Chapter Text
PRESENT - Matt's POV:
Three weeks.
Three weeks since Matt's woken up to his husband's face inches from his own. Three weeks since he's been able to lean forward and press a kiss to Kelly's sleeping lips. Three weeks since they'd made love, laughed, cried, held one another's hands, watched a movie and fallen asleep on the couch, order pizza, smoked cigars, gone to work together, hung out with Shay, saved a victim side by side.
Three weeks since Matt heard his husband's voice. The voice that held his world together.
Kelly.
Matt closed his eyes as he said the name of the man he loved over and over in his mind. 'Kelly, Kelly, Kelly.' he said in his head, feeling the tears rolling down his cheeks as he sat at the edge of their bed. He screamed, smashing the lamp on the nightstand by their bed. He smashed it to bits, screaming incoherent profanities.
He put his hands over his head and screamed until he was sure he ripped his vocal chords.
He collapsed against the wall, curling into himself, rocking back and forth.
"Come back to me, come back to me... Please come back to me, baby."
PRESENT - Kelly's POV:
Kelly dreamt of Matt. He dreamt of his husband standing next to him on walks through Illinois in the cold evenings, both of them bundled up tightly in thick coats, scarfs, and winter hats, both of them smiling at one another as they talked about everything and anything, both of their eyes sparkling with love.
It’d been so long since Kelly had seen Matt’s eyes looking into his own. He wanted to savor the memory in his dream.
He reached forward, cupping Matt’s cheeks, staring into his husband’s eyes. They smiled at each other. Matt leaned forward, pressing a kiss to Kelly’s lips. Severide let his eyes close as they stood in the middle of the streets, kissing, holding each other.
When they pulled away, Kelly’s heart sank in horror. It was no longer Matt standing in front of him.
“Rise and shine.”
Kelly heard Tyler say. The Tyler in his dream was moving his lips, but the voice seemed to come from far away.
“I said wake up, Kelly.”
Slowly, Severide creaked open his eyes, squinting up at a blurry figure drowned in bright lights. He sighed once he took in his surroundings, once his eyes adjusted to the bright lights overhead in the basement of the shelter.
There was a clang as a bowl of food was tossed by Kelly’s cage. He looked to it, his stomach growling. It’d been days since he ate something, he constantly refused the food Tyler brought him, thinking it was better off to die than to remain a prisoner here any longer.
“You should really eat. You’re looking pale.”
Kelly looked up, hatred in his eyes. Tyler smiled, “Come on now. I’m feeding you, aren’t I? I think I deserve at least a ‘thank you’ for doing that.”
Kelly snarled, “Thank you? I should thank you? You’re the one who stuck me down here. You kidnapped me! You’re a criminal!”
Tyler sighed, sitting cross legged in front of Kelly’s handmade cage that resembled a dog’s cage. He rested his hands on the bars, almost brushing over Kelly’s fingers before the man yanked his hand away. Tyler leaned in, “Maybe... I could bring you something a little better than this? There’s a few takeout places around here... What do you like?” He asked, his voice soft as he tried desperately to appeal to the other man.
Kelly narrowed his eyes, leaning his back up against the bars of the cage. He scoffed, “I want nothing that you’ll give me.”
Suddenly Tyler let out a frustrated shout, slamming his palms so hard against the cage that the whole thing rattled. Kelly found himself cowering despite himself. The man outside the cage shakily inhaled a few deep breaths, scrubbing his hands over his face as he tried to calm himself down. Kelly watched.
“I’m trying to do the best that I can.” Tyler said very slowly, eyes shut.
“Then let me go!” Kelly said, crawling forward, bracing his hands on the bars of the cage, leaning his head against the cold metal, his eyes pleading as they bore into Tyler’s face. “Let me go. Let me out of here, let me go home. We can go get a few beers if you want. I’ll take you to Molly’s. We can be friends, I won’t tell anyone about this, I swear. Just let me go.”
He was clearly lying through his teeth; he would not take this prick to Molly’s nor would he remain quiet about his kidnapping. But he just wanted out.
Tyler looked into Kelly’s desperate eyes. He leaned forward, their faces only separated by the cage. He smiled sadly, “You know I can’t do that, Kelly.”
Severide’s eyes filled with salty tears as he watched Tyler take away the bowl of mushy food, turn off the lights, and leave, locking the door. He sobbed silently, hitting his head softly against the cage, curling into himself.
‘I’m going to die here, aren’t I?’ Kelly asked himself, tears running down his dirty, bloody cheeks.
PAST; two weeks before the kidnapping - Matt’s POV:
Matt was sipping his beer at a table inside of Molly’s, talking with Shay and a girl that the blonde woman was currently interested in. She was red-haired, petite, green-eyed, and her voice was soft spoken. They seemed really interested in one another, which made the blonde man happy for his friend.
His eyes flickered towards the exit door, his brows furrowing. Kelly had been out there for a while, when all he said he needed to do was grab some air. Matt pushed himself out of his seat, “Be back in a second.” He said to the two women.
He pulled the door to Molly’s open, stepping outside. He spotted his husband conversing with a man he’d rescued from an apartment fire a while ago. The man had swung by the firehouse a couple of times, offering Kelly various tokens of his appreciation, asking him out, flirted with him - all in front of Matt.
The Captain grit his teeth, heading over to Severide and this asshole who wouldn’t leave Casey’s man alone.
“Kelly, babe, you’ve been out here a while.” Matt purred, snaking his arm around Kelly’s waist, shooting a glare at the man who was called Tyler Halley. Severide cleared his throat, “Erm, yeah, I- Tyler just stopped by to say hi. He’s not staying.” He said, looking at the younger man in front of him with a look in his eyes that Matt recognized as, ‘Get lost.’
Tyler was practically foaming at the mouth upon seeing Matt so close to Kelly, the man he was crushing on and infatuated with - and it made Matt mentally smile. ‘Take a hint, asswipe.’ He said in his mind.
“Yeah,” Tyler said softly, “I was just heading home. Have a good evening, Kelly.” He turned to leave with one final hateful glance at Casey.
Once he was out of earshot, Matt scoffed, “Guy really can’t take a hint, can he?”
Kelly chuckled, “You’re cute when you’re jealous, baby.” He said, kissing Matt’s temple.
“What’d he want this time?”
“To take me to some bar close to his new apartment. He’s got a room mate from work, apparently.” Kelly answered with a sigh. “I don’t know how to get him to back off. He doesn’t understand the concept of marriage or monogamy, it seems like.”
“I could make him understand.” Matt muttered. Kelly laughed, “Thank you, but last thing I need is my husband rushing to defend my honor and receive a restraining order from this creep.”
“Yeah.” Matt sighed in agreement. He stuffed his hands in his jean pockets, “Let’s go back inside.”
“Whatever you want, baby.” Kelly replied, kissing Matt on the lips sweetly, hands on the blonde man’s waist.
Before they reached the door, Matt felt like they were being watched. An uneasy feeling settled in his gut as he turned and saw a figure standing across the street, hands in their pockets, a hood from their hoodie pulled over the top of their head. A shiver ran down Casey’s spine as he realized it was Tyler, watching them go back into Molly’s.
“You okay?” Kelly asked, looking at his husband, concern on his face.
Matt shook it off, forcing a smile and looked at Kelly, “Yep. All good.”
CHAPTER ONE: Just Let Me Go