ROMANCE
"Candles?" Matt asks, surprised, as he walks into the darkened room, dimly lit by dozens of tiny candles.
"Mm," Severide smiled beside him, gauging his reaction.
"Why?"
"Why?" Kelly repeats, dumbstruck by the question and Matt's suspicious tone.
"Because secretly you're a pyromaniac like every other firefighter?"
"No," Kelly chuckles, "cause I love the way they make your hair glow, and your eyes sparkle."
"Really?" Matt can't help but scoff doubtfully. "and flowers?"
"Cause they make you smile."
"And music?" Matt can't hide his surprise at Kelly's odd conduct.
"An excuse to hold you in my arms."
"You need an excuse? You don't need an excuse." Matt says as he wraps his arms around Kelly, pulling him into swaying with the music.
"I love you," Kelly says quietly.
"That's a good enough excuse," Matt smiles. "What's going on? Should I be worried?"
"No," Kelly laughs, "Nothing is going on, I swear," his eyes meet Matt's and Matt can see the sincerity in them, allowing him to relax. "I just wanted to make sure you know. That you don't forget."
"That you love me?"
"Mm,"
"Did you forget?"
"No, I will never forget," Kelly says, his arms tightening around Matt.
"Then I won't either. I don't need candles or flowers, or any marketed symbols of romance, for that matter, that's not my idea of romance."
"What's your idea of romance, then?"
Matt thinks about it shortly. "You know how you kiss my shoulder every morning, asking if I want to join you in the shower?"
"Mm,"
"Or how you wait till I come home to eat dinner, so I won't eat alone…"
"So I won't eat alone either," Kelly confesses softly.
"Or how there's always a bottle of water and some fruit waiting for me when I come back from a run," Matt challenges, catching Kelly's eye, both knowing and enjoying that there is no excuse for that gesture. None needed. "That's romantic. Little things that show me you want me around, that you care. That's all I need. A bit of you every day looking at me with sincere blue eyes." He says as he caresses Kelly's cheek, leaning in to place a soft kiss on his lips.
"Just a little bit?" Kelly asks, teasingly grinding their bodies closer together.
"Nothing about you is little," Matt whispers, smiling knowingly, enjoying their intimacy, before they both let desire take over. He raises his head, offering Kelly his lips.
"Mm." Kelly moans lightly in agreement as their mouths collide and words are forgotten.