Tayvis One-Shots

talk to me

Travis's POV

I could tell something was wrong the second Taylor walked into the living room. She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. Her movements were stiff, her energy low.

I put the game on mute, turning to face her. "Hey, you okay?"

She nodded too quickly, avoiding my gaze as she curled up on the far end of the couch. "Yeah, just tired."

It wasn't like her to sit so far away, and it definitely wasn't like her to avoid looking at me when she spoke. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. "Taylor. What's going on?"

She sighed, her shoulders slumping as she tugged at the hem of her sweater. "It's nothing, Travis. Really."

"It's not nothing," I said gently. "Talk to me, angel."

The nickname made her flinch, and that was like a punch to the gut. Taylor always loved when I called her that.

She finally looked at me, and her eyes were glossy with unshed tears. "I'm fine," she said, her voice quieter now, but I could hear the strain.

I reached out, resting my hand on hers. "Taylor, please. I'm not going to push you, but if something's bothering you, I want to help. You don't have to deal with it alone."

She stared at our hands for a moment, her fingers trembling slightly beneath mine. Then she inhaled sharply, like she was bracing herself.

"I know it hurts to pretend like everything is okay," she said, her voice breaking just a little, "but sometimes that's the only way I can cope."

Her words hit me like a brick, and I squeezed her hand gently, encouraging her to keep going.

"I hate being vulnerable and letting other people know my weaknesses," she continued, her voice tinged with frustration. "It always made me feel like I'm annoying others by being vulnerable or expressing negative feelings."

Her eyes filled with tears, and I slid closer, cupping her face in my hands. "Taylor," I said softly, my heart breaking for her. "You're not annoying. Not to me. Never to me."

She sniffled, her tears finally spilling over as she leaned into my touch. "I just don't know how to let people in sometimes," she whispered. "I'm scared they'll see me differently, or worse, get tired of me."

I shook my head, brushing my thumbs gently across her cheeks. "That's not going to happen, angel. Not with me. You're not a burden, and you're not alone. Whatever you're going through, I'm here, okay? Every step of the way."

She let out a shaky breath, her eyes searching mine. "You mean that?"

"Of course I do," I said, pulling her into my arms. She melted against me, her body trembling as she let herself cry.

Taylor's body trembled as she buried her face deeper into my chest, her sobs muffled against my shirt. I held her tighter, my hand moving in slow, steady strokes down her back, hoping to anchor her.

"I hate feeling like this," she choked out, her voice broken. "I hate crying, I hate falling apart, and I hate that I can't just... hold it together like everyone else seems to."

"Taylor," I said softly, leaning down to press a kiss to her temple. "You don't have to hold it together all the time. No one can. Not even you."

"But I feel like I do!" she cried, her voice cracking. "I feel like everyone expects me to be this perfect, unshakeable person. Like I can't have a bad day, can't let things get to me, can't just... just fall apart!"