Work Text:
- - - - -
When it comes to TK Strand, Carlos is starting to wonder if maybe he doesn’t really mind being the one doing the chasing.
Certainly, after the firefighter walked out on his carefully prepared dinner, Carlos’s ego had been bruised. But, then, he found a literally bruised TK sitting at his desk, green eyes wide and apologetic. It didn’t make him want to chase after him, but it certainly made him want to know more. To help him through whatever he was facing.
So, they’d gone on a date, with mixed results, but they’d formed a firm friendship in the aftermath. It’s a relationship that has come to mean so much to Carlos; he might not know a lot about TK’s past, of who he was before he came to Texas, but he knows enough to paint a picture of the man that he’s spent so much time with the past few months. It’s a beautiful image, one that he would like to keep studying and learning.
Following the unexpected kiss, TK certainly hadn’t chased after Carlos, but he hadn’t walked away either. Instead, he’d given Carlos the space that he needed, making it clear that he was around whenever Carlos was ready for him.
Then, of course, following the shooting, Carlos had done the same for TK, giving him the space that he needed to process his trauma, to find his way out. Sure, Carlos would’ve loved to be at his side, holding his hand, helping him remain upright; but that’s not what TK had wanted from him, so he’d stayed away. And eventually, TK came to him.
When they show up to the juice bar, Carlos doesn’t feel like he’s there because he chased TK down. No, instead it feels like they’ve each put in the work, taken their space, reflected on their relationship, and reached a mutual decision to come to this point.
It feels balanced, in a way.
Or, at least, it does until TK avoids anything serious. Carlos, too anxious to figure out where they stand together, pushes a bit, chasing an answer he desperately needs.
It doesn’t end up being the answer that he wants.
It shatters him, but he feels like his conversation with Owen a few days ago prepared him for the possibility. Being equals in their friendship means they each have a voice and a choice.
And, at least this time, they make different ones.
Which is honesty why he has no idea why exactly he’s walking through the all too familiar doors of St. David’s North Medical Center - the very same doors that led him towards a room with an unconscious TK and an uncertain outcome just a little over two weeks ago.
He’s not in his uniform this time, but he still gets some looks from the trauma ward nurses. Carlos throws them an innocent smile, trying to look like he knows exactly where he’s going, even as he scans every bed that he passes, looking for a familiar head of short brown hair.
He finds him in a room at the far end of the ward, TK sitting up in bed as a nurse sutures his skin back together. Carlos stops in the doorway, his breath catching in his throat at how small the man looks, pale-faced and hunched over.
On his drive over to the hospital, Carlos had told himself that all he needed was to make sure TK was still alive, and then they could go their separate ways. The other man had made it clear at the juice bar that he needed more space, possibly even a state or two away, and Carlos wanted to respect that decision.
Now that he’s seen him, Carlos can leave. The chase is over, the book is finished.
Except, before he can move, the nurse looks away from TK’s shoulder and notices him. “Can I help you, sir?” she asks, her voice kind but professional.
TK looks up at her words, their eyes locking. He sees surprise in the man’s green eyes, but all Carlos can do is silently stare back. He didn’t really have a plan for what he was going to say when he saw TK, very much feeling like their relationship had already come to the close.
This was merely the epilogue, and the right words escape him now.
The nurse glances between them, taking in the tense set of TK’s body. “Sir,” she says, her voice stern now, “I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
“No!” TK all but shouts, his eyes widening as he looks between the two of them. “Please, ma’am, he’s with me. He’s supposed to be here.”
He turns back to Carlos as he says the final line, his jaw locked and his expression certain. Carlos feels his breath catch in his throat; there’s no way that TK had been expecting him to come looking for him, and yet, he doesn’t mind that he’s here.
Surprising him even further, TK holds out his right hand to Carlos, his gaze softening as he wiggles his fingers.
Carlos doesn’t even hesitate before gliding across the room and taking his hand, linking their fingers together tightly. He raises them up to his lips, pressing a soft kiss against TK’s knuckles as a smile threatens to rearrange his entire face. Next to him, he hears TK let out a breath, leaning over to rest his head against Carlos’s chest.
“Okay, sir,” the nurse says, and Carlos sees that a small smile has taken over her own face, even though she’s trying to mask it. “I have a few more sutures to finish and he’s not on any pain meds, so try to keep him distracted.”
“Carlos has never had a problem distracting me,” TK mumbles into his shirt, his voice soft. Carlos feels a blush rise up the back of his neck at his claim, an embarrassed laugh escaping him.
There’s silence as the nurse continues her work, but Carlos finds that it speaks volumes. He brings his free hand up to TK’s scalp, running his fingers through his hair the way he knows he likes. TK relaxes into him, as much as he can while keeping his shoulder held still for the nurse to finish stitching him up.
When she’s all done, she reminds TK that he needs to take it easy for a few weeks, then leaves to begin working on his discharge papers, closing the door behind her.
As soon as they’re alone, TK lets out a groan, pulling away from Carlos to lie back against the pillow. Carlos steps closer, shifting to continue to run his hand through TK’s hair. He watches as the other man’s eyebrows relax, the creases in his forehead disappearing as he breathes deeply.
“Might be good of you to get out of Texas for a while,” Carlos says after a few minutes, his voice cracking at the reminder that TK is going to be leaving him soon. “I think this state makes you a bit of a danger magnet.”
TK opens his eyes slowly, looking up at Carlos with an unreadable expression on his face. The joke dies between them, neither of them finding it possible to force a laugh. He doesn’t really know what to do now, so he stands quietly next to the bed, waiting.
TK pulls his bottom lip between his teeth, staring down at their joined hands currently resting against his stomach. His thumb rubs gently against Carlos’s skin, a billion bolts of energy coursing through him at the minor touch.
“Carlos, there’s something I really, really need you to know about me,” TK says, taking a deep breath. Carlos feels his heart jump in his chest, a lethal mix of joy and fear flying through him. TK looks up at him, open and honest. “Sometimes, I am a massive idiot.”
It’s not at all the revelation that Carlos was expecting. Before he can reign it in, a laugh rolls out of him, the tension from before flying through the room. TK laughs with him, his face breaking into a giant grin as they push through this wall that has kept them apart for weeks, if not months.
TK shifts to the far side of the bed, tugging at Carlos’s hand until he understands the other man’s meaning. As delicately as possible, Carlos slides up onto the bed, pressing himself against TK’s side. When he feels TK’s chin resting on his left shoulder, he turns towards him, his breath catching at their proximity and youthful, happy look that the firefighter gives him.
“I belong here, Carlos,” TK says, his voice light and relieved, practically dancing over the words. “With my dad, with the 126, and…”
“And?” Carlos hedges when TK trails off.
“And with you,” TK finishes, his tone hesitant.
Carlos can’t stand to hear the doubt in his voice, so he leans forward a few inches to close the distance between them. It’s less of a kiss and more just lips pressing against lips, but he thinks it tells TK everything that he needs to know.
“And with me,” Carlos confirms, squeezing TK’s fingers tightly to reassure him.
TK lets out another breath, pushing forward for a real kiss, his lips moving against Carlos’s own as if it’s what they were made to do.
Carlos can’t help but to think that maybe they were.
In a few moments, TK will be discharged, and Carlos will drive him to the fire station. He’ll stay with him while he showers and changes, finally getting out of his soaked and bloody clothes. Then, he’ll send Carlos home, telling him to come back when the 126’s shift ends.
And Carlos will. They’ll have dinner together, sharing all of their secrets. Carlos will tell TK all about Iris, and TK will tell Carlos all about Alex. They’ll lay their pasts out for both of them to see before finally letting them go, the haunted skies hovering over Austin and their hearts clearing just in time for a kaleidoscope of colors to paint them anew.
On top of the hood of his Camaro, they’ll laugh and kiss and talk and make decisions. They’ll make plans and they’ll share dreams. They’ll think back to that night where they first met, under much different circumstances, when they were very different people. They’ll talk about how far they’ve both come since then, and how much further they have still have to go.
But, above all else, they’ll talk about how they can’t wait to do it all together.
As a team.