✧ she's the moment ✧

@anjadinik

anja had had a day off; she had gone out with a couple of friends, something that felt almost impossible on other days since she worked so much. not that she didn’t like it, but it was nice to go out for lunch with them. after a long day, she was resting on her couch, legs stretched out as she watched a thriller. when the door opened, she jumped slightly in her seat, pausing the movie just to turn toward where her girlfriend’s voice came from. "i’m in the living room," she called with a smile, "how was your day?"

anja followed demi inside the house, they were going to get plants and she wasn't going to say no to her girlfriend. she sat down on one of the chairs and waited for demi to get things ready. "i would love that, honestly. i'll wait," she said, a soft smile tugging at her lips as she watched her move around.

anja, for a second, pondered the idea of having a bath and a massage. "no, you want to get more flower thingies. let me have some coffee and something to eat, and then let's get those things i don't even know what they are," she smiled, shaking her head slightly. "but i'm serious, you drive."

anja looked at demi, a tired but playful glint in her eyes. "i'll rest later, i feel like i could stay up all night," she joked, even though she knew that wasn’t happening. she was exhausted, but a little fresh air wouldn’t hurt. "i mean, we could go get more supplies," she suggested, stretching her arms. "you drive, though. i don’t wanna risk falling asleep at the wheel," she laughed. "your choice."

Jesse couldn’t help but smile at Anja’s playful jab. He was well aware of the dynamic between them, but it still felt good to hear the compliment, especially in the lighthearted tone she always seemed to bring. He laughed softly at her words about being the "nicer Regina George" of the station, because honestly, he didn’t think of himself like that at all. But he did take pride in making people feel good, so it was flattering to know his efforts didn’t go unnoticed. "Doesn't that make me the Cady Heron before she turns into a bitch?" Her words about Odette made his heart swell. He could talk about her for hours—he loved her that much. “Odette’s the best,” he said with a proud smile. “She really does deserve to be treated like a queen, and I’m not about to let anyone treat her any less than that.” He chuckled at the thought of their baby. "I can’t wait to introduce you to the little one. I'm nervous and excited all at the same time." When Anja brought up him living with Odette's brother, Isak, he couldn't help but to smile. He loved sharing the space with him. Isak was becoming like his kid brother (only, of course, he was an adult). Her comment about Isak and the baby made him laugh too. “Yeah, I think he’s in for a rude awakening,” Jesse said, shaking his head. “I’ll have to prepare him for the noise. He’s gonna have to get used to it—there’s no going back now!” His tone was light, but he was clearly excited about the changes ahead, even if they came with their challenges. “But hey, at least he won’t be the one doing all the midnight feedings or nappy changes.” He gave Anja a wink, knowing that’s exactly where the fun would begin him and Odette soon.

anja laughed as jesse’s face turned red at her teasing, shaking her head dramatically. “no, babe, you’re definitely karen in this scenario. those pants barely cover your perky hiney.” she stuck her tongue out at him, clearly enjoying his embarrassment. how did she even know those lyrics from mean girls: the musical? she wasn’t sure, but they were too perfect to keep to herself. “forget cady,” she mused, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “i didn’t even like her. her friend, the one before she turned into a total bitch—what was her name again?” she paused, pretending to think but really just to mess with him. jesse’s protective energy wasn’t lost on her, and she smirked. “aww, look at him, all boyfriend-of-the-year vibes. cute,” she teased, rolling her eyes playfully. when he admitted he was nervous and excited, her teasing softened, and she chuckled. “you don’t have to worry about me dropping her, okay? i’ve got this. i’m telling you, that little one is going to be adorable, and i can’t wait to meet her.” she crossed her arms, grinning at his genuine sweetness about living with odette’s brother. “you’re too nice, honestly. not sure if i could live with demi’s family. i love them, but, like, boundaries, you know?” she shrugged, then shifted back to her teasing tone. “and let’s be real,” she smirked, “you won’t be doing those midnight feedings, my dude. that’s all odette. breastfeeding sounds like such a pain, though. leaky and everything.” she shuddered dramatically. “just do yourself a favor and stock up on towels so the bed doesn’t end up soaking wet.”

.

anja rolled her eyes at her coworker’s comment. “you’re totally the popular kid here, like the way nicer regina george of the station,” she said with a grin while wiping down the truck. everyone loved jesse, and it wasn’t hard to see why. he made time for everyone, always had something kind to say, and was hands down the nicest person there. maybe anja came in second, but that was up for debate. she rolled her eyes again and gave him a playful shove. “seriously, go take a shower,” she teased. it was obvious how much jesse loved odette from the way he talked about her, and it made anja so happy for them. they were having a baby, and she couldn’t wait to meet the little one. she didn’t even have to ask to know odette was treated like a queen—jesse would make sure of that. “yeah, i’ve heard of isak,” she said, leaning against the truck for a second. “but no way i could live with my sister. we’d drive each other insane. plus, in 29 years, she still hasn’t figured out how to knock before coming into a room. i’m not trying to deal with her walking in on me and demi.” she shook her head, laughing. the thought of isak dealing with a crying baby made her laugh even harder. “poor guy, at least he had nine months of peace. you’re gonna have to sit him down and break the news gently. the peace is officially over.” she smirked.

jesse was someone that could talk to anyone but his friendship with anja was different to his friendships with anyone else at the fire station. the two of them shared a brother and sister like friendship with how much they laughed and bickered about things. anyone that knew them knew also know how much of a great team they made together though. if anja ran into a burning building - jesse would've been right behind making sure she got back out of there unscathed. "that's the perk of being the person that can talk to everyone here. everybody tells me things because they know i'll only go and find it out from another source otherwise." jesse loved knowing all the dirt on his co-workers even though he would never use it against them. teasing people, however, was his thing. jesse would make jokes. cleaning the truck was one of the duties that jesse didn't mind doing. although, sometimes he got in trouble for getting too distracted. maybe today would be another one of those days? he hoped not. anja was here helping him making the fire truck look sparkly and clean. "girl attention definitely would've got me excited when i first started here. why would i need to get excited nowadays though? i have the hottest girl waiting at home for me to get back to her after my shift." odette was top tier in jesse's eyes. a solid ten out of ten. he'd always had a thing for blondes too. his childhood crushes were also blondes. jesse didn't mind odette's weird cravings because he didn't need to do anything but get odette what she needed at the time. "a pregnant woman needs what a pregnant woman needs. who am i to judge?" jesse was also excited for his daughter to come into the world soon. he could only imagine what life was going to be like when she did. "our house is going to pretty full though, huh? odette, isak, me and the baby." still, jesse wouldn't change anything. he loved having isak being there with them both. "isak's like the complete opposite of odette."

anja shook her head at jesse’s words. she was outgoing, sure, and could chat with pretty much anyone, but she didn’t even try to compete with jesse. he was easily one of the most loved people in the station. everyone talked to him, and honestly, he somehow managed to know all the gossip before it even became gossip. “yeah, yeah, you’re the popular girl of the station. get over yourself, jesse,” she teased, shaking her head with a grin tugging at her lips. as she kept cleaning the truck, she couldn’t help but be more focused on him than the actual work, though she was careful not to make it obvious—she didn’t want to get called out. “who knows, maybe you need attention to survive,” she added, shrugging her shoulders with a playful smirk. “calm down, or you’re gonna pop a boner just talking about odette,” she teased, rolling her eyes at him. she loved the way he talked about her, though. it was obvious he was crazy in love, and she couldn’t help but find it sweet. “if you judged her, i’d have punched you, so yeah, you definitely picked the right answer,” she chuckled. then, with a curious tilt of her head, she added, “honestly, i don’t know how you do it. living with your girlfriend’s brother? doesn’t that kill the vibe a little?” she asked, smirking as she leaned on the truck. “just wondering. sounds like it’d make alone time a bit… complicated. but i guess you don’t care, seeing as you still managed to knock her up,” she said, shrugging, her tone light and teasing.

anja hugged her girlfriend back, a warm smile spreading across her lips. after a long day at work, demi always made her feel like she was home. "herbs and stuff? i like it," she nodded enthusiastically, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten in the light of demi's happiness. "does that mean a trip to the store to buy plants?" she asked playfully, raising an eyebrow as she leaned back slightly to meet demi's gaze. she was tired, but seeing demi so excited filled her with a sense of joy that made it all worth it. "i’m in if you are!" she added with a chuckle, knowing how much demi loved those little adventures together.

jesse knew some of the other fire station workers had said some remarks about anja once upon a time. jesse would definitely go after those people if they'd said anything in front of him about his co-worker at the time. she was an amazing firefighter and that's all she needed to be. everybody's personality was different at the fire station. jesse would probably say he was the fire station's class clown for lack of better term for how everyone laughed at and with him. jesse was constantly getting comments from the captain about talking too much and getting distracted but not while he was out. jesse could get serious on the job when he needed to buckle down. "i can hold my hands up and admit to be nosy. i love catching up with people on anything and everything." jesse liked listening to people and knowing what was going on in everybody's lives around him. jesse spoke with anja about demi, leo about isaiah, zoe about brennan. he didn't like people feeling left out so he would be the person to make conversation with whoever wanted to speak with him. jesse had been on the receiving end of being ignored during his teen years and didn't wish for that on anyone else. jesse's hand pressed against his heart as anja mentioned that half the town would probably burn down their houses to get him to rescue them. "i'd kindly hope that won't become the case. i'd have to let down a lot of people and go back to my girl." odette was jesse's go to person. odette helped him come out of his shell and he was forever thankful. jesse never thought that odette would like a guy like him. she was everything he wasn't. a woman he would dream about being with. "she's taking the pregnancy like a champion." jesse was the one who was a little more nervous for the whole process. what if he couldn't live up to his own high expectations of being a dad? "i don't know how she manages to make being pregnant look so effortless." jesse pressed his finger to his lip as he thought about odette's cravings. "she's been crunching on ice cubes which took me by surprise." maybe it was a distraction thing? he couldn't really tell. jesse just knew to get fresh ice cubes if his pregnant girlfriend got a craving. "odette's never been a fussy eater though. she'll try anything once."

everyone in the station knew that anja and jesse were the best duo. they made a great team, and she honestly didn’t know what she would do without him cheering her up. but if she was honest, no one could take jesse’s spot. he was the person she talked to the most there, always ready to lend an ear or offer support. she considered him her best friend, even if she teased him about not being able to be one in this lifetime. she loved him, and sometimes it was obvious; he was the brother she never had. “you’re so nosy, and i’m glad you don’t deny it,” she teased, glancing at him as she started helping him clean up the truck. she hadn’t been assigned much that morning, so she figured she could lend jesse a hand for a while. “odette has changed you,” she laughed. “if i had told you that before you met her, i bet you would’ve gotten all excited.” she stuck her tongue out at the firefighter playfully. “but that’s the right answer! i’ll tell her you’re a good boyfriend; she probably doesn’t know,” she joked, a smile lighting up her face. “she’s a champion; i can’t imagine anything different. but i bet it’s not effortless, you know? so many changes, hormones…” she mused, shaking her head at the thought. she liked kids, but pregnancy? that was a big no-no for anja. “ice cubes give the best crunch,” she chuckled. “the best part of fizzy drinks is munching on those!” she agreed. “and i’ve heard what some pregnant women crave, and i’m sorry, but that sounds disgusting,” she added, wrinkling her nose. “i can’t wait to meet the baby!”

@anjadinik

anja had arrived earlier, exhausted from her twelve-hour shift. jesse had driven her home, and she was sure that if she sat down, she’d fall asleep instantly. still fighting the urge to crash, she wandered through the house, searching for demi. finally, she found her in the garden, busy with something. "oh, we had one?" anja chuckled as she walked over, surprised at the sight of demi working outside. "what are you doing?" she asked, her curiosity piqued, a tired smile tugging at her lips.

jesse co-workers were some of his favourite people on the planet. jesse didn't really get to his parents too much as they lived further away from the town that he was currently residing in which meant his co-workers were more like the family that he got to see everyday. jesse and anja's friendship was different to some of his co-workers. the two could have a laugh and were constantly bickering and bantering with each other about anything and everything. she was someone that he knew he could talk about his personal life with without fear of judgement and knowing that he would get anja's honest opinions about whatever situation he was going through. cleaning the fire truck was a duty that the captain put him on at least once a week because he liked to tease that jesse would miss a spot. he couldn't missing a spot when he got distracted by conversations happening around him and wanting to be part of them. jesse enjoyed being out-going and talking to everyone. it was almost therapeutic to converse with different people every day. "right? i think cap thinks i talk too much, which i do sometimes, but i put in a great shift whenever i'm on cleaning duties." jesse rolled his eyes and playfully nudged anja back in the arm as she mentioned using her first name as his future daughter's middle name. odette probably wouldn't be too happy if he named his daughter's middle name after his work bestie. "yeah i think odette might question i'm seeing you in secret even thought she knows i'm not your type which is beyond me. i'm usually everybody's type." jesse shrugged his shoulders as anja asked him how he was handling the hormone roller coaster his girlfriend was currently going through. "odette's a trooper. i just ask what she needs and we go from there. she's more than ready to raise a kid."

anja had always been a bit of a wild card—bold, reckless, and with a quick wit that rubbed some people the wrong way in her past fire stations. but in this new town, she'd found a team that didn’t just tolerate her sass and daring attitude; they embraced it. that sense of belonging was new to her, and after letting her guard down around jesse, she found herself getting closer to the rest of her crew. they weren't just great firefighters—they were great friends, on and off the job. laughing at jesse’s comment about their captain thinking he talks too much, anja couldn’t resist teasing him. "you do talk a little much, but it’s because you're nosy! you just want to know everything that’s happening around you." she stuck her tongue out, knowing he’d fire back with something witty. at the mention of his wife, odette, anja smirked. "relaxed, huh? well, sorry carter, but you're just not my type," she teased, though she knew full well how attractive people found him. "i’m pretty sure half the town would burn their own houses down just to get a rescue from you." she shook her head, amused at the thought. "how’s odette doing though? is she tired of being pregnant, or is she one of those who loves the whole process?" anja asked, genuinely curious. she couldn't imagine herself being the type to enjoy slowing down for anything. "i don’t think i could handle it—sitting still, relaxing. i need that adrenaline rush, that danger" when jesse mentioned odette’s cravings, anja’s eyes lit up with mischief. "craziest craving so far? i need to know. give me the full review!" she laughed, leaning in, eager to hear whatever bizarre combinations odette had been coming up with lately.

jesse didn't get to see his parents too much so the firehouse team were like his family away from home. he got to see those people near enough everyday and felt like he knew them all pretty well at this point. some of his closest friendships were with people from the firehouse and he wouldn't have changed that for the entire world. jesse was constantly asking his co-workers for advice about his work life, his love live prior to dating odette, and talking about how trials and tribulations from the past. "everybody knows that i'm your secret favourite even when you won't admit to it." jesse and anja's friendship was different to some of his other friendships at the fire station. the two were like brother and sister sometimes. they would fight and bicker and make up a second afterwards. it felt nice to have someone be so real to him. jesse knew that he needed someone in his life that didn't mind keeping him in line. anja was always honest with him - even if the truth sometimes hurt his feelings. everybody needed that one person to be like that with them. jesse caught the sponge anja threw at him and soaked it into the bucket right next to him. he squeezed the excess water back into the bucket not wanting the water to run onto his clean uniform. "i always get told i miss a spot when i'm on the cleaning the truck duty." jesse's captain would always give him the same look because he knew he got distracted easily and would miss doing something simple because he was too caught up in conversation with other people. jesse didn't know how he was going to cope with fatherhood but he was hoping it was something that would come easy to him. odette wanted a kid at this stage in life and he was more than happy to help with that. "odette shortlisted some names for girls and boys and let me pick between them." jesse wouldn't have known where to start so he was thankful took the reign on that. "millie rose carter. sounds cute, right?"

anja was the kind of person everyone got along with—outgoing, friendly, and always ready to make someone smile. but those who took the time to really know her would find out she was much more than that. she was passionate about her work, deeply committed, and someone who cared fiercely for the people she loved and worked with. jesse? well, he was her favorite. he wasn’t just a coworker, he was her best friend at work, the one she felt the most comfortable around. "yeah, water," she teased, rolling her eyes and giving his forehead a light tap with her finger as she walked past him, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. as jesse got to cleaning the truck, anja joined him, getting the polisher ready with a smirk. "lucky you, i’m here to make sure there are no spots this time. can't have the captain breathing down your neck again," she laughed, knowing full well that their captain had given him a hard time about missed spots in the past. she loved using that to poke fun at him. when he mentioned the baby’s name, anja couldn’t help but smile. "millie rose carter," she repeated, letting the name roll off her tongue. "it is adorable. though, millie anja carter would be even cuter," she joked, nudging him playfully. "but since you keep saying people would think we had some sort of affair, i guess rose works too," she winked, always enjoying the banter between them. as they worked, she glanced over at him. "now, just make sure you come back in one piece, alright? odette doesn’t need the extra stress. i don’t want to hand her a burnt jesse," she teased, then added with a grin, "how are you surviving the hormone rollercoaster at home, anyway?"

jesse's relationship with his parents was fine but he didn't get to see them as often as most people saw their parents. they weren't really a close knit family and only meet up a couple of times per year. everything was okay between them when they did though. all families went through ups and downs just like jesse's family had in the past. still, they'd grown past that and were still learning new things about each other whenever they met up again. he still needed to break the news of his girlfriend's pregnancy to his parents and he would soon. "every single co-worker here knows that i'm your secret favourite." jesse prided himself on being anja's at work best friend. she was competition. the two would tease each other relentlessly and make everybody else laugh because of it. the work days always seemed to go past quicker when anja was around to keep him on his toes. cleaning the fire truck was important and jesse knew the captain was going to be on his ass if he didn't get to wiping it all over soon. jesse picked up a wet sponge and starting rubbing it against the dirty spots on the truck that he could see at the moment. anja agreeing to be the god aunt to his baby made him heart feel all warm inside. anja and demi would make great aunts to his kid. "right? that's what i was thinking. which kid have we met that doesn't love you more than anyone else here?" anja had a way with kids that made them feel comfortable and at ease. "i think my kid will need someone like you to look out for them."

anja had always loved her family, but the team at the firehouse had become something just as close. what started as a strictly professional relationship had evolved into something much deeper. these people weren’t just colleagues—they were her family. they celebrated birthdays together, toasted each other's successes, and supported one another through the toughest times. anja felt a warmth in her chest, knowing that she had this group to lean on. “most people here are a little silly, they can’t think that,” she chuckled, hearing a groan in the background that only made her laugh. “see?” she added with a grin. but if anyone thought jesse was her favorite, they wouldn’t be wrong. there was something about him—they just clicked. not in a romantic way, but in a way that made her feel understood. they were similar in ways that mattered, and she was grateful to have him in her life. “let’s clean the truck,” she said, tossing a sponge at him with a playful smirk. “i want to see it shining, carter.” she winked, clearly enjoying the easy banter between them. the thought of jesse becoming a father filled her with a mix of emotions, all good. she was ready to step up as the best aunt that baby could ever have, always there to support jesse and odette when they needed a break. “babies do love me, but can you blame them?” she laughed, her smile widening. “that’s really sweet of you, jesse. being a father suits you.” she paused, curiosity sparking in her eyes. “if she’s not going to be an anja, what are the possible names?”

jesse's co workers were pretty much like his extended family at this point in his life. jesse came into the fire station a couple of years ago willing to learn from all the people around him to better himself. he didn't have much confidence as a teen or as a young adult. however, nowadays, some people would probably say he had too much confidence for is own good. jesse loved being the co-worker who irked with the other's with nothing but sweet intentions. "hey! everything knows you have a soft spot for me. i don't know why you try and pretend like you don't." anja was someone that would tease jesse right back but would also call him out if he needed. jesse appreciate having someone here who had his back like anja. "well, no, yeah, no. i don't mean she was meant to breed if that's how your reading into what i just said. i just meant that any kid is gonna be lucky to have a mom like odette. she's perfect." jesse couldn't help but to chuckle as anja mentioned she was going to be changing any of his future kids diapers. he nudged his arm back against the girl's with a smile. "yeah, let's go. cap's gonna kick my ass for talking my mouth off and not cleaning the fire truck like he asked me to do this morning." jesse would get to cleaning it soon. "oh, last thing. can i put you down for a god aunt on my side? i don't have any siblings. i think it'd be good for my kid to have another role model to look up too."

her family lived far away, but anja wouldn't say she only had her girlfriend here; she also had the whole fire station. she had come to love them as her second family. it felt good, spending hours with these people, and she would give her life for any of them if it was necessary. she probably wouldn't admit it out loud, but she loved them. at the top of her list was jesse, her best friend and the person she definitely had a soft spot for. his words made her laugh. "why do you want me to admit such a thing? if it helps you sleep tonight, i'll lie, but i don't know why you're trying to get me to say that," she laughed, the smile on her lips betraying her. "thank god you didn't; if not, i would have punched you," she chuckled. teasing him was the best part of her shift. "oh, shit," she chuckled, "let's clean, carter," she smiled, making her way outside the room and walking toward the truck. "i will be the aunt you need; i think i can do that," she nodded. "oh, that baby will love me," she chuckled, "they'll beg to be with auntie anja."

when she moved to the station, she had no idea she’d meet people as nice as her coworkers. now they were a big family. she knew she could trust them to help her out, but the person she was closest to was jesse. they simply clicked. they were opposites, and that seemed to make them a good duo. "hmm, don't say that too loud, i don't want people associating me with you, carter," she teased, a smile on her lips answering his question. if he needed her, she’d be there for him. "so, she was made to be a mom? i hope that's not what people think when they see me," she laughed. "she's really cute, and i bet she's going to be great as a mom. and if you need me, just call, but i don't change diapers," she chuckled, a smile spreading across anja's lips. "i bet you're going to be a good dad. you're a good person, so you can do it," she added, nudging his side. "we should get ready for work."

"bring it on, anyone who thinks they can take my job," she chuckled, a mischievous smile playing at the corners of her lips. she adored their relationship. jesse was an incredible friend, and despite her constantly teasing him, she cherished him. "if someone tries to bring you down, just say the word, and i'll give them a piece of my mind," she chuckled. "i'm serious, if anyone has a problem with her, they'll have to deal with me," anja joked, knowing deep down that no one could dislike her girlfriend; she was just too nice to everyone. "i know this is a big change, and it's okay to be scared, but if i know anyone who will make great parents, it's you and odette," she nodded. "and let's not forget, that kid is going to be almost as good-looking as me," anja teased. "i'd love it if your baby and i shared names, but since you're so boring, you can choose another name," she nudged him playfully. "i'm genuinely happy for you, jesse. you're going to be an amazing father."

anja wouldn't admit it, but she really missed her best friend and crew-mate. "you missed me so much, i can tell," she chuckled, feeling better now. "yeah, i totally get that. it was nice having them around. next time, i'll bring them here to meet all the crazy people i work with," anja laughed, knowing her mother would freak out about the whole firefighter thing again, just like she did when anja told her what she wanted to be when she grew up. "no one can dislike demi. if they do, i'll kick their butt," she laughed. she loved her girlfriend. they met at the perfect moment, and even though she was confused at first about feeling something for a girl, she would fall for her time and time again. "i'm the one who can't believe it. i can't believe you're having a baby!" she screamed, all excited. "a secret? i think people would see how much you like me, which is obvious," the brunette teased. "i'm really happy for you. i can't wait to meet them," anja confessed. she was so ready to have a baby around. not to mention, it would be the cutest baby. "so, were you expecting it, or was it a happy surprise?"