good/right/real

Chapter 5: Crash and Burn

Matt stumbles into the kitchen, rubbing his temples in a weak attempt to soothe a massive headache. Last time he lost someone, he retreated inward and did his drinking at home. But this time, his home had either been a place he shared with Gabby or a place filled with his coworkers. So, instead, he chose to do his drinking out and then cab it home in the wee hours of the morning.

But he had rules -- especially after accidentally sleeping with Brett.

He never went out the night before a shift. He never drank at Molly's. He never let it lead to a one night stand.

The point, after all, was simply to forget. Besides that, all he has now is his job and he's not going to screw that up by walking into the firehouse hungover.

He's worked too hard and too long to screw it up now.

"You were out late," Shay says with a quirked brow as she sets two bottles down on the counter in front of him. Tylenol and water.

He swallows the pills dry and then chugs the bottle of water before he even attempts to answer her. She waits, patiently, in nothing but a t-shirt, and her underwear. That's something he's had to get used to over the last week. Around the apartment, Shay wears basically nothing and doesn't give a shit who sees her.

"Like you've never had a late night?" He fires back with a smirk.

"Well, yeah," Leslie replies with a shrug. "But I'm me. You're Casey. It's different."

"It's not a big deal," he says dismissively. "I have nowhere to be today."

"Yeah, I figured that. Kelly said you haven't had a construction job in over a month."

There's a lecture hidden in that statement somewhere, but he's too tired, sore, and sick to care. "I don't need it," he replies. "51 is enough. That's where my focus should be."

Her tone and her expression are dry. "Right. Well, I'm gonna grab a shower and head to the gym. If you're gonna be out drinking every night that we don't have shift the next day then you may want to start doing the same. I'd hate to see you pull a Chief Tieberg and develop a beer belly."

She leaves without another word, her bare feet padding across the apartment until the bathroom door slams behind her.

Safe to say Shay isn't impressed with the new Casey. A part of him can't blame her. But then isn't that the point of all this? To not be Lieutenant Matt Casey?

"I thought I was the one who pulled the all night binges?" Severide asks as he walks into the living room with a coffee cup in hand.

Matt snorts and lifts a shoulder. "I guess I learned from the best."

"I don't like it," Kelly tells him with a wry smirk. "I feel like I have to balance this out somehow. If you're doing the heavy drinking then I shouldn't."

"Hey, do what you want," Matt tells him as he reaches the cabinet that holds the mugs. "I'm fine if you wanna be my drinking buddy."

Kelly gives him a look that's somehow both surprised and tired. "Nah, I'm good."

He pours himself a cup of black coffee, takes a long sip, and then grins at Severide. "Suit yourself, but you're missing out."

"I'm sure I am," he deadpans. "Just...watch yourself, man. It's easy to lose yourself in this kind of thing."

Matt shakes his head and rolls his eyes. Yeah, that's kind of the point. "It's fine. I know what I'm doing."

Kelly nods stiffly but his expression still looks too serious for Matt's liking. "You know, the Chaplain is meeting with anyone who might need coun--"