Taylor x Travis: In Every Life

oh my god they were roommates

part two of 'and they were roommates'

Taylor's POV

Travis and I were bombarded with comments from our family for a little while, but eventually they switched to teasing jokes and lighthearted prods until my cheeks were red. On the other hand, Travis seemed to handle it just great, so I let him handle the comebacks and I buried my flushed face in his neck.

They let up after a while, going back to an almost normal version of how they all were on days like this, but I knew everyone's gazes lingered on me and Travis every so often. They watched how I was curled up in his lap, the way he played with my hair, the way we shifted around each other. Now that we'd released the true feelings we'd had for each other, it was so natural, so easy. We were always meant to be together; I could see that now.

We spent the afternoon playing backyard games, catching up, and it was nice to just spend time with our families again. Just before afternoon turned into evening, my dad and Travis' dad started setting up the barbeque as our Mom's got up to go and get things ready in the kitchen. 

"Hey I'm gonna go help them." I murmured to Travis, who nodded. Leaning in, I kissed his cheek and then got to my feet, stretching out my arms as I scurried into the house behind my Mom. "What can I do?" I asked, rolling up my sleeves.

I started to help my Mom and Donna finish up the dinner prep they'd been doing for the last few days, and Kylie came to help a minute later. We split into the stereotypical male and female groups, which was always how it had been with us. Maybe it was a little gender stereotypical to have all the females in the kitchen and all the males outside with the barbeque, but it was how we did things and we liked it. It worked.

"So, Taylor." Donna said after exchanging a look with my Mom. "When did this happen? When did things finally happen with you and Travis?"

"Yesterday." I blushed. 

"See, I told you it would happen." Mom told me matter-of-factly, and I threw a roll of my eyes in her direction. "I did!"

"Yes I know, thank you for reminding me." I said sarcastically, and everyone laughed. Then I paused. "How did you know?" I asked curiously. "How did you know it would happen?"

"Well." Mom exchanged a look with Donna. "We've all known since you were about twelve, maybe a little younger. You two had always been attached at the hip, but one day when Travis had stayed home from school with a cold, you came home crying because some boys were picking on you." She told me, and I stopped what I was doing to listen. I didn't remember this. "You came in bawling your eyes out, dropped your bag on the floor, and walked right out again. I thought you'd gone to sit on the steps, but when I came out you were gone. I looked everywhere for you, and eventually Donna called me saying she'd found you curled up in bed with Travis. And even though he was sick and miserable, he was the one comforting you." Mom smiled at me. "You'd just known that Travis was what you needed, and that's when we knew you two would someday turn out like this. You just needed each other."

I smiled, my heart throbbing with warmth from hearing that story. I didn't remember it, but it sounded exactly like something we would do. Even if we were both upset, if one of us needed something the other would put their problems aside. 

I glanced out of the window, looking at Travis where he stood talking to my brother. They were just chatting, smiling over their beers. Everything else around me faded like I was in a movie or something as I gazed out at the man I already knew was my forever. There was no question about it. We belonged to each other. That was the way it had always been, and that was the way it would always be. I loved him, and he loved me. 

Then Travis glanced up, catching my gaze through the window. He smiled immediately, warm, adoring, and I smiled even wider back at him. He said something to Austin without looking away from me, and then he was moving away, coming up to the house. I watched as he walked inside, coming straight up to me without sparing a glance to the three other people in the kitchen. Without missing a beat, Travis slipped a hand around my lower back and pulled me into a kiss, long and lingering and loving, like he didn't care both of our mothers were watching us. Hell, I didn't care. I was so in love with him.