“ ONLY WHEN INSPIRATION STRIKES, ” billie replied teasingly with a wink. she raised her cup of coffee to her lips. with her eyes trained on alanna’s, each subtle eye roll she gave was in tune with the other woman’s teasing. “ absolutely anything you wanna tell me, i’ll take it, ” she replied as she set her drink back on the table, wiping at a small water spot from where she previously left it. from experience, billie has learned it’s best not to ask around even when presented the opportunity. there’s a delicate balance between seeming uninterested and being intrusive, and it’s usually easily struck with some not-so-direct suggestions. “ it can be about the first time you rode a bike ! or about that time you had your favorite burger, your worst airplane experience, maybe even your best orgasm. i dunno, babe — you name it, ” billie pumped up her brows and brought her feet up to the ottoman in front of her, hugging her to knees to her chest. “ surprise me and maybe i’ll share one in return. ”
Another light laugh left Alanna’s lips, amused by the younger woman. “Well, you have quite the way with words.” She mused, tongue coming out to brush across her bottom lip as the other shot her a small eyeroll. Billie was certainly a character, there was no denying that, and Alanna was rather enjoying her company. She hadn’t planned on coming to this party - invited by another member of her squad - however, she wasn’t regretting it now. “You remember the first time you rode a bike?” She queried, brow raised. Honestly, Alanna couldn’t. She knew how to ride a bike, of course, but she certainly didn’t remember her first time on one. A hum left her as she tried to think of a good story to tell. “What about the time I rescued a forty year old man from a tree?”
Sixty seconds. That’s how long it takes from being dead asleep to being in the truck, dressed and ready to go. Tonight was no different, Alanna joining her squad in the truck, sirens blaring as they pulled out of the firehouse. From the call, the place hadn’t been cleared, the possibility of an occupant still inside. Grabbing a mask, Alanna set it in her lap, ready to pull it on as soon as they stopped. She’d proved herself just as strong as the males on her team, able to accomplish anything they could do, and they trusted her to get the job done.
There were flames licking at the windows of the apartment when they pulled up to the curb, the truck suddenly becoming an explosion of activity. Activity Alanna ignored as she jumped out, pulling on the mask. Another member of her team had already begun to pound open the front door with an axe, Alanna grabbing one of her own as she rushed through the now busted door. “Fire department, call out!” She cried as she scoped the apartment, finding a kitchen and adjoining living space. A quick pass through the kitchen revealed it was empty, Alanna turning back. “Fire department, call out!” The blaze was roaring, making it hard to hear, but it was a skill she’d practiced, hearing something on the other side of the apartment. Gloved hands tried the door handle, but the wood had already swollen. “Step back from the door!” She called out, lifting the axe to swing it.
“Maybe I do -- but that doesn’t make it any less true.” She replied, accent dripping from her words. Hair shifted on her shoulders as her head tilted, a smile creeping its way into her lips. The comment hadn’t been meant as flattery, simply a kind compliment between women. After all, wasn’t that was feminism was all about, building each other up? While there was a blush to the Billie’s cheeks, there was a confidence in her voice that Alanna could appreciate. Maybe the other didn’t need to be built up any more - though Alanna didn’t regret her words.
A hum left Alanna as the other woman leaned in, her head resting in her hand, holding her ground as the other held her gaze, admiring her eyes, the comments coming thick and strong. They made her grin spread, amused at the description Billie chose. “Are you always this poetic with your compliments?” The words were only gently teasing. “I feel like you’re putting me to shame.” Purposely or otherwise. “Story?” She echoed, sitting back a little. “Well, what exactly do you want to know?”
“I was just helping out where I felt it was needed, but I accept the kindness,” she assured, raising her whiskey to the other before bringing it to her lips with a grin. “If you thought that was a good time, you should see what I do in a courtroom,” she bragged, well aware of her dominance. “I’m Rowan,” she added, turning slightly to face the other woman.
Alanna followed suit, taking a sip of her own drink, enjoying the other woman’s smile. “Ahh, I can imagine you’re quite the force to be reckoned with.” She assured the other woman, putting her glass back on the bar. “I hope I never have to challenge you for any reason. Nice to meet you, Rowan.” Alanna hummed, accent clinging to her words. “I’m Alanna.”
Braden was almost like a zombie. He had been filming so much and so often, he wasn’t sure he slept more than a few hours a night, with short and extremely unsatisfactory naps in between scenes. Walking the streets, he had wanted to get some air, but as he found himself knocking into the third person of the night, he decided he should have stayed in. He hoped this person didn’t ask for an autograph like the last two. Sighing, he pulled back, placing a hand on the upper part of the other’s arm. “Sorry, wasn’t watching where I was going,” he admitted, a tired smile appearing for them, hoping to charm them into forgiveness.
The sun was out, however, it wasn’t quite strong enough to warm the cold London air. Alanna was wrapped in one of her favourite coats, warming herself with a cup of coffee. Well, a latte at least. Alanna never been one to seek the caffeine boost, even working shift work. The little cafe she visited was one that ran the program of being able to pay something forward to those in need, Alanna paying for her own drink, as well as paying for one for someone who might come in later needing something warm. Cup in hand, she was stepping back out onto the street when a guy bumped into her, thankfully not too hard, Alanna not really jostled from her feet. “It’s no problem.” She assured him, shaking her head. “Are you alright?”
Rowan’s life was constantly going up and down like some kind of thrill ride. One minute things were good, the next it was a total train wreck. For now, things were decent; she and Ashton had sorted through things ( sort of ) and her caseload was manageable, but still hefty. “You’re welcome, though you don’t have to thank me. I kind of stepped in without invitation,” she shrugged, not wanting the woman to feel like she owed Rowan a thing. “And for the record, I don’t usually do that. I just had one hell of a day at work and needed to blow off a little steam. It worked, by the way.”
“Still, it’s polite. You did do me a favour.” Even if Alanna could have taken care of herself, it was nice of the other woman to come to her aid, even if the reason had been self-serving. “I don’t see anything wrong with coming to help women who are being annoyed by pushy men.” Alanna shrugged, a small laugh leaving her. “Well, I am glad it made you feel better. I did enjoy watching it.”
She didn’t have a to do a lot of things, but Rowan was a firm believer in justice and if that meant threatening a drunken asshole with the book, then so be it. “I know,” she nodded, calling out her order before taking a seat. “Let’s just say I’ve had a long day and that made me feel a little better.” Any day at the office seemed long anymore, especially with all the crap coming across her desk. “Between you and me, I don’t think he’ll bother anyone else as long as he knows I’m still around.” She’d been serious about the harassment charges; verbal contact being one of the easier things to charge with, especially if she were the one doing so. “Anyway, enjoy your drinks,” she grinned, only turning away once her own had been served.
Alanna couldn’t help but chuckle at that, nodding her approval. That, she could understand, even if it weren’t something she herself would do. A glance over at where the guy was sulking, metaphorical tail between his legs. “I think you’re right about that.” She admitted, smile tugging at her lips. And perhaps that was a good thing, for everyone in the bar. The brunette couldn’t be sure if the blonde had been serious about actually charging him, but Alanna definitely wouldn’t test her on it. “I apologize, what I should have said first, was thank you.”
Rowan listened for as long as she possibly could, her annoyance at just how rude and one sided things seemed to be between the two individuals before her. Her dominant personality only allowed for so much injustice before she stepped forward, pissed that the altercation had even began in the first place. Why was it so hard to take no for an answer? “Do you always harass people who clearly aren’t interested? Take a hint, ‘cause when someone isn’t interested, it doesn’t give you the right to continue pushing. So, unless you want harassment charges thrown your way, which I can make happen seeing as I’m practically the district attorney’s righthand, I’d back off. The choice is yours.” With that, Rowan turned to the other, forcing a light smile on her lips for some ounce of comfort. “Everything okay here? My apologies if I overstepped. Just couldn’t stand there and say nothing, not my style.”
Alanna had been sitting at the bar, undisturbed, for nearly twenty minutes. It had been rather pleasant, the brunette enjoying her drink. However, that peace wasn’t to last. A rather seedy looking man approached her, leaning on the bar in a completely suggestive manner. Alanna wasn’t at all impressed, but for the moment, she said nothing. She could handle herself against pretty much anyone, especially the guy across from her fawning for her attention. “Hmmmm, I don’t think so.” She replied at his insistence they leave together. However, no wasn’t the answer he was looking for, leaning in again. So, Alanna repeated her answer, though only slightly more firmly. She was about to open her mouth again when a blonde woman appeared, giving the guy a verbal lashing, forcing him to slink away. “You didn’t have to do that. I figured, better me than someone else.” If she’d become too much, Alanna would have handled it.
[ALANNA DUNHAM] is a [ THIRTY-TWO ] year old [ FIREFIGHTER ]. They identify as a [ GAY & FEMALE ] and I’ve heard that they’re [ ADAPTABLE + RELIABLE ] but can also be [ NAIVE + SOLEMN ]. [ SHE ] has been living in London for [ SIX YEARS ] and has since been known as the [ QUIET WARRIOR ].
tw: cancer mention + death mention
Alanna was raised in Tel Aviv, Israel, an only child to a single father, Alanna growing up with out her mother. Tahal Dunham died while giving birth to Alanna, her father always saying that the Lord needed Tahal by His side. Yoav Dunham was a devoted father, spending as much time with his daughter as possible, while still working hard enough to give the girl the life she deserved. He pushed her to work hard in school, encouraging her to take English lessons when they were offered.
She graduated in the top ten of her class, though Alanna could never truly decide in which direction she wanted to take her studies. However, she had time to think about it during her two years of mandatory service in the IDF, giving her the experiences she needed to choose her path in life. As much as she loved studying and learning, her passion lay with helping people.
When her service was over, Alanna applied to the Israel Fire and Rescue Services, enjoying every moment of her training. She was a part of her team sent to the Hazmat facilities in the Netherlands to undergo specialized hazardous materials handling and response certification. Despite her gender, Alanna never let any member of her team any reason to question her abilities, and she thrived in the job. She was more than capable of keeping up with her male counterparts, proving herself at every opportunity.
Certain her life was as close to perfect as it could be, everything came crashing down when her father was diagnosed with terminal cancer, given only a few months to live. Alanna quit the fire service and returned home, taking care of her father just as he had done for her as a child. After four months, Alanna said goodbye to the man who’d raised her.
Only a few months after the funeral, Alanna decided she needed a change. After years of not using her English skills, it was time to put them to use, packing up what little of her life she wanted to take with her and moving to London. With a little bit of training, she slipped right back into being a firefighter.
Alanna has now been living in London for six years, finding rhythm in her new life. Occasionally she aches for the country she called home for the better part of her life, but she knows that has more to do with missing her father than anything else.
theartofmadeline
germansingergirl
baratheonpilled
titsay
dailybridgerton
vaporwave
blakekathryn
gummygunk
pixelskylines
