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TK learns a lot about Texas during his first year of living in Austin.
Being a city boy from New York, he realizes that much of what he thought he knew about the “Lone Star State” is just plain wrong.
He remembers when his dad first told him that they were leaving New York for Austin. He may have still been a little out of it, but TK can vividly recall the look of utter confusion he had planted on his father, along with his sharp tone of disbelief when he said, “You want me, a gay firefighter, to move to Texas? Are you insane?”
He knows now that Austin, Texas is a pretty liberal city. Sure, it’s no New York City or San Francisco, but it would be unfair of him to expect it to be. Besides, it’s not like he never ran into homophobia living in Brooklyn. No city is completely free of bigots, but TK soon realizes he doesn’t have to live in fear in Austin; he can go out to gay clubs and bars, he can hold hands with another guy when he walks down the street. He can be out and proud and live his life -- and he can do all of that away from the dark memory of New York. It’s a good place for him to be.
Another interesting thing he discovers is that Austin is not a warm southern paradise all year round. It’s definitely warmer than New York, and apparently it hardly ever snows - something about the warm air from the Gulf making it highly unlikely for snow to accumulate, he doesn’t really know or care about the why of it. But, while it may not snow, it does get cold enough for freezing rain and ice, and that is its own kind of Texas hell.
For one, TK never really had to worry about the state of the roads in New York City, considering he didn’t drive there. Now, after a few months in Austin, he’s got his own car and he’s adjusted to being behind the wheel more frequently. He was feeling pretty confident about it too, for a while at least, until winter hit and he experienced the joy of driving through sleet on black ice for the first time; it made him feel like he had to learn a completely new skill just to keep his car on the road.
Freezing rain and ice also means their crew has to work overtime responding to weather-related incidents, including uprooted oak trees weighed down by ice, which often causes structural damage to nearby homes, and pile-ups on the roads when Texas drivers inevitably lose control and cause serious accidents.
They’re responding to one of those incidents now, and TK could not be more thankful for his heavy turnout gear. He’s also taken to wearing at least one thick layer underneath as well, which helps, especially when it’s still sleeting, like it is tonight. Years of experience running into blazing fires and other extreme conditions make this cold, wet January night feel almost routine, if not also completely different.
It doesn’t stop him from noticing a familiar figure standing a few cars away from him, though, who looks less-insulated from the weather. Carlos is decked out head-to-toe in his winter gear, including his boots, gloves, APD coat, and stocking cap. The added layers make his hulking body even larger, and TK can’t help but to appreciate how he pulls focus just by taking up so much space on the scene. He’s speaking with a woman from a car at the perimeter of the pile-up, taking notes on the pad of paper in his hand. Before Marjan pulls his attention away, TK sees the officer’s breath in the cold night air.
It’s a long night, made even longer by the uninterrupted rain falling down on them. By the time they’re finished, only a few people sent off to the hospital for minor injuries, TK and his team are soaked to the bone, and though they’re all used to the extremes, he notices some teeth-chattering that wasn’t happening an hour ago when they were all working the scene. Marjan is passing out hand warmers while they wait for his dad to give them the all-clear to head out. TK accepts his with a quiet thank you, noticing Carlos standing off to the side, moving around more than usual to keep warm. TK knows he typically runs hot, but standing around for hours in the rain seems to have finally gotten the better of him.
Guided by a sudden thought, TK approaches him, careful where he steps to avoid any patches of ice. Carlos glances his way while still pacing back and forth and rubbing his hands together, a grimace on his face that TK thinks was meant to be a smile. TK gives him a smile of his own, realizing as he does so that he can’t really feel his face anymore.
“Your lips look a little cold there, Officer Reyes,” he says, glancing down at the facial feature in question. Carlos grinds to a halt, his eyebrows shooting up towards the lower edge of the stocking cap pressed over his dark curls as his jaw drops just a fraction, a sure sign of his surprise.
“TK…,” Carlos begins to respond, the word coming out slowly along with a visible huff of air, but TK cuts him off before he can continue.
“You sticking around here much longer?” he asks.
Carlos blinks a few times, obviously thrown by the redirect, before nodding. “Yeah, I’m waiting on the tow trucks to clear the road. They’re taking a little longer than usual.”
TK nods, gesturing to the officer’s hands. “How’re your fingers?”
“I’ll be okay,” Carlos says immediately, rubbing them together to warm them a bit.
“Here, tough guy,” TK says, handing over his hand warmer before Carlos can pretend like he doesn’t need it. They end up holding it between their gloved hands, gripping each other tightly. “We’re just waiting for the all-clear, so you could use this more than me.”
“Thanks,” Carlos says, his brown eyes twinkling in the red and blue lights from his cruiser. “I appreciate it.”
TK leans in, a smirk forming on his face as he whispers in Carlos’s ear. “I meant what I said about the lips, too, but Marjan didn’t give me any lip warmers, unfortunately.”
Carlos huffs out a laugh, taking a step closer into TK’s space so that their front sides press together, hands still linked. “I hate you.”
TK smiles, turning his face to press a quick kiss to Carlos’s cold cheek. “No, you don’t.”
He looks up slightly, drawn to his favorite pair of warm, loving eyes. Carlos closes them as he laughs, a bright smile rearranging his face into a look of absolute joy. TK feels his heart stutter way down in his chest, underneath all of his layers. Before he can tell Carlos for the millionth time how much he loves him, his boyfriend ducks down slightly to press their frozen lips together.
The effect is instantaneous. Before, all TK could think about was how cold he was, how he was slowly losing feeling in his toes, how he couldn’t wait to get back to the station and strip off his wet clothes before stepping into a warm shower. Now, with Carlos pressed against him, those thoughts are extinguished entirely, the fire that is his boyfriend having doused them with its own intense heat.
He grips Carlos’s shoulder with his free hand, holding him close. The kiss isn’t indecent, and he knows they don’t have an audience, hidden from his entire team on the other side of the police cruiser, but there’s a part of TK’s brain that is telling him not to deepen the embrace; he knows he won’t want to stop if they really get started, and neither of them can afford that while on the clock.
They’re saved by his radio going off, his dad’s voice breaking them apart as they’re given the all clear to pack up and go. TK takes in Carlos’s flushed face and his bright, red lips, and a surge of victory flares through him. Mission accomplished.
“You’re welcome,” TK says, darting back in for a quick kiss before he steps away.
Carlos blinks through a daze, his tongue darting out to lick his full lips before letting out a bright giggle. TK can’t help but to answer with one of his own. Sometimes they’re both really ridiculous.
“I’ll be home around 11,” Carlos reminds him, rubbing his hands together again now that TK has stepped away.
“I’ll have a bath ready for us,” TK promises, giving him a wink, “to show you what other things these lips can keep warm.”
Carlos’s jaw drops completely this time, and TK doubles over with laughter as he hurries around the cruiser to head towards the truck.
“I love you!” he shouts over his shoulder, turning away. “Don’t be late, I'll get all pruney!”
He just barely catches Carlos shouting “I love you, too!” as he steps into the truck, letting out a sigh at the sudden warmth, his mind already focused on how hot this evening is going to be.
A Texas winter is certainly no match for the two of them.