Chapter Text
the earthy, metallic smell and medically industrial vibe of multi's lab always made katie a little uneasy, but she didn't have time to care right now. not when she was trying to lug multi through the heavy metal doors.
she'd came to his lab to come talk about something, she assumed nacho, but she found him crumpled and unresponsive on the ground just outside the front doors. he looked sickly, more pale than he usually was. adrenaline rushed though her as she knelt down and searched for a pulse. it was there- rapid and hard to miss.
katie braced herself, and hooked her arms underneath his knees and behind her neck. she hoisted him up, struggling with the dead-weight. she stumbled as she made her way through the decontamination chamber, staring down at his face trying to think of what made him faint this time.
it wasn't uncommon for multi to faint. he blamed it on an iron deficiency, but who knows. katie knew he was always working with chemicals and uranium, but she never pressed him about the dizzy spells or passing out.
she struggled to get through the metal door with no free hands. once she pushed past it, her thigh got caught on a loose piece of metal from an exposed pipe. she hissed as it tore through the fabric and scraped against her skin. blood began to well around the fresh laceration, but katie wasn't able to stop and tend to it right now.
so, with the added difficulty of a stinging cut, she trekked through the lab, and she was rather unfamiliar with its layout. her eyes scanned the sterile surroundings, looking for a room that might have somewhere he could be put down safely. she walked down a pretty sketchy looking hallway, one with a flickering light. at the end of it was a door labeled 'office'.
katie used her elbow to press down on the doorknob and push open the door. luckily, it was unlocked. it was a dimly lit office, just as advertised. she spotted an office chair, but realized maybe sitting an unconscious person upright wasn't the best idea. she settled for the floor, kneeling to gently lay him down on the cold tile.
her arms uncurled from around his body as multi limply rested on the ground. katie just studied him, unsure of what to do in this scenario. usually, he'd have woken up by now- and the fact that he hadn't yet was very concerning to her.
she'd never outright said it, but katie had grown quite fond of multi lately. their unplanned co-parenting had brought them closer together, letting katie see sides of him she was unfamiliar with. he was a caring father, keeping nacho safe and spoiling him rotten. reliable, compassionate. he was sweet, to put it simply.
but that's all it was. he was her sweet, strictly platonic co-parent. even as she looked down at him with worry, heart pounding against her ribs, she tried not to think of it as anything further than that.
the adrenaline wore off, breathing finally slowing as her brain began to process the sharp pain in her leg. she peered down, seeing the blood-stained torn fabric. her hand trembled as it hovered above it, and wide eyes glanced between the injury and multi.
katie forced her focus back to him, pleading with his unconscious body. "c'mon, multi…" she placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him gently. "wake up, you always wake up."
as if responding to her voice, multi's eyelids twitched and his face instantly started to form into a wince. he kept his eye squinted, just opening them enough to see where he was. and looming over him with relief painted on her face, was katie.
"…katie?" he said, voice raspy and tired. an arm weakly rose off the ground to place a palm on the side of his head, likely he had hit it when fainting. katie smiled, all worry quickly dissipated from her expression as she heard his voice.
"yea, it's me," she said, trying not to sound too excited. she placed her hand just above his, wanting him to keep still. "don't move, you fainted again. must be that low iron or whatever." she teased, eyes rolling a bit at the end of her statement.
multi blinked heavily, his pupils dilated as he tried to process his surroundings. he looked at the ceiling, then at the desk, and finally back to katie. the realization of where he was- and how he got there- seemed to hit him all at once. he breathed out, lips slightly parted.
"you brought me here?" his voice was breathy. the thought of katie having to carry his limp body through his lab was pretty embarrassing, and he felt worse knowing he'd left his office unlocked. there were plenty of things in here she wasn't meant to see. things that would ruin him. he tried not to think about it for now, as long as he didn't go on his computer, things would be fine.
katie nodded, "sure did! you were face down outside, kinda scary if you ask me."
"you are stronger than you look." he remarked, looking her up and down. it was a simple taunt, but upon his teasing eye movements, he spotted the scrape on her thigh. it was bright red, blood trickling from the cut onto her pink pants. he blinked in shock, and pointed to it.
"what is this?"
katie looked down at her leg, having forgotten about it for a brief moment. "oh, yea- no biggie," she shrugged her shoulders. "got caught on a loose pipe on my way through here. just a scratch."
multi sat up on his elbows, brain coming back to full consciousness. he looked closer, seeing how the wound was jagged, looking as if a creature had clawed at her leg. he was wide eyed. this was his fault in a way. it was all his fault. he had fainted, she had to carry him through the lab and got hurt in the process, all because of him. guilt pounded at his heart and he quickly began to stand himself up.
"no, katie," he said, slightly wobbly and using the desk to steady himself as he rose. "that is worse than a cut. i need to clean it, you could get an infection from the dirty metal." his tone was something new, serious and authoritative, and subtly panicked. he ignored the dizziness and walked to a cabinet, searching through it for some first aid supplies.
katie waved her hand in dismissal. "it's not even that bad! you should be laying down, i can take care of it myself." in protest, she attempted to stand up as well, wanting to show him she had it under control and he could just relax. but as she tried to put weight on her injured leg, her knee buckled and caused her to slump back to the floor.
multi looked over his shoulder, still rummaging though the cabinet. he saw her clutching her leg. his brows furrowed, frustrated with himself for being the cause of such a laceration. with a serious face, he turned back around and knelt in front of her.
she watched his face, intensely focused and zeroing in on her thigh. he didn't make eye contact up as he slid sterile gloves onto his hands. he used his fingers to gently move the fabric aside, and after a moment he looked up at her.
"i'll have to cut these pants to get better access." he stated, hunched over and staring into her eyes for permission. katie wouldn't admit it, but the wound was awfully painful at the moment. she was slightly worried about it, and wanted it tended to properly. so, she softly nodded her head, silently giving him the okay.
he pursed his lips before looking back down, fishing out a pair of small scissors from the kit he'd brought over. the fabric cut easily as he gently made the ripped area larger, allowing him a better view and. he put the tool down, and ever so gently, ran a single finger along the edge of the injury.
she looked away, clenching her jaw. she refused to make a sound, not wanting him to see her like this.
"i have to rinse it with saline. it is just like water, it won't hurt." he said calmly, unscrewing the bottle. before she could retort, he poured a generous amount over it, flushing it thoroughly. he was right, it didn't hurt. it just felt weird. her chest rose and fell deeply as she tried not to stare at him or the blood.
before moving on to anything else, he stopped to examine the wound closer now. katie couldn't help but watch as he worked, seeing how focused he looked as he studied the injury. he gave her the same care that was typical for him to give nacho. it felt different having it upon her, it made her chest feel tight and her head warm.
"you need a few stitches," he said, looking her in the eye apologetically. "i am sorry. please, let me. i will be gentle."
katie didn't like the sound of getting stitched up in the office of his lab, but there was likely no where else on the island that could do it safer. so, with a shuddering breath, she replied.
"okay…"
he looked away from her, going back to fumbling with supplies and thinking out loud. "this is unacceptable. i should have fixed that loose pipe weeks ago. it is my fault. it is my fault you had to carry me and got this big cut." katie could see the upset look on his face as he unscrewed the cap of another liquid. she tried to sooth his worried as he applied it to cotton pads.
"it's okay, multi," she spoke softly. "it was an accident. i'm just glad you're okay, besides, it's not like you forced me to carry you." she felt a bit anxious under his undivided attention.
"but you did," he said, snapping his eyes up to meet hers.
the gleam in his pupils was intense, stripped entirely of his usual armor. there was a raw, heavy vulnerability there that made katie's breath hitch in her throat. he looked deeply, profoundly grateful- and entirely guilty for being the 'cause' of this.
"you carried me," he repeated, his voice dropping to a breathy whisper. "you could have left me. it is dangerous and confusing in my lab. but you stayed."
"of course I stayed," Katie said, her heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs. "we're... we're partners, multi. for nacho. i'm not just going to leave his dad face down in the dirt."
his lips parted slightly, his gaze lingering on her face for a second too long before he looked back down at her leg, a subtle flush creeping up his pale neck. "right. nacho."
he cleared his throat, the atmosphere in the small office suddenly thick with a strange, electrical tension. the "strictly platonic" label they had so quickly slapped onto their relationship felt like it was peeling at the edges.
he failed to warm her that the antiseptic might burn. when he gentle dabbed the cotton onto her, she flinched without meaning to. multi placed a gentle hand on her other knee, grounding her. the touch sent a shiver through katie's spine, it was so caring, so thoughtful.
"just a bit more. it will clean the cut." he whispered, swiping the cotton pad along it as feather-light as he possibly could. she still remained quiet, only letting her body do the reacting for now. she let out a long, shaky breath as she tried to endure the sting.
"good. you did well." he muttered as he put the stained cotton aside and began to thread a suture needle. it likely wasn't his intention, but the assuring praise he gave her was dizzying. but that's how a patient is always spoken to. nothing more behind it, she told herself.
katie bit her lip as she watched him ready the needle. he brought it close to her leg, and looked towards her face.
"it will hurt. please, stay still. it will only be three stitches." his gaze was calming, eyes flickering with tenderness. she hummed in reply, and craned her neck to the side so she wouldn't have to see the process.
when the needle suddenly pierced her skin, katie let out a whimper that she wished she'd held back. she instinctively reached out to clutch multi's shoulder, fingers clawing into his white lab coat. she gritted her teeth as he worked with a practiced hand. she tried to stay as still as possible, but it was hard with such intense feeling. physically and emotionally.
he shushed her, his hand on her opposite knee holding her down a bit harder now. "i am sorry. just two more," he brushed a gloved hand against her leg. "you are doing so well, katie." his tone was almost reverent as he whispered praises.
katie felt as if her heart might stop working, from the intimate reassurance and the stinging. "please just be quiet and sew." she blurted out, voice raw and full of struggle as she clung to his shoulder.
she kept her eyes closed, breathing through the last of the stitches. thankfully, multi was quick. she heard the snip of scissors and felt gauze being placed over top of the wound.
"there, all done," he said, admiring his own work. "look how neat it is, since you stayed so still for me."
katie didn't look at the stitches. not even a glance. all she looked at was his face. he was flushed, as if the makeshift procedure had given him a rush of some sort. she noticed the expression on his face as his thumb brushed against the newly placed adhesive. he looked enamored, but she was unsure by what.
she panted, leaning her head forward as she attempted to relax herself. she wanted to get this awkward moment over with, to avoid the tension of closeness and vulnerability. unfortunately, multi just wouldn't shut up.
"thank you for helping me." his voice was a breathy murmur. he didn't move away. he stayed there, kneeling in front of her on the cold tile floor. katie's knuckles were white as her hand remained gripping onto multi. she wanted to pull back, to make light of the situation, joke about his iron deficiency. anything to break this moment. she wanted to return to the safe, stable, comfortable boundary of being nachos parents.
instead, katie didn't reply, and neither of them moved further apart. if anything, they had subconsciously moved closer, close enough for their breaths to mix and fan gently upon each others skin.
"you… you did beautifully, katie."
"you talk too much."
"i am simply telling the truth," he replied. "you are- you did beautifully."
and the tension in the room snapped.
multi tilted his head, moving it closer, and closed the rather small gap that remained between them. his lips hit hers with a sudden, desperate hunger. it wasn't exactly gentle, it was more heavy and clumsy, full of need. as if he had been wanting to do this forever. katie let out a soft breath against his mouth, a bit surprised. her arm moved from his shoulder to wrap loosely around his neck and pull him deeper.
he groaned as he felt her touch. a hand slid to her waist, but unlike the kiss, the contact was very gentle. her shifted his weight, adjusting katie so her back pressed against the tile below them. his frame hovered over hers, lab coat draping around them.
every point of contact was explosive. they were frantic, breathless as they desperately looked for more of each others lips. multi was deliberate not to make even the slightest graze against her fresh sutures, avoiding them with caution.
he broke the kiss, pressing his forehead to hers and letting them catch their breaths for only a second. then, without warning, he leaned further down, planting soft kisses along her jawline. she let her neck move to the side, silently allowing him full access to it. katie shuddered as she felt the kisses trail along her neck. it was gentle, it was sweet, it was far too intimate for two people who were strictly platonic.
katie closed her eyes as multi worshiped her, he didn't say a word, didn't come up for air. it seemed that almost nothing would be able to pry his hungry mouth away from her soft skin.
but, katie placed a tense palm to his chest, just barely pushing against it.
"what is this?"
multi only slightly lifted away from her neck. he let out a puff of air from his nose, unsure of how to answer her. he didn't look at her as he thought about it.
"i am sorry." he muttered, sitting up straight and removing himself from towering over her. the space between them was chilly, something neither of them enjoyed. they both knew this was not their agreement, but something had taken over them in the heat of the moment.
"we… cant do this." kaite said, doing her best to sit up with her injured leg. the tension from earlier was back, but somehow, a million times worse. it was thicker, harder to understand.
multi swallowed hard. katie could see his throat bob as his head turned away from her entirely. "we," he paused, as if he was considering a different set of words. "right. we cannot. we got carried away, the adrenaline." he excused their actions without protest, swiftly blaming it on the natural rush of their bodies. he looked embarrassed and shameful, and maybe even a bit sad.
katie reached out a hand, placing it atop his knee. "we're good," she forced a small smile, even with her heart bearing an incredible burden. "we just wanted to take care of each other. for nacho, yea?"
multi nodded, clearing his throat and standing up. he held out a hand and allowed her to use his body weight as an anchor to stand. she got herself off the floor with a huff, unable to put any weight on her wounded leg. they didn't meet eyes as he assisted her.
"let me help you home. it's the least i could do."
and he did. silently. he helped her down the stairs of the lighthouse, got her settled on her couch. there was barely any more words exchanged between them. there was a lack of knowing what to say. there was a lack of knowing what the other person thought, what they wanted. both were not brave enough to start the conversation.
katie sighed as she sunk into her couch, and she allowed multi to elevate her leg for her. once he was sure she was situated, he bid farewell.
"i will see you in a few days. when its your turn with nacho." he stood, arms behind his back and looking towards the ground.
"yeah. see ya."
and multi was gone. and katie was alone, head buried in her hands as she tried to make sense of the last hour. the pair would spend the entire evening of that day ruminating, replaying each second in their heads over and over. wondering if there was any meaning behind what the other said. was there any significance in the touches? the closeness? or was it, in fact, simply impulsivity and being wound up in the moment.
the implication that it meant more would put them both in a complicated, dynamic-changing situation. and secretly, they both hoped they would end up completely lost in it.