“Hey baby,” Carlos greeted, his voice as steady as he could make it. He had heard the call over the radio, the one you were about to get sent to, and he knew this wasn’t about to be a social call. “You okay?”

As much as Carlos loved daring a first responder, he also hated dating a first responder. He hated knowing that any day could be his last day with you, as much as he knew it was your purpose.

He stepped outside of his office, sitting down on the bench on the balcony and keeping the phone pressed tightly to his ear. It was one of those calls where it was almost inevitable to lose someone - a hand sanitiser factory, with all exits already lost but a group still stuck inside. He knew you would do what you had to, but he didn’t need to like it.