#lsweekend2021

He kisses TK thoroughly, taking his time as he feels TK’s body go lax against his, kissing him back lazily, pressing his tongue against the back of Carlos’ teeth in a way that makes his toes curl from the butterflies he feels in his stomach.

Carlos could get lost in the act of kissing TK Strand and often does, like now, which is probably why he doesn’t realize people have walked up to them until there is a loud and obvious clearing of someone’s throat startling the two of them.

“What – “ TK starts to say, sounding dazed, and Carlos would take a moment to be proud of that if it wasn’t for the horror he’s experiencing in the face of his three older sisters standing before them, grinning like deranged clowns.

“Well, well, well,” Lola starts, like the rabble-rouser she is, her grin looking painful from how big it is. “Look who we have here being all indecent in public? Isn’t there laws against practically having sex in public spaces, Officer Reyes?”

“Would he have to arrest himself?” Valentina asks ironically – the oldest but by no means the most mature – piling on with a smirk of her own.

Sofía, the second oldest and usually the quietest, smiles softly at him, almost sympathetic if it wasn’t for the laughing glint in her eyes. “How much do you wish the ground would swallow you up right now, manito?”

“Very much so,” he grits out with a tight smile as their enjoyment of the situation grows. He feels TK’s body shift next to him a second before his hand touches Carlos’, linking their pinkies together. He turns his head, surprised at the gesture, and finds TK looking a little lost but supportive of him. It loosens something in his stomach, and as TK gives him a half-smile, Carlos is helpless but to return it. “TK, these are my sisters, Valentina, Sofía, and Lola,” he says, pointing at each of them in turn, getting a wave back from all three. “Girls, this is TK,” he continues, not adding anything else though he can see the curiosity in his sisters’ eyes. “Anyway, we were going to go grab a bite to eat, so – “

“What a coincidence, so are we!” Lola exclaims happily, her brown eyes twinkling, and Carlos shakes his head, already seeing where she’s going with this.

“We should all get a bite together,” Valetina continues, and Carlos has to stifle the groan that is dying to come out at the tag-teaming happening before him.

“We barely get to see you, hermanito,” Sofía adds on with a sad face that fools no one.

“We saw each other two weeks ago at Mami’s for Sunday lunch,” he points out, rolling his eyes when the three of them shrug their shoulders in unison.

“Way too long, bro,” Lola answers, getting a nod from their other two sisters. “And we’re obviously not sharing enough if none of us knew you have a boyfri – “

“Okay!” Carlos interrupts before she can finish the dreaded ‘B’ word. The last thing he needs is his meddling sisters spooking TK with that title. He looks at him with an apologetic look on his face, hoping he understands. “Do you mind if they join us?”

TK looks at him for a moment and then at his sisters, a sly grin making its way onto his face that fills Carlos with dread. “That depends,” he starts, raising an eyebrow at the girls. “How many ‘baby Carlos’ stories can I get out of this meal?”

Carlos lets out that groan he’s been holding back as his older sisters all smile at TK like he’s a new shiny toy.

Being the boldest one of his sisters, Lola steps towards TK, slipping her arm through his. “All the stories you want, my dude. Let’s start with the one where Carlos would play Selena’s ‘bidi bidi bom bom’ on repeat and do her spins in the living room until one time he almost threw up on the carpet from twirling so much,” she recounts, throwing a grin at him over her shoulder as she and TK start walking ahead.

Carlos closes his eyes for a moment, opening them again when he hears snickering at his side. He glares at Valentina and Sofía and their matching grins.

“We better catch up to them before she tells him that you can’t get through a single Disney or Pixar movie without crying like a baby, and that’s why you don’t watch them in the theater anymore,” Valentina warns him, laughing at him when his eyes widen.

He doesn’t move for a moment, letting them pass before him. TK throws a look back at him, half-worried but also gleeful as Lola says God only knows what in his ear, and Carlos can’t help the mixture of apprehension and tentative joy he feels at his worlds colliding.

“Keep up, manito, before we steal your boy away,” Lola shouts out, already crossing the street with TK still wrapped around her arm.

“Shit,” Carlos swears low before rushing to catch up.

 ֎֎֎

 They end up at some hipster tapas restaurant. It’s not his usual style, but his sisters and TK seem to like it as they all pick from the multiple small plates at their large table. The girls each have a wine glass in their hands and blessedly don’t blink an eye when TK says he doesn’t drink and orders an ice tea.

He sits next to TK, with his sisters on the other side of the table, watching the two of them like they’re putting on a show for their enjoyment. He glares at them, hoping they’ll cut it out, but they seem to just find his scowls enjoyable – ignoring him in favor of focusing on TK.

“So TK, how did you and our little brother meet?” Valentina asks, starting off the inquisition.

TK pauses mid-reach for the papas bravas at her question before grabbing the dish and scooping some onto his plate for him, giving him a smile when he says thank you. “Um, we met on a call,” he starts to say, taking the plate of garlic shrimp he offers him in return. “I’m a firefighter; we were answering a call to a car accident, and Carlos was the leading officer on the scene.”

“Ohh, a firefighter, nice,” Lola says, throwing him a teasing look. Carlos is grateful for it as it makes TK laugh, and he misses the pointed look his other sisters give him at the way he and TK interact so easily.

He knows they are dying to ask.

“How did you snag such a hottie, Carlitos?” Lola continues, turning her teasing towards him.

Carlos rolls his eyes; used to his sister’s good-natured ribbing, he opens his mouth to mess with her, only for TK to let out a snort.

“Well, first, look at him,” TK answers for him, turning to look at him with a teasing but soft look of his own, a sweet smile playing on his lips. “He’s gorgeous.”

Carlos feels his heart jump at the easy way TK compliments him, not shy in the least as it makes his sisters share another round of looks that this time TK catches.

“It seems to be a family trait. You’re all very beautiful,” he says to them with a charming smile that has Carlos groaning and laughing at once as it totally works on all three of them.

“Don’t butter them up,” he complains as he sees the twinkle in all their eyes. “They’re already insufferable all on their own. If you hype them up, they’ll just be impossible.”

“It’s not hype if it’s true,” Sofía says with a flick of her curly hair, getting a nod from Valentina and Lola.

“That’s right, wey,” Valentina continues, grinning at the face he makes at them. “Listen to your boyfriend; we’re beautiful.”

Carlos freezes at the word boyfriend, but TK just laughs with the girls, moving the conversation along as he asks more about Carlos’ childhood. He leans in, listening intently as the girls share embarrassing but honestly sweet stories about him. Each looking at him with the great love he knows they feel for him.

TK hangs on to every word, smiling softly over at him every few minutes as he files away information – like his love for anything custard and his intense fear of cicadas.

“One time when I was 15, this kid in the neighborhood was picking on me,” Valentina tells the story, sharing smiles with Lola and Sofía as they start to chuckle, remembering the moment.

“We were all playing outside, and he came over and started making fun of my glasses or clothes. I don’t even remember, but I was on the verge of tears when Carlos, who had been playing with his action figures on the porch, comes running and kicks him as hard as he can on the shins, surprising the kid. He tripped, and Carlos jumped on him, hitting him with his tiny fists, screaming at him not to be mean to his sister,” Valentina pauses, looking over at him fondly. “I’m eight years older than Carlos, he was only seven at the time, but he was still protecting me.”

“Awww,” TK gushes, looking over at him with a tender glint in his pretty green eyes. “That’s so sweet and so in character.”

Carlos feels himself blush at the focus of everyone around the table, fidgeting as they all grin at him. “I protect the people I care about,” he grumbles, embarrassed.

“I know,” TK answers softly, reaching out to take his hand. “Trust me, I know.”

Carlos stares at TK feeling a shift in the air, his silly heart giving a flip as hope starts to sneak its way inside it.

“What else?” TK questions, turning back towards his sisters but not letting go of his hand.

The girls share another look between them, and Carlos can only guess what they’re thinking before they jump into more stories.

The rest of the night passes in a blur of laughter and childhood anecdotes, and before Carlos knows it, they’re settling up the bill and walking out of the restaurant. They linger outside for a moment before, one by one, the girls hug TK first, telling him he needs to come to the next Reyes’ lunch and that their mother is going to fall in love with him. TK smiles through it, not making any promises other than checking his schedule with him. He forks over his phone easily when Lola asks to add him to WhatsApp with the promise of baby pictures of him, and Carlos just knows she’ll add TK to a group chat before the end of the night.

They turn to hug him, tight and warm as always, each whispering in his ear how much they like TK and how happy they are that he’s found someone who makes him smile the way he’s smiling. He hugs them back, all the while looking at TK over their shoulders, wondering what’s just happened in the course of the night.

He hails them a cab and reminds them to text him when they each get back to their homes, getting fond rolls of their eyes as they promise before getting into the cab, leaving him and TK alone with this sudden shift in their relationship.

Neither says anything for a moment, each knowing one of them needs to start.

“So,” he begins, biting the bullet. “I guess we should talk about tonight because I don’t know if you realize this, but my sisters just left with the impression we’re in a serious relationship, and that means I will have at least a dozen texts by morning from my mother.”

“Sure,” TK says, nodding quickly, nervous energy pouring out of him. “But first –“

TK takes a step into his space, and then another until his chest is pressed against his, and Carlos instinctively puts his hands on TK’s slim waist seconds before TK covers his mouth with his, in a hungry, almost desperate kiss. Carlos matches his energy, pouring all the love and longing coursing through him, claiming TK’s mouth the same way TK has claimed his heart.

He holds him so close he’s sure TK can feel the way his heart is pounding against his own.

“TK – “ he gasps out, his skin tingling at every point of contact. “What – “

“I’m crazy about you,” TK blurts out, stepping out of his hold to pace. “I didn’t plan it. I didn’t see it coming. You were just supposed to be this cool guy I had good chemistry and good sex with, someone I would be friends with and share a bed with on occasion. This was supposed to be simple. But every day, I fall for you a little bit more and more with your kindness, your patience, the way you make me laugh and smile even when I don’t want to.”

He runs a hand through his hair, causing it to stick up, looking adorable even as his eyes have gone wild. “You weren’t the plan. You came into my life when I was at my worst, and for some reason, you still wanted to be around me, offering me the best of you, and I have been trying to ignore it because I thought it was too soon after my break-up or because deep down, I think you deserve better than me.”

“There is no one better than you,” he interrupts, needing TK to understand that once and for all. “You’re not perfect, TK, I know that,” he says, holding up a hand when TK goes to argue. “But there is no one better – you are the only one for me.”

TK lets out a gasp at his words, finally not moving about, coming to a stop, and Carlos takes the chance to touch him again, bringing him in closer as he cups his face, tilting it up to him.

“Your sisters looked at me tonight as someone worthy of you,” he whispers, his eyes going glassy. “I so want to be that. I want to be worthy of your love.”

Carlos smiles, feeling everything inside him melt for the man in his arms. “Oh, baby,” he whispers softly, leaning in to kiss his forehead, his eyelids, cheeks, and the tip of his nose before he brushes his lips against TK’s.  He pulls him into a hug when he feels him tremble. “Don’t you get it? You already are.”

“Carlos – “ TK gasps something like a sob into his neck.

He pulls him back, making sure he’s looking at him before he finally says the words he’s been holding in for so long. “I’m in love with you, TK.”

TK lets out a wet laugh, nodding rapidly as he grasps his shoulders. “I’m in love with you too,” he answers, smiling brightly, matching Carlos’ own smile.

The kiss they share is salty from their mixed tears but perfect.

Breaking the kiss, they press their foreheads together, basking in the moment and the change in their relationship. Carlos doesn’t think he’s ever been happier, but after a moment, he finds himself letting out a groan as a realization creeps in.

“What is it?” TK questions him curiously.

“I just realized that if my sisters learn we weren’t official before we ran into them and that dinner with them helped in any way – I’m never going to hear the end of their mocking,” he answers, blinking in surprise when TK lets out a chuckle that quickly turns into a deep belly laugh. It only grows as Carlos pouts at him in return.

“Not even five minutes of being boyfriends, and you’re laughing at my pain,” he says, trying to keep from smiling but being unable to do so at the use of the ‘B’ word and the way TK lights up at it. “You’re lucky I love you.”

TK sobers at his words, the laughter dying out but the loving smile staying in place. “I am so lucky,” he says softly, taking his hand.

TK rolls his eyes, his heart nearly bursting with all of the fondness he feels for the man laying next to him. When Carlos had realized just how much the week was wearing on both of them, he had vowed to take TK on a relaxing date during their joint day off. Now, here they are, having made plans a few days ago to spend the morning at the park together, just the two of them enjoying the sunshine and, when they get to it, a picnic lunch.

“I know you did, and I appreciate your commitment to never breaking your promises to me,” TK tells him, leaning in to press his lips against Carlos’s loose curls, his fiancé letting out a small sigh at his touch. “But, Carlos, you made that promise before you did multiple tequila shots with Paul last night. I would’ve understood if you needed a morning in bed.”

TK watches as Carlos closes his eyes again, and it’s only because he knows him as well as he does that TK can practically feel the guilt radiating off of the other man. He leans in, pressing the tips of their noses together. “Don’t you dare feel guilty about it either.”

Carlos scrunches his face, letting out a soft whine when the action no doubt causes his head to throb painfully. 

“I just don’t like it when I lose control like that.”

TK pulls back, watching as Carlos opens his eyes to stare at him. He gives him a calculated look. “You don’t like it when you get drunk, or you don’t like it when you get drunk around me?” he asks. His fiancé doesn’t answer, which is all the answer that he needs.

“Carlos, babe, I love that you love me so much that you’re willing to sacrifice a fun night out with our friends for my sake, but you know that I would never ask you to do that. In the three years that we’ve known each other, I can count your wild nights on one hand.”

“I just don’t want you to feel left out or like I’m rubbing it in your face,” Carlos explains, his voice small.

“I mean, you know I’m not the only one in our friend group who doesn’t drink, right?” TK reminds him, running his fingers through Carlos’s curls to soothe him. “Besides, I cannot tell you how much fun I have watching you let loose with Paul and Mateo. They’re some of my favorite memories of you, and I wouldn’t trade for the world.”

“You’re really not mad?”

TK’s heart thumps in his chest at the question, Carlos’s uncertainty nearly splitting it in two. He leans in again, pressing their lips together this time, hoping the act will be enough to reassure the other man. “Of course not.”

When he pulls away, he can tell that Carlos is more relaxed as he lets TK continue to play with his curls. A shadow falls over them as the sun darts behind a small cloud for a moment, and a memory from the night before suddenly flashes through TK’s mind. 

It’s not every day that he gets a chance to tease his well-controlled husband-to-be, and TK refuses to miss an opportunity when it presents itself. 

“However,” he begins, dragging the word out as he runs his fingers down Carlos’s face, tracing his beautiful features, “I would prefer it if you didn’t flirt with the bartender the next time you decide to let loose.”

“What?!” Carlos cries, shooting up into a sitting position so fast that TK swears time jumped ahead a few seconds. “Fuck!” his fiancé yells, pressing his palms against his face. TK is sure his brain is swimming in his skull, and it can’t be a comfortable feeling.

“I’m joking, I’m joking,” he assures him, moving to sit in front of Carlos, running his hands along his arms to soothe him. “Breathe, Carlos, in and out.” He bites his bottom lip, the guilt rising in his chest at his failed joke.

It takes a few moments of deep inhales and exhales, but Carlos finally lowers his hands, his face pale and pinched. 

“I’m so sorry, babe,” TK laughs, the sound thin as he scoots closer, sliding his hands down to grip Carlos’s wrists. “I promise you didn’t flirt with the bartender, I was just kidding. It was a bad joke, and I’m sorry. I didn’t think you’d freak out like that.”

“I would never flirt with someone else,” Carlos says, his tone serious and his eyes wide as he stares at TK. “I would never hurt you like that, you know that right? Even if I was so drunk that I could barely stand, I wouldn’t. You’re the only one for me, Ty. The only one.”

“I know, baby, I know,” TK says, shaking his head as he takes Carlos’s face in his hands. “C’mere.”

Carlos sinks into him as TK wraps his arms around him, his fingers once more finding their way into his curls. 

“You know, that’s actually exactly what you told me last night, too,” TK finally says, his tone bright as he fills in the gap in Carlos’s memory.

“I did?”

“You did. When you didn’t come back to the table after a few minutes, I went looking for you. Found you talking the bartender’s ear off. He seemed pretty relieved when I finally pulled you away, actually.”

“Oh god,” Carlos groans into his neck. TK clutches him even tighter. “I don’t even remember any of that, or what I might’ve said to him.”

TK flushes, his smile growing as he presses it into Carlos’s dark curls. “I, um, I think it was mostly about me?” he explains, shaking his head a bit at the memory. “He definitely seemed to know who I was when I came up, and you may have said something like, ‘See, Tony, I told you his eyes were like green stars,’ though it was very slurred so I can’t be totally sure that was it.”

“Oh god.”

“I know,” TK says, rubbing his hands up and down his lover’s back. “And then on the way back to the table, you told me I was the love of your life. Many times, actually, and with so much conviction you spilled half your beer all over yourself because you weren’t watching where you were going.” He chuckles when Carlos shakes his head against him. “Tony’s going to be so mad you’ve forgotten him already, you two really seemed to be hitting it off.”

Carlos pulls back to glare at him, and TK admires his willingness to commit to that action while thoroughly hungover. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Just a bit,” TK teases, darting forward to press a quick kiss to his lips. “Sue me for loving how disgustingly cheesy you get when you’re drunk. I don’t get to see it that often.”

“I just like people to know how special you are,” Carlos mumbles, his lips pulled into a pout as his eyes look everywhere but right at him. “And I like to tell you how special you are to me.”

TK practically melts at his fiancé’s confession, his heart pooling into a liquid puddle at the bottom of his stomach. No one has ever loved him the way that Carlos loves him - so open and honest and completely without shame - and even after all this time, the knowing still doesn’t stop the awe and affection that he feels when he gets to experience that level of unyielding devotion. 

“You’re the only one for me, too,” he says, just because he wants to make sure Carlos never has any doubts about how committed he is to what they have, and how much their love means to him, too. “Nothing could ever change that.”

“What if I tell you that I need to go throw up in that trash can over there?” Carlos asks, pointing to a bin along the path to their left. “Would you still want to marry me then?”

TK doesn’t even hesitate. “Not only would I still want to marry you, but I’d even stand next to you and rub your back while you do it. 'In sickness and in health,' right?”

Carlos smiles, reaching up to rub his forehead as he inhales deeply, his nostrils flaring. “Okay, that’s good to know. I mean, I’m not going to do it because I have too much self-respect in the daylight, but it’s still good to know that you wouldn’t call off our engagement.”

TK chuckles, sliding back over to his original spot on the blanket. “Here, lie down again. My offer of back rubs is not conditional to you emptying your stomach in a public trash can.” 

Carlos slowly crawls back down onto the blanket, burying his face into his t-shirt again with a barely audible sigh. TK removes his own shirt this time, bunching it under his own head as he scoots closer to his fiancé, lining up their bodies, skin touching skin. It's a little too hot for it, but he wants to be as close to Carlos as possible, and he's willing to suffer the heat. Without a word, Carlos takes his right hand in his own, linking their fingers together where they rest against the blanket.

TK presses his lips to the solid shoulder in front of him, bringing his free hand up to drag it along Carlos’s spine, providing him as much comfort and security as he can as his fiancé sleeps off his unexpectedly wild evening.

“Never gonna happen,” Carlos responds, laughing. “You’re the only one for me.”

He kisses TK’s cheek, causing him to blush, then they continue dealing with the seemingly never ending boxes. But Carlos can’t help but keep glancing over at the guitar, propped in a corner for now, and he feels a little disappointed at TK’s rejection. He gets it - this is TK’s thing, something he used to help him through a dark place, and it’s understandable that he might want to keep it that way.

Carlos just hopes that, one day, TK will feel comfortable enough to let him in on this, too.

*

A few weeks later, Carlos comes home to the soft sound of music floating through the house. It doesn’t take him long to work out the source, the gentle strumming of a guitar distinctive even from the front door. A soft smile takes over his face and he silently sets his jacket and keys down before creeping up the stairs on socked feet, not wanting to disturb TK’s playing.

As he gets closer, Carlos can hear gentle singing accompanying the guitar, and he stops just short of the bedroom door, awed.

TK’s good.

Like, really good.

He listens for a few more seconds, then slowly wills himself forward, peeking into their bedroom. TK’s sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed, eyes closed, guitar resting across his lap. Carlos finds himself fascinated by the movements of his fingers, lulled into a half-stupor by the music and TK’s singing. So much so that he barely notices when it stops, a peaceful silence descending upon the room.

TK smiles to himself, so soft that it sets off an ache in Carlos’s chest, and his eyes blink slowly open - only for him to startle violently when he catches sight of Carlos lingering in the doorway.

“Fuck!” he cries, a hand on his chest. “Give a guy some warning, why don’t you?”

“I didn’t want to disturb you!” Carlos protests. He walks into the room and sits on the edge of the bed, smiling at TK’s scowl.

“So you decided to scare me to death instead?”

Carlos chuckles and pulls TK close, kissing the top of his head. “Sorry, love,” he says. TK bats him away, but it’s good-natured, and Carlos knows he’s not really mad. His eyes stray to the guitar still in TK’s lap, then up to his face, which has started to flush a deep red.

“How much of that did you hear?” TK mumbles, studiously avoiding Carlos’s gaze.

“Only a little,” Carlos says, squeezing his shoulders. “But it was enough to know that you’re good.”

TK makes a face, shrugging. “I’m okay,” he allows, causing Carlos to frown.

“TK, you’re good,” he says. “Would I lie to you?”

“No, but you love me, so you’re obviously biased.”

But the beginnings of a smile are beginning to creep onto TK’s face, though he still won’t quite meet Carlos’s eyes. Carlos just grins and kisses him again.

“Let me be the judge of that.”

TK ducks his head, almost absent-mindedly plucking at the guitar strings. He seems relaxed despite Carlos accidentally interrupting his playing, and it’s enough to galvanise Carlos to ask, “Will you play something for me?”

TK bites his lip, and for a moment, Carlos thinks he’s going to say no again. But then he nods shyly and adjusts his grip on the guitar, fingers moving along the strings with practised ease. Carlos shuffles back on the bed to give TK room, watching in amazement as he takes a deep breath before losing himself in the music.

It’s a beautiful sight to behold, and Carlos lets the sounds wash over him, his heart feeling about to explode with love and pride for the man in front of him.

They all come to a halt in front of the stall where Mateo is already working his way through the biggest cotton candy Carlos has ever seen — and he’s gone to his fair share of county fairs with his nieces — with Isabella and Evie and TK milling around him.

“Different?” Paul frowns at him. He turns to fully face Carlos with an eyebrow cocked up, in the way Carlos both hates and admires. “You were hoping to get TK alone tonight,” Paul continues, not missing a beat.

“I hate it when you do your thing,” Carlos groans.

“Too bad,” Paul laughs. “Why? I mean, you guys live together, you’re all on your own all the time, why would you—Oh my,” he finished, cutting himself off as realization lights his features.

“Paul,” Carlos warns him in a low voice.

“You’re going to propose, tonight,” Paul whispers. Carlos lowers his face in an attempt to hide his blush. “Man, why didn’t you say anything? I would have prevented the family from stomping all over your plans!”

“What plans?” Nancy pipes in, showing up out of the blue with Marjan in tow, blue candy cotton in hand. Ever since both Fire and Medical had started hanging out, a little after the kidnapping that almost ripped everything from Carlos’ life, Nancy has been a fixture in their gatherings. With her wit and her reflexes, it’s only normal that she’s able to pick up on whatever weird vibes Carlos is giving right now.

“Reyes here is going to propose to TK tonight,” Paul whispers, looking surreptitiously around in case anyone’s picking up on their conversation. Carlos follows his line of sight, and notices with relief that TK hasn’t budged from his spot close to Mateo. “And we have ruined his chances at being romantic because we joined in their plans.”

“TK said we could come!” Marjan explains. “We didn’t think it would be a big—oh.”

Carlos wants to laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation. Nancy beats her to it, speaking around a mouthful of candy cotton.

“Yeah, Marj,oh.”

“Listen, I appreciate you being here, don’t think I don’t,” Carlos begins. “I’ll find a different moment to just, you know—”

“Oh, no, no,” Paul interrupts him. “I’m staging an intervention.”

“You’re doing a what now?” Carlos replies warily. He knows how things turn out to be when the 126 stage an intervention — he isn’t about to be on the receiving end of whatever this wild idea of Paul’s is, even if Paul Strickland is usually the sanest one out of their bunch.

There's nothing he can do, though, for they are already plotting and planning with their heads joined together and their whispered nonsense that’s, somehow, attracted everyone's attention but TK’s. Carlos wants nothing more than for the ground to open up and swallow him whole, and the feeling only intensifies when both Judd and Grace approach them. “God, no,” he mutters under his breath.

“What’s going on?” Judd says as a matter of greeting. “We could see you all confabulating from afar.”

“Judd!” Grace elbows him slightly.

“Look at you, using big words,” Paul teases Judd. “We need your help.”

“No,” Carlos begins, only to be ignored by Paul and Marjan, who launch themselves into an intricate explanation about the plan they’re implementing to help Carlos propose to TK. “Hey, I said no!” he exclaims louder, earning himself a few glares from other bystanders who happened to be around — including one confused look from TK, who’s taking a few steps towards them from the candy cotton booth. “I don’t need help proposing to my boyfriend,” Carlos hisses, plastering a fake smile as TK approaches. He manages to ignore the sharp gasp coming from Judd, who didn’t know anything about his failed plans to woo TK privately tonight, and the knowing smirk in Grace’s face — nothing gets past her.

“What’s going on here?” TK asks cautiously. “Have they ambushed you into agreeing to ride the Ferris Wheel with them?” he teases. “Because you know that’s our date.”

Carlos sighs. He rubs the back of his neck as a blush spreads fast through his skin. “What do you say, we check the rest of the booths before that?” he offers. All of a sudden, he’s feeling shy and completely exposed — he knows they know and that’s enough for him to be self-conscious.

“Yeah, of course,” TK replies slowly, cocking his head to the side as he takes in Carlos’ flushed face and the way he keeps shifting his weight from one leg to the other. “I’m going to snatch my boyfriend from your hands, Strickland,” he announces, reaching out to take Carlos’ hand. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but you’re all acting really weird and making Carlos all uncomfortable.”

“Hey, we’re not—”

“You are,” TK interrupts Nancy’s feeble attempt at protesting. “We’re going now. See you later!”

TK tugs at Carlos’ hand and starts walking away, leaving the rest behind. They walk past Mateo and the twins, who are now enjoying themselves under the careful watch of their parents and Captain Strand. Carlos thinks TK’s father winks at him as they stroll past purposefully — or at least TK’s walking purposefully, Carlos is just trying to keep the pace.

“What’s going on, Carlos?” TK finally asks when they reach one of the furthest attractions — the bumper cars. He doesn’t turn to face Carlos, though.

“What do you mean?”

“First you say we can come here tonight, and you seem so excited,” TK begins recounting the facts of the day, eyes trained ahead to the cars bumping around under fluorescent lights. “And then you start acting like you don’t care from the moment the team actually joins us. And now I find you almost fighting with them? What’s going on, Carlos? And don’t you fucking try to dismiss this.”

“I’m not dismissing anything,” Carlos replies. The realization sinks that he might have ruined the best chance he’s had in a long time at proposing — an idea he’s been entertaining ever since he realizes how deep he was falling in love with TK. All he’s ever wanted has been for this proposal to be perfect — after everything TK’s been through, Carlos has been wary about taking that next step. But they’ve been going strong for the longest time, and now apparently he’s ruined it inadvertently.

“Wanna try that again?” TK finally looks at him, those green eyes reading into his soul, and Carlos feels bare in front of his boyfriend.

“I had just envisioned our date night a little differently, that’s all,” Carlos says in a small voice. “I just—I love the little family we’ve found for us, Ty. I just wanted you all to myself tonight.”

“Well, you have me now,” TK assures him, his eyes widening as realization dawns on him. “Shit, Carlos, I fucked up, didn’t I? I should have asked you before telling them to come with us. For that, I’m sorry.”

“Hey, don’t,” Carlos is quick to retaliate. “I don’t want you to ever feel like you can’t do things without asking me beforehand. I was just a bit bummed, but I think we can do everything I had planned anyway. With the rest of your family.”

“You mean, our family.”

“Yeah, our family,” Carlos amends, and he’s not surprised at the feeling of calmness that comes along with that word. The 126 team has become Carlos’ family as well, at some point.

“And what were those plans, Officer Reyes?” TK’s words are playful, and for that Carlos is grateful.

“Come with me, I’ll show y’all,” he says, stretching out his hand and offering it to his boyfriend. TK takes it, lacing their fingers together and squeezing. “We good?”

“Of course, Carlos.” TK smiles as he leans in and pecks him slightly. “Now, get on with the program!”

They make their way back to the team, who apologize to Carlos for being so pushy. TK shoots them a confused glance when Paul pats Carlos on the shoulder and murmurs I’ve got your back, whenever you’re ready, but Carlos shrugs. “What do you say, we get a taste of the finest Austin fair food?”

The chorus of elated catcalls reassures him that this has been the best decision to make. He doesn’t want to keep TK from his family, from their family, and he’s ashamed he’s been even an ounce of a jerk about it — he wants the family they’ve found for themselves to be part of this moment, but he hadn’t planned for them to be present when he asked. He’d wanted it to be a more personal affair, something for just the two of them, something they could share afterwards. Maybe he should get over himself — maybe he’ll find a new perfect moment anytime soon. He shakes his head to get rid of those kinds of feelings, grabbing TK’s hand and leading the way.

The first place Carlos takes TK, Mateo and the kids in tow, is to one of the churro booths. These churros aren’t exactly like the ones his mother makes, but they’re not bad either. Carlos can’t stop the laughter that bubbles up in his throat at the sight of TK’s face smeared with chocolate, and his mind is assaulted with images of their future family in a similar environment, kids eating chocolate churros and getting their t-shirts stained.

Carlos can’t wait.

They take a detour around the fair, losing the Vegas at some point when the twins run off to some attraction. They keep walking, They all wave at them, before Carlos and TK make their way towards them — Captain Strand winks at Carlos, and Carlos’s face flares up in embarrassment. He knew it was the right thing to do, to ask Captain Strand for his blessing, but Carlos hadn’t counted on him being a New Yorker through and through. He’s got his fair share of teasing about their impending engagement since the day he met up with Captain Strand at a fancy coffee shop in downtown Austin.

Carlos is still lost in his thoughts, so he almost misses Mateo’s excited squeal as he follows both Mateo and TK around the fair, the rest of the team tagging along.

“Oh, look, we can win a stuffed animal!” Mateo exclaims, making his way over one of the stalls.

TK sounds so excited as he follows his friend that Carlos can’t help but chuckle.

“Man, I’m sorry,” Paul says, materializing beside him. “For before. I shouldn’t have—”

“Nah, we’re fine. It’s me who should apologize,” Carlos replies. “We’re family, you know. There’ll be another time.”

“No time like the present!” Marjan pipes in. “I could try and snatch Mateo away? So that you two can have some alone time and, you know, enjoy, let’s say, the Tunnel of Love? It doesn’t get more romantic than that! Well, maybe you could give the Ferris Wheel a try? Those are the most romantic things to do around here.” She points at the stall, where Mateo is still fighting to win the stuffed animal with little to no success. Carlos knows that those games are rigged, but he knows he could win the prize easily with his aim.

“Are you serious now, Marwani?” Judd tells her off. “Proposing on a Ferris Wheel is so not on.”

“What do you know about anything being on? You’re probably stuck in the nineties!”

“Stop it,” Carlos admonishes them. “I’m going to stick to my plan which, coincidentally, was to propose in a Ferris Wheel. But first I need to win a stuffed animal for poor Mateo. Have you seen his face?”

He makes his way towards the booth with a sweet smile and inserts himself in between Mateo and TK, leaning on the counter on his elbows. “Hey, sweetie,” he greets TK, before he turns to the younger man. “Mateo, are you trying to win something here?”

“Yeah, but it’s completely impossible,” Mateo complains.

“He’s been trying so hard,” TK says innocently. “Maybe you could try?”

“I could try,” Carlos replies. He turns to the man behind the counter, who’s sporting a smug smile on his face. Carlos holds back a smirk. “What do I need to do?”

“Just shoot three of those cans, make them fall fully behind the shelves,” the man instructs. “The keyword here is fully. They have to be completely off the shelf.”

“Sounds like a difficult task,” Carlos acquiesces, dropping a few bills on the counter and picking the toy gun. “Which one do you want, Mateo?”

“The blue and grey whale!” Mateo exclaims excitedly. Carlos smiles widely at him.

“It’s so cute that you want to win that for your little brother,” the man says. Carlos doesn’t bother correcting him — it’s not the first time that’s happened, and Carlos is sure it won’t be the last. “But the whale is a big prize, so instead of three cans, you need to shoot five, and all of them need to be gone with one shot.”

Carlos nods. “Got it.” He lounges into the counter casually, the toy gun in between his fingers loosely twirling, and he aims. The man smirks, but Carlos isn’t having any of that — he’s seen people like him swindling innocent kids, and Mateo doesn’t have the best aim of them all. So Carlos inhales deeply, closes his eyes, and when he opens them, he focuses on the six cans in front of him.

One by one, the cans fall down, leaving the man behind the counter speechless. “I think that whale is ours, then,” he says coyly, picking the stuffed animal from the man’s reluctant hands and giving it to Mateo.

“Thanks, Carlos!” Mateo exclaims, jumping up and down. Evie and Isabella show up out of the blue — probably summoned by the stuffed animals’ call — and Carlos ends up earning himself the man’s eternal hatred and the twins forever love after he wins two identical pink giraffes for them.

Carlos finally moves away from the stall, followed by the man’s stare throwing daggers at him, as the twins twirl around him, chanting and shouting, until they collapse on the ground, a heap of tired excitement. Charlie picks Evie up while Tommy does the same with Isabella, and they decide to leave the fair when the twins keep yawning.

“I think it’s time for some adult fun,” Paul says after they leave. “What do you say, guys?”

Carlos cocks head to a side and lifts an eyebrow at him. There’s a silent question lingering in the air between them, and thankfully TK doesn’t pick up on that. Paul nods at him, grabbing Mateo’s arm and tugging at him. “C’mon, guys, it’s been ages since I last had some fun at bumper cars!”

The younger ones drift away into the crowd, Paul turning around and giving Carlos two thumbs-up. Carlos clears his throat, suddenly nervous — his hands are sweating as he rubs them on his jeans. There’s a trembling in his voice when he attempts to speak, so he stops himself and coughs slightly. TK frowns at him.

“You okay, Carlos?” he asks. “You’re acting weird.”

“I’m fine,” Carlos reassures him, voice finally steady. “Are you up for a Ferris Wheel ride?”

“What a lovely idea!” Captain Strand exclaims. “And so romantic!”

“Yeah, Dad, I think everyone’s already heard your opinions on the matter. Jeez,” TK sighs. “You guys are all acting so strange. Is there something in the water?”

“Men,” Grace supplies, albeit unhelpful. “You know how they get. Let’s go, Judd, Cap. There’s a booth I’m dying to check.”

“Which one? You didn’t—”

“That way!” Grace interrupts her husband, pulling him away so they can leave Carlos and TK alone. Captain Strand strolls along, not before winking again at Carlos.

“Now, that was weird,” TK mutters. “What’s going on, Carlos?”

“You’re really adamant something’s wrong today. Everything’s fine, Ty.”

TK huffs. “If you say so.”

“I do.” Carlos offers his hand, smiling softly when TK grabs it. “Let’s go. If we’re lucky, we’ll get stopped at the top and you’ll see the amazing view.”

TK follows him into the Ferris Wheel line, falling into a comfortable silence while they wait. He misses the glance that passes between Carlos and the woman granting access to the attraction, a glimpse of understanding when she recognizes Carlos from their previous conversations. She smiles softly at them and gestures for them to step forward when their moment comes, seating them into a purple cabin. TK’s looking around in awe as they’re being lifted, the cabin swaying slightly in the wind.

As they climb up the wheel, Carlos starts sweating. It soon becomes evident that it has little to do with his nerves — which are also taking over — and a lot to do with the fact that they’re higher than he’s ever been. He has never experienced dizziness, but apparently, tonight’s the night his body has chosen to betray him and begin developing an atrocious fear of heights.

Carlos closes his eyes, his whole body on fire as the nerves take over — he buries his hands in the pockets of his jacket, fingers touching the box stuffed in there. I can do this, he encourages himself. What was I thinking, anyway? comes the intrusive thought he’s been trying to quelch for weeks now. He wants to scold himself — he wants to shake his own self and yell at himself for getting mad that maybe he wouldn’t be able to propose tonight, after the missteps from before.

But the dread is still heavy within his soul — he can’t help but wonder. He can’t help but fear that this is the step too far that will shatter their world forever.

Meanwhile, TK is blissfully unaware of Carlos’ soul-wrenching feelings. Carlos opens his eyes a fraction, watching as his boyfriend moves his hands wildly in the air, looking everywhere at once and flailing so hard the cabin is already moving with him.

“This is wonderful, Carlos!” he exclaims, squealing excitedly when the cabin comes to a halt right on top of the Ferris Wheel. “You were right, I’m in love with the view!”

“And I’m in love with you,” Carlos blurts out, eyes still closed, nausea still settling down in his stomach. He bites his lip. This isn’t going how he’d planned — by now he should already be on one knee, popping the most important question of his life, and here he is, feeling sick in this height and unable to even move.

“Carlos?” He hears the rustle of clothes and then there’s a hand on his cheek. “Carlos, what’s wrong?”

“I think—I think I might be afraid of heights,” he confesses in a thin voice.

“Then why did you suggest we take this ride?” TK kisses his forehead softly. “I promise I would’ve liked anything. I didn’t need this.”

“But it’s never happened before,” Carlos protests. “And I wanted it to be romantic.”

“You wanted what to be romantic?” TK asks in confusion. “Carlos, please, can you open your eyes? Just look at me, focus on me. You’re not making any sense.”

Carlos shakes his head. He tenses up when he feels TK’s hands sliding back his arms and taking Carlos’ hands out of his pockets. He can’t stop his boyfriend, and he realizes what’s going to happen a second before it does.

His fingers slip out of the pockets and, with them, the black velvet box comes tumbling out. Carlos opens his eyes in shock, gasping loudly. He forgets about his nausea and dizziness and tries to catch it before it bounces off the floor, and it’s the worse he could have done. TK moves fast to catch the box, and the motion makes him feel something akin to seasick.

TK opens the box, exhaling deeply, and Carlos wants to disappear not for the first time tonight. He can’t close his eyes, mesmerized by the way TK’s gaze lights up with confusion before realization.

“Carlos?” he asks. “Is this what I think it is?”

“This is so not going as planned,” Carlos mutters. “I, uh—”

“You planned this,” TK mumbles back. “That’s why you were so bummed before. You planned to propose in a Ferris Wheel when you’re afraid of heights.”

“What can I say?” Carlos manages to say. “I’d do anything for you. Even fight off heights.”

“Carlos,” TK whispers. He kneels in front of Carlos, taking both his hands in his right hand while holding the open box in his left hand. “Ask me.”

“But—”

“Do it,” TK urges him. “Do it the way you’d planned. Please.”

Carlos has never been able to deny TK anything, not even at the beginning of their relationship when they weren’t a couple, so he complies. “TK,” he begins, steadying himself in TK’s firm grip, locking his eyes to TK’s. “I love you. I think I fell in love with you that first day under the rain, and I’ve been free-falling ever since. I know you’ve got a rough past, and I know you’ve got a tough time believing you deserved love. But you do, TK, you do. You’re the one for me. You’re the love of my life, my best friend, my soulmate. Let me love you for the rest of our lives.”

There’s a sizzling sound buzzing in the air, as though on cue. Carlos knows what’s about to happen, but he can’t look away from TK — from this wonderful man that has chosen him over and over, every single day of their lives since they first met.

“You are the only one for me,” TK whispers, eyes trained to Carlos’ as the night sky lights up above them with colorful fireworks. “I can’t think of spending my life anywhere that’s not by your side, Carlos.”

“So, I take it is a yes?” Carlos whispers back, not willing to disrupt the magic that’s unfolding around them, his words barely audible in the ruckus that surrounds them.

“It’s forever a yes with you,” TK promises, leaning into Carlos’ touch and sighing contentedly, the motion reverberating throughout Carlos’ chest.

“It’s forever for me, too,” Carlos mutters. He drops a kiss on TK’s head, his short hair tickling Carlos’ nose.

The Ferris Wheel starts moving once again, a jerky pull that has them jumping slightly forward in the seat, dissolving in laughter as they roll down to the ground, Carlos slipping the white gold band on TK’s finger. He doesn’t take his eyes off TK’s as the motion gently pushes them back down, his fears buried deep as they don’t budge, too engrossed in each other to notice anything else around them.