Differences

Ten

Kelly drops the subject. He lets Evan shower and eat dinner in peace and even eat breakfast the next morning without saying a word on why he didn't think he could come back to Chicago. But as it approaches noon, he shuts off the tv where they had been watching their third episode of a nature documentaries series that he had found for Evan.

"Why didn't you think you could ever come back to Chicago?"
Kelly's chest tightens at the look on Evan's face that's pure heartbreak. "Because, I love you. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone and I want nothing more to be in our city, but I can't. Not when things with Stella are getting more and more serious. I can't..." He trails off, blinking back tears.
The confession leaves reeling, it's all things he's heard before, Evan loving him more than anyone else in his life, he's said those exact words back to him. But he's stuck on him mentioning Stella. "What do you mean? Stella and I aren't together. We never were together."
"Kelly, we didn't have sex once when I visited, we barely kissed. And it seems like every shift I worked at Molly's I heard people talking about you and her, how you were getting a ring and ready to take that step."
"We didn't have sex because of doctors orders. And we barely kissed because usually we ended up in bed, on the floor, the couch, or against a wall when we do. I don't think I've ever taken so many cold showers." The admission earns him a quiet huff of laughter and he smiles before he grows serious again. "I never thought about marrying Stella, all we were was fuck buddies and that didn't last long." Kelly shifts, leaning towards the younger man and taking one of his hands in his. "Evan, there is only one person I've ever even thought about marrying after Renee and that's you."
"You never said."
"I know and that's on me for not expressing that." And before he can think it through, he slips off the couch and onto one knee, still gripping Evan's left hand tight. "I want to marry you, Evan Buckley. I want to give you everything you deserve even though you deserve better than me and what I can give you. I want so many things for you and I'm willing to wait if you aren't ready. And I'm willing to let you go if you decide that you want someone else." His grip tightens on Evan's hand at the same time Evan's grip tightens on his, the two men sharing a laugh at the reaction of the idea of actually being with someone that isn't the other. "I've wanted you since the day I met you and there hasn't been a day since and won't be a day that I won't want you."
"Are you proposing?"
"No, I'm promising."
His smile seems to grow larger at that, "I've wanted you since the day we met too and I can't ever see a day I won't want you. And it's me who's never deserved you."
"Agree to disagree."

Evan lets out a laugh that's nearly too loud and Kelly gets off his knee to sit back on the couch, letting go of his hand in the process. "Oh, I see we only hold hands when we talk now." He jokes.
The older man rolls his eyes and before Evan can say anything else, he pulls him into a kiss. It reminds him of their first, how Evan freezes before relaxing into. Kelly smiles at the slight dazed and hungry look in his eyes when he pulls away. "I love you."
"Love you too."

He goes to lean in again when the sound of Evan's phone ringing sounds into the space. "If that's Matt or Hermann, I'm throwing them out a window."
Evan laughs at his words, as he gets up to answer his phone. He frowns seeing who it is. "It's Bobby."

"Bobby? Is everything alright?" Kelly makes a motion with his hands that makes him roll his eyes but comply with the silent request. Pulling the phone away from his ear he puts it on speaker.
"Everything's fine, Buck. I just wanted to check to see if you have plans for tonight."
"Uh, if this about covering a shift, you know I'm off until the bruises heal up."
The captain laughs, the sound slightly filled with static. "No, everyone's coming over to the house tonight, or at least Athena and me are trying to get everyone to come over tonight. I already called Chimney and he said that he and Maddie are going to come. You were my next call."
"Oh," Evan frowns and Kelly shrugs when Evan looks over at him. "I'd love to come, but Kelly would be coming with me. That alright?"
"More the merrier." Bobby chuckles. "Get there by five and don't worry about bringing anything, we've got everything covered."
"Got it. See you then." Before Bobby can reply Evan hangs up.

"You know what's going to get me through this whole thing?" Kelly says before Evan can say anything.
He raises an eyebrow.
"The idea of Voight finding out all of this and coming here."
Evan lets out a laugh, slightly horrified by the idea. "If I let you drag me to bed right now, will you not even mention the name Voight during dinner?"
"It's funny how you think Voight is one of the names I'd bring up, but I'll take that."
Before he can protest and say that Kelly isn't allowed to bring up any of the people he's thinking of, he's being pulled up the stairs to his bed.