Pitch Perfect Harmony

Decoration

Luckily, Taylor was able to adjust to the "normal" life after her tour pretty well. She still missed it, and a few times a day she just sat there, wondering what to do with herself. But Travis helped her, always coming up with a few things she could try to make choosing a bit easier. They also went out to dinner with Patteick and Britney. One day, he came home from practice and found his entryway full of cardboard boxes. She must have had a couple of deliveries today. "I'm home, sweetie!", he called before putting his things down and making his way through the boxes to the staircase. If she didn't answer or come to greet him, she was usually upstairs and didn't hear him.

"Tay? Baby, are you here?", he asked taking the last few stairs. He didn't hear anything until: "In here!" Confused, he entered the guest bedroom, where she had called from only to find her in the middle of canvases, an aisle, and boxes of color tubes. "Oh, wow", he looked around. Taylor's cheeks flushed red. "So... I just... ahm...", she stuttered not sure how to explain her randomly starting to do oil painting in one of his bedrooms. "I can... move this stuff outside or... Something", she mumbled noticing a few color splashes on the floor and the bed.

"Oh, bullshit! We can move some things around if you need more room. What are you doing though?", he wanted to know walking around to look at her canvas. She was in the middle of painting a lush green forest scene. "Holy... wow. Is there anything you're not good at?", he asked bending down to kiss her cheek. She had taken a rolling stool earlier which was why she tilted her head back to look at him standing behind her. "You like it?", she asked still a bit insecure. Few people had been understanding of her trying out new random hobbies every couple of weeks.

"Love it, honey. Where do you wanna put it when it's done?", he asked, hands on her shoulders massaging her. "I... They take forever to dry and then... I don't know", she admitted. "It's not like I need any more wall decoration anyway", Taylor added. "Well, how about we find a spot for it here? I'd love to have it in my office if you let me", he smiled. "You... want that?", she asked surprised. "Yes! It's beautiful! And it's from you and it looks better than looking out the window", he told her excitedly. Taylor giggled and got up to hug him. "Love you", she mumbled into his neck. "I love you too, sweetie. Should I let you finish this here and start on dinner?", he suggested not letting go of her yet. "Sounds good", she smiled and kissed him before letting him go.

Travis smiled the whole time making dinner just thinking about how locked in she seemed to be on her new hobby. It looked like she had painted before though. Otherwise, he would not be able to explain how good her forest looked. When dinner was ready, he decided to go upstairs again. She forgot about time easily if she was doing something very concentratedly. "Dinner's ready, honey. You coming?", he asked. "Oh! I... that was quick. I'm there in a minute", she told him. "I'll wait for you because I'm pretty sure you will take longer if I leave", he joked walking over to watch what she was doing. "Sorry, just... as long as the paint is still fresh...", she started but he just rested his hands on her shoulders again. "I can imagine. You mind if I stay?", he asked and Taylor shook her head, so she finished what she wanted to get done before they went downstairs to eat together.

"Your birthday is soon", he brought up over dinner. "Yeah... I asked a few people if they're free but apparently no one is", she shrugged. "I kinda don't want to prepare anything big anyway. It's... nice to calm down from everything", Taylor added. Travis smiled, trying not to give away anything about his surprise. He knew why none of her friends had time. He had invited them. "But I can invite you for dinner?", he asked. Taylor smiled and nodded. "Sure. Anything specific?", she asked feeling that he had some kind of plan. "Just dinner", he answered holding her eye contact sweating a little. She scanned him like she knew something.

"Do you wanna invite your parents and Austin for coffee and cake in the afternoon and then we go out for dinner, just you and me?", Travis quickly suggested so she wouldn't ask any questions. "Yeah. That sounds like a plan. I can prepare a cake", she agreed. "You will not bake your own birthday cake. I'm not a baker, but I can buy something good and I will", Travis insisted making Taylor chuckle. She had been baking her own cake every time for the past few years and she didn't mind it at all. But it was sweet that he wanted her to have something special. "Okay", she just smiled. Her birthday plans were set. Now Travis only had to keep his secret for a little bit longer.