#tarlosvalentine21

[bellakitse]

Point of Comfort

“Babe, please,” Carlos tries patiently. He tugs on TK’s hair until he moves, turning on his back to look up at Carlos as he rests his head on his legs. “Talk to me.”

+

Escaping his parents’ latest drama, TK goes to the one person that brings him peace.

Written for Day One of Tarlos Corazonados Weekend- “Babe, please, sharing is caring.” @tarlos-valentine

Spoilers for the Owen-Gwyneth reveal of 2.04

*Mentions of TK’s canon-based childhood neglect and Owen/Gwyneth not so great parenting skills.*

Carlos Reyes has his feet up and music playing as he reads the latest paperback on his reading list when his front door is unlocked and in walks his boyfriend. He takes him in, his heart skipping a beat the way it always does when he looks at TK.

He’s dressed in his usual comfortable combo of sweats and a light-weight hoodie, and he’s absolutely gorgeous. It’s a constant source of awe for Carlos just how beautiful TK Strand is, even when he’s frowning like he is now.

“Um, hi?” he questions, both because TK had told him earlier that he was going back home for dinner with his parents, probably spending the night there, and because of the sour expression on his face.

TK grunts a hello in his direction, kicking his shoes off before he makes a beeline for him. He throws himself sideways on the couch Carlos is currently occupying, batting his hands out of the way as he wraps his arms around Carlos’ waist, pressing his face into his stomach before letting out a muffled scream.

Carlos raises an eyebrow at the action; he bends a corner of his book to mark the page he’s stopped at before placing it on the side table. “I take it dinner went well,” he says dryly as he runs his hand through TK’s hair, pressing down on that special spot behind his ear that always makes TK gasp.

TK retaliates by biting him through his shirt, and Carlos shakes with silent laughter at the childish action. Only TK can make bratty behavior cute. It’s either that, or that Carlos is so far gone on him that he finds everything he does adorable.

He keeps scratching TK’s scalp, feeling his body start to lose the tension he’s carrying. “Are you gonna tell me what happened?”

TK shakes his head, not bothering to move his face from Carlos’ mid-section.

“Babe, please,” Carlos tries patiently. He tugs on TK’s hair until he moves, turning on his back to look up at Carlos as he rests his head on his legs. “Talk to me. Sharing is caring after all,” he continues jokingly, pleased when TK lets out a reluctant huff of amusement at his words.

“They’re just being so annoying, bickering nonstop over the baby,” he says tiredly, and Carlos feels a wave of sympathy for his boyfriend. The news that Owen and Gwyn were expecting had been a shock to everyone, but no one more than TK. Since the moment they announced it, Carlos has watched TK carefully, seeing time and time again conflicting feelings play across his features.

“The kid isn’t even born yet, and they’re already arguing,” TK continues, the frustration in his voice loud and clear. “Which would be fine if it was just me,” he rolls his eyes. “I’m used to them, but this baby doesn’t need that shit. They’re falling into familiar patterns, and they can’t even see it. I just don’t know how to fix it,” he finishes helplessly.

Carlos stays quiet for a moment, trying to figure out how to address multiple points in TK’s comments. He starts with the last one first. “Well, first of all, it’s not your job to fix it,” he tells him, giving him a serious nod to emphasize his point when TK looks up at him with wide eyes. “It’s just not, baby, I get the impulse, I do. But your parents are adults. It’s up to them to get their shit together for this baby or realize that they don’t work together and figure out how to co-parent apart.”

He frowns as he moves on to the next point that bothers him more than the first. “Second of all, it’s not fine that you are used to them being this way. They shouldn’t be better parents just for this baby that’s coming; they should be better parents for you too,” he says heatedly, realizing for the first time just how angry he is on his boyfriend’s behalf.

He hears a sniffle, it pulls him out of his thoughts, and when he looks down at the man in his lap, he startles to see tears in his pretty green eyes.

“Oh, baby, I’m sorry,” he says anxiously, feeling gutted as the tears spill down TK’s cheeks.

“No, no,” TK says just as fast as he sits up. “Don’t apologize,” he continues with a self-conscious chuckle as he wipes his face. “I’m being ridiculous.”

Carlos frowns again. He takes TK’s hands, intertwining their fingers, tugging on them to get his attention. “You’re not, though,” he says, biting down on his lip before proceeding with caution. “It’s pretty clear that their behavior upsets you, sweetheart.”

Fresh tears spring in TK’s eyes, and Carlos hurts at the sad smile he gives him. “They’re not bad people. They love me.”

“I know that,” he reassures him, meaning it. He’s spent enough time with both TK’s parents to know they are kind and love their son beyond measure. “But they’re not perfect,” he says with a wry smile of his own, remembering a familiar conversation they had about his own parents just weeks ago. “And they don’t seem to notice how they act affects you. How I think it has always affected you?”

TK looks at him for a moment before letting out a sigh. “I hate when they fight,” he whispers, sounding small. It makes Carlos ache. “They can be great, laughing one second and then taking jabs at each other the next. Growing up, it would stress me out, not knowing which way it would go on any given day. I hate that it still makes me feel like that now. I know it’s never going to change. I should have a better handle on it by now.”

Carlos is shaking his head before TK is even done speaking. “Nope, you don’t get to take this responsibility on your shoulders,” he says, still shaking his head when TK opens his mouth. “Nope, nope, nope. You will not be blaming your valid feelings in this house.”

“Carlos,” TK says with a reluctant smile. It slowly grows more genuine when he doesn’t budge on his position. “Defending me even from myself,” he says with a resigned chuckle, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “I love you, you know that, right?”

“I do know,” he answers with a grin of his own. He reaches up, tugging TK towards him. TK comes easily, shifting to place his knees on either side of Carlos’ thighs, settling on his lap. “I love you too,” he tells him softly as he runs his thumb over his cheekbone. TK leans forward, smiling as he presses his lips against his.

Carlos cups his face, holding him in place as he kisses him. Taking his time, he touches his tongue to TK’s bottom lip, slipping inside to taste him when TK parts his lips with a breathy sigh. The kiss is meant to comfort, but as usual, the heat between them quickly ignites, and he feels his stomach clench with want as TK lets out a needy moan and starts to squirm on his lap. He breaks the kiss only when breathing becomes a problem, staring in wonder at how beautiful TK looks like this, skin flushed, his eyes hazy and unfocused, lips red and slick.

He loves this man, and he doesn’t want him farther than he is right now, which is probably why the next words spill out of his mouth. “You should move in with me.”

“What?” TK questions, his expression going from lost in their moment to startled. “Did you just – “

“You should move in,” he repeats. His heart is pounding from nerves, but he realizes just how much he wants this as he speaks again. “You shouldn’t have to deal with your parents’ issues in your own home anymore.”

TK’s face goes tender as the left side of his mouth quirks up in a half-smile. “Carlos, babe, it’s really sweet of you to offer just to save me from my parents’ bickering, but – “

“That’s not why I’m asking,” he rushes to say. “I mean, I do believe that Owen and Gwyneth need to get their shit together for their sake, yours and the baby that’s on the way. I also think that they should do it without dragging you into the middle of it. And I do want you to have a place away from that environment because I don’t think it’s good for you,” he swallows nervously, taking TK’s hands in his once more, bringing them up to his mouth to kiss them.

He looks at TK over them, his lips against his knuckles. “But mostly, I’m asking because I want you here. I want this to be your home. I love that this is the place you seek when you are stressed or frustrated, or scared. I love that this place is a source of peace for you, and I want that to be a permanent thing. I want this place, me, to be your home. I want – “

“Oh my god, shut up,” TK blurts out, kissing him hard before Carlos has a chance to feel hurt by his words. He breaks the kiss just as fast as it starts, bringing their joined hands to his mouth just like Carlos did moments ago, laying a kiss there too. “Yes,” he says with a smile that threatens to take over his whole face. His eyes are shining with tears again, but this time Carlos is relieved to see they’re happy ones. “I want all of that too, so yes.”

“Yes, you’ll move in with me?” he repeats, needing to hear the words in full. His heart all but cartwheels at the indulgent look TK gives him in return.

“Yes,” TK says again, grinning before letting out a happy laugh. “I will move in with you.”

Carlos releases TK’s hands to pull him into a hug, smiling at the peaceful sigh TK lets out as he settles into his hold, all but melting into it, and Carlos promises himself to always be this for TK. He’ll do everything in his power to make sure TK feels safe, loved, and know that he’s home from this moment on.

[reyeslonestar]

Tarlos Valentine Weekend 2021 @tarlos-valentine

Day 1: Favourite Outfits

(TK’s club shirt from 1x05; Carlos’ denim shirt from 2x04)

[reyesstrand]

cut through all the noise

tarlos / teen+ / 1.6k

TK stares up hopelessly at the ceiling, clenching his jaw as he taps his foot against the ground. The noise of his parents' argument of the night seems to bounce off the walls, and he knows it's only going to get worse, if the past month is anything to go by. But tonight, he refuses to deal with it. And so, as the next round of passive-aggressive comments begins, he just grabs his keys and heads out the door. (Or, the first time TK seeks refuge at Carlos' place).

@tarlos-valentine day one: blanket hogging

TK knows his parents aren't bad people. And he loves them, he does.

Sometimes he can't stand being in the same house as them, though.

Barely a month into his healing, TK's still sore. It's not as bad as it was those first couple of weeks after bursting his stitches, but there's still a dull ache that radiates throughout his left arm. But not even that pain comes even close to the headache that often appears around the same time everyday, when his mom's meetings come to an end and his dad gets home from running errands or working a shift, and they're alone together without distraction for the first time in twelve hours. It starts out small—his dad with his offhanded complaints about hair in the shower or his eye cream somehow running low quicker than usual, or his mom making comments about his dad purposefully making smoothies when she's online with a client from Seoul—and then it just gradually gets worse, until somehow they're throwing around blame for him getting shot.

So yeah, it's a great time.

He has to admit that he'd almost forgotten what it was like, what having them both in the same house for an extended period of time will do to him.

It was nice that first week, when he was still initially recovering. He hadn't seen his mom since before they moved down to Austin, and so they spent days giving into their similar love of bad reality TV and getting overpriced coffee. She'd catch onto his bad days and play with his hair like she used to when he was a kid; she'd catch him smiling down at his phone and ask him about Carlos with a knowing look in her eye. But when her flights started being cancelled and it became evident that she'd be staying for an unknown amount of time, the fighting has picked up between his mom and dad, and it's become a constant.

If he's being honest, it feels like he's suddenly been thrown back to the cramped Manhattan apartment of his childhood. And it just seems like it's never going to end.

When he comes in from his evening run, TK pauses in the foyer to stretch, cocking his head to the side as one song fades into the next. He pulls one AirPod out and barely holds back from rolling his eyes as he realizes that his parents' voices are louder than his music. He just beelines for the shower, changing into jeans and a hoodie, sighing with annoyance as he makes his way downstairs and still hears the raised voices of his parents.

i'm in hell, he texts Carlos, strolling toward the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. He grabs a handful of grapes from the bowl on the kitchen island, munching on them as his mom comes in. Her expression softens when she sees him, coming in to squeeze his arm.

READ THE REST ON AO3!

[tarlos-valentine]

Tarlos Corazonados Weekend 2021

We are pleased to announce the very first Tarlos Corazonados Weekend!

For this year's Valentine's Day, we would love to invite you all to create for our believed boys. Given the time constrictions this year, we are aiming for a lowkey, fluffy, laid back event where we all get to celebrate Tarlos in the most romantic time of the year.

Doesn’t matter what kind of creation you can make — fic, gifs, art, moodboards, playlists, fanvids… You can create it, we want to see it!

Without further ado, here you have the dates and the prompts for this year's event.

Day 1 — Friday, February 12th

"Babe, please, sharing is caring" + Blanket Hogging + Favourite Outfit

Day 2 — Saturday, February 13th

"What do you want for breakfast?” “It's 10 PM" “Oh”+ Late Night Hangouts + Favourite Date

Day 3 — Sunday, February 14th — Valentine's Day

"I told you this ages ago" + Love Languages + Favourite Kiss

We also have a few, easy to follow rules!

All creations must be posted on Tumblr. 

Since we all know how Tumblr works, please tag your post with #tarlosvalentine21 within the first 5 tags.

Please tag the event blog @tarlos-valentine for reblogging purposes.

If you notice that your post hasn't been reblogged within 12 hours from posting, please send us a message with the link.

If you are crossposting to AO3, please feel free to add it to the Tarlos Valentine 2021 Collection.

Have fun! This is an event for creators, whether they be writers, gif-makers or artists, and consumers to come together and celebrate the love that we see through Tarlos.

Have a question? Need clarification? Want to suggest something? Come to our inbox, we are only an ask away!

We hope to be seeing you all when the time comes!

[bettaklainerobron]

Tarlos Valentine 2021 Weekand /Favorite kiss

@tarlos-valentine

[kiras-sunshine]

tarlos valentine 2021 day 1 prompt: “babe please sharing is caring” + blanket hogging

words: 5111

summary:

“Are you seriously reading a WikiHow article about how to stop hogging the covers?”

"Yes"

read on ao3

or

”This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten,” TK declares as he takes yet another forkful of the chocolate cake that Carlos has baked for his birthday.

He cannot remember when someone would have baked an actual cake for his birthday. They celebrate everyone’s birthday at the firehouse, but usually those are bought from the supermarket and they taste and look exactly like they cost less than five dollars.

His dad has threatened to bake something every year, but after the year when he served the dairy, butter and sugar free cake, TK had banned him from birthday related baking.

“Seriously,” he continues, gesturing towards the almost empty plate with his fork, “this cake made me fall more in love with you and I didn’t know that was possible.”

Carlos shakes his head, clearly in amusement, as he bites down his smile. He looks delighted and pleased.  “I’m glad you like it.”

“Like is an understatement,” he remarks and reaches over the narrow kitchen island to press a quick kiss on his lips.

The cake tastes amazing, rich and sweet, and the texture is fluffy, but firm. It looked gorgeous too, as if it were straight rout of the high-end confectioneries of Manhattan. He had asked where he had bought it before Carlos admitted, rather timidly, that he had baked it from the scratch.

TK hadn’t been expecting anything other than the supermarket cake, and honestly, he thought his birthday would be just grouped together with the firehouse annual Christmas party. Being born in December usually meant that it got joined with Christmas celebrations and it didn’t get to be a separate thing. TK is fine with it. It bothered him more when he was a child, but now he doesn’t mind that much.

Hoping that one day would be about him feels like a dumb, childish and selfish wish.  

Carlos had been uncharacteristically quiet about the upcoming birthday or any plans related to it, and TK had been almost convinced that he had forgotten the whole thing. It would have been fine if it were the case, but obviously, he hadn’t forgotten. Instead, he had gone all out.

TK knows he should have suspected something when Marjan had asked all slyly if he had any plans for his birthday when they all had been gathered around the firehouse dining table to eat the pathetic looking supermarket cake.

He had said no, and everyone had smiled like they knew something he didn’t, but he had brushed it off.

TK reaches scoop a forkful of the cake from Carlos’ plate, because his is almost empty, and he grins at him brightly. “Babe please, sharing is caring,” he chuckles.

Carlos rolls his eyes, but the fondness is too visible to make him seem even a tiny bit annoyed.

“You’re lucky I love you,” he mumbles. There is no heat behind his words, and he pushes the plate closer to TK.

It’s obviously meant to be a joke and his voice is light, but still TK is aware that it is the closest thing to the truth anyway. He feels lucky, incredibly so.

Carlos is a kind, caring and loving person in general and it is evident in the way he does his job and the way he treats people around him, and TK is fully aware that he would be lucky to get just a fraction of the love Carlos has to give, but the fact that he has decided that TK is worth of all of it makes it a whole another thing.

Lucky doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Privilege, maybe.

He has started to notice lately that the English language doesn’t have nearly enough words to describe what he is feeling for him. But that doesn’t stop him from trying.

“I know,” TK eventually replies, several beats too late it to be counted as banter anymore and the fondness in Carlos’ eyes just grows.

He does steal another forkful of his piece of cake and lets his gaze wonder around the small cabin.

Instead of forgetting his birthday, Carlos had rented a cabin for three days. It is a couple hours away from Austin, located near camping-area, and while the cabin is small, it is still objectively really nice and fancy for a log cabin.

He looks at the dark brown wooden walls and the shiny marble kitchen island. He tries his best not to think how much money he has spent on his surprise.

Carlos had also coordinated it so that they both have the three days off around his birthday, and he had listed his whole crew’s, and his dad’s help, to do it, several months in advance. TK guesses there are certain perks that his boyfriend gets along with his family like a house on fire.

Carlos yawns. He blinks a couple of times, before focusing his gaze back to him. He smiles and it is warm and genuine one, but TK can see the redness of his eyes and the dark circles below them. He looks exhausted, even though he is trying to hide it.

“You should go to sleep,” TK points out, softly, as he places the fork on his own plate.

“I’m fine,” he insists.

In his opinion, it is a small wonder Carlos hasn’t collapsed already. He had pulled an fourteen-hour shift with some over time on top of it. After that he had still driven them up to the cottage and cooked him a huge dinner. It’s a bit unclear to him where he found the time to bake the cake, but the point is, he knows that he is tired.

He would know it without having all the details. They have been together for year and a half, and TK likes to think that he can read him. Understand all the little cues from his facial expressions and behavior. At the moment, everything he picks on screams that he is fatigued.

“You look like you could pass out from exhaustion,” he remarks.

“It’s your birthday,” Carlos argues, a little flatly, but he is poorly attempting to repress yet another yawn.

“I’m aware,” he says, amusedly, as walks around the kitchen island and reaches to take his hand into his own. He presses a soft kiss on his knuckles. “All of this is really nice, and I love it, but it also pains me to see you so tired.”

He blinks slowly, but his smile is lopsided, but still full of adoration. “I wanted to do something special for you.”

TK remembers faintly that he had told him on his last birthday that his birthday rarely was a priority, always getting entangled to the preparations of the holiday season, and he had certainly not meant anything with it. But Carlos, being a strong contender for the title of most considerate person in the world, had hung on his words and decided to indulge him on his silly wish of having a proper birthday.

TK had snorted when they had picked up the keys of the cabin and the receptionist had frowned when she clarified that there would be no Christmas decorations, per request, but Carlos had just grinned at him.

“And it is,” he reassures, squeezing his hand slightly.

It makes his stomach flip as he thinks how much effort he has put into the whole thing, just so that he would feel loved and cared for.

“Maybe,” Carlos admits softly, “but going to sleep before eight wasn’t really part of the plan.”

Carlos lets go of his hand, but places both of his hands on his waist and pulls him closer. TK has no objections against that, and he loves the feeling of their bodies being pressed together. He loves the closeness of it, and it feels like the most natural thing in the world to be so up in each other’s personal space.

“Yeah, just one of the many perks of dating a first responder,” he deadpans, resting his other hand on his bicep.

Carlos huffs amusedly. “Because there are so many of them.”

“Our never matching schedules,” he offers. He lets his other hand run along his spine and settles it to hold the small of his back.

“Monthly hospital visits.”

TK glares at him. “They aren’t monthly.”

“Bi-monthly,” Carlos corrects himself with a shit-eating grin and it makes his nose scrunch, and it is one of the most adorable things TK has ever witnessed.

“Constant fear and worry,” he adds.

He knows he should be almost used to it. Since early childhood, he has had to learn to live with the fact that one day his dad might not make it to home, and now almost everyone he loves and considers family risks their lives on daily basis to help others.

He should be used to it, but the truth is that he isn’t. The fear and worry still sometimes knock him off his feet and take over every part of his body, but he can cope with it. Most of the time. Although, he loathes the fact that his standards for a good day have been lowered to the simple rule of if they both make it home in one piece, it’s a good day.

Carlos nods and presses a soft kiss on his forehead. He doesn’t immediately pull away. “The way you smell like smoke,” he murmurs against his skin.

TK lets out a surprised laugh and the ghost of his kiss still lingers right above his eyebrows when he pulls away. “I could always shower again.”

He has gotten into the habit of showering at the firehouse when the shift ends, because Carlos does have a point about the smell hazards. Most of the time he reeks after the shift and he had rinsed his skin today too, and the shift hadn’t been terrible. Only one fire at the 24-hour diner when their deep fryer had caught on fire, but that was hours ago.

“You’ve smelled like it since the day we met,” he points out, “I’m not sure a shower is going to help.”

“Hey,” TK protests, but he doesn’t bother to hide his grin.

“I wouldn’t change any of it for anything,” he says under his breath, “apart from fearing for your life.”

Over the couple of years, he has known Carlos, he has noticed that certain things happen when he gets thoroughly exhausted. His accent becomes thicker and he becomes sappier than usually and he starts to lack a certain filter. It’s mostly just amusing and endearing, and he loves that side of Carlos just as much as any other, but he also wants to take care of him.

It makes a certain kind of knot of uneasiness to form in his stomach knowing that he is burning the candle from both ends for him.

“I know, me neither,” TK reassures, softly, but pushes him a little backwards, “but seriously, you should go to bed. And you don’t even have to go alone.”

He is also a little weary after the shift. His muscles are achy, and he wouldn’t mind sleeping around the clock. And as always, seeing Carlos yawn, makes him sleepy, too.

“Your pickup lines are terrible,” he retorts, but takes a couple steps backwards towards the bedroom.

TK snorts. “They worked well enough on you.”

He still keeps walking backwards, his left shoulder only slightly bumping against the doorframe as he enters the bedroom. “They didn’t. I didn’t need pick-up lines, it was that damn smile.”

He ought to add getting complimented by him to the list of things he should be already gotten used to, because Carlos does it a lot. It’s a casual comment here and there, and it definitely isn’t always about his looks, but still no matter how many times he hears them, they always make his stomach twist in a best way possible.

Even now, the bubbling feeling of happiness settles into his chest and his lips are curling into a smile, and he knows it’s giving away everything he is currently feeling. The happiness and adoration mixing into together and spilling out as a soft and bright smile.

“That’s the one,” Carlos whispers, contently and almost in awe, and few seconds later his fist is full of the soft fabric of TK’s grey sweatshirt and he is pulling him close again.

“Yeah,” TK finds himself saying, but he cannot tear his gaze away from his lips and judging by the glint in his brown eyes, he has noticed it too, despite the sleep deprivation.

Sometimes, most of the time really, it is like electricity humming underneath his skin when Carlos looks at him. It feels like it now, too, and while they established very early into their acquittance that they are into each other. It was painfully obvious from the way they glanced each other while dancing and from the way they ended up hooking up within an hour.

Still, TK cannot help but marvel the that the feeling of sparks and electricity is still there, but it is still different. All the rush and fumbling are gone because there is more certainness now, of that the other is not going to disappear and that any of the lingering touches would be the last ones.

Now, every moment is like a small declaration of love.

He tugs the hem of Carlos’ shirt and gently yanks it upwards and helps him to undress it and Carlos helps him to get rid of his sweatshirt and tosses it somewhere on the floor. Suddenly, his lips are on his again, and the kiss is soft, but it still makes TK’s heart beat faster and toes curl up with want.

He runs his hands along his arms and squeezes his left forearm slightly. “Mmh, not when you’re that tired,” TK mumbles against his lips.

He knows where it is heading unless he breaks it off, and while he wants to, it still defeats the whole purpose of his grand plan of Carlos getting enough sleep.

Carlos immediately takes a step back, like he always does when he lets him know he is not up for something, and his smile is mischievous, but still a little flustered. “I’d not fall asleep on you,” he adds, as he takes off his sweatpants, but this time he folds them neatly and picks up their shirts from the floor.

“You have,” TK points out, kindly, as he gets rid of his own pants, “and you probably would now, too.”

Since their schedules don’t always match, they tend to take up any opportunity that arises, but a couple of times, after double digit shifts, Carlos has fallen asleep before they have even properly started, and it’s no big deal. TK knows he has fallen asleep on him too.

He mostly finds it endearing, but it also means to him that Carlos trusts him enough and is comfortable enough to fall asleep without a second thought to it.

Carlos just hums amusedly as a response and gets into the way too huge bed.

The bedroom is tiny, and the bed takes a ridiculously big part of it, but he is surprised to find it to be incredibly soft and comfortable. Still, as TK sits on the bed, he pushes his pillow closer to his because he is not sleeping twenty inches away from him.

He settles down, lying right next to him and Carlos immediately drapes one arm over him, resting it on his chest and nuzzling his shoulder. TK’s hand fumbles a little until it finds Carlos’s other hand and curls his fingers around his.

“I’m--,” Carlos starts, quietly, but TK cuts him immediately off.

“Don’t you dare apologize again,” he says, softly. “This is all I ever wanted and it’s perfect.”

He runs his fingers along his forearm. He hopes that he knows that he doesn’t mean the cabin or any of it, but just that he gets to spend his birthday with him.

Twenty-year-old TK would have laughed if someone would have told him that his best birthday would be in rural Texas, but there he is, more content than ever.

“How did you know what I was going to say?”

He glances at him. “I can hear you think.”

Carlos exhales softly and TK can feel his breath against his bicep. “I just wanted to do something nice for you. You deserve all of it and more.”

It has been a long process to learn that he deserves nice things and to be loved, because of everything and despite of everything. He has Carlos to remind him about it occasionally, but still he cannot help but wonder what he has done to end up with more love than he could have imagined a couple of years ago.

He turns his head to press a gentle kiss on his temple. “Why this place?”

TK has wondered about it since the moment they arrived. He has never heard about the place before and albeit, his knowledge of anything about Texas outside of Austin is a little wobbly, but the whole place seems to be quiet and has a little hole-in-the-wall feeling to it, like you would have to know about its existence to find it.

“It’s a dumb story,” he murmurs against his shoulders.

“I wanna hear all of your dumb stories.”

Carlos shifts a little. “We came here with my family when I was maybe thirteen,” he starts, slowly and absentmindedly tracing some sort of pattern against his ribs. “I loved this place, and we had great time, but it still filled me with dread ‘cause the place was full of happy couples and families, and I was pretty convinced at that age that I couldn’t ever have any of that on my own.”

His heart breaks a little as he listens to him. He meant his words that he wants to hear all of his stories, dumb or not, but now he regrets a little of ever asking because he knows that his coming out process hasn’t always been the smoothest and deep south hasn’t been the most forgiving place for him to live and grow up.

“But,” Carlos continues, “I had this dream that one day I’d bring here someone I’d love.”

TK breath almost hitches in his throat. It’s almost too much, but in the best way possible. To know that he has had that idea in his head for years and that he decided that he would be worthy of being a part of that. It makes his heart soar.

“I did try to warn you it was dumb,” he mumbles, taking his silence in the wrong way.

“It’s not dumb,” he rushes to say, “it’s actually really sweet.”

It’s not the most eloquent response, but it’s too difficult to pinpoint anything he is currently feeling or to put them into comprehensible words that would reflect any of the love he has for him.

“Yeah, well, you’re the only one I’ve brought here, so there is that too,” he adds, his gaze focused on his jawline, but he looks up to his eyes too, with the softest of smiles.

He is convinced his heart is going to burst. “Thank you for sharing it with me,” he whispers, right below his ear, “and for including me in it.”

They lay there for a moment, in silence, only listening the steady breathing of each other’s, but eventually TK sits up to reach the corner of the duvet and tries to settle it so that it covers both of their bodies.

“Are you going to hog all the blankets again?”

Carlos has closed his eyes already, but his voice is light and teasing.

“I don’t hog ‘em.”

He sputters out a laugh, and it’s warm, happy and genuine, and TK loves to hear that particular laugh.

“Oh, so I’ve been sleeping without one willingly for a year and half,” Carlos asks, quizzically, but it looks like another fit of laughter could erupt from him at any given moment.

“What?”

“You always steal the blankets, even if there are two,” Carlos explains, sounding almost fond as he looks at him.

“I don’t?”

TK hates how it sounds like a question to his own ears, too. He is aware that he moves a lot in his sleep, and his ex-boyfriends have given him so much shit about it, which is also why he tried to avoid staying the night when he started seeing Carlos.

Nothing is more charming than elbowing significant other in their sleep or kicking their shins. Still, Carlos has never said anything about the way he sleeps.

He knows that their bed is a goddamn mess every time they wake up, the blankets are usually disregarded somewhere, and they are not in the same positions as they fell asleep to, but he had no idea that he was the main cause of it.

“Mhm, you do,” Carlos hums, his eyes closing again.

TK shoots perplexed glance at him. “Why haven’t you woken me up?”

He is a little more than appalled that apparently he has been doing it since the beginning of their relationship, but he is only hearing about it now.

Carlos opens one of his eyes, squeezing the other one shut. “Yeah, wonder why I haven’t woken up my boyfriend, who on regular basis pulls twenty-four-hour shifts,” he mumbles, but there is nothing but kindness in his voice.

“You could have,” he argues, flatly.

“I’ve tried to steal them back sometimes,” Carlos admits, his gaze landing back to him, and his eyes are gleaming. “But there’s no point. You just steal ‘em back. I’ve extra blankets, too, but there is no limit to how many blankets you hog in a night.”

Not for the first time around Carlos, TK finds himself to be a little loss for words. This time it is because of completely different reasons, he is a little too stunned and confused to talk.

“The way you clutch to them and collect them is almost adorable,” he adds with a low chuckle.  

“So, every time you have said you sleep better when I’m there with you has been a blatant lie?”

He almost wants to laugh. It’s a bit more than ridiculous that he is only learning about his own nocturnal habits now, and Carlos has told him multiple times that he sleeps more soundly and deeply, that he feels safe, when he is around, and he has always found that a little more than endearing, but now it feels impossible to wrap his head around that it would be anywhere near the truth.

“Nope.”

“You really expect me to believe that the best sleep of your life happens without blankets?”

Carlos blinks, but the look he gives him is soft and laced equally with love and fondness. Still, he gently pokes him in between his ribs. “Am I in the habit of lying to you?”

“No.”

“Then there’s your answer,” he replies, easily and effortlessly, as if he has accepted the fate of sleeping without any blankets, ever.

TK grunts and picks up his phone from the nightstand and starts typing.

“Are you seriously reading a WikiHow article about how to stop hogging the covers?” Carlos questions, as he peaks the article he started suddenly to browse through.

“Yes.”

He cannot put his finger to what actually bothers him about this small revelation so much. The unnamed feeling in his chest grows and it starts to resemble something similar to guilt, even though some logical part of his brain is telling him that there is no reason to feel that way.

He can admit that it makes him uneasy to know that Carlos has stayed silent about it for so long, especially when it must have affected the way he sleeps, too.

Carlos chuckles, softly. “It’s not that big of a deal, Ty,” he whispers, pressing a kiss on his shoulder.

“Apparently we could sleep separately,” he reads aloud as he scrolls through the surprisingly long article.

“Out of question,” Carlos replies, without missing a beat.

He huffs in some sort of agreement. It’s not the solution he would be eager to try any time soon, but he wants to find something tangible to make the uneasiness in his heart to go away.

“Somehow trap the covers underneath the mattress, smaller bed, bigger blankets--,” he continues to slowly read as he makes through the list, until Carlos gently yanks the phone away from his hand and places it face down on his chest.

“We don’t need to do any of that,” he reminds, “I sleep perfectly fine. You cling like an octopus and you’re like a walking radiator, I don’t need a blanket. And above all, I like sleeping with you.”

It’s a tiny confession, but he sounds sure of it and there is genuine fondness in the way he says it, and he cannot help but believe that he means it.

TK loves the way they sleep. There is so much closeness in it. Their bed is pretty wide, but every time he wakes up, they are close and touching each other, in one way or another. A hand resting on a thigh, fingers against hip, face pressed against shoulder blade, entangled legs and arms.

He is pretty convinced there are no moments when they are not touching when sleeping. He sort of likes that. That they drift towards other, even when they are completely unaware of it. They move in their sleep. Carlos always falls asleep on his side but ends up lying on his back. He moves around a lot more, but the fact that they always wake up pressed together, means that they move together.

When the other moves, the other follows. Invisible string connecting them in their dreams. Like magnets pulling each other in.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier,” Carlos continues to fill in the silence, “I knew you’d get stuck in that beautiful mind of yours about it, but I didn’t know it’d bother you this much.”

There is a question hidden, and he knows he is giving him the space not to answer, but he wants to.

TK groans, quietly and softly. He places the phone back on the nightstand and rubs his own face. “It’s just that—you simply decided to put up with it,” he tries to clarify, still trying to make sense of the emotions that keep bumping against each other inside of him, “instead of telling me to do something about it.”

He knows that he cannot control what he does in his sleep, but he would still like to try and make it better.

“I get that, but sayin’ that I’m putting up with it makes it sound too negative,” he says, exhaustion leaking back into his voice just slightly, “and I’d have told you if truly bothered me, but it doesn’t.”

“Yeah.”

He strokes his side, in slow moments, with his thumb. It sends small shivers along his spine. TK glances back at him, but his eyes are closed again. “I love you and I’ll gladly sleep without a blanket for rest of my life, it’s a small price to pay.”

Silence follows, and TK can feel how he tenses up slightly next to him. It’s a small change, but he knows him well enough to spot the difference.

“That’s pretty much wedding vow material already,” TK jokes, planting another kiss on his forehead because he wants him to know it is okay, and that he is not freaking out about any mentions of their shared future, and that he can say stuff like that to him.

That he wants to hear it.

Some of the tension immediately leaves his body when he pulls away from the kiss.

“I know,” he slurs, sleepily. “I should write it down.”

“Height of romance.”

He laughs, even though he manages to make it sound tired too, but it is still a beautiful sound. “Damn right it is.”

“I’m gonna buy a bigger duvet when we get home,” TK declares.

“You don’t have to.”

“No, but I want to.”

It might not help anything, and Carlos does seem pretty content with their current arrangements, but he still needs to do something. To try, at least, even if it is something as small as blanket hogging.

Carlos opens his eyes again, clearly fighting off the sleep. “Promise something.”

He is a little surprised by his words, but he cranes his neck on the pillow so that he can get a better look at his face. “Anything.”

“Don’t start to overthink it, the way you sleep isn’t something you should actively think about. You’ll only lose sleep,” he tells him.

TK knows he has a point. It’s definitely an easy rabbit hole to fall in, and to become too self-conscious about every moment and not being able to relax and just be. Maybe he should take Carlos’ word for it.

“I’ll promise I’ll try my best to get over the fact that I’ve forced you to freeze your ass every night for over a year.”

Carlos’ eyes are shut, but the grin that forms on his lips is bright and brilliant. “We live in Texas, it’s hot and humid most of the time, my ass is fine.”

“It is.”

He laughs again, mostly against his fluffy pillow. “How did we end up having this conversation?”

“About us, the blankets, the future or the future of our blankets?” TK asks, deadpan, just to mess with his sleep deprived brain.

“Any of it?”

“I don’t know, you started it,” he tells him, amusement shining in his soft voice

“I’m too tired,” he half-slurs, but the smile still lingers on his lips.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,” TK points out, kindly, and moves his other hand to run through Carlos’ hair, massaging his scalp soothingly.

“You’re right,” he breathes out, and TK can hear the smirk in his voice, “just this once.”

He laughs quietly, trying not to stir him any more than necessary, and he thinks he might have already fallen asleep, and he almost startles when he hears his voice again.

“Ty?”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t need any blankets, just need you.”

He would have expected his voice to be light, teasing and joking, but it sounds surprisingly sincere and like it half-accidently escapes away from his exhausted mind, but it sounds still so goddamn sincere that it makes TK’s heart flutter.

“Smooth,” he remarks, quietly, unsure what to do with all the happiness that keeps bubbling inside of him, but the only reply he gets is the quiet and steady breathing.

[melofanish]

Under Forts of Love and Comfort

@tarlos-valentine​ Day 3: “I told you this ages ago” + Love Languages + Favourite Kiss

Summary: When Carlos locks his car door and fixes his duffle bag over his shoulder, all of this concentration is focused on keeping his exhaustion hidden and getting inside the house without TK knowing. Unfortunately, that means that he is so zoned into where to step and how to talk, that he doesn’t notice the soft glow of lights until he opens the door and comes to a complete stop.

When they finally pull back, it's to smiles and giggles. And as TK turns Carlos around again, holding him safe and secure around the waist and starting the movie, he can't help but wonder if they can have comfort dates more often - make it a regular occurrence.

Tags: Carlos Reyes, TK Strand, Established Relationship, Soft Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Cute Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Good Significant Other TK Strand, Supportive TK Strand, Caring TK Strand,   Movie Night, Comfort.

Warning: None.

Day 3 YOOOHOOO!!!

Now, yes, I am aware that I'm late. It's no longer the weekend. Unfortunately, real-life sucks sometimes and it doesn't allow you to write when you want to. And so, this is a day late.

@lire-casander has, as usual, been like 97% of the reason I was able to ever get this done. She's a wonderful human being and I don't know how would I have ever done anything without her.

I do not own any of the characters. I am writing this for fun.

Read on AO3:

---

When Carlos locks his car door and fixes his duffle bag over his shoulder, all of this concentration is focused on keeping his exhaustion hidden and getting inside the house without TK knowing. Unfortunately, that means that he is so zoned into where to step and how to speak, that he doesn’t notice the soft glow of lights until he opens the door and comes to a complete stop.

There is nothing normal about the living room. The dining room chairs are pushed up to the kitchen counter, freeing the entire space in the middle. The coffee table is moved from the centre to a side, next to the staircase railing.

And then, right in the middle of the room, is the dining table, the sofa and a single chair all covered, forming a blanket fort.

He can immediately pick out the multiple throw blankets, they usually reside in their linen closet, but right now they’re laid on top of the furniture. He can tell that there’s a single high point in the centre, and he can only guess that it’s a chair, a stool or a pole of some sort; their dark grey and royal blue blankets laid inside to make the floor of the fort.

And through it all, in the depth of the fort, he sees TK, propped up by blankets, peeking his head through the opening of the fort, illuminated by fairy lights that hang behind him, framing the edges of the fort.

He’s dressed in a tank top and running shorts. His hair is damp and ruffled, it looks like he’s showered and just rubbed a towel through his head. There’s a soft smile on his face and a glint he can only describe as a mix of fondness and mischief in his eyes.

He doesn’t think he needs to guess that the mischief has to do with how torn the living room looks right now.

A chuckle forces itself out of his chest before he gets a chance to stop it. He drops the duffle bag, letting it hit the floor. He toes out his shoes, kicking them in the general direction of the shoe cabinet, then crouches down until he’s at TK’s level. The wide grin that he’s immediately faced with washes through him like a soothing balm, TK’s the smile so giant his eyes become minuscule in comparison.

“Hellooo,” he says, elongating the greeting. “Welcome to your weekend retreat!”

His eyebrows raise in question, and he finds himself smiling. He’s about to greet him back when TK twists to a side, pulling a box from one of the many crevices in the fort.

“Here you go,” TK says as he pushes the box into Carlos’ arms. “Go shower, change, and come back. I’ll be waiting right here,” he says patting the empty space next to him.

Carlos looks at the box. He knows there are a few bottles in there; he can tell by the way one side is heavier than the other. His favourite shirt is folded on the very top, and there’s a corner of black fabric underneath it, but he can’t tell what it is. He looks back at TK, the love he feels for the man growing by the second.

“Do I get to say hello first?”

TK’s eyes widen at that, before he bends forward, balancing on his knees and pursing his lips at Carlos, who meets him in the middle. It starts as a soft peck, just a ‘welcome home’, a type of kisses he didn’t think he could have before. The soft pecks whenever either one of them comes back home, the gentle caress of their lips on one another when they don’t have a reason to kiss, the sweet kitten licks he likes to lay on TK when he’s next to him.

It stays like that, soft and sweet, until it’s not. Until Carlos drops the box and holds onto the back of TK’s neck, pulling him deeper into the kiss. He responds immediately, lips parting to entwine their tongues, his hands sneaking underneath Carlos’ shirt, moving upwards to palm at his chest.

Carlos moans, dropping to his knees and letting TK pull him closer with an arm around the waist, until not only is half of his body inside the fort, but he’s also half on TK’s lap. He feels a soft dip underneath his legs, guessing that TK must have taken one of the guest room mattresses and laid it down as cushioning. With it, he also feels a hard imprint pressing on his thigh, and he feels the excitement start to bubble in the depth of his stomach. It reminds him of their first time together, the push and pull of their bodies on one another, as they gave and took, bending to each other’s will and demanding the same of the other person.

He’s about to lean more of his weight forward, to push TK on his back, when he breaks their contact, leaning back and holding Carlos in place with a hand on the front of his stomach, a single line of saliva connecting their lips.

“TK!” he whines, hands still wound around TK’s neck, pulling himself closer. He tries to kiss TK again, but he moves, making Carlos miss his face. He ends up detouring to the front of his throat.

“No, no, Ca-Carlos, you need, you need to go.”

Carlos tries to take him seriously and listen, he really does. It’s just extremely hard to accomplish such a thing when TK is moaning and withering and stuttering underneath him. He hums in reply, thrusting his hips as he tries to hump on something, anything. He’s almost sure that TK is going to give up and lay down, let them get on with the program. Instead, TK pulls back, planting his hands on Carlos’ chest this time, making sure that he won’t be able to reattach his lips to any visible body parts.

He pouts, watching as TK closes his eyes for a moment to take a deep breath. When he opens them, they’re still wide-blown, the green of his irises almost hidden. Carlos trails his gaze lower, passing by the quickly darkening bruise on the side of TK’s neck, and the quick rise and fall of his chest.

Carlos can read the lust that’s falling off TK in waves.

TK shakes his head, relaxing his arms a little and dragging his hands down Carlos’ front, giving his pecs a subtle squeeze. He rests them around his hips, bending forward to press his forehead to his chest.

Carlos bends his own head, kissing the top of TK’s head.

“I have something planned for you,” he mumbles, voice muffled by Carlos’ shirt. “So, as much as this pains me,” he pulls his face away, looking up at Carlos. “You need to go upstairs.”

Carlos huffs, pulling back to dramatically cover his eyes with his arm and loudly sigh in the corner of his elbow. He tries to keep the facade, but then he hears TK chuckle at him and he breaks, smiling as he straightens up and slides off TK.

“Okay, okay,” he says as he pulls his bag over his shoulder and holds the box in both arms. “Shower, you said?” TK nods, a smile on his face as lays back on the blankets.

Racking a final glance over TK, stopping for a few moments at the kiss-bitten lips and the sliver of skin showing between his top and shorts, Carlos takes a deep breath and gets up to his feet, turning around and running up the stairs two at a time. He wants to be back with TK as soon as possible.

He opens the bedroom door and comes to a stop in front of the bed, dropping both the box and his bag. He pauses for a moment, torn between going through the box TK prepared for him and between going through his own gift for TK. He looks between both of them once, twice, and thrice. Eventually, he decides to check on his present and make sure it’s ready so that he’s free to enjoy TK’s.

He opens the duffle, praying that it wasn’t crumbled or crushed. He pulls it out, turning it around in his hand, re-aligning the paper and straightening the bow tied around the middle. Once he’s sure that it’s as presentable as when he first bought it, he lays it on the bed, satisfied that it wasn’t been ruined. He turns his attention to TK’s gift.

The box is wrapped in blue wrapping paper - he knows it’s the one they bought months ago to wrap all the birthday gifts they give out to their friends and family - with small hearts drawn with a white marker. He runs his hand through the shirt he noticed in the very beginning. It’s a long-sleeved oversized shirt, incredibly soft and unbelievably cuddly. It’s what he usually wears when he’s having a bad day. And he’s been having a bad two weeks. Underneath the shirt is one of his black sweatpants, one of the fancy, woven wool ones.

He picks both of them out, finding a pair of underwear and fuzzy socks next. On the opposite side of the box is a fluffy towel. He pats it down, feeling something in the middle. He grabs the towel, laying it on the bed and unraveling it to find another towel, and in the center of that; four travel size bottles with nothing but home-made labels. He opens each bottle, smelling it as he reads the labels; one is shower gel, one is shampoo, one is a conditioner and the last one is a lotion.

He recognises the smells, and the brand of some almost instantly. The woodsy Oud of the shower gel is a luxury he doesn’t buy for himself much, and the sandalwood of the hair products is a brand he hardly finds nowadays. He isn’t sure what the lotion is exactly, but after pumping a bit from the bottle, he can tell that it’s his favourite kind of smell and his preferred texture of lotion.

A smile makes its way into his face just as tears start to cloud his vision.

He’s been bound to overtime and extra shifts for the past two weeks after a supposedly simple prisoner transfer turned into an active felony on the run. It had required multiple units and several hours to control the situation, and it still left five officers with different degrees of injuries and off-duty time.

He's glad that there were no lives lost that day - neither fellow colleagues nor prisoners - but it's been a heavy load for the remaining officers to carry, physically, emotionally and mentally. Worst of all, it didn't only affect the officers themselves, but also their families and partners at home.

So when he was finally approved for a weekend off, he immediately called TK and asked him to come over. He had missed the man. The minute smiles and nods during joint calls and late-night facetime calls didn't satisfy either one of them anymore.

Shaking his head, he takes a deep breath and lifts his hands to cover his eyes. Once he feels his emotions rear back, returning to their initial state of containment, he grabs the shower gel, shampoo and conditioner and walks to the en-suite bathroom.

He drops the bottles on the sink counter then opens the shower stall door to turn on the hot water, giving it a moment to warm up. He undresses quickly, pace increasing as steam starts gathering in the bathroom. After he throws his clothes into the hamper, he reaches into the shower, testing the water. He fiddles with the lever for the moment until he finds the desired temperature.

Grabbing the bottles off the sink, he opens the door and steps inside, putting the bottles down in the little shelf he has in the stall. And then he steps under the spray.

He closes his eyes and drops his head, letting the hot water fall down his hair and body, letting it take some of the stress and tension he's been feeling. The warm water feels heavenly, the jets hit at his tense muscles and the warmth calms his racing mind.

After a few minutes, he decides that he might as well get to showering and finally reaches for the bottles. He tries to go through the process quickly, but the lather and the spice of the Oud forces him to slow down, the feeling of cleanliness from the shampoo has him scratching at his own scalp, and the softness that the conditioner leaves behind makes him curl his hair around his fingers.

When he's done with the shower and he's just standing under the water for another few moments, he decides it's time to get moving. Closing the water, he grabs the towels, drying himself up with one and wrapping it around his hips, and then using the other one to dry his hair as he walks out of the shower.

His vision falls on the bed, the remains of the box contents… and his own gift to TK.

He barely resists the urge to smack himself on the forehead. He was so engrossed in the gifts he just received, and the thought TK put in each one, that he completely forgot about the very real possibility that TK could walk into the bedroom, and see what Carlos had bought right there.

He moves to the slightly open door and tries to listen to any noises around him, wondering if he'll be able to hear TK walking up or down the stairs. When he doesn't hear anything he turns back towards the bed and starts to put on the clothes from the box.

Getting dressed doesn't take time or concentration, and neither does applying the lotion. He's ready within minutes. He pulls the long sleeves over his hands and winds his arms around his chest, burying his nose into his shoulder and taking a deep whiff. He isn't sure what the laundry detergent that's been used on these clothes is, but it smells heavenly.

He turns back towards the bed, grabbing the bottles and putting them back into the box, and then grabs the whole box to deposit it on top of their dresser. He moves back to the bed, grabbing his own present, and then he's out of the door and making his way to finally join TK.

He tries to sneak down the last few steps, turning so that his hands are hidden behind his back and TK can't see them. He lands on the last step, moving to a crouch in front of the fort, repeating what he did earlier.

"Hi," he says, getting TK's attention, who's laid back scrolling on his phone.

TK's eyes snap to him, a smile immediately taking over his face. He drops his phone and sits up, moving a few feet to the front of the fort so he's in front of Carlos.

"Hi," he replies. "How was the shower?"

"Oh, it was okay, I've had better," he retaliates, huffing a laugh when TK pulls away with a gasp and a dramatic eye roll.

"Now, that's just a lie."

"I dunno, I'm a cop, I don't think I can lie."

TK huffs, shaking his head.

"That's basically saying that I can't start fires because I'm a firefighter, and we both know that's a lie."

Carlos laughs, falling completely onto his knees. He is fully aware that TK starting fires is something that isn't only a possibility, but a reality that has happened multiple times. Whether it be forgetting that he started breakfast and that there's toast in the oven, or the numerous cakes that have been left a little too long - or completely forgotten - than they needed.

"Whatcha hiding?" TK asks in his sing-songy voice, his hands sneaking around Carlos' waist along his arms. Luckily, he catches on to what TK is trying to do in time and he brings one hand forward, holding onto TK's wrists.

"Something. Let me into your humble abode and I'll show you."

TK hums, pretending to think about it, even though he's already moving back and to a side, until his back is resting onto the sofa and there's enough area next to him for Carlos to slip in.

He looks at the space ahead of him, trying to figure out how he's supposed to get inside without ruining his present or TK finding out what it is.

"Close your eyes, baby," he tells TK, continuing when he lifts an eyebrow at him. "You'll see in a second, come on," he urges, smiling when TK rolls his eyes before he does scrunch his eyes closed and covers them with his hands.

Carlos extends his hand in front of him, trying to make sure that it doesn't get ruined. He turns around, giving the front of the tent his back and then sliding in on his butt. Once he's settled in, slotted next to TK, both of them touching shoulder to thigh, he turns towards the man and lays a quick kiss on the back of the hand covering his eyes.

He feels TK perk up, turning his entire upper body towards Carlos.

"Can I open my eyes now?"

Carlos stares at his hand for a moment, straightening the paper again. "Yeah, okay, go ahead."

He looks as TK moves his hands, undoubtedly blinking the blurriness away, and then as he focuses on Carlos' hand.

"Are-are those?" he starts to ask, interrupting himself to run a palm across the paper wrapped around the bouquet.

"Uh, yeah," he stutters, rubbing the back of his neck.

"They're-it's beautiful!" TK exclaims, wrapping his hand around the stem of the bouquet, over Carlos', and angling it his way enough that he's able to stick his nose in it.

"Oh, God," he closes his eyes, a soft smile on his face. "It smells amazing!"

There's a preen of pride ruffling deep in Carlos' chest. He tries to conceal it the best he can, but judging by the smirk that TK throws him, he isn't doing a very good job at it. He clears his throat and hands the bouquet to TK, allowing him to turn it around and look at all of the different flowers.

"Red chrysanthemums, alstroemerias, primroses and stocks," TK mumbles underneath his breath, followed by a few words Carlos doesn't quite pick up on. He sits in his place, awaiting the final verdict.

He doesn't really know flowers, but he knows that TK loves them. So he's tried to do some research, and he has picked the flowers in the bouquet because they all mean love, in different variations.

His biggest hope was to find a florist at the store, someone who actually knows the intricate details of what each plant means. Unfortunately, the only person available when he got there was a teenage register keeper. Which meant that he had to do with what he had Googled earlier in the day.

While he is aware that he didn't do half as good of a job as an actual florist would have, he isn't sure that TK cares as much about that. He's still looking at the flowers with a fond gaze, holding a primrose petal - he thinks it's primrose at least - between two of his fingers and caressing it lightly. The smile on his face only gets bigger, and that is all Carlos cares about.

"How is it that even when I plan a surprise for you," TK whispers, his voice soft between them, "you still manage to surprise me?"

Carlos chuckles at that.

"Great minds think alike?" he offers.

He receives a soft hum in response, and then TK lays his head on Carlos' shoulder, bringing them even closer together, something he didn't even think was possible.

A few moments later, TK takes a deep breath and lifts his head. He kisses Carlos, telling him he's going to get a vase for the flowers and then he's out of the fort.

Carlos stays inside, arranging a few pillows behind his back to get comfortable. He looks at the empty side next to him, and over the edge of the mattress where TK had pulled the box from earlier. He spots a couple of water and soda bottles, a few small bowls and a couple of larger ones.

He can immediately tell that one of the larger ones is popcorn. One of the smaller ones has some type of candy - maybe skittles or M&Ms - and another bowl has marshmallows. He leans to the side to grab a few marshmallows, popping one in his mouth as he moves to completely lay down across the space, resting his head where TK's thighs were.

TK shows up at the opening of the fort right then, without the flowers in sight. He stops when he spots Carlos laying down, blinking a few times as Carlos stares back at him, a wide grin on his face.

He opens his arm, eliciting a laugh out of TK as he gets it and tries to maneuver himself around to Carlos' back.

"Babe, no," he whines when he sees that TK isn't going to lay down in front of him. But he settles down once he realizes that TK is laying down behind him, snaking an arm between his waist and the ground. His other hand moves over their heads, grabbing the TV remote and pressing a few buttons till the screen in front of them turns on. TK drops the remote and connects both of his hands over Carlos' stomach.

Carlos tries to burrow deeper into the body behind him, wiggling until his entire back is in contact with TK's front. He overlaps his hands with TK's, holding onto the other man.

This is his favourite way of unwinding. He likes to just sit and cuddle with TK on the couch, watching some lightweight comedy movie as they laugh and snack on whatever junk food they have on hand. They don't get to do it to this scale though. In fact, they've never done it this way before. Certainly not to the extent of a full-blown blanket fort.

He takes a breath, letting the scents of the products he just used, mixed with TK's cologne and the smell of the food around them, lull him into peace. He can feel his mind start to calm down, and the thumping of his heart begin to slow down.

He's starting to drift away, eyes closed, mind and body relaxed, when he hears the first few dialogues of the movie. He frowns, trying to pinpoint where he's heard the sentences, before his eyes snap open, and sure enough, he finds himself staring at Hiccup.

"Wait," he murmurs, turning his head around to look at TK. "That's How to Train Your Dragon!"

"Yeah, that is true."

Carlos can tell that TK is being sarcastic, but it still doesn't dampen his amazement.

"How did you know I like it?"

"You mean how did I know that it's your favourite comfort movie? Or that you absolutely love and adore it? Or that you cry every time you watch the third instalment?" TK asks, and Carlos' eyes widen with every question.

He can feel the heat starting to build up in his face, but he ignores it, choosing to untangle their hands and turning around until he's face to face with TK.

"All of it," he replies. "How did you know about any of that?"

TK stares at him for a moment, a slight smirk on his face. He loves the man, his smirks and smiles included, even when they're directed at him. Even though he is extremely curious and genuinely waiting for an answer, he still can't help smiling back at him.

"You told me," TK whispers. "We were babysitting your nieces one day and we were watching this, cuddled up on their couch. I was half-asleep, so I'm sure you didn't think I'd hear you. But you were telling me about how it's your all-time favourite movie and why you love it so much."

Carlos blinks at TK, going back to the exact day he's talking about. He remembers it crystal clear, simply because it was the first time his three nieces met TK. They had been a little wary at first, before he showed them videos of himself on the firetruck, and then they were immediately enamoured, flicking behind him from one room to another, and demanding to sit next to him. At the end of the night, they had huddled up on the couch - Carlos and TK next to each other and, and his nieces spread out of top of them - as they watched How To Train Your Dragon. His nieces and TK were all out within fifteen minutes.

But Carlos had stayed awake. Holding Amalia over his shoulder, and playing his TK's hair with his other hand. He sat there, and for the next hour, he relayed everything that happened to a sleeping TK, going as far as telling him why he liked specific parts and why others hit him deep in his soul.

When the movie ended though, he woke TK up. Together, they moved all three kids to the guest bedroom, and then they went to theirs. And the movie was never spoken about again.

And so, to hear TK say that not only was he awake and actually heard every word, but he has also remembered even though it's been almost a year since the situation, Carlos can't help the tears that spring up to his eyes, again.

“I told you this ages ago," he whispers, voice thick with emotions he isn't sure he can keep locked inside anymore.

TK seems to understand though. He brings a hand to his cheek, wiping at a few tears that have escaped, and then he leans forward, pressing a soft kiss to the tip of Carlos' nose.

"Yeah, you did. I figured if there's ever an occasion to put that piece of information to use, it'd be when you've been having an absolute hell of a week," he explains, continuing after a moment of silence. "And why stop there? Might as well combine with your other favourites: hugs and cuddles," he says as he pulls Carlos closer.

They stay in each other's arms for a moment longer, TK holding onto Carlos as he silently cries into the crook of his neck. Once his tears run out, he pulls back slightly, only to lean forward again and kiss TK, trying to pour every emotion of love and adoration and devotion into it.

When they finally pull back, it's to smiles and giggles. And as TK turns Carlos around again, holding him safe and secure around the waist and starting the movie, he can't help but wonder if they can have blanket fort comfort dates more often - make it a regular occurrence.

[breannacasey]

I’ll Keep You Warm

TK sleeps over at Carlos' for the first time. 

Carlos Reyes/TK Strand. 924 words. Teen and Up

Written for @tarlos-valentine Day 1: “Babe, please, sharing is caring” + Blanket Hogging

It was the middle of the night. TK woke up shivering from the cold in the room. It was strange because he definitely remembered falling asleep under a couple of blankets and yet he had nothing beyond the sheet covering him. He turned toward Carlos, fast asleep under a blanket he’d definitely stolen from him to hog. There was no sign of any of the comforters however and TK found himself getting out of bed to look for them, rubbing his eyes and stretching, wondering how they possibly could’ve disappeared.

He found them on the floor, on Carlos’ side of the bed. Did his boyfriend throw them down there? He shook his head and picked them up, setting them back onto the bed. This was a mystery to be solved in the morning, now all he wanted was to get back to sleep.

When he woke up again, sun pouring through the blinds and onto them, he was once again only under the sheet. Was maybe Carlos trying to send him a message like he didn’t really want him here in his bed? Should he have gone home last night? Was it too soon for him to have slept over?

               “Morning.” Carlos smiled.

               “Morning.”

               “Are you okay? You seem weird. Did you sleep alright?”

               “I’m a little cold. Did you throw the comforters on the floor again?”

               “Sorry,” Carlos said as he reached back to pull them up without even having to look for them, “I don’t know why, but I do that sometimes while I sleep.”

Keep reading on ao3

[lire-casander]

tienes mi voz, tienes mis versos (no somos perfectos)

[3,090 words] [teen and up audiences] [beta’ed by @meloingly] [title from moriré en el intento by antonio orozco. the title roughly translates into you have my voice, you have my verses (we are not perfect)]  [carlos reyes, tk strand, paul strickland, mateo chavez] [angst, mentions of a fight, blanket theft, making up, fluff, love languages] [written for the @tarlos-valentine Tarlos Corazonados Weekend 2021, day #1: “babe, please, sharing is caring” + blanket hogging + favorite outfit] [love languages used: physical touch + receiving gifts] 

[he knows they need to talk, he knows they need to make this right]

tienes mi voz, tienes mis versos (no somos perfectos)

The envelope is glaring at Carlos from its spot on the kitchen counter where he’s dropped it as though it burns, after he’s signed the paper the postman has forced upon him in order to receive this registered letter.

He knows he should call TK — he knows he should interrupt his scheduled shift and barge into the station brandishing the letter like a sword. Or a shield. It should have been them against the world, but they’re currently in a situation that prevents Carlos from even picking up his phone and calling TK, because he knows TK won’t pick up.

He’s fucked up. Again.

It had all started with a small, petty fight. Carlos doesn’t want to remember how they went from eating a rushed breakfast before their shifts to the yelling that ensued — he just knows it's been half a week, and they haven't been on speaking terms ever since. And Carlos is aware that most of it is on him — heʼs to blame for the silence that stretched after the yelling, for the slamming door in his wake, for not picking up the phone and for driving TK away from him.

It's been a pattern these past months ever since they started this process; the rollercoaster of emotions usually catches them together, on the same wavelength, but not this time. This time Carlos had to go and be stupid about something as silly as TK hogging the blanket at night. So yeah, maybe he remembers why it all started. So sue him. He still doesn’t want to reminisce about it.

He just wants TK to talk to him again.

But that seems to be an impossible feat right now, because TK is currently in the middle of a forty-eight-hour shift and Carlos has just begun the first of his three days off work.

He wanders through their apartment aimlessly, moving from the couch to the fridge without opening it, only to climb up the stairs and stop dead in his tracks right before entering their bedroom. Carlos sighs when he finds himself one step away from the bed for the fourth time in a single morning; it's evident that heʼs mourning something he isn’t even sure is dead. He needs to talk to TK.

He needs to set things right.

He makes a decision in a split second, grabbing his wallet and his keys, and pocketing them as he walks out of the building. The ride to the station is short, but Carlos can't help dreading arriving at his destination. There’s not much he remembers about the reasons why they were fighting, but there’s just one thing he canʼt shake off — TK has gone on shift without saying I love you, without Carlos making sure TK knows he has a home to come back to, a beacon in the night in case things go south at work.

Carlos knows that everything can change in a second, and he doesn’t want to waste another moment. This is why they never go to bed angry at each other; maybe they should create a new habit of never parting ways without having cleared the air between them, if either one or both of them are starting a shift. They're both first responders — there’s a high chance one day they wonʼt make it back home.

He parks the Camaro outside the station but he doesn’t get out of the car. He needs time to think, time to organize his thoughts and carefully choose his words. Then he goes back to the fight from earlier in the week, he begins to remember clearly that he was being grumpy about TK hogging the blankets on the bed during the night. Heʼd thought he was being polite but his words had come out all wrong and TK had been upset and somehow they had started shouting things neither of them truly believed.

Or at least Carlos hopes TK doesn’t. It would break his heart if he did.

“Carlos?” he hears, followed by tapping on the window. When he looks up, he can see Paulʼs concerned eyes looking down at him. Carlos rolls down the window. “You okay, man?”

He wants to tell Paul that heʼs peachy, but when Carlos takes a second, longer look at Paul, he can tell that Paul might already know, if his sympathetic smile is anything to go by. Carlos doesn’t know what he was thinking, coming here and trying to play it cool after talking himself into walking inside — of all the people the universe could send to him in his moment, it had to be Paul Strickland, observant extraordinaire.

“I don’t know,” Carlos replies.

“Well, your man isn’t any better,” Paul points out. “Same nervous energy, same bags under his eyes. You know, if I didn’t know you two, I would think youʼd have kept each other up all night.”

“And how do you know that's not the case?” Carlos doesn’t know where this sassiness is coming from, but he's also conscious that he isn’t fooling Paul.

“For once, TK and I have been together for twenty-four hours now in this shift, Reyes. Not a chance I’d have missed him sneaking out to get some,” Paul replies, arching one eyebrow as though daring Carlos to deny it. “And then, I can assure you, after all this time, I think I can distinguish TKʼs nervous energy from his Iʼve gotten laid energy,” he finishes crudely, air quotes in place. When Carlos doesn’t say anything, Paul sighs. “Are you getting in to talk to him? Judd's so close to throwing him out a window next call.”

“I should, shouldn’t I?” Without waiting for Paulʼs answer, Carlos maneuvers to open the door and steps outside, under the inquisitive gaze of his friend.

“Heʼs in the kitchen, probably terrorizing Mateo,” Paul guides him. “Tell the probie that I need him out here. I guess Marj and Judd would know better than to stay where they could get in the crossfire.”

“You know it's been literal years since Mateo stopped being the probie, right?” Paul simply stares at him, his eyebrow shooting up again in a dare, and Carlos chooses not to argue. “Iʼll tell him.”

“You must. The kid wouldn’t realize heʼs in a landmine even if a bomb exploded under his feet.”

Carlos chokes out a startled laugh. Paul pats his shoulder before leaning into the Camaro and crossing his arms. Carlos hesitates with his first step forward, but as he approaches the open space he feels more and more secure in his skin. He needs to talk to TK, he needs to apologize. And if Paul is right — and he’s usually right — TK isn’t in better shape than he is.

When he heads for the kitchen, he sees Marjan and Judd making their way out of the station hastily. Judd shakes his head in greeting, while Marjan squeezes his arm in passing. It’s a small gesture, but Carlos appreciates it anyway — it makes him feel like part of the family, like he matters to them.

Like he can fix this.

Carlos stops dead in his tracks a few steps before reaching his destination. TK is in the kitchen with Mateo, just as Paul said, leaning into a counter and actually terrorizing Mateo with a rant about — Carlos doesn’t need to strain his ears to actually hear it — bubble tea and the properties it holds in comparison to other kinds of tea.

“If you let him go on,” he interrupts, leaning into the closest counter. Mateo jumps a little upon hearing his voice, but TK simply stares ahead. Carlos doesn’t rule out the fact that TK might have sensed him coming in. “If you let him go on, you’ll be trapped here forever. And Paul needs you outside.”

“I—I should go. Now,” Mateo mumbles, rushing out of the kitchen. Owen is nowhere to be seen, as are Tommy, Nancy and Freddie, but even though they’re alone in the kitchen TK is stubbornly refusing to acknowledge him.

“TK,” he begins, hands moving on their own accord to touch TK’s arm on the counter. He stops his movement when he sees TK visibly flinching. He doesn’t want to be the reason why TK is afraid of touch anymore. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have attacked you like that.”

TK sighs. “You were right,” he mutters. “I do hog the blankets at night. I get cold, but that shouldn’t be an excuse.”

“I’m sorry,” Carlos repeats. This time, when he moves his fingers, he reaches TK’s skin and squeezes his arm without TK moving away. “It was a horrible thing to shout at you.”

“You were just speaking your truth,” TK mumbles. Carlos takes step after step until he’s standing behind TK, his larger frame covering TK’s body, his hands resting next to TK’s on top of the counter. “It’s me who’s sorry.”

“You can’t really believe that me screaming at you because you hog the blankets is my truth, right?” Carlos speaks directly into TK’s ear. “I’ve known you for seven years now, Tyler Kennedy, I’m used to you stealing the blankets. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I was stressed, I’m still stressed, but that’s no excuse.”

“What would you have said, instead?” TK twists in Carlos’ arms until they’re facing each other; Carlos can feel TK’s breath on his skin. “Babe, please, sharing is caring?”

“Most probably,” Carlos chuckles. He’s beginning to get drunk on TK’s scent, now that he can see his green eyes once again searching his soul. He allows his gaze to roam over TK, taking in every single detail of his appearance, until he realizes something. “Why aren’t you on your AFD uniform?” he asks.

TK’s wearing his grey hoodie, the one from all those nights back when they stared at the green-lit skies on top of his Camaro — the night it all started. His eyes widen as he faintly remembers the clothes he’s hastily put on before running out of their apartment.

He’s wearing the maroon polo shirt he’d been wearing back then, because he knows how much TK loves the way the color brightens up his eyes.

“I’m benched,” TK confesses. “Dad doesn’t want me out there while I’m unable to focus. And he’s right, I’ve been out of my mind ever since this shift started.”

Carlos nods. He knows exactly what TK means — he’s not been himself either.

“I left you without telling you how much I love you. I broke our promise,” TK mumbles. Carlos’ hands shoot up, drawing caressing patterns on TK’s arms.

“Hey, hey, don’t say that. I drove you away, remember? I yelled at you because you have cold feet at night and steal the blanket. Something that can be easily fixed if I bought another blanket for myself.”

“Or if I wore socks in bed,” TK suggests, resting his forehead against Carlos’ chest. And God, Carlos has missed this, this touch, this feeling of invincibility just because TK is staring right into his soul.

“Wearing socks in bed is sacrilege,” Carlos jokes. “Do you forgive me?”

TK giggles, the sound reverberating through Carlos’ body. “Is this your way of apologizing? I would have thought you’d be more thorough, Officer.”

“Not when we’re in public, Firefighter,” he jabs back. “I’m sorry.”

“You’ve already said that,” TK points out.

“You haven’t said if you forgive me.”

“Of course I forgive you, you twit,” Tk says, swatting at him. “I’ve forgiven you the moment you stepped into the station. Probably way before that. But,” he adds, “I’ll only forgive you if you forgive me.”

“What for?” Carlos pushes TK away briefly, a frown marring his features. He doesn’t understand.

“Well, I’ve been stressed about this whole process. I don’t want to disappoint anyone, and I’ve been taking it out on you.”

“We’ve both been stressed. The interviews, the background checks, all that takes its toll,” Carlos tries to reason. They’ve been through this before, several times, from the moment they decided to embark in this adventure.

“But what if we don’t make it because of me?” TK says in despair. “What if they have a look at my file and decide that they won’t give us a chance because they won’t give a child to an addict who also has been arrested before?”

“There were no charges pressed against you, remember?” Carlos sighs. “And they’d be idiots not to give us that chance. And even if they are, it won’t be your fault. It’d be theirs. And if that ever happens, we’ll go somewhere else. We’ll start anew. We can do it.”

“We should have received a letter by now,” TK says with a creaking voice. “It surely means bad news, huh?”

“Actually,” Carlos starts, holding his breath when TK looks up at him. “A letter came in the post today. Had to sign the reception and all that jazz.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” TK says frantically. “Where is it? What does it say?”

“Hey, hey, take a breath, tiger,” Carlos tries to calm him, his fingers already cupping TK’s face lovingly, stroking the skin until he feels TK’s breathing slowing down. “I haven’t brought it with me. I want to open it with you, but I want to do it at home, together. We can wait until you’re back from your long shift.”

TK leans into Carlos’ touch. “Okay, that will be my reason to power through this hell. And now you should go,” he continues, looking over Carlos’ shoulder. “The whole crew is snooping.”

Carlos laughs. “Okay, I’ll leave. I have a couple of days off ahead of me and I should really, really catch up on some sleep.”

“Sleep for me, will you?” TK says playfully, lifting his hands to caress Caros’ cheek. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” Carlos whispers, pecking TK’s lips before the catcalls come.

He saunters out of the station with a new spring on his step. He’s just content that things have finally worked out between them — he just wishes he hadn’t been so stubborn not to come over the station sooner. He should have done it, but there’s no point in dwelling on the past now that they’re good again.

They will get through anything. Together.

He hops into his Camaro and starts it, mentally going through the groceries he will need to buy. He decides to stop at the store on his way back home, since he needs to restock their pantry.

When he pulls up next to their building, it’s almost three hours later. He jumps out, grabs the bags and balances them as he fishes his keys in his pocket. He frowns when he feels the ease with which he opens the door, as though the door had been unlocked. He enters the house with caution, not knowing what to expect, when he spots TK in the middle of the living room with his hands tucked into his hoodie pocket.

“TK?” Carlos asks, surprised. Soon his astonishment morphs into worry. “Are you hurt? That's why you're home so early?”

“No, nothing like that,” TK rushes to explain. “I, uhm. I was dismissed when Dad knew the letter had arrived. He literally told me he didn’t need me to be distracted on site. And to call him the moment we knew, bad news or good news. The rest of the fam wants in, as well.”

Carlos chuckles. “Let me leave this in the kitchen and I will be back here with you.” He does as he says, the bags falling askew on the counters, before he runs out of the room and into the living room.

Where there’s no sign of TK.

“Love?” he calls out. “Where are you?”

“The bedroom,” comes the muffled reply from upstairs.

“But the letter is—” Carlos trails off when he notices that the letter isn’t where he put it in the morning. The envelope is nowhere to be seen.

Carlos climbs the stairs, two steps at a time, and heʼs panting when he reaches their bedroom. He sticks his head through the open threshold, and the sight steals the rest of his breath.

TK is standing in the middle of the room, next to the bed, where Carlos can see what looks like a navy blue blanket. It seems fluffy and soft, and Carlos finds himself wishing he could touch it. But there’s more.

There’s a note on top of it, and he can spy the corner of the envelope with the letter he's been dreading to open on his own.

“How? When?” he manages to croak out. He’s walked into the room without even paying attention to his movement.

“I might have bought it the moment I stepped out after our fight,” TK confesses. “Several online stores deliver the same day to fire stations, so I was just waiting to apologize to you with it.”

Carlos smiles softly. He leans in, dropping a kiss on TKʼs already pursed lips. “Thank you.”

“There are other ways to say I love you, not just your touchy-feely method,” TK jokes.

“I don’t remember you complaining about my touchy-feely ways a couple of days ago.”

“Hush now,” TK mumbles, kissing Carlos back.

Carlos maneuvers them across the room until heʼs within armʼs reach of the blanket. There are words written in TKʼs messy scrawl on the note. Carlos feels his heart swelling with pride and so much love that it's almost unbearable.

“Sharing is caring,” he reads out loud on the note that's left on top of the fluffy blanket, before picking up the envelope that's beneath with shaky fingers.

“Are you ready to know?” TK says at his back, arms sneaking around his waist and pulling him in closer.

Carlos can only nod, overwhelmed by the love he is feeling right in this moment. He manages to tear the envelope open and extracts a piece of paper from the inside. “Dear Mr. and Mr. Strand-Reyes,” he begins reading before he breaks down in tears and falls on his knees on the floor, accompanied in the motion by TK, who's holding him tighter.

“Babe,” TK whispers into his hair, dropping a kiss on his hair, a suspicious wetness coloring his words. “We made it. Weʼre in.”

Carlos nods, turning in TKʼs arms until heʼs openly crying into his hoodie, the letter abandoned on the floor, although the words are engraved in his mind forever.

We are happy to inform you that you have been approved as prospective adopting parents by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

[moviegeek03]

Night Changes (Tarlos Oneshot/Valentine's Prompt)

Summary: TK wasn’t much for Valentine’s Day. Despite being the romantic…Valentine’s Day just never did it for him. Not after spending so many as a kid handing out the homemade variety to crushes who didn’t understand his feelings. Not after fancy dinners fell flat. Not after that one time he ended up in the hospital. But maybe, maybe Carlos can find a way to change his feelings about the day.

Written for Day 2 of @tarlos-valentine - "“What do you want for breakfast?” “It’s 10 PM” “Oh”+ Late Night Hangouts + Favourite Date". Special thanks to @mtnofgrace for the help on plotting this out!

[djdangerlove]

Carlos and TK attend their niece’s soccer game and come to a decision about the future of their Saturdays.

“Babe, please, sharing is caring.” + blanket hogging

My fic for Tarlos Valentine 2021 @tarlos-valentine

[bellakitse]

Batting Cages, Tacos and Midnight fun

“Alright,” Carlos says as he comes back with a smile. “You’re good to go, just step in and press the button on the wall when you’re ready for the balls to start flying.”

“I’ll be honest, not the type of balls I thought would be flying tonight,” he murmurs, smirking at Carlos as he stares at him.

+

When TK can’t sleep, he calls his friend-maybe boyfriend for some midnight fun. He’s surprised at what Carlos has planned for them.

Written for Day Two of Tarlos Corazonados Weekend- Late Night Hangouts @tarlos-valentine

Rated M*​ sexual content

TK Strand has always had a hard time getting proper sleep. He usually knocks out after a long and grueling shift, but if he’s had an easy day, the chances are once it’s time for bed, he’ll be wide awake staring at the ceiling like he is now.

He stays like that for a moment longer before letting out an aggravated sigh, reaching for his phone. He makes a note of the time. It’s after midnight, and he really shouldn’t be pulling up his contacts searching for a certain Austin Police Officer. Yet, despite knowing it might muddle their tentative friendship, he finds himself calling Carlos anyway.

“What are you doing?” he questions when Carlos picks up, giving him a groggy hello. He smiles, a little embarrassed at the knowing chuckle Carlos lets out.

“So we do this now?” he asks, and TK can hear the smirk in his voice.

It makes TK blush but also causes his stomach to clench in anticipation. He and Carlos have been in this weird limbo where he doesn’t know what to call them since their date playing darts. They’re friends, that much TK knows. He finds himself confiding in Carlos more and more these days. The cop has a way of breaking past his defenses until he’s revealing the not so pretty parts that make him whole.

But there is also the other side of their relationship, the one where TK can’t keep his hands to himself, wanting to touch and taste every inch of Carlos any chance he gets. He wants to keep him even without knowing what they are yet.

“I can’t sleep,” he tells him honestly, hoping it’s enough of an answer about what he wants even if he isn’t entirely sure what that is himself.

“I’ll pick you up in 20,” Carlos answers easily, and TK can hear the rustling of his sheets over the phone as he gets up from his bed. “I’ll see you in a few, okay?”

TK nods even though Carlos can’t see before answering in the affirmative. He feels both excited and thankful that Carlos is willing to accommodate him at the drop of a hat. He tries not to give it much thought to what it means.

He dresses in a pair of black joggers and a zip-up hoodie, not bothering with anything underneath; it’s not like he’s going to be dressed for long anyway. He quietly walks out of the house as not to wake up his dad and waits on his front steps for the familiar blue Camaro to arrive.

He doesn’t have to wait long. Carlos arrives before the time he promised, and TK jumps to his feet, quickly making his way to the car before it fully comes to a stop. “Hi,” he breathes as he closes the door behind him, reaching for the seat belt.

Carlos answers by running a hand through his hair, tugging him forward. TK goes smoothly, leaning his upper body over the console, moaning softly as Carlos gives him a thorough kiss. It makes TK dizzy in a way that only Carlos’ kisses can.

“Hi,” he whispers back, smiling against his lips before he pulls TK’s bottom lip into his mouth, giving it a suck that leaves TK gasping when he finally pulls away. The smug smile on Carlos’ face makes TK roll his eyes.

“I was going to apologize for waking you up, but,” he trails off, poking a finger into the corner of Carlos’ smile, causing Carlos to let out a chuckle, knowing where his comment is going.

“I don’t mind,” Carlos says casually as he takes his hand from his face and holds it on his thigh. “You can call me whenever you want.”

TK swallows, not knowing how to answer Carlos’ easy affection and sincerity. Luckily he doesn’t have to. Carlos seems to be satisfied with holding his hand while he drives, as TK responds by running his thumb over his knuckles. He gets lost in its motion and doesn’t notice right away they aren’t headed back to Carlos’ apartment. Instead, they pull up at a closed establishment named ‘Rocco’s batting cages.’

“Umm?” he turns to Carlos, questioning when he parks and turns off the car.

“You said you couldn’t sleep,” Carlos answers. “I figured we should work off that excess energy of yours.”

“That’s what your bed is for,” TK shoots back even as he follows Carlos out of the car, shrugging at the raised eyebrow Carlos gives him. They know each other well enough at this point to not be shy about wanting each other.

Carlos shakes his head in amusement as he pops the hood of his car, pulling out a bag with a familiar logo of the food truck TK knows he loves.

“When did you even have time to get that?” he questions bewildered, following Carlos toward the obviously closed door of the property.

“I called in an order after I hung up with you and picked it up before getting to your place,” Carlos answers as he pulls out a set of keys. “They like me, so they were quick.”

“And this place?” TK questions waving towards it when Carlos slides in the key.

“My buddy owns it,” Carlos says with a shrug. “I have a spare key. I texted him I would be using the place tonight; he’s pretty used to it. When work has me stressed out, I like to come and swing the bat around.”

He lets TK go through the door first, turning the lights as he steps in and closing the door behind them. He guides them through the place with the practiced ease of someone familiar with the layout. He leads him to the back, where they step back outside to a gated area.

“Stay right here, I’m going to turn on the rest of the lights,” Carlos tells him, leaving him alone with the food.

It takes a few minutes, but soon overhead lights turn on, illuminating five separate batting cages evenly spaced. Carlos comes back with a pair of bats and a helmet, extending them to TK.

“Here you go,” he says to him, waiting for TK to take the equipment, walking into the batting cage in front of them while TK starts to get ready. He puts on the helmet and practices a few swings while Carlos sets up the pitching machine.

“Alright,” Carlos says as he comes back with a smile. “You’re good to go, just step in and press the button on the wall when you’re ready for the balls to start flying.”

“I’ll be honest, not the type of balls I thought would be flying tonight,” he murmurs, smirking at Carlos as he stares at him.

“You’re shameless,” Carlos finally says with a resigned laugh, affection coloring his voice. He steps up close to him, tipping his chin up to kiss him. “This will help,” he says against his mouth. “Trust me, and afterwards, we can deal with other balls,” he finishes with a soft blush on his face that makes TK snicker.

“I haven’t swung a bat since middle school,” he warns as he steps into the cage, closing the gate behind him. “I might suck at this.”

“I believe in you,” Carlos answers from the bench he’s sat on, pulling out a taco and jarrito drink. He flashes TK a grin before biting into his food. “Hit three, and you get a taco.”

TK rolls his eyes at the offer before pressing the start button, quickly stepping up to the plate. He manages to get a piece of the first and second throw but misses the next three. Every time he misses, he sneaks a look at Carlos, scowling at the smirk he finds on his handsome face.

“I told you I would suck,” he calls out, swinging yet again, making a face when his bat doesn’t connect.

“You’re just a little rusty,” Carlos answers cheerfully.

TK chuckles despite himself at the positive attitude. He steps off the base to pause the pitcher machine and turns towards Carlos with a raised brow. “Why don’t you come in here and teach me how it’s done,” he challenges, letting out a  grin when Carlos takes him up on it and stands.

He keeps smiling as Carlos steps into the cage, half a taco in hand. TK opens his mouth, his eyes twinkling with amusement as Carlos scoffs.

“You still didn’t earn your dinner,” he says even as he hands him the half a taco.

TK shrugs, paying him no mind as he bites into the food, humming in approval as the barbacoa flavor hits his taste buds.

“Okay, so your problem seems to be the swing of your hips,” Carlos explains, moving his to demonstrate.

TK bites his lip to keep from saying what he wants to say, though when he looks up at Carlos’ face, he finds that he didn’t need to. The pointed look he gives him tells TK he heard his silent innuendo loud and clear.

“Come on! You can’t talk about hip motions and move yours like that and not have me think about the other times I’ve proven just how well mine move,” TK protests as Carlos continues to look at him unimpressed. He grins at the eye roll Carlos gives him before he swings, connecting his bat to the ball dead center sending it flying.

“Damn,” TK says, impressed. “Okay, if you’re going to play like that, sure, show me your hip motions.”

Carlos huffs quietly, smiling as he shakes his head. He swings the bat three more times, hitting the ball each and every time.

“Okay, okay, stop showing me up,” TK complains as he pushes the button to stop the machine once more.

Carlos laughs as he steps off the plate, coming towards him. TK holds out his hand to take the bat back, but at the last moment, Carlos drops the bat on the ground, along with his helmet. He puts a hand to TK’s chest, pushing him firmly into the wall behind him, keeping him there by the press of his body against his.

“Are we finally going to get to the hip motions I excel at?” he questions, already rubbing himself against Carlos as he presses his hard thigh between his legs.

Carlos shakes with silent laughter, his brown eyes shining with delight. “What am I going to do with you?” he murmurs as he takes hold of TK’s face, tilting it upward to give him a feather-light kiss. The words are spoken with such affection that TK has to bite his tongue to keep from blurting out ‘Love me.’

Carlos seems to hear him anyway as he deepens their kiss. It grows hot and hazy, desperate as TK moans into it, biting on Carlos’ bottom lip, getting a low needy groan in return for his efforts.

His hands are on TK, lighting fires over his clothes everywhere he touches before he’s pulling on the zipper to his hoodie. He lets out a gasp as the cold air hits his skin, and Carlos pulls back to stare at his naked chest, raising an eyebrow at him.

“I thought we were going to your place,” TK explains, feeling himself blush. “I didn’t bother with underclothes.

Carlos stares at him for a moment longer, his eyes narrowing before the hand he has on his chest slides down TK’s stomach, slipping inside his joggers.

“Fuck,” Carlos curses as he wraps his hand around TK’s hard and dripping cock.

TK tries to speak but can’t seem to form any words as Carlos starts to touch him in practiced strokes. He lets out a mewling whine when Carlos runs his thumb over the head of his cock, spreading the liquid gathered around.

“Fuck,” Carlos whispers again, staring into TK’s wide-blown eyes. He leans in, giving him a hard, bruising kiss. TK tries to return it, but it’s over before he can. He tries to put enough brain cells together to complain, but he blinks once, and in the next second, Carlos is gone from sight, going to his knees in front of TK.

“Oh,” he breathes, nodding fast when Carlos taps at the waist of his sweats and looks up at him in question. “Please.”

Carlos gives him a grin before he starts to roll down TK’s pants. The cold air of the night makes him shiver, but that’s nothing to the full-body shudder he lets out when wet heat encircles him as Carlos takes him into his mouth to his base.

“Jesus Christ,” he exclaims, banging his head back as Carlos doesn’t waste a second and goes to work. He sucks at TK with a single-mindedness that leaves him breathless and his head spinning. It takes almost no time at all before TK is at a razor’s edge. He’s been wanting this all night, and it’s Carlos.

Carlos, who makes him feel safe enough to share everything ugly he has inside him. Carlos, who leaves his bed in the middle of the night to come to TK’s aid just because he can’t sleep. Carlos, who distracts him with batting cages and food just to lighten his mood. Carlos, who goes to his knees and worships TK like he’s actually something worthy.

He signals for him to pull back as his orgasm builds, but Carlos just sucks him in deeper, making his intention clear.

TK lets out another helpless moan as he spills into Carlos’ mouth, shaking as he sucks and licks him through it, swallowing everything TK has to give. TK’s last thought before he goes completely mindless is ‘can I keep you?’

He is all but useless as Carlos takes his mouth off him, and gently pulls up his sweats before he stands with a proud smile on his face as TK looks at him through dazed eyes.

“Think you can sleep now?” he asks smugly, and TK feels more enamored by the second.

“Yeah, I think so.”

Carlos’ expression is bright at his answer. He touches the tip of his nose to TK’s as he lays his forehead against his. “Good,” he tells him with a sweet smile. “Should I take you home?”

TK bites his lip, hesitating for a second before he speaks. “Or we could go back to your place?” he asks shyly. “I think I would sleep better there.”

Carlos softens; his eyes are gentle and kind as he looks at him. “Even better,” he tells him. “That way, with you in my arms, I’ll sleep well too.”

[reyeslonestar]

It's like that, huh?

Tarlos Valentine Weekend 2021 @tarlos-valentine

Day 3: Favourite Kiss

TK & Carlos, 911 Lone Star, 1.02

[reyesstrand]

never fallen from quite this high

tarlos / teen+ / 1.5k

Three hours of overtime later, Carlos strolls out to his car, attempting and failing to reach the knots of tension forming in his shoulders. It’s impossible not to feel some of that stress fade, though, when he answers his phone and hears TK’s voice on the other end. He’s not expecting the question, though, when TK forgoes any heys or what’s ups to instead ask: “What do you want for breakfast?”

@tarlos-valentine day two: “what do you want for breakfast?” - “it’s 10pm” - “oh.” + late night hangouts

Carlos stifles a yawn behind his fist as he strolls into the communal kitchen at the station, trying to keep himself from looking at the clock as he puts another pot of coffee on.

He's tired, though. And human. And so he lets his gaze drift to the spot above the bulletin board, feeling even more weighed down than before when he realizes it's barely seven. He's already been asked to stay and cover for a sick-call until a proper replacement could come in, and after working for nearly twelve hours already, he's about ready to drop.

He pushes that down, because he knows after years on the job that thinking about getting home only makes the shifts feel longer. So Carlos meticulously prepares his coffee how he likes and when he returns to his desk, informs his partner that there's a fresh pot that she might want to get to before it sits too long. She offers him a thankful look, pushing away from the several open files on her desk, and Carlos lets out a long sigh as he returns to his own paperwork.

It doesn't mean that he doesn't get wistful every half hour or so, thinking about how he should be home with TK for the first date night they thought they'd be able to squeeze into their equally busy schedules in a couple of weeks. His boyfriend had no hard feelings when he'd texted him earlier, informing him about his overtime, but Carlos misses him. Their time together feels so fleeting of late, and all he wants is to be home, preferably in bed, listening to TK's retelling of whatever crazy scenario they experienced today while on a call.

He sighs, and stares at the bottom corner of his computer screen, the tiny 8:14pm feeling like some sort of torture. Shaking his head at himself, Carlos bows his head and focuses on the words on the page, doing everything in his power to get through this shift so he can get home and sleep it all off.

What ends up being three hours of overtime later, Carlos strolls out to his car, attempting and failing to reach the knots of tension forming in his shoulders. It's impossible not to feel some of that stress fade, though, when he answers his phone and hears TK's voice on the other end.

He's not expecting the question, though, when TK forgoes any heys or what's ups to instead ask: "What do you want for breakfast?"

"Sorry, what?" Carlos shifts his phone to his other hand, digging his keys out of his pocket and unlocking the Camaro. He settles behind the wheel, dumping his bag on the passenger seat. "Wait, are you at my place?"

"Yeah, I used my key," TK says, and Carlos bites back a smile as he imagines the look on his boyfriend's face. "And I asked what you want for breakfast, duh. I'm pretty limited in my cooking abilities, I know, but I can make some pretty mean chocolate chip pancakes. Or I could go the waffle route, if that's what you want."

READ THE REST ON AO3!!

[tarlos-valentine]

Tarlos Corazonados Weekend Masterlist

As announced previously, here we are with a masterlist of all the creations that have been part of our very first Tarlos Valentine. We hope you all had fun while creating for our boys, because we have had tons of fun running this event!

Day 1 — Friday, February 12th; Babe, please, sharing is caring” + Blanket Hogging + Favourite Outfit

Acejuddryder - I’ll Keep You Warm (Fic)

Alilypea - Sharing is Caring (Fic)

Bellakitse - Point of Comfort (Fic)

BettaKlaineRobron - Untitled (Gifset)

DjDangerLove - Do We Want This (Fic)

DjDangerLove - Untitled (Edit) 

Enablelove - Date Night (Fic)

Kiras-sunshine - I Feel The Gravity In Between Us (Fic)

Lire-Casander - Tienes Mi Voz, Tienes Mis Versos (no somos perfectos) (Fic)

Meloingly - Take My Covers, Give Me Warmth (Fic)

MTNofgrace - So, It Was You? (Fic)

Reyeslonsestar - Favourite Outfits (Fanart)

Reyesstrand - Cut Through All The Noise (Fic)

Sneetchestoo -  Blanket Hogs (Fic)

TKreyesstrandreyes - Snuggle Weather (Fic)

Day 2 — Saturday, February 13th “What do you want for breakfast?” “It’s 10 PM” “Oh”+ Late Night Hangouts + Favourite Date

Alilypea - Lemon and Blueberry (Fic)

Bellakitse -  Batting Cages, Tacos and Midnight fun (Fic)

BettaKlaineRobron - Untitled (Gifset)

Enablelove - Throne of Love (Fic)

Lire-Casander - La Rima Del Amor Perfecto (Fic)

Meloingly - Moonlight Dates on Car Hood Tops (Fic)

Moviegeek03 - Night Changes (Fic)

Reyeslonsestar - Mr. 🥰 + Mr. 😍 (Fanart)

Reyesstrand - Never Fallen From Quite This High (Fic)

TKreyesstrandreyes - Untitled (Edit)

TKreyesstrandreyes - Favourite Date (Fic)

Day 3 — Sunday, February 14th — Valentine’s Day “I told you this ages ago” + Love Languages + Favourite Kiss

Alilypea - Pieces of You (Fic)

Bellakitse -   Abrázame Muy Fuerte Amor (Fic)

BettaKlaineRobron - Untitled (Gifset)

Enablelove - Every Kiss Begins With (T)K (Fic)

Lire-Casander -  El Puente De Todos Mis Poemas (Fic)

Meloingly - Under Forts of Love and Comfort (Fic)

Reyeslonsestar - It’s Like That, Huh? (Fanart)

Reyesstrand - A World Where Roses Bloom (Fic)

TKreyesstrandreyes - In One Kiss You’ll Know All I Haven’t Said (Fic)

We hope to be seeing you all next year for a new round of Tarlos love around Valentine’s Day!

[bettaklainerobron]

Tarlos Valentine 2021 Weekand /Favorite Date

@tarlos-valentine