Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was a beautiful afternoon, perfect for a drive with the windows down, which is exactly what Dylan and Ryan were doing. They had shuffled Dylan’s ‘good vibes’ playlist and were driving down backroads, getting lost in the music and the joy of each other's company.

Ryan glanced over at his boyfriend, who was bobbing his head along with the beat of the song, which was coming to a close. Dylan was smiling, bathed in the glow of the evening sun, the slight breeze from the open window gently rustling his hair. He looked beautiful. (But when did he not?) God, Ryan wanted to never look away, but alas, he had to focus on the road. The end of the song faded out. There's a brief pause before the slow notes of the next began. It was a familiar intro, but Ryan couldn't place it just yet. Not more than a few seconds after the song started, Dylan gasps, “YES!” He exclaimed, reaching over to turn up the volume.

“We could leave the Christmas lights up 'til January”
Dylan sang along in perfect sync with Taylor Swift’s vocals. Ah, Lover, of course. Ryan has become pretty familiar with the song. How could he not? After all, it's the title track of Dylan's favorite of Taylor's albums. Over the years, he's been privy to many an infodump about her discography. He'd learned a whole lot more about Taylor Swift's music than he ever thought he would, considering it's kinda the opposite of his usual music taste. But Dylan loves it, so he listens.

“And there's a dazzling haze, a mysterious way about you, dear”
Dylan turned, now singing at Ryan. Who couldn’t help but smile. He loved that dork next to him in the passenger seat.

“Have I known you 20 seconds or 20 years?”
That line made him think; it echoed some of Ryan’s feelings about time and how it seemed to pass. It seemed so crazy sometimes that he and Dylan had been dating for 3 years now, it felt like they just met. But at the same time, it felt as if Dylan had been part of his life for so much longer.

“Can I go where you go?”
As the chorus of the song began, Ryan thought about if there was somewhere he could stop so he could actually watch his boyfriend being adorable. Instead of only catching little glimpses.

“Can we always be this close forever and ever?
And ah, take me out, and take me home”

“You're my, my, my, my Lover”
Dylan sang with all his usual flair. Poking Ryan’s arm to emphasize the word ‘lover.’ Ryan rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help the smile that stretched across his face as he turned into the empty parking lot of an old laundromat closed for renovations.
“Hm?” the brunette hummed, question evident on his face. “I wanted to focus on you, not the road,” he admitted, putting the car in park.
“What are you like, obsessed with me or something?” Dylan responded with a smirk. Though Ryan noticed the blush on his face, and the slight waver in his voice. “Maybe I am.” It was one of his favorite things how easily flustered his boyfriend is.

“We could let our friends crash in the living room
This is our place, we make the call” the song continued without them. Before Dylan collected himself enough to keep singing.

“And I'm highly suspicious that everyone who sees you wants you”

“I've loved you three summers now, honey, but I want 'em all”
And Ryan couldn’t agree more; he wanted to spend every second he could with his amazing, beautiful, dork of a boyfriend. Hearing Dylan's gorgeous voice sing those words felt like some strange but perfect promise of forever. He hoped the words meant the same to the one saying them.

“Can I go where you go?
Can we always be this close forever and ever?
And ah, take me out, and take me home (forever and ever)
You're my, my, my, my
Lover”
Ryan was getting lost in the moment, watching the radiant man across from him. Glowing from the last drops of sunlight as he sang.

“Ladies and gentlemen, will you please stand?”
Dylan turned towards the front of the car, waving his hand to an imaginary audience, gesturing for them to stand.

“With every guitar string scar on my hand”

“I take this magnetic force of a man to be my lover”
He continued, linking their hands, looking back at Ryan.
“My heart's been borrowed and yours has been blue
All's well that ends well to end up with you”

“Swear to be overdramatic and true to my lover” Dylan draped his arm over his head in a dramatic fashion to match the lyrics. He was going above and beyond being unapologetically himself. It had taken so long to get Dylan to just be himself, but God, it had been so worth the wait. Ryan adored every second with his Dylan-Dylan.

“And you'll save all your dirtiest jokes for me”
Ryan sang this time. Which got him exactly the reaction he wanted. That smile, the smile that meant the world to Ryan, the smile that consumed his face, that caused his nose and eyes to scrunch up to make room for that smile.

“And at every table, I'll save you a seat, lover”
Dyan leaned in towards Ryan and brought their foreheads together, drawing out the word ‘lover’.

“Can I go where you go?
Can we always be this close forever and ever?
And ah, take me out, and take me home (forever and ever)” the chorus repeated as they got lost in each other's eyes. The way Dylan’s eyes caught the evening light made them look like they were made of honey. Ryan hated eye contact for several reasons, but in this moment, it felt so right. Dylan’s eyes, he just couldn’t look away from.

“You're my, my, my, my
Oh, you're my, my, my, my
Darling, you're my, my, my, my
Lover”

As the song came to a close, he leaned forward just a bit, pulling Dylan into a gentle kiss. And as time melted away with their embrace, Ryan thought to himself, there's nowhere else he’d rather be, no one else he’d rather be with in this moment. No one else he'd rather spend his life with. He really had no idea how he got so lucky.