Ambervale Island
The sun just started to peek over the flooded island, painting a faint light over the muddy ground. Savannah rubbed the sleep from her eyes, feeling really tired as she stepped out of her small shelter.
She'd been eagerly waiting for days for the vaccine shipments that were supposed to help save the lives of people hit by the virus. But with no sign of the vaccines, the worry was starting to get to her.
She had braced herself for the worst, knowing things were really bad. But this morning felt different somehow. The usual quiet of the island was interrupted by a big boat pulling up.
Savannah squinted, trying to figure out what she was seeing. A massive ship, its sides shining in the early light, was unloading something mysterious. Clear boxes, each handled with care by the crew, were being taken off the boat. Her heart skipped a beat.
Her mind was spinning as she hurried over to get a closer look at the group unloading the cargo. Elijah, who supervised the there, was standing nearby, keeping an eye on everything with his usual serious look. Savannah was practically bursting with curiosity as she got closer. "What's happening?" she asked, trying to figure out what was going on.
Elijah gave her a small smile. "The vaccines are here. There's plenty for everyone. Be happy, Savannah."
Relief washed over her, and for a moment, she felt like she might fall apart from the sheer weight of it.
The vaccines were finally here. After all the waiting and uncertainty, they had actually arrived. But a small doubt still bothered her. "Did the head of the volunteer team help bring them here?" she asked, her voice hopeful. Elijah shook his head, looking far away.
"No, it was Boss who made it happen." Savannah froze, letting the words sink in. Boss? She didn't need to ask who he meant. She knew it was Blaze.
Her heart skipped, when she turned toward the dock and saw him coming. Blaze, in his usual white shirt and black slacks, his hair a bit messy from sleep but still looking amazing.
The early morning light made him seem almost otherworldly, like someone out of a dream. He walked over to her with a clear purpose, and it was hard to ignore how he carried himself.
"Do you feel better now?" he asked, his voice steady, but his eyes held a look she couldn't quite figure out.
Savannah's breath caught in her throat. She didn't know what to say or how to react. Her feelings were all over the place-grateful, confused, and something else she couldn't quite put her finger on.
She tried to speak but stopped, not sure how to express the rush of thoughts in her head. Blaze didn't wait for her to find the words. He just said, "Told you I'd come through."
Savannah felt her heart warm. It wasn't just about the vaccine shipment- he had really stepped up for everyone, especially for her. He made sure they got what they needed, no matter what.
She stood there, feeling overwhelmed by his support. It meant more than just the help-it showed how much he cared and how he was always there for her and for everyone.
"Thank you," Savannah said, her voice sincere. Her heart filled with gratitude. She hadn't realized how much she'd been clinging to that hope until Blaze made it real.
Blaze let out a soft sigh and looked at her closely. "You're forgetting something," he said. "I've told you before. Don't thank me. And don't apologize to me, ever." His words lingered, "It should be me doing that everytime." and Savannah felt a warm feeling in her chest.
The way he looked at her felt deeper. But before she could think about it more, a loud crash interrupted them both.
Savannah's eyes widened when one of the vaccine crates started to tip over toward her. Before she could even think, Blaze was there, grabbing her waist and yanking her out of the way.
Her heart was pounding. Everything slowed down as Blaze held her tight, his body pressed against hers. She could feel the warmth from his skin, his breath near her face, and his heartbeat matching hers.
For a moment, time froze. They were so close, almost touching, and neither of them moved. The feeling between them was intense. Savannah's heart raced as she tried to process what was happening, her mind spinning.
Then, a voice cut through the silence, teasing, "Oh, what a lovely couple!"
Savannah's cheeks turned red as she quickly pulled away from Blaze, taking a step back. The space between them felt weirdly big and awkward.
She looked over and saw elderly grandma, standing nearby with a mischievous grin on her wrinkled face. "You two should just tie the knot already!" She joked, smiling ear to ear.
Savannah's stomach knotted up. She hurried over to the elderly woman, trying to change the subject. "The vaccines are here! Let's go tell everyone," she said, her voice a bit shaky.
The elderly woman's face softened, her joy at the news pushing aside any more teasing.
"Oh, yes! Let's go, child. This is wonderful news." Savannah and the elderly woman walked off, the heaviness of the moment still hanging between her and Blaze.
Elijah watched them from behind, his eyes moving from Savannah to Blaze, his face giving nothing away. For Savannah, the morning had changed something between her and Blaze.
She couldn't explain it, but something had definitely shifted. No matter how hard she tried to ignore it, she knew it was real.
Later that day
Savannah sat at her desk, her fingers moving quickly over the keyboard as she scrolled through endless vaccination data.
The island, with its temporary clinics and flooded streets, had turned into a chaotic mix of tasks-managing volunteers, distributing vaccines, and handling the ongoing stress of it all.
She felt the pressure heavily, and no matter how hard she worked, she couldn't stop worrying that the virus might spread out of control. The only thing keeping her going was the hope that the second batch of vaccines would arrive, but even that hope was starting to fade. She was afraid it might never come.
This morning, when Savannah saw the boat pull up and the vaccine crates being unloaded, it felt like a miracle. Before she knew it, she was right back in the action, handing out vaccines, helping people, and doing the job she came to do.
Without Blaze's help, they wouldn't have been able to assist so many people. She owed him big time, more than words could say.
By noon, after hours of non-stop work, Savannah took a break. She was beat but proud of all the people they had vaccinated, knowing the Island now had a real shot at fighting back.
She walked over to the boat, where Elijah was supervising the loading of the empty crates, and gave him a weary but genuine smile.
"Thank you," she said, her voice warm and full of gratitude. "For all these." Elijah nodded with a quiet smile. "Helping you has been an honor," he replied. Savannah smiled back.
His calm and straightforward way always made her feel better, even when things were going crazy. He was one of the few steady people on the Island, and she was really glad for that.
On the other hand, Blaze and his secretary, Arthur, stood a bit away, watching Savannah and Elijah talk. As they chatted, Savannah teased, "Aren't you getting me that coconut today, Eli?" Elijah laughed and gave her a soft look. "I'll get it for you right away, Savannah."
From where they stood, Blaze tensed up when he heard Savannah call Elijah by his nickname. His jaw tightened, and a strange feeling churned in his stomach.
The way they were chatting, so easy and familiar, bugged him more than he wanted to let on. Arthur noticed his boss's tension and glanced at Blaze but kept quiet.
They moved closer to the two. Blaze couldn't hide the irritation in his voice as he snapped, "When did you two start being on a first-name basis?" Elijah looked at Blaze quickly, then froze, his face guarded. But Savannah didn't seem bothered by Blaze's sharp tone. She turned to him, her brow creasing a little.
"Since you sent him here," she said with a small shrug. "He's been really helpful, and we became good friends." Blaze's face didn't give anything away as he took in what she said, his eyes flicking to her and then to Elijah.
Friends, he thought, feeling a twist in his gut. Savannah, noticing the tension, changed the subject. "You two haven't gotten your shots yet, right?" she asked, her tone steady and matter-of-fact. Before Blaze could say anything, Arthur jumped in. "No, we haven't," he replied, keeping it light and easy.
Savannah nodded and pointed toward the vaccination area. "Follow me," she said, turning away before Blaze could answer.
Blaze hesitated for a moment but followed her, glancing back at Elijah. Elijah held his gaze, and Blaze felt a strange sensation he couldn't quite figure out.
Several hours later
Later that afternoon, around 2 PM, Savannah was deep into her work. The sounds of the Osland-the distant chatter and the occasional clinking of supplies-barely registered with her as she stared at her computer screen.
Then, something broke her focus: a coconut was gently placed on the corner of her desk.
She looked up, thinking it would be Elijah since he promised to bring her one.
But to her surprise, Blaze was there instead, holding the coconut with a mysterious look on his face. Savannah blinked, caught off guard. "I thought I asked Elijah to bring me this," she said, raising an eyebrow, clearly confused.
Blaze didn't seem fazed by her reaction. If anything, he looked a bit amused. "Right, but from now on, you should let me know what you need," he said smoothly, his voice calm and steady.
Savannah froze, not sure how to react. The way he spoke made her feel uneasy, like a knot was forming in her stomach. But she didn't have much time to think about it because her computer screen suddenly went dark.
She looked at it in confusion, then up at Blaze. "What did you do?" she asked, sounding both surprised and annoyed. Blaze leaned closer, getting down to her level, and looked at her intensely. "Take a break," he said softly, but firmly. "If anything's wrong, I'll handle it. But I'm not leaving until you come with me and get some food."
Savannah felt her chest tighten at his words. Something about the way he talked, like he owned her, and how he kept pushing for her to stop working-she knew it wasn't healthy.
"I'm working, Blaze," she snapped. "What about you? What have you done?" Blaze didn't back down. He just stared at her, not breaking eye contact. "You've been going non-stop. You're not a machine, and I'm not leaving until you finally take care of yourself.
Savannah's mind was spinning. She could feel the intensity of his gaze, the impact of his words weighing on her. She knew he was right; she'd been overworking herself.
But something about Blaze made her uneasy, made her want to keep her distance, to not let him get too close. Yet, a part of her-the part that had always felt a pull towards him, no matter what-was considering listening to him.
Right then, though, she was clear about one thing: whatever Blaze wanted, it wasn't good for her.
Author's Note :
Happy reading:)
How are y'all? Hopefully good and healthy:)
If you've any questions you can ask.
And if you could please add it to your libraries<3 I'd appreciate it <3
Have a good day/night everyone<3<3