The next morning, Taylor woke early again, this time without the weight of unease pressing against her chest. She stretched in the soft light filtering through her bedroom window, feeling the kind of calm she rarely experienced. Maybe it was the effect of the lake, or maybe it was the unexpected quietness she'd shared with Travis the day before. Either way, she wasn't in a rush to figure it out.
The house was still when she crept downstairs, the faint smell of coffee lingering from the kitchen. She grabbed a cup and wandered out onto the deck, her favorite place to start the day. The lake was like glass, perfectly still, and for the first time in years, Taylor felt no need to disrupt it with her thoughts.
She was halfway through her coffee when the door behind her creaked open. She didn't need to turn to know who it was.
"Early again?" Travis's voice was low, softer than usual, as though he didn't want to disturb the morning.
Taylor glanced at him over her shoulder. "Some of us appreciate the peace," she replied, her tone light.
He smirked, leaning against the railing beside her. "And here I thought you'd be too busy plotting revenge for that last sandwich I stole yesterday."
Taylor laughed softly, shaking her head. "Don't tempt me. I'm still deciding if you're worth forgiving."
"Fair enough," he said with a small shrug. "But if it's any consolation, I'm a terrible thief. I left the crumbs as evidence."
She rolled her eyes, but the smile lingered. They stood in companionable silence for a moment, watching as the sun rose higher over the water.
"You know," Travis said eventually, breaking the quiet, "I wasn't sure about this trip at first. Thought it'd just be Austin dragging me into some chaos I didn't need."
Taylor raised an eyebrow. "And now?"
He tilted his head slightly, his gaze thoughtful. "Now I think it's... good to slow down. I'm not great at it, but this place makes it easier."
She sipped her coffee, not looking at him. "I didn't think you ever slowed down. You always seemed like the kind of person who needed noise to function."
He chuckled. "Yeah, well, noise is easy. Silence is... harder. But you can't dodge your thoughts when it's this quiet, can you?"
Taylor glanced at him, surprised by his honesty. It wasn't like the Travis she'd known all these years to admit something so vulnerable.
"No, you can't," she said softly. "But maybe that's not such a bad thing."
Travis turned to her, his expression serious now. "You don't strike me as someone who avoids her thoughts."
She hesitated, her fingers tightening around her mug. "Maybe not. But that doesn't mean I like facing them."
He nodded slowly, as though he understood more than she expected. "Fair point."
They fell silent again, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Instead, it felt like the kind of quiet that held weight, as though the space between them was shifting, filling with something unspoken but significant.
"I think I'm going to take the canoe out later," Travis said, breaking the stillness. "You're welcome to join me, if you want."
Taylor blinked, caught off guard. It wasn't the kind of invitation she expected from him—simple, without any teasing or expectation.
"I'll think about it," she said, keeping her tone neutral.
"Fair enough," he replied, pushing off the railing. "I'll leave it by the dock if you change your mind."
YOU ARE READING
Sunsets and Second chances (a short Tayvis Story)
Fanfiction**Summary:** Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have known each other their entire lives. Travis, Austin's best friend and Taylor's older brother, spent much of his childhood at their house, playing football in their backyard and raiding their fridge wit...
