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The sun was high over the college stadium, and the energy of Game Day felt like electricity sparking across the crowd. Jason Kelce loved moments like these. Retired life suited him, especially on days like today, free from the grind and pressure of game-day expectations, free just to enjoy the scene and be part of the fans.
But as he moved through the thick of the crowd, he noticed a student who was eyeing him with a cocky grin from under his drawn up hood, holding up his phone to film. Jason was used to fans recognizing him, even taunting him sometimes, but something about this kid’s demeanor felt off.
“Hey! Kelce!” the guy’s voice cut through the noise. Jason kept walking straight on, a feeling growing that this guy was up to no good. Whatever he has to say, ignore him. Just keep moving, keep going, just relax. Deep breath. Just keep -
“How does it feel when your brother’s a fa**ot for dating Taylor Swift?”
The words landed like a slap. Jason’s heart skipped, anger flaring hot in his chest. The phone that mere seconds ago had just been in the guy's hand was suddenly in his own, his built arm tossing it towards the concrete at about 100mph. For half a second life seemed to stopped, Jason froze, the crowd stilled and scene's silence around them as heavy as his heart was pounding. Leave. Fucking get a grip and leave before this escalates further, Jason told himself and started moving with determined steps once again. Until at once, the student appeared right next to him again, attempting to retrieve the broken phone off the floor, demanding he should get his property back. Jason's veins ran hot with rage once again. Turning towards the kid, blank face and straightened shoulders, making sure all 6"3' and 295lbs demonstrated just how DONE he was with this child of a man. “Who’s the fa**ot now?” Jason said, his voice dangerously monotonous, his eyes locked on the student, whose expression had turned from smug to stunned.
The kid backed away, hands up, eyes wide with surprise and a flash of fear, but Jason had already turned on his heel, weaving through the crowd to find some distance, some quiet. His pulse still thudded in his ears as he finally found a quieter corner to breathe. Anger ebbed, leaving something else in its place—an immediate, gnawing guilt. He leaned against a wall, catching his breath, his heart heavy with regret. What am I doing? I’ve got more self-control than this, he thought, embarrassed at the scene he’d caused.
The guilt grew heavier. Taylor’s going to get dragged into this, he thought, and so is Travis. He couldn’t bear to think of how it might all unfold. He pulled out his phone, hesitating before dialing Kylie, knowing she’d know what to say. She answered on the first ring.
“Jason? Tailgaiting going well? Everything okay?” Her tone was warm but concerned, immediately sensing something must've happened for him to phone in the middle of the planned tailgate.
“I really messed up, Ky,” he admitted, the words coming out rough. “Some college kid was heckling me, saying things about Trav and Tay. I grabbed his phone and, uh… broke it. Said some things, too. Used a slur, out of anger. I don’t know what came over me, I just—I couldn’t let him talk like that.”
"Are you safe? And okay? Well unharmed - I'd assume so. But did you get out of that situation okay? No further escalation, no physicality...?" Of course her first words are pure concern and worry, undeservedly so, Jason thought. "Yes, of course. Sorry Ky, all safe and good. No physical altercation. Just a bruised ego about not being able to keep my cool and spiking anxiety for Tay and Trav..."
A deep sigh of relief sounded on the other end, "Okay...okay good". A pause followed as Kylie takes all the information in, then her voice came through, gentle but steady. “Jason, I get it—that guy was way out of line. But... the slur?” She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “I know you were defending Travis and Taylor, and I know how fiercely you love your family. But that isn’t like you. Smashing the phone, okay. Standing up for them, absolutely. But the rest?” Jason exhaled, the regret heavy in his chest. “I know, Ky. I just lost it in the moment. It all hit at once, and I saw red.”
Her voice softened even more. “I understand, babe. Protecting the people you love, I get that—honestly, that’s why I love you. Among maybe one or two other things", Kylie added, a smile evident in her voice, "I know you’d go to the ends of the earth for us. Just… remember that you’re stronger when you keep your cool, okay? Especially with Taylor and everything she’s had to deal with.”
Jason sighed, the regret making his voice thick. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m so worried it’s just gonna blow up in Taylor’s face. Shit I can't believe that this one comment got me so riled up. Tay deals with this bullshit - not to even mention all the threats and shit - day in day out and handles it with such grace. And I just fucking go and... and..." "Jase... Hey. I get it. Tay will get it, I'm sure of it" Ky's voice soft but resolute, willing him to understand, "Everyone that matters will get it. You're a family man through and through and I love that about you so incredibly much. You care about your family and Tay has become part of that for you, all of us."
Jason nodded, relieved by her calm support, finally being able to really take a deep breath. "Okay... Thank you love. And you may not necessarily need encouragement to call me out on my shit," Jason started with a smile, his voice now growing serious, "but I really am thankful that you do. Just, you know, being real with me and grounding me but also not letting me brush off my bullshit behaviour... Ky... What do I do?".
Kylie paused, before responding gently. “You know, Jase, it might be worth letting them know—either Travis or Tay. Just so they hear it directly from you. I know it’s not easy, and you probably don’t want to put this on them, but… if the story gets out, they’ll appreciate hearing it from you first.”
Jason exhaled slowly, her words sinking in. “Yeah, you’re right. I’d rather them hear it from me than through some twisted version online.” Kylie’s tone softened even more, her warmth steadying him. “Besides, you know Tay. She’ll understand, especially if she knows you did it out of love. And Travis? He knows better than anyone how you are about family. I think they’ll both get it, more than you realize.” Jason nodded, the knot in his chest easing just a bit. "Alright," he said, almost to himself. "I'll call them."
After saying his goodbyes with his wife, Jason braced himself, dialing his little brother’s number. Travis picked up on the second ring, sounding upbeat. “Hey, big guy! What’s going on?”
Jason took a breath, “Uhm... Hey man, yeah I'm good you know just... Fuck... Trav, I think I might have messed up today..., I...". "What?", Travis intercepted, voice suddenly serious, urging for more detail, "Are you okay, Jase? Everything alright?". "Uh yeah, yeah I'm okay! Sorry brother, i should've led with that - yes I'm okay. At least for now, maybe not if I ever run into Tree again, or...". "-Tree? As in Tay's Tree? J, what's going on, I'm completely lost here". Another deep breath on Jason's end. Inhale. Exhale. 1, 2, 3...
"I was at the game today you know? And this kid... College student in the crowd started hurling some pretty nasty stuff. About you. And Tay. Both of you together. He was filming, and I… I kinda snapped. Took his phone and smashed it. I’m sorry, man. I just short circuited. Don't know what or why it happened. All of a sudden his phone was in my hand, then in a million pieces on the floor and I repeated his stupid slur back to him and fuck I'm so ashamed. And worried. This might come back on you guys. With her show tonight, Tay surely has other things to worry than me throwing worse temper tantrums than Wy and fuck... I"
For a moment, Travis didn’t say anything, and Jason braced himself, unsure of what his brother would think. And then, Travis huffed a laugh at the other end of the line. Not quite a chuckle, but no matter how hard Jason's catastrophizing mind tried, he couldn't interpret Travis' breathy laugh as a negative reaction. “You… you really went all out for us, huh?” Travis followed up, a mixture of admiration and entertainment creeping into his tone. “I mean, sure, I don't fully understand your ramblings and I’m a little shocked you lost it like that, but Jason, you were looking out for us, weren't you?". "Of course! Christ. You know I couldn't give less shits if anyone ever heckled me for, well, me. Say all you want about me, my career, my flip-flops, my jeans - or lackthereof - ... but family-" "Family's family, right? A non-negotiable. Family protects each other...", Travis continued, one the exact same wavelength as his older brother. "Exactly, family’s off limits. Ky, the girls... You. All are off limits. And Tay too. Hell, I know she doesnt need me to protect her. God knows with her security and her swifties working as her personal FBI and you and... well... her being herself, the girl doesn't need me running around smashing phones in her name. But she's family too now and I... guess I just lost it." Travis patiently speaks up again, "I get it brother. And trust me, I cannot tell you how many times being out and about with Tay I wished to do exactly the same thing you did today - or worse truthfully. Sometimes... they just get under your skin. And I know Tay will understand bro. I can let her know what happened if you want? I'm due to arrive at her hotel in like 30 minutes and she still has a few hours before getting ready for the Indy show tonight, so I could just fill her in? Unless you wanna explain yourself... Might make more sense, especially if you keep the self-deprecating rambling to a minimum, brother.", Travis offers with a smile audible in his voice. “Thanks, Trav. For the offer. If she's got some time now, I think I’ll call her myself. Feels like the right thing to do... And then hopefully this is cleared up and you guys can just enjoy your renunion for the day. Thanks for the reassurance. You know I love you both, I just want the best for you guys.”, Jason finishes, now significantly calmer then when he initially rang his sibling. "Sounds good brother. Love ya too big guy. And I know she doesn't need it on paper, but thanks for looking out for us and Tay always, means the world brother."
After a few goodbyes and promises to talk again later in the day, Jason finally hung up, preparing himself with a few more deep breaths before dialing Tay's number. After a couple of rings Taylor picked up, her tone bright and a little surprised.
“Hey, Jason! How’s it going?” They began chatting briefly, a quick recap about Miami, the girls and her cats, her laughter easing some of his nerves, but he didn’t let himself stall for long. "Taylor...?", he began in a short moment of quiet, "I may have messed up today. Generally as a human but also as a brother who just wants you safe and happy. There was this situation at the game day I am at today...", Jason recapped the story again, making sure to provide a complete account with all necessary details, the situation, his reaction, his regret. "...I am so sorry Tay, especially if this somehow falls back negatively on you. People talk enough shit, I truly didn't mean to give them some form of "fake" ammunition. If there's anything I can do to lessen a potential negative impact, please let me know...". Silence as a response. "Or if you just want me to send my head on a platter to Tree, I'll do that too.", Jason finished.
Another long pause.
“Jason…” she started, voice soft. “I’m so sorry. You wouldn’t have even been in that situation if it weren’t for me. This isn’t fair to you... or Travis.”
Jason felt a pang in his chest. “Hey whoa, Tay, stop right there. This is in no way on you. I didn't call and tell you, to make you feel bad or guilty about the heckling. People have always and will always act like assholes unfortunately. You’ve got enough on your plate today - any day actually - and carrying guilt for what some random jerk decided to say should definitely not be on that plate too. I truly just phoned to let you know and to tell you how sorry I am because I should’ve kept my cool a bit more.”
She was quiet for a second, and then her voice came through, a little shaky but serious. “I uh, I appreciate that but honestly you don't have to apologise. I'm truly sorry for the guy harassing you and also using Trav's name to do so. I just... You know, sometimes I feel like I’m not even a real person to people out there. Like my existence is just a concept that people can use, play with, to sensationalise every little detail or action by me or my loved ones. It sucks and I kinda got used to it, but I just wish it wouldn't extend to all of you guys. Wish that being around me wouldn't be too much, a... a little more peaceful..."
Jason’s heart clenched but patiently waited for her to get all those thoughts off her chest. Maybe she needs this conversation just as much as I do. “Tay, no. You’re not ‘too much’ for us. You’re family. I’ve thought of you as part of our family for a long time now. And family sticks together, even if that means… breaking a phone in half every now and then.” He could feel his own voice growing thick with emotion, the gravity of what he was trying to express making it hard to keep steady. “Whatever happens, whatever people say, you have us in your corner. And for the record, I've never seen anyone bring as much peace and happiness into Trav's life... Excitement, some crazy adventures and a hectic schedule sure, but so much calm and peace on a much deeper, more important level. ... Never an anti-hero and for sure no monster on the hill, Tay", Jason finishes with a smile on his lips.
She sniffed, and he could almost hear the small smile in her voice. “Thank you, Jason. I'm sorry for getting a bit much into my feels there... But I cannot tell you how much that means to me.” They continued talking a little more, and when he offered to do anything that could lessen any backlash on her end, she reassured him. “I’ll talk to Tree about it, but really, don’t worry. I know it’ll be fine.”
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They ended the call on a hopeful note, feeling somewhat reassured by each other. Taylor's feeling of guilt still definitely lingered and the more she considered her impact on Jason and Trav, their family and relationship, the more the nagging worry intensified. When would her unmanageably sized existence finally become too much for the Kelce family's patience? And when would Trav eventually decide all the negatives and noise, would never just be one-offs but instead haunt their happiness wherever they went. She knew Travis was due to arrive at her hotel any minute but still couldn't shake the worry and the need to send him a message to try and say something about this whole situation. She began typing out a message to Travis, intending to apologize but frustratingly failing to find any words. Writer for a living, my ass. Taylor thought, continuing to obsess over her keyboard until suddenly a knock resounded from her hotel room door.
Getting up from her position of her king size bed, she gently opened the door to see Travis standing there, a giddy smile already on his face. Without a word, he wrapped her in a tight hug, pulling her close and burying her body in his tall frame. Taylor's hands went to her lover's back, trying to hold on and searching for solidity as if to make sure he wouldn't run away right this second. Letting herself sink into the warmth of him after a few days apart. The weight she’d been carrying seemed to ease in his arms, but she could still feel the apology pressing against her lips.
Taylor opened her mouth to speak but didn't move an inch from her boyfriend's embrace, hiding away from the pain and empathy that would undeniably paint her lover's face once her rambling begins. Before getting a chance to do so, Travis gently grabbed her right shoulder, pulling back slightly, while his left hand began caressing her face trying to connect with her eyes. “Taylor... Don’t you dare apologize,” he said softly, his tone firm but full of warmth. Taylor's eyebrows shot up in surprise, feeling caught in the web of lies and darkness her brain had immediately created, " - But I -". “You’re family, Tay. To me, to Jason, to all of us. That kid was just looking to cause trouble, using you to try to hurt my brother. And that’s only because we all love you. Everyone knows how much we care, how much you mean to our family. Remember? All the outside noise, it doesn’t mean a thing to us, and neither does it to my family. Because we’re just so damn lucky to have you.”
Taylor’s breath caught, and she felt a wave of emotion she hadn’t expected. Tears unexpectedly pricking at her eyes, but Travis thumb gently stroking her cheek just beneath her watering eyes, ready to catch any tear that may escape. Taylor wanted to argue, to remind him of all the challenges her public life and the scrutiny brought with it, but Travis held her gaze, his expression leaving no room for doubt.
“You are part of this. The real Tay, not the trademark TS - although we're pretty fucking proud to call her ours too - and all the perceptions and ideas that come along with your business. You're real, you and me are real, and you as a part of the Kelce fam is as real as it gets, babe.” he continued, his voice softening. “You just showed up as you are, and we’re all better for it. You’re family, Tay. Every bit as much as anyone else. And you’re exactly where you belong.”
The words hit her deeper than she anticipated, slowly healing something inside her that for so long she had deemed irrevocably broken. And filled with a sudden surge of gratitude, singular tears finally escaped her eyes. “Thank you, Travis,” she whispered, her voice unsteady, though a smile touched her lips. “Thank you for letting me be part of this beautiful family.”
Travis gave her one of his familiar, warm laughs. “You’re not just a part of it, Tay,” he said, pulling her close again. “You make it better. We’re the lucky ones.”
They stood together for a moment, letting the quiet reassurance settle between them before heading out. Taylor felt a new strength blooming in her, knowing that, no matter what, she had Travis and his family fully behind her.
~~ these hands had to let it go free and changed the prophecy ~~