A/N Just a short fic today, but there are more stories to follow in this series.
It was Kelly and Andy's first day at the Academy. Kelly had gotten further up the line than Andy so was waiting in the main hanger, lined up with all the other cadets. He was itching to start, it had been two years since the last Academy class, and he and Andy weren't able to sign up because they still had to complete the last year of high school.
Soon enough they were getting changed in the locker room, Kelly startled a little when the locker next to his was opened. The guy was about Kelly's height, with short blond hair and looked to be fresh out of high school.
"Hey," Kelly smiled in greeting.
"Hi," mumbled the guy softly, looking nervous.
Andy looked over and grinned at the other guy. "Hi again." Kelly looked at his friend in confusion. So Andy commented, "I was in the line behind him. It's Matthew right?"
Matthew nodded, "Just call me Matt."
They all shook hands and introduced themselves and then they were all herded back into the hanger. Kelly noticed that Matt seemed to keep to himself and seemed nervous, but despite that, he was completing his tasks confidently. Andy, who always looked after people, seemed determined to become a friend to Matt. Kelly looked on, as while Matt engaged in conversation with Andy, he still seemed to distance himself from everyone. So Kelly joined Andy in befriending the young kid, he didn't know why, but he felt almost drawn to the kid.
As the days turned into two months, Matt slowly stopped distancing himself from Andy and Kelly; so they found themselves with a younger brother in Matt. It seemed natural to keep an eye on the kid and tease him like a younger brother. Neither of them missed Matt's lack of information about his family, the only person he talked about was his older sister Christie. However, they didn't ask Matt about his family, sensing it to be a topic to be avoided at all costs, unless Matt gave up the information himself.
One morning Matt stormed into the locker room, clothes in disarray and damp hair, despite it being sunny outside.
"Hey what's the matter?" asked Andy, concern shinning in his eyes.
"Oh nothing," Matt muttered darkly, "Just my apartment is trying to kill me."
Andy and Kelly shared a look of raised eyebrows, as Matt got changed and threw his bag into his locker and muttered curses about his apartment.
"Now just how is your apartment trying to kill you?" prompted Andy. Matt didn't usually talk about his problems, but he seemed to be annoyed enough to not register what he was saying.
"The apartment above me must have had a leak or something because bits of my ceiling are falling in clumps," responded Matt as he slammed his locker shut and sighing ran a hand through his hair.
Kelly's eyes widened, especially when he caught sight of a small bruise on Matt's forehead. "Have you spoken to the building owner?"
Matt rolled his eyes, "It's a dive of a place, and he doesn't care. He won't do anything even if I said anything."
"He can't do that!" exclaimed Andy angrily. "Why do you stay there?"
"Because it's cheap," shrugged Matt. Leaving it at that, there was no way he was going to explain that he was only living there because his dad was dead, his mother in prison with her trail now in the finishing stages and his sister across the country in her final year of college. Yeah, that would go over well with his friends.
Kelly's eyes narrowed, "Right, that's it. This Saturday we're coming round to help you move your stuff into our spare room."
"What?" spluttered Matt wide eyed. "I can't do that!"
"Yes you can," grinned Andy.
"But-"
"Don't. Even. Argue," interrupted Kelly. "It's decided, you're our new roommate."
Matt just stared gaping at the two of them, Andy grinned and gave Matt a one armed hug. "Hey there roomie." Matt still continued to just stand there dumbfounded, so Kelly guided him out to the hanger.
Matt was in utter shock. In one morning he'd gone from living alone in an apartment that was trying to kill him to now living with his two best friends. However, a smile began to pull at his lips, it would be nice living with people who felt like family again, especially since he'd been living on his own since he'd graduated high school, not wanting to be an inconvenience to the nice neighbours who'd taken him in the night his father was killed. He was nervous though, so far he'd been able to hide from his friends the states of his parents, it might be harder once he lived with them.
Once Saturday rolled around, Matt woke up expecting Andy and Kelly to forget all about him moving in. However, at eleven in the morning there was a knock on his apartment door, stood there were Andy and Kelly. Once Matt had opened the door, a piece of ceiling fell down in the living room, Andy and Kelly stared at it in horror when Matt just acted as if nothing had happened. It was usual for him now.
In no time at all, all of Matt's stuff was packed into Andy's and Kelly's cars, Andy had borrowed his parents' car for the day. As Andy's car was the biggest most of Matt's stuff was in there, including the bookcase he'd made himself one day because he was bored. So Matt and his bags of clothes were situated in Kelly's car.
Once all of Matt's stuff had been unpacked. (The bookcase was now in the living room because Andy and Kelly loved it so much. Matt didn't know why, he'd made it out of two scrap wooden doors he'd found. "Wait…you made this?!" exclaimed Kelly, Andy just flickered his gaze between the bookcase and Matt in shock.) They all parked themselves on the couch with pizza and a film. Matt was worried that the other two might find him an annoyance in a few days, but that never happened. It was as if Matt had always lived there. He now could save more money because he didn't take the bus to the Academy, putting it into a fund for his own car. He loved his new apartment; Kelly and Andy truly had become a family to him.
They were now doing the timed course and Andy loved it. Not necessarily getting out of breath with the equipment balanced over his shoulders, but the competiveness that had sprung up between Kelly and Matt.
It was hilarious.
The first time Kelly had beaten both Andy and Matt, something he was smug about and told them not to take it personally, he was a firefighter's son after all, so knew it was coming. Then, the second time and all the times after, Matt had started to beat Kelly. Kelly had taken to pretend to be annoyed at Matt, something that made it all the more funnier for Andy.
"You cheated," groused Kelly, as he got changed back into his usual clothes.
"How could I cheat?" asked Matt, stifling his chuckles.
"It is something which is un-cheatable Kelly," Andy pointed out with a grin.
"I want a damn rematch," growled Kelly.
Matt leaned back against his locker with his arms crossed and grinned at Kelly, "Okay, but are you sure you'd be able to keep up? You might just get more embarrassed."
Kelly pointed a finger at Matt, "Just you wait. On the next run tomorrow, I'll wipe that smirk off your face."
"Wanna a bet?" challenged Matt.
Kelly narrowed his eyes and nodded his head, "Hell yes. Loser buys dinner for the winner tomorrow night."
Seeing the determined glares on his friends' faces, Andy sighed and commented, "Just don't injure yourselves. I don't want to spend my Friday evening babysitting you in the ER."
The next day after running the course Matt had just wiped the floor with Kelly, and setting a new record to top it off. Andy could see that Kelly was proud of Matt, but had hidden it beneath fake irritation.
"What the hell?!" complained Kelly,
Matt grinned at Kelly, "Must be your age slowing you down."
"I'm only two years older than you!"
"Obviously that makes all the difference, Kelly. Matt is wiping the floor with us."
"Shut up Andy!"
"Kelly my teenager appetite is ready for dinner tonight."
"I hate you."
"No you don't," Matt smiled.
Kelly rolled his eyes and fondly ruffled Matt's hair, he was so proud of his friend of breaking the course record, that was something to be very proud of. The three of them headed out to Kelly's car and off to Matt's favourite place to eat out for dinner. Kelly did have a bet to honour after all.
The End.