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Carlos stands as Owen and Gwyn leave, heading over to the bed and laying a tentative hand on the railing. TK smiles dopily up at him, eyes halfway to closed, and Carlos has to grin at the sight.
“Only you could make a hospital gown look cute,” he says, shaking his head. TK’s smile widens, and he lazily reaches out, lacing their fingers together.
“You think I’m cute?”
“Don’t let it go to your head.” Carlos huffs a laugh, glancing down to their joined hands before meeting TK’s eyes again. He leans in and presses a gentle kiss to his lips. “I should head out too,” he says softly. “You need to rest.”
Carlos tries to pull away, but TK frowns and holds on tighter. “What do you mean?” he asks, pouting.
“You said your head was hurting,” Carlos replies, “and you practically kicked your parents out. I figured you’d want some peace and quiet.”
TK shakes his head, though it’s more just a gentle roll on the pillow. “From them, yeah,” he says. “I want you here. That is...if that’s okay?”
He bites his lip, looking at Carlos anxiously, and Carlos’s heart aches for the hundredth time that day. He can’t think of anywhere else he’d rather be; god knows he won’t be able to sleep at home, knowing TK is laid up in hospital and not by his side.
“Of course it is.” He kisses TK’s head, mindful of his wound, and goes to grab the chair, but once again TK pulls him back. Carlos frowns, only for his eyes to widen as TK awkwardly shifts to the right and stares pointedly at the space next to him. “No.”
“Carlos,” TK whines, pulling out the puppy dog eyes - which Carlos will not fall for again. Not tonight, anyway.
“TK,” he mimics. “That bed is barely big enough for you, there’s no way -”
“Carlos, get your damn ass up here or I’m dragging you up.”
Carlos manages to hold firm for a few seconds more, but so does TK, and he knows there’s no way he’s winning this one. The only sensible thing to do is to comply, because TK has that look in his eye that lets him know he will attempt to drag Carlos up given half the chance, and he could really do without his boyfriend causing himself further harm. He heaves an exaggerated sigh, then gingerly sits on the edge on the bed, swinging his legs up and laying back slowly. He was right - there really isn’t enough room, and it’s a little awkward, but they make it work.
TK smiles at him, their faces barely an inch apart. “Hey.”
“Hi.”
Carlos reaches out, stroking TK’s cheek with the back of his hand. TK’s eyes flutter shut, and Carlos is content to watch him for a while, feeling his own eyelids grow heavy as the day catches up to him. He’s on the verge of drifting off when TK speaks again, voice slurred with exhaustion.
“Thank you for rescuing us.”
“Always. Though, try not to make a habit of needing it,” he jokes.
TK’s eyes crack open, bright with mirth. “I’ll try,” he laughs, then winces, letting out a pained grunt.
Carlos immediately sobers, searching his boyfriend’s face. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah,” TK says. “It hurts, but I can handle it.”
Carlos sighs, pulling back slightly to get a proper look at him. “I don’t just mean your head, Ty,” he says. “I mean, are you okay? Your mom said you shut down earlier.”
TK’s smile drops and, for the first time since his parents left, he turns his head away from Carlos, gaze going blankly to the ceiling. His hand - the one not still held in Carlos’s - picks at the thin hospital sheets, rubbing the material between his thumb and forefinger. Carlos keeps watching him, knowing that TK will talk in his own time.
“It was just a lot,” he starts eventually, sighing heavily. “You know, I really thought that things were finally working out - that we actually had a second chance at being a real family. I mean, I can’t really remember a time in my life when my parents weren’t arguing, and I’ve spent years hoping and praying for an opportunity just like this one. I guess I got too attached to the idea, and blinded myself to everything else that was going on because when I got home and saw those boxes…”
He breaks off and squeezes his eyes shut, a lone tear rolling down his cheek. Carlos aches to brush it away, but he holds back, sensing that the touch wouldn’t be welcome.
“When I saw the boxes,” TK continues, clearing his throat, “it felt like I was seven years old all over again. My family was imploding and no-one had given me any warning or told me why, and I was just there, watching it all happen. And then Mom told me about the baby, and Enzo, and I just - I just couldn’t process it. Like, at all. I know it’s stupid and - and childish to still be clinging onto this... fantasy of my family, but I just. I really wanted this to work, you know?”
TK’s voice cracks, and he looks back to Carlos, unshed tears glinting under the hospital fluorescents. This time, Carlos does reach out, gently running his thumb under TK’s eye, and he leans in to press a kiss to his brow, just underneath the gauze.
“It’s not stupid,” he murmurs, smiling sadly. “It’s okay to be upset over this, Ty, you know that, right?”
TK shrugs. “I guess.” He breathes out shakily, blinking hard. “I will miss her. But after today… I mean, I was joking when I compared them to that couple, but there’s nothing like getting kidnapped at gunpoint and held hostage to put things in perspective. Not even getting shot.”
Carlos laughs despite himself - despite the reminder of just how close he came to losing TK yet again. He shakes his head and kisses him again, lightly swatting at his hip. “Do me a favour and try not to test that theory, babe.”
“No promises.” TK grins impishly before it softens into something gentler, and it’s his turn to reach out to Carlos. His hand brushes his cheek, travelling downwards along his arm to wrap around his wrist, right on Carlos’s pulse point. “Speaking of parents, how are things with your dad?” he asks. “Is the investigation still going on?”
Carlos shrugs. “Yeah, but considering that I was right about everything, I don’t think they can build much of a case against me. Hopefully, I’ll be back soon.”
“Good,” TK says, his face flooding with a pride that warms Carlos’s chest. “If they don’t, I guess I’ll have to march down there myself and let them all know what idiots they’re being.”
Carlos raises an amused eyebrow. “Not that I wouldn’t appreciate it,” he replies, “but if you think you’re marching anywhere anytime soon, you’re very much mistaken. They might be releasing you from this bed in the morning, but I intend to keep you in mine for at least the next week.”
TK grins. “Is that a promise, Officer Reyes?”
“It’s a threat,” he corrects, but he can’t keep from grinning back, a comfortable silence falling between them. TK shuffles down in the bed to rest his head carefully against Carlos’s shoulder, and Carlos lays his arm across his chest, pressing a kiss into his hair.
“He wants to meet you, by the way,” he murmurs. “My dad.”
TK shifts against him, his head tilting upwards slightly. “You told?”
“He told me, actually,” Carlos says, huffing a small laugh. “Apparently he’s known about us since the market.”
“And…” TK’s fingers fiddle with his, the silence drawing out a few seconds longer. “Are you okay with that?”
“It was a surprise,” he admits. “But I’m glad it’s all out in the open now. I didn’t realise how much it was weighing on me until now.”
TK hums, squeezing Carlos’s hand once before settling into his side again. “I’m glad,” he says, voice muffled from sleep.
“Me too.” Carlos kisses TK’s head. “Get some rest, Ty.”
He doesn’t need to say it twice; TK is dead to the world not five minutes later, snoring gently. Carlos stifles a laugh, and eases himself into a more comfortable position, his own eyes drifting closed.
That’s how the nurses find them a few hours later, entwined around each other, and at peace.