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Kelly settles into the uncomfortable hospital chair and sighs as he finally lays his eyes on Matt. He’s got a splint on his wrist, all kinds of road-rashed skin and scrapes up the left side of his body, and a mild concussion to top it off, yet the only thing Kelly feels is relief. This was one call he didn't think Matt would manage to make it out of—not with the way the car hit him, or the way those two tons of metal drug his body along the asphalt.
“Severide.” Matt sighs out exasperatedly. Things feel a little hazy thanks to the pain meds, but he’s aware enough of what’s going on to be grateful for the other lieutenant’s presence.
“Yeah. I’m here.” Kelly responds, reaching out to grab onto Matt’s hand in an absentminded gesture.
“Do you want to—” Matt winces as he readjusts on the hospital bed, “—do you want to tell me why the nurse told me that my husband would be in shortly?”
Kelly stares at Matt long and hard. “I uh—no, I don’t know anything about that.”
“Are you sure?” Matt asks tiredly, a questioning look on his face. “She said that my husband begged to come in here and see me. And we both know I don’t have a husband.”
“No, you don’t.” Kelly shakes his head, genuinely bewildered at the situation. “Maybe she got patients mixed up?”
“Hmm, maybe.” Matt’s eyes flutter closed and his hand subconsciously tightens around Kelly’s.
“How are you feeling?” Kelly inquires after a while, taking in every inch of Matt, knowing he’d almost lost him.
Matt chuckles softly, his wheezy breath turning into a pained cough before he can stop it. He recovers quickly but Kelly can’t ignore the way the noise makes his heart pound in his ears. “I’m fine.”
Kelly shakes his head. “You use fine to describe just about the entire spectrum of human emotion, so that doesn’t really help.”
Matt’s eyes flutter open only so that he can give Kelly an annoyed look. “Listen, I’m fine. I’m also about to fall asleep, you sticking around?”
“If that’s okay with you, yeah.”
Matt nods wearily and gives the man a slight squeeze of his hand. “Yeah. Stay.”
“Alright.” Kelly agrees without hesitation, not bothering to separate their hands. “I’ll be here.”
When the nurse comes into the room a while later, Matt’s already woken himself up and he’s trying to talk with Kelly about the call that had led to him being laid up like this.
“Ah, I see your husband found you?” She says, a bright smile on her face.
The two of them both look at the nurse in surprise, and they’re about to set the record straight and tell her they’re just friends when she thrusts Matt a few prescription slips. “The doctor has agreed to release you as long as you have somebody to keep an eye on you for the next couple of days; I assured him your husband would take great care of you.” She smiles. “So these are for some pain killers, as well as antibiotic cream and soothing cream for your friction burns and abrasions. Getting dragged under the car like that did a number on you and it’s going to be painful, so I suggest taking the pills on a schedule so they don’t wear off.”
“Alright.” Matt says, both eyebrows raised.
The nurse turns to Kelly. “I’ll explain the treatment of the rashes and burns since I assume you’ll be the one bandaging them up.” Kelly just nods and listens intently as the nurse tells him what to do. He knows basic first aid but if there’s anything specialized about how to treat Matt’s set of injuries, he wants to know about it.
Matt watches as the two of them talk like he’s not even in the room. He glances at Kelly and can’t stop the blush that crosses his face as he realizes that the nurse actually thinks they’re married.
She eventually leaves after ending with “—and this is probably common sense but make sure when you’re in the shower with him, you try to avoid getting soap on the rashes and definitely don’t scrub any of the injuries, and after you help him out of the shower, pat his skin dry, don’t rub or else you’ll irritate the areas of concern.”
Naturally, Matt fixes Kelly with a scrutinizing gaze.
“Don’t look at me like that.” Kelly says the second the nurse is out of earshot, hands immediately going up with his best shot at feigned innocence.
“Like what?”
“Like I did something bad.”
Matt cracks a smile—maybe it’s the good pain meds or just the ridiculousness of the situation, but he’s grinning.
“What?” Kelly leans back in his chair with a slightly panicked look on his face. “It’s not like I told her that you and I were—” he makes a weak hand gesture between them.
“But you were worried enough about me that she thinks we’re married.” Matt smirks. “It’s almost sweet.”
Kelly groans softly. “Shut up, would you?”
“You really going to talk that way to your husband?” Matt teases fondly.
Kelly tries to ignore the burning heat at the pit of his stomach that comes with Matt’s words, despite their joking nature. He clears his throat and shakes his head. “Listen, if it bothered you, I’m sorry.”
“Bothered? Do I look bothered?” Matt can’t help the incredulous expression that slips onto his face. “Nothing to apologize for, man.”
Kelly has a hard to read expression on his face but Matt can see the relief.
“And you definitely don’t have to worry about helping me shower or applying the creams and bandages and whatever the nurse said, I can handle that on my own.”
“Of course I’m going to help you.”
“But—”
“You tore a ligament in your wrist. Plus you have a concussion. And like thirty percent of your body is covered in road rash. And you’re in pain. If you honestly think I’m letting your dumb ass try to take care of yourself, you must have hit your head a little harder than I thought.”
Matt pushes himself up in bed a little and gazes at the other man thoughtfully, a mix of surprise and intrigue crossing his face. “You’re going to help me shower?”
“Sure.”
“And you’re going to do all the other stuff.”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
Matt considers it. “Because.”
“Because why?” Kelly asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Because, Kelly, that is so out of the scope of your job description as my best friend. You're not going to help me shower."
Kelly shakes his head. "It's nothing. I really don't mind."
"Forget about it." Matt argues, putting the subject to bed.
"It doesn't make sense that you're trying to fight to take care of yourself when people are offering to help, you know that right?"
“I have a concussion, I don’t have to make sense.” Matt argues with a shrug.
Kelly can tell he's exhausted so he drops it. “I’ll give it to you this once but only because you’re injured.”
Matt rolls his eyes fondly.
Matt gets to go home a few hours later and Kelly’s glad the blond doesn’t even question the fact that Kelly will be the one taking him. After the discharge paperwork and Matt getting dressed into the extra clothes Kelly'd had in his shift bag, the nurse pushes in a wheelchair. Matt takes one look and shakes his head (and when Kelly tries to tell him he should be using it, Matt says that a good husband would respect his wishes).
In the end, Matt walks out of the hospital, shaky, weak and in pain, but with his independence. Kelly doesn't let Matt argue when he tells him that he's going to pull up the car at least.
On the way home, Matt’s half-crumpled in the passenger seat leaning towards his injured side and it’s not hard to tell that he’s in pain. And he is, every single part of him is sore in some way or another.
“You with me, man?” Kelly murmurs after they hit a bump and Matt hisses in pain.
“Yep.” Matt chokes out, doing his best to ignore the white hot agony that spreads across his body.
Kelly reaches out and lays his hand on the center console, palm up.
Matt gazes at the hand then at Kelly, who shrugs and says, “I’m pretty sure husbands get to hold hands when they’re in pain.”
“You don’t have to be my husband for that.” Matt cracks an unsteady smirk in order to add some levity, and slides his bandaged hand into Kelly’s, their fingers intertwining.
It’s a small touch but it has a considerable impact on Kelly. He takes a glance over at Matt and sees him looking at their hands, he wonders if they’re both having the same thought—we fit perfectly.
Matt lets out a soft sigh and for a moment Kelly wonders if he’s going to say something, but instead he closes his eyes and settles back into the seat a little.
When they pull up to Kelly’s place Matt opens one eye and frowns when he sees where they are. “We’re...not at my place?”
“Your entire apartment is smaller than my bathroom and it’s up six flights of stairs. You’re staying with me.”
“You’re bossy.” Matt huffs.
Kelly smiles softly before getting out and rounding the car to open Matt’s door. “Y’know, if you could take good care of yourself I wouldn’t need to be bossy.”
“Kel,” Matt grunts as he swings his feet out. “I’ve been on my own for most of my life, I do just fine.”
Kelly carefully hauls Matt to his feet and wraps a supportive arm around Matt’s waist as they slowly make their way to the building. “Okay, well you don’t need to be on your own anymore, so c’mon.”
“Yeah now I got a fake husband, I’ll never be alone again.” Matt chuckles dryly, throwing an arm around Kelly’s shoulders. He attempts to hide his grimace and does his best to put one foot in front of the other, but he has sprains and bruises all over, not to mention the road rash, and every step he takes is agony. Kelly seems to notice and he tries his best to support more of Matt’s weight.
“As long as you got me, you won’t be alone. You know that.” Kelly says, his tone serious in order to get the message across.
Matt tips his head onto Kelly’s shoulder while Kelly unlocks the door, the pain medications aren’t nearly good enough and he can feel himself fading after the exhaustion of the accident. “Little different.”
“Yeah?” Kelly murmurs, tugging Matt into the apartment. “How do you figure?”
“Husband is more of a commitment,” Matt mumbles, letting Kelly ease him onto the couch. “You’re the fun friend that springs me from hospitals.”
“I’m committed to you.” Kelly says, making a quick trip to the kitchen area to grab a glass of water before returning to the living room. He perches on the edge of the coffee table and digs into his jacket pocket, pulling out Matt’s pill bottle.
“Friends can leave. Even if they’re your best friends.” Matt explains easily, eyes fluttering closed as he fights the exhaustion.
“Okay, well why don’t I marry you then?” Kelly asks, double checking the label on the bottle before shaking out one of the pills.
“Because married people have sex. And kiss, for that matter. And lots of other things that you and I don’t do.”
Kelly tilts his head as if weighing the statement. He hands Matt the pill and watches as he swallows it down with the water. “Why don’t we?”
Matt chokes on his last sip of water and sputters. He coughs it out, wincing when he can feel every strand of his body tensing at the movement. Kelly reaches out and helps to support Matt while he sits up, cursing inwardly when he realizes exactly what he’d just said.
“What?” Matt asks hoarsely, eyes widening.
“You need to get some rest.” Kelly says, helping Matt lay back on the couch.
“No, no, no.” Matt shakes his head, clearing his throat a little more. “You can’t just say that and then try to make me go to sleep so you can pretend you didn’t.”
“I wasn’t trying—”
“Just—I want you to answer your own question.” Matt interrupts, looking slightly amused as a panicked expression crosses Kelly’s face. “Why don’t we?”
“Matt—”
“I'm serious.” Matt interrupts, there’s no way Kelly’s getting off the hook.
Kelly’s eyes widen almost imperceptibly as he’s faced with the choice of playing this off as a joke, or using this as a chance to reveal his feelings. “I… I can’t think of a good reason why we don’t. I’d be fine with kissing you.”
“You’d be fine with it?”
“Yeah, I’d be fine with it.”
“You make it sound like you’d do it if you had to, and it’d be whatever.” Matt raises an eyebrow.
Kelly smiles a little at that. “It wouldn’t just be whatever.”
“Then do it.” Matt says challengingly.
“Is this the painkillers talking?”
Matt shakes his head. “The good ones wore off already. I’m not under any influence.”
“So…” Kelly begins tentatively.
“So, kiss me or something.” Matt says, a familiar glint in his eyes as he sends a warm, affectionate look Kelly’s way.
And really, Kelly’s never quite been able to say no to the blond, so he leans forward and doesn’t even hesitate as he presses his lips to Matt’s. The kiss is everything he imagined it would be and more, it’s soft and fleeting but it holds a promise of more that completely sends Kelly into orbit. Their lips slide against each other, easy, warm, so naturally that Kelly can’t help but wonder if the rest of their bodies were already in tune before their brains managed to get it together.
“Yeah, don’t know why we haven’t done that before.” Matt murmurs against his lips. He pulls away a little, gazing into Kelly’s warm, happy eyes.
“I thought you were straight, that’s why.” Kelly chuckles softly, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to Matt’s forehead.
Matt smiles fondly, his eyes fluttering closed the moment Kelly's lips press into the spot between his eyebrows.
“You really should get some rest." Kelly says as he pulls back slightly. "We can figure everything out later, if you still want to by then.”
Matt nods tiredly. “Fine. But if you don’t have any other plans, I’m claiming fake husband privileges and making you watch the game with me.”
Kelly laughs softly. “You get too fired up for the Blackhawks, that won’t be restful.”
“What do you suggest then?” Matt asks curiously, closing his eyes at Kelly’s gentle touch.
“I’m bringing you to bed, then you’re sleeping for a long time.”
“Couch is fine.”
“Matt.” Kelly says in a warning tone.
“Kelly.” Matt mocks. Inwardly hoping the pain medication kicks in soon.
Kelly shakes his head fondly and raises an eyebrow when Matt drags him onto the couch. “Matt, it’s not really big enough for the two of us.” The comment is really only for appearances, he doesn’t actually put up much of a fight to the manhandling. Not when his stomach is still all flipped over from the feeling of Matt’s lips against his.
“Like I care.” Matt mumbles, changing positions so he can lay on top of Kelly, no care in the world besides getting comfortable.
Kelly grunts softly when Matt elbows him in the stomach as he attempts to settle against him. It feels kind of nice, having the weight against him—nicer than he’d imagined. He smiles lightly as Matt stops readjusting and takes a deep breath, finally relaxed.
It’s foreign, and yet so natural, as he reaches his arms around Matt, making sure to keep his touch light so he doesn’t hurt him. “If you want to watch the game, I need to get up and get the remote.” Kelly murmurs, experimentally tangling his fingers into Matt’s hair and twirling the blond strands around his fingers—he’s always sort of wondered what his hair would feel like. He’s pleasantly surprised by how soft it is, even after the call and the hospital, and the dusting of dirt that’s likely covering it—it’s soft.
“Forget the game.” Matt grunts, sounding half-asleep already. “I’m good like this.”
Kelly finds himself grinning like an idiot. “Fine.”
“Should have asked you to marry me sooner,” Matt teases, voice rough with exhaustion. “This is nice.”
“Let me at least take you out on a date before you decide that you really want to be married to me.”
Matt laughs against him, and he’s not even just hearing it. He’s feeling it too. Matt’s laughter when he’s relaxed and fitted against Kelly’s own body is an entire experience. “Deal. I’m free on Friday night.”
“It’s a date.” Kelly smirks, pressing a soft kiss onto Matt’s head (and he can already tell that he'll never get sick of being able to do that). “Get some sleep.”