City of Smoke // Brian 'Otis' Zvonecek ✔️

02 || RUMOUR

Watching the sunrise on the morning of her second shift at firehouse fifty-one didn't fill Rory with the burst of happiness that it usually did. In all honesty it filled her with nothing but dread about going to work today, something she'd never felt her entire career in the CFD.

Rory's first shift at fifty-one could not have been worse. She wasn't sure if she could take another twenty four hours being ignored by those who were supposed to be some of the nicest people in the fire department, those she'd heard so many great stories about.

Honestly she was starting to think the stories she'd heard where exaggerated because there was no way they were talking about the same people she met yesterday. The only one who seemed to have made an effort was Sylvie, which was nice, she really was a sweet person but it wasn't enough to make Rory want to return to fifty-one. Only, she knew she had no choice.

Although if things hadn't changed in the next few shifts then she'd be marching straight to Chief Hatchers office to demand that she be transferred back to her old house, even if that meant working with McAuley again. Who despite being mister doom and gloom, was actually nice to her... As were the firefighters in said house.

A soft bark pulled Rory from her thoughts, and from staring at the sun which now made her see orange every time she blinked, and she turned to her side, where Domino was waiting patiently. Turns outs Rory had zoned out so much she hadn't even realised her pup had woken up and was now demanding good morning kisses.

"Who needs grumpy firefighters when I have you?" Rory sighed, rolling onto her back and allowing Domino to climb onto her stomach, a place she often liked to sit as it meant she could feel Rory breathing. "You're the only friend I need, aren't you?"

Domino barked in agreement despite not hearing what Rory said. It seems as though being deaf meant her other senses were heightened, which means she could sense when her owner was upset and that meant Rory soon got bombarded with comforting head butts. 

After a quick cuddle session, Rory reluctantly climbed out of bed and headed to the kitchen, the soft pats of both her feet and Domino's tiny paws was the only noise to be heard until it was replaced with the clink of Domino's name tag hitting her bowl while she ate her breakfast.

Once Domino was full and sprawled out on the rug for her usual nap, Rory got ready for work, once again picking a different claw clip and this time she went for her bee themed one. Now dressed in the dull, navy blue colours of her uniform, Rory woke her sleeping dog, grabbed her keys and headed for work. But not before she stopped at her favourite diner for one of their breakfast bagels that she thought she deserved before what was most likely going to be another bad day at the firehouse.

Upon entering the firehouse, Rory went straight to the locker room where a few of the guys where changing into their uniform, more specifically Otis, Cruz and Mouch.

"Morning." Rory greeted with a smile, unable to help but be polite to them as that's just the type of person she was. Although her polite feeling mood quickly dropped at the gruff reply she got from them and she soon regretted saying anything at all.

Squeezing past Mouch, who actually seemed to move out of her way without making it seem like a big deal, Rory opened her locker and dumped her bag in, not even bothering to empty it out. She didn't want to be in there any longer if they planned to continue being so negative towards her.

Instead of trying to squeeze past Otis, whose locker was next to hers, Rory just hopped over the bench in between the two rows of lockers and quickly made her way out of the locker room, passing Herrmann on his way in.

"Hey, good morning kid." Herrmann said happily, which was rather surprising to Rory who seemed taken aback by his chipper attitude towards her.

"Morning." She half-mumbled, appreciative of his kind hearted welcome, the exact opposite of the one she got yesterday, but not exactly in the mood to return his tone. She flashed him a quick smile before continuing out of the locker room, Herrmann following her out with his eyes as his brow furrowed a little.