Chapter Text
It was one of those perfect days where the sun hung lazily in the sky, and the crisp autumn air made everything feel alive. Jay and Kelly had finally scored a day off together—a rarity given their demanding jobs. They’d decided to make the most of it by going for a trail run at a nearby nature preserve, one of Kelly’s favorite spots.
“This is what we’ve been missing,” Kelly said, his breath coming easily as they jogged up a winding path.
Jay, a step behind, laughed. “Speak for yourself. I’m regretting letting you pick the trail.”
Kelly glanced back with a grin. “Come on, Halstead. You can keep up. Or is Intelligence too soft these days?”
“Soft? You’re lucky you’re cute,” Jay shot back, though the teasing edge in his voice softened as he took in Kelly’s smile and the way that his T-Shirt firmly clung to his torso.
They ran in companionable silence for a while, the sound of their footsteps mingling with the rustling leaves and distant birdsong. The trail narrowed as they climbed higher, the view of the forest below opening up to reveal rolling hills and a sparkling river.
“You’ve gotta admit,” Kelly said, slowing to a stop at a scenic overlook, “this beats paperwork any day.”
Jay nodded, wrapping his arms on Kelly’s waist as he caught his breath. “Yeah, okay. You win this round.”
Kelly turned toward Jay, a playful glint in his eye. “So, what’s my prize for winning?”
“Mmm… depends on what your plans were for tonight,” Jay replied, leaning into Kelly, pressing his lips onto the firefighter’s cheek, not caring about the fact that sweat was dripping down his face.
“Ohhh… does it now?”, Kelly said, turning to wrap Jay in a proper hug, Jay’s head resting on his shoulder and Kelly’s head resting on top. Jay took out his phone, snapping a quick selfie of the two of them, one to add to the growing collection.
“I’m going to get one more picture of this before we go back home and never come up here again.”, Jay said jokingly, taking a step closer to the edge, but as he moved, the loose dirt beneath his feet gave way.
“Jay!” Kelly’s voice tore through the calm as Jay’s arms flailed, trying to regain his balance. In an instant, Kelly lunged forward, grabbing Jay’s wrist just as he slipped over the edge.
Jay dangled precariously, the rocky drop below him making his stomach churn. His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline surging through his veins.
“Don’t let go!” Jay’s voice was tight with fear.
“I’ve got you,” Kelly said, his voice steady despite the panic in his eyes. He braced himself against a nearby tree, his boots digging into the ground as he strained to hold Jay’s weight. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Jay’s fingers clenched around Kelly’s wrist, his grip weakening as sweat and dirt made his hands slippery. Blood was slowly dripping down his arm, the product of a gash formed by a sharp rock sticking out of the cliff face. “I—Kelly, I’m slipping.”
“No, you’re not,” Kelly said firmly. He adjusted his grip, his other hand reaching down to grab Jay’s forearm, tightening his grip. “Just look at me, okay? Keep your eyes on me.”
Jay did as he was told, focusing on Kelly’s face instead of the void beneath him. “You’re way too calm for this,” he muttered, his voice shaking.
“Trust me, I’m freaking out on the inside,” Kelly admitted, his muscles straining as he fought to keep Jay steady. “But we’re getting out of this. Together.”
Kelly’s muscles were screaming, his grip trembling as Jay’s weight dragged him closer to the edge. He adjusted his hold just enough to free one hand, fumbling for his phone in his pants pocket.
“Hang on, Jay,” Kelly said as he pressed the emergency button.
911 picked up immediately.
“This is Lieutenant Kelly Severide with the CFD. I’m at Greenridge Trail, the east overlook. My—uh, my boyfriend slipped over the edge. He’s dangling, and I can’t pull him up alone,” Kelly explained, his voice firm despite the rising panic in his chest.
The dispatcher’s voice was calm but urgent. “Help is on the way. Can you keep him stable until they arrive?”
“I’ll do my best,” Kelly replied, glancing down at Jay. “How long?”
“About 15 minutes.”, the dispatcher said, keys clicking on her computer.
15 minutes felt like an eternity, but Kelly had no choice. “Thanks,” he muttered before tossing the phone aside and refocusing on Jay. He could hear the dispatcher still talking on the other end, most likely going through a script on how to keep someone calm when faced with this emergency.
The seconds stretched into what felt like hours. Jay’s legs kicked out, searching for a foothold that wasn’t there, while Kelly’s arms trembled under the strain.
“You’re going to owe me big for this,” Kelly said, forcing a grin to keep Jay’s spirits up.
Jay huffed out a weak laugh. “Fine. Dinner’s on me. Just…don’t drop me.”
“Hey,” Kelly said, his voice softer now as he tightened his grip on Jay’s arm. “Talk to me, Jay. You’ve gotta stay with me, okay?”
Jay’s face was pale, his breathing fast and uneven. “I’m…trying,” he muttered, his voice strained.
“You’re doing great,” Kelly said, his tone encouraging. “But I need you to keep talking. Tell me about the first time we went to Molly’s.”
Jay huffed out a weak laugh. “You…mean the time I was faking being your boyfriend?”
“Yeah,” Kelly said, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I truly didn’t even think you’d consider being my boyfriend after being bribed by Eliza.”
Jay’s grip tightened slightly on Kelly’s arm. “Almost didn’t. But you—” He winced, his voice faltering.
“Stay with me,” Kelly urged, his voice firm. “I what?”
“You were you,” Jay said faintly, blinking up at him. “Made it…hard to leave.”
Kelly’s heart clenched, but he forced himself to stay calm. “Well, I’ll keep being me. But you’ve gotta stick around to see it, alright?”
"Don't let me fall- please- please Kelly." Jay said, futilely trying to grab onto Kelly's arm tighter and tighter.
“Never,” Kelly promised.
After what felt like an eternity, the sound of sirens echoed through the forest. Kelly let out a relieved breath as the rescue team arrived, quickly setting up ropes and harnesses.
“It’s gonna be okay,” Kelly murmured, his eyes locked on Jay’s. “They’re here. You’re safe.”
The rescuers secured Jay first, carefully pulling him back onto solid ground. As soon as Jay was safe, Kelly collapsed to his knees, his arms trembling from the effort as he crawled over to Jay, who was being strapped to a gurney.
Jay lay flat on his back, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath, a paramedic he didn’t really recognize pressing gauze to the gash on his arm. “You’re still too damn calm for this.”
Kelly chuckled softly, brushing Jay’s hair back from his forehead. “And I told you, I’m freaking out on the inside.”
Kelly leaned back, the adrenaline fading as relief washed over him. “You scared the hell out of me, Jay.”
Jay turned his head to look at him, a small, shaky smile on his lips. “Guess that makes us even for you needing a fake boyfriend.”
Kelly chuckled softly, brushing a hand through Jay’s hair. “I’m starting to think we’re bad luck for each other.”
“Maybe,” Jay said, his smile growing. “But I’m not going anywhere.”
“Good,” Kelly replied, leaning down to press a lingering kiss to Jay’s forehead. “Because I’m not letting you.”
“Next time,” Jay said, his voice still a little shaky, “we’re picking something safer. Like movies on the couch.”
Kelly grinned. “Deal. As long as I get to pick the movie.”
Jay groaned but didn’t argue. Kelly held his hand as the rescue team carried Jay down the stretcher, and kept holding on as Will stitched up the gash, alternating between reprimanding Jay and making sure both men were really okay.
It was hours before the men were really alone again, back in Kelly’s apartment, Jay sporting a stitched up bicep and Kelly with a sling on his right arm supporting a strained rotator cuff, both of them now having a week and a half off of work.
“So I’m thinking we start with Titanic, and then Pinocchio, and then move onto the entire Avengers franchise.” Kelly said, already listing off movies that had Jay grinning and rolling his eyes.
“Noooo, not Pinocchio, please, anyone, save me.”, Jay cried dramatically, sending both him and Kelly into a fit of laughter. When it died down, Kelly leaned closer to Jay, holding eye contact with him with a pensive look on his face.
Kelly leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Jay’s forehead. “Don’t scare me like that again.”
Jay managed a weak smile, leaning forward and kissing Kelly softly. “No promises. What I can promise you is that I'll keep hanging onto you for as long as I can.”