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"Sweet kale salad, check. Brownies and ice cream, check," TK murmurs to himself, marking down on his list as he goes.
"Guest washroom is now spotless," Carlos announces, coming in from around the corner with a mountain of blankets and pillows balanced in his arms. TK stares on curiously. He wants to ask, but he needs to get through this list first. He checks off cleaning the washroom.
"Rice and plantains — sorry, plantanos?"
TK can hear the amusement in Carlos" voice when he says "check."
He crosses that off his list before he continues reading out. "The tres leches cake?" So, sue him, he"s on a twelve-day streak with Duolingo and has been serious about his lessons with Carlos for weeks now — he wants to show off a little.
"Chilling in the fridge as we speak."
"How are we looking on the beef brisket for the ropa viejas?" TK rolls his tongue on the "R", subconsciously looking up at Carlos for approval of his pronunciation.
"That sounded so good, baby!" The older man praises with an easy grin, one TK almost instantly mirrors at his words. "Got about thirty more minutes, but we"re still really good on time, so no worries."
"Are we stocked on mineral waters?"
"When aren"t we?" Carlos answers with a question.
"And the limes?"
"I think so."
"You think so?" TK sputters in disbelief.
Carlos quirks a brow in amusement, dropping the heaping pile of blankets and pillows onto the couch before straightening. "Is this how I am with my lists?"
"Oh, babe, you"re so much worse." Carlos grabs at his chest in mock indignation. "Control freak," TK says with no real heat, voice soft as he shakes his head at the older man.
"You love it," Carlos bites playfully, coming closer.
"I do," TK immediately agrees. "And I love you." Saying it is as easy as breathing.
"I love you," Carlos says back, leaving a teasing kiss on the corner of his lips. "I thought I"d be the one that"s all nervous," he says when he pulls away.
"Oh, don"t act like you aren"t," TK wags a finger in his face. "Mr Wake-Up-At-4-a.m. to cook up a storm."
Carlos rolls his eyes fondly, playfully batting his finger away. "Okay, maybe I am." He pinches his own fingers together. "Just a little."
"Un poco," TK says proudly. He remembers that one.
Carlos laughs, nodding. "Yeah, un poco."
He glances back down at his list. "Let me just go over this one more time—"
"Cariño, let"s just pause for a second, yeah?" Carlos places his hands on TK"s shoulders, pausing the younger man"s movements. "We"ve been on ten all day. Everything is taken care of. The house is spotless. We"ve been cooking food all day," the side of TK"s mouth twitches slightly upward at that.
TK boiled water, bought the ice cream, and cut up a salad. But, he"ll happily take more credit.
"I just—" he heaves a big sigh. "I need this dinner to go well, Papí," TK confesses softly, peering his eyes up at him.
"And it will." He meets him in the middle and pecks his lips once (twice). "Everything is fine; tonight"s gonna go smoothly," Carlos reassures. "Now, we unwind." He gestures behind them to the pile he was carrying earlier.
"Fine, I"ll bite." For the first time in nearly half an hour, he drops his list on the coffee table. "What is this?"
"We"re gonna build a fort," the older man says, moving to push the coffee table out of the way. "Then we"re gonna watch a movie."
"A fort?" TK asks, incredulous.
"Yeah. We"ve got nothing but time," Over two hours to spare, to be exact. "Wanna help?"
"I"ll warn you," TK starts off, walking over to one end and helping him push the armchair together with the couch. "I"m probably not going to be very good at this." It"s not hard to tell he"s still intrigued by the idea, though. He"s actually kind of excited.
"Well, that makes two of us."
"Wait," TK pauses. "You"ve never done this before either?"
"No, I have." Carlos walks up to the second armchair and pushes that up on the other side of the couch. "My dad did this with my sisters and me a lot growing up. But, he was definitely the fort expert in the family amongst us all." He grabs an armful of blankets and comforters and starts throwing them all over the place. "Plus I"m a bit rusty."
"You don"t say," TK watches as one of the blankets falls flat, just barely containing a laugh.
"Shut up," Carlos chuckles and waves him up, balancing precariously on the edge of the couch. He extends his hand to TK briefly to keep him from falling before offering up a small, closed box to push pins. "Help me tack this to the ceiling, please."
The two work in tandem with each other, tacking other random, haphazardly strewn blankets to the ceiling as well before they both carefully come down and admire their handiwork.
"Well," TK walks around, getting the full view of it. "It"s something alright."
Carlos scoffs. "We did this in like five minutes," he immediately defends.
"Hey, I"m the rookie here. What"s your excuse?" TK teases.
The older man shakes his head. "Brat," he murmurs with a slight smirk as he makes his way to the lights and turns them all off.
Carlos picks up the remote on his way back to him and hands it to TK, gesturing for him to crawl into their (hazardous) fort first.
"So the fifty pounds of blankets and comforters can bury me alive first, right?" He crawls in anyway.
He should"ve seen the smack to his ass coming. TK laughs it off. "Such a smart mouth on you."
TK clicks on the Netflix icon and waits to hear the familiar (and unnecessarily loud) sound. Three profiles pop up; one for Carlos, one for TK, and the third one is for both of them — this is the one they use for all the shows and movies they exclusively watch together. TK clicks on the third one.
He busies himself with picking a show to watch on Netflix when Carlos crawls in a few minutes later with a small bowl of popcorn and two chilled mineral waters.
TK takes the items from his boyfriend to help make it easier for him to maneuver. Carlos kisses him in thanks when he"s fully inside.
Carlos positions himself behind him, putting his legs on either side of him. He wraps his arms around TK"s middle, pulling his boy flush against his chest and leans back in the cushion of soft pillows they threw in there earlier.
TK settles on Roswell: New Mexico and watches it cue up. They"re finally on the second season now. "Papí?"
"Yeah, baby boy?" The soft touches against his arms almost make him forget what he"s going to say.
"Can I just check real quick to make sure we have limes?"
Carlos leans down to kiss into his hair, huffing out a laugh. "No, Tyler."
***
The sound of the doorbell echoes through the townhouse, making TK momentarily freeze.
He straightens the heated bowls and trays of food for the tenth and last time in the past two minutes before nervously rubbing his palms on the front of his jeans.
"D"you need a second, mí vida?" Carlos asks from across the table in concern.
And just like that, the tension from his shoulders melt at the pet name alone. That one’s been a recent addition to Carlos" collection that never fails to make TK go boneless.
My life.
"No, m"good." He"s surprised to realize he means it. "Go answer it, we can"t keep them waiting."
Carlos comes from around the table and takes TK"s hand, lifting it to his lips to kiss at his knuckles. "You sure?"
TK nods. "Positive," he says, and leads them into the living room before nudging the older man towards the front door. "Open it."
He stands back, taking a (much-needed) calming breath when his boyfriend"s back is turned to unlock the door.
"Hola hola!" Carlos calls out jovially to his parents when he opens the door.
"TK!" Andrea exclaims happily, bypassing her son entirely in favor of making a b-line to him. TK chuckles at that, loosening up some more. "Ay, querido. Look at you!" Andrea cups his cheeks. He bends his knees a little to allow the woman to kiss both sides of his cheeks. "Even more handsome than I remember."
His cheeks grow warm under her palms. "And you look even more radiant than I remember." Distantly, he can see Gabriel and Carlos hugging in greeting, the older man letting go with a parting kiss on his temple.
"Such a charmer." Andrea grins. "And it"s so nice to hear you sounding so much better. The soup worked wonders, didn"t it?"
From out of the corner of his eye, TK sees Carlos cough in an attempt to smother a laugh. He glares at his boyfriend from over Andrea"s head before looking back at her with a smile.
"M"good as new all thanks to your recipe." TK"s not entirely lying. He did make Carlos cook a huge pot of caldo de pollo as payback. "You"ll have to share it with me sometime." It was delicious after all.
"Oh, of course! Just remind me before we leave." Andrea pulls away from him with a parting pat on his cheek to make room for Gabriel.
The gruff, older man shuffles closer, signature cowboy hat absent for a change. "It"s so good to see you again, son." A wide smile overtakes his face as he opens his arms in a silent request for a hug of his own and, really, TK can"t say no to that.
"It"s good to see you, too, Gabriel."
They hug for what feels like ages and TK would be slightly more embarrassed if hugging Gabriel didn"t feel like being encased in a warm blanket. He really can"t be blamed for not wanting it to end. TK is certain this family has ruined him for hugs from anyone else (except for his mom, Gwyneth"s in a league of her own).
TK reluctantly pulls away, realizing after a beat that Gabriel waited until he was the one that let go. It warms something in him. "Are we the first ones here?" The older man asks, subtly shaking his head at TK. Don"t mention it.
"Yeah, but my mom should be coming right behind you though." The older couple slide off their shoes at the door before Andrea goes to set her purse down on the coffee table. No one can even tell the living room was home to a Carlos-and-TK Original merely two hours ago.
"It smells so good in here. Wait—" Gabriel pauses, sniffing. "Do I smell ropa viejas?"
"It is," Carlos confirms. "There"s also tres leches."
"Have I mentioned I love you lately?"
"I wouldn"t be opposed to hearing it again," Carlos says cheekily.
"Carlítos," his mother pulls his attention away. "I"ve been saying for ages you need more lights in here," Andrea tuts. "It"s always so dark in here."
"I"ll get brighter fluorescent bulbs, Mamá," Carlos concedes easily. They seem to have had this conversation before.
"You need a place with some natural light, mijo, really brighten up the place." She looks around the room some more. "A place with really big windows."
"We"ll think about it," is all he says indulgently.
TK"s brain kind of short-circuits at the "we". He often finds he has to pinch himself to remember he"s not just spending the night at Carlos" townhouse — he lives here. It"s their house.
It"s their home.
It was quite possibly the easiest yes TK has ever uttered when the older man asked him late one evening. They were both curled up on the couch after Carlos had stayed up well into two in the morning, having gotten off his own shift three hours prior, to wait for TK to come home.
The television was running old reruns of George López that the two of them were only vaguely paying any mind to. TK had felt Carlos" gaze on him for a while and had finally given in to look at him.
("What?" TK asks, a coy smile playing on his lips. The man looks moonstruck, his signature Cow Eyes in full effect as his handsome face is illuminated by the faint glow of the television.
Carlos scoots closer, cupping TK"s cheek to pull him in for a kiss that"s so sweet, he almost shivers. Their lips brush against one another"s as he breathes out "move in with me, Tyler.")
The doorbell rings out again, shaking him from his stupor.
He goes to open it after looking through the peephole, a grin overtaking his face at the sight of his mom.
"Hey, Sonshine!" Gwyneth greets her son, immediately opening her arms for a hug.
With no further invitation needed, TK envelopes himself in her arms, sighing contently. "Hey, mom."
They saw each other yesterday when he and Carlos drove down to pick her up from the airport. But, Gwyneth spent the past 24 hours sleeping, allowing her body to adjust to the time difference. Now, awake and refreshed, she"s able to greet her son properly, the way she first intended.
Carlos comes up from behind him, patiently awaiting his turn for an infamous Gwyneth Morgan hug.
"Carlos!" His mom exclaims when they pull apart.
"Gwyn," Carlos greets warmly, bending down slightly to be encased in her arms. "It"s so good to see you."
They all step away from the door so TK can lock it, allowing Carlos the chance to guide Gwyneth further into the living room, taking her purse from her to set down.
"Gywn, I"d like you to meet my parents, Andrea and Gabriel." Carlos" mom waves enthusiastically while Gabriel tips an invisible hat. "Mamá, Papá, meet Gwyneth Morgan, Tyler"s mom."
Gwyneth looks over her shoulder at TK, mouthing teasingly, "Tyler, hm?" He ducks his head down to cover a blush.
"Oh, you"re gorgeous," Andrea compliments, coming forward for a hug of her own. "I see where TK gets it from, you two look just alike."
People often say he looks just like his dad, but TK has always thought he takes more after his mom. He"s glad someone else has eyes.
Carlos begins to titter nervously behind the group after introductions are made, drawing TK"s attention. TK quietly excuses himself, allowing the older adults some time to mingle as he makes his way over to Carlos, disappearing into the cove of the kitchen for some privacy.
"What"s wrong?"
He bites his lip, looking sorely apologetic. "I may or may not have forgotten the limes," Carlos mutters.
"Come again?"
"I forgot the limes," he says just as lowly, but more clearly.
"You forgot the limes." TK echoes flatly.
"I forgot the limes," Carlos repeats, shoulders slumping. "I"m sorry, cariño. I genuinely thought I grabbed them on our last grocery run, but it looks like I just doubled up on lemons."
TK sighs. "It"s okay. M"not upset with you. It was an honest mistake, babe." He pulls his man into a hug. "Maybe they won"t even ask for it." He tries to cheer him up.
Carlos" head thumps against his shoulder as he groans. "I made ropa viejas, they"re definitely going to ask for some limes."
"Am I interrupting?" Gwyneth"s voice meets their ears. The pair separate and sees her eyeing them in concern.
"No, you"re good, mom." TK waves her off. "Just a…food emergency. But it"s fine. You alright, mom?"
"Can we talk for a moment?" The seriousness of the statement catches him off-guard.
Carlos takes the hint and, after a silent check-in with TK, excuses himself from the mother and son.
"Everything alright, mom?" He asks again now that they"re alone.
"Yeah, I"m fine." Gwyneth waves away his concern. "This isn"t about me, actually." Oh. "Owen"s still not here yet," there"s something in her tone that says she"s not surprised.
TK wants to defend the man. He really does. But all five of his texts have gone unanswered and twice as many calls have gone straight to voicemail. He can"t think of a single thing Owen could be doing that would keep him from this dinner.
"Did he have a shift today?" Gwyneth asks.
"No. But, he"s—he"s probably on his way. Let me call him." TK is quick to pull out his phone with fumbling hands, almost desperate to prove the knowing look in his mom"s eye wrong.
His dad wouldn"t just not show up for this. At least, he hopes. Owen knows how important this dinner is to him. There has to be a good reason. TK brings his phone to his ear, listening to the mechanic ringing as he waits. Maybe it"s a flat tire. Or—
"Hey, what"s up?" Owen answers.
What"s…up?
He can"t be serious.
Owen is nearly an hour late and he answers the phone so casually as if he has no worries in the world.
TK bites his tongue, flitting his eyes across the room to see Gabriel ribbing Carlos about something or other, laughing at the look of fond exasperation on his son"s face.
His own father on the other hand…
"Dad, are you on your way?"
"No, not yet." He sounds distracted. Not yet? TK can feel a headache coming on. "I have a quick errand I need to run."
He rubs at his temple in an attempt to keep the headache at bay. "Okay, well on your way, could you please pick up some limes?"
"Mhm. Yeah, yeah. Sure, I can do that. Anything else?" He sounds like he"s barely listening to a word TK says.
Gwyneth looks displeased and annoyed on TK"s behalf, already seeming to know the outcome of this conversation. "Nope, that"s it. See you soon, dad."
"Okay." TK"s met with the dial tone almost immediately after, but not before he hears the sound of…rats squeaking? He sighs and pockets his phone. "He"ll be here soon," TK tells his mom with a certainty even he doesn"t feel.
"I hope so, Sonshine." Gwyneth cups his cheek with one hand and stares at him with a look he can"t quite decipher. He doesn"t really think he wants to. She smiles and it almost looks sad. "Come," Gwyneth nods at the set dining table. "Let"s go eat."
His mom calls to the trio and beckons them over. "Finally," Gabriel says, eying the spread hungrily. "I"m starving."
Carlos pulls out a chair for Gwyneth then does the same for TK before sitting down himself, waving off their "thank you"s". The older man leans in and gets close to TK"s ear. "Everything okay, baby?" His voice drops to a whisper.
TK nods. "M"fine, Papí," his voice is just as low, further drowned out by the sounds of dishes being passed around and utensils clanking against ceramic.
His brows furrow in concern, the crease between them prominent. "D"you remember your safeword, darling?"
TK nods again. "Forest."
He goes to say something else but decides against it, instead reaching his hand down under the table to squeeze at TK"s three times.
I love you.
TK squeezes back three times too.
"Carlítos," Andrea"s voice brings them out of their bubble. "This looks wonderful!" She praises.
Gwyneth hums in agreement, fixing her plate with a little bit of everything. "I second that."
"Thank you, but I can"t take all the credit." Carlos settles his hand on TK"s thigh and squeezes at it in comfort. "Ty actually helped with most of it," TK whips his head to him at the (blatant) lie.
He stirred a pot a time or two and he may have opened the oven to check on the progress of their food, but "helped" was a stretch.
"I really didn"t do much," TK tries to say.
"And, he"s humble too." Andrea takes a bite of the rice and lights up. "Mijo, you did a wonderful job. Take the compliment, you"ve more than earned it."
Gwyneth"s eyes twinkle in amusement as if she knows he didn"t make it. She goes along with Carlos" plan though, happily eating away at her plate of plantain (plantanos) and rice. "We have a hidden chef in our midst indeed. This is delicious, Sonshine."
Gabriel chimes in with his own words of praise in between mouthfuls and it"s only then that TK really realizes what Carlos is doing.
He"s trying to take his mind off of his dad.
And — TK finds himself smiling — it"s working.
"D"you have any limes, Carlítos?" Gabriel asks while assembling his taco.
TK slowly turns to his boyfriend and lifts a single brow, feeling a bit of satisfaction at the faint blush on the older man"s cheeks.
Carlos shakes his head sheepishly. "No, Papá. We—" TK kicks at his calf. "I forgot to buy some," he corrects without missing a beat.
He sniffs haughtily. That"s what he thought. TK (finally) lifts his fork to his mouth and starts eating, humming happily at the taste.
He (Carlos) is an excellent chef.
TK lets the light chatter wash over him as the evening progresses, settling back in his chair and talking when he"s asked a question in between bites of good food. His previously soured mood lifts as he watches his mom get on swimmingly with Andrea and Gabriel, content to just watch.
He feels another three squeezes to his thigh. TK forgoes squeezing back and instead leans in for a chaste kiss, letting that speak for him.
I love you.
***
Owen shows up over an hour later.
In his hand is a small brown paper bag containing exactly four slightly bruised limes which he cheerily announces being in possession of the moment TK opens the front door.
TK kind of wants to slam it in his face.
He"s dressed in a dirty grey hoodie and smells like a campfire.
"Where were you?" TK asks in a hushed whisper when the man pulls him into a hug that he honestly doesn"t really want right now. "You"re over two hours late and I called you like ten times."
"Yeah, I saw," Owen says when they pull apart. I saw? TK can feel a face muscle twitch. "Got stuck in traffic on MoPac, then my phone went dead. I was only able to put it in for a charge a bit ago."
"Why were you on MoPac?" That area is in the opposite direction of both Owen and TK and Carlos" place. TK himself has only ever gone down there once in his entire stay in Austin for a dentist appointment and changed orthodontists by the end of his visit, the drive far too long and inconvenient to even be made occasionally.
Owen goes on about how hard the limes were to find and saunters into the living room, dirty running shoes still on his feet as he goes to introduce himself to Andrea, having already met Gabriel.
He greets his ex-wife briefly, forgoing a hug when all she gives him is a tight smile in acknowledgment. His mom rubs his back soothingly for a moment while they watch Owen fall into easy conversation with Carlos" parents.
Gwyn leans into him. "Is it just me or did he smell like smoke?"
"S"not just you." TK"s trying very hard not to say something he"ll regret.
"And you"re sure he didn"t have a shift today?" To her, it seems like the only logical explanation. Owen doesn"t smoke. Gwyneth still doesn"t know about Owen"s little heroic stunt over on Pecos. It settles then that tonight might"ve been an encore.
His dad would much rather go looking for danger in the dark of the night than sit down and have dinner with his son.
"Positive," his tone comes out more clipped than intended. TK hopes his mom knows his souring mood isn"t directed toward her. He feels the once-ebbed headache come on in full force.
The man of the hour rattles off a quick thanks to Carlos who"s gone to make him a warm plate of food while TK and his mom join the trio in the living room.
Unbelievable.
Owen just comes in and acts as if this isn"t a strange occurrence. As if he isn"t nearly three hours late to his only son and boyfriend"s official Meet-The-Parents dinner.
He sits there and jokes with Gabriel about something he can"t quite make out over the low buzzing in his ears. The only words that occasionally filter in are when they start talking about a possible serial arsonist and some guy named John Orr.
That"s all the confirmation he needs to know that Owen was indeed playing his favourite game of vigilante detective and firefighter.
There"s a familiar pressure behind his eyes as they prickle with tears. TK blinks up at the ceiling, willing the tears to stay put because this cannot be the impression he puts on Carlos" parents on their first official meeting.
It can"t be.
"Are you okay?" Gwyneth whispers from beside him.
Damn it.
"Mhm." TK"s not too sure he can manage a full sentence without breaking down right now. His breath hitches at the sound of his dad"s laugh cutting through the static.
A choked sound rings out into the room and TK realizes belatedly when everyone turns to him in worry that the sound came from him.
Everyone"s voice kind of sounds like they"re underwater, a garbled and tangled mess that"s overlapping as everyone tries to talk over one another. The usually dim lighting of the living room suddenly feels intense and unforgiving, practically blinding him at every angle.
TK clenches his eyes shut and focuses on his harsh breathing. Someone — he"s not really sure who — reaches to grab on his forearm and he flinches back.
"TK." It"s his dad, quite possibly the last person he wants in his space right now. He whines, jerking away.
"Sonshine." His breathing slows at just hearing his mom"s calming voice, leaning into hovering arms.
"Baby."
TK"s eyes snap open to stare directly into warm pools of brown swirling in worry. TK immediately reaches out a shaking hand, clutching onto the older man"s wrist like a lifeline. In a way, it is.
"Forest."
And, TK doesn"t really know what happened after that.
He"s only vaguely aware of Carlos" low, hurried voice murmuring apologies to others in the room. Suddenly there"s a whoosh of air beneath him and his back is no longer against the armchair. Strong arms wrap around his body and lift him up, carrying him away from the incessant chatter.
TK presses himself into the firm wall of muscle, seeking out some kind of pressure to keep him grounded, to keep him present.
The barely intelligible, garbled sounds of people talking quickly taper off into nothing and the only sounds that fill his ears are Carlos" feet hitting the wood flooring.
He doesn"t know how an evening can turn to shit so quickly.
Just because he couldn"t keep it together.
"D"you want to lay down for a bit, sweetheart?" Carlos asks softly, thumb rubbing up and down the side of his arm.
TK immediately shakes his head. "W-Washroom." His voice comes out wobbly.
He can fix this.
He"ll just splash some water on his face, put on a smile, and apologize for this little…blip that happened.
He can fix this.
This cannot be the last memory Andrea and Gabriel have of him tonight.
TK can practically feel the confusion and worry rolling off of Carlos in waves, but the older man still follows suit.
"Can you close your eyes for a second, please? I"m going to turn on the lights. D"you want me to dim it?"
He nods against the older man"s chest. A bit of the brightness peeks through his closed eyelids for just a moment before they become muted, more tolerable. TK feels Carlos lower them down and slowly blinks his eyes open. They"re sitting on the edge of the bathtub.
TK pulls away slowly and gets up on shaky legs. Carlos is instantly by his side as he cautiously watches him walk over to the sink.
He can see Carlos from out of the corner of his eyes as he turns on the tap. "Ty?"
TK watches the stream of water flow into the sink blankly before letting his eyes rove up to the mirror.
Carlos looks restless, his hands making aborted movements to reach for him. "What do you need right now? What can I do to help?"
What TK needs is to fix this.
TK presses his lips together in a thin line in a futile attempt to get his bottom lip to stop quivering.
The sadness that floods the older man"s expression is more than TK can bear to watch right now. His eyes drift back to his own reflection, meeting red-rimmed eyes that are teary and wide. TK blinks them back. He refuses to let them fall.
He lets out a choked laugh. "Funny, isn"t it?" TK"s hands ball into fists on the counter, blunt nails biting into his palms.
"Ty," it"s almost pleading.
Carlos reaches out to try and gently unclench his fists, but TK stubbornly holds them firmly in place. He needs the distraction.
"I actually thought one of the biggest things I had to worry about tonight was my dad showing embarrassing pictures of me." TK scoffs — or at least he thinks he does, it"s much too low to sound like anything. "Jokes on me, I guess. He barely even remembered to show up."
He sniffles, letting the water run through his fingers. The lump in his throat builds and the dull ache in his head is now pounding with a vengeance and he needs to fix this.
"It"s like I don"t exist to him unless I"m in danger."
"That"s not—"
"A fire, Carlos. A fucking fire." TK scoffs. "My dad went looking for a rogue fire to put out instead of being here with me, with us." He laughs, but it"s void of all humor. "Am I really that bad?"
"Baby, no!" Carlos answers fiercely. "Please don"t say that, that couldn"t be the furthest from the truth."
"Then why am I never his first priority?" TK looks back at Carlos" reflection in the mirror, voice breaking in the middle. "Why am I never enough for him?"
For a moment, Carlos doesn"t say anything. He doesn"t seem to be able to. Only a stricken expression overtakes his handsome features. The older man"s eyes shine wetly. "Can I hold you?" Carlos asks softly.
Tears sting the back of his eyes as he nods shakily. "Please," TK"s breath hitches.
He turns around, nearly melting when Carlos moves closer and wraps his arms around him, squeezing him gently to his chest. TK buries his face into the side of his boyfriend"s neck and tangles his fists into the sides of his shirt.
Carlos tightens his hold briefly, hiking TK up so he can gently lower the both of them onto the ground. Carlos pulls TK"s legs onto his lap, cradling him. The older man rubs one hand up and down TK"s back while the other busies itself with combing through his dark tresses.
"You can let it out, y"know," TK can literally feel the words reverberate in his chest from his position. "Being strong also means letting yourself feel all your emotions." Carlos" lips brush against the shell of his ear, "even the ones that make you want to cry."
TK feels his eyes well up. Hot tears begin to roll down his face, one after another. TK"s face creases, breath hitching in his throat as he chokes on a sob, body shaking in the older man"s hold.
"I"ve got you, baby," Carlos soothes, planting a kiss on TK"s shoulder. TK"s increasingly loud sobs echo against the walls of the washroom. The slow circles on his back never cease. "I"m right here."
TK presses himself further into the crook of his neck, trembling form desperate to hold onto that solid warmth that screams safety and home.
"I"m sorry," Carlos whispers against his skin. TK"s shoulders shake and he struggles to breathe against the ever-growing lump in his throat as more tears pour down his face. "I"m so sorry."