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Jason hasn’t spent a huge amount of time at Travis’ new house.
With the girls and their schedules, it’s been easier for Travis, and now Taylor, to make their way to Philly when they have the time. Adjusting three little ones to a new space isn’t something any of them have been interested in if it could be avoided and Travis and Taylor have been more than willing to accommodate that.
Jason truly didn’t think anything of it until a few weeks ago when he and Kylie were lying in bed, both on their phones.
“Jay, are you free on the 11th?” Kylie asked, frowning over at him and he did too, navigating to his calendar and checking without a question.
“Yeah, that’s free. Your parents up for something?” He raised an eyebrow, assuming it would be a typical routine for them but Kylie just smiled, shaking her head.
“Nah, Taylor’s texting. She’s wondering if we’re free to do dinner,” She explained and Jason smiled. It’ll never be normal to him to be texting Taylor Swift on the regular but Kylie and Taylor are really starting to carve out a friendship that’s built on mutual respect.
“They’re coming to Philly?” Jason grinned, sitting up a little and Kylie hummed, shaking her head.
“Actually, she’s suggesting we go there. She wants to make sure I don’t lift a finger,” Kylie smirked, hand slipping down to where her stomach was just starting to round with their fourth baby and Jason frowned.
Just like Taylor. Sweet and considerate and yet something still made him pause, something uneasy settling in his stomach.
“Oh. What about the girls?” He asked and Kylie shrugged, waving him off like it wasn’t an issue.
“My mom will have ‘em. I think we should. We’ve really not been there at all and Trav’s been in that house almost a year now,” Kylie continued in that tone that Jason knows means she won’t let up on the idea.
Her words gave him pause.
They’ve been to the house. He knew they had. But Kylie was right. It was a fleeting visit and he wasn’t sure they saw more than the kitchen and the living room in the middle of a party.
“Guess I hadn’t really thought about it. Yeah okay,” He agreed and the smile on Kylie’s face was worth it despite the niggling in his stomach he couldn’t quite explain.
That feeling is still there as they step out of the car, looking up at the massive house his brother now calls home.
It isn’t that Jason expected anything different in theory. He’s been here before, he knows Travis has done well for himself and he also knows how important Taylor’s safety is to him, the peace of mind integral to his own sanity. He’d seen that first hand over the summer in London, Travis fussing over her after her shows as exhaustion set in deep in her bones. He spent hours on the phone with Travis after the almost incident in Vienna, talking him down from hopping on the first plane to London he could find. Jason spent days reeling about how mature his brother had been with the whole incident, terrified but so grounded and locked in on his girl.
Looking up at the house now, walking around to the large, looming oak door, he takes a deep breath. He knows the move here wasn’t just some temporary upgrade but something solid, something intentional. It’s still a little odd to see from his brother though.
The front door swings open before they even reach the steps leading up to it and Jason almost stumbles at the sight of Taylor standing there, relaxed and open, so much a part of the furniture of their lives now. She’s standing there barefoot in jeans and a sweater, smiling widely as she waves them in, “Hey! There they are!”
“There’s our girl! You can’t be adding doorman to that resumé too. You’re already showing all of us up,” Jason grins as he rushes up the steps, tugging her into a hug and Taylor laughs, squeezing him softly.
“Never. This is a family of very impressive people,” She winks as they pull apart with that typical cheeky grin on her face and Jason laughs, shaking his head.
“Hey Tay,” Kylie smiles as she catches Jason up and his heart glows in his chest at the easy way they embrace, something soft and familial between them.
“Hi Ky! Oh look at you!” Taylor asks, looking down at where Kylie’s shirt is pulling a little tight around her expanding stomach as they separate.
“I know, we’re finally past the stage of people struggling to work out if I’ve just been on the doughnuts,” Kylie laughs and Jason smiles as Taylor laughs, waving her off.
“Please. You're killing it, mama. Come on in, it’s freezing out here. Trav just ran down to the wine cellar,” She grins, stepping back to let them inside the house.
They came in through the garage the last time they were here, the backdoor a lot less imposing and grand than the hallway they’re standing in now. Jason blinks up at the tall room, noting the art on the walls and the small details like sconces and carefully laid plates on side tables. He thinks of his brother’s old place, the basketball hoop in the living room and white walls devoid of much character at all. The difference makes his head spin and he smiles at Taylor, noting how easily she moves through the space. It’s funny, they’ve been clear it’s Travis’ house when people teased them about how early it was when Travis bought it. But the way they talk about it and how easily Taylor navigates it makes it clear that it’s far more theirs than they’ll ever let on aloud.
Jason follows Kylie through the entryway, noticing that the house smells different than he expected. In his head, dinner at Travis’ house means takeaway containers and beers shared in the living room. This is a complete 180, something slower and intentional. Herbs, maybe. Definitely garlic.
He’s about to make a comment about it when he hears Travis’ voice from ahead.
“Sweetie, I found the Chablis but I think we’ve only got Oregon Pinot Noir, will that work?”
Travis is holding two bottles of wine as he walks down the corridor, a bright smile on his face with his eyes locked on Taylor. Jason notes the way Taylor softens just a touch at the sight of him, her shoulders relaxing a little.
“That’s perfect, thank you, baby. Everyone’s here,” She prompts softly, gratefully taking the bottles as Travis’ eyes land on Jason and Kylie, grinning widely.
“Oh hey! C’mere, big guy,” He laughs, moving to Jason first and he smirks as they hug.
“Sorry, who are you and what have you done with my brother?” He grins easily, the teasing coming easily like an instinct.
“What are you on about, you jamoke?” Travis snorts as they pull apart, eyes finding Taylor’s for a moment.
“Talking about fucking Chablis like you know wine,” Jason grins and Travis rolls his eyes but before he can say anything, Taylor pipes up.
“Oh, he knows wine, he was chatting with the sommelier at Lucali’s the other week for half an hour,” She hums with a soft smile. She’s not arguing but her tone is clear, causing Jason to pause for just a moment.
“Ky! So good to see you,” Travis diverts, moving to hug Kylie with a grin.
“You too, Trav. The girls send their regards in the form of requests for you to throw them around for double the time next time you see them,” Kylie laughs and Travis grins, nodding his head with an easy smile.
“Done. Come on, let’s get out of the hallway,” He takes the wine back from Taylor and quirks his head through to the kitchen, urging them all to move.
The kitchen is a hum of activity. It’s bigger than Jason noted last time, it so full of people. Now, he can see how homely it feels, something about the arches and soft decor warm and inviting. There’s appliances and wooden chopping boards carefully placed around the counters, a space that’s used and loved. The oven is running, its warm glow emanating around the room, and a pan bubbles on the stove, that smell wafting through the air to make Jason’s stomach growl in anticipation.
Halfway across the island sits a small bowl of what looks like dip, beautifully cut bread arranged in a circle around it.
Jason’s about to make another joke when Travis moves automatically toward the stove, reaching for the wooden spoon resting beside the bubbling pan on a ceramic plate.
“Baby, did you add the cream already?” He asks over his shoulder casually, like this is second nature now.
Taylor looks up from where she’s grabbing plates from one of the cabinets, “Already did it. You just need to stir before it catches.”
“Got it.” Travis nods once, immediately doing exactly that.
Jason just stares for a second. It’s domestic, completely seamless. Something about it reminds him of those first months with Kylie, when being together had felt strangely easy.
He watches as Taylor drifts beside him, bumping her hip lightly against Travis’ as she reaches for the salt. Travis barely even looks, instinctively shifting to make room for her before handing over the spoon when she holds her hand out. It’s practiced and natural, like they’ve been doing this forever.
Jason thinks back to those late-night phone calls after Vienna. Travis pacing in his dorm room at training camp while Jason tried to talk him through the panic in his voice. He remembers expecting recklessness, expecting Travis to give into his instincts and jump on a plane immediately, consequences be damned. Instead, Travis had taken a breath and stayed calm for Taylor because that was what she needed.
Looking at him now, laughing softly as Taylor scolds him for stealing parmesan from the bowl she’s putting together, Jason feels that same strange tug in his chest.
“Damn, didn’t realise we were in for an HGTV domestic special,” He grins, dodging Kylie’s elbow when she tries to drive it into his side.
“Shut the hell up,” Travis groans instantly while Taylor bursts into laughter beside him.
“I’m serious!” Jason points toward him, “You’ve got candles in here, man.”
“They smell good!” Travis argues.
“They’re seasonal,” Taylor adds helpfully.
Jason clutches his chest dramatically, “Seasonal candles. Jesus Christ.”
“Keep talking and you’ll be getting nowhere near the dessert Tay made,” Travis threatens.
“You wouldn’t,” Jason gasps, well-versed in the glory of Taylor’s baking skills by now.
Taylor’s grin turns instantly smug as Travis tries, and fails, not to smile back. He almost folds into her, pressing his forehead against her temple as he squeezes her waist and Jason blinks as if his eyes are struggling to accept the sight before him.
“Right, who wants drinks? The Chablis is best with the starter and Tay’s gone ham on the non-alcoholic options too, Ky,” Travis straightens up, rubbing his hands together and Jason watches as Taylor grins, eyes locking with Kylie’s.
“You into elderflower?” She asks, raising an eyebrow and Kylie hums, nodding her head with a grateful smile.
“I can be.”
Travis whoops lightly, moving to tug glasses down and gets to work pouring them out.
“Help yourselves. It’s whipped ricotta with honey and homemade focaccia. Ky, I double checked the cheese but I saved the packet if you want to check too,” Taylor smiles as she moves to the oven to check on whatever’s in there, nodding to where four small side plates are stacked by the bowl and the bread.
“You’re all good, thanks Tay,” Kylie smiles, taking the plate Jason holds out to her and they share a look. She narrows her eyes, warning him a little but Jason just shrugs, comfortable around his brother despite the domesticity throwing him off a little.
“Here you go,” Travis slides them their glasses before he reaches for the remaining two plates. Jason blinks as he easily spreads the cheese over two slices of bread, loading them onto a plate and then walks around to the stove, placing it down with a glass of wine by it. He turns to the oven where Taylor’s fussing, holding her hip as he presses a kiss to her cheek before he moves back around the island to make a plate himself.
Jason thinks of family dinners, watching his baby brother tear into his plate before everyone had even sat down. Even a few years ago, watching him barely blink as he headed back to bars to refill his own drinks, the state of his then-partner’s glass seemingly none of his business.
“That not a bit white for you, Trav?” He questions with a grin as he watches Travis happily bite into a serving of the cheese. All that springs to mind are the times he’s watches his brother literally gag at the sight of white sauces, shoving plates with mayonnaise back across tables at family gatherings, but now, Travis laughs, shrugging his shoulders.
“We tried it in… Italy was it, sweetie?” He whirls back round to look at Taylor for confirmation who nods as she closes the oven.
“Yeah, it was Portofino. It was the same place we had those mollusks,” She smiles softly as she slips back towards the stove, sipping her wine.
“Oh those were so good! But yeah, we’ve been a little addicted to recreating this since then,” Travis grins, nodding to the bowl of whipped cheese now a little less elegantly presented due to their voracious knifes.
“You ate mollusks?” Jason blinks as he catches up with the conversation, looking up at his brother in shock.
“They were good! Tay had to show me how to actually eat them though, luckily the restaurant was not busy,” Travis snorts, his usual self-deprecation slipping through but Taylor immediately tuts, shaking her head with a soft giggle.
“Please, you were a pro after the first one. And hey, just cracking them open would’ve done the job,” She shrugs, eyes soft and affectionate as she looks at Travis across the island. Jason watches them, the way they so clearly have a conversation without words.
“Was that the place you sent the photos of the view from?” Kylie asks and Taylor blinks for a moment before she grins, as if just coming back into the room.
“Yes! Oh, so gorgeous.”
They chat for a little while, sipping and munching on the starter until the oven timer goes off and Taylor starts moving things around the island with practiced ease. Travis softly moves into the space once more, opening doors and passing oven gloves, somehow knowing exactly when to be out of the way and when to pass her just what she needs. It’s clearly a practiced dance, hands brushing gently over waists and hips and easy smiles between them.
“Please, go sit! We’ll be a second with this,” Taylor smiles once she’s switched the oven off, gesturing to the table behind them which Jason has yet to fully take in.
The long oak table sits in the space between the living room and the kitchen, its surface smooth and lightly reflective under warm lighting. White linen cloth runs across it, neat but not overly stiff, with four place settings spaced evenly apart. Each setting has a simple white porcelain plate, a folded napkin placed to one side, and matching cutlery aligned with quiet precision. In the middle of the table, white roses, eucalyptus, and greenery stretch along its length. Two or three slim candles stand among them, their flames steady and small, adding a warm glow without overpowering the space. Small serving dishes are placed between the settings: olives in a shallow bowl, bread on a wooden board, and a dish of softened butter.
“Damn Tay, that’s a table,” Kylie whistles and Travis chuckles as Taylor blushes, shrugging her shoulders.
“I’ve always been a little obsessed with tablescaping when it comes to dinner parties. Sorry if it’s a little overboard,” She smiles a little sheepishly but Travis quickly swoops in, pressing a kiss to her temple.
“It’s beautiful, sweetie,” He reassures her and Jason can only nod as Kylie hums.
“It’s gorgeous! We’re just lucky if we remembered to wipe the crayon off our table is all,” She quips and Taylor laughs, waving her off.
“What’s tablescaping?” Jason questions, picking up on her phrasing and he looks at Taylor but is surprised when it’s Travis who pipes up to answer.
“It’s your table setup. Linens, glasses, plates… centrepieces as well. Making it look as pretty as Tay’s done there.”
“Bingo,” Taylor bumps Travis’ hip with her own with a small, satisfied smile.
Jason squints at her, then at the table again as if it might suddenly reveal hidden secrets, “So you’re telling me there’s an entire… discipline… dedicated to making a table look like it’s about to be photographed for a magazine?”
“Kind of. It’s just setting a table intentionally. It doesn’t have to be this extra,” Taylor gestures vaguely at the roses, the linen, the carefully spaced plates, “I just… get carried away.”
Travis leans back against the counter, arms folding as he watches her with an easy grin, “We had a serious discussion about candle height yesterday.”
“I thought that was between us,” Taylor objects instantly, pointing at him and Travis grins, catching her finger and using it to tug her close.
He wraps her up in his arms, pressing a kiss to the end of her nose, “It was very cute.”
“You’re mean,” She pouts, her hands landing on his chest and Travis grins.
“Oh so mean,” He winks and kisses her quickly, letting her go with a steadying hand to her waist.
Jason exhales a laugh through his nose, shaking his head as he takes another sip of wine, “I don’t know what universe I’ve walked into, but I’m not convinced it’s mine.”
“Welcome,” Kylie says sweetly, patting his arm.
Taylor starts plating the main course as Travis brings the dishes over, their movements overlapping without hesitation.
Jason watches Travis automatically adjust the placement of a serving dish when Taylor reaches for it at the same time, his hand shifting without comment. Taylor, in turn, leans slightly into him as she passes, like it’s the most natural thing in the world to share space without thinking about it.
Jason sets his glass down a little more carefully than he means to.
“So,” He says, leaning a hip against the counter, trying for lightness again, “Do we get matching napkin folds next? Or is that still in development?”
“Don’t tempt her, we’re very serious about vibes in this house,” Travis grins like it’s the easiest thing on the planet and Jason notes the quiet defence of Taylor without calling him out directly.
Jason looks at Travis properly as they settle down.
Jason remembers him in pieces: the younger version who never sat still, who treated stillness like a punishment. The version who burned through rooms and cities and seasons like they were all temporary stops on the way to somewhere louder.
And now this.
Travis catches him looking and lifts an eyebrow, “What?”
“Nothing. Just… you’ve got real strong opinions about table aesthetics now.”
Travis grins with a shrug, “Growth.”
“He’s learning place settings, I’m learning route leverage. This is a very educational relationship it turns out,” Taylor grins, making them all laugh.
“You’re both evolving,” Kylie grins and Travis laughs, nodding.
“I stir sauces. I discuss linens. I eat mollusks,” He explains with a snort and Jason hums.
“Barely,” He mutters, recalling Taylor’s earlier comment.
“Hey,” Taylor cuts in, pointing her fork at Jason now, “He did very well with the mollusks.”
“I’m not judging mollusk performance. I’m just processing the fact that my brother has a sauce identity now.”
“I do not have a—”
“You absolutely have a sauce identity,” Taylor says calmly.
Travis looks betrayed for half a second, then sighs dramatically and goes back to his food.
“Unbelievable. I finally find inner peace and this is what I get.”
“Inner peace?” Jason chokes, the grin already spreading across his face.
Travis glances at Taylor, softer now and she melts too, her posture visibly shifting.
“Yeah. Something like that.”
Jason freezes, unable to joke back at that, and he smiles, noting the gentle way something shifts below the table. He thinks he’s reached out to squeeze her knee, something grounded and it takes Jason aback as he realises something.
With Travis, things always happened fast. Opportunities, cities, people. He always seemed to hit life at full speed and trust the landing later.
But nothing in this house feels accidental.
They’re distracted by Kylie’s pregnancy sickness flaring up bad, Taylor instantly moving to find something easier on her stomach and making ginger tea.
They settle into the living room with a dark chocolate torte consumed as dessert, all of them stuffed and satiated.
The lamps are dimmed, leaving a warm amber glow that pools across the rug and catches in the glass of half-finished drinks. Jason once again can’t help but think of the harsh light of his brother’s old house, not a single lamp in sight.
Kylie fully surrenders to the sofa, curled slightly into Jason’s side with her hand resting loosely on her stomach. Jason keeps his arm around her without thinking about it, thumb moving absentmindedly in a slow, steady rhythm against her shoulder.
Across from them, Travis settles close to Taylor. He’s half leaning back, one arm draped along the back of the sofa, and Taylor is tucked neatly into the space beside him.
As the conversation flows easily, Travis’ hand slips from the back of the sofa to her shoulder, thumb brushing once, and Taylor leans into it immediately.
It’s subtle, but Jason catches it. Her whole posture softens at the contact, like something in her settles. Her hand comes up to rest lightly on Travis’ forearm where it drapes over her shoulder, fingers curling there without thought.
Kylie lets out a small sleepy sound beside him, half sigh, half yawn. Jason glances down and adjusts the throw blanket over her legs without asking, tucking it more securely around her knees. She responds by shifting closer, her cheek pressing into his shoulder.
“Comfortable?” He murmurs.
“Mhm,” She hums, already drifting.
Across the room, Taylor glances over at them and smiles a little, softer now.
“You guys can take the guest room on the left upstairs. It’s already made up, but I can add a heater if you want?”
“Don’t get up. We’re good,” Jason promises, knowing Kylie’s far more keen to set her temperature with layers than with the heat.
“I don’t mind,” Taylor starts automatically but Travis’ hand tightens just slightly on her shoulder.
“They’re good, sweetie,” He tells her gently and Jason watches as something in her expression shifts.
“Okay,” She concedes softly, leaning further into him. Her shoulder presses more fully into Travis’ chest, her hand sliding up to rest lightly against his collarbone. Travis bends his head and presses a slow, unhurried kiss to the top of her hair.
Jason looks away out of instinct, then realises Kylie has already drifted almost completely asleep against him. Her breathing is even now, her hand loosely curled into his shirt. He adjusts again, careful not to disturb her, and feels her hum in quiet approval.
“Still awake?” Travis asks quietly from across the room.
“Barely,” Jason admits.
“Same,” Travis lets out a low laugh, “That torte took me out spiritually it was so good.”
That gets a soft laugh out of Taylor and she shifts just enough to look at him properly.
Kylie shifts slightly in her sleep and Jason instinctively tightens his arm around her again, grounding her back into him.
The room settles deeper after that, conversation fading into small, unimportant fragments.
Taylor eventually lets her head rest fully against Travis’ chest, her breathing evening out into something slower. Travis adjusts instantly, shifting so she’s more comfortable without waking her, his arm wrapping more securely around her shoulders.
Jason sits there in the quiet glow of the room, listening to the soft hum of the house settling around them.
There’s a version of Travis he’d gotten so used to protecting that he never realised how deeply he expected him to stay the same.
Travis who once lived almost exclusively on takeout, protein shakes, and meal prep from Kumar. Travis who used to leave laundry in the dryer for three days and call it storage. Travis who would absolutely have laughed in Jason’s face ten years ago if someone told him he’d someday be discussing wine pairings while stirring sauce in a kitchen that looked like it belonged in a magazine.
Now he moves through this massive house with complete certainty. This life Travis has built isn’t some phase or temporary orbit around someone brighter than him. Jason can see it in the quiet confidence that fills all the spaces Travis’ restlessness used to occupy.
Jason looks across the room at Taylor tucked safely into Travis’ side, his brother holding her like it’s the easiest thing in the world. Something deep in his chest loosens as he realises he’s looking at a man who’s already found home.