Requested by: @Athena2083
The soft glow of sunset filled the room, casting a warm, golden hue over the living room. Taylor sat on the couch, her legs tucked under her, a soft blanket draped over her shoulders. She scrolled through her phone absentmindedly, her fingers tracing the screen as she waited for Travis to finish up in the kitchen. The sound of dishes clinking and the faint smell of garlic and herbs filled the air, a reminder of their quiet, peaceful evening together.
It had been a long day for both of them. Travis had come home exhausted from practice, and Taylor had spent most of the day in her studio, working on new music. She was grateful for these quiet moments they could share, just the two of them, without the noise of the outside world.
But there was something nagging at Taylor tonight, something she had been keeping inside for longer than she cared to admit. She had always been able to manage her condition, keeping it hidden from most people, even Travis. But lately, her tics had been getting worse. The stress of her demanding career, her busy schedule, and the pressure she always placed on herself seemed to be making it harder to control.
She felt a familiar twitch in her shoulder, and her jaw clenched involuntarily. She tried to focus on her breathing, tried to suppress the urge to tic, but it was like holding back a wave. Her heart raced with the knowledge that it was only a matter of time before Travis noticed.
"Dinner's almost ready," Travis called from the kitchen, his voice breaking through her thoughts. He stepped into the living room, wiping his hands on a towel as he flashed her a smile.
Taylor smiled back, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. She could feel it building—the tension in her muscles, the pressure in her chest. She knew what was coming, and the embarrassment of it gnawed at her.
Suddenly, without warning, her body jerked forward, her shoulder snapping up violently. It was quick, but painful, the force of the movement jarring her. She let out a sharp breath, trying to steady herself, but the next tic came just as suddenly—a harsh, involuntary exclamation that left her lips before she could stop it.
"F—fuck!" she blurted out, the curse word hanging in the air between them like a shockwave.
Travis froze in his tracks, his eyes wide with surprise. Taylor never swore, at least not like this. He had heard her use curse words in songs or for comedic effect, but this was different. The word had slipped from her lips without any warning or context, and she looked as startled by it as he felt.
"Taylor?" he asked, concern lacing his voice as he took a step closer to her. "Are you okay?"
Taylor's cheeks flushed a deep red, her heart pounding in her chest. She opened her mouth to respond, but another tic forced its way out before she could speak.
"Shit!" she cursed again, her hand twitching violently beside her, the force of the movement causing her to wince.
She couldn't stop it. No matter how hard she tried to control it, the tics kept coming—her body jerking, her voice spitting out curses she didn't want to say. The room suddenly felt too small, too suffocating, and the shame of it all crashed down on her like a tidal wave.
"I'm so sorry," she managed to choke out between tics, her voice trembling with embarrassment. "I—Travis, I didn't mean—"
But before she could finish, her head jerked again, and a string of expletives escaped her lips, more forceful than before.
"Fuck! Damn it!" she shouted, her voice filled with frustration, her hands clenching the blanket tightly as she tried to steady herself.
Travis stood there, speechless for a moment, watching her with wide eyes. He had never seen her like this before. She was always so calm, so composed, and seeing her like this—so out of control—shocked him to his core.
"Taylor..." he started, his voice gentle, but she cut him off with another string of curses, her face contorting with both the physical pain of her tics and the emotional turmoil of losing control in front of him.
"Shit! Shit!" she cried, tears welling in her eyes. Her body was trembling now, her muscles aching from the force of her tics. "I—I can't stop it," she whispered, her voice breaking with frustration and shame.
Travis quickly moved to her side, sitting down beside her on the couch and reaching out to gently touch her arm. "Hey, hey, it's okay," he said softly, his hand resting on her shoulder in a reassuring gesture. "You don't need to apologize. What's going on?"
Taylor bit her lip, her eyes filling with tears as she looked away from him, unable to meet his gaze. She had never wanted him to see her like this. She had never wanted anyone to see her like this.
"I... I have Tourette's," she finally admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's—my tics... I can't always control them, and sometimes... sometimes they're really bad."
Travis's eyes softened with understanding as he processed her words. "Tourette's?" he repeated quietly, his hand still resting gently on her shoulder. "I didn't know."
Taylor shook her head, her body jerking again as another tic forced its way out. "I've been able to hide it pretty well," she said, her voice trembling. "Most of the time, I can suppress it. But lately... it's been getting worse."
She clenched her fists in frustration, another string of curses spilling out of her mouth before she could stop them. "Fuck! Sorry... I don't usually swear this much. I hate it. I hate that I can't control it."
Travis's heart ached for her. He could see the shame and frustration etched into her features, the way her body tensed with every tic, the way her voice shook with embarrassment. He had never realized how much she had been dealing with, how much she had been hiding from him.
"Taylor, you don't have to be embarrassed," he said softly, his hand gently rubbing her back in a comforting gesture. "It's not your fault."
Taylor let out a shaky breath, wiping at her eyes as she finally looked at him. "I know, but... swearing like this, in front of you... it's not me. I don't usually do this."
Travis smiled gently, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "I know you don't," he said, his voice calm and soothing. "But this doesn't change how I feel about you. It's part of who you are, and I love every part of you."
Taylor felt her heart swell at his words, the knot of anxiety in her chest loosening just a little. She had been so scared of how he would react, but seeing the softness in his eyes, hearing the sincerity in his voice, made her feel like she could breathe again.
"You're not... freaked out?" she asked hesitantly, her voice small.
Travis chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Not at all. I mean, yeah, I was surprised, but that's just because I didn't know. Now that I do, it just makes me love you more."
Taylor let out a soft, shaky laugh, her body relaxing slightly as she leaned into him. "I don't know how you can love me when I'm like this," she muttered, still feeling a little self-conscious.
Travis pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her and pressing a gentle kiss to her temple. "I love you because you're you, Tourette's and all," he said firmly. "You don't have to hide anything from me, Tay. I'm always going to be here for you, no matter what."
Taylor felt the tears well up again, but this time they were tears of relief, not shame. She buried her face in his chest, letting out a deep breath as the tension slowly melted away.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible against his chest. "For understanding."
Travis kissed the top of her head, holding her tightly as they sat there in the quiet comfort of each other's presence. "You don't ever have to thank me for that," he murmured softly. "I've got you, always."
And in that moment, for the first time in a long time, Taylor felt like she didn't have to hide anymore. She wasn't perfect, and that was okay. Because with Travis by her side, she knew she was loved just the way she was.
Requests ~~~>
