i love you beary much

Carlos enters the bedroom to find TK flopped against the bed, staring vacantly at the ceiling early in the afternoon with AirPods in, which is never a good sign. His heart sinks when he meets TK’s gaze, his green eyes conveying more pain and sorrow than any one person should have to face.

‘What’s on your mind?’ He asks gently, sitting down on the bed and stroking TK’s hair, it’s a small thing, but he knows TK finds it comforting.

‘How unfair it is that Jonah didn’t get to know Mom.’ TK admits, and Carlos feels his heart sink even lower. It’s such an unfair situation, and he can’t do a single thing to change it or make it easier.

‘He’ll know her through you, TK.’ Carlos tries to reassure TK, but he’s said the words so many times he even’s not sure he believes them anymore. Still, he says it because it's worth trying if it might bring any comfort to TK.

‘I have memories of Mom. I have photos and videos with her from every milestone in my life. I have voicemails to listen to whenever I need to hear her voice, but what does Jonah have? Will he even remember her voice?’ TK asks with tears welling in his eyes, and Carlos feels an idea coming together, he’s not sure TK will go for it, but it just might work.

‘Jonah has you. Nobody knew her like you did, and you’ll show him the photos, videos, and voicemails.’

‘But he doesn’t have me! I’m here, and he’s in New York.’ TK snaps at him and immediately looks guilty for doing so. ‘Sorry, Carlos. I didn’t mean to snap. I’m just so–’ TK doesn’t finish his sentence, but Carlos understands and pulls TK into a hug.

‘Get up. We’re going out.’ He tells his fiancé.

‘Carlos, where are we going? I don't really feel like going out,’ TK asks as he sits on the edge of the bed and slips on a pair of sneakers.

‘Just trust me, Tyler.’ Carlos says, taking him by the hand and leading him from the bedroom.

When they stop the car at the first set of lights, TK continues questioning Carlos, and finally wears him down.

‘So are you finally going to tell me where we’re going?’

‘We’re going to Build-A-Bear.’ Carlos admits, nervously awaiting TK’s response.

‘We’re going to Build-A-Bear?’ TK repeats, confused.

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in you i found my home from home

The silence in the ambulance on the way back to the station makes TK uncomfortable, yet he knows there is nothing to say to make it better. The last call had been the kind of call he hopes to never deal with ever again, the kind of call he knows are the ones that stick with first responders for years afterwards. The upturned bus, filled with family coming from a wedding, flashes in his mind and he shakes his head to remove it, knowing he can’t even begin to process it yet.

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Tarlosweek2022 day 7: Free choice (insp)

Words: 2.064 | Rating: General Audiences

Fandom: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)

Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Carlos Reyes & TK Strand, Nancy Gillian & TK Strand, Nancy Gillian & Carlos Reyes

Characters: TK Strand, Carlos Reyes, Nancy Gillian

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, First Meetings, Bad Puns, Awkward Flirting, Tarlos Week 2022 (9-1-1 Lone Star), Crush at First Sight, Gay Disaster TK Strand, Attempt at Humor

__________

TK had managed nearly two months going to nursing school until giving in to Nancy harassing him to come to visit the coffee shop she was working at part-time. They had ended up sitting next to each other from day one and Nancy had told him about the small coffee shop only a few blocks away from nursing school that she had already been working at for nearly a year, telling TK to come to visit and have a coffee but so far he had refused to give in. Mostly because he knew he would probably end up falling in love with the place, become a regular and spend way more money on sugary beverages than he should. But now he had already reached his breaking point and it had nothing to do with Nancy mentioning that the new assistant manager who had started last week was cute…

Okay, maybe her literal wording had been “hotter and stronger than any of the drinks we serve” but that still wasn’t the reason he had finally changed his mind! He was just being a good and supportive friend, there was nothing more to it.

[...]

Tarlosweek2022 day 5:Tarlos + 126

Tarlos Week 2022 Day 5: Tarlos + the 126

Words: 1.205 | Rating: General Audiences

Fandom: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)

Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Carlos Reyes & TK Strand, Andrea Reyes & TK Strand

Characters: TK Strand, Carlos Reyes, Andrea Reyes

Additional Tags: Canon Compliant, Fluff, Kissing, Tarlos Week 2022 (9-1-1 Lone Star), Established Relationship, Dorks in Love, Flirting, Wedding Day

__________

TK fiddled nervously with his sobriety chip while walking up and down the room at their wedding venue, heart hammering anxiously against his ribs even though he knew there was no reason to. In a few hours he would be married to the love of his life and he couldn’t wait to be able to call Carlos his husband but he was still unreasonably terrified, alone with his thoughts ever since Paul and Marjan had left the room. Their friends had helped him get ready but now they wanted to make sure everything else would be ready for the big day as well so the ceremony could go without a hitch—which definitely helped settle a bit of his anxiety but certainly not all of it.

It took another two minutes for him to say “fuck this” and TK opened the door, sneaking a glance into the hallway before stepping outside and quietly, quickly making his way towards the room where he knew his lover was getting ready for their big day. He didn’t even know why he had suggested this archaic nonsense of “not allowed to see your spouse before the wedding” because it absolutely sucked. Part of him had thought it might be cute or whatever but now he felt like the only thing to calm his fluttery nerves would be the sight and touch of his almost-husband.

[...]

Don’t go, you’re half of me now

TK shuts the door gently behind him and freezes near the door, cradling his arm to his chest. He hadn’t expected Carlos to be home, let alone in the kitchen cooking like every night.

“Hey” Carlos turns to look at him for a second before he turns back to continue cooking without replying. TK sighs and feels like he is a dog with his tail between his legs as he makes his way over to the kitchen and sits on a stool. He watches as Carlos continues to ignore him, moving from one side of the kitchen to the other as he continues cooking. He tries to think of something to say that will decrease the tension in the air when Carlos finally speaks.

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Tarlosweek2022 D 6: Tarlos + “I love you” and/or other ways they said I love you

Word: 1.681 | Rating: General Audiences

Fandom: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)

Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Carlos Reyes & TK Strand, Nancy Gillian & TK Strand

Characters: TK Strand. Nancy Gillian, Carlos Reyes

Additional Tags: Canon Compliant, Married Couple, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Established Relationship, Tarlos Week 2022 (9-1-1 Lone Star), Hurt Carlos Reyes, Hospitals

__________

TK got a call from the hospital at the end of his shift three days after they had returned from their honeymoon and once he had heard his husband's name and the words got stabbed at work, his brain barely registered anything afterwards. Nancy, who had been close by, noticed the colour draining from his face and gently took the phone from his shaking fingers to talk to the nurse and even though they still had about 30 minutes to their shift, Tommy gave both of them the okay to leave without hesitation. TK only stumbled after Nancy when she grabbed his hand and dragged him to her car so they could get to the hospital.

[...]

you taught me how to be loved

‘Hey!’ Carlos shouts over the top of his wedding magazine as TK starts to place his mug on the coffee table before joining his fiancé on the couch in the early morning light. 

‘What?’ TK asks as he hovers the mug over the slither of the table not covered in wedding planning. 

Every surface of the loft is covered in wedding magazines, a rainbow of post-it notes, color-coded binders, carefully curated collages, and fabric swatches. Although TK couldn’t possibly tell you what the swatches are for, he thinks perhaps for bowties but wouldn’t swear to it. They’ve been eating, sleeping and breathing nothing but wedding planning whenever their schedules align. But, of course, TK is happy to go along with anything that makes Carlos happy regarding the wedding. 

‘Not on the table with the wedding binder. You might spill it. Do you know how many hours I’ve spent on this?’ Carlos throws his hands in the air in frustration.

‘Babe, relax. I’ll move it.’ TK says, placing his coffee carefully on the floor by the couch and earning himself a glare from Carlos. 

‘I am relaxed. I just want everything to be perfect for the wedding.’ Carlos says through gritted teeth, but his tone is anything but relaxed.

‘Babe, you’re so tense right now. We’re looking at suits today, and you need to relax so you can enjoy it. So we can enjoy it.’ TK says, rubbing his fiancé’s shoulders.

‘You’re right.’ Carlos admits, his body softening into TK’s shoulder massage.

‘I usually am.’ TK responds with a cocky smirk. Of course, he’s not always right, but he tends to be when it comes to Carlos.

‘I don’t know if I would go as far as to say that…,’ Carlos teases, and they go about their morning, getting ready to leave for the formalwear shop.

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We’re the fire, we’re the glow

Tk wakes too warm, with a familiar light shining across his face, the glow of it way too bright for his partially open eyes. He groans turns to his stomach and blinks his eyes fully open when his outstretched arm comes up empty on the other side of the bed. They’d only got into bed when the sun was already beginning its ascent after flight delays had caused them to spend nearly a whole day travelling and while TK had easily fallen asleep on their consecutive flights and in various airport lounges, Carlos had struggled with the stress of the whole situation and was wide awake the whole time. Last TK knew they’d both decided to spend the morning in bed until Carlos had to front up for his shift.

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Tarlosweek2022 day 3: favorite line

Words: 1.327 | Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Fandom: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)

Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Carlos Reyes & TK Strand

Characters: Carlos Reyes, TK Strand

Additional Tags: Canon Compliant, Dorks in Love, Making Out, Kissing, Tarlos Week 2022, Established Relationship, Married Couple, TK Strand is a Little Shit

__________

“I feel very overdressed even though that’s kind of ridiculous since I’m used to going to work in full uniform,” Carlos sighed with a scrunched-up nose as he left the bedroom, adjusting the collar of his white dress shirt. It wasn’t that he generally didn’t like wearing these kinds of clothes but it felt unfamiliar nonetheless to dress like this for regular work. When he glanced up from adjusting his shirt, he spotted TK in the kitchen, a cup of coffee halfway to his mouth and eyes glued to Carlos’ chest. “Earth to TK, are you sleeping with your eyes open?”

“Wha—no! You just…look nice.”

“You’re behaving as if you’ve never seen me in a dress shirt and slacks before,” Carlos huffed in amusement, tilting his head as he watched the faintest hint of pink spreading across his husband’s cheeks. “You’re not short-circuiting again like before our wedding, are you?”

[...]

But is it still a home when you’re all alone

They’re a mere thirty minutes from the end of their shift when the call comes in. It’s listed as a domestic disturbance and the details given to 911 operators are sketchy at best. Carlos has responded to domestic disturbance calls for years and they range from the smallest family arguments that get just a little too loud to serious incidents that required the most tactile of responses. He gives his partner, Lexi Mitchell a nod as she accepts the call and he flicks the lights and sirens on, carefully navigating the after-work traffic.

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Bonus ⤵️

Tarlosweek2022 day 4: Tarlos +Home