𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣. Evan Buckley ²

fourteen

"I'll be fine for now," Hunter said as she sat up, swinging her legs to be planted on the floor. Holding her arm out for the man to wrap it up, "but thank you."

It was her third and final session, the colored tattoo finally completed after weeks of waiting and rescheduling. Jacob hadn't been taking clients due to the state of California deeming him a non essential worker but he had made an under the table exception for the firefighter who all but begged him to take her in.

Hunter pulled the nine crisp bills from her wallet that she had picked up from the bank earlier in the week and passed them into Jacob's hand. It wasn't the cheapest or best choice she ever made but it helped her mind, something as simple as a tattoo did.

"I feel like I haven't seen you the last couple days," Hunter looked up at the sudden voice that had entered the locker room.

The blonde shrugged, "Alexa's been tryna catch up with me—"

"Which is code for you're mad at me," buck interjected, leaning against the lockers and looking down at Hunter who was seated on the bench.

Buck wore the standardized LAFD navy blue uniform, the long sleeve hugged to him tightly. He had changed so much since Hunter had first met him, and not just in his appearance.

Hunter shook her head, "why would I be mad."

Buck gave her a knowing look, "just admit it was a good idea asking Taylor to cover the story— she, she actually did help."

His statement was indeed true, although Hunter wouldn't elect to admit it. Taylor's coverage of the news helped spread the word of the hit and run and in turn, the LAPD was able to track down the man who had hit Sue Blevins— who was on her way to making a full recovery with her beloved husband right by her side.

The suspect, who's name Hunter hadn't bothered to learn, was arrested not that long ago but in addiction to the attempted vehicular homicide, he would also be tried for kidnapping. It was important to note, the police had found the man with a missing woman in his possession— a woman who probably didn't have much more time left had the police been any later.

"I put my pride before others feelings—"

"And while I would normally find that confidence incredibly hot," buck began with a sigh, "I'm, uh, I'm sorry if I upset you."

Hunter scoffed but gave the man a soft smile as one of her hands trialed up to play with the metal dogs tags around her neck. "Buck, honey, you do want to you. In the most caring and affectionate way possible, I do not care."

"Seems like you cared."

He was right. She did, but she couldn't quite place her finger on the why part of the of the equation. The who and what were perfectly clear. But the why couldn't of been a multitude of things. Sure she had a hatred for the pushy redhead that once cornered the blonde girl and brought the fire out in her blue eyes.

And yes, she didn't like that Taylor Kelly had slept with her boyfriend but she wasn't jealous. Hunter did not get jealous, especially over something that happened over a year ago. She never was the jealous type, if a man wanted to leave her, it wasn't her problem. It was quicker to move on than to care.

But maybe the real problem is that the Buckley boy didn't tell Hunter his was reaching out to help from Taylor. The feeling of being left out and secluded didn't sit well. Hunter liked being in the loop, knowing what was happening. She always had, even before her time in Afghanistan, but that's where it became amplified.

"I like you... I don't like her," Hunter gritted out, elbows resting on her knees as she looked up through her eyelashes at the man.

"I'm sorry," he apologized again, crossing his arms as he sighed. Buck was a caring man and an even more thought partner since the 3.0 software update. "I know she technically helped but I'm still sorry I went to her."