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𝐭𝐞𝐧: 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮.

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                The clatter of the utensils colliding with the plates fills the awkward silence surrounding the table of six. Maddie was focusing on her pork chops while her husband seated across from her was having a hush conversation with her mother (and it seemed like the conversation was going well as Helen Cojuangco patted Kelly's cheek--just like any mother would).

               Beside Maddie was Jill Masen, her best friend since the two were merely in diapers. Maddie and Jill were inseparable until they graduated college and the former realized she wanted to do something more than business. Not to mention, Maddie wasn't overly fond of Jill's fiancé. This led them growing further and further apart. Meanwhile, Nigel--who sat at the other edge of the table with a beaming smile--encouraged Maddie to follow her heart. They grew closer since Nigel loved travelling and was all about the fun of life. 

Now, Ophelia Cojuangco was a whole other story.

               Seated beside her brother-in-law, the younger Cojuangco never stopped rolling her eyes  or glaring at Maddie. Kelly caught on to this once his eyes settled on Maddie's avoidance of eye contact in their direction but he didn't say anything about it. However, he did send a reassuring smile to Maddie and she returned it with a meek one.

              There was an odd tension that surrounded the married couple. It was odd because neither of them experienced being so mad or frustrated with the other. Heck, they were only married for a mere six months. Kelly didn't know what Maddie's coping mechanism was when dealt with an arsonist trying to kill you nor did Maddie know just how dangerous his job was. Maddie thought his job was more like climbing trees to save a cat. 

Boy, oh boy, was she wrong.

              The taxi ride to the restaurant was silent though Maddie and Kelly decided to put a united front--smiling and accepting the embraces that were given. There was a moment where the smile planted on Kelly's face vanished as he went to put his arm around Maddie's waist and she discreetly took a step away from him. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Nigel was in the middle of telling a story about the time he went backpacking across Europe when a voice chirped out Maddie's name.

              "So, Maddie." Surprisingly, it was Ophelia. "How did you know Kelly over here was the one?"

A satisfied smirk fell on Ophelia's lips as she asked the question. She had noticed the awkward tension between the two and wanted to rub it in her perfect older sister's face. Finally, bad luck had fallen into Maddie's lap.

             "Oh, yes!" Helen marvels, an excited grin on her face. "Please do tell us, mija."

             "Well, Kelly." Nigel interrupts, "If it was me who you'd flash those baby blues to, then you would've made a faithful man out of me."

The whole table erupts in laughter and even Maddie let out a small giggle--hiding it behind her hand though the dimple in her cheek gave it away. Kelly caught this and his heart seemed to flutter at seeing her smile after so many days of her seeing her frown.

Unfortunately, Maddie was not out of the spotlight. The table's laughter died down and all eyes were on the architect turned painter.

             "Kelly is very. . ." Maddie kept eyeing the food on her plate as if the answer was there. It was difficult to answer this type of question when you were angry at your spouse. "He's very-- uhm--"

              "Aha! So you do admit that you married him to make Mom furious." Ophelia interrupts and her older sister's response was quick.

"What?! No!" Maddie denies, her head shooting up and meeting Kelly's baby blue eyes.

If anything, the only reason she agreed to marrying him was because Kelly Severide found the joy in simple things and Maddie thrived for the simple life. 

Yes, Kelly Severide was one attractive man but there was so much more than a boyish grin or a good body to him.

             Eyes trained on her husband, Maddie finds the answer creeping up on her tongue. "Kelly has this. . .he has this way with words."

She gave him a half-smile which said (and Maddie hoped he was on the same page as her): I'm sorry you're hurting because of me. We'll fix this. I love you.

             "He just knows the right thing to say even if it's something as stupid as me freaking out over the color brown." The couple's smiles grow wider, brighter--a pivotal moment between them which had turned into an inside joke. "He's very patient and he cares about the people he loves--a lot."

             Helen turns to Kelly and questions him, "And what about you, dear? What made you so drawn to our dear Madeline?"

From beside him, he could hear a scoff from Ophelia but ignored her nonetheless as his eyes never left Maddie's.

              "Well, for starters, I love her smile."

Kelly tells the table, emitting a gush of admiration from Nigel. "As cliché as this sounds, Maddie just has one of those smiles that makes your heart go: yep, she's it--she's the one."

By now, Helen and Nigel were gushing over the lovebirds and even a smile managed its way onto Jill's lips as she watches the clear adoration her best friend and Kelly had for each other.

              "Maddie is also as stubborn as a mule but brave. Maybe even braver than me."

             "My sister is brave? Yeah, right."

Kelly's eyes never stray away from hers as he affirms his previous statement. 

             "She is. Sometimes, I underestimate the kind of spunk she has in that short body of hers. I forget that Maddie has her fair share of tragedy and her own way of coping is probably best for her."

            "Oh, it's a match made in Heaven!" Helen cries out with joy as she dabs the tears away with her napkin. "Bring the champagne! We should make a toast."

Among the loud cheers and the grumbles from Jill and Ophelia, the couple's eyes never left each other's. Maddie mouths a sincere thank you to Kelly for his efforts and for putting up with her shenanigans. In return, Kelly raises his wine glass to her and winks as if he was saying: even if we go through hell and back, I got you.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

              "Ugh, why doesn't somebody just make a Maddie train so all of you can go hop on it and get the fuck away from me." Ophelia grumbles as she stands side by side with her brother-in-law.

The two watch a tearful embrace between Maddie and her mother. It looked like Helen was on the verge of tears as Maddie kept shaking her head though a tight smile was plastered on her face. For Kelly, he was curious on why Ophelia hated her older sister so much. 

It would be bias for him to say that every cell in Maddie's body was perfect.

              "Why do you hate her so much?" Kelly asks, turning to look at Ophelia.

He was surprised to see almost a younger version of Maddie. The Cojuangco women had big, Bambi eyes with the color of the Earth's soil. Maddie and Ophelia shared the same dimple with their father and the same nose shape. While Maddie's hair was wavy and long, Ophelia's was in a bob cut that seemed to only bring out her youthful features.

             "Oh, I loathe her." Ophelia answers, her jaw clenched. "I know that it's hard to believe but Maddie used to be this huge kiss-up to Mom and Dad. I think she wanted all the attention they gave her. She was always their perfect little angel no matter what she did."

Kelly made a sound of acknowledgement, noting to himself to ask Maddie about more of her life after everything had blown over.

             "Did you know she dropped out of her Master's Program to pursue painting and follow her heart? Yeah, it broke our parents' yet she's still the golden child." Ophelia continues, her eyes never straying away from her mother and sister.

This time, Ophelia looks up at Kelly as if she was judging him and wondering why her older sister settled with him in the first place. "What was the date you and Maddie eloped?"

              "November 9."

              Ophelia clicks her tongue. "Ay, that's when Maddie was supposed to take over the family business--well, it was the day after that. Stupid bruha ran away from her problems."

Okay, so Kelly didn't know what bruha meant but he deduced it was offensive.

              "Maybe she just didn't like the idea of taking over the business." He shrugs, "Maddie is a really good artist. Her paintings are phenomenal. Did you know they sold for around 300,000 dollars during the last art show? Man, she's good."

Truth be told, Kelly was defending Maddie when she wasn't there to defend or explain herself. He was sure there was a reasonable explanation behind her actions. And, bragging about his wife was a bonus point.

Ophelia rolls her eyes and sneers, "Yeah, yeah. Maddie is good at everything."

Helen Cojuangco had beckoned for her youngest daughter to get in the car with her and Maddie gave her sister a pained look.

               "Well, it's time for us to head home." Ophelia announces and turns to her companion for the last five minutes, "It was nice meeting you, Kelly Severide. We'll meet again soon when you and my sister file for divorce in a few months."

Kelly gives her a closed-mouth smile--a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "Har, har. Goodbye, Ophelia."

As the two sisters walk towards each other, there's a sudden halt from Maddie. She looked like she had to tell her younger sister everything she didn't say before she moved to Chicago like I'm so sorry for being such a burden or I love you, please know that.

However, Ophelia never looked back and kept walking towards the car. Maddie crosses her arms and swallows the ball of guilt down her throat as she watches the Range Rover drive away.

She feels a hard and broad chest walk behind her and a blazer falls on her shoulders. She didn't need to turn around to know it was Kelly--he was always there to comfort her even if Maddie thought she didn't need nor deserve it.

             "Have a few drinks with me?" Maddie asks him, hopefulness in her voice.

              To her relief, Kelly responds. "What's the best bar in Miami then?" 

AUTHOR'S NOTE
i published a jay fic
whooopsie but check it
out if ya love king
jay halstead 😌💗

also,, i was thinking
of doing a series
of books based on
the one chicago series?
like this is book one
and book two is the
jay fic so yeAH

tell me what ya think 😌