911 Lone Star Fic - Tumblr Posts

Soon You’ll Get Better

Prompt -  'Holy orange bottles, each night I pray to you, desperate people find faith, so now I pray to Jesus too.’

Owen knew he had to tell you. He had told Judd, as hard as it had been to say the words out loud for the first time, he had told him. He had told TK, or more accurately TK found out himself and Owen could no longer deny the truth, could no longer smile and pretend it wasn’t real, not when TK had looked at him with those wide, watery eyes and a tremor in his voice.

He knew he had to tell the team but he couldn’t do that because he had to tell you first. He knew Judd and TK wouldn’t tell you but they had both had countless conversations with him about how you needed to know and he knew they were right. If he were being honest with himself he was holding off telling you for the same reason he hadn’t told TK back in New York when he’d found out, he was scared.

Owen Strand was scared and it was easy to put on a wide smile and hide behind it, to push the diagnosis to the back of his mind and enjoy the time he had with you. He liked to think he was a strong man but this was different, it was different in the same way he was weak opposite TK who was hurt and terrified, he was weak because he didn’t think he could stand seeing the fear in your eyes, the look on your face every time you looked at him knowing that the cancer was eating away at him. He couldn’t stand the thought of you looking at him like he was already dead, nothing but a walking corpse.

He hadn’t known you very long but it was long enough to know you were special, to know that you would be somebody who changed his life. He cared for you deeply, from the second you walked into the firehouse and flashed him that warm smile before sitting opposite him and TK to talk about your place in the 126. He liked to think he had done a good job hiding how much he liked you from your half hour meeting but the second you left TK had turned to him with a wide grin of his own and Owen rolled his eyes as he told him to shut up before any words even left his mouth, something that only made TK smile wider.

Working alongside you was thrilling, Owen had had partners before but the way the two of you moved with each other, always knowing what the other was thinking without either of you needing to voice anything wasn’t just helpful in your line of duty but it also made Owen smile every time he thought of your silent communication, knowing that you had become so close after only a few weeks together. He let himself think of a future, he had to because he refused to think about what could happen if the chemo didn’t work. He let himself think of months or years working side by side with you, the two of you in perfect sync. It was a thought that made sitting in the hospital slightly more bearable.

Owen knew you weren’t stupid. He knew you had noticed him sneaking off during shifts only to come back slightly shaky and pale, he had gotten lucky that you hadn’t pushed it, only asking if he was ok and making sure he had a bottle of water when he returned. He knew this wouldn’t last for long though, eventually you would start pushing, asking him what was wrong and the last thing he needed was you dragging him to Michelle.

So he had to tell you, something that was easier said than done.

It wasn’t like he hadn’t tried. In fact countless times he had invited you over with the intention to tell you about the cancer only to back out at the last second, pushing it to the back of his head as best he could before focusing on your company. He had called you into his office multiple times where there were no distractions before he always decided against it, telling Judd and TK’s disappointed looks that telling you at work wasn’t the best idea.

But he knew he couldn’t put it off any longer and swore to himself that today was the day he would tell you.

He had already invited you around for a dinner he was in the middle of cooking, TK had left the house with a warning that he better tell you tonight and Owen would make good on that promise.

Things between you and Owen were good, the two of you had been close from day one. It felt like you had known each other forever, there was no awkwardness, no strained silences. The two of you got to talking and immediately hit it off. Owen knew it was going in a good direction, he knew you liked him and God knows how much he liked you. He had seen the hints when you had been over at his place, knew that if he had just leaned in and kissed you that you wouldn’t have pushed him away.

But he couldn’t. It didn’t feel right to start something with you without you knowing about the cancer. He wouldn’t judge you if it were too much, if you decided to just be friends and stop the flirtatious looks and teasing remarks. He’d be devastated, no doubt about it, but he would understand. Jumping into a relationship with a sick man wouldn’t be ideal.

By the time you were knocking on the door Owen felt like a nervous mess and without any alcohol to soothe his nerves he felt ready to back out of this conversation again.

All the stress seemed to melt away as he opened the door, seeing you standing there with a smile on your face brought a matching one to his. You weren’t dressed up, you had long since switched from that to a more comfortable attire with the more time you spent at Owen’s house and yet somehow you still managed to take his breath away.

“Can I come in?” You laughed, causing Owen to snap back to reality and smile wider at you, shaking his head to clear his mind as he opened the door wider for you.

“Please do, dinner’s almost ready.” Owen told you as he took your coat. “Beautiful as always, dear.”

He couldn’t stop his smile from widening even as he knew the eye roll was coming.

“You okay? You sounded…I don’t know you sounded weird on the phone.” You asked as you leaned against the counter and watched Owen walk towards the pans resting on the stove.

The silence stretched for a moment too long and you frowned as you stared at his back, watching as he tensed up before seemingly forcing himself to relax.

“Owen?” You asked again and heard him sigh before turning the heat down.

He turned to face you with a serious and almost sad look on his face causing you to look at him warily, not sure what bad news he was about to deliver but knowing it was coming.

“Hey, talk to me.” You prompted softly, watching as Owen let his eyes fall closed as he took a deep breath. “It’s me, whatever it is we’ll deal with it.”

Those words had Owen smiling and opening his eyes to stare at you in wonderment. God, you were too good for him, he had no idea what he had done to deserve even meeting you. Here you were, so ready to stand beside him and create a solution to whatever it was that was bothering him.

If only it were that easy.

“I was going to wait until after dinner to tell you.” Owen began, feeling like his throat was swelling up on him.

“Tell me what?” You asked, keeping your voice soft even as your brows knitted together as you looked at him in confusion.

“C’mere,” Owen said, knowing full well he was doing nothing but buying himself a few more seconds of living in a world where you didn’t know but there was no going back now.

You let your fingers entwine with Owen’s when he held his out for you, squeezing his hand reassuringly as he led you to the living room and onto the sofa. Neither of you let go of the other as you sat next to each other, nor did you move your legs when your knees brushed together.

Owen opened his mouth only to close it against every few seconds, sure he had gone over what he was going to say to you a thousand times and that was all well and good but actually sitting here beside you, your hand in his with your thumb brushing against his skin, it felt impossible to get the words out.

“Hey,” you said quietly, not talking until Owen looked over at you and you smiled sadly when you saw fear on his face, “whatever it is I’m right here.”

Owen forced himself to swallow around the lump in his throat, his eyes suddenly burning at your words before he took a breath and nodded.

“I don’t know how I got so lucky finding you,” Owen murmured and took comfort in how your smile shifted and brightened your face. He let himself relax as he looked at you for a second longer before forcing the words out. “I should’ve told you a long time ago but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

“Tell me what, Owen?” You asked again and Owen squeezed your hand before he spoke.

“I’ve got cancer, Y/N.” There, the words were out. He had actually told you and even though a weight was still resting heavily on him he felt a little bit better knowing that you knew, that going forward he was being totally honest with you even if it meant losing you.

Owen never took his eyes off you as he told you the secret only four people knew, five now that he included you. He watched as your eyes widened, watched your skin pale, saw the way your mouth fell open and tears filled your eyes seconds later once the words fully hit you.

He hated that he was the reason for such a reaction, he only wanted to draw smiles and laughs from you.

Then there was the fear that clouded your eyes, the fear he so desperately didn’t want to see. You were scared for him and Owen didn’t want that, he didn’t want you worrying that every second you spent with him would be your last or if he was suddenly going to kneel over mid conversation.

“Y/N, I’m alright.” Owen said when minutes had passed and you had yet to say anything. His words seemed to snap you back to reality and you swallowed around the burning lump in your throat, feeling tears well in your eyes as you stared at Owen.

“No, you’re not.” You whispered, a hundred questions racing through your mind.

“Hey,” he said softly, not letting go of the hand he was holding as he lifted his other to cup your cheek and wipe the few tears that had leaked out. “I’m really ok or as ok as I can be. I’m on the treatments the doctors want me on and they like my chances. I’m ok, sweetheart, I promise.”

You leaned into the touch on your cheek before shifting forward to press your forehead against Owen’s and heard the soft chuckle as he held you close to him, both of you silent for the next few minutes as you took in what he had told you.

“You said you're on the treatment, does that mean chemo?” You whispered, not wanting to move away from him.

“Yeah, yeah they have me on chemo. That part is hard, I won’t lie but they say it looks good so I can’t complain.” Owen reassured you and you nodded against him, needing another moment to take in everything.

“Does TK go with you?” You asked, hating the thought of Owen going through this alone.

“He has been but he only found out not too long ago-”

“You’ve been doing this alone?” You asked him, interrupting whatever else he was going to say.

“Of course that’s the part that upsets you the most.” Owen chuckled but brushed his thumb across your cheekbone, keeping you in place when you went to pull away. “It’s not too bad, well except for this guy who comes in when I do and, well story for a different time but I’ve been ok.”

You nodded again and let the silence stretch despite having more questions to ask, wanting to know exactly what type of cancer he had, how far along it was, how long had he been on chemo, how long had he been dealing with this alone if TK only found out recently? Instead of asking them though you squeezed Owen’s hand in yours and lifted your free one to rest on top of his still resting on your cheek. Owen smiled as you turned your face slightly to press a soft kiss to his palm.

“I really don’t know what I did to deserve you.” He told you again and you shook your head with a smile because really it was the other way around.

Seeing Owen sat in the hospital chair, wires connected to a machine and a needle being pushed into his skin, made your heart ache. He looked tired though and yet even now, even when he was the one who needed you to be brave, there he was smiling over at you and reaching a hand out for you.

“I’m alright.” He assured you and you couldn’t help but laugh softly.

You forced yourself to relax in your seat as you reached for his hand and squeezed it softly, letting your thumb brush against his skin as you smiled at him. Even though he knew you were scared you couldn’t tell him that, not whilst he was the one suffering.

It was hard to hide your fear though, under the hospital lighting Owen looked exhausted, his own fear well disguised for your sake no doubt. You knew it was your turn to push away how scared you were, Owen needed you to be brave right now.

It had been two weeks since you found out he had cancer, weeks you had spent trying to come to terms with it but it seemed impossible. Owen having cancer seemed like it wasn’t real, how could this man, this charming, confident, caring man suddenly be sick, be in a hospital chair getting treatment for cancer?

It didn’t seem real and yet here you were with him.

In the two weeks you had known you had familiarised yourself with orange bottles filled with different pills, listened as Owen explained what they were for. More than once you had raised the issue of if he should be working, if he should be running into smoke filled buildings when he had lung cancer but each time he brushed you off and told you he wasn’t going to give up his job.

Some nights you found yourself so consumed by fear it felt like you were going out of your mind, the idea of losing Owen…

Every time TK called you you got a burst of anxiety, expecting the worst and then having to swallow down how scared you had been for a second once he started talking and everything was fine. You had never been heavy on religion, never found much comfort in praying but you had spent countless nights since finding out praying to anyone who would listen that Owen would be ok.

“I know you are.” You told him, proud when your voice didn’t shake.

“You sound like you actually believe that.” Owen told you with a laugh and you couldn’t stop your smile from widening.

“Of course I believe it,” you told him, letting yourself focus on being with Owen, on making sure he was as ok as he could be and not having to worry about you. “You’ll be out of here before you know it.”

“It’s not so bad now that you’re here.” Owen smiled and you squeezed his hand again, watching as his eyes drifted down to them before he raised them to press a kiss against the back of yours. “Thank you for being here, sweetheart.”

“Nowhere else I’d rather be.” You told him, forcing your smile to stay in place and the tears to disappear before they had the chance to fill your eyes.

“I can think of a hundred different places I’d rather take you.” Owen chuckled and you found it easy to laugh with him causing his smile to grow.

“Soon you’ll get better and we can go wherever you want.” You grinned at him and he kissed your hand again as he smiled over at you, completely enamoured by you.

When he told you about his cancer he had expected you to put distance between the two of you, to put a stop to the flirting and the touches, the lingering gazes, he expected all of it to stop. Never in all the scenarios he had played out had he imagined you sat at his side at every doctor's appointment or chemo session, never had he pictured you squinting down at orange bottles, frowning at the long words and googling what they were.

He didn’t know what he had done to deserve you, it was a question he pondered before telling you about the cancer and it was a question that he couldn’t wrap his head around after telling you. He knew you were scared but no matter what you stuck to his side, if he tried to sneak away to throw up you were there with a glass of water and his toothbrush, if he needed a minute to catch his breath you were there comfortingly rubbing your fingers along his back. Whenever he needed you you were there and he thanked God for bringing you to him every day.

He’d get better, he’d seen the chemo out and do whatever the doctors asked of him if it meant he could make good on his promise to take you to the hundred other places he’d rather be with you, to experience a life and a future with you.

Owen Strand would get better and you would be there every step of the way.

---

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Prompt -  After the move from New York to Texas, the gang try to set Y/N up on several dates.

When your dad had first brought up Texas you hadn’t exactly been over the moon with the plan but there wasn’t much you could do to argue against it considering the circumstances surrounding why you were leaving. Besides there was no way TK would have moved out there without you and you would have hated home without him and your dad.

Now though it felt like this place was more like home than New York ever had been, something that you had thought would be impossible a few months ago. You’d had friends in New York of course but they were nothing compared to the friends you’d made in Texas, friends who you saw on a daily basis, friends who felt more like family even after only knowing them for such a short amount of time.

By all accounts not much should have changed for you really, you were working the same 9-1-1 operator job you’d had back in New York, your boss had been great helping with the transfer to the Texas call centre. You were on your way to getting your own apartment which you couldn’t wait for, much as you did enjoy living with your dad and TK.

And yet somehow everything felt different than it had in New York, it felt like you could be yourself here, let yourself enjoy your life properly instead of putting on a show for your friends.

Texas had no bad memories but New York…well New York was full of them. New York reminded you of days spent hesitating to answer your phone in fear of hearing that TK had been found in a ditch somewhere, that he was already dead or that he was too high to move and you had to find him in a drug den. New York was your mom and dad fighting whilst you and TK desperately tried to drown out the shouting.

Texas was better. Texas had a TK who had been clean since being here. It had your dad who seemed happier than you’d seen him in a long time. You hadn’t always been close with your dad, it took a while after the divorce for you and him to sort things out between each other, after countless apologies and talks the two of you were closer than ever.

Then there was TK. You had never not been close with TK, the two of you had been attached to each other's side for as long back as you could remember. Your twin brother, though if you asked TK he’d include the word older in there, he was older than you by a mere ten minutes and damn if he didn’t take the chance to tell anyone you met, always had your back even if it had been rough when he was using and you always tried to look out for him, tried to keep him alive.

You and your mom didn’t particularly get on well, your relationship with her was already strained but when you and your dad started getting along she hadn’t taken it well. You weren’t overly sad to leave her in New York but despite that you would always be grateful to her. She had been the one to do what you never could, she was the one that got TK into rehab and clean.

So when your dad called you one day you hadn’t been scared to answer the phone, TK had been clean for a while now and all the anxiety you had over answering calls was pretty much gone. Of course then he went and undid all that progress by telling you that TK had overdosed and he was in the hospital.

You had been shocked to say the least, devastated at the thought of TK using again. It seemed wrong, you’d seen him yesterday and he had seemed completely fine. It wasn’t until you got to the hospital and after wrapping you in a tight hug your dad told you that Alex had been cheating on TK. Your heart had ached, more so when you saw TK in the hospital bed and his eyes filled with tears as he hugged you.

It wasn’t long after that your dad told you both of the plan to move to Texas, TK was given no choice in the matter, he was leaving New York and he wasn’t going down that path again. Your dad had told you that if you wanted to stay in New York he’d understand, though the gutted look on his face told you he didn’t want that and the look TK had given him told you TK was ready to fight him on it.

You had about as much choice as TK had in the matter though, if your dad and TK were leaving New York then so were you. It’s not like there was much holding you there anyway.

You still remembered the conversation when TK had come over to your apartment, remembered how small he seemed as he curled up on your sofa and apologised that you had to uproot your entire life just because he was a failure. Your heart broke as you took a seat next to him and let him cuddle into you and you had spoken to him well into the early hours of the morning, promising you wanted to be with him and your dad no matter where that was. You knew he hadn’t been fully convinced, you knew it would take more than one conversation to make him believe it, but TK had nodded as you spoke and smiled at you, even if it was only a small one, and it wasn’t long after the two of you had fallen asleep together on the sofa.

From there it had been easier than you had thought to pack your things up and leave New York behind. Sure there was the sadness that came with leaving the place you had grown up in behind but you didn’t feel like you’d regret your decision.

And you hadn’t. Not weeks into being here, not months into being here. It felt easy to make Austin your home, it was easy to find a routine and settle in. It was worth it to see TK smile wider than he had done in New York, to watch him fall in love again with a guy you trusted to take care of him. It was easy to watch your dad make friends and hang out with them whenever their shift ended.

It was refreshing having a set of friends who actually seemed to care about you. You and Grace had made quick friends at the call centre on your first day when you had been introduced to her and placed on the desk opposite her. Conversation flowed easily between the two of you and it wasn’t long before you were meeting up outside of work, going for coffee or grabbing a bite when your shift ended, and being invited over to her house for dinner or drinks.

Life in Austin was good.

“So,” Grace grinned as the two of you walked into the break room after hours of sitting at your desks, you rolled your eyes knowing where the conversation was going. “How’s the crush going?”

That was another thing that was good in Texas. The dating scene in New York hadn’t been for you, sure you’d been on dates and met guys in clubs but actually, properly dating somebody just seemed impossible back there. Not that here was much different, you hadn’t actually gone on a date here yet but there was Ethan. Though you’d protest out loud to it being called a crush you could admit to yourself that it absolutely was one and a big one at that.

You’d met Ethan a few weeks into working at the call centre and after a small talk in the break room you had made your way back to your desk to see Grace already grinning at you. After she had finished teasing you she told you Ethan had lived in Austin all his life and had been working at the call centre for just over two years now. She had told you that from what she knew of him he seemed to be a fairly good guy, no one had said anything bad about him so far.

From there your attraction to the man had grown and while you were pretty sure he liked you too neither of you had made a move, much to not only yours but also TK and Grace’s disappointment.

“There is no crush.” You told her, a smile pulling at your lips at her groan and moved to get Grace’s and your lunch from the refrigerator.

“Y/N, you know I love you but I don’t know how much more of this I can take.” She told you, causing you to laugh as you sat opposite her. “I mean the two of you spend all day sneaking glances at each other, never mind the fact that when you talk he spends more time looking at your lips than anything else.”

“Okay, okay, so there’s an attraction,” you admitted, making her smile widen. “But, I don’t know Grace, I really like him, you know? I mean sure I dated around in New York but there was never anyone who I really liked.”

“Let it happen then, keep talking to him, keep sneaking glances and whatever happens is meant to be.” She told you and you took a deep breath whilst nodding at her.

It had been a long shift and when you walked through the door of your dad’s place, where you would be living for only a few more weeks whilst your apartment was getting ready, you could tell you weren’t going to rest any time soon.

“Hey kiddo,” Owen greeted as he wrapped his arm around you and pulled you into a side hug. “We’re getting ready to head to the bar, you in?”

“Yeah sure, just give me a minute to change.” You told him, watching his smile brighten as he let you go and it wasn’t long before the two of you walked into the bar together, TK already there and as you looked around you could see Carlos at the bar.

“Y/N!” TK grinned as you walked up to him and you couldn’t help but grin back, it was good seeing TK this happy, it looked good on him. “How was work?”

“Shut up!” You groaned whilst pushing him away from you causing him to let out a laugh as he moved back and leaned against you.

“Ok, ok but seriously when are you and Ethan getting together?” He asked and your dad gave you a questioning look. “I mean I see the way your face lights up, no one in New York made you smile like that.”

You couldn’t stop the soft smile pulling at your face as you leaned your head against TK’s shoulder. He was right, you could feel how much lighter you were and whilst it wasn’t all to do with Ethan you were really glad for the move to Texas. All three of you were much happier.

“Same goes for you, TK, if I didn’t know any better I’d say you were half way ready to call it love.” You murmured as Carlos headed towards your group and took great delight in watching TK’s cheeks heat up.

“What are you two talking about?” Carlos asked as he smiled at TK whilst handing drinks out and you saw a few extras, figuring the rest of the 126 would be joining tonight.

“Oh I was just seeing when Y/N was going to go on a date.” TK told him, grinning at you when you shook your head at him even as a smile threatened to pull at your lips.

You had sworn your dad, TK and Grace to secrecy over your little crush. You weren’t sure why, maybe it was because this was the first time you had really been into a guy and wanted to experience it privately before telling them, but all of them had kept their word even if TK found other ways to draw attention to your dating life.

“Have you met anyone here, Y/N?” Carlos asked with a smile, “I know a guy down at the station and I think the two of you could hit it off.”

You glared at TK as you watched his grin grow wider and Owen couldn’t stop a chuckle that he hid behind his glass as he looked between the two of you. Before you could say anything you were stopped by the rest of the 126 joining the table and silently thanked whoever was listening for the change in conversation as the rest of the night was able to continue without a single mention of your love life.

The next few weeks were fairly eventless, something you weren’t used to considering who your family and friends were but you welcomed the quietness. Not much had changed, the call centre took up most of your hours and after a long day you were able to crash in your new apartment which made Texas feel even more like home. Somehow even though you’d moved out of your dad’s house you still found yourself hanging out there after your shifts.

During the week not much happened, there were still the stolen glances across the room from you and Ethan, waiting to see when the other would get up so you could bump into each other in the break room and have lunch together whilst you got to know each other better.

Today you had started out stressed after your phone hadn’t charged meaning your alarm never went off making you nearly an hour late for work and every call from then on seemed to only reach you if it were a matter of life or death. By the time Grace gestured for you to take a break you were more than happy to, not even sparing a glance across the room today but instead just grabbing your coat and leaving the building, needing to be away whilst you steadied yourself.

“Hey,” Somebody called but you didn’t turn around, the streets of Austin were busy so you didn’t think much of it until you felt somebody touch your arm. “Hey, are you alright?”

It was Ethan. You didn’t know what to do with the fact that you felt some of the tension ease just from his touch, from his presence. You hadn’t hesitated to accept his offer of lunch at a coffee shop not too far from the call centre and barely felt the time passing until he checked his phone and his face dropped slightly as he announced the two of you should probably get back to work.

“Wait,” He said as he took your hand in his to pull you out of the way of people walking in the street. “Listen, I really like you, Y/N, and I’ve wanted to ask you out for months but you were new here and I thought it was best to let you settle in before I asked you. I’d really like to take you out if you’d let me.”

You hadn’t been able to stop the smile that spread across your face, your bad morning and the constant flood of calls momentarily forgotten about as you nodded your head and made plans for dinner the coming Friday before making your way back to the call centre, all the while his hand never left yours.

That night you ended up in the bar with the 126 and Grace, Grace who hadn’t stopped shooting you looks all day and seemed unable to stop grinning at you whenever she so much as glanced in your direction.

“Oh hey, Y/N,” Carlos said after everyone already had a few drinks in them, “you never did say if you wanted me to set you up with my friend down at the station.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Judd interrupted, causing you to smile as he raised his hands to look at you, “you’re goin’ on a date?”

You watched as Grace and TK, who had seemingly realised through Grace’s looks that there had been a development, grinned over at you causing you to roll your eyes.

“No, I’m not going on a date with Carlos’ friend.” You told them and Grace nudged your knee causing you to roll your eyes.

“I know a guy up in one of the other houses, real nice guy, why don’t you let me set you up with him?” Judd asked and you shook your head, smile still in place, but before you could say anything Marjan jumped in.

“Wait, my friend knows this guy and he’d be perfect for you, Y/N!” She told you and you couldn’t help but laugh as you finished the last of your drink and stood up to head to the bar, turning towards the group before you left.

“Thank you all but I can find my own dates.” The group's laughter followed you as you made your way to the bar and ordered another drink, smile widening as you felt somebody move next to you before nudging his shoulder with yours.

“You seem happy today.” TK prompted and you shook your head as you leaned into his side, pausing to let him order his drink before you spoke.

“He asked me out.” You told him and looked over at him to see him beaming at you and you couldn’t stop yourself mirroring the expression back. “It might not go anywhere but…I’m excited.”

“I’m really happy for you, Y/N.” TK told you softly squeezing your hand in his and you let out a soft chuckle as you nodded.

“I’m happy for you too, TK.” You murmured, shifting to look at the group but with the exception of your dad and Carlos no one else glanced in your direction. “I know the reason we moved down here wasn’t great but-”

“I’m still sorry about that.” TK interrupted, shifting his gaze from you to the glass he had been handed. “Looking back I know I should have spoken to you or dad but in the moment, everything just seemed so…but I never thanked you.”

“TK I’ve told you a hundred times you don’t have to apologise.” You sighed and watched as he lifted his gaze to you, eyes wide and watery. “And what didn’t you thank me for?”

“For moving here with us.” He said as he tried to blink away the tears and paused to take a sip of his water. “I mean dad’s been amazing with all this, you know, but I couldn’t have done it without you here. I know you uprooted your whole life and I never thanked you for that.”

“TK, you don’t have to thank me either. There was never any doubt that I’d come to Texas with you and dad, I liked New York, hell I thought I loved it there but moving here was the best decision of my life. I know we didn’t move down here under the greatest conditions but you’re good now and I can’t picture being anywhere else.” You told him sincerely, glancing back at the table and smiling softly at the family you had made gathered together.

“I really love you Y/N, I’m glad you’re happy here.” TK said as he pulled you into a hug and you heard him sniff quietly but didn’t say anything as you wrapped your arms around him.

“I love you too, TK.” You murmured into his shoulders and the two of you took a second more before pulling away and heading back to the group.

Months passed since that night at the bar and it was now coming up to being a year since you had moved to Texas. It felt like a whole different lifetime since you were in New York, not realising how unhappy you were as you went about your life until you came to Austin.

Now everything had changed, you and Ethan had been dating for three months and you had yet to tell the rest of your friends. You had told your dad when it was just the two of you at his house, TK out with Carlos for the night, as you both curled on the sofa and played movie after movie. During one of the breaks where you had headed into the kitchen for a food break you had told your dad that Ethan had officially asked you out and that you had said yes. Owen had just beamed at you and pulled you close, murmuring how proud he was of you and how glad he was that you were happy.

You hadn’t needed to tell Grace, that woman knew from the second you sat at your desk the day after Ethan had asked you to be his girlfriend that something had happened. You hadn't even been able to keep a straight face through her teasing, grinning back at her as the two of you leaned across your desks and spoke about the date in hushed voices, missing the fond looks directed at you from across the room.

TK seemed to have whatever superpower Grace had because when he had come to your apartment with takeout and had given you a questioning look before his face broke out into a grin you couldn’t do anything but groan as he came to the conclusion you and Ethan were official. The two of you spent the night talking about your lives since moving to Texas and gushing over your boyfriends.

It was a few nights later you found yourself in the bar, everyone from the 126, as well as Carlos and Grace sat around a table and as always seemed to be the case after a few rounds the conversation shifted to your romantic life.

“I’m just sayin’, she’s been here what nearly a year? I know a guy who I think is good enough to date her.” Judd said and you couldn’t help but laugh as Carlos shook his head and gestured to you.

“I know Y/N and her and Logan would be great together.” Carlos insisted, causing Owen to chuckle as you buried your head against TK’s shoulder, feeling his laugh as he watched the conversation.

“What’s wrong with my guy?” Judd asked but before Carlos could respond another voice cut them off.

“Hey, sorry to interrupt.” He said and your head snapped up from TK’s shoulder to grin at Ethan as you stood up and made your way round to his side, wrapping your arm around his waist, leaning into him as he wrapped his around your shoulder.

“Neither of your guys are good.” You told Carlos and Judd, watching as they frowned whilst looking between you and Ethan. “Everyone, this is Ethan, my boyfriend.”

The look on Carlos and Judd’s face was priceless to say the least, both of them doing a good job looking betrayed as you introduced everyone to Ethan and took your seat next to each other.

“You’ve had a boyfriend this whole time?” Judd asked before he looked at Grace who smiled sweetly at him. “And you’ve known, y’all let me sit here trying to set her up how many times and didn’t think to mention anything?”

“You knew too, right?” You heard Carlos asked TK and laughed when TK just sipped his drink. “She did tell us she could get her own dates.” Carlos shrugged towards Judd who let out a put upon sigh.

“Yeah I suppose she did.” Judd murmured, watching as Ethan excused himself to go and get a drink before he turned his attention to you. “You happy, kid?”

“Very.” You told him without hesitating and if that didn’t tell him everything he needed to know then the smile that was on your face did, he could see you were serious with Ethan, could tell that you were a good pair.

“That boy better look after you, you know?” Judd warned, causing TK and you to laugh whilst Grace nudged his chest.

“He will but if he doesn't, well then I’m sure there will be a line for you to join.” You grinned as you looked over to your dad who just nodded, sat back in his seat looking at ease, not worried in the slightest. He’d met the boyfriend, as had TK, and both of them saw the way you look at each other.

“Damn right.” Judd agreed just as Ethan sat back down and the topic switched to getting to know the man and your friends asking how you got together.

As Ethan spoke you leaned back in your seat and smiled, maybe Texas had never been part of the plan, you had never once imagined yourself settling down here, making a life here, but now you couldn’t picture being any place else. TK was happier than ever, you were happier than ever and so was your dad. There really wasn’t much more you could ask for.

__________

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DUTY CALLS / series / 1

pairing : police officer carlos reyes x paramedic tk strand

genre : 911lone star universe, fluff, angst, smut, more to be added

summary : “A glimpse into Carlos and T.K.’s dangerous lives, balancing the chaos of emergency calls with quiet moments. A series.”

warnings : violence, trauma and medical emergencies, mental issues health, substance abuse, natural disasters, homophobia and discrimination, injuries, profanity, frightening and intense scenes, sexual scenes, sweet moments of carlos and tk lol and HOT CARLOS

link to ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/59486755/chapters/151710301

a/n: hi and welcome to a series of daily stuff thats going on in carlos and tk’s lives, like unadded scenes if you prefer, i like to imagine that’s happening on a daily basis, and i absolutely despise that we don’t see them on the field together 99% of the time. hope you enjoy and happy reading!! i’ll be uploading this on my ao3 too, it’s tarlosstape (ik)

______________

911 Call Dispatcher: “911, what’s your emergency?”

Caller (panicked): “There’s a robbery happening right now! It’s at the corner store on Fifth and Maple. They’ve got guns—oh my God, they’re shooting! People are hurt! I—please hurry!”

The storm outside rages, wind howling through the streets as rain pounds relentlessly on the city of Austin. Lightning flashes, casting brief, eerie shadows over the scene. The police scanner crackles as Officer Carlos Reyes listens closely while gripping the steering wheel of his patrol car. He’s already on his way, lights flashing, sirens blaring, the wet roads slick beneath the tires.

“Shots fired. Multiple injured,” the dispatcher confirms over the radio.

Carlos swerves onto Maple Street, skidding slightly as he pulls up in front of the store. His sharp eyes scan the chaos—shattered windows, civilians crouching behind cars for cover, and two masked gunmen, backing out of the store with bags of cash and weapons in hand. One man already lies bleeding on the sidewalk.

Carlos doesn’t hesitate. He pulls his gun, stepping out of his vehicle and shouting over the storm, “Austin PD! Drop your weapons!” His voice cuts through the thunder and rain, firm and commanding.

The robbers hesitate for a split second, then one makes a run for it, bolting down the street. The other, more reckless, raises his weapon toward Carlos. Without missing a beat, Carlos fires, hitting the man in the shoulder, causing him to drop his gun and crumple to the ground. Carlos sprints forward, kicking the gun aside and cuffing the injured man before calling for backup.

More police vehicles arrive, but Carlos has already started pursuing the second suspect, rain blurring his vision. Just as he rounds a corner, he tackles the man, pinning him to the ground with practiced precision. Sirens wail in the background, backup arriving as Carlos handcuffs the second robber.

Minutes later, as the rain continues to pour, the sound of an ambulance cuts through the storm. T.K., Nancy, and Tommy pull up in their paramedic vehicle, the flashing lights reflecting off the wet streets. The trio quickly exits, medical bags in hand, ready to help the injured.

Carlos, soaked and standing over the now subdued suspects, turns as T.K. strides toward him. For a brief moment, they exchange a glance—a silent nod between them, full of mutual respect and understanding. T.K.’s eyes linger on Carlos just a bit longer, checking in silently, before he gets back to work.

Nancy is already kneeling beside the man on the sidewalk, assessing his gunshot wound, while Tommy coordinates with the other first responders. Despite the storm, they work with practiced efficiency, moving between the injured civilians, checking vitals, and applying pressure to wounds.

As the chaos slowly subsides, Carlos watches the team in action, relieved but focused. T.K. meets his eyes one more time before loading the injured into the ambulance, giving him a small smile despite the tension of the moment. Both know their jobs are far from done.

——————-

An hour later, Carlos stands in the dimly lit Austin police station, dripping from the relentless storm outside. The buzz of fluorescent lights hums overhead, echoing through the busy place as officers hustle between desks, phones ringing and paperwork piling up. Carlos leans against the desk, typing up his report, his soaked uniform sticking to his skin. He wipes a bead of water from his forehead and sighs, exhaustion creeping in.

Just as he finishes entering his statement about the robbery and arrests, a familiar voice calls from behind him. “Reyes,” Detective Ortega steps into view, clipboard in hand, her sharp eyes scanning him. Ortega is seasoned, with graying hair pulled back into a tight bun and a no-nonsense demeanor. She always gets straight to the point.

“Those two you brought in tonight—real pieces of work,” she mutters, sliding into the seat across from him. “We’ve got them booked, but I need you to walk me through what went down. The DA’s gonna want details, and I don’t want any gaps.”

Carlos nods, setting his report aside. “Two suspects—one I managed to detain on the scene, and the other made a run for it, but I caught up to him around the corner. The first guy—took a shot at me. I returned fire, hit him in the shoulder. Called in for backup right after.” He runs a hand through his damp hair. “They both had weapons, and there were multiple injuries inside and outside the store. Paramedics team handled the civilians.”

Ortega studies him for a moment, her expression unreadable, then flips through her clipboard. “Ballsy move, engaging them alone in that storm. You know the risks,” she says, her tone almost reprimanding but softening as she continues. “But good work. The one you shot is being patched up at the hospital under guard. The other one… he’s gonna talk. We’re looking at possible connections to a larger string of robberies.”

Carlos leans forward, crossing his arms. “This wasn’t just a random hit?” he asks, narrowing his eyes.

“Not according to what we’re digging up. The guy you tackled—he’s got priors. Armed robbery, assault. But this particular group? They’ve been linked to a couple of heists in the city’s outer limits. We think tonight was them testing the waters, seeing if they could push into downtown. Your call-in might’ve stopped something bigger.”

Carlos nods, absorbing the information. “Glad we got them off the streets before anyone else got hurt.”

Ortega glances up from her notes, giving him a small but approving smile. “You did good tonight, Reyes. You and that paramedic team. The fact that you can keep your head straight in a situation like that…” She trails off, but Carlos knows the unspoken weight behind her words. She respects his instincts, but she’s always cautious when her officers get too close to danger.

He shifts in his seat, feeling the tension in his shoulders ease a little. “Thanks, Detective. I just want to make sure we stay ahead of this. If these guys have been pulling jobs outside the city, they’re bound to try again.”

Ortega raises an eyebrow. “Which is why I want you in on the follow-up. I need someone on the ground who knows the streets, knows how these guys operate. You up for it?”

Carlos doesn’t hesitate. “Absolutely.”

She scribbles something down on her clipboard, nodding in approval. “Good. Get yourself dried off, and then go home. You’ve earned it. We’ll debrief tomorrow morning.”

Carlos stands, ready to head out, but before he leaves, Ortega stops him with one last remark, her tone lighter. “And, Reyes… check in with that paramedic of yours. He looked at you like he was gonna have a heart attack when he saw you at the scene.”

Carlos feels a flush rise to his face but manages a smirk. “I’ll check in with him,” he replies, his voice carrying a hint of warmth as he walks away, shaking off the adrenaline of the night.

Carlos: Hey baby, you good?

A moment later, T.K.’s reply buzzes back.

T.K.: im fine, but are you? that was intense. just don’t get shot again pls

Carlos wipes his hair with a towel as he finishes typing a message to T.K., leaning against his locker in the station’s changing room. His fingers fly across the screen.

Carlos : Of course, coming home in a bit. Just gotta change out of these soaked clothes.

He tosses his phone on the couch and starts peeling off his wet uniform. The heavy storm outside has left the air thick and damp, even inside the building. He grabs a dry towel from his bag, running it through his hair and over his skin, before pulling on fresh jeans and a t-shirt. As he fastens his belt, he hears his phone buzz again.

T.K.: good, im waiting with hot tea and something hotter :*

Carlos smile got wider, feeling warmth flood through him. After the night he’s had, the thought of being home with T.K., sitting in the dry comfort of their apartment, is the only thing he’s looking forward to. He tosses the towel in the corner, ready to head out.

But just as he’s about to close his locker, his radio crackles to life.

“Reyes, we need you back in the field.” It’s Ortega, her voice sharp over the line. “There’s been another incident at the same location—deeper than we thought. The storm’s making it worse. Backup’s already on the way, but I need you to roll out.”

Carlos’s stomach drops. He glances at his reflection in the mirror, barely able to believe what he’s hearing. He was just there. The scene had been secured, the suspects apprehended, and the injured civilians taken care of. But now, with the storm intensifying, it sounds like the situation has escalated into something far worse.

He reaches for his radio. “Copy that. I’m on my way.”

The rain beats down hard as Carlos arrives at the scene. The corner store, once just the site of a robbery, now looks like a disaster zone. Water floods the streets, pooling up to his ankles as he steps out of the car. Emergency lights flash through the downpour, illuminating the chaos. The wind howls, bending trees and sending debris flying down the street.

Carlos quickly scans the area. A power line has come down across the road, its live wires sparking dangerously close to the rising water. Civilians are trapped inside nearby buildings, unable to leave with the flooding making the streets impassable. Ortega’s already there, barking orders at a group of officers trying to cordon off the area.

“Carlos!” Ortega shouts as she spots him approaching. “We’ve got a mess. That live wire hits the water, and this whole area could turn into a death trap. We’re evacuating the nearby buildings, but we’re running out of time. The rain’s only getting worse.”

Carlos nods, quickly assessing the situation. He watches as emergency responders scramble to move people out of harm’s way, their boots splashing through the rising flood. The power line swings in the wind, just inches above the water now.

“We need to keep the civilians as far from this as possible,” Ortega continues, her voice barely audible over the storm. “I need you to take that side,” she gestures toward a nearby alley where a group of people are huddled under an awning, trapped by the water on both sides.

Carlos doesn’t hesitate. He moves swiftly toward the alley, wading through the water as the rain slashes across his face. The civilians look at him with a mix of fear and desperation, their eyes wide as the storm rages around them.

“Everyone, listen up!” Carlos shouts over the wind. “We’re getting you out of here, but you need to stay calm and follow me.” He motions toward a narrow path that leads away from the main street, where rescue teams are setting up a safer evacuation route.

One by one, he helps the civilians through the flooded alley, guiding them away from the live wires and into the arms of waiting responders. The rain keeps coming, harder now, making it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead. Lightning cracks in the distance, casting brief flashes of light over the darkened city.

As the last of the group makes their way out, Carlos glances back toward the power lines. The water’s rising faster than expected, creeping dangerously close to the sparking wire. He radios in quickly. “Ortega, we need that power cut now. It’s about to hit the water.”

“Working on it,” she responds, tension thick in her voice.

Carlos watches, heart pounding, as the line sways in the wind, just inches from the flood. Minutes pass like hours, but finally, the sparks stop, and the line goes dead.

With the civilians evacuated and the power line neutralized, Carlos allows himself a brief moment to breathe. The rain keeps pounding, but at least, for now, they’ve managed to prevent a disaster.

Hours later, the rain has eased, though the city is still reeling from the storm’s impact. Carlos stands at the edge of the scene, drenched and exhausted, watching as the last of the emergency vehicles pull away. The corner store, now eerily quiet, remains a stark reminder of how quickly things can spiral out of control.

Carlos finally makes it home, the rain still drumming against the streets as he steps inside. He’s soaked to the bone, every inch of his body heavy with exhaustion. The quiet of the apartment is a stark contrast to the chaos of the night, but it feels like a different world as he closes the door behind him, shutting out the storm.

The soft glow of a nearby lamp casts a warm light over the living room. T.K. is asleep on the couch, a blanket half-draped over him. His chest rises and falls gently, completely unaware of Carlos’s entrance. The room is peaceful, but a glance around shows signs of waiting: two plates of food on the table, untouched, and a cup of tea sitting beside one of them, long gone cold.

Carlos feels a wave of warmth, despite the cold and wet clinging to him. He quietly shrugs off his jacket, hanging it on the hook by the door, careful not to wake T.K. The sight of him asleep, clearly having waited up, tugs at something deep inside Carlos—part relief, part gratitude. It’s been a hell of a night, and this is exactly where he needs to be.

He moves to the table, noticing the now-cold dinner that had been thoughtfully prepared for him. He presses his lips together, feeling guilty for being so late without any explanation. Still, the effort T.K. put into making sure he’d come home to something comforting doesn’t go unnoticed.

Carlos walks over to the couch, crouching beside T.K. for a moment, watching him sleep. The tension of the night begins to fade as he just breathes in the calmness of the room.

Gently, he places a hand on T.K.’s arm, not wanting to startle him but knowing he should get him to bed.

T.K. stirs slightly, blinking awake. His eyes flutter open, and it takes him a second to register Carlos kneeling next to him. “Hey…” his voice is groggy, still heavy with sleep, but his brow furrows when he sees how soaked Carlos is. “You’re… completely drenched.”

Carlos gives a tired smile. “Yeah, the storm got a lot worse. I’m so so sorry I’m late.” He gestures to the table. “I see you waited up for me.” He whispers softly, kissing his forehead.

T.K. sits up, rubbing his eyes, glancing toward the cold tea and untouched food. “I wanted to make sure you had something to come home to.” He looks Carlos over again, concern creeping into his voice. “But you look like you just swam here.” He adds worried.

Carlos chuckles softly. “Feels like it.”

T.K. moves, standing up and placing a hand on Carlos’s cheek, the warmth of his touch a welcome contrast to the cold that has been biting at him all night. “Come on,” T.K. says quietly, “Let’s get you out of these wet clothes and into something warm. Don’t worry about the food.”

Carlos nods, his body grateful for the offer. He follows T.K. into the bedroom, where the familiar comfort of home begins to sink in, each step pulling him further from the chaos of the night.

As they enter their bedroom, T.K. helps Carlos out of his wet clothes, carefully peeling off the soaked layers and tossing them into the laundry basket

“You really are drenched,” T.K. comments, running a hand down Carlos’s arm. “You need to get warm. Take a hot shower. Unless you want to catch a cold.”

Carlos smiles, appreciating T.K.’s gentle touch and concern. “A hot shower sounds perfect,” he replies, his voice still heavy with exhaustion. He glances back at T.K., a teasing glint in his eyes.

“You wanna join?” He smiles as he kisses his neck softly.

T.K. shakes his head, stifling a yawn. “I’d love to, but I’m too tired. I’ll just wait for you here.” His eyelids droop slightly, betraying his weariness.

“Okay.” He nods, heading toward the bathroom.

As Carlos steps into the shower, the hot water cascades over him, easing the tension in his muscles. He takes a deep breath, allowing the warmth to wash away the chill from the storm and the stresses of the night. He can hear T.K. moving around in the bedroom, but the sound quickly fades.

After what feels like too long, Carlos finishes up and steps out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist. He can still hear the rain outside but feels a sense of calm settling over him. He takes a moment to look at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, pushing back the fatigue and ensuring he’s presentable for T.K.

Once dressed in a pair of comfortable sweats and a soft t-shirt, Carlos heads back into the bedroom. He usually just wears boxers, but he feels he should be warmer tonight. The dim light casts a soft glow over the room, and he sees T.K. sitting on the edge of the bed, head tilted back against the wall, eyes barely open.

“Hey,” Carlos says softly, a smile creeping onto his lips at the sight of T.K. trying to fight off sleep.

T.K. stirs at the sound of Carlos’s voice, blinking a few times before forcing a smile. “It’s 1am. we should be up at 9am maximum.”

Carlos chuckles softly, gently nudging T.K.’s knee with his own. “Fuck, I know.” He sighs and wraps his arms around TK, closing his eyes, TK does the same.

“I’m so sorry we barely have time with each other, sometimes I wish I had a boring job.” Carlos adds, kissing his head.

“Don’t worry.” TK whispers as he lets his head fall on Carlos’ shoulder.

“Everyday is the same, we wake up, go to our jobs, maybe if we’re lucky we have the same case on that day, then see each other at night where we don’t even have time to eat.”

With a sigh, TK replies in whisper “Carlos I’m too sleepy to reply to that.”

Carlos chuckles. “I hate you.”

“I love you.”

“Yeah, me too.”

——————

a/n: hope you enjoyed ! chapter 2 is already posted!

wc: 3k

Hello everyone! Thank you for the tags @heartstringsduet @corsage @paperstorm @nisbanisba @bonheur-cafe @carlos-in-glasses @emsprovisions 💕 I will rb you all in a bit I have some work I need to do first 😭 In the meantime I’ve been noodling on a little 5x02 coda 🍩

Carlos raced them to the firehouse after, defying the speed limit and uncharacteristically skirting through several yellow lights to get TK to work on time. He’d had to practically push TK out of the car when he tried to initiate a quickie in the parking lot.

He couldn’t help it, his husband is very hot when he drives like Vin Diesel.

Apparently Carlos’s mind had been in the same place, though, because he’d busted right out of his morning Ranger briefing and swung on over to Voodoo Donuts on Sixth Street, the famous donut shop that always has a line out the door, just so he had an excuse to come back to the firehouse.

“Oh yeah?” TK responds, sliding a hand up Carlos’s chest to play with the knot of his tie. “Is that what’s got the extra hitch in your giddy up?

“Shut up.”

“I saw the way you walked in here. All that swag.”

“Maybe I just had a good morning.”

“Oh, I remember,” TK smirks.

Tagging @ironheartwriter @honeybee-taskforce @orchidscript @tellmegoodbye @captain-gillian @whatsintheboxmh @chicgeekgirl89 @literateowl @alrightbuckaroo @thisbuildinghasfeelings @welcometololaland @eclectic-sassycoweyes @ladytessa74 @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @basilsunrise @lightningboltreader @liminalmemories21 @freneticfloetry @sapphic--kiwi @herefortarlos @firstprince-history-huh @fitzherbertssmolder @fifthrideroftheapocalypse @filet-o-feelings @fallout-mars @your-catfish-friend @kiwichaeng @tinyluminaryzombie @guardian-angle22 @rmd-writes @iboatedhere @reyesstrand @never-blooms @decafdino @certifiedflower @irispurpurea and OPEN TAG 🏷️

New fic live on ao3 now

Tu Corazón Es Mío (Your Heart Is Mine)

First installment of Kali Fic 💅 G (for now 😉) | 2k | spanning the Tarlos relationship eras

Each installment of this series is inspired by a Kali Uchis song. These will be non-linear snapshots throughout Carlos and TK’s relationship.

First installment is inspired by @whatsintheboxmh’s beautiful art of TK & Carlos returning to the pier where TK spent the night after his overdose, and thus is gifted to her 🥰

Title comes from the song Tu Corazón Es Mío by Diosa herself (Kali Uchis)

Playlist here

***Sometimes remembering feels like a curse. But today it feels like a blessing.***

“You know,” Carlos says, once again pulling TK out of his thoughts. “I wasn’t expecting you either. But you blew into Texas and into my life, a tornado of passion and swagger and hair pomade. And super hot sex. Baby, you blew me away.”

“It was all fake.”

“I know— I knew. But I saw you. I saw your big heart and your vulnerability …and your sweet ass.”

“Heh,” he smiles and closes his eyes. Memories of the early days of their relationship dancing behind his eyelids, flashing by like slides on the vintage View Master he had as a kid. He remembers the way Carlos looked at him, how uncomfortable it made him because nobody had ever looked at him like that. “You always saw me.”

“I did. And you kept running away from me, and I kept swearing I wasn’t gonna chase you.”

“But you did.”

“I couldn’t resist.”

***

Three years after their wedding, Tarlos visits NYC and shares a moment of reflection on the same pier TK sat on the night after his overdose, thinking his life was over. With his husband by his side, TK takes a moment to reflect on his past and look to his future.

Read on ao3

Tag list @pimento-playing-hopscotch @chicgeekgirl89 @carlos-tk @guardian-angle22 @whatsintheboxmh @captain-gillian @welcometololaland @honeybee-taskforce @heartstringsduet @ladytessa74 @herefortarlos @lightningboltreader @literateowl @liminalmemories21 @reyesstrand @paperstorm @thisbuildinghasfeelings @bonheur-cafe @kiwichaeng @laelipoo @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @emsprovisions @sapphic--kiwi @firstprince-history-huh @fifthrideroftheapocalypse @carlos-in-glasses @tellmegoodbye @freneticfloetry @never-blooms @certifiedflower @noxsoulmate @goldenskykaysani @toomanycupsoftea @eclectic-sassycoweyes @mrs-corrections-78 @the-126-family @corsage 💕

Thank you for the tags @heartstringsduet @whatsintheboxmh @bonheur-cafe @nisbanisba + jumping on @ironheartwriter’s open tag 😘 Sharing a bit from the next installment of Kali fic. First installment is on ao3 here!! These are all short, non-linear standalone fics so each installment can be read on its own.

Carlos had been very understanding when TK told him he wasn’t looking for a relationship, that the best he could offer him is mind blowing sex and an occasional low stakes date. TK’s trying to ignore the tiny sliver of his heart that fluttered pathetically when Carlos smiled with those warm brown eyes and told him he was good with casual.

He knows deep down that there’s nothing casual about this man. There’s a countdown on this thing they’ve got going on. There’s just no way a guy like Carlos, with his perfect posture and his button downs and his 401k and his sweet, unshakable steadiness stays single long enough for TK to get his shit together and be ready for anything more than friends with benefits.

He might not ever be ready for another relationship. His heart is too damaged. He is too damaged.

He pulls back from where he’s been kissing and biting at Carlos’s neck when he feels Carlos’s large hand encircle his wrist, pulling his hand out from its exploratory mission inside Carlos’s jeans.

He keeps a tight grip on TK’s wrist, bringing his other hand up to cup TK’s jaw.

“Are you sure you wanna do this here?” He asks, still panting a bit. “I can drive us to my place. Be home in ten minutes. It’ll be a lot more comfortable in the king size.”

“I’m plenty comfortable,” TK answers. Doesn’t bring up the fact that he honked the Camaro’s horn with his ass approximately three times while he was climbing into Carlos’s lap earlier.

Tagging @orchidscript @captain-gillian @tellmegoodbye @honeybee-taskforce @chicgeekgirl89 @alrightbuckaroo @literateowl @thisbuildinghasfeelings @welcometololaland @eclectic-sassycoweyes @ladytessa74 @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @basilsunrise @lightningboltreader @liminalmemories21 @freneticfloetry @sapphic--kiwi @herefortarlos @firstprince-history-huh @fitzherbertssmolder @fifthrideroftheapocalypse @filet-o-feelings @fallout-mars @your-catfish-friend @kiwichaeng @tinyluminaryzombie @corsage @paperstorm @carlos-in-glasses @emsprovisions @guardian-angle22 @rmd-writes @iboatedhere @reyesstrand @never-blooms @decafdino @certifiedflower @irispurpurea and OPEN TAG 🏷️