Work Text:
It happened so gradually that neither of them really noticed it was even happening. At first, TK was just leaving a hoodie here or a paperback there at Carlos’s place, and they both loved how cozy and domestic it felt when TK helped Carlos do his laundry or tidy the living room and they unearthed one of TK’s t-shirts or his misplaced keys. But it didn’t take long for one hoodie to turn into three and for TK’s favorite shampoo to find itself into the shower and for more little pieces of evidence that TK was a near constant presence in Carlos’s house to pop up.
The wake up call for Carlos, at least, was a panicked phone call from TK on a rare morning that TK was actually at his place that had Carlos digging through his closet and laundry for one of TK’s uniform shirts, as they’d somehow all ended up with Carlos. And of course TK realized this at the last possible second on the day he overslept and was in danger of running late for work.
Still on the phone with TK, Carlos stumbled through the house, trying to locate shoes and keys so that he could meet TK at the station to hand over the clean shirt he’d found tucked up next to one of Carlos’s own APD shirts. If the sight of their work clothing side by side made Carlos sigh happily and grin at the articles of clothing with more fondness than would generally be considered necessary, that was nobody’s business but his own.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” TK said on the phone over and over again. “It’s your day off and you were supposed to sleep in, and now I’ve ruined your whole day.”
“You haven’t ruined anything, love,” Carlos assured him, jamming his feet into a pair of sneakers. “It’s no trouble at all, I promise.”
“I’m sorry,” TK repeated anyway.
“I’ll see you soon,” Carlos promised him, leaving the house and locking the door behind him. He drove a little faster to the station than he normally would have. While he knew — and he knew TK knew — that Tommy wouldn’t be terribly angry if TK were a few minutes late, Carlos also knew that competency and professionalism were important to TK and that he would do just about anything to avoid disappointing his captain.
TK was standing outside the station in his work pants and a plain white t-shirt when Carlos pulled up. Carlos hopped out of the car and greeted his boyfriend with a kiss before handing the shirt over to him, which TK pulled on over his t-shirt, buttoning it up quickly.
“Not even a little strip tease for my trouble?” Carlos asked with a teasing grin.
TK laughed and wrapped his arms around Carlos to pull him close. “I’m afraid you’ll have to work a little harder to be blessed with the gift of my abs, Officer Reyes.”
Carlos mock pouted but kissed TK’s smiling mouth, enjoying this quick moment of closeness.
TK begrudgingly pulled away. “I really should go in, baby. Thank you for bringing this, and again, I’m sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry for,” Carlos said. “I love you.”
TK kissed Carlos again quickly. “I love you, too.”
TK had already begun to walk into the station when all the pieces clicked together for Carlos, and he decided he couldn’t wait another minute to just say it. “Hey, Ty?”
He stopped and turned back to Carlos. “Yeah?”
“You should move in,” Carlos said. This wasn’t the most romantic way to say this and the timing was somewhat less convenient, seeing as TK was about to go in for a 24-hour shift, but somehow it just felt right to Carlos to say it now.
“What?” TK furrowed his brow, convinced he’d misheard Carlos.
“You should move in,” Carlos repeated. “With me,” he added, just in case there were any confusion about where exactly TK should be moving. “I want you to move in with me, if that’s something you want too.”
TK’s cheeks flushed a little bit and he smiled at Carlos in that impossibly soft way he did when Carlos surprised him with flowers or had TK’s favorite meal ready for him when he got home after a long shift or whispered how much he loved him into the darkness while tangled up together in bed. “Really?” was all TK could make his mouth say.
“Yes, really,” Carlos said. “You’re practically already living there, and this way all your clothes will be in one place, so there won’t be any wardrobe crises just before a shift.”
TK raised an eyebrow, a mischievous expression on his face. “You want me to move in for purposes of wardrobe consolidation?”
Carlos rolled his eyes, but took the bait anyway. “No, Tyler, I want you to move in because I love you and I want to build a home together and I want to sleep next to you as often as humanly possible and … I’m just happier when you’re near me.”
TK closed the small distance between him and Carlos and gathered his boyfriend into his arms, kissing him firmly on the mouth. “I want that too,” he murmured against Carlos’s lips. “For all those same reasons.”
Carlos smiled. “Good. Now you’d better get your pretty little ass inside before Tommy comes looking for you. We can talk about this more after your shift.”
“Okay,” TK said, still beaming. “Love you.”
“I love you too,” Carlos told him. “Be safe.” He stood and watched TK go into the firehouse, grinning like a fool.
Carlos shouldn’t have been surprised when his phone started buzzing with incoming text messages while he drove back home. If he knew one thing about TK, it was that he most likely announced the news to the whole team the second he set foot inside. And sure enough, when he got home, he found a slew of messages from the firefam.
Marjan: It’s about damn time, Carlos!
Judd: Praying for you, son. Full-time TK is no joke!
Mateo: When’s the housewarming party? It’s gonna be lit!
Paul: You asked him to move in literally a minute before he walked in here, didn’t you? Congrats, bro.
Nancy: Just a warning, he’s probably gonna try to rearrange your whole house the second he moves in.
Tommy: Congrats, Carlos! TK shared the exciting news!
Owen: So excited for you two. Thanks for making my boy so happy.
Carlos grinned and shot off a message to TK: You just couldn’t resist telling everybody, could you?
TK’s response came through almost immediately: Nope. Sorry, was I not supposed to? Did I mess this up?
You didn’t mess anything up, Carlos replied. I love how excited you are <3.
Carlos was surprised when his phone suddenly buzzed not with a text from TK, but a phone call. “Hey, babe, aren’t you supposed to be working?” He asked teasingly.
“Yes, but I wanted to hear your voice again first,” TK said a little shyly. “And to say thank you.”
“For the shirt? You already thanked me; it really was no trouble.”
“No, for asking me to move in. I’ve ... I’ve, uh, been leaving more and more of my stuff at your place trying to get the nerve to ask if I could just stay permanently, but I chickened out every time I tried to ask. So thank you for doing it for me.”
Carlos grinned, surprised at TK’s admission, but deeply pleased all the same. “You’re welcome, love. I should have asked a long time ago.”
“All that matters is that it’s happening now.” Carlos could practically hear TK’s smile through the phone. He heard voices in the background and TK swore quietly under his breath. “Sorry, I gotta go. I love you.”
“Love you too. Be safe, and I’ll see you when you get home.”
“Home,” TK repeated, a bit of awe in his voice. “I like the way that sounds. You’re my home, Carlos, you know that?”
Carlos smiled. “And you’re mine, you sap. Now go on.” TK gave one last farewell and Carlos disconnected the call. That goofy grin still on his face, he flopped onto the couch, counting down the hours until TK would walk through the doors of the home they now — officially — shared.