She could see how upset he was, she just didn’t know why but finding that out could wait until later.
When he stopped walking, he lowered her down to the ground, but she didn’t let go of him.
He was hurting. She could feel it.
She wanted to help him, holding him tightly to her chest, letting him hug her tightly in return.
When his hold on her loosened, Harmony finally took in a full breath. She didn’t try to pull away, but she stepped back enough that she could look into his eyes, her hands moving over his arms. “What’s going on?”
He shook his head and she wanted to press him for information, but she couldn’t bear to do it when he seemed like he was on the edge of… something.
Instead of asking again, she stood there and gently rubbed his arms.
His uniform shirt of choice was the horn sleeved version which ended midway to his elbows. His parter wore the long-sleeved version. While she smoothed her hands up and down his arms, she felt the warmth of his kin under her hands and the gentle scratch of the hairs on his arms.
She wasn’t all that easy showing this kind of closeness with anyone. Her own family had taught her that personal relationships weren’t easy to navigate.
It was probably why being an EMT was a good middle ground for her.
She could have a positive effect on the patients that she treated, but following up with them like the staff at Cole Medical did?
She didn’t have to see them again and again, day in and day out. It was the best of both worlds.
She could do what she loved… and be herself.
“You’re good at that, you know.”
It took her a moment to shake herself out of her thoughts. “Good at what?” She heard the slight edge in her voice, and she tried to back it off, but she couldn’t hold back her somewhat snarky thoughts. “Overthinking?”
They looked at each other for a long moment and then something almost miraculous happened.
They both laughed.
Not a belly laugh or anything that exciting, just a little laugh that eased the awkwardness she was feeling.
He let out a long breath, and she stepped closer to see his expression.
Crois lifted a hand and moved it over her hair, barely brushing against the loose wisps of hair. It was a gentle touch that she almost leaned into, but she held herself back.
“I was saying that you’re good at calming me down.”
She widened her eyes and smiled. “Yeah?”
He nodded and he smoothed his hands over her arms.
Harmony realized that he was trying to reciprocate, but his touch on her arms wasn’t soothing.
The slow, gentle touch of his hands on her arms, even over her long-sleeved uniform shirt was stirring up emotions and physical feelings that she wasn’t used to.
Part of her wanted to lean into it, silencing asking for more, but another part of her tried to throw up walls between them.
“Uh…” She pulled back, but almost at the same moment, the Klaxons went off again and it gave her almost an excuse for the sudden and jerky movement. “I’ve…”
“Rescue Two. Engine Forty-seven. Truck Forty-two. Ambulance Nineteen. Structure fire at-”
She passed her tongue over her lower lip. “I have to go.”
Her heart seized for a moment when Crois took hold of of her shoulders and leaned in.
