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cricketnationrise · 1 year ago

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For the ficlet fest (congrats on 500!):

7:52 pm

the weight room

Jack Zimmermann

Rating: M

(Doggernaut/rabbitrunnah)

oooooh this was really fun to write, thanks for the prompt! i hope you enjoy senior year jack thirsting over bitty as much as i do <3

want your own ficlet? my followers can submit their own prompts using these guidelines through Jan 31, 2024.

🏒🏒🏒🏒

7:52pm, weight room

Jack tries to catch his breath before his last set of leg presses.

There’s something immensely satisfying about weight-lifting days. It’s straightforward; more weight, more reps, diversifying exercises—it all works together to translate to better performance on the ice: more power, more breakaway sprints, more goals. A simple A plus B equals C. Jack’s favorite kind of math.

Once, not that long ago, weight training days would have been solely about maintaining the perfect form, strict adherence to his own ridiculous goals, pushing his body to keep going, to be better, to go right up to the limit of what was possible—and then past it, regardless of all the warnings his coaches, his parents, his teammates, even his own mind were giving him.

But now Jack’s in a better place, he’s got more support, so he can just lose himself in the repetitive motion, the sensation of sweat down his back, the clean exertion of pushing his body in a healthy way.

Or, he could, if he wasn’t so distracted.

It isn’t Jack’s fault that the leg press machine faces the mirrors. It isn’t Jack’s fault that there’s a clear view of the hip adductor machine in said mirrors. And it certainly isn’t Jack’s fault that Bittle is ahead of him in the circuit, on said hip adductor machine, in said mirrors.

…But it might be Jack’s fault that he can’t stop watching.

Despite his size, Bittle’s always been strong. That much had been obvious from the way he could skate suicides for an hour, the way he could hurl his body so high into the air and spin, the way he could whip a meringue by hand without pausing, or switching hands. He’d been surprisingly dense when Jack had pushed him into the boards during checking practice last year, Jack’s attention caught by how Bittle’s muscles were highlighted as much as his haircut in the sunlight when he’d moved into the Haus this summer.

Bittle’s strength is glaringly obvious right now.

The mirror provides an optimal view for Jack as he rests before his last set. Bittle’s perched on the seat, hands on the grips behind him for balance. His brow is furrowed, and the collar of his shirt dark with sweat from the effort from today. For once, he’s not singing or humming or bouncing along to the music in his headphones; Bittle’s breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth carefully, measured, timing his exhales with every time he manages to bring his knees together. Jack’s whole being is focused on the way Bittle’s thighs flex as he pushes them from spread wide to knees touching and back again. Over and over. All of Bittle is glistening with sweat from the exertion under the fluorescent lights and Jack—

Jack has a sudden, visceral, all-consuming urge to taste. To run his hands from Bittle’s delicate ankles, up his calves. To hold Bittle’s thighs open wide with his shoulders so he can get his hands on his hips, his waist, his ass. To take his time, sucking the sweat from Bittle’s thighs hard enough to leave a line of bruises in his wake, before moving higher. To lick the sweat from the crease where his thigh meets his hip. To chase the drops of Bittle’s precome with his tongue. To take Bittle’s cock with his mouth, all the way to the hilt, before pulling Bittle’s hand to his own hair, encourage him to move Jack exactly how he wants, to take—

The resounding clang of Bittle’s weight stack yanks Jack out of the fantasy.

Câlisse de tabarnak—he’s in the middle of a workout, he can’t be getting distracted by a teammate of all people, and especially not Bittle. Jack depends on their hard-won friendship too much to ever even entertain the possibility—

Jack stands, busies himself with adding more weight to his own machine for his last set, determined to keep his eyes off the mirror, off of Bittle as he bustles around the machine, gathering his water bottle, bending over to wipe the seat down, ass facing the mirror—

It’ll be fine. Bittle will finish cleaning the machine. He’ll move on to the next stop in the circuit, to the machine that’s directly behind the hip adductor. Completely obscured from Jack’s view, and Jack will be able to finish his leg presses without getting distracted.

Bittle catches his eye in the mirror and gives him a small smile and a salute before bouncing off to the next machine and Jack—

Jack better do two more sets, just to be safe.

#cricket writes #running-rabbit #ficlet fest 500 #omgcp #year 2 #jack is the thirstiest actually #and also the king of self-denial #jack 110% zimmermann

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madisonandmore · 1 year ago

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☀️ Happy September 1st y’all! And happy Creator Reveal Day! ☀️

A huge thank you to everyone who has participated in any way: whether writing, recording, drawing, prompting, commenting, or reblogging, you’ve certainly brightened our summer! 💛

Without further ado, here are our amazing creators!

(Creators, please reach out if your tumblr handle below is incorrect or missed)

☀☀☀☀

A Sandy Situation by maanorchidee (@forabeatofadrum)

amphibious creatures by HowOldAreWe

Cowabunga by Mernium (@zimbits-my-love)

Crashing Into You by functionalgaypointdexter (forheart)

Eelgrass by perhapsajacket (@perhapsajacket)

Heard the Mermaids Singing by Humbuggy (@checkdeezpucks)

Hot-lanta by JustLookFrightenedAndScuttle (@justlookfrightened)

i'm starvin', darlin by Local_Queer (@a-very-gay-disaster)

like an ice cream cone by WrathoftheStag (@wrathofthestag)

Making My Head Spin by JustLookFrightenedAndScuttle (@justlookfrightened)

[podfic] getting used to letting go by hullomoon (@hullomoon)

[Podfic] shall i compare thee to a summer's day? by ChaosKiro (@chaoskiro)

Salt Water Hearts by Humbuggy (@checkdeezpucks)

sloshed with gold by nostalgicplant (@ohyoufool)

Stargazing, Skinny Dipping, and Slideshows by lincyclopedia (@the-lincyclopedia)

suddenly this summer it's clear by dessertwaffles (@dessertwaffles)

Summer Gothic by nurseysbeanie (chryysalis) (@nurseysbeanie)

tales of the off-season by Local_Queer (@a-very-gay-disaster)

The Way Way North by McBangle (@mcbangle)

Unnameable Truth by thefiveboxingwizards (@thefiveboxingwizards)

Wasteland Baby by Humbuggy (@checkdeezpucks)

we'll make out and take a mouthful of the summer time by RabbitRunnah (@doggernaut)

Wild and beautiful and drenched in sun by StarDryad (@lutzgocelly)

#madison&more #check please #omg check please #omgcheckplease #omgcp

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omgauplease · 2 years ago

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Feeling down? The fantastic works from our Day 5 creators are just what the doctor ordered!

What You Will - Rated T - 8,251 words

Featuring: Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann

Summary: TWELFTH NIGHT OR, WHAT YOU WILL SAMWELL UNIVERSITY Director: Jack Zimmermann Stage Manager: Denice Ford

Audition Information

Date: Thursday, August 31, 2014 Time: 2pm - 6pm Where: Room 217 of Theater Building

Please bring a headshot and resume, as well as any known conflicts with weekdays 6pm - 10pm and Saturdays 12pm - 6pm from Monday, September 4, 2014 - Sunday, October 6, 2014.

Prepare two contrasting monologues, one of which must be comedic.

The casting for Viola/Cesario is gender-blind.

Callbacks will be posted no later than Friday, September 1, 2014 on the callboard.

.💊💊💊.

Won't Eat Crow (But It Might Eat You) - Rated T - 6,792 words

Featuring: William "Dex" Poindexter, Denice "Foxtrot" Ford, Tony "Tango" Tangredi

Summary: There was a woman covered in blood standing at the front of the room.

The sight of her was intense. It was grotesque. It was dramatic.

It was distracting Dex from his biology quiz.

For the Prompt: Where Dex is being pursued by an Irish deity very interested in working with him - either Brigid or the Morrigan off the top of my head, but I'm sure there may be others that are a good fit.

.💊💊💊.

nobody knows the trouble i've seen (glory, hallelujah) - Rated G - 5,468 words

Featuring: Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann, Kent "Parse" Parson/Jack Zimmermann, Eric "Bitty" Bittle & Jack Zimmermann

Summary: Where the red string of fate is something more like a noose, somehow they still find each other.

{A Southern Gothic AU where Jack died back in 2009 and Bitty can see ghosts - under narrow circumstances.}

.💊💊💊.

the whole world is all yours tonight - Rated T - 2,928 words

Featuring: Derek "Nursey" Nurse/William "Dex" Poindexter

Summary: Will would not describe the vibe backstage as chill, despite Derek’s numerous claims to the contrary.

Or, The Frogs are a boy band and it's opening night of their first national tour.

.💊💊💊.

[Podfic] Special Delivery - Rated T

Featuring: Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann

Summary: Mailman Jack Zimmermann is used to attention from the little kids on his postal route. Being asked to attend a Mailman Jack-themed birthday party, well, that's a first.

Inspired by this Shitty Check, Please AU prompt: "jack is bitty’s mailman and bitty’s 6 yr old is in love with jack and always wants to greet him when he delivers the mail. recently divorced bitty has to pry his daughter away most days, even tho he himself feels the same."

Podfic of Special Delivery by RabbitRunnah.

.💊💊💊.

A reminder to all creators whose works are revealed today to please update your publication date to today so that your works are shown at the top of the feed on AO3.

Please also remember to show love through kudos and comments to our creators when you enjoy their work! ❤️

#omg check please #omgcheckplease #omgcp #check please #omgauplease #day 5 reveals #check please fanfic #check please fic #check please podfic

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mysecretcheckpleasesideblog · 8 months ago

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Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Check Please! (Webcomic) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann Characters: Eric "Bitty" Bittle, Jack Zimmermann, Shitty Knight, Larissa "Lardo" Duan Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Beach, Snack Shack Employee Bitty, Enemies to Lovers, Canon-Typical Drug and Alcohol Use, Mention of a near-drowning incident, Summer Romance, Surfing Instructor Jack Summary:

Working at the beachfront snack shack isn't the most glamorous job, but at least Eric has a great view of the hot surfing instructor to help him pass the time.

It's too bad the hot surfing instructor is kind of a jerk.

Or, Eric Bittle is an overworked snack shack employee making minimum wage, and Jack Zimmermann's job is beach.

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appalamutte · 2 years ago

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this year has seen the resurgence of my obsession with fanfic, so it’s probably appropriate for me to take a look back at the fics that stayed with me the most, long after i closed the tab.

this is an incredibly subjective list and i by no means think these fics are better than others. these are just fics that i continue to think about, that i have reread in chase of the feelings i felt when i first read them, or that impacted me in a way that i can’t explain. there’s no real set criteria. there’s no real rhyme or reason. these are just my 22 favorite fics i read in 2022*.

these fics come from multiple fandoms and contain a wide array of genres / tropes. they’re listed in alphabetical order by author. some summaries i cut down due to length.

*these are fics i have read/reread in 2022, they weren't all published in 2022

Check, Please!

Here We Are, Two Strangers by CoffeeStars [rating: explicit | words: 16.4k | read: december] The year in which Kent Parson, famous NHL player and renowned (read: lonely) party animal, reads trashy erotic novels, fails to learn Russian from Alexei’s mom through elaborate contemporary dance, co-adopts a dog, and fucks his way into domesticity and, surprisingly, a functional relationship. .

Better With Time by foryouandbits [rating: mature | words: 118.5k | read: june] Over six years Eric is faced with several difficult life lessons, but there is also joy, laughter, love, and self-discovery. More than anything Eric learns that sometimes in life, you really can only get better with time. .

if life is a movie then you're the best part by goldstandard [rating: explicit | words: 16.1k | read: june] Eric Bittle has one mantra as he relives March 29 over and over again - don’t get hit. If only things were that easy. .

paradigm shift: a triptych by hockeydyke [rating: mature | words: 21.1k | read: november] Halloween will be Bitty and Jack’s first major public appearance as a couple, since Bitty had missed family skate at the beginning of the season because he’d had to attend a little media day of his own for Samwell. So yes, while they’ve both answered plenty of questions since they first kissed at center ice, they haven’t actually done so together yet. The media is going to eat this right up. That’s why this has to be perfect. That's why Bitty has to be perfect. .

maybe i'm waking up by idrilka [rating: mature | words: 157.9k | read: march] It’s almost funny. All he ever wanted was to play hockey, to play in the NHL, to win the Cup. This—Samwell, the team, the Haus—was supposed to be just a detour, but now it feels more like a destination he failed to realize he’s already reached. .

live through this and you won't look back by nighimpossible [rating: teen | words: 4.1k | read: october] The worst part about falling in love with a straight boy is definitely not watching him date girls. No, the worst part about falling in love with a straight boy is that you never even had a shot. .

don't you look charming (here in the eye of a hurricane) by onawingandaswear [rating: teen | words: 9.6k | read: may] In 2009, Jack Zimmermann doesn't just walk away from his future, he packs a bag and runs. .

Happily Ever After, After All by RabbitRunnah [rating: teen | words: 23.8k | read: october] Jack Zimmermann and Eric Bittle have been happily married for years. Or so their kids think. Now that their secret's out, a wedding is in order. .

C'est à ton tour de te laisser parler d'amour by sylviarachel [rating: teen | words: 10.0k | read: july] Sure, Gabriel’s about to meet a two-time Stanley Cup winner who’s also the NHL’s very first out queer player, whose posters he had all over his bedroom walls as a teenager. And also his husband the best-selling cookbook author and YouTube celebrity, who was the first out queer captain of an NCAA men’s hockey team and led his team to a championship. But no need to be intimidated, right? .

No Matter How Small by weneedtotalkaboutsherlock [rating: explicit | words: 125.4k | read: april] "Elliot," Eric says, "this is Jack. Jack, this is Elliot." .

out in the open by wit [rating: teen | words: 35.0k | read: april] One thing is for sure: this isn't what Bitty expected to happen when he first DMed NHL forward Jack Zimmermann. .

How to Blow a Fuck Ton of Meal Points in 1.5 Semesters by YourPalYourBuddy [rating: teen | words: 5.2k | read: november] The cashier stares at the computer screen as they pick up their trays. “Damn,” she says. She glances at Jack and hands his card back. “You’ve got the most meal points I’ve ever seen.” .

Hockey

The Salt King by ladyblahblah [rating: explicit | words: 112.5k | read: september] Sidney dreams, memories of a past life intruding on the one he's living now. But there's no such thing as selkies, and no such thing as a love that lasts across two lifetimes. Until, of course, there is. .

Fastening One Heart to Every Falling Thing by thefourthvine [rating: explicit | words: 51.5k | read: june] Geno can't. Sidney won't. .

King and Lionheart by thehoyden [rating: explicit | words: 56.1k | read: july] Sidney’s wedding day doesn’t go quite as he’d planned. When he’d bothered to imagine it at all, he’d thought of a nice June wedding in Nova Scotia, outdoors with the sun streaming down. He hadn’t imagined this hurried affair on the tarmac on a rainy and unseasonably cool day in early September, a month after his twenty-fifth birthday. .

From Wood and From Ivory by vamm_goda [rating: mature | words: 91.3k | read: september] Sidney's always had a very precise plan for his life: Captain the Seabirds to a championship, make it out of high school, and make it big in the NHL. Then Alex Ovechkin happens. .

Lions in Arms by xihale [rating: mature | words: 4.7k | read: december] “I want to fuck in bathtub full of cash,” Ovi says. “That is entirely unsanitary,” Sidney doesn’t say. .

Attack on Titan

Midwinter by ackermom [rating: teen | words: 59.2k | reread: february] In the deep midwinter, the villagers of Wall Rose gather to celebrate the new year with song, dance, and theatre. The Solstice Stage Festival is a light in the dark for many, and this year, the trainees of the 104th Cadet Corps will take part as a lesson on community relations. For some, the stage offers the spotlight they've always wanted. For others, it's just another way to hide. .

Soul Sisters by ackermom [rating: teen | words: 166.4k | reread: june] "Sororities are for straight girls," Ymir had said. "I could never join a sorority." Then she met the vice president of Zeta Chi. .

And here, I cry by charryklss [rating: general | words: 1.2k | read: january] Reiner reminisces in front of Annie as a friend and as a stranger. Together, they cry. .

Echoes by scioubeez [rating: explicit | words: 108.7k | read: january] "You've been ruining my life ever since I met you." .

Wind in the Sails by vidnyia [rating: teen | words: 60.7k | reread: january] Determined to honour his grandfather's final wish, Armin boards the Ship Sina in search of a new life. However, before his adventure can begin, he must survive the dangers of the ocean during the vessel's two-month journey across the Pacific. Under the disdainful watch of his bunkmate Jean Kirstein, Armin struggles to adapt to life aboard the eccentric ship, beginning to question everything as the wind leads him in a direction he never could have planned for. .

NOTE: technically, my fic reading resurgence started in late october 2021, but since that's only two months i decided to throw those fics in this list. midwinter, soul sisters, and wind in the sails i read in 2021, but i also reread them this year. that's why i'm including them.

there we have it! my favorite 22 fics of 2022. this year has truly gone by in the blink of an eye (it feels like just yesterday i was crying my eyes out over echoes, when really i read that way back in january oh my god), and i can't wait to see what fics 2023 brings.

onto the new year!

#genuinely can’t believe 2022 is over like #i’m actually a bit distraught over that #2023 is the year i graduate college and have to find a Job Job i’m not ready i’m not ready i’m not ready #omgcp #hrpf #attack on titan #fic rec

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loves-to-listen-to-podfics · 4 days ago

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#check please #podfic

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foryouandbits · 1 year ago

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Most of what @doggernaut (RabbitRunnah on AO3) writes is post-canon or future fic and all of it amazing, so if you haven’t read it I recommend 10/10

need to think of a post canon fic for my bingo I've got 4/5 of a row

#fic rec

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mamashitty · 3 years ago

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Some fic recs! Hope everyone is having a wonderful day.

Fic: Oh What A Night

Word Count: 12151

Author: weneedtotalkaboutsherlock ( @weneedtotalkaboutfic)

Fandom: Check Please!

Relationship: Eric “Bitty” Bittle/Jack Zimmermann, Gabby St. Martin/Sebastien “Marty” St. Martin

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Summary: "Here," the blonde man says, and pushes the cocktail back towards Jack. "Have my drink and I'll have yours. If you're not allergic to cranberries."

In which, in the span of a single night, Jack Zimmermann meets, loses, chases after, and catches Eric Bittle.

Fic: out in the open

Word Count: 35061

Author: wit (@parvuls)

Fandom: Check Please!

Relationship: Eric “Bitty” Bittle/Jack Zimmermann

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Summary:TMZ ✔ @TMZ · May 23, 2019 22:36

Jack Zimmermann and Eric Bittle’s Friendship Goes Viral After Release of Providence Falconers Video

One thing is for sure: this isn't what Bitty expected to happen when he first DMed NHL forward Jack Zimmermann.

Fic: What Started in Beautiful Rooms

Word Count: 4491

Author: RabbitRunnah (@doggernaut)

Fandom: Check Please!

Relationship: Eric “Bitty” Bittle/Jack Zimmermann

Rating: Mature

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Summary: Eric just wants to do his job, but Jack Zimmermann keeps walking into his kitchen. They can’t keep meeting like this.

Fic: You never have to hide

Word Count: 2211

Author: cubeofbutter

Fandom: Check Please!

Relationship: Eric “Bitty” Bittle/Jack Zimmermann, Bob Zimmermann & Jack Zimmermann

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Summary: In which Jack and Bitty are not good at keeping their relationship a secret and Bob Zimmerman is not oblivious.

Fic: Sleepless in Samwell

Word Count: 7777

Author: WrathoftheStag (@wrathofthestag)

Fandom: Check Please!

Relationship: Eric “Bitty” Bittle/Jack Zimmermann

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Summary: “Warm. Delicious. Delivered. Sleepless Cookies specializes in delivering freshly-baked, amazing cookies right to your dorm in the wee hours of the night. Sleepless Cookies - We’re There For You When You Need Us Most.”

Midterms at Samwell are always hectic and cause people to lose sleep but when the haus orders cookies at 2:00 a.m. and Jack meets the adorable delivery guy, Eric, it’s not just mid-terms that are keeping him up at night.

#omgcp #omgcp fics #jack zimmermann #eric bittle #zimbits #mamashitty fic rec

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finishyoureffingwip · 4 years ago

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You see, it feels like I’m starting to care

By RabbitRunnah (@doggernaut)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Eric “Bitty” Bittle/Jack Zimmermann

Characters: Jack Zimmermann, Eric Bittle, Alicia Zimmermann, Bob Zimmermann

Additional Tags: Jack Zimmermann character study, 5+1 Things, Running, Running as a form of therapy, Mentions of Jack’s Overdose

Words: 4907

Summary: Jack’s always been most at home on the ice. But sometimes he does his best thinking while he’s running.

#omgcp #fyfw event #posted work #omgcheckplease #zimbits #jack zimmermann #omgcp fic #submission

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parvuls · 4 years ago

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* adapted from @librajiminn on twitter

a fun game to celebrate 2020 ending! the rules are simple: recommend your favorite omgcp fics so everyone can enjoy them, while trying to fill in enough slots to get a bingo! i ordered my recs starting from top left; my filled bingo card is at the end ✨

most recent fic you bookmarked don't tell your mother by seeingrightly [rating: unrated, probably t | words: 1k] essentially: jack is in madison, and things aren’t easy but at least they’re together. i have an unhealthy obsession with madison/4th of july fics, and every new one i discover brings me joy. i liked this one in particular because of the lovely, clean flow of the writing, and for its attention to the problematic environment: the (assumed) homophobic nature of georgia, and bitty's tension when he’s home as a result.

a fic that made you cry Your heart hurts, mine does too by the_p_in_raspberry (@thepinraspberry) [rating: t | words: 19k] essentially: this fic fills the prompt ‘what if bitty hadn’t come out to shitty?’ the fic deals with exactly the subject material implied, and is inherently painful. this what if version of bitty’s journey with his sexuality was so, so raw, but it was the good kind of pain. i’ll say that while this fic is jack/bitty at its core, i really think its real strength is the team dynamics. they are so there for each other, and it was a beautiful read.

a fic you’ve re-read multiple times Prove To Me You Got Some Coordination by amalnahurriyeh [rating: explicit | words: 17k; the series is 24.5k] “In which Jack Zimmermann has a favorite stripper, some very strong feelings about labour relations, and a good heart.“ when i prepared myself for reading a stripper au, this is not what i expected. this fic is one of my all-time favorites. i adored the politics angle, jack's awkward Helpless Good Guy gestures, and bitty being a complete badass. their soft flirting, the realistic (but positive!) take on sex work, and the careful handling of a potential unequal power dynamic. i don’t think i can count on one hand the amount of times i read this fic.

a fic from your to-read list Never Will You Ever by thefiveboxingwizards (@thefiveboxingwizards) [rating: explicit | words: ~25k (WIP)] essentially: during fall semester of Y2 the team plays never have i ever, which results in jack coming out to bitty. bitty decides to move on, just as jack starts to realize his own feelings. this is the first time i’m reccing a fic i haven’t actually read. i have a strict rule against reading wips for my own mental health (although i have great appreciation for all writers who decide to post them; kudos to you). the premise of this fic sounds so alluring, however, that i couldn’t help but marking it for later and then checking if it’s updated every few days. can’t wait to read it when it’s finished!

FREE SLOT and now what words do I have? by MyCupOfTea (@marchingatmidnight) [rating: m | words: 10k] essentially: jack and bitty love each other. bitty moves to france. jack and bitty continue to love each other, even when it’s hard. this fic could’ve fit several of my slots, but eventually i decided to just rec it on its own. it’s one of my absolute favorites in this fandom. i love it for the writing, the pacing, the decision to tackle a real obstacle in a relationship without unnecessary dramatization. i love the softness the pining trope is painted with; how the distance is awful but they deal with it so well, so healthily. i love when angst is used to build and show the strengths of a relationship, not just to hurt.

a pwp With New Eyes by luckie_dee (@luckiedee) [rating: m | words: 3.5k] essentially: mirror sex with a flavor of intercrural. this fic is set during bitty’s first visit to providence, which shifts the entire tone of the fic accordingly. everything is so tentative and new, and i just really liked how gentle jack and bitty are with each other, how they savor new things. the setting and bitty's thoughts and the whole thing was perfect, and so in character.

a fic that is pure fluff Over Heels by anonymous [rating: gen | words: 2.5k] essentially: jack and bitty and marriage. this is such a soft portrayal that it made my chest ache. it isn’t Y4-compliant, but it is so goddamn cute it doesn’t matter. i especially loved the communication between them, the choice of rings (plus the subtle mentions of jack stimming), and this sort of low key, understated proposal. the last scene with jack kissing the ring clinched it for me: i could picture it so clearly my heart flipped.

a fic with your favorite trope How to Blow a Fuck Ton of Meal Points in 1.5 Semesters. by YourPalYourBuddy (@ivecarvedawoodenheart) [rating: t | words: 5k] essentially: jack finds himself with more meal points than he could ever need, and proceeds to spend them on his team (read: bitty) - which leads to some realizations. the trope this fits is ‘year 2 canon-divergence getting together’, and it’s one trope i will never tire of. i absolutely loved the set up of this because it's so college. i loved jack's characterization, and also their conversations, how well bitty's feelings are translated through jack's eyes even when jack's not completely aware of them, and the ending.

a fic with a trope you don’t usually read Tipping the Scales by akaparalian (@floralegia) [rating: t | words : 7.5k] “Prince Eric, training for a tournament to prove his worth as a knight, goes for a ride in the woods. He accidentally finds a dragon, who accidentally became a dragon because he pissed off the wrong witch.” i’m not normally a fan of fantasy or royalty AUs, but something drew me to this fic anyway. i was not disappointed. i laughed out loud several times during this fic. i adored the translations of their personalities into a knight and a dragon (for example, jack's reaction to training - dying, dead, oh my god).

a drabble that made you want more Picture Us Together by RabbitRunnah (@doggernaut) [rating: t | words: 800] essentially: bitty sets a picture of his boyfriend as his lock screen during the madison visit, and jack finds out. it seems only fitting that i put more than one rec taking place during 4th of july on this list. the prompt was so simple, but the execution was so lovely i wished it would go on and on. things between them at this time were so new and fragile and sweet that i just never want it to end.

a fic with domestic fluff I'll settle in and dream by Stultiloquentia [rating: t | words: 9k] essentially: a future fic with emphasis on jack’s and bitty’s adult life. the realistic domesticity in this killed me dead. it is so, so lovely and soft. i enjoyed every detail, from the dog to the scenery descriptions to jack's hockey arc. every setting was so easy to imagine, and i really enjoyed the journey this fic takes the reader on.

#omgcp #omgcheckplease #omgcp fic #zimbits #fic recs #*#tag me if you do this! i'm always looking for new fics to read :)

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deckthehaus · 2 years ago

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We've reached the end! Here are the reveals of our illustrious creators!! Congratulations to everyone, and thank you, all of you, for participating, whether it was prompting, writing, podficcing, reading, listening, reblogging, or some combination of the above. The mods had a ton of fun, and we hope you did, too.

Self-promote! Go forth and reblog! And creators: if you would like to use any of the Deck the Haus art that we've been posting to promote your work, please just reach out. We'd be happy to do a quick edit so the text says your pseud and the name of your work.

As long as you love me so by sweaters_in_the_summer (@sweatersinthesummer)

A Whole Latke Love by Local_Queer (@a-very-gay-disaster)

Baked with Love (it's the thought that counts) by thesleepyskipper (@thesleepyskipper)

[Podfic] Every Time A Bell Rings by sunlightsymphony (@sunlightsymphony), dairaliz (@schitthappens), Amanita_Fierce, sweaters_in_the_summer (@sweatersinthesummer), dessertwaffles (@dessertwaffles), JanuariumPods (@januarium), cottagepodfics (@cottagepodfics), HowOldAreWe, skipperpods (@thesleepyskipper), and RattleandHum_collabs (@thirdeye1234)

Keep warm in winter by Denois (@denois)

knit one, purl cthulhu by cricketnationrise (@cricketnationrise)

Love and Joy Come to You [text + podfic] by DesignatedGrape (@designatedgrape) and RattleandHum (@thirdeye1234)

maybe tonight (the stars align) by dessertwaffles (@dessertwaffles)

meet me at midnight by dessertwaffles (@dessertwaffles)

[Podfic] Merry Christmas, I'm Yours by sweaters_in_the_summer (@sweatersinthesummer)

never gonna find me a better day by cricketnationrise (@cricketnationrise)

No Kiss Goodbye by Denois (@denois)

Northern Attitude by misswhimsy (@missanniewhimsy)

on the first day of christmas... by cricketnationrise (@cricketnationrise)

Operation Get Bitty Better by Local_Queer (@a-very-gay-disaster)

[Podfic] Please (Don't) Have Snow by cottagepodfics (@cottagepodfics)

Red Robe, Red Ribbon, Red Boxers by em_words (@bittysovenbetsy)

Ringing In by cricketnationrise (@cricketnationrise)

Snow Day by Local_Queer (@a-very-gay-disaster)

Soup for the (Pure of) Heart by Denois (@denois)

the beat my heart skips by MKAugust (@mkaugust)

To Begin Again by Local_Queer (@a-very-gay-disaster)

to dance under sparkling lights by cricketnationrise (@cricketnationrise)

When Lucia Day Dawns by lincyclopedia (@the-lincyclopedia)

[Podfic] You Can Plan on Me by cottagepodfics (@cottagepodfics)

You make me feel like a million bucks, you do by RabbitRunnah (@doggernaut)

#deck the haus #deck the haus 2022 #omgcp #check please #omgcheckplease #check please fic #check please podfic #omgcp fic #omgcp fanart #zimbits #nurseydex #polyfrogs #pb&j

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musinglymuse · 5 years ago

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This recommendation list focuses on the main pairing, the hottest couple in Check Please: Eric “Bitty” Bittle and Jack Zimmerman or more affectionately known as Zimbits. They’ve come a long way since the beginning of Check Please!

I’ve compiled some of what I consider excellent fanfics that feature this couple although it does not contain all of my recommendations. They are in no particular order. I plan on creating more recommendation lists down the line, especially for other pairings in this fandom.

As a reminder, please make sure to check the tags and any warnings before reading. Take care of yourself!

Hold It All At Bay by psocoptera Psychic Bond AU // ~50k // R

The theory of extrapolative synchronization of the mirror neurons was debunked back when he was still in his teens, so Jack is reluctant to mention that he can smell Bitty's pies baking from across campus.

Easy P-Z by ebjameston HGTV AU // ~21k // PG-13

Jack and Kent are the ridiculously handsome house-renovating married retired hockey players that’ve been making HGTV an absolutely stupid amount of money with their new show.

And Eric Bittle just got hired to be their show’s caterer.

Eric Bittle, NBC 10 by foryouandbits Journalist AU // ~82k // NC-17

In 2009, Jack Zimmermann was drafted 2nd overall to the Providence Falconers. After a tumultuous first season in the minors, Jack returns to the NHL and is named captain within a year. Known to the media as the "hockey robot," no one seems to be able to break through the polite barrier that Jack has built — no one until Eric Bittle, newest intern at NBC 10. Bitty, interning as a requirement for his journalism degree at nearby Samwell University, forms an instant connection with Jack. Throughout the rest of the season, and the rest of Bitty's junior year at Samwell, the two grow closer while learning how to both trust each other and succeed in their respective careers.

What I want to feel, I want to feel it now by RabbitRunnah Bakery AU // ~28k // PG-13

Eric Bittle knows the way his life is supposed to go: According to an old family curse, the love of his life will take one bite of his famous apple pie and fall madly in love with him. And they'll live happily ever after.

There's only one problem: Jack Zimmermann doesn't like pie.

Back to You by PorcupineGirl Canon Divergence // ~15k // PG-13

When Jack kissed him at graduation over a year and a half ago, Eric had been too shocked to really think about what it might mean, long-term. They'd talked constantly over the next six weeks, enough for him to feel confident that Jack felt the same way he did, and to start to imagine what those far-off futures might look like together.

And then Jack came to Madison for the Fourth of July, and Eric made the stupidest mistake of his life: He let himself and Jack talk themselves out of it.

he will take you by hockeydyke Camp Counselor AU // ~55k // PG-13

Jack Zimmermann has been a part of Camp Samwell for the majority of his life-- first as a camper when his parents spent summers in nearby at a lake house in scenic upstate New York, then as a counselor, and now as the program director of the entire camp. The problem now is that the camp is attracting bad luck left and right, and they’re losing campers and staff at an alarming rate. Enter Eric Bittle, Jack’s new co-director. He’s young, enthusiastic, and maybe he’ll have what it takes to get the situation turned around.

Unfortunately, something powerful is in control of Camp Samwell, and it wants Bitty to get out.

<lj-cut text="you see who I am and what I did"> by tomato_greens Rock Band AU // ~11k // PG-13

Rolling Stone

No Jack Zimmermann Is An Island by Jennifer S. Harada

After avoiding me for a week, Jack Zimmermann calls to ask me to meet him at a bakery. Or maybe a diner; he’s not sure what to call it. A brunch place, although they make great pies, too.

“Sure,” I say, “whatever you want, Mr. Zimmermann.”

“Jack,” says Zimmermann. His voice is higher than I expect it to be, and his Québécois accent more pronounced. “I’ll see you there.”

someone to count on (and other cheesy idioms about finding your soulmate) by heyfightme & omgpieplease Soulmate AU // ~9k // PG-13

Eric’s counter reads 1. That’s all. Just 1. He’s eighteen years old, has not left the state of Georgia in his entire life, and his counter reads 1.

He has spent many mindless afternoons and worn out many pens in tracing it over into a 0. If the counter did read 0, the morning wouldn’t be looming like the black rainclouds that Mama used to call “omens.”

Eric is leaving for college in the morning. When he passes the state line from Georgia to North Carolina in the passenger seat of his Mama’s sedan, he’ll also be passing the last chance he has for the counter to make it to 2.

Calendar Boy by darter_blue Canon Divergence // ~15k // R

It was supposed to be totally innocent. A friend of Lardo’s was putting together a little project, compiling a calendar of some of the openly gay athletes on campus, fundraising for the LGBTQ+ community outreach programs at Samwell.

Bitty hadn't really even been reluctant. Excited about the prospect of a fun photo shoot and a chance to dress up a bit, do something glamorous.

And he thinks it's a great photo (if not a bit more revealing than what he was expecting…). And when the calendar comes out it’s nerve racking but exciting. Until one by one the team finds a copy (Jack may be hiding one under his mattress), and then it's pandemonium.

is it too late now to say sorry by magneticwave AU // ~5K // PG-13

I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS, Eric types furiously into Twitter. THIS IS LIKE RENAMING LAKE WOEBEGONE “LAKE SCOTT WALKER.” // Or, the only person in the entirety of Canada who is upset about Jack Zimmermann’s first Stanley Cup is Eric Bittle, and by God is every single one of Eric’s 160,000 Twitter followers going to hear about it.

I Can Feel the Storm Inside You by Effyeahzimbits AU // ~15k // NC-17

Life is going good for Eric Bittle. It's summer, he has an exciting new job with the Providence Falconers, he's in a club celebrating with his friends, and he currently has a Canadian Adonis grinding up against his ass. Life is good.

Until said Canadian Adonis flees the morning after some mind-blowing sex, leaving behind a rubbish note. Bitty tries hard to forget about him and his huge, pert ass and focus on his new job, but then Canadian Adonis and the Falc's grumpy, anti-social captain turn out to be one and the same. And Bitty really couldn't forget about that huge, pert ass.

three words that became hard to say by the_one_that_fell Canon Divergence // Series // ~35k // R

Ten years after Samwell, Eric Bittle and Jack Zimmermann find each other again.

Flight Check by edgarallanrose Flight Attendant AU // ~15k // NC-17

Flight attendant Eric “Bitty” Bittle has been working his way up at Samwell Airlines for the past four years, and his new promotion has provided him the opportunity to work with a brand-new crew. Unfortunately for Bitty, that crew includes an incredibly handsome but equally grumpy pilot, Captain Jack Zimmermann, who seems to want nothing to do with Bitty. Even worse, Jack refuses to eat any of Bitty's baked goods. Will Bitty be able to win the captain over? Or is there another reason Jack has been avoiding Bitty?

Bits of Heaven by WrathoftheStag Older / Bakery AU // ~22k // R

At age 44, NHL legend, Jack Zimmermann, knows three things for sure: retirement is boring, love is probably not in the cards for him, and his aging father makes a pretty good roommate. When the bakery "Bits of Heaven" opens up down the street, Jack finds that a happily ever after is possible—even late in the game.

A Tolerance for Pain by uniqueinalltheworld Soulmate AU // ~3k // R

It makes sense, his mother tells him when he's nine: Jack's such a physical person, of course his indicator would be his soulmate's pain. Jack doesn't have anything to say about it, really, he just scowls and winces as his soulmate falls down again. Alicia Zimmermann, whose heterochromia reversed itself upon laying eyes on Bob for the first time, because she’s more passionate about visual media, pats him on the shoulder with a completely insufficient amount of sympathy. Jack's backside is sore for months as the falls keep happening, and he can only think that somewhere, his soulmate must be learning how to skate.

#zimbits #omgcp #omgcp fic rec #jack/bitty #bitty/jack

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bittysvalentines · 5 years ago

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Careful Fear and Dead Devotion

To: @happyzimm

From: @doggernaut /RabbitRunnah

Rating: T, for mentions of alcohol.

Relationship: Jack Zimmermann/Eric Bittle

Characters: Jack Zimmermann, Eric Bittle, Bad Bob Zimmermann, Kent Parson, original child character

Tags: Jack Zimmermann, Zimbits, Jack Zimmermann character study

Happy Valentine’s Day, @happyzimm! I hope you enjoy this little Jack Zimmermann character study. I tried to incorporate some of the other things you asked for as well.

Jack Zimmermann is five years old, and his feet don’t touch the ground.

He’s sitting in a hard, plastic chair at a table for two while Papa waits in line to order doughnuts. There are two Papas in this doughnut shop — the one standing in line, and the one on the poster behind the counter.

The Papa in line is wearing his home clothes: jeans, a t-shirt, running shoes. The Papa on the wall is wearing work clothes — his Pens jersey but not his helmet — and holding a doughnut decorated with black and yellow sprinkles.

Even though the real Papa’s back is turned to him, it feels like he’s watching Jack.

When Maman takes him to get doughnuts after his swim lesson she always takes him to the shop across the street from the rec center, the one with yellow tables and the smiling man behind the counter who always hands Jack his chocolate old-fashioned doughnut and cinnamon sugar doughnut hole before he orders. The one that does not have a picture of Papa on the wall.

But Maman is working in California — Jack has never been to California, but he knows it’s a place people go to work, because Papa goes there too — so Papa had to take Jack to his swim lesson today. Papa doesn’t know Maman always takes Jack to the other doughnut shop, and when he told Papa this is the wrong one it was too late. They were already here.

The boy behind the counter is much younger than the man who works at the other doughnut shop. He must be friends with Papa because he greets him by name and talks to him longer than he talked to the other people in line. Papa knows a lot of people.

“Told you that wouldn’t take long, Jacky.” Papa sets a sprinkle doughnut with white icing on a paper napkin in front of Jack and opens his chocolate milk for him.

Jack frowns and picks at the black and yellow sprinkles on the doughnut. He doesn’t like the colors, or the way they feel in his teeth when he chews them.

“What’s wrong?” Papa asks. “Not hungry?”

Jack is hungry. He’s always hungry after his swim lesson. He picks off a teeny tiny piece of doughnut — a part that isn’t touching white icing or colored sprinkles — and sticks it in his mouth. He eats the entire cake part of the doughnut this way while Papa eats his maple bar and an apple fritter. When he’s finished, all that’s left is a ring of sticky icing and sprinkles.

“All finished?” Papa asks when he notices Jack is no longer eating. “Do you want another?”

Jack thinks. It would be rude to ask for another doughnut, but Papa is offering. “Can I have chocolate?” he asks.

“Hey, Paulie!” Papa’s voice is loud in the mostly-empty shop as he waves to get the attention of the guy behind the counter. “Can I get a chocolate doughnut for my boy?”

Paulie comes around to their table and hands the doughnut to Jack. Jack whispers a “thank you” as Papa hands Paulie some money and tells him to “keep the change.” He winks and smiles, and it’s the same smile as the Papa on the poster behind the counter.

Jack takes a bite of the new doughnut and chews. The chocolate is rich and sweet. He takes another bite and swings his legs as Papa smiles at him.

ii.

Jack is 18, and he is so close to having it all.

“Drink up!”

The bottle Kent presses into Jack’s hand is cold and smooth except for the label, damp and wrinkled from condensation. Jack doesn’t like these parties and he doesn’t like the taste of alcohol. It burns on the way down and tastes like spite, a bitter, caustic thing that burns inside of him whenever Papa offhandedly remarks that Kent just might go first. Jack doesn’t like the way that feels, or the way he feels for feeling that way. But he likes the way he feels after a few beers, the way it makes him loose and brave. Kent says it makes him more fun. So Jack takes a pull of his beer and grimaces, quickly twisting his mouth into a smile when he catches Kent glancing his way.

One beer makes Jack loose enough that his smile comes more easily.

Two beers and the world starts to shimmer around the edges, suffusing everything with a nice haze that makes him feel buoyant and bold. When he’s on the ice he feels loose and free, not heavy and grounded the way he feels as soon as he removes his skates. On the ice he does the right things and the words come easily; people smile and cheer his name. Two beers in and Jack feels closer to the way he feels on the ice, his ever-present anxiety and self-consciousness fading into something palatable.

Three beers is the magic number. He can laugh at jokes made at his expense about that shot he missed and flirt with the girls who somehow always know where the team is partying. With three beers in him, Jack’s hand can find Kent’s in the dark and he doesn’t worry that he’s not really this brave. He doesn’t worry about any of it.

“Zimms! There’s girls here!” Rusty, yelling from the other side of the room, is anything but subtle. Though these girls, with their loud, exaggerated laughter, don’t seem like they value subtlety anyway. One of them catches his eye, a small blonde who doesn’t look away when Jack catches her staring.

Jack runs his thumb back and forth over the smooth label, wearing away a patch in the center. Bits of paper bead up and cling to it, turn gritty under his thumb. When he tries to brush them away they just stick to him.

“Awww, is Zimms gonna score again? Score on the ice, score off the ice, is that how it works?”

“Shut up.” Jack elbows Kent.

“Make me.”

Jack swallows hard, suddenly remembering exactly what he did to make Kent shut up last night, and the night before. He can’t do this right now. He shouldn’t do this ever. The one thing that matters, the only thing that matters, according to Jack’s father, is THE DRAFT.

That’s how he thinks of it, in all caps.

Tonight when Jack counted out his pills, there were seven missing. He doesn’t know how it happened. He’s good with numbers, at knowing the score at all times. He remembers the shots he made and the shots he missed, keeps a running tally in his head. He memorizes stats. Not just his, but those of every first round draft pick of the last five years, and those of every guy who has even been mentioned as a first round pick this year. He is constantly calculating his odds.

Jack is good with numbers. How has he lost track of the pills he’s taken?

Somebody pries the beer bottle, now warm, from Jack’s hand and replaces it with a new one. Jack didn’t even realize he’d finished the first. Jack takes another drink.

He is so close to having it all, and he is so close to losing it all.

*****

iii

Jack is 24, and when he swiftly pays for Bittle’s coffee, telling his teammate he’s “good for it,” he realizes he is. It’s not just that he can afford it because he’s about to sign an NHL contract. It’s also because Bittle is his friend, and Jack enjoys doing nice things for his friends.

Somehow, and Jack still cannot explain how though he suspects it has a bit to do with Bittle’s own grit and generosity, Bittle has become one of Jack’s best friends.

Checking practice, a morning workout that it turns out they both needed, isn’t really necessary anymore. These days, the early ice time with Bittle is just an excuse for an extra workout. Sometimes they even goof off more than they practice, a concept Jack would have found sacrilegious a year ago. They race each other around the rink, skating faster and faster until their breath comes in aching gasps. Or Bittle will pull out a jump, tentative and imprecise. “I know it’s not impressive,” Bittle says self-deprecatingly, “but just imagine if I had my figure skates.”

Bittle is wrong. Jack is very impressed. Somehow those words catch in his throat when he tries to voice them so he just nods.

Afterward, they get coffee. Jack drinks his black and bitter. “Like your soul,” Bittle once joked. Jack used to think that was true, but now he thinks that maybe he’s softened. More and more, he feels the way Bittle’s milky latte looks: lighter, cooler, sweeter.

Jack takes a sip of Bittle’s latte by accident and ... it’s not unpleasant. There’s an underlying smoky sweetness Jack’s own black coffee is missing, a richness that makes him yearn for a second sip before he hands it back. It’s not the worst thing.

“Good?” Bittle asks, eager and expectant, like Jack’s answer will reveal the secrets of the universe.

“It’s not disappointing,” Jack concedes.

“Well, for five dollars I should think not!” Bittle scoffs as they head back out into the cold.

Bittle wears gloves in 40 degrees and pulls his toque down low over his ears, and sometimes Jack catches himself wondering what it would be like if he could provide that warmth. He decides, when Bitty gives him a friendly hip check, that maybe he’s getting there.

*****

Jack is still 24, and he’s in what his boyfriend just called “Southern-Fried Hell.”

Okay, not really. Objectively, Bitty’s MooMaw’s place isn’t bad at all. It’s the fact that he’s here, sweating profusely and trying to politely choke down a plate of terrible coleslaw, while every single Bittle and Phelps in the state of Georgia attempts to engage in polite conversation when all he wants to do is find a private corner where he can make out with Bitty.

Jack doesn’t even like coleslaw. It’s slimy and stringy and this particular coleslaw is oddly sweet yet somehow bitter and acidic at the same time. There’s pepper in it? Pepper, and something gritty that might be sugar or possibly dirt. Jack hopes it’s sugar.

From the other side of the yard, Bitty catches his eye and hides a smile behind a slice of watermelon as Jack explains his upcoming training schedule to some uncle or cousin or neighbor. He’s been introduced to so many people today, and it’s exhausting. Jack genuinely wants to get to know Bitty’s family, but he also wants Bitty, and only one of those things is possible at the moment.

“Oh, sweetheart,” Bitty laughs as he cards his fingers through Jack’s hair later that night. “You did not have to eat Aunt Connie’s coleslaw. Bless her heart, she tries, but we all stopped pretending we liked it years ago.”

“I wanted to be polite,” Jack says. “Make a good first impression. My parents always made me try a little of everything at their parties.”

Bitty’s face does something complicated, a look equal parts pity and irritation. “Jack. I promise you nobody in this family is gonna think less of you because you don’t eat Aunt Connie’s coleslaw, or Uncle Hank’s ribs, or Judy’s potato salad. I’m not gonna think less of you. It’s enough that you’re here.”

Bitty presses a little closer to Jack, and Jack’s body registers every point of skin-on-skin contact: elbows, hands, thighs, calves. Bitty’s bare foot where it tangles with Jack’s. It feels like there’s an electric current running through each point, vibrating at a frequency only they can feel.

Or it could just be the humidity. Georgia in July is really fucking humid.

Overhead, the fireworks show is starting, far enough away that they can see but not hear the spectacle.

“Promise me,” Bitty says, corners of his mouth quirking upward, “that next year you’ll skip the coleslaw.”

It should feel scary, to make that promise when this is still so new, but Jack can clearly see the years spooling out ahead of them, years of avoiding Aunt Connie’s coleslaw and making small talk with the strangers he met today until they’re no longer strangers.

“Okay.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Bitty sighs happily and rests his head on Jack’s chest, a pleasant weight that reminds Jack of everything he’s found since the day he lost it all.

*****

Jack is 36, and some days he feels every day of it. His shoulders and knees ache more often than not, especially when a four-year old is perched on top of those aching shoulders. When they walk into Bitty’s shop he gently lifts Evie from his shoulders and sets her down in front of the bakery case so she can look at the day’s treats.

“Chocolate old-fashioned?” Bitty’s sliding the doughnut across the counter before Jack orders. He knows his husband. Never once, in all the time he’s owned this shop, has Jack ordered one of the novelty doughnuts he keeps on the menu even though there’s nothing really “novelty” about Skittles or Hot Cheetos on top of a doughnut these days. They’re a holdover from the previous owner, who made his name creating Instagrammable confections. Bitty’s taken his original recipes in a different direction, experimenting with natural food dyes and delicate floral infusions. His creations have gotten some attention in local foodie circles, but most people come in for the classics.

Jack still doesn’t eat sprinkle doughnuts. The sprinkles, even the organic ones Bitty uses, still stick in his teeth and make them feel funny. But Evie loves sprinkle doughnuts. She especially loves it when her daddy hands one to her and takes a break to sit with them while she eats it.

“How was your swim lesson, sweetheart?” Bitty asks, a soft sigh escaping as he sits for what is probably the first time all morning. Jack listens to the two chatter happily as he picks at his own doughnut, chewing slowly.

Jack remembers sitting in a shop like this with his own mother, and — occasionally — his father. He and Maman would stop at the doughnut shop across from his swim lesson for “a little treat,” as she liked to call it. They always went to that one instead of the chain shop Papa had an endorsement deal with; it was a long time before Jack realized Maman intentionally chose the smaller shop because of its anonymity.

“That’s Papa.” Evie points at the poster on the wall behind Bitty, at a smiling Jack holding a cake doughnut topped with sprinkles, Falcs blue and yellow. After the last Cup Bitty had the idea to recreate the advertisement Bad Bob did years ago, and with time Jack agreed that it could be fun. Somehow, the photographer managed to capture Jack at the exact moment he saw Bitty and Evie walk in. Bitty says it’s the most natural photo Jack has ever taken.

“That is your papa,” Bitty says. “Remember, we took the pictures together and talked about how we were going to put the one of just Papa up here in the shop because his team won the Cup? How does he look?”

Evie take a bite, swallows as she tilts her head and considers the Jack on the wall. Suddenly, he recalls with perfect clarity what it felt like to be four or five and see another version of his father in a public space. The way it made him feel proud and shy and scared for reasons he couldn’t articulate.

“Happy,” Evie finally declares, swinging her legs and beaming up at her fathers. “I think he looks happy.”

#bv2020 #bittyjack #bitty's valentines #omg check please!

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