Outside Work We... •[TNN One-shots]•

Bromance To Romance •|| WINCE ||• Pt. 4

[A/N: Last part!!]

Prompt: Reece and Winter finally say "I love you" to each other.

The weeks after Winter and Reece became official were filled with quiet moments of happiness. Winter's sass seemed softer when directed at Reece, and Reece's golden retriever energy felt less overwhelming and more comforting when Winter was around. They fit together like puzzle pieces, each bringing out the best in the other.

It was during one of their quieter evenings, curled up on Reece's couch, that the thought began to nag at Reece. They hadn't said it yet—not explicitly. Sure, their actions screamed it, but the words "I love you" hadn't been spoken. And for some reason, that felt important.

Winter had his head resting on Reece's shoulder, a blanket draped over both of them as a nature documentary played on the TV. Reece wasn't paying attention, though. His focus was entirely on Winter—the way his glasses slid down his nose when he relaxed, the way his chest rose and fell steadily.

"What are you thinking about?" Winter asked, his voice soft but amused.

"Nothing," Reece lied, though his cheeks betrayed him by turning pink.

Winter lifted his head, his dark eyes narrowing playfully. "Reece Knight, you're a terrible liar."

Reece sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. I was just... thinking."

"About?"

Reece hesitated, his blue eyes meeting Winter's. The vulnerability in his expression made Winter's teasing smile fade.

"About us," Reece said softly.

Winter shifted so he could face Reece fully, his heart beginning to race. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No," Reece said quickly. "No, not at all. It's just... I've never felt like this before. With anyone."

Winter's expression softened, a gentle smile tugging at his lips. "Me neither."

Reece reached for Winter's hand, intertwining their fingers. "I guess I'm trying to say... I think I love you."

Winter froze, his breath catching. The words hung in the air between them, weighty and powerful. He stared at Reece for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest.

Then, slowly, a smile spread across his face—a real, genuine smile that made Reece's heart ache in the best way.

"I think I love you, too," Winter said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Reece's face lit up, his relief evident as he laughed softly. "You really couldn't let me have the big romantic moment, huh?"

Winter rolled his eyes, but his smile didn't fade. "You're the romantic one, not me."

Reece leaned forward, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to Winter's lips. When he pulled back, his forehead rested against Winter's. "I love you," he said again, his voice steadier now.

Winter's eyes softened, and he squeezed Reece's hand. "I love you, too."

For the rest of the evening, the world seemed to fade away. It didn't matter that the documentary was still playing, or that the tea on the coffee table had gone cold. All that mattered was the warmth between them, the quiet certainty that this—them—was right.

It wasn't the end of their story, but it was the start of something even more beautiful.