Write Your Own Story – 1/2 – BytheBry

Reading Time: 90 Minutes

Title: Write Your Own Story
Author: BytheBry
Fandom: 9-1-1: Lone Star
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Slash
Relationship(s): TK Strand/Carlos Reyes
Content Rating: R
Warnings: None
Beta: Lostariel, Harley, and Nick
Word Count: 49,760
Summary: What if TK and Carlos followed a different path in life? Boundaries are established. Actions have consequences.

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July 19th, 2017
3 months to the date Iris Blake disappeared

Michelle Blake stood on the porch, banging against the door of the last house her sister had lived in. “I’m not leaving, Dustin, so you may as well open the door.” She slammed the side of her hand repeatedly against the doorframe. “Fine, I’ll just remind the whole neighborhood,” she whirled around and cupped her mouth, “that Dustin Shepard is a murderer!” She yelled, ignoring how the children playing in the street backed away from her and the house.

She turned around when the door opened and stared at Dustin Shepard. “You know you’re not supposed to be here.”

She smiled and approached him, “It’s Iris’ birthday. She’s twenty six today.” She invaded his space, one hand lazily placed on her hip, “You know what I thought would make a great present? To give her a proper burial.”

“I don’t know what happened to Iris.”

“You can fool the damn cops,” She slammed the window pane and raised her voice until she was yelling again, “but you cannot fool me! She spent the last night of her life alive in this house. Tell me what you did to my sister!” She glared when Dustin went back inside the house and shut the door. “You can hide all you want! You will never get rid of me!” She shouted and banged on the door. She began moving back while shouting, “I’ll be back! On Christmas, Easter, Earth Day!” She kicked the side of the house before descending the stairs to the street, ignoring Dustin’s neighbors milling around, staring and whispering at her. At this point she didn’t even care if they were filming her outbursts.

She huffed when she heard the siren come down the street and took a deep breath, letting her anger go. “Hey, Carlos.” She descended the stairs and tried to smile at Iris’ friend.

“Hey, Michelle.” Officer Carlos Reyes gently turned Michelle around and cuffed her. He sighed as he put her into the back of his squad car and got in the front, driving in silence for a few minutes to give himself and her time to settle down. “You can’t keep doing this to yourself. You’ve gotta get out of this rut, chica.”

“Happy to,” Michelle said softly. “Just find me a single damn lead on my sister.”

Carlos frowned, glancing at her briefly in his rear view mirror, “You ever consider that the reason we haven’t found any evidence of foul play is because there wasn’t any?” Carlos was getting pretty damn fed up with Michelle’s recurring outbursts and harassment of Dustin. Iris had been his first friend in Austin, he missed her but felt Michelle was taking things too far.

Michelle ignored him. “Hey. Can you just drop me at work? My shift starts in twenty minutes.”

Carlos refrained from rolling his eyes, “I’m not an Uber.”

Michelle looked out the window, “I wasn’t gonna tip.”

—-

October 19th, 2017
6 months to the date after Iris disappeared

Carlos winced at the address that came through from dispatch. He was familiar with the address. All the patrol officers who ran the beat for Dustin Shepard’s residence and place of work were familiar with the antics of one Michelle Blake over the past six months. He pulled up down the street, outside Dustin’s house, and marveled how it had been six months already since Michelle Blake lost her damn mind and changed from the kind woman he thought he knew into this abusive woman.

He got out of the patrol car and approached the house, ignoring Michelle who was sitting calmly across the street two houses down on the boot of her car staring at him. The door opened as he walked up the porch steps to reveal Dustin.

“She’s been sitting there all evening. I noticed her around 7 p.m.,” Dustin said tiredly. “She randomly blares her horn, shouts out asking what I did to Iris.” He ran his hand through his already disheveled hair, “I turned the lights off two hours ago. Since then she has been coming up, knocking and ringing the bell every fifteen minutes. Someone disabled my door camera again so, of course, I can’t prove it.” He nodded at Carlos’ look, “I began timing it. I’m exhausted Officer Reyes,” he whispered.

Carlos took in Dustin’s pale pallor, the dark circles under his eyes, and sighed deeply. “Has she come by any other locations you frequent? Gym, grocery store, work, favorite restaurant?”

Dustin laughed bitterly, “She created such a nuisance at my gym that I was banned. Yesterday she lingered by the school for a few hours.” He rattled off the address of the school he worked at. “It earned her the threat of a restraining order and me a notice that they’d prefer not to have me back next term with my messy personal life. So two months from now I’ll be unemployed.” Dustin huffed, displaying the first real spark of anger and emotion that Carlos had seen. “I have cooperated in every way with the investigation. Detective Washington said I was cleared as a person of interest and was not a suspect in Iris’ disappearance. Yet I feel I am being punished by this vigilante and the psychological mind games she is playing.”

He sighed, sagged back against the doorway, and met Carlos’ eyes, “I told Theresa, Mrs. Blake, for weeks that Iris was behaving strangely. I asked her to speak to Iris because she wasn’t talking to me about it. Iris’ family, Michelle and Theresa, didn’t do anything to help when I reached out asking for help for Iris. Yet they have dumped all the blame on me and are accusing me in the most public fashion of hurting her, of murdering her.”

Carlos felt a stab of disloyalty shoot through him as he considered his next words. Seeing the defeated man standing in front of him he hardened his resolve. “Have you considered seeking a protective order against Michelle?”

—-

19th April 2018
First anniversary of Iris’ disappearance

“Dammit, Michelle, again?” Carlos glared at his former friend, at the end of his rope with her attitude.

“He knows something, Carlos. I know it, you know it, that detective still refuses to believe it, and every day that goes by is another day that smug asshole smirks at me believing he’s gotten away with harming Iris,” Michelle Blake said calmly.

“Do you even realize the position you have put me in for the past year? Do you even care?” Carlos demanded.

“Of course, I care!” Michelle raised her voice at him for the first time. “You may have forgotten Iris and left her behind Carlos but I haven’t. I can’t! She’s my sister.”

Carlos held up his hand, “Don’t. Don’t you dare pretend that you’re the only one who cares.” He shook his head, “Yeah, sure you care, you care to such an extent you’ve made it all about you. You’re actively ruining a man’s life because you don’t want to accept that Iris left.” He took a deep breath, “I’m a man who has sworn to uphold the law which means I have to trust the process. I trust the evidence that Iris walked away from her life or was led away for whatever reason. I trust that Dustin was cleared of any wrongdoing. He was cleared as a suspect.”

He shook his head and stood straight, “I care that he wanted a protective order against you for continuous harassment and stalking for months which your higher-ups kept saving you from. I care that the only reason he managed to get a restraining order was because my Captain is new to the city, ignored any push back, filed the reports, and helped Dustin get it before a judge. I care that you’re manipulating the situation to save yourself, and your job without an ounce of concern that your antics in Dustin’s workplace caused him to be fired. You don’t even care that he works with minor children and you upset them with your awful behavior when you corner him on school grounds to spread rumors about him.”

“How many of the kids that bear witness to your antics must walk away thinking that there is no point reporting harassment they may be facing at home because clearly, you’re getting away with it.” He stared at her, “How much of your behavior is truly about Iris and not about your guilt over not answering Iris’ call because you had other things to do?”

Michelle took a step toward Carlos, “How dare you! This is about Iris, this is all about her! This is about Dustin being a liar and having done something to her! I just want justice for my sister!”

When Michelle took another step toward him, Carlos nodded at the officer who had shown up behind her. “Ma’am, you need to leave and stay away from Mr. Shepard.”

Carlos narrowed his eyes at his new partner, “She’s in violation of an active RO by standing on the street stalking Mr. Shepard, and reported instances of stalking and harassment in the workplace over the past week.”

Michelle smiled, “APD cannot enforce a restraining order, Carlos. Iris will have justice, I’ll make sure of it.”

Seeing Michelle’s gentle smile accompanied by her words and actions over the past year sent a chill down Carlos’ spine. He looked helplessly at Wyatt even as he mentally cursed Michelle for knowing she wasn’t breaking any laws. Some people could take up stalking and harassing others as a hobby and there was nothing law enforcement could do about it.

Officer Wyatt Cooper met Carlos’ eyes and narrowed his own, “Michelle Blake, you’ll have to come on down to the precinct with us. We’ve had complaints that you’ve been sitting out here disturbing the peace. The poor citizens of this street are afraid you may be unhinged,” he said calmly.

Carlos’ eyes widened and he watched Michelle deny doing anything but sitting there and probably freaking the neighbors out.

“What can I tell you Ma’am, we get a complaint, we gotta follow through. Please come with us, this won’t take long. An officer will need your statement as to why you’re lingering in the area and if you saw anyone who could have been this noisy, volatile, abusive, crazy woman people have complained about. It shouldn’t take more than five-six hours,” Officer Cooper said airily.

“Five-six-No! I,” Michelle protested.

“Ma’am, either you come with us, or you take the opportunity I am kindly offering you and leave this area,” he crossed his arms over his chest and waited.

Carlos moved and stood beside him, taking in everything his partner was saying so he could utilize it at a future date to send someone packing.

“This is harassment,” Michelle hissed and took a step forward.

“What you have been doing to Dustin Shepard for a year is considered harassment by the law. I’d call it stalking, abusive, emotional torture with added escalation to threats that to me say you’re ready to descend into violence,” Wyatt said sternly.

When Michelle took another step toward them Wyatt glanced at Carlos, “Wouldn’t you say she’s threatening me by standing there glaring daggers at me, Officer Reyes?”

And Carlos made his choice, “Yes, Officer Cooper, I’d say she is.”

“Great, let’s go, Michelle Blake. How cooperative you are will be the difference between you sitting in the back of my squad car without or with handcuffs. I personally would enjoy seeing you in cuffs, so please give me the opportunity,” Wyatt said serenely.

“I will file a complaint,” Michelle whispered.

“Go right ahead,” Wyatt said sweetly as he marched her to their car and put her in the back, “If you think anyone in the APD is going to stand with you after the mockery you’ve made of us over the past months by repeatedly wasting our time, and having us out here while you make a nuisance of yourself, then you live in some fantasy land I’d dearly like to stay out of.”

Wyatt gently shut the car door and took a step back much to Michelle’s dismay. They could tell from her expression that she had not expected to face any further consequences beyond the restraining order to her blatant disregard for the law.

“I can’t believe you’re doing this to me,” she said in her soft whispery voice as Wyatt opened the driver’s side to get in.

“Welcome to the consequences of your actions, Michelle,” Carlos said firmly. His eyes met Wyatt’s and nodded, he now knew how to tackle Michelle when she kept showing up here to play her stalking and emotional mind games. He felt for her, he truly did, and he missed Iris, but he wouldn’t allow his emotions to bend his morals.

—-

May 1st, 2019

TK Strand smiled when he saw the text message come in.

Kyle: Hey Mogwai, I’m home for the evening if you want to skip the trek back and come sleep over at mine.

He tapped the phone icon and grinned when it was answered right away. “The Bronx is hardly a trek from Manhattan, you sweet snob.”

“Whatever you say, Ty,” Kyle laughed. “Are you done with dinner already? This must be a new record even for you Strand men.”

TK eyed the pizza box sitting in bed with him and shrugged, “Didn’t get to dinner. I saw the news and knew he’d bail.”

“News? What happened?” Kyle asked curiously.

“News out of Austin, Texas. An entire Ladder at AFD was wiped out in a factory explosion, I think just one survivor.” He sighed deeply, “That had to have hit him hard.”

“Oh man, yeah, that’d do it for Mr. 9/11 Strand.”

“Kyle,” TK said softly.

“No, TK, your father has let that loss define him, define your entire family, define everyone around you but it must be his definition of loss. I’m sorry for those lives lost, I’m sorry about those poor folk in Austin, but this can’t be your lifelong burden to carry.” Kyle huffed in frustration, “Did he even call? Text? Or just abandon you and not show up?”

TK bit his lip and sighed, “I saw the news at work and checked in with him. Callie from his crew let me know he left as soon as the shift was up because someone from the old crew called him upset. It saved me a trip,” he said lightly.

“Yeah, saved you a trip because you happened to have seen the news, guessed your father would dump you once again for others who are clearly so important he couldn’t even take a moment to let you know he was bailing. He’s worried about an adult former crew member but never showed his child the same consideration,” Kyle said bitterly.

TK winced but couldn’t deny his friend’s bitterness and anger was valid. His best friend had seen Owen move TK down the list for days, then weeks, then months while he worked through his grief over losing his entire crew, his friends, his second family. While he did everything he could to support the families left behind. The problem was that Owen Strand helped them grieve, was there for the children who had so violently lost a parent to a terrible tragedy, but he’d forgotten his own son and wife.

“Ty, he needs therapy.”

TK laughed, “I got therapy, my mom got therapy, he didn’t show up to a single session back then. You know what he said the one time he did show up, what made mom finally move us out. That 343 firefighters lost their lives that day, fourteen from his house. That was his response to me telling me he checked out on our family. He is sure in his choices, and has no regrets choosing his firehouse over us, over me. I’ve made peace with it man, I guess fancy therapists with comfy couches do know what they’re talking about.”

“But you miss him,” Kyle said gently.

“I don’t know him, Ky,” TK said softly. “I knew him as an eight year old kid. Having me around for a meal here and there growing up, yeah cool and all that, we’d go to the best places and have a good time, but that’s not parental affection to me. I don’t know anything real beyond how 9/11 defined him. What I do know is I have a dad in Enzo. I didn’t miss out on a dad. I had my own cheerleader at games, he stood proud in PTAs at school, he baked the best brownies for every bake sale, and he backed me all the way when I decided to become a firefighter. I have a dad,” he huffed, “I just don’t get to call him that cause reasons.”

“Your Zo is awesome,” Kyle agreed. “I’m sorry I ranted. It’s hardly what you need.”

“You just spent a week with your parents who have used you in their game of tug of war for the past fourteen years. Rant away, brother. Or come over to my little shoebox, I have pizza.”

Kyle laughed, “That actually sounds good. I’ll pick up more on the way. The Mister is not going to be joining us, is he?”

TK laughed, “No, Alex is as reluctant to step into my little studio apartment as my mother. He had some spin class he has gotten into at the gym. No impromptu date nights with him anymore.”

“Ugh,” Kyle sighed heavily.

“Not a word,” TK said lightly, “I actually like him.”

“F-i-n-e,” Kyle nearly whined. “See you soon.”

TK smiled, “See you soon. No mushrooms, pepperoni is acceptable!” He quickly hung up the phone before Kyle could get started about how mushrooms on pizza were a delicious topping. He shuddered, No capes and no mushrooms.

—-

July 5th 2019

TK hummed as he walked down the street. It was a beautiful summer evening after a hot and humid day. The streets around him were wet with fresh rainfall that had transformed the heat of the day into a cool summer evening.

He checked the time and nodded, he was fifteen minutes early. He never minded being early and detested being late. On-time was acceptable.

He tugged his phone out of his pocket when it kept buzzing against his thigh. “What fresh hell is this,” he muttered to himself as he unlocked it and found 112 messages in his friend’s group chat, Chaotics. The preview screen filled with seemingly all of them just sending ‘!!!!!!!!!’ He hesitated and tapped on his private chat with Kyle instead.

Kyle: I hope you don’t open the Chaotics before opening this. Scroll up with care TK. I’m sorry.

He frowned in confusion and scrolled up to see an image. He stopped in shock at what he was seeing, people muttering as they bumped into him. He felt nothing, his gaze locked on his screen that displayed his boyfriend of ten months kissing another man. He tapped and called Kyle.

“Are you ok?”

TK ignored the question and asked his own, “How sure are you that this is current?”

“Pretty sure.”

TK squeezed his eyes shut, “I need completely sure here, Kyle. He’s been asking me to consider moving in together,” TK said softly, his chest hurting and throat tight with betrayal.

“Ty,” Kyle sighed, “that’s our gym. The poster behind them is for the latest promotional offer for the spin class. I’d recognize that Pepto pink anywhere.”

“Where did you even get this pic? Is this why Chaotics is blowing up?” TK asked, finally moving ahead and standing at the mouth of an alleyway.

“A friend of Megan’s had it on her Snapchat as part of a video or something. Megan saw it and took a screenshot of it. When the girl asked why she did that, she explained and…”

“Wait, what?” TK was finding it hard to follow along, his mind and emotions waging a war against each other to find excuses for what he was seeing. He heard a few taps before a different voice began speaking.

“TK? It’s Megan.”

TK sighed, “Hey, Megan, explain this shit to me please.”

“Um, I was looking through my friend Selene’s snaps and saw a video in the spin room and noticed them right away so of course I replayed and took a screenshot. Selene noticed and asked why so I told her that that douche is dating my friend. She said this is a usual thing with them after class and proceeded to send me videos and pics.” There was a little pause, “TK, I’m so sorry,” she ended in a rush. “I really really didn’t mean to post it on Chaotics but I was so flustered and in such a rush to send it to you before you went to dinner and it all just got so muddled.”

TK sighed and shook his head at how genuinely upset his friend sounded, “Not your fault here at all, Meg. Thanks for the heads up and for looking out for me. And thank Selene as well. I gotta go you guys, I’m at Butter.”

Not giving them a chance to say anything further, TK disconnected the conference call and went back to the picture on his screen. Tapping around he found the other pictures and videos Megan was referring to and forced himself to browse them all. There was proof after proof of his boyfriend making out with another man. And making out in public at that. In the fucking gym. A gym where a lot of his friends circulated.

TK laughed and rubbed his face. This is how much he cares, he thought. Alex’s words, I’ll never hurt you, ran through his head. He’d found the line so cheesy back then on their second date. He still remembered thinking, Why do you need to tell me you won’t hurt me? Just don’t hurt me. He should have stuck to his original feeling of thinking that the guy was just using cheap lines to get him. Why don’t I ever demand more for myself? He wondered.

He knew he was being too harsh on himself. Alex hadn’t given him much to doubt, being a decent, stable boyfriend who he had genuinely enjoyed being with most of the time. He looked down the street at the entrance to the restaurant. Alex would be there any minute. Did he want to do this? Meet him at a lovely restaurant and create a scene? Because he knew it would be a scene. Alex wouldn’t take being dumped with any sort of grace. He knew that about his… ex already.

He took a step forward, then stopped and began rubbing his chest to soothe the wave of emotions lurching within him. Is this what he wanted to do? Go into a restaurant he had awesome memories in and ruin it with a confrontation? With a discussion about how Alex, the man he’d given ten months of his life to, was so dismissive of him that he’d been openly cheating on him in a gym his friends frequented? To the point that they weren’t even shying away from people recording.

TK pressed himself back against the random building wall, squeezing his eyes shut again, and cursing the fact that he’d never gotten into drinking. He’d give anything to silence his thoughts right now. To dampen the fire of grief raging within him, the sea of embarrassment that had flooded him and threatened to drown him. He shook his head trying to dispel this train of thought. It wasn’t his fault his ex-boyfriend was a lying, cheating asshole. It didn’t help. He squeezed his eyes shut. “Tears are not a sign of weakness”, he whispered his therapist’s words back to himself. He wrapped his arms around himself for comfort and pushed away from the wall, walking back in the direction he’d come from.

His mind was loud and chaotic as thoughts flew at him. He crossed the street debating whether he felt up to braving the subway or wanted to splurge on an Uber, when he stopped in his tracks. A biker yelling at him had him wincing and quickly moving forward, his eyes glued to the alleyway ahead. A man had walked out of the alley holding a small baggie of pills. TK’s eyes zeroed in on the pills to the exclusion of everything else until the man quickly shoved them into his pocket.

Could he do it? It would be that easy, wouldn’t it? Hand over some money, get a pill or five, swallow them down, and enjoy a few solid hours of quiet. Probably all night if he was lucky. He deserved this, didn’t he? He didn’t drink, didn’t smoke. Didn’t he deserve one night of dealing with his pain in an unhealthy way? To bury his pain and just float? Just one night. A few little pills wouldn’t be counted as a relapse. He would still be in control. Just one night.

Wouldn’t it though? The honest part of his mind asked. One pill would be all it took, his mind supplied. The craving would hit back, one pill at a time until one wasn’t enough. Then it’d become two a night. Soon two wouldn’t help and three would make life easier. But then the daytime would lurk, bright and loud, full of questions and doubts. Would four help with that or would he need five? There was also the fact that his landlord had been putting off some much-needed repairs in his apartment which meant he’d have to brace himself to start looking around for a new place. Change was daunting. Wouldn’t the pills help with that too? Just dull life a bit so it wasn’t as loud and demanding.

It would be so easy, his mind supplied, to just wait for the next guy to buy and leave then walk in himself and buy a little something. Because he now knew exactly where he was and what he used to buy from the alleys in this area.

Just a little something, the old TK, who sometimes peered over his shoulder to offer his opinion, said. Just to take the edge off. He hurt you, he broke you, just a few pills to numb the hurt.

TK hesitantly stepped on the curb and didn’t dare look into the alley. That would be dangerous. He pinched the bridge of his nose to alleviate the sharp stabbing pain that stress was shooting through his brain.

Do it TK, go in. Just a few pills to build your armor back again.

He took a few steady breaths to control his breathing, focusing on the feeling of inhaling and exhaling before opening his eyes. I am NOT broken, TK thought and nodded when his soul resonated with it. He was not broken! He’d survived a lot. This was sad and gut-wrenching and embarrassing, but he wasn’t broken.

“My past has no power over me. I control my own story,” he whispered out loud to himself. “I write my own story,” he said more surely.

His mind made up, he pulled his phone out of his pocket using slow careful movements, being self-aware enough to realize he was fragile right now and wanting to avoid triggering himself by dropping his phone. He frowned and ignored the picture of Alex that was on his lock screen and keyed in his device passcode. A few quick swipes and he received the little notification symbol that an Uber was on the way.

He wet his lips and walked down the street without glancing in the alley. He could do this.

I am strong. My willpower is legendary. I am not impulsive to the point of destruction. I know better than to not check myself and end up wrecking myself, he chanted to himself as he walked the two blocks to meet his Uber.

—-

“Good morning, Ty.”

TK squeezed his eyes shut before opening them and turning toward the soft voice. “Morning, Zo.” It left a bitter feeling in TK’s mouth that he couldn’t call Enzo by the role he’d fulfilled in his life for over a decade because his mother had never married Enzo and the one time he’d asked her if he could make Enzo a Father’s Day card she hadn’t been in favor of it.

“Tea,” Enzo held out the steaming mug and smiled as TK accepted it and sniffed at it. “Chai spice. Your hug in a mug.”

TK laughed and cradled the mug with both hands, lifting it so the steam delicately caressed his face. “You always know what I need.”

Enzo smiled and reached out to squeeze TK’s calf. “I wish I could put a bandaid over your hurt like I could when you were younger, Ty.”

TK smiled a small smile, “I appreciate this version of your bandaid too, Zo, tea, and buttery toast.” He looked at the plate of toast cut into neat triangles just how Enzo had made for him for years when he was unwell or hurt.

“Are you going to tell them?” Enzo asked as he brought the plate between them.

There was no doubt that it was a them situation. His parents, Gwyneth and Owen Strand didn’t seem to like each other at all anymore, every moment spent together was an opportunity to snark at each other. While they overtly brought TK into it they frequently expected him to convey messages and ganged up on him when they disapproved of his choices. As a teenager it used to leave TK an anxious mess, as an adult, it just made him not want to be around them together. He could handle his dad alone and adored dinners with his mom and Enzo but didn’t enjoy being a participant in the Owen and Gwyn show.

TK took a sip of his tea sighing as the flavor flowed over his senses. “They didn’t even know Alex and I were talking about moving in together.” He met Enzo’s eyes, “Only you did. I don’t think dad even knows who Alex is.” He shrugged, “They don’t care, Zo.” He shook his head when Enzo began to protest. “You know they don’t. Not about the little stuff. They care about me joining the fire academy instead of college, they care that I don’t want their help and choose to live within my means. They don’t care about who I’m dating or that he just stomped on my self-esteem.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “And the thing is Zo, this isn’t even about Alex. Fuck him.” He winced. “Sorry. But I mean, yeah, he was nice and we had a good time together. I thought we were on the same page but we were reading different books.”

“I’m honestly angry here. I’m a solid eight. I have a steady job, a good job, I look good, I’m studying while working to have more options, to further my career, and I’m a good conversationalist. If I wasn’t what he wanted he could’ve just said so instead of cheating on me.” He gently tugged on his hair and sighed deeply. “I just don’t think being here is good for me anymore.” He shook his head at the face Enzo made, “Here in New York, not this life. This isn’t that sort of convo, Zo.”

Enzo smiled weakly, “I’m glad it’s not that sort of conversation, Ty. Selfishly, I wouldn’t be able to handle that.” He took a sip of his tea and pushed the plate of food closer to TK. “So, what’s next then?”

TK picked up a piece of toast and nibbled on it, Enzo’s presence relaxing him. He never had to look for the double meaning to Enzo’s words and when he did it was to their own personal jokes. “My captain mentioned a job offer last week. Asked a bunch of us in our 20s if we’d like to move so I’m going to look into a transfer out of state. I’m hoping to find someplace close enough that we can visit each other easily but far enough that the official parental units can’t try to whip me out when they need me.” He shifted and picked his mug back up. “That seems a bit petty. I’ve wanted for nothing, at least nothing financial all my life. So at least I got that much which is still huge.” He laughed, “I’m rambling.”

Enzo smiled, “Ah, I love you being relaxed enough to ramble. And you seem to have a good starting point. Start looking, put the thought out into the universe, you never know what it’s waiting to bring you.”

TK smiled warmly at him. Put a thought out and reign a thought in was something Enzo had done with him within weeks of first meeting him. His mother had introduced him to her new partner within a month of them dating. Luckily he’d turned out to be an amazing man – warm, kind, considerate, responsible, and a wonderful communicator. He was at times the sole source of stability in TK’s life.

Every time they met, Enzo would ask him about his day, listen to every detail, then ask if he’d like to put a thought out there that day or if he had a thought he’d like to reign in.

Every time TK put a thought out, it worked and every time he reigned in a thought, it worked. TK had only ever shared that with Enzo. Enzo, who always reminded him that he was the universe’s blessed soul. He just had to ask and he’d receive.

“What will you tell your parents?” Enzo asked carefully.

TK smiled slightly, “Maybe I just won’t and they’ll find out whenever they remember me. With their busy schedules and different priorities, it could be weeks or months.”

Enzo hated that TK didn’t even sound sad, just resigned. He sighed and looked fondly at the man that was the son of his heart. “I expect you to visit,” he said before sending out a wish and plea of his own for the universe to look out for his boy.

TK grinned, “Or you could visit. We’d have a new city to explore, new restaurants. We haven’t played tourist in a while now.”

Sharing smiles, they ate their breakfast and made plans.

—-

TK expected his job search to take weeks, but six-days-later he was on his way to Austin, Texas, to meet Deputy Fire Chief Aiden Radford and Captain Cooper. He was grateful the universe was listening to him in this because it sure wasn’t listening to him where Alex was concerned. His phone was flooded with messages from him demanding to know what was going on. TK scrolled through them for the umpteenth time on the flight, hesitating once again over deleting them.

Alex 7/5/2019 7:13 pm: Hey baby you’re running late?

Alex 7/5/2019 7:25 pm: TK you couldn’t have texted you’re running late?

Alex 7/5/2019 7:35 pm: Are you ok?

Alex 7/5/2019 7:46 pm: It’s been 45 mins TK they want the table back!

Alex 7/5/2019 7:59 pm: I hope you’re ok TK cause this was rude AF!

Alex 7/5/2019 10:06 pm: You better be ready with the mother of all apologies tomorrow.

Alex 7/7/2019 5:14 pm: Wtf is going on? Are you ghosting me? Here I am worried you’re in the hospital or something and I see you posting that you’re out having brunch on insta.

Alex 7/9/2019 10:06 am: This is low TK. Grow the fuck up and call me

Alex 7/10/2019 1:11 am: TK! I don’t deserve this from you

TK huffed and closed out his messages app. Today was an opportunity, and he needed to put his best foot forward instead of dwelling on the antics of a man he considered to be his past.

Three hours later, TK looked around the 126 as he walked in. It wasn’t what he’d expected. Modern, clean lines, spacious, and the entire place smelled of fresh paint. He stopped at a wall and gazed at the pictures of the men and women the 126 family had lost. He bowed his head to make a wish of peace and healing for all the lives these brave souls had touched and for the loved ones that were now living without them.

TK took a deep, slow breath and let it out before turning. He was startled to see a man standing a few steps away, staring right at him before relaxing.

“Can I help you?” The man asked.

“Hello, my name is TK Strand. I’m looking for Captain Cooper,” TK said politely with a friendly smile.

“Cap’s on a call should be back any minute now. I’m Brent, Brent Atwell.”

TK shook the hand the man held out to him and quickly took him in. Brent was two inches taller than him with a more muscular build. And gorgeous. The man was absolutely gorgeous with stunning blue eyes.

“You know anyone?” Brent asked, indicating the wall of pictures.

TK looked back at the wall before shaking his head. “I don’t know them but also don’t have to in order to pay my respects. I’m sorry for your loss,” he said gently.

Brent’s smile was small but genuine. “Thank you. Come on back and have a seat. You’re here to interview right?”

TK relaxed and nodded. “Captain Cooper said to plan to arrive anytime in the day.”

“Yeah, we’re on a 24.”

TK followed Brent to a kitchen that was gleaming. “Everything looks so new,” TK commented. The only thing that looked used in the kitchen was an older coffee pot.

“Oh yeah, the station shut for a month cause of what happened and they used the time to overhaul the place,” Brent said. “Would you like a cup of coffee or a soda?”

“Coffee would be good, thanks,” TK said while eyeing the fancy coffee maker.

“Ok, you’re going to have to give me a minute cause I’ll be honest with you, it’s been here two weeks and none of us have figured out how to properly use it yet,” Brent said with a laugh. He indicated a coffee pot, “We got desperate and brought the old one back.”

TK laughed and stood up. “How about I just help myself?” At Brent’s nod, he pressed the appropriate buttons, grabbed a clean cup, selected the pod he wanted, and in short order was sitting back down with a latte.

Brent was staring at him in awe. “How’d you know to do that?” He asked as he peered at TK’s drink.

“A friend has the same one and showed me how to use it,” TK said with a grin. “Would you like a cup? I can show you how.”

“If you wouldn’t mind?” Brent said.

“Not at all.” TK hopped off the chair and was walking Brent through the process when three men walked in.

“Did they finally send someone to show us how to use the McFancy?” A tall brunette demanded.

Brent laughed and waved his hand toward TK. “This is TK. He’s here to meet Cap and has very generously offered to teach me how to get some coffee out of this thing.”

There were greetings called out, awe expressed over TK’s machine wrangling skills, and jokes about keeping him. A short while later all five of them were sitting with coffees.

“TK, this is Andrew, Mason, and Jackson. Guys, this is TK Strand.”

“You here to interview to join us at the 126, TK?” Jackson asked.

Casting his eye over them, TK quickly realized they were all older than him and taller. He nodded, “Yes. What happened was terrible. I’m sorry for your loss.”

There was a moment of silence to acknowledge TK’s words before Mason asked, “Where are you coming to us from?”

“FDNY, Ladder 118.”

“You want to leave NY for Texas?” Mason asked, brows raised in surprise. “No offense but you look like a complete city boy.”

TK laughed, “None taken. I’d say I am. Born and raised in NY, never lived anywhere else. I feel if I don’t make a change now, if I ever have to later in life, I wouldn’t be able to adapt.”

The four of them nodded. TK figured they understood. Losing their friends and then their house being renovated immediately after, chasing memories of their friends away, had to have been tough to adapt to.

“Do you know anyone in Austin?” Brent asked curiously.

TK smiled shyly, “Now I do. You guys.”

Mason smiled and bumped his fist against TK’s, “You got that right, brother. If you move here you have us. We work together as a team, a brotherhood. This means you will get called out on your shit too. We’ll pull you right in.”

“That does an old man’s heart good to hear.”

TK turned to see a tall man, easily 6 foot 4, with broad shoulders standing there with a friendly smile on his face.

“Right, old man,” Jackson scoffed. “Don’t let him fool you, TK, Coop’s 40 going on 75 the way he talks.”

TK stood up and took two steps forward and held out his hand. “Hello, Captain Cooper, I’m Tyler-Kennedy Strand. I prefer being called TK.”

A firm shake was followed by a clap on the back. “Thanks for coming out on your day off and so quick, TK. I see you’ve met some of the gang. Grab your cup, and let’s go on up to have a chat.”

TK did as instructed and picked up his coffee cup with a friendly wave to the men as he turned to follow the captain.

“He knows how to use the McFancy, Coop! We want to keep him,” Mason shouted as they left the area.

TK looked back and laughed before following the other man up the stairs. He took the seat indicated in the office. It was a small office, but surrounded by glass walls which made the space seem open and bright.

“So, TK Strand, I have to say I wasn’t expecting anyone from a city like New York. Can you tell me what drew you to us?” Cooper asked.

TK wet his lips and nodded. “I recently went through a breakup which made me sit and evaluate my life. It made me realize how unhappy I am living and working where I am.” He shook his head, “Not my team. The 118 is great and I’ve learned a lot from them all. But I need a change. And a change of state preferably. The quality of life in New York is expensive and I’m tired of living the way I am.”

“I am sorry about the breakup but it sounds like it was a good thing for you,” Cooper said gently. He tapped the file in front of him. “Captain Swan had nothing but good things to say about you. Chief Radford filled me in on something else.” Coop sighed, “I’ll be honest and just ask, is this going to be a temporary stop-gap for you until there’s a place for you on your father’s crew?”

TK froze for a moment then firmly shook his head. “No sir. I’ve made it clear each time I’ve been asked this that I have no intention of working on the same team as my father. I’d rather not even work at the same station. I like to maintain healthy boundaries, sir, and doubt working with family members would do that for me.”

Cooper nodded, “Brent is my family, my brother-in-law. Would that be a problem for you?”

TK shook his head, “No, sir. My boundaries are not yours. I don’t draw lines for others.”

There was a moment of silence before Cooper spoke, his tone soft. “I wouldn’t have even considered you and called you if I hadn’t remembered your name. You sent flowers for each slain member’s family.”

TK’s green eyes were bright with emotion. “I know what it’s like for the ones left behind after a tragedy. I’ve lost men and women I considered my extended family, their families who then moved away and I felt like I’d lost them too. I also lost a part of my father, my mother, and myself. My family shattered. It took my parents months to realize that they didn’t have all the pieces to put us back together again.”

He paused to form his words, “Sir, everyone in NY on my team knows who I am, who my father is. It’s hard to live with that burden. They are in awe of him for putting his brothers and sisters first, for being the lone man to come out of that tragedy, take a broken house and rebuild it.” He sighed, “And voicing that I felt discarded by my father, that it broke a part of me to have been left behind, is not met favorably. It makes it hard to connect with people and be able to form a brotherhood of my own.”

“You won’t have to worry about that here. You’ve already been accepted thanks to your skill in wrangling the McFancy and making it produce coffee,” Cooper said to lighten the mood. He smiled when TK laughed and nodded.

“We renovated the entire place,” he waved his arm to indicate the firehouse. “Being closed for a month so that people could grieve and process their grief meant we had the time for it.” He nodded, “Let me give you our history. All of the current A shift were B shift under Captain Trent Harper, including me. Only Judd Ryder from the original A shift survived and he’s off work for now, recovering. B shift has been made the new A shift. Billy Tyson was originally asked to be captain but turned it down and took a leave of absence due to medical reasons. I was then promoted to captain.”

He paused to take a sip of his water, “I’m a young captain, TK. I’m going to make mistakes and learn on the job. Most of these guys were all part of B shift with me and know to speak up for themselves. I’d expect you to do the same. I don’t run a flat command structure and suggestions are always welcome unless it’s a critical scene with other units. You’d be the youngest on the team. Brett is twenty nine so that’s the age difference. But you’re more experienced and certified than he is with more years on the job. You will have some learning to do here since the calls we get will be different than in New York, but you’ll have skilled and experienced guys at your back. If on a call you don’t feel comfortable taking on that new experience you speak up and we’ll tackle it differently.”

TK nodded, everything sounded fine so far. Perfect actually.

“What happened with Captain Harper, if I may ask?”

“Captain Harper has moved to C shift. We still have to form a B shift for the 126. Once that’s done we’ll run three shifts of 24 on, 48 off. With your addition A shift will be complete. The current rotation is 24 on, 24 off and a constant rotation of floaters. It’s not ideal but it’s what we’re dealing with,” Cooper explained.

“So this is why the call went out to other states asking if people wanted to move?” TK asked.

“Yes. We just don’t have enough people, experienced people, to fill an entire shift.” Cooper paused for a moment then continued, “You’ll be the smallest size wise on the team. This means there would be certain rescues more suited for you to do. I’d been hoping to find someone smaller than our lot. I hope that doesn’t offend you.”

TK grinned, “I was going to ask what was in the water here, everyone is 6 feet plus! That’s fine with me, sir, I’m good at following the chain of command and I’m happy to learn. If I have an issue with a situation or order, I’d prefer to pull you aside for it unless the situation is critical. I wouldn’t feel comfortable questioning my captain’s decision in public.”

Cooper nodded in approval. “You are free to voice your concern in front of our team. It’s what they would do. Most of us have worked together for years, TK, so you’re going to have to slot yourself in and find your own place in this team. We will all welcome you but if you don’t make your place and feel like you belong here then our efforts won’t matter.”

TK nodded, “I can do that.” He paused for a moment. “There is something personal that I wish to disclose.” He met Cooper’s eyes. “I’m gay, sir. I’m not in the closet but I don’t go around being freely out either. Would that be a problem with this team?”

Cooper smiled gently, “It will not be a problem for this team and this firehouse, TK. We’d have your back. I think you’ll be a good fit here. The job’s yours if you want it.”

TK smiled and stood up, holding out his hand, “I accept.”

—-

Thirteen days later It was TK’s last Thursday in NYC, he’d be flying out to Austin on Saturday. He sat in a booth in Lafayette, a popular bistro, waiting for his parents to show up. He’d hoped to have broken the news of him moving to them sooner but between his father’s shifts and social life, his mother’s travels for work and social life, it hadn’t worked out. He’d also hoped to have done it in private but his parents preferred not to step foot in his tiny apartment and neither one had offered up their own apartments for this little family meal. Suffering through an entire meal with his parents was never high on TK’s list. Individually they did well enough for an occasional meal but together… Their attitude toward each other and him more often than not left him without much of an appetite.

He hummed as he looked at his watch – both were fifteen minutes late. He smiled when he caught a server’s eye. He had to be on shift in two hours and had no intention of going hungry. Ordering himself a Café Latte and lemon ricotta pancakes, TK picked up his phone and relaxed back into the comfortable booth. His eyes roved around the gorgeous blue and white motif of the bistro as he decided to enjoy one of his last New York meal experiences.

Flicking the family group chat open he confirmed that neither of his parents had texted to make excuses for running late. Rolling his eyes he tapped open his chat with Enzo.

TK: Both late. Wish I hadn’t bothered doing this in person. See you Friday! Butter calls our name.

He knew Enzo would be in class, teaching, and didn’t expect a reply before the hour was up. He then tapped open his group chat with the 126 and smiled at the easy banter between the team. He’d been pleasantly surprised to have been added to the chat the very day they’d met. He’d interviewed and had to fly back the same day. But chatting with them had helped him feel like a part of the team already. He’d bonded to such an extent with Brent that the man had offered him his guest room to stay in until he found a place of his own. He smiled at the server and thanked him as his meal was set down in front of him. He had a good feeling about the changes in his life and was looking forward to more.

TK took a picture of his meal in front of him, then a selfie. He sent both on the 126 group chat, and put his phone down to enjoy his meal. His parents were now thirty minutes late. He had to be on shift in ninety minutes with a thirty-minute commute.

“Hi honey, oh you’re already eating, couldn’t wait I see.”

TK merely blinked at his mother, his nerves starting to tug at her words.

Gwyneth Morgan dressed in a red power suit, hair in loose curls down her back, set her bag down in the leather-covered booth, waved at him to stay seated, and leaned down to press a kiss against TK’s cheek. “I’ll be right back,” she said and strode off.

He checked the time, thirty-seven minutes late. At the forty-minute mark, his father appeared. With a date.

“TK, pancakes? I hope those are gluten-free, vegan ones. Is that maple syrup? Remind me to send you this article I read about the dangers of sugar, even natural sugar. Has your mother arrived? Oh, that Chanel has to be hers.” Owen Strand turned to the woman with him. “I have always admired my ex-wife’s style. Where are my manners? Ariel, this is my son, TK, TK, this is Ariel.”

TK blinked and stood up as he allowed his father’s bubbling energy to flow over him. Of course, the man had brought a date. “Hi Ariel,” TK said as he stood up and shook her hand.

“You brought a date,” Gwyneth said flatly as she returned and glared at Owen, her lips twisted in displeasure.

“Where’s Enzo?” Owen asked in confusion.

“Not here,” Gwyneth said. “I thought it was just going to be the three of us.” She looked at TK. “Didn’t I tell you it’d just be the three of us?”

“TK, why didn’t you tell me Enzo wasn’t coming?” Owen asked.

TK saw his parents stand shoulder to shoulder and refrained from rolling his eyes. “This entire meal was planned between the two of you on our group chat. Date, place, and time. If you didn’t read what the other wrote, that’s on you.” He narrowed his eyes, “It doesn’t matter now, sit down. You’re here and very late, I have to leave in twenty minutes for my shift.” He turned to his father’s companion and smiled. “I’m a firefighter. What do you do, Ariel?”

The beautiful blonde smiled, “Just like your dad, huh? I work over at Bloomingdales.”

The four of them made small talk after Gwyneth, Owen, and Ariel ordered. Gwyneth and Ariel seemed to be getting along. That was something at least. His parents had always made an effort to get along with each other’s partner. He had never understood them making more of an effort to keep the other comfortable while ignoring his needs. And it continued to baffle him that they’d never expressed any real interest in meeting anyone he was dating.

TK sat back with his coffee just listening to the three of them chat and wondered what he was even doing here. He smiled at the thought of going through with his joke of not letting them know he was moving and letting them find out the next time they asked him to meet. With it being the last week of July, he didn’t expect that to be until Winter for the holidays.

Owen caught TK smiling and smiled back. He’d just begun speaking, “So TK,” when an alarm went off on TK’s phone.

TK silenced the alarm and stood up with a polite smile. “That’s my cue. I have to get going, I’m on shift today. Nice to have met you, Ariel. I hope you guys enjoy your meal.” He hugged his mom, squeezed his dad’s shoulder and quickly left. He didn’t bother covering his share of the meal, it would offend his parents and he wasn’t in the mood for a lecture.

He knew putting off telling them today was going to come back to bite him and the more he delayed the more they’d heap the guilt on later. But that was a problem for future TK to deal with. Today’s TK had a job to do and then a good evening with his friends to look forward to tomorrow.

—-

TK entered Kyle’s apartment and set down the boxes of cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery. His mouth dropped open as he turned and spotted the pizza boxes on the dining table.

“Seriously? How many places did you order from?” He asked as he took in all the different logos on the boxes.

Kyle Somner grinned, “It’s your farewell dinner! We had to bring all your favorites.”

“You have to let me pay you for dinner, Ky,” TK said.

Kyle shook his head, “Nope. End of discussion. What’s the point of finally earning good money if you won’t let me celebrate you making a new life for yourself?”

TK shook his head and hugged him. “You use all that well-earned money to come visit me in Austin.”

Kyle wrapped his arms around TK and held on tight. “You call and I’ll be there, Ty. I’m serious. You’re my best friend. I’ll permit you to get a local best friend cause I’m charitable that way, but you don’t get to leave me behind just because an asshole wannabe broke your heart,” he said fiercely.

“You’re so possessive, Ky,” Sam slung his arms around both of them. “TK’s leaving all of us, not just you.”

“I’m not leaving you guys,” TK protested. “I’m just,” he trailed off.

“You’re making healthy choices for you and I, for one, am proud of you,” Megan declared as she joined in the hug.

“That asshole didn’t really break your heart, did he?” Simran asked as she leaned against Sam and stroked TK’s hair. “Cause I can ruin him, you just say the word.”

The group stilled, waiting for TK’s answer.

“No. He broke the trust I placed in him. But he was nowhere near my heart,” TK said firmly.

Simran sighed in relief and leaned up to press a kiss against TK’s cheek. “Good. Excuse me from the hug fest, I need pizza. I see pizza, I eat pizza.”

“Is that like with cats? If the box fits, I sits?” Sam wondered.

“I am part cat so that works out,” Simran said as she filled a plate for herself.

“Did you tell your parents you’re going bye bye?” Sam asked as he deposited another slice on TK’s plate. “Don’t glare at me and overeat. Mariah alone knows what pizza in,” he paused to shudder delicately, “Texas is like.”

TK rolled his eyes and took a bite of the fresh slice, humming in pleasure as the jalapeños serenaded his palate. “I’ll find good pizza before you visit,” he informed Sam. “I texted them, dad hasn’t responded yet and mom granted me a seven minute lecture between her scheduled phone calls.”

“That’s it? You got off easy this time,” Simran said. “My mother handed me a twenty-five minute lecture on achaar.”

TK blinked, “Pickle? What’s twenty-five minute worthy in that?”

Simran blinked big brown eyes at him in return, “Would you like me to ask Mrs. Simrita to call you and offer you pickle advice so that you too may land the perfect man with it?”

“Raj hates pickles,” Megan said slowly.

“My mother doesn’t know that,” Simran rolled her eyes, and proceeded to take a vicious bite out of her slice.

“How?” Kyle asked, confused. “Even I know that and I haven’t spent more than a long minute with him yet.”

TK laughed, “You lied to your mother, didn’t you? You terrible child.”

“So I should have told her I met the nice Hindu boy she wanted and we proceeded to down shot after shot while sharing parental culture war stories, got hammered and had sex?” She stuck her tongue out.

TK held up his hands while laughing, “I definitely don’t want that. Your mother likes me, she’ll call me again to tell me to protect your virtue. And your flower.” He shuddered, “Very gay over here, thank you.”

“Is Alex still texting you?” Megan asked after they’d had their fill of pizza and settled down with cups of coffee, tea, and decadent cupcakes.

TK rolled his eyes, “Yup. Daily texts to let me know I can’t do this to him and he deserves an explanation for why I didn’t show up for dinner, why I’ve been ghosting him. I’ve just been leaving him on read since I know that pisses him off. I hate doing it but I leaned into the petty.”

Kyle, Sam, Megan, and Simran raised their cups to TK. “By our petty powers combined!” They said together.

TK laughed and lifted his cup to acknowledge the toast.

—-

TK looked around the empty apartment, a place that had housed him for the past four years, and smiled. He was very ready to move on. He’d donated all his crockery, cutlery, and linens to a homeless shelter. All he had to move to Austin with him were his clothes, a few pictures, and some books he preferred to have as hard copies with him. Picking up his duffel bag, he slung it over his shoulder and left the apartment. He dropped the key off with the super and made his way to Brooklyn and Enzo’s apartment. He would be staying the night and take a flight out the next morning to Austin.

He hadn’t been able to inform his parents in person that he was moving away after the disaster of a brunch meeting. His mother had acknowledged his text that he was moving away with a call, there’d been no communication from his father’s end. He hadn’t even been surprised that there’d been no apology from them for being late. Or follow-up messages as to why he’d wanted to meet. All he’d gotten was an ‘it was great to catch up.’

He yawned as he looked around the train, glad that it was off-peak hours and not as busy. Coming off a 24-hour shift, he desperately wanted to get horizontal and sleep for a few hours but hadn’t wanted to linger in the empty apartment or go back to it later. Grabbing the last of his things and moving to Enzo’s to stay the night seemed the wisest course of action even if it meant pushing his body.

He tugged his phone out and tapped open his chat with Enzo.

TK: Omw to yours. Wake me if I’m still asleep when you get home 🙂

An hour-long train ride later, TK slowly walked down the streets of Brooklyn. The trees were showing off the best of summer. As tired as he was and as heavy as his bag felt, he figured this was the last time he’d make this walk this season and enjoyed looking around. He slowed down as he spied Enzo’s building in the distance. Enzo had lived there ever since he’d known him. It had become a home for TK. He shook his head. Enzo had made it into a home for TK.

With a smile, TK sped up and made his way to what would always be a home to him.

—-

TK glanced around the kitchen drenched in sunshine and smiled at the happy picture it made. He’d been in Austin for three days and felt at home in Brent’s house thanks to how genuinely welcoming and warm the man had been. His eyes drifted to the picture wall in the living room that detailed Brent and his fiancé Wyatt’s adventures, New York, San Francisco, Bali, Tokyo… he shook his head, they seemed to have done it all.

His eyes lingered on a picture of them in front of the Statue of Liberty, and a wave of homesickness washed over him. He shook his head and took a deep breath. He’d be ok. New York would always be home thanks to Enzo, but it was time to open his heart and give Austin a fair chance. His eyes sought out the picture of Wyatt and Brent at the Zilker Botanical Garden in Austin. Austin could be his home too.

—-

Carlos cursed his past self monthly for letting himself get friendly with Michelle Blake, for ever feeling sorry for her. He hated being put back on this beat because it meant he’d have to deal with Michelle again. He stepped out of his car, eyed the building lobby she was standing in, and approached her.

“Michelle, I wish I could say it’s a surprise to see you here.”

“Hey Carlos,” she said calmly.

He sighed heavily, “We’ve received noise complaints of a woman, who matches your description shouting and banging on Mr. Shepard’s apartment door. You’ll have to come down to the station with me,” he recited flatly. He’d lost count of the number of times he’d repeated slight variations of this to her over the past year.

He led her to his car and put her in the back. He got into the driver’s side, missing Wyatt, something fierce, and began driving away.

“You can drop me at the 126, I have a shift.”

Carlos refused to acknowledge her audacious statement and continued driving.

“Carlos, you missed the turn! This isn’t funny. I’m going to be late!”

“I don’t need you to tell me the way to my station,” Carlos returned calmly even as he clenched his hands down on the steering wheel. He wished dispatch had never requested him for this call but knew they had to have done so on Dustin’s say so.

“I just needed you to get me out of there and get me to work!” Michelle said sternly.

“I’m not an Uber.” Carlos repeated the words he’d said to her over what felt like a different lifetime ago. The time when he’d still spend every day looking for Iris, trying to support Michelle and overlooking the way she’d harassed Dustin. Now he ignored her and drove on.

—-

TK took a deep breath and got into the truck. His first week on the job in Austin had been a busy one. He heard the information being relayed and nodded. “This time of the day the school’s going to be in chaos.”

Cooper nodded, “APD should be on scene already for crowd control. We’ll have to do a full check of the school and hope it’s a false alarm.”

“If the sprinklers go off those kids aren’t gonna be back in school the rest of the week.”

Andrew’s words had the rest of them wincing. Parents having to scramble to find places last minute for where their child could be during the week would be painful.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet,” Cooper said. “The information we have is that a chemistry experiment went wrong. There’s chaos, panic, and injuries guaranteed. Let’s trust the cops to handle crowd control, we’ll help with the evacuation.”

“Cap, even if there’s no fire or we contain it, a chemical experiment gone wrong would have a reaction. The fumes have probably spread. We’d need to clear that out to ensure the building is safe for reentry,” TK said hesitantly. At Andrew’s encouraging nod he spoke quickly, “Once we assess, we’d need to set up those large fans to clear the fumes out and then test the building. So if you can, you need to have the school send the kids home or elsewhere. It wouldn’t be safe for them to go back into the building for hours. Better to be extremely cautious here.”

“You’ve dealt with a chemical reaction before, TK?” Cooper asked as they pulled up to the school, police cars with flashing lights all around and cops in blue already working to evacuate the building.

TK laughed in embarrassment, “Yeah, when I was a student and part of one such experiment.”

Mason and Jackson burst out laughing which set off the others. “It’s always the quiet ones,” Mason said with a lighthearted punch to TK’s shoulder.

TK joined in the laughter as they exited the truck, his focus shifting to work mode. As expected the school ground was a mess of evacuations.

“Did they all forget how fire drills are done?” TK murmured as he watched some students try to rush back into the school.

Brent chuckled, “It’s generally the high schoolers, middle school is much better at following instructions.”

“Just how many school fires have you been to, man?” TK asked as they waited to be assigned.

Brent just laughed and shrugged in response.

“The entire school will be aired out with fans which are on their way,” Cooper informed them as he joined them. He rubbed his brow, “Brent, Andrew, Mason, get inside and check the room the fire originated in. TK, I’ll need you out here assisting the paramedics from the 129. Our paramedic unit has been delayed.”

TK blinked when he noticed Brent’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. He nodded, “Ok, Cap,” he pointed, “So with them?”

Cooper pointed, “With the 129. Tell them you’re certified.”

TK nodded, grabbed a first aid kit, and set off to where the paramedics had begun assessing people.

“TK Strand with the 126, Captain Cooper said our paramedics were held up. I’m a certified EMT, how can I help?”

He was given quick instructions and got to work treating minor injuries incurred when people had rushed out on hearing the alarm go off. The 144 were treating burn injuries from the fire and awaiting more units to transfer people to the hospital.

“Strand, you’re new right? I’m Max,” a tall guy said.

“Yeah, first week on shift,” he said with a smile, “nice to meet you.”

“We have a teacher unaccounted for, a Dustin Shepard. He’s the one who put out the fire in the room and got everyone out. Check the bathrooms and nearby classrooms. He may have inhaled a fair bit.”

“Copy that, Cap.”

TK bit his lip when Coop’s voice came over the radio and Mason’s acknowledgment.

“We found the missing teacher. He’s unconscious, we need a board in here.”

“Jackson coming to you,” Cooper acknowledged Brent.

Thirty minutes after they’d arrived on the scene TK looked up when the ambulance from the 126 finally arrived. He shrugged when Max raised a brow at him.

“We’re done here bud, you can rejoin your crew,” Max said and held out his hand. “See you around and welcome to the Lone Star State.”

TK smiled and shook his hand, “Thanks man, see you.”

TK skirted around the paramedics and stood by Captain Cooper, “All done, Cap.”

Cooper nodded, “Good job, TK. They found one passed out inside. He’ll have to go to the hospital for sure. Fans have arrived, you’ll be with Jackson.”

They heard a struggle and saw the man Brent and Mason had brought out struggling against them. TK glanced at Cooper who nodded. He took off to lend a hand before the man turned the backboard over.

“I don’t want any of the 126 near me, tell that crazy woman and her people to stay away from me!”

TK’s eyes widened when he heard the victim panicking as he got close.

“Sir, stay still! Let us help you,” a female paramedic said sternly.

“No! I refuse treatment from any of you who work under her. Get away from me!” The man said furiously before clutching his side as he experienced a harsh coughing fit that left him gasping.

Andrew joined them and gently pushed TK forward, “Sir, this is Firefighter Strand, will you allow him to assess you? The paramedics of the 126 will step back.”

“What?” The female paramedic protested.

“Step back, Gillian,” Andrew said firmly.

TK glanced at her and carefully helped the man sit up. “Hi, I’m TK. What’s your name?”

“Dustin,” came the hoarse reply.

“Alright Dustin, let’s get your stats checked ok? Just take gentle breaths for me, we’re ok here.” TK kept up a soft commentary as he quickly checked Dustin over, relieved that Brent had stood guard at his back. He heard two women furiously arguing with Andrew a little ways away and tuned them out to smile at his patient. “Doing good here, Dustin but you did inhale the fumes, your ankle will need an X-ray, I’m worried about a concussion and these burns on your arm. You’ll need a trip to the hospital, buddy.”

“If I have to go to the hospital I’ll call an Uber,” Dustin said.

“Don’t be stupid, Dustin, we’ll take you,” Captain Blake said as she joined them.

TK frowned, her soft whispery tone clashing with the harsh words she’d uttered.

“You have no respect for me and the law. Why would I put myself in your hands in the vulnerable state I am in? With the way you treat me when I’m at my best, what will you do to me in this state?”

TK who was kneeling beside Dustin just looked between them, green eyes wide in surprise.

“Respect is earned. All we’ll do is drop you off at the hospital. You know, do our job. Stop wasting our time and let’s go,” Captain Blake said seriously.

“You’re in uniform, shouldn’t personal relationships and tiffs take a backseat here?” TK couldn’t help but ask, appalled at the way she was speaking to a patient.

“Excuse me?” Captain Blake said in a soft voice that sounded shrill to TK’s ears.

“TK’s right, let’s dial it back and remember we’re in uniform here,” Captain Cooper stepped in. He looked at Michelle before turning to Dustin, “Mr. Shepard, I can’t stop you from taking an Uber if you don’t want to go with the paramedics. If you’re willing, one of the police officers is willing to escort you to the hospital instead.”

Dustin nodded tiredly, “An Uber or the officer.” He paused and then spoke up, “I refuse to go with the woman, your paramedic captain who regularly shows up at my place of work and home to stalk and harass me.”

TK’s mouth dropped open in shock. He slowly stood up and offered Dustin his arm to help him to his feet. Mason stepped up on the other side to allow Dustin to lean on him. Together they helped him slowly make his way to the officer standing by to escort him. TK briefly glanced back and bit his lip as he faced forward, wondering if he’d made the right decision in moving to Austin.

“She is, you know. Michelle Blake is a stalker. She knows what time I get home, when and where I go to the gym, where I buy my groceries. I shifted homes to get away from her and she still finds a way to disrupt my life.”

TK glanced at Dustin to find the man looking pale, in pain, and exhausted. “Have you,” he glanced at Mason, “have you reported her?”

Dustin laughed tiredly, “I have a restraining order against her.” He slowly slid into the squad car and nodded his thanks to the officer.

“How, what?” TK asked, horrified.

Dustin smiled wanly, “She’s a paramedic captain who seems to know people in the right place, and people seem to sympathize with her, nothing ever really gets done.” He sighed, “Thank you for helping, I’m glad our students had efficient first responders on-site to see to them.”

The officer shut the door and nodded at them before getting in his car and driving away. Mason and TK stood where they were, a long moment of silence between them.

—-

“Is she always so narrowly on time?” TK asked Brent and Jackson as he leaned against the kitchen counter.

He was referring to the paramedic Captain, Michelle Blake. He’d been there for five shifts and hadn’t been introduced to her yet other than their brief meeting on scene at the chemical fire where he had also met Dustin Shepard.

Jackson rolled his eyes, “Yup, she’s got more important things to do in life than just her job.”

“Yeah, like stalking and harassing people,” Brent muttered.

TK jerked his head toward Brent and narrowed his eyes, “Say what now? That guy, Dustin, was right?” He asked.

Jackson and Brent exchanged a look before Jackson looked around and beckoned TK close, “Her younger sister, Iris, disappeared over two years ago. Iris’ boyfriend at the time, Dustin, insisted he had nothing to do with the disappearance and that she’d fallen in with a new crowd. The cops cleared him but Michelle never accepted it. She began harassing Dustin soon after. Showing up at his house, place of work and creating a ruckus.”

“Didn’t he get fired from the school he was teaching at, at the time?” Brent asked.

Jackson nodded, “He did. He joined the high school he works at, where we had the chemical fire call.”

TK knew his eyes were wide with shock. “So she’s spent years stalking this man, harassing him with no proof, to the point of him getting fired from a job and faced no repercussions?” He shook his head and sat down, “No wonder he didn’t want any of the 126 paramedics treating him. He probably thought they all condone her behavior.” He paused and looked at Jackson, “I’m guessing this is open knowledge and that her team supports her behavior. Do we?”

Jackson appeared startled to be asked that. “What? No, TK, Jesus. Of course, we don’t.”

Brent shrugged, “It’s a valid question. There’s just not much we can do about it. She’s been with the department long enough that she’s been given a ridiculous amount of leeway with her attitude. Dustin has a restraining order against her, which means the APD can’t intervene when she violates it. Though Wyatt took great pleasure in repeatedly hauling her into the precinct his first six months on the job in Austin with every excuse he could find. It slowed down some of her stalkery ways.”

Jackson looked at TK, “There’s a reason we haven’t rushed to introduce you to her. Interacting as a team on a call and a little here is the most expected of us. So just be polite, you don’t need to be friendly.”

“Yeah, we don’t interact much with her team and they know why,” Brent added.

TK shook his head, “I’ll be professional, don’t expect polite from me when she has actively been ruining someone’s life for years.”

“Whose life is being ruined?” Captain Michelle Blake asked as she walked into the kitchen with her team of two.

There was a moment of silence before Brent spoke up, “Captain Blake, meet TK Strand. He joined us in A shift while you were on…leave. TK, Captain Blake.”

Suspended, Jackson mouthed to TK.

TK slowly looked from Brent to Blake and nodded, “Captain.”

“TK Strand,” Captain Blake said in a lilting voice, “interesting. Any relation to Owen Strand?”

TK just blinked and nodded. It wasn’t unheard of for him to be asked that in first responder circles, especially by people of a certain age who’d lived through 9/11 on the job. “Yes, ma’am, he’s my father.”

Michelle laughed, “Interesting,” she said again and moved away.

TK exchanged a look with Andrew and Brent, his confusion mirrored on both their faces, though Brent’s was quickly morphing into suspicion.

“Hi, I’m Nancy and this is Tim,” a woman stepped up and introduced herself.

TK smiled slightly and nodded at them, “Hi, TK.” TK knew he was being standoffish and didn’t care much. Hearing what Blake had been doing and getting away with, was hitting all his buttons with the way Alex had been harassing him and his friends with repeated phone calls and texts.

He turned away from them and focused back on Jackson, raising his brow at the look on his face. When Jackson just shook his head, he nodded and looked at Brent.

“I’ll be reading in the lounge upstairs if you need me,” he said and walked away.

“What’s up with him?” He heard Nancy ask as he walked away.

“You know what,” Jackson said.

“No, I don’t.”

“He knows your captain’s history and how you feel about it, Gillian. That’s what,” Brent said.

TK shook his head and walked out of hearing range.

—-

His next night off found TK leaning back against the wall of an LGBTQ-friendly club sipping a bottle of water, pleasantly tired after two hours of dancing with strangers. He took another sip from the bottle and swallowed slowly as he felt eyes on him. In his snug jeans and dark green t-shirt, he knew he painted a pretty picture and hadn’t been short of admiration that night. He rarely ever was and was secure enough in himself to know that. But the man watching him held his attention in a way no one else had in the months since he’d broken up with Alex. He lifted a brow as he held his admirer’s gaze and took a sip, swallowing and licking his bottom lip. He smiled as the man made his way over to him.

“Hi,” dark eyes met his up close, “you wanna dance?”

“Yeah,” TK drained his bottle, dumped it in a nearby trash can, and followed the man onto the dance floor, smiling as his hands immediately went to TK’s hips.

“Do I get a name?” The man pressed his lips against TK’s ear and asked.

TK shivered, “TK.”

The man smiled and introduced himself, “Carlos.”

TK could freely admit his ego had taken a hit thanks to being cheated on, even though he knew logically cheating was a choice Alex had made that had nothing to do with TK and everything to do with Alex’s morals. It still did him good to see the appreciative glances thrown his way, the eager hands that wanted to caress him, and now this extremely hot man who was holding him close as they danced together.

TK groaned as Carlos’ hands drifted down to cup his ass. TK trailed his hands down those broad shoulders and squeezed the muscled biceps before moving back to drift over that perfect ass encased in jeans that looked like they’d been made for Carlos. He closed his eyes and lost himself in the movement of the firm body against his, the occasional grind of their hips and those hands keeping him close.

His eyes flew open as a tongue trailed up his neck and felt himself harden to the point of needing to step away or do something about it. He pulled his head back and met Carlos’ eyes. When the man just smiled and nodded they turned as one toward the bathroom tucked toward either end of the club.

When Carlos grabbed his hand and led him to the back he willingly followed, eager for once to just take what he wanted instead of overthinking it. And what he wanted was Carlos.

He raised a brow and took in the single bathroom Carlos had led him into. “I didn’t expect this. It’s like they expected people to hook up in here.” He grinned and licked his lips when Carlos pressed him back against the locked door, their lips meeting in a hurried soft crush.

“Been watching you dance for an hour,” Carlos murmured as he trailed kisses along TK’s jaw and down his neck. He slid his hands down, cupped TK’s ass, and pressed their hips together.

TK moved his hips against Carlos’ in a slow grind, tilting his head to give his mouth more room. “Why did it take you an hour to come to me?”

“Why did you just watch me and not come to me?” Carlos asked with a smirk as he pulled his head back.

“Maybe I’m shy,” TK said with a sweet smile.

Carlos looked seriously at him, “Want me to lead, or will you go after what you want?”

TK’s smile widened as he gently pushed Carlos back and slowly went down on his knees. “How about I go after what I want and you lead me if you need something different from me?”

Carlos swallowed and nodded, pressing his hand against the bathroom door, the other grabbing a condom from his pocket and handing it to TK before sliding to the back of TK’s head.

TK nodded approvingly at the condom and quickly pulled Carlos’ jeans down to free his cock. His mouth dropped open in surprise at the thick, long hard cock in front of him. He wet his lips and wrapped his hand around Carlos’ cock, his thumb sliding along the head to gather the precum there, using it to ease his way. His eyes flicked up and he smiled to see Carlos enjoying having a hand on him.

TK efficiently slid the condom on Carlos and licked a stripe up his cock. He met his eyes and wet his lips before slowly working on taking him completely into his mouth until that delicious thick length was nearly making him gag. He relaxed his jaw and began an easy rhythm, his eyes locked on Carlos, the man’s obvious awe and pleasure sending a jolt up TK’s spine. He closed his eyes and let himself get lost in the pleasure of having a cock in his mouth.

TK hummed approvingly when Carlos tightened his hold on his hair and thrust lightly into his mouth even as he worked to keep from choking.

“You look so good.”

TK opened his eyes at the soft moan and met Carlos’ eyes, his hand drifting to gently work Carlos’ balls. He slowly pulled off and began jerking him off, his mouth drifting to lap at his balls.

“TK,” Carlos groaned.

After lapping and mouthing at them for a bit TK’s eyes flicked up to watch Carlos. Holding his gaze he swallowed Carlos’ cock back down and hummed, sucking eagerly on the hard length. He gripped Carlos’ thigh to keep his balance as he lost himself, pleasure flooding his body as he felt Carlos shake under his hands. He relaxed his throat and sucked harder, tightening his hands on Carlos’ hips as the man shook and moaned, fingers yanking harder at his hair.

When Carlos shuddered, TK eased off a bit and gentled the suction, then lapped and sucked on the head of his cock until the man tugged at his hair to pull him off. He eased off with a pop and slowly relaxed back, flexing his jaw. He looked up to see Carlos leaning one hand on the door, his face flushed, panting slightly. Giving himself a mental gold star for a job well done, he carefully worked the condom off Carlos, and disposed of it. He gently tucked the heavy cock back into Carlos’ jeans and smiled at the man.

Carlos pressed his thumb against TK’s swollen lower lip, “You’re entirely too good at that. Not that I’m complaining. Give me a moment for my brain to come back online and I’ll return the pleasure.”

TK smiled and sucked Carlos’ thumb into his mouth, working on it and swirling his tongue around the tip just like he’d done to his cock moments ago. “No rush, most guys call it returning the favor.”

“You didn’t do me a favor, TK. You blew my mind and bestowed an intense amount of pleasure on me. Is it weird if I say it was an honor having your mouth on me?”

TK laughed, stood up, and slid his arms around Carlos to cup his ass, “It’s weird and charming so I’ll go with charming. My mouth is an honor,” he said with a wink and pressed his lips to Carlos’ jaw, “I enjoyed having your thick cock in my mouth. It’s been a while since I’ve had to actually work at deep throating someone.”

“It was my first time being taken all the way,” Carlos said softly as his eyes darkened. He tugged TK into a rough kiss, his hands trailing down his chest to unbutton and unzip his jeans, “I’m going to blow your mind,” he promised as he went down on his knees, tugging another condom out of his pocket.

TK licked his lips and pressed his hand against the wall behind Carlos, his right hand sliding to the back of his head. The first slow lick of Carlos’ tongue had TK’s eyes sliding shut in pleasure. As much as he wanted to watch Carlos suck him, he wanted to enjoy his first blowjob in months. Following Carlos into the bathroom tonight was the next in a line of good decisions he’d made since leaving New York.

They decided to leave the club together after indulging in a lazy post blowjob makeout.

“Can I drop you off somewhere?” Carlos asked politely.

TK had just pulled up the app to call himself an Uber and hesitated before nodding, figuring he could get dropped a block away and walk home so as not to lead a stranger to Brent’s front door. “That’d be great if you’re going by,” he rattled off the area. “I wouldn’t want to drag you out of your way.”

“That’s not far from where I live and I’d love to be dragged wherever you want to take me,” Carlos said with a sincere smile.

TK grinned, “Such a charmer.” He whistled at the Camaro Carlos led him to and ran a hand over the hood. “I gotta say, I’m loving this whole hot guy vibe.”

It was Carlos’ turn to grin as he unlocked the car. “Thanks,” he stroked the steering wheel after they got in, which made TK want his hands back on him. “This was a bit of an indulgence and it does not serve me too well on certain roads but I love it.”

TK settled into the seat with a sigh, happy to be off his feet after dancing for hours. “You can be practical in your forties. It’s a shame that you refer to this beauty as ‘it’. You haven’t named your car?”

Carlos gave TK a look as he pulled out of the parking lot. “What have you named your car?”

“I don’t have one yet, I’ll name him as soon as I buy him.” TK declared.

“Him?” Carlos asked amused.

“Him,” TK said firmly.

“What are you buying?”

TK hummed, “At the moment I’m pretty set on a smaller SUV. I’m hoping I test-drive something and just know it’s the one, if that makes sense.”

Carlos nodded, “It does. The moment I saw this, him,” Carlos corrected as he stroked the wheel, “I knew it was what I wanted.”

TK was surprised to realize that Carlos was on Brent’s street. Time and distance had passed easily as they chatted that he’d lost track of the way. Since he wasn’t getting any Criminal Minds weird vibes from Carlos he directed him to pull up between Brent and the neighbor’s house.

“Thanks for the ride, Carlos,” he said sweetly.

Carlos smiled, “Thanks for a good time tonight.” He hesitated before asking, “I’m open to doing it again if you are.”

TK quickly thought it over and agreed, figuring if he changed his mind later he could always just say so. They exchanged numbers before Carlos leaned in and kissed TK’s cheek. “Night.”

—-

TK’s shift had been off to a slow start. After jumping in with a bang from his first shift, he didn’t mind it and dared not utter the ‘q’ word. He had been whiling away the past hour on Instagram catching up on his friends’ social media lives and updating his own with posts and stories. He rolled his eyes when he noticed a follow request from Alex. Their breakup had gone viral when someone had put videos and pictures of Alex and his spin instructor, Mitchell together then tagged the gym with mocking comments. TK had changed his profile to private but Alex and Mitchell had not done so quickly enough and had been vilified by bored strangers as well as a few common friends. Last he heard Mitchell had been let go from the gym for conduct unbecoming on-premises and their relationship had not survived the storm of judgment and trolling by strangers. Ever since, Alex had begun sending him messages on every social media account TK had, repeatedly asking to clear the air.

A call coming in for garbage bins on fire had them all hurrying off.

An hour later TK looked away from the window where he’d been familiarizing himself with the streets and mentally mapping out the route back to the 126 when they began slowing down. He looked ahead and sat up straight when he saw an older woman waving at them from the sidewalk. Once the truck pulled to a stop, Cooper got out. TK watched him listen to the woman before he looked toward the sky or the trees and nodded.

“126, come out here,” Cooper motioned them out.

They quickly obeyed and got out of the truck.

“Miss Greta’s Morticia has climbed up that tree. We’re going to get her down.”

TK looked up expecting to see a child. Instead he heard a soft meow and saw a black tail. He grinned, “A cat, Cap?” It was a classic firefighter rescue all the kids in his class would draw about when he was young. What do firefighters do? They rescue cats from trees. “That’s charming.”

“I’m glad you find it charming, TK, cause you’re up,” Cooper said sweetly.

TK’s mouth dropped open as the rest of the team began laughing and cheering him on.

“Have you ever done a cat tree rescue before?” Andrew asked as they began setting up the ladder for TK.

“In New York?” TK asked drily. “No sir.”

“Well, then this is your lucky day, TK.”

“Don’t forget to smile,” Brent added as he stood by with his phone aimed at TK.

“Is that really necessary?” TK asked with a laugh as he gestured to the phone.

“Yup,” Brent said, popping the p. “Your first proper tree rescue. Consider it a rite of passage.”

TK looked away and composed himself so that Greta didn’t see how amused he was at his team’s antics. He flashed Brent and his camera a winning smile and wink before climbing up the ladder. He grabbed hold of a branch and looked around, smiling when he spotted a black cat perched on a branch further down.

“Hey Morticia, hi,” he held out his hand, “your mama Greta is very worried about you.” He reached his arm out further, “You want to come down now? Come to me, let’s go down to mama.”

For a long minute, nothing happened. TK just stood there stretched out, knowing the guys wouldn’t let him hear the end of it if he didn’t get the cat down. “Come on, Morticia, don’t do this to me. You’re so gorgeous, please give me the privilege of carrying you down.” He slowly wriggled his fingers, “Morticia.”

After what felt like a long time but couldn’t be more than five minutes since TK had climbed up and began talking to Morticia, the black cat lazily made her way to him. He stroked her back with gentle fingers until she was ready to move. When she seemed ready he carefully lifted and held her securely to his left shoulder as he began climbing down the ladder. Soft cheers so as not to spook Morticia greeted him. He flashed a smile toward the side and hopped down the last step to be back on solid ground.

“Oh, thank you, thank you!” Greta said gratefully as she came forward and held out her arms.

“You’re most welcome, Ma’am,” TK smiled and gently transferred Morticia over, letting himself trail his hand down her back as he let go.

He bowed to his team and their laughter, mentally labeling this as a dear diary moment. He’d finally done the cliche firefighter saves cat from tree rescue. He already knew his friends back in New York were going to freak out when he posted the pictures.

What he didn’t expect was for AFD to post the pictures and videos on their social media accounts and for it to make him recognizable.

“Seriously?” He asked as he sat at the table the next morning while reading the comments appreciating his looks.

“We told you, it’s a rite of passage man,” Mason grinned as he added his own like and comment.

“My guileless green eyes. Really Mason?” TK stared at him when he read the comment.

“I’m just matching up to all the comments about your eyes, TK!” Mason said with a laugh.

TK rolled his eyes and decided to just jump into it by reposting the post to his own profile. Thankfully his account was private and the general public wouldn’t see his friend’s ridiculous comments and teasing.

—-

TK grabbed the jaws of life off the ground and groaned as his hamstrings made their disapproval known when he straightened up. They’d been sent out to a multi vehicle collision at 11 pm. It had taken two ladder trucks and several EMS units hours to clear the scene after people trapped in their cars had been rescued and sent off to hospitals to get checked out. He watched the last of the cars get towed away and surveyed the ground in front of him. Broken glass everywhere. He sighed and resisted the urge to rub his face.

“Grand way to celebrate the first month on the job, eh?” Mason asked as he came up behind him and rested his elbow on TK’s shoulder.

“Grand,” TK rolled his eyes. “Dude take your arm off me and hold this,” he passed Mason the jaws.

“Why do I have to hold it?” Mason asked in a playful whine.

“I’m the smallest member of the team as you keep reminding me by using me as your armrest, remember?” TK batted his eyes playfully in return.

Mason smiled and carefully and securely held the equipment as he eyed TK’s lean muscled body, “Sure lean machine, you’re the smallest. Let’s go, I have power bars in the truck.”

TK followed Mason, fatigue setting in now that the adrenaline from the call was leaving him. He grumbled when Mason suddenly stopped walking causing TK to nearly plow into his back.

“Cap, we’re all secure from our end. Just glass to clean up,” TK poked Mason’s shoulder and announced to Cooper as he came upon him.

Cooper nodded, “Great, we’ll roll out in a minute. Captain Stamper’s team is handling the glass.” He looked at an officer standing nearby, “Carlos, have you met TK Strand? He joined us at the 126. TK, Officer Carlos Reyes of APD. Carlos and Wyatt were partnered up when Wy transferred to Austin last year.”

TK smiled and pulled off his glove to shake the hand Carlos held out to him, “Hi.” His eyes lingered on how hot those strong arms looked in his uniform.

“Hello, welcome to Austin, TK Strand,” Carlos said with a smile.

TK squeezed Carlos’ hand gently before they separated, “Thank you, Carlos Reyes.”

Several hours later TK leaned against the wall and watched Carlos stride into the APD. He seemed to know his way around and headed straight up the stairs to the captain’s office. When the man came down a few minutes later, TK objectively took him in, the strong body that TK wanted to feel on top of his, the huge biceps that TK wanted to bite down on. When Carlos noticed him and flashed him a smile, he couldn’t stop himself from smiling back. His eyes trailed over the man as he left, the thick strong thighs, and as ass that begged to be worshiped. He was not the type of man TK generally went for. His previous dates, hookups and boyfriends had all been men like him, a leanly muscled build at most. But there was something about the way Carlos looked at him that had drawn him in right away. Those dark eyes raking over him from head to toe hadn’t made him feel unsafe for even a moment and had left heat flowing through him instead. He smiled and shook his head, trust him to go out wanting a hookup and finding someone like Carlos.

—-

“Where to today?” Brent asked as TK packed his bag with water and some snacks.

“Today,” he sighed, “is visit to the last apartment on my list day. But it’s also wander the farmer’s market day so it balances out.”

Brent patted his back, “You’ll figure it out. I’ve got a good feeling about that building. I know you found the condos too big, I think the apartments in this one will be just what you’re looking for. And it has a pool. And a gym.”

TK nodded, “I’ll keep an open mind about it. If I’m sure about it, will you come give it a look for me?”

Brent nodded, “Of course.”

“Awesome. Message me your list for the market. I think I covered most on my own but just in case.”

“Will do. We’re taking you line dancing tonight so prepare yourself,” Brent said.

TK made a face and laughed. He took a deep breath and exhaled, shaking out his arms, “I’m ready for it.”

They said their goodbyes as TK walked out of the house and got into his car. He smiled and stroked his hand down the steering wheel. He had a car which he’d promptly named Bruno. He still couldn’t believe it. Tugging his phone out of his pocket he took a picture of his hand on the wheel with the road in the background, captioned it ‘adventures’, and posted it to his Instagram story. Setting up his GPS, he put his seatbelt on and carefully pulled out onto the road. He drove under the speed limit for a few minutes before increasing to the limit and letting the GPS guide him to his hopefully future home.

Two hours later, TK strolled along the farmer’s market. He smiled when he saw people in hoodies and light jackets while he himself was in a short-sleeved t-shirt. He was going to miss New York’s snow but was looking forward to the milder Texan winter.

He stopped along at several different stalls to stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables, a few spreads and dips. Looking at the bags in his hands he nodded. It was time to go leave them back at the car and then he could grab a bite to eat. After he neatly stored his bags in the boot of his car, a lesson he learned quickly after the first time he’d gone shopping and arrived at Brent’s with all his fruits rolling around the back for being improperly secured, he admired the sleek Camaro that pulled into an empty slot a few spots down. He rapidly went from admiring the car to the man who came out of it. Strong biceps, delightfully curly hair, light stubble, plump lips, and a gorgeous smile. He smiled and nodded before focusing back on securing his last bag before stepping back and pressing a button to shut the boot.

“Hey TK.”

TK turned and smiled, “Hey Carlos.”

They stood smiling at each other before Carlos cleared his throat and tilted his head, “Done shopping?”

TK hesitated, he knew Carlos felt the pull between them and his first instinct was to back away but he stood his ground. “Done with shopping, I plan to hit up TacoDeli for lunch next.”

Carlos’ eyes lit up, an easy smile taking over his face, “You’re in for a treat, they do excellent tacos. That was my lunch plan as well.”

TK hesitated again before taking a slow breath, “Wanna grab lunch together?”

“I’d love to.”

They spent a moment longer just looking at each other before TK grinned and looked away. “Lead the way, Carlos.” As they began walking he looked at the man, “Do you need to get any shopping done?”

“Oh, a few things to pick up for my mom for the weekend.”

“We can pick that up first if you’d like?” TK offered. “I’m not sure what time they wrap up and stop selling.”

Carlos smiled at TK, “I’ll be good to pick it up after lunch. They start wrapping up around half past noon but they’re good to hold orders for the locals. Longtime locals,” he added hastily.

TK laughed and nodded, “Locals. I like the sound of that.”

As they walked together, Carlos pointed out his favorite stalls, and TK pointed out the ones he’d bought from.

Carlos particularly pointed one out, “This one has been my next to try list.”

“Rio Good Ch-easy bread,” TK read.

“You just mix the ingredients with water and oil, then bake. Good for the days you want a quick fix bread,” Carlos said.

TK grinned, “You make non-quick fix bread?”

Carlos matched his smile, “Sure do. My mother wasn’t about to send me out of the home without knowing how to cook.”

TK’s smile softened, “That’s sweet.” He looked back at the sign for the Ch-easy Bread, “It’s gluten-free and vegan. I think I’ll pick some up.” He hesitated, “Or maybe I should wait until I have my own place. May not be best house guest behavior to start experimenting with things I’ve never made before in someone else’s kitchen.”

“Or I could buy it and you could come over to mine to try it out?” Carlos offered easily, his eyes locked on TK’s face.

TK tried to hold back his smile but had to look away as he laughed. It had been a long time since anyone had flirted with him this easily without it being about his looks or body. And he had no doubts that he was being flirted with here.

“Lunch first? Then we can work on planning our next meal,” he said with a wink.

Carlos laughed and agreed. They walked ahead, Carlos leading them right to TacoDeli, where they spent a minute reading the chalkboard menu.

“Have you eaten the Salsa Doña?” TK asked. At Carlos’ nod, he continued, “What would you rate it on a hotness scale?” TK ran his eye over Carlos and raised his brow.

Carlos laughed and shook his head, “It’s hot. If you like that spicy bite, you’ll enjoy it. If you prefer a muted heat then the salsa Roja is perfect.”

“I’m guessing I shouldn’t even think about the Habanero?” TK asked, eyeing it with interest.

Carlos’ eyes widened, “Uh, it may be too hot for you if you haven’t grown up on this kinda fare. They aren’t joking around when they refer to it as the hottest.”

TK subtly licked his lips at the thought of that fiery flavor. His eyes noted that Carlos’ gaze followed his tongue. “Next time then, I’ll start with the Doña.” He looked at Carlos, “Queso or guac?”

Carlos hummed, “Both?”

TK grinned, “I like that answer. I’m ready to order.”

They stepped up to the booth and placed their orders, Sabrosita Barbacoa for Carlos, Space Cowboy for TK, and the salsa Doña, guacamole and queso to share. After paying, they stood to the side as their food was prepared.

“So, you’re looking for a place of your own?” Carlos asked curiously.

TK nodded, “One of my team very kindly offered me his spare bedroom so I’m not in a rush to find a place since I’m not living out of a bag in a hotel or Airbnb. But I’d like to find something sooner rather than later. Hopefully before the holidays.”

Carlos nodded, “I get that. You’re here, you’re settling in, but your own home is the final step in laying down roots.”

TK smiled, “Exactly.”

They turned as their number was called and picked up the trays of food. Carlos led them to tables around the booth and both set their trays down. TK pulled his phone out of his pocket and snapped a few pics and videos.

“No picture of me?” Carlos joked.

TK smiled and stepped up to Carlos, holding his phone up he took a selfie of them and sat down with a laugh.

TK took a deep breath and sighed, “It smells great.”

“It’ll taste as good if not better,” Carlos said with a smile.

TK eyed the salsa Doña before deciding to try that first. Scooping some up on a chip he popped it into his mouth and hummed as his taste buds sang in joy. He didn’t realize he’d closed his eyes until he opened them to find Carlos watching him with a smile. He smiled back and rolled his lips into his mouth for a moment.

“This is great!” He cleared his throat, “I think I’ll be able to work up to the Habanero soon enough.” He scooped some queso onto a chip and ate that next.

Carlos followed suit and prepped a chip with the salsa, “They do have restaurants in the city as well so you’re not restricted to the farmer’s market days.” Carlos popped the chip in his mouth and nodded.

“Oh? Maybe I’ll have to find myself some foodie friends to go there with,” TK said easily as he carefully picked up his taco and took as neat a bite as he could.

“Maybe you’ve already found one,” Carlos said softly as he picked up his taco.

They exchanged a smile and spent a few minutes concentrating on their food, with laughter as stray bits of queso and guacamole got on both of their noses as they ate. TK would have crossed his fingers if he wasn’t holding his food that he’d made another friend in this city. He knew they’d been lightly flirting and had already hooked up but he wasn’t sure if he was ready to date. If spending time together led somewhere he’d be fine with it but if he got a friend out of it that would be the best. The last thing he wanted was to be isolated once he moved into his own place.

They finished eating their tacos and lingered over the chips, salsa, and queso as they chatted. There was much to be said for instant attraction but the basic getting to know you stuff was important to TK. At the rate Carlos was asking him about his interests and his life, it seemed to be equally as important to him.

Eventually, they threw their trash away, returned the trays, and set off around the market for Carlos to pick up the orders waiting for him. They walked a little closer than before and smiled freely at each other.

TK checked his watch and smiled regretfully at Carlos as they stood by his car chatting, “I have to get going. It was lovely to meet you again, Carlos. I had a good time.”

“Likewise, TK.” Carlos hesitated, “I have your number, I plan to use it soon.”

TK bit his lip and nodded, “That’d be ok with me.”

“See you soon,” Carlos said softly.

“See you soon,” TK echoed before turning and walking away.

—-

TK eyed the board above the bar doors – Honky Tonky. When Brent had told him they were taking him to the local honky tonk he hadn’t expected it to actually be named that. His eyes widened as they walked into the bar. The place screamed Texas, with Weston cowboy hats hung around, and horseshoes featured heavily in the decor. The majority of people were dressed in denim jeans and shirts, a fair few with tassels, cowboy boots, and hats. He spied a decently spacious dance floor on one side, a pool table, and a dartboard in a corner on the other side.

He turned to Wyatt and laughed, “You weren’t kidding when you said I was going to experience a true local night out.”

Wyatt laughed, “It’s cliche but a good time. And first responders are very welcome here. The owner is a former cop so people know to behave. Makes for a relaxed time.” He wrapped his arm around Brent’s back and pressed a kiss against his brow.

Brent smiled at him before looking at TK. “They brought me here too for my initiation into all things Texan and line dancing.” He paused and cocked his head, “Come to think of it, we haven’t been line dancing anywhere else.”

“You line dance?” TK asked Brent.

Wyatt squeezed Brent gently while Brent laughed and shook his head, “We mostly just sit in a corner watching the action or get in a round of pool.”

TK smiled at them before looking down at himself in his short-sleeved shirt, fitted jeans, and sneakers. Then he looked at Brent in his fitted Henley. They didn’t blend in but they didn’t stand out either which was good enough for him.

“My man, you ready to dance?” Mason clapped TK’s back and slung a friendly arm over his shoulder.

TK turned his head and smiled as Andrew, Jackson, and Mason joined them. “Ready and looking forward to it.”

Jackson looked at TK in surprise, “You went from ‘why line dancing’ to looking forward to it? You ok, Tyler K?” He asked as he pressed the back of his hand against TK’s forehead.

TK laughed and shrugged, “Nah man, I think I’ve found my apartment, I ate amazing tacos for lunch. I’m ready to go the local way, so line dancing is next.”

Mason whooped and squeezed TK to him for a quick hug, “Man, that’s awesome! Was it the one downtown with the pool?”

“Yes!”

TK grinned as his team cheered and congratulated him. They made their way to the bar and ordered a round of drinks. TK took a quick look at the menu and decided to go with an iced tea. He held his breath for a long moment expecting someone to try and coax him into getting a different drink. When all that happened was Jackson suggesting they get a few baskets of food right away, he relaxed and nodded, agreeing to the order of hot wings, fries, onion rings, and pretzel bites.

Andrew tugged gently on TK’s arm and waved at a man behind the counter, “Pete! Meet TK, he’s joined us at the 126.”

A tall burly man smiled at him, “Welcome, TK. I hope you fall in love with Texas and never want to leave.”

TK smiled and nodded, “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you.”

He waved to the man and followed Mason and Jackson to a booth. They slid in on one side and he slid in the other.

What followed was an evening filled with laughter, food, drinks and fierce competitiveness over a game of pool. A fair few locals stopped by the table to chat and got introduced to TK. Toward the end of the night he couldn’t avoid it anymore and allowed Jackson to drag him out onto the dance floor for the last dance of the night which TK picked up surprisingly easily. He laughed and bowed to the hollering of his friends as they watched.

TK slid into bed that night with a smile on his face and joy in his heart. He’d be ok here, Austin was beginning to feel like home.

—-

Carlos moaned as his hips pressed against TK’s, his fitted jeans making his hard-on very obvious. He made a mental note to avoid wearing them if he expected to meet TK Strand in public often.

“I swear I wasn’t just inviting you for breakfast to hook up,” Carlos muttered as he pulled back from sucking on TK’s tongue.

“Can I say I’m flattered you wanted to feed me and fuck me?” TK slid his hand between them to cup Carlos’ cock. “You are so fucking hot. I’m stating the obvious but it needs to be stated.”

Carlos thrust into TK’s hand, licking his lips and staring at beautiful green eyes that had been driving him crazy ever since they stared at him while sucking his cock weeks ago. “You’re the beautiful one, TK. You haunt me,” he whispered.

TK leaned in and sucked on Carlos’ lower lip before biting down on it and tugging gently. He let go and smiled. “That’s a good thing cause I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind. I have a shift in three hours. Want to send me off all relaxed?” TK asked with a smirk and yanked his t-shirt off.

Carlos’ eyes zeroed in on that pale neck, took in the firm abs, and nodded, “Upstairs.”

TK grinned and slung his tee over the railing as he sauntered upstairs. Carlos swallowed hard and quickly followed. He walked in to find TK stripping his jeans off and nearly sighed when he saw that firm ass.

“Commando? Really?” he asked as he stepped up behind him and palmed one cheek squeezing it.

TK smiled at him, “I was hoping we’d have round two.”

“I really do plan to feed you,” Carlos whispered, his fingers trailing between TK’s cheeks to gently rub his hole.

TK licked his lips, “How about you feed me your cock first and then we think about food?”

Carlos felt painfully hard in his jeans. “I need to stop wearing these jeans around you,” he blurted out, eyes widening in surprise as he groaned in embarrassment.

TK laughed and slowly trained his eyes down until he reached Carlos’ very obvious hard-on. “You don’t know what this does for my healing ego, Carlos.” TK grabbed his hand and tugged him over to the bed. He sat down and unbuttoned Carlos’ jeans, fingers gently tugging his zipper down over his cock.

“What do you mean?” Carlos asked, kicking his jeans and briefs off.

TK grabbed his hips and smiled, “Later. Fuck my mouth.”

It shouldn’t have been this easy to obey TK’s command, to know he wanted to have his hair held, and for Carlos to take control and use his mouth for his own pleasure. But that’s exactly what was happening. Carlos couldn’t look away from the way TK was easily swallowing his entire length with ease, his face blissed out. He tightened his hold on the soft strands and held TK in place, those green eyes looking up at him, soft pink lips stretched obscenely around his cock. He tugged TK back and allowed him to catch his breath. TK used that time to lap at his precum and suck on his balls. Carlos knew it was nearly over when TK slid one hand up his stomach and began playing with his nipple those eyes watching him again.

When he nodded TK swallowed him down again, slowly working his cock until Carlos felt that tug low in his belly. He pulled on TK’s hair to warn him and watched as TK pulled back and began jerking him off. He cried out as TK twisted his nipple, coming as his body was pushed over the edge.

After a long moment, Carlos’ eyes fluttered open, his hand still in TK’s hair. He was surprised to find TK had taken his other hand and was holding it gently as he focused back on those mesmerizing eyes watching him.

Carlos slipped his hand to TK’s cheek and caressed the soft flushed skin, his thumb pressing against his tender bottom lip. “I made a mess of you,” he said, taking in some of his cum that had hit TK’s neck and chest.

TK smiled and leaned into Carlos’ hand, “It’ll wash off. We didn’t use a condom so,” he shrugged lightly.

“I’m sorry about that. I got carried away.” Carlos marveled at the ease with which they had gone from being aggressively sexual to talking practically.

“It takes two, Carlos,” TK said easily. “Sit down,” he tugged Carlos down beside him. “You look shaky.”

“You just sucked my brains out,” Carlos murmured.

TK grinned, “Yeah? Better than the bar?”

Carlos wrapped his arm around him, “Surprisingly yes. I thought nothing would beat my first time being deep-throated. Turns out the second time was even better.” He pressed his thumb against TK’s lower lip, “I think you’re addictive, TK Strand.” He blinked as TK flinched at his words, “What?” He sat up straighter and cupped TK’s cheek, “TK, what did I say?”

TK laughed awkwardly and shook his head, “Nothing.” He sighed, “Well, not nothing but it’s not relevant at the moment.” He relaxed and smiled leaning forward to kiss Carlos before hesitating. “Is this ok?” At Carlos’ confused look, he elaborated, “Some guys don’t like to be kissed after a blowjob.”

Carlos rolled his eyes, “So they’re ok with enjoying the bliss of your mouth on their cock but not your mouth on their lips?” He closed the distance between them and poured all his pleasure and need into the kiss, shifting them around between kisses so they were lying against the pillows making out. Carlos slid his hand between them, gently wrapping it around TK’s cock, his lips working their way down his neck, and his chest, as he pushed TK onto his back and lay between his spread legs.

TK moaned when Carlos lapped gently at the head of his cock before sucking the head in and slowly going down on him. His hands drifted to Carlos’ head, fingers tugging gently on his soft curls. He’d been on edge the entire time he’d been blowing Carlos and wouldn’t last long with that wet heat on him.

“Close,” he sighed and worked his hips, thrusting gently into Carlos’ mouth.

Carlos held his hips lightly and sucked harder, allowing TK to fuck his mouth. He eased back and sucked on the head, his hand working TK’s cock in a fast pace that had TK gasping as pleasure shot through him. Carlos jerked TK’s cock until the man twitched to pull away.

Carlos shifted and hauled himself up to lay beside TK. He hesitated for a moment before gathering TK into his arms.

“Is it rude to say blowjobs with you are more intense than fucking someone else?”

TK smiled and stroked Carlos’ bicep, “It’s a compliment to us.”

“Can I see you again?” Carlos asked softly. “Maybe next time we’ll make it to a table to eat first.”

TK bit his lip, “Carlos, I’m not really looking to date just yet. I,” he hesitated, “I’m in a new city, new job. I need time.”

Carlos swallowed and nodded, hoping his disappointment didn’t show on his face.

“You’re disappointed,” TK said softly. He gently stroked Carlos’ arm, “I’m sorry. I should have been clear about where I’m at when you invited me over. I didn’t think breakfast at home really meant eating anything but each other.”

Carlos couldn’t help but laugh, thoroughly taken and charmed by TK, and it had mainly been a few weeks of flirting on the phone. “Is it me? Or,” he asked hesitantly, “does your heart already lie elsewhere?”

TK’s eyes darkened and he squeezed Carlos’ arm, “I don’t cheat. Infidelity doesn’t work at all for me.” He slid his hand up and cupped Carlos’ cheek, “It’s not you or, well, it is you.”

“That clears things up,” Carlos said drily.

TK made a face and sighed, “You’re unexpected. I had a plan when I moved here, you know? Do my job well, make some friends, learn to have fun again, and maybe have some amazing rebound sex because I had dumped my boyfriend who quite openly cheated on me back home.”

Carlos’ heart broke for what TK had gone through and for himself for missing out on a relationship with what seemed like a fantastic guy cause someone was stupid enough to cheat on him. “I’m so sorry someone did that to you and violated the trust you bestowed upon them, TK.” He smiled sadly, “I hope I live up to your rebound expectations.”

“That’s just,” TK took a shuddery breath, “Thanks.” He leaned in and pressed his lips against the corner of Carlos’ mouth. “You’re burning hot and I want to climb you like a tree and sit in your lap. But I don’t want you to be my rebound guy, Carlos. You’re a total ten. I’d like to keep you for myself but I need time.”

“I don’t want that either so how do we prevent it?”

“Can we just spend some time together? I’m going to need a day or few.”

“Day or few?” Carlos asked with a smile.

“Yeah, I don’t know if it’ll be just a day or two so few,” TK said.

Carlos agreed.

“But anytime you want to climb in my lap you’re welcome to,” Carlos said with a straight face.

TK laughed and shifted until he was straddling Carlos, “Deal.”

Carlos brushed his thumb along TK’s cheek, “Take all the time you need, TK. I’m a patient man.”

TK stared at Carlos for a long moment before leaning down to kiss him, making a little wish for things to work out for their highest good.

—-

TK looked around his living room with a smile. It didn’t feel or look lived in yet but it didn’t look stark. He could see himself inviting the team over for dinner or a random game night, and felt a warmth spread through him. Finally, he had his own space with his own money where he wanted to invite his team, his friends, over. In a place where he actually had a team that felt like a team.

And maybe a date? His mind supplied. He bit his lip and thought back over his interactions with Carlos Reyes. They’d had a good time at the Farmer’s Market and had been texting often since then. Which was a change from the sexting they’d been doing after hooking up which had shifted to flirting after meeting on scene. Neither had outright made plans other than to hook up after the fuck me and feed me breakfast hook up. TK wondered if he should just leave it and let Carlos set the pace or if he should reach out and ask the man out as friends. Carlos had asked to see him again and TK had put it off citing their opposite schedules the week before, well Carlos’ schedule since TK’s was set at noon to noon. But between signing for his apartment, moving in, and shopping, he hadn’t had the energy dedicated to attempt to date. But the sex was great. It was easy with Carlos which he appreciated. And Carlos never used them getting off to push something further while with him which he appreciated.

He blinked and looked down at his phone as it beeped.

Enzo: Your apartment looks great. Call when free.

TK smiled and brewed himself a cup of tea before settling on the couch and calling Enzo.

“Ty, how are you?”

TK smiled, “I’m doing ok. FaceTime?”

At his confirmation, he tapped and smiled when Enzo was visible on screen. “Hi,” he said sweetly, “How are you?”

“I’m good, miss you. You look good. Is that a tan I see?”

TK grinned, “It is indeed! You’re in layers there and I’m just in long sleeves here if that. Oh,” TK sat up from his slouched position, “do you want a tour of the apartment?”

Enzo quickly thought it over, “Have you finished decorating?”

“Not yet. I think it’ll be complete by the time you come to visit,” TK said with a smile. “We can shop for anything you think is missing, together.”

“Then I’ll wait until you put your stamp on it and make it your home. I’m looking forward to it, Ty,” Enzo said softly. “I’m proud of you, kid. You’ve done well. Reach out if you need opinions on anything.”

TK smiled and ducked his head for a moment before looking back at the screen, “Thanks, Zo. You know that means a lot to me coming from you.”

Enzo cleared his throat and took a deep breath, “Am I seeing you for Hanukkah or Christmas?”

TK shrugged, “Mom hasn’t mentioned anything. What’s the plan?”

“She didn’t tell you,” Enzo sighed. “Of course, she didn’t.” He pinched his sinus points, “We’ve been invited to the Hamptons by your uncle Grant. Twenty-sixth to the first.”

“So no Hannukah,” TK observed. “Interesting how they play fast and loose with it when it’s convenient, but when Kennedy and I wanted to go skiing last year, it was all about family time, Hanukkah time, Christmas, and whatever else they could add on.”

Enzo sighed on the other end and nodded. He’d made peace with his partner’s antics years ago but wished she’d change and communicate better with TK.

“I’ll think about it, Zo,” TK said finally. “The high point of coming to New York is meeting you and my friends.” He bit his lip, “Let me first find out how much time off I’ll get. If it’s just two-three days, then that’s just not worth it.” He hummed for a moment, “I’m also going to ask mom if she’ll come here for a quick visit before the Hamptons then.” He looked seriously at Enzo, “We did not have this conversation.”

Enzo nodded, “I have no idea what conversation you’re referring to.”

—-

TK parked his car at the Barton Creek Farmers Market and took a deep breath. Carlos and he had planned to spend the day together, beginning with a few hours at the market shopping. Carlos had promised to help him stock up his kitchen with spices and food to get him started. He’d decided to take it a step further and stock up to get himself through the month until Christmas if he could. And from there they’d see how the day went. TK was hoping it went somewhere. He had clicked so easily with Carlos that he definitely wanted him for a friend but also wanted to see if they could make something more of their current relationship.

“I must be crazy to be thinking of more,” he groaned and got out of the car, grabbing his reusable shopping bags out the back.

He looked around hoping to spot the Camaro before checking the time and sending Carlos a text to let him know he’d arrived.

“TK.”

TK turned and smiled when he saw said man walking toward him.

“Hey.” He hesitated for a moment before leaning in for a quick hug.

Carlos looked him up and down with a laugh. “I guess you’re not affected by the wind today?”

TK eyed Carlos’ jacket and grinned, “I’m only affected in that I think it’s a pleasant fall day,” he laughed and nodded, “Sienna looks good on you, so I’m kinda glad you’re cold enough for it.”

Carlos’ smile brightened even as he touched his sweater, “Sienna?”

“Burnt orange,” TK said with a laugh. He took a deep breath and sighed, “I love how clean and open it is out here.”

“This is clean?” Carlos asked doubtfully.

TK shrugged and smiled, “It is to me.”

“You cute New York Yankee,” Carlos shook his head, his eyes trailing over the blush on TK’s cheeks. “Let’s get to shopping. We can do the spices first, then the veg and fruit to keep the heaviest for the end.”

“Lead the way, I am but your Padawan today.”

Carlos tugged on TK’s arm, “How about we change that to you explore, and I’ll occasionally Obi Kenobi you.” At TK’s laughter he held up his hands, “That’s the extent of what I remember of Star Trek.”

TK halted in his tracks and stared at Carlos in horror. His eyes narrowed as Caros’ lips twitched with suppressed laughter. “You’re lucky you’re hot, Carlos.”

They shared a laugh and walked on. They enjoyed roaming around the market for a few hours before heading to a restaurant for lunch.

—-

A few weeks later, TK’s eyes fluttered open. He hummed sleepily and ran his hand along the warm smooth skin under his hand.

“TK,” came Carlos’ sleepy voice.

“We fell asleep,” TK mumbled. He shifted and nuzzled Carlos’ shoulder, then looked at the tv on screen saver mode, “What time is it?”

Carlos flicked his wrist and squinted at his watch, “1:07 a.m.”

TK groaned, “I have to get home.”

“Or you could stay here tonight,” Carlos offered softly.

TK stilled, “I didn’t think we did that,” he said hesitantly. They had sex often, hung out, and spent time together as friends, but sleeping together seemed more intimate to TK.

“We fuck like it’s going out of style but sleeping together is where the intimacy hits you?” Carlos asked amused. “Face it, babe, we’ve tried to keep some line of separation but I don’t know where it is anymore.” He pressed a tender kiss against TK’s brow, “How about I promise not to expect more than you can give, and sleeping together is just sleeping together, me being my kind self and sharing my bed with you?”

“Merely offering my weary head your pillow,” TK bit his lip and gently trailed his fingers down Carlos’ cheek. “You’re a wonderful man, Carlos.”

“So are you.”

They kissed, slow and soft for a long minute, before pulling back, the issue of TK sleeping over settled.

He slowly pushed himself up and yawned. “It’s been a long week.”

Carlos sat up and kissed TK’s bare shoulder. They’d gone from watching a movie to making out to falling asleep. He stood up and held out his hand to tug TK up. “Come on, you can go back to sleep in a minute.”

TK stood by the stairs and watched Carlos set the alarm and turn off the lights. They walked up together and entered Carlos’ bedroom.

“Do you want sweats to sleep in or will you overheat?” Carlos teased gently.

TK smiled and looked at the duvet on the bed, “I think a pair of shorts if you don’t mind. You seem the type to run hot when you sleep and be a cuddler.”

Carlos laughed, “You’re not wrong.” He opened a drawer and handed TK a pair of shorts.

“So soft,” TK complimented.

Both of them stripped down without care, tiredly appreciating the other’s naked skin, and changed, TK into shorts and Carlos into sweats.

“Do you need to use the bathroom?”

TK shook his head, “No.” He looked at the bed, “Which side should I take?”

“Mine is left, but you can take it if you need the left.” Carlos flashed TK a smile and went to the bathroom.

TK waited for the door to shut behind Carlos before hesitantly approaching the bed and slowly sliding under the duvet. He sighed tiredly, the bed was soft, the pillow cool and the duvet a comfortable weight on him. He knew he was going to sleep well. He watched Carlos come and stand at the foot of the bed.

“You look good in my bed, TK.”

TK swallowed hard at Carlos’ words and held out his hand. Within seconds Carlos slid in next to him and gathered TK into his arms. He took a slow steady breath and closed his eyes.

—-

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