Outside Work We... •[TNN One-shots]•

Bromance To Romance •|| WINCE ||• Pt. 2

Prompt: Winter and Reece's relationship slowly evolves.
[AU]

The next few days after their first kiss were a whirlwind of emotions. Winter and Reece didn’t dive headfirst into a full-blown relationship. Instead, they eased into it, letting the new dynamic between them develop naturally. They still hung out like before—joking, teasing, and supporting each other—but there was an underlying tenderness now, a silent acknowledgment of what they meant to each other.

°•°•°--**--°•°•°

One evening, Reece invited Winter over again, this time to help decorate his Christmas tree. The house smelled of pine and cinnamon, and soft holiday music played in the background as they rummaged through boxes of ornaments.

“You have way too many of these,” Winter said, holding up a glittering snowflake.

“It’s called tradition,” Reece replied, pulling out a strand of tinsel. “You wouldn’t understand, Mr. Minimalist.”

Winter smirked, placing the snowflake on a branch. “You’re just jealous my aesthetic is superior.”

Reece threw a piece of tinsel at him. “Your aesthetic is boring.”

As they bickered, their hands brushed while reaching for the same ornament. Winter froze, his eyes flicking to Reece, who looked equally startled.

For a moment, everything else faded—the music, the tree, the mess of decorations on the floor. It was just them, standing close enough to feel each other’s warmth.

Reece broke the silence, his voice soft. “You know, I could get used to this.”

Winter tilted his head. “Used to what?”

“This,” Reece said, gesturing between them. “You. Here. With me.”

Winter’s teasing demeanor softened, and he smiled. “Yeah, me too.”

Reece took a tentative step closer, his hand brushing against Winter’s. “Is it okay if I—”

Winter didn’t let him finish. “Just kiss me already, Knight.”

Reece grinned, leaning in. Their lips met for the second time, and it was just as sweet as the first. This time, there was no hesitation, only warmth and affection.

When they pulled apart, Winter’s cheeks were pink, and Reece’s smile could have lit up the entire room.

“You’re really bad at being romantic,” Winter teased, though his voice was soft.

“And yet, here you are,” Reece shot back, grabbing another piece of tinsel and tossing it at Winter.

Winter laughed, shaking his head. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Reece muttered, though he couldn’t stop smiling.

°•°•°--**--°•°•°

Over the next few weeks, their relationship quietly became official. They didn’t make a big announcement—there wasn’t a need to. Autumn and Marjorie figured it out almost immediately, mostly because Reece couldn’t stop smiling whenever Winter was around. Carly caught on when she saw them holding hands while walking to the nursery one morning, and well... She told everyone about it.

Despite the teasing, Winter and Reece found a rhythm that worked for them. Their dates were simple—movie nights, long walks, and occasionally trying out new recipes in Reece’s kitchen (though Reece quickly banned Winter from seasoning anything after one particularly salty incident).

They didn’t rush anything, content to let their relationship grow at its own pace. But every now and then, when the world grew quiet, Reece would pull Winter close, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

“I’m glad we did this,” Reece would whisper, his voice filled with warmth.

And every time, Winter would smile, his heart full. “Me too, Knight. Me too.”