So don't you worry your pretty little mind
People throw rocks at things that shine
And life makes love look hard
The fire house.
Now I have to say, this was difficult because I rarely listen to Swift and I didn't know who the other was either... So if this just comes across as a weird choice, please feel free to ignore it. (just wanted to give you another to choose from because I really like your writings)
Fourth entry for the Sylvie works at FH 40 series.
You can find the previous parts at the following links: part 1, part 2, part 3
***
Three weeks and many dates later, Sylvie wakes up in Matt's bed. He's not in the room and his side of the bed is still rumpled and messy. She runs a hand over the sheets finding them still warm. He hasn't been out of bed long. Getting out of bed, she borrows a pair of Matt's boxers -- rolling them at the waist so they fit -- and puts on her t-shirt from the night before.
She starts to head to the bedroom door but then her feet leave Matt's rug and land on the cold concrete floors. With a grimace she scampers over to Matt's dresser and steals a pair of socks. Why is this loft always so cold? Do Severide and Matt really run that hot?
Well, okay, she knows Matt does. Thank god. He's like her very own personal space heater.
Padding her way into the open concept living room and kitchen, she finds Matt and Severide making breakfast. She's assuming Stella's still asleep.
Matt looks up as she approaches the kitchen island. He scoops the scrambled eggs into a bowl and then rounds the island to meet her halfway, greeting her with a quick and casual peck to her lips. "Good morning."
"Morning," she replies, winding her arms around his waist.
"How'd you sleep?" He asks, mimicking her stance and holding her in return.
"Wonderful. I had you to keep me nice and toasty all night. That's always my favorite."
Severide's face pinches as he fixes his breakfast plate. "Alright, take it back to his room. I don't need to hear the bed sharing specifics."
Sylvie narrows her eyes at him and sticks out her tongue, leaning into the bratty little sister role she's found herself playing when it comes to her boyfriend's best friend. "Why do we have to take it somewhere else? You have a room too."
"Yeah, but my name is on the lease so..."
"Alright, that's enough of this weird sibling act," Matt says cutting Severide off with a laugh. "Go wake up Stella before breakfast gets cold. We need to leave for the firehouse soon anyway."
"He's only interrupting me because he knows I'm right. For the record," Severide says as he turns and leaves the kitchen.
"You guys leave for the firehouse together?" Sylvie asks Matt. She's never slept over the night before a shift before, but today was different. Today, it made sense.
"We take separate cars but yeah we leave together. Are you ready for a shift at 51?" He asks, leading her to the kitchen so they can both make a plate.
"As I'll ever be. I'm excited to work with Mikami. Shay raves about her. Says she really knows her stuff. I just hope everything goes well for Shay today. If anyone deserves a promotion it's her." Since that first shift Shay covered for her, the two of them have become fast friends. Today, Sylvie's repaying Shay's initial favor and covering 61.
"Have you thought about what she suggested at Molly's last night?"
"What? You mean me filling her PIC spot if she gets promoted to AC?" Sylvie bites her bottom lip and then shakes her head. "I have a little but...do you think that's a good idea? Us being in a relationship and working together? You don't think anyone will have an issue with the optics of that?"
"Optics of what?" Matt asks, following her to the kitchen table to eat. "You wouldn't be directly under my command. You've got an AC and Paramedic Field Chief for that."
"In my experience, the actual chain of command doesn't really matter," Sylvie mutters as they sit.
"Okay, I hear you," Matt reluctantly admits. "I know Kidd's had some weird run ins with a couple of guys even though she and Severide are on different rigs. If people are gonna be ignorant and rude logic hardly ever stops them. If you decide you don't want to, I'd understand, but keep an open mind. See how today feels. Deal?"
"Deal," she agrees, leaning over and kissing Matt's cheek. "For you."
Later, with 12 hours of a shift at 51 under her belt, Sylvie can admit Matt's house is exceptional. The team at 40 is full of good people, but they're not as close knit as 51. Violet is a great partner. A little green but extremely knowledgable. And, most importantly, Chief Boden nor anyone else at 51 cares that she's dating Matt. It doesn't affect how she does her job so it had no bearing on what they think of her.
During a quiet moment, she's sitting with Matt in his quarters and watching everyone else at 51 go about their day. None of them pay her a bit of attention as she lounges on Matt's cot while he finishes up his paperwork. When she was dating Greg at 40, everyone seemed to stare at her constantly. They watched her every move as if waiting for any sign Grainger might favor her over anyone else.
She assumed that was normal. That every house would be that way. It's odd knowing that assumption was wrong. Is this house the exception or the rule? She's never worked anywhere but 51 or 40 so it's hard for her to say.
"I can hear you thinking," Matt says before he turns in his chair to look at her. "What's going on over there?"
"My last experience dating an officer was...uncomfortable. Not because of Grainger. He was fine. But the people around us watching us like a hawk. I braced myself for an uninvited opinion every day," she confesses. "And I thought that was normal."
Matt nods, listening intently. "Thought? Past tense?"
"Your house hasn't asked me a single question about you or batted an eye when we interacted or touched. They only care about our relationship as much as they need to in order to make sure you're happy. That's...mind blowing, honestly."
The grin he points at her is slow and full of understanding. "Yeah, 51 has that effect on people, a lot."
"I was worried working together and dating would put added pressure on us and burst our little honeymoon phase bubble. I've had relationships fall apart over less, you know?" She idly plays with her watch band as she debates continuing.
Is she on the verge of too much, too soon? Should she quit while she's ahead? No, she's done softening her feelings for the sake of a man she's dating. She did that with Greg and ended up staying with him too long passed their expiration date. If anything is ever going to work out for her, it'll take her being honest to make it happen.
"And I really don't want this to fall apart. I haven't been this crazy about a person in a very long time." She takes a deep steadying breath as she finishes telling her truths and impatiently waits for Matt's reaction.
She doesn't have to wait long. He relocates from his chair to the bunk next to her and takes both of her hands in his, smiling so warmly his eyes wrinkle at the corners. "I haven't been this crazy about a person in a long time either, and we're not going to fall apart. Especially not because of any outside opinions. We're the only ones that really know how we are together and how we feel about each other. I'm not gonna let anyone, at 51 or otherwise, take that from us. Trust me on that one."
His certainty and determination send thrilling little shocks coursing through her bloodstream. She feels buzzy. Almost as if she's had a double shot of espresso, but she hasn't. No, she's got something much better: private doses of Matt Casey that she has access to whenever she wants. The more time she spends with him, the harder and faster she falls.
"Oddly enough, I do trust you. Completely."
"Good," he says, lifting the back of her hand to his lips for a quick and subtle kiss. He's aware people could be watching and he's sensitive to her worries. Most guys wouldn't be. But Matt Casey is the best of the best. Of course, he remembers and acts accordingly.
God, she's in big trouble. This man is going to own her heart before too long and, once he has it, she knows she won't be getting it back.
