Talex Who (Tobin/You)

23

I sigh as I wake up the next morning and smile at the sight of Tobin still sleeping heavily on my chest, her arms wrapped around my waist and soft snores leaving her mouth. I smile and take a selfie of us, making sure to get both of our faces in the picture before posting it on Instagram because it's May 29. I smile at the picture before typing out the caption.

'Happy birthday to this beautiful human being right here. So fortunate to have the privilege of calling her not only my teammate, but my friend and partner. We've been through a lot together in the three years that we've known each other, she was by my side as I played in Orlando and struggled with being homesick while in Manchester, she's been such a great thing in my life for twenty three months, and I don't know what I would possibly do without her. She's my rock, she's my friend, she's my love. I love her so much and I can't wait to see what this year has in store for us. I love you, Toby, here's to another spectacular year by your side. Happy birthday baby.'

As soon as I posted the picture, tagged Tobin, and locked my phone, Tobin began to stir, so I kissed her forehead and rubbed her back a little to put her back to sleep, but squeak as she rolls on top of me, straddling me, so I look up at her and smile when she smiles down at me with tired eyes. She leans down and kisses me, but I can't help but smile into it, so she pulls away.

"What?" She asks and I smile wider.

"Happy birthday, my love." I say and she smiles.

"Thank you, Panda." She says and I wrap her up in my arms.

When Tobin and I get down to the breakfast nook that the hotel has, we make our plates before sitting with our usual group, Ash, Ali, Alex, Kelley, Carli, JJ, and Press, who all smile at us.

"If it isn't the happy couple." Ash says as we sit down and Tobin smiles at me.

"Happy birthday, old lady." Kelley says and Tobin smiles.

"If I'm old, you're ancient." Tobin says and Kelley furrows her brow.

"How?"

"It's my birthday. What I say goes." Tobin says and I kiss her cheek. Carli and I make eye contact and she nods at me, so I nod back, knowing that she's telling me she's proud of me for going public with mine and Tobin's relationship.

"Have you checked Instagram?" Carli asks and Tobin shakes her head.

"Not yet. Why?" Tobin asks, pulling out her phone as I start eating. "You tagged me in something, babe?" She asks and I nod, chewing my food. She opens it and freezes before scrolling down to read the caption. When she finishes. She turns to me and smiles wide at me. "Babe, you didn't have to just for my birthday." She says and I shrug.

"I wanted to."

"So that's my birthday present?"

"No, you'll get your present when we get home." I say and Ashlyn raises a brow at me.

"Not like that, you perv. I got her an actual gift before we left, it will be home by the time we get there, if not way before." I say and Ash rolls her eyes.

"Boring. Won't let me make sex jokes." She says and I chuckle.

"Go ahead. But I'm leaving if you start. So." I say and she nods.

"I won't make them then." She says and I nod as I continue eating. The rest of breakfast is filled with idle banter and the other girls coming from their tables to say happy birthday to Tobin in their way back to their rooms after eating. When we all finish eating, Alex asks what Ash and I did yesterday while we were out eating and we shrug. "We went to this dope ass little bakery that had this amazing food and coffee and the staff was just so nice and it was amazing. And after, we went next door and got some tattoos. Sorry grandma." Ash says and Tobin looks at me, so I show her my left forearm that has my dad's birth date on it, month day and year, in Roman numerals.