Greatest In the League

practice...?

Guys, I need some requests please! 

Travis' POV

When Jason and Kylie asked if Taylor and I could watch their girls for the night so they could go to a fundraiser, we happily agreed. However, when I answered the door that evening, Jason's expression clued me in that we were in for a wild ride. 

"Good luck, man," Jason said with a laugh, handing me Bennett. "Wyatt's going through her bossy phase, and Elli's refusing to wear anything but her princess dresses."

I grinned, bouncing Benni on my hip. "I've got this. Besides, Taylor's basically a superhero."

Taylor appeared and stood beside me, chuckling softly while tracing her hand on Elli's shoulder. "We'll be fine," she reassured Kylie, giving her a comforting smile "Go enjoy yourselves, the girls will be perfect!"

As soon as the door closed behind their parents, Wyatt spun around, hands on her hips. "Uncle Trav, we want pizza for dinner, and I get to pick the movie."

I stifled a laugh. "Oh, so you're in charge now?"

"Yep," Wyatt declared, nodding her head confidently. "I'm the oldest."

Taylor shot me a playful look, reaching over to take Bennett from my arms. "Well, you heard the boss. Let's get pizza going."

We ushered the girls into the kitchen, and Wyatt immediately grabbed the step stool to reach the counter. "I wanna do the cheese," she announced.

"Alright, you're the cheese master," I said, handing her the shredded mozzarella. "But don't go too crazy, okay?"

While Taylor kept the girls entertained, I rolled out some dough before placing it on a cooking rack so the girls could help with the "fun stuff". 

Taylor sat a much more reserved Elliotte on the counter, and I watched as she nervously and delicately held a single slice of pepperoni. "Ellie, you want to help with the pepperonis?" Taylor asked, gently guiding her hand to place the slice on the dough.

Bennett, who had found her way back onto my hip, leaning against my arm and chest, was happily babbling away, her little fingers grabbing at my shirt to steady herself as I moved around the kitchen. I kissed the top of her head, feeling her warmth against me. Taylor caught my eye, and for a second, I saw something flicker in her expression — exhaustion, maybe? Or something else. But she quickly masked it with a smile.

She was done with the tour now, and she had taken a break of releasing new music, but since we were planning our wedding she had her hands plenty full. I knew she loved the girls, but I hoped she didn't get too run-down. 

Once the pizza was in the oven, Wyatt declared that we needed to pick a movie. "I want Frozen!" she shouted, running to the living room.

"Again?" I asked, following her with Bennett still in my arms.

"Again!" Wyatt echoed, her hands splayed out in front of her, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

I set Bennett down on the playmat, where she immediately started chewing on a stuffed giraffe. Taylor settled next to Elliotte on the couch, her arm wrapped protectively around her as she handed her a blanket. I noticed the way she winced slightly when she moved. Maybe she'd been pushing herself too hard lately with all the work stuff.

Wyatt sat next to me, her head leaning on my arm as I hit play. We were about twenty minutes into the movie when I glanced over at Taylor. She was stroking Ellie's hair absentmindedly, her eyes half-closed but focused on the screen. Her whole demeanor felt a little off — she seemed quieter than usual, like she was holding something back. I was about to ask her if everything was okay when Bennett let out a loud giggle, and I turned my attention to the little one.