tayvis ~ invisible string

podcast

travis's pov:

We were setting up for the podcast over Zoom, the usual routine. Jason’s screen popped up first, and he was already grinning like an idiot, adjusting his mic and tossing out sarcastic comments about my internet connection. I couldn’t help but smirk, but I wasn’t my usual self today. I clicked into the call, pretending to check my audio settings while Jason hummed to himself, clearly gearing up for something.

“You ready, Trav?” Jason asked, tilting his head with that same mischievous glint in his eye. He was always relaxed before these recordings, while I had this weird nervous energy buzzing under my skin.

“Yeah, yeah, let’s get this going,” I replied, trying to hide my fidgeting. I wasn’t normally anxious about our podcasts, but today felt different. My mind was stuck on something, or someone else. The Taylor Swift concert had been a few days ago, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of standing there like some awkward fan, trying to get a bracelet to her.

Jason fiddled with his earbuds, looking way too smug for my liking. I knew that look. He was up to something.

“You seem off,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “What’s goin’ on? Pre-podcast jitters? It’s just me, your beloved older brother.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Nah, man. Just been a long week, you know?”

That wasn’t entirely a lie, practice had been rough, and the season was heating up but that wasn’t what was really bothering me. My brain kept rewinding to the concert. I had this dumb, nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach about it. I’d gone there, made a friendship bracelet like a teenage fan, and tried to give it to Taylor. What the hell was I thinking?

Jason didn’t buy my excuse for a second. His smirk deepened as he leaned back in his chair, clearly enjoying the fact that he could see I was off balance.

“All right, let’s get started,” he said, signaling that we were rolling. We jumped into the usual banter football, strategy, brotherly trash talk. It was easy, familiar. I started to relax a bit, getting into the flow of the conversation, until Jason decided to drop the bomb.

“So, speaking of Taylor Swift...” Jason said, his grin widening as he leaned closer to his screen. “I know you went to the Taylor Swift concert. How was it?”

My stomach dropped. Here it was. Of course, he was gonna bring it up. I’d told him about the bracelet thing, but I didn’t expect him to bring it up on the podcast. My face felt warm, and I shifted in my chair, trying to hide how flustered I was.

“Yeah, well, I was a little disappointed that she doesn’t talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs she sings, so I was a little butthurt I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her.”

I laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of my neck. There it was, the bracelet thing. I still couldn’t believe I’d done that. I felt like a middle schooler with a crush, not a grown man who plays professional football.

“You made her a bracelet?” Jason asked, pretending like he didn’t already know, just to rub it in.

“Yeah,” I said, shrugging, trying to sound casual. “If you’re up on Taylor Swift concerts, there are friendship bracelets, and I received a bunch of them being there, but I wanted to give Taylor one with my number on it, all right nah?”

Jason raised his eyebrows, fully leaning into the bit now. “Your number as in 87 or your phone number?”

“You know which one,” I shot back, trying to laugh it off, but I could feel the heat rising to my face. This was not how I imagined this podcast going.