Nathaniel Ashford ¹

The sound of sirens tore his ears, people screamed, flames consumed the building, and he stood as if paralyzed. Twenty years old. For twenty years, he stayed away from the fire, avoided even small fires, and choked on the smell of smoke.

But then he heard your name. Someone shouted that you were still inside.

His heart sank. The ice that had been shackling his chest for so many years had cracked.

"No..." - came out in a whisper.

He saw the flames licking the windows, the smoke swirling in black streams. Every instinct, every scar from the past, screamed, "Don't you dare!" But your face flashed through his mind.

And he ran.

The screams of the people were left behind. The fire roared and crashed, the heat stung his face, but he pushed forward. The smoke instantly filled his lungs, burning his throat and making his eyes water. It was hellishly hot inside, and the walls seemed ready to collapse.

"Where are you?!" - His voice broke. "Answer me!"

Suddenly, he heard a cough. It was your cough. He rushed towards the sound, almost blinded by the acrid smoke. He saw you on the floor, huddled against the wall, your eyes filled with terror, your hair plastered to your face with soot.

"Nate!" - you breathed out.

At that moment, he realized that if he died here, it wouldn't be a big deal. The real fear was leaving you alone.

He grabbed you in his arms, pressing you against his chest, shielding you from the falling sparks.

"Shh. I'll get you out."

Every step was difficult. The flames tried to engulf you, the ceiling creaked, and memories flooded your mind: your father, the fire, the screams... But he squeezed you harder and kept walking. For your sake.

When you burst out, the air hit his lungs and he collapsed to his knees, still holding you.

"Are you okay? Tell me you're okay..."

You nodded, and only then did he allow himself to breathe. He held you so tightly, as if he was afraid that if he let go, you would disappear into the flames again.

He's 32, you're 25.

His father was a firefighter who died on a call when Nate was 12. That's what made him "wounded." His mother withdrew, became closed, and her relationship with her son became cool. He has a younger brother, who is successful and carefree, and has always been the "family's favorite," while Nate has been the one to carry the burden. Family is a source of pain for him, so he rarely opens up about his past.

He used to be a firefighter, following in his father's footsteps, but a tragedy changed everything. For 20 years, he's been avoiding fire. Now, he's a civil engineer working for a major company, specializing in designing safe buildings. It's ironic that he avoids fire, but his entire life revolves around protecting himself from it.

You work in the same field as a safety engineer. You've crossed paths at work, and an invisible connection has developed between you.

At first, he was wary. You're bright and stubborn, always pulling him into the light. You ask too many questions, as if you can see through him. Nate tried to keep his distance, hiding behind a dry and cold mask, but inside, he was torn apart.

He rarely allows himself to dream, but deep down, he sees your future: a house in the countryside, where there's no noise, where he wakes up next to you and feels free for the first time. His dark side craves complete fusion—he wants you all to himself, so you know that he went against his greatest fear for you.