the stars in your eyes | t.s. one shots

lucky man

companion piece to 'it's new'

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A year after closing the Eras Tour, Taylor is happier than she's ever been. She's writing the most self-assured music of her whole career, still taking the world by storm, and everything just feels right. Travis brings his football career to a natural end, and Taylor thinks it's the most incredible way he could have ever left: after his third Super Bowl win in a row. Right after the big game, he takes Taylor to Italy in early March, gets down on one knee, and asks her to marry him. Of course, she says yes without a single moment of hesitation, and now, nine months later, they're deep into wedding planning. Everyone had told them how hard it would be, but it hasn't been nearly that bad for the two of them. There's lots to take care of, but they're doing it together, making each and every decision hand in hand. It's going to be the most perfect day.

When she's not figuring out the logistics of her dream wedding, she's in the studio putting the finishing touches on her next album, one that's all about how enchantingly in love she is. It's her happiest, most confident project ever, about love and lust and freedom and magic and just pure joy. Between those things, free time is few and far between, but when she does squeeze in those moments, Taylor is savoring spending as much time with her loved ones as humanly possible. She knows that now's the time to do it and that in a year's time... if all goes according to plan, that is... getting in her girl time will be like catching a bolt of lighting in a bottle of wine. Her and Travis are hoping with every fiber of their existence to have a little bundle of joy joining them within a year of their wedding. It's all just so exciting.

On a chilly December afternoon, Taylor is in the kitchen stirring up a pot of hot cocoa, melting a candy cane in as Christmas music plays through the speaker system. Travis stands behind Taylor, his hands wrapped around her waist. He's whispering sweet nothings into her ear and kissing the crook of her neck. Suddenly, he feels a vibration against his hip.

"Tay," he laughs, "your phone's ringing."

"I know, my butt's vibrating," she giggles, setting the wooden spoon on the countertop and grabbing at the device resting in her back pocket. Her eyes scan the caller ID. "It's Gracie."

"Well, don't leave her hanging." Travis quietly places a kiss to the top of Taylor's head, breathing in the tropical scent of her curl products as Taylor answers the call and holds the phone up to her ear.

"Hey Grac. What's up?" With her free hand, Taylor reaches up and grabs at Travis's, resting on her shoulder.

"Tay, hi. Are you in New York today? I saw some paparazzi pictures of you and Travis last night."

She laughs. "Yeah. You caught us. We aren't very sneaky." It's one of the best things about being with Travis, as the matter of fact. She doesn't have to slink around in the shadows, folding herself into suitcases and slipping in through the employee entrance just to go unnoticed.

"You guys have plans tonight?"

"I'm cooking Trav's favorite dinner and we'll probably watch a bad Hallmark movie or something," Taylor says, leaning back into her boyfriend's chest. "Why, you in the city?"

"Yeah," Gracie says, taking a deep, shaky breath. "I... uh... I'm here with my boyfriend and..." A nervous chuckle escapes Gracie's lips. "I don't know, this might be stupid. But I kind of... would really like for you to meet him, if that's alright? Is that weird?"

"No," Taylor shakes her head. "Not weird at all, Grac. I'd like to meet him and of course, I miss my Gracie time." They have seen each other in passing but haven't properly hung out since the summer. The two made such wonderful memories together on the Eras Tour. It's a time that they both miss so dearly. But they've both moved into their own new phases of their lives now.