the door slammed behind him, Ava grabbed the first shirt she could find. One was thrown over the back of the chair that was supposed to be by her vanity. It was randomly sitting in the middle of her room, and Ava had no idea why. She didn't move it back.
One quick sniff and Ava realized she had forgotten to wash her uniform after their last shift. It smelled of sweat and smoke. “Goddamnit,” Ava mumbled as she tossed the navy shirt into a pile of laundry bigger than herself and quickly searched her drawers for a clean one.
It was Ava's first day as a Lieutenant at Golden Fire Station 3. She had worked hard for this promotion and wouldn't meet the newest firefighter joining their shift smelling like shit.
They had a reputation to maintain. Station 3 was considered the most elite group of firefighters in the area. On top of covering their fire district, the crew was in charge of all swift water and wildland rescues for the entire Golden Fire Department.
Ava was fucking fantastic at her job, and she wasn't about to let the fact that she hadn't done laundry in two weeks jeopardize that reputation. She dug out the last clean t-shirt she could find and threw it over her shoulder while she searched for a sports bra.
Ava had the foresight to shove a few dirty sets of her uniform into her bag— she could at least get away with doing that laundry at the firehouse. Ava finally found a sports bra that definitely wasn't clean, but it didn't smell bad, so it would have to do. She threw on both pieces and ran to the kitchen to grab her water bottle.
Michael had already filled it and set the slightly dented bright yellow hydro flask on the counter. It was bigger than Ava's head and didn't fit in any of her bags, but it was this or annoyingly tiny paper cups while they were out, so Ava lived with it.
Ava grabbed a pair of slacks from where they hung on the back of her bedroom door when she returned to her room. That one, she did remember why they were there. Michael was kind enough to iron for both of them, but he tended to give Ava her clothes when she came home buzzed from a night of drinking. So, she was smart enough to know that she needed to hang up her pressed navy pants but not sober enough to realize that she had a closet for that.
After not-so-gracefully jumping into her trousers and quickly shoving her t-shirt into the waistband, Ava grabbed her bags, tucked the water bottle the size of a baby under her arm, and picked up her tennis shoes. She stumbled out the door of her and Michael's apartment with a minute to spare.
“Fuck! Keys!” Ava exclaimed to herself when she realized she couldn't lock the door. Scratch that. Ava was out of the apartment exactly on time.
~
“I feel like this is your fault, somehow,” Ava groaned as she bent over in the passenger seat to tie her shoes. Her head was still pounding, and the iced coffee she chugged did not help with her hangover. She hadn't even drank that much; Ava had no idea why she couldn't shake this one.
“My fault? How is it my fault?” Michael scoffed as he turned into the parking lot for Station 3.
“He's your friend! You shouldn't have let me go out drinking with him the night before my big promotion!”
“I met JC through you!” The car came to a rough stop in a parking spot due to Michael's annoyance. “Or are we just pretending you two never dated now?”
Ava rolled her eyes and climbed out of the car. The sun was peeking over the mountains in the distance now, and Ava was thankful for it. Golden, Colorado sat in a valley at the heart of the Rocky Mountains, which meant the cold was colder and the hot was hotter. So, before the sun crested the horizon, you could barely tell it was mid-June.
“I'm not pretending we didn't date— we just never see each other outside of work now that we've broken up. That isn't exactly a friendship.”
“Why did you go drinking with him anyway?” Michael asked as he jogged to catch up with Ava, who had already started walking toward the door.
Because I was avoiding thinking about the other person who I never see outside of work that I would like to call my friend, Ava thought. “Just wanted to catch up,” Ava lied. “It's been like forever.”
“How long has it been?” Michael asked as he held the door open for them.
It had been seven months. Ava knew precisely how long it had been because less than one week after they broke up, she had sex for the first time with—
“Lieutenant Silva. Salvius.” A familiar voice with the world's sexiest British accent greeted them as they stepped through the front entrance.
“Lieutenant Lin-Watson,” Ava smiled wide. The woman was standing with her arms crossed and perfect posture bearing that same unreadable expression that Ava had memorized. She always looked like that. Beatrice's face was, as always, annoyingly, ominously, and maddeningly neutral.
Well, except for when she was about to orgasm.
“Wait, can I call you by your real name now that you're no longer technically my boss?” Ava quipped.
“Lin-Watson is my real name,” Beatrice replied plainly.
“I meant like your first name,” Ava laughed as she leaned forward onto the front desk. Her water bottle clanged loudly against the wood, and the echoing whine shot a sharp pain through Ava's head. She couldn’t help but wince.
Beatrice tilted her head to the side. “You were never unable to call me by my first name. Are you alright?”
Michael's hand came down way too hard on Ava's shoulder. “She's hungover!”
Ava shot her roommate (he had just been demoted from friend status) an irritated look before returning her eyes to Bea. “Just a headache. I'll be fine.”
Ava watched as Beatrice searched her face. That was odd. The Lieutenant never did that— or at least not this obviously. It probably wasn't evident to Michael, but Ava had spent six months desperately trying to figure out how to read the world's most guarded person. So, despite her impeccable neutral expression, Beatrice's searching eyes set Ava on edge faster than a fire alarm.
“I hope you feel better,” Beatrice replied politely as her eyes stilled again. It had taken Ava months to take the woman's intense eye contact without looking away.
“I'm fine, Bea. Don't worry about it,” Ava waved her off with a gentle smile as she kicked Michael behind the desk. Ava heard him clamp his mouth shut and stifle a grunt.
Beatrice's lips pursed together suddenly. It was more expression than Ava had seen from the woman when they went on devastating medical emergencies. What was happening today that she was acting so differently?
She cleared her throat and uncrossed her arms only to reclasp them behind her back. “Probationary Firefighter Camila Anderson will be arriving shortly. Captain Masters has assigned her to ride in Engine 3 with you and myself,” Beatrice explained.
That made sense. Beatrice had been the longest-acting Lieutenant on C-Shift, and Ava was the newest. She wasn't surprised that Shannon had assigned them to train the probie together. Engine 3 was the style of vehicle you first train on at the Academy, so it was a more straightforward first assignment than riding in the ladder truck or one of the ambulances. “Sounds good to me,” Ava smiled.
“I believe it would be most efficient to divide our tasks for this morning if Anderson takes longer than we anticipate to acclimate to the station.”
“Uh, I don't—” Michael mumbled to himself. “I don't need to be here for this conversation, so I'm gonna go start a fresh pot of coffee.”
Ava felt her and Beatrice snap their heads in Michael's direction simultaneously. Her heart skipped a beat, and she had no idea why. Michael was already awkwardly shuffling away.
“Make me a cup, please,” Ava called after him before returning her gaze to Beatrice. They also turned back in unison, and Ava suddenly realized why she was feeling breathless. She tucked that away in her thoughts I'm not allowed to have bucket and pretended nothing had happened. “Whatever you think is best, I'm happy to follow your lead.”
Beatrice's lips pursed again. What the fuck is going on? “You are a Lieutenant now, Silva. We are peers. So, what would be your recommendation?”
Right, Beatrice wasn't technically her boss anymore. Truthfully, she was never Ava's boss in an official capacity. Lilith trained Ava, and then she officially reported to Captain Masters after passing her exams. Lieutenant Lin-Watson was only above Ava through formality and seniority. She also commanded respect just by being herself.
“Lieutenant Silva?” Beatrice questioned when Ava didn't respond.
“You can just call me Ava— if you want.” I literally know what your vagina tastes like, we are definitely on a first-name basis, she thought. Ava cleared her throat and stood up straight to match Beatrice if for no other reason than this is how Lieutenants were supposed to act. “Dividing up our responsibilities for this morning would likely be efficient, I agree. One of us could manage the engine check and any necessary maintenance while the other takes— what did you say her name was?”
“Probationary Firefighter Camila Anderson,” Beatrice answered. Ava had to stop herself from repeating the phrase to Beatrice in her best fake British accent. The words just sounded so interesting coming from the woman's mouth.
“Right, one of us can take Camila through the station and help her set up her bunker gear for the day,” Ava finished.
“Which one would you prefer?” Beatrice asked— she was standing as still as a statue, but Ava caught the flash of something in her eyes.
This was going to be her whole shift Ava realized. Beatrice was acting differently, and Ava had been assigned to spend the next 24 hours with her. There would be no escaping to try and think. There would be no coworkers to ask while they sit in the truck for hours. Ava would have to deal with this alone for the rest of the day.
She thought she would be annoyed— instead, Ava suddenly felt curious. She seemed to be the only person on shift interested in figuring out Beatrice Lin-Watson anyway.
“You prefer to drive, so it would probably be best if you handled engine maintenance.”
Beatrice's entire mouth twitched, and that was the last straw for Ava. “Are you okay?” Ava furrowed her eyebrows in a way that she hoped looked like care, not confusion or annoyance.
Beatrice steeled herself until her face was neutral once more. “Yes.”
She didn't ask why Ava asked if she was alright. Why didn't she ask?
But they don't talk. That's not what Beatrice and Ava do, so she just moved on. “Are you alright to manage the engine this morning?” Ava asked. She genuinely didn't care which of them did what, but Ava was now overthinking how she divided the tasks.
“Yes.” Beatrice turned around and walked away without another word. Ava couldn't help but comically throw up her hands when the Lieutenant disappeared around the corner toward the garage. This was about to be a fucking day.
~
By the time Ava put away her bags in her locker and threw a load of laundry in the machines, her headache had faded from pounding to pulsing. She rushed to the kitchen to grab another cup of coffee before Camila arrived, throwing her hair into a loose ponytail.
Shift change wasn't for another half hour, so Ava was doing her best to stay out of the way of the B-Shift firefighters still finishing the last of their chores. Ava felt oddly separate from the other crews that worked at Station 3. She barely knew the names of those who worked the same job and lived in the same space.
Luckily, the only person in the kitchen was Michael, who leaned against the counter while scrolling his phone. Ava grabbed the coffee pot and quickly poured herself a cup.
“I'm sorry you had to come in early because of me,” Ava mumbled as she leaned her elbows on the counter. She took a sip that immediately burnt her tongue. “Fuck— that's hot.”
“Yeah, it's fresh,” Michael laughed, not looking up from his phone. “Also, it's fine. I'm not the one that has a hard time getting up in the morning.”
Ava just rolled her eyes and didn't argue. “Thanks anyway, I guess.”
Michael gave a deep sigh and tucked his phone in his pocket. “You know... I don't get why you try so hard with her.”
“With who?” Ava questioned as she stood up to look Michael in the eyes.
“Lin-Watson,” he clarified. “We've worked together for years, and she's always been like this.”
Ava blew some cool air over the surface of her coffee instead of replying. She wasn't sure exactly what Michael was referring to. She didn't think she was trying harder with Beatrice than she would with literally anyone else. It was just that Beatrice's walls took a lot longer to break through.
“Always been like what?”
“I don't know... Cold?” Michael shrugged.
“She is not cold,” Ava suddenly felt defensive. “Beatrice is just…” Ava trailed off when she didn't know how to explain it.
“Cold,” Michael nodded with a smirk.
“Guarded,” Ava corrected.
With a scoff, he pressed off the counter and crossed his arms. “Do you have a crush on her or something?”
Yes.
No.
“No, I just— I feel like no one ever gives her the benefit of the doubt,” Ava explained. She hoped she didn't sound defensive.
Michael took the mug of coffee out of Ava's hand and stole a sip. Ava shot him an irritated glance (madder about his comments than his actions) but just let him drink her coffee. “She's mean, Ava.”
“No, Lilith is mean,” Ava shot back. Lieutenant Villaumbrosia was a bit of a bitch, and Ava loved her for it. Sincerely. And Lilith cared when it counted. “Tell me one time Beatrice has done anything mean.”
“Remember when she yelled at you during your second-ever shift at Station 3?” Michael smirked as if it was some damning moment.
Yelling was quite an exaggeration of what happened. “Yeah, because I tangled three lines and left our fire attack team without water for almost two minutes— a mistake I have never made again, by the way.”
“Sure, but…” Michael tried to pass Ava's coffee mug back, but she waved him off.
“Keep it,” Ava sighed as she started walking backward out of the kitchen. She needed to make it back to the front desk soon anyway. “Remember when Lin-Watson ran that simulation with you eight times last week because you kept messing it up, and she didn't complain once?”
Michael ducked his head. “I'm just saying that she's never going to be more than a colleague. I feel like she's made that pretty clear over the years.”
“That's true if you guys keep acting like this,” Ava said pointedly. “Look, Michael. She's not mean. She has never mistreated anyone. If you all tried a little harder to meet her where she is, you'd be surprised to find that she might actually be kind.”
Ava dipped out of the kitchen before she could see Michael's reaction. She didn't care. She had probably been a little harsh with Michael, but it was a conversation Ava had been a part of many times.
Sometimes people wouldn't invite Beatrice because they knew she would say no— she always did, but Ava pointed out it was still rude not to offer.
Beatrice was the best chef on their shift, and she almost always cooked for the crew without complaint. Ava sometimes found her alone in the kitchen because the rest of the team was hanging out elsewhere.
The first time Ava saw that perfectly neutral expression break was when Beatrice practically whispered, “Thank you,” when Ava took over for Beatrice when she caught the woman cleaning a cut on her face by herself in the locker room.
Truthfully, the first time Beatrice and Ava had sex happened because Ava waited in the showers for the Lieutenant after one particularly rough call to ensure she was alright. Ava handed the woman a clean towel, and they were suddenly back in the shower. She had no idea who even started it.
Ava made it downstairs to the front offices and found Beatrice standing outside Captain Master's office with her hands behind her back.
“Silva,” Beatrice nodded as soon as Ava rounded the corner.
Ava gave her warmest smile and pointed at the door. Her headache was finally fading to a dull ache at worst. “Is she meeting with Captain now?”
The door opened as if right on cue, and Shannon walked out with a wide grin. Following behind was Camila, a young woman with curly dark hair who looked like she was probably the sweetest person Ava would ever meet.
“Lieutenants!” Shannon greeted as she ushered Camila out of the room. That was the first time it hit Ava that she was officially an authority figure on C-Shift. “I would like both of you to meet Probationary Firefighter Camila Anderson!”
“It's very nice to meet you,” Camila smiled brightly. Ava didn't miss the double-take she did when she glanced at Beatrice. Ava hoped it was just Camila being surprised at the woman's intimidating presence.
Ava extended one hand and matched her smile. “Lieutenant Ava Silva. Welcome to C-Shift here at Station 3!” Camila shook her hand fiercely, and the firm grip proved that Camila's almost puppy-like exterior was not the entirety of her personality.
“Lieutenant Beatrice Lin-Watson,” Beatrice introduced herself flatly.
Camila maintained eye contact with the woman this time, and her face fell to this understanding expression. It was as if she could already see through those walls, too. Ava thought she would like this probie.
“Well, I've assigned you to Engine 3 with these two for today,” Shannon explained. “Shift change is in fifteen minutes, so the rest of the crew should be here shortly. But I need to get to a department meeting, so these two will take over from here. Welcome to Station 3!”
“Thank you, Captain,” Camila smiled as Shannon waved to all of them and disappeared back into her office.
Ava tilted her side when she realized Camila only carried a water bottle and no bags. “Did you already put your things away?”
“Oh, uh,” Camila awkwardly gestured to show her empty hands. “Yes, the Captain already showed me to my room.”
“That makes my job easier,” Ava smiled. Beatrice was standing with her arms crossed and her feet shoulder-length apart. She was watching Ava with an intensity she recognized. It was the look she gave when Ava was doing something right. The flash of pride hit Ava's heart hard and fast. “Well, Lieutenant Lin-Watson has been graciously managing the engine check for us this morning so I can take you through your morning routine at every shift change.”
“That sounds good to me,” Camila smiled excitedly. “Captain Masters mentioned that you have a full-crew meeting over breakfast?”
Ava glanced over at Beatrice, whose expression still hadn't changed. “Yes. I am often the member of the crew who cooks for our shift. Do you have any allergies or dietary restrictions?” Beatrice asked.
“Oh, that's nice of you to ask!” Camila smiled, and Ava almost heard a blood vessel pop in Beatrice's brain. Thank god, someone else who understands Beatrice's particular brand of kindness. “No dietary restrictions to speak of here!”
Beatrice just nodded and took a deep breath. “I will leave you two to your morning. It was a pleasure meeting you, Anderson. I look forward to working with you.”
She was three paces down the hallway back toward the garage before they could say anything else. Ava just turned back to Camila as if nothing had happened— mainly because, in all sincerity, nothing had happened. That was how Beatrice talked to literally everyone when they were discussing work.
“Follow me?” Ava smiled.
Camila bounced up onto her toes. “After you, Lieutenant Silva!”
Ava chuckled and turned back toward the stairs to the kitchen to begin her tour. “You can just call me Ava.”
“Sorry, I've been at Station 1 for the past nine months, and they are very formal there,” Camila explained as she walked along Ava. “Is this a first-name house, then?”
“We do a mix of both?” Ava shrugged. “We have two people on our shift with the same last name, which can get confusing sometimes. And I have never heard anyone call JC by his last name ever .”
“Any tips for me on who to call what?” Camila asked as they stepped into the kitchen. “Wow, this is a lot nicer than my old firehouse.”
Michael was nowhere to be found now— probably off setting up his gear for the day.
The pristine kitchen with stainless steel appliances and bright white countertops was eerily quiet in this weird transition period between shifts. Usually, Ava only found this space empty in the middle of the night when she couldn’t sleep.
“We're the newest firehouse in the department, so that makes sense. As for names, I usually use first names in non-work-related conversations and official titles while out on a call. Except for JC, Mary, and until today Lieutenant Lin-Watson.” Ava quickly walked over to the two refrigerators humming in the corner. “This one's ours,” Ava explained as she pointed to the side labeled C-Shift.
“What changed?” Camila asked while nodding in affirmation at Ava's explanation of which fridge to use. Ava scrunched her face in confusion so Camila clarified. “With Lieutenant Lin-Watson.”
So fucking much, my dear, sweet Camila, Ava thought. So much more than Ava was about to explain. “Oh, well. Everyone always used her official title, so I assumed she preferred it. But this morning, she said she didn't mind— well, not exactly. She said that I was never unable to call her by her first name...”
Camila's head tilted in understanding. “I think I get it.”
“Yeah, I reckon you do.” Ava thought she was going to really like Camila. “That door is our TV room. Down this way is the gym, locker room, showers, and then the sleep quarters, which you've already seen.” They both turned and walked past the large table bearing the logo of the Golden Fire Department and into the long hallway.
“I've heard this Station referred to as the Cat's Cradle?” Camila questioned as they continued walking.
Ava chuckled to herself. Most people who worked at Station 3 didn't use the nickname, but Ava thought it was funny. She wasn’t against a vagina joke or two. “Do you want the official reason they call us that or the unofficial one?”
“Well, both, obviously,” Camila laughed.
“Our very first call after the station opened was quite literally a kitten stuck in a tree,” Ava smirked. “But unofficially, they call us that because most of the women in the department work out of this station.”
Camila hummed in acknowledgment with a smirk on her lips. “Why do most of the women work here?”
“All the additional training,” Ava explained as she opened the door to the locker room for Camila. “Can't be stuck in your ways or only interested in the basics. So, everyone who works here has that extra fire in their belly. We’re all pretty young and a little ambitious.”
She couldn't help but smile to herself. Ava was proud to work with so many badass women every day. She had spent her first year as a firefighter working at Station 2, and it was a boy's club— through and through. When Ava learned that all the high-ranking officials at Station 3 would be women (queer women, to be exact), she spent months training her ass off for the chance to be reassigned to the new firehouse when it opened.
“Well, consider me stoked,” Camila quipped. “I think I submitted my reassignment request thirty seconds after they announced the open posting. Station 1 was fine, but I don't think I would have been happy there long-term.”
Ava pressed her back to the door that opened into the upper deck of the garage so it would swing open while she gave Camila an encouraging smile. “Well, welcome home, Camila! I think you'll fit right in.”
“I hope so,” the young woman grinned.
Ava was about to turn through the door before she realized that she didn't tell Camila anything about the space they had just walked through. “Shit, sorry. I'm a bad tour guide,” Ava laughed. “Lockers, showers, sleeping quarters,” she pointed at each door in turn.
“You're fine. I think you've told me the more important stuff.”
“Well, then consider this the most important piece of your training, Camila,” Ava chuckled before lifting a hand to shield her mouth and comically lowering her voice, “best water pressure in all of Golden, Colorado, can be found in those showers.”
The jokingly impressed look Camila gave sent them both into a fit of laughter as Ava actually opened the door to the upper deck of the garage. “Come on, I'll show you the gear room,” Ava giggled as she turned out the door.
For a split second, she caught a glance of Lieutenant Beatrice Lin-Watson standing on the garage floor. She was looking up at Ava, hand paused in the middle of cleaning a valve on the outside of the rig, with a very not-neutral expression. She was too far away and looked away too quickly for Ava to figure out what it was.
Today was very, very different.
~
Beatrice was gone when Camila and Ava made it down to the rig. They both set up their gear next to the engine in case they got an emergency response call while eating.
Their last morning chore was checking the engine's medical response bags to correct the inventory from the previous shift. Ava briefly considered stealing a packet of ibuprofen from the supply closet for her headache, but she decided she should probably be good for today.
It was her first shift as Lieutenant, and she was training a new crew member. Ava could power through a headache to set a good example.
Once they returned to the kitchen, Ava introduced Camila to everyone except Mary, who was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. They all jogged up the stairs while they made introductions.
“Why do they call you that?” Camila asked as she shook Mary's hand once they reached the top of the stairs. The entire shift had gathered in the kitchen for breakfast. It smelled fucking fantastic. There was yet another pot of fresh coffee brewing and bacon sizzled in a pan.
Beatrice was working alone, but it looked like Michael had gone out of his way to help her set the table. He regained his friend status.
“I drink a lot,” Mary smirked.
Ava punched Mary in the arm when Camila gave her a confused glance. “That is not why we call her that! Camila doesn't know when you're joking yet, Mary.”
Mary just rolled her eyes. “You'll get it soon enough, kid.”
“Mary's the engineer on our ladder truck,” Ava explained as she placed a hand on Camila's shoulder. “Everyone used to fight over who would sit shotgun with Mary. That eventually became Shotgun Mary.”
Camila nodded with a laugh. It was hard not to smile around the new firefighter Ava was learning. “Used to fight?”
“We started pre-assigning seats instead of just assigning rigs,” Ava laughed.
“Alright, C-Shift!” Shannon yelled out from where she had jogged up the stairs. “Let's get moving. Thanks for cooking, Lieutenant!”
A chorus of half-hearted thank yous rang out through the kitchen, and Ava had to physically restrain herself from rolling her eyes in case Beatrice noticed and mistakenly thought it was directed at her. Instead, she just lingered toward the back of the crowd as she always did so that Ava could personally thank the Lieutenant without holding up the line.
Here's the thing. Ava loved having sex with Beatrice, and she genuinely wished she could leave their relationship as that. But they weren't even friends with benefits. It was more like coworkers with a very specific routine that sometimes resulted in an orgasm. Before today, Ava had never even called the woman Bea to her face.
Which meant Ava had been trying to figure out how to be friends with this person so that their relationship could occupy some space Ava understood.
Beatrice was fascinating and thoughtful and so fucking smart. And when she did give Ava just the slightest peek at her inner thoughts, it satisfied some craving deep in Ava's bones that she didn't understand.
So, fine. Maybe Michael was right, and Ava was trying harder with Beatrice than she would with someone else. But how could she not?
When they aren't assigned to the same rig for a shift, Ava goes home wondering if she missed something. Did Beatrice tell a story to the crew that Ava didn't get to hear? Did someone make some snide comment that Ava wasn't around to shut down? What if something went wrong and Ava wasn't there to check on the one person everyone assumes will always be fine?
Ava just wanted to be able to call Beatrice a friend.
Maybe something more.
No. Just a friend. A friend that Ava sometimes has mind-blowing sex with.
Which meant when she finally made it to the counter and took the last plate of food that Beatrice served, Ava smiled— wide and warm and unabashed in its kindness. “Thank you for making breakfast for everyone.”
And Beatrice didn't smile. But she nodded and walked to the table, placing her food beside Ava's bright yellow water bottle and slid into the chair with perfect posture, and started eating without a word. And when Ava looked down at her plate, she had two extra pieces of bacon.
So, yeah. Ava wanted to be able to call Beatrice a friend. Because sometimes she does things like that .
“Silva, are you coming to sit?” Shannon questioned when Ava didn't move from where she had spaced out by the counter.
“Right, sorry,” Ava blinked the haze from her mind and quickly took her seat. Beatrice didn't look at her when she sat down.
Shannon cleared her throat, and everyone quieted. “Alright, C-Shift. Some big announcements for you. First, I would like to formally welcome Probationary Firefighter Camila Anderson to Station 3!”
Ava gave a friendly shoulder bump to Camila, who was sitting to her other side, as the rest of the crew began applauding and cheering. Even Beatrice looked up from her food long enough to quirk one eyebrow and clap.
Camila grinned from ear to ear as she mouthed her gratitude.
“Camila is three months away from completing her probationary period, and— given that she passes her final exams— she will stay with us as a full-fledged firefighter permanently,” Shannon explained. “She will train under Lieutenants Lin-Watson and Silva for three months. And speaking of Lieutenant Silva...” Shannon trailed off as she stood up and began walking to the other end of the table where Ava was seated.
Ava watched her pull a small black patch from her pocket and hold it up—the words Lt. Silva embroidered in white thread.
“Shall we make it official?” Shannon smiled as Ava stood up. Tears were stinging the back of her eyes, and she wasn't sure why.
Ava had passed her Lieutenant's exam almost two months ago now. This date was just an HR formality so Camila would fill the vacant firefighter position when Ava was promoted.
Ava chalked it up to her lingering headache and blinked away the emotion before anyone could notice. She quickly shook Shannon's hand as she took her new patch. “Thank you, Captain,” Ava smiled, and from the corner of her eye, she saw Beatrice staring.
The rest of the shift gave more resounding cheers and whoops. The one person Ava wanted to see clap never did, though. “Congratulations, Ava. You've earned this,” Shannon smiled wide before returning to her seat.
Ava plopped back down in her chair and couldn't help but stare at the patch for a few seconds longer. She felt eyes on her and glanced up right as Beatrice looked away. If there was a moment to be had, Ava missed her opportunity.
“As for the rest of the shift, we're expecting some rain this afternoon, so I assume most of our calls today will be motor vehicle accidents. B-Shift reported that the engine on Aid Car 4 gave them some trouble, so Villaumbrosia and Amunet, if you notice anything off today, please let me know,” Shannon called out tasks to the shift.
Ava couldn't help but keep glancing at Beatrice, who was now frustratingly staring almost everywhere but Ava. Why was she staring earlier? Why didn't she clap? Why did she give Ava extra bacon and purposely sit next to her and then immediately throw those walls back up?
“Now, finish eating and get to work!” Shannon called out as the rest of the shift broke out into conversations.
JC and Yasmine both leaned over to get to know Camila. Mary, Shannon, Lilith, and Michael began lively discussions on some show Ava had never heard of. And suddenly, she and Beatrice were the only two people not engaged in a conversation.
A blessing and a curse, Ava realized. A blessing because Ava was always looking for a reason to try and learn more about the woman. A curse because Beatrice had already done something friendly today, meaning there was a good chance she would be devastatingly closed off for the rest of the day.
Ava took a deep breath and looked over to find Beatrice already looking at her. Her expression was plain but not intense. That was different.
“How is your headache?” Beatrice asked as soon as they made eye contact.
“Oh, uh— better, I guess?” Ava stumbled over her words, and she wasn't entirely sure why.
Beatrice furrowed her eyebrows. “Better?”
“Coffee and food helps,” Ava smiled, quickly regaining her composure. “This is very good, by the way.”
Genuinely, Beatrice was the best cook Ava knew. Her plate was piled high with scrambled eggs that were perfectly fluffy, hash browns that were perfectly salty, and bacon— two too many pieces of perfectly crisp bacon. She had no idea how Beatrice could so easily cook for so many people, and it turned out so delicious every time.
Beatrice looked down at the half-eaten food on her plate, over to the food on Ava's, and then back up to Ava's eyes. She was searching again. God, Ava desperately wanted to be able to read her mind.
Instead, Ava just waited and watched as Beatrice dug her hand into her pocket and pulled out a single white packet of ibuprofen. The same one they keep as individually wrapped doses in the medical bags. The same one that Ava didn't take earlier because she was trying to be good.
“Here. For your headache,” Bea explained as she placed the packet on the table and slid it over with one finger.
And Michael had the audacity to call this woman mean just an hour ago.
“You're giving me stolen drugs, Bea?” Ava chuckled. Beatrice's lips pursed again, but Ava just decided to power through. She wasn't going to figure it out today. Bea was acting differently, and Ava wouldn't know why today. “Thank you. This is incredibly thoughtful.”
“We are allowed to take medical supplies from the inventory within reason, Lieutenant Silva.”
Ava choked on the food in her mouth when she tried to suppress her laugh. She coughed to quickly clear her throat while Beatrice just sat and stared blankly. “Yeah, uh— I know,” Ava coughed several more times. “It was just a joke.”
“Oh.”
“Didn't feel the need to save me while I was choking?” Ava smirked, trying desperately to find some way to get Beatrice to crack a smile.
“You weren't choking. If you can cough and produce sound, then your airway is not blocked,” Beatrice explained as if she were reading from a medical textbook. There was a glint in her eye, though. She was joking, in her way. Or at least, that's what Ava was going to assume it meant because Beatrice didn't seem like the type to be that obtuse.
Ava rolled her eyes while keeping a smile on her face. “You still could have—”
“Engine 3. Aid Car 4. Emergency Medical Response to 701 Twelfth Street. Engine 3. Aid Car 4. Emergency Medical Response to 701 Twelfth Street.”
An automated alarm rang out through the firehouse. Without another word, half the crew— including Ava and Beatrice— stood from the table and ran out of the room. Their food and conversation were left long forgotten, alongside the unopened ibuprofen packet, as they all rushed to the garage.
~
The rest of their day was boring. They mostly killed time between calls getting to know Camila while Beatrice drove around their district to give Camila a better perspective on the boundaries of their coverage area.
Beatrice was quiet but not impolite while Camila and Ava chatted. She even asked a few insightful follow-up questions when Camila excitedly shared from her seat behind Ava.
Camila was whip-smart too, Ava realized, and from the way that she didn't attempt to pry into Beatrice's personal life, she was about the best person they could have been assigned to train.
The three firefighters returned to the station for lunch and a workout as a drizzle started outside. Beatrice out-lifted the entire shift, much to JC's annoyance and Ava's enjoyment. She might have enjoyed it too much because she had to dip out of their workout early to take a cold shower.
A shower that immediately got cut short by a call to an accident on the interstate. A dispatch that was, even more annoyingly, canceled as soon as they arrived on the scene. But instead of immediately returning to the station, the three of them stopped by the grocery store.
This was one secret benefit to riding with Beatrice that Ava refused to brag about, lest anyone else finds out and steals her way of getting out of the worst chores.
Beatrice always cooks for the team, which means she is always assigned to get groceries. She doesn't need to go every shift, but all Ava has to do is say she's craving some random food, and Bea will claim she needs to get something they are out of to cook dinner. A dinner that almost always features whatever food Ava said she was hungry for.
It might not be the best use of their time on shift, but who can blame Ava? She was grocery shopping while the rest of the crew was back at the station scrubbing toilets or washing the engines.
And she used her powers for good sometimes! Ava learned everyone's favorite food and peppered them into the rotation of her “cravings.” So, tonight when their dinner included sweet potato fries, and Yasmine smiled extra wide, Ava figured karma was on her side.
Eventually, after Ava and Camila helped Beatrice clean up in the kitchen, Beatrice walked off toward the locker room without so much as a goodnight. Ava let her go, though. Bea was an introvert. That much was evident from day one, and Ava could tell that spending all day getting to know someone new had drained her.
Instead, Ava and Camila followed the rest of C-Shift into the TV room and settled in for a movie. “Who's turn is it to pick?” Ava asked as she tucked herself onto one of the extra plush couches in the back of the room. It was the easiest place to sneak out if she wanted to steal a shower while everyone else was distracted.
“It's mine!” JC called out as he popped inside the door.
Well fuck, Ava was definitely going to sneak out early now. JC had the world's worst taste in movies. Like bad, bad. Ava could find it in herself to enjoy just about anything by lying to herself and saying it was ironic or campy, but not with JC's picks. Not when he had been on a now three-month-long rotation of forcing them to watch every Sharknado movie.
Mary groaned from where she was sitting with her arm behind Shannon. The two were married, but this was the most indication they ever gave while on shift. For the first year and a half that Ava worked with them, she thought it was a coincidence that they had the same last name. “Please tell me we are at least through the entire Sharknado series,” Mary mumbled.
“Not even close! You've only seen half of them.”
“We've seen three already,” Lilith scoffed. “How many ways can there be a fucking Sharknado?”
“Six!” JC grinned wide as he held up the DVD in his hand. “Are we ready for Sharknado: The 4th Awakens ?”
Camila glanced over at Ava with scrunched eyebrows. “Is that a Star Wars pun?”
“I—” Ava genuinely didn't even know what to say. “I feel like it is my responsibility as your Lieutenant to apologize for what you are about to witness.”
“Something had to go wrong at some point, I guess,” Camila laughed. “If this is the worst hazing I receive, this is probably the best firehouse in America.”
Ava laughed as well, thankful that Camila was a good sport. “Yeah, we aren't the hazing types. Don't worry.”
“I won't,” Camila sighed as she slumped on the couch. “It was a good day. Seriously, Ava. Thank you for being great.”
“Oh, yeah. Of course,” Ava pressed her lips into a warm smile.
It was a good day. Things started weird, but Beatrice didn't do anything out of the ordinary again after breakfast, and they fell back into practiced routines. They didn't get any calls that ended badly or caused anyone to overexert themselves. It was a good day.
“Alright, I have paperwork to get to,” Shannon sighed as she patted Mary's knee and stood.
“You're abandoning your team in a time of distress?!” Yasmine teased.
Shannon just laughed and walked toward the door. “Sorry! If you need support for your movie-related trauma, you know where my office is!”
The rest of the crew just laughed and waved the captain off.
When JC finished putting the movie into the DVD player, and Yasmine turned down the lights, Ava leaned over to whisper to Camila. “I should warn you, though. I am about to ditch you in favor of a hot shower and anything other than the fourth installment in a franchise that shouldn't have been made.”
Camila chuckled. “Got it. I'm kind of intrigued, so...”
“I was for the first one, too. I get it. It won't last, but I will let you figure that out on your own,” Ava laughed.
“Everyone, shush! It's starting!” JC called out as the rest of the shift settled in. These usually devolved into two hours of mocking JC for his pick, so when Ava slipped out of the room less than thirty seconds later, she wasn't worried about anyone following her.
As Ava walked past the gym on her way to the locker room, she heard the distinct sound of someone running on the treadmill. Ava peeked through the windows next to the door and found the space dimmed, as if whoever was using the gym only turned on one light switch. Besides the constant hum of the treadmill, the room was quiet— no music, no clattering of weights, no fan. It was eerie.
Alone on the treadmill was the sweaty form of someone Ava could recognize anywhere.
Lieutenant Lin-Watson had changed out of her uniform in favor of cropped black leggings and a skin-tight black tank top. The treadmill faced away from the door, giving Ava an exquisite view of the woman's muscular back flexing with every swing of her arms. Beatrice was sprinting with impeccable form, and her long strides revealed deep ridges of muscles down her legs.
Ava should just walk away and leave the woman to her run. Beatrice was focused on her workout and had obviously chosen to do it when she could be alone in the gym.
Laughter rang out from the TV room, and Ava heard JC eagerly defending his movie choice while the rest of the shift mocked him. No one had even noticed that Beatrice wasn't there. Ava should tell her that everyone was watching a movie— just in case she wanted to watch it and definitely not for any other reason.
Before she could think too hard about it, Ava opened the door. There was no indication from Beatrice that she heard anyone walk in. There was no faltering of her perfectly timed strides or a glance over her shoulder. Ava noticed headphones in her ears and the sweat glistening on her skin. A single drip trailed down the back of Beatrice's neck.
Ava didn't stare. Ava was not staring .
She approached from the side, one hand out to gently catch the Lieutenant's attention without spooking her. Beatrice's gaze snapped over to Ava as soon as she entered her periphery. Ava gave a warm smile.
Beatrice pulled one earbud from her ear and kept running without missing a beat. “Lieutenant Silva?” She acknowledged, breathing heavily and face flushed from exertion. Ava had seen Beatrice like this more times than she could count, but her nerves lit up at the sight as if it was the first time she had seen a beautiful woman flushed and sweaty.
“Why are you working out with the lights off?” Ava chuckled.
“It's cooler.” A bead of sweat dripped off Beatrice's eyebrow onto her chest, and Ava wasn't feeling cold.
Ava snapped her eyes back up to Beatrice's before she was caught staring. The woman's expression was unreadable as always, except for the way she was panting in time with her steps. For the first time today, this conversation— if you could call it that— felt normal between them.
“Everyone's watching a movie in the TV room,” Ava gestured vaguely across the firehouse.
For some reason, this comment made Beatrice quickly kick her feet to the side and stand on the outer rails of the treadmill. The space was suddenly much quieter until all Ava could focus on was the mechanical whirring of the belt still turning and the short huffs leaving Beatrice's parted lips.
“I know. I was unable to finish my workout earlier due to a call,” Beatrice explained.
“Right, yeah. Makes sense.” Ava took a step back and turned to leave. “Well, I won't keep you. I just wanted to make sure you knew.”
This was the moment. Either Beatrice would take the bait and continue their conversation until it inevitably leads to where it always does— joining Ava in the shower— or the way Beatrice had been acting differently would extend to this, too.
“What are they watching?” Beatrice asked as soon as Ava turned her back.
Check. Mate.
Ava spun in her heels just as Beatrice turned off the treadmill entirely and grabbed her water bottle from the ground. Ava couldn't help but let her gaze trail over Beatrice's neck when she took several long gulps with her head thrown back. “Uh— It's JC's turn to pick so...”
“Don't tell me there's a Sharknado 4,” Beatrice mumbled as she lifted the hem of her tank top to wipe her mouth. It was about as close to a chuckle as Ava had heard from the woman.
Ava almost choked on her spit at the sight of the Lieutenant's abs. “Apparently, there are six of them, so we're stuck in this pattern for at least his next two picks.” Ava knew precisely what to expect on Beatrice's face from here on out. This was the one conversation that Ava could read her perfectly.
“He should have lost his movie privileges the second he chose to watch the first one,” Beatrice replied. It was impressive how quickly she had caught her breath again. Ava could hardly tell she had been in a dead sprint only a few minutes ago. “What are you doing?”
The curious glint in Beatrice's brown eyes revealed so much. Why are you in here with me instead of out there with them? That was the question underneath the one Beatrice asked.
“I was going to go shower,” Ava pointed over her shoulder. If she can play this just right...
Beatrice wiped her forehead with the palm of her hand, pushing the sweat into her hair— tied back in a tight bun at the middle of her skull. She still had one earbud in, and Ava followed the wire past her chin, across her collarbone, and over her chest before it disappeared inside the front of her shirt.
“Everyone's watching the movie?” Her lips pressed into a thin line that asked the question underneath her words once again. Is there a chance we can be alone without someone noticing?
“Everyone besides Captain Masters...” She has her own private quarters, though, Ava wanted to add. She would have no reason to come to our showers, Ava wanted to add. Ava didn't move a muscle.
Beatrice's eyes dropped to Ava's lips. It was quick, and Ava almost missed it, but Beatrice's pupils were blown wide when their eyes met again. They were just as damning as the glance.
“I am finished with my run,” Beatrice said in a flat, unassuming tone. She walked right past Ava without another glance, the back of her hand grazing across Ava's knuckles, and out of the gym in the direction of the locker room.
She left a fire in her wake. Ava's skin was alight with an anticipation more potent than gasoline. The warmth pooling between her legs rivaled her time as a horny teenager.
All Ava could do was wait, alone in the dark gym, until she knew it would look like they arrived at the showers separately. They had played this game dozens of times before. If Ava was too eager, she would break the spell. If Ava rushed to follow, if she risked drawing unwanted attention in their direction, if she put words to what they were doing, it wouldn't happen.
Instead, Ava grabbed the nearest bottle of cleaner and wiped down Beatrice's treadmill for her. These were the only times Lieutenant Lin-Watson missed details— forgot to do something she shouldn't ignore. Ava had noticed that the second time they did this six months ago.
First, it was a dish Beatrice forgot to clean that Ava rinsed in the sink for her. Then, it was a weight that wasn’t reracked, or a forgotten coffee machine that wasn’t turned on after refreshing the grounds, or a soot-covered towel that didn't make it into the laundry. Every time, it was something. Just one small detail that Beatrice didn't take care of that Ava rectified before she followed.
Ava wanted to ask if she did it on purpose. She wanted to ask a lot of things. But they don't ask questions. They don't talk. And they especially don't talk about this .
So, Ava wiped down the treadmill, tossed the damp cloth into a hamper by the door, and left the gym. Ava could already hear the sound of a shower running behind a closed door when she reached her locker. She quickly grabbed her shower caddy and a towel from her locker.
Ava tucked a fresh pair of underwear under her arm, locked her locker again, and paused right outside the door to the showers. The handle was cold in her hand. She waited just another second longer.
Here they were again. Ava outside of a closed door with Beatrice on the other side. One step closer to...
The click of the heavy door echoed through the space as Ava opened the door to the steam-filled bathroom. The air was hot and humid in her lungs as the door slammed closed behind Ava.
There were two showers here, and Beatrice had drawn the curtain on the shower to the right. Ava could see the shadow of Lieutenant Beatrice Lin-Watson perfectly still behind that plastic sheet.
This time, one detail was out of place, but Ava knew it was intentional. Beatrice's towel was hanging on the left hook, even though she was in the right shower. Give me a reason to come to the other stall, and I will.
After hanging her towel on the right hook, Ava quickly stepped inside the empty stall and stripped naked. Her heartbeat was pounding in her ears. She briefly sent a prayer up to a god she didn't believe in that they weren't interrupted by a call or someone on the crew who decided they couldn't take Sharknado either.
Ava turned on the faucet, and the brief blast of cold water did nothing to cool Ava's skin. She barely even reacted. Her mind was occupied with memories. Flashes of Bea's face twisted in pleasure, the mess of hands scrambling for purchase, two people sprinting toward the cliff of ecstasy because they both knew they weren't supposed to be doing this— not when someone could catch them at any moment. Not when they don't talk about it. Not when Ava felt more than just sexual—
The curtain pulled back a few inches, and there she was. Naked and dripping with something other than sweat now, Beatrice stood at the entrance of Ava's shower. Her hair was down and drenched, obviously combed back with a quick pass of her fingers. Her face was still neutral, but her eyes locked with Ava in a recognizable hunger.
Neither of them moved. This was the moment Ava dreaded the most. She had to wait for Beatrice to come to her. One time, Ava made the mistake of closing the space between her and Beatrice before the woman was ready, and they didn't speak to each other for weeks.
All Ava could do was drag her eyes obviously down the woman's body. The line of her neck dipped to a pair of breasts with already erect dark nipples. Taut lines of muscle pointed perfectly to a patch of neatly trimmed dark curls. Long legs with harsh muscular edges, tanned skin bearing scars that Ava knew the stories of, others that she didn't. Long expanses of skin Ava desperately wanted to memorize, to touch over and over again.
“Silva,” Beatrice breathed, pulling Ava from her thoughts. The curtain was closed again.
Ava was out of breath, and they hadn't even started yet. “You can call me Ava, you know that ri—”
A hot mouth against hers as Beatrice lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Ava. There was absolutely no pretense. The kiss was sloppy, and their tongues battled for control from the outset.
Ava felt nails rake down her back, and she did everything to suppress a groan at the sting. Her back hit the cold tile of the wall behind her as Beatrice's hand found her ass and dug her nails in while a hand caught the back of her head. Ava tangled one hand in Beatrice's hair and pulled it taut.
When the taller woman gasped and her lips stuttered in the kiss, Ava used the opportunity to try and push off the wall. Beatrice recovered just in time to keep her body solid and prevent Ava from switching positions.
This is how it always was. Hungry and desperate and a little possessive as they both battled to be the one in command. One of them would win out in the end, but these first few moments of desperate hands scrambling to find the one thing that would make the other lose control was Ava's favorite part.
It was always something different. Sometimes, Ava won by attaching her lips to Beatrice's pulse and sucking harshly. Other times, Beatrice won by shoving a thigh between Ava's legs and forcing her hips to grind. Tonight, it was Ava that won.
Beatrice's hand left Ava's ass to try and grab Ava's free hand to pin it above her head. But Ava anticipated the move and snaked her hand away at the last second to grasp Beatrice's tit roughly. She pressed her thumb into Beatrice's nipple, and the taller woman quickly pressed her hand to the wall to stop herself from losing her balance.
When Ava began to circle her thumb, Beatrice's mouth fell open with a shaky exhale. It was the last opening Ava needed. Ava ducked out of Beatrice's arms before she regained her composure and quickly stepped behind the taller woman. She wrapped the hand not playing with Beatrice's nipple around her waist to hold her upright.
A sex-related slip and fall would undoubtedly end this game between them forever, and Ava couldn't have that. There was definitely no other reason she worried about her coworker's safety. This was just sex.
“Both hands on the wall,” Ava instructed in a low tone, and Beatrice immediately complied. The hot water of the shower was now pouring over Ava's back, and she briefly wondered if the lack of water on Beatrice would make her cold.
This was just sex.
Ava hooked her arm around Beatrice's hips and tugged her back. The woman bent at the waist while keeping her hands on the wall, standing at a 90-degree angle. Ava kicked Beatrice's legs wider and pushed up against the woman's ass.
She brought her hand down from Beatrice's breasts to press into her lower abdomen as Ava's other hand dipped between her legs. Beatrice was hot and slick to the touch, and Ava heard the groan that threatened to rip itself from the tanned woman's throat.
Ava couldn't help but grind against Beatrice's ass as she began circling her fingers. Bea was so wet that Ava could hear her fingers sliding through Beatrice's folds over the sound of the water falling around them.
It was lewd and glorious, and Ava pressed her clit harder into Beatrice as she leaned forward to nip across Beatrice's back. A soft cry fell from Beatrice's lips at the feeling. Ava's body was screaming as her arousal outpaced her energy levels but she didn't stop.
Instead, she dipped lower to gather some wetness from Beatrice's entrance and dragged it back to her clit. Beatrice's hips were bucking wildly, and Ava was distantly concerned that the woman's legs might give out.
“Inside— ah, please,” Beatrice sighed. She was more vocal today than usual; Ava wasn't sure why. To be clear, more vocal was just an extra soft cry and a quiet request for more. Ava wouldn't make her ask twice, though.
Ava pressed inside Beatrice's entrance with two fingers with little resistance, and the woman's walls immediately clamped down. Ava curled her fingers harshly and began an unrelenting pace. They didn't have time to drag this out forever despite how much Ava wanted—
Nope. This was just a quick fuck!
The way Beatrice's body shook with each curl of her fingers did wonders to stimulate Ava as well. She wasn't sure if grinding at this angle was enough to get her over the edge, but they were certainly poised to find out. “Want another?” Ava asked between bites on Beatrice's back.
A high-pitched whine left the woman's mouth as her knees buckled. Ava squeezed her arm tighter to prevent Beatrice from falling. “Please,” Beatrice breathed. So, Ava rocked out and pressed back in with three fingers. This was Ava's favorite place to be in the firehouse.
Beatrice's head shot back and Ava suddenly wished she could see her face. Beatrice always looked so beautiful when she was about to finish. Not beautiful— just good. Yeah, Bea looked good. Not that Beatrice wasn't attractive. It was okay if Ava thought someone was beautiful. She wasn't doing anything wrong by thinking—
“Don't stop.” Beatrice pulled Ava from her thoughts, and she realized her fingers had stilled. She quickly resumed her pace as Beatrice's walls began trembling. She was so hot and soft around Ava's fingers.
Ava pressed her palm up into Beatrice's clit, and the way her hips jumped into Ava's caused a moan to tumble out of her mouth before she could catch it. Everything felt so fucking good. Beatrice wrapped tightly around her fingers, hot water pouring over her skin and barely muffling the sounds of their arousal, the pounding of Ava's heartbeat in her clit— she didn't want this to end.
Nothing else in the world mattered when she was three fingers deep in Lieutenant Beatrice Lin-Watson. Everything made sense as Ava fought through the cramping in her forearm to bring Beatrice to that blissful edge.
She was so close. Ava's entire body was on fire as she pressed her forehead into Beatrice's back and focused on trying to remain quiet. Ava was going to come.
Beatrice's tiny sighs were coming in short, hiccupping bursts as Ava felt the muscles in both of their bodies tensing at the same time. Ava's toes curled as she leaned her entire weight into Beatrice. She hoped that Beatrice's hands on the wall were enough to keep them both upright.
Ava gave another deep pump of her fingers, and suddenly, Beatrice's entire body went rigid. She pressed hard into Ava, and with two more bucks of Ava's hips, Ava tipped over the edge.
With a groan, Bea's entire body began to tremble as waves of pleasure flooded both of them. Every nerve in Ava's body was buzzing and she couldn't control her hips as they continued to jolt into Beatrice on their own.
It was several moments of white-hot bliss— a better rush of adrenaline than anytime Ava ran into a burning building. The comedown was long (this was different, too) as the insistent pulsing in Ava's body faded in warm relief.
When Ava's focus returned, she felt water splashing over her face. The way Ava was panting with her head resting on Beatrice's back was the only thing preventing the water from flooding Ava's mouth.
She carefully leaned back to give Beatrice's body a break. “Can I pull out?” Ava asked quietly when she realized Beatrice's walls had stopped trembling around her.
Ava saw Beatrice nod, head now slumped forward between her arms. Ava pulled out as gently as she could, and the taller woman whimpered softly. She didn't usually react with a vulnerability like that. Ava wasn't sure what had made this today different from every other time they did this.
She wanted to ask. Ava wanted to ask so many things. Instead, she stepped out of Beatrice's space and let her stand up. The woman slowly stretched her body as she turned around.
Ava was suddenly cold. The hot water still incessantly raining over her shoulder did nothing to prevent Ava from shivering. Why was she hot when she was supposed to be cold, and why was she cold when she was supposed to be hot?
When Beatrice made eye contact with Ava again, the difference from this morning was staggering. Her face wasn't neutral. It was rife with emotion, beautiful and alluring. Something was new there, and her eyes were intensely searching Ava's face.
Ava could not be more lost on why Beatrice looked like that. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried to figure out what Beatrice was thinking.
How did they go from so close to so far in just a few seconds? Why did Ava suddenly feel so cold? How could Ava go from knowing precisely what Beatrice wanted to not knowing what the hell she was thinking?
There was some fucking emotion on Beatrice's face, and Ava couldn't figure out what the hell it was. But it was something . “Bea, I—”
Beatrice's face suddenly dropped to a familiar unreadable expression. “Goodnight, Lieutenant Silva.” She was out of Ava's shower and back into her own stall without another word. Ava realized that she hadn't even turned off the water in the other shower.
Today wasn't any different, after all.
Ava was left shivering and holding herself in the shower alone now. Beatrice was no more than a foot away but might as well be gone. Ava wouldn't see her again until breakfast the following day unless they got a call in the middle of the night.
This was the worst part of her job.
Beatrice would stay in her shower for no longer than two more minutes— just long enough that it didn't seem like she was immediately running away. Ava would remain in her shower for at least another ten minutes— just long enough that they wouldn't run into each other in the locker room.
When Ava reaches for her towel, it will be back on the hook closest to her shower. They would go to their separate sleeping quarters, and the next time they saw each other, they would not talk.
They never talked about it. And Ava wouldn't try to ask.
And no matter how different today might have been, they ended up back in the exact same place they always do.
Because this was just sex.