Firefighters as fathers with a child!reader.
Firefighters include: Evan Buckley, Howard Han "Chimney", and Bobby Nash.
Summary: The firefighters reaction to coming home to their child/the reader after a rough, saddening shift at work.
Please keep in mind: All character and reader interactions are purely platonic. There is NO romance. The reader is somewhere below the age of twelve and is portrayed as non-binary. These drabbles are meant to be platonic, fluffy and comforting.
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Bobby Nash
Bobby loved his job, but getting home to you was his favorite part of the day. The relief, joy and peace he felt when he got to embrace you in his arms after all the atrocities he faced at work made him feel whole. His guilt and his shame for his own past sins would mildly subside, and he thanked God with every fiber of his soul that he still had you.
The past forty-eight hours at work had been stressful and frustrating with not a lot of success. Everyone was quiet and emotional, especially Bobby who couldn't quite handle the loss of children as well as others. It broke his heart and made him hate himself for being unable to save their innocent lives.
When he got home, you came sprinting out of the living room, the sound of your cheerful, excited voice instantly enlightening his dark mood. "Daddy, daddy," You giggled, racing to him, "I missed you!"
Smiling warmly, Bobby set his bag down and knelt to scoop you into his arms, "Hey, sweetheart, I missed you too. How've you been?"
Soaking up his warmth and loving attention, you nuzzled into the long-missed safety of your father's chest and giggled, "I drew more pictures for you. Wanna see?"
Bobby kissed your cheek and said happily, "I'd love to. Why don't you go ahead and grab them for me, huh?"
"Ok, daddy, be right back," You cheerfully agreed, speeding off when he set you down.
With you temporarily out of sight, Bobby took the chance to drag himself over to his arm chair. Plopping down, he sighed heavily, rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes. The stress, disappointment and guilt these past two days brought still sat upon his shoulders like a tortuous barbell.
On your way back from retrieving your pictures, you saw the way your father was sitting and the expression on his face, and you slowed in your movements. From past experience, you knew that your father did not always have the funnest job, and some times he would come home sad. Your nanny once told you that Bobby could not be everyone's hero all of the time. And that may be true, but...
You could be 'his' hero.
After over five minutes passed, Bobby lifted his head in concern and hollered, "(y/n)? Everything okay? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, daddy," And then you came running into the living room.
"Hey," Bobby chuckled at your enthusiasm as you ran up to him with a blanket, a plushie, and his favorite pillow. "What're you doing, sweetie? What's this?"
"You're sad," You stated, covering him with the blanket and placing the plushie in his lap, "So I'm gonna make you happy! Nanny is heating you up some soup, and I'm gonna go get you your pictures and your favorite soda- I know soda makes you happy, hehe! Be right back!"
"W-well- hey-" Bobby tried reaching out for you but you were too caught up in your own priorities. Priorities that revolved around him. At first he scolded himself for allowing his emotions to show, but then he clutched the blanket, his pillow and your plushie, and he couldn't help but to feel a sense of happiness, relief and gratitude.
He tried so hard to help everyone else. He tried not to ever ask for help himself. He couldn't always succeed in helping everyone. And sometimes he wanted help for himself... even though he didn't deserve it.
But here you were. You, his little, amazing, considerate, kind angel. His guiding light and soul reason to live. You were here and you cared about him and loved him even though he felt it wasn't what he deserved. It was something that put pressure in his chest and tears in his eyes.
Running back with a can of your father's favorite soda, you smile and hand it to him, "Here you go daddy. I made sure to grab the coldest one I could find and I-daddy?"
Before you could finish talking, Bobby set the can aside, leaned forward, wrapped his arms around you and pulled you sideways onto his lap. You hummed in confusion at first, but you were always happy to have cuddles so you happily accepted and leaned against the safety and warmth of his chest. "I love you, daddy."
"I love you too, baby," Bobby had to keep his voice from breaking as he held you tightly, his teary face slightly hidden against the top of your head, "I love you so much. You could never know how grateful I am to have you in my life."
Every time Bobby lost people on calls, he lost a piece of himself, but you gave those pieces back to him, and he loved you so much and he was so grateful for you, you just had no idea.
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Howard Han "Chimney"
He came home while you were still asleep, briefly conversing with your nanny before bidding them a good evening and some appreciation for their patience. Then he sauntered into the kitchen where he made himself a glass of water and cooked some low-effort food.
But he didn't eat the food.
No. Instead of eating, Chimney just sat there at the table, mindlessly staring into the abyss while thinking about their failed calls these past few days. Did a worthless failure like him even deserve to eat? Gosh, just thinking about the sad, stricken look of horror on those poor parents faces, it just...
"Daddy Chimney?"
Sniffing and rubbing a hand down his distressed face, Chimney quickly cleared his throat, turned around in his chair and smiled big in greeting, "Hey, little oven. What're you doing awake?"
You frowned at him while walking closer, your blanket held close as you mumbled, "Why are you crying?"
Chimney made a silly face, pretending to be shocked, "W-who? Me? I'm not crying."
"Yes you are," You frown even more.
The last thing Chimney wanted was to drag you down into the same sad pit as himself; that is why he tried his hardest to tease you and make you happy, "Hey, look, I'm not the one who's crying. You are. Don't think I can't see those fat crocodile tears running down your face. Geez, kinda rude of you to call me out like that, you know... Hypocrite."
You giggled at his teasing and made adorable whines of childish yet endearing irritation, "Daddy...."
Chimney smiled, the aching pressure in his chest subsiding a bit. Gosh, he had missed you. Getting to see your face and hear your adorable voice was like stepping into a comforting light. "Come here, oven," He smiled, lifting out his arms.
Setting down your blanket, you walked over and sat down in your father's lap, humming in content when he leaned down and gave you a playful eskimo kiss before kissing your forehead. You whimpered joyfully at his affection and hugged him tightly.
"Want some cold eggs and pancakes?" Chimney asked, "Though I think the pancakes have turned into a deliciously frozen mush by now. Might need a spoon to eat it if I'm being honest..."
"Yucky..." You grumbled at him.
Chimney chuckled and patted your head, but even though he was being affectionate and silly, you knew him well enough to know when he was sad. "Daddy Chimney, please tell me why you're sad," You look at him, pouting hopefully.
Chimney looked at you, observing the concerned, hopeful expression on your face and thinking about how sometimes it felt like no one knew him better than you. "I uh... I just had a rough couple days at work. That's all," He rubbed his lips together tightly, nodding stiffly, "What about you? You do anything fun this weekend?
"What happened?" You asked, twisting around in his lap to better see his face.
Chimney paused, stared at you and sighed. He didn't want to project his own burdens onto you- not in the slightest fashion, but you were always so determined to fish them out of him, and he felt guilty for denying you. But he would also feel guilty for telling you how he felt. When failures at work happened, everyone departed with a measly "we did the best we could", and usually they never spoke of it again.
Over the months, a lot gets bottled up. Guilt, sadness, fear, anxiety and hopelessness. Like right now, Chimney could not stop looking at you and imagining you in the same place the people they couldn't save had been. He could lose you so fast and so easily, and it terrified him. Not to mention how awful the victim's family must feel.
"I just... They were... There were just some people I couldn't save." He softly admitted, gazing away regretfully, "Yeah..."
This wasn't the first time your father had admitted to losing people on the job. Bobby and Hen had explained to you how not every person in the world can be saved. Sometimes outcomes are unavoidable. Trying their best is all that they could do.
Gazing around in thought, you shuffle forward and wrap your small arms around his shoulders in a warm hug, "Thank you."
Chimney twitched a little, confused as he hugged you back, "For what?"
"For trying to help those people," You explain, "They can't be here to thank you anymore, so I'll thank you for them. Thank you, daddy Chimney."
Immediately Chimney's eyes watered and his heart throbbed. His arms around you tightened and his lips wobbled. He sniffed and shook his head, unbelievably grateful that you were his child, "Ugh-gu-gu. There you go again with those crocodile tears. Man, you really gotta slow down with those. I'm drowning over here."
"It's okay to cry, daddy," You giggle, still hugging him.
And finally, Chimney relaxed. "Yeah," He sniffled again, bowing his head, "It is."
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Evan Buckley
It was late at night when Buck finally made it home. He was exhausted and yet far from being clear-headed enough to go to sleep. Thousands of thoughts plagued his mind while sadness, guilt, and regret pulsed through his body. He was anxious and ashamed and haunted by his latest shift's failures.
After politely sending your nanny home, Buck quietly wandered into your room and gazed upon your peacefully snoozing figure. Relief from your assured safety engulfed him and had him sighing softly. Seeing you after such a difficult shift was a sight for traumatized eyes.
Unable to avoid the protective urges inside him, Buck walked further into your room and carefully sat down on the edge of your bed. You were in your pajamas, wrapped up in a blanket and snuggling your pillow. It had Buck smiling with loving endearment. You were so precious.
Reaching out a hand, Buck gently caressed your face, delicately moving loose stands of hair out of the way and brushing your warm cheek. "Mm?" You stirred at this, however, but Buck had been anticipating your awakening, "Daddy?"
"Hey monkey," Buck said almost shakily for he was still emotional from his shift, "Sorry, I-I didn't mean to wake you, I just... I just really wanted to see you is all."
"Oh," You yawn cutely, stretching your arms out before lifting them up, "Hi daddy."
"Hi baby," Buck encompassed you in his big, incredibly safe arms, and he inhaled your comforting scent when you hugged him back, "I missed you."
"I missed you too, daddy," You mumble tiredly, feeling cozy enough in his embrace to easily be lulled back to sleep.
But, as childish and immature as it may seem, Buck couldn't stand to be by himself right now- not while he felt like this. He needed you. "Hey," He smiled cheesily, "I was thinking... Why don't you and I go out and get some ice-cream?"
"Hm?" That peaked your interest, and you leaned back to blink at him in confusion, "But... All the ice-cream places are closed..."
"W-well, they... There's gas stations," Buck shrugged, chuckling a bit, "And gas stations have lots of ice-cream. At least I think they do, ha... Do they?"
You yawned again and nodded, "Ok, daddy."
Feeling slightly guilty for waking you up, Buck reached out, scooped his arms around you and hauled you against his hip, "There. Ready?"
Holding onto his neck, you nod and go to rest your head against his chest, listening to the comforting sound of his heartbeat as he carried you through the house and out to the car. He was so warm and cozy and safe.
Buck drove you to a nearby gas station, carried you inside, picked out some frozen desert and took you for a drive down old roads. You had woken up just enough to enjoy your ice-cream before nodding back off in the backseat. It was then that he went back home and carried you inside.
Instead of carrying you to your room though, Buck carried you to his room. He couldn't help it. His feelings and anxiety were driving him insane and he needed to know with utmost assurance that you were safe. So he laid you down on his bed, tucked you in, and went to the restroom to change in his own pajamas.
By the time he went back, you were sitting up in bed blinking groggily at him, "Daddy?"
"What's up, monkey?" He asked, sitting down in the spot next to you.
"You can't sleep?" You ask in a very adorable yet concerned tone.
Welp, Buck knew he was bound to get caught. This was kind of a bad habit he had; like a child who needed a toy to sleep with for safety- only this way it you he was trying to keep safe. By now you had experienced loads of his breakdowns, and that normally included late-night snacks, games, movies, and/or drives that ended with you sleeping in his arms.
Come to find out, it was a habit Buck started because he was scared.
"Uh..." Buck took in a deep breath, "Yeah- well- no-I... I can sleep, I just... I just really wanted some ice-cream... a-and a roommate, ha."
Crawling over to your father, you snuggle against his side and look up at him, "What happened?"
Buck held one arm around you, his heart clenching at the thought of you being in the same place as the kids that they had lost yesterday. Tears pricked at his eyes, his throat swelled and his body stiffened. "I'm- I just... I'm just so grateful that you're here, (y/n)."
"Huh? But I'm always here, daddy," You say, smiling, "So everything's okay. You don't have to be sad. Please don't be sad.
Buck briskly wiped his eyes and nodded, his smile crooked but grateful, "You're right. I love you so much, monkey."
Brightened by his positive response, you hugged him back and whimpered happily, "I love you too, daddy."
Buck held you long after you fell back asleep, simply needing you close so that he knew that you were alive, safe, healthy and happy. He loved you so much that the thought of losing you made sleeping during some nights to difficult to face alone.
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