Work Text
The clock on the stove had just hit 2 am and the sliding door to the loft had slid open. Carlos saw the top of TKs head and assumed he fell asleep on the couch. He had told TK numerous times to not to wait for him to come home, yet it had been 3 days of not seeing his husband and TK had enough.
Calros walked to the side of the couch after he dropped his bag by the door to look if TK was sleeping. He was in fact not, he was scrolling on his phone and finally looked up to meet Carlos' eyes. “Babe, did you wait for me? You know you don't have to, right?”
“Yeah but it's been a while carlos. There's some pasta in the fridge” TK mumbled back while looking back at his phone. TK got up from the couch and went to their bedroom. He didn’t mean to have a grudge against Carlos but he was just upset.
“Are you okay” carlos asked standing in the doorway
“No” TK responded
“What is wrong, TK?” Carlos asked, walking towards the bed. He didn’t want to go to bed with TK mad at him. Even though that already happened and Carlos didn't know.
“I haven’t seen you in days, carlos!! DAYS!!” TK finally admitted. The air thickened, there was no way they could just sleep without having some kind of conversation.
“I'm sorry TK, I really am. I have a case and it kept me later than anticipated”
“It was THAT case wasn't it? It is always that case and miss you”
Carlos didn’t need to respond. They both knew it was and that between 24 hour shifts and major calls there was barely any time to meet up for lunch. Just a few texts throughout the day.
There was a lump in Carlos's throat. Pain and regret. They had been married for 7 months and they were arguing at 2 am. TK had the day off but worked the next day “Ok. Okay. I’m sorry TK, I love you and I’ll start going to the firehouse and we can meet for lunch.”
To be honest, Carlos missed TK just as much TK missed him. He just thought staying late was gonna help him, he just didn’t expect the clock to hit 1 am so soon.
“Fine. Thursday, I want to see you at lunch. No work talk. Just us, eating lunch.”
“Okay. That sounds good. I love you” Carlos was on the bed sitting next to TK. Neither of them liked to feel this way. This unknown distance between each other, and neither knew how to fix it. The unknown drift is so subtle to Carlos but noticeable to TK.
“I love you too, carlos”
Carlos leaned over and gave TK a kiss on his forehead. A kiss goodnight, a kiss of I love you, before he went to the kitchen to go have a late night meal.
It would all be okay. Some day, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but someday.