𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙨. Evan Buckley ¹

forty eight

BEAUTIFUL MESS.
chapter forty eight.

Hunter quickly plucked the white coffee cup out of Eddie's hand before sitting back down in the bar stool at the island of the firehouse kitchen. His head snapped over towards her in surprise and looked like he wanted to ask if she had lost her mind.

"So you had a brother you didn't even know about and he just showed up on your door step?" Hunter asked while sipping on the newly acquired coffee.

"Family comes to us in different way," Cap chimed in from his stop behind the counter.

Hen took this as her time to walk over to the rest, file in hand, "And don't think you're going to send him home without him meeting all of us."

Chimney shrugged while they all looked down at the paper with a look of confusion. "Um, what is this?" asked Buck, speaking the question they all were wondering.

"Talking points regarding Henrietta and Karen?" Hunter read out loud, "Man, I don't even know who these chicks are."

Hen shot Hunter a challenging glare before answering, "Social services is vetting Karen and me to become foster parents. We listed each and every one of you as references so when they call, I need you all to sing our praises."

"You mean these specific 26 praises?" Hunter asked with a chuckle, "And you're gonna let Buck speak on your behalf?"

The blond in question lightly slapped the outside of her thigh with the back of his hand and shot her a look that was littered with feign offense. "Karen made the list," Hen explained, "She's very thorough."

"Hen, we know you. We don't need some piece of paper to remind us of your many wonderful qualities," Bobby assured her with a smile.

"I appreciate that, Cap, but I'd rather you didn't improvise. The stakes are very high."

Buck was still fixated on the piece of paper, eyebrows furrowed in confusion and slight shock, "I didn't know you played a musical instrument."

"Mm-hmm. Bassoon. First chair," announced Hen, looking at him as if she was challenging him to say something back, "And I was damn good... Memorize, people."

Her words did little to ease the confusion of the blond, he instead leaned over towards Hunter and whispered, "What's a bassoon?"

Hunter laughed as she patted his chest with a shake of her head and stood to her full height, placing Eddie's coffee back down in front of him before walking away.

The 118 had returned from a call not long ago, Hen and Chim were on their way back with the ambulance. Hunter was seated in between Eddie and Buck as they laughed at their guest. Chimney had begun walking towards the table but froze immediately as he looked at the scene in front of him.

"Chim, you're kid brother is a pistol," Buck said while laughing and covering his food-filled mouth.

"Albert, what are you doing here?" asked Chimney. Hunter could clearly see the apprehension in the man's face and voice. Either no one else noticed or they didn't care but Hunter still shot him an apologetic look.

If Chimney was upset at that moment, the man was seeing red when he walked into the bar to celebrate his own birthday and saw Albert Han singing karaoke with his best friend. Hunter, along with her two best friends, sat at the bar, ears ringing with the surrounding laughter.

It wasn't long until they moved to pool. Hunter and Buck stood, playing against Eddie and the youngest Han. The blonde kept throwing looks to Chimney in worry, he had seemed to be drowning himself in beer due to anger and loneliness at his own celebration. The loud voice of Buck took her out of her thoughts, "Sometimes you gotta put a little mileage between yourself and home so you figure out what you want and who you are.

"Hell, if I hadn't enlisted, I'd still be working with my pops."

Hunter nodded in agree but scoffed as she thought about her own life, "Yeah surprisingly, joining up was one of the best things I ever did."

Eddie, Hunter, don't encourage him to go off to war."

"There is as much virtue to the noble warrior as there is to the most enlightened of scholars," Albert said with a smile.

"That. What he said," Eddie laughed while pointing at him while Hunter took a sip of her beer while muttering, "Damn right."

Maddie shook her head at the boys, "Listen, everyone has their path. You just do you, Albert."

"I will. I will do me."

Hunter looked down with pursed lips as she tried to stifle her own laugh but Buck was way ahead of her, "Yeah, might wanna watch how you phrase that one, buddy."

"I  just need a little of my brother's courage. You know, he did not let father dictate his life," Hunter cringed in preparation, she could practically see the anger rising in Chimney's face, "He took a stand, got out."

"Got... out?" Chimney spat with disbelief. Hunter shared a look with Buck that spoke all of their worries. She scooted closer to the blond as he whispered something about how bad it would be to which she nodded in agreement.

It wasn't long until Albert had run out, he had enough of the harsh words spoken by his so called brother and wasn't going to stick around any longer. Buck's eyes flickered between the two Han's as he tried to decide where to go. Inevitably he followed the younger of the two. Hunter didn't blame him, he had felt sympathy for Albert.

It was no secret that Buck wasn't close with his own parents. It was even clearer the man had abandonment issues. He would be able to confidently say his life would be worse off if Maddie wasn't in it. To see Chimney speak to his own younger brother like that had most likely pulled some of the wrong strings in the boy. He couldn't imagine being thrown out by his own sibling like that, disregarded like they were nothing due to circumstances out of Albert's control- although he had gotten a pretty good idea of what that was like when Maddie had left him.

They all understood Chim's anger, it was just all directed at the wrong Han. No one faulted either of them for their feelings but it was disapointing to see Chimney so angry at his own father he wouldn't even give Albert a chance.

Hunter picked up her beer and sighed, looking around, "I think I'm gonna head out too..." a chorus of goodbyes echoed around her and in her ears as she walked out.