Smoke
Three
As the sky turned a pale orange the two found themselves alone in the mess room, it had become common for them to sacrifice sleep to sit and chat together often over tea and biscuits, she hadn’t meant to become as close to Kevin as she had done, they had been subjected to many questions,
“Whats with all the breakfast dates? Why are you suddenly so close?”
She didn’t really know the answer, so more often than not she just shrugged it off,
“We’re just friends”
They often laughed it off, knowing they would soon be bored of making their jokes and jibes, Scarlett took comfort in the fact that she had managed to find such a close friend in such a short time.
“Well? Is there a bloke?”
Kevin asked
“Huh?”
She put the polish brush on the table looking at her boots and admiring her handiwork, brow furrowed,
“Can do mine if you want”
Kevin muttered from across the table, not taking his eyes off of the house of cards he had built, concentration etched on his face as he balanced another card with steady hands, she rolled her eyes standing from her chair,
“Sod off! Polish your own!” she knocked the table with her hip, smirking as the cards tumbled landing in a scattered heap on the floor around him “D’ya fancy some toast?”
She asked,
“Go on then!” he looked over his eyebrows at her, sliding his cup forward “and a tea! You never did answer me”
She side eyed him as she walked away, snatching his mug off the table,
“You take the bloody mick Medhurst! And no there’s no bloke, as you so eloquently put it!”
“And don’t be stingy with the Marmite this time eh? Least you could fucking do after knocking my house down! I can see why your single doing things like that!” he paused thoughtfully “Shame though any bloke would be lucky to have you”
She couldn’t help but laugh, her stomach flipping over, deciding not to pursue his opinion further.
she had been at Black Wall for thirteen and half weeks now and hadn’t expected to develop friendships, being the youngest member of the crew, she expected many a lecture from the guv and the sub about traditions and appropriate practices, but it was far different, she felt accepted and had come to regard the rest of the crew as family.
The shrill cry from the bell roused the station back to life, Kevin groaned and pushed his plate away,
“You didn’t eat your crusts!”
Scarlett reprimanded, he smirked at her as they rushed towards the pole, he watched her in a few movements she had converted her long ponytail in to a tight neat bun and slipped in to her kit, a mocking voice from behind him snapped him back to reality,
“Kevvy’s got a crush!”
He turned to see Bay leaf smirking at him,
“Sod off!”
Kevin blushed, he sat in the back of the pump silently, his mind running over what Bayleaf had said, there was never a spark of attraction between the two of them, he had come to regard her as his best friend, as close as he was to the rest of the crew, there was something different about the feminine touch, she had a different sense of humour, and a fresh set of eyes, her advice often invaluable to him, the thought of being with her in an intimate setting, made him itch a little bit, goose bumps rippled across his skin, prickling under his tunic, he shuddered at the thought of her kindness being taken advantage of by anyone, let alone himself.
They arrived at the scene to see a small terraced house engulfed in flames, thick black plumes filled the air, Orders where barked and the crew set to work, Kevin bowled a length of hose out, he fronted, feeling the heat from the blaze he took aim,
“Drummond! Time in 0437 hours”
His stomach lurched, Scarlett was going in on a BA crew, the high whistles of the tanks chilled his blood, he drew in a few deep breaths attempting to settle his nerves, he focused on dousing the flames only allowing his mind to wonder for moments at a time, why was he panicking? he knew everyone on the crew was capable, but this time felt different, it felt like there was more of a risk. Bay leaf’s words echoed in his mind.
The dense air soon cleared as smoke made way for steam and orders to knock off were made clear,
She pulled her BA off, making her way over to the pump, she pushed her hair off her forehead leaving a smear of soot, she smiled over to Kevin, he almost looked through her, feeling himself tense as panic crept through him,
“Can you give us a hand?”
She motioned to the tank on her back, his heart thumped, and panic rose in his throat,
“Nah sorry I’m busy”
He moved quickly to the back of the pump, she furrowed her brow and sighed loudly unable to comprehend what was going on, someone who only hours ago was making jokes and chatting with her was now ignoring her,
“Nice! Real nice!”
She muttered, throwing her kit back on to the pump, George pulled his pump next to hers,
“May as well go straight home!”
He laughed, she ignored him climbing in to the driver’s seat and pulling away at speed. Kevin sighed from his seat
She marched back in to the station,
“You coming for breakfast Dolly?”
Bayleaf asked, she pulled her coat on and swung her bag on to her shoulder,
“Not a chance!”
She snapped raising a few eyebrows before leaving the room. She marched down the hallways, almost knocking a slender blonde woman flying as she tore from the main doors to her car.
The woman huffed, a smile spreading across her face as Kevin walked out towards her,
“Morning babe!”
She grinned pulling him in to a tight hug, he smiled half-heartedly, watching over her shoulder and wincing as Scarletts Capri roared to life and sped out of the station.
“Whats with all the breakfast dates? Why are you suddenly so close?”
She didn’t really know the answer, so more often than not she just shrugged it off,
“We’re just friends”
They often laughed it off, knowing they would soon be bored of making their jokes and jibes, Scarlett took comfort in the fact that she had managed to find such a close friend in such a short time.
“Well? Is there a bloke?”
Kevin asked
“Huh?”
She put the polish brush on the table looking at her boots and admiring her handiwork, brow furrowed,
“Can do mine if you want”
Kevin muttered from across the table, not taking his eyes off of the house of cards he had built, concentration etched on his face as he balanced another card with steady hands, she rolled her eyes standing from her chair,
“Sod off! Polish your own!” she knocked the table with her hip, smirking as the cards tumbled landing in a scattered heap on the floor around him “D’ya fancy some toast?”
She asked,
“Go on then!” he looked over his eyebrows at her, sliding his cup forward “and a tea! You never did answer me”
She side eyed him as she walked away, snatching his mug off the table,
“You take the bloody mick Medhurst! And no there’s no bloke, as you so eloquently put it!”
“And don’t be stingy with the Marmite this time eh? Least you could fucking do after knocking my house down! I can see why your single doing things like that!” he paused thoughtfully “Shame though any bloke would be lucky to have you”
She couldn’t help but laugh, her stomach flipping over, deciding not to pursue his opinion further.
she had been at Black Wall for thirteen and half weeks now and hadn’t expected to develop friendships, being the youngest member of the crew, she expected many a lecture from the guv and the sub about traditions and appropriate practices, but it was far different, she felt accepted and had come to regard the rest of the crew as family.
The shrill cry from the bell roused the station back to life, Kevin groaned and pushed his plate away,
“You didn’t eat your crusts!”
Scarlett reprimanded, he smirked at her as they rushed towards the pole, he watched her in a few movements she had converted her long ponytail in to a tight neat bun and slipped in to her kit, a mocking voice from behind him snapped him back to reality,
“Kevvy’s got a crush!”
He turned to see Bay leaf smirking at him,
“Sod off!”
Kevin blushed, he sat in the back of the pump silently, his mind running over what Bayleaf had said, there was never a spark of attraction between the two of them, he had come to regard her as his best friend, as close as he was to the rest of the crew, there was something different about the feminine touch, she had a different sense of humour, and a fresh set of eyes, her advice often invaluable to him, the thought of being with her in an intimate setting, made him itch a little bit, goose bumps rippled across his skin, prickling under his tunic, he shuddered at the thought of her kindness being taken advantage of by anyone, let alone himself.
They arrived at the scene to see a small terraced house engulfed in flames, thick black plumes filled the air, Orders where barked and the crew set to work, Kevin bowled a length of hose out, he fronted, feeling the heat from the blaze he took aim,
“Drummond! Time in 0437 hours”
His stomach lurched, Scarlett was going in on a BA crew, the high whistles of the tanks chilled his blood, he drew in a few deep breaths attempting to settle his nerves, he focused on dousing the flames only allowing his mind to wonder for moments at a time, why was he panicking? he knew everyone on the crew was capable, but this time felt different, it felt like there was more of a risk. Bay leaf’s words echoed in his mind.
The dense air soon cleared as smoke made way for steam and orders to knock off were made clear,
She pulled her BA off, making her way over to the pump, she pushed her hair off her forehead leaving a smear of soot, she smiled over to Kevin, he almost looked through her, feeling himself tense as panic crept through him,
“Can you give us a hand?”
She motioned to the tank on her back, his heart thumped, and panic rose in his throat,
“Nah sorry I’m busy”
He moved quickly to the back of the pump, she furrowed her brow and sighed loudly unable to comprehend what was going on, someone who only hours ago was making jokes and chatting with her was now ignoring her,
“Nice! Real nice!”
She muttered, throwing her kit back on to the pump, George pulled his pump next to hers,
“May as well go straight home!”
He laughed, she ignored him climbing in to the driver’s seat and pulling away at speed. Kevin sighed from his seat
She marched back in to the station,
“You coming for breakfast Dolly?”
Bayleaf asked, she pulled her coat on and swung her bag on to her shoulder,
“Not a chance!”
She snapped raising a few eyebrows before leaving the room. She marched down the hallways, almost knocking a slender blonde woman flying as she tore from the main doors to her car.
The woman huffed, a smile spreading across her face as Kevin walked out towards her,
“Morning babe!”
She grinned pulling him in to a tight hug, he smiled half-heartedly, watching over her shoulder and wincing as Scarletts Capri roared to life and sped out of the station.