Chapter Text
The University of Texas at Austin was definitely not TK’s pick of schools. He would have rather stayed in New York and attend NYU like he had always planned, but there’s not a lot of choices you get to make when your life hits rock bottom at eighteen.
“You’ll do great kid.” Owen squeezed TK’s shoulder as they stood at the entrance of his residency hall. “I’m proud of you.”
Though TK wasn’t going to the college he had always wanted, he was lucky enough to be alive to go to college. Three months prior, on the night of his senior prom, TK walked in on the guy he swore was the love of his life with someone else, that weekend he overdosed. Luckily his father came home at the right time. He had checked into a facility for the summer and applied to Austin where his dad had gotten a new job and a chance to rebuild a fire station. TK had taken the chance for a fresh start too.
“Thanks Dad.” TK hugged his father, change was scary but they had each other to help get through anything.
“Remember, the firestation is only 20 minutes out, call me anytime.” With one last hug from his Dad, TK was on his way to start a new chapter in his life.
The trek to his dorm room was a quick one, TK wanted to do nothing more than drop his bag and crawl into bed. The rowdy sounds coming from his room, caused his stomach to churn. God he was hoping he wouldn’t end up with one of those people.
Finding three guys standing in the middle of his room was not the welcome he had wanted.
“Hey, you must be the roommate” One of the guys stepped forward. “I’m Mateo” At least he was friendly, TK thought.
“TK”
“This is Carlos” Mateo pointed to one of the guys and then to the other “and Paul”
TK smiled politely at both of them, but his eyes travelled back to Carlos. With a blue soccer jersey on and snap back, turned backwards, Carlos was not the type of guy that usually did it for TK but fuck, he was hot. His jeans hugged his thighs like they were painted on and his biceps bulged out of the t-shirt with his arms crossed over his pecs.
TK’s knee felt weak when Carlos’ tongue darted out and ran across his bottom lip. Suddenly the room felt smaller.
“TK?” Mateo’s touch brought him back before his mind wandered into dangerous territories.
“Huh?” TK mentally cursed himself. Two minutes in and he already wanted to disintegrate.
“Party at the frat house tonight? I’m a pledge and Paul and Carlos are members” Mateo grinned. “It’ll be fun, Beta Theta Pi, is the best place to be on your first day”
“Best place to be in general” Paul chimed in “you should come by, girls and drinks are unlimited”
“Thanks but I play for the other team and I don't drink” TK smiled proudly, being out wasn’t something he shied away from, not even in front of gorgeous and intimidating men.
“That's fine too man, you can hang with this one. He plays on your side and he only drinks while baking at 4 am” Paul pointed at Carlos, who just glared at him. Paul lifted his hands up in defense “what- it’s true”
“I’ll think about it” TK smiled “but I have a lot of unpacking to do”
-
TK in fact didn’t have enough things to unpack to keep him occupied. By 8:30 his clothes and shoes were organized, had dinner and set up all the things he needed for his classes.
“Are sure you don’t wanna come?” Mateo asked for probably the twentieth time for the past two hour he had spent gelling his hair.
“I’m probably going to call my mom and get some sleep, jet lag you know?”
“Didn’t you say you’ve been in Texas for two weeks already?” Mateo asked. Damn him and his big mouth. “C’mom on man, just for an hour, what kind of roomie would I be if I let you sulk all night?I can’t stay late anyways, I have soccer practise in the morning”
“Fine, one hour” TK finally gave in and got up to get dressed while Mateo did what TK assumed was his victory dance.
20 minutes later they were walking down the path from their dorm to the frat house, TK only half listening to Mateo go on and on about the events he couldn’t wait for throughout the school year. He was mentally preparing himself to be around a room filled with alcohol and possibly drugs. A part of him knew this was risky, but he possibly wanted to see Carlos again even if he didn’t care to admit it to himself, the other man was definitely eye candy.
The frat party was everything TK imagined it would be, loud and rowdy. People were hanging out in small clusters around the lawn and front porch of the house.
“Hey man, you came,” Paul greeted as soon as they stepped through the door.
“Yeah, Mateo can be annoying” TK teased his roommate, who he had quickly grown fond of.
“Tell me about it” Paul threw an arm around TK’s shoulder and led him through the house “ we know you don’t drink so Carlos made some stops” Paul opened up a smaller cooler in the kitchen where the drinks and food were “we got four different type of flavored water, two types of soda and some fancy lemonade.”
“Carlos did this? For me?” TK tried not to blush at the thought of Carlos going out of his way especially for him. They barely exchanged a few words while they helped Mateo assemble a TV mount.
“Yeah” Paul nodded and took a sip from his own cup “something about wanting everyone to enjoy the party or something”
TK took a bottle of lemonade, needing something cold to hold on to. “Thanks” he smiled. Some time later he had managed to lose both Mateo and Paul. Stuck by himself, the house felt hot and overwhelming, crowds of people seemed to spill out from every corner.
Needing a moment to clear his head before leaving to go home. TK found himself pushing open a door, hoping to God whoevers room didn't mind him using it as solitude for a few minutes. Instead of a bedroom, he found stairs leading to the attic, pushing open the door at the top of the stairs, he didn’t expect to find the one person he hadn’t seen all night.
“Carlos?” his voice broke through the silence.
The other man looked up from his book, the shocked expression on his face quickly turning into a smile “TK, I didn’t think you were coming”
“Yeah, my roommate is pretty persistent” TK shoved his hands into his pocket “sorry for barging in here I just-”
“Needed a moment?” Carlos’ eyes looked golden under the soft lights of his bedroom, without the snapback on his head was a mess of curls that TK imagined himself tugging at during s- “I get it”
“Yeah, parties can be overwhelming”
“Tell me about it,” Carlos smiled. Fuck that smile was going to get TK’s heart in a lot of trouble.
“Is that why you’re hiding?” TK teased.
“Not hiding, just not attending a party that happens to be in my house”
“Do you always do that? Avoid parties when you’re throwing them?”
“Not always, sometimes I attend the parties, from afar” Carlos smirked and walked over to his bedroom window and pushed it open. “Come on” Carlos gestured for TK to follow him through the open window.
TK’s heart began to race as he set out on the window ledge. The open window led to a small balcony that overlooked the backyard. “This is cool”
“It is” Carlos’ body pressed closer as they stood out on the balcony, it wasn’t big enough for them to stand apart. “It’s my favorite place in the house, less noise, no people but still feels like I’m a part of all that” His hand brushes past TKs to gesture down to the crowd below.
“That was deep” TK chuckled, not sure what else to say.
Carlos’ laugh sounded magical, TK couldn’t help but laugh along “yeah, the other guys say I'm poetic”
“They’re not wrong” TK twisted around to look at Carlos. Their eyes locking as they’re chests pressed together.
“You have gorgeous eyes TK”
TK leaned against the railing of the balcony, his heart pounding as he took in all of Carlos. “You’re gorgeous”
“I’m going to kiss you, is that okay?” Carlos asked, his hands resting on either side of TK’s waist. He waited until TK nodded before leaning in and closing the small space between their lips.
TK has had his fair share of kisses in his lifetime, but none had felt as electric as this one did. One of Carlos’ hands came up to cup TK’s cheek as their lips moved together in sync.
Just then, his phone began to chime “fuck” TK panted when Carlos took a step back, quickly he fished his phone out of his pocket to read the text “it’s Mateo, I have to go”
They stepped back into Carlos’ room, standing there awkwardly, TK wasn’t sure what to make of everything that went on between them, until Carlos pulled him closer for another electrifying kiss “I’ll see you around”
TK was going to hold him to that, he thought to himself as he skipped back down the stairs, once again surrounded by the raucous noise of the party.