A Slow Burn // Brian 'Otis' Zvonecek // Chicago Fire ✔️

24 || MORNING

For Otis, waking up the next morning felt like waking from a dream, a very, very good dream. And it felt even more like a dream when he noticed the empty spot on the bed next to him. The spot Riley had fell asleep in last night.

A slight wave of disappointed flew through Otis at the thought of Riley having snuck out early this morning, but when his bedroom door opened, that feeling suddenly vanished.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Riley said hushed after spotting the now awake Otis, the door quietly clicking shut behind her.

"No, it's okay, you didn't." Otis replied, his morning voice a little raspier and deeper than normal. A slight smile rose on his face as he watched Riley walk back towards the bed, wearing nothing but her underwear and one of his t-shirt's that he'd lent her to sleep in. A t-shirt he was definitely allowing her to keep, especially when she looked that good in it.

"What time is is?" Otis yawned, lifting his arm a little as Riley climbed back into bed and nuzzled up next to him, her head resting on his chest as his arm draped around her.

"It's still early." Riley whispered, enjoying the light circles Otis traced on her waist with his finger. "Around seven, I think."

Otis just let out a tired sounding groan, one that clearly indicated he hated the fact that he'd woken up early on the one day he had between shifts that he could sleep in. But it wasn't so bad given who was currently lying next to him. His girlfriend. Which still seemed like a dream.

"Do you have any plans for the day?" Otis asked curiously, glancing down at her, the only thing he could see was the mass of orange curls atop her head.

"Not really." Riley exhaled, lifting her head up to look at him. "Might just stay right here... in this spot... all day."

"That sounds perfect." Otis said with a smile, leaning down as Riley leaned up, placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"But unfortunately I have three kids at home, two of which need walked." Riley sighed out, burying her face in the crook of Otis' neck, where she could feel his pulse beneath his skin.

"I could go with you?" Otis suggested, making Riley look back up at him.

"By walk, I mean run... I take them to the nearby park and run laps around it, but you're welcome to join us if you really want to." Riley's eyebrow raised, her tone humorous as she could see Otis already changing his mind before he even spoke.

"Maybe I'll just wait until you get back." He shrugged a little, the corners of his lips tugging upwards. He wasn't much of a runner.

"That's what I thought." Riley chuckled, leaning up to kiss him again, something she still couldn't believe she was actually doing. If someone told her when she first joined fifty-one, that this is where she'd be in almost a years time, she'd have never believed them.

It was crazy to think that she'd joined fifty-one almost a year ago. So much had happened in Riley's life lately, from the warehouse incident, to finding a new firehouse family. The Truck accident, to being fired, even if it only lasted a day. And now here she was, in the arms of her best friend, the guy she loved... Her boyfriend. She truly felt so incredibly lucky.

"But for now, I could use a shower... And I may need a little help." She added in a whisper, noticing the way Otis' eyes widened a little, something she expected would happen frequently until they'd both gotten used to the fact that they were now a couple.

The two of them managed to have a rather peaceful, and somewhat steamy, shower before the inevitable banging on the bathroom door started. Otis suddenly remembered that Cruz used the bathroom at pretty much the same time every morning, something he'd forgotten given his current company.