Work Text:
"Carlos would kill me if he knew I was showing you this." Andrea flips through the photo album, the plastic pages crinkling against each other as she turns the through it. "This is was the first time we took him to see the Easter Bunny."
Andrea shows TK a photo of a five year old Carlos who's teary eyed and red faced. "It was also the last time we took him to see the Easter Bunny."
Andrea points at a photo of a nine year old Carlos in wide-brimmed black cowboy hat, black button down, a denim jacket and denim jeans. "He wanted to be Cordell Walker from Walker, Texas Ranger for character day at school. He said he wanted to be just like his dad."
Next to it is another photo of Carlos is the same outfit, but Gabriel is kneeling down to be level with his son. They're both wearing cowboy hats that are battling for the focus of the photo. Carlos is smiling TK's favorite kind of smile. He remembers seeing the same smile when he asked Carlos to marry him. Carlos is smiling like he's unapologetically happy.
"Who's this?" TK reaches for an amalgamation of fuzz that's sitting in the box. After pulling it out, he sees that's it a stuffed Koala that's a little weathered, faded grey and missing a blue button eye.
"Kique." Andrea says the name fondly, like she's being reunited with an old friend. "Most kids had a safety blanket, but my Carlitos." Andrea reaches out and gently rubs on one of Kique's ears, feeling the soft fur against the pads of her finger. "He had Kique.”
Andrea tilts her head and takes in Kique's missing eye. "If only we knew where that eye went, though." Andrea sighs, then shrugs. "I don't know, part of me wonders if he still needs Kique, maybe even now more than ever." Andrea looks at TK and smiles. "Then again, now he has you."
TK grins at the statement, flattered that Andrea thinks so much of him. That said, TK looks at Kique and can't help but think, maybe having a couple of reinforcements isn't a bad thing. And he is pretty sure he has a couple of buttons lying around the apartment looking for a new home.
"Andrea," TK begins, hoping the answer to the question yet to be asked will be yes. "Do you have a sewing kit?"
Andrea smiles and TK feels hopeful. "I sure do."
—
"Hey baby," Carlos announces when he walks through the front door. "I stopped by the pharmacy and got band-aids, like you asked. Are you finally going to tell me, oh my god." Carlos eyes widen when he sees TK's red stained fingers. "What did you do to yourself?"
"I thought I knew how to sew." TK says while looking at the tips of his fingers. "Turns out, I do not know how to sew."
TK watches as Carlos frantically opens the box of band-aids. "I promise, it looks worse than it is."
"Well it looks pretty damn bad." Carlos had already unwrapped a band-aid and is working to take off the pieces of paper on the back of it. "Why were you sewing in the first place?" He wraps the bandage around TK's right index finger. He doesn't need to, TK could do it himself, but Carlos wants to. He looks up at TK. "TK?"
"I was trying to surprise you." TK comically frowns as Carlos wraps another bandage around TK's left ring finger.
Carlos raises his eyebrows. "I'm surprised all right. What was the actual surprise?"
TK holds up a band-aid clad finger and walks into the bedroom before walking out with a stuffed koala one with a blue eye and a red eye. "Your mom took me down memory lane."
"Of course she did." Carlos mutters under his breath.
"And in doing so, introduced me to Kique, the one eyed protector." TK wipes at the red button eye. "Figured I would take matters into my own hands to make sure he has a second eye. Better to see any oncoming monsters with."
He passes the koala to Carlos, and Carlos smiles TK's favorite kind of smile. "TK, you didn't have to do that." Though, based on Carlos' reaction, and the way he instinctually grabs on to Kique like he never wants to let him go, TK think he had no choice but to do just that.
"I know, but I wanted to." TK tries to respond casually, but his grin gives him away. “I hope you like it.”
“Like it? I love it.” Carlos is quick to confirm. ”I can't believe I have Kique the Koala back in my arms again." Carlos smiles down at the mismatched eyes. He suddenly feels like the younger self that could brave anything life threw at him. Well, with TK by his side, he feels like he still can. "I'm going to cherish this like it's what I love most in the world. Well second most, I suppose."
"What's the first?" TK asks, eyes bright with knowing.
Carlos reaches over and pulls TK into a kiss. "You, and I think you know that."
TK smiles and it's Carlos' favorite type of smile. "I do, I just wanted to hear you say it."