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

kindergarten germs

this one was a request (that hit slightly too close to home after i got a weird and gross stomach bug from the 7 year olds in my class last year lol)//tw for anyone with emetophobia

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Taylor offers a small smile to Travis as she sets her duffel bag on the ground and kicks her sneakers off, then making a beeline for the Christmas tree to turn on the lights. She's absolutely exhausted from the last few days but has her priorities straight. Travis only smirks. "Christmas is over, Tay." He's just saying it because he knows it'll ruffle her feathers. Taylor absolutely loves Christmas and if it were up to her, they'd probably have the Christmas tree up until Valentine's Day. Hell, knowing Taylor, she'd happily string it with hearts, Easter eggs, and Jack-o-lanterns, depending on the time of year. She absolutely loves having a Christmas tree up.

"Shut up," she calls across the room to him. "I didn't get to see my Christmas tree on actual Christmas, so I'm gonna look at it all lit up and pretty now. Plus, it took me a long time to decorate, no thanks to you."

"Hey!" he exclaims. "I was at practice when you decided you couldn't wait another minute to turn this place into a winter wonderland." He walks over to her, placing his hand on her lower back. "Your tree is beautiful, Tay. The decorations are perfect. I don't know how you do it." The football player presses a kiss to her forehead. "Thank you for spending Christmas in Philadelphia. You made the girls' holiday so much more special." They got engaged a few months back, on their second anniversary, so nobody would have blamed them if they wanted to spend their first... really their only Christmas that they'll ever have as fiancees, in Kansas City at their own home. Still, Taylor and Travis wouldn't hear of that. They wanted to make sure that they were with family, so they made the trip to see Jason, Kylie, and their girls for the holiday, with plans to do New Years in Kansas City.

She nods, tucking her head into his chest as she breathes in his scent. "Christmas as a kid is way better when you get to wake up in your own bed. I get it. Getting to give those girls such a magical day is all that I could ask for."

"You're an angel," he tells her, running his hand over her hair. They fall into silence as they look at the tree, glistening lights adorning the branches. A real tree, of course. Travis grew up in a fake tree family- they had the same one from before he was born until he was in college. The needles were falling off and it was a pretty sorry excuse for a Christmas tree by the time they'd gotten rid of it finally. He'd followed suit and bought his own fake tree for his house when he was an adult, but once he'd started dating Taylor, she wouldn't hear of bringing it out on the holidays. Growing up on a Christmas tree farm, that's the closest thing to a felony in her eyes. They'd gone to a local farm in Kansas City and picked out their perfect tree this year. She'd lovingly dressed it with tinsel and ornaments and all of those things that make Christmas special, and has tended to the tree meticulously each day since. It always has water and sunlight and everything it needs to thrive.

"Trav, I'm pretty worn out from the holiday and the travel and all," she tells him after a moment. "I'm gonna take a quick shower if you want to join me. Then maybe we could snuggle after?"

"Of course, baby," he says, taking her hand as they walk towards the bathroom. Truly, she couldn't have possibly proposed a better way to spend their day. Their favorite kinds of days together are the quiet ones where they just enjoy each other's company. After they shower and wrap themselves in cozy clothes and blankets in their bed, Travis pulls Taylor into him, positioning her so that her head is resting on his chest. "You feel better now?"

"I mean... I'm still super tired," she shrugs. "I don't know."

He sighs. She probably just didn't sleep all that well the last few nights, with being in an unfamiliar house with four little kids, including a baby who doesn't sleep through the night just yet. It's just then that Travis's phone dings. He picks it up from where it was resting on the mattress beside him and instantly, his forehead wrinkles up with lines of concern. "Oh shit."