Featuring: Matthew Casey, fem!reader, Kelly Severide, Christopher Herrmann, Wallace Boden, Firehouse 51 ensemble
Warnings: the whole station meddling, idiots in love
This time you really have no excuse. Matt didn’t even ask you to do this. But the thing is, he’s Matt now. Your Matt – in your mind at least. It’s been six months since the almost kiss on New Year’s Eve. And you’re still... friends. And because your FRIEND Matt is working on the 4th of July with his men, you decided to take charge of the catering.
On a normal day they find the time to cook and sit down to eat. Today that is unlikely. Since human beings take any excuse – and preferably holidays – to turn off half their brain. With a sigh you get out of Matt’s truck and grab the first cooler along with a box of sports drinks.
You’re about 20 feet from the bay door when Herrmann hollers, “Casey! Your girlfriend is feeding us again!”
The heat spreads all the way down the neckline of your summer dress. In Herrmann’s defence though – he, Cruz and Otis immediately get up to help unload the truck. It looks as if you interrupted them checking gear after a call. You enter the common room and nearly collide with Matt. He grabs your arms and takes a quick step back.
“Hey. So, that’s what you needed my truck for. You’re feeding us – again.”
Before you can summon a protest, he’s taken the cooler and the drink box from you and carried them over to the kitchen counter.
“Well, I figured you’d be busy on the 4th of July.”
“Yeah, we usually are. And with the heat we’ll get even more calls.”
The others bolt through the door, loaded with more supplies. Herrmann looks at you, “You mind setting up a quick lunch? We just came back and still have to put the truck back in order.”
You smile, “That’s what I’m here for.”
“So, would you go out with me?” that’s Kelly’s voice from behind you.
“What?”
He shrugs, “Until now I thought you just kept bringing food to have an excuse to see Casey. But if you’re not – I’d never turn down a pretty lady.”
“Well, tough luck, Kelly. I’m not even remotely interested,” you latch onto the second half of his statement.
Any possible answer is cut off by the next alarm.
For the next seven hours the guys come in, grab something to drink, take a quick bite and the next alarm sounds. They’re even splitting between who checks over the truck and who takes a short break. By the time the sun finally sets, they resemble a group of grouchy, sweat-soaked, exhausted gremlins.
The Gremlins have polished off the food and the drinks you brought for lunch and dinner by six. So, you make a resupply run to the store. When Chief Boden notices the bags and boxes, he comes over to where you’re prepping the next batch of meat filled pastries.
“Hand me the receipt, please.”
“Ugh, that’s really not necessary, Chief.”
He looks at you, “I say it is.”
You hand the receipt over and he hands you twice the amount. Apparently, he’s decided to fully financially cover the holiday catering. Given your mortgage, you say, “Thank you, Chief.”
Waving you off, he takes one of the muffins you brought.
You snuck onto the roof as the fireworks started and enjoyed watching them illuminate the skyline. The guys are still out on a call, probably because of fireworks. Which makes you like the colourful spectacle in front of you a little less. You sincerely hope people finally go to bed or at least stop doing dangerous nonsense.
It’s close to eleven by the time the calls have stopped somewhat. The gremlins get to shower and emerge as very tired, freshly dressed firemen. This time everyone gets to sit around the table and demolish the leftovers as a late-night dinner.
You’re mentally calculating the time it’ll take you to finish cleaning the kitchen and storing the rest. Your eyes are starting to burn and your feet hurt. In the quiet at the table Kelly speaks up, “Casey, get your woman to bed. She’s asleep just sitting there. We’ll take care of the kitchen.”
You blink, “What!?”
Matt looks at you, “Kelly is right, you’re dead on your feet. Do me a favour and lie down in my quarters. You shouldn’t drive home like this.”
You huff and go to lie down. You’re lacking the energy to argue.
Waking up, you nearly fall out of the bed as you try to turn over. Huh. Also, the blanket is only a sheet. But the pillow smells nice. Wait... the pillow smells like Matt?! Right. Alright. You went to bed in Matt’s quarters. Because you were exhausted. But where did your poor man sleep then?
You push off the blanket, get up and remake the bed. You look at your phone to check the time. The screen is black. Yeah, you didn’t charge it at all yesterday. There’s a gentle tap on the door window.
“Come in.”
Matt smiles at you, “Good morning.”
“Good morning.”
“Ready to head home? The guys packed the truck so I can drop you off at home.”
“Yes, thank you.” You follow him out into the dormitory.
Matt turns. “For what? You were the one who cooked and catered to the whole house for hours on end on a holiday.”
You shake your head. “You were working – on a holiday.”
You both have reached the bay where everybody is lingering. It’s like they’re waiting for something. Then Herrmann calls out, "For God's sake, get married already."
You stare at him, "We're not even dating."
A chorus of voices answers, “That's the problem.”
Followed by Herrmann adding, “Casey, have mercy on the poor woman and ask her out already.”
While Matt replies, “Herrmann, stay out of it.”
You hurry out the bay in the direction of Matt’s truck. Matt doesn’t unlock it immediately after he catches up. Instead, he leans over the truck bed in the early morning light and looks at you. "Would you like to?"
“Like to what?” you shoot back irritated.
“Go out with me,” Matt clarifies.
You take a breath and grip the door handle tighter, yet your answer comes out as a quiet huff, “Yes, please.”
This is the official companion to No Resolutions for New Year's Eve
Hence these idiots wouldn't leave Herrmann, Kelly, or me alone.
My contribution to the 4th of July celebrations of 2026. Happy holiday, dear readers across the pond!
Featuring: Matthew Casey, fem!reader, Kelly Severide, Christopher Herrmann, Wallace Boden, Firehouse 51 ensemble
Warnings: the whole station meddling, idiots in love
This time you really have no excuse. Matt didn’t even ask you to do this. But the thing is, he’s Matt now. Your Matt – in your mind at least. It’s been six months since the almost kiss on New Year’s Eve. And you’re still... friends. And because your FRIEND Matt is working on the 4th of July with his men, you decided to take charge of the catering.
On a normal day they find the time to cook and sit down to eat. Today that is unlikely. Since human beings take any excuse – and preferably holidays – to turn off half their brain. With a sigh you get out of Matt’s truck and grab the first cooler along with a box of sports drinks.
You’re about 20 feet from the bay door when Herrmann hollers, “Casey! Your girlfriend is feeding us again!”
The heat spreads all the way down the neckline of your summer dress. In Herrmann’s defence though – he, Cruz and Otis immediately get up to help unload the truck. It looks as if you interrupted them checking gear after a call. You enter the common room and nearly collide with Matt. He grabs your arms and takes a quick step back.
“Hey. So, that’s what you needed my truck for. You’re feeding us – again.”
Before you can summon a protest, he’s taken the cooler and the drink box from you and carried them over to the kitchen counter.
“Well, I figured you’d be busy on the 4th of July.”
“Yeah, we usually are. And with the heat we’ll get even more calls.”
The others bolt through the door, loaded with more supplies. Herrmann looks at you, “You mind setting up a quick lunch? We just came back and still have to put the truck back in order.”
You smile, “That’s what I’m here for.”
“So, would you go out with me?” that’s Kelly’s voice from behind you.
“What?”
He shrugs, “Until now I thought you just kept bringing food to have an excuse to see Casey. But if you’re not – I’d never turn down a pretty lady.”
“Well, tough luck, Kelly. I’m not even remotely interested,” you latch onto the second half of his statement.
Any possible answer is cut off by the next alarm.
For the next seven hours the guys come in, grab something to drink, take a quick bite and the next alarm sounds. They’re even splitting between who checks over the truck and who takes a short break. By the time the sun finally sets, they resemble a group of grouchy, sweat-soaked, exhausted gremlins.
The Gremlins have polished off the food and the drinks you brought for lunch and dinner by six. So, you make a resupply run to the store. When Chief Boden notices the bags and boxes, he comes over to where you’re prepping the next batch of meat filled pastries.
“Hand me the receipt, please.”
“Ugh, that’s really not necessary, Chief.”
He looks at you, “I say it is.”
You hand the receipt over and he hands you twice the amount. Apparently, he’s decided to fully financially cover the holiday catering. Given your mortgage, you say, “Thank you, Chief.”
Waving you off, he takes one of the muffins you brought.
You snuck onto the roof as the fireworks started and enjoyed watching them illuminate the skyline. The guys are still out on a call, probably because of fireworks. Which makes you like the colourful spectacle in front of you a little less. You sincerely hope people finally go to bed or at least stop doing dangerous nonsense.
It’s close to eleven by the time the calls have stopped somewhat. The gremlins get to shower and emerge as very tired, freshly dressed firemen. This time everyone gets to sit around the table and demolish the leftovers as a late-night dinner.
You’re mentally calculating the time it’ll take you to finish cleaning the kitchen and storing the rest. Your eyes are starting to burn and your feet hurt. In the quiet at the table Kelly speaks up, “Casey, get your woman to bed. She’s asleep just sitting there. We’ll take care of the kitchen.”
You blink, “What!?”
Matt looks at you, “Kelly is right, you’re dead on your feet. Do me a favour and lie down in my quarters. You shouldn’t drive home like this.”
You huff and go to lie down. You’re lacking the energy to argue.
Waking up, you nearly fall out of the bed as you try to turn over. Huh. Also, the blanket is only a sheet. But the pillow smells nice. Wait... the pillow smells like Matt?! Right. Alright. You went to bed in Matt’s quarters. Because you were exhausted. But where did your poor man sleep then?
You push off the blanket, get up and remake the bed. You look at your phone to check the time. The screen is black. Yeah, you didn’t charge it at all yesterday. There’s a gentle tap on the door window.
“Come in.”
Matt smiles at you, “Good morning.”
“Good morning.”
“Ready to head home? The guys packed the truck so I can drop you off at home.”
“Yes, thank you.” You follow him out into the dormitory.
Matt turns. “For what? You were the one who cooked and catered to the whole house for hours on end on a holiday.”
You shake your head. “You were working – on a holiday.”
You both have reached the bay where everybody is lingering. It’s like they’re waiting for something. Then Herrmann calls out, "For God's sake, get married already."
You stare at him, "We're not even dating."
A chorus of voices answers, “That's the problem.”
Followed by Herrmann adding, “Casey, have mercy on the poor woman and ask her out already.”
While Matt replies, “Herrmann, stay out of it.”
You hurry out the bay in the direction of Matt’s truck. Matt doesn’t unlock it immediately after he catches up. Instead, he leans over the truck bed in the early morning light and looks at you. "Would you like to?"
“Like to what?” you shoot back irritated.
“Go out with me,” Matt clarifies.
You take a breath and grip the door handle tighter, yet your answer comes out as a quiet huff, “Yes, please.”
This is the official companion to No Resolutions for New Year's Eve
Hence these idiots wouldn't leave Herrmann, Kelly, or me alone.
My contribution to the 4th of July celebrations of 2026. Happy holiday, dear readers across the pond!
When Katie bakes them a cake for pride, Casey and Severide realize that there's another part of discovering their sexualities that they hadn't exactly thought about.
AO3
***
Despite the fact that they have the boys and Katie and know that Christie, Violet and Severide’s brothers are coming over after their shift, when they get home Katie assures them that she can take care of the boys for a bit longer to let them get some sleep.
So, it’s no surprise when they wake a few hours later that they hear the sounds of gleefully screaming children from the backyard and laughter from their sisters. It’s, honestly, one of the best sounds in the world.
There had been a part of Casey that always wanted a family and never thought he’d really get one, and even years since they adopted the boys and falling in love with Severide this year, it’s still hard to believe.
But as they step outside to see some sort of water war going on, he can’t help thinking that he’s just insanely lucky.
It only takes a second for everyone to realize that they’re awake and for them to turn their water guns on them.
“Hey, no fair!” Casey yells when Severide dodges behind him. But he’s quick to find some water guns laying on the picnic table next to paints of different colors and the kids’ art of colored flags that he’ll look at later.
He turns his water gun on Severide who is getting soaked despite his best efforts to use Casey as a human shield.
He’s yelling and dodging as he tries to find a water gun himself. Christie gets him wet, distracting him from the fact that he’s getting wet from above, but as soon as he does, he glances up to see Ben and Caden in the treehouse, covering for the kids on the ground against him, Severide and their sisters, which deeply unfair.
“It’s cheating to be in the tree!” he yells, but his words are drowned out by the water raining down on him.
He hears Severide laughing behind him, followed by a playfully annoyed, “HEY!” when he’s drenched in water by the kids on the ground.
“That’s what you get,” Casey teases, even as Katie and Christie turn their guns on him.
Well, damn, guess they didn’t need that shower this morning.
***
It takes a while for everyone to settle down and dry out. Laughing and teasing about teaming up against Severide and Casey.
“I see you spent the morning trying to get the kids to team up against us while we were sleeping,” Severide teases as he starts up the grill.
“Yes, while you were just sleeping off your shift, we decided that we were going to mess with you,” Katie teases with a look in her eyes that suggests that were decidedly not as quiet as they tried to be.
He hears Casey choke on his water from where he’s chatting with Christie about the kids’ paintings, as Severide offers, “Oops?”
Katie just laughs. “You’d think you’d be better at hiding considering you have kids.”
“Well, we did everything backwards, so…” he glances over at the boys playing monkey in the middle with Violet as the monkey (at least for the moment). “… besides, the boys didn’t seem to notice.”
“That’s because they’re too young to notice,” Katie offers. “Me, though, I definitely noticed, and you should remember that your bedroom is on the floor with the kitchen and living room and dining room… you know right where visitors hang out.”
“And here, I thought you’d be outside plotting your sneak attack…”
Katie’s shaking her head with a laugh. “I was trying to bake your cake before it got too hot, and I thought you two went straight to bed –”
“Technically, we did –”
“Sev!” Casey warns.
Severide laughs as he spots the flush on Casey’s face and knows that he and Katie don’t have the same sibling type relationship that Casey has with Christie, and they definitely tend to say some inappropriate things at times.
“I wasn’t going to –”
“You baked us a cake?” Casey prompts turning from Severide to Katie, who’s giggling at them.
“Yes,” she says, excitedly. “I am very proud of the art I did. Can’t wait for you to see it.”
“Can we show them now, Aunt Katie?” Ben asks, apparently abandoning the game and causing the others to stop. “We can show you what we made for you, too.”
“Sure,” Severide offers, even though he’s confused about what art she added or why she made them a cake. “We’d love to see it.”
Katie grins. “Awesome. I’ll get go it.”
He’s immediately distracted by Ben pulling him away from the grill to where the kids’ paintings are drying on the picnic table.
“This one’s for you, dad.”
He gestures at a painting that he thinks is meant to be him and Casey and they’re both holding colored flags. Griffin’s painting, too, has them and the same two – yet, different – colored flags with him and Ben squeezed in there, too.
“It’s great, buddy,” Severide assures him.
“Yeah, great painting, kid,” Casey offers. “But why are the flags odd colors?”
Ben gives him a confused look. “They’re your flags.”
“Our flags?” Severide questions, glancing at an equally confused Casey.
Before anyone could respond, Katie comes out with a cake that also has the same two flags crossing. One that has a black triangle with thin purple stripe coming out of the triangle with a white stripe on top and grey stripe on bottom. The other with three horizontal stripes – the middle a thinner purple with the top pink and the bottom blue thicker stripes.
The words Happy Pride are written underneath the flags.
Katie puts the cake on the table with a little “Ta-Da,” smiling and grinning and he’s still a little confused.
“It’s, uh, very pretty, Katie,” Casey offers when no one moves for a minute – waiting on their response. “But what is … pride? And what are these flags?”
For a second, Katie’s mouth opens and closes, clearly because she doesn’t know what to say and ends up with, “Wasn’t Shay a lesbian?”
“Yes,” Severide says, slowly. “What does that –”
“She never talked to you about pride? About the lesbian flag or anything else?” Katie questions, sounding genuinely confused. “You said you – you started wondering a year ago, didn’t you do research?”
Casey shakes his head as Severide contemplates how to tell her about his research. “Don’t ask him about his research, it’s not going to be what you think it is.”
Katie makes a face, shakes her head and laughs. “You two really just went – eh, we want to date each other and nothing else matters, right?”
“Yes,” Severide offers because he honestly hadn’t thought about anything else. All he wanted was to kiss Casey and never stop. “Although I did make a reddit thread, but that was more about if Casey liked me.”
“Kendra gave me a book,” Casey offers with a shrug. “Which helped me figure things out – I wasn’t really sure exactly. But yeah, pretty much.”
Katie laughs and shakes her head as Christie offers, “Pride is a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, identity and history. June is pride month. Katie – we – thought with you two coming out to us that we’d honor that.”
Casey offers her a hug before asking, “So, what do the flags mean? Isn’t there only one flag?”
“Yeah, I think Shay had a flag that she said was the flag of her people, but I thought she was just making things up,” Severide offers. “Or that it was just a general flag. Neither of these looks like that one, though.”
The look Katie’s giving him is one of disbelief and mouths, “Wow,” at him.
Christie looks like trying not to laugh as Violet says, “There are a lot of different flags now.”
She pulls out her phone and shows something to Casey scans through them for a minute and says, “Yours is the pink, purple, blue one. Mine’s better.”
“Better?” he teases. “How so? It’s grey.”
“It’s not just grey and it’s got more of a design to it,” he offers, but he’s eyes are bright as he teases.
“Haha,” Severide offers as Violet launches into an explanation of the colors on the bi flag versus the colors on the demi flag.
He only finds himself mildly distracted by the fact that he’s gotten distracted from the grill and burning their burgers, but he listens as she explains, smiling slightly. It’s not exactly something that he really thought about in the last year.
Like, objectively, he knew he was bi. He knew there was an easy term for it, and he knew that he liked both men and women and particularly, Casey, but he never really looked into anything else. He doesn’t remember any mention of pride or more than one flag when he lived with Shay (she did have the lesbian flag up at their place) and he never really asked questions about Shay’s love life. They had a deal – no interference – and they kept to it, even when he wished that they wouldn’t keep to it. And when he was talking to Kendra, he never really asked about the history and stuff either. He knew, of course, of the parade and march, but he never really thought too deeply about it.
He was more interested in figuring out if his interest was worth the chaos (and wouldn’t mess up what they have) than anything else, but as he looks at the crossing flags on the cake and hears the conversation about pride and whatnot (at least what Katie and Christie know of it), he wonders if maybe he should care to learn more about that stuff.
Especially since it’s now a part of him, even if he and Casey hadn’t exactly put any more thought into it other than wanting to be with each other.
He catches Casey’s eye as he puts the food in the middle of the picnic table, and he knows he’s wondering the same thing. Maybe it’s something that they can explore together, but that’s something for later.
Right now, he just wants to enjoy celebrating with their family and their new colored flags, couldn’t ask for anything better than this.
After Severide and Casey make the jump into the river, Severide kisses him leading to a confession.
Ao3
***
Severide has no idea how he’s going to get out of this.
He’s stuck on the top of the building, holding onto this wheel to stop the explosion and he knows that the second he lets go, he needs to get out of the blast zone in less than five or ten seconds … which feels impossible.
He and Casey were able to send their men down and out of the building, sharing the burden of stopping this thing from exploding in the process, but now…
“You have to go!” Casey yells through the wind. “I’ll hold onto it.”
“Not a chance,” Severide yells, heart racing. He was not running away from this, not without Casey. “You go!”
“Not without you!”
They’re both struggling with this wheel. Boden’s yelling on their radios about the situation and they both know how stubborn that they both are. Neither of them are about to lose another best friend and for Severide, so much more than that.
He can’t stand the thought of losing Casey. Not after everything they’ve been through together. Nearly twenty years of friendship, of ups and downs, and nearly losing each other, Severide can finally admit that what he feels for Casey is much more than friendship even if he hasn’t told him, that. Maybe if they survive this, he will.
And he’s not about to let him die just because he’s stupidly putting Severide’s life, first.
Nope, not going to happen.
“Fuck,” Casey groans, yelling above the wind and the whistling from the thing they’re barely managing to hold in place. “Do you always have to be a stubborn asshole?”
“Only when you are,” Severide retorts, his hands nearly slipping. “We have to do something or we’re both going to die up here!”
Casey’s groaning as he looks around. “We have to jump!”
“Wha – are you crazy? Jump where?”
“Into the river! It’s our only shot.”
Severide’s not sure if it’s knowing that neither of them are going to make it off this rooftop if they don’t do something soon and likely won’t be able to run down the stairs and out the door even if one of them concedes to leaving the other (which they won’t because they are stubborn assholes) that has him agreeing.
It really is their only shot to live.
“You’re a crazy mother-fucker!” Severide yells.
“On three, then?” Casey asks, rhetorically, but Severide nods anyway.
“Three – Two – One – Go!”
They both let go, running as fast as they can towards edge of the building and jumping as soon as they reach the edge.
Severide feels the explosion behind him, can see the way it propels them both further over the water as he watches Casey’s arms swing as he begins to fall towards the water.
His mind goes blank, and he barely has time to register anything else as he falls quickly towards the water and has to brace himself.
The impact on his legs is rough and he sinks fairly far into the water between his momentum from the jump and the weight of his equipment. It takes a few seconds before he even begins to register that he survived the jump and has hit freezing cold water from a three-story building jump.
Fuck, he thinks as he begins to kick. He has to get out of this water and make sure Casey survived, too.
It’s a struggle, but it doesn’t take long for his head to break the surface, and he can take a big gulp of air. Once he does, he spins around in the water desperately looking for Casey and spotting him just as he hears, “Sev!”
“Case!” he says, relieved.
He’s not more than ten feet from him, and he can see that he’s just fine from the jump if not freezing from the water, but he can’t help but swim over to him.
Casey doesn’t hesitate to throw his arms around Severide, pulling them close together as they tread water. The water is lapping around them, he can hear the sound of the water police making their way over to them. There’s Boden yelling on the watered-down radios, the fire raging from the explosion, and the sounds of a chopper above them, but all Severide can focus on is Casey.
He's probably the same level of mess as Severide, soaked and chilled, but he can’t help himself when he grabs him by the face as he lets go of him to give them both more space to get keep afloat, and kisses him, hard on the lips.
He can feel the surprised gasp of air that leaves Casey when he does it, his lips chapped and tastes oddly of a mix between the earth and metals. It’s different and odd, and he probably should’ve waited until they didn’t have river water on them, but he just – he had to before he lost the nerve.
He lets go far quicker than he wants to, largely because Casey has only reacted with his mouth falling open in confusion.
Fuck, Severide thinks. He probably just screwed things up.
Maybe he could claim adrenalin? Chaos of almost dying making him do stupid things?
But before he could think to utter an apology, Casey brings his hands up to Severide’s face and brings their lips together again.
It’s still earthy and metallic, but it’s sweeter somehow, more reassuring.
Casey wants him, too? Nearly unbelievable, but he’ll take it.
They hear the sound of the water police calling out to them, and Severide is reminded of where they are and how they’re not alone and probably need to get checked out and warmed up and write up the report about how he and Casey decided to be dumb and jump into the river, but at least they survived.
“We’ll continue this later?” he asks, hopefully.
“Definitely.”
***
It takes a while for them to be warmed up, checked over and yelled at for jumping into the river, but Boden eventually concedes that it was the only option, and they should probably skip out on the rest of the shift.
Which leads them home, wrapped up in blankets, the news on TV and beers on their coffee table, but half facing each other on the couch. The TV is so low it’s nearly muted.
Severide can admit to being more than a little nervous. After the near-miss where Casey almost got back together with Dawson and Severide almost caved to being with Kidd, they’ve both been single and living happily together, but this could throw their life into chaos. It hadn’t taken long after that for Severide to realize his feelings for Casey.
He’s just never admitted them out loud.
Not until now.
“So…” Casey prompts, looking at him. “We did something crazy today.”
“Yeah, a probably should’ve picked a better location for a first kiss,” Severide admits to Casey’s laughter.
“I meant jumping into the river. It could’ve easily been bad.”
“Oh, right,” Severide says, flushing. “Yeah – that – that was crazy.”
“Did you really think kissing me is that crazy?” Casey questions. “Because I – I have been thinking about it for – for a while.”
“Really?” Severide asks, hopefully. “You really – really want to – with me?”
Casey chuckles, softly and shuffles closer to him on the couch. “Did me grabbing your face and kissing you again not tell you that?”
“I thought … maybe it was … adrenalin or something.”
Rather than respond, Casey grabs his face, lightly, guiding him forward as he leans forward to kiss him.
The moment their lips meet, he feels a spark that he hadn’t felt earlier – probably too overwhelmed – and can’t resist pressing closer. He tastes a little like beer, but it’s a lot better than river water. His lips a lot softer. He lets go of the blankets around his shoulders to thread his hands through Casey’s hair, deepening the kiss as he runs his tongue along Casey’s lips, begging for entrance.
Casey’s mouth falls open, letting him in as his hands run along his chest to his waist, pulling him up a little because their bent in legs are kind of in the way.
They shuffle a bit, not separating but somehow figuring out a way for Severide to lay back and bring Casey with him.
It’s only when the TV suddenly gets louder and the newscaster is saying, “Reports from the on-scene investigators have concluded that the explosion was intentional and through the efforts of the CFD and two decorated lieutenants that managed to contain the explosion until everyone was clear of the building, except themselves, that there were no casualties. Let’s watch.”
They break apart to look at TV in mild curiosity as to the report on the fire today.
The video they’re showing is a clip of them clearly ordering their teams out and holding tight onto the wheel to contain the explosion. They’re both yelling, although the reporter’s commentary indicates that they have no idea what’s being said.
Watching himself run after Casey and seeing the explosion as they both jump is surreal. It all happened so fast and even knowing that he’s here and alive and kissing Casey a moment ago, he finds himself holding his breath as they both hit the water.
He almost worries that they’re not absolutely fine for a second, mesmerized by watching the water as the reporter commentates – the video shown is the reporter live – so they have no idea if they survived for ten terrible seconds.
Then, Casey breaks the surface and he’s not looking for help or at the Chief or anything other than at the water, looking for him.
The camera zooms in on his face, the utter relief when he surfaces a few seconds later, doing the same. Neither of them even remotely concerned about anything other than each other.
“And they look alright – amazing. A fall like that, the explosion behind them and – oh, what’s this?”
The camera zooms back in on them, kissing in the middle of the water. He can clearly see the moment they break apart, Casey looking mildly confused before he takes the plunge and kisses him only to get interrupted.
The real Casey reaches over and turns down the TV before he looks back at Severide. There’s a soft, slightly happy look on his face.
“I know that we’ll probably have to deal with shit from the brass, but I think being lauded as heroes will go a long way towards getting them to shut up about us being boyfriends,” Casey offers.
Severide laughs and teases, “I don’t recall you asking.”
Casey laughs, too. “Oh, so that was a friend kiss? You’d have kissed Mouch if it’d had been him?”
He’s shaking his head, smiling and already so fucking gone on this man. He pulls him down kissing him again but making it a little shorter than before. “You’re my boyfriend, Case. Definitely not kissing anyone else like that.”
“Good,” Casey assures him and kissing him, again. “Because I don’t really want you kissing anyone else like that.”
Severide can’t help smiling up at him. He never really imagined this somehow, but he’s certainly glad that he went for it.
Severide and Casey learn that they have a Saturday tradition with the boys and Severide realizes that for all his fear of commitment, he's found the easiest thing in the world to commit to: his life with Casey and the boys.
AO3
***
Sometimes, Severide thinks that it’s been a long time since he really committed someone. After the first Renee, he had buried his hurt behind one-night-stands and not really trying for anything long-term. He had only really committed to the second Renee because she’d been pregnant, and that’ hadn’t even lasted. He supposes that he tried with Anna, but the connection they had had a lot to do with the donation as opposed to if they met and dated without that.
But then, even she had pointed out that he could never really commit to her when he was already committed elsewhere – to Casey and the boys.
The life that they built even before he realized his feelings for Casey didn’t really leave much room for anyone else. Even with Jamie – what a disaster that had been – he’d already known in a way … when he told Casey that he couldn’t sleep with anyone else in their bed or show anyone else their room because they’d immediately think he was cheating on Casey.
And he’d known that… long before he could acknowledge that he had feelings for the man, who manages to look unfairly gorgeous just playing catch with their boys while Severide grills. And long before he managed to squeeze a kiss into their fake dating scheme.
And okay, it just kinda happened, but fuck, Severide’s been so committed to this man long before they got together that it should’ve been so obvious.
How it taken him so many years of friendship to get here.
A life with an amazing man, two wonderful kids, and a commitment that should’ve been as obvious as it’s been easy.
Even if it’s still slightly surprising.
“You’re staring,” Casey says, as he puts the plate of burgers in the middle of their backyard picnic table. The weather is surprisingly nice, and they’d taken advantage of it. He notes that the boys must’ve gone inside to wash their hands and Casey’s taken advantage of a moment alone to get into his bubble.
He grins even as he leans back against the house. “Oh? Well, I happen to have very gorgeous boyfriend that I am allowed to stare at whenever I like.”
Casey flushes, and chuckles. “I love hearing you say that.”
He reaches up with one hand and runs a thumb over his lips.
“That you’re gorgeous or that my boyfriend?”
It still feels new – even if it’s been months. No one really knows because they haven’t told anyone, so it’s not as if either of them has gotten to hear it much.
“Both,” he admits, pressing forward and kissing him, sweetly.
It’s a shame that they can both hear the sounds of boys coming through the house back to them because if he could have anything right now, it’d be to suck his boyfriend’s dick, but he can’t do that in front of their kids.
They break apart and Casey gives him a smile before he goes in to get cleaned up himself with a wink that promises some fun later.
***
Of course, later comes after the boys are in bed.
Severide still loves that he gets to read Ben bedtime stories (and tease Griffin about missing out on them) as he puts them both to bed. It’s one of those things that he never really thought he’d get used to; let alone love so much that he dreads the day Ben decides he’s too old for bedtime stories.
Still, he can’t help smiling as he makes his way through the kitchen and dining room to join Casey in the living room. Despite the fact that Casey could easy make it a little warmer in the house, he chooses instead to have it a little colder (which Severide prefers) just so he can have an excuse to wear Severide’s sweatshirts.
Which is why he’s sitting with his legs stretched out on L of their couch in shorts and Severide’s sweatshirt, reading the book even though the game is playing softly on the TV.
He smiles as he joins him. Laying down with his head in Casey’s lap, staring up at Casey’s book.
Casey lifts his book out of the way, to look at Severide grinning up at him. “Hi, there.”
“Wha’cha you reading?” he asks, as picks up Casey’s left hand to play with it.
“Nothing now,” Casey teases, putting the book to the side and running his free hand through Severide’s hair. “Kinda can’t do it one handed.”
“I could give you your hand back,” Severide offers, though he doesn’t want to.
Casey moves his hand so he can lift Severide’s hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to it before laying it back down on Severide’s chest. “Nah, it’s yours to play with. I’d much rather you play with my hand than read my book.”
There’s a flutter in his stomach that makes him feel a little like a teenager with a crush, and he barely manages to keep himself from blushing, especially with Casey’s other hand running through his hair and the way that he’s looking down at him like there’s nothing better in the world than this.
He could close his eyes and drift off to sleep with Casey’s attentions if he wanted, so he does.
He plays with Casey’s hand, listens to the commentary on the game, and relishes the feeling of Casey’s hand running through his hair. It’s so… oddly domestic.
He kinda likes it and he smiles.
Happy and content.
***
He didn’t realize that he fell asleep until he hears, “Daddddd, you’re in the way.”
He can feel the warmth of the sun on his skin as it streams through the window, a crick in his neck from using Casey’s thigh as a pillow, and the feeling of his kid’s hands pushing at his legs.
Before he can even open his eyes, the sounds of the TV indicate that they’ve already changed the channel, and he can hear Casey groaning. He shifts up as he opens his eyes to see Ben and Griffin a lot more awake than either of them are right now. He glances at Casey, who’s rubbing his neck as he, too, has a crick and shifts up for where he’d slunk down on the couch as he slept.
The boys are oblivious as they hop onto the couch where his legs were, pushing him to lean into Casey, which he doesn’t mind at all.
Casey’s arm is still around his shoulders and Severide brings his hand to lips to kiss it. He feels Casey kiss his cheek. He turns to kiss him on lips, only to remember that they probably need a mint.
It takes Casey a second longer, after they kiss, and as he leans back, he laughs, “Probably should invest in some mints.”
Severide laughs and shakes his head as he gets up. “If we’re going to have cartoons, we should at least have breakfast.”
“I’ll help,” Casey offers as he accepts Severide’s offered hand, grinning as he does because it’s really just an excuse for a moment alone.
It takes the boys no time at all to get into their vacant spots, not at all worried about them and only caring about cartoons.
Severide smiles as he pulls Casey with him to the kitchen. This morning isn’t all that different to their previous Saturday mornings in recent years, except, of course, the way that Casey grins at him when he leans back against the cabinets in their kitchen and pulls him into him to kiss him regardless of the fact that they definitely definitely need a mint or two.
He revels in the way that Casey wraps his arms around his neck, deepening the kiss, and enjoying a moment together.
When they break apart, leaning their foreheads together, Casey still teases, “Still need a mint.”
“You’re such an ass,” Severide teases.
“Yeah, but I’m an ass that … sucks your dick… so… it’s worth it, yeah?” Casey teases, whispering the middle part so that their boys won’t hear anything that they shouldn’t.
“Definitely.” He reaches for his hands and pulls them in between the two of them, kissing them in assurances. “Every moment that somehow led us here is absolutely worth it.”
Casey laughs. “Never thought raising the boys together would lead here, did you?”
Severide shakes his head. “We stumbled into it but thinking about it… it was probably so obvious.”
“Yeah, it probably was.”
He gives him a still mint-free kiss, that gets interrupted by Ben sliding into the kitchen in his PJs and socks and nearly ending up in the wall, catching himself with the chairs as he yells, “Dad, dad, can we have chocolate chips in our pancakes?”
“Who says we were making pancakes at all?” Severide teases, as Casey moves slightly to look at Ben, too, hands still in Severide’s hands, but his back to the fridge.
Ben rolls his eyes as he climbs onto one of the stools by the island. “Because it’s Saturday. You always make pancakes on Saturday.”
“Didn’t know we become so predictable,” Casey teases. “Maybe we should make French toast instead?”
Ben tilts his head to one side as he asks, “Can you put chocolate chips in those?”
“That sounds gross,” Griffin offers as he joins them. “And it’s pancake Saturday – you can’t have French toast on Saturday.”
He climbs onto next to Ben at the island, looking a little confused that the bowls and ingredients aren’t out yet, because another part of their Saturday tradition is each making their own pancakes.
“Can’t argue with that logic,” Severide teases. “Pancakes it is.”
“Yay!”
***
Later, the boys are sitting on the floor at the coffee table (because they still aren’t terribly great at not making a sticky mess) with their pancakes – chocolate chip for Ben and blueberry for Griffin – watching some kid show on the TV. He and Casey are eating their own pancakes – Casey with bananas and Severide with M&Ms he snuck in because he’s always trying to tease Casey about the best tasting pancakes and has a different kind every Saturday – while on the couch behind them.
It's been a little over three years since the accident, since the worst night of their lives that opened up to this – this family they’ve created – and he can’t help thinking that as afraid as he was about commitment and committing to this life with Casey (even before they started dating), he can’t help thinking that was the best decision he’s ever made.
And he’s so glad that he gets to do this every Saturday with the people that he loves.
