Chapter Text
1 year later
"Well you are your fathers son alright." TK looked up from where he was attempting to catch his breath on the floor of the gym, the dummy that he had just carried out of a 'burning building' as Judd had put it, thrown to the left of him. He couldn't wait until he and that dummy were through, he was getting sick of the sight of it. "You beat your own personal best again, kid."
He grinned at Judd's words who was sat across the room from him, a whistle around his neck and a checklist. TK was thankful that the 126 had pulled together to help TK with his training, they were often found taking turns in helping TK prepare both physically and mentally.
"Really?" He replied as soon as he trusted his own voice, he pulled himself up into the sitting position and stared back at Judd as if Judd had just told him he was nominated for an Oscar.
"Like you are shocked." Judd teased, "You have been training constantly. And don't try to tell me you haven't, your kid has figured out how to use your phone and sent me and Grace pictures last week."
That had TK's attention, because he already knew Judd was referencing Isabelle. Mason preferred playing on Carlos's laptop, it was TK's phone that Isabelle liked to download games on. TK had sworn to Paul the other day that the app Despicable Me: Minion Rush on his phone was not his, but the seven year old's. "Pictures of what?"
Judd grinned at the nervous look on TK's face, after all, he loved those twins more than New York pizza but he also knew what they could get up to. They were raising two very adorable schemers. "Y'know, just pictures of you training in your garden." He shrugged, before he was adding. "Oh, and she also sent one of you and Carlos passed out together on the couch. Pretty adorable i gotta say Strand...Or is it Reyes now?"
TK rolled his eyes, but couldn't hide the blush that arose on his face at Judd's joke.
Judd must have picked up on it because he playfully knocked their shoulders together, "C'mon, we all know you two are going to get married." Judd pointed out, "You've been together for over a year now and you are still in the honeymoon period...It's sickening."
TK threw the towel wrapped around his neck at the older man, "Like you and Grace are any better." He argued, although he was content in knowing his relationship was considered sickly to other people, he was proud of that.
Judd, unsurprisingly didn't have a come back to that- after all, he knew TK was not lying.
"After all, you have the house...the kids, hell you even have that dumb dog now-" TK gasped, horrified that somebody would even dare call his fourth baby (alongside Carlos, Izzy and Mason) dumb. Leo was a Newfoundland, otherwise known as a gentle giant who they got last year from a local Austin rescue shelter. He was a chocolate brown colour and in TK's own biased opinion, alongside Buttercup, his friend from the station, he was the greatest dog to ever live.
"Did somebody call my dog dumb?" The offence was quickly swiped off TK's face as he heard the familiar sound of Carlos's voice and his face quickly gained a smile, much to Judd's amusement. Love sick puppy he heard his friend mutter as TK looked up and found Carlos in his work clothes, leaning against the wall of the gym and looking between Judd and TK- and god, TK would never get bored of that sight.
"No, sir." Judd lied, holding his hands up in defence.
Carlos shot him a knowing smirk before he was walking further into the room, TK taking this as his cue to drag himself up and towards his boyfriend. "I'm sweaty-" TK went to protest, but he barley had time to finish before Carlos had his arm hooked around his waist and was pulling them close enough that a piece of paper couldn't fit in between them. TK barley heard Judd rush out of the room, claiming that he was going to check on Mateo and Marjan, while calling out something about appropriate workplace behaviour, but TK ignored that in favour of kissing Carlos like he hadn't seen him in weeks, when they had woken up in the same bed only this morning.
"You done here?" Carlos asked when they finally parted for air, TK made sure to keep his arm around Carlos's neck however.
TK smirked, stroking behind Carlos's ear, which was usually the best way to help Carlos's fall asleep. TK couldn't count the amount of times he had the taller man's head on his chest after Carlos returned home from a tough shift, helping him fall asleep that way. "Oh yeah? You want to carry this on at home?" Before he was adding, "You know i'll ditch training to get you out of your pants, Reyes."
Despite Carlos rolling his eyes, he could see the amusement on his boyfriend's face as he replied, "Get your mind out of the gutter, Tyler." He held his phone up, showing TK the time but TK was more focused on Carlos's lock screen. It was a photo from around three months ago when they had taken the twins to Arizona, their first out-of-state trip as a family of four (TK was already planning on convincing Carlos to go to California for Disney World next). The photo on Carlos's lock screen was actually of TK, Mason and Isabelle on the plane there, he had taken it when TK had fallen asleep and Isabelle had proceeded to fall asleep against his side, her head under TK's arm while Mason was leaning against his other side, playing a game on the ipad. It was simple, but perfect.
"It's 3, i told my mom i'd pick up the kids about half an hour ago." Carlos continued, as TK suddenly reminded himself that he was a responsible parent now. His favourite job ever. "We need to drop Isabelle off at her dance class and then we have to go get groceries."
"Wow...We really are just an old married couple aren't we-" TK froze the second he mentioned the concept of them being married. Yes, he had thought about it, in fact, he had thought about it a lot- after all, his last marriage was something he was still recovering from. But with Carlos, he wanted them to be a family forever, his only fear was what Carlos's opinion is on it. "Uh-"
But Carlos was reaching down and entwining their hands, tugging him towards the exit of the gym with a smile spread across his face- "Huh, i guess we are." Before Carlos himself was looking slightly shy as he turned to look at TK as they walked out of the gym together. "Do you hate that idea?"
TK was silent for only a few moments before he realised what Carlos was asking, and as soon as his brain caught up with him he was finding his voice, "Being an old married couple with you?" He laughed, "Carlos i actually enjoy ironing your work uniform for you, my favourite part of the day is watching terrible tv with you and helping the kids with their homework that we have to google the answers to because apparently we struggle with seven year old's homework-" Carlos was laughing now, the both of them stopping outside of his- their car, outside of the 126. "This is the happiest i've ever been."
Carlos leaned forward and pressed their lips together, "I love you."
"I love you too." TK called out as he pulled the passengers side of the door open, "Now let's go get our two sidekicks, i miss them."
It was exactly five months later that Carlos got down on one knee by the lake outside of Rosa's cafe. TK cried the second he turned around from gazing at the way the moon was reflecting off the water to find the love of his life looking up at him with a ring in his hand. It had taken five seconds for TK to drop to his knees and throw his arms around Carlos, nearly knocking the other man over in the process.
As usual, however, Carlos had kept them both up right and just chuckled as TK cried into his neck, overwhelmed and so, so in love. "I didn't mean to make you cry this much, baby." Carlos said as he pressed a kiss to the side of his head, not caring that TK's tears were currently wetting his favourite blue button up.
And then TK had finally let Carlos speak, he moved back but stayed on his knees so he could stay as close to Carlos as possible as the man spoke. "From the moment i met you, i knew i just wanted to be around you all the time. My children loved you instantly, the rest of my family- I can't describe the feeling you give me, but it's a feeling i want forever." TK just continued to wipe at his eyes as he listened to Carlos list all of the reasons he loved him, both of them not caring that the mood from the grass was clearly rubbing off on their pants. "I love you, i love everything about you from the way you love our children- okay, because they are yours, right? No more my children, we are raising them together. You are there for the parent-teacher conferences, the bedtime stories, the school plays- we are a team."
"So, Tyler, i just want everything with you." Carlos found himself saying, despite the tears that were clouding both of their eyes. "So...Marry me?"
And TK didn't even say yes before he was throwing himself back at Carlos and pressing their mouths together. This time, however, Carlos did fall backwards and take TK down with him. Thankfully, they managed to keep their mouths pressed together in the process and TK smiled into the kiss as he felt Carlos's tongue slip through the gap of his mouth, both of them pulling away for Carlos to ask, "Is that a yes or a really enthusiastic no?"
TK laughed, their foreheads pressed together. "It's a yes." Another kiss. "I want to be a Reyes."
Carlos grinned, "You've been a Reyes for a long time." And TK wasn't about to disagree with that.
"Holy shit..." TK breathed out, his arm hooked around his... Fiancé's shoulder. "Iz and Mason are going to be so excited-"
Carlos made a noise, that TK had grown to be very familiar with- he smirked, "They already know don't they?"
The other man held his hands up in defence, "C'mon, they know everything. Plus, they helped pick the ring." He defended. "Apparently i needed two seven year old's opinion on engagement rings. Only they know though, which means telling our parents and even worse...my sisters."
TK grinned, knowing while the next couple of months would be hectic for their relationship, it was going to be worth it. They were going to be surrounded by their family and friends in Austin, TK's mom would stop by to visit for the wedding, friends that TK had left behind in New York would come and the best part of all of it, their families would be joined.
1 Year later.
The four of them had been sat around the dinner table one night after school, which was pretty typical for them- it often consisted of Mason talking about science class while Isabelle talked about history. It seemed the had a science kid and a humanities kid on their hands. However, they had been learning about the states in geography class and that's how Isabelle had come home intrigued about where TK had lived before living with them.
He almost regretted telling her he grew up in New York, because as soon as he did, Isabelle decided that New York sounded like an amazing place to visit.
Which to most people it is, however, TK hadn't returned to his home state since the night he ran out on Ethan. Ethan, his abusive ex-husband who had been sacked from his job with the NYPD and charged for violence against TK.
Straight away, Carlos had tried to talk his persistent daughter out of that idea, offering up other cities that they both knew she would love to visit, however the pout on her lips was enough to break TK's heart. He was a parent now, a responsible one, but he still couldn't resist the use of the puppy dog eyes.
So, TK had turned towards his husband and decided that he was in a good enough place now to return. Sure, Austin was his home now and the trip to New York would only be a trip, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad to show his favourite people where he had grown up before Ethan had entered his life.
Which is how he found himself sat on a bench in central park, his jacket zipped up to his chin- because it was December and this was New York. Across from him, Isabelle and Mason were playing in the snow- something they weren't exactly used to- but at the sound of their laughter as they continued to throw it at each other, TK figured they were enjoying this climate. Next to him, Carlos sat, their gloved covered hands hiding their wedding rings entwined and placed on TK's lap, TK couldn't help but lean forward and press a quick kiss to Carlos's cold lips as they made eye contact.
"How do you feel here?" Carlos asked quietly, stroking his thumb along TK's hand.
For a moment TK thought to himself, glancing around at the city he both loved and hated. But then he looked back at Isabelle and Mason, they had stopped on the grass and Isabelle was pointing at all the buildings and attempting to name them, while Mason protested every answer his sister gave, much to TK's amusement, because Izzy, that isn't the white house that's a hotel and this is New York Mason was saying.
"Happy." TK finally found the right word, turning to look back at his husband.
Carlos nodded slowly, before speaking up- "Happy as in you miss being here?"
TK laughed at that, he knew that answer. "Austin is home. I'm happy i can come visit here, to see friends and family, i'm happy that i am no longer afraid to return to the city i grew up in. But, no Carlos, home is Austin."
"But just so you know..." Carlos started, "If you missed New York and wanted to come back, you know me and the kids would follow."
TK really loved this man, loved him and their kids more than he ever thought possible. "Austin is where i want us to raise our family, it's home." TK confirmed, much to Carlos's relief. Because as much as he loved seeing TK in New York, moving from Austin would be a change and a half. "My dad's in Austin, the 126 is in Austin, your family is there...And that's where we should be. Plus, i'd miss breakfast burritos too much."
Carlos's laugh alone was enough to have him falling in love all over again.
Their eyes landed on their children again. This time however, Mason was passing a teddy bear that had been dropped on the ground back to a baby sat in the pram. TK's heart melted at their interaction, Mason smiling as the child that must have been around the age of one reached out and received their bear, smiling behind their pacifier and TK squeezed Carlos's hand, wanting to know if he was thinking the same way.
Apparently, Carlos was as he felt his husbands eyes return to him, before the older man was clearing his throat. TK however, wasn't expecting what Carlos decided to say. "You want one?"
"Huh?" Was all TK managed to get out, his eyes leaving Mason and Isabelle to look at Carlos.
Carlos shrugged, "I mean- maybe, have you thought about giving Iz and Mason a younger sibling?" TK's eyes widened at Carlos's words, because he had been thinking about it a lot, Carlos's sister had another baby only a couple of months ago and TK had almost melted into the floor at the sight of his husband holding a tiny baby in his big arms. Yes, TK wanted that. He wanted another child, he wanted for him and Carlos to be dad's again and he wanted Mason and Isabelle to be an older brother and sister.
So TK found himself nodding, "A lot."
"Yeah?" Carlos grinned, "I mean, we can talk about it. We could look into adoption or surrogacy, baby, whatever you want-"
And TK was pressing their mouths together, almost knocking the air out of Carlos's as he fell backwards against the bench. TK wasn't sure how long he managed to kiss Carlos before he felt a weight on his lap and laughter as Isabelle threw herself onto him, Mason doing the same to Carlos.
"Dad!" Mason shouted, excited. "That baby had the same name as me."
"Oh, yeah?" Carlos smiled as he pressed a kiss to his sons forehead, pulling him to his chest as TK did the same to Isabelle. "Did you like him?"
"He's cute." Isabelle confirmed, before she casually asked, "Can we have a little brother?"
TK found Carlos's eyes over the tops of their children's head, and TK didn't know exactly how the future would pan out, but as long as he had these three, he knew he would be okay.