Chapter Text
Ten minutes later Kurt was in the canteen studiously stirring his coffee trying not to look at his daughter. Finally he sighed.
“I didn’t know how to tell you, I couldn’t find a way. I didn’t know what you might thi…”
“… Are you happy?” The sudden interruption startled Kurt.
“What?”
“Are you happy?” Looking up Kurt tried to gauge Linda’s expression. Giving up and knowing that Linda will never leave this alone he decided just to answer.
“Yes, I’m very happy”
“Then I’m happy too. Oh dad of course I’m happy, how could I not be.”
Kurt just shrugged and allowed Linda to look at him critically before quirking an eyebrow.
Linda suddenly grinned. “I knew you looked happier. You’ve lost weight too haven’t you? And you look smarter, like you’ve actually shaved this month. “
Kurt laughed, of course Linda would notice things like that. Thanks to Magnus’ insistence on long walks and occasionally meals other than take away he had indeed lost weight and he was quite proud of this fact.
This reminder of Magnus sobered Kurt up a bit and Linda picked up on his change of mood.
“He’ll be ok?
“So they say”
Linda reached out and held Kurt’s hand between her warm ones. “So tell me how you two got together.”
Two hours later, after sending Linda away with the promise of a phone call, Kurt found himself back in Magnus’ room. He already felt lighter after talking it all through with her. Strange how one little truth can make everything feel a little better. Knowing that he had Linda’s support felt like a weight had been lifted. And he definitely had her approval if her “How did you manage to get a man with an arse like Magnus’?” was anything to go by.
Chuckling silently, Kurt reminded himself to tell Magnus about their conversation when he woke up. Because he would wake up.
He bent down and gave Magnus a quick kiss on his lips trying to ignore how cold and dry Magnus’ lips felt. Running his hand through the curly hair of his lover Kurt couldn’t help whispering.
“You need a haircut love”
He almost expected a reply but managed to stop himself from being disappointed when he didn’t get one. Just about. Sitting himself in the chair beside the bed Kurt resigned himself to a long, uncomfortable night.
There was blood everywhere, covering his hands, his arms; it was all over his clothes. He couldn’t stop staring at it dripping from his fingers onto the growing puddle on the floor. Looking around the dimly lit room he was confused. Where was everyone? Groping around trying to get his bearings his fingers brushed against something solid. Grasping it tightly left bloody hand marks over the white cloth. Looking closely he could see that it was a man’s shirt. His eyes roamed over the figure until he could make out the shape of a head in the dark. Suddenly the room was lit in a brilliant light, squinting he tried to focus his eyes until he could clearly see the face.
No! The curly, golden hair that would always tickle his nose in the morning. The stunning eyes that were always so expressive when they showed sadness and irritation and joy. The body he knew almost better than his own. The pale skin he had spent hours, touching, tasting, cataloguing.
He could hear a terrible cry and he realised it was coming from his own throat. Magnus was wide-eyed and still. His face slack and grey in death, and the blood, the blood was everywhere. He looked down when he felt a weight in his hand and saw a gun, his finger still on trigger, the barrel still warm. He screamed.
Kurt woke with a start and groaned when he felt the terrible ache in his neck. Dear god why do they make these chairs so uncomfortable? A quick glance at his watch revealed that he’d been asleep for about four hours. Rubbing his hands over his face Kurt tried to clear his eyes. He stood up to relieve the ache in his back, groaning when his spine clicked back into place. Trying to get his mind back in order Kurt made a list of the things he had to do: Call Lisa to find out what was going on, call Anne-Britte to thank her, get some food and definitely have a shower.
Quickly bending down to plant a quick kiss on Magnus’ cheek, Kurt turned ready to leave.
“I’ll be right back.”
“Hmmm” Startled Kurt looked down to see Magnus turning his head to the side, he could see the thin eyelids beginning to flutter as Magnus tried to open his eyes.
“Magnus?” Kurt clutched the clammy hand. “Love, can you hear me?”
Kurt felt the slightest pressure on his hand and his heart leapt.
“Magnus, I need you to wake up now. You’ve slept enough you lazy arse”
“Hmmm jealous?” The voice was faint but it was the most wonderful thing Kurt had ever heard. Looking into the bleary, half-lidded eyes of his lover he gave a smile of relief. Feeling the sob rise up Kurt buried his face in Magnus’ hair, his favourite place. His arm going around Magnus shoulder Kurt gave him a gentle squeeze before gathering himself up.
“Hey, I’m going to call for the doctor ok? I’ll be back” Taking a frantic step back Kurt stopped when he felt the slightest resistance on his arm. Magnus was looking up at him and Kurt could see the hint of fear in eyes.
He bent close enough to brush his nose against Magnus’.
“I’ll be right back”
When Anne-Britte and Nyberg entered the room the next evening they walked in to find Magnus sitting up slightly in bed, Kurt next to him with an arm wrapped round his shoulders. They were talking softly, leaning towards each other so closely that their foreheads were almost touching.
“Ahem”
Anne-Britte grinned when the two finally noticed they had company. To her surprise Kurt didn’t pull away right away. He simply smiled at his colleagues and grabbed Magnus’ hand.
“Right, I’m going to head home very quickly, I’ll be back in an hour. Is there anything you want?”
“For you to take a shower? Seriously Kurt you stink” The harsh words were softened by Magnus’ smirk.
Nyberg snickered but soon shut up under Kurt’s withering glare.
“I’ll be back in an hour.” he repeated, stealing a quick kiss. Turning to his colleagues Kurt thanked them for coming to keep the younger detective company. “But don’t talk about any cases, he’s supposed to be resting”
Giving Magnus one last smile and laughing at the sulky look Magnus gave him in return Kurt quickly walked out of the room. The last voice he heard was Magnus.
“So tell me what’s going on with the body in the church”
Kurt sat down at his desk and stared at report. It was the final report on the case of Magnus’ shooting. It had turned out to be a teenager who had found his father’s gun and thought it would be fun to take a couple of pot shots at the police. His defence had tried to claim that he hadn’t meant to hit anyone and so shouldn’t be charged for the maximum term. Kurt had been so angry when he heard that he’d trashed his desk at work and them promptly gone out to get drunk.
Thinking about it now Kurt felt ashamed with himself. He was so grateful to Lisa who had once again covered him, giving him compassionate leave until he’d sorted himself out. And Magnus; sweet, patient Magnus had put him to bed that night, stroked his back as spent the night throwing up and then had spent the next morning bitching him out for his irresponsible behaviour.
It had been another low in Kurt’s life but now 6 months later things were looking up as Magnus walked into the main office. Throwing the report down on the desk he walked over to join the others in welcoming Magnus back.
He was sitting on Anne- Britt’s desk chatting with Nyberg. Lisa was watching the team with a small smile. When she saw Kurt she simply raised an eyebrow at him before walking back into her office. Kurt saw her grin widen though so he wasn’t worried.
“Right, as lovely as this is, we have a job to be getting on with. Magnus, seeing as you’ve been having a nice rest for the last 6 months you can go down to the archives. I need a list of every missing person who fits this criteria from around 1972. Most of it won’t have been computerised so you’re going to have to find the physical record.” He ignores Magnus’ eye roll as he handed him a file.
As the others began get started on their own duties Kurt stepped closer.
“You sure you’re ready to be back at work? No one would begrudge you another couple of weeks”
“Kurt if I spend another week at home I swear I will go mad, I am fine. I’ll take it easy I promise.”
Despite himself Kurt couldn’t help the summersaults in his stomach when Magnus mentioned home. After Magnus’ had been discharged Kurt had whisked him back to his own house and Magnus hadn’t left since. Two months ago his tenancy had run out and they hadn’t even discussed renewing it. Instead Kurt had arranged for a moving van and the next day all of Magnus’ belongings had found a home at Kurt’s…their… home.
Now look at them: Kurt was living with the man he loved. All of the important people in their life knew about them and supported them and Magnus was mostly fit and healthy and back to work.
Yes it had been a tough 6 months but they had come out of the other side stronger, and Kurt was very much looking forward to the future.