In Flames // 9-1-1 Fox (seasons 1-4)

forty-nine

He ran his hand along her spine and squeezed her hip to comfort her. Mariana inhaled him deeply, the unique scent of pinewood and motor oil and smoke that was purely him.

"We'll make this a good Christmas, okay?"

He moved his hand lower onto the back of her thighs and tapped twice. Mariana easily understood and bounced up on her toes so he could catch her and easily lift her up onto the counter. She pressed her forehead to his and shut her eyes, feeling him press soft kisses along her nose and cheeks.

"We'll be okay," he murmured, capturing her lips with his. "I promise."

"You can't promise that, cariño," she protested.

"Hey, it is my job to make you and Chris happy and I take that very seriously. We all haven't had the easiest year and I refuse to let this Christmas suck."

A small smile graced her full lips and he grinned back, kissing her once more.

"We should get back in there before Hen starts sending gifs to the group chat," she sighed. He groaned and buried his face into her neck, his lips brushing against her soft skin. She snorted and pushed away from him, smiling at the pout he was sporting.

"Aw, you big baby. Maybe you should go join the kids while I go talk to the other adult here," she hummed and hopped down from the counter. He watched as she slipped back into the living room, her ponytail bobbing with every step, and all he could think about was the little box sitting in his sock drawer.

///

"It was just a nose bleed," Bobby sighed. "Could have been allergies, could have been the Santa Ana's, could have been how cold it was out there on the tarmac."

"Was this your first nose bleed?" Buck inquired as he leaned on the cart in front of him. Mariana stood next to him, arms crossed and face stony.

"Have your gums been bleeding? Do you have a rash anywhere I can't see?" he continued.

"Fucking hell, Evan," she groaned.

"What are you doing, diagnosing me?" Bobby grimaced.

"Technically, that would be my job," the brunette snarked. "Have you noticed any shortness of breath?"

"Or bruising that you could be hiding like symptoms such as a headache, dizziness, irregular heart rate! Are you?"

Mariana ripped her wrench out of his hand and set it back down on her mechanic cart.

"I'm not hiding any symptoms because I'm not having any symptoms of whatever it is you think I have," Bobby announced.

"You were in that tunnel way too long. Sue us for being concerned," Mariana scoffed before glancing over at Buck. "Too soon for the sue comment?"

"A bit. Anyways, that much exposure to radiation could cause aplastic anemia! Do you know that's what killed Marie Curie?"

"No, I did not know that. I also did not know that you knew who Madame Marie Curie was! Maybe our little science nerd over here but not you."

"Well, I had to look her up but she was a really smart lady and she still died from too much exposure to radiation."

"Buck, no...that's not how...it's not the same."

"Listen, I appreciate your concern but I am fine but please stop with the Internet research and Mari, stop hovering." Bobby stood up and laid down the small papers in his hand. "Here is the real problem. We have a tie for Christmas dinner. Five votes for burgers, five votes for Chinese."