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It was supposed to be a silly game of Truth or Dare and as it started, no one thought anything of it. Honestly though, they probably shouldn’t have played it in their usual Honky Tonk hang-out while they were still high off the adrenaline rush of a call and trying to let off steam. They were all feeling a bit silly after too much coffee, too little sleep, and an amazing shift that had left them drained but also celebratory after putting out a big fire with zero casualties.
They’d had a big win and they deserved to run off that high with some fun. And so it only seemed natural and totally logical for a bunch of people who hadn’t known each other very long – but already counted themselves as family – to play Truth or Dare to do exactly that.
Tim from EMT had declined their invitation and left them to it, but TK was happy to find Nancy sticking around. He liked the thought of the whole house mingling, not just the fire crew. Judd joined as well, much to his wife’s amusement.
The first few rounds had been easy, with fun questions, silly dares, and laughter all around for everyone. Bit by bit though, the questions became more intimate and the dares more daunting. It was a game in itself, to see who would be the first to break, the first to chicken out.
That didn’t stop TK from choosing Dare once again, expecting a good one when Marjan gave him one of her wicked grins that always meant trouble.
“I dare you to kiss the next person who steps through that door.”
“What?” TK exclaimed, the table already roaring with laughter and cheering. “Marjan, are you insane? I can’t just kiss a random person here.”
“Why not?”
“Ehm… cause this is Texas? And I don’t wanna die because I kissed a homophobic redneck.”
“He’s got a point there,” Judd threw in, to which Grace added an, “Amen,” but didn’t even try to hide her own grin.
“So? Kiss a girl,” Nancy threw in, apparently liking Marjan’s idea. Or maybe it was simply Marjan she liked, TK wasn’t so sure.
“Great, so he’ll either face a sexual harassment charge or a very angry dude defending his lady?” Paul asked the table as a whole – though it was obvious he was enjoying TK’s predicament a bit.
“Or a lady defending herself,” Marjan added, to which Paul nodded in agreement. “But that’s not the point. It’s a dare and those are supposed to carry a bit of risk. What, Strand? You finally gonna chicken out?”
TK was about to bite the bullet and admit defeat – when the door was pulled open and he caught sight of who was about to walk in.
With a wide grin, he turned back to his friends as he pushed away from the table.
“No way, Marwani. Watch me.”
“Wait, isn’t that–”
The rest of his team’s surprised exclamations were cut off by the noise of the Honky Tonk. And really, it didn’t matter all that much. Sure, so far, no one really knew about how close they’d become. No one except Paul, who they’d taken out together the other night to cheer him up. But TK realized he didn’t mind if they found out.
Carlos noticed him approaching maybe a second or two before TK was right in front of him, and the smile that lit up his face in those two seconds was likely the most beautiful thing TK had ever seen.
Not giving Carlos any time to speak, he stepped right into his personal space, pressed close in, and caught his lips in a brief, but deep kiss. He could feel Carlos’ hands on his hips right away, even though he was also aware of the man’s hesitation. After a heartbeat though, it melted away and when TK ended the kiss a few seconds later, Carlos’ lips briefly followed his before the man opened his eyes again.
His gaze was a little dazed.
“What was that?”
“A kiss, I believe,” TK quipped with a cheeky grin.
Carlos simply raised one eyebrow, making TK huff out a little laugh.
“Marjan dared me to kiss the next person stepping through the door. I was about to decline and let her win… when I saw you coming in.”
“So what you’re saying is… my kiss just saved you from losing?”
“You, Officer Reyes, saved me from more than that. You saved me from losing my perfect score in Truth or Dare–”
“I had no idea there was such a thing.”
“– and from letting Marjan win. So thank you, my hero.”
He could feel the grip on his hips tighten for a moment as Carlos took in his words, a shy smile dancing around his full lips.
“Anytime,” he finally replied, and it sounded like the most wonderful promise. Those warm, brown eyes caught his gaze. “You can kiss me like that anytime you want.”
For a second – just a single moment – there was a scared little voice in his mind, begging with him, begging with Carlos; whispering, don’t make me fall in love again. The thought was gone before TK could even fully grasp it, concentrating instead on the kind smile and the warmth Carlos was radiating. Literally and figuratively.
“I’ll hold you to that,” he promised in return, leaning in for another quick peck on the lips. “Come on. Join us and watch me gloat over my win.”
With a deliberate move, he took one of Carlos’ hands, watching the surprise in the other man’s eyes at this gesture. Kissing was one thing – but the intimacy of holding hands? Yeah, TK knew that that was another story in itself. Maybe he was about to – for lack of better phrasing – come out to his friends, show them that there was a man in his life that he cared about. They had hung out around the team before; heck, they had even been on a date here at the Honky Tonk, surrounded by them.
But still, this was different.
TK holding Carlos’ hand, like this, was different.
Especially when, for the rest of the night, he refused to let it go or at the very least found it again every time it was within reach. Every so often, he would catch Carlos’ soft gaze and Carlos would squeeze his hand. And in those moments TK knew that it meant so much more than simple hand-holding. That this could be the beginning of something he thought he’d never be ready for again.
For tonight though, he wouldn’t question it. For tonight, he would simply enjoy the butterflies slowly settling into their new home; taking flight whenever he caught Carlos’ gaze or a whiff of his aftershave. For tonight, he pushed aside all his worries and fears – and simply lived in the moment.