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TK has never been fond of the promotional videos he has to do. They’re definitely not one of the worst things about his career, but also not the best. Sometimes it’s not bad. Answering random ass questions or doing some stupid TikTok trend? He can survive that, even if he doesn’t think it has anything to do with racing. It’s better than being asked about his personal life, he guesses. And the promotion he does with Torts Pet Supply usually is pretty fun. They always include some animal, usually a dog.
When TK sees the puppy interview on his schedule, he knows it’s going to be a good day. No. A great day. He really loves dogs.
TK opens the door to the studio he has to record the interview in. He freezes in his spot when he sees him. Sam’s sitting on the ground, surrounded by the cutest puppies ever. Wow, Sam is gorgeous. How is TK just now realizing this? That one-second-meeting he had with the company’s representative did not do him justice.
“Hey,” TK says, putting on his best smile.
Sam looks up, a slightly shocked look on his face. Maybe he didn’t hear the door, TK thinks. Sam carefully sets down the puppy he was holding in his lap. He slowly stands up and steps over the dogs, not wanting to step on one of them. When he gets to TK, he reaches out a hand to shake.
“Hi, Travis,” Sam gives a polite smile as TK shakes his hand. “We’ll start in a couple minutes, so you have a couple minutes to get settled and play with the dogs.”
“So formal,” TK laughs a little, “I don’t really care about formality, y’know.”
Sam raises his eyebrows. He looks a little amused, like he isn’t taking TK seriously.
Wow, he must really not like him.
“Hey, why don’t we go out to dinner. Get rid of the professionalism and act like we actually know each other?” TK asks.
Sam looks even more amused, “I don’t date clients, Travis.”
He’s a client? He guesses that’s accurate, but he’s never thought of it like that. Wait.
“Date?” TK asks louder than he intended. He continues at a more appropriate volume, “I, uh, wasn’t asking you out.”
“Oh,” Sam says, and if TK didn’t know better he’d think Sam sounds disappointed. “Well, I’m still not sure it’s appropriate.”
“At least come to my next race? It’s just supporting your client, right?”
Sam looks away, down at the puppies, “I can’t promise anything.”
“I’ll take that as a yes,” TK smiles widely and reaches down to grab one of the dogs. He can’t stop himself from talking to the dog in a baby talk voice, “You’d come to my race, wouldn’t you, buddy? Yeah you would.”
The puppy starts to lick TK’s face. He laughs as the dog squirms to reach more of his face.
“She likes you,” Sam says.
TK pets the dog as she calms down a little, “She has good taste.”
That gets Sam to laugh, finally. TK was close to thinking it was impossible.
-
TK looks down at the reflection of his orange fire suit. His eyes trace over the letters that spell out ‘Torts Pet Supply,’ and his mind goes to Sam. God, ever since that stupid puppy interview he did with Torts’s company, ever since seeing Sam surrounded by those damn puppies.
He runs a hand through his hair and grabs his helmet. He shouldn’t be thinking about Sam right now. Why is he even thinking about him? He seems to not even like TK! Just because he has nice hair and pretty eyes and—ok TK really needs to get this guy out of his mind.
He makes his way to his car. Focus. Focus. Win the race today, and he will be in the playoffs. Focus and don’t think about how he invited Sam to the race.
God, Sam probably thinks TK is into him. Well, not entirely incorrect, but that’s one more person knowing he’s gay. At what point is it too many people? He keeps his life private for a reason, he can’t ruin that now. No, he’s worked too hard to keep it quiet. His crew knows, his team knows, that’s more than enough.
“You good, Teeks?” Sanny pats his shoulder as they fall into step together. “I can tell you’re really thinking.”
“I’m good enough to get through the race,” TK responds.
“Good enough to win the race?”
TK raises an eyebrow and looks up at Sanny, “What? Do you not have faith in me? Eleven is gonna be playoff bound, Sanheim.”
“Fuckin’ rights, Teeks,” Sanny shakes TK around a little before stepping away, likely going up to his perch.
TK pulls on his balaclava then his helmet. He gets to his car, not waiting for his crew to get in and straps into the harness. They can radio to him if they need him.
-
TK’s quickly surrounded by his guys, his crew. He’s prepared—he’s expecting it, even. No one loves him like his team. They whack him and shake him around and hit their heads against his helmet, as they always do after a win. When he’s finally free, he’s unexpectedly crushed in another hug. Whoever it is, TK wraps his arms around them. Then the person suddenly pulls away and—oh, it’s Sam.
Wait, it’s Sam!
“That was not what I—“
TK cuts Sam’s explanation off and pulls him into another hug. He’s got Sam acting like part of the crew, he’s not letting him go now.
When the hype dies down a bit, TK approaches Sam.
“I’m surprised you came.”
“Well,” Sam says, “Figured it was a good idea for the sponsor to show support.”
“You say that as if you’re the face of the company,” TK smirks at him, challenging his reasoning.
Sam shrugs, “I’ve got the branded shirt, close enough.”
-
Sam’s definitely loosened up a bit, and TK is proud of the progress made. They’ve gotten lunch a couple times, so TK thinks they're officially friends. Sam’s been calling Travis most of the time, he hasn’t given in to ‘TK’ yet, but TK thinks it’s only a matter of time. Sam’s showing up to more races, as well. TK’s starting to think Sam’s his good luck charm; he’s done some of his best driving when Sam’s stopped by his hauler.
And TK’s got another win in the books at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and it’s safe to say that no one is surprised. Too hyped up, he drags his crew and some friends back to his place. Why they listen to TK when he demands they travel states away for this celebration, he doesn’t know, but he’s had enough beers to not be baffled by it.
He’s not drunk enough to be surprised that Sam accepted, though. One of the other drivers that TK is buddies with offers his piloting skills, and now TK’s stuck only a few feet away from Sam for about an hour and a half as they get from Charlotte to Philadelphia. Maybe not stuck. He can’t quite decide.
The only reason he’s staring across the plane at Sam is because he’s drunk. Definitely. No other reason. Sanny obviously thinks otherwise, nudging TK and raising his eyebrows. Whatever. What does Sanny know, anyway.
A lot, is the answer. Sanny knows everything about him. They’ve been best friends for god knows how long. He reminds himself of their ridiculous history, physical and all, a few hours later as the party at his place starts to die down.
“Y’my soulmate, Sanny,” he mumbles, pressed up against Sanny. Sanny’s doing his best in his drunken state to hold both TK and his own weight up. “Shame we’d never work like that.”
Sanny lets out a little laugh, speaking softly in reply, “You don’t want me like that, Teeks. You’ve got a new guy on your mind.”
TK doesn’t remember seeing Sam the rest of the night, at least after that conversation. He reaches out the next day, wanting to make sure Sam is safe, but only gets a dull reply.
-
Sanny, of course, is the one to notice that TK’s acting a bit weird.
“You haven’t mentioned Sam in a bit,” Sanny mentions after practice one Friday. “And you’ve been a bit less… hyperactive.”
TK freezes, his eyes snapping to Sanny. Sanny, because he’s a dick, laughs at TK’s reaction.
“You’re lucky I can’t fire you.”
“You wouldn’t, you love me!” Sanny swings an arm over TK’s shoulders, “C’mon, text him. Or, like, corner him next time you see him. You’re good at that.”
TK huffs, shoving Sanny’s arm off his shoulders, “Fuck off.”
He doesn’t tell Sanny that he listens to the very, very basic advice. He has a sponsor meeting and traps Sam at the end.
“Sam, hey Sam,” TK has to do a little jog when Sam rushes out of the meeting room.
There’s a little sigh, “Yes, Mr. Konecny?”
“Why’d you go radio silent? I thought we were buddies now.”
“Buddies?” Sam raises his eyebrows, and there’s a scoff, “I knew I should’ve kept this professional.”
A scoff from TK, “Don’t be cryptic with me, please.”
“I thought there was… something happening. Y’know, between us. I didn’t realize you and, uh, Sanny? Is that his name? Didn’t realize you and Sanny had something.”
TK’s speechless, and it takes him a minute to recover, “Sanny? Travis Sanheim? No, no, he’s just a friend. I promise. Tell me how to prove it.”
He feels desperate. Maybe he is, just a little.
“Was I wrong about what was happening between us or not?” Sam asks, and he looks a little vulnerable.
TK doesn’t hesitate to shake his head, “No, no, I can’t stop thinking about you, Sam. Give me another chance?”
“It’s really unprofessional. Huge conflict of interest and all that,” Sam’s walls are breaking down, TK can tell. The sound of his voice, the look in his eyes.
“Please?”
Sam can’t stop the smile from taking over his face and he nods, “Yeah, yeah, ok. I’ll give you another chance, TK.”
TK can’t help but let out an excited laugh, Sam’s finally calling him TK. Hell yeah!
-
As TK pulls himself out of the car, he can’t help but look around for Sam. He knows Sam’s here somewhere, he needs to see him. The guys surround him before he can spot Sam, repeatedly whacking the top of his helmet. There’s incoherent cheers and comments that he can barely hear over his own laughter. Suddenly, someone grabs his hand and pulls him out of the group. TK recognizes the back of Sam’s head and lets himself be pulled with the stupidest smile on his face. TK is too distracted to notice where Sam is bringing him. He trusts Sam. He’d follow him anywhere.
Once Sam is happy with where they end up, he pushes TK’s helmet up and their lips are pressed together. TK’s arms wrap around Sam as his helmet gets pushed the rest of the way off and falls to the ground. This, TK decides, is what he’s been working towards. All the training, all the races, all the advertisements he recorded, all the interviews, all the photos, all the autographs. Just steps to get here with Sam.
“I’m sorry,” Sam says when they finally break apart. “I had to get you alone.”
“Don’t you dare apologize, sweetheart,” TK presses his lips to Sam’s again, a shorter, softer kiss this time.