Chapter Text
“I look lousy with this shirt, don’t I?” TK threw it across the room from the walk-in closet. All Carlos could see was clothings being thrown everywhere while TK groaned and decided he was looking awful.
“Baby, please stop... You look amazing no matter what.” Carlos approached from behind, giving TK a comforting hug as he kissed the crook of his neck.
“So does this mean I look bad right now but you still love me despite?”
“TK!” Carlos rolled his eyes at his boyfriend, tightening his arms.
“Okay okay... Ugh, can we just sleep in, cuddle a little maybe, then-” He turned around, getting closer to Carlos’ face as he spoke and being very tempting as he did.
Yet, Carlos understood the trick here “Hey, nope, we’re going. Also I recall just a month ago you were dying to meet them. What happened now?”
“I- umm- I’m the first boyfriend to meet your parents. It’s a huge deal. I’m kinda anxious and desperate for them to love me?” He tilted his head like a puppy, his voice softening.
Carlos smiled, cupping his boyfriends face and looking at him like he was the one thing that mattered. “Mi amor, they already love you. They’ll love you, okay?”
“Does this mean I can go shirtless because I can’t really find anything to wear.” He pouted.
“Let’s keep that look only for me?”
“Good call, we still have time before we leave... I think you should check that look again.” He placed his hand on Carlos’ chest, pushing him softly to their bed as they both giggled.
Carlos decided he loved this only for himself look better than every other one.
“Ring the bell, wait no!” TK stopped him before Carlos could reach the little button. He straightened the collar of Carlos’ shirt caringly “Okay now go for it.”
Carlos did it before TK could oppose again for any kind of reason for the third time, he heard him taking a deep breath and then the door opened.
“Carlos! Hey welcome!” A teenage girl greeted them with happiness on her face, TK relaxed a little.
“Hey Mia, this is my boyfriend TK.” Carlos didn’t lose a second to introduce him then smiled comfortingly, all TK needed for the moment.
What TK didn’t expect was, Mia went for a hug straight ahead, so he followed her. “I’m Mia, Carlos’ cousin. Come on in.” She invited them as she walked in and yelled to probably ten or fifteen people inside the house “Carlos is hereee!”
Everyone turned to them, some little children ran around their feet and greeted Carlos as gazes were on both of them.
As if TK wasn’t intimidated yet, Andrea appeared from somewhere he didn’t quite catch. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, why was this so exciting now?!
“Hey everyone, this is my boyfriend TK.” Their shoulders rubbed each other, TK knew Carlos was as nervous as himself but he was doing a perfect job looking so proud and calm.
“Hello.” He waved awkwardly, or it just felt awkward to him since everyone seemed okay with it. They turned back to their jobs in hand, preparing a huge meal needed to cooperate clearly.
“TJ come heree!” Andrea held his arm and pulled him to the table where she obviously set a seat for him next to herself, TK didn’t resist and just walked behind her.
“Umm mama, it’s TK.” Carlos followed him close, pulling a chair next to TK as they sat down.
Andrea smiled, “Ay mi amor, I was joking this time. Did I offend you TK?” Her face got serious.
“Noo, that’s okay Mrs. Reyes.” TK tried his best to be likeable, anything he could do.
Carlos raised his eyebrows unbelievingly, a little smirk reminded him their little fight. “Soo, where’s dad and everyone mama?”
“They’re outside, handling the barbecue.”
Well... TK didn’t think there were more people but Carlos had a big family and he already knew that. Just his only child brain couldn’t handle it for a second.
“So TK I heard you were hurt. Are you okay now?” Andrea asked pointing his slightly purpleish head. It had been almost two weeks but TK must have a sensitive skin that it was still visible on his forehead.
“Yes, thank you I’m fine now. Just this spot didn’t disappear yet.”
“Carlitos, did you do what I said?”
Carlos rolled his eyes as TK looked at him curiously “Ma... I don’t think that’ll work. It’s just-“
“Of course you didn’t and now poor boy is like a rotten eggplant.” She got up as she kept grumbling, then left to the kitchen.
“What’s she talking about? Also, do I look that bad?” He gritted his teeth nervously.
“You look beautiful Ty. Also it’s nothing, you don’t need to use it if you don’t want it okay? Just say no when she comes back with a potion like jar in her hand. ”
“I’m not opposed to alternative health options, I can try whatever that is?”
“It’s a mixture of ginger, parsley and vinegar. And we all doubt it works...” He smiled to his boyfriend, knowing he was just trying to be nice.
Before TK could say anything, one of the running kids, probably a 4-5 year old boy, approached, crashed onto Carlos’ legs and hugged him. “Carlooos, I missed you last week! Why didn’t you come?”
“Rafael, I missed you too cariño. This is TK. He was a little sick last week so I took care of him.”
Little boy examined TK all over, his eyes narrowing. “He’s not looking like a baby. Can’t he take care of himself? My mama says big boys are strong and I need to eat more to get bigger so I won’t get sick.”
Okay, now TK was scared. This little boy not approving him was worst than whatever he’d expected.
“It wasn’t a flu cariño. There were bad guys, and TK fought them so he got a small scar here, see?” Carlos pointed his scar again.
Suddenly, little boy’s expression changed completely. His eyes widened and he was shocked by the story clearly. “So you’re like a super hero!? Are you a cop like Carlos!?”
Phew, okay, maybe this wouldn’t be so bad afterall...
“I’m not a cop, I’m a paramedic.”
“What is that?”
“Have you ever seen an ambulance before?”
“Yes.”
“So I’m usually in the ambulance, we’re helping people who are hurt and sick.”
“Ooh... But it still counts as a hero. We learned it at school.” He held his head up proudly.
“Yes, it does. You know everything don’t you little smarty.” Carlos grabbed him by his waist, tickling a little and he screamed some laughters as a reaction. He ran away when he broke free from Carlos’ arms.
TK heard him saying to other kids “su novio también es un héroe” but his Spanish was not that good to understand more than the word hero. He smiled widely.
The girl who opened the door to them, Mia, came back with another girl just around her age, they sat down next to them on the table while people were doing their jobs clearly because everyone was working like bees, cooperating in an arrangement.
“Hey, I’m Angela.” The other girl introduced herself, holding her hand out to TK.
“Hello, I’m TK.” He smiled widely. Everyone was so friendly and nice for now, he was liking it here.
“These are my cousins TK, and girls, TK is my boyfriend.”
Mia giggled, “Yes we know, you said it at least three times.”
Carlos blushed a little, trying to play it cool even though he did, “I like to state it so what.”
If there weren’t at least ten people around, TK would completely swoon over this, maybe he did a little but who cared exactly.
“So, how did you meet?” Angela asked this time.
“On a call, and then at the bar.” TK said. Well that was one part of the story...
“That’s not so romantic.” Mia pouted.
“Heey, it’s romantic. You don’t know the rest.” Carlos winced, making the girls laugh.
Then Gabriel walked in from the backdoor with a huge tray in his hands which was full of various grilled meat and vegetables. He placed them on the counter and saw Carlos and TK there.
“Oh, you’re here!” He walked to them, shaking hands with TK. “Good to see you again TK. Are you okay after last week?”
“Yes sir, thanks to all of you.” Okay this was the most nervous part of the day, TK decided. Meeting the dad, properly this time.
“We didn’t do much, your boyfriend did. Come on let’s go outside so you can meet everyone.” He turned back, walking to the backyard where TK could see some people talking around the grill, laughing and drinking beer.
“Hello.” He used his cutest tone, made Carlos’ heart shatter a little next to himself without realising.
They were mostly cousins, uncles, aunts. TK had never seen this many people in a family meeting, it was five people at maximum when his mother was with Enzo and his father was married for the second time.
Carlos probably had three aunts, four uncles as TK could count just for the moment. Not that he was complaining though, wanting a huge family always, this kind of felt like heaven to him. Also being very welcomed by everyone was the cherry on top.
“Hey TK, here have one” One of Carlos’ cousins (as much as TK remembered he was a cousin) offered him a can of beer, TK smiled and felt Carlos’ gaze on himself.
“No thanks, I’m not drinking alcohol.” He said before Carlos step in.
“Yeah we’ll get water gladly.”
TK didn’t know if Carlos didn’t want him to mention his addiction or it was to protect him merely, but he didn’t complain. Maybe first meeting with his whole family wasn’t the best time to mention his past right away, especially this topic.
Tia Lucy examined him from top to bottom, then coming a bit closer while everyone kept on their conversations. “You got yourself a handsome one mijo.” She smiled widely, rubbing Carlos’ back.
TK knew he blushed, he didn’t even try to hide it. “Thank you ma’am.” He said coyly.
“But this purple on his head, we should do something about it. Didn’t I teach you good that you let him turn into aubergine?” She shook her head as she walked away from them, keeping mumbling as she did.
“Okay do I look that bad!?” TK’s eyes widened, turning to Carlos while he tried to keep his voice down to not draw any attention.
“Baby I promise you don’t look bad. You’re perfect, they’re just too much caring.” He held TK’s arms, rubbing gently to give him the comfort he needed.
“Promise?”
“Yes promise.”
They were deep into staring into each others’ eyes already, so in love to realise any other thing going on around.
“Hey love birds, food is ready come to the table.” Someone called them from a distance, they now realised everyone has left to the longest table TK has ever seen on the patio.
As they sat down next to each other, Andrea came back with a jar in her hand, just as Carlos described. “You’re here. I told you to stay put.” She walked quickly before TK or Carlos could oppose, grabbed TK’s head softly despite her fast moves and stilled it with her hands.
“Uhm Mrs. Reyes, I-“ He tried to speak up but it just didn’t work that way in this family clearly so he let her do the work while Carlos watched them like a helpless puppy.
Andrea rubbed the potion like thing on his head, softly but he could feel the pressure for sure, trying really hard to not wince.
“It’s all good you’ll feel so much better in couple of hours.” She patted his head twice, made Carlos smile sidedly.
All TK could say was “thank you” and then he had to eat so much food forcefully that he thought he wouldn’t be hungry again for days.
“Thank you for having me, it was a pleasure to meet you both as well as everyone else.” TK grabbed Gabriel’s hand while they said their goodbyes at the door.
“Likewise TK, we see you make our son so happy and we hope it never changes for both of you.” Andrea said sincerely.
TK saw Carlos blushing, “He makes me happy too.” Well if he decided to make him blush more so be it. “Also, thank you for my head, it’s almost completely gone?” He didn’t lie there too, purple mark almost turned to green on the sides and swelling was not very obvious anymore.
“I told Carlos to do this days ago but he thinks his mother is a crazy with, he never listens me.”
Carlos rolled his eyes, giving his mother a hug while TK looked at them with a huge smile on his face.
“You know that’s not true mom”
She smiled too after their hug, leaning onto his husband and looking so proud as she examined them both.
Carlos held TK’s hand, walking away with him after they finally said their last goodbyes with a content smile.
“So, what did you think?” He asked when he heard the door close after them.
“Actually, it was great babe. I loved everyone even though we got some stares from some of your grand aunts and uncles.
“Oh, but they’re doing their best you know. It’s hard for them to understand sadly...”
“Of course, I don’t really mind. Everyone was nice, your mom and dad are amazing, and food was perfect. So what can I want more really?” He smiled like a baby, his eyes going narrow as he did.
“I love you TK. I really do...” Carlos kissed his head before they got into the car.
This was TK’s first meeting with Reyes family...