Stories Of Us - Tayvis Oneshots

the worst of storms

The night had been quiet, almost too quiet for Taylor Swift. The rhythmic hum of the air conditioning and the muffled sounds of the city had created a perfect cocoon of peace in their home, allowing both her and Travis Kelce to drift into a deep, well-earned sleep. Nestled together under a thick, luxurious blanket, they lay in the kind of closeness that came only with trust and love. Taylor rested her head on Travis's broad chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing as his arm draped protectively around her waist.

They hadn't had many nights like this recently. Between his football season and her whirlwind tour and new album, their schedules had rarely aligned. So, tonight had felt special, intimate. Travis had cooked dinner—well, he tried, but they'd ended up ordering takeout—and afterward, they curled up on the couch, talking about everything and nothing, like they always did when they had these rare, unhurried moments together.

But peace can be deceptive. In the distance, the first rumbles of a storm started, low and rolling, like a giant waking from a long slumber. Taylor, still half-asleep, shifted slightly, her face scrunching in confusion as a soft flash of lightning illuminated the room. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she blinked against the sudden brightness before squeezing her eyes shut again. She could feel the weight of the storm in the air, the pressure, the tension building. Another roll of thunder followed, louder this time.

Her pulse quickened.

The storm was moving closer.

She wasn't normally the type to fear much, but storms had always unnerved her, ever since she was a kid growing up in Pennsylvania. They reminded her of nights spent alone in her room, wide-eyed under her blankets as the sky roared and raged outside, as if the universe itself was angry at her. The older she got, the more she tried to shake it off, but the fear never quite disappeared.

Another crack of thunder, louder and sharper, split through the night, making the windows tremble. Taylor gasped, her body tensing involuntarily. Her fingers gripped the blanket tighter as she huddled closer to Travis, who was still sleeping soundly beside her.

"Travis?" she whispered, barely audible over the sound of the rain pelting against the windows.

He didn't stir.

Another flash of lightning lit up the room, followed almost immediately by a deep, earth-shaking boom. Taylor flinched hard, her heart thudding in her chest as the storm roared to life in full force. She shook Travis gently this time, her breath catching in her throat.

"Travis..." her voice trembled, louder now.

This time, he stirred. His brow furrowed slightly as his eyes cracked open, adjusting to the dim light of the room. "Hmm?" he mumbled, his voice deep and rough from sleep. "What is it, babe?"

She hesitated, feeling a little embarrassed. "It's the storm," she whispered, biting her lip. "I—I can't sleep. It's too loud."

Travis blinked a few times, his brain slowly catching up with reality. He could hear the rain lashing against the windows now, the thunder rumbling ominously outside. He turned his head to look at her, noticing the way her eyes were wide, reflecting the dim light from the storm. She was clearly scared.

He shifted his weight, propping himself up on one elbow. "Hey, come here," he said softly, pulling her closer. His voice was low and warm, and it immediately made her feel a little less on edge.

She curled into him, her body pressed against his chest. His arms wrapped around her, and she felt the tension in her muscles start to ease, even as the storm continued to rage outside. But the thunder kept coming, a particularly loud one booming above them like it was ripping the sky open. Taylor couldn't help it—she jumped, her breath catching again.

Travis's hand rubbed soothing circles on her back. "Shh, it's okay, babe. It's just a storm. You're safe."

"I hate storms," she muttered, her voice muffled against his chest. "I always have. Ever since I was a little girl. I know it's dumb, but I can't help it."

"It's not dumb," he reassured her quickly, his fingers running through her hair. "We all have things that freak us out. Hell, you've seen me on a plane."

Taylor let out a soft, shaky laugh, remembering one of their first flights together, when turbulence had caused Travis to grip the armrests like the plane was going down. "That was different. We were basically in the middle of an aerial earthquake."

"Sure, but I thought I'd never see the ground again. You were so calm, and I was convinced I'd need to start writing my will."

She smiled, the knot in her chest loosening a little. "Okay, point taken. But this..." She trailed off as another crack of thunder reverberated through the room. She gripped his shirt tightly, pressing her face against his chest as if trying to drown out the sound.

Travis shifted so he could look her in the eyes, his face soft with concern. "You know you don't have to act tough with me, right? It's okay to be scared."

Taylor's lips quirked into a small smile, her heart swelling at his words. Travis was always like this—so steady, so patient. He never pushed her to be anything other than exactly who she was, fears and all.

"I just... I hate feeling like this," she admitted softly. "Like I'm five years old again, waiting for the storm to pass."

Travis brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, his thumb tracing gently along her cheek. "You're not five, and you don't have to wait for it alone anymore. I'm here, Tay. I'm not going anywhere."

She looked up at him, her eyes searching his. There was something about the way he said it, so sure, so steady, that made her feel safe in a way she hadn't expected. Even though the storm outside was terrifying, it felt a little more bearable with him beside her.

The rain continued to pound the roof, but Taylor's breathing began to slow, her heart no longer racing quite as fast. She rested her head back against his chest, listening to the steady thump of his heartbeat beneath her ear.

Travis leaned down, kissing the top of her head, then her temple, lingering for a moment. "How about this," he said softly, "I'll distract you. Let's talk about something. Anything you want."

"Like what?" she asked, her voice still small but calmer now.

"Anything. Tell me about the first song you ever wrote," he said with a playful grin. "You've told me about your first guitar, but what was your first song?"

Taylor hesitated for a moment before she chuckled. "It was terrible. Really, really terrible."

"Come on, it couldn't have been that bad."

"It was called 'Lucky You,' and it was about a boy in my class who never noticed me. I thought I was writing the next big hit, but it was a mess." She smiled at the memory, the embarrassment of her first song feeling distant now, almost endearing.

Travis laughed softly, the sound deep and rich. "You've come a long way from 'Lucky You,' huh?"

"I hope so," she said, snuggling closer. "What about you? What's your most embarrassing football moment?"

He grinned. "Oh, there are so many. But there was this one time I tripped over my own feet in the middle of a touchdown run and face-planted in front of the entire stadium. I didn't get back up in time, and someone tackled me. It was on highlight reels for weeks."

Taylor laughed, her fears now almost completely forgotten. "I wish I could've seen that."

"I'll show you the video one day. You'll never let me live it down."

"Definitely not," she teased.

They fell into an easy silence after that, the storm still raging outside, but quieter in her mind now. Wrapped up in Travis's arms, Taylor felt the weight of her fear lifting. The storm would pass, just like all the others, and as long as she had him by her side, she knew she could weather anything.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice soft as sleep began to pull her under again.

"For what?" he asked, his lips brushing her forehead.

"For making me feel safe."

"Always, Tay," he murmured, tightening his arms around her. "Always."