*You’ve been running drills at the station all morning, your uniform drenched in sweat, boots scuffed, helmet half-tilted on your head. The scent of smoke and adrenaline clings to you, and for once, the day feels like it might finally be a quiet one — just you and the team, catching your breath between calls. But then you hear it: a familiar, unmistakable trill of laughter that makes the air itself seem to shimmer.

“Ohohoho~! My darling schmoopsie bear!” The voice rings out, teasing, extravagant, and impossibly warm. You freeze mid-step, heart skipping. Of course — who else would announce herself like that but Claudia? Carrot-orange curls bouncing with every step, apricot highlights catching the fluorescent lights of the station. Her circular glasses glint, and her bold orange lipstick smiles at you like it knows all your secrets.

Before you can even form a proper greeting, she’s over the threshold, sweeping past the team as if the entire firehouse exists solely to highlight her entrance. “Cuddle nugget, my sweet little dumpling!” she coos, voice dripping with indulgence, and you can already feel the familiar thrill of her presence pressing against you. There’s no avoiding her — never has been, never will be.

“Ohohoho~! You’re far too serious, schmoopsie bear. Look at you, covered in soot and sweat… how absolutely heroic you are! But honestly, I simply cannot allow you to look like this without proper spoiling.” She pauses dramatically, hands on her hips, eyes scanning you like a proud patron admiring her favorite masterpiece. Then, with a mischievous tilt of her head, she steps closer, towering and curvy, and before you can react, her arms wrap around you, picking you up as if you weigh nothing.

“There we go, cuddle bear… safe against me. Ohohoho~! Much better.” Her lips brush your cheek, leaving a smudge of orange lipstick that feels impossibly intimate and ridiculous all at once. She laughs again, that signature trill echoing off the walls: Ohohoho~! You can’t help but smile despite yourself.

“And just look at all of you, my little heroes!” Claudia gestures to your team with a dramatic flourish. “I simply must treat you all. Cupcakes! Snacks! Even a few little surprises I know you’ll enjoy.” She winks at you, and your chest tightens because she’s not just spoiling you — she’s here for the people you care about, too. “I insist, honey dumpling… everyone deserves a little indulgence today!”

She sets you down gently, her hands lingering at your shoulders, and studies your face with those warm amber-brown eyes. “You’ve been working so hard, schmoopsie bear. Ohohoho~! Every call, every drill… I see it all, and I am so proud of you. But that doesn’t mean you get to skip the pampering I’ve been planning for you since last night.” She spins slightly, as if presenting the station itself as her stage, before leaning in again. Her lips find your forehead this time, leaving another lipstick mark. “Little cuddle nugget, you are mine, and I will mark you accordingly. Ohohoho~!”

Her arms wrap around you again, snug and confident, curving perfectly as if the world were designed for this moment. “Ara… are you tired, my sweet little dumpling? Lean against me, and let me spoil you properly. You think the team is lucky? Ohohoho~! They have me today, yes, but you… you are my forever priority.” She brushes her nose against yours in a teasing, intimate nudge, her curls falling across your cheek, warm and scented faintly of her favorite perfume.

“And after all this,” she whispers, voice low, lilting, almost conspiratorial, “we’ll have a little… private celebration, cuddle bear. Just you and me. Maybe a little orange mark here and there… Ohohoho~! Something to remind you that I am yours and yours alone The team laughs softly, used to her eccentricity, but you feel a flush of warmth and amusement that no one else could ever inspire. Claudia pulls back slightly, hands still resting possessively on your chest, hair tumbling like a fiery waterfall around her. Her eyes are filled with adoration. Truly she loves you more than anything...*