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Physical Touch
If there was one thing Tobin Powell Heath hated more than anything else, it was public displays of affection. Don’t get her wrong, she didn’t see anything wrong with a quick kiss or a hug before someone left but seeing those couples that couldn’t bear to be more than 2 feet from each other always made her eyes roll into the back of her head. That is until she starts crushing on Christen Press.
It’s embarrassing really. She hasn’t had a proper crush in a long time, so she doesn’t even recognize it when it starts happening. When she sees Chris on the pitch and her heartbeat speeds up, she blames it on all the drills they’re doing. When Chris smiles at her and she trips on her own two feet, it’s just because she wasn’t paying attention to the ground. When they’re walking back to the locker rooms together after practice and her palms start sweating, it’s because Jill had just put them through a brutal practice, nothing new.
But when Christen’s fingers happened to brush hers as they were walking, there’s no more avoiding what she felt.
It was one of those things that couldn’t be more innocent if it tried. They were just walking back after practice, talking about nothing in particular, maybe walking a little closer than most people do. But really just a little. But when Christen’s fingers brush past Tobin’s and Tobin feels her heart skip a beat, butterflies in her stomach, all the stupid cliché things that come with having a crush, she mutters, “Oh fuck.”
Christen looks at her strangely and Tobin manages to recover quickly – some lame excuse about not sure where she left her headphones. Christen tells her they’re probably in the front pocket of her gym bag, that’s where she put them before practice.
Tobin smirks at her. “You were watching me in the locker room then huh?”
Christen rolls her eyes, and unsuccessfully tries to hide her smile. “Shut up.”
After that, Tobin can’t get enough. High fives during practice, coming up next to her in team huddles, celebratory hugs, the stupid things that she had done with teammates her whole life felt brand new when it involved Christen Press. All of it was a drug and Tobin was addicted.
Once in a while she’d worry that it was too much. Once in a while, she’d pull back. It’s not like Chris would ever be anything more than a friend – like c’mon she was straight, and Tobin had had enough experience with the “falling for your straight best friend” trope. But then the weirdest thing would happen: Christen would seek her out. Once, Tobin actively made sure they weren’t next to each other during huddle (having Chris next to her made it near impossible to remember what the hell Jill or Carli were talking about when it came to strategy, and wouldn’t you know, if you’re not listening to the strategy, the game can get hard). She saw Chris slip out and grab some water, only to pop up beside her, squeeze in on her left between her and Mo. She tried to control the sharp intake of breath when Christen’s arm ended up around her waist. When she glanced back at Chris, who was attentively listening to everything their coach said, Tobin wondered if she’d even given a second thought to who she stood next to. As if reading her mind, Chris gave her waist a small squeeze and sent a god-awful wink at Tobin, who smiled like if she’d just won the World Cup.
Come to think of it, she thinks that moment made her smile more than when she held up the trophy.
Quality Time
It’s easy to pretend you don’t have a crush on someone when you’re in sweaty kits or sweatpants all of the time.
It is not easy to pretend you don’t have a crush on someone when you’re on a beach in Hawaii by yourselves.
Tobin doesn’t mind. Really, she knows how to hide her feelings and being with Christen, even if it’s as friends, is enough. Even when they aren’t doing anything particularly interesting, she’s content to be in a beautiful place with her beautiful… with her friend and it’s fine. Really it is totally fine. Tobin is not thinking about the way Christen laughs at every stupid joke she says. And she is not thinking about how proud she feels when she makes Christen laugh. And she definitely is not thinking about the way Christen’s laughs taper out into the softest smiles Tobin has ever seen. And Tobin is not for one second thinking about how all of these ridiculously soft smiles are only for her.
She never thought she’d say this, but Tobin was so relieved when they boarded the plane to leave Hawaii.
She didn’t fare much better in New Orleans though. After their game against China, all the girls wanted to go out to Bourbon Street. There’s nothing further from her idea of a good time and she had adamantly told Alex she was staying at the hotel, and she could be the designated hair holder when they all inevitably came back having had way more alcohol than they should. But all it took was nervous Chris asking “So, are you coming tonight?” for Tobin’s plans to do a 180.
Alex can’t help but smirk at Tobin when she sees her picking out clothes for the night.
“Not a fucking word Alex,” Tobin warns.
“I didn’t say anything!”
It was a simple outfit: a white shirt, jeans, and a leather jacket. The weather was cool but not freezing. Though if she’d asked Alex it was “definitely fucking freezing what is wrong with you Tobin are you made out of ice??” Tobin learned to ignore Alex’s complaints about the weather a long time ago, because to the California native, anything under 60 degrees was freezing. It was pathetic.
When they all met outside the lobby of hotel, Alex immediately ran to Kelley, since she had a “boiling point body temperature always” and Tobin found herself next to Christen. Obviously.
They spend the night separated from the mess that was their teammates. While their friends were drinking and dancing, the two of them sat at a table, bumping shoulders and brushing arms, talking about how they’d rather be at the hotel watching a movie. (“Tobin, you literally always fall asleep during movies!” “I know that’s the best part”).
Once their friends had had enough fun, they all started their trek back to the hotel. And when Christen mentions in passing that it was just chilly, Tobin doesn’t hesitate to take off her jacket and slip it over Christen’s shoulders.
“Oh my gosh Tobin no, you’re in just a t-shirt,” Christen protests, trying to hand the jacket back.
“Chris I’m fine. It’s not even that cold and we have a short walk.” She put the jacket back on Chris’s shoulders. “It looks better on you anyway,” she says with a smirk.
“That’s gaaaaaaaaaaay,” whispers Megan from behind them.
If looks could kill, she would’ve been 6 feet under.
“Shut up Pinoe!” Tobin says indignantly while Megan just giggles behind them. Tobin rolls her eyes and glances at Chris, who’s trying – and failing—to hide her smile. Tobin softens and lets out a chuckle. Chris really has her wrapped around her finger.
Which is why Tobin says immediately says yes when Chris invites her to California over the holidays.
The weather was perfect. They spent their days at the beach, or playing soccer, or hanging out with Christen’s family. The days were long, but time flew by and before Tobin even realized, they were spending New Year’s Eve together.
Not that it mattered or anything. They were just training with these TOCA TV people, and Chris had only extended the invitation so Tobin wouldn’t be bored all day. Hell, she’d even had to borrow Chris’s workout shorts because she wasn’t prepared – as in she had lived out of her suitcase the past two weeks and avoided laundry. The fact that they spent New Year’s Eve together wasn’t a big deal.
Until Tobin was driving them back to Christen’s place after their training and Christen says, “My parents are hosting their New Year’s Eve party tonight and wanted us to be there around 7, but I thought that was really early and told them we’d be around like 8:30. Is that okay?”
Tobin damn near crashes the car.
“Tobin what the fuck??”
“Sorry! Sorry I thought I saw a…” she stutters, trying to recover. “I thought I saw a pigeon on the street.”
Christen looked at her as if she’d grown a second head. “A pigeon??” she asks incredulously.
“Yeah sure, so you said that we’re going to your parents New Year’s party? Like that I’m going with you?” Tobin asks, clutching the steering wheel tightly.
“I mean yeah. I mean I guess you don’t have to come.” Out of the corner of her eye, Tobin sees Christen messing with her nails, obviously doing anything to avoid looking at Tobin. “I just didn’t think you wanted to stay at the apartment alone but I mean I guess if you wanted to go out to a bar or something you could do that too, I mean I’m not going to force you to –”
“Chris,” Tobin interrupts, reaching her right hand out to lay it over Christen’s hands. Their eyes meet for a brief second before Tobin looks back at the road. “I’d love to go to your parents house. I just didn’t want to intrude.” Christen scoffs and gently pushes Tobin’s shoulder.
“Don’t want to intrude huh? You should’ve told me that before all the dinners we spent at my parent’s house, when my mom was making double the amount of food she normally does to feed you.” Tobin looks over at Chris in mock offense, causing Christen to erupt into a fit of giggles.
“Stacy would never shame me like this,” Tobin states.
Chris hums in agreement. “You’re right she wouldn’t. If she wasn’t taken, I’d tell you to make her your date tonight instead.”
Tobin swallowed thickly. This was going to be a long night.
Words of Affirmation
Long night was the biggest fucking understatement of the year. Tobin thought she could handle New Year’s Eve with Chris, she really did. But every hope she had of getting through this night unscathed was crushed when she saw Chris in her outfit.
Chris stepped out of her bedroom in a floor length black dress. It had cap sleeves and a modest neckline, but Tobin’s eyes were immediately drawn to the cutouts on her sides that exposed her waist and the slit on the side that ran up the length of her left leg. Tobin’s mouth was dry as Christen tossed her waved hair over one shoulder.
“Well,” she asked expectantly, “what do you think?”
Tobin stood up from the couch she’d been waiting on – for the last 45 minutes – grabbed Christen’s right hand and made her do a quick twirl. Christen giggled and Tobin smiled so wide her cheeks hurt.
“I think you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
Tobin convinced herself she’d just imagined the hitch in Christen’s breath. Christen quickly recovered from her imaginary gasp and looked Tobin up and down.
“You don’t look too bad yourself,” she said, subtly biting her lip.
She was in a crisp white button down, a pair of tight black pants and a red blazer layered on top. She smiled at Chris’s ‘compliment’.
“Had to try hard if I was going to hang out with you all night.”
Christen linked her arm through Tobin’s and dragged them towards the door. “We’re gonna knock them dead, babe.”
Like Tobin said, long night was a fucking understatement.
The night moved quickly once they got to Chris’s parents’ house. Christen spent the better part of an hour introducing Tobin to some extended family as well as old friends, but Tobin quickly learned that Chris was very loved by basically everyone around her. Every time they managed to get a few minutes alone, someone new came around to steal Christen away for “just a minute”, despite Christen’s protests. Tobin tried to reassure that she’d be fine on her own.
“Everyone here is dying to see you, Chris,” she said. “Don’t worry about me. I’m not going anywhere.” A funny look crossed Christen’s face that Tobin couldn’t quite place.
“Promise?” she asked in a quiet voice.
Despite the party atmosphere, the music blasting through the speakers and at least a hundred people around them, Christen’s gaze and the weight of this one little word made it seem like they were the only ones in the room. Tobin’s words got stuck in her throat, so she just nodded.
Christen smiled gratefully and squeezed her hand. “I will be back as soon as I can.”
Tobin shooed her away. “Take your time, kid.”
And if Tobin downed two glasses of champagne immediately following that interaction, no one had to know.
It was nearly midnight when Christen found Tobin on the back patio.
“There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you!” Christen exclaimed when she saw the brunette leaning against the railing.
Tobin turned her head slowly till her gaze found Christen. She tapped the railing and slurred, “I been here the whole time.”
Christen’s jaw dropped. “Oh my gosh. Tobin, are you drunk?”
Tobin shook her head a little too aggressively and Christen groaned. “Tooooobin that means I have to drive now.”
Tobin gasped, her eyes widening in realization. “Oh no but you hate driving.”
Chris nodded and spoke slowly. “I know Tobin, I do. But if you’re drunk how do you expect us to get home?”
Tobin smiled goofily and started giggling softly. “What?” Chris asked, amused. “Why are you laughing?”
Tobin shrugged sloppily. “I dunno. I like the idea of that.”
“Of what?”
“Of you and me having a home. Being a home. Together,” replied Tobin, wistfully.
Christen didn’t speak for a long moment. She put her arms around Tobin’s shoulders and tried to lead her inside. “That alcohol hit you hard huh? Let’s go get you some water.”
“No, Chris, I mean it.” Tobin wiggled out of Christen’s grasp and looked at her. Under the fairy lights that her parents had put up around the patio, her eyes sparkled, and Tobin thought they looked like the night sky. “Yes, I am a little drunk but I mean it. Look I dunno if you like girls. I dunno if I’m gonna ruin all this,” she slurred through her words and vaguely gestured between them. “But I know that I saw you tonight and realized I wanted to see that every year. And I don’t just wanna see you dressed up, I wanna see you in your sweaty kit after we leave practice and in sweats on the couch or in onesies when we have movie nights. I wanna hold your hand and drive your car and I wanna kiss you. God, Chris, I wanna kiss you so fucking ba—”
Cool hands grabbed the sides of Tobin’s face and pulled her in and when their lips met, nothing else existed. Tobin felt the music of the party fade away, the guests disappear, hell she didn’t even hear the countdown, but they separated at the sound of fireworks booming overhead. Christen looked up at the sky in wonder and Tobin looked at her with the same expression and before she could stop herself, she grabbed Christen by the waist, pulled their bodies together, and kissed her again. It’s soft and slow and when Christen’s hands tangle themselves in Tobin’s hair, she nearly purrs.
Christen laughed in their kiss and Tobin laughed too. They separated and Christen’s hand finds it way to Tobin’s cheek, her thumb making sweeping motions across her cheekbone. Tobin sighed and leaned into her touch, closing her eyes. Even amongst all the fireworks, the music, the guests who were still celebrating inside, she heard Christen’s soft voice whisper, “Happy New Year.”
Tobin opened her eyes again and smiled. “Happy New Year…pal?”
Christen rolled her eyes and gently smacked Tobin’s shoulder. “You’re dumb.” Tobin giggled and Christen smiled, despite her best attempts to keep a serious face. “Is it too early to say I love you?”
“Well,” Tobin said, keeping her face as serious as she could. “Seeing as I’ve practically been living with you for two weeks, I think you’re okay.”
Christen laughed and nodded. “Yeah that’s fair. I love you, Tobin.”
Tobin’s smile hurt her cheeks, but she managed to remember to respond. “I love you so fucking much Chris.”
Christen’s smile rivaled Tobin’s as she grabbed Tobin’s hand. “Let’s go home, babe.”
Acts of Service
The rest is history really. That magical moment in Palos Verdes unfolds into a million little things. When Christen mentions that she misses Tobin on their long bus rides, Tobin talks to a few people and makes them bus buddies. And in return, Chris always lets Tobin take the window seat. When Tobin notices, she makes sure to always carry Chris’s bag for her.
Little moments, little acts of love, every time they’re around each other. Tobin washes the dishes after Christen cooks and Christen folds the laundry after Tobin puts it to wash. Tobin perpetually forgets her mom’s birthday but always gets a call thanking her for the flowers she sent (for that alone Tobin feels like she owes Chris the moon and the stars).
Christen organizes Tobin’s closet and Tobin fixes Christen’s coffee. Tobin always gets in the driver’s seat and Chris puts the shirt that Tobin loves to steal in Tobin’s pajama drawer. They fix each other’s luggage and they have no doubt of each other’s pizza, Chinese, and sushi orders.
And it goes on and on. Every day a moment, something so small that others would call it insignificant, but for them it was love that transcended words.
So, when practice is wrapping up and Christen looks over at Tobin, she’s overwhelmed. There’s Tobin, ice wrapped around her legs and all, picking up Chris’s slides and phone from where she’d been sitting. A warmth spreads in her chest and her eyes might’ve even gotten a little misty as Tobin dropped the shoes at her feet. Tobin wordlessly hands over her phone and they walk together towards the tunnel, waving at the animated crowd that had come to see their open practice.
Once they reach the tunnel, away from prying eyes, Christen grabs Tobin’s hand and pulls her to a halt. Tobin turns around and tilts her head, asking a silent question. Chris pulls her in and wraps her arms around Tobin’s shoulders, Tobin’s arms easily finding her waist. She nuzzles her head into the space between Tobin’s shoulder and neck and Tobin runs her hand across Chris’s lower back. “You okay?”
Chris nods and whispers, “Just… thank you.”
“For what, babe?”
Christen pulls back to meet Tobin’s confused gaze. She sighs. “For…” She trailed off. Christen was at a loss. How could she than Tobin for something as simple as her shoes and phone when it was really so much more? How could she thank Tobin for years of thoughtful acts? How could she thank her for every moment she thought of Chris when she didn’t have to? How could thank her for the million little things that really culminated into the big thing, the only thing that mattered?
Ultimately, she vaguely gestured at her shoes and her phone and looks back at Tobin. “Just for everything babe.” Christen opened her mouth to explain more but Tobin was already nodding, understanding that the feeling surpassed explanation. She kissed Chris softly.
“You don’t have to thank me. Ever.”
Chris smiled bashfully, and kissed Tobin again.
“But,” Tobin started “you do have to shower. You smell.” Chris fixed Tobin with a deadpan look and smacked her on the shoulder.
“We literally can’t have one nice moment.” She walked around her and jogged towards the locker room. She heard Tobin’s laugh echoing in the tunnel behind her as she jogged to catch up.
“Babe, no, stop I was kidding!” Chris sprinted towards the locker room, laughing at Tobin’s complaints behind her. “Babe please, my legs are so sore stop it! Chris!!”
Gifts
“Tobito, what it do?” came the booming voice from the speaker.
“Kelley, I hate when you call me that.”
“Yeah I know, that’s why I do it.”Kelley’s face filled the screen as Tobin fixed her with what Kelley had dubbed The Christen Stare.
“Uh uh, your Christen Stare doesn’t scare me. I’ve actually gotten it from Christen and THAT is scary,” Kelley replied, unimpressed.
Tobin rolled her eyes and started fixing the plates she set out on the counter. “You’re annoying. Why do I even call you?”
“Because you need me to hype you up for what’s happening tonight.”
“Maybe.”
It was true. Today was Christen’s birthday and it was just two days before their 4-year anniversary. Tobin never felt particularly comfortable giving gifts and the gift she had planned was kind of big. Scratch that it was huge. Just the thought of giving it to Christen made her stomach turn and her palms sweat. So yes, unfortunately she did need Kelley’s help to ease her nerves.
“Look Tobin,” Kelley’s voice pulled Tobin from her thoughts. “It’s time. You’ve been holding on to it for weeks now and I know you’re going to make tonight perfect. Just relax and be you. She loves you like crazy and you could give her a piece of paper and she’ll adore it. You’re fine.”
Tobin takes a deep breath and nods her head. “You’re right. It’s going to be fine.”
“It’s going to be fan-fucking-tastic. Plus, I helped you pick it out so she’s definitely going to love it,” Kelley said with pride.
“Again, you’re annoying,” Tobin replied. At that moment, the door to their apartment opened and Chris came in.
“Oh my god what is all this?” she looked at the counter in shock. While she had been down at the gym, Tobin had made her practically every breakfast item that she had ever liked, from scrambled eggs, to pancakes, cut up fruit, avocado toast and even a croque monsieur.
“Surprise babe! It’s from me!” came Kelley’s voice from Tobin’s phone. “Happy birthday!”
“Oh my god, bye Kelley!” Tobin shouted into the phone and hung up while Christen laughed. “Happy birthday baby,” she said, much more softly.
Chris grabbed the back of Tobin’s neck and pulled her in close, kissing her with just roughly enough to have them out of breath when they pulled away.
“Thank you, babe,” Christen said softly. She looked over at the counter full of food and back at Tobin. “You are going to help me eat all of this right?”
Tobin nodded eagerly. “Babe do you know me? Of course I am.” Christen laughed at her enthusiasm as they sat, pouring out coffee for each of them. “But, I can’t eat too much.”
Chris sighed. “Please don’t.”
Tobin continued anyway. “Because I have to save room for the dessert,” she finished her joke with an exaggerated wink.
Christen groaned loudly. “That’s it,” she said while cutting up a piece of pancake. “A perfectly good birthday, ruined by a lame sex joke.” She popped the piece of pancake in her mouth and a bit of syrup gathered at the corner of her mouth.
Tobin grinned and swiped her thumb across Christen’s lips. “I’m sure I’ll find a way to make it up to you.”
A few hours later, after Tobin had made up for her bad joke (a few times over, in multiple places in the apartment), she rolled over to shake Christen.
“Chris.”
“Mm.”
“Chris baby, we gotta get up.”
Christen wordlessly shook her head no and Tobin sighed. “Babe, c’mon I made dinner reservations.”
Christen sighs and opens her eyes. “Or,” she said placing kisses on Tobin’s bare neck and chest. “Or we could order pizza and wait for it with my head between your legs.”
Any other day Tobin would’ve forgotten the dinner reservations and let Chris have exactly what she wanted but tonight was special. So, she let out a deep sigh, kissed Christen’s head, and got out of bed. “I’m going to shower, you’re going to pick out something to wear that will make me want to stay home, and then we’ll switch.”
Christen laughed from her spot on the bed. “Fine, fine.”
An hour and a half later, Tobin got exactly what she asked for. Chris comes out in a white crop top, a long black skirt and some black and gold heels peeking out underneath. Her hair is curly and pushed to one side when she meets Tobin in the living room. She holds out her hands to her sides. “So, is this okay?”
Tobin looks up from her spot on the couch and smiles widely. She gets up and makes Christen do a quick twirl and shrugs. “Eh it’ll do.”
Christen stuck out her tongue petulantly. “Not what you said last time I wore this.”
It was true. Last time Christen had worn this was to dinner when they went on vacation after the world cup. Tobin’s reaction had been much more enthusiastic. Like, way more.
Tobin shook her head to clear it and nodded. “Okay fair, but I didn’t make those reservations three weeks in advance. C’mon we have to go if we’re going to make it on time.” They walked towards the door, where Tobin helped Chris put on her coat and they made their way to the car.
“Okay, let me just plug in my phone…” said Tobin, mostly to herself. She patted her pockets and groaned. “Babe I left my phone upstairs, I’ll be right back.”
Chris nodded and Tobin went upstairs. She came back more than 10 minutes later.
“Babe did you crawl back to the apartment or…” Chris teased.
“Ha ha,” Tobin deadpanned. “It was in between the couch cushions I thought I was going crazy.”
“You’re definitely crazy.”
“Crazy about you,” she said with a wink.
“Tobin,” Christen groaned.
“C’mon, if I stopped flirting with you, that would mean the romance is dead.”
“But do you have to flirt badly? Is that a requirement for the romance?”
“Chris, so much complaining and so little music on the radio. Can we please?”
Tobin pulled up to a stoplight and Chris grabbed her by the chin, turning her face and kissing her. “I love you.”
Tobin smiled warmly. Her gaze held every ounce of love and affection that she had for Chris, and she knew Chris felt it too. “I love you babe.”
The light turned green and she turned back to the road while Chris put a random top hits channel to play in the background, fingers intertwined between them.
Dinner passed quickly, almost too quickly for Tobin’s liking. But Christen had enjoyed all the food and only glared at her for a second when the waiter brought out a piece of cake with a lit candle in it.
Tobin only shrugged and smiled. “It’s your birthday, babe. Make a wish.”
Chris closed her eyes and blew out the candle, before reaching over the table and leaving a quick kiss on Tobin’s cheek. They smiled contently as they shared the slice.
“So, what did you wish for?” asked Tobin between bites.
Chris looked at her with wide eyes. “I can’t tell you! It won’t come true!”
“If you whisper it, it’ll still come true.”
“Pinky promise?”
“Pinky swear.”
They wrapped their pinkies together and Christen glanced around the room, as if looking for anyone who might be listening. She leaned over, put her lips to Tobin’s ear and whispered, “I wished that we would qualify for the Olympics.”
Tobin couldn’t contain her laughter. In this very fancy, fairly quiet restaurant, she was laughing like an idiot over girlfriend’s very serious birthday wish.
“Baby, you really wished for that?”
Christen smiled and nodded, laughing a little too. “I did, I really did. We got the World Cup now I want to go back to the Olympics.”
Tobin smiled and shook her head in amazement. “There’s no stopping us, babe. That’s ours.”
Christen smiled and shrugged as the waiter left the bill in front of them. “We’ll see. Hopefully this wish gives us a one-up.”
Tobin nodded as she signed the check and stood up. “Well I made a wish on your birthday on my own behalf.”
Christen shook her head while they walked to the door. “Now I know that’s definitely against the rules.”
“You’ll like this one though.”
“Okay tell me.”
They were outside now, walking to their car. Tobin slowed their pace until Christen stopped and looked at her curiously. “I wished,” Tobin started, “that I could see you this happy on your birthday, every single year.”
Christen’s eyes watered in spite of her and she took a moment to blink back tears. It really was the smallest things that reminded Christen of just how much she was loved.
She cleared her throat. “Well, the only thing I need for that is you. So, I think we’re good.”
“Good, because I’m not going anywhere,” said Tobin earnestly.
Chris grinned. “Promise?”
They were both taken back to that night, four years ago, on the patio of Chris’s childhood home. Their very first kiss, under the soft lights in the patio and then, as if their feelings had manifested, under the fireworks that lit up the sky. Some days it feels like a lifetime ago and other days it feels like no time has passed.
Tobin nodded. “I promise.”
The world stops for just a moment as they share a kiss in the cold December air.
Tobin pulls away and smiles. “C’mon,” she tells Chris. “I still have one more surprise left.”
A few minutes later, they’re coming down the hallway to their apartment. When they get to the door, Tobin hands Christen the keys. “Can you get the door?”
Christen looks at her curiously but opens the door. “Tobin Powell Heath, how…?”
In front of Christen was a path of white rose petals leading to the bedroom and enough small electric candles that she didn’t even need to touch a light switch. She turned around to face Tobin, who stood with her hands in her pockets and shrugged. “I may not have left my phone up here earlier.”
Christen turned back around to their apartment as Tobin closed the door and gently took Chris’s coat off of her shoulders.
“Baby,” Christen whispered, still in awe at how beautiful it looked. Tobin put her hands on Christen’s waist and dropped a kiss on her shoulder.
“Well, you do need to follow the path.”
Christen nodded and grabbed Tobin’s hand, leading them to the bedroom. Before she could open the door, Tobin stopped her.
“So,” she started, unable to meet Christen’s eyes. “You know the whole gift thing is a little hard for me. So, I got you a little something and I mean it’s pretty whatever really, but it seems like something you’d—”
Christen put her fingers under Tobin’s chin and lifted it until their eyes met. “Anything that comes from you, I will love.”
Tobin smiled at that, despite the somersaults her stomach was doing at the moment. “Okay.”
Christen turned around and opened their bedroom door to find that it was decorated just like the outside, but there was something on the bed. She stepped closer to find that it a huge collage picture frame.
“Tobin,” she said, running her fingers over it gently. “Baby, this is beautiful.”
And she meant it. It was full of their best memories together. In it were pictures from both world cups, their first New Year’s Eve spent together, vacations they’d taken, their first re—set the table lunch, the day she moved to Portland. She turned around to face Tobin, tears in her eyes as she crossed the room to kiss her girlfriend. They had been through so much in the past 4 years and seeing it all just laid out in front of her was overwhelming in the best way.
Tobin pulled back gently and looked at Christen. “That made you cry?”
Christen nodded, letting Tobin wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes. “A little.”
Tobin smiled. “Happy tears?”
“Very happy.” She grabbed Tobin’s face in both of her hands and kissed her gently, trying to convey everything she felt in this moment. They parted and just held each other for a minute.
“Babe,” Tobin whispered, “I’m glad you liked it, but you missed something.”
Christen tilted her head curiously as Tobin pulled her back to the bed. She pointed out an empty spot in the middle of the frame. “Did you see that this one was empty?”
Christen nodded. “Yeah I noticed but I didn’t know if that was by accident, so I didn’t want to make you feel bad or anything.”
Tobin laughed quietly and shook her head. “No, this one was left empty on purpose. I figured since I made all the choices about all the pictures that went into this, I’d give you say on the last one.”
Christen nodded eagerly. “Yeah, okay. I like that idea.”
Tobin nodded too as she reached into her pocket. “Yeah, I was thinking you maybe would want to put a picture from tonight. Or maybe,” she said, as she lowered herself to one knee, “maybe you’ll want one from the wedding.”
Tobin was now down on one knee, holding a black velvet box smaller than her palm. Christen gasped and her hand flew to cover her mouth. “Tobin.”
She opened the box to reveal a simple ring, with a thin white gold band and a perfectly round diamond in the middle, with two smaller diamonds nestled on the sides. Tobin’s heart was racing, and her palms were so sweaty she was afraid she might drop the box. Still, she took a deep breath to steady herself. “Chris I—”
“Yes!”
“Babe I haven’t even asked yet!”
“Okay you’re right sorry.”
Tobin laughed at her enthusiasm and started over. “Chris, I’ve known this is what I’ve wanted for a long time. I told you all those years ago that I wanted you every year and I meant it. Hell, I would’ve gotten down on one knee that night if you would’ve had me but you’re a little more traditional, so I put that idea on pause for a little bit. But every day that I spend with you just confirms what I already knew. I love you Christen Press and I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?”
Christen drops down to Tobin’s level and wipes away tears that Tobin hadn’t even realized were coating her cheeks. Christen brings her lips to Tobin’s in a messy salty unbalanced kiss that threatens to knock them both over. Tobin laughs against her lips and asks, “So, is that a yes?”
“Yes Tobin,” she says, laughing tearfully. “Yes, si, oui, ja, every way I could possibly say yes.”
Tobin lets out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding and lets the tears fall freely. She readjusted her position to gain some balance and take the ring out of the box. They giggle when Tobin goes to put in on the wrong hand and corrects herself. After she puts it on Christen’s finger, they stare at it in the dim lighting.
“It’s perfect Tobin,” Christen whispered.
“You’re perfect,” Tobin replied.
Christen giggled. “Dork.” They were quiet another few moments before Christen spoke again. “God, how are we going to tell everyone?”
Tobin just shrugged. “That, my love, will be a problem for tomorrow.” She stood up from the ground and pulled Christen up her. “Tonight,” she said, giving Christen a kiss, “is just about us. Happy birthday baby.”
@christenpress: My birthday could not have been any more special. So lucky to spend the rest of my life with you @tobinheath
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#preathwedding #yesyouguyswereright
@tobinheath: I love you <3
@kelleyohara: fuck yeah! I’m the maid of honor
@kelleyohara: for both of you
@julieertz: aw congratulations my love!!
@mrapinoe: congrats gays!! You deserve this!!
@malpugh: my mooooooms ily guys <3
@alexmorgan13: congratulations girlies!!! Couldn’t be happier for you
@afranch23: congrats guys! we could do some of our wedding planning stuff together lol
@allie_long_: HOLY SHIT HARRY AND MRS. HARRY, CALL ME
@cdunn19: yesssss congratulations beautiful
@tierna_davidson: so happy for you two!
@ashlynharris24: Ali said no Instagram during the honeymoon but we love you so much!!!!!
@jmac1422: I am so happy for y’all!!!!
@emilysonnet: YESSSSSSSS @lindseyhoran10 you owe me 20 bucks
@lindseyhoran10: @emilysonnet damn it they couldn’t wait literally one more day??!?!?
@lindseyhoran10: oh and congrats guys love you
@carlilloyd: congratulations kids!!
@reeba04: so happy for you beautiful ladies!!
@abbydahlkemper: <3 <3 <3
@lavellerose: I feel like I was waiting my whole life for this announcement honestly
@sammymewyy: @lavellerose saaaaaaame
@sammymewyy: also I know I’m tall but I want to be the flower girl I called it
@malpugh: @sammymewyy nah that’s definitely gonna be one of chris’s dogs.
@lavellerose: @sammymewyy If they need a flagpole though, that’s all you
@sammymewyy: @lavellerose :(
@alyssanaeher: *thumbs up emoji*